ll-pleasing to God. For what a thing would it
be, that you should be cruelly beaten and had well deserved it, yet
would glory in your cross? Therefore St. Peter says: When ye suffer
and are patient for well-doing, this is well-pleasing with God,--that
is to say, acceptable and exceedingly grateful in the sight of God,
and a real service of God. Observe, here are those truly precious
good works described, which we are to do; and we like fools have
trodden this doctrine under foot, and have invented and devised other
works; so that we should lift up our hands, thank God, and rejoice
that we at length have such knowledge.--Now it follows, further:

V. 21-25. _For thereunto are ye called, since Christ also hath
suffered for us, and left us an example, that ye should follow in His
steps; who did no sin, and in His mouth was found no guile; who, when
He was reviled reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not,
but committed it to Him that judgeth righteously; who Himself hath
borne our sins in His own body on the tree, that we might be without
sin and live to righteousness; by whose stripes ye are healed. For ye
were as sheep going astray, but ye are now returned to the Shepherd
and Bishop of your souls._

Thus it is, as we have said, that the servant should resolve in his
heart and be induced cheerfully to do and suffer what is required of
him, since his Master, Christ, has done so much for him. Hence they
are to reason thus: since my Master has thus become my servant,--a
thing to which He was not obliged,--and has given up body and life
for me, why should not I serve Him in return? He was perfectly holy
and without sin, yet has He so greatly humbled Himself, and has shed
His blood for me, and has died that He might take away my sin. How
then shall not I also endure somewhat if it pleases Him? Whoever
reflects on this must be a stone if it does not move him; for when
the Master goes forward and steps in the mire, the servant should
cheerfully follow Him.

Therefore St. Peter says, _Hereunto are ye called._ Whereto? That ye
should suffer wrongfully like Christ. As though he would say, If you
will follow after Christ you must not dispute and complain greatly,
though you are unjustly treated, but endure the same and count it for
the best, since Christ has suffered all without guilt of His own. He
did not even defend His integrity when He stood before the judges. So
that you are to neglect this right, and only sa