An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Thirdly, When we say, the sufferings of the godly turn to the good of others, ¹This is not to be understood, as if of themselves they did so, but by the mighty power and grace of God working by them. For Paul cannot of himself cause comfort and courage in others; for he acknowledgeth God only to be the fountain of all comfort; and therefore he prayeth to God, that God would do good by such afflictions. And as Paul cannot of himself thus do good to others by his sufferings: (For it is with him, as in his preaching, He doth but plant and water, it is God that giveth the increase:) So neither do these sufferings work good of themselves by any intrinsical virtue and efficacy they have. For how many by these persecutions are the rather terrified. So that as the Gospel is, though to some a savour of life, yet to others a savour of death. Thus afflictions and troubles to some do discover their hypocrisy and guile, as winnowing doth the cha••, but to others they are blessed, either to conversion, or to edification. So that in all the sufferings of the Church, we are by prayer to importune God, that by these means greater glory may come to Christ; and that these waters of persecution may be like those to the Ark, which could not drown it, but exalted it ²nearer to Heaven. Hence

Thirdly, When we say, the sufferings of the godly turn to the good of others, ¹This is not to be understood, as if of themselves they did so, but by the mighty power and grace of God working by them. For Paul cannot of himself cause comfort and courage in others; for he acknowledgeth God only to be the fountain of all comfort; and therefore he prayeth to God, that God would do good by such afflictions. And as Paul cannot of himself thus do good to others by his sufferings: (For it is with him, as in his preaching, He doth but plant and water, it is God that giveth the increase:) So neither do these sufferings work good of themselves by any intrinsecal virtue and efficacy they have. For how many by these persecutions are the rather terrified. So that as the Gospel is, though to some a savour of life, yet to others a savour of death. Thus afflictions and troubles to some do discover their hypocrisie and guile, as winnowing doth the cha, but to others they are blessed, either to conversion, or to edification. So that in all the sufferings of the Church, we are by prayer to importune God, that by these means greater glory may come to Christ; and that these waters of persecution may be like those to the Ark, which could not drown it, but exalted it