The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 2
VERSE 2.
That I have great heavineſſe, and continual ſorrow in my heart.
NOw from hence in that the Apoſtle doth ſet down his grief and ſorrow for the rejection of the Jewes, I might ſtand to ſhew, that Gods Children are not ſtocks nor ſtones, free from natural affections; Gods Children have humane affections, of joy, and ſorrow, and love, which is common to the nature of man, but thoſe are rectified, and by grace guided to right objects, and that by due meaſure and moderation, according to the nature of the object, to which they are moved. The Apoſtle maketh this a note of ſuch that are given over to unnatural ſences, Rom. 1.30. that they want natural affections: and doubtleſſe the more true and ſincere grace is in the heart of Gods children, certainly the more tender are the affections of that heart and ſoul, and the more effectual apprehenſion of any true cauſe of matter, of ſorrow, or grief: but to paſſe by that, And to come to the main point; In that the Apoſtle doth manifeſt, that he had great heavineſſe and ſorrow, and that for the rejection of the Jews; (that was the object of his ſorrow,) becauſe the Jewes were left in the blindneſſe of mind, and hardneſſe of heart, and did not imbrace the Goſpel; this was matter of great heavineſſe to the heart of the bleſſed Apoſtle: in the firſt place the obſervation is this;
That we are to be grieved for the known miſeries of others, Doctr. and eſpecially for the known miſeries of the ſoules of others: we are to grieve and to mourn for others, that we know do lye under any heavy trouble or affliction, or diſtreſſe, in reſpect of any outward calamity: but beloved, our hearts muſt bleed and be broken for the evils that we know do lye upon the ſoules of others; we are exceedingly to be grieved for the blindneſſe of the mind, and hardneſſe of their heart, that they go on in ſin without repentance, with an high hand, that they are led by the luſts of their own hearts, and according to the luſt of their vile hearts in ſecurity, and brutiſh luſts, this is that which muſt ſtick cloſe and wound us eſpecially: Beſides this evidence in the example of the Apoſtle, we have teſtimony in other places of Scripture, in Ezek. 9.4. we read of the godly who ſhould be marked, and have a mark ſet on their forehead, that they ſhould not be deſtroyed in the common overthrow of Hieruſalem, they were ſuch as cryed and mourned for the abominations that were committed by others in that City; their hearts bled not ſo much for the overthrow of the City, as for the hardneſſe of the hearts of men, ſuch as did abominably: and in Jer. 13.17. ſaith the Prophet, when the people would not hear him, and yeeld obedience to the voyce of God in his Miniſtery, My eyes ſhall weep in ſecret, (and why?) for the hardneſſe of the hearts of the people, that they would not take notice of the Word of God, and the Judgments of God denounced againſt them for their ſins: Oh, ſaith the Prophet, I muſt needs grieve for your obſtinacy: and Pſal. 119.136. ſaith David, my eyes guſh out with rivers of water, (thereby expreſſing the grief of his heart; why, becauſe they were under any calamity? no,) becauſe men keep not the Law of God; even for the ſins that lye upon the ſoules of men, and the hardneſſe of their hearts. And the Apoſtle witneſſeth of that holy man juſt Lot, that his ſoul was vexed with the filthy luſts, and unclean converſation of the filthy Sodomites, 1 Pet. 2.7. they vexed juſt Lot from day to day with their filthy abominations: and it is witneſſed of Chriſt himſelf, in Mark 3.5. that he mourned for the hardneſſe of the hearts of the Phariſees; even the bleſſed ſoul and heart of the Lord Jeſus mourned for the hardneſſe of their hearts, that they would not be humbled for their ſins: and in Luke 19.41.42. The Lord Jeſus wept; for what? becauſe Hieruſalem ſhould be ruinated: not ſo ſimply, but alſo eſpecially for the hardneſſe of their hearts, and that they would not take notice of thoſe things that did belong to their peace; the Lord had ſent his Prophets, and his own Son, and yet they would not hearken; ſo that we ſee it is a clear truth, that we are eſpecially to be grieved for the miſeries and the known evils of the ſoules of others; thoſe that continue in their ſins, and will go on with perſeverance in ſwearing, Sabbath-breaking, Drunkenneſſe, and the like; for theſe we are eſpecially to mourn and to be grieved.
