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we go upon, before we pronounce it to be for righteoufnefs fake. For as it is impoffible that any article fhould be true in two contradictory fenfes, it must be fuppofed that fome of thefe fufferers, tho' they have fuffered for maintaining an article of religion, (or what they took to be fo) have yet not fuffered for righteousness fake, because they have maintain'd another fenfe or judgment of it than that which is indeed the true one. Righteoufnefs therefore (confider'd as a cause of martyrdom or fuffering) feems not to lie in these obfcure and doubtful cafes. The only fafe ground of being confident that we fuffer for Chrift, and for righteoufnefs fake, is when we fuffer for what is clearly and plainly revealed to us in the Gofpel. In fine, it is not every cause, no nor every cause which has an immediate reference to religion, which will make a chriftian martyr or sufferer within the intention of this text, For ignorance or error may produce an obftinacy in fuffering, and it deferves no better name when we fuffer for a doubtful or an indifferent opinion, which is either not clear from Scripture, or not material if it were fo. The chriftian confeffor or martyr muft be one who fuffers either for the profeffion of Chriftianity it self, or fome truth which is an exprefs and evident Branch of it as fuch, and of great importance to our faith or manners; or else for the rejecting of fome additional doctrine impos'd upon him directly contrary to, or not apparently contained in the holy Scriptures; which are to us the only rule of faith, or not to be deduced by clear and natural confequences from them. righteousness is not confin'd to matter of faith, it extends to matter of practice alfo. And therefore,

But

(2.) By righteousness is meant the worship of God in the way of his own appointment, the practice of a religious and holy life in general, or the dif charge of fome particular duty laid down in holy Scriptures,

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CHAP. VIIL Scripture, or rationally inferred from thence; as also the refusing to do any thing which is plainly forbidden in the word of God. Thus Daniel was caft into the lion's den for praying to the true God; and Shadrach, Mefbech and Abednego into the fiery furnace, for refufing to worship the idol which the king of Babylon had fet up. Thus Cain flew his brother Abel, because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous; and thus St. Paul declares, that all that will live godly in Chrift Jefus fball fuffer perfecution. This affertion of the Apoftle's is the more remarkable, as it is certain he could not mean it by all thofe who to the end of the world fhould make profeffion of the chriftian faith; becaufe in fuch a fenfe it is not true; for fince Chriftianity has been received and established by the civil authority, and kings are become the nurfing fathers, and queens the nurfing mothers of the Church, many millions of Chriftians (I mean of fuch as have been baptized and made an outward profeffion of Christianity) have lived, and daily do live quietly, without danger of perfecution upon that account. But in a narrower fenfe, which the very letter of the text exprefly favours, it is and always will be true. All those who are real and inward Chriftians (as well as outwardly fo by name and profeffion,) all who will live godly in Chrift Jefus, who will be strictly good and religious, and endeavour to acquit themfelves in every article of their duty, even the most unpopular and unfashionable, muft expect to fuffer perfecution of one fort or other, from a prophane and wicked world, This pious David experienc'd long ago. * They are my adverfaries, fays he, because I follow the thing that is good. And many fuch there are in

* Dan. vi.
|| 2 Tim. iii. 12.

† Dan iii.

* Pfal. xxxviii. 20.

1 John iii. 12.

our

our times, (as the * Apoftle foretold there would be in the latter ages of the Church) who nofwithftanding that they own the form, deny and even ridicule the power of godliness, and hate all ferious religion. It is not indeed in their power to torture or put to death good men for their piety and virtue, but they perfecute them as far as they can; and how far that is we fhall fee under the next inquiry. At prefent it will be enough to fay, that whoever fuffers purely for the practice of religion, the discharge of any chriftian duty, or refusing to commit any fin, as undoubtedly fuffers for righteoufnefs fake, as if it had been for the profeffion of the chriftian faith. But here again we must apply the caution given under the former head, that what we take for a duty or a fin, be capable of a clear and rational proof from holy Scripture that it is fo; or else our fuffering for the discharge of the one, or refufing to do the other, mult not be placed to the account of righteousness. And that our conduct and behaviour in it too be as prudent as poffi ble, and without any juft occafion of offence: For if it be otherwife, we do not fuffer merely for righteousness fake, but draw it upon our felves, by our own pride, or morofenefs, or impertinence, our needless and affected aufterities; or fome other error in the management of confcience. Nor muft we charge our fufferings to the score of religion, if there be any other prevailing mixture in the cause of them; if we have unjustly provoked or injured thofe who fet themselves againit us; or if we have done any thing which is justly odious or reproachful. For as religious men have ftill their paffions and infirmities about them in too great a meafure, 'tis poffible the quarrel may be grounded upon fomewhat lefs defenfible and generous than their piety; tho' per

