The Life of Faith in Times of Trial and Affliction, Consideration 11

The Life of Faith in Times of Trial and Affliction · Consideration 11

p. 102CONSIDERATION. XI. Christ himself had a suffering life.

WHen the Leaders and Commanders of an Army, are to bring the Infantrie thorow some deep water, they use to alight off their horses, and walk on foot, that they may take a share of the same lot with the souldiers, that thereby they may the more encourage them to wade with cheerfulness thorow the water: and it proveth indeed some matter of Encouragment to souldiers to follow their Leaders, be the way never so uneasie. Our Lord Jesus, in like manner, who is called the Captaine of our Salvation Hebr. 2. vers. 10. knowing that his followers had both fire and water to go thorow Esai 43. vers. 2. the more to encourage them, to endure that hard lot, would come down off his Throne of Majestie and State, and take a share of the lot himself; yea and go before them to break the ice. Therefore it cannot but be most advantagious for the souldiers of Christ. who have a mind to run the race, that is set before p. 103them, to be looking, in the time of their affliction, upon this Captain, according to the advice, which the Apostle giveth unto the afflicted and persecuted Hebrews Chap. 12. vers. 2. Looking unto Iesus, the Author and finisher of faith, who for the joy, that was set before Him, endured the cross, and despised the shame. 3. Consider Him, that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself; lest ye be wearied and fainte in your mindes. For this same end and purpose do we finde the Apostle Peter proposing this example, for the encouragment of a number of poor scattered and afflicted saints 1 Petr. 2. vers. 21. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. And againe, Chap. 3. vers. 17, 18. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for wel doing, than for evil doing: for Christ also hath once suffered, the just f…r the unjust, that He might bring us to God.

It will then be of no small advantage, to afflicted persons, to have this Copie and Example laid before them, if He would help us to speak unto it, in any measure to edification. It will not be necessary, to speak of this subject of Christ's Sufferings, in the full latitude; but it will be sufficient to speak of them, only in reference to the p. 104end proposed; as an Encouraging Example; and in order to this, we shall only do these Two things. 1. We shall mention and propose some particulars, considerable in the sufferings of Christ, which may be sutable matter for the thoughts of a Child of God, in affliction, to dwell upon: 2. Speak some things to the advantagious improvement of the same, in a day of Trouble.

As to the first, we shall onelyonly mention these particulars considerable.

1. The Person, who was put to all these Sufferings, was no ordinary person: we think more of the sufferings of a Noble-man Prince, King or great Potentate, than of the Sufferings of a mean, poor man. What shall we then think of the Sufferings of Christ, who was higher than the Princes of the earth, who was King of Kings and Lord of Lords? He was in the form of God, having the same Essential Divine form with the Father, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God, having the same Divine Nature and Properties. Phil. 2. vers. 6. And yet for all this, He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the forme of a servant.—And being found in the fashion of a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross vers. 7, 8. Even He, who was the Ancient of dayes, who was set up p. 105from everlasting, from the beginning, ere ever the earth was Prov. 8. vers. 23. Even He was put to end his dayes in paine and sorrow, He, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting Mica. 5: 2. Who wasthe Creator of the ends of the earth, who was with God, by whom all things were made, and without whom was not any thing made, that was mad…. Ioh. 1. vers. 1, 2, 3. Even He it was, who was put to all this suffering. What a wonder is this, That the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, the mighty God, as He is called Esai. 9. vers. 6. should become a man of sorrowes, and acquanted with griefe Esai. 53: 3. That the High and holy one, who inhabiteth eternity, and whose perfections and vertues are past finding out, should be found in the fashion of a suffering Man, That God should be thus manifest in the flesh 1 Tim 3. vers. 16? This is a subject worthy of our thoughts, That He, who was God equal with the Father in power and glory, having the fulness of the God head dwelling in him bodily, Col. 2. vers. 9. should condescend so low, as to take on Him mans Nature, and suffer therein. It is true, the Divine Nature could not suffer: but his Humane Nature being personally united unto the Divine Nature, the Person was one, and so He, who was and is God over all, p. 106blessed for ever, did suffer, while his humane Nature was put to suffer.

