a HOLY LIFE. 107 



Times of Chriftianity, when all the Pow- 

 ers of the World were Heathen; when 

 God was pleafed to make ufe of the Suf- 

 ferings of the ProfefTors of it to propagate 

 the Gofpel, after a ftrange and wonderful 

 manner : So that Sanguis Martyrum was 

 faid to be Semen Ecclefia ^ the Blood of 

 Martyrs, the Seed of the Churqh. But now 

 fmce the publick reception and acknow- 

 ledgment of the Truth : Since Kings have 

 become nurjing Father s^ and Queens nurjing 

 Mothers to the Church : The cafe is al- 

 tered, and Religion inltead of expofing its 

 Profeflbrs to Sufferings , doth rather pro- 

 mote their Worldly Intereft. 



Thofe Afflictions which God is pleafed 

 to lay upon his Children and Servants as fa- 

 therly Corrections for their Mifcarriages , 

 ferving as Phyfick to purge out the Re- 

 liques of Corruption, and to embitter Sin 

 to them, and quicken them to the perfor- 

 mance of their Duty; are no prejudice to 

 our Aflertion, becaufe we bring them upon 

 our felves by own default ; and 'tis not ho- 

 linefs of Life, but the want of it, and neg- 

 left of our Duties, which is always the pro- 

 curing, and often the productive caufe of 

 them. For God doth not willingly affliEt nor 

 grieve the Children of men^ Lament. 3. 33. 



Here 



