5. And this is partly likewise in the intent of them that suffer. There is a double intent. It is the intent of God to single them out to suffer for the good of others ; and it is their intent to suffer that others may have good. This is one reason why they are willing rather to suffer shame, or bodily punishment, than they will hinder others of the good they may take by their suffering. So it is God's end, and theu' end. It is for your consola- tion, in God's intent, and in my intent and purpose, and in the event itself. Thus you see how afflictions, suffered in good cause, help for the consola- tion and salvation even of others. The example of those that suffer flow into the mind, and insinuate into the judgment and affection, of the beholders many ways.
And this the factors of antichrist know very well ; for if ever there be any persecution again, we shall hardly have fire and faggot, that they may not give example. They will come to gunpowder plots and massacres, and such violent courses, to sweep away all. They know if it come to matter of example once, the grace of God in his children, and the presence of his Spirit, that shall appear to others, it is of a wondrous working force. They are wise enough to know that. The devil teacheth them that wit, when he hath been put by all his other shifts.
If it be so that the sufferings of God's children are for the good of others, then to make some use of it.
Use 1. Let us not take offence at the cause of reUgion for suffering. "We ought not to have an ill conceit of a cause for suffering, but rather think the better of it. I speak it in this regard, we have many that will honour the martyrs that are dead, that are recorded in the book, but if any suffer in the present view, before their eyes, they are disgraceful to them. This should not be. For, first of all, if the cause be good, the end of good nien (by the help of the Spirit of God) is for thy good. Was it not a cruel thing in Saul to strike at David when he played on his hai-p, when he sought his good and easement ? 1 Sam. xviii. 10, 11. To kill a nightingale in singing, it is a barbarous thing. God's children, by all that they sutfer, intend the good of others. Now, to hurt and malign them in doing good, to persecute them that endure ill for our good, or that labour and do anything for our good, it is a barbarous, savage thing. All is for the elect. ' I suffer not* for the elect's sake,' saith St Paul in 2 Tim. ii. 10 ; so my sufferings are for you. We may know we are elected of God, if we take good by the sufferings of others ; if we take no scandal and offence, and do not add
♦Qu. ' aU?'— Ed.
96 COJIMENTAEY ON
affliction to tho afflicted, for all is in God's intent, and in their intent, for our good.
For instance (a little to enlighten the point, because it is not usually stood on, and it is a notion that may help our conceits of tho excellent estate of God's children), reprobation, to go as high as we may, it is for their good, to shew mercy to them, to set by and neglect so many, and to single them out. The creation of the world is for their sakes. God's providence directs all for their good. For why doth he sutler wicked men ? It is that they may be instruments to exercise them that are good. It is by reflection, or some way for the cause of the good, that the wicked are suffered to be upon the earth. The administration of the world, it is not for the rebels that are in it, it is for those that are God's childi'en ; and he tosseth and tumbleth empires and monarchies. The great men of the world, they think they do groat matters ; but, alas ! all this is for the exercise of the church, this is reductive to the church, by God's providence. All their attempts are for the little flock, for a few that are a despised company, that he means to save, if we had eyes to see it.
So likewise his ordinances are to gather this church, which he hath chosen from all the world to himself. The ordinances of the ministry, and of the sacraments, the suffering of ministers, the doing and suffering of Christians, all is for their good, as we see in this place, ' I suffer for your consolation and comfort.' Heaven and earth stands for them. The pillars of heaven and earth would be taken asunder, and all would come to a chaos, an end would be of all, if the number of them were gathered that are the blessed people of God, for whom all things are. The doings and sufferings of God's people, we do not know indeed, that are ministers, who belong to God and who do not, but our intent is to do good to those that are God's, and the issue proves so. The rest God hath his end in it to harden them, and bring them to confusion, to take excuse from them ; but the real good of all our pains and sufiering is the elect's.