that and so caused him to goe vp into mount Nebo chap. 34 ◠vnto the top of Pisgah where he shewed him all the land and there he died and so entred into the kingdome of heauen and tooke possession of it for euer whereof this land was but a type figure and so the Lord denying him that particular euē to come into the land of Canaan gaue him that that was farre better whereby he was more confirmed in the same of God and in the truth of his couenant euen to enter into the kingdome of heauen and so gaue him according to the meaning of his Spirit But further touching this matter we are more generally to vnderstand that the Apostle saith not onely that the crosse shall turne to our good but that this shall be verified of all the crosses that euery way come vpon vs be they neuer so strange or vnlooked for whether it be sicknes pouertie imprisonment banishment losse of husband wife children father and mother friends and kinred losse of name and credit or any thing els as sorrow and griefe of minde and affliction of the spirit Which is wisely to be marked of vs least at any time we might be deceiued to think when the Lord shall lay his hand vpon vs as it pleaseth him that if it were some other affliction then that which now is come vpon vs we could haue some good hope in it but this is so great it toucheth vs so nearely that we can not possibly see how or which way it should bring vs any good And as the Deuill is readie to assault vs with this temptation so we by reason of our corruption are too prone to yeild vnto his perswasion therein and so by impatiencie to be wearie of the crosse as not able to looke for any good from it We therfore that wee might comfortably withstand this temptation of his besides that we must holde our selues fast to the words of the Apostle who saith that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Gal. 1.9 he speaketh of all not of this or that against which if any yea an Angel from heauen should perswade vs we must hold him accursed We must cōsider that this good commeth frō all affliction not as though it were naturall proper vnto it for indeed it is otherwise that of it selfe it maketh men worse as the sunne hardeneth the clay and it driueth men from good as the rodde driueth the child away from the mother And this is that which Satan aimeth at in all men Iob. 1.11 as hee did in righteous Iob though he preuailed not when hee said of him to the Lord Stretch out thine hand touch all that he hath and see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face And thus he preuaileth with the wicked in all crosses that come vpon them as wee see in the example of Pharaoh king of Egypt who by the ten plagues that God sent vpon him was made more hard hearted and waxed still worse and worse and would not heare the commandement of God to let the people of Israel goe But with the children of God it is not so the goodnesse of God towards them ouercommeth the malice of the deuill against them And as in the wildernesse the sting of the fierie serpēts were healed in the bodies of mē by looking vp to the brasen serpent Num. 21.8 so the venime and poison of all crosses is taken away in the children of God by vertue of the crosse of Christ so that contrarie to the nature of it it worketh good as also by the death of Christ 1. Cor. 15.55 the sting of death is taken away so that it cannot hurt any of his but doth them the greatest good beeing thereby made for them a passage into eternal life The which that it might not seeme strange vnto vs much lesse impossible namly that afflictiō hurtfull in it selfe to the wicked should work for the best to those that loue God wee must remember that euen men by their wisdome are able to make those things serue for the benefit of man which of themselues are most hurtfull vnto him For the Physition through his skill can cure a man by Gods ordinance and blessing and so make him stronger then hee was before by taking away some part of his blood euen that wherein the life consisteth and by taking away other humors so diminishing a great part of his flesh and the Chyrurgion by cutting and piercing the flesh with an hotte yron or eating it away with some corrasiues is able by these woundes and hurtfull things to preserue the state of the members of the bodie Then the Lord much more by that which in it selfe would hurt our soules is able to cure them and to doe them good And if the Apothecarie can so temper that which in it owne nature is poyson as the Vipers flesh so temper it I say with other wholesome ingredients and correct it with those that be cordiall that of it hee will make a most soueraigne Treacle and such an wholesome confection as shall expell poyson and driue it from the heart and so make that which of it selfe would cause death to bee a speciall preseruer of life Shall not the Lord by his infinite wisedome goodnesse and almightie power the Lord I say 2. Cor. 4.6 which caused the light to shine out of darkenesse contrarie to the nature of it and who calleth the things that bee not as though they were and so causeth thē to be and which bringeth good out of euill euen his owne glorie out of the sin of man shall not he bee much more able by the most grieuous crosses that can befall vs to worke the