Christian blessedness, or, Discourses upon the beatitudes of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ written by John Norris ... ; to which is added, reflections upon a late essay concerning human understanding, by the same author.

Discourse the Eighth.

Mat. V. ver. x, xi, xij.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Or, as it may be read from the Close, Great is their Reward in Heaven.

IT has been ever a great occasion of Dissatisfaction to some Men that there should be any such thing as evil in the World. A greater yet, that this Evil should often fall upon good, and some∣times upon the best of Men. But the greatest of all is, that not only good Men should meet with Evil, but that their very Goodness should betray them into it; that suffering should not only be the Portion of the Righteous, but that Men should suffer for the Sake of their Righteousness. It seems hard in∣deed that a Righteous Man should suffer, but much more that he should suffer for his being Righteous, and

that Affliction should not only be the Lot, but also the Effect and Consequence of his Virtue. For if Honesty and In∣tegrity cannot be a Defence and Pri∣viledge against Evil, yet one would expect it should not be a Procurer of it, and that if the Man were not the better for his Virtue, yet at least he should not be the Worse.

These have been always as perplext Appearances in the Moral, as any that arise in the Natural System of the World; a frequent Trouble and Dis∣couragement to the Good and Pious, and a more frequent Occasion of Tri∣umph to the Atheistical and Profane, who have raised from hence their most plausible objections both against the Being and the Order of Divine Provi∣dence, which by these greatest Diffi∣culties of it they have been incouraged either to Deny or to Condemn.

With the two first of these Diffi∣culties I am not at present concern'd. Nor shall I determin of what force the last and greatest might be, were this the last state of things, and the All∣concluding Scene of the World. Per∣haps

it might then be strong enough to conclude what some are now so weak as to wish and believe. But certainly with the supposition of an After-state the Objection is so far from being De∣sperate, that I can see nothing Difficult in it: And I think 'tis here sufficiently answer'd by that ample Compensation promis'd by our Saviour to all those whose faithful adherence to a good Cause, shall at any time engage them in Sufferings and Afflictions. For says he, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Which last Words (as our Saviour afterwards explains them) contain not only a Promise of Heavenly Happiness in general, but of a greater Degree and Measure of it, and intitle the Suf∣ferers for Religion, those who under∣go Persecution for Righteousness sake, to a more than ordinary weight of Glory. So that hence arise two Pro∣positions to be distinctly consider'd:

First, That there are Degrees in that Glory which shall be the Reward of Saints in Heaven.

Secondly, That one of the Highest Degrees of it shall be the Reward of those who suffer Persecution for the sake of Righteousness.

That there are Degrees of Glory, tho by some a much contested, is yet I think a most certain and unquestion∣able Truth. The certainty of which I shall endeavour to establish upon these few evident Principles.

First, I consider that this must needs be the natural and necessary result of things. And here I desire only it may be granted me, That there are some certain Dispositions of Soul necessary to relish and enjoy the Happiness of Hea∣ven. This I think is a Supposition that need not be disputed, since even to the enjoyment of sensible good there is requisite a proportion of sense. The Ear must be tunably set to relish the Charms of Music, and the Palate must be rightly disposed to find any plea∣sure in the sweetest Delicacies. And if these grosser Objects that have a more natural Affinity with the Organs of Sense, and strike hard upon them,

will not yet affect them without some more particular inward Preparation; there is greater reason to think that the Delights of Heaven that are so far above the Level of our Natures, so pure and so refined, cannot be tasted but by a suitable Disposition of Soul. The necessity of which appears so great, that I am apt to think (as a late worthy Writer of our Church * 1.1 does) that the whole Moral Excellency of some Vertues is their Qualification for the Happiness of another State, they being of no great consequence to the present Order of this World.

Well then, if certain Dispositions of Soul be required to fit us for the Happiness of Heaven, then it follows, that the more disposed any Soul is for the Glories of Heaven, the more happy she must needs be in the enjoy∣ment of them. And if so, then 'twill be necessary to say, either that all Souls are equally disposed, which would be to contradict the Sense and Experience of the whole World; or if one be better disposed than another, then in proportion one will also be more hap∣py than another. The Consequence is

