A plain and familiar exposition of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth chapters of the…A plaine and familiar exposition of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth chapters of the…

If necessities, if distresses, if stripes, if prisons, if tumults, had¹ been of force to make a faithful man to fall, the Apostle Paul would not have been able to stand so constantly as he did; for all these he patiently suffered, for the honour of his ministry. And though Davids calamities, by the rapes, incests, murders, and rebellions, committed in his own family, and even by his own Children, were as grievous and painful, as² broken bones: yet when his soul did feel Gods favour and goodness towards him, he was not out of hope to recover again his former comfort and joyfulness.

If necessities, if distresses, if stripes, if prisons, if tumults, had¹ bene of force to make a faithfull man to fall, the Apostle Paul would not haue bene able to stand so constantlie as hee did; for all these hee patientlie suffered, for the honour of his ministerie. And though Dauids calamities, by the rapes, incests, murders, and rebellions, committed in his owne familie, and euen by his owne Children, were as grieuous and painefull, as² broken bones: yet when his soule did feele Gods fauour and goodnesse towards him, hee was not out of hope to recouer againe his former comfort and ioyfulnes.

1. 12. Cor. 6 4.
2. 2Psal. 51. 8.

This might be further exemplified by Job, by Jacob, and many others, especially those worthy martyrs, whom the Apostle proposeth for examples to the Hebrews, who were tried by mockings and scourgings: yea more-over, by bonds and prisonment. They were stoned, they were hewen asunder, they were