2. Consider by whom He was put to suffer, even by all ranks of Persons, both high and low, by rich and poor, by noble and ignoble, by Church-men and States-men, and by souldiers, by judges higher and lower, and by lixes, by Jewes and Romans. Some of whom were Malicious, Invective, Cruel, Merciless and Irreconcilable Enemies; such as the Priests, the Scribes and the Pharisees, who were ringleaders; and did all out of pure malice and wickedness of heart, committing thereby that unpardonable sin, Mat. 12. v. 31, 32. These drove forward their cruel designe, and forced Pilat, in a manner, to condemne Him, though he found no fault in Him; and urged a late law of their own thereunto, saying Ioh. 19. vers. 7. We have a law, and by our law he must die, because he made himself the Son of God; a strange law, by which they had bound themselves to condemne and pursue unto death the Messiah, whom they pretended to be waiting for, when ever he came; for the true Messiah was to be Immanuel: and when this was not like to work, their malice carrieth them further Vers. 12. saying If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesars friend; for whosoever maketh p. 107himself a King, speaketh against Caesar. Others of those his Persecuters were led on against Him, in their ignorance and blind Zeal, for Christ himself prayeth for them, saying Luk. 23: 34. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And Peter saith Act. 3: 17. And now, Brethren, I …ot, that through ignorance you did it, as did also your Rulers.

3. Consider the duration of his Troubles, they lasted not for a short time, for a few Dayes, or Moneths; but during this whole Life: For His whole Life was nothing but a Life of Suffering: no sooner came He into the world, but Herod sought his Life. He was forced to flee into Aegypt, being but a childe in the cradle. He was a Man of sorrowes, and acquanted with griefe Esai. 53: vers. 3. from the Cradle to the Grave, His Life was interwoven with sufferings of one kind and another; and especially after He entered into the publick exercise of His Offices, and was Baptized, He is not well out of one trouble, while He meeteth with another; How oft is He put to flee, and hide himself for his Life? How oft is He maligned, tempted, slandered, persecuted, called a Devil, hated and hunted, until He is at length condemned and killed?

4. Consider what it was that He suffered: It was not one kinde of Trouble and Affliction, p. 108that He was exercised with; but in a manner all sorts came upon Him, He was a Man of Sorrowes and acquanted with griefe, He was oppressed and afflicted Esai. 53 3, 7. He was despised and rejected of men Esai. 53: 3. He hid not his facefrom shame and spitting, but gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them, that plucked off the hair Esai. 50: v. 6. Matth. 26: 67. and 27: 26. He was exercised with Hunger, Thirst, Weariness, Poverty, and the like. He was apprehended as a Thiefe or a Robber, Imprisoned, falsely Accused, Condemned, Scourged, and Crucified. He was mocked and reproached, by Words and Deeds, when they put a Crown of Thorns on His Head, clothed Him with a Rob, and put a Reed in His Hand, and bowed the knee before Him, saying, Hail, King of the Iewes.

5. Consider what, beside all this that He suffered in His Body and Name, He suffered in Soul, when He was in the Garden Matth. 26: 37, 3…. Where He began to be sorrowful even unto Death: Yea so sad and heavy was He, that He cried out Vers. 39 O my Father, if it be possible, let this Cup passe from me: And this He cried thrice over, which showeth the vehemency of that pressure, under which He lay, at that time, when He was beginning to wrestle that bloudy p. 109combat with the Wrath of God, and to drink that galled Cup, wherein was the Law▪ curse, because of Sin. And all this was from the Hand of His Father; for it was He, who bruised Him, and put Him to griefe Esai. 53: vers 10. And it was He, who hid His face from Him; so that He cried out, while on the Cross, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? And that when He was presently to give up the Ghost Mat. 27: v. 46, 50.

6. Consider how little outward Comfort of Friends or Relations He found, all this time: While He was sweating drops of Bloud, through the vehemencie of the bitter agonie, He was into, while in the Garden, He could not prevail with His Disciples to watch with Him, but one houre. And when He was apprehended by the treacherie of His own Disciple, who ate of His Bread, by Iudas the Traitour, all His other Disciples forsook Him; Couragious Peter denied Him thrice, not without Oaths and Execrations; His loving and beloved Disciple Iohn stood a far off; bleeding and sorrowful-hearted, Mary, His Mother, durst not come neer to Him: When the Shepherd was smitten, the Flock was scattered.

