A Christian Library, Chapter 39
CHAP. 39. That the more wee suffer here (so it bee for righteousness sake) the greater our reward shall be heareafter.
5 FI…thly, wee shall bear the Cross with more patience and comfort; if, with Moses, wee shall have respect unto the recompence of reward, which is promised to all that (notwithstanding what they shall suffer) persevere in well doing. Great are our tryals, but salvation in heaven will one day make amends, when we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes, when wee shall cease to grieve, cease to sorrow, cease to suffer, cease to sin; when God shall turn all the water of our tears, into the wine of endless comfort; Yea, when our reward shall bee so much the more joyous, by how much more the course of our life hath been grievous.
First, see what promises are made to suffering; Blessed are they which mourn, saith our Saviour, for they shall bee comforted, Matth. 5.4. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven, ver. 10. They that suffer here for well-doing, shall bee Crowned hereafter for well-suffering. Blessed shall you bee when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evill against you for my sake, fasly. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, ver. 11.12. And nothing wee suffer here, can bee compared either with those woes wee have deserved in Hell, or those joyes wee are reserved to in Heaven.
When Ma…cus Marcellus, who was the first that saw the back of Hanniball in the field, was asked how hee durst enter into battaile with him▪ hee answered, I am a Romane born, and a Souldier, and by him I shall make my …own everlasting: How much more should the hope of life immortall, w…ch is the life of our lives mortall, whet our sorti…ude, and encourage us in the Christian warfare? And so it hath done with thousands: Origen was so earnest to suffer with his Father, when hee was but sixteen years of age, that if his Mother had not kept his cloaths from him, hee would have run to the place where his Father suffered; to profess himself a Christian, and to have suffered with him: which was a common thing with the Martyrs, making all hast, lest they should miss of that noble entertainment.
Yea, it hath not onelyonly been common for men in a bravado, to encounter death for a small fl…sh of honour; but you shall see a hired servant venture his life for his new master, that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end: And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master? who giveth every one that serveth him, not Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended, 1 Sam. 22. Nor Towns and Cities, as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar: but even an hundred-fold more than wee part withall in this life, and eternall mansions in Heaven, Iohn 14▪ 2. Therefore Bazil, when hee was offered money and preferments to tempt him, answered: Can you give me money that can last for ever? and glory that may eternally flourish? And certainly nothing can bee too much to endure, for those pleasures which endure forever. Yea, if the love of gain makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea: if the sweetness of honey makes the Bears break in upon th hives, contemning the stings; Who would not get heaven at any rate, at any cost or trouble whatsoever? But to go on, Behold, saith God, it shall come to pass, that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison, that yee may bee tried; and yee shall have tribulation ten days, yet fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. For be but thou faithfull unto death, and I will give thee the Crown of life, Rev. 2.10. And again, Blessed is the man that endureth temtatation; for when hee is tried hee shall receive the Crown of life, Jam. 1. ve…. 12. A Crown without cares, without rivals, without envy, without end.
Now if you consider it,
The gain with hardness makes it far less hard▪
The danger's great, but so is the reward.
The sight of glory future, mitigate; the sence of misery present: For if Iacob thought not his service tedious, because his beloved Rachell was in his eye; what can be thought grievous to him, that hath Heaven in his eye? Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things: hee asked why they would endure such misery, when they might (by retracting) free themselvs? to which one of them aleadged that text, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, &c. the nameing whereof, and seeing them suffer so cheerfully, did so convert him; that, afterwards hee became a Martyr too.
Lastly (not to enlarge my self, as I might in promises of reward) Whosoever shall forsake Houses, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for my name sake; he shall receive an hundred-fold more, and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19.29. This is … treasure worthy our hearts, a purchase worth our lives. Wherefore, eye not the stream thou wadest through, but the firm Land thou tendest to.
And indeed, who is there that shall hear these promises, and compare the seed-time with the Harvest; look up from the root to the fruit, consider the recompence of the reward: and will not choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season, Heb. 11.25. Who will not bee willing to suffer with Christ, that hee may also reign with him? 2 Tim. 2.12. Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for a moment, when they cause unto us a far more excellent end eternall weight of glory? 2. Cor. 4.16.17. Was Lazarus for a time extream miserable? hee is now in Abrahams bosom. Yea, blessed Lazarus, thy sores and sorrows soon ceased, but thy joies are everlasting. Now mee thinks if thou but considerest that thy pain will shortly pass, but thy joies shall never pass away; it should prove a notable soveraign Cordiall to strengthen thee; not onelyonly against reproaches which attend thy profession, but even against fire and faggot. Who would not bee a Philpo… for a month, or a Lazarus for a day, o… a Stephen for an hour, that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever? nothing can bee too much to endure, for those pleasures which endure for ever.