greatest good for vs that may be Therefore when we would looke for good from our afflictions and so be comforted in them patiently bearing them in hope of the blessed fruit that we shall reape by them wee must not so much looke to the things themselues how fit they bee for vs nor to our selues how wee bee fitted for them as to the truth of Gods promise made vnto vs concerning this matter so be sure that the Lord wil worke our good thereby because he that is true and al-sufficient hath said said it And this one perswasion no doubt should worke in vs great patience in all our afflictiōs yea it should make vs cheerefully and with our heads lifted vp not hanging down to beare them for how many grieuous things will naturall men indure willingly if they see that they will make for the bettering of their estate As what will not the sicke patiēt suffer at the hands of the Physitiō or Chirurgion by launcing purging fearing diet c. when he is perswaded that they will procure his bodily health should not a Christian man and woman much more indure hard things at the hands of God seeing he hath said that they shall procure the health of
the younger brethren must refuse it or be wearie of it We see by experience that in euery family great is the prerogatiue and priuiledge of the eldest brother aboue all the rest he by the law of God was by his double portion preferred aboue all the rest and Iacob in blessing all his children Gen. 49.3 called Reuben his eldest sonne The excellencie of dignitie and the excellencie of power and so did shew what belonged vnto him as he was the eldest if he had not lost it namely that he should haue beene the chiefest of all his brethren None therefore must looke to goe beyond the eldest nay all can not be like vnto him and if any of the younger might come to as great an inheritance as he by doing the same things that he did before them though neuer so hard and by going to it the same way that he did though full of many difficulties and daungers they might not with any colour refuse the conditions vnlesse they would preposterously and without reason preferre themselues before him and thinke themselues better then he In like manner seeing it hath pleased the Lord Heb. 2.10 as the Apostle saith to consecrate the price of our saluation through afflictions and he came vnto glorie no other way then this we must thinke it good for vs to goe the same way that we might be like vnto him and so by our practise shew that we acknowledge him to be the prince of our saluation and our eldest brother Therefore as he is the most chief and principall in the commonwealth or in the Church or in a priuate family or in any place els whome all the rest desire to be like vnto So when we are contented to be like vnto Christ in any thing euen in the crosse then shall we declare indeede that wee hold him not in word onely but in true faith heartie affection to be chiefe and principall aboue all others and as was said before to be the Prince of our saluation or as it is saide in this text that we haue in hand Rom. 8.29 The first begotten among many brethren For indeede howsoeuer there is great difference betweene the head and the rest of the members and all of them are farre inferiour vnto it yet there is and must be a certaine conformitie betweene the one and the other that is a certain likelihood and agreement betweene the members of the same bodie and the head So howsoeuer there is no comparison betweene Christ and vs yet we must thus farre agree with him that we must not thinke to be aboue him and therefore we must not refuse any condition that he hath vndergon before vnlesse we would most disorderly preferre our selues the members before him our head which thing to doe were to darken the glorie of him that is the first borne and to staine the honour of him that is truly called The Prince of our saluation For what a confusion were it in the commonwealth if the Nobles yea the meanest of the subiects would refuse to doe that which the King Prince had done before or what disorder wold there be in a family if the yonger brethren should think much and disdaine to be brought vp that way that the heire of the house had beene before Euen so when we shall refuse to beare the crosse which our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus by the appointment of his father hath born in greater measure then we shall or can it is nothing els but pride and selfe loue to lift vp our selues aboue him and to say by our deedes that we will not in this thing be conformable vnto him as to our Prince or eldest brother And then consider I pray you what an intolerable thing this were that we beeing worse then dust and ashes and wormes meat yea nothing els but a lumpe of sinne should desire to be spared aboue the onely sonne of God whome he hath made heire of all things Heb. 1.2 by whome also he made the worlds who is the brightnes of the glorie and the ingrauen forme of his person bearing vp all things by his mightie power and is made so much the more excellent then the Angels in as much as he hath obtained a more excellent name thē they for of him he saith Thou art my son this day haue I begotten thee and of the other Let all the Angels of God worship him as the Apostle