'54. Air. Jenkins's Forenoon Sermon. in their troubles and diftreffes which befal them. For the firft, wherein the high eftimation of a gracious heart does appear, I fhall thew it in five or fix following particulars. Firff, It appears in this, In that they are not athamed ofowning their perfons and faith, that they proles in their troubles and di- ftreffes: the fociety of the people of God, and the fellowChip of the Faith and profeflion, is highly refpe6led by a gracious heart, let the Saints lie under never fo great (jilt! efte s. This is maniftft in Mores in the 25, and 26. verfes ofthis Chapter : He chafe rather to fufer etfigielion with thepeople of God, then to enjoy all the pleafure and prefer- ment of Pharoahs Court. The Ifraelites Religion, the profeition of the true God, and owning the faith and thole Truths the Ifraelites flood up for, this was that which Mofes would not defert: and thence it was he did not defect their company and fociety,but went and vifited themwhen they lay under thofe burdens under which they lay. Secondly, the fecond thing wherein is dilcovered fo high an efli- rnation ofthe Saints and people of God in fuffering, is, their Cyril- pathizing,and fellow-feeling with them in th.ir flittering : if it goes ill with the Church and people ofGod, all the-reft fympathize with them ; if one member fuffers, all the reft differ. Itiftance Nehemiah (who had the great& favour of the great& Prince on earth) he looks with a fad countenance becaufe ofthe fufferingsof the Saints and people of God, Neh. 2.2. Wherefore the King laid unto me, Why is thy countenance fad, feeing thou art not fcky This is nothing elfe but forrow of heart, Then I was very fore afraid,andanfweredthe-iCing, be- caufe of thedifireffes the people of Godlye under : The pleafure of Mu- fick thould never be with him, (ayes David in Pfal.137. 6. IfI do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roofofmy mouth : ifI prefer not jerufalern above my chief joy. As it is with two things in an in- flrurnent rightly tuned, ifone be touched the other trembles : if one fervant of Chrift be in a fuffering condition the reft fuffers with him : this is the damp ofall worldly delight, if it be ill with any ofthe people of God, the refit fuffers in theway of compaflion. Thirdly, in that they can plead for them, and take their parts, when they arenever fo much out of favour, when they are never fo much defpiled and abufed This was in the cafe ofJonathan, how he pleaded for poor David before his cruel father Saul, though Saul called him a cuffed Son,and fell foul on his Mother becaufeofhim. See this in the cafe of Efiher, though it was death to go in to the King to plead for the. Jews, yet for all this, file lays, If Iperilk, perijh : refolved I am, come what will of it, in I will go, I can die, but I cannct be film. 41y. In
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