1. In case thy greatest woe is brought about to thee by the men of thine own family and cherishing, remember Christ was so used, and so was St Paul. Among the other dangers that he reckoned up, he saith, ' In perils among false brethren.' And divers of the martyrs in church history have been betrayed into the hands of their enemies by their friends and allies. It is much, I confess, to meet with evil usage from whom we least looked for it. And yet you see this hath been the lot of Christ and the people of God before you.
2. Is the case so, that you are in misery and forsaken of friends ? It is a very miserable case, that you find respect no longer than you are able to purchase it. Why, Christ was left by his own disciples ; and it is the lot of many a faithful servant of God, and will be till you can weed self-love out of men's hearts. Usually they aim at their own good in dispensing of their respects ; and when they cannot serve them- selves of us, they will leave us : Pro v. xiv. 20, ' The poor is hated by his neighbour, but the rich hath many friends.'
3. Is it so that thou art an object of the common hatred, like Ish- mael, thy hand against every man, and every man's hand against thine ? Christ suffered it, and it is the lot of many a public-spirited servant of God. Lapidibus nos invadit inimicum vtdgus, saith Tertullian. The common people are ready to brain us with stones wheresoever we go. Kemember the Ephesian tumult, where the common people raged against Paul, so that he speaketh of them as if they had put off all humanity : 1 Cor. xv. 32, ' If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me ? ' Hinting at that story in Acts xix. And it is the lot of many of God's people now to be cruelly handled by rude hands ; and evil neighbours look upon the day of their brethren's adversity, and are as some of them that do it.
4. To be denied the benefit of law, the wall of our safety, the fence of our privileges and interests. The thing we suffer many times doth not grieve us so much as the injustice of it. Why, remember it was Christ's case ; he was condemned, though none could fasten the least guilt upon him. So it is many a Christian's case to be denied all right and equity : Eccles. v. 8, ' If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of justice and judgment in a province, marvel not at the matter ; for he that is higher than the highest re- gardeth, and there be higher than they.' The primitive martyrs were condemned before they were heard. Tertullian complaineth much that they would not hear the Christians plead for themselves. So it would make a man gnash his teeth for indignation to see what undue proceedings there were against the martyrs that were convened before
276 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 5.
the bishops here in Enf^land ; the case was determined before heard. It was likewise so of lute, agreeable to what Tertullian spake of the heathen.
5. Art thou handled with a great deal of contempt, as in all the in- stances of Christ's sufierings, buffeted with the back of the hand ? So was Christ : Mat. v, 39, ' Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.' A transverse blow, such as might light upon the right cheek, expresseth great contempt. Christ would have yuu bear it. Again, be it spitting upon us, any expression of contempt, this is that which the nature of man stormeth at ; everyone counteth himself worthy of some respect. And yet Christ submitted to it. So Job, ' they even dare to sj)it upon m(.'.' See how the prophet speaketh in the person of Christ, Isa. 1. 6, ' I gave my back to the sniiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair : I hid not my face from shame and spitting.' Suppose thy case to be an oppro- brious punishment. John Frith was put in the stocks, mocked, and made a laughing-stock, marked as a common vagrant. So was Christ, so was Samson, and so it was with Israel: Jer. xlviii. 27, ' For was not Israel a derision unto thee ? Was he found among thieves ? ' They did hoot at them, as boys do in the street after a thief when he is taken. Again, is there some upbraiding pageantry used in con- tempt of thee ? Why, they gave Christ a reeden sceptre and a thorny crown. John Huss and Jerome of Prague had painted coats put upon them with devils round about them ; and many poor souls have been served in that manner. I remember a story of a king of England in his distress, whom they would trim upon a hill with cold water. Ay but, saitli he. Hot water will come, meaning his tears. Is thy case so, that thou art called to suffer a shameful death for Christ ? Christ suffered the shamefulest death that can be for thee. Hanging is no dishonour to a Christian. It is not the death, but the cause that maketh it shameful. Ludovicus Marsaius thought himself honoured by his rope. Cur non et mihi quoque torquem donas, et hujics ordinis equilem areas ? — Give me a rope likewise, saith he, and make me a knight of this noble order. St Paul saith, ' With this chain,' holding it up by way of trium[)h. A man would have thought that it had been a golden chain that he spake of, since he honoured it so much, when, alas ! it was iron. Cluist hath taken away all shame of punishment. And then they gave Christ vinegar instead of drink. This has beea the lot of many Christians upon tiie inquisition-rack. So to have your dying words misconstrued and misreported ; there have not been want- ing in all ages those that have turned the saints' Eloi into EUas. What reports have there been of Tremellius turning Jew, and of divers pro- testants turning papists 1 So after death ; for you may live in such cala- mitous times in wliich you may see a great deal of cruelty exercised, not only upon the bodies of the saints here, but even after death ; so it was with Christ, and so with his people. They were not safe when they had taken sancluary in the grave. So the papists did against the bones of Wicklid'e, Bucer, and others. Nay, if it were possible, they would reach to the damnation of the soul. As the papists said of John Ww^s, mandamus animam diaholo. And then, as Christ was crucified in the midst of two thieves, so it may be your case to be