08 "Blessed are those who are persecuted contd

[7] Get suffering graces; these three in particular:

Faith; Love; Patience. The first suffering grace is FAITH. ’In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one’ (Ephesians 6:16). The pretense of faith is one thing, the use of faith another. The hypocrite makes faith a cloak, the martyr makes it a shield. A shield is useful in time of danger; it defends the head; it guards the vitals. Such a shield is faith.

Faith is a furnace grace. ’Though it is tried with fire, it is found unto praise and honor’ (1 Peter 1:7). Faith, like Hercules’ club, beats down all oppositions. By faith we resist the devil (1 Peter 5:9). By faith we resist unto blood (Hebrews 11:34).

Faith is a victorious grace. The believer will make Christ’s crown flourish, though it is in his own ashes. An unbeliever is like Reuben: ’Unstable as water he shall not excel’ (Genesis 49:4). A believer is like Joseph, who, though the archers shot at him, ’his bow abode in strength.’ Cast a believer upon the waters of affliction—he can follow Christ upon the water, and not sink. Cast him into the fire, his zeal burns hotter than the flame. Cast him into prison, he is enlarged in spirit. Paul and Silas had their prison songs. ’You shall tread upon the lion and adder’ (Psalms 91:13). A Christian, armed with faith as a coat of armor, can tread upon those persecutions which are fierce as the lion, and sting as the adder! Get faith. But how does faith come to be such strong armor? I answer—in six ways.

(1) Faith unites the soul to Christ, and that blessed Head sends forth grace into the members. ’I can do all things through Christ, who give me strength.’ (Php 4:13). Faith is a grace which lives upon borrowed strength. As when we need water, we go to the well and fetch it; when we need gold, we go to the mine; so faith goes to Christ and fetches his strength into the soul, whereby it is enabled both to do and suffer. Hence it is that faith is such a wonderworking grace.

(2) Faith works in the heart, a contempt of the world. Faith gives a true map of the world, ’When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun!’ (Ecclesiastes 2:11). Faith shows the world in its night-dress, having all its jewels pulled off. Faith makes the world appear in its true state. Faith shows the soul better things than the world. It gives a sight of Christ and eternal glory. It gives a prospect of heaven. As the mariner in a dark night climbs up to the top of the mast and cries out, ’I see a star’, so faith climbs up above sense and reason into heaven and sees Christ, that bright and morning star; and the soul, having once viewed his superlative excellencies, becomes crucified to the world. Oh, says the Christian, shall not I suffer the loss of all these things that I may enjoy Jesus Christ! ’Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ!’ Php 3:8

(3) Faith gets strength from God’s promises. Faith lives upon the promises. Take the fish out of the water—and it dies. Take faith out of a promise—and it cannot live. The promises are breasts of consolation. The child by sucking the breast gets strength. Faith gets strength by sucking the breast of a promise. When a garrison is besieged and is ready almost to yield to the enemy, auxiliary forces are sent in to relieve it. So when faith begins to be weak and is ready to faint in the day of battle, then the promises muster their forces together, and all come in for faith’s relief and now it is able to hold out in the fiery trial.

(4) Faith gives the soul a right notion of suffering. Faith draws the true picture of sufferings. What is suffering? Faith says, it is but the suffering of the body—which must shortly by the course of nature drop into the dust. Persecution can but take away my life. An ague or fever may do as much. Now faith giving the soul a right notion of sufferings and taking (as it were) a just measure of them, enables a Christian to prostrate his life at the feet of Christ.

(5) Faith reconciles God’s providences with His promises. As it was on Paul’s voyage, providence seemed to be against him. There was a "northeaster" which arose (Acts 27:14)—but God had given him a promise that he would save his life, and the lives of all who sailed with him in the ship (verse 24). Therefore when the wind blew ever so contrary, Paul believed it would at last blow him to the haven. So when sense says, ’Here is a cross providence. Great sufferings are coming—and I shall be undone!’ Then faith says ’we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28). This providence, though bloody, shall fulfill the promise. Affliction shall work for my good. It shall heal my corruption, and save my soul. Thus faith, making the wind and tide go together, the wind of a providence with the tide of the promise, enables a Christian to suffer persecution.

