Serm. XXIV. 175 SERMON XXIV. The Encouragement toSuffer for Chriff; and theDanger A s;;d,s of denying him. day. 2 TIM. 11. 1I, I2. It is a faithful laying; For if we be dead with him, we (hall alfa live with him: If we fuffer, we /hall alfa reign with him : If we deny him, he alfa will deny us. IN the beginning of this Chapter, St. Paul encourageth Timothy to continue ftedfaft in the Profeflìon of the Gofpel, notwithftanding the Sufferingswhich attended it Verfe t . Thou therefore my Son, beflrong in the grace which is in rhri/l and Verfe 3. Thou therefore endure hardíhip, as a good Souldier offetus Chr. And to animate him in his Refolution, he quotes aSay- ing, which it feems was well known and firmly believed among Chriftians ; a Saying on the one hand full of Encouragement to thofe who with Patience and Conftancy fuffered for their Religion; and on the other hand, full of Terrour to thofe who for fear of Suffering denyed it. It is a faithful faying. This is a Preface ufed by this Apoftle, to introduce force remarkable Sentence , of more than ordinary weight and concernment; i Tint. i. 15. This is a faithful faying, andworthy of allacceptation, thatChrill Jeff:s came into the world to faveSinners ; and chap. 4. 8, 9. Godlinefs is profi- table untoall things, having a promife of the life that now is, and ofthat which is to come. This is a faithful faying, andworthy of all acceptation, Titus 3. 8. This is afaithful faying, andthefe things I will that thou affirm con/lantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. And here in the Text, the fame Preface is ufed to fignify the Importance of thefaying he was about to mention ; It is afaithfulfaying ; If we be dead with him, we (bail alfa live with him : If wefifJer, wefball alfa reign with him : Ifwe deny him, he will deny us. The Firit Two Sentences are Matter of Encouragement to thofe who Suffer with Chrift, and for him, and are the very fame in Senfe. If we be dead with him, that is, if we lay down our lives for the Teftimony of the Truth, as he did, we (hall alfa live with him, that is, we lhall in like manner be made Par- takers of Immortality, as he is : If we fuffer or endure as he did, we /hall alfa reign with him in Glory. The other Sentence is Matter of Terrour to thofe who deny him and his Truth. If we deny him, he alfa will deny us ; to which is fubjoyned another Saying much to the faine Senfe ; if we believe not, d áwi,-iwti, if we be un- faithfì:l ; yet he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny hinfelf; that is, he will be as good as his word, and make good that Solemn Threatning which he bath de- nounced againft thole, who fhall for fear of Suffering deny him, and his Truth, The Words being thus explained, I fhall begin with the Fir/l Part of this re- markable Saying; If we hedead with him, we /hall alfa live with him : If we fu/fcr, weBall alfa reign with him. This it feems, was a noted Saying among Chriftians ; and whether they had it by Tradition of our Saviour, or whether it was in familiar ufe among the Apoftles, as a very proper and powerful Argu- ment to keep Chriftians ftedfaft to their Religion, I cannot determine. It is cer- tain, that Sayings to this Senfe are very frequent, efpecially in the Epiflies of St. Paul,
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