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…

Let us then examine this truth, viz. What are the requisites to qualify a true sufferer for Christ? When his cause is good, his heart, his ends also must be good. Therefore that ordinary saying, Causa non poena facit Martyrem, The cause not the punishment doth make a Martyr, must be further limited; for the cause doth not, unless there be also those concomitant graces in the subject, as well as there is truth in the object; and we shall find this suffering temper to have as curious ingredients into it, as there was into that precious ointment, made for the high Priest alone, and no wonder, for it is the highest pitch of love we can arrive at, to suffer for him, and it is the most contrary to flesh and blood: So that •one can do this for Christ, but such who are wonderfully enabled by him.

Let us then examine this truth, viz. What are the requisites to qualifie a true sufferer for Christ? When his cause is good, his heart, his ends also must be good. Therefore that ordinary saying, Causa non poena facit Martyrem, The cause not the punishment doth make a Martyr, must be further limited; for the cause doth not, unlesse there be also those concomitant graces in the subject, as well as there is truth in the object; and we shall find this suffering temper to have as curious ingredients into it, as there was into that precious ointment, made for the high Priest alone, and no wonder, for it is the highest pitch of love we can arrive at, to suffer for him, and it is the most contrary to flesh and blood: So that •one can do this for Christ, but such who are wonderfully enabled by him.

First, Therefore in a sufferer for Christ, there is required Faith in the eminent and ¹powerful actings thereof. It is as impossible to suffer without faith, as a bird to fly without wings. It's faith alone that can remove these mountains in the Sea, Heb. 11. Those great exploits the Saints did, yea and those wonderful sufferings they underwent, is attributed by the Apostle, wholly to their faith. Now this faith requisite to true suffering for Christ, emptieth it self into two channels; there must be a Dogmatical Faith, and a Fiducial Faith. A Dogmatical Faith is that whereby a man is assured of the truths be suffereth for as divine, and because of Divine Authority. Faith must be, as