(6) Faith picks sweetness out of suffering. Faith shows God reconciled and sin pardoned; and then how sweet is every suffering! The bee gathers the sweetest honey from the bitterest herb. ’A bitter medicine often gives strength to the weary’. So faith gathers the sweetest comforts—from the sharpest trials. Faith looks upon suffering as God’s love-token. ’Afflictions are sharp arrows—but they are shot from the hand of a loving Father!’ Faith can taste honey at the end of the afflicting rod. Faith fetches joy out of suffering, ’your sorrow will turn to joy!’ (John 16:20). Faith gets honey from the belly of the lion. Faith finds a jewel under the cross!

Thus you see how faith comes to be such a wonder-working grace. ’Above all, taking the shield of faith’. A believer having cast his anchor in heaven cannot sink in the waters of persecution. The next suffering grace is LOVE. Get hearts fired with love to the Lord Jesus. Love is a grace both active and passive.

(1) Love is ACTIVE. It lays a law of constraint upon the soul. ’The love of Christ constrains us’ (2 Corinthians 5:14). Love is the wing of the soul, which sets it flying. Love is also the weight of the soul, which sets it going. Love never thinks it can do enough for Christ—as he who loves the world never thinks he can take enough pains for it. Love is never weary. It is not tired unless with its own slowness.

(2) Love is PASSIVE. It enables to suffer. A man who loves his friend will suffer anything for him, rather than he shall be wronged. Love made our dear Lord suffer for us. The pelican out of her love to her young ones, when they are bitten with serpents, feeds them with her own blood to recover them again. Just so, when we had been bitten by the old serpent, that Christ might recover us—he fed us with his own blood. Jacob’s love to Rachel made him almost hazard his life for her. ’Many waters cannot quench love’ (Canticles 8:7). No! not the waters of persecution. ’Love is as strong as death’ (Canticles 8:6). Death makes its way through the greatest oppositions. So love will make its way to Christ—through the prison and the furnace. But all pretend love to Christ. How shall we know that we have such a love to him, as will make us suffer for him? I answer:

True love is a love of friendship, which is genuine and sincere—when we love Christ for himself. There is a mercenary and spurious love, when we love divine objects for something else. A man may love the queen of truth for the jewel at her ear—because she brings preferment. A man may love Christ for his ’head of gold’ (Canticles 5:11), because he enriches with glory. But true love is when we love Christ for his loveliness, namely, that infinite and superlative beauty which shines in him, as Augustine says, ’We love Jesus on account of Jesus’; that is, as a man loves sweet wine for itself.

True love is a love of desire—when we desire to be united to Christ as the fountain of happiness. Love desires union. The one who sincerely loves Christ, desires death because death ushers into full union and communion with Christ. ’I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!’ (Php 1:23). Death slips one knot and ties another.

True love is a love of benevolence—when so far as we are able, we endeavor to lift up Christ’s name in the world. As the wise men brought him ’gold and frankincense’ (Matthew 2:11), so we bring him our tribute of service and are willing that he should rise—though it is by our fall. In short, that love which is kindled from heaven makes us give Christ the pre-eminence of our affection. ’I would give you spiced wine to drink—my sweet pomegranate wine’ (Canticles 8:2). If the spouse has a cup which is more juicy and spiced—Christ shall drink of that! Indeed we can never love Christ too much. We may love gold in excess—but not Christ. The angels do not love Christ comparable to his worth. Now when love is boiled up to this height, it will enable us to suffer. ’Love is as strong as death’. The martyrs first burned in love—and then in fire! The third suffering grace is PATIENCE. Patience is a grace made and cut out for suffering. Patience is the sweet submission to the will of God, whereby we are content to bear anything which he is pleased to lay upon us. Patience makes a Christian invincible. It is like the anvil which bears all strokes. We cannot be men without patience. Impatience unmans a man. It puts him beside the use of reason. We cannot be martyrs without patience. Patience makes us endure (James 5:10).

