An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

before Pontius Pilate, he witnessed a good confession. To suffer then for Christ, it is to loose all for his Truth, for his Faith, when he requireth. Therefore though Heretics may glory in their sufferings, and they be canonized as Saints amongst their Disciples, yet they will be sound to have lost their blood in vain, and that they were not the Lord Christs, but the ⟨p. 203⟩devils Martyrs. The Donatists of old, yea those Circumcelliones, that would kill themselves, and like mad men, would make others kill them, did triumph in the name of Martyrs. The Messaliani also, because they were punished for their Idols, called themselves Martyriani, the Martyrians; as if they only were the Martyrs. How greatly are the Popish Calendars filled with their saints, when yet some of them dyed of desperate and high rebellions and treasons? So that this always falleth out, as men are persuaded of their way, so they judge it true persecution or false. Hastia did truly call the Donatists persecutions, Persecutions steriles, barren and fruitless; as losing the crown of glory, though they boasted of them. On the other side, the rigid Lutherans did condemn our Martyrs in Queen Mary's days, (because they dyed against that error, That Christ was bodily present in the Sacrament;) yea, and called them Martyrs Diaboli, The Devils Martyrs. This (I confess) is more grievous many times, then all the persecutions of the adversaries, when those who are of the same general profession, yet for some particular differences, shall so uncharitably censure one another: But this is no new thing in the Church of God. The Socinians, though they blaspheme the Deity of Christ, and their doctrine is not simply heresy, but blasphemy also, yet they will admire their sufferings, as if for Christ also. The Polonian Gentleman, that writ Socinus his life, would prefer him above Luther and Ignatius As for Ignatius, the Father of Jesuits, we have nothing to do with him; but that he should prefer him above Luther for the greatness of his faith, Because (saith he) Luther's Doctrine at the first had many to applaud it, but Soci•ius had few or none to encourage him: Though we might say, Luther's was universally hated, the whole world being then subject to the Pope, yet that can be nothing with that writer, who confesseth that pride and vain-glory, may make all a mans sufferings to be fuel to it.

before Pontius Pilate, he witnessed a good confession. To suffer then for Christ, it is to loose all for his Truth, for his Faith, when he requireth. Therefore though Heretiques may glory in their sufferings, and they be canonized as Saints amongst their Disciples, yet they will be sound to have lost their blood in vain, and that they were not the Lord Christs, but the