All earthly trust, all mortal years, however light they fly,

But darken on the glowing cheek, and dim the eagle eye;

But thee, our bright unwith'ring flower, our spirit's hoarded store,

We keep through every chance and change the same for evermore.

ANONYMOUS.

CHRIST'S EXAMPLE IN SUFFERING.

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.

THE main of a Christian's duty lies in these two things, patience in suffering, and avoidance of sin; and they have a natural influence upon each other. Although affliction simply doth not, yet affliction sweetly and humbly carried, doth purify and disengage the heart from sin, wean it from the world and the common ways of it. And again, holy and exact walking keeps the soul in a sound, healthful temper, and so enables it to patient suf. fering, to bear things more easily; as a strong body endures fatigue, heat, cold, and hardship, with ease, a small part whereof would surcharge a sickly constitution. The consciousness of sin, and careless, unholy courses, do wonderfully weak. en a soul, and distemper it, so that it is not able to endure much; every little thing disturbs it. Therefore, the Apostle hath reason, both to insist so much on these two points in this Epistle, and like. wise to interweave the one so often with the other,

pressing jointly throughout, the cheerful bearing of all kinds of afflictions, and the careful forbear. ing of all kinds of sin; and out of the one discourse, he slides into the other; as here.

And as the things agree in their nature, so, in their great pattern and principle, Jesus Christ: and the Apostle still draws both thence; that of patience, ch. iii. 18, that of holiness, here: Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us, &c.

The chief study of a Christian, and the very thing that makes him to be a Christian, is, conformity with Christ. Summa religionis imiteri quem colis, This is the sum of religion, (said that wise heathen, Pythagoras,) to be like him whom thou worshippest. But this example being in it. self too sublime, is brought down to our view in Christ; the brightness of God is veiled, and veiled in our own flesh, that we may be able to look on it. The inaccessible light of the Deity is so attempered in the humanity of Christ, that we may read our lesson by it in Him, and may direct our walk by it. And that truly is our only way; there is nothing but wandering and perishing in all other ways, nothing but darkness and misery out of Him; but He that follows me says He, shall not walk in darkness. John viii. 12. And therefore is he set before us in the Gospel, in so clear and lively colours, that we may make this our whole endeavour, to be like Him.

ARCHBISHOP LEIGHTON.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

Hereunto were ye called. The particular things that Christians are here said to be called to, are suffering, as their lot, and patience, as their duty,

even under the most unjust and undeserved suf ferings.

And both these are as large as the sphere of this calling. Not only servants and others of a mean condition, who, lying low, are the more subject to rigours and injuries, but generally, all who are called to godliness, are likewise called to sufferings. 2 Tim. iii. 12. All that will follow Christ, must do it in his livery; they must take up their cross. This is a very harsh and unpleasing article of the Gospel to a carnal mind, but the Scriptures conceal it not. Men are not led blindfold into sufferings, and drawn into a hidden snare by the Gospel's invitations; they are told it very often, that they may not pretend a surprisal, nor have any just plea for starting back again. So our Saviour tells his disciples, why he was so express and plain with them in this, These things have I told you that ye be not offended, John xvi. 1; as if he had said, I have shown you the ruggedness of your way, that you may not stumble at it, taking it to be a smooth plain one. But then, where this is spoken of, it is usually allayed with the mention of those comforts that accompany these sufferings, or of that glry which follows them. The doctrine of the Aposties, which was so verified in their own persons, was this, That we must through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God, Acts xiv. 22. An unpleasant way, indeed, if you look no farther, but a kingdom at the end of it, and that the kingdom of God, will transfuse pleasure into the most painful step in it all. It seems a sad condition that falls to the share of godly men in this world, to be eminent in sorrows and troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, Psalm xxxiv. 19: but that which follows, weighs them abundantly down

in consolation, that the Lord himself is engaged in their afflictions, both for their deliverance out of them in due time, and, in the mean time, for their support and preservation under them: The Lord delivers them out of them all, and till He does that, He keepeth all their bones. This was literally verified in the natural body of Christ, as St. John observes, John xix. 36; and it holds spiritually true in his mystical body. The Lord supports the spirits of believers in their troubles, with such solid consolations as are the pillars and strength of their souls, as the bones of the body, which the Hebrew word for them imports. So, He keepeth all his bones; and the desperate condition of wicked men is opposed to this, verse 21, to illustrate it, Evil shall slay the wicked.

Thus, John xvi. 33, they are forewarned in the close, what to expect at the world's hands, as they were divers times before in that same sermon ; but it is a sweet testament, take it altogether: Ye shall have tribulation in the world, but peace in Me. And seeing He hath jointly bequeathed these two to his followers, were it not great folly to renounce such a bargain, and to let go that peace for fear of this trouble? The trouble is but in the world, but the peace is in Him, who weighs down thousands of worlds.

So then, they do exceedingly mistake and misreckon, who would reconcile Christ and the world, who would have the Church of Christ, or at least, themselves for their own shares, enjoy both kinds of peace together; would willingly have peace in Christ, but are very loath to part with the world's peace. They would be Christians, but they are very ill satisfied when they hear of any thing but ease and prosperity in that estate, and willingly

forget the tenor of the Gospel in this; and so, when times of trouble and sufferings come, their minds are as new and uncouth to it, as if they had not been told of it before hand. They like better St. Peter's carnal advice to Christ, to avoid suffering, Matt. xvi. 22, than his Apostolic doctrine to Christians, teaching them, that as Christ suffered, so they likewise are called to suffering. Men are ready to think as Peter did, that Christ should favour himself more in his own body, his Church, than to expose it in so much suffering; and most would be of Rome's mind in this, at least in affection, that the badge of the Church should be pomp and prosperity, and not the cross; the true cross and afflictions are too heavy and painful.

But God's thoughts are not as ours; those whom he calls to a kingdom, He calls to sufferings as the way to it. He will have the heirs of heaven know, that they are not at home on earth, and that this is not their rest. He will not have them, with the abused world, fancy a happiness here, and as St. Augustine says, Beatam vitam quærere in regione mortis-seek a happy life in the region of death. The reproaches and wrongs that encounter them shall elevate their minds often to that land of peace and rest, where righteousness dwells. 2 Pet. iii. 13. The hard taskmaster shall make them weary of Egypt, which otherwise, possibly, they would comply too well with; shall dispose them for deliverance, and make it welcome, which, it may be, they might but coldly desire, if they were better used.

He knows what He does, who secretly serves His own good purposes by men's evil ones, and, by the ploughers that make long furrows on the back of His Church, (Psal. cxxix. 3,) makes it a fruitful