Book III. of J E S U S C H R I S T. 167

Chap. XX. Chrifi our Pattern of Patience in Affli^ion.
Chrifi.'] TV /T^ ^^"^ remember I came down from LVjL Heaven for thy Salvation ; I bore the Punifhment due to thee, and alltheMiferiesto which Humsia Nature is expofed. I bore them not by Con- ftraint, but Choice, and urged by no Neceffity^ but that which Powerful Love impofed upon me. And One great End, for wh'ch I condefcended to do fo_, was to teach thee Patience by this Example^ and that my willing Sufferings might difpofe thee to fubmitto the neceffary Incumbrances of thy prefent Condition, without Reludance and Murmuring. Sorrov/ became familiar to me; My conftant Attendant from theMan- ger to the Crofs ; for every Hour produced fome frefh Inftance of it.My Circumftances were low, and I con- tented my felf with the want of even theNeceffaries of Life ; my Lnnocence was flandered, and daily Com- plaints and Reproaches were founding in my Ears ; Shame and Contempt I entertain'd without Return or angry Refentment ; my good Deeds were repaid with Malice and Ingratitude, my Miracles blafphemed^and my Dodrine traduced and vilely rnifreprefented.
Difcipie.] Yes, Lord, I read the Story of thy invin- cible Meekneefs, with wonder and aitonifhment ; and cannot but infer from thence, that, fince thou were pleafed to give fuch amazing Proofs of an entire Obe- dience to thy Heavenly Father's Will • I, who am a vvretched Sinner, and not only fubjed to theie Mife- ries by the Condition of my Nature,but one,who have deferved them as Chaftifements for my Tranfgrefii- ons, am much more obliged, withamoft perfect Sub- miffion, to receive whatever thy Providence thinks fit to infflid J and muft by no means grumble at the
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weighty or the Continuance of any Burthen thoufhalt lay upon me in theprefent World. If anything here feem heavy^ yet ic is rendred much eafier and more fupportable^by the Affiftance of thyGrace^by the Con- templation of thy Example, and by the many Patterns of Conftancy and Virtue, which thy now glorious Saints, but once afflidled Servants, who travelled the fame rugged Journey of Life,have in all Ages fet for my Imitation and Encouragement. I plainly fee un- der this Gofpel- (late, a mighty Support, which even thy own peculiar People wanted under the Old' Law. For then the way to Heaven was dark, and the Pro- fped at their Journey's end lefs glorious and inviting. Few then applied themfelves with Zeal to feek a Fu- ture and Spiritual Kingdom ; nor could they do fo with equal Encouragement, till thy Meritorious Death had open d an Entrance into the High and Holy Place. But, how contentedly, how thankfully,ought I to tread in thy blefled Steps, fuftained by the AlTurance of E- ternal Rewardb, and direded in the Right way by John xiv. ^he Light of thy DocStrine ^ For thou an the Wayy the Truth and the Life j Thy Af- fiidions have taught Me and all Believers, that Tribu- lation is the Paffage to thy Heavenly Kingdom ; and that the proper Method of attaining thy Crown^, is being made a Partaker of thy Crofs. Hadlt thou not gone before us, who would have the Heart to follow ?• who could perfevere in a Courfe of Sufferings } Nay, though thou haft thus fhewed us the Way, yet how loth, how backward are we to follow Hill ? And, if neither thy Miracles, nor thy Precepts, thy wondrous Humiliation, nor thy glorious Exaltation , can warm us into greater Zeal and Refolucion, than by lamenta- ble Experience vv/e daily fee and feel they do ^ How wretchedly flothful, alas I how cold, and motionlefs' ihould we have flood, had not thy Grace and marve- lous Coadefcenfion vouchfafed to grant us the Advan-