We read of a beast ’like unto a leopard and his feet were as the feet of a bear and the dragon gave him his power . . .’ (Revelation 13:2). This beast is to be understood of the anti-christian power. Antichrist may be compared to a leopard for subtlety and fierceness, and on his head was the name of blasphemy (verse 1), which agrees with that description of the man of sin, ’He sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God’ (2 Thessalonians 2:4); and the ’dragon gave him power’ (verse 2), that is the devil, and ’it was given to him to make war with the saints’ (Revelation 13:7). Well, how do the saints bear the heat of this fiery trial? (verse 10): ’Here is the patience of the saints.’ Patience overcomes by suffering. A Christian without patience is like a soldier without arms. Faith keeps the heart up from sinking. Patience keeps the heart from murmuring. Patience is not provoked by injuries. It is sensible—but not peevish. Patience looks to the end of sufferings. This is the motto: ’God will guarantee the end also.’ As the watchman waits for the dawning of the morning, so the patient Christian suffers and waits until the day of glory begins to dawn upon him. Faith says, ’God will come,’ and patience says, ’I will wait for his perfect time.’ These are those suffering graces which are a Christian’s armor of proof.

[8] Treasure up suffering promises. The promises are faith’s bladders to keep it from sinking. They are the breast-milk a Christian lives on, in time of sufferings. They are honey at the end of the rod. Hoard up the promises!

God has made promises of direction—that he will give us a spirit of wisdom in that hour, teaching us what to say. ’Make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict’ (Luke 21:14-15). You shall not need to study. God will put an answer into your mouth. This many of God’s sufferers can set their seal to. The Lord has suddenly darted such words into their mouths—as their enemies could easier censure than contradict.

God has made promises of PROTECTION. ’No man shall set on you to hurt you’ (Acts 18:10). How safe was Paul when he had omnipotence itself to screen off danger! ’Not a hair of your head shall perish’ (Luke 21:18). Persecutors are lions—but chained lions.

God has made promises of his special PRESENCE with his saints in suffering. ’I will be with him in trouble’ (Psalms 91:15). If we have such a friend to visit us in prison, we shall do well enough. Though we change our place—we shall not change our keeper. ’I will be with him.’ God will uphold our head and heart, when we are fainting! What if we have more afflictions than others—if we have more of God’s company! God’s honor is dear to him. It would not be for his honor to bring his children into sufferings, and leave them there. He will be with them to invigorate and support them. Yes, when new troubles arise; ’He shall deliver you in six troubles’ (Job 5:19). The Lord has made promises of DELIVERANCE. ’I will deliver him and honor him’ (Psalms 91:15). God will open a back door for his people to escape out of sufferings. ’He will with the temptation, make a way to escape’ (1 Corinthians 10:13). Thus he did to Peter (Acts 12:7-10). Peter’s prayers had opened heaven—and God’s angel opens the prison! God can either prevent a snare or break it. ’Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death’ (Psalms 68:20). He who can strengthen our faith—can break our fetters. The Lord sometimes makes enemies the instruments of breaking those snares which themselves have laid (Esther 8:8). In the case of martyrdom God has made promises of CONSOLATION. ’Your sorrow shall be turned into joy’ (John 16:20). There is the water—turned into wine. ’Be of good cheer, Paul’ (Acts 23:11). In time of persecution, God broaches the wine of consolation. Cordials are kept for fainting. Stephen ’saw the heavens opened’ (Acts 7:56). Glover, that blessed martyr, cried out at the stake in a holy rapture, ’He is come! He is come!’ meaning the Comforter. ’Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.’ (Isaiah 43:1-3) The Lord has made promises of COMPENSATION. God will abundantly recompense all our sufferings, ’Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life’ (Matthew 19:29). Augustine calls this the best and greatest interest. Our losses for Christ are gainful. ’He who loses his life for my sake, shall find it’ (Matthew 10:39).

