4. And so for the course of our life and conversation amongst men, ire should eorainine hoiv we are stablished in that ; for we are not only to stand firm in cases of religion, but for causes of honesty. John Baptist was as good as a martyr, though the cause he died for was not religion, but a bold telling of Herod, when he thought he took an unlawful course in keep- ing his brother's wife, Mark vi. 18.
An honest man may die and sutler much for civil matters. Therefore examine 3'ourselves in this. I have undertaken this cause, upon what ground ? in what confidence ? how far would I wiUingly go in it ? could I be content to lose the favour of great ones ? to die in the quarrel if need be ? So far as a man is stabHshed by God's Spirit, so far is he settled also in this.
You have had heathen men, that would stand out firmly even to the death, against all disfavours, against all losses and crosses for evidence of civil truths, as you have it storied of Papinian, an excellent lawyer, that in the defence of right stood forth to the loss of his hfe {aaaa) ; and many other the like examples have been. But much more doth the Spirit of God stablish men. This I understand, this is good, this I will stand in, come what will, when I am called to it.
Let us oft call ourselves to an account, what we believe, and upon what ground ; what we do, and upon wdiat ground we undertake it ; whether on grounds of conscience, or out of spleen and passion. When a man under- takes things on natural grounds, in great temptations, if God do not assist him, he will sink. Take the strongest courages that are, if they have no more but nature, though they may stand out sometimes, to the shame of Christians, yet in some cases they will shew themselves to be but mere natural men.
And therefore labour for the Spirit to stablish us. It is not necessary that W8 should enjoy our wealth, nor the favour of men, nor oui' life itself;
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER, 21. 441
but it is necessary that we should keep a good conscience, it. is necessary that we should be saved, it is necessary that we should look upon our Judge with confidence at the day of judgment.
It becomes Christians who, besides the light of nature, have the Spirit to stablish them, to be settled in their courses, to look that the conscience be good, the cause good, the aim good. If such a one give over when the cause is clear and good, it is a sign that his heart is not stabhshed by the Spirit of God in Christ. He hath either corrupt aims, or else he is weak, and understands not the grounds of rehgion, and the vanity of this life as he should do.
There are none that flinch and give over in a good quarrel, but either it is from hypocrisy, that he pretends to believe in Christ, and life everlast- ing, and yet he doth not ; or else it is from extreme and w^onderful weak- ness, which, if he belong to God, he shall recover, as Peter did, and shall stand more strongly another time.
It is but a forced, a false encouragement and stablishing, when a man that hath not the Spirit of God shall set light by death, though perhaps he die in a good quarrel, and with some comfort. For when a man shall know that after death there is a judgment, and that God hath many things to lay to his charge, when his conscience shall tell him that he is guilty of a thousand deaths, if he be not in Christ, and his pardon sealed by the Spirit of God in the blood of Christ : is it not madness to be courageous iu that which he cannot conquer ? It is good? for a man to be courageous iu time of conquest. It is a dastardly thing for a Christian to be cowardly, because he hath death and hell conquered, and everything is made service- able to help him to heaven. But for another man to set light by these things, it is mere madness. No man but a Christian can be stout and courageous, except it be from a false spirit ; especially in things that are above man's natural power, as death, it is eternal, and what man can stand out against the eternal wrath of God ?
And therefore those that put on a Eoman stoutness and courage, though the}' seem to have strong spirits, it is but false ; either they are besotted with sensuality, or else with a spirit of pride. When they look before them, and see eternity, and see their sins, and that they must all appear at the day of judgment, they cannot be strong. Let us labour therefore to have our hearts stablished by the Spirit of God; and try ourselves often, by pro- pounding queries, how we do things ? With what minds and upon what gi'ounds '?
5. Again, another e\-idence whereby we may know that we have spiritual strength and stability in Christ wrought in us by the Spirit of God, is this, nhen it makes us desire the cominfi of Christ ; when it makes us think of death, and of the time to come with joy and comfort; and that for the pre- sent it gives us boldness to the throne of grace in extremities. He that in extremity can go to God iu Christ, it is a sign his heart is established.