The sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be
revealed in us." Romans 8:18.
SUFFERING
for Christ. "Unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His
sake" (Phil. 1:29). All the parts and common gifts that
a man has will never enable him to drink deep of this cup for Christ; such is
the pride of man's heart, he had rather suffer any way than this; rather from
himself, and for himself, than from Christ, or for Christ. You would wonder to
see sometimes how much a child will endure at his play, and never cry for it:
this fall, and that knock, and no great matter is made of it by him, because
got in a way that is pleasing to him; but let his father whip him, though it
put him not to half the smart, yet he roars and takes on, that there is no
quieting of him.
Most men are more
tender of their skin than of their conscience, and had rather the gospel had
provided armour to defend their bodies from death and danger, than their souls
from sin and Satan. All the pieces are to defend the Christian from sin: none
to secure him from suffering. Here is the true reason why so few come at the
beat of Christ's drum to His standard, and so many of those few that have
enlisted themselves by an external profession under Him, within a while drop
away, and leave His colours; it is suffering work they are sick of.
Sufferings for the
gospel are no matter of shame. Paul doth not blush to tell, it is for the
gospel he is in bonds. The shame belonged to them that put on the chain, not to
him that wore it. "If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be
ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf" (1 Peter 4:16). The apostles rejoiced that
"they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41). Shall the wicked glory in their
shame, and thou be ashamed of thy glory?
Heaven is but little
worth if thou hast not a heart to despise a little shame, and bear a few taunts
from profane Ishmaels for thy hopes of it. Let them spit on thy face, Christ
will wipe it off; let them laugh, so thou winnest.
Fear not what you can
suffer, only be careful for what you suffer. Christ's cross is made of sweet
wood; there are comforts peculiar to those who suffer for righteousness. The
true cause of Paul's sufferings was his zeal for God and His truth; "For
which I am in bonds." That is, for the gospel which I profess and preach:
as that martyr, who being asked how he came to prison, showed his Bible, and
said, "This brought me hither." Persecutors may pretend what they
please, but it is the saint's religion and piety that their spite is at.
Blessing
through suffering. Persecution doth but
mow the church, which afterward comes up the thicker for it; it is unholiness
that ruins it. Persecutors do but plough God's field for Him, while He is
sowing it with the blood that they let out. Few are made better by prosperity,
whom afflictions make worse. He that will sin, though he goes in pain, will
much more if that be gone.
Prepared
for suffering. The proverb is, He that would learn to
pray let him go to sea; but I think it were better thus, He that would go to
sea (this I mean of suffering) let him learn to pray before he comes there.
Christian, suffering
may overtake thee suddenly; therefore be ready shod. Sometimes orders come to
soldiers for a sudden march; they must be gone as soon as the drum beats. And
so mayest thou be called out, before thou art aware, to suffer for God or from
God. Abraham had little time given him to deal with his heart, and persuade it
into a compliance with God, for offering his son Isaac; a great trial and short
warning: "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac" (Gen. 22:2). Not a year, a month, a week hence,
but now! This was in the night, and Abraham is gone early in the morning. How
couldst thou, in thy perfect strength and health, endure to hear the message of
death, if God should, before any lingering sickness has brought thee into some
acquaintance with death, say no more, but, Up and die, as once to Moses? Art
thou shod for such a journey? Couldst thou say, "Good is the word of the
Lord"?
"The children of
Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle"
(Ps. 78:9). Why? What is the matter? So well
armed, and yet so cowardly? This seems strange: read the preceding verse, and
you will cease wondering; they are called there, "a generation that set
not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God."
Be sure thou givest
up thy lust to the sword of the Spirit, before thy life is in danger from the
sword of the persecutor. Canst thou be willing to lay down thy life for Christ,
and yet keep an enemy in thy bosom out of the hand of justice, that seeks to
take away the life of Christ? Persecutors tempt as well as torture. It is
possible for one to die in the cause of Christ, and not be His martyr. Thy
heart must be holy which thou sufferest with, as well as the cause thou
sufferest for. He alone is Christ's martyr, that suffers for Christ. "If,
when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God; for even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps; . . . who, when He
was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not" (1 Peter 2:20-23). This is hard work indeed, in the
very fire to keep the spirits cool, and clear of wrath and revenge. But it
makes him that by grace can do it, a glorious conqueror. Flesh and blood would
bid a man call fire from heaven, rather than mercy to fall upon them that so
cruelly handle him. He that can forgive his enemy is too hard for him, and has
the better of him; because his enemy's blows do not bruise his flesh, but the
wounds that love gives, pierce the conscience.
Many that never could
be beaten from the truth by dint of argument, have been forced from it by fire
of persecution. It is not an orthodox judgment will enable a man to suffer for
the truth at the stake.
Fellowship
in sufferings. This would speak grace high in its
exercise when a person is himself swimming in the abundance of all enjoyments,
and can then lay aside his own joy to weep and mourn for and with any afflicted
saints. It is not usual for any but those of great grace to feel the cords of
the church's afflictions through a bed of down; it must be a David that can
prefer Jerusalem above his chief joy. On the other hand, when in the depths of
our own personal troubles, we can yet reserve a large space in our prayers for
other saints, bespeaks a great measure of grace. When in our distresses we can
entertain the tidings of any other saint's mercies with joy and thankfulness;
this requires great grace. The prosperity of others too often breeds envy in
them that want it; if, therefore, thou canst praise God for mercies granted to
others while the tears stand in thy eyes for thine own miseries, it is what
flesh and blood never learnt thee.
