Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/180

 III. Christ foretells  that  it  will  be  the  lot  of  all  those who follow  Him  to  suffer  persecution:  "They  will  put you  out  of  the  synagogues;  yea,  the  hour  cometh,  when whosoever  killeth  you  will  think  that  he  doeth  a  service to  God." (John xvi.  2.)  He  encouraged  His  disciples  to bear  all  these  patiently,  from  three  considerations. 1. " The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  Lord;  if  they  have persecuted  Me,  they  will  also  persecute  you." (John xv. 20.)  2. By pronouncing  it  a  sign  of  predestination. " Because ye  are  not  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth you." 3. By  proposing  the  reward:  "Your  sorrow  shall be  turned  into  joy." (John xvi.  20.)  Offer  yourself  to suffer  what  your  Saviour  may  please  to  send  you.

I. "And  when  they  had  sung  a  hymn,  they  went  out to  mount  Olivet"  (Matt.  xxvi.  30),  "  over  the  brook  Cedron,  where  there  was  a  garden"  (John  xviii.  1),  in  order that where  human  nature  fell  it  might  begin  to  be  restored. As He  went  along,  "  He  began  to  fear  and  to  be heavy"  (Mark  xiv.  3),  saying  to  His  three  disciples,  "My soul  is  sorrowful  even  unto  death." (Matt. xxvi.  34.) The grief  which  He  felt  was  equal  to  the  pains  of  dying, and would  have  taken  away  His  life  had  He  not  reserved it for  other  torments. Christ might,  if  He  had  chosen, been free  from  all  these  pains,  and  have  gone  to  suffer with pleasure;  because  the  beatific  vision  which  He  always enjoyed  was  capable  of  drowning  all  pain  whatsoever. But He  deprived  Himself  of  its  influence,  in  order that He  might  be  like  us  in  all  things,  and  give  us  an  example which  we  might  imitate  in  our  sufferings.

II. " When  He  was  come  to  the  place,  He  said  to  them, Pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation;  and  He  was  with