Ver. 14. But and if ye fuffer for righteousness fake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled,

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N this verse we may obferve two things: ft, Even in the most blameless way of a Christian's life, his fuffering fuppofed. 2dly, His happiness, even in fuffering, afferted,

1. Suffering is fuppofed notwithstanding of righteoufnefs, yea for righteousness; and that not as a rare unufual accident, but as the frequent lot of Chriftians; as Luther calls perfecution, malus genius Evangelii. And we, being forwarned of this, as not only the poffible, but the frequent lot of the faints, ought not to hearken to the falfe prophecies of our own felf-love, that divines what it would gladly have, and eafily perfuades us to believe it. Think not that any prudence will lead you by all opofitions and malice of an ungodly world; but many winter blafts will meet you in the most inoffenfive way of religion, if you keep ftraight to it. Suffering and war with the world is a part of the godly man's portion here, which feems hard, but, take it altogether, it is sweet; none in their wits will refufe that legacy entire, In the world ye shall have trouble, but in me ye shall have peace, John xvi, ult.

Look about you, and fee if there be any estate of man, or course of life, exempted from troubles. The greatest are usually fubject to greatest vexations; as the largest bodies have the largeft fhadows attending them. We need not tell nobles and rich men, that contentment doth not dwell in great palaces and titles, nor in full coffers; they feel it, that they are not free of much anguish and moleftation, and that a proportionable train of cares, as conftantly as of fervants, follows great place and wealth. Riches, and trouble, or noise, are fignified by the fame Hebrew word, yw; compare Job xxxvi. 19. with xxx. 24. ;

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and kings find that their crowns, that are fet fo richly with diamonds without, are lined with thorns. within.

And, if we fpeak of men that are fervants to unrighteousness, befides what is to come, are they not often forced to fuffer, amongst the fervice of their lufts, the distempers that attend unhealthy intemperance; and poverty that dogs luxury at the heels; and the fit punishment of voluptuous persons in painful difeafes, that either quickly cut the thread of life, or make their aged bones full of the fins of their youth, Job. xx. II? So that, on the whole, take what way you will, there is no place nor condition fo fenced and guarded, but public calamities, or perfonal griefs, find a way

to reach us.

Seeing, then, we muft fuffer, whatever course we take, this kind of suffering, to fuffer for righteousness, is far the best. What Julius Cæfar faid ill, of doing ill*, we may well fay of fuffering ill; if it must be, it is best to be for a kingdom. And those are the terms on which Christians are called to fuffer for righteousness; if we will reign with Chrift, certain it is we must fuffer with him; and, if we do fuffer with him, it is as certain we shall reign with him, 2 Tim. ii. 12. And therefore fuch fufferers are happy.

But I fhall profecute this fuffering for righteoufness, only with relation to the Apostle's present reafoning. His conclufion he establishes: 1. From the favour and protection of God. 2. From the nature of the thing itself. Now, we would confider the confiftence of this fuppofition with those reasons.

ift, From the favour or protection of God. The eyes of the Lord being on the righteous for their good, and his ear open to their prayer; how is it, that, notwithstanding all this favour and infpection, they are fo much exposed to fuffering; and, even for the regard and affection they bear towards him, fuffering

* Si violandum eft jus, regnandi caufâ violandum.

for

for righteousness? These feem not to agree well, yet they do.

It is not faid that his eye is fo on them, as that he will never fee them afflicted, nor have them fuffer any thing; no: But this is their great privilege and comfort in fuffering, that his gracious eye is then upon them, and fees their trouble, and his ear towards them ; not fo as to grant them an exemption, (for that they will not feek for), but seasonable deliverance, and, in the mean while, ftrong fupport, as is evident in that xxxiv. Pfalm. If his eye be always on them, he sees them fuffer often, for their afflictions are many, ver. 19.; and if his ear be to them, he hears many fighs and cries preffed out by fufferings: And they are content; this is enough, yea better than not to suffer; they fuffer, and often directly for him; but he fees it all, takes perfect notice of it, therefore it is not loft. And they are forced to cry, but none of their cries efcape his ear; he hears, and he manifefts that he fees and hears, for he delivers them; and, till he does that, he keeps them from being crushed under the weight of the fuffering; He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken, Pfal. xxxiv. 20.

