An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

A Razor is so keen, that it takes off every little hair, reproach cuts a hair, it will have to do even with undiscernible evils. A Sword wounds at hand, and smites those that are near; an Arrow wounds afar off: So that whether a man be far off, or near, whether his error be small or great, or but imaginary; it is all one to a reproachful spirit, his tongue serves him for all turns: David was tried by all manner of reproaches; but those which pinched and pressed him most, were his reproaches about spiritual things. Any reproach is bad enough, but a reproach in Religion, is worst; to be reproached with our prayers, and with our God, Where is your God? Such reproaches, how deep do they go? They strike to the very heart. Credit is a precious commodity; a man is more tender of it, then of his flesh; now all reproach falls upon our credit, and the more excellent that piece of our credit is, upon which the reproach falls, the more grievous is that reproach to us. Credit in spiritual things is the most excellent credit: Thus David was reproached, and so was Job, Is this thy fear, and thy confidence? Is this the thing thou hast so long boasted of? Christ was to bear the greatest burden of affliction, and therefore he did not only bear the Cross, but reproach with it; he suffered death, and reproach with death; he suffered the shameful death of the Cross, in which there was more then a reproach, a curse, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree: Christ must dye an ignominious death, as well as a painful, and the ignominy was a heavier burden then the pain. We are exhorted (Heb. 13.13.) To go out bearing his reproach; as intimating that to bear the reproach of Christ, would be harder to us, and a stronger temptation, then to bear the cross of Christ. As the greatest part of Christs sufferings for us, was to bear our reproach, so the greatest part of our sufferings for Christ is to bear Christs reproach: Let us go forth unto him without the Camp, bearing his reproach. And indeed reproach is so great a burden, that were not this consideration in it; ⟨p. 275⟩that is, Christs, no man would bear it; and they will yield to do any thing rather then suffer reproach, who are not able to say that their reproach is the reproach of Christ.

A Raisor is so keene, that it takes off every little hayre, reproach cuts a hayre, it will have to doe even with undiscernable evils. A Sword wounds at hand, and smites those that are neere; an Arrow wounds afarr off: So that whether a man be farr off, or neer, whether his error be small or great, or but imaginary; it is all one to a reproachfull spirit, his tongue serves him for all turnes: David was tryed by all manner of reproaches; but those which pinched and pressed him most, were his reproaches about spirituall things. Any reproach is bad enough, but a reproach in Religion, is worst; to be reproached with our prayers, and with our God, Where is your God? Such reproaches, how deep doe they goe? They strike to the very heart. Credit is a precious commodity; a man is more tender of it, then of his flesh; now all reproach falls upon our credit, and the more excellent that peece of our credit is, upon which the reproach fals, the more greivous is that reproach to us. Credit in spirituall things is the most excellent credit: Thus David was reproached, and so was Job, Is this thy feare, and thy confidence? Is this the thing thou hast so long boasted of? Christ was to beare the greatest burden of affliction, and therefore he did not onely beare the Crosse, but reproach with it; he suffered death, and reproach with death; he suffered the shamefull death of the Crosse, in which there was more then a reproach, a curse, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree: Christ must dye an ignominious death, as well as a painefull, and the ignominy was a heavier burden then the paine. Wee are exhorted (