rayer
and his judge and all creatures admitted, and had bitterly reviled him
when he hung upon the cross. But he did none of these things. He bore
with ineffable meekness and patience all the ill-treatment his enemies
could heap upon him. Even in his extremity of anguish, he benevolently
interceded for them to his Heavenly Father, to which act the prophet
Isaiah (ch. 53) offers a tribute of high praise.

24. Notice, we have here in all respects a perfect and inimitable
example of patience--patience of the most exalted kind. In this
example we may behold as in a glass what we have yet to learn of calm
endurance, and thus be impelled to imitate that example in some small
measure at least.

25. Not without reason does Peter applaud the fact that when Christ
was reviled he reviled not again, and when he suffered he threatened
not. Though to endure undeserved violence and injustice is hard
enough, that which more than aught else naturally renders suffering
grievous and makes men impatient is to experience the monstrous
unfairness of receiving the mean and vexatious reward of ingratitude
from individuals who have enjoyed one's favors and greatest
benefactions. Base ingratitude is extremely painful for human nature
to endure. It makes the heart flutter and the blood boil with a spirit
of revenge. When no alternative presents, an outburst of reviling,
execration and threatening follows. Flesh and blood has not the power
of restraint to enable it to remain calm when evil is returned for
favors and benevolence, and to say, "God be thanked."

26. Mark the example of Christ, however, and there learn to censure
yourself. Beloved, how can you complain when you see how infinitely
greater was the grief and how much more painful the anxiety endured by
your beloved Lord and faithful Saviour, the Son of God himself, who
yet bore all patiently and submissively and, more than that, prayed
for those instrumental in causing that agony? Who with a single drop
of Christian blood in his heart would not blush with shame to be
guilty of murmuring at his sufferings when, before God, he is so
sinful and is deserving of much more affliction? Wicked, unprofitable
and condemned servant must he be who does not follow his Lord's
example of endurance but presumes to think himself better and nobler
than Christ; who with inimical spirit murmurs, complaining of great
injustice, when he really deserves affliction, and when he suffers
infinitely less than