364 / 808
;q.8
I
Ephe¡ians,Chap.3.
V
E
R.
z,
when God
(hall lead
us
to
fuffer
any
thing for
well-
doing.
That
Prifinee,
or bond
-man,
far
you
Gentiles.]
Obi.
hence
la(ily,'
That
the
fuferings
of
faithful
cMiniflers
doe
make
with the advantage
of
their
people; as
Paul here faith,
that
this his imprifonmenr,
it
was
for
the Gentiles, that
is,
it
fhould
redound
to
the good
of
the
Ephe
f
ans
and
all
the Churches
of
the Gentiles:
For
looke
as
the Captaine
his
refo-
lution refcueth
the whole army from being
difcomfitred:
fo
it is
ere
-
while
that the
Miniflers
calling themfelves upon the
pikes,
is
the
fecu-
rity
of
the
people depending on
them.
And to fpeake more
particu-
larly, they
are many
wayes good,
mediarely, or immediately.
Mediately,in
that
they
difpofe
thofe that
fuffer ro
become
more
fer-
viceable to
you. Look
z
Cor.
r.
6.
Whether
we be
affieled,it
is
for
your
conflation andfalvation,whick
le
wrought
in the enduring
of
thefame
fuf
ferings,whichwealfo fuller:
And
Chrift
himfelfe,
for this purpofea-
mongft other,
was
not exempted from temptations:
Heb.4.
t
3.
He was
touched
with
a
feeling
of
our
infirmities, and
was
in
all
things
tempted,
that
he
might
be
able
to
fuccour all
that
are tempted.
Immediately, they
have
the good or example, for they
give
us
not
merits
or the crowne
of
life,
but they
are patterns of enduring.
2.
They
have this
good,
that
they teftify
and put feale
to
that
forme
of
doctrine
intowhich the
peoplehave been delivered.
They
are
good
in
that
they prevent the
fcandalizing
of
many,
for
if
the
fhepheard fhould fhrioke,
the
flock
would
eafily bee fcattered.
4.
j
They
are
good as
a
feed
of
all
profperity to the
Churches,
the
blood
of
Martyrs
is
the feed.of the Church: All which things
we may
confider
in
the Marian Martyrdomes
and perfecutions
which
were
a-
mong us;their
Dorm occafioned our
fun
-
fhine,and in
their
perfecutions
Chriftianly
endured was fowen our peace,
which we
have enjoyed
to
this prcfent.
This therefore mull teach
us,
that
feeing
the
fufferings
of
the
Mini
-
Ders.ofthe Gofpell are for the good
of
their people,
that
we
mull
not
beoffended at
them,
flipping
the collar
like
Hermogenes
and Philetus,
but
we
mull know
that the
troubles and moleftations which our
Mi-
nifters con
fli6t
with,are
for us,beneficiall
to
our eftates,tending
to
this,
that
we may be further
and
further edified.
It
is
a
comfort to
Miniflers
that
their plough
never Dandeth
Dill,
but their
perfecutions andimprifoninents, &c. fhall be
real!
Sermons,
avayleable
to others;the
Word
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
of
the grace
of
God,
which
isgiven
me toyou
-ward.
The
Apofle
proveth
that
the things
hee
fuffered
were
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
of
you
and
for
you.
I
have a calling
from
God
toward
you: Therefore
what-
foever I doe
or
fuller,
&c.
It
is propounded
in
this verfe,
and profecuted
after.
For
Doá.
The fufferings
of
faithful(
Minifters
pro-
fit theirpeople.
And how.
Heb.4,13.and
5.u.
34
Vat.:s: