If under the dark and imperfect dispensation of SERM.

the law, good men shewed so much courage and constancy for God and religion, as we read in that long catalogue of heroes, Heb. xi. How much more should Christians, whose faith is supported much more strongly than theirs was, by a much clearer evidence of another life, and a blessed immortality, than they had; by more express promises of divine comfort and assistance under sufferings, than were made

=to them; and by the most divine and encouraging example, of the greatest patience under the greateft fufferings, that the world ever had, in the death and paffion of the Son of God, "who for the joy that "was set before him, endured the cross, and de"spised the shame, and is set down at the right hand "of the throne of GOD!" When we consider this

.

- glorious example of suffering, and the glorious reward of it; how can we "be weary and faint in our " minds!" If the faints and apostles of the old testament did fuch great things, by virtue of a faith, which relied chiefly upon the attributes and providence of God; what should not we do, who have the security of God's express promise for our comfort and encouragement! We certainly have much greater reason to take up our cross more chearfully, and to bear it more patiently, than they did.

ゴ

Secondly, We should always be prepared in the refolutions of our minds, to fuffer for the testimony of GOD's truth and a good confcience, if it should please - God at any time to call us to it. This our SAVIOUR hath made a necessary condition of his religion, and a qualification of a true difciple. " If any man will "be my disciple; let him take up his cross and fol" low me." So that we are to reckon upon it, and to prepare for it; that if it comes, we may not be furprized,

Z3

LXXVIII,

:

LXXVIII.

SERM. furprized, " as if some strange thing had happened "to us;" and may not be unresolved what to do in such a cafe. And God knows when we may be called to it: however it is wife, to forecast it in our minds, and to be always in a preparation and readiness to entertain the worst that may happen; that if it come, we may "be able to stand out in an evil "day;" and if it does not come, God will accept the resolution of our minds, and reward it according to the fincerity of it: he that knows what we would have done, will confider it, as if we had done it.

Thirdly, The less we are called to fuffer for God, the more we should think ourselves obliged to do for him; the less GOD is pleased to exercise our patience, we should abound so much the more in the active virtues of a good life; and our obedience to GOD should be fo much the more chearful, and we more " fruitful in every good work." If there be no need of sealing the truth with our blood; we should be sure to adorn and recommend it by our lives.

Fourthly and lastly, if the hopes of immortality will bear men up under the extremity of suffering and torments, and give men courage and resolution against all the terrors of the world; they ought much more to make us victorious over the temptations and allurements of it. For certainly it is in reason much easier to forego pleasure, than to endure pain; to refuse or lay down a good place, for the teftimony of a good confcience, than to lay down our lives upon that account. And in vain does any man pretend that he will be a martyr for his religion, when he will not rule an appetite, nor restrain a lust, nor fubdue a paffion, nor cross his covetousness and ambition, for the sake of it, " and in hope of that eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, hath pro" mised."

" mised." He that refuseth to do the less, is not like
to do the greater. It is very improbable, that a man
will die for his religion, when he cannot be perfuaded
to live according to it. So that by this we may try
the sincerity of our resolution concerning martyrdom.
For what profeffion foever men make, he that will
not deny himself the pleasures of fin, and the advan-
tages of this world, for CHRIST; when it comes to
the pufsh, will never have the heart " to take up his
"cross, and follow him." He that cannot take up
a resolution to live a faint, hath a demonftration
within himself, that he is never like to die a martyr.

REV. XIV. 13.

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write,
Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD, from
benceforth: Yea, faith the Spirit, that they may rest
from their labours ; and their works do follow them,

I

Will not trouble you with any nice difpute SERM.
about the author of this book of the Revelation, LXXIX.

or the authority of it; though both these were fome-
times controverted; because it is now many ages
fince this book was received into the canon of the
fcriptures,

Z4

LXXIX.

SER M. fcriptures, as of divine authority, and as written by St. John. Nor shall I at this time enquire into the particular meaning of the several visions and predictions contained in it. It is confefsedly, in several parts of it, a very obscure book; and there needs no other argument to fatisfy us that it is so, than that so many Jearned and inquisitive perfons, have given such different interpretations of several remarkable passages in it; as particularly concerning "the slaying of the " two witnesses, and the number of the beaft."

The words which I have read to you, though there be fome difficulty about the interpretation of some particular expressions in them, yet in the general sense and intendment of them, they are very plain, being a folemn declaration of the blessed state of good men after this life.

And that we may take the more notice of them, they are brought in with a great deal of folemn preparation and address, as it were on purpose to bespeak our attention to them: "I heard a voice from "heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the " dead which die in the LORD, from henceforth." And for the greater confirmation of them, the special testimony of the Spirit is added to "the voice " from heaven," declaring the reason why they " that die in the Lord," are pronounced to be in so happy a condition: "Yea, faith the Spirit, that " they may rest from their labours; and their works " do follow them."

In the handling of these words, I shall first enquire into the particular sense and meaning of them. Secondly, Profecute the general intendment of them, which I told you is to declare to us, the blessed state of those that die in the LORD, (that is) of faints and good men, after they are departed this life.

}

First, I shall enquire into the particular sense and SERM. meaning of the words. To the clearing of which, LXXIX. nothing will conduce more, than to confider the occasion of them, which was briefly this. In the visions of this and the foregoing chapter, is represented to St. John, the great ftraits that the Christians, the true worshippers of the true God, should be reduced to. On the one hand, they are threatned with death; or if they be suffered to live, they are interdicted all commerce with human society, chap. xiii. 15. "And he had power to cause, that as many as " would not worship the image of the beast, should " be killed:" and verse 17. "that no man may buy

66

66

or fell, fave he that had the mark of the beaft." And on the other hand, they that do worship the beast are threatned with damnation, chap. xiv. 9, 10. " If any man do worship the beast, the fame "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone. So that whenever this should happen, it would be a time of great trial to the fincere Christians, being threatned with extreme perfecution on the one hand, and eternal damnation on the other; and therefore it is added in the 12th verse, " here is the patience of the faints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of JESUS." This is reprefented in St. John's visions, at the last and extremest perfecution of the true worshippers of GOD, and which should precede the final downfal of Babylon. And when this should happen, then he tells us, the patience of the faints would be tried to purpose, and then it would be feen, who are faithful to GOD, and constant to his truth; and upon this immediately follows the voice from heaven in the text; " and " I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, " Write,