But how did he conduct himself under his trials ? [Not so much as one hasty word escaped him ; nor one angry feeling betrayed itself in him : " when he was reviled, he reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not; hut committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously." Truly " he was as a lamb led to the slaughter ; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth q."
In all this, he was an example to us : " He suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps." He submitted to all those indignities, on purpose that he might shew us how to act under similar trials : and God permits us to be brought, in some small degree, into similar circumstances, on purpose that we may" be conformed to his image r," and be " made perfect in the very same way" that he wass, and enter into glory by the very same path*. To this, then, must our minds be made up : we must be willing to endure sufferings for well-doing ; to submit to them, however great they be, with unruffled patience ; and to " commit ourselves to God in well- doing, as into the hands of a faithful Creator"."]
Let us learn then from hence,
1. How we are to regard the Lord Jesus Christ —
[Many who profess to believe, and even to preach, the Gospel, confine their views of Christ almost exclusively to him as dying for our sins, or as reigning in glory to carry on and perfect his work in our behalf. This, doubtless, is a most important view of him : it is the very foundation of all our hopes. Yet is it by no means a complete view : and they who confine themselves to it are greatly deceived : and, whether willingly or not, they grievously dishonour him. He must be regarded as an example : nor is he less glorious in that view, than in any other. Nay, if we omit to regard him in that light, we suffer an irreparable loss.
Would we know what treatment we must expect, if we will faithfully serve our God ? Look at him. Not all the wisdom of his lips, nor all the blamelessness of his deportment, nor all the wonders which he wrought, could avert from Him the hatred, the contempt, the cruelty, of an ungodly world. Who then are we, that we should hope to escape these things ?
Would we know how to conduct ourselves under sufferings inflicted on us for righteousness' sake? Look at him. Behold his meekness, his patience, his long-suffering, and forbearance ; yea, and hear him praying for his very murderers : and then say, whether this be not the spirit that becomes you.
'i Isai. liii. 7. r Rom. viii. 29. s Heb. ii. 10. and v. 8.
* 1 Pet. iv. 19. u Heb. xii. 1, 2. VOL. XX. P