CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

3. Then have the people of God carnal and sensible supports, when they are preserved from the outward malice and persecutions of men, so that they live honoured and prosperous lives here below. Such a time Joseph had at last, David, Mordecai, Esther, and many others; yea we see in Ahab's days, when there was such an hot persecution of Elijah the Prophet, and other godly Prophets, yet Obadiah a godly man, lived in great favour with Ahab, so that although the rage and malice of the world be prepared against every holy man, yet for a while they may be the worlds darlings, they may have the Kingdoms, the Powers, and the Honours of the world, so that we may sometimes say in this respect, the servant is above his Master, Christs Disciple above Christ; only let them know, there may come a time, and then God depriveth them of all these, for their honours, they have disgrace, for their glory, reproach. It's much if God lets them have the good things of this life, and of the life to come.

3. Then have the people of God carnall and sensible supports, when they are preserved from the outward malice and persecutions of men, so that they live honoured and prosperous lives here below. Such a time Joseph had at last, David, Mordecai, Esther, and many others; yea we see in Ahabs daies, when there was such an hot persecution of Eliah the Prophet, and other godly Prophets, yet Obadiah a godly man, lived in great favour with Ahab, so that although the rage and malice of the world be prepared against every holy man, yet for a while they may be the worlds darlings, they may have the Kingdoms, the Powers, and the Honours of the world, so that we may sometimes say in this respect, the servant is above his Master, Christs Disciple above Christ; only let them know, there may come a time, and then God depriveth them of all these, for their honours, they have disgrace, for their glory, reproach. It's much if God lets them have the good things of this life, and of the life to come.

4. They may have a calm and serene time in respect of soul-temptations and spiritual exercises. Paul had not always these buffetings of Satan: These spiritual temptations, whether entering from the blackness of our own hearts, or injected by Satan, are very terrible and bitter, they have made the godly weary of themselves: Hence they are compared to darts, and fiery darts,