7. Consider how innocent He was, p. 110He had done no violence, neither was any deceit found in His mouth Esai. 53: 9. Though He was just, yet was He put to suffer 1 Pet. 3: v 18, and 2: 22. We know what false accusations were brought-in against Him; But by all their false witnesses, they could not get Him convict of sin: The Causes wherefore (as to men) He was judged and condemned were Glorious and Fundamental Truthes, such as His affirming that He was the Son of God, and that He was a King, though His Kingdom was not of this World; and therefore was not inconsistent with Caesars Kingdom Luk. 22: 70, 71. Ioh. 18 36, 37.

8. Yea not only had He done no wrong, but He was come about the most necessary and useful Business of the World, to wit, to save sinners. He was come to bear witness to the truth, and to lay down His Life for His People; He was come to save them from Sin and Destruction, by bearing the Wrath and Curse of God, that was due to sinners, in their stead, as being their Cautioner, and substitute by the Father, in their Room and Place. He was Iesus, the Saviour of His People: The Horn of Salvation for us, in the House of David, that we should be saved from our Enemies, and from the hand of all, that hate us, as Zacharias p. 111sung Luk. 1: vers. 68, 69, 71, &c. And yet notwithstanding that this was his errand, this was the welcome He gote. He came unto His own, but they received Him not: He came to save them, from all their Enemies; and they dealt with Him, as with the Worst of Enemies; and were never at peace, until they had gotten Him crucified and buried.

9. Consider what a Death He was put to: It was not a simple Death, but a multiplied one: For being Crucified, He had (1) a Painful Tormenting Death, a long lingering and painful Death, yea five Deaths at once, every nail bringing Death with it. (2.) He had a shameful Death, while thus Crucified, as a chiefe Malefactor, and hung-up betwixt two Theeves. (3.) He had a cursed Death; for the Law said, cursed is every one, that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3: vers. 13. Deut. 21: 23.

10. Consider for whose sakes all this suffering of His was: It was for the unjust 1 Pet. 3: vers. 18. He bare our griefs, and carried our sorrowes; He was wounded for our Transgressions, the chastisement of our Peace was upon Him; The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all, for the transgression of his People was He smitten Esai. 53: vers. 4, 5, 6, 8. It was for Enemies that p. 112Christ, died for sinners, and for the ungodly Rom. 5: 6, 8, 10.

21. Consider likewise how patiently He endured all this, When He was reviled, He reviled not againe 1 Pet. 2: vers. 23. He was brought, as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a Sheep before the Shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth: Yea though He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth Esai. 53: 7. When He was accused of the chiefe Priest and Elders, he answered nothing Matth. 27: vers. 12. Yea, when Pilat said unto Him, hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? He answered him to never a word, in so much that the Governour marvelled greatly vers. 13. When one of the Officers stroke Him with the Palme of His Hand, He only answered thus; If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou Me? Ioh. 18: 22, 23. We have heard of the Patience of Iob, but withall also of much of his Impatience: But never was such Patience seen in any, as in Christ; never was there an Impatient Word heard out of His Mouth, even when the base Souldiers were reviling Him, spitting in His face, putting a Crown of Thornes on His Head, and a fools coat upon Him, p. 113and when scourging Him, buffetting Him? Hoodwinking Him, and Mocking Him. Yea when they were doing the worst they could devise against Him; He said, Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.

12. Consider how willingly and chearfully He did undergo all, When He knew, that the Priests Emissaries were coming with the Traitour to apprehend Him, He would not go out of the way; nor suffer His Disciples to rescue Him; yea He would not pray to His Father for Angels help: Thinkest thou (said he to Peter Matth. 26: 53.) that I cannot now pray to My Father, and he shall presently give me more, than Twelve Legions of Angels. Vers. 54. But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be. Nay all the Roman Souldiery could not have taken His Life, if He had not been willing Ioh. 10: vers. 17, 18. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my Life, that I might take it againe. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my self. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it againe: This Commandement have I received of my-Father. He had a Baptisme to be Baptized with, and how was He straitned, p. 114or pained, till it was accomplished? Luk. 12: v. 50. How offended was He at Peter, when he would have disswaded Him from suffering, saying to Him, Get thee behinde me, Satan Matth. 16: v. 23. When He knew, the time was approaching, it is said, He steadfastly set His face to go toward Ierusalem Luk. 9: 51.

