Now, where this is, this cannot be brooked by any means, and it goes under as great disgrace, as heresies did in former times. So that it is matter of reproach to have so much religion as is necessarily required of a man before he can be saved. That which the world disgraces is necessary to every man before he can be saved, that is, a strict giving up of himself to God, and a watching over his ways as much as human frailty will per- mit, a conscionable t endeavour in all things to please God, out of con- science and thankfulness to God. We must not think to come to heaven without that. It will not be. ' Without holiness none shall see God.' This despised holiness, this maligned holiness, is that which is necessary to bring us to heaven, and so much as is necessary to bring us to heaven is disgraced everywhere.
Those that resolve to be Christians in good earnest, and would have com- fort on their deathbed and in the times of persecution, they must endure to be set light by, to bear the reproach of Christ. They must resolve on this beforehand, that when these things come to pass, we be not offended.
Use. Well, then, to make a little use of this. Since there must be troubles and crosses, and they must increase if we will be Christians, let this teach us to judge aright of those that are ill thought on in the world oft- times, when we see nothing but good in their carriage. Oh, what imputa- tions are laid on them ! You may see what an indiscreet man he was, you may see that he lacked vdsdom and policy, else he might have kept him- self out of this trouble. I would ask such a pai-ty, Had not Christ as much wisdom as thee ? He was the * wisdom of the Father.' Did he keep out of reproaches ? Was he not reproached as a troublesome man, as an enemy to Caesar, and taxed for base things, as a ' winebibber,' &c.. Mat. xi. 19, and one that ' had a devil,' Mat. xi. 18, and many other ways ? Was not St Paul as discreet as we are, who in our understanding and conceit are ready to conceive distastefully of men that suffer anything for the gospel ? And yet, notwithstanding, all his wisdom kept him not from the cross, ' but the cross abides me,' saith he, ' everywhere,' 2 Cor. i. 5. The devil and the cross follow God's children wheresoever they go. All their wisdom and holiness cannot keep them from it, because God hath de- creed it and called them to it, and they must be conformable to Christ.
Therefore, let us take heed that we do not sulfer men to suffer in our
conceits, when they suffer in a good cause, the cross of Christ, reproachful
things, base death, &c. Afflictions are therefore called the cross, because
there is a kind of baseness with them, and as it is so, so carnal men esteem it.
* That is, the Gnostics.— G. t Tliat is, ' conscientious.'— G.
VOL. III. F
82 COMMENTARY ON
Presently witli the suffering there goes a taint, and an abasing in their con- ceit, of those men that sutler in a good cause. There is a diminishing conceit goes in camal men of that which should be their glory. ' Our crosses abound,' 2 Cor. i. 5. But what ought wc to judge of these crosses?
Doct. They are the siifferin/fs of Christ.
Quest. "VVhy ? Christ suffers nothing ; he is in heaven, in glory. How can ho suffer ? This is to disparage his glorious estate, to make him suffer anything.
Aus. I answer, the sufferings of Christ, they are twofold. The suffer- ings of Christ's person, that which he sutlered himself, which were propi- tiatory and satisfactory* for our redemption ; and the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body, which likewise is called Christ. For Christ in Scrip- ture is taken either for Christ himself, or for the members of Christ. ' Why persecutest thou me?' saith he to Saul, Acts ix. 4 ; or for the whole body mystical with the head, 1 Cor. xii. 27. ' So is Christ.' Christ, Head and members, is called Christ. Now, when he calls the sufferings of the church the sufferings of Christ, he means not the sufferings of Christ in his own per- son ; for he suffers nothing ; he is out of all the malice of persecutors ; they cannot reach to heaven to Christ ; but he means the sufferings of Christ in his mystical body. These are called ' the sufferings of Christ.'
Quest. Why are these called the sufferings of Christ ?
A71S. (1.) Partly, because they are the sufferings of mystical Christ, the body of Christ, the church. For the church, the company of true believers, are the fulness of Christ, they make up the mystical body of Chi'ist. There- fore when they suffer, he that is the head suffers.
(2.) Again, they are called the sufferings of Christ, those that his mem- bers and children suffer, because they are for Christ, they are in his quarrel, they are for his truth, for his cause, and by his appointment he calls us to suffering. It is for his cause. In our intendment we intend to suffer for Christ, to maintain his cause. They are the sufferings of Christ likewise in the intent of the opposites and enemies. They persecute us for some goodness they see in us. They persecute the cause and truth of Christ in us. So they are the sufferings of Christ both ways.