Ver.36. the 8th Chapter to the R. O M A N S. 359. 2. By a fimilitude; roe are accounted as 'seep for theAughter: fome take the allufion from (beep appointed for Sacrifice; The wicked thought they did God good fervice id killing the godly, john 16. 2. And the godly themfelves yeilded up themfelves as a Sa- crifice to God, 2 Tim. 4. 6: 1 am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand; but this is forced ; nes'Ra1s opayits rather implyeth, (beep deftined to the fhambles. The Gmilitude importeth, partly, the contempt of the enemies ; they made no more reckoning of them than of lheep, Zech. r r. 4, 5. Feed the flock of the ffaughter, whole pofefors flay (hens, and hold themfelves not guilty. That is, they care no more for their death, than they do for the killing of a fheep. 2. it noteth their own imbecility; they had no power to refit, as Matth. ro. 16. Behold I fend you forth as /beep in the midfl of wolves; Cheep have no power or means to preferve themfelves. 3. Their meeknefs; they did no more refi(f, than Iheep, ifa. 53. 7. Ile was opprefd, and he was afflihíed, yet he opened not his mouth : he is brought as a lamb to the (laughter, and as a fheep before the /hearers is dxmb, fo he opened not his mouth. Doïirine. Such as refolve upon the profeffion of Chriftianity, mutt prepare to give their life for the maintenance of it, when God calls-them thereunto. This feemeth hard. But, t. Chrift requireth it of all, Luke r4..26. If any man come to me, and hate not his fa- ther, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and fillers, yea and bis own life; be cannot be my difciple. 'Tis too late for us to interpoCe for an abatement, when the terms are thus fixed by Chrift himfelf. So our Lord, when he openeth the DoCleine of felf denial, he lheweth it mutt extend to life, Matth. 16. 24, 25. He that f veth hiá life, (ball lofe it. There is nothing fo near to us as life; nothing which nature doch fo highly value, and tenderly look to, and fo unwillingly let go; many that can yeild in other points, cannot yeild in this ; but then they are not hncere with God : for you mutt not look upon it as a note of excellency, but the difpofition of thole who have the. lowel meafure of fàving grace; as appeareth by there claufes, If any man will come after me ; and, he cannot be my difciple. You will fay, What can the ftrong and eminent Chri(ìian do more than part with life? This is not the difference between the ftrong and the weak Chrilian, that one can part with a few things for Chriff, and the other can part with all; no, all mull part with all : not this, that one can part with his eafe, gtofit, and credit ; and the other can part with his life; no, both mull part with life. The difference is not in the things to be parted with, but in the degree of the af- fetaion; the ftrongeft Chri(tians can die with greater zeal, love, readinefs, joy, and fo bring more honour to God by their death, than weak Chrillians do, who offer up themfelves to God with greater reluûancy and unwillingnefs. 2. Such have been the tryals of Gods children in all ages; as the inftance is brought from the godly, who lived under the Law - difpenfation. Now if the Saints of old en- dured fuch hard things, and tribulation, even unto death; Then it followeth, t. 'rie no ffrange thing, r Pet. 4. 12. Beloved, think it not ffrange concerning the ftarÿ tryal, as if fome (!range thing had happened unto you. Our taking tue ordinary cafe of the godly for a Orange thing, is that which Both dilurb and diftemper us; none won - dreth at a bitter Winter coming after a fweet Summer, or a dark night iùcceeding à bright day, becaule 'ris an ordinary thing; fo here. 2. Then'tis no grievous thing, but Cuch as the people 'of God have endured, when they had not the advantages that we have; A double advantage we have above the Saints of the Old Teftament. T. They had not fuch a pattern of felfdenyal as we have, and that is the death of Chrift, which teacheth us to obey God at the deareft rates, Matth. ro. 24. The Difciple is not above his :Ylafler, nor the Servant above his Lord. Chrift is a pattern of fufferings and to look for exemptions from them, is to expet`,t to be better dealt with than he was 5 we tread upon no ffep of hard ground, but what Chrift bath gone there before us, and his fteps drop fatnefs; left a bleflìng behind him to Cweeten the way to us Sp H b. 12. 1, 2, 3. Look to yefus the author and frniflier If our faith, who for the joy that was fet before him, endured the Croft, defpifed the fhame, and isfate down at the right hand of the throne of God; For conftdtr him that endured fuck contradüfion of finnert' againfi him. felfi
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