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would not then be like its father. That which is from beneath can neither be pure nor peaceable. And how far God hath suffered this sulphureous spirit of error to prevail is so notorious, that no apology is broad enough to cover the nakedness of these unhappy times. It is therefore high time to have our girdle of truth on, yea, close girt about us, in the profession of it. Not every one that now applauds truth will follow it, when once it comes to shew them the way to prison; not every one that preacheth for it, or disputes for it, will suffer for it. Arguments are harmless things, blunt weapons, they fetch no blood; but when we suffer, then we are called to try it with truth's enemies at sharps. This requires something more than a nimble tongue, a sharp wit, and a logical head. Where then will be the wise, the disputer, the men of parts and gifts? alas! they will (like cowardly soldiers) be wanting in the fight, though they could be as forward as the best at a muster, or training, when no enemy was in the field; when to appear for truth was rather a matter of gain or applause, than loss and hazard. No: God hath chosen the foolish, to confound the wise, in this piece of service: the humble Christian, by his faith, patience, and love to the truth, to shame men of high parts and no grace.

CHAP. V.

A DIRECTION OR TWO FOR THE GIRDING OF TRUTH CLOSE TO US IN THE PROFESSION OF IT.

QUEST. But how may a soul get to be thus girt with truth in the profession of it?

Answ. First, labour to get an heart inflamed with a sincere love to the truth; this is only able to match the enemies of truth. The worst they can do is bonds or death, and "love is stronger than death." It kills the

very heart of death itself, it makes all easy. Commandmandments are not grievous to love, nor doth it complain of sufferings: with what a light heart did Jacob, for the love of Rachel, endure the heat of the day and cold of the night? It is venturous: Jonathan threw a kingdom at his heels, and conflicted with the anger of an enraged father, for David's sake. Love never thinks itself a loser, so long as it keeps its beloved; yea, it is ambitious of any hazardous enterprize, whereby it may sacrifice itself in the service of its beloved: as we see in David, who put his life in his hands for Michal; how much more when our love is pitched upon so transcendant an object as Christ and his truth? Alas! they are but faint spirits which are breathed from a creature; weak beams that are shot from such sorry beauties. If these lay their lovers under such a law, that they cannot but obey, though with the greatest peril and hazard; what constraint then must a soul ravished with the love of Christ be under? This has made the saints leap out of their estates, relations, yea, out of their bodies, with joy, counting it not their loss to part with them, but to keep them with the least prejudice to the truth. "They loved not their lives unto the death," Rev. xii. 11. Mark, not to the loss of some of the comforts of their lives, but to death; life itself they counted an enemy, when it would part them and truth: as a man doth not love his arm. or leg when it hazards the rest, but bids, cut it off. Caunot we live, (say these noble spirits) but to the clouding of truth, and calling our love to it and Christ into question; welcome then the worst of deaths. This kept up David's courage when his life was laid for: "The wicked have waited for me to destroy me; but I will consider thy testimonies." Psal. cxix. 95. A carnal heart would have considered his estate, wife, and children, or at least his life, now in danger; but David's heart was on a better subject, he considered the testimonies of God, and so much sweetness pours in upon his soul, while he is rolling them in his meditation, that he cannot hold. "O how I love thy law," ver. 97. This made him set light by all the troubles he met with for his cleaving to the truth. It is a great mystery to the world, that men for an opinion (as

they call it) should run such desperate hazard. Therefore Paul was thought by his judge to be out of his wits. And that question which Pilate asked Christ seems rather to be slightingly than seriously spoken, John xviii. Our Saviour had told him, ver. 37, that the end why he was born and came into the world was, that he should "bear witness to the truth." Then Pilate, ver. 38, asks Christ, "What is truth?" and presently flings away, as if he had said, Is this now a time to think of truth, when thy life is in danger? what is truth, that thou shouldest venture so much for it? But a gracious soul may better ask, in a holy scorn, what are riches and honours, what the fading pleasures of this cheating world, yea, what is life itself, that any, or all these, should be set in opposi tion to truth? O sirs, look what has your love, that will command purse, credit, life, and all. Amor meus pondus meum, every man goes where his love carries him. If the world has your love, on it you will spend your lives; if truth has your hearts, you will catch the blow that is made at it in your own breasts, rather than let it fall on it.

Only be careful that your love to truth be sincere, or else it will leave you at the prison door, and make you part with truth, when you should most appear for it. There are three sorts of pretenders to truth, whose love is not likely to endure the fiery trial.

