| x Violently furſued and proſecuted by ſuch as are the - of the Goſpel, and Enemies to our Lord Jeſus, becauſe feſtion of him, and preaching his Goſpel ; bur yer” y yo for God, nor wholly of men; God, by the inward irfluences of Ve ” 5 Spirir, ſupporting, upholding, and comforting us; ang bY oly his Proidenze, raiſing us up teme friends that flick by us. ®,Þ down, either in our own thoughts, (as it is the nature gf B. troubles and afflitions ro fink mens thoughts) or c:{t down ar violence of men thrown to the earth, a bur yer we live, ang 3 ve the mighty Power of God preſerved, that we are rot utterly iiroyed, "ey 10 Always bearing about in the body the * q
Uverſaries | our pro.
made manifeſt in our body c.
in his Mina and Soul, whiles he fetches ſirength frem it to
with him, that the body of ſin might, be deſtroyed, that henceforth he m
not ſerve ſn, v., 6 He alſo bearcth abouc with him the dying of - Lord Jejus in hs body, either in a repreſentation, whiles in his OM rings he is made conformable ro the Death of Chriſt, Phil, = or 1n his own real ſufferings; which he calleth the ayirg of thi Lng
pathizerh with veltevers therein, he being afflied in all their 3& &ions; yea, and Chriſt (as the Apoſtle exprefſerh ir, Phil, I. 20, 4 mgnified in their body, by death, as well as by life, This the Apoſtle
tells u- he d'd, c Th t the life of Chriſt :llo might be mage manijeſt in
hu body. By the rf of Chriſt muſt here be underſtood, either the Reſurrefian of Chrift, and that life which he now liveth in Heaven with his Father ; or that quickning Power of the Spirir of Chriſt, which then mightily ſhewerh it (clf in Believers when they are not overwhelmed by the w ters of affligion, nor conquered hy their ſufferings; bur in, and over al', are more th:n Conquerors chrough that mighty Power of Ch: iſt which ſhewerh forth ir {lf in them. Or (as tome think) thar lively Virtue and Poner of Chriſt, which ſhewed it ſelf in the efficacy of the Apoſt!es Miniſtry, by which ſo many thouſands of Sr uls were brought in ro Chriſt, which was not the <ffet of their oun virtue, but of the Life of Chriſt manifeſted in their Body. Butthe Apoſtie having betore ſpokengf his Sufferings, ir ſeems beſt interpreted of thar living Power Put forth by Chriſt in upholding the earthly veſſels of his Apoſtles, notwithſtanding all the knocks they mer with, to carry about tha Heavenly Treaſure with which God had betruſted them,
be made manifeſt in our mortal fleſh e.
neſs : For we are always delivered unto death, that is, under cx. nual threats and dangers of death, ſo that we have always the (en. rence of death in cur ſelves; for Feſivs his ſabe, for our ovning, preaching, and profeſſing Chriſt, and rhe Do8Rrin of his Golpel, We are not delivered to death for evi! doing, nor meerly as inng- cent Perſqns, bur for well doing; and that in the nobleſt ſenl for obeying the Commands, and for publiſhing the Goſpel of Chiilt, e And the infinitely wiſe Providence of God permitreth this, that he might make manifeſt in our mortal fleſh, rar Chriſt js riſen from the dead, and liveth for ever making incerceſſion for us, and as 2 living Head, giveth neceſſary influences of ſtrength, ſupport, and comfort, as to all choſe who are h!s Members, fo more paricu- larly ro us, who are ſome of the principal Members of that myſtical Body of which he is the Head. So th:t our Suffcrings are (o far trom being an evidence againſt the truth of our Doctrin and of out Miniſtration, that they are rather an evidence of the truth of both; as teſtifying, that he whom we preach, h.viugdicd tor ourfin, 1 alo rilen tor our Juſtification, and exalted at the right had of God ; from whence he diſpenſeth his ſpiricual influences, as © the Souls of all his People, ſoto our Souls in particular, by whuchwe are inabled, witchour fainting, ro ſuffer ſuch things with boldyels, cou- rage, and patience.
OU F.
g f Ka ſee the difference betwixt us and you; either thereal difference, or the farfied difference, We are killed all the day 1018s in deaths often, delivered to death always 3 you are rich, and full, and want nothing. © g Life, thar is, ſecuriry, happineſs, and proſperity attends you. Or the fanſied difference 5 you bleſs your ſelvcs that you are nor in ſo much jeopardy as we are, and ſome of you areret dy to curſe us, becauſe Vipers ſtick ro our hands, and we are 1M CoN- tinually renewed and repeared troubles. Very good [nierpreters think theſe words a ſmart Ironical expreſſion, by which the Apoſtle refleð upon a Parcy in this Church, who from hits ſufferings concluded againſt the Truth of his DoRrin, or his favour with G06: and for themſelves, becauſe of their immunity and treedom ifom ſuch ſufferings. Others think rhe ſenſe this, Our deaty #5 J0w liſe 3 Our ſufferings are your ſpiricual advantage.
13 We having the ſame ſpirit of faith h, according aSit is written, 1 believed, and therefore have | 1p0-
ken ; we alſobelieve, and thcrefore ſpeak. ny h The ſame Spirit of Faith fignifieth the ſame Faith, OT 1/Us- proceeding from the ſame Spirit 3 thus, the Spirit of 91/40 3 4-8 derſtanding, che Spirit of Counſel and Might, the Spi'!! of _ - , and of the Fear of the Lord, fignifieth Wiſdom, Underandine, nt Might, Knowledg, &c. Tis a Queſtion, whom the apont hs neth when he ſaich, We having the ſame Faith? Some 11 ” he meaneththe Saints under the O!d Teſtament, whoſe Faith 3 ju ſame with the Faith of Believers under rhe New Teſtament a that which guideth rhem to that Interpretation, 15 ht * = following quotation out of P/al. 116. 10. Bur the ſcope © L * Hy ration ſeemerh rohe, to prove that all good men will {peak a
( Moves xc, that belieye ; they therefore ſeem beiter ro interprer the Tex 'make
Ghap, 1y
the Lord Jeſus b, * that the life alſo of Jeſus mia pl I
17, b A Chriſtian bearerh abour with him the dying of oxy Ly, Fly 2?
- . > . o 0 . f It, his heart unto fin; teing wierd with Coriſt into death, ang _ the,,
into the likeneſs of his death, Rom. 6. 5. having his old mar crucifeg 1%
Jeſs, becaule chey were for Chriſts ſake, and becauſe Chriſt | a
11 For we which live, * are alway delivered unto 'p; death for Jeſus ſake 4, that the life alſo of Jetus might ,,, *
Romd,4 4 We, who are yer alive, as having breath ſtill in our bodies in 1 cn another ſenſe do not live, viz, as Life ſignifies proſperity and ij. 31 4,
12 So then * death worketh in us f, bur life in*chp 135
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