This it was that so powerfully inspired St. _Paul_ to expose himself to all manner of sufferings, For the mark he always had in his eye was, _To know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death_. And St. _Peter_, from the same ground, saith, _If when you do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps._ Christ himself also giveth us the same instructions: _Remember the word which I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you._ Wherefore, if any man would in good earnest be rid of the fear of man, let him eye continually the example and image of Christ; and know assuredly, he cannot be happier than when he cometh up to the nearest conformity with his suffering, crucified Lord. If his love be sincere, it will kindle in his heart an ardent desire to be like unto him: and this desire will dispel all the fear of man; because it makes the cross, which is so bitter to the flesh, delightful to the spirit; so that it can no more hinder his drinking gladly _the cup which his father hath given him_. Nay, St. _Paul_ assures us, that a man not only overcomes thereby, but that he is _more than conqueror_; intimating, that by this victory he gains an inconceivable advantage over all the sufferings that can befal him for the gospel’s sake. _Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword: nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors._ Nor does he stop here, but expresses the undaunted chearfulness of his heart yet more emphatically; _I am persuaded that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God_. Let us, dear brethren, in like manner, press on in spirit into the living and powerful fellowship of Jesus Christ: so that we may _live no more, but he may live in us; and the life which we now live in the flesh, we may live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave himself for us_. Thus all fear will soon vanish out of our heart, and the joyful Spirit of Christ will fill up the room it had there, and make us grow in strength, comfort and encourage us in all our combats, and afford us a continual train of victories.