plain and necessary, If there must be a Moral Qualification of Soul to fit a Man for Happiness, then certainly the more qualify'd the more happy. Which has made me often wonder at the self∣inconsistency of those who allowing a virtuous Frame and Temper of Mind to be a Natural Disposition for Hap∣piness, do yet deny greater Degrees of Glory to greater of Degrees Ver∣tue. Indeed if a Moral Disposition of Soul did not fit us for Happiness, the case were otherwise; but since tis allowed to do that, I cannot conceive but that the Degrees of Happiness must follow the Degrees of Virtue. And indeed how can he that thinks at all, think otherwise, but that a Soul well purged and purified, that has under∣gon a long course of Mortification, till she is throughly awakened into the Divine Lise and Likeness, and is ar∣rived to the measure of the stature of the * 1.2 fulness of Christ, must find more Hap∣piness in the Vision of God, than a Soul just pregnant with the Divine Form, and that carries away with her only the first Rudiments of Spiritual Life! Cer∣tainly that Soul which is most like God will be most happy in the fruition of

him. This is no more than what may be concluded from the meer natural necessity of things, without having re∣course to any Positive Order of God about it. But neither may that be supposed to be wanting. For

Secondly, I consider that the same may be concluded from the Justice and Goodness of God as well as from the Nature of things. And first, from his Justice. Not that there lies an Ab∣solute and Antecedent Obligation upon God to bestow greater Rewards upon greater Saints; for if Eternal Life it self be (as the Apostle represents it) * 1.3 the Gift of God, no doubt but the Degrees of it are so too. God cannot become a Debtor to Man, or to any other Creature but by a free Act of his own. He may indeed oblige himself to us by a voluntary ingagement, but we cannot pass any strict Obligation upon him by any thing we can do; and to talk of Meriting in this sense is no less than Blasphemy, and I can hard∣ly believe that any man that under∣stood himself, ever thus held it.

But tho Good be not absolutely ob∣liged

to his Creatures, but only upon Supposition, and consequently cannot be Absolutely bound to reward grea∣ter Saints with greater Happiness, yet if we once suppose him to ingage him∣self by Promise to be a Rewarder of Virtue in general; there will be all the reason in the World to think that by the same Promise he has also Virtually obliged himself to crown the greatest Virtues with the greatest Rewards. For since the reason why he ingaged him∣self to be a Rewarder of good Men was not (as is already precaution'd) any Absolute Merit of theirs, but only to shew his great Love of Virtue and Goodness, tis reasonable to conclude that by the same Motives, and in per∣suance of the same End, he also ingaged himself to be a more liberal Rewarder of greater Saints. Since this is as ne∣cessary a means to shew his Love to Virtue and Goodness as the other. And therefore tho we should grant (which yet in the sequel will appear otherwise) that God had expresly promised only to be a Rewarder of Virtue in general, yet since the End and Reason of this His ingagement was to shew His great Love to Virtue, this would be warrant

enough to conclude, That he had im∣plicitly and virtually ingaged Himself to have an equal regard to the se∣veral Degrees of Virtue, and to re∣ward them after their respective Pro∣portions.

But to rise higher yet, tho God can∣not be in Strict Justice obliged to re∣ward the best of our Services but by an ingagement of his own, much less to reward them with Eternal Happi∣ness, yet I think there must be acknow∣ledged a kind of Congruity or Be∣comingness on God's part so to do, even Antecedently to any Promise or Covenant. There is indeed no strict Obligation till after some Cove∣nant; but there may, and I think must be a Congruity even before. For tho there be no Proportion of Equivalence between our best Works and the Re∣wards of Heaven, and consequently * 1.4 no possible room for any strict Merit, yet I cannot but think with a person of great Judgment and Moderation, that there is a proportion of Conveni∣ency; that is, as he afterwards explains it, tho there be nothing strictly due from God to the Services of good

Men, yet tis highly worthy of God to reward them; upon which account they also may be said to be worthy, accord∣ing * 1.5 to that of the Apocalyps, They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

And indeed unless we will admit of this Congruity, I do not see how to justifie the sense of that Apostolical * 1.6 Maxim, He that comes to God must be∣lieve that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Tis plain that the Apostle here speaks of the Grounds of Natural Religion, and what should move and qualify a Hea∣then Man to make his first Addresses to God. This he tells you is to believe the Being and the Providence of God, that he is, and that he is a Rewarder. But now how shall a Heathen Man be∣lieve that God is a Rewarder? By any Revelation of his? But that he is not yet supposed to admit. He must there∣fore conclude it by his own natural Reason, by considering the Idea and Nature of God, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which may naturally be known of him, and how becoming it is for so ex∣cellent a Being to reward those who apply themselves seriously and heartily to him.

