A Sovereign Antidote to Drive out Discontent, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
BEcauſe Patience in ſuffering brings a reward wi…h it. In reaſon a man would forgive his enemy ev…n for his own …ake, were there no …ther motive …o perſwade him: for to let paſſe many things of no ſmal… moment, as that, if we forgive not, we can do no part of …ods worſhip …hat is pleaſing to him; for we cannot pray aright, 1 Tim. 2.8. We …annot communicate in the Sacrament, but we make our ſelves guilty of Chriſts blood, 1 Cor. 11.27. Matth. ….24. We cannot be good hearers …f the Word, Iames 1.21. and that it makes a man captive to Satan▪ Epheſ. 4.26, 27. and many the like: If ye forigve men their treſpaſſes, (ſaith our Saviour,) your heavenly Father alſo will forgive you; but if you for…ive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you …our treſpasses, Mat. 6.14, 15. So he that will not be in Charity, ſhall never be in Heaven: And why ſhould I do my ſelf a ſhrewd turn becauſe …nother would? Yea, we deſire pardon, as we give pardon; and we would …e loath to have our own lips condemn us. When we pray to God to forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we alſo forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us, …nd do not reſolve to forgive our brethren; we do ineffect ſay, Lord condemn us, for we will be condemned: whereas he that doth good to his enemy, e…en in that act, doth better to himſelf.
Again, Blessed is the man (ſaith St. Iames) that endureth temptation (viz. with patience) for when he is tried, he ſhall receive the Crown of life, James 1.12. And this made Moſes not only patient in his ſufferings, but joyfull, eſteeming the rebuke of Chriſt greater riches than all the meaſures of Aegypt: For ſaith the Text, he had reſpect unto the recompence of the reward, Heb. 11.26. And well it might; for whereas the higheſt degree of ſuffering, is not worthy of he leaſt and loweſt degree of this glory, Rom. 2.18. St. Paul witneſſeth, that our light affliction which is but for a moment (if it be borne with patience) cauſeth unto us a far moſt excellent and eternall weight of glory, while we look not on the things that are ſeen, but on the things which are not ſeen, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Where note the incomparableneſſe and infinite difference between the work and the wages: light affliction receiving a weight of glory, and momentary afflictions, eternall glory: anſwerable to the reward of the wicked, whoſe empty delights live and die in a moment: but their inſufferable puniſhment is interminable and endleſs: As it fared with Pope Sixtus the fifth (who ſold his ſoul to the Devill, to enjoy the glory and pleaſure of the Popedom for ſeven years) their pleaſure is ſhort, their pain everlaſting: our pain is ſhort, our joy eternall. What will not men undergo, ſo their pay may be anſwerable? The old experienced Souldier fears not the rain and ſtorms above him, nor the numbers falling before him, nor the troops of enemies againſt him, nor the ſhot of thundring Ordinance about him; but looks to the honourable reward promiſed him. When Philip asked Democritus, if he die, not fear to loſe his head, he anſwered, No: for (quoth he,) if I die, the Athenians will give me a life immortall: meaning, he ſhould be ſ…ued in the treaſury of eternall fame: if the immortality (as they thought) of their names, was ſuch a ſtrong reaſon to perſwade them to patience, and all kind of worthineſſe; what ſhould the immortality of the ſoul be to us? Alas, vertue were a poor thing, if fam… only ſhould be all the Garland that did crown her: but the Chriſtian knowes, that if every pain he ſuffers were a death, and very croſſe an hell; he ſhall have amends enough. Which made the Martyrs ſuch Lambs in ſuffering, that their perſecutors were more weary with ſtriking, than they with ſuffering; and many of them as willing to die as dine. When Modeſtus the Emperours Lieutenant, told Baſil what he ſhould ſuffer; as confiſcation of goods, cruell tortures, death, &c. He anſwered, If this be all, I fear not: yea had I as many lives, as I have hairs on my head, I would lay them all down for Chriſt, nor can your maſter more benefit me than in ſending me to my Heavenly Father, to whom I now live, and to whom I deſire to haſten. And another time, being threatned in like manner by the Emperour ▪ he bad him fright Babies with ſuch Bugbares. His life might be taken away, but not his comforte, his head; but not his crown. Yea, perſecutors, are but our Fathers Goldſmiths, (ſayes Bernard) working to adde Pearles, to the Crowns of the Saints. Whence Gordius could ſay to his tormentors, it is to my great loſs, if you bate me any part of my ſufferings. I could abound with …amples of this nature. No matter (quoth one of them) what I ſuffer on earth, ſo I may be crowned in Heaven. I care not, quoth another, what becometh of this frail Bark my fleſh; ſo I have the paſſenger, my ſoul, ſafely conducted. And another,
If (Lord) at night thou grant'ſt me Lazarus boon,
Let Dives dogs lick all my ſores at noon,
And a valiant Souldier going about a Chriſtian atchievement; My comfort is, though I loſe my life for Chriſts ſake, yet I ſhall not loſe my labour; yea, I cannot endure enough to come to Heaven. Laſtly, Ignatius going to his Martyrdom, was ſo ſtrongly raviſhed with the joyes of Heaven, that he burſt out into theſe words; Nay, come fire, come beaſts, come breaking my bones, racking of my body, come all the torments of the Devill together upon me, come what can come in the whole earth, or in hell, ſo I may enjoy Ieſus Chriſt in the end.
