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…

The History of the Saints sufferings, what they have endured, how wonderfully God hath preserved and comforted them, is of very great practical use. The people of God have a communion, not only in Church-duties, and Church-privileges, but also in afflictions and sufferings; and therefore if he as a man said, Nihil humani à see alienum, we may say, Nihil Christiani, &c. No man is to account that as strange, which he heareth any Christian may labour under. Thus Colos. 4. 7, 8, 9. Paul being in bonds for the Gospel, doth on purpose send One simus and Ty•hicus to them, to declare his estate to them, and also to know how it stood with them, because by such mutual intercourse, there is a mutual edification of one another.

The History of the Saints sufferings, what they have endured, how wonderfully God hath preserved and comforted them, is of very great practical use. The people of God have a communion, not only in Church-duties, and Church-priviledges, but also in afflictions and sufferings; and therefore if he as a man said, Nihil humani à se alienum, we may say, Nihil Christiani, &c. No man is to account that as strange, which he heareth any Christian may labour under. Thus Colos. 4. 7, 8, 9. Paul being in bonds for the Gospel, doth on purpose send One simus and Ty•hicus to them, to declare his estate to them, and also to know how it stood with them, because by such mutual intercourse, there is a mutual edification of one another.

I shall briefly instance in some general great advantages that may be made, by our understanding of the afflictions and troubles, that are very heavy upon others. And