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Persecuted rewarded, and their persecutors punished.

Is. 51.7. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye no the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their re

vilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a gar

ment, and the worm shall eat them like wool.

Is. 66. 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.

Is. 60. 14. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee: and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet.

Mal. 4. 2. Unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet.

Mat. 5. 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before

you.

Lk. 6. 22. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Rom. 8. 17. Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Ambassadors of Christ.

2 Th. 1. 4. We ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you, who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints.

2 Tim. 2. 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.

1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved, think it not strange, concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.

Rev. 3. 9. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Rev. 18. 20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

Rev. 19. 3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever.

446. Does Christ regard faithful ministers of his word, as his ambassadors ?

Mat. 10. 40. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. 41. 42.

Encouraged by success-Sometimes ineffectual.

Lk. 10. 16. He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.

Jn. 13. 20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

447. Have faithful ministers any reason to hope for success in preaching the gospel ?

Jer. 23. 22. If they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

Mk. 1. 17. Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Jn. 4. 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal.

Ac. 11. 24. For he [Barnabas] was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

Ac. 14.1. And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude, both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, believed.

1 Cor. 1. 21. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

448. Have there been times and places when ministers have labored faithfully with little or no success?

Is. 6. 9. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and

Encouraged.

make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate.

Is. 53. 1. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Jer. 5. 14. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Ezk. 3. 7. The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.

Jn. 12. 37. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Ac. 13. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

449. Has God encouraged a faithful ministry?

Is. 49. 5. And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

Jer. 1. 18. I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole

Provision for.

land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord to deliver thee.

Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

Ezk. 3. 8. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant, harder than flint, have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at heir looks, though they be a rebellious house.

Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.

Mat 28. 20. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Lk. 21. 15. I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

1. Th. 2. 19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming. For ye are our glory and joy.

2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.

450. Ought we to sustain and encourage a faithful ministry?

Num. 18. 21. I have given the children of Levi al. the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their servicel

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