the elder at weak times, when they are big and heavy with some inward exercise of the mind, which shall bring forth advantage and peace to them afterwards, them he leads gently, and uses them with the tenderness that their weakness requires. And, in general, he provides for his flock, and heals them when they are any way hurt, and washes them and makes them fruitful; so that they are as that flock, described Cant. iv. 2: they are comely, but their shepherd much more so. They hear my voice, and follow me. And they shall never repent having done So. To follow him, is to follow life, for he is the life. He is in that glory which we desire; and where would we be, if not where he is, who, at his departure from the world said, Where I am, there they shall be also! To this happy meeting and heavenly abode, may God, of his infinite mercy, bring us, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen. "Jesus the good Shepherd is: He is mine, and I am his: All I want in him I have,- "Jesus loves and guards his own: By the stream of comfort leads: APRIL 15. DAVENANT. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.—Col. i. 11. WE have unfolded what, and what kind of good that strengthening is which the apostle entreated for the Colossians; we have explained also whence it is derived, and by whose mediation it is conferred upon us: It remains, thirdly, that we now explain what end it subserves. Unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. He shows the use and end of our divine strengthening and of our spiritual fortitude, namely, that it may beget in us patience or endurance, and long-suffering; then he annexes the characteristic of Christian patience-joyfulness. Let us inquire first what is the nature of these virtues. The more probable opinion is, that we should say patience or endurance respects that load and weight of affliction visited upon us, either by God, or by man; but long-suffering respects the length and duration itself of the incumbent evil. Therefore, he who is not broken either by the deferring too long our deliverance from evil, or by the protracting too long our reinstatement in good, the same hath this long-suffering, because his mind duly extends its view to the end which is far distant. These two virtues are the inseparable companions of that strength and fortitude which the Spirit liberally bestows upon us; for they are joined to that fortitude, as secondary virtues to the primary one. But they differ in this principally, that fortitude arms us against the fear and dread of evil approaching and attacking us, and does not allow us to flee and decline the fight: endurance and long-suffering support the mind itself against the perception of evil which has already come upon and arrested us, and does not permit us to sink under grief and sadness, but teaches us to bear it without any immoderate or unbecoming passion. We see now what is the nature of endurance and longsuffering. Let us consider, secondly, the necessity of these virtues ; and first of patience. Now this virtue is very necessary to all the godly, because occasion for exercising it occurs on every hand. 1. If we regard God himself, he exercises their patience in chastising them. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth; and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. This chastisement, if patience be present, works with it for salvation; if absent produces murmuring, desperation, and finally condemnation. 2. If we regard the world, patience is very necessary to the godly: for in the world, and from the world, they will have tribulation; and as many as will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. He, therefore, who is destitute of patience, is exposed naked to the iron storm of all weathers. 3. If we regard other virtues, patience is necessary. For to faith, righteousness, chastity, punishment is often held out with infamy. Here patience unfolds its strength, and exhibits itself, as it were, a shield to the other virtues; for "The virtue which patience does not sustain is a widow." "Patience is so ordained in things of God," says Tertullian, "that no one who is a stranger to patience can perform any precept." Whence that saying of Paul to the Romans, God will render to every one according to his deeds; to those who endure, the glory of good works. Now let us observe what relates to long-suffering; nor is there less necessity for this: First, by reason of the promised good; for hope which is deferred afflicts the soul. There is need therefore of long-suffering to those to whom the blessedness of heaven is promised, lest they grow remiss, and, through despair of the reward, cast off the exercise of godliness. For the flesh murmurs and rebels, and accuses God of delays and slackness, because he does not immediately confer what he promised: but this spiritual long-suffering says, For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. : Secondly, there is need of long-suffering, by reason of the incumbent evils. For what Epicurus was wont to say consoles not the godly All grief, if long, is light; if heavy, is short; for their afflictions are both heavy and protracted. The whole of their life is a warfare; all this life is to them a vale of tears. weep and lament, says Christ, but the world shall rejoice. then is the comfort of the godly? Isaiah beautifully answers, In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. Ye shall Where We have seen the nature and necessity of patience and longsuffering. Now let us ponder the fruit and admirable effects. And this is first to be premised, that the benefits which arise from afflictions, whatever they are, do not arise but through the medium of this patience: therefore they are the rather to be ascribed to patience than to that affliction which is most hurtful to those who are impatient. 