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Well then, if it be reasonable to be∣lieve upon the Stock of natural Prin∣ciples that God is a Rewarder, with∣out being assured of it by any Reve∣lation (which is here supposed in the Heathen's Case) then it follows, that even antecedently to any Promise of God there is a great Congruity, tho not a strict Obligation that he should be a Rewarder. For otherwise what ground could the Heathen Man have so to Conclude or Believe? This Con∣gruity therefore must of necessity be allowed, however apt some may be to startle at it, when the word Merit is put before it. This is Prejudice, but the thing it self as I have here stated and explained it, is both innocent and necessary to be granted. And if there be such a Congruity that God should be a Rewarder in general, then by the same Proportion it follows that he should dispense his Rewards accord∣ing to the Degrees of Virtue. There being certainly at least as much Con∣gruity in this as in the other.

And besides this, there is no reason to question but that the Goodness of

God which in it self is infinite, and which is already supposed to exert it self so liberally as to reward the little and defective Services of a short Life with Eternal Glories, will also be so consistent with it self, as to reward those most, who have pressed forward to the highest Degrees of Sanctity. And were it not for this I do not see what incouragement there is for Men to Excel in Virtue, which yet the Good∣ness of God obliges us to suppose. For what should move a Man to be emi∣nently good, considering how difficult it is to be so, and how little re∣compens'd in this World, if it were not in order to a greater Reward here∣after?

If it be said, that the least Degree of Glory is a sufficient incouragement for the greatest Degree of Virtue; I grant it is so, were that greatest Degree of Vertue the necessary Condition of it, without which the least Glory could not be obtain'd. But since less will suffice for that (as must be admitted, unless you will say that all glorified Saints are equally good and vertuous) I do not see how there can be sufficient

Incouragement for higher Attainments, but only upon the Supposition of grea∣test Rewards. Which therefore from the Goodness as well as Justice of God there is good Reason to conclude.

Thirdly and lastly, From Principles of Reasen I appeal to Holy Scripture, which I think will be found to speak as fully and plainly to this purpose as may reasonably be desired. For there we find that God will render to every man * 1.7 according to his deeds. And again, that every one shall receive the things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, * 1.8 whether it be good or bad. And lest this should be refer'd to the general Distri∣bution of Rewards and Punishments, more expresly it is said, that he that sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, * 1.9 and that he that sows bountifully shall reap also bountisully. The same again is ex∣presly represented under the Parable of the Talents committed to the ma∣nagement of Servants, who were se∣verally * 1.10 rewarded according to their several Improvements. And tho Pa∣rables are not allowed to conclude throughout, yet certainly as to the thing directly and purposely intended by

them they are as conclusive as any o∣ther Forms of Speech, which in this Parable must be the different Dispen∣sation of Rewards hereafter or no∣thing. Again, the Scripture mentions different Seats of Glory, In my Fa∣thers * 1.11 house are many Mansions, says our Saviour, that is, Mansions of distinct Ranks and Orders; For 'twould have been but a small piece of News for our Saviour to have told his Disciples, that in Heaven there were a great ma∣ny Mansions in number. Nor would this be so suitable to the Introduction of his Discourse, Let not your hearts be troubled.

Again, we read of particular Re∣wards belonging to Men of particular Characters, as of a Prophet's Reward, and a Righteous Man's Reward. He that receives a Prophet in the name of a Pro∣phet * 1.12 shall receive a Prophet's Reward, says our Saviour. Why a Prophet's Re∣ward, if there be not some special Re∣ward assign'd to a Prophet? And a∣gain, tis plainly intimated that every Degree, and every Act of Virtue shall have its proper Recompence, where tis said, Whosoever shall give to drink

unto one of these little ones a Cup of cold water only in the Name of a Disciple, * 1.13 shall in no wise lose his Reward. To which purpose there is also a very ex∣press place in the Proverbs, He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and look what he layeth out, it shall * 1.14 be paid him again. Where there is a Reward promised not only to Charity in general, but to every Degree of it. And if every Degree of Virtue shall be particularly rewarded, it evi∣dently follows that the greater our Vir∣tues are the more abundant shall be our Reward, otherwise some Degrees of Virtue would go unrewarded, con∣trary to the Supposition.