As to the Second thing here to be spoken to, the Advantagious Improvment of these Particulars, We shall only mentione some Conclusions, which the right thoughts of these things, will helpe the Beleever to draw, in order to his possessing a life, in time of Afflictions and Persecutions: As

1. The Afflicted Beleever may say, I need not think it strange, that I am exercised with Afflictions, Temptations and Tribulations: It is no new or uncouth thing that is befallen me; the Captaine of my Salvation was thus, and worse handled; and who am I, that I should think to be exeemed from such a lot? Is it not enough, that the common Souldier be as his Captaine? Nay, will not the common Souldier be glade to share of the Captains lot of Hardship? And should not I rejoice, that I am honoured to weare my Captains p. 115Livery? His Life was a Life of lasting and growing trouble; and should not I be glade to follow Him, and drink of that Cup, whereof He drank? Affliction was no strange or uncouth thing to Him, and why should it be strange to me? Have I Him, even Him, set before me, for a Copie, and why should I not be most willing to write after this Copie?

2. Hence the Afflicted Beleever may Inferre, I have so little cause to Complaine of all that is befallen me, that, when I consider what Glorious Christ did meet with, I have great cause to Wonder, and Praise, that I am so gentlie dealt with: He hath been very tender towards me; when He might have made my lot much more sad: behold, how He hath pitied me, and considered my weakness. He hath not dealt with me, as He dealt with His own only begotten Son, Jesus Christ: His own dearly beloved Son was otherwayes exercised, than I have been: He had more sharpe Trials and Temptations, and sadder Exercises to rancountre with, beside the Wrath and fierie Indignation of God, that He had to wreastle with. How mercifully then hath God dealt with me, p. 116that He hath not made my Torments and Grief inward much more insupportable? O! When I read, how the Holy and Just One, the Innocent Lamb of God, was handled by sinners, through the Holy Permission and Providence of God, and lay my petty troubles in the Ballance with these, how am I made to wonder, that the | Lord hath not dealt otherwise with me a sinner; and to cry out, who am I that I should have been stroaked with such a gentle Hand? Who am I, that God should have put so much sugger in my Cup; when the Prince of Life, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, who was Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, and separate from Sinners, was otherwise handled? So that right thoughts, of this would make them ashamed to Quarrel with the most High; or to repine at his Dispensations with them. When they consider, how others are spared, and they so sharply exercised, their hearts are ready to say, why doth the Lord deal so with me? Why doth He single me out from others, & deal worse with me, than with them? But if they would presente before their eyes, what Christ, the Son of His Love, did meet with, they durst not suffer a quarrelling thought to lodge within their p. 117heart; but all their frettings, and repineings would be turned into wonderings and praises.

3. The Afflicted Beleever would hence draw this Conclusion. Seing Christ was put to suffer such and such evils before me, I may inferre, that the sting, venome and curse of these evils are taken away: Seing He hath passed thorow the straits of Affliction, He hath made the passage easier and wider for His followers: He hath sweatened the passage, and taken the sting away; so that now, it cannot hurt or harme so much, as otherwise it would. Christ hath gone thorow Sorrow, Shame, Paines, Wants, Temptations, Mockings, Spittings, Scourgings, Yea and Death it self; and thereby hath paved a Way for His Followers, and hath strawed it with flowres of fragant Love; His footsteps, all alongs the way, have dropped fatness. O how sweet hath He made an hard bed now? He became poor, that we might become rich, even while poor; and so might sanctifie Poverty to us. He became a man of Sorrowes, and acquanted with griefe, that He might sweeten that lot unto His Followers, and keep them from the evil of it, from the hurt and poison p. 118of it. May not this Consideration encourage His Followers, to embrace the Crosse with Love; Complacency, and Delight, when it is thus sweetened to them, and in a manner no Crosse? May not a Prison become an heartsome Palace unto His People, when they consider, how the Prince of Life, the Absolute Lord of all, the Chiefe or Standard-bearer amongst Ten Thousand, was taken from Prison Esai. 53: 8.? How welcome should an unjust Sentence from men be, when our blessed Lord was taken also from judgment, and was wickedly condemned for a Traitour? How sweet should the most shamful and painful Death be to us, that the wicked can devise, as the expression of their imbittered malice, and rage; when Noble Jesus was crucified; and so put the most shamful and cursed Death, that could be; seing hereby Death hath lost its sting, and the curse is taken away; for he was made a curse Gal. 3: vers. 13.