It is true, If in this life onelyonly wee had hope in Christ, we were of all men the most miserable, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 15.19. But thou must consider, that as this life is our Hell, and the wickeds Heaven, Ioh. 16.20. So the next life shall bee their Hell, and our Heaven, ver. …1.33. Prov. 16.4. As Dives was in Abrahams bosome, when Lazarus was in torments; so Lazarus was in Abrahams bosome, when Dives was in torments, Luk. 16. ver. 23.25. And herein wee fare no worse, than Cstrist; Did not his Spirit pass from the Cross, into Paradice? Did not hee first descend into He…l, and then had his ascension? Suppose thy sufferings bee great, what then? Assure thy s…lf, that every pang is a prevention of the pains of Hell, and every respite, an earnest of Heavens rest; and how many stripes dost thou esteem Heaven worth? It is true, flesh and blood is so sensual, that it feels a little pain in the finger, a great deal more than the health of the whole body. But let us better consider on it, and behold at once the whole state of a Christian, wee shall see his peace exceed his pain; yea, wee shall see both the torments present, and the glory following. Hope makes absent joies, present; wants, plenitudes; and beguiles calamity; as good company does, the way. The poor traveller, in thinking of his Inne, goes on more cheerfully, and the bond man, in calling to mind the year of Iubilee. When the Apprentice calls to mind that his years of covenant will now shortly expire, and then hee shall have his freedom confirmed; the very remembrance thereof maketh many labour some works seem more light, and less grievous unto him: neither doth hee afterwards repent it. Did it ever repent Iacob, when hee came to inherit his Fathers blessing, that hee had indured a long exile, and tedious bondage? Or Ioseph, when hee w…s once made Ruler in Egypt, that he had formerly been sold thither, and there imprisoned? and hee had never been a Courtier, if he had not first been a prisoner: Or did it repent the Israelites when they came to inherit the Land of promise, that they had formerly been forty years passing through a forlorn wilderness. Or which of Gods servants did ever repent that they had passed the apprentiship of their service here, and were now gon to be made free in glory? If so, let us do and suffer cheerfully, patiently, couragiously, what God imposeth upon us: knowing that after wee have swet and smarted but six days at the utmost, then cometh our Sabbath of eternal rest, which will make a mends for all; knowing that death ends our misery, and begins our glory, and a few groans are well bestowed for a Preface to an immortall joy. Let then our eyes bee continually on the joys which follow, and not on the pain which is present; the pain neglected and unregarded cannot bee very discomfortable.
But that there is reward promised to those which suffer in Christs cause, is not all, for our reward shall bee answerable to our sufferings: the greater our sufferings are here, the greater shall our reward bee hereafter▪ Matth. 16.27. The deluge of calamities may assault us, but they shall exalt us. By our crosses sanctified, weight is added to our Crown of Bliss, for according to the measure of our afflictions, God weigheth unto us of his graces, that wee may bee able to bear them, and according to the measure of our graces, hee proportioneth our glory, and future happiness. Suffering for the Gospell is no inferiour good work, and every one shall bee rewarded, though not for, yet according to his works, Psal. 62.12. Rom. 2.6. Rev 22. ver. 12. The Apostles tell Christ, wee have left all and followed thee, Matth. 19.27. Christ tels them, when I sit on my Throne, yee shall sit on Thrones with mee, ver. 28. They that turn many unto righteousness, shall shine as the stars in the Kingdom of heaven, Dan. 12.3. And they that suffer Martyrdom, shall bee cloathed with long white Robes, and have Palms in their hands, Rev. 6.9.11. Now, there bee three sorts of Martyrs, Re & intentione; intentione, non re; re, non intentione: in both deed and intention, as was Saint Steven; in intention, not deed, as was Saint Iohn; in deed, not in intention, as were the innocents. But, where the conflict is more hard, the conquest obtained shall be more glorious: for as Chrysostom speaks, According to the tribulations laid upon, and born by us; shall our retribution of glory be proportioned. And persecutors (saith Bernard) are but our Fathers Gold-smiths: working, to add pearls to the Crowns of the Saints.