To this it may be added, that a greater Degree of Blessedness is every where attributed to Patriarchs, Pro∣phets and Apostles, &c. when their Glorification is expressed by their Sit∣ting down in the Kingdom of God, and that of other Saints, by their sit∣ting down with them, in allusion to the Eastern manner of Feasting. This Priviledge of a more eminent Seat is particularly assigned to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by our Saviour, when he

tells us that Many shall come from the * 1.15 East and the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the King∣dom of Heaven. And so again to the Apostles, Verily I say unto you, that ye * 1.16 which have followed me in the regenerati∣on, when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones. It cannot be denied but that this is meant of the Apostles only, and not of his Disciples at large, because of the Twelve Thrones. And why should Twelve of them only be specified, if they were not to be Thrones of an higher Order? Or what Extraordinary would our Saviour have promised to his Disciples? And this is further confirmed by St. John, who in the Description of the Heavenly Je∣rusalem, makes the twelve Apostles the Foundations of the City. And the * 1.17 Wall of the City (says he) had twelve Foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. A place exactly parallel to that of the Twelve Thrones.

To dispatch all in a word, the Con∣dition of Saints in Glory is expressed in Scripture by their being made like

like unto the Angels; and 'tis of it self * 1.18 reasonable to think that the same Ge∣neral Order and Proportion shall be observ'd in both these Sons of God, Angels and Men. But now 'tis most certain that the Angels have their different Orders and Hierarchies, be∣ing distinguish'd into Thrones and Dominions, Principalities and Powers, and into Angels and Arch-Angels, and that some of them sit nearer to the Throne of God than others. Where∣upon the Talmudists call Michael the Arch-Angel, The Prince of Faces, or the Prince of the Presence, being (as they say) so near to the King of Hea∣ven, as to be admitted to sit down by him, and register the good Actions of the Israelites. And says the Angel Ga∣briel of himself, I am Gabriel that stand * 1.19 in the presence of God. He distinguishes himself as much by his Station as by his Name. And the Vision of Isaia re∣presents one of the Angelic Orders co∣vering their Faces with their Wings, which supposes them to be nearer than Ordinary to the Presence of God, so as not to be able to abide the Glory of it, without the help of a Veil.

Since therefore there is such a Va∣riety in the Angelical Stations, and our future Condition is generally re∣presented by theirs, this alone were enough to put us upon thinking that our Glorification must admit of the like gradual Diversity. And 'tis no more than what natural Order and Decency seems to require, that the Members of Christ's Mystical Body should retain the same Diversity in the other World that St. Paul ascribes to * 1.20 them in this, that there should still be an Eye and an Hand, an Head and a Foot, more Honourable and less Ho∣nourable Parts: Whereof the Natu∣ral Heaven exhibits a very convenient Emblem, in which one Star differs from another Star in Glory. And after all, tho there were no plain Proof to be had for this, yet there is such an obvious Congruity in the thing as would convince where it could not silence. And I believe there is no Man, tho never so forward to raise Objecti∣ons against what has been contended for, and to equalize the Glories of Heaven (for the other World has its Levellers as well as this) that could yet

obtain Leave of his own Modesty to expect as bright a Crown as the Virgin Mary, or St. Paul.

Having thus far asserted the diffe∣rent Degrees of Glory, which I have the longer insisted upon, because 'tis a very practical as well as notional Theory, being of great consequence to the encouragement of Heroic Goodness, I come now to consider the second thing proposed, that one of the Highest Degrees of Glory shall be the Reward of those who suffer Per∣secution for the sake of Righteousness, that is, of Martyrs. And here for the Eviction of this, having already shewn that there are Degrees of Glory in proportion to the degrees of Vertue, I think 'twill suffice to shew that Mar∣tyrdom is one of the highest Degrees of Vertue. For the Argument redu∣ced to Form will stand thus:

An higher Degree of Vertue shall have an higher Degree of Glory.

But Martyrdom is an higher Degree of Vertue.

Therefore Martyrdom shall have an higher Degree of Glory.

The first Proposition is what we have been proving hitherto. To in∣fer the Conclusion therefore there needs only a Proof of the second. Here therefore my business shall be to give a short representation of the Ex∣cellency of Martyrdom.

