2 Tim. iii. 11, 12. Thou hast known what persecutions I endured. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions. Acts xiv. 22. Heb. xi. 25. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Ver. 26. Ch. xiii. 13. Ver. 36, 37. Others had trial of cruel mockings, and scourgings. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, &c. Ver. 38. Rev. xvi. 6. They shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy. xi. 7. The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against the witnesses, and shall overcome them, and shall kill them. Ch. xvii. 6. I saw the woman [Babylon, the mother of harlots,] drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. xii. 6. The woman [the church] fled into the wilderness. Ver. 14. CXXX. Their temperance. Lev. x. 8, 9. The Lord spake unto Aaron, say ing, Do not drink wine, nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die. Ezek. xliv. 21. Luke i. 15. Luke xxi. 34. Jesus said unto his disciples, Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life. 1 Cor. ix. 27. Paul said, I keep my body under. Jer. xxxv. 6. 1 Tim. iii. 3. A bishop must not be given to wine. Tit. i. 7. See wine forbidden to Nazarites, Numb. vi. 3. Amos ii. 12. CXXXI. They pray for the people. Numb. vi. 23-26. On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, the Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Joel ii. 17. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach. Rom. i. 9. Without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers. x. 1. My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved. xv. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor i. 4. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. xiii. 7. I pray to God that ye do no evil. Eph. i. 16, 17. I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, &c. Ver. 18, 19. Phil. i. 3-5. I thank my God on every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, for you all, making request, that he that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Christ. Ver. 9-11. This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more; that ye may approve the things that are in knowledge, and in all judgment; excellent; and that ye may be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. Col. i. 9-11. We cease not to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. iv. 12. Labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 1 Thess. iii. 12, 13. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love, one towards another, and towards all men: To the end that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. v. 23. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. i. 11, 12. We pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ii. 16, 17. Now the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father, which hath loved us, and given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. James v. 14. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him. Ver. 15. See more instances of such prayers: Exod. xxxii. 11. Moses for the Israelites, when they offended in making the golden calf. Deut. ix. 20. Numb. xi. 2. For the people, when a fire from the Lord consumed many of them. xiv. 13. 20. For the people, when they murmured. xxi. 6, 7, 8. For the people, when bitten with fiery serpents. or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Rom. v. 3-5. We glory in tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed. James i. 2. viii. 17, 18. If so be that we suffer for Christ, that we may be also glorified together. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Ver. 35-37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? (As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.) In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. 2 Cor. iv. 9. We are persecuted but not forsaken. Ch. vi. 8, 9, 10. xii. 10. I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 1 Sam. xii. 19. 23. Samuel for the -Ver. 9. He said unto me, My grace is people, offending by asking a king.~ sufficient for thee; for my strength is Neh. ix. 6. The priests for the peo- made perfect in weakness. Most gladly ple, to ver. 37. Ch. x. 28 to 39. On therefore will I rather glory in mine inwhich a reformation ensues. Ch. xii. 43. firmities, that the power of Christ may Dan. ix. 4 to 20. Daniel for the people. rest upon me. Amos vii. 2 to 7. Amos for the people. Hab. i. 3 to 17. Habakkuk for the people. Ver. 17, 18, 19.- -Christ for the disciples, John xiv. 16.-xvi. 26.— xvii. 9. 15. 20. For Peter, Luke xxii. 32. For children, Matt. xix. 13. CXXXII. The supports of Christians in general, and of the Lord's ministers in particular, under sufferings for religion. Isa. lxvi. 5. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word, Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. Luke vi. 22, 23. Matt. v. 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Ver. 11. x. 39. He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. xix. 29. Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, 1 Tim. iv. 10. We labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God. Heb. x. 34. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing that in heaven ye have a better and a more enduring substance. xi. 26, 27. Moses had respect to the recompense of reward. He endured as seeing him who is invisible. Ver. 35. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. xii. 1, 2. Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with patience the race set before us: Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God. Ch. ii. 9.-xiii. 13. Matt. x. 24. James v. 10. 1 Pet. ii. 21.-iv. 1. 13, 14. 16. 19. Rev. ii. 10. WICKED MINISTERS. CXXXIII. Wicked ministers, their sin and punishment. Lev. x. 1, 2. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them. 1 Sam. ii. 12. The sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord: see to ver. 17. Their covetousness, ver. 22. Their uncleanness, and the punishment of Eli's house, ver. 27. to the end. Isa. xliii. 27, 28. Thy teachers have transgressed against me. Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary; I have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. Jer. ii. 8, 9. The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, &c. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children. x. 21. The pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord; therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered. xxiii. 11, 12. Both prophet and priest are profane, &c. Wherefore I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. Ver. 14, 15. They commit adultery, and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them to me as Sodom. Thus saith the Lord, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the priests is profaneness gone forth to all the land. Ver. 22. If they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from the evil of their doings.-Ver. 27. They cause my people to forget my name by their dreams. -Ver. 30. Therefore I am against the prophets, saith the Lord. Ezek. xxii. 26. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned my holy things.-Ver. 31. Therefore I poured out mine indignation upon them, their own way have I recompensed upon their heads. Zeph. iii. 4, 5. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons, her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. The just Lord is in the midst thereof, &c. Mal. i. 6-9. O ye priests that despise my name; ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. If ye offer the blind, and the lame, and the sick, is it not evil? Will he regard your persons, saith the Lord? ii. 8, 9, 0 ye priests, ye have departed out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble at the law. Therefore have I made you contemptible before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways. Matt. vii. 22, 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work iniquity. Ch. xxv. 44, 45. 