By all these scriptures it manifestly appears, who they are that are persecuted: namely, the righteous, he that is born after the Spirit; all that will live godly in Christ Jesus: they that are passed from death unto life; those who are notof the world: All those who are meek and lowly in heart, that mourn for God, that hunger after his likeness; all that love God and their neighbour, and therefore as they have opportunity, do good unto all men.
3. *If it be, secondly, enquired, why they are persecuted? The answer is equally plain and obvious. It is for righteousness sake; because they are righteous; because they are born after the Spirit; because they will live godly in Christ Jesus; because they are not of the world. Whatever may be pretended, this is the real cause: be their infirmities more or less, still if it were not for this, they would be borne with, and the world would love its own. They are persecuted, because they are poor in spirit, that is, say the world, “poor-spirited, mean, dastardly souls, good for nothing, not fit to live in the world:” Because they mourn; “they are such dull, heavy, lumpish creatures, enough to sink any one’s spirits that sees them: they are mere death-heads; they kill innocent mirth, and spoil company wherever they come.” Because they are meek; “tame, passive fools, just fit to be trampled upon:” Because they hunger and thirst after righteousness; “a parcel of hot-brained enthusiasts, gaping after they know not what, not content with rational religion, but running mad after raptures and inward feelings:” Because they are merciful, lovers of all, lovers of the evil and unthankful; “encouragingall manner of wickedness; nay, tempting people to do mischief by impunity: and men who, it is to be feared, have their own religion still to seek; very loose in their principles:” Because they are pure in heart: “uncharitable creatures! That damn all the world, but those that are of their own sort! Blasphemous wretches, that pretend to make God a liar, to live without sin!” Above all, because they are peace-makers, because they take all opportunities of doing good to all men. This is the grand reason why they have been persecuted in all ages, and will be ’till the restitution of all things.
“If they would but keep their religion to themselves, it would be tolerable. But it is this spreading their errors, this infecting so many others, which is not to be endured. They do so much mischief in the world, that they ought to be tolerated no longer. It is true, the men do some things well enough; they relieve some of the poor. But this too, is only done to gain the more to their party; and so, in effect, to do the more mischief.” Thus the men of the world sincerely think and speak. And the more the kingdom of God prevails, the more the peace-makers are enabled to propagate lowliness, meekness, and all other divine tempers; the more mischief is done, in their account. Consequently, the more are they enraged, against the authors of this, and the more vehemently will they persecute them.
4. Let us, thirdly, enquire, who are they that persecute them? St. Paul answers, He that is born after the flesh; every one who is not born of the Spirit, or at least, desirous so to be: all that do not, at least, labour to live godly in Christ Jesus: all that are not passed from death unto life, and consequently cannot love the brethren: the world, that is according to our Saviour’s account, they who know not him that sent me: they who know not God, even the loving, pardoning God, by the teaching of his own Spirit.
The reason is plain. The spirit which is in the world is directly opposite to the Spirit which is of God. It must therefore needs be, that those who are of the world, will be opposite to those who are of God. There is the utmost contrariety between them, in all their opinions, their desires, designs, and tempers. And hitherto the leopard and the kid, cannot lie down in peace together. The proud, because he is proud, cannot but persecute the lowly; the light and airy, those that mourn: and so in every other kind; the unlikeness of disposition, (were there no other) being a perpetual ground of enmity, therefore (were it only on this account) all the servants of the devil, will persecute the children of God.
5. *Should it be inquired, fourthly, how they will persecute them? It may be answered in general, just in that manner and measure whichthe wise Disposer of all, sees will be most for his glory; will tend most to his children’s growth in grace, and the enlargement of his own kingdom. There is no one branch of God’s government of the world, which is more to be admired than this. His ear is never heavy to the threatnings of the persecutor, or the cry of the persecuted. His eye is ever open, and his hand stretched out, to direct every the minutest circumstance. When the storm shall begin, how high it shall rise, which way it shall point its course, when and how it shall end, are all determined by his unerring wisdom. The ungodly are only a sword of his: an instrument which he uses, as it pleaseth him, and which itself, when the gracious ends of his providence are answered, is cast into the fire.
At some rare times, as when Christianity was planted first, and while it was taking root in the earth; as also when the pure doctrine of Christ began to be planted again in our nation: God permitted the storm to rise high, and his children were called to resist unto blood. There was a peculiar reason why he suffered this with regard to the apostles, that their evidence might be the more unexceptionable. But from the annals of the church, we learn another, and a far different reason, why he suffered the heavy persecutions which arose in the second and third centuries: namely, because the mystery of iniquity did so strongly work, because of the monstrous corruptionswhich even then reigned in the church: these God chastised, and at the same time strove to heal, by those severe but necessary visitations.
Perhaps the same observation may be made, with regard to the grand persecution in our own land. God had dealt very graciously with our nation; he had poured out various blessings upon us. He had given us peace abroad and at home; and a king wise and good, beyond his years. And above all, he had caused the pure light of his gospel, to arise and shine amongst us. But what return did he find? He looked for righteousness. But behold a cry! A cry of oppression and wrong, of ambition and injustice, of malice and fraud and covetousness. Yea, the cry of those who even then expired in the flames, entered into the ears of the Lord of sabbaoth. It was then God arose to maintain his own cause, against those that held the truth in unrighteousness. Then he sold them into the hands of their persecutors, by a judgment mixt with mercy: an affliction to punish and yet a medicine to heal the grievous backslidings of his people.
6. But it is seldom God suffers the storm to rise so high, as torture or death or bonds or imprisonment. Whereas his children are frequently called to endure those lighter kinds of persecution; they frequently suffer the estrangement of kinsfolks; the loss of the friends that were as their own soul. They find the truth of their Lord’s word (concerning the event, though notthe design of his coming) [75]Suppose ye that I am come to give peace upon earth? I tell you nay; but rather division. And hence will naturally follow loss of business or employment, and consequently of substance. But all these circumstances likewise are under the wise direction of God, who allots to every one what is most expedient for him.
7. But the persecution which attends all the children of God, is that our Lord describes in the following words. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you (shall persecute, by reviling you) and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. This cannot fail: it is the very badge of our discipleship: it is one of the seals of our calling. It is a sure portion, entailed on all the children of God: if we have it not, we are bastards and not sons. Strait thro’ evil report, as well as good report, lies the only way to the kingdom. The meek, serious, humble, zealous lovers of God and man, are of good report among their brethren; but of evil report with the world, who count and treat them as the filth and off-scouring of all things.