Christ's patience under sufferings.
Heb. xii. 3. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye he ivearied and faint in your winds.
THINGS are good or evil in this life chiefly by comparison : the happiest of men is unhappy in com- parison of Adam in Paradise; and the most miserable of men is happy in comparison of those who are in hell. This reflection will be of great service to us in estimating our own state. It is not indeed expe- dient that we should compare ourselves with those
2335.] Christ's patience under sufferings. 455
who appear in a more prosperous condition than ourselves (unless for the purposes of humiliation and self-abasement), lest we should be led to envy them, and to repine at our own lot : but it will be highly advantageous to us frequently to view the wants and sufferings of others, in order to extirpate every mur- muring thought, and to stimulate our own souls to gratitude and thanksgiving. A sight of the Lord Jesus in particular cannot fail to produce in us the best effects ; since all that we are called to endure for his sake, is as nothing in comparison of what he patiently and willingly endured for us —
In the text we have this very direction given us, and for this express purpose. The Apostle, in what he wrote for the comfort of the afflicted Hebrews, reminds us,
I. That the soul is apt to faint under heavy trials —
The people of God are taught to expect trials from an ungodly world ; and to make their sufferings an occasion of joy and glorying. But,
Even the most eminent saints have fainted under their trials —
[In the Scriptures we have the weaknesses of God's people as faithfully recorded as their virtues. And there is scarcely a saint who has not on some occasions shewn himself weak as other men. Jacob, in despondency, cried, " All these things are against me^" Moses, by his intemperate and hasty ex- pressions, provoked God to exclude him from the earthly Canaan*^. Job cursed the day of his birth, and accused even God himself of cruelty and oppression". David said it was in vain to serve God ; and called all who had ever testified to the contrary, by the name of liars'^. Elijah, through the dread of Jezebel, begged of God to put an end to his life^ Jeremiah lamented that he had ever been born ; and complained that God himself was to him " as a liai', and as waters that faiH." All of these were very distinguished characters, and yet, in circumstances of peculiar trial, lost that composure of mind which it was their duty, and their privilege, to possess.]
a Gen. xlii. 36. b Numb. xx. 10—12.
*= Job iii, .3. and X. 3. and xvi. 12 — 14.
<J Ps. Ixxiii. 13, 14. and Ixxvii. 4, 7 — 9. and cxvi. 10, 11.
e 1 Kings xix. 4. f Jer. xv. 10, 18.