4. The Afflicted Beleever may hence Inferre, That seing Christ hath thus been exercised himself, He knoweth how to Pity and Sympathize with such, as are so handled. Was He Mocked, Vilified, p. 119Maligned, Despised, falsly Accused, Condemned for a Traitour to Caesar, Buffetted, Spit upon, Scourged, and Hanged as a thiefe; He knoweth what it is to be so exercised, and what such a condition calleth for, and what they in such a condition have need of: He knoweth what word of consolation will be fittest for them. And this is no small encouragment unto the Beleever, as was shown above Consid. 2.

5. The suffering Beleever may draw this Conclusion. Seing Christ was put to all these sharp and sad sufferings, I may well lay my hand on my mouth, I may put my mouth in the dust, & be silent, let the Lord lay one me what He will: and by this meanes, he may quiet all the insurrections of his spirit against the Lord, and put a check unto all the insolent thoughts, that arise in his mind against the Lord's procedour with him, upon whatsoever occasion: as

(1.) Doth this trouble and vex his spirit, that he is innocent, as to what is laid to his charge, and is persecuted without cause? And will he not be quieted, when he remembereth, how the Innocent lamb of God was handled; how He was mis-used and persecuted, who did never man hurt, who never did sinne, nor was guile found in His p. 120mouth 1 Pet. 2. vers. 22. They hated and persecuted Him without a cause Ioh. 15. vers. 25. as they did David, who was a typ of Him Psal. 35. vers 19. and 69. vers. 4. See also Psal. 35. vers. 7. and 109. vers. 3. and 119. vers. 78, 161.

(2.) Doth it vex him to think, that he hath to do with unreasonable men, worse than Heathens or Turks? And will not this stop his mouth, That they can be no more rude, absurd, cruel and unreasonable, than those with whom Christ had to do? What faire law or justice could Christ get? They could not get so much as false witnesses to agree in any thing to accuse Him of; yet they would persecute Him to the death. Pilat was convinced of his Innocency, and yet did deliver Him to be crucified. What men more irrational, than the brutish, ignorant rabble, set on by judicially-blinded and enraged Ring-leaders, the Priests and Rulers?

(3.) Doth it vex them to think, that their own familiar friends and acquaintances turn their back upon them, and refuse to comfort them? And had not Christ this to wrestle against, when all fled and forsook Him, and His own Disciple betrayed Him; Is it not said, that He came unto p. 121His own, and that His own received Hi… not? Ioh. 1: 11.

(4.) Doth it trouble them to think, that they are exercised with many troubles at once, and which is worst of all, when outward troubles are lying on, the Lord is hiding His face? And I pray, was not this also Christ's lot? was not He put to cry out, even while on the cross, and within a few minuts of expiring and of giving up the ghost, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And had He not a sadder inward exercise, while in the garden, where He was made to sweat drops of bloud, than any that can befall them? He had the weight of Law-wrath to bear, that was due to all the Elect ones; but the hidings, which Beleevers can meet with, are only fatherly with-drawings.

(5.) If the duration and continuance of the trouble and affliction come into their mindes, and vex them; let them think, that it cannot be worse with them, than it was with the Lord Christ, whose whole life was a life of suffering: we read of His weeping, but never of His laughing. How oft was He in hazard of His life, even from His Infancie? How was He maligned, slandered, called a Devil, a glutton and a winebiber, a profane Person? How oft were p. 122snares laid for Him? and how did Trouble follow Him to His grave?

6. The afflicted Beleever may hence Inferre, That it is his duty to study and to endeavour patience: for in this did Christ leave us an example, that we should follow His steps 1 Pet. 2. vers. 21. In this passage of Peter, we have some particulars, which were evidences, proofs or effects of Patience in Christ, in all which we should labour to follow our Example: as

(1.) As He was free of sin, before He began to suffer, & His Enemies could lay no sin to His charge; so, while He was under their hands, all the paine and trouble, they put Him to, caused Him not to sinne in thought, word, or deed: So should the Sufferer labour & strive against sin: It is true, we cannot be sinless, and our corruptions will work; yet it is our duty to wrestle against corruptions, and to set a watch upon the door of our lips, and to guaird our hearts; or rather to give heart and tongue and all unto Christ to keep; that we may be helped to suffer holily, to His glory.

