their games and strivings for mastery. Their preparation for it was an universal temperance, as the apostle declares, 1 Cor. ix. 25. And an abstinence from all sensual pleasures; wherein they offered no small violence to their natural inclinations and Justs. In the conflicts themselves, in wrestling, and fighting, with the like dangerous exercises in skill and strength, they endured all pains, sometimes death itself. And if they failed or gave over through weariness, they lost the whole reward that lay before them. And with words, which signify all this contest, doth the Holy Ghost express the fight or contention which believers have with sufferings. There is a reward proposed to all such persons in the promises of the gospel, infinitely above all the crowns, honours and rewards proposed unto them in the Olympic games. No man is compelled to enter into the way or course of obtaining it; they must make it an act of their own wills and choice: but to the obtaining of it they must undergo a great strife, contention, and dangerous conflict. In order hereunto, three things are required. 1. That they prepare themselves for it, 1 Cor. ix. 25. Self-denial, and readiness for the cross, contempt of the world, and the enjoyments of it, are this preparation; without this, we shall never be able to go through with this conflict. 2. A vigorous acting of all graces in the conflict itself, in opposition unto and destruction of our spiritual and worldly adversaries; Eph. vi. 10-12. Heb. xii. 5. He could never prevail nor overcome in the public contests of old, who did not strive mightily, putting forth his strength and skill, both to pseserve himself, and oppose his enemy. Nor is it possible that we should go successfully through with our conflict, unless we stir up all graces as faith, hope, trust, to their most vigorous exercise. 3. That we endure the hardship, and the evils of the conflict with patience and perseverance, which is that the apostle here specially intends.

3. This is that which he commends in the Hebrews with respect unto their first trials and sufferings, iñiμenati, ‘you endured,' and bare patiently, so as not to faint or despond, or to turn away from your profession. They came off conquerors, having failed in no point of their conflict. This is that which they were called unto, that which God by his grace enabled them to, and through which they had that success which the apostle would have them call to remembrance, that they might be strengthened and encouraged unto what yet remains of the same kind. This hath been the lot and portion of sincere professors of the gospel in most ages. And we are not to think it a strange thing, if it come to be ours in a higher degree than what as yet we have had experience of. How many ways God is glorified in the sufferings of his people, what advantages they receive thereby, the prevailing testimony that is

given thereof unto the truth and honour of the gospel, are commonly spoken to, and therefore shall not be insisted on.

VER. 33.-Partly whilst ye were made a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

Having mentioned their sufferings, and their deportment under them in general, he.distributes them into two heads in this verse; The first is what immediately concerned their own persons; and the second, their concern in the sufferings of others, and their participations of them. This distribution is expressed by TTO μ, and TT di, on this hand, and on that.' The whole of their sufferings was made up of various parts, many things concurred thereunto; they did not consist in any one trouble or affliction, but a confluence of many, of various sorts, did meet in them. And this indeed is for the most part the greatest difficulty in sufferings: Many of them come at once upon us, so that we shall have no rest from their assaults. For it is the design of Satan and the world on these occasions to destroy both soul and body, and unto that end he will assault us inwardly by temptations and fears; outwardly in our names and reputations, and all that we are or have. But he that knows how to account all such things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, is prepared for them all.

First, What refers to the first part is their suffering in their own persons; And herein he declares both what they suffered, and the manner how, That which they suffered was reproaches and afflictions,' and for the manner of it, they were made a gazing-stock' unto other men.

1. The first thing wherein they suffered was reproaches, vidirμois, a great aggravation of sufferings unto ingenuous minds. The psalmist, in the person of the Lord Christ himself, complains that reproaches had broken his heart, Psal. Ixix. 20. And elsewhere, frequently he complaineth of it as one of the greatest evils he had to conflict withal. It is that kind of reproach which proceeds from malicious hatred, and is accompanied with contempt and scorn, and vents itself in all manner of obloquies, or hard speeches, such as those mentioned, Jude 15. And the nature of it is fully declared by the prophet, Jer. xx. 8-10. And there are two branches of reproaches. 1. False accusations, or charging of men with things vile and contemptible, such as will expose them unto public scorn and rage. They shall speak all manner of evil of you falsely ;-wherein you are evil spoken of as evil doers.' So they reproached the person of Jesus Christ himself; they said he was a malefactor, an evil doer, a seditious person, a glutton, a wine-biber, a seducer, one that had a devil, and thereby stirred up the rage,

hatred and contempt of the people against him. So they reproached the primitive Christians among the Pagans, namely, that they were Atheists, confederating themselves for adulteries, incest, inurder and sedition, under which notion, they slaughtered them as beasts of the field. And the like reproaches have been cast on the professors of the gospel in all ages. 2. Those reproaches consist in the contempt that is cast upon what is true, and what in itself is holy, just, good and praiseworthy. They reproached them with their faith in Christ, with their worship of him, in owning his authority. This in itself, was their honour and their crown. But as it was managed with hatred and blasphemy, as it was confirmed by the common consent of all, as it received strength and countenance from their sufferings, wherein they esteemed them punished for their sins and impieties, it added unto their distress. For men thus to be traduced, aspersed, and charged, partly with things infamous, base, vile, partly by contempt and scorn cast on what they do own and profess, by their friends, neighbours, relations, and the multitude of the people, in order to their further hurt and ruin, that they may be looked on and judged as persons mect to be destroyed, not suffered to live on the face of the earth, it is a great suffering, and difficult to be endured and undergone. Therefore, all those that make profession of the name of Christ and the gospel, ought to look and provide for such things.