He fees, yea appoints and provides, thefe conflicts for his choiceft fervants: he fets his champions to encounter the malice of Satan and the world, for his fake, to give proof of the truth and the ftrength of their love to him for whom they fuffer, and to overcome even in suffering.

He is fure of his defigned advantages out of the fufferings of his church and faints for his name; he lofes nothing, and they lofe nothing but their enemies, when they rage moft, and prevail most, are ever the greatest lofers. His own glory grows, the graces of his people grow, yea, their very number grows, and that fometimes moft by their greatest sufferings; it was evident in the first ages of the Christain churches: where were the glory of fo much invincible love and patience, if they had not been fo put to it?

2dly, For the other, that argument from the nature of the thing: It is certain that, when it is intimated that the faid following of good would preferve from harm, it fpeaks what it is apt to do, and what, in fome measure, it often doth; but then, confidering the nature of the world, its enmity against God and religion, that strong poison in the ferpent's feed, it is not strange that it often proves otherwife; that, notwithstanding the righteous carriage of Chriftians, yea even because of it, they fuffer much. It is a refolved cafe, all that will live godly muft fuffer perfecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12. It meets a Chriftian in his entry to the way of the kingdom, and goes along all the way. No fooner can't thou begin to feek the way to heaven, but the world will feek how to vex and moleft thee, and make that way grievous; if no other way, by fcoffs and taunts, intended as bitter blasts to destroy the tender bloffom or bud of religion, or, (as Herod), to kill Chrift newly born. You fhall no fooner begin to inquire after God, but, twenty to one, they will begin to inquire, if thou art gone mad. But if thou knowest who it is whom thou hast trufted, 2 Tim. i. 12. and whom thou loveft, this is a fmall matter. What though it were deeper and fharper fufferings, yet ftill, if you fuffer for righteoufnefs, happy are you:

Which is the second thing that was propofed, and more particularly imports, 1. That a Chriftian, under the heaviest load of fufferings for righteoufnefs, is yet ftill happy, notwithstanding thefe fufferings. 2. That he is happier even by these sufferings. And,

ft, All the fufferings and diftreffes of this world are not able to deftroy the happiness of a Chriflian, nor diminish it; yea, they cannot at all touch it, it is out of their reach. If it were built on worldly enjoyments, then worldly deprivements and fufferings might shake it, yea, might undo it; when those rotten props fail, that which refts on them muft fall. He that bath fet his heart on his riches, a few hours.

can

can make him miferable; he that lives on popular applause, it is almost in any body's power to rob him of his happiness, a little flight or difgrace undoes him; or, whatfoever the foul fixes on of these moving unfixed things, pluck them from it, and it muft cry after them, Te have taken away my gods.

But the believer's happiness is fafe, out of the reach of fhot; he may be impoverished and imprifoned, and tortured and killed; but this one thing is out of hazard, he cannot be miferable; ftill, in the midst of all thefe, fubfifts he a happy man. If all friends be fhut jout, yet the vifits of the Comforter may be frequent, bringing him glad tidings from heaven, and communing with him of the love of Chrift, and folacing him in that. It was a great word for a heathen to fay of his falfe accufers, Kill me they may, but they cannot hurt me: How much more confidently may the Christian say fo! Banishment he fears not, for his country is above; nor death, for that fends him home into that country.

The believing foul, having hold of Jefus Christ, can easily despise the best and the worft of the world, and bid defiance to all that is in it; can share with the Apostle in that of his, I am perfuaded that neither death nor life shall separate me from the love of God, which is in Chrift Fefus our Lord, Rom. viii. ult. Yea, what though the frame of the world were adiffolving, and falling to pieces! This happiness holds, and is not ftirred by it; for it is in that Rock of eternity, that ftirs not, nor changes at all.

Our main work, truly, if you will believe it, is this, to provide this immovable happiness, that amidst all changes, and loffes, and fufferings, may hold firm. You may be free, choose it rather; not to ftand to the courtesy of any thing about you, nor of any man, whether enemy or friend, for the tenure of your happiness. Lay it higher and furer, and, if you be wife, provide fuch a peace as will remain untouched in the hottest flame; fuch a light as will fhine in

the