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presently commence a Martyr: All the "Prifons are full of fuch Martyrs; all thofe "Chains in which Malefactors are laid, drag Martyrs about; all the Mines are full of Martyrs working in them; all the distant Islands are fill'd with Martyrs banifh'd into them Martyrs are Beheaded at every publick "lick Place of Execution; all who are thrown "to the wild Beafts, and all who are burnt "alive by the Sentence of the Judges, let "their Crimes or Demerits be what they will, muft prefently_be_Martyrs." And afterwards, with which I fhall draw toward the Conclufion of this Particular;

Si quis ergo Paganorum, dam natus in Crimine fuit Sacrificia Simulacris offerendi, Martyr continuo amandus eft, quia pro Superftitione, quam piam Religionem putabat, panas Legibus luit. Nullus certe quoдио modo Chriftianus audet hoc dicere. Non ergo quifquis in aliqua Religionis Queftione fuerit ab Imperatore punitus Martyr efficitur. Neque enim vident qui talia fentiunt in eum locum fe pregredi, ut ipfos etiam Dæmones Martyrum fibi gloriam vendicare poffe contendant; quia iftam patiantur Perfequutionem per Imperatores Chriftianos, ut pane toto orbe Terrarum eorundem Templa evertantur ; Idola com minuantur,Sacrificia fubtrahantur; Qui eos honorant, fi deprebenfi fuerint, puniantur. Quod fidementiffimum eft dicere, non ergo ex Paffione certa eft fuftitia, fed ex Fuftitia Paffio gloriofa eft.

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If, according to the Dona"tift Way of Arguing, If a Pagan taken in the very "Act of offering Sacrifice to Images be condemn'd; he "mùft be lov'd and honour'd

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as a Martyr, because he is punish'd according to Law "for that Superftition which he took to be a very great "Piece of Piety and Religi

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on. Certainly no Man "who is a Chriftian Himfelf "would dare to conclude fo. "Therefore every one who ແ is punifh'd by the Emper

or upon Account of any "Error in Point of Religion " is not made a Martyr by "that Suffering. Thofe who "talk at that Rate, don't "confider what Abfurdi

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"ties they are running upon. By arguing fo, they'll bring Matters at last to that "Iflue, that, upon their Principles the very Devils themselves may come to claim to "themselves the Glory of being Martyrs, be"cause the Chriftian Emperors perfecute them fo, that, thro' their Means, the Temples " erected to Devils are pull'd down in almoft "all Quarters of the World; that their Images are every where broken to Pieces; all "Sacrifices to them are forbidden; and if any are taken paying any fuch Honour to "them, they are feverely punish'd. But if it

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be downright Madness to affert any thing "of this Nature; then we are not to conclude, "that every one is good or pious who fuf"fers under the Penalties of Laws: But that "whoever is laid under the Penalties of Law

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only because he is pious and god, That Man "alone deferves to be honoured for his Sufferings:" With much more to the fame Purpose, All which confidered together, whatsoever the Parties may think, will fufficiently vindicate our Princes from the Imputation of Perfecution in making Penal Laws against thofe of the Separation.

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The Sixth Particular confidered. All good Chriftians under an Obligation to submit to the Doctrine and Difcipline of their lawful Church-Paftors and Governors, what Difficulties foever they may lie under with relation to Secular Matters. Ift, It conduces to the Honour of that Religion they profefs. 2. Difobedience to them the most effectual Means to introduce Popery, and all Manner of Errors into any Part of the Church. 3. Difobedience to them runs the guilty Perfons into a perpetually unsettled Condition in Religious Matters and lays them open to every Seducer. 4. No better Means of Edification among those who separate from their lawful Paftors and Go

vernors.

I THESS. V. 12.

And we beseech you, Brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.

WE

E come now to the laft Particular defign'd for clearing the Propofition, viz. That all good Chriftians are under the ftrongeft Obligations in the World to fubmit to the

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Doctrine and Discipline of lawful Paftors and Governors, what Difficulties foever they may lie under with relation to their Secular Affairs. Since Men have Souls to fave, and are bound to work ont their Salvation with Fear and Trembling; let all the Powers of the Universe frown never fo much upon them, they must ftill obey the Doctrine of fuch as watch for their Souls; they being the Inftruments more immediately appointed by God to build them up in their most holy Faith. Had not the Apoftles and those who believed thro' their Preaching, done thus, it had been impoffible for the Gofpel to have made fo fudden and fo great a Progrefs thro' the Pagan World. The Princes and Governors were, generally very averfe to Christianity: Nor could they exprefs their Averfion in any more remarkable Way, than by thofe frequent and cruel Perfecutions which they then rais'd against all who embraced the Truth..

It is not to be question'd, but that the Apoftles were in earneft when they commanded every Soul to be fubject to the higher Powers,and told them, that Chriftians as well as others, muft needs be fubject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's Sake, and that not only for the Sake of Wrath, but for that of Confcience: And yet the fame Apoftles were as much in earnest, when they fuppos'd it fit to obey God rather than Man. But had not the firft Chriftians had Paftors, lawfully commiffion'd from Heaven, to follow, They could have very ill have offer'd the fame Plea? For he who follows a Deceiver, an Impoftor, a falfe Teacher, is not obedient to God, and therefore cannot excuse

himself from any kind of Submiffion to Man. It is no more lawful for Men to fet up Teachers for themfelves, and after their own Lufts than it was for Jeroboam to fet up Gods for himfelf, or to make Ifrael to fin in worshipping the Calves of Dan and Bethel. They may as well make new Sacraments, new Creeds and a new Gofpel; as they may appoint fuch Minifters in the Service of God, as he never directed them to. But where Men are bleffed with fuch Inftructors as are commiffion'd for that weighty Employment according to the Prefcriptions of the Word of God; where fuch Men have ferioufly taken upon them the Name of Chriftians, their Engagements are never to be diffolv'd: They muft fubmit, in the first Place to the Subftitutes of Chrift in his Church, as they are Chriftians, be they never fo great or powerful in themselves. If any refuse this, we may juftly argue with them as St. Peter did in another cafe with Ananias, "While ye were yet unconverted, "was it not in your own Power whether you "would take up the Profeflion of Chriftianity

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or not?" But now, that they have taken up that Profeffion, it is not in their Power to refufe Obedience to the Doctrine of Faith or to those who are lawfully fent to promote it.

If it would, as certainly it would, be a very great Crime for a lawful Paftor to defert his Flock in a Time of Danger; If none but wretched Hirelings will fly when they fee the Wolf a coming; it is certainly as great à Sin, and of as dangerous a Confequence, for the Flock to forfake their proper Shepherd. Others may make fair Shews, and en

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