doth most excellently shew at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Therefore let vs not so loue our selues that the estate of Christ Iesus should seeme vnmeete for vs as if he beeing thorough all afflictions and temptations brought vnto glory we should dream of a more easie way for our selues and thinke to come to it after a more peaceable quiet manner we know not what But rather let this comfort and vphold vs in all trouble and aduersitie that we can neuer be pressed downe so low with it but that Christ Iesus our Lord and Prince hath been more deepely plunged in it before therfore the more that we suffer the more like we are vnto him In so much that if it were possible for vs to haue the afflictions of Iob doubled vpon vs yea if we could goe downe into hell and so suffer all the torments of a damned and desperate creature both in soule and bodie hauing the worme of our conscience knawing in vs continually euen in them we should be most like vnto Christ in his fearefull agonies and deadly sorrow that he fell into complaining that his soule was heauie euen vnto the death Math 26 3◠and in his bloodie sweat by which all the parts of this bodie were strained to the full yea in the lamentable outcries that he made vpon the crosse when as he finding no comfort in heauen nor in earth for a while he cried with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 27.46 and so gaue vp the ghost But if all this doe not suffice vs and we further demaund why the Lord should appoint so hard a way for vs vnto saluation and why he should ordaine the gate to be so strait 7.14 and the way so narrow whereby we should enter into life and so should foolishly wish as many doe that he had appointed some easier way then this First of all I must say as the Apostle doth Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou which pleadest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou appointed me to doe so and so we must not prescribe any thing vnto the Lord in the course and manner of our saluation no more then children must prescribe vnto their parēts after what maner they should come to their inheritances and portions But seeing that the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen are so great euen such 1. Cor. 2.9 as the eye hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither haue they entred into
his soule worke his good that way But indeede herein lieth the point of this matter and this is all in all namely that the poore afflicted soule knoweth not that the Lord by his affliction will work his good and that maketh him so vnquiet and euer complaining for giue him this faith and the feeling of it that his affliction shall be turned vnto his good and lay vpon him whatsoeuer you will he is content to beare it Therefore for the satisfying of our selues herein let vs hearken to that which the Apostle saith Wee know Rom. 8.28 that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God which is as if he had saide though you because of your ignorance vnbeleefe and want of experience are vncerten what wil be the happie issue of all your afflictions yet we know very well that all shall worke together for our your good Which he speaketh confidently both as a teacher of the Church an Apostle and as a man of experience and therefore we ought to giue credit vnto him rather then to our selues Euen as the patient doth to the Physitian though himselfe had neuer experience of any such thing before when he saith vnto him I knowe that this will make for the health of your bodie and the preseruation of your life And in this thing wee ought to giue credit vnto the Apostle so much the more because vnto his own word and saying he ioyneth the testimony of many other saying Wee know meaning the rest of the Apostles and ministers and men of experience he saith that all of them knew it therfore this word beeing confirmed by the mouthes not of two or three witnesses onely but hauing as the Apostle speaketh so great a cloud of witnesses for it Hâ—b 12.1 it should be receiued without all gainesaying For it is all one as if the sicke patient fearing to take the potion that is prescribed vnto him lest it should make him more sicke he should haue not onely one but an whole counsell of Physitians saying vnto him that vndoubtedly this medicine is like to do you good we know the working of it very wel and haue had great experience of it in many you neede not to feare it take it vpon our credit This would much mooue and incourage him vnto it So no doubt this should correct the too much feare that is in vs of beeing hurt by the crosse when we heare so many excellent and famous men very skilfull therein to speake so boldly vnto vs of the benefit of it euen those whome seeing that we are most readie to beleeue in all other things why should we not giue credit vnto them in this also But that we might doe it the rather let vs a little consider in particular of the benefit of the crosse And though the Apostle name one great one here which might be sufficient yet before we come to it let vs see what other endes of it the Scripture affoardeth vnto vs. And first of all we shall finde it to be a speciall meanes to draw vs from the too much loue of this world that according to the saying of the Apostle 2. Cor. 7.31 they that vse this world might be as though they vsed it not that is that we might be so addicted to these worldly things that we set not our affections too much vpon them For such is the corruption of our nature that when wee haue all things at will we are so wedded to this world that we thinke it best for vs alwaies to abide here and here we would set vp our tabernacles for euer and wee are readie to say with the worldling in the Gospel Luk. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate and drinke take thy pleasure and though heauen be a thousand times heauenly yet we desire it not at all or not so earnestly as we should but wee are still earthly minded and as it were groueling vpon the earth so hardly or not at all can wee come vnto that that we are exhorted vnto to seeke Colos 3. â— and to set our affections on those things that are aboue and not on things which are in the earth yet when by affliction we shal finde that there is no contentation in any estate here below it may mooue vs to despise all worldly things and to aspire vnto heauen Psal 16.11 where in the presence of God is the fulnesse of ioy at his right hand are pleasures for euermore For this cause the holy Patriarkes suffered so many afflictions in the daies of their pilgrimages as appeareth in their seueral stories in respect of which one of them said Gen. 47. â— That his daies were fewe and euill For wheras many earthly things were promised vnto them yet that they might not staie in them but from them as it were by certaine stairs they might ascend vnto the consideration of heauenly things which the earthly did shadow out vnto them and which they were especially to looke for he mingled his manifold great blessings with manifold crosses in that land that was promised vnto them they had no certaine abiding that they might seeke after the kingdome of heauen As the Apostle saith vnto the Hebrewes Hâ—b 11.9 By faith Abraham abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey as one that dwelt in tents with Izaack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God These men had none inheritance in the land of Canaan that they might not dream of a perpetuitie there but might thinke of heauen as of a better countrey where they should remain for euer confessing themselues continually to bee but strangers and pilgrimes on the earth Thus also the Lord dealeth with many before their death laying long and grieuous diseases vpon them as he did vpon his seruant Iob that they finding no rest in this world might be willing to goe out of it when hee shall send for them and say with olde father Simeon Lord Luk. 2.29 now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace yea that they might desire death most willingly which before as most ougly and loathsome they did abhorre and so saie with S. Paul I desire to bee loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all So that as the mother by some vnpleasant thing weaneth the sucking childe from the breast now when stronger meate is more fit for it vpon which otherwise it would alwaies linger to the hurt of it so the Lord by the crosse weaneth our affections from the profits and pleasures of the world and so turneth it vnto our good and therefore if by experience we find that by any affliction we growe more wearie of the world or lesse in loue with it we are not onely to take it patiently but therein see the truth of this
â—7 before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy words so that by his affliction he was kept from going astray as he had wont to doe and was constrained in a reuerent feare to walke in the compasse of Gods holy law whereupon he concludeth thus by his owne experience 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may feare thy statutes Thus affliction was a sensible kind of teaching to cause him to liue after Gods statutes and not after the common course of the world Fourthly afflictions in the Scriptures are called trialls because that by them the Lord trieth vs and prooueth what is in vs not that he is ignorant of it for Dauid saith vnto God Psal 139 2. Thou knowest my sitting rising thou vnderstaÌ„dest my thoughts a farre off thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my waies for there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it O Lord. So that he hath full perfect knowledge of vs without any triall yet he trieth vs by affliction because thereby he would haue our selues and others throughly to know what is in vs and in what measure and that both in respect of the good and euill that is in vs which without the triall could not so well be knowne Which kind of triall serueth to this ende that if we haue receiued any good grace we might be thankefull to God for it and for the measure of it if not we might labor for it and if we haue any sinne in vs we might repent and striue against it if not we might take heede that wee fall not into it for the time to come and so euery way God might be glorified And thus speaketh the Apostle S. Peter of the afflictions of the church comparing them vnto fire whereby mettalls are tried wheÌ„ he saith Now for a season if neede require ye are in heauines 2. Pet. 2.6 through manifold