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The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened By the Right Rev. Ashton Oxenden, D.D. CHAPTER VIII – DANGERS FROM WITHOUT THE WORLD—LOOSE AND UNGODLY FRIENDSHIPS—PERSECUTION 3. Another danger which serves to deter some is PERSECUTION. This you are pretty sure to meet with in one shape or other. And this is a danger to be prepared for. Persecution is the portion of Christ’s servants. It is what they must expect; for the word of God says, ‘All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’ (2 Tim 3.12) ‘The servant is not greater than his lord; if they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.’ (John 15.20) If you meet with persecution, it will try your faith; it will, perhaps, make you flinch a little, and feel half disposed to shrink back. A jeering look from some old companion, or a discouraging word from one who ought to help you on; coldness from those who have been always in the habit of showing you kindness; houses closed against you, where once you always met with a welcome reception; false accusations brought against you, and wrong motives laid to your charge—all this is hard to bear. It has been said, with truth, that many a brave man, who would not fear to stand at a cannon’s mouth, has trembled before the sneer of his fellow-man. So it is. Our poor feeble hearts are apt to quail before the scorn of man. But it will comfort us to remember that Jesus has borne it before us. The prophets, and apostles, and early Christians passed through far hotter trials than yours. And the same God who supported them can strengthen you, and carry you through unhurt. It is said of John Huss, the Bohemian martyr, that when he was brought out to be burnt, they put on his head a crown of paper with painted devils on it. On seeing it, he said, ‘My Lord Jesus Christ, for my sake, wore a crown of thorns; why should not I, then, for His sake, wear this light crown, be it ever so ignominious? Truly, I will do it, and that willingly.’ When it was set upon his head, some who stood by said, ‘Now, we commit thy soul to the devil.’ ‘But I,’ said Huss, lifting up his eyes towards Heaven, ‘do commit my spirit into Thy hands, O lord Jesus Christ.’ And how do you feel when you are reproached, scorned, derided, and crowned with ignominy, for Jesus’ sake? Oh, try and feel as the disciples felt, when ‘they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.’ (Acts 4.41) It is most likely, I say, that you will have something to bear. But no matter, if it is for Christ’s sake. The enemies of religion may taunt you—they may treat you with violence—but if they go ever so far, they cannot really hurt you. They may break the casket, but they cannot touch the jewel within. Let not their opposition then distress you. ‘Fear not them that kill the body, but after that have no more that they can do.’ In the hour of trial look up for strength, and it will be given you; and feel it an honor to suffer for your Master’s sake. It is certainly desirable to exercise prudence, as well as boldness. But never think that any amount of prudence will keep you clear of all opposition from an ungodly world. ‘Many winter blasts (says Archbishop Leighton) will meet you in the way of religion, if you keep straight to it. Suffering and war with the world is a part of the godly man’s portion here, which seems hard; but take it altogether it is sweet. None in their wits will refuse that legacy entire,--“In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in Me ye shall have peace.” (John 16.33) This is the path to the kingdom; that which all the sons of God have gone in, even Christ, as that known word is, “One Son without sin, but not without suffering.” Persecution meets the Christian in his first entry into the path of the kingdom, and goes along all the way. No sooner canst thou begin to seek the way to Heaven, but the world will seek to vex and molest thee, and make that way grievous.’ Do not, however, seek persecution. To fly from it is wrong; for if you are ashamed of Christ, He will be ashamed of you. But it is equally wrong to court it, and to run into it needlessly. If, then, you are free from persecution, be very thankful. But if it is forced upon you, do not shrink from it; but bear it cheerfully and patiently, ‘rejoicing that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.’ (Acts 5.41) ‘Blesses are ye (says our Lord) when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake: rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.’ (Matt. 5.11, 12) Be very careful never to lose your temper when spoken against. Think of your Lord, who, ‘when He was reviled, reviled not again, but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously.’ (1 Peter 2.23) Meekly, and if possible even cheerfully, bear the cross that is laid upon you. And if you thus repay harsh words and rough treatment with kindness and love, you will be glorifying God, and smoothing your own path. Who knows but that your Christian conduct may win over your very persecutors? Or, at all events, may not the time come when those who have treated you scornfully shall see their error? Before closing this subject, I cannot forbear adding a word about those persecutions which many bring upon themselves by their own inconsistencies and unguarded conduct. We should never forget that it is only to those who are persecuted ‘for righteousness sake’ that a blessing is promised. (Matthew 5.10) If, therefore, we are smarting from this sharp weapon, which the world is ever too ready to use against the Christian, will it not be well to look a little closely into the matter, and see whether we may not, in part at least, have drawn this evil upon ourselves? They may have been something in our conduct, our words, our manner of speaking, or in our genral bearing, which has perhaps almost invited persecution. For instance, we may be a little sharp and censorious in our language; we may carry ourselves in an overbearing manner; we may have zeal without prudence. These and other causes may have given rise to the ill-treatment we have received, and which has caused us so much distress. Surely we shall do well to take our daily conduct seriously to task, in order to discover, and cast out, whatever may be causing needless offence. Happy for us, if no blame lies at our own door. ‘Rejoice (says the Apostle) inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.’ The following was the prayer of one of our own persecuted Bishops, who died a martyr for the truth of Christ: ‘The Lord grant us His heavenly grace and strength, that we may confess Him in the world, amongst this adulterous and sinful generation; that He may confess us at the latter day before His Father which is in heaven, to His glory, and our everlasting comfort, joy, and salvation.’ –Bishop Ridley. **************************************************** The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened, Ashton Oxenden **************************************************** PREVIOUS CHAPTER -- NEXT CHAPTER ©God’sGWG |