I might ſhew the like, touching temptations on the right hand, which have commonly more ſtrength in them, and are therefore more dangerous, becauſe more plauſible and glorious. When Valence ſent to offer Baſil great preferments, and to tell him what a great man he might be: Baſil anſwers, Offer theſe things to Children not to Chriſtians. When ſome bad, ſtop Luthers mouth with preferment: one of his adverſaries anſwered, it was in vain, he cares neither for Gold, nor Honour. And when they offered to make him a Cardinall, if he would be quiet; he anſwered, No. I will not betray the truth by my ſilence, if you would make me Pope. When Valence the Emperour offered Baſil great ſums of money, and high preferment to tempt him: he anſwered, can you give me money that ſhall laſt for ever, and glory that will eternally flouriſh? When Pyrrhus tempted Fabritius, the firſt day with an Elephant, ſo huge and monſtrous a beaſt as before he had not ſeen, the next day with Money and promiſes of Honour, he anſwered, I fear not thy force, and I am too wiſe for thy fraud. But I ſhall be cenſured for exceeding.
Thus hope refreſheth a Chriſtian, as much as miſery depresseth him; it makes him defie all that men or Devils can do, ſaying, Take away my goods, my good name, my friends, my liberty, my life, and what elſe thou canſt imagin; yet I am well enough, ſo long as thou canſt not take away the reward of all, which is an hundred ſold more even in this world, and in the world to come, life everlaſting. Mark. 10.29, 30. I confeſs many are ſuch Milkſops, for want of Faith, and experience: that they are diſhartned with Scoffs alone, but no need. For, if they ſhould turn their words into blowes, and (inſtead of uſing their tongues) take up their ſwords and kill us, they ſhall rather pleaſure than hurt us. When Iohn Baptiſts was delivered from a double priſon, of his own, of Herods, and placed in the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, what did he loſe by it? His head was taken off, that it might be crowned with glory; he had no ill bargain of it, they did but haſten him to immortality: and the Churches daily prayer is, Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly. Yea, what ſaid bleſſed Bradford▪ In Chriſts cauſe to ſuffer death, is the way to Heaven on Horsback; which hath made ſome even ſlight the ſentence of death, and make nothing of it. It is recorded of one Martyr, that hearing the ſentence of his condemnation read, wherein was expreſt many ſeverall tortures, of ſtarving, killing, boyling, burning, and the like, which he ſhould ſuffer; he turns to the People, and with a ſmiling countenance ſaies; And all this is but one death, and each Chriſtian may ſay (of what kinde ſoever his ſufferings be) The ſooner I get home, the ſooner I ſhall be at eaſe. Yea, whatever threatens to befall him he may anſwer it as once that noble Spartan, who being told of the death of his Children, anſwered, I knew well they were all begot mortall. Secondly, that his goods were confiſcate, I knew what was but for my uſe, was not mine. Thirdly, that his honour was gone, I knew no glory could be everlaſting on this miſerable Earth. Fourthly, that his ſentence was to dye. That's nothing, Nature hath given like ſentence both of my condemners and me. Wicked men have the advantage of the way, but godly men of the end; Who fear not death becauſe they feared God in their life.
