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192
Epheflans,Chap.3.
V
E
R.
14,
Chrift
was
moft glorious
upon
the
Crof
e,
Moyling
the Principalities
col...
and
Powers,
andtriumphing
over
them: So
of
all
Chriftians
,
for what
can be more glorious
in
Gods
eyes,
and pleafe
him better, then for
his
fervanrs
to
fuffer any
thing for
his
truth,name
and worfhip fake
It
is
more glorious then any
other
fervice
and
goodly
outward
profef7ìon
or
worfhip
we
can
performe,not
onely
to
believe
in
his
Name,and
fo
to
fiale
that
God
is
true
,
doe wee
honour him, but
much more when
wee
fuffer
for
his fake.
There
is
no King,
Lord, or Mailer
, but bath
his
fcrvant and
fubjcétin more account,
and efteemes
better
of
him and
of
his fervice in fuffèring
for him, then
in
attending on
him
,
in
wealth,
peace,and cafe
for
his
own credir,profit,and advantage.All
which
con-
fidered, wee
fee
how
true
it
is
that
the Apoftle here fpeaketh,
viz.'to
partake
without
fainting
in
the
fufferings
of
the Gofpell
is
the
glory
of
a
Chriftian.
We
fee
therefore that
here fallcth to
the ground
,
the
feares
of
re-
proac
h
which the
flefh
imagineth, whereasit
is
nothing but
a
falle
fpe-
etacle
that doth
delude corruption put
before the
eye
of
our minde,
our
owne
fclfe
-love
makes
the
matter
feem fo,
but
if
faith on Chrift
deer
the fight, thematter
will appeare
farce
otherwife
;
even as the
wood
in
the
fifteenth
of
Exod.
2
S.
put
into
bitter waters,
made them
pleafant
:
So
Chrill
crucified, being
in
our
afflictions,
maketh
them,
though
curfed
in
them
laves,
bleffed,
though
bitter,
tweet, though ignominious,
yet
full
of
glory.
For reproofe
of
fuch
as
will
credit
and countenance Minifters while
they
are in
credit
and
countenance with the
world,
but
if
the world
and
the
Elate
frowns
on
them, they
are afhamed
of
them
:
Such
give
a
great argument
of
the
unfoundneffc
of
their hearts
and future apo(tafy
"
"'
""
M'
from
while
I
,
that they
will be afhamcd
of
Chrift
himfelfe
and his
they
are in
Gofpell: for there two commonly
oe
together
as a
Tim.
t.
8.
For
creda,hut
Ear -
that power
of
God which
works
cfeduallyin
calling
us
by the Gof-
fake
them
when they ate
Fell
and laying
us
from
fine
and
Satan,
ftrengt
ens
us
alto
to
beare
af-
frowedon.
flictions
for
that
Gofpell whore laving vertue wee
have
felt,
and
makes us fo
to
love
ir,
as
rather to
endure any
afflictions
then to
for
-
fake
it.
V
a
x
S.
14.
V
E
It
S.
t4.
For
this
caul
I
bow my
knees
unto the
Father ofear
Lordlefus Chrifl.
Now
followeth the
fecond part
of
this
chapter, which
for the
mat-
ter
ofit
is a
prayer: for thecoherence
of
it may be conceived
as com-
ming
in
by way
of
prevention:
The
Ephefiens
might
fay, You
doe
call
us
to
a
duty we owe, but
alaffe,
we
are wcake and have
enure
to
feare
our
felves.
The
Apoftle therefore may he
thought
to bring
in
this
narration
of
his
prayer,
as
ftrcngthening
his weak
hands
in this
man-
ner.
That
which the Apoffle doth labour with
God
in
your
behalfe,that
you are
to
doe, and need
not
feare,
but you
(hall
have ftrength to per
-
forme it.
For
prayers
doe greatly underprop
us
in
weakneffe, and
make the
-
.-,..
ftrona
Vfez,
The uafound-
neIIé
of
fach
as
will
coun-