wicked impostors, but worthy of the divinest men; SERM. fit to countenance and carry on the best design, such XXIX. as they pretended theirs to be. ii. 5, 6. xi. 6. 18. Col. iii. 2. 3. Further, they were persons of good sense; yea, very wise and prudent; not in way of worldly or fleshly wisdom; in skill to contrive or compass pro- 1Cor. i. 20. jects of gain, honour, or pleasure to themselves; to 2 Cor. i. 12. the commendation of them and of their testimony, they disclaimed being wise or skilful that way; having no practice therein, nor caring for it; (for they looked not much on things temporal and trans- 2 Cor. iv. itory; they did not mind earthly things; they had not their conversation, or interest, here, but above, as citizens of another world, deeming themselves as but sojourners and pilgrims here;) but endued they were with a wisdom, as in itself far more excellent, so more suitable to the persons they sustained; with great perspicacy and sound judgment in the matters they discoursed about, and in the affairs they pursued: such their writings, according to acknowledgment of innumerable most wise and 2 Cor. xi. 6. learned persons, fraught with admirable wisdom 13. and heavenly philosophy, (rude indeed and simple in expression, but most exact and profound in sense,) do manifest them to have been; such the tenor of their doctrine evidenced them, shining with that lustre and beauty, compacted with that strength and harmony, that whoever will not confess it to have proceeded from God, must, upon consideration, however allow, that it could not have been devised by idiots or mean persons, but did come from persons of much subtilty and great reach: they must be no fools who could frame a religion merely by its own plausibility, without any external help, able 1 Cor. ii. 1, κατώρθωσαν καὶ ἐξεστη I Cor. Or. tissime. SERM. presently to supplant all the religions in the world; XXIX. and to stand durably firm upon the foundations laid Пas aur by them. Such also the notable conduct of their Ma great affair, (notwithstanding so mighty disadvanMór, &c. tages and difficulties,) together with the prodigious Chrys. in efficacy their endeavours had upon men, do evince 5. elegan- them to have been: they surely could not be weak men, who in a plain and peaceable way confounded all the wit and policy, all the learning and eloquence, all the force and violence that withstood them. Experience did attest to the truth of what St. Paul Acts vi. 10 saith; The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 2 Cor. x. 4. but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. I Cor. i. 27. Vid. Chrys. ibid. 4. So were they qualified in their minds: it must be further also considered, as to their purposes in this case, that, in falsely venting and urging this testimony, they could not have any design gainful or beneficial to themselves; but must therein to no end be mischievous to themselves and others; abusing others indeed, but far more harming themselves; they must be supposed voluntarily to have embraced all sorts of inconvenience, and designedly to have rendered themselves miserable; courting adversity, choosing naked and barren evil for its own sake: 1 Thess. ii. For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: for neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: neither of men sought we glory. Profit, honour, or pleasure, (those baits which entice men to do evil, and set them upon 3, 5. XXIX. 33. XV. 20. 12. wicked attempts,) or any worldly advantage thence SERM. to accrue to themselves, they could have no design upon; for all those things wittingly and willingly they did abandon; for the sake of this very testimony incurring extremities of loss, of disgrace, and of pain. They did plainly foresee what entertainment their testimony would find, and how in prosecution thereof they should be forced to endure all kinds of indignity, of damage, and of hardship from men; that in this world they should have tribula- John xvi. tion; that men should deliver them up to be af-vi. 2. flicted, and should kill them; and that they should be hated of all nations for his name's sake; their Matt. xxiv. Master expressly had forewarned them, that all who Luke xxi. would live godlily in Christ Jesus (that is, all pro-Tim. iii. fessors of faith in him, especially the teachers there- 12. of) must suffer persecution; and must through Acts xiv.22. much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God; that bonds and imprisonments did abide them in every place; that God had set forth the apostles 1 Cor. iv.9. as appointed unto death, and exposed them as spectacles of scorn and obloquy to the world; that they were called to suffering, and appointed to 1Pet. ii. 21. this very thing, as to their office and their portion : 3. these were the rules and measures they went by; these the expectations they had from the world: according unto which it did in effect happen to them; Even to this present hour we both hunger and 1 Cor. iv. thirst, and are naked, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and as the offscouring of all XX. 23. 1 Thess. iii. 11, 12, 13. (2 Cor.iv.8.) SERM. things unto this day. So doth St. Paul describe the XXIX. apostles' condition. 5. All these afflictions, as they knowingly did object themselves to for the sake of this testimony, so they did endure them with contentedness and joy; Acts v. 41. when they had been beaten, they departed, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame 1Pet.iv.13. for the name of Jesus; rejoicing that they were made partakers of Christ's sufferings; deeming it Phil. i. 29. a privilege that was given them, not only to believe in him, but to suffer for his name; thinking them 1 Pet. iv.14. selves happy in being reproached for the name of Heb. x. 34 Christ; taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods; Phil. iii. 9. counting all things but loss for the excellency of (1 Pet. 1.6. the knowledge of Jesus Christ their Lord, for Jain. i. 2.) whom they suffered the loss of all things. Rom. v. 3. 6. Whence it is evident enough, that the satisfaction of their conscience, and expectation of future reward from God for the discharge of their duty herein, was all the argument which did induce them to undertake this attestation, all the reason that could support them in it; neither of which could be consistent with the resolved maintenance of such a falsehood. They could not indeed but grievously be tormented with remorse in their minds, they could not but dread severe vengeance from heaven, had they been conscious to themselves of so villainous a design of mocking God, (whose name and express command they pretended, whose testimony and judgActs iv. 19. ment they appealed to in this affair,) and together 2 Cor. ii.17. of abusing the world with such an imposture. Such 2 Cor. ix. must have been their inward sense, and such their expectations, had they proceeded with guilty con v. 29. iv. 2. 16. TO. science in this business: but they do seriously pro- SERM. fess otherwise, and the condition of things might as- XXIX. sure us they were in good earnest ; Eis TOUTO, For 1 Tim. iv. this end, saith St. Paul, we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe and, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony 2 Cor. i. 12. of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world: and, Knowing the fear of the Lord, (that is, be- 1 Cor. v.11. ing sensible of our duty toward God, and fearful of his judgment, if we transgress it,) we persuade men; but are made manifest unto God. So they declare what principle it was that moved them to this practice and the hope encouraging them in it they often express: If, said they, we suffer with Rom. viii. Christ, we shall be glorified together with him: and, We always bear about in the body the dying 2 Cor.iv.10. of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our body: and, It is a faithful 2 Tim.ii.11. saying, if we are dead with him, we shall also live iv. 13.) with him; if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us: and, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my 2 Tim. iv.8. course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day. So they profess concerning the grounds and reasons of their maintaining this testimony (and the points connected therewith) with so great present inconvenience to themselves: and the state of things rendereth their profession most credible; for they appear not so blind as not to see those inconve 17. (1 Pet. i. 7. |