with joy ; and " rejoice that you are counted worthy to bear it for his sake." You may suppose that you may disarm the maUce of the world by the blamelessness of your conduct. But the more you resemble Christ in your conduct, the more will you be called to suffer for his sake. Open as his character and dispositions were, men knew him not. Nor do they know you''. Your conduct is as incomprehensible to the ungodly world as Christ's was. They cannot conceive why you should separate so entirely from their ways, or give yourselves up so entirely to God. If they knew all your views, motives, prin- ciples, and habits, they would not so despise you. But, as all that our blessed Lord said or did was perverted, and made an occasion of evil, so must you expect " all manner of evil to be spoken against you falsely for his sake." But let it not grieve you to be so treated : for " the servant cannot expect to be above his Lord." Be contented to " suffer with him " here ; and be assured that you shall " reign with him " in glory for ever and ever.]
k 1 John iii. 1, 2.
1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. It is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, tieither have entered into the heart of man, the thiyigs lohioh God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us hy his Spirit.
THE former part of this passage is generally quoted as relating to the eternal world. But, if the latter part be taken in connexion with it, as it ought to be, the sense is evidently determined to those things which were revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles of Christ. And it is in this sense that the words were originally used in the place from whence they are cited. They are part of a prayer, which the Jews, as soon as they shall begin to embrace the Gospel, will pour out before God in behalf of their afflicted nation ; entreating him to interpose in their behalf, as powerfully as he formerly did when he brought them out of the land of Egypt ; and to make known to them those great and glorious truths of which hitherto they have never had any just