[9] Set before your eyes suffering examples. Look upon others as patterns to imitate. ’Take my brethren the prophets for an example of suffering affliction’ (James 5:10). Examples have more influence upon us than precepts. Precepts instruct us—but examples animate us. As they show elephants the blood of grapes and mulberries to make them fight the better, so the Holy Spirit shows us the blood of saints and martyrs to infuse a spirit of zeal and courage into us. Micaiah was in the prison; Jeremiah in the dungeon; Isaiah was sawn asunder. The primitive Christians, though they were boiled, roasted, and dismembered—yet like the adamant they remained invincible. Such was their zeal and patience in suffering, that their persecutors stood amazed and were more weary in tormenting—than they were in enduring! When John Huss was brought to be burned, they put upon his head a triple crown of paper printed with red devils, which when he saw, he said, ’My Lord Jesus Christ wore a crown of thorns for me, why then shall I not wear this paper crown, however ignominious?’ Polycarp, when he came before the court, was bidden to deny Christ and swear by the Emperor; he replied: ’I have served Christ these eighty-six years and he has not once hurt me—and shall I deny him now?’ Saunders that blessed martyr, said, ’Welcome the cross of Christ; my Savior drank the bitter cup for me—shall not I suffer for him? I feel no more pain in the fire than if I were in a bed of down!’

Another of the martyrs said, ’The ringing of my chain has been sweet music in my ears. O what a comforter is a good conscience!’ Another martyr, kissing the stake, said, ’I shall not lose my life—but change it for a better one! Instead of coals—I shall have pearls!’ Another, when the chain was fastening to him, said, ’Blessed be God for this wedding belt!’ These suffering examples we should lay up. God is still the same God. He has as much love in his heart to pity us—and as much strength in his arm to help us!

Let us think what courage the very heathens have shown in their sufferings. Julius Caesar was a man of a heroic spirit. When he was foretold of a conspiracy against him in the senate-house, he answered he had rather die than fear. Mutius Scaevola held his hand over the fire until the flesh fried and his sinews began to shrink—yet he bore it with an undaunted spirit. Lysimachus, a brave captain, being adjudged to be cast to a lion, when the lion came roaring upon him, Lysimachus thrust his hand into the lion’s mouth and taking hold of his tongue, killed the lion. Did nature infuse such a spirit of courage and gallantry into heathens! How should grace much more into Christians! Let us be of Paul’s mind: ’I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace’ (Acts 20:24).

[10] Let us lay in suffering-CONSIDERATIONS. A wise Christian will consider several things.

Consider whom we suffer for. It is for Christ, and we cannot suffer for a better friend. There is many a man will suffer shame and death for his lusts. He will suffer disgrace for a drunken lust. He will suffer death for a revengeful lust. Shall others die for their lusts—and shall not we die for Christ? Will a man suffer for that lust which damns him—and shall not we suffer for that Christ who saves us? Oh remember, we espouse God’s own quarrel and he will not allow us to be losers. Surely no man shall sacrifice himself for God for nothing.

Consider that it is a great honor to suffer persecution. Ambrose, in the eulogy of his sister said, ’I will say this of her—she was a martyr’. It is a great honor to be singled out to bear witness to the truth. ’They departed from the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name’ (Acts 5:41). It is a title that has been given to kings, ’Defender of the faith’. A martyr is in a special manner, a ’defender of the faith’. Kings are defenders of the faith by their swords, martyrs by their blood. It is a credit to appear for God. Martyrs are not only Christ’s followers—but his ensign-bearers. The Romans had their brave warriors which graced the field. God calls out none but his champions to fight his battles. We read that Abraham called forth his trained soldiers (Genesis 14:14), such as were more expert and valiant. What a honor is it to be one of Christ’s trained band! The disciples dreamed of a temporal reign (Acts 1:6). Christ tells them (verse 8, Acts 1:8), ’You shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem . . ’. To bear witness by their sufferings to the truth of Christ’s divinity and passion was a greater honor to the disciples than to have had a temporal reign upon earth. A bloody cross is more honorable than a purple robe. Persecution is called the ’fiery trial’ (1 Peter 4:12).