First, Such as embrace truth for carnal advantage. Sometimes truth pays well for her board in the world's own coin, and so long every one will invite her to his house; these do not love truth, but the jewel at her ear. Many are observed in Henry the Eighth's time to be very zealous against abbeys, that loved their lands more than they hated their idolatry. Truth finds few that love her gratis; and those few only will suffer with truth and for it. As for the other, when the worldly dowry that truth brought be once spent, you will find they are weary of their match. This kitchen fire burns no longer than such gross fuel of profit, credit, and the like, does feed it. If you cannot love naked truth, you will not fadge to go naked for truth. If you cannot love disgraced truth, you will not endure to be disgraced for truth; and what usage truth finds that her followers must expect. Secondly, Such who commend truth, and cry it up

highly; but if you mark them, they do but compliment with it, all this while they keep at a distance, and do not suffer truth to come within them, so as to give law unto them. Like one that entertains a suitor, speaks well of him, holds discourse with him, but will not hear of marrying him. Bucholcerus would oft say, Multi osculantur Christum, pauci verò amant; many kiss Christ, but few love him. True love to Christ is conjugal; when a soul delivers up itself from an inward liking it hath to Christ as to her husband, to be ruled by his Spirit, and ordered by his word of truth, here is a soul loves Christ and his truth; but where truth has no command, and bears no rule, there dwells no love to truth in that heart. She that is not obedient, cannot be a loving wife because love would constrain her to be so: and so would love in the soul enforce obedience to the truth it loves. Nay: he that doth not obey truth, is so far from loving it, that he is afraid of truth; and he that is slavishly afraid of truth, will sooner prove a persecutor of truth than a sufferer for truth. So true is that of Hierome, quem metuit, quis, odit, quem odit, perisse cupit, whom we fear, we hate; whom we hate, we wish they were destroyed. Saul feared David, and that made him more industriously seek his ruin; Herod feared John, and that cost him his life. Slavish fear makes the naughty heart imprison truth in his conscience, because, if that had its liberty and authority in the soul, it would imprison, yea, execute every lust that now rules there; and he that imprisons truth in his own bosom, will hardly lie in prison himself as a witness for truth.

Thirdly, Such as have no zeal against truth's enemies. Love goes ever armed with zeal; this is her dagger she draws against all the opposers of truth. Qui non zelat, non amat; he that is not zealous, doth not love. Now right zeal acts like fire, adultimum sui posse, to its utmost power, yet ever keeping its place and sphere. If it be confined to the breast of a private Christian, whence it may not flame forth in punishing truth's enemies, then it burns inwardly the more for being pent up, and preys, like a fire in his bones, upon the Christian's own spirits, consuming them, yea, eating him up for grief to see truth trod under foot of error or profaneness, and he not

able to help it up. It is no joy to a zealous lover to outlive his beloved; such there have been, who could have chose rather to have leaped into their friend's grave, and lain down with them in the dust, than here pass a disconsolate life without them. "Let us go and die with him," said Thomas, when Christ told them Lazarus was dead. And I am sure zealous lovers of truth count it as melancholy living in evil times, when that is fallen in the streets. The news of the taking of the ark frighted good Eli's soul out of his body; and this may charitably be thought to have given life to Elijah's wish, yea solemn prayer for death, "It is enough, take away my life," 1 Kings xix. 4. The holy man saw how things went among the great ones of those wicked times; idolaters were courted, and the faithful servants of God carted (as I may so say), yea killed; and now this zealous prophet thinks it a good time to leave the world in, rather than live in torment any longer, to see the name, truth, and servants of God trampled on, by those who should have shewn most kindness to them. But if zeal hath power put into her hands, wherein she may vindicate truth's cause, (as when she is exalted into the magistrate's seat) then truth's enemies shall know and feel that she "bears not the sword in vain." The zealous magistrate will have an arm to relieve and defend truth; the Israelite a hand to smite blasphemy, error, and profaneness in the Egyptian, when any of them assault her. O how Moses laid about him (that meek man, who stood so mute in his own cause, Numb. xii.) when the people had committed idolatry; his heart was so fired within him, that (as well as he loved them) he could neither open his mouth in a prayer for them to God, nor his ear to receive any petition from them, till he had given vent to his zeal in an act of justice upon the offenders. Now such, and such only, are the persons that are likely (when called) to suffer for the truth, who will not let it suffer if they can help it. But as for neutral Gallio-like spirits, that can see truth and error scuffling, and not do their utmost to relieve truth, by interposing their power and authority, if a magistrate; by preaching the one up and the other down, if a minister; and by a free testimony to,

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