I know carnall men will either not believe this, or ſhould they ſee it acted, (as in Queen Macies dayes) they would be amazed at it. And no wonder for to ſpeak truth, Faith and Patience are two mi…acles in a Chriſtian. A Proteſtant Martyr being at the ſtake, in the midſt of furious and outragious flames, cried out, Behold ye Papiſts, whom nothing will convince but Miracles; here ſee one indeed, for in this fire I feel no more pain, than if I were in a bed of Down, yea it is to me like a bed of Roſes: and Cassianus reporteth, that when a Martyr was tormented by the Infidels, and asked by way of reproach, What Miracle his CHRIST had done; he anſwered, He hath done what you now he hold; enabled me ſo to bear your contumelies, and undergo all theſe tortures ſo patiently, that I am not once moved; and is not this a miracle worthy yout taking notice of? And indeed, what have we by our ſecond birth, which is not miraculous in compariſon of our naturall condition? It was no leſſe then a miracle for Zacheus, a man both rich and covetous, to give half his goods to the poor, and make reſtitution with the reſidue, and, all this in his health. It was a great miracle, that Ioſeph in the arms of his Miſtress, ſhould not burn with luſt. It is a great miracle for a man to forſake Houſes, and Lands, and all that he hath; yea, to hate Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and his own life to be Chriſts Diſciple. It is a great miracle, to rejoyce in tribulation, and ſmile death in the face. It is a great miracle that of fierce and cruell Wolves, Bears, Lyons, we ſhould be transformed into meek Lambs, and harmleſs Doves and all this, by the fooliſhness of Preaching Chriſt crucified. Indeed, they were no miracles, if nature could produce the like effect: But he muſt not look to ſ…and in competion with grace, for which conſult, Phil. 3, 4. …m. 5.5. Phil. 4.13. Alas, grace and faith tranſcend nature and reaſon: … much as reaſon doth ſenſe, for patience (rightly ſo called) is a Preroga…ve royall, peculiar to the Saints. It is well if Philoſophy have ſo much …iſdome, as to ſtand amazed at it. Neither is it true Chriſtian patience, …cept 1. It flow from a pious and good heart, ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt. … Be done in knowledge of, and obedience to Gods c…mmand. 3. That we … it in humility, and ſincere love to God. 4. That it be done in faith. … That we aim at Gods glory (not at our own,) and the Churches good … our ſufferings. 6. That we forgive, as well as forbear; yea, love, …ay for, and return good to our enemies for their evill.
And thus you ſee how patient ſuffering is rewarded, both here and …reafter; that we loſe whatever we do loſe by our enemies, no otherwiſe …an the husbandman loſeth his ſeed: for whatever we part withall, is but … ſeed caſt into the ground, which ſhall even in this life, according to our …viours promiſe, return unto us the increaſe of an hundred fold, and in … world to come, life everlaſting. Mark. 10.19, 30, But admit patience …ould neither be rewarded here, nor hereafter; yet it is a ſufficient …ward to it ſelf: for, hope and patience are two ſoveraign and univerſall …medies for all diſeaſes. Patience is a counterpoyſon or antipoyſon for all …. It is like the Tree which Moſes caſt into the waters, Exod. 15.25. …r as that Tree made the waters ſweet, ſo Patience ſweetens afflicti…n▪ … is as Larde to the lean meat of adverſity. It makes the poor beggar … teacheth the bond-man in a narrow priſon to enjoy all liberty and …iety for, the patient beleever, though he be alone, yet he never wants …mpany: though his diet be penury, his ſaewce is content: all his miſeries …nnot make him ſick, becauſe they are digeſted by patience. And indeed, is not ſo much the greatnesse of their pain, as the ſmalnesse of their pa…, that makes many miſerable; whence ſome have (and not unfitly) …embled our fancies, to thoſe multiplying glaſſes made at Venice, which … put to the eye, make twenty men in Arms ſhew like a terrible …rmy. And every man is truly calamitous, that ſuppoſeth himſelf ſo: … oftentimes we die in conceit, before we be truly ſick: we give the bat… for loſt, when as yet we ſee not the enemy. Now croſſes are either …nderous or light, as the Diſciples or Scholers eſteem them: every man … ſo wretched, as he beleeveth himſelfe to be. The taſt of goods or evils …oth greatly depend on the opinion we have of them; and contentation, …ke an old man ſpectacles, make thoſe characters eaſie and familiar that …therwiſe would puzzle him ſhrewdly. Afflictions are as we uſe them; …eir is nothing grievous, if the thought make it not ſo: even pain it ſelf …aith the Philoſopher) is in our power, if not to be diſanulled, yet at … to be diminſhed through patience: very Gally ſlaves, ſetting … by their captivity, find freedom in bondage. Patience is like a golden …eld in the hand, to break the ſtroak of every croſſe, and ſave the heart …ough the body ſuffer. A ſound ſpirit, ſaith Solomon, will bear his infirmity, Prov. 18.14. Patience to the ſoul, is as the lid to the eye… as the lid being ſhut, when occaſion requires, ſaves it exceedingly… Patience intervening between the ſoul and that which it ſuffers, … the heart whole, and cheers the body again. And therefore, if you … it, when you can paſſe by an offence, and take it patiently and quie… you have a kind of peace and joy in your heart, as if you had gott… victory, and the more your patience is, ſtill the leſſe your pain is: for … light burthen at the arms end weigheth heavier by much, than a … of treble weight, if it be born on the ſhoulders which are made to … ſo if a man ſet patience to bear his croſſe, the weight is nothing to … it would be if that were wanting: In a word, Patience is ſo ſoveraig… medicine, that it cures and overcomes all; it keeps the heart from … the hand from revenge, the tongue from contumely, the whole body … ſmart, it overcomes our enemies without weapons: finally, it is ſuch a … tue that it makes calamities no calamities. So you have ſeaven Reaſo… patience there are nine more in the Originall that ſhould follow, … haſten to the uſes &c. An end of the ſecond part: the Third and … followes.