" rejoice and leap for joy, because great will be our reward in heaven e." Besides, in these afflictions we are made "partakers of Christ's sufferings ; " and by means of them " the Spirit of glory and of God is made more visibly and more abundantly to rest upon us : " and though, " on the part of our enemies, God is evil spoken of and dishonoured, on our part he is glori- fied f :" and, to crown the whole, we are assured, that, " if we suffer thus with Christ, we shall also in due time be glorified together g." And are not these declarations abundantly suffi- cient to comfort us, under all that we can be called to suffer for Christ's sake ? No doubt they are : and, therefore, if we parti- cipate with David in his trials and his graces, we shall, both in this life and the next, be partakers also of his consolations.]
Learn, then, from this subject,
1. What expectations to form —
[You must not dream of honour from man ; but be con- tented with the honour that cometh of Godh -You
must expect to go through " honour and dishonour, through evil report as well as good report'."]
2. What conduct to pursue —
[Be not cast down when these trials come upon you ; but submit to them, as sent of God for your good ; and " rejoice that you are counted worthy to endure them for the Lord's sake k " ]
3. What recompence to look for —
[Be not anxious about the approbation of men, if only you may but approve yourselves to God. In a little time you will stand at his judgment-seat ; and then you shall receive a testimony from him, and " your righteousness shall appear as the noon-day." If " the Lord Jesus do but confess you before his Father and his holy angels," it will be no grief to you that you have suffered for confessing him1. A crown of righteousness and glory will be an ample recompence for all the hatred and contempt that an ungodly world could pour upon you.]
e Matt. v. 10—12. f 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14. s Rom. viii. 17.
h John v. 44. i 2 Cor. vi. 8. k Acts v. 41.
1 Matt. x. 32.