First, I would argue from Jesus Christ. Believers you love Christ, and therefore you love the honour of Christ, now the honour of Christ is highly engaged in your steadfastness. We never cast a deeper blot on the honour of Christ, then when we grow unsteadfast: I need not tell you so, the Jesuits, those meek Papists will tell you so, those that delight in nothing more then in the milk of the Virgin Mary, and in the blood of Saints: they have enough: if you be unsteady. 1. You dishonour Christ in his sufferings: Pray tell me Believers, why did Christ swear blood? why did he dye? why did he undergo what the wrath of Devils could inflict, but for this end, to make you steady, to give you the conquest of all spiritual Enemies, and to make you stand in that conquest triumphing. Thus I remember as Joshua. Jos. 10. 24. Come, put your feet upon the necks of these kings, and they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. So, Christ hath died, that you might live, that you might stand; and what dishonour to the eternal Saviour of the world, to a dying Savour, to see a flying Christian. 'Twas never heard of, that soldiers should •lye before a conquered enemy, whose legs were cut off, whose arms were broken, whose sword taken from them. 2. 'Tis a dishonour to the spirit of Christ: The same spirit that was with Christ in all his Agonies, this very spirit he hath given to believers that he might bring them through with some ⟨p. 345⟩victory; therefore, when we stand not, 'tis a high dishonour to Christ's Spirit. 3. 'Tis a dishonour to Christ's truth: […] […] […] […] what a dishonour doth it bring •o the Truth▪ […] but thought of some late experiments of poor […] that I h•ve he•rd of, carried about in triumph, look here's the man, here's the man that hath done this, that, and t•other thing, and now look here's his—I cannot excuse Noah from his drunkenness, yet me thinks 'tis the part of a Ham to show his fathers nakedness. I remember that one hath told me, ('tis a great Truth) That Religion never suffers greater wounds, then by the hands of her professed friends; Oh? what advantage have the wicked Papists taken against us by the falls of English Professors, both in principles and practice. 4. 'I is a very great dishonour to Christs allsufficiency. Tell me man, is thy Christ able to protect thee against all evil? and is he able to supply thee with all good?
First, I would argue from Iesu Christ. Believers you love Christ, and therefore you love the honour of Christ, now the honour of Christ is highly engaged in your stedfastness. We never cast a deeper blot on the honour of Christ, then when we grow unstedfast: I need not tell you so, the Jesuits, those me•k Papists will tell you so, those that delight in nothing more then in the milk of the Virgin Mary, and in the bloud of Saints: they have enough: if you be unsteady. 1. You dishonour Christ in his sufferings: Pray tell me Believers, why did Christ swear bloud? why did he dye? why did he undergo what the wrath of Devils could inflict, but for this end, to make you steady, to give you the conquest of all spiritual Enemies, and to make you stand in that conquest triumphing. Thus I remember as Ioshuah. Jos. 10. 24. Come, put your feet upon the necks of these k•ngs, and they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. So, Christ hath dy'd, that you might live, that you might stand; and what dishonour to the eternal Saviour of the world, to a dying Sav•ur, to see a flying Christian. 'Twas never heard of, that souldiers should •lye before a conquered enemy, whose legs were cut off, whose arms were broken, whose sword taken from them. 2. 'Tis a dishonour to the spirit of Christ: The same spirit that was with Christ in all his Agonies, this very spirit he hath given to believers that he might bring them through with some ⟨p. 345⟩victory; therefore, when we stand not, 'tis a high dishonour to Christ's Spirit. 3. 'Tis a dishonour to Christ's truth: 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 what a dishonour doth it bring •o the Truth▪ 〈…〉 but thought of some late experiments of poor 〈…〉 that I h•ve he•rd of, carried about in triumph, look here's the man, here's the man that hath done this, that, and t•other thing, and now look here's his—I cannot excuse Noah from his drunkenness, yet me thinks 'tis the part of a Cham to shew his fathers nakedness. I remember that one hath told me, ('tis a great Truth) That Religion never sffers greater wounds, then by the hands of her professed friends; Oh? what advantage have the wicked Papists taken against us by the falls of English Professors, both in principles and practice. 4. 'I is a very great dishonour to Christs allsufficiency. Tell me man, is thy Christ able to protect thee against all evil? and is he able to supply thee with all good?