1. Patience discomfits and overthrows all its enemies, without inflicting or returning a wound; it does not deign to aim a weapon at them, nevertheless it achieves a conquest even by quietude. "The heathen and their idolatries," says Augustine, "are overcome not by resistance, but by the martyrdom of Christians." 2. Patience causes all its enemies to serve itself, and contribute innumerable advantages: to say nothing of the rest, it occasions its persecutors to prepare for it the crown of the eternal kingdom. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Whence that saying of the martyr Vicentius to Dacian his tormentor, Never hath any one so well served me as thou hast. 3. Our patience confounds the devil, causes angels to rejoice, glorifies God himself, and, lastly, sometimes melts and converts the most inveterate enemies. Tertullian, captivated by the great advantage of this good, exclaimed: Let me lose all the world, provided I am enriched by patience. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness: even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life.—John iii. 14, 15. WHEREFORE did he not say plainly, "I am about to be crucified," instead of referring his hearers to the ancient type? First, that you may learn that old things are akin to new, and that the one are not alien to the other; next, that you may know that he came not unwillingly to his Passion; and again, besides these reasons, that you may learn that no harm arises to him from the fact of his suffering, and that to many there springs from it salvation. For, that none may say, " And how is it possible that they who believe on one crucified should be saved, when he himself is holden of death?" he leads us to the ancient story. Now if the Jews, by looking to the brazen image of a serpent, escaped death, much rather will they who believe on the Crucified, with good reason enjoy a far greater benefit. For this takes place, not through the weakness of the Crucified, or because the Jews are stronger than he, but because God loved the world, therefore is his living Temple fastened to the Cross. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Seest thou the cause of the crucifixion, and the salvation which is by it? Seest thou the relationship of the type to the reality? there the Jews escaped death, but the temporal, here believers the eternal; there the hanging serpent healed the bites of serpents, here the Crucified Jesus cured the wounds inflicted by the spiritual dragon; there he who looked with his bodily eyes was healed, here he who beholds with the eyes of his understanding, believing, puts off all his sins; there that which hung was brass fashioned into the likeness of a serpent, here it was the Lord's Body, builded by the Spirit; there a serpent bit and a serpent healed, here death destroyed and a Death saved. But the snake which destroyed had venom, that which saved was free from venom; and so again was it here, for the death which slew us had sin with it, as the serpent had venom; but the Lord's Death was free from all sin, as the brazen serpent from venom. For, saith Peter, He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. And this is what Paul also declares, And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. For as some noble champion by lifting on high and dashing down his antagonist, renders his victory more glorious, so Christ, in the sight of all the world, cast down the adverse powers, and having healed those who were smitten in the wilderness, delivered them from all venomous beasts that vexed them, by being hung upon the Cross. Yet he did not say "must hang," but must be lifted up; for he used this which seemed a milder term, on account of his hearer, and because it was proper to the type. "O that I could look to thee, Me, a wounded Israelite, Me, expiring in thy sight! "Give me now to find thee near, Now as crucified appear; Life is through thy wounds alone, APRIL 17. BAXTER. Believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.-1 Peter i. 8. WE should learn to rejoice as believers. Can faith set open the windows of the soul, and no light of heavenly pleasure enter? Can it peruse the map of the land of promise, or see or taste the bunch of grapes, without any sweetness to the soul? That is the truest belief of heaven, which maketh men most like to those that are in heaven. And what is their character, work, and portion, but the joys of heavenly light and love? Can we believe |