(2.) When He was reviled, He reviled not againe; when He suffered, He threatned not. When they were doing the worst they could do against Him, He did not in the least requite them, or wish harme p. 123unto them; but on the contrary, as we heard Luk. 24. 34. He prayed the Father to forgive them. So in this should we endeavour to follow our copie, and thereby give proof of our Christian Patience; to bless when they curse us, and pray for them, when they dispitfully use us, and persecute us; and to do them good, that hate us: thus shall we evidence that we are the Children of our Father, who is in heaven Mat. 5: 44, 45.

(3.) He committed Himself to Him, that judgeth righteously: He referred Himself and His Cause unto the righteous Judg of quick and dead. So should we do, we should not fret our selves because of evil doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity; but commit our way unto the Lord, and trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to passe Psal, 37. vers. 1, 5. waite for His decision, who is the righteous Judge.

Further, the right Consideration of this Patience of Christ, in all His sufferings, would help us unto a more Christian and Patient way of bearing the crosse; for we would see ground to say,

(1.) Was Christ, who did no sin, put to all this suffering; and did He bear it all with p. 124wonderful patience; and should I take it ill, to be thus persecuted, seing, howbeit men have no just quarrel against me; yet God hath just cause to pursue me? Was sinless and holy Jesus patient, and should I be impatient, who am punished of God, less than mine iniquities deserve?

(2.) Was Christ so patient under such an heavie cross, with which mine is not to be compared, or named in one day; and should I be impatient, and thereby offend God more? It were better for me, to be following my copie, and keeping mine hands clean of sin, let the crosse be what it will.

(3.) Could not all the wrongs, that Christ met with at the hands of cruel and ungrate wretches, move Him once to give them one evil word, or to wish them the least evil imaginable; But did He rather pray for them? And is it fit for me to be wishing them evil in my heart? Should I not rather desire to imitate Christ, and to strive against mine own passion, and willingly forgive them all the wrongs, they do unto me?

(4.) Did Christ commit His cause to God, and waite for His decision? And should not I possesse my soul in patience, p. 125resting on God by faith, that He will judge all these wrongs and injuries, in due time? Is not God the judge? And doth not vengeance belong unto Him? And should I think to dethrone Him, and take his office and work upon me? Oh! It is better, that I follow Christ, & roll all over on God, and quiet my Soul in hope of a righteous Determination from God, the righteous judge of all the world.

7. The right consideration of Christ's sufferings upon such an account, as to men, I mean, His suffering because He affirmed Himself to be a King, would make the Beleever, called to suffer upon that same account, (to wit, for Asserting, Maintaining, Avowing, and by their actions and practice Declaring, that Christ is King, and only King and Head over His spiritual Kingdom and Church,) rejoice in that honour, that is put upon him, to be called to witness unto such a Truth, that Christ Himself was a Martyr for, in respect of Men. O! how should this fill the hearts of such with joy, & make them sing, in the midst of the flames, and rejoice in that they are counted worthy to suffer for so noble a cause, or for the least branch thereof.

8. From Christ suffering so willingly, p. 126so cheerfully, so resolutly for the unjust, for sinners, and for rebels, the Suffering beleever will draw this Conclusion: did Christ suffer such things, and that so cheerfully, heartily and willingly for my cause; and should not I be ready to suffer cheerfully, heartily and willingly for his Cause, Word, Truth, and Interest? So that this would hearten unto an hearty and couragious witnessing for the Lord, and for His Truth, and for the Word of His Patience, and shame the man from a discouraged, faint-hearted, dead and drouping manner of following Christ, and of bearing His cross; for he would see cause to say, did Christ suffer so much for unworthy, sinful, nothing Me, and that with so much Patience, Cheerfulness, Sted fastness and fixed Resolution; and should I be ashamed of Him, who is the God of glory, the Prince of the Kings of the earth, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, or of His Cause and Interest? Should I carry, when suffering upon His account, and upon the account of His Truth, His Word, His Testimony, His work and Interest, as if I were an evil door? Should I carry, as if I repented of owning Him, and His Interest? No, p. 127no, I should account it my glory, as it is indeed.