There are three Things very requifite to the propagating of the true Chriftian Faith, and Profeffion in the World, and for the Good of the Church :

1. That it fhould represent to the World fome extraordinary Examples of Virtue and Piety.

2. That it should be purg'd from Hypocrites, and loose Profeffors.

3. That the middle Sort of Chriftians should be awaken'd to more Diligence in Well-doing.

Now thefe Ends are all attained by the excepted Cafe, and this gives a plain Account of that ancient Obfervation, That the Church was always a Gainer in the end by the fierceft Oppofition, and therefore fhews alfo plainly enough the Goodness of God's Providence, and his efpecial Care over his Servants in fuffering it.

1. It hath presented the World with extraordinary Examples of Virtue and Piety: For the greateft Height of Virtue is to fuffer for Righteoufnefs fake with Patience. and Meeknefs, and Charity, and a steady Refolution. It is the nobleft Work of Faith to raise the Minds of Men above this World; above the Refentments of Injuries and Provocations; above the love of Life, and fear of Death: And therefore the Examples of this Virtue and Faith do

mightily prove the Divinity of that Doctrin which infpires Men with fuch excellent Qualities, and the Reality of a Divine Prefence and Affiftance, which fupports them under the hardeft Tryals. Now the Sufferings of fuch Men are fo far from arguing that they are neglected and forfaken by the Providence of God, that they argue the quite contrary; for God rais'd them up on purpofe to thew the Power of his Truth, and the Mightiness of his Grace in their Examples: He appointed them to be Spectacles to the World, to Angels, and to Men for this very End, and therefore he endued them with noble Spirits, and heroical Minds, and all Qualities requifite for fuch Tryals, and for the attaining of fuch Ends. In the mean time their Sufferings wrought out for them a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory; and in that Hope they rejoyced with exceeding great Joy, and were firength ned with all Might unto all Long-suffering with Patience. In truth they made nothing of what they fo endured: Their Sufferings might be terrible to others, but they were not fo to themfelves, but very profitable they were to themfelves and others; to themselves, for the increafing of their Reward, to others, by recommending that Profeflion to the World, which was accompanied with fo Divine a Power, and in truth Hh

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the Sufferings of the ancient Chriftians made more Converts than their Miracles. And now as to fuch Men, their Cafe under Perfecution might be excepted from the Rule of the Text, but with very good Reafon, no way leffening their own Happiness, nor bringing God's tender Providence over them into the leaft queftion, God having appointed them for a peculiar Tryal, a peculiar Virtue, and a peculiar Reward, and as St. Paul speaks, Predeftinated them to be conform'd to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8.

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2. It doth alfo conduce to the Interest of Chriftianity, that Hypocrites, and all Men that are Scandals to their Profeffion, fhould be thrown off from the Communion of the Church, becaufe as the mighty Inftances of Faith and Virtue in thofe that are made Spectacles to the World, by fuffering for their Faith, have always been for the Advantage and Glory of the Church, fo the Examples of worldly and vicious Men, pretending to it, do on the other hand tend to Difgrace it: But as Tryals bring the former forth to do worthily for the Credit of Religion, fo they fling the latter off, that they by their unworthy Behaviour can no longer Difgrace it. In Times of Ease and Profperity, and when all forts of People profefs the true Doctrine of Chrift,

fome will do it for Favour and Preferment, others for fear of the Laws,moft,because they are rather likely to get than to lose by it; and then it rarely happens but there will be a great multitude of loofe Hangers on, idle and impertinent Members of the Chriftian Communion, that neither receive any folid Benefit from the Church, nor bring any Credit, but rather foul Difgrace to it, by their vicious Minds and loofe Lives. But now these are all flung off a-course, when Trouble arifeth for the fake of the Gospel; they cannot bear the Teft of Divine Providence, and away they go, and leave the Church a more Pure Communion for want of their Company. The Gospel is for the moft Part a Net that draws Fishes both of good and bad to the Shore; but there is a Time when it will draw the Good only. "Tis a Field where the Tares grow with the Wheat, but fometimes God fees fit to cleanse the Field when the Tares grow thick and rank, that the Wheat may not be choaked with them : And it is plain, that even that Effect of those Perfecutions the Church hath endured, fhews a particular Providence over it.

3. It is for the Intereft of Chriftianity, that the Better Sort of those that Profefs it, who are neither as Good as in all reafon they fhould be, nor so bad as Hh 2

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the Hypocrites and mere formal Chri ftians, but a middle Sort of Men between the Two, that thefe, I fay, fhould be awaken'd to a greater Diligence in walking worthy of their Profeffion, and be no longer flothful, but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises. And this always hath been the Effect of thofe Sufferings, wherewith God at any time. would have his Church tryed. The more lazy and remifs have been excited to a better Performance of their Duty, they shook off their Sluggishness, and applied themfelves more earnestly to Repentance, more frequently and devoutly to their Prayers, more freely to Almfgiving; they fell to retrench their Luxury, to expel their worldly Thoughts, and to wean themfelves from the Cares and Pleafures of this Life; and over thefe God for the most part hath caft a favourable Shield of his Providence and

Protection, that they escaped and outliv'd the Fury of their Enemies, and came like Gold purified out of the Furnace.

Now if this Cafe never happen'd but to glorify the Men of great Minds, and to throw off loose and fcandalous Members, and to purify and mend the reft, it is very plain, that this Cafe may be excepted out of the Rule of the Text without any Diminution to the good Providence of God,