1. Take heed of so much softness and tenderness of nature, that may give too deep à sense of reproach, scorn and shame; which may give too deep an entrance unto these things into your minds, being such as will weaken them in their duties. This ordinarily is a frame and disposition of mind that lies at the next door to virtue, to modesty, to humility, and the like; but in this case it lies at the next door to diffidence, despondency, and carnal fears. We are in this case to harden our countenances, and to set our faces as a flint and adamant, so as to despise all reproaches and scorns on the account of our profession.

2. It is required, that we do not put too much value on our names and reputations in the world. A good name is a precious ointment, it yields a good savour, but it is so only with these two limitations. 1. That it is obtained by things that are really good and praise-worthy; for some have made their names famous and acceptable to the multitude by ways and actions that have really nothing praise-worthy in them. And, 2. That they be good men who esteem their name to be good. Laudari volo, said one, sed à viro laudato. To have a good report amongst an evil multitude, is of no advantage. Yet are some men very tender herein, they would be praised, and spoken well of by many; at least they would not be spoken evilly or con

temptuously of. But if we have not an under-valuation of our names and reputations universally in respect unto Christ and the gospel, if we are not contented to be made as the filth and offscouring of all things, it will greatly disadvantage us in the time of sufferings. And therefore in the providence of God frequently it falls out, that if there be any thing that is unto us as the apple of our eye, that of all we should be tender of our names and reputations in, this shall be peculiarly attempted and reproached.

3. That they do not think that any new thing befals them when they are reproached. No, not when the reproaches are new, and such as never were cast on any that went before them, For the stores of reproach, and false accusations in the treasury of Satan, and hearts of wicked men, will never be exhausted.

4. Know that where reproach goes before, persecution will follow after, in the course of the world. It thunders in reproaches, and falls in a storm of persecution. These sufferings consisted in afflictions; these afflictions did partly ensue upon, and partly accompany these reproaches. For those who endeavour to bring men under contempt by reproaches, will not fail to reproach them under their sufferings. Therefore do we render the particle d by both,' referring both the reproaches and afflictions unto their being made a gazing-stock. And the word is of a large signification, denoting every thing that is evil and grievous to us in any kind. But as it is distinguished from reproaches, it denotes suffering in their persons or enjoyments; an instance whereof he gives in the next verse, in the 'spoiling of their goods."

2. The manner of their suffering of these things; it is said they were made a gazing-stock,' arvo. It is properly spoken of them who were brought on the public stage or theatre in any city, and there exposed unto all sorts of evils and punishments. And it was the way of the highest and most capital punishment. For when guilty persons were cast unto beasts to be devoured, it was in the theatre, where they were made a spectacle unto the people, or a gazing-stock. But the apostle limits the suffering of the Hebrews unto reproaches and afflictions; they had not yet resisted unto blood. So at Ephesus they drew Gaius and Aristarchus into the theatre, with an intention to destroy them, Acts xix. 29.

But yet neither doth it necessarily follow, that those spoken of were actually or solemnly carried into any theatre, there to be reproached, then destroyed. But because the theatre was the place where persons were publicly exposed to be looked upon with scorn and contempt; the word area is used to signify mens being so exposed, and made a spectacle, in any place, on any occasion. And this is the meaning of the phrase used by the apostle, I Cor. iv. 9. No more is required hereunto, but

that they were publicly, and in the sight of all that had occasion or opportunity to behold them, exposed unto these things. So was it with them, when they haled men and women out of their meetings, who being dragged, or driven in the streets, were committed some of them into prisons, Acts viii. 3. then were they loaded with all manner of reproaches, and made a gazing-stock to all that were about them. This way and manner of their suffering was a great addition to it, and an aggravation of it. It requireth excellent actings of faith, and spiritual courage, to carry ingenuous persons above this public contest. But their cause and their example were sufficient to support them, and enable them unto this duty.

Obs. VI. All temporary sufferings, in all their aggravating circumstances, in their most dreadful preparation, dress, and appearance, are but light things in comparison of the gospel and the promises thereof.

Obs. VII. There is not any thing in the whole nature of temporary sufferings, or any circumstance of them, that we can claim an exemption from, after we have undertaken the profession of the gospel.-This was the first part of the contention with sufferings, which those Hebrews had undergone.

Secondly, The other part of their sufferings was, that they became the companions of them that were so used.' They not only suffered in themselves, on what they gave occasion unto, by their own profession of the gospel, and practice of its worship; but also came into a fellowship of sufferings with them that were so used as they were. And we may consider, 1. Who those are that were so used. 2. How they became their companions in that condition.

1. Twy 8twg avartgpu: the word signifies the way, manner, and course of our conversation in the world.' And in that sense the sufferings of these persons is included as the effect in the cause. They so walked in the world as to be exposed to sufferings. We take the word in a passive sense, and render it so used,' used after the same manner which you were. It is also used for to be tossed, overturned, oppressed;' which is the sense of it in this place. But the apostle, writing unto the whole church of the Hebrews, we may inquire who they were who were used in this manner with them, for they seem to be distinguished from them unto whom he wrote. And, 1st, It is not impossible but the apostle might have respect unto those that were sober and moderate amongst the Jews themselves. For things were now come unto that confusion in Jerusalem and in all Judea, that all such persons were continually exposed unto the violence and rage of robbers, oppressors, and seditious villains. The Christians, being of the same conversation with them, were not known by the multitude, nor distinguished from them. It is not therefore unlikely that they might suffer with