The Reaſon Reaſon. is, becauſe the evils that be upon the ſoul of man, are far greater then the evils on the body, though it be Famine and Peſtilence, becauſe the evils that be upon the ſouls of men, they are ſimply evil things, and ſuch as in themſelues do make men ſubject to the wrath of God, and power of the Devil, which no other outward miſery can do of it ſelf: indeed a mans behaviour therein may make him lye open to the wrath of God, and power of the devil, but the evils on the ſoul of man, do make him lye wide open unto it. And I may ſafely ſay, that the hardneſſe of Pharaohs heart was a heavier and a greater Plague unto him, then all the plagues of Egypt beſides: for theſe are the moſt fearful evils, and make a man lyable to the wrath of God, and power of the devil; and therefore doubtleſſe this we may reſolve upon, that the evils that be upon the hearts and ſouls of men are eſpecially to be grieved for.
Ʋſe. This concerneth every one of us, to take notice of, and we are to labour to put this duty in practice; and I muſt tell you withal, it is a duty wherein many of us are defective and wanting, and come far ſhort of; and the moſt may juſtly be reproved and taxed in this particular, that we have not grieved for the evils that be upon the ſouls of men and women: we can grieve for the miſeries that be upon the bodies of men, and outward eſtates, and we can bemoan and bewail them, and ſhew forth a greater meaſure of ſorrow and grief for thoſe, and ſometimes weeping, eſpecially if they be our friends, and near and dear unto us, as we are bound unto by ſpeciall bonds: as our Father, Mother, wife, brother, or ſiſter, or friends; or ſuch like, we can ſhew forth a great deal of ſorrow for them; but the miſeries that lye upon the ſouls of others, though they be never ſo near or dear unto us; few there be that are touched and moved with this evil: to draw yet a little nearer, thou canſt grieve if ſo be thou heareſt thy ſon, thy brother, or thy friend, (near unto thee) prove a bankrupt, or an unthrift, and decay in worldly things; or if thy child, or ſervant, or any other, be ſuddenly overtaken by ſome accident, and ſome hand of God, as ſtrucken blind, lame, or the like, thy heart is full of ſorrow for this: (and indeed ſo thou oughteſt to be,) But let thy brother, thy friend, thy own child, thy husband, or wife that lyeth in thy boſome, be one that is given to ſin, to live in ignorance, drunkenneſſe, ſwearing, and the like, thou art touched nothing at all with this, thou art grieved for their bodies: but let thy husband be an ignorant perſon, or an hard-hearted perſon, thou art not touched with it at all: we grieve not for the miſeries that lye upon their ſouls, and this ſheweth the curſedneſſe of thy heart, that thou art an hard-hearted perſon, and according to the curſedneſſe of thine own heart, thou reſpecteſt not the hardneſſe of the hearts of others; and it is a plain evidence and demonſtration of thy heart, that it is not right in thee, it is an argument that thou art but a carnal perſon, and enlightened onelyonly by the light of nature, and that thou haſt not in thee the life of true grace, that ought to be in a Child of God: therefore in the fear of God, take notice of this duty; and learn we to find this in our ſelves, that we be grieved for the miſeries that be upon the ſoul, eſpecially thoſe that we are bound unto by ſpecial bond, as for the ignorance of thy father, or mother, thy wife, thy child, or ſervant, that they will not be reformed, and for the evils that lye upon their hearts and ſoules; we muſt ſhowr down tears for them that have the means of ſalvation, and yet will not turn unto God, yea thy heart and ſoul muſt be pierced through with grief, for thy neighbours, even ſuch as live in thy own Land and Kingdom with thee: as the miſeries that lye upon the ſouls of poor men and women, that have not one that is able to teach them the Word of God, we ſhould cry to heaven, and ſend up ſighes and tears for them, and intreat the Lord to ſend forth Labourers into his harveſt, they want it, they live in darkneſſe and blindneſſe, and never touched in Conſcience for the ſame, but go on with an high hand in ſin, and this ſhould grieve our ſoules: We ſhould mourn in ſecret, and ſeek unto the Lord by prayer, with ſighes and groans, that the Lord would be pleaſed to ſend forth ſuch as would labour amongſt them, and bring them out of the darkneſſe they are in; thus we are to mourn for the known evils that lye upon the ſouls of others: Haply the Lord may threaten us with Judgment, and Dearth and Famine, which we may juſtly look for, yea the Famine of the Word of God: For men that live in their ſins without touch of Conſcience, this ſhould grieve us exceedingly.
Now then to ſtirre us up to the practiſe of this Duty, firſt of all, conſider, Motive. 1 If ſo be we be grieved for the evils that lye upon the ſouls of others, it is a plain evidence that we have our ſoules enlightened, and our eyes opened, and are not ignorant, and blind perſons, but have a true ſight and diſcerning of evils; and of the nature of evil things, we are able to ſee and diſcern what is the cauſe of evil, namely ſin.
Secondly, it will be an evidence unto us, that we are truly ſorrowfull, Motive. 2 and that we are truly humbled for our own ſins, if we can mourn for the ſins of others. And hence it is that you ſhall find, that ſuch as have been the moſt notorious ſinners▪ if once they come to be wrought upon, and to be converted, they come to be the moſt pitiful and compaſſionate perſons in the world to others; they ſee the uglineſſe of ſin, and have felt the weight and burthen of it, and they have the greateſt grief in their hearts for the ſins of others.
Motive. 3 And thirdly, it will be an evidence that we have true grace, and true faith in our hearts and ſouls, not a counterfeit, but a true faith, and that we are truly zealous for the glory of God, and eſpecially grieved for the ſins of others, that cannot grieve themſelves, even for thoſe that live in the farthermoſt part of the world, that have not the preaching of the Word, that live in ignorance and blindneſſe.
And to ſhut up all in one word of Exhortation; If then we would have a good evidence, that we are not ſuch that have our eyes ſhut up like Balaam, but that we have a true ſight, and diſcerning of the nature of evils; and if we would have good evidence, that we are truly touched and humbled for our own ſins, and have true faith and grace in our ſoules, and are truly zealous of the glory of God, this will yeeld us true comfort both in life, and in death: Let us then never reſt untill we be grieved for the miſeries that lye on the bodies of others, but eſpecially for the evils on the ſouls of others, and ſuch as do appertain unto us, that we be not like ſtocks nor ſtones, but that we mourn for the ſinnes on the ſoules of others.
Now from theſe words the Apoſtle where he ſaith, he grieveth for the rejection of the Jewes, ſome move this queſtion, Whether the Apoſtle might lawfully be grieved for the rejection of the Jews? it being according to the appointment of the Lord.
But the queſtion Queſt. ariſing from hence, concerning our ſelves, is this; ſeeing we are to be grieved for the known miſeries of others, the queſtion may be, Whether we may be grieved for ſuch perſons, as ſuffer juſt puniſhments, for their evil deeds, brought to the place of execution, when the hand of God is in puniſhing of them, for their evil doings or no?
Now to this I anſwer, Anſw. That we are to put on tender bowels of pity, commiſeration, and compaſſion, towards all that be in any diſtreſſe, and under the puniſhing hand of God in any thing whatſoever they be, though never ſo vile and ſinful, though they be monſters in regard of the outrage of ſin; yet as they be the creatures of God, as they bear the Image of God, and be reaſonable creatures, and are partakers of the ſame nature with us; ſo we are to put on tender bowels of pity and commiſeration towards them, though they be never ſo vile or wicked. Thus we find Samuel mourned for Saul. Samuel as a Prophet foreſeeing the evil that was like to fall upon Saul, both in the loſſe of his Kingdom, and the loſſe of his life, in ſo deſperate a manner, he grieved for him, as we may read in the 1 Sam. 16.1. The Lord biddeth him no longer to mourn for him; yet he did in regard of the miſeries that he ſaw lye upon him; thus we are to mourn for all, be they never ſo vile, as they bear the image of God, and are men and women like unto us, but as wicked perſons undergo juſt and deſerved puniſhment, for their offences, either againſt God, the good eſtate of the Church, or the good eſtate of Religion, we may in that reſpect be ſo far from grieving, mourning, and pitying of them, that we may rejoyce, and joy in it, yet not pleaſing our ſelves in the ſmart, or pains of others, be they never ſo vile, but for the manifeſtation of Gods Juſtice, becauſe we love God, and the glory of God is dear unto us, therefore we may, and ought to magnifie and juſtifie the Name of God, in cuting off of ſuch men, as be Jeſuites, and Seminary Prieſts; we may be ſo far from ſorrowing for them, as that we may rejoyce in it, and glorifie God in cutting off of ſuch wicked Imps; as in Pſal. 58.10, 11. The righteous ſhall rejoyce when he ſeeth the revenging hand of God upon ſuch; and men ſhall ſay, Verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtleſſe there is a God that judgeth on the earth. God himſelf deſireth not the death of any, (ſo he ſaith) I delight not in the death of a ſinner: yet God was pleaſed with the puniſhment of the wicked, according to the rule and courſe of his Juſtice; ſo we muſt not delight in the puniſhment of any, as he is a creature of God, and beareth the Image of God, like unto us; but we are to look upon the glory of Gods Juſtice, and to magnifie and to glorifie him in ſuch perſons, being deſtroyed, that ſeek the hurt of Gods glory, Gods Church, or Gods Religion: For then we are to rejoyce, but not in their puniſhment as they are men of the like nature with us.
In the next place we are to mark, that the Apoſtle ſaith not nakedly and barely, that he was grieved and ſorrowed for the rejection of the Jewes, but doth affirm and ſay, that he had great heavineſſe and continual ſorrow for the rejection of the Jews, his heavineſſe and ſorrow was not ſmall, nor vaniſhing, but it was great and heavy, ſuch as is a womans travelling with child, for ſo the word ſorrow, ſignifieth a vehement, great, and heavy ſorrow, for their rejection. Now what was the cauſe the Apoſtle grieved for the rejection of the Jews? becauſe he loved them; for this was a manifeſtation of his love, his ſorrow and love held ſympathy and proportion: hence the obſervation is thus, That true love unto any perſon, Doctr. or thing cauſeth heavineſſe, ſorrow and grief in the heart upon any known juſt occaſion of grief, given from that perſon, or thing ſo loved, and according to the meaſure of love to any perſon or thing, ſo is the meaſure of grief, or ſorrow, upon any known juſt occaſion of grief from that perſon or thing ſo loved, our grief is anſwerable and proportionable to our love; the more we grieve for any perſon or thing, the more we love them: this we ſee is clear from the example of the Apoſtle, that was grieved for the rejection of the Jews, out of his love to them, and this is manifeſt by other places; as in Gen. 37.34. we read, when good Jacob, that holy and juſt man, had juſt occaſion given unto him for ſorrow and heavineſſe, as he thought, for his ſon Joſeph, he thinking verily his ſon was devoured by wild beaſts, as they did give him intelligence, (though falſe,) it is ſaid, that he rent his clothes and put on ſackcloth, and ſorrowed for him exceedingly; yea the Text ſaith, that when his children came about him to comfort him, he would not be comforted, in regard of the evil he thought had befallen his ſon Joſeph, he grieved a long ſeaſon, and would not be comforted: ſo alſo in 1 Sam. 20.34. Jonathan was very ſorrowful, and exceeding heavy for David, becauſe his Father Saul had reviled him, ſuch was his love to David: ſo alſo we find, that the good man Nehemiah had a heart full of ſorrow and grief, and humbled himſelf in weeping and faſting, when he heard of the evil that was upon the Church and the people of God, it made him break out into weeping, and humbling his ſoul, Nehem. 1.6. yea his ſorrow and heavineſſe was ſo great, that he could not diſſemble it, he could not keep it in his boſome, it appeared in his very countenance, yea and that ſo apparantly, that the King ſaid, What is the matter, Nehemiah, why is thy countenance ſad, ſeeing thou art not ſick? Sure I perceive that this is nothing elſe but ſorrow of heart, Nehem. 2.2. In John 11.36. the Jews ſaid, when they ſaw Jeſus weeping for Lazarus, Behold how he loved him; they could thereby conjecture his love to him: ſo 2 Cor. 2.4. The Apoſtle ſaith, in great anguiſh of ſpirit he wrote to them, and in many tears, that they might perceive his love unto them, his true and hearty love, and anguiſh of his ſoul went together: ſo that the point is clear, That true love unto any perſon or thing, cauſeth the like ſympathy of grief unto that perſon, or thing ſo loved.
The Reaſons are; Firſt, from the working and effects of true love: it Reaſon 1 is the nature of love where it is in the heart and ſoul toward any perſon or thing, to be operative and working; and the working of it is to make the heart affected either with joy, or ſorrow, touching the thing that is ſo loveth; and according to the known eſtate of the perſon or thing ſo loved, if it go well with the perſon or thing ſo loved, it cauſeth joy; if it go ill, it cauſeth grief.
Reaſon 2 The ſecond Reaſon is from the nature of grief it ſelf: for what is grief? ſurely grief may be thus deſcribed; A motion of the ſoul ariſing from the hurt of the thing that is loved; if any hurt or evil be either imminent, and ready to fall upon the thing loved, or be already fallen, the heart that loveth is ſtirred up to grieve for it, and according to the meaſure of love, ſo is the meaſure of grief; and therefore we may reſolve upon this, as a certain truth, That great love cauſeth great grief, upon any juſt occaſion of grief for the thing or perſon that we love, that is dear unto us: for the Application.
Ʋſe. The truth now delivered, yeeldeth unto us a ground of tryal, and of examination, touching the truth of our love, and the meaſure of our love, to ſuch perſons or things that ought to be loved and reſpected of us, as to draw this to particulars; hereby we may try the truth of our love to the Church and people of God, and alſo whether our love be true and ſound unto them: Doeſt thou love the Church and people of God in deed and in truth? ſurely then thou art affected, either with joy or ſorrow, according to the eſtate of the Church, or people of God, if thou heareſt that it go well with the Church and people of God, thou rejoyceſt and art glad of it; if ſo be on the other ſide, thou heareſt that it goeth hard with the Church of God, thy heart is then oppreſſed with ſorrow, and according to the meaſure of thy love, to the Church and people of God; ſo is thy ſorrow for any known danger or diſtreſſe of the Church and people of God.
Now then, (to apply this to the time wherein we live) we hear, and have often heard, that the Church and people of God, at this day, are in great diſtreſſe in forraign Nations, even our Neighbour Nations, in France and other Nations, are in armes, and are forced to ſtand up for the defence of their own lives and liberties, and their wives and children ſtand upon their guatd at home, or elſe to lye in the field to defend their lives and liberties: and we have heard, and do hear it daily, that many of Gods children are in great ſtreights; that they are beſieged by their cruel and bloody enemies, even of ſuch as deſire nothing but to ſuck their blouds; yea we hear daily, how the Saints and ſervants of God, are Maſſacred,About this time was the Maſſacre of the poor Proteſtants in the Valtoline, 1620, 1621. and murthered, yea many of them in going from the aſſemblies, have had their throats cut, and are knocked down, before they come home, yea we hear how that Gods children are forced either to yeeld to the Pope and his Idolatry, or to loſe their lives: now we hear of this, are we touched with ſorrow and grief according to the meaſure of their afflictions? ſurely then we have good evidence of our love to the people of God: but on the contrary, are our hearts nothing at all touched with grief and with heavineſſe, upon the newes of theſe things? (which is I fear the caſe of many, to give themſelves to jollity and rejoycing, and are not touched with the afflictions of Joſeph) do we hear of theſe things as matter of news, and diſcourſe of them as novelties: if ſo be it be ſo, that now we give our ſelves to all manner of riot and exceſſe, when you ſhould give your ſelves to prayer, certainly then you have no true love to the people of God. So alſo for the glory of God, canſt thou hear the Name of God blaſphemed, and diſhonoured, by curſing, ſwearing, lying, rybaldry? and uſe all manner of filthy ſpeaking, and prophaning the Sabbath: is not thy heart ſmitten? is it not as a dagger in thy ſoul, and a ſword in thy heart, when thou heareſt men blaſpheme, and fearfully abuſe the holy name of God? aſſuredly then thou haſt no true love to the glory of God: and ſo alſo for the truth of Religion; canſt thou hear the holy Religion of God, deſtroyed and trampled under foot? and that Popery, Idolatry, and Superſtition, is like to be ſet up in the room of it? and when thou heareſt of this, doeſt thou not mourn? but art a man indifferent, and careſt not which end goes forward? either Popery, or true Religion? it is a ſure note, that thou haſt no true love to the Religion of God: and thus I might proceed in other particulars, but let us learn now to be grieved, according to the known juſt occaſion of grief given unto us, for the Church and Children of God, for the glory of God, and pure Religion of God; if ſo be we find no grief at all in our hearts, when there is juſt occaſion of grief, let us not deceive our ſelves, aſſuredly we love them not as we ought to do. We read in the 1 Sam. 4.18, 19. and ſo on to the end of the Chapter, that old Eli was more affected when he heard newes that the Ark of God was taken, then with the loſſe of his two ſons: and the wife of Phinees, the daughter in law of Eli, was more affected with the loſſe of the Ark of God▪ then with the loſſe of her own dear husband; for when ſhe heard the Ark of God was taken, ſhe fell in travel, and dyed, and named her ſon, Jekabod, the glory is departed from Iſrael: yea, ſhe repeateth it again, the glory is departed from Iſrael, for the Ark of God is taken: And when the women laboured to comfort her, ſhe would have none, for the Ark of God was taken. Thus muſt we, when the Religion of God is trodden down, we muſt be affected with it: A diſgrace done to the name of God, or a wrong done to the religion of God, muſt affect our hearts with ſorrow; if we would have evidence that we truly love the holy Iſrael of God, we muſt find our hearts affected according to the known eſtate of it, if we have not, we have not in us the Spirit, nor the Life, nor the grace of Gods Children: in 2 Theſſ. 2.10, 11. if we do not imbrace the Religion of God, and that with love and delight, and be more then formal profeſſors of it, we are in danger to be ſeduced of Antichriſt, and to be led ſome one way, and ſome another: we are in danger to be given up to ſtrong deluſions, and to believe lies, becauſe we receive not the truth, in love of the truth: For if we do receive the truth out of love unto it, we ſhall find that our love unto the truth, will be a ſtrong preſervative againſt the ſeducing of Antichriſt, and better arm us againſt the ſubtilties of our enemies, and their powerful efficacy and working; though all the Devils in the world do aſſiſt them, and this defend us better then all the learning in the world; we ſee great Doctours are ſeduced, becauſe though they have learning, yet have no love: And therefore let thy heart be ſet upon the Church of God, and the holy Religion of God, that we may be ſure it is true and hearty love, as it ought to be, that we are able to ſay with the Apoſtle, we have continual ſorrow for the evils upon the ſoules, or afflictions upon the bodies of Gods Church.
One thing farther, the Apoſtle putteth down his ſorrow with the ſubject of it (in his heart,) hereby he pointeth out thus much unto us, That we are to be grieved for the miſeries of others, even from the heart; we muſt not reſt in an out-ſide ſorrow, in a verbal ſorrow, to ſay we are ſorrowful, and grieved for it; as St. John ſaith, 1 Joh. 3.18. our love muſt not be in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. As alſo our pity muſt not be a verbal pity, to ſay, go thy way, fill thy belly, James 2.15, 16. and yet ſupply nothing to their wants: ſo that the miſeries of others known unto us, muſt be indeed, and in truth, yea in our very hearts and ſoules, eſpecially for the known miſeries of the Church and people of God; we muſt expreſſe our grief to others, by ſighes and groans, and prayers and tears, as any juſt occaſion is offered; and thereby manifeſt that our grief is a grief of the heart and ſoul, when we ſo reach out our help unto them: And know we, if ſo be our grief and ſorrow be not in our hearts and ſoules, but verbal, and outward, it is counterfeit; for nature can put on a mourning ſemblance, and counterfeit grief, and there may be a glad heart under a mourning gown; as a poor man, having a black gown, at a rich mans funeral, mourneth not but is glad that he hath it to cover him; but we muſt have ſorrow in our heart for the Church of God: And again, God hateth the ſorrow, that is not in the heart, Pſal. 51.6. the Lord loveth truth and ſoundneſſe in the affections, when we have cauſe of joy, to rejoyce heartily; and when we have cauſe of ſorrow, to be grieved heartily: Oh then in the fear of God look to this, that thy ſorrow and grief for the miſeries of others, eſpecially for the Church of God, that it be as it ought to be, not in word onelyonly, verbal, but in truth; look that our hearts be diſſolved into ſorrow, and that it ſhew forth the powerful working of it, in ſighes, in groans, and in tears, for the poor diſtreſſed members of the Church; to ſhed abundance of tears for them, that we may ſay with the Apoſtle, I have ſorrow in my heart for my brethren, in their Afflictions.