;q.8 I Ephe¡ians,Chap.3. V E R. z, when God (hall leadus to fuffer any thing for well-doing. That Prifinee, or bond-man,far you Gentiles.] Obi. hence la(ily,' That thefuferings offaithful cMiniflers doemake with the advantage oftheirpeople; as Paul here faith, that this his imprifonmenr, it was for the Gentiles, that is, itfhould redound to the good ofthe Ephe fansand all the Churches of the Gentiles: For lookeasthe Captaine his refo- lution refcueth the whole army from beingdifcomfitred: fo it is ere- while that the Miniflers calling themfelves upon the pikes, is the fecu- rity ofthe people depending on them. And to fpeake more particu- larly, theyare manywayes good, mediarely, or immediately. Mediately,in that theydifpofe thofe that fuffer robecome more fer- viceable toyou. Look z Cor. r. 6. Whether we be affieled,it is foryour conflation andfalvation,whick le wrought in the enduringof thefamefuf ferings,whichwealfo fuller: And Chrift himfelfe, for this purpofea- mongft other, wasnot exempted from temptations: Heb.4. t 3. He was touchedwithafeelingofour infirmities, andwas inall things tempted, that hemight be able tofuccour all that are tempted. Immediately, theyhave the good or example, for they give us not meritsor the crowne oflife, but theyare patterns of enduring. 2. Theyhave this good, that they teftify and put feale to that forme of doctrine intowhich the peoplehave been delivered. They aregood in that they prevent the fcandalizingofmany, for ifthe fhepheard fhould fhrioke,the flockwould eafily bee fcattered. 4. j Theyaregood as a feed of all profperity to the Churches, the blood ofMartyrs is the feed.of the Church: All which things we may confider in the Marian Martyrdomes and perfecutions whichwere a- mong us;theirDorm occafioned our fun - fhine,and in their perfecutions Chriftianly endured was fowen our peace, which we have enjoyed to this prcfent. This therefore mull teachus, that feeing the fufferingsofthe Mini - Ders.ofthe Gofpell are for the goodoftheir people, that we mull not beoffended at them, flipping the collar like Hermogenes and Philetus, butwe mull know that the troubles and moleftations which our Mi- nifters confli6t with,are for us,beneficiall toour eftates,tending to this, that we may be further and further edified. It is a comfort to Miniflers that their plough never DandethDill, but theirperfecutions andimprifoninents, &c. fhall be real! Sermons, avayleable to others;theWord is free,when he is bound, Pauls cbaines occafroned the Gofpell to ring in Cafars family. V a RS. 2. Ifyee have heard ofthe difpenfation ofthe grace ofGod, which isgivenme toyou-ward. The Apofle proveth that the things hee fufferedwere becaufe of them, and for their good: the argument (lands thus. He whohath a calling towards you fromGod,whatfoever befal- leth him in the executing this calling, is becaufe ofyou and for you. I have a calling fromGod towardyou: Therefore what- foever I doe orfuller, &c. Itis propounded in this verfe, and profecuted after. For Doá. The fufferings offaithful( Minifters pro- fit theirpeople. And how. Heb.4,13.and 5.u. 34 Vat.:s:
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