The Honour of Martyrdom was so great in the Primitive Church, that even the Commonness of it, which depretiates every thing else, could not diminish from its Veneration. It was then thought of so great Excellence, as to supply the room of Baptism, and the new Convert, whose early and sudden execution prevented his solemn Admission into the Christian Church, was yet esteemed a very good Member of Christ's Mystical Body, and num∣ber'd with his best Saints in Glory everlasting. The same Honour to Martyrs made them chuse their Tombs for the places of their Devotion; and God himself was pleased to signalize his special regard to these his Saints,

and to shew how precious their Death * 1.21 was in his sight, by making the places of their Rest the Stage of his Miracles.

Nor is there any thing in all this more strange and extraordinary, than the Excellency of the Vertue it self which was thus honoured. A general representation of which is thus given by the Pen of a Celebrated Writer of the Roman Church. A Church which, * 1.22 by the way, has made more Martyrs, and has fewer than any in the World. But she has dealt long enough in Blood, to be able to form an Idea of Martyrdom from the Martyrs which she has made. We see (says one of her Sons) nothing in the Church more noble than Martyrdom. 'Tis the highest jorm of Vertue, the last Expression of Charity; and when a Man has shed his Blood and parted with his Life for Jesus Christ, there is not any instance that can further be expected from his Love, Justly therefore may we acknowledge nothing more August in Religion than Martyrs. They are the Heroes of Christianity, the gallant Men of this State, the Noblest Parts of this mystical Body. There is no greatness that gives not way to their

Dignity; whatever we admire is below their worth, and according to the Opini∣on of one of the wisest Fathers of the Church (he means St. Cyprian) 'tis more to be a Martyr than to be an Apostle. Neither hath any thing been ever more Honour'd in the World. Heaven has wrought an hundred Miracles to discover their Innocence, wild Beasts have respected them, the Flames have spared their Gar∣ments, Tyrants have admired them, and many times their Executioners have be∣come their Disciples, in so much that these renowned Champions had great rea∣son to be afraid of Vain-glory, at the same time that God deliver'd them from Sorrow. The Description is handsom and elegant, but what they Describe, they have left to our Church to Practise.

But more particularly and distinctly, to take the just Height of the Ex∣cellency of Martyrdom, we must first lay down a Measure whereby the Ex∣cellency of any Vertue is to be esti∣mated. Now the Excellency of any Vertue may be measured either from the Goodness of the Object will'd, or from the Degree of willing it. And

two Persons that are equally Vertuous with respect to the good that is will'd, may yet be very unequally so with respect to the Degree of Willing, be∣cause one may will the same Good, and the same degree of Good more intensely and affectionately than the other. Thus for instance, Virginity may be said to be more excellent than a Conjugal Life, and that tho you do suppose the States themselves to be equally Pure, because 'tis harder to preserve Virginal than Conjugal Cha∣stity. So that tho the Degrees of Pu∣rity be supposed the same in both States, yet because they are more strongly will'd in the one than in the other, the Virgin may be said to be more pure than the Conjugated Per∣son; not perhaps as a Lover of great∣er Purity, but as a stronger and more pertinacious Lover of the same, which he adheres to under more disadvanta∣gious Circumstances.

And this I take to be the Case of Martyrdom, whose general Excellency above other Virtues consists in the De∣gree of Inclination or Adhesion to good, which in the Martyr is supposed

to be so strong as to determin him ra∣ther to suffer death, and the utmost Extremity of it, than to transgress what he knows to be his Duty. And indeed if we consider how sweet Life is, and how naturally a verse we are to Death even in the most easy, much more under the most terrifying Cir∣cumstances, it must needs be a very strong and peremptory adhesion to Virtue that shall ingage a Man to quit his Life rather than his Innocence, and Dy rather than Offend.

But to be more particular yet. To recommend the Excellency of Martyr∣dom there is a Concurrence of the greatest Virtues. The most eminent of which (for 'twere endless to reckon up all) are the greatest Faith, the greatest Love, and the greatest Courage.

First, The greatest Faith. There is indeed no Faith like the Faith of a Martyr. This is that Faith which o∣vercomes the World, and all that is terrible in it; That Faith to which all things are possible and nothing diffi∣cult, and that removes Fear, which