"Fear not them
which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him
which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). Children are afraid of bugbears,
that cannot hurt them; but they can play with fire that will burn them; and no
less childish is it to be frightened into a sin at the frown of a man, who has
no power to hurt us more than our own fear gives him; and to play with
hell-fire into which God is able to cast us for ever. What was John Huss the
worse for his fool's cap that his enemies put on his head, so long as under it
he had a helmet of hope, which they could not take off? Or how much the nearer
hell was the same blessed martyr for their committing his soul to the devil? No
nearer than some of their own are to heaven, for being sainted in the Pope's
Calendar.
Sustained
in suffering. None find such quick despatch at the
throne of grace as suffering saints. "In the day when I cried," says
David, "thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my
soul" (Ps. 138:3). Peter knocked at the gate, who were
assembled to seek God for him, almost as soon as their prayer knocked at
heaven's gate in his behalf. There is ever a door more than the Christian sees
in his prison, by which Christ can with a turn of His hand open a way for His
saint's escape. Man may, the devil to be sure will, leave all in the lurch that
do his work. But if God sets thee on He will bring thee off; never fear a
"look thee to that" from His lips, when thy faithfulness to Him has
brought thee into the briers: only be not troubled if thou art cast overboard,
like Jonah, before thou seest the provision which God makes for thy safety: it
is ever at hand, but sometimes out of sight, like Jonah's whale, sent of God to
ferry him ashore under water, and the prophet in his belly, before he knew
where he was. That which thou thinkest come to devour thee, may be the
messenger that God sends to bring thee safe to land.
The Egyptians thought
they had Israel in a trap, when they saw them by the seaside. When they are out
of danger, behold they are in a wilderness, where nothing is to be had for back
or belly, and yet here they shall live forty years, without trade or tillage,
without begging or robbing of any of the neighbour nations; they shall not be
beholden to them for a penny in their way. What cannot almighty power do to
provide for His people.
"The Lord is my
portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in Him" (Lam. 3:24). Hast thou not chosen Him for thy
portion? Dost thou not look for a heaven to enjoy Him in for ever? And can any
dungeon of outward affliction be so dark, that this hope will not enlighten? He
that has laid up a portion in heaven for thee, will lay out surely all the
expenses thou needest in thy way thither. Remember how often God has confuted
thy fears, and proved thy unbelief a false prophet. Hath He not knocked at thy
door with inward comfort and outward deliverance, when thou hadst put out the
candle of hope, given over looking for Him, and been ready to lay thyself down
on the bed of despair? Wert thou never at so sad a pass, the storm of thy fears
so great that the anchor of hope even came home, and left thee to feed with
misgiving and despairing thoughts, as if now thy everlasting night were come,
and no morning supply expected by thee? Yet even then thy God proved them all
liars, by an unlooked-for surprise of mercy, with which He stole sweetly in
upon thee.
Suffering
and glory. There are few who are greedy hunters
after the world's enjoyments, that do drive their worldly trade without running
in debt to their consciences. And I am sure he buys gold too dear, that pays
the peace of his conscience for the purchase. But heaven is had cheap, though
it be with the loss of all our carnal interests, even life itself.
"Ought not
Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" (Luke 24:26). And truly the saints' way to
salvation lies in the same road (Rom. 8:17): "If so be that we suffer with
Him, that we may be also glorified together," only with this advantage,
that His going before has beaten it plain, so that now it may be forded, which
but for Him had been utterly impassable to us.
O comfort one
another, Christians, with this! though your life be evil with troubles, yet it
is short; a few steps, and you are out of the rain. There is a great difference
between a saint, in regard of the evils he meets with, and the wicked; as two
travellers riding contrary ways, both taken in the rain and wet, but one rides
from the rain, and so is soon out of the shower; but the other rides into the
rainy corner, the further he goes the worse he is. The saint meets with trouble
as well as the wicked, but he is soon out of the shower; but as for the wicked,
the further he goes the worse: what he meets with here is but a few drops, the
great storm is the last.
When the Christian's
affairs are most disconsolate, he may soon meet with a happy change. The joy of
that blessed day comes "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye . . . we
shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:52). In one moment sick and sad, in the
next well and glad, never to know more what groans and tears mean. Now clad
with the rags of mortal flesh, made miserable with a thousand troubles that
attend it, in the twinkling of an eye arrayed with the robes of immortality,
enriched with a thousand times more glory than the sun itself wears in that
garment of light which now dazzleth our eyes. Who can wonder to see a saint
cheerful in his afflictions, that knows what good news he expects to hear from
heaven, and how soon he knows not? The saints' hope is laid up in heaven, and
yet it heals all the wounds which they receive on earth. If Christ sends his
disciples to sea, He means to be with them when they most need His company.
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee" (Isa. 43:2).
