Apples of Gold
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