tentations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious then gold that perisheth thogh it be tried with fire might be found vnto your praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ Where the Apostle saith that if men by the fire will trie their gold to that ende that they might certenly know what is the value of it and yet it is but a thing that perisheth and therefore in no wise to be compared to faith and other most excellent graces of the spirit of God Then the Lord much more may make triall of them by affliction to the ende that all men may see them to be so pretious and so pure as they be and that they may be discerned from the hypocriticall and counterfeit shewes of vertue that are in the wicked and vngodly that so men might make sure reckoning of the one and not trust to the other so be deceiued by them Thus it is truly said that God did prooue Abraham Gen. 22.1 when he saide vnto him Take thine onely sonne Isaac whome thou louest and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering vpon one of the mountaines which I wil shew thee and he did so and therefore the Apostle saith that by faith he offered vp Isaac when he was tried Heb. 11.17 so that this was a great triall vnto him to sacrifice his owne sonne whome he so loued and in whome he had receiued the promise But when he stretched forth his hand Gen. 22.10 and tooke the knife to kill his sonne the Lord said vnto him from heauen Lay not thine hand vpon the child neither doe any thing vnto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely son The Lord knew the obedience of Abraham before but he speaketh according to mens vnderstanding that now he by good proofe and triall knew it and made it knowne to Abraham himselfe and to all posteritie And thus our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel by a parable sheweth how it is knowne who haue receiued the seede of Gods word into good hearts and who into bad namely they that continue in the obedience of it in the time of temptation and triall and they that fall away saying They that are on the stones Luk. 8.13 are they which when they haue heard receiue the word with ioy but they haue no rootes which for a while beleeue but in the time of temptation goe away Thus though they seemed to beleeue for a time yet when they fall away in temptatioÌ„ by this triall it appeareth that the word of God was neuer throughly rooted in theÌ„ And by an other comparison also he sheweth how vpon triall it is manifest who are profitable hearers of the word of God and who are not for he that heareth the word of God Math 7.24 doth it is like a wise man which hath builded his house on a rocke and the raine fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beate vpon that house and it fell not for it was grouÌ„ded on a rocke But he that heareth the word and doth it not is like a foolish man which hath builded his house on the sand and the raine fell and the floods came and the winde blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and the fall of it was great Temptations therefore and trialls which are here compared vnto stormes and tempests will shew what is in all sorts of men and whether they haue beene profitable or vnprofitable hearers of the word of God and this is a speciall ende of them thus to lay open men both to themselues and to the world when as it shall appeare that in affliction vnder the crosse they are the same that they were before or they are not but farre vnlike After this manner were the Israelites tried and prooued in the wildernesse by the space of fourtie yeares in which time some of them prooued themselues murmurers some fornicators some idolatours some disobedient some faithfull and all this was by the seuerall afflictions and crosses that did befall them And thus also by the great afflictions that did befall Iob in one day as the losse of all his goods and children it appeared what great vprightnes and sinceritie and faithfull obedience was in him when as he saide Naked came I out of my mothers wombe Iob 1.21 and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. And in all this great losse he did not sin nor charge God foolishly For though Satan tooke him to be like other men and that he serued God more for his commodities sake because he blessed him then of conscience and therefore said and 1.9 Doth Iob feare God for nought hast thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on euery side thou hast blessed the worke
