tions and persecutions of the saints in the primitive times issued in the conversion and salvation of many souls. We read that Cecilia, a poor virgin, by her gracious behaviour in her martyrdom, was the means of converting four hundred to Christ. Adrianus, by seeing the martyrs suffer so patiently and cheerfully, was converted to the faith, and afterwards sealed to the truth with his blood. Justin Martyr was also converted in the same way. In the third persecution, Faustus and Jobita, citizens of Brixia, suffered martyrdom with such invincible patience, courage, and cheerfulness, that Calocerius cried out, Vere magnus Deus Christianorum, Verily, great is the God of the Chris- tians. Upon which words he was presently apprehended, and so suffered martyrdom with them.i And that was a remarkable saying of Luther, Ecclesia totum mundum convertit sanguine et oratione, The church converteth the whole world by blood and prayer. Now if by your troubles, afflictions, and persecutions, and the exercise of grace under them, you shall be instrumental to convert and save a soul or souls from wrath to come, it will turn wonderfully to your advantage, and you shall ' shine as the stars for ever and ever,' Dan. xii. 3. That same power, presence, wisdom, and grace, that converted others by the sufferings of former saints, is able to accomplish the same glorious effects by the sufferings of the saints of this generation ; and therefore bear up bravely, and neither fear nor faint under your present suffer- ings. But,
[4.] Fourthly, The troubles, afflictions, and persecutions that Chris- tianas meet with in their pursuit after holiness, will furtlter the increase and growth of their grace. Grace never rises to so great a height as it does in times of persecution. Suffering times are a Christian's harvest times, Ps. Ixix. 7-9, 12. Let me instance in that grace of zeal : 1 remember Moulin speaking of the French Protestants, saith, ' When Papists hurt us for reading the Scriptures, we burn with zeal to be reading of them ; but now persecution is over, our Bibles are like old almanacs,' &c. All the reproaches, frowns, threatenings, oppositions, and persecutions that a Christian meets with in a way of holiness, doth but raise his zeal and courage to a greater height. Michal's scoffing at David did but inflame and raise his zeal : ' If this be to be vile, I will be more vile)' 2 Sam. vi. 20-22. Look, as fire in the winter burns the hotter, by an avTL7repiaTaai<i, because of the cold- ness of the air ; so in the winter of affliction and persecution, that divine fire, the zeal of a Christian, burns so much the hotter, and flames forth so much the more vehemently and strongly. In times of greatest affliction and persecution for holiness' sake, a Christian hath, first, a good captain to lead and encourage him ; secondly, a righteous cause to prompt and embolden him ; thirdly, a gracious God to relieve and succour him ; fourthly, a glorious heaven to receive and reward him ; and certainly these things cannot but mightily raise him and inflame him, under the greatest opposition and persecution. These things will keep him from fearing, fawning, fainting, sinking, or flying in a stormy day ; yea, these things will make his face like the face of an adamant, as God promised to make Ezekiel's, Ezek. iii. 7-9, and Job xU. 24. Now an adamant is the hardest of stones, it is harder ^ Clarke, as before, p. 28. — G.
HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 287
than a flint, yea, it is harder than the nether-millstone. The natural- ists [Pliny] observe, that the hardness of this stone is unspeakable : the tire cannot burn it, nor so much as heat it through, nor the ham- mer cannot break it, nor the water cannot dissolve it, and therefore the Greeks call it an adamant from its untameableness ; and in all storms the adamant shrinks not, it fears not, it changeth not its hue ; let the times be what they will, the adamant is still the same. In times of persecution, a good cause, a good God, and a good conscience will make a Christian like an adamant, it will make him invincible and unchangeable. When one desired to know what kind of man Basil was, there was presented to him in a dream, saith the history, a pillar of fire with this motto. Talis est Basilius, Basil is such a one, he is all on a-light fire for God. Persecutions will but set a Christian all on a-light fire for God. Look, as well-water is warmest in the winter time, so real Christians are warmest for God, his glory, truth, and ways, in the winter of afiliction and persecution. True grace rises by opposition and persecution. Many a man had not been so good if the times had not been so bad. Many a man had not been so gracious, if the times had not been so dangerous. Many a man had not been so holy, if the times had not been so profane. Many a man had not been so zealous, if the times had not been so lukewarm. Many a man had not been so stout and resolute against bowing the knee to Baal, if multitudes had not been worsliippers of Baal. All the afflictions and persecutions that befall the people of God do but add to their spiritual life, light, and lustre. Rev. xiv. 1-6. As stars shine brightest in the darkest nights, and as spices smell sweetest when pounded, and as vines are the better for bleeding, and gold the brighter for scouring, and palm-trees the better for pressing ; so the graces of the saints shine brightest, and smell sweetest, and rise highest in times of affliction and persecution. The naturalists have long since observed, that though the south wind be more pleasant, yet the north wind is more healthful ; for the south wind with his warmth raiseth vapours, which breed putrefaction and cause diseases ; but the north wind with his cold drieth up those vapours, purging the blood, and quickening the spirits : so the north wind of affliction and persecution contributes most to the drying up of sinful vapours, and to the quickening up of a Christian's graces. Though the wind may blow, and the rain in stormy weather may beat upon a painted post or sign, whose colour is laid in oil, yet the wind and rain is so far from blowing or washing off the colour or beauty that is upon the post or sign, that it rather adds to their beauty, and makes them shine more beautiful than before ; so the rain of affliction and the wind of persecution do rather add to the beauty and lustre of a Christian's graces, than any way cloud them, or take off the spiritual beauty and glory of them. But,
[5.] Fifthly, Persecuting times are uniting times. Oh I the dis- cord, the division, the wrangling, biting and quarrelling that is to be found among professors in times of peace and prosperity ! but when affliction and persecution comes upon them, this unites them together. ^