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| The Saints fled for our sakes.
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21. The Saints fled for our sakes.
The flight of the saints therefore was neither
blameable nor unprofitable. If they had not avoided their persecutors,
how would it have come to pass that the Lord should spring from the
seed of David? Or who would have preached the glad tidings of the word
of truth? It was for this that the persecutors sought after the saints,
that there might be no one to teach, as the Jews charged the Apostles;
but for this cause they endured all things, that the Gospel might be
preached. Behold, therefore, in that they were thus engaged in conflict
with their enemies, they passed not the time of their flight
unprofitably, nor while they were persecuted, did they forget the
welfare of others: but as being ministers of the good word, they
grudged not to communicate it to all men; so that even while they fled,
they preached the Gospel, and gave warning of the wickedness of those
who conspired against them, and confirmed the faithful by their
exhortations. Thus the blessed Paul, having found it so by experience,
declared beforehand, ‘As many as will live godly in Christ, shall
suffer persecution1488
.’ And so he
straightway prepared them that fled for the trial, saying, ‘Let
us run with patience the race that is set before us1489
;’ for although there be continual
tribulations, ‘yet tribulation worketh patience, and patience
experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed1490
.’ And the Prophet Isaiah when
such-like affliction was expected, exhorted and cried aloud,
‘Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy
doors; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the
indignation be overpast1491
.’ And so also
the Preacher, who knew the
conspiracies against the righteous, and said, ‘If thou seest the
oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice
in a province, marvel not at the matter: for He that is higher than the
highest regardeth, and there be higher than they: moreover there is the
profit of the earth1492
.’ He had his
own father David for an example, who had himself experienced the
sufferings of persecution, and who supports them that suffer by the
words, ‘Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart,
all ye that put your trust in the Lord1493
;’ for them that so endure, not man,
but the Lord Himself (he says), ‘shall help them, and deliver
them, because they put their trust in Him:’ for I also
‘waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and
heard my calling; He brought me up also out of the lowest pit, and out
of the mire and clay1494
.’ Thus is
shewn how profitable to the people and productive of good is the flight
of the Saints, howsoever the Arians may think otherwise.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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