Secondly, For particular duties, as well as particular truths. In the general, there is less controversy about the commandments than about the creed; the agenda of Christianity are more evident by the light of nature than the credenda. Yet, because the commandments
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are general, and human light is imperfect about the application ; as the heathens were right in generals, but 'became vain,' Kom. i. 20, 21, yet in particular duties we must not be wanting, for that is a sincere heart that will run the greatest hazards rather than commit the smallest sin or omit the smallest duty, when it is a duty, and I am called to perform it. In omission there is a greater latitude than in commission ; for offirmativa non ligant ad semper. In the general, he that suffereth for a commandment is as acceptable with God as he that suffereth for an article of faith. Though the cause for which we suffer be civil, yet obedience to God is concerned in it ; as if a man suffer for being loyal to his prince and the laws, or doing his duty to parents, or because he will not bear false witness, or tell a lie, or subscribe a falsehood, or because he will not disown a brother, 1 John iii. 16. This man is a martyr to God, as well as he is a martyr to Christ, that suffereth for mere Christianity ; which I would have you to note, that you may see how much this precept of God, of laying down our Uves for his sake, doth conduce, not only to the interest of Christianity, which is a supernatural truth, but to the good of human society, to which even nature will subscribe ; and I do it the rather that you may not think Jesus Christ our lawgiver was bloody, or delighted in the destruction of men, when he required that all who would enter into his profession should hate their own lives when just and convenient reasons did call them thereunto. No, by this law he did not only try his servants, but preserved a principle of honesty in the world, and provided for the comfort of them, who being instruments of public good, do often make themselves objects of public hatred. Alas! what comfort could they have in promoting the good of the world, and ven- turing themselves magnanimously upon all dangers, if God had not provided some better thing for them ? All that I shall add as to parti- cular truths and duties is this, partly by way of caution to the persecut- ing world, that they may consider how much guilt they incur, when for questionable things (so I must speak to them) they run the hazard of opposing the most faithful servants God hath in the world. Usually it is the conscientious that suffer most ; others can easily leap out of one sort of profession and practice into another, or else wriggle and distinguish themselves out of their duty by many crafty evasions, whereas the conscientious are held in the noose, meaning to deal with God and the world without equivocation or evasion, in all simplicity and godly sincerity. And shall these be the object of your hatred and severest persecution ? It argueth a heart alien from God, and too full of venomous malignity against the better part of the world. Partly, by way of advice to the persecuted, which is double. First, Abate not of your zeal ; for ' he that is not faithful in a little will not be faithful in much,' Luke xvi. 10. A good man dareth not allow himself in the least evil ; the world counteth him more nice than wise, but God will not count him so ; though he should fail in the application of the general rule, yet God will reward him according to his sin- cerity ; it is a love error. Secondly, Not to censure others that see not by his light ; in this case, cajnat qui capere potest — he that can receive it, let him receive it. The general rule is the bound of our charity, but the particular application is the rule of our practice
390 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLVI.
as long as they owu the general rule, tliongh they have not insight into these lesser tilings: Phil. iii. 15, 16, 'Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded ; and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall even reveal this to you. Nevertheless, where- unto j'ou have attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same things.' They may sincerely oppose the same things that we assert ; and we sincerely assert the same things which they oppose. Now, whether we oppose or assert, let every one be firmly persuaded in his own mind, and with a modest mind bear tlie dissensiency of others ; nothing will allay the differences in judgment but a mutual submission to this rule, and meekly holding forth light to others.
[2.] By a due foresight of, and resolution against, all known dangers.
(1.) A due sight or forethought of the dangers. Christ will have us sit down and count the charges, and make him a good allowance, as men do in building and warring: Luke xiv. 18, ' For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he be able to finish it ?' and ver. 31, ' Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and considereth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that Cometh against hira with twenty thousand ?' If we dream of nothing but ease and prosperity, we flatter ourselves ; our very baptism implieth a notion of working and fighting ; and we must consider what the work and warfare will- cost us : Kom. vi. 13, ' Yield your members as instruments of righteousness unto God ; ' as arms and weapons of righteousness ; and the graces of the Spirit are called ' armour of light,'. Eom. xiii. 12, that is, our warlike attire. Christ himself, when he was baptized, was consecrated as the captain of our salvation ; and therefore presently upon his baptism, he was iissaulted by the devil. His baptism was an engagement to the same military work to which we are engaged; a war against the devil, tlie world, and the flesh. He engageth as the general : 1 John iii. 8, ' For this purpose the Son of God was mani- fested, that he might destroy the works of the devil, 'iva \varj ; ' we as common soldiers. His baptism was the taking of the field as general ; we undertake to fight in our rank and place. And can we expect that this conflict can be carried on without sore blows ? You must know, therefore, what it is to irritate the prince of darkness, and the powers that join with him, and resolve to follow to the conflict even to death, or else we would be excused in a part of our oath of fealty to Christ.