exemplary conduct, put to silence the ignorance of foolish men* : but our fortitude will be tried ; nor can we hope that God will make our enemies to be at peace with us, till our ways have long been pleasing in his sight, and our fidelity have been proved by many painful and victorious conflicts. It is worthy of observation, that St. Peter makes this very improve- ment of our Lord's sufferings : " Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind1.'" He goes further still ; and bids us " not think it strange if we should be tried with fiery trials, as though some strange thing hap- pened unto us ; but rather to rejoice, inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with ex- ceeding joy." Let us then take up our cross daily, and follow Christ. Let no fear of man deter us from a conscientious discharge of our duty. Let us " re- member him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest we be weary and faint in our minds." And if we have reason to expect, that, like him, we shall even be " cut off out of the land of the living" for our adherence to the truth, let us cheerfully " suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together."
There is yet one more improvement which, above
all, it behoves us to make of this subject It
powerfully speaks to all of us this salutary admonition,
3. Let that be a source of grief to you, which was an occasion of such misery to Christ —
Can we recollect that every transgression of ours inflicted a wound on the sacred body of our Lord, yea, and caused the deepest agony in his soul, and yet re- view our past lives with indifference ? Shall not rather the experience of every day fill us with shame and contrition ? And shall not sin appear so hateful in our eyes, that we shall henceforth turn away from it with indignation and abhorrence ? We are informed that David, when three of his worthies
k 1 Pet. ii. 15 > 1 Pet. iv. 1, 12, 13.