’I have refined you in the furnace of affliction.’ (Isaiah 48:10). ’Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons! And they will go away into eternal punishment!’ (Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46). God has two fires—one where He puts His gold, and another where He puts His dross. The fire where He puts His gold, is the fire of suffering and affliction--to purify them. The fire where He puts His dross, is the fire of damnation--to punish them.

God honors his gold when he puts it into the fire. ’A spirit of glory rests upon you’ (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 4:14). Persecution, as it is a badge of our honor, so an ensign of our glory. What greater honor can be put upon a mortal man, than to stand up in the cause of God? And not only to die in the Lord but to die for the Lord? Ignatius called his fetters his spiritual pearls. Paul gloried more in his iron chain than if it had been a gold chain! (Acts 28:20).

Consider what Jesus Christ suffered for us. Calvin says that Christ’s whole life, was a series of sufferings. Christian, what is your suffering? Are you poor? So was Christ. ’Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests—but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’ (Matthew 8:20). Are you surrounded with enemies? So was Christ. ’Against your holy child Jesus whom you have anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles . . . were gathered together’ (Acts 4:27). Do our enemies lay claim to religion? So did his. ’The chief priests took the silver pieces and said—It is not lawful to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood’ (Matthew 27:6). Godly persecutors! Are you reproached? So was Christ. ’They bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, ’Hail, King of the Jews!’ (Matthew 27:29). Are you slandered? So was Christ. ’He casts out devils by the prince of devils’ (Matthew 9:34). Are you ignominiously treated? So was Christ. ’Some began to spit upon him’ (Mark 14:65). Are you betrayed by friends? So was Christ. ’Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’ (Luke 22:48). Is your estate taken from you? And do the wicked cast lots for it? So Christ was dealt with. ’They parted his garments, casting lots’ (Matthew 27:35). Do we suffer unjustly? So did Christ. His very judge acquitted him. ’Then Pilate said to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man’ (Luke 23:4). Are you barbarously dragged and haled away to suffering? So was Christ. ’When they had bound him they led him away’ (Matthew 27:2). Do you suffer death? So did Christ. ’When they were come to Calvary, there they crucified him’ (Luke 23:33). They gave him gall and vinegar to drink; the gall picturing the bitterness of his death, the vinegar picturing the sharpness of his death. Christ underwent not only the blood of the cross but the curse of the cross (Galatians 3:13). He had agony in his soul. ’My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death’ (Matthew 26:38). The soul of Christ was overcast with a cloud of God’s displeasure. The Greek Church speaking of the sufferings of Christ, calls them ’unknown sufferings’. Did the Lord Jesus endure all this for us—and shall not we suffer persecution for his name? Say, as holy Ignatius, ’I am willing to die for Christ, for Christ my love was crucified!’ Our cup of suffering is nothing, compared to the cup which Christ drank. His cup was mixed with the wrath of God, and if he bore God’s wrath for us—well may we bear man’s wrath of him.

Consider the honor we bring to Christ and the gospel by suffering. It was a honor to Caesar that he had such soldiers as were able to fight with hunger and cold and endure hardship in their marches. It is a honor to Christ that he has such people listed under him, as will leave all for him. It proclaims him to be a good Master—when his servants will wear his livery though it be sullied with disgrace and lined with blood. Paul’s iron chain made the gospel wear a golden chain. Tertullian says of the saints in his time that they took their sufferings more kindly, than if they had had deliverance. Oh, what a glory was this to the truth, when they dared embrace it in the flame! And as the saints’ sufferings adorn the gospel, so they propagate it. Basil says that the zeal and constancy of the martyrs in the primitive times made some of the heathens to be Christianised. ’The Church is founded in blood and by blood it increases’. The showers of blood have ever made the church fruitful. Paul’s being bound made the truth more enlarged (Php 1:13). The gospel has always flourished in the ashes of martyrs.