2 Tim. iii. 5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. Ver. 13. CXXXIV. Their covetousness. Isa. lvi. 11. Her watchmen are all greedy dogs, which can never have enough; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. See the covetousness of Eli's sons, 1 Sam. ii. 12 to 17. Jer. viii. 10. Every one, from the least even to the greatest, is given to covetousness. Cho vi. 13. Ezek. xiii. 19. Will ye pollute my name for handfuls of barley, and pieces of bread. Hos. vi. 9. As troops of robbers the priests murder in the way, they commit lewdness. Mal. i. 10. Who is there among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do they kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, neither will I accept an offering at your hands, saith the Lord of hosts. iii. 11, 12. The priests teach for hire, and the prophets divine for money. Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be ploughed as a field. John x. 12, 13. He that is an hireling, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and fleeth. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. Acts xx. 29. After my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 1 Tim. vi. 5. Men of corrupt minds, supposing that gain is godliness. CHAP. XVII. Of False Prophets and False Teachers. 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas hath forsaken us, having loved this present world. Tit. i. 11. Teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake, 2 Pet. ii. 3. Through covetousness shall they make merchandise of you. Jude 11. They ran greedly after the error of Balaam for reward. 2 Pet. ii. 14, 15. CXXXV. Their intemperance. Isa. xxviii. 7. The priest and the prophet have erred through wine, and through strong drink they are out of the way. Ver. 8. 17. Ch. Ivi. 12. Luke xii. 45, 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and to drink and to be drunken, the Lord of that servant will cut him in sunder, and appoint him his portion with unbelievers. Rom. xvi. 18. Such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly. Phil. iii. 19. Whose god is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things. 2 Pet. ii. 13. They count it pleasure to riot in the day-time. Jude 12. 19. Feeding themselves without fear. Sensual, having not the Spirit. CXXXVI. Their slothfulness. Isa. lvi. 10. His watchmen are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Jer. xxiii. 1, 2. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. Ezek. iii. 18. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. xxxiv. 2. Thus saith the Lord, Woe be to the sheperds; should not the shepherds feed the flock? See to ver. 11. xliv. 8. Ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things, but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.-Ver. 12. They shall bear their iniquity. 309 to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.-Ver. 9. There shall be, like people like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their doings. Luke xi. 52. They have taken away the key of knowledge. Matt. xxiii. 3, 4. They say and do not; they bind heavy burdens on men's touch them with one of their fingers. shoulders, but they themselves will not xxv. 26. Thou wicked and slothful servant, &c. 1 Cor. ix. 16. Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. OF FALSE PROPHETS AND FALSE TEACHERS. Isa. CXXXVII. They deceive the people with flatteries and false doctrine. ix. 14-16. The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail. The prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err. Ch. iii. 12. Jer. v. 30, 31. A wonderful thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so. xiv. 14. The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. (Ch. xxvii. 9, 10, &c.) Ch. vi. 14. They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there was no peace. Ch. viii. 11. Ezek. xiii. 10. 18. Mic. iii. 5. xii. 10. Many pastors have devoured my vineyard. Ver. 11. xxiii. 16. The prophets speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.-Ver. 21. I have not sent them, yet they ran.-Ver. 25. They say, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. Ver. 27, 28. Ch. xxviii. 9. 15.-xxix. 8, 9. 31, 32.-1. 6. Zech. x. 2. Lam. ii. 14. Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and have not discovered thine iniquity. Ezek. xiii. 10. Ye have seduced my people, saying, Peace, peace; when Hos. iv. 6. My people are destroyed there was no peace: one built the wall, for lack of knowledge: because thou and another daubed it with untempered hast rejected knowledge, I will also re-mortar. (Ch. xxii. 28 to 31.) Ver. 14. ject thee, that thou shalt be no priest | Thus saith the Lord, I will break down 310 Of False Prophets and False Teachers. the wall which ye have daubed with untempered mortar; it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof. Ver. 15. Ezek. xiii, 18. Woe unto them that sew pillows to all arm-holes. See to ver. 23. Ch. xxii. 28. xxii. 26. They have put no difference between the holy and profane, between the unclean and the clean. xxxiv. 4. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost: but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. xliv. 10. 12. The Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray; because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity. Ch. xiv. 9, 10. Matt. v. 19. Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. xv. 9. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the command ments of men. xxiii. 16. Woe unto you, ye blind guides. Ch. xv. 14. xxiv. 11. Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many-Ver. 24. If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Mark xiii. 22. Luke xi. 52. They have taken away the key of knowledge, &c. Acts xx. 30. Of your ownselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Ch. xv. 1. 24. Gal. i. 7. Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple. 2 Cor. xi. 13. Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Ver. 14, 15. 20. Gal. ii. 4, 5. False brethren came in privily to spy out our liberty, that they might bring us into bondage; to whom we gave place, by subjection, no not CHAP. XVII. for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Eph. iv. 14. They lie in wait to deceive. v. 6. Let no man deceive you. 1 John iii. 7. Phil. i. 15. Some preach Christ of envy. iii. 2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers.-Ver. 18. They are enemies to the cross of Christ. Col. ii. 8. Beware lest any man deceive you, through philosophy and vain deceit; after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.-Ver. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of angels.Ver. 22. After the commandments and doctrines of men. 2 Thess. ii. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means.-Ver. 4. The man of sin exalteth himself.-Ver. 9, 10. Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs, and lying wonders; and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. 1 Tim. iv. 1-3. Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats. vi. 3. They consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 4. 2 Tim. ii. 18. Who concerning the truth have erred, and overthrew the faith of some. iii. 6. They creep into houses, and lead captive silly women.-Ver. 8. They withstand the truth. Ver. 13. Evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Tit. i. 10. Unruly and vain talkers and deceivers subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. Heb. xiii. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2. There was false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable. heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction. Many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom |