I. The due consideration of Christ's sufferings doth much temper all the sufferings of christians, especially such as are directly for Christ. 1. It is some known ease to the mind, in any distress, to look upon examples of the like, or greater distress, in present or former times. It diverts the eye from continual poring on our own suffering; and, when we return to view it again, it lessens it, abates of the imagined bulk and greatness of it. Thus public, thus spiritual troubles are lightened; and particularly the sufferings and temptations of the godly, by the consideration of this as their common lot, their highway, and not new in the person of any', No temptation has befallen you, but what is common to men. If we trace the lives of the most eminent saints, shall we not find every notable step that is recorded marked with a new cross; one trouble following on another, as the waves do", in an incessant succession? Is not this manifest in the life of Abraham, and of Jacob, and the rest of God's worthies, in the scriptures? And, doth not this make it an unreasonable, absurd thought, to dream of an exemption? Would any one have a new untrodden way cut out for him, free of thorns, and strewed with flowers all along? Would a man meet with no contradictions, nor hard measure from the world, or imagine that there may be such a dexterity necessary, as to keep its good will, and the friendship of God too? This will not be; and it is an universal conclusion, All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution". This is the path to the kingdom, that which all the sons of God, the heirs of it, have gone in, even Christ; as that known word is, one son without sin, but none without suffering; Christ also suffered. 2. As the example and company of the saints in suffering is very considerable, so that of Christ is more than any other, yea, than all the rest together. Therefore the apostle having represented the former k Ferre quam sortem patiuntur omnes. m Velut unda pellitur unda. 11 Cor. x. 13. 2 Tim. iii. 12. at large, ends in this, as the top of all"; There is a race set before us, it is to be run, and run with patience, and without fainting: now, he tells us of a cloud of witnesses; a cloud made up of instances of believers suffering before us; and the heat of the day wherein we run is somewhat cooled, even by that cloud compassing us: but the main strength of their comfort here, lies in looking to Jesus, eyeing of his sufferings, and their issue. The considering and contemplating of him will be the strongest cordial, will keep you from wearying and fainting in the way'. The singular power of this instance lies in many particulars, considerable in it. To specify some chief things briefly in the steps of the present words: the example is great and fit, and the result of the suffer ings contemplated, of infinite importance to the christian. Consider, 1st, the greatness of the example, which will appear from the greatness of the person, and of the sufferings. 1. From the greatness of the person: Christ, and that marked to us by the manner of expression, [xai Xpsòs], Christ also, besides and beyond all others, even Christ himself. There can be no higher example; not only are the sons of adoption sufferers, but the begotten, the only begotten Son, the eternal heir of glory, in whom all the rest have their title, their sonship, and heirship, derived from, and dependent on his; not only all the saints, but the king of saints. Who shall now repine at suffering? Shall the wretched sons of men refuse to suffer, after the suffering of the spotless glorious Son of God? as one speaks of pride, that after majesty, highest majesty, to teach humility, hath so humbled himself, how wicked and impudent a thing will it be for a worm to swell, to be high conceited? So thus our Lord hath taught us, by suffering in his own person, and hath dignified suf • Heb. xii. 1, 2. P Verse 3. 4 Ubi se humiliavit Majestas, vermiculus infletur et intumescat? Bern. ferings, so that we should certainly rather be ambitious than afraid of them. Recollect, 2. The greatness and continuance of his sufferings. That which the apostle speaks here of, his once suffering, hath its truth, taking in all. He suffered once; his whole life was one continued line of suffering, from the manger to the cross; all that lay betwixt was suitable. His estate and entertainment throughout his whole life agreed well with so mean a beginning, and so reproachful an end, of it: forced upon a flight, while he could not go; and living till he appeared in public, in a very mean despised condition, as the carpenter's son; and, after his best works, paid with envy and revilings, called a winebiber, and a caster out of devils by the prince of devils; his life often laid in wait and sought for. Art thou mean in thy birth and life, despised, misjudged, and reviled, on all hands? Look how it was with him, that had more right than thou hast, to better entertainment in the world. Thou wilt not deny this, for it was his own; it was made by him, and he was in it, and it knew him not. Are thy friends harsh to thee? He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Hast thou a mean cottage, or art thou drawn from it? Hast thou no dwelling, and art thou every way poor and ill accommodated? He was as poor as thou canst be, and had no where to lay his head, worse provided than the birds and foxes. But then, consider to what a height his sufferings rose in the end, that most remarkable piece of them here meant, by his once suffering for sins. If thou shouldst be cut off by a violent death, or in the prime of thy years, mayst thou not look upon him as going before thee in both these? and in so ignominious a way; scourged, buffeted, and spit on; he endured all, he gave his back to the smiters, and then, as the same prophet hath it, He was numbered amongst the transgressors. When they had used him with all that shame, they hanged him betwixt two thieves, and they John i. 10, 11. Mat. viii. 20. t Isa. i. 6. that passed by, wagged their heads, and darted taunts at him, as at a mark fixed to the cross; they scoffed and said, He saved others, himself he cannot save: But, for the joy set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, as the apostle says*. Thus we see the outside of his sufferings. But the christian is subject to grievous temptations, and sad desertions, that are heavier by far than the sufferings which indeed the apostle speaks of here. Yet even in these this same argument of his holds. For our Saviour is not unacquainted with, nor ignorant of, either of those, though still without sin. And, if any of that had been in any of his sufferings, it had not furthered, but undone all our comfort in him. But tempted he was; he suffered that way too, and the temptations were terrible, as you know. And, was there not some strong conflict when he fell down and prayed in the garden, and sweat drops of blood? Was there not an awful eclipse, when he cried out on the cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? So that, even in these, we may apply this comfort, and stay ourselves or souls on him, and go to him as a compassionate high-priest', For Christ also suffered. 2. Consider the fitness, of the example; as the same is every way great, yea greatest, so it is fit, the fittest to take with a christian, to set before him so near a pattern, where he hath so much interest. As the argument is strong in itself, so is it to the new man, the christian man, particularly strongest; it binds him most; for it is not far fetched, but a home pattern"; as when you persuade men to virtue, by the example of those that they have near relation to. They are his servants, and shall they, or would they, think to be greater than their master, to be exempt from his lot in the world? They are his soldiers, and will they refuse to follow him, and to endure with him? Suffer hardship (says the apostle to Timothy), as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Will not a word * Heb. xii. 2. y Heb. iv. 15, 16. * Exemplum domesticum. 2 Tim. ii. 3. from him put a vigour in them to go after him, whether upon any march or service, when he calls them friends, Commilitones, an appellation used by Julius Cæsar, which wrought so much on his trained bands: yea, he is not ashamed to call them brethren", and, will they be ashamed to share with him, and to be known by their suitable estate to be his brethren? 3. There is from these sufferings of Christ, such a result of safety and comfort to a christian, that makes them a most effectual encouragement to suffering; which is this, if he suffered once, that was for sin; so that now, that heavy intolerable suffering for sin being once taken out of a believer's way, it makes all other sufferings light, exceeding light, as nothing in their account. He suffered once for sin, so that to them that lay hold on him, this holds sure, that sin is never to be suffered for in the way of strict justice again; as not by him, so not by them that are in him; for he suffered for sins once, and it was for their sins, every poor believer's. So now the soul, finding itself rid of that fear, goes cheerfully through all other hazards and sufferings. The soul, perplexed about that question, finds no relief in all other enjoyments; all propositions of lower comforts are unsavoury and troublesome to it. Tell it of peace and prosperity; say, however the world go, you shall have ease and pleasure, and you shall be honoured and esteemed by all; yea, though you could make a man sure of these, yet, if his conscience be working and stirred about the matter of his sin, and the wrath of God, which is tied close to sin, he will wonder at your impertinency, in that you speak so far from the purpose. Say what you will of these, he still asks, "What do you mean by this? those things answer not me. Do you think I can find comfort in them, so long as my sin is unpardoned, and there is a sentence of eternal death standing above my head. I feel even an impress of somewhat of that hot indignation; some flashes of it, fly Heb. ii. 11. |