The Life of Chri(i. 533 them ; not-fo bitter, heavies and wofull as Chrifts were. For the fufferings of Chrift, upon any other Creature, would lave crutlied him as low as Hell, and fwallowed him up for ever. In other refpects there is a conformity óf our fufferings to Cbrifls ; fo that He efteemeth them His. Our fu f ferings are : Firll, fuch as we draw upon our felves by our owne folly ; and even in thefe affli&rions which Chrift as the King over His people infiiaeth upon them, yet as their Head and fellow member Hee com. paflionateth and as it were fmarteth with them. For Chriil is fo full of tendcrneffe, and fo acquainted with forrowes, that wee may juflly conceive Him touched with the feeling of thofe paints, which yet He Hrmfelfe feeth needfull for them. Secondly, fuch as are by God impof ed for tryall and exercife ofthofe graces wch hicn- felfe gives ; and in thefe we have a twofold Communion and conformity to Chrift : Firft, By affociation ; Chrift : giveth us His Spirit to draw in the lame yoke with us, and to hold us under them by His ftrength. That Spirit of Holinefle by which Chrift overcame his fufferings, helped] our infirmities in ours, Secondly, in the manner of undergoing them, with a proportion of that meeknes and patience with Chrift (hewed in His fufferings. Thirdly, fuch as are caft upon us by the injuries of Satan and wicked men. And thefe alfobeare conformity unto Chrifts, as in the two former refpeets, fo thirdly in the caufe of them,for it is Chrift only whom in his members Satan and the world doe perfecute. All the enmitie that is betweene them is becaufe of the feed of the woman. It Chrift were now amongft us in the fafhion of a fervant and in a low condition as once he was, and fhould con- vince men of their wickednes as fearchingly as once bee did,He would doubtles be the moll hated man upon the Earth . Now that Hee is conceived of, as God in glory, `men deale with him as loab with Abner, they kiflè and Mm 3 flatter Heb,i ç, lames I. ;. i Peter 1.7. t Pet 4.54. I Tet,t.t I,t3 Ads g.4. I Pet.4.14,16 Blatth. S.1 I. John I ç.t 8,t9 GeneGs 3. 15. 2 Tim. 1.8. e
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