APPENDIX.. 213 will not refuse everlasting near familiarity with the glorified. If the church be his dearly-beloved spouse, and, as it were, one with him, as his body, surely he will be no stranger to the least and lowest member of it. 11. But what wasit that they talked about? Luke (ix. 31.) saith, " They appeared in .glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." This was not to make it known to Christ, who came into the world to die for sin; what, then, was it for? Did Christ tell them of it,:as not knowing it be- fore ? That is not likely, neither. Did he need their comfort, as angels in his trials ministered to him, and strengthened him ? The particular uses of this speech we know not ; but in general, weknow it was somewhat preparatory to his great sufferings and death. And must Christ's sufferings and death have such preparation? And must not mine have such premeditation? And do I not need the consolatory messages of God? Carnal men would rather have chosen pleasanter discourse, than the talk of suffer- ings and death. But that which must be undergone, and requir- eth greatest strength, must be forethought of, and requireth the most preparing thoughts. It is worse than madness to be sur- prised with sufferings and death, before it is seriously.forethought of. So sharp a trial, and so great a change, require the greatest preparation. He that can refuse to suffer and die, may refuse to talk or think of it. If Christ must have men from heaven to talk with him of his cross, what cause have we to study the cross! even all our lives to foresee it, and, by obedient consent, to submit unto-it, and take it up to follow. Christ, and even to determine, with Paul, to knownothing in the world but Christ and him cruci- fied ; that is, to take this for the only needful and excellent learn- ing. But, alas ! how senselessly is death and suffering talked of, till it comes ! Who are to learn how to suffer when suffering is upon us; 'and to learn how to die when nature, or the. physician, passes the sentence of death on us at hand. And it is God's mercy to some of us to make our sufferings long, that we may have a competent time of learning. As we learn to write by writing, and to discourseby discoursing, and every an and trade by practice, even so by suffering we learn to suffer; and the lesson is very hard. Malefactorssuffer without learning, whether they will or not; but to suffer obediently, with childlike affections, is the lesson to be learned. O ! little, too little, do many honest Chris- tians think how much of their excellent obedience consisteth in childlike, holy suffering; therefore they little expect it, and pro- vide for it; and then they. are overwhelmed with the unexpected surprisal when it comes. Even in the suffering which men bring on the faithful, for righteousness' sake, how many shrink, and shift
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=