is more than to remove Mountains. This is that Faith which is more espe∣cially the Substance of things hoped for, and the Argument or Demonstration of things not seen. This noble Defi∣nition of Faith is never so fully verify'd as in the Faith of a Martyr. This is that Faith that turns the End of the Perspective, and shortens the interval of Time, and makes the future World present, and represents Heaven open, and the Son of Man standing on the Right Hand of God ready to defend, and receive, and reward those that will be content to indure the Cross, and despise both the Shame and the Pain of it for his sake. And all this with such certainty and fulness of Per∣swasion, that tis ready to change its Nature, through too much Evidence, and to cease to be any longer Faith, and commence Science or Revelation. For indeed nothing less than this, than such a full down-bearing Perswasion can well inable a Man to drink off this bitter Cup, and to be Baptized at this Bloody Font. It must certainly be a strange Degree of Affiance and Con∣fidence which that Man has in God, who can resign up all that is good and

pleasant, and submit himself to all that is evil and terrible in this World, and meet Death with all its Natural and Ar∣tificial Terrors, and trust God for his Reward in another Life. What a ge∣nerous, victorious Faith is this! and what a noble Idea must such a person have of God! The Faith of Abraham is highly celebrated in Scripture for his readiness to offer up his Son at the Command of God. And no doubt 'twas a very rare and extraordinary Faith that could reconcile him to such an unnatural undertaking. But cer∣tainly the Faith of a Martyr is very much beyond this, as much as tis an higher act of Reliance to trust God with ones own Soul, and for ones E∣ternal Happiness, than for a Posterity to inherit a promised Land.

Secondly, The greatest Love. There is indeed no Love like the Love of a Martyr. This is that Love which is properly stronger than Death, and which is so perfect as to cast out or overcome all Fear. This is a Degree of Love truly Seraphic, and which comes the nearest of any to the Love of Angels and beatify'd Spirits. If

there be any such thing as Seraphic Love in the World, this is it. Not only because tis bright and flaming, noble and generous, but because tis a Love that gets above all the Bodily Passions, silences all the motions of the lower Life, and makes the Man act as if he were all Soul and Mind. More particularly, Martyrdom is the greatest Love of Virtue, and the greatest Love of God.

First, Martyrdom is the greatest Love of Virtue, because that is valued at a higher rate than Life it self, which the Martyr will rather lose than Sin. Our Saviour makes it the greatest In∣stance and Argument of Friendship, for a Man to lay down his Life for his Friend. And so doubtless it is. For tis then plain that the Man sets a greater value upon his Friend, than he does upon Life. And the like may be said of the Martyr, that he sets a higher value upon Virtue, then he does upon Life, which yet is so dear that (as one observes, who for our safety too well understands the secret Springs and In∣clinations of Human Nature) all that a man has will he give for it. And yet * 1.23

this very Life for which a Man will give all things, is by the Martyr given as a Sacrifice to his Innocence.

Secondly, Martyrdom is the greatest Love of God, because the Martyr sets so high a Price upon him that he will chuse rather to dye than forfeit the en∣joyment of his Favour and Blessedness, and may truly say with the Psalmist, * 1.24 Thy loving Kindness is better than Life. Tis an easie thing for a Man in a warm gusty fit of Devotion, when the Evil day is far off, and no probable danger of any competition between his Reli∣gion and his Life, to say that he sets a greater Value upon the loving Kindness of God than upon Life. You know who did so. Tho I should dy with thee yet I will not deny thee, that is, (to reduce the words to a more Lo∣gical Order) I would rather dy than deny thee. This is easily said, but not so easily done, as the Event too sadly shew'd. But he that says he values the loving Kindness of God more than Life, and dies rather than forfeit it, may be believ'd. For what greater Love can there be than this, or what higher Instance or Tryal of it? The

greatest Love of God was to dy for Man. God could not signalize his Love to Man by any higher instance than by dying for him; and the greatest Love of Man is to dy for God.

Thirdly, The greatest Courage. For there is also no Courage like the Courage of a Martyr. He fears no Evil but only Sin and Damnation, which are just and reasonable Objects of Fear, and will undergo any other Evils to avoid these, which is the truest and the greatest Courage. For where is there any like it? I would not have the Man of Honour or Duelist, of all the Pretenders to Courage in the World, offer at a Competition here. For tis most certain that he abuses the notion of Courage as well as that of Honour. His Courage is to dare to sin and be damn'd that he may a∣void the Reproach of Cowardize, that is, not to fear and avoid what with all possible concern he should, and to fear and avoid what he should not. And if this be Courage, I must then con∣fess that I do not know what is Cow∣ardise.

