CHAP. XC.
Peace.Blessed Truth, I shall now remember you of the fourth query upon this place of Timothy; to wit, whether a church of Christ Jesus may not live in God’s worship and comeliness, notwithstanding that the civilmagistrate profess not the same but a contrary religion and worship, in his own person and the country with him?
Truth.I answer; the churches of Christ under the Roman emperors did live in all godliness and Christian gravity, as appears by all their holy and glorious practices, which the scripture abundantly testifies.
Christ Jesus hath left power in his church to preserve herself pure, though in an idolatrous country.
Secondly. This flows from an institution or appointment of such a power and authority, left by the Lord Jesus to his apostles and churches, that no ungodliness or dishonesty, in the first appearance of it, was to be suffered, but suppressed and cast out from the churches of Christ, even the little leaven of doctrine or practice, 1 Cor. v.; Gal. v.
God’s people have used to shine in brightest godliness when they have enjoyed least quietness.
Lastly, I add, that although sometimes it pleaseth the Lord to vouchsafe his servants peace and quietness, and to command them [as] here in Timothy to pray for it, for those good ends and purposes for which God hath appointed civil magistracy in the world, to keep the world in peace and quietness: yet God’s people have used most to abound with godliness and honesty, when they have enjoyed least peace and quietness. Then, like those spices, Cant. iv. 14, myrrh, frankincense, saffron, calamus, &c., they have yielded the sweetest savour to God and man, when they were pounded and burnt in cruel persecution of the Roman censors. Then are they, as God’s venison, most sweet when most hunted: God’s stars shining brightest in the darkest night: more heavenly in conversation, more mortified, more abounding in love each to other, more longing to be with God, when the inhospitable and savage world hath used them like strangers, and forced them to hasten home to another country which they profess to seek.