Such then being God's testimony, I proceed to set before you,
II. Some instructions arising out of it —
There are in our text several instructive hints, which ought not to be overlooked —
1. We should so love the Lord Jesus Christ, as to be willing to suffer for him —
[Love, even amongst men, is of little value, if it will make no sacrifices for the object beloved. But the Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of all the love that can ever be exercised towards him. Consider only what love he has manifested towards us : how he left the bosom of his Father for us, and emptied him- self of all his glory, in order to assume our nature, and to expiate by his own blood the sins of the whole world : is it a mere cold esteem that is a proper return for such love ? When the terms on which alone he could save the world were proposed to him, he said, " Lo ! I come, I delight to do thy will, O God." When he then proposes that we, in testimony of our
b Matt. v. 10 — 12. c Rom. v. 3. 1 Pet. iv. 12—14.
d Phil. ii. 17, 18.
love to him, should " take up our cross and follow him," shad we draw bark, and complain that his yoke is too heavy for us? Of what value will he account such love as that? Go, he will say, and " offer it to your earthly friend," and see whether he will value ite: how much less then is it suited to express your obligations to me, who have redeemed you to God with my own blood !
It is worthy of observation, that the same person who in the first clause of the text is spoken of as " enduring temptation," in the last clause is characterized as " loving God:" for, in fact, none will suffer for him who do not love him ; nor can any love him without being willing to suffer for him. If therefore we profess love to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ whilst yet we are afraid of bearing the contempt and hatred of an un- godly world for his sake, we only deceive our own souls: for he has plainly told us, that he will consider none as his dis- ciples, who will not take up their cross daily and follow him. He has told us, that, if we are ashamed of him and deny him, he will be ashamed of us and deny us : and that those only who are willing to lay down their lives for his sake, shall ever save them unto life eternal.
1 pray you, brethren, try your love to the Saviour by this touchstone: and never imagine that it is sincere, unless it will stand this test ]
2. We should so apprehend God's promises, as utterly to despise men's threats —
[" Exceeding great and precious are the promises which God has given unto them that love him :" nor is it possible for us to be in any situation, wherein he has not made ample pro- vision for our support and consolation. Now these promises arc all sure and certain : " they are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus:" nor can so much as one jot or tittle of them ever fail. But look at the threatenings of man ; how empty and vain are they ! The whole universe combined cannot effect the smallest thing without God's special permission: and, if permitted to execute their purposes, how impotent is their rage, when God is pleased to interpose in behalf of his people ! Fire could not hurt the Hebrew Youths, nor lions injure the defenceless Daniel, nor chains and dungeons confine Peter on the eve of his in- tended execution. Men, the most potent monarchs not excepted, are no more than an axe or saw in the hand of God, who uses it, or not, according to his own sovereign will, and for the promotion only of his own glory. " Who then art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of a son of man that shall be as grass ; and forgettest the Lord thy