4. THE fourth particular is, That the chief persecutions are raised against the Ministers; our Lord Christ turns himself directly to the Apostles, whom he was ready to commissionate, and send abroad to preach; Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you, Ver. 11. So persecuted they the Prophets before you, Ver. 12. Take my Brethren the Prophets for an example of suffering affliction, Jam. 5.10. No sooner is any man a Minister, but he is a piece of a Martyr. The Ministers of Christ are his chosen Vessels; now as the best Vessel of gold and silver passeth through the fire, so Gods chosen Vessels pass often through the fire of persecution: All times are not like the silver Age wherein Constantine lived; he was an honourer of the Ministry; he would not sit down in the Council of Nice, till the Bishops who were convened there, did come and beseech him; he would say, if he saw an infirmity in the Clergy, suâ Purpurâ velaret, he would cover it with his own Purple Robe. Ministers must not always look for such shines of the Princes favour, they must expect an Alarm. Peter a famous Preacher, who knew how to cast the Net on the right side of the ship; at one Sermon he converted three thousand souls, yet neither the Divinity of his Doctrine, nor the Sanctity of his life could exempt him from persecution. John 21.18. When thou shalt be old, another shall gird thee, and carry thee whether thou wouldest not; it alludes to hi• suffering death for Christ; he was (saith Eusebius) bound with chains, and afterwards crucified at Jerusalem with ⟨p. 355⟩his head downwards. Saint Paul a holy man, who is steeled with courage, fired with zeal, as soon as he entered into the Ministry, bonds and persecutions did abide him, Acts 9.15, 16. He was made up of sufferings, 2 Tim. 4.6. I am ready to be offered up; he alludes to the drink-offerings, wherein the wine or blood used in Sacrifice was poured out, thereby intimating by what manner of death he should glorify God; not by being sacrificed in the fire, but by pouring out his blood, which was when he was beheaded; and that it might seem no strange thing for Gods Ministers to be under the heat and rage of persecution, Stephen puts the question, Acts 7.52. Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted? Ignatius was torn with wild beasts; Cyprian, Polycarp Martyred†:*
4. THE fourth particular is, That the chief persecutions are raised against the Ministers; our Lord Christ turns himself directly to the Apostles, whom he was ready to commissionate, and send abroad to preach; Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you, Ver. 11. So persecuted they the Prophets before you, Ver. 12. Take my Brethren the Prophets for an example of suffering affliction, Jam. 5.10. No sooner is any man a Minister, but he is a piece of a Martyr. The Ministers of Christ are his chosen Vessels; now as the best Vessel of gold and silver passeth through the fire, so Gods chosen Vessels pass often through the fire of persecution: All times are not like the silver Age wherein Constantine lived; he was an honourer of the Ministry; he would not sit down in the Council of Nice, till the Bishops who were convened there, did come and beseech him; he would say, if he saw an infirmity in the Clergy, suâ Purpurâ velaret, he would cover it with his own Purple Robe. Ministers must not alwayes look for such shines of the Princes favour, they must expect an Alarum. Peter a famous Preacher, who knew how to cast the Net on the right side of the ship; at one Sermon he converted three thousand souls, yet neither the Divinity of his Doctrine, nor the Sanctity of his life could exempt him from persecution. John 21.18. When thou shalt be old, another shall gird thee, and carry thee whether thou wouldest not; it alludes to hi• suffering death for Christ; he was (saith Eusebius) bound with chains, and afterwards crucified at Hierusalem with ⟨p. 355⟩his head downwards. Saint Paul a holy man, who is steeled with courage, fired with zeal, assoon as he entred into the Ministry, bonds and persecutions did abide him, Acts 9.15, 16. He was made up of sufferings, 2 Tim. 4.6. I am ready to be offered up; he alludes to the drink-offerings, wherein the wine or blood used in Sacrifice was poured out, thereby intimating by what manner of death he should glorifie God; not by being sacrificed in the fire, but by pouring out his blood, which was when he was beheaded; and that it might seem no strange thing for Gods Ministers to be under the heat and rage of persecution, Stephen puts the question, Acts 7.52. Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted? Ignatius was torn with wild beasts; Cyprian, Polycarp Martyr'd†:
- *Praedicare nihil aliud est quam derivare in se furorem mundi. Luther.
