A DISCOURSE If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.-Rom. viii, 17. IT seemeth by the words of the text, that those who have no part in Christ's sufferings, have none in his glory. But if we would know what these sufferings are, that we are to endure, if we would be glorified with Christ, let us consider they are not meant of scorn, or scandal, or poverty, or imprisonment, or whipping or the like, yea nor death itself; for then what shall become of those, that never suffer these things, and yet do suffer with Christ? Therefore, I will inform you, wherein every one must suffer with him, if they will be glorified with him and that is in two things, 1. in emptying himself. 2. In hum : bling himself. It is said of Christ, he emptied himself; and he humbled himself: and these were sufferings indeed, far beyond his scourgings, far beyond his being nailed to the cross, far beyond his buffettings, his mockings, his being crowned with thorns and the like. All those sufferings are not worthy to be named with those of emptying himself and humbling himself; for he was God, equal with the Father; yet he émptied himself of all his riches, glory and greatness, which he had with the Father, and came down from heaven, and dwelt among us, among men, in the similitude of sinful flesh, and took upon him the form of a servant, and made himself of no reputation; and he that was the Saviour of the world, and the Lord of the world, and the heir of all things, yet in the world · he had not so much as a place to lay his head, and was content to be abased and trampled on by his own creatures. Herein were sufferings indeed; and herein lies the mys tery of the gospel of Christ. Herein Christ was mightily declared to be the Son of God, the power of God, and the wisdom of God, which confounded the wisdom of the world; so that he was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks, foolishness; but the foolishness of God, (that which appears so foolish to us and so unsuitable,) is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men, as the Apostle expresses it. For in following Christ and suffering with Christ in these things, all a man's plumes fall down; all his endowments, excellencies and parts, or the Babels within him are thrown down, and he becomes nothing in his own esteem. And let me tell you, whosoever suffers with Christ in those two things, in being humbled and emptied as Christ was, he shall find sufferings enough to his nature, I'll warrant you, insomuch that he will say, he hath suffered heavy burthens, heavy trials to flesh and blood, rending and tearing crosses; for a man is to empty himself of all that the world calls grand, and great, and noble, and excellent, and all that makes us something in the esteem of the world, and become as truly humble, as a little child, or as the meanest servant. If we imitate Christ in thus emptying and humbling of ourselves, though we are not called to outward and actual sufferings, as scourgings, imprisonment, &c. it is no matter; peradventure God doth not require these things at our hands it is enough, so we be but ready in affection, and are in a preparation to suffer them, if we be called thereunto: but those two before mentioned, are the original of all Christ's sufferings, the foundation, the root, the fountain; all that ever Christ did or suffered, stands upon these two pillars, these two foundations; all his other sufferings are but the effects, the leaves, and |