IT It .IO. Epifkto the FIEB a Ws. complain that they were furprized, or that any thing did befall them in the courfe of their profeffron which they looked not for. Men may deceive themfelves with vain hopes and expefdations, but the Gain!deceiveth none ; it tells them plainly before-hand, Thatthrough many tribulations theymuff enter into the KingdomofGod ; and that they who will livegody in Chrift Jefua j aUfullrperfecution. Ifthey like not of there terms, they may let the wayof Chrift alone ; ifthey will not do fo, why do they yet complain ? Chrift will be taken with his Croß, or not at all. And the folly of our hearts cannever be enough bewailed, in thinking ftrange of trials and afliaiono; when the very firft thing that the Lord Chrift requirethofthemthat will be made partakers of him, is, that they denythemfelver, and take up their croft But we would be children, and not be chaffifed; we wouldbegold, and not be tried; we would overcome, and yet not be put tofight and contend ; we would be Chriiflianr,and notfiner ; But all thefe things are contrary to the Eternal Law ofour Profeffion. And fo neceffary is thisway made, that though Goddeal with his people in great variety, exercífing forcewith Inch trials and troubles, that other fometimes in companion of them item utterly togo free, yet every one, one way or other, (hall have his atare and meafure. And thofe excepti- ons that are made in theProvidence of God, as to force individual perlons at Come feáfons, derogate nothing from thegeneralnecej(y ofthe waytowards all that do believe. Secondly, It bathmadeallfieferingr for the Gofßel honourable. The fufferings ofChrift him ifwere indeed fbameful, and that not only inthe efieem of men, but alfo in the natureofthem, and by Gods confutation. They were part ofthe turf, As it is written, Curled is he that hangs upona tree. And asfuckour Lord Jefus Chrift looked on them, when hewreftled with and conquered the ¡home as well as thefharpneff. But he bath rendredall the fufferings ofhis that remain very honourable in themfelves, what ever they are in the reputation of blind perithingworld. That which is truly fhamefel in fettering, isan effèót of thecurie for fin. This Chrift by hisfuffering hathutterly fe- parajed fromthe fufferings of his Difciples. Hence the Apoilles rej yced that they bad thezhonour toPifer 'homefor hisName, Aar 5.41. that is, the things which the world looked onas ¡baneful, but themfelvesknew to be honourable. They are fo in the light ofGod, of the Lord Jefus Chrift, ofall the holy Angels, whichare competentjudges in thiscafe. God hath a great caufe in the world, and that filch a one as wherein his Name, his Goodnefs, his Lové, his Glory is concerned ; this in his infiniteWifdom is to be witnellèd, confirmed, teftifiedunto by fufferings. Nowcan there be anygreater Honour done unto any of the Cons ofmen, than that God fhould fingle them out fromamong the ref ofmankind, and appoint them unto this work ? Menare honoured according to their riches and treafures. And when Motes came to make a right judg- ment concerning this thing, he efteemed the reproach ofChriff greaterriches than all the treafures ofEgypt, Heb. r t. 29. We believe that God gave great honour unto the Apoflles andMartyrs of old in all their fufferings. Let us labour for thefame fpirit offaith in reference unto our felves, and it will relieve us under all our trials. This then alto hathChrift addedunto thewayeffterings by his confecrationofit for us. All the glory and honour ofthe world is not to be compared with theirs, unto whom it is given in the behalf of Chrift not only to believe en him, but allo to fuller for bim, t Pet. 4. 14, 15, 16. Thirdly, He bath thereby made them ufful and profitable. Troubles and affliEtions in themfelves and their own nature have no good in them, nor do they tend unto any good end : they growout ofthe ftrff fentence againft fin, and are in their own nature ?analtendingunto death, and nothing elfe. Nor are they in thofe who have no in- tereft in Chrift, any thing but ofas of the wrath ofGod. But the Lord Chrift by his 'contemningof them, tobe the way ofour following him, bath quite altered their na- ture and tendency ; he hath made themgood, ufeful and profitable. I (hall not here fhew the ufefulnefi ofAlietions and futerings, the whole Scripture abundantly te- flifieth -untoit, and the experience of Believers in all ages and feafons confirms it. I only thewwhence it it that they becomefo, and that is, becaufe the Lord Chrift hath confecrated,dedicatedand fan6tifiedthem unto thatend. He hath thereby cut them off from theirold flock ofwrath and the curie, and planted them on that of Love and Good-wiU. He hathtaken them off from the Covenant ofworks, and tranflated them into that ofGrace. He bathturned their courfefrom death, towards life and immor- tality; mixing-his Grace Love and Wifdom with theft bitter waters, he bath made thettrfweerand wholefome. And if we would have benefit by them, we mull always have regard unto-this 044-ration ofthem. Fourthly, 219
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