2. By examples of the servants of God who have done thus. We may not expect examples of any Pastors in Scripture, who did thus. For, till the ascension of Christ, that gift was not given to the Church. And after, for the space of 300 years, the persecutions were, for the most part, not personal, but general; not against the person of the Pastor only (in which case alone it is lawful to flee) but against the whole Church, in which case, it ⟨p. 104⟩was necessary,1 that they should stay. But of cases parallel hereunto we have instances, of not a few. As of Moses, who being persuaded, that God, by his hand, would deliver the Israelites, yet, for fear, fled out of Egypt, where, the Lord did not reprove him for so doing, but reveal himself more fully to him, then formerly.2 Great Elijah, by the Lords appointment, hid himself from Jezebels pursuit, who had threatened him, & was not there in condemned by the Lord, but encouraged, and assisted. The blessed Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul, to avoid the lying in wait of the Jews, was let down by night, through the wall of Damascus, by a rope, in a basket, for which he was so far from being condemned of his own conscience enlightened by Gods holy Spirit of truth, that he rejoiced in it afterwards, and took the same course of flying from Iconium to Listra, 3to avoid violence. The time would fail me to speak of Jacob, David, Jeremiah, Baruch, of those whom Obadiah hid by 50 in a cave, and of those worthies, under Antiochus,4 of whom the world was not worthy, who did wander up and down in sheepskins and goatskins, in wildernesses, & mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth, and this they are said to have done by faith. Yea, our blessed Saviour did also sundry times, as our head, sanctify flight to all his members, who are partakers of the fellowship of his afflictions, and of this, amongst the rest.5 Nor is this that unlawful fear of them that can kill the body, as appeareth in this, that in the same chapter, where the Apostles are forbidden to fear, they are allowed to fly. And if these might stand together in the Apostles, why not in others? Nor is this the unlawful fainting in affliction, 6spoken of by Paul. For even the same Apostle, in the same Epistle, where he speaketh of his not fainting, speaketh of his flying: to show that these are not contrary.
2. By examples of the servants of God who have done thus. We may not expect examples of any Pastors in Scripture, who did thus. For, till the ascention of Christ, that gift was not given to the Church. And after, for the space of 300 yeares, the persecutions were, for the most part, not personall, but generall; not against the person of the Pastor only (in which case alone it is lawfull to flee) but against the wholl Church, in which case, it ⟨p. 104⟩was necessary,1 that they should stay. But of cases paralell hereunto we have instances, of not a few. As of Moses, who being perswaded, that God, by his hand, would deliver the Israelites, yet, for feare, fled out of Aegipt, where, the Lord did not reprove him for so doing, but reveale himselfe more fully to him, then formerly.2 Great Eliah, by the Lords appoyntment, hid himselfe from Iezabells pursuit, who had threatned him, & was not there in condemned by the Lord, but incouraged, and assisted. The blessed Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul, to avoyd the lying in wayte of the Iewes, was let downe by night, through the wall of Damascus, by a rope, in a basket, for which he was so farr from being condemned of his owne conscience inlightned by Gods holy Spirit of truth, that he rejoyced in it afterwards, and tooke the same course of flying from Iconium to Listra, 3to avoyd violence. The time would fayle me to speake of Iacob, David, Ieremy, Baruch, of those whom Obadiah hid by 50 in a cave, and of those worthyes, under Antiochus,4 of whom the world was not worthy, who did wander up and downe in sheepeskinnes and goateskinnes, in wildernesses, & mountaines, and dens, and caves of the earth, and this they are said to have done by fayth. Yea, our blessed Saviour did also sundry times, as our head, sanctifye flight to all his members, who are partakers of the fellowship of his afflictions, and of this, amongst the rest.5 Nor is this that unlawfull feare of them that can kill the body, as appeareth in this, that in the same chapter, where the Apostles are forbidden to feare, they are allowed to fly. And if these might stand together in the Apostles, why not in others? Nor is this the unlawfull faynting in affliction, 6spoken of by Paul. For even the same Apostle, in the same Epistle, where he speaketh of his not faynting, speaketh of his flying: to shew that these are not contrary.
- 1Act. 7.25. Exod: 2.12.14. & 3.4.18.
- 21 Kings 17.3.18-10.19.3.5. &c. Acts 9.23.24. 2 Cor: 11.30.
- 3Ast: 14.1 5.6.
- 4Heb: 11.• 37.38.39
- 5Mat: 10.28. v. 23. with 28.
- 62 Cor: 4.16. with. 2 Cor: 11.30.