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haps their character for this may add some sting to the malignity. But I must haften to enquire,

SECONDLY, What the perfecution is which may be expected for righteoufnefs fake. Three forts of perfecution the eleventh verfe in my text fuggefts to us. First, That which is moft ufually fo called, and therefore is defcrib'd no farther than by the word it felf, Blessed are ye when men fhall perfecute you, &c. In this are included the being fpoiled of our fortunes, driven from our eftates, banish'd from our friends and country, (or, which is all one, forced to leave them for our fafety) imprifon'd, tortur'd, or put to death, for our fteady adherence to Chrift, and to the religion which he has prefcrib'd to us in the Gofpel. This was the cafe of the primitive Chriftians for 280 years, and upwards, (with very little intermiffion) from the powers of heathenifm and infidelity; and it has been the cafe of many thousands of glorious martyrs and confeffors in latter ages, who have suffered by the tyranny of the Church of Rome, for rejecting the idolatry and fuperftitions, new articles of faith, and other innovations, introduced by that corrupt ufurping See. We in Great Britain and Ireland, are, bleffed be God, at prefent under fuch an happy fettlement, that we hope to feel no more of this fort of perfecution, either as Chriftians or as Proteftants. But there is one degree of it, ('tis indeed the lowest, but 'tis perfecution ftill,) which is often fuffered, even here, for the fake of righteoufnefs, in the fecond fenfe of the word; I mean the malicious ill turns and unneighbourly offices, which fuch as hate good men for their goodness are ready to do them, upon all occafions; at least if thofe good men give them any disturbance in their vices. For this, though it be a great kindness to the debauched and profligate to endeavour to bring them back to virtue and their fenfes, is what experience

thews

shews us they can laft of all forgive: To fuch abfurdities are they hurry'd blindfold by that evil fpirit which leads them captive at his will, that they fhall fooner pardon you any ill ufage, than a charitable defign to reclaim them; and had rather bear with the groffeft injuries, than with the greatest and trueft benefit.

THE fecond fort of perfecution is contempt, reproaches, and reviling, whether to our faces or behind our backs. And the third is calumny, or flanderous falfhoods raised to leffen or defame us. That both these last are truly and properly reckon'd perfecution, we need no other argument than the text it felf; for our Saviour having pronounced his Difciples bleffed, when men fhall revile them, and fball fay all manner of evil against them falfly for his fake, adds in the next verfe, for SO perfecuted they the prophets which were before you. We fhall confider this claufe as a comfort to us under fufferings by and by; but we may here take notice, that not only the ancient Prophets, but the Apofiles alfo, and the primitive Chriftians, underwent both thefe kinds of perfecution, as well as the first and moft notorious inftance of it. They were * defpifed, reviled, defamed, and paffed through evil report, dishonour, and contempt, as well as other hardfhips, for the faith of Chrift; and though the caufe be fomewhat changed (from the righteousness of a found belief to the righteoufnefs of a confcientious practice,) the cafe is ftill the fame to this day. True piety is every where derided, ridiculed and infulted by the prophane and impious, and even the fober moralift too often joins with them in cenfuring a strict and spiritual life as fomewhat more than needs, and impeaching those who profess it of affectation and hypocrify.

*I Cor. iv. 10, 11, 12. 2 Cor. vi. 8.

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