Ninthly, Consider that the Saints and Martyrs of old have made ⟨image 31⟩§9little reckoning or account of their Lives, Liberties, Relations or Estates, when they stood in competition with Christ, or his Truth, Worship. Ways, Ordinances, Interest; or with their Profession of the Christian Faith, witness that glorious Testimony1 that the Apostle gives of them. They would not accept deliverance; he means deliverance from death, or preservation of life; this, though offered, they would not accept, namely, on Persecutors terms or conditions; with was to deny the Truth of God, or renounce their Faith in him. They scorned deliverance upon base terms; and would rather die, than deny Christ or his Truth. This phrase, not accepting deliverance, presupposeth that deliverance was offered to them; otherwise, they could not have rejected it; for their not accepting, was a rejecting. Their Persecutors offered them deliverance upon their compliance with their Wills, Lusts. Ways, Worship, &c. This is evident by that which Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel's three Champions, when they were accused for not worshipping his Idol; which was this, If ye be ready to fall down and worship the Image; he thereby implies2 that they should be spared; for he addeth, if you worship not, you shall be cast into a fiery sin nace: And this is further evident in those to whom the Apostle hath reference, viz. the Maccabees. 3And this was the common practice of the persecuting Emperors in the Ten Persecutions; and after them, with the Antichristian Persecutors; and more particularly, with the high Persecutors in Queen Mary's days: But the Christians in those several Ages, had such a mighty presence of God with them, that they chose rather to suffer the worst of deaths, than to preserve their lives by complying with the Wills, Lusts, Ways and Worship of their Persecutors. For ever remember this, that th• envy and malice of Persecutors is more against the glorious Truth the Saints profess, than it is against their persons; for let but Christians relinquish the Truth, deny the Truth, reproach the Truth, or oppose the Truth, and presently they shall be white Boys, great Favourites, good Sons of the Church, and what not. That the envy and malice of Persecutors is more against the Truth, than the Professors of it, is most evident, in that they persecute strangers whom they never knew before.
Ninthly, Consider that the Saints and Martyrs of old have made ⟨image 31⟩§9little reckoning or account of their Lives, Liberties, Relations or Estates, when they stood in competition with Christ, or his Truth, Worship. Ways, Ordinances, Interest; or with their Profession of the Christian Faith, witness that glorious Testimony1 that the Apostle gives of them. They would not accept deliverance; he means deliverance from death, or preservation of life; this, though offered, they would not accept, namely, on Persecutors terms or conditions; wich was to deny the Truth of God, or renounce their Faith in him. They scorned deliverance upon base terms; and would rather die, than deny Christ or his Truth. This phrase, not accepting deliverance, presupposeth that deliverance was offered to them; otherwise, they could not have rejected it; for their not accepting, was a rejecting. Their Persecutors offered them deliverance upon their compliance with their Wills, Lusts. Ways, Worship, &c. This is evident by that which Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel's three Champions, when they were accused for not worshipping his Idol; which was this, If ye be ready to fall down and worship the Image; he thereby implies2 that they should be spared; for he addeth, if you worship not, you shall be cast into a fiery sin nace: And this is further evident in those to whom the Apostle hath reference, viz. the Maccabees. 3And this was the common practice of the persecuting Emperours in the Ten Persecutions; and after them, with the Antichristian Persecutors; and more particularly, with the high Persecutors in Qucen Mary's days: But the Christians in those several Ages, had such a mighty presence of God with them, that they chose rather to suffer the worst of deaths, than to preserve their lives by complying with the Wills, Lusts, Ways and Worship of their Persecutors. For ever remember this, that th• envy and malice of Persecutors is more against the glorious Truth the Saints profess, than it is against their persons; for let but Christians relinquish the Truth, deny the Truth, reproach the Truth, or oppose the Truth, and presently they shall be white Boys, great Favourites, good Sons of the Church, and what not. That the envy and malice of Persecutors is more against the Truth, than the Professors of it, is most evident, in that they persecute strangers whom they never knew before.
- 1Heb. 11. 35. vide Ejtius.
- 2Dan. 3. 15.
- 32 Mac. 6. 18, to 31
