Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 4 · Chapter 141
CHAP. CXLI.
Of the eaſineſs of the Yoke of Afflictions for the Name of Chriſt.
VVE are now to proceed unto another thing, and that is, The ſufferings about thoſe things that Chriſt requires: though to do thoſe things that Chriſt requires may ſeem to be eaſie, yet to bear and ſuffer thoſe heavy things that we read that Chriſtians did ſuffer in former times when they came under the yoke of Chriſt, and which we are like to ſuffer in the cauſe of Chriſt, now eſpecially, if the Lord ſhould let the Adverſary prevail over us, we may come to ſuffer thoſe things that would be very hard, wheras if we had liberty of Conſcience as others have, that we could go any way this way or that way, ſo as may ſerve our own turn, and be ſuitable to our own ends, we might avoid a great deal of ſuffering, but now when we come under the yoke of Jeſus Chriſt, we muſt keep on in the right way, we muſt keep on in the way of ſuffering, whatever ſufferings come we muſt not decline the waies of Chriſt in the word.
Now for Anſwer unto this: The Scripture doth not judg it ſo hard a thing to ſuffer for Chriſt as thou ſeemeſt to judg it to be, ſee what the Scripture judgeth it to be, St. Paul ſpeaking of his ſufferings that he endured, in 2 Cor. 12. 10. Therefore I take pleaſure in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Neceſſities, in Perſecution, in Diſtreſſes for Chriſts ſake, the word is in the Original, I am well pleaſed, here I take pleaſure, I am well pleaſed in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Neceſſities, in Perſecutions, in Diſtreſſes, I am well pleaſed in them all: Certainly, that that a man hath a good pleaſure to, that he can be well pleaſed with, that is eaſie, a man muſt needs have eaſe in a thing that he is well pleaſed in, now the Apoſtle profeſſeth that he is well pleaſed in that which he ſuffered for Chriſt, and we are never like to be called to ſuffer ſo great things as he ſuffered.
And as the Scripture ſets out ſufferings as thoſe things that a man may be well pleaſed in, ſo likewiſe we may rejoyce in them. That place in Luke 6. 23. there our Lord Chriſt would have his Diſciples when they met with hardſhip, to rejoyce in it, Rejoyce (ſaith he) in that day, yea, to rejoyce exceedingly; that is the third degree, rejoyce, and leap for joy: when is this? it is when they ſhal be ſeparated from their company, and they ſhal be reproached for Chriſts ſake, yet rejoyce ſaith he, and leap for joy. Yea, the Scripture ſets out our ſufferings for Chriſt, our ſuffering that we meet withal any way in the waies of Chriſt, as that wherein above al things we may rejoyce, there is wel pleaſing, there is joy, and exceeding joy, even to leaping, yea, and there is al kind of joy, all joy; ſo the Apoſtle in James 1. 2. My Brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; and among other temptations, theſe are great ones, the temptations of ſufferings, count it al joy. Yea, and laſtly, there is the glorying in them: ſo in Rom. 3. 5. We glory in tribulations: ſurely then there is not ſuch difficulty in ſuffering for Chriſt, if there be wel pleaſing, and joy, and exceeding joy, and all joy, and glorying: Thus the Scripture ſets out our ſufferings for Chriſt.
And ſo I might give you the examples of abundance of Martyrs, that found a great deal of eaſe in their ſufferings for Chriſt, the example of James Bainham, in the Book of Martyrs, when they kindled the fire under his feet, ſaith he, me thinks you ſtrew Damask Roſes under my feet, truly, there is ſweetneſs enough in the Roſes that are ſtrewed under ones feet, that ones feet go upon. And ſo Baſil ſpeaking of a Martyr, he ſaith, that he did account the Priſon that he was in, as a pleaſant Garden, & the ſeveral kinds of Tortures that he was put unto, as ſeveral ſorts of ſweet flowers in the Garden, ſo delightful were they to him. And Luther reports of one Agaba a young Virgin, that when ſhe went to martyrdom ſhe went as if ſhe went to Marriage, & to a Banquet. And the ſtory of Mr. Sanders, that excellent Martyr is famous, when he came to ſuffer, he found ſuch an iſſuing and going of his heart into all the Members of his body, and from all the members of his body to his heart again, an intercourſe as it were in a bodily way. And it were endleſs to name you the particulars, and to ſhew wherein even the eaſineſs of ſuffering for Chriſt appears, but I ſhal not do this at large, ſome of you may ſee that in your hands of Moſes, counting it grater riches to ſuffer for Chriſt than to enjoy all the treaſures of Egypt, and a man counts not his riches a burden: Now this is the judgment of Moſes that had the Spirit of God in him, that whereas he might have had any riches that might have been enjoyed in all the land of Egypt, yet he accounts the ſufferings with the People of God greater Riches than all the Treaſures of Egypt Oh! there is the higheſt improvement of our ſufferings for Chriſt as can be, ſomwhat higher improvement of our ſufferings than Angels are called unto, Angels are not called to ſuch high improvement of their abilities for God, as when a Chriſtian ſuffers for Chriſt, there they do confeſs with a glorious Voice. Saith an Ancient concerning the Martyrs in the primitive times. We do abundance of ſervice in a little time then, and never have the Saints ſuch a Spirit of glory reſting upon them, as in the time of ſuffering, they are under moſt glorious promiſes in thoſe times, and have more glorious comforts in thoſe times, than at other times; and ſo in ſuch reſpects, and divers others that might be mentioned, there is a great deal of eaſe and contentment in their ſufferings for Jeſus Chriſt. I was in priſon til I got into priſon for Chriſt, ſaith one Martyr. And many profeſſed that they never knew the difference, between the comforts of the world, and the comforts of God, ſo much as then when they ſuffered. Saith Ignatius, when the wild beaſts cruſht his bones between their teeth, Now I begin to be a Chriſtian. And another profeſt he had rather be a Martyr than work miracles; and therefore there is no ſuch difficulty or heavy burden in ſuffering for Chriſt as ye are afraid of. Many poor Chriſtians, when they hear what things others have ſuffered, they think, Oh, if I ſhould be called to ſuffer ſuch things, I ſhould never go through them: Be not diſcouraged, the more ſenſible thou art of thy weakneſs, the better: Poor women and children that have been afraid to ſuffer as well as you, when they have come to ſuffer, it hath been given to them to ſuffer, a mighty preſence hath come from Jeſus Chriſt upon them, and it hath been eaſie to them; indeed the thing that is difficult to one that is weak, is eaſie to one that is ſtrong: Now when you come to ſuffer for Chriſt, there comes in a great deal of ſtrength from Chriſt, and therein you will find eaſe; for certainly, Chriſt never calls us to do hard things, but he will give us ſtrength proportionable; and then that which appeared more difficult, will appear more eaſie than before.