world, and in your
rage become wicked yourself and commit evil? Understand, you are
called to suffer persecutions; they are a consequence of your baptism,
your Christianity. For these you renounced the devil and professed
Christ. You are baptized unto the suffering of every sort of
misfortune, unto the enduring of the world and the devil." You cannot
escape the smoke when compelled to live in the inn where the devil is
host and the whole house is filled with it. Again, if you would have
fire, you must have smoke as a consequence; if you would be a
Christian and a child of God, you must endure the resultant evils that
befall you.

7. In short, the Christian, because he is a Christian, is subjected to
the holy and precious cross. He must suffer at the hands of men and of
the devil, who plague and provoke him; outwardly with misery,
persecution, poverty and illness, or inwardly--in heart--with their
poisonous darts. The cross is the Christian's sign and watchword in
his holy, precious, noble and happy calling unto eternal life. To such
a calling must we render full dues and regard as good whatever it
brings. And why should we complain? Do not even wicked knaves and
opposers of Christians often suffer at the hands of one another what
they are not pleased to endure? And every man must frequently suffer
injuries and misfortunes relative to body, property, wife and
children.

8. Then, if you would be a Christian and live justly in your calling,
be not so terribly alarmed, so filled with hostile rage, so extremely
impatient, at the torments of the world and the devil. If you are
unwilling to suffer and to be reviled and slandered, if you prefer
honor and ease, then deny Christ and embrace the delights of the world
and the devil. You will not, even then, be wholly free from suffering
and sorrow, though it will be your prerogative not to suffer as a
Christian and for the sake of Christ. At the same time, you will
discover that even though you enjoy only pleasure on earth, it will be
but for a brief time and ultimately you will find the bitter end of
the pleasure sought.

CHRIST OUR PATTERN.

9. In the second place, by way of rendering more impressive his
admonition, Peter holds up the example of our real Master, our Leader
and Lord, Christ, who endured persecutions similar to ours, and
himself suffered more than any. The apostle refers to him in a truly
scriptural way--as of a twin or dual character. He presents him not