But neither may the Military Man be a Competitor here. 'Tis I confess great and brave for a Man in a just and laudable Cause, for the Defence of his Prince and Country, to fall a Sacrifice at the Head of an Army. And the Herald's Office supposes as much. But there are also some Al∣lays that qualifie the Glory even of this Action. For the Man is supposed to be engaged with multitudes and numbers which incourage as well as de∣fend, and to fight in a Heat, when his Spirits are raised, and his Blood runs high, so as scarce to be able to feel a Shot or a Stab that shall be given him, and to want Opportunity of Retreat, and to be kept from reflecting upon his Danger by Noise, Tumult and Confusion, and to have the Spur of Emulation, and the incentive of Anger, sometimes of Hatred and Revenge, and which is more than all the rest, the Hopes of a safe come off at last. Believe me, this goes a great way, and I question whether among those that venture themselves in War, one of ten thousand would do so, if he knew be∣fore-hand that he should certainly die in the Field. But now to have a Man go

alone and in cold Blood to the Stake, or to the Scaffold; When in every Pe∣riod of his Advance 'tis still in his Power by compliance to recede from his dreadful undertaking, and there calmly and deliberately submit himself to certain Execution, and feel himself die with all his Thoughts, Reflections and Passions about him; this is Cou∣rage indeed, and such a Noble Specta∣cle as might well deseve to be a Theatre to Angels and Men, yea even to God himself.

These are some of those great things that illustrate the excellency of Mar∣tyrdom, and shew it to be one of the highest Degrees of Vertue, and conse∣quently that it is intitled to an higher Degree of Glory: Which the Scrip∣ture also expresly makes to be the Por∣tion of Martyrs, who are said to in∣dure tortures, and not to accept of deli∣verance, * 1.25 that they might obtain a better Resurrection. A Better Resurrection, that is, a Resurrection to a Better State of Happiness, that being the only Measure whereby one Resurrection may be said to be Better than another. And says the Angel to St. John con∣cerning

those who are clothed with white Robes, and had Palms in their Hands, These are they which came out of * 1.26 great Tribulation, and have wash'd their Robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them.

And now since there is a brighter Crown of Glory prepared for Martyrs, and those that suffer Persecution for the sake of Righteousness, all that fur∣ther remains is to commend from the Premises these two Practical Infe∣rences,

First, That we entertain no hard Thoughts of the Justice or Goodness of God for suffering so many severe Persecutions in the Christian Church, some whereof were violent, as under the Roman Emperors; some Fraudu∣lent by Hereticks, as Arius, Nestorius, &c. And some of a mixt nature, con∣sisting both of Fraud and Violence, when both Temporal and Spiritual Power did combine together (as

as now in the Papal See) against the Lord and his Christ. I say we should learn from hence not to censure the ways of God for this, nor to charge him foolishly, since there is so plentiful a Reward laid up for those that suffer in the Cause of Righteousness.

Secondly, That we so fortifie our selves with the Consideration of this Beatitude, That if God should ever honour us so far as to call us to the Trial of the Cross, we may be so true to God, to Religion, and to our own Souls, as to suffer couragiously and thankfully, ever looking up to that glorious Crown, that white Robe, and those Triumphant Palms which distin∣guish the Noble Army of Martyrs, who eternally sing Hymns of Praise to God for the Blessing of those Crosses, which now spring up into Crowns, and in bearing of which they find so great Reward.

Glory be to God on High.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Practical Discourse of Death, p. 76.
• * 1.2

  Eph. 4 13.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 6.23.
• * 1.4

  Le Blanc Theses Theolog. p. 590.
• * 1.5

  Rev. 3.4.
• * 1.6

  Heb. 11.6
• * 1.7

  Rom. 2.6.
• * 1.8

  2 Cor. 5.10.
• * 1.9

  2 Cor 9.6.
• * 1.10

  Luke 19.
• * 1.11

  Joh. 14. 2.
• * 1.12

  Mat. 10.41.
• * 1.13

  Mat. 10.42.
• * 1.14

  Prov. 19.17.
• * 1.15

  Mat. 8.11.
• * 1.16

  Mat. 19.28
• * 1.17

  Rev. 21.14
• * 1.18

  Mat. 22.30
• * 1.19

  Luke 1.19
• * 1.20

  1 Cor. 12.
• * 1.21

  St. Ferem against Vi∣gilantius, Book 4.
• * 1.22

  Monsieur Senault Christian Man, p. 336
• * 1.23

  Job 2.4.
• * 1.24

  Psal. 63.4.
• * 1.25

  Heb. 11.
• * 1.26

  Rev. 7.14.