YeR. 16.] SERMOXS UPON 1 JOHN III. 141
preserve the strong, that they may do more good. So where a great obligation is ; as to our natural parents : we have received our lives from them, A private christian suffering for Christ should be owned, since a man cannot without it perform necessary duties in owning Christ's members : Mat. xxv. 43, ' I was in prison, and ye visited me not ; ' 2 Tim. iv. 16, ' All men forsook me; I pray God it be not laid to their charge.' Though it may involve them in great trouble to own God's servants and supply their necessities, as in Queen Mary's days.
3. Others may be considered as to their capacities of promoting the glory of God, as the magistrate, or the father of the country : 2 Sara. xviii. 3, ' Thou art better than ten thousand of us ; ' 2 Sam. xxi. 16, 17, ' 0 quench not the light of Israel,' when David was in danger ; or eminent ministers, such as may save many souls. Pdul telleth us, Rom. xvi. 4, ' Who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto ■whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the gentiles;' Phil. ii. 30, 'For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding life, to supply your lack of service towards me.' Persons public must be preferred before private ; and among private those that excel and may be more useful, whose lives may more conduce to the glory of God, We must love a better and a more serviceable man, who hath more of God's Spirit in him, above ourselves, and an equal person equal with ourselves. Well, then, a subject is bound to preserve the life of the magistrate, as the hand will lift up itself to save the liead. Nay, in some cases, though it be a private friend ; for though my life and his be of an equal value, yet my duty to him and his life overswayeth, especially if the case be but hazardous, as to rescue him from an assassin.
Secondly, The cause for which we exercise this great charity to nthers ; it is for their good. Now good is either temporal or eternal ; for their eternal good chiefly we are to do this. Paul, if he might pro- mote the glory of God, 'could wish himself accursed from Christ for liis brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh,' Rom. ix. 3 ; if to free others from eternal death ; so did Christ die for us. Suppose temporal good, to free them from temporal evil, to clear the community ; or for useful persons, or persons for whom I stand bound.
1. Certainly we ought to help one another's spiritual good by the loss of our temporal, and venture life, liberty, and estate for the propa- gation of the gospel. An instance we have in Paul's glorious excess of charity. Mo.ses : E.^od. xxxii. ' Blot me out of thy book, if thou wilt forgive their sins.' But the Lord Jesus Christ above all : 2 Cor. viii. 9, ' For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was lich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.' A public spiritual good is more valuable than any temporal good, a necessary act of our love to God.
2. Temporal good, to save the life of public, useful, eminent persons, if their lives be more serviceable than ours.
Thirdly, The manner of exposing life to apparent hazard or to cer- tain death ; partly because in some cases we may venture our lives, though not actually lay them down, us we may expose ourselves to uncertain danger to hinder others' certain danger, as when a man is assaulted by thieves and ruffians, to prevent murder. I must contribute
142 SEUMONS UPON 1 JOHN IIL [SeR. XXIL
my help to the wronged party, though I endanger my own life: Esther iv. 16, ' If I perish, I perish.' There are two grounds of that resolu- tion— a public good preferred before a private. The case was only hazardous, though likely ; for she would go with a courageous mind. And jmrtly because he that ventureth puts his life in his hand, is accepted with God, though he doth not actually lay down his life ; for it is so interpreted, because he runneth a course of danger.
Fourthly, The call. We must not precipitate and cast ourselves needlessly on such trials. God willeth no man to be foolishly and rashly prodigal of his own life and health, yet when clearly called, none of this must be stood upon. In two cases we seem to be called. First, When we cannot without sin escape such a trial. It overtaketh us in our station wherein God hath set us, otherwise we must preserve our lives for the glory of God and the good of others. Secondly, When God findeth us out in our sin, and others are like to suffer for our sake. 2 Sam. xxiv. 12, when David had displeased God in numbering the people, God, by the prophet Gad, offereth him three things : ' Choose one of them, that I may do it unto thee ; ' and Jonah i. 12, ' And he said. Take me up and cast me into the sea, for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.'