Yea, ever where more work is done, there more wages is given; and when the sight, or conflict is sharper, and the victory harder, the glory of the triumph is greater, and the Crown of reward more glorious. Whence it was that those Saints in the Old Testament, which were racked and tortured, would not be delivered, or accept of their enemies fair offers, to the end they might receive a bet…er resurrection, and a more glorious reward; Heb. 11.35. Neither would we wish our work easier; or our burthen lighter, if we looked up to …he recompence of reward: for it may bee well applied here, which was misapplied in the triall of that holy man Ioh, We do not serve God for nothing. Though we must … him meerly for reward, as hirelings, nor for fear as servants; but as children, for love.
O that (when we suffer most) we would but meditate and look upon, with the eie of faith, the fulnesse of those joies, and sweetnesse of those pleasures, which (having once finished our course) we shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore: Psal. 16.11. being such as eie hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man to conceive: 1 Cor. 2.9. For certainly the remembrance thereof, would even raise up our souls from our selves, and make us contemne and sleight what ever our enemies could do; as it did our fore-fathers: much more to sleight reproaches, which are such bug-bears to a great many. And no marvel, if that which hath made so many contemne fire and faggot, make us contemne the blasts of mens breath.
But I hope enough hath been said, in shewing that our enemies in stead of robbing, inrich us; and in lieu of hurting, pleasure us; sith they greaten our graces, and augment our glory; sith if the conflict be more sha…p, the Crown will be more glorious. Wherefore if our trials be small, let us bear them with patience, which makes even great burthens easie; if they bee great and grievous, let us bear them patiently too; since great is the weight of glory that ensueth them: whereas no suffering, no reward; yea, if wee be not chastned here, we shall be condemned h…reafter, 1 Cor. 11.32. And whether had you rather rejoice for one sit, or alwaies? you would do both, which may not be; you would be both Dives and Lazarus, have happinesse bo…h here and hereafter: pardon me, it is a fond covetousnesse, … idle singularity to affect it: What, that you alone may fare better than all Gods Saints? That God should strow Carpets for your feet onelyonly, to walk unto your Heaven; and make that way smooth for you, which all Patriarchs, Prophets, Evangelists, Confessers, and Christ himself have found rugged, and bloody? Away with this self-love, and come down you ambitious sons of Zebedee; and ere you think of sitting near the Throne, be contented to be called unto the Cup. Now is your …: Let your Saviour see how much of his bitter petion you can pledge; then shall you see how much of his glory he can afford you. In all Feasts, the coursest meats are tasted first: be content to drink of his Vineger and Gall, and after you shall drink new wine with him in his Kingdome. Besides, without some kinde of suffering, how shall your sincerity be approved? Even nature is … and cheerful whiles it prospereth, but let God withdraw his hand; no sight, no trust: The mother of Micha, while her wealth lasteth, can dedicate a good part of her silver to the Lord, but now she hath lost it, shee falls a cu…sing, Iudg. 17.1, 2, 3. Cataline, whiles poor, had many seeming …, but having feathered his nest, you could hardly say, whether he was most lavish of his money, or of his modesty. But to be equally good in a prospe…ous, and adverse condition, deservs praise: When our resolution and practice is like that Maids in Plutarch, who being set in the Market to be sold, when a Chapman askt her, Wilt thou be faithful, if I buy thee? said; Yea, that I will, though you do not buy me.
Wee all are … weary of receiving, soon weary of att…nding; we are ready to shrink from Christ, so soon as our profits or pleasures shrink from us: But if with the Needle of the Compasse, in the midst of tempestuous weather, we remain alwaies unmoveable, and staied upon one point; it is a signe the Loadstone of the Gospel hath changed our hearts; and we are governed by Christ, as the Needle is by the North-Pole. Wherefore if God should not frame ou…ward things to thy minde, do thou frame thy mind to endure with patience and comfort what he sends; and this will be an Odour smelling sweet, a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God: yea, herein thou shalt approve thy self with David, a man after God's own heart; and …ou know, that as David was unto God according to his heart, so was God unto David according to his.