Use 2. In the second place, this will teach us that we are not to fear any- thlnrf that xve shall suffer, because there are more with us than against us. Joseph in the dungeon, Israel in Egypt, Daniel among the lions, the three children in the fire, Paul in prison, feared not danger ; for what cared they so long as they knew God was with them ; and therefore they rejoiced. If we have Christ we have all, if we want Christ we want all.
Use 3. Thirdly, This may serve to daunt Christ's enemies. They cannot hurt the least of his little ones but they hurt him. ' Saul, why persecutest thou me ? '
Use 4. Fourthly, This should teach us to take part uith God's children. What though they suffer aflliction. Moses chose the better part, that did choose to be with the afflicted people of God before the court of Pharaoh. Wicked men may bite and kick, but they can do no hurt, lingua vialorutn est lima honoruin.
Beinrj made conformahle to his death.
This conformity here meant is not in regard of the end, that as Christ died for sin so should we, but in the manner of suffering. As he did suffer and die, so must we suffer and desire death. Secondly, As he died patiently and meekly, so must we sufier patiently and meekly. Thirdly, As he had, so must we have, sweet comforts to sustain and support us ; and fourthly. As he had, so must we endeavour to obtain the same issue of our affliction ; that is, eternal glory. Briefly, We are to be conformable to Christ in grace, in suffering, and in glory. All these are inevitably linked together, and our head having led us an example, we are to follow. Every Christian must therefore die to sin, as Christ died for sin.
But how shall we know whether we die to sin or not ?
A dead man does no harm, hath no power ; contrarily, are we strong to commit sin, and do we earnestly intend* it ? Surely we are not mortified. Secondly, Dead men's senses are not delighted with fair and sinful objects. If we be dead with Christ, let the sinful objects be never so delightful, they will not move us or affect us one whit ; nay, they will be distasteful to us. Most are of a contrary mind. Offer them good discourse and occasions, they cannot away with them ; offer any fleshly pleasure : like tinder, they are soon set on fire. Such as these, as they have no heart to suffer for * That is, = follow after it, ' stretch toward it.'— G.
VOL. V. G
08 EXPOSITION OP
righteousncsg, so if for vain glory they wonlcl, neither would God honour them so much as to suffer them. For grounds of this doctrine.
First, It is honourable to be like Christ our captain, our head, our husband.
Secondly, It is not proportionable for the head to be crowned with thorns, and tJie members to be clad delicately ; that the natural son, in whom there is no blemish, should suffer, and the adopted sons, who are the causes of all oflcnce, should go free. It is equity, that we having taken Christ for our husband, he should be accompanied by us in sickness and in health, in dishonour as in honour.
Thirdly, It is lour/ ar/o decreed of God, and predestinated, and therefore cannot be avoided. Eom. viii. 7, 9, ' Whom he did foreknow, them he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son.'
Fourthly, It is ecpial, that if he were conformed to us, we should bo conformable to him. Now he was conformed to us, in that he suffered that which we should have suffered, and did that for us which we were to do and could not. He having drunk deep of the cup prepared for us, let us therefore, at the least, taste of it. Yea, let us suffer anything with an undaunted courage when we are called thereto for Christ. He will come with comforts, he is not empty, he will make us like him, he will prepare us hereby for glory. Fear not, therefore. God will turn all thy troubles to thy good. And thus we do fill up the measures of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh. Col. i. 24. And are made partakers of Christ's suffer- ings, 1 Peter, iv. 13. We have the like exhortations hereunto, 1 Peter ii. 21 ; 1 Peter iii. 14-18. Thus did Paul, 2 Cor. iv. 10, he carried the dying of Christ about with him. Let no Christian therefore promise to himself immunity from crosses. He that will be a Christian must be con- formable to Christ, and he that will be like to him in glory, he must be like to him in drinking the cup he drank of while he was here in the flesh.
VEESE 11.
' If by any means I miijht attain to the resurrection of the dead.
By * resarrection of the dead,' he means the glorious estate after this life, whereas* the resurrection is but the beginning; and the words sound as much in effect as if the apostle had said, I know I shall be happy at length, but between this time and that, I know I shall meet with troubles, with many crosses ; yet let the way be never so difficult, I passf not by any means to come to such an excellent end as the resui'rection of the dead is ; in ^ which words we will,