Of such St. Peter speaks; contrasting their sufferings with those which are endured for the name of Christ ; and affirming, that their troubles are a ground of shame rather than of gloryingk. It would be well if those who make religion a pretext for neglecting their relative duties, would consider this ; for, what- ever they may imagine, their cross is not the cross of Christ, but their own ; nor will it ever bring either honour to God, or benefit to themselves. Moreover, if a cross be really coming upon us for the name of Christ, we may without any impro- priety endeavour to avoid it. We must not indeed sacrifice a good conscience, even for the avoiding of death itself. Daniel would not so much as shut his window when he prayed, because it would have been a denial of his God1: but our Lord told his Disciples, that " if men persecuted them in one city, they should flee to another :" and Paul on many occasions fled from his enemies, and made considerable sacrifices to abate their prejudice"1. Thus also should we act: we should be careful never unnecessarily to bring a cross upon ourselves; we should even use any prudent means to avoid the cross of Christ : but when we have no alternative but to bear it, or to make ship- wreck of a good conscience, then we must " take it up," and " glory in it."]
2. Suggest some considerations for a suitable im- provement of it —
[First: If all men conspire to hate and persecute the Disciples of Christ, let the Disciples at least take care to love one another, and to strengthen each other s hands by a firm and indissoluble union amongst themselves. The ungodly will triumph not a little, if they can see Christians quarrelling among themselves, and hating and reviling each other
Next ; Let us duly reflect whose cross it is that we are called to bear. Did we but consider what the Lord Jesus Christ has done and suffered for us, we should account no cross heavy, nor any affliction long
Lastly; Let us look fortvard to the eternal world : there, all our trials will be compensated ; and " our light and momentary afflictions be recompensed with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory " ]
* 1 Pet. iv. 14—16. ! Dan. vi. 10.
m Acts ix. 25. and xxi. 21 — 26. and xxiii. 6.