David was, Psalm 69:7, 89:50, 119:22, 31:11, 109:25; and Job was,
beneath a man—but the reproached who bear it well, are equal to
angels. Of all crowns, the reproached man's crown will weigh
heaviest in heaven. But,
3. Thirdly, I answer, the best men have been mostly reproached.
David was, Psalm 69:7, 89:50, 119:22, 31:11, 109:25; and Job was,
Job 19:3, 20:3, 16:10; and Jeremiah was, Jer. 20:7, 10. Yes, this has
been the common portion of the people of God in all ages of the
world. In Nehemiah's time it was so: Neh. 1:3, "And they said unto
me, The remnant that are left of the captivity, are in great affliction
and reproach." In David's time it was so, Psalm 79:4, and Psalm
44:13-14; and in Jeremiah's time it was so: Lam. 5:1, "Remember, O
Lord, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach."
And in Daniel's time it was so: Dan. 9:16, "Your people are become a
reproach to all that are about us;" and it was so in the apostle's time:
2 Cor. 6:8, "By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report:
as deceivers and yet true;" 1 Tim. 4:10, "For therefore we both labor
and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God," etc. And it
was so in the primitive times, for when the Christians met together
before sunrise to pray, the heathens reported of them that they
worshiped the sun, and aspired after monarchy, and committed
adulteries and unnatural uncleannesses.
Now, who is troubled, who complains of that which is a common lot
—as cold, winter, sickness, death? etc. No more should any complain
of reproaches, it being the common lot of the people of God in all
ages. Yes, Christ himself was sadly reproached, falsely accused, and