Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

It is not a mark of much grace to be longing to get to heaven because
of the troubles and difficulties of the present life; they who love Christ
are ever willing to suffer with him; and he may be as much glorified by
patient suffering, as by the most active faith or laborious love. There are
times in which, through affliction or other hinderances, we cannot do the
will of God, but we can suffer it; and in such cases he seeks a heart that
bears submissively, suffers patiently, and endures, as seeing Him who is
invisible, without repining or murmuring. This is as full a proof of
Christian perfection as the most intense and ardent love. Meekness,
gentleness, and long suffering, are in our present state of more use to
ourselves and others, and of more consequence in the sight of God, than
all the ecstasies of the spirits of just men made perfect, and than all the
raptures of an archangel. That church or Christian society, the members
of which manifest the work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope,
is most nearly allied to heaven, and is on the suburbs of glory.
How vain were the attempts of men and devils to destroy the light of
the gospel by persecution and death! In spite of these it grew; and under
them it flourished! The gates of hell, though opened wide to pour out all
its hosts, could not prevail against it; and persecution, like a good broadcast
sowing, dispersed the seed of eternal life throughout the world. The
persecuted went everywhere preaching the word of the truth of the
gospel: and had not the primitive Christians been burned out by
persecution at Jerusalem, humanly speaking, it would have been a long
time before Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy, could have heard the
words of eternal life! Satan and his children persecuted and drove them
from city to city. One company ran, and sowed the good seed of the
kingdom; another, driven by the same agency, followed after them, and
watered the seed; and God continued to reap a "plentiful harvest." Never
was the wise and experienced devil farther out in his calculations than
when he counted on the destruction of Christianity by fire and sword.
Under him the Jews distinguished themselves in the first instance, and
instead of casting down Christianity, they stumbled and fell, and rose no
more! Heathen Rome followed in the same track; the sword, the fire, the
axe, the gibbet, with the fangs and teeth of ferocious beasts, were tried in