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…

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 Heb. 11. 1. an [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew], The substance and evidence of things. For if a man have not this faith, it's obstinacy and pertinacy, not faith that maketh him suffer, as we see in Heretics. ⟨p. 206⟩Hence also it is that a mere Opinionist or Sceptic in Religion, will never suffer for Christ, because he hath no faith, but opinion in Religion. So likewise those who are of a Religion merely for humane Authority sake, because of the custom and Laws where they live, commanding such a Religion; as those amongst the Graecians, that were called Melchitae, because they followed the Religion the King was of (though indeed the Orthodox were so branded by the Heretical party, Vide Hornbeck. de Graecis.) These cannot suffer truly for Christ. Indeed they may suffer for their Religion, as it's local and traditional to them, as Turks and Jews do; but yet this is not from faith, which doth necessarily relate to divine testimony. This then cuts off the glory which Heretics and erroneous persons may boast of; if they suffer truly, they suffer with a true Faith; if they have a true Faith that can be proved and demonstrated out of Gods Word. And when we say a Dogmatical Faith, that must be understood in respect of its completeness and integrity, as to Fundamentals. No man can suffer truly for Christ, that peremptorily denieth any I undamental; if he hold the foundation, though he build hay and stubble, superstructive errors, yet if he do not demolish any of the foundation stones, he may be saved, but so as by fire. And truly is this charity be not allowed, we shall scarce find any person or Church truly suffering for Christ.