upon the ·r:pi flle of J A M Ii s . V E. R S. 2. over every temport1lr} acc~dent. In ordinary cro{Es there are many reafons of laughing and JOY, as the fellow-feeling ofChrift, if you do not fuffer for Chri(f, Chrifi fufferech inyou, and withyou: He is afflicted and tourhed with a fenfe of your affiictions. ~ris an error in Bcleevers to thinl<, that Chrifi is altogether unc<?ncerned in their farrows, unlefs they be endured for hu namesJak.§; and that the comforts of the Gofpel are onely applicable to Marty rdom. Again, Another ground of joy in ordinary cro!fes, is, becaufe in themwe may have much experience of Grace, of the love of God, . and our own ftncerity and patience; and that's ground of re- . joycing. Rom.5. 3· We rejr;yce in tribu!ation, k._nowmg that tri~ 6ulation workfth patience, and patience experience. Tbe rule holdeth good in all kinde of tribulations or fufferings, they occafion fweet difcoveries of God, ;md fo ar~ matter of joy. See 'alfo 2 Cor. I 2.9, Io. I glory in infirmities, and tak; plcaf!fre in infirmi– ties, that the powef of Chrift may reft upon me: They are happy occafions to dfifcover morefofG'G~d to usd, to give us a g2eater fenfe t and feeling o the power o race; an {o we may ta'<§ pleafure in them. La!Hy, All evils are alik..p ro Faith; and ..cwould as much mif.become a Chriftian hope to be dejected with lof{es, as wit~ violence or perfecution. You {hould walk fo, that the world may know you can live above every condition, and that all evils are much beneath your hope's. Well then, from all that bath been faid we fee, That we thould with the fame cheerfulnefs fuffer the WJII ofChrijJ,as we would fufferfor the Name of Chrift. , 4· From that [When ye fall] obferve, ThPlt evils are the bet• 0/Jfervat. 4• ter born, when they are unde[trvcd and iuvoluntary: That is, when we fall into them, rather then draw themupon our felves• ..I wasTertu!lians error to fay, That afflictions were to be fought and defired. The Creature never knoweth whe:n it is well; femetimes we quefiion Gods love, becaufe we have no ajfiiElio11s; and anon)becaufe we have nothing but ajfiitlions: In all thefe things we muil: refer our felves to Gods plcafure,not defire troubles, but bear them when he layeth them on us. Chri(t hath taught us to pray, lead m not into temptation; .. Tis but a fond prefumption to c~Jfl our[elves upon it:PhiltJftrim fpeaketh offome that would compel men to kill them out of an affectation of Martyrdom ; and fo doth T heodoret. This was amadambition, not a true ~tal; and no lefs Thtod li 6 - 4 : fond ar~ they th~tfuk..out crofi'es and troub~es in the world, hra- H~tret, {aimt. t er
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