Consider who it is, that we have engaged ourselves to in baptism. We solemnly vowed that we would be true to Christ’s interest and fight under his banner, to the death. And how often have we in the blessed supper, taken the oath of allegiance to Jesus Christ that we would be his servants and that death should not part us! Now if when being called to it, we refuse to suffer persecution for his name—Christ will bring our baptism as an indictment against us. Christ is called ’the Captain of our salvation’ (Hebrews 2:10). We have listed ourselves by name under this Captain. Now if, for fear, we shall fly from our colors, it is perjury in the highest degree, and how shall we be able to look Christ in the face at the day of judgment? That oath which is not kept inviolably—shall be punished infallibly. Where does the ’flying scroll’ of curses land—but in the house of him that ’swears falsely’ (Zechariah 5:4)?

Consider that our sufferings are light. This ’light affliction . . .’ (2 Corinthians 4:17) 1. It is heavy to flesh and blood—but it is light to faith. Affliction is light in a threefold respect:

1. It is light—in comparison to SIN. He who feels sin heavy, feels suffering light. Sin made Paul cry out, ’O wretched man that I am!’ (Romans 7:24). He does not cry out of his iron chain—but of his sin. The greater noise drowns the lesser. When the sea roars, the rivers are silent. He who is taken up with his sins, and sees how he has provoked God—thinks the yoke of affliction to be light (Micah 7:9).

2. Affliction is light—in comparison of HELL. What is persecution, compared to damnation? What is the fire of martyrdom, compared to the fire of the damned? It is no more than the pricking of a pin, compared to a death’s wound. ’Who knows he power of your anger!’ (Psalms 90:11) Christ himself could not have borne that anger, had he not been more than a man.

3. Affliction is light—in comparison of GLORY. The weight of glory makes persecution light. ’If,’ says Chrysostom, ’the torments of all the men in the world could be laid upon one man, it were not worth one hour’s being in heaven!’ And if persecution is light, we should not be overly downcast by it. Let us neither faint through unbelief, nor fret through impatience.

Consider that our sufferings are short. ’After you have suffered a little while’ (1 Peter 5:10). Our sufferings may be lasting, not everlasting. Affliction is compared to a ’cup’ (Lamentations 4:21). The wicked drink of a ’sea’ of wrath which has no bottom. It will never be emptied. But it is only a ’cup’ of martyrdom, and God will say, ’Let this cup pass away’. ’The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous’ (Psalms 125:3). The rod may be there, it shall not rest. Christ calls his sufferings ’an hour’ (Luke 22:53). Can we not suffer one hour? Persecution is sharp—but short. Though it has a sting to torment—yet it has a wing to fly! ’Sorrow shall fly away’ (Isaiah 35:10). It is but a little while when the saints shall have a writ of ease granted them. They shall weep no more—and suffer no more. They shall be taken off the torturing wrack—and laid in Christ’s bosom. The people of God shall not always be in the iron furnace; a year of Jubilee will come. The water of persecution like a land-flood, will soon be dried up.

Consider that while we suffer for Christ—we suffer with Christ. ’If we suffer with him . . .’ (Romans 8:17). Jesus Christ bears part of the suffering with us. ’Oh,’ says the Christian, ’I shall never be able to hold out!’ But remember—you suffer with Christ. He helps you to suffer. As our blessed Savior said: ’I am not alone; the Father is with me’ (John 16:32); so a believer may say, ’I am not alone, my Christ is with me’. He bears the heaviest end of the cross. ’My grace is sufficient for you’ (2 Corinthians 12:9). ’Underneath are the everlasting arms’ (Deuteronomy 33:27). If Christ puts the yoke of persecution over us—he will put his arms under us. The Lord Jesus will not only crown us when we conquer—but he will enable us to conquer. When the dragon fights against the godly, Christ is that Michael who stands up for them and helps them to overcome (Daniel 12:1).

