That a gracious heart hath a high esteem of 1the reproaches of Christ, he highly esteems of every disesteem he suffers for Christ: And not only bears reproaches and sufferings patiently, but triumphingly; he is not only contented with them, but counts himself enriched by them. This is a great riddle and mystery to the world, that Sufferings, Troubles, Miseries and Reproaches should be rejoiced in, and esteemed highly of. We are to understand by reproaches is this point likewise, not only slanders, and mocks, and scorns, the sufferings of Gods people in their names formally, but materially their sufferings, they suffer for Christ, upon which they come to be contemned: So that whatsoever Gods people do suffer in the cause of God, and for Christ, they have high thoughts of it: If God should give unto them all the riches and ⟨p. 440⟩honours of the world, they could not count themselves so enriched as they do by their sufferings. For men to be enriched by the glorious things of heaven, this is no wonder; but to be enriched by their sufferings and reproaches, this is the great wonder of the world, that only those that have the Spirit of God are acquainted withal. Says St. Paul in Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulations: There is a patient bearing of tribulation, and a rejoicing in tribulation, and glorying in tribulation; now they did not only bear them patiently, and rejoice in them, but they did esteem them their glory. It is a notable speech in Acts 5. 41. It is said of the Apostles when they were called before the Council, and were very ill handled, They departed from the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name; to be worthy of shame, is a strange kind of phrase: But in the Original it is, They counted it honour 2to be dishonoured. In Luke 6. 22, 23. you have another Text to show forth unto us this truth clearly, Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of mans sake: Here is an expression of the greatest dishonour that can be to Gods people: What should they do then? Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for, behold your reward is great in heaven: As if Christ should say, I do not bid you bear it patiently, but joyfully, and more then an ordinary joy, leap for joy. And that is remarkable of St. Paul, in 2 Cor. 11.
THat a gracious heart hath a high esteem of 1the reproaches of Christ, he highly esteems of every disesteem he suffers for Christ: And not onely bears reproaches and sufferings patiently, but triumphingly; he is not onely contented with them, but counts himself enriched by them. This is a great riddle and mystery to the world, that Sufferings, Troubles, Miseries and Reproaches should be rejoyced in, and esteemed highly of. We are to understand by reproaches is this point likewise, not onely slanders, and mocks, and scorns, the sufferings of Gods people in their names formally, but materially their sufferings, they suffer for Christ, upon which they come to be contemned: So that whatsoever Gods people do suffer in the cause of God, and for Christ, they have high thoughts of it: If God should give unto them all the riches and ⟨p. 440⟩honors of the world, they could not count themselves so enriched as they do by their sufferings. For men to be enriched by the glorious things of heaven, this is no wonder; but to be enriched by their sufferings and reproaches, this is the great wonder of the world, that onely those that have the Spirit of God are acquainted withal. Says St. Paul in Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulations: There is a patient bearing of tribulation, and a rejoycing in tribulation, and glorying in tribulation; now they did not onely bear them patiently, and rejoyce in them, but they did esteem them their glory. It is a notable speech in Acts 5. 41. It is said of the Apostles when they were called before the Councel, and were very ill handled, They departed from the Councel, rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name; to be worthy of shame, is a strange kinde of phrase: But in the Original it is, They counted it honor 2to be dishonored. In Luke 6. 22, 23. you have another Text to shew forth unto us this truth clearly, Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of mans sake: Here is an expression of the greatest dishonor that can be to Gods people: What should they do then? Rejoyce in that day, and leap for joy, for, behold your reward is great in heaven: As if Christ should say, I do not bid you bear it patiently, but joyfully, and more then an ordinary joy, leap for joy. And that is remarkable of St. Paul, in
- 1Point. 3.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
