neither are these so much intended here. 3ly. Some that Believers meet with from men, because of their faithful following, and cleaving close to their Duty, while they suffer in their Estates, Persons, &c. for well-doing; These are the Crosses and Afflictions mainly meant here, though we would not exclude the former sorts; they must resolve, both in their Duty, and for their Duty, to meet with the Cross, to be reproached and persecuted; Take but one passage out of the Old Testament, Psal. 44. v. 22. Where the People of God say to him, For thy sake we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, and all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant: and this is so ordinary a Lot, that Paul cites it, Rom. 8.36. As a truth verified in his time, and to be verified in all times following; And if we come to the New Testament, ⟨p. 129⟩beside that just now mentioned, Rom. 8. See 1 Cor. 4.9. I thank God (says the Apostle) he hath set forth us Apostles last, as it were appointed to death, for we are a spectacle to the world, and to angels and men; we are fools for Christs sake; but ye are wise; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised; even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being defamed, we entreat, we are made as the filth of the world, and are as the off-scourings of all things unto this day. And see how he enlarges this, as the way of his fighting, and doing Duty. 2 Cor. 6. In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, and imprisonments, in tumults and labours, &c. And 2 Cor. 11.23. In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, of the Jews I suffered five times forty stripes save one, thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I received shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the depth, in journeying often, in perils by water, in perils by robbers, in perils by my own country men, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, and by false brethren, &c. So Heb. 10.32, 33.
neither are these so much intended here. 3ly. Some that Believers meet with from men, because of their faithfull following, and cleaving closs to their Duty, while they suffer in their Estates, Persons, &c. for well-doing; These are the Crosses and Afflictions mainly meant here, though we would not exclude the former sorts; they must resolve, both in their Dutie, and for their Dutie, to meet with the Cross, to be reproached and persecuted; Take but one passage out of the Old Testament, Psal. 44. v. 22. Where the People of God say to him, For thy sake we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, and all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant: and this is so ordinary a Lot, that Paul cites it, Rom. 8.36. As a truth verified in his time, and to be verified in all times following; And if we come to the New Testament, ⟨p. 129⟩beside that just now mentioned, Rom. 8. See 1 Cor. 4.9. I thank God (sayes the Apostle) he hath set forth us Apostles last, as it were appointed to death, for we are a spectacle to the world, and to angels and men; we are fools for Christs sake; but ye are wise; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised; even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being defamed, we intreat, we are made as the filth of the world, and are as the off-scourings of all things unto this day. And see how he inlarges this, as the way of his fighting, and doing Duty. 2 Cor. 6. In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, and imprisonments, in tumults and labours, &c. And 2 Cor. 11.23. In labours more aboundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, of the Jews I suffered five times fourtie stripes save one, thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I received shipwrack, a night and a day I have been in the depth, in journieing often, in perills by water, in perrills by robbers, in perills by my own countrey men, in perrills by the heathen, in perills in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, and by false brethren, &c. So