Consider that he who refuses to suffer persecution shall never be free from suffering:

He will have INTERNAL sufferings. He who will not suffer for conscience, shall suffer in conscience. Thus Francis Spira, after he had abjured that doctrine which once he professed for fear of persecution, was in great terror of mind. He professed he felt the very pains of the damned in his soul. He who was afraid of the stake, was set upon the wrack of a tormenting conscience!

He will have EXTERNAL sufferings. Pendleton refused to suffer for Christ; not long after, his house was on fire and he was burned in it. He who would not burn for Christ—was afterwards made to burn for his sins.

He will have ETERNAL sufferings. ’Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire’ (Jude 7).

These present sufferings cannot hinder a man from being blessed. ’Blessed are those who are persecuted . . .’ We think, ’Blessed are those who are rich’; nay—but ’Blessed are those who are persecuted’. ’Blessed is the man who endures temptation . . .’ (James 11, 12). ’If you suffer for righteousness, sake, happy are you’ (1 Peter 3:14).

Persecution cannot hinder us from being blessed. I shall prove this by these demonstrations:

1. They are blessed who have God for their God. ’Happy is that people whose God is the Lord’ (Psalms 144:15). But persecution cannot hinder us from having God for our God. ’Our God is able to deliver us’ (Daniel 3:17). Though persecuted—yet they could say, ’our God’. Therefore persecution cannot hinder us from being blessed.

They are blessed whom God loves—but persecution cannot hinder the love of God. ’Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall persecution?’ (Romans 8:35). The goldsmith loves his gold as well when it is in the fire—as when it is in his bag. God loves his children as well in adversity, as in prosperity. ’As many as I love—I rebuke’ (Revelation 3:19). God visits his children in prison. ’Be of good cheer, Paul’ (Acts 23:11). God sweetens their sufferings. ’As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds’ (2 Corinthians 1:5). As the mother, having given her child a bitter pill, gives it afterwards a lump of sugar; persecution is a bitter pill—but God gives the comforts of his Spirit to sweeten it. If persecution cannot hinder God’s love, then it cannot hinder us from being blessed.

2. They are blessed, for whom Christ prays. Such as are persecuted, have Christ praying for them. ’Keep through your own name, those whom you have given me’ (John 17:11); which prayer, though made for all believers—yet especially for his apostles which he foretold should be martyrs (John 16:2). Now if persecution cannot hinder Christ’s prayer for us, then it cannot impede or obstruct our blessedness.

3. They are blessed, who have sin purged out. Persecution purges out sin (Isaiah 27:9; Hebrews 12:11). Persecution is a corrosive to eat out the proud flesh. It is a fan to winnow us, a fire to refine us. Persecution is the remedy which God applies to his children, to carry away their ill humours. That surely which purges out sin cannot hinder blessedness.

[11] The great suffering-consideration is the glorious reward which follows sufferings: ’Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ ’The hope of reward,’ says Basil, ’is very powerful and moving.’ Moses had an eye to the ’recompense of reward’ (Hebrews 11:26). Yes, so did Christ himself (Hebrews 12:2). Many have done great things for hope of a temporal reward. Camillus, when his country was oppressed by the Gauls, ventured his life for his country, to purchase fame and honor. If men will hazard their lives for a little temporal honor, what should we do for the reward of eternal glory! ’A merchant,’ says Chrysostom, ’does not mind a few storms at sea—but he thinks of the gain when the ship comes fraught home.’ So a Christian should not be overly concerned about his present sufferings—but think of the rich reward he shall receive, when he shall arrive at the heavenly port. ’Great is your reward in heaven’ (verse 12). The cross is a golden ladder by which we climb up to heaven! A Christian may lose his life—but not his reward. He may lose his head—but not his crown. If he who gives ’a cup of cold water’ shall not lose his reward, then much less he who gives a draught of warm blood. The rewards of glory may sweeten all the bitter waters of Marah. It should be a spur to martyrdom. Not that we can merit this reward by our sufferings. ’I will give you a crown of life’ (Revelation 2:10). The reward is the legacy which free grace bequeaths. Alas, what proportion is there between a drop of blood—and an eternal weight of glory? Christ himself, as he was man only (setting aside his Godhead), did not merit by his sufferings, for Christ, as he was man only, was a creature. Now a creature cannot merit from the Creator. Christ’s sufferings, as he was man only, were finite, therefore could not merit infinite glory. Indeed, as he was God, his sufferings were meritorious; but considering him purely as man, they were not. This I urge against the Papists. If Christ’s sufferings, as he was man only (though as man he was above the angels), could not merit, then what man upon earth, what prophet or martyr is able to merit anything by his sufferings? But though we have no reward ’ex merito’, by merit—we shall have it ’ex gratia’, by grace. So it is in the text, ’Great is your reward in heaven’. The thoughts of this reward should animate Christians. Look upon the eternal crown ov glory—and faint if you can. The reward is as far above your thoughts—as it is beyond your deserts. A man who is to wade through a deep water, fixes his eyes upon the firm land before him. While Christians are wading through the deep waters of persecution—they should fix the eyes of their faith on the land of promise. ’Great is your reward in heaven!’ Those who bear the cross patiently—shall wear the crown triumphantly!

Christ’s suffering saints shall have greater degrees in glory (Matthew 19:28). God has his highest seats, yes, his thrones—for his martyrs. It is true, he who has the least degree of glory—a doorkeeper in heaven, will have enough; but as Joseph gave to Benjamin a double portion above the rest of his brethren, so God will give to his sufferers a double portion of glory. Some orbs in heaven are higher, some stars brighter. God’s martyrs shall shine brighter in the heavenly horizon.

Oh, often look upon ’the recompense of the reward’. Not all the silks of Persia, nor all the spices of Arabia, nor all the gold of Ophir—can be compared to this glorious reward. How should the thoughts of this sharpen and steel us with courage in our sufferings! When they threatened Basil with banishment, he comforted himself with this—that he should be either under heaven, or in heaven. It was the hope of this reward which so animated those primitive martyrs, who, when there was incense put into their hands and there was no more required of them for the saving of their lives, but to sprinkle a little of that incense upon the altar in honor of the idol—they would rather die than do it! This glorious reward in heaven, is called a reigning with Christ. ’If we suffer, we shall also reign with him!’ First martyrs for Christ—then kings for Christ. Julian honored all those who were slain in his battles. So does the Lord Jesus. After the saints’ crucifixion, follows their coronation. ’They shall reign!’ The wicked first reign—and then suffer. The godly first suffer—and then reign. The saints shall have a happy reign. It shall be both peaceable and durable. Who would not swim through blood—to this crown! Who would not suffer joyfully? Christ says, ’Be exceeding glad’ (verse 12). The Greek word signifies ’to leap for joy’. Christians should have their spirits elevated and exhilarated when they contemplate the eternal weight of glory!

If you would be able to suffer, pray much. Beg of God to clothe you with a spirit of zeal and magnanimity. ’To you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him—but also to suffer for his sake’ (Php 1:29). It is a gift of God to be able to suffer. Pray for this gift. Do not think you can be able of yourselves, to lay down life and liberty for Christ. Peter was overconfident of himself. ’I will lay down my life for your sake!’ (John 13:37). But Peter’s strength undid him. Peter had habitual grace—but he lacked auxiliary grace. Christians need fresh gales from heaven. Pray for the Spirit to animate you in your sufferings. As the fire hardens the potter’s vessel, which is at first weak and limber—so the fire of the Spirit hardens men against sufferings. Pray that God will make you like the anvil—that you may bear the strokes of persecutors with invincible patience!