his heart was still more and more hardned neither would he let the children of Israel goe yet the Lord would turne all this to their good because he had purposed it And for the certentie and full assurance of this he leadeth them to the consideration of the purpose of God appearing in their calling which beeing very strange and many things to the outward appearance against it yet the Lord brake through them all and none of them could hinder it or stay it because God had purposed it And truly it is worthie our consideration to remember how many things haue beene in the way to hinder the calling of men vnto saluation yet none of them could doe it because God had purposed As who would euer haue thought Act. 9.1 that Paul sometimes called Saul breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord and hauing now in this great furie and rage of his obtained letters of the high Priest to Damascus that if he found any that were of that way or profession either men or women he might bring them bound vnto Ierusalem should at this time be so suddenly conuerted that he should not onely become a Christian but an Apostle so that it should be truly said of him he which was a great persecutor in time past Gal. 1.22 now is a zealous preacher of the faith which before he destroied but he shewes the cause of it there himselfe vers 15. when he saith that God had separated him thereunto from his mothers wombe and so called him vnto it of his grace that is in his euerlasting counsell he first appointed him to be an Apostle and secondarily euen from his birth he did separate him to this office and thirdly in time of his meere grace and fauour he called him vnto it according to his purpose The like may be said of some other as of Manasseh king of Iudah 2. Chr. 33 2. who doing euill in the sight of the Lord like the abominations of the heathē setting vp altars for Baalim and worshipping all the hoast of heauen causing also his sonnes to passe through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom and giuing himself to witchcraft and to charming and vsing them that had familiar spirits there was no likelihoode that he should be conuerted vnto God there were so many things against it but the Lord that had purposed to shew him mercie did bring him vnto it against all these for he caused the King of Ashur to come against him who tooke him prisoner vers 11. and put him in fetters and bound him in chaines and caried him to Babel and when he was in tribulation he praied to the Lord his God humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and then he knew that the Lord was God But to let these passe let euery man consider the manner of his own calling see how many things were within him and without him that might haue hindred him from comming to that measure of grace that he hath now receiued that so he may acknowledge vpon his owne experience that nothing is able to hinder the good purpose of God towardes those that loue him And then he shal finde that the great ignorance idolatrie or Atheisme in which all his kinred were left might haue staied this good worke but that God did draw him out of them as he did Abraham Rom. 12.1 commanding him to forsake his countrey and his kinred and his fathers house or that the manifold great corruptions that were rooted in vs and confirmed by custome like vnto the seauen deuills that were in Marie Magdalen might haue kept vs from the hope of it or the loose and dissolute life that we lead mispēding our time and the gifts of God our wit and strength in riotousnes and wantonnes as the prodigall childe did might haue kept Gods good hand from vs or that we did despise and tread vnder our feet the pretious pearle of Gods word when it was offered vnto vs like vnto the prophane beasts or swine that Christ speaketh of in the Gospel or that many things els might in the iudgement of all men haue beene as a barre to keepe vs from an effectuall calling but that the Lord in much mercy had purposed it and so according to the same purpose of his he bore all things downe before him and came thorough them vnto vs for our good And so we shall be the better perswaded that the Lord of the same vnchangeable goodnesse of his hauing purposed euen by the crosse and all manner of affliction to doe vs good how many things so euer may seeme to our selues or to others to be against it that he will verifie this promise vnto vs and we shall find it to be true as well as others that all things shall worke for the best to those that loue God euen those that are called of his purpose Rom. 8.29 In the next verse when he addeth For those whome he knew before he also predestinate to be like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren he declareth an other most excellent ende wherefore the Lord laieth the crosse most of all vpon his children namely that thereby they might be like vnto Christ their eldest brother as the Lord hath ordained that all that are his should be some more some lesse And so by this meanes especially it worketh our good when it maketh vs the members conformable and like vnto Christ our head In which words he not onely saith that all afflictions doe befall vs by the very speciall prouidence and hand of God and not by fortune or chance but also he sheweth to what ende he sendeth them Luk. 24.26 namely that as Christ himself first suffered and then entred into glorie so all others going the same way that he did they might be like vnto him as the Lord hath appointed that they should be And therefore we neede not to feare that the crosse should hinder vs from our saluation no more then it did Christ from glory but rather that we ought in the midst of it to haue such hope that we shall be like vnto Christ in glorie because we are like vnto him in the crosse according as it is said in an other place If we suffer with him we shall also raigne with him Now concerning the former of these two points namely that no affliction commeth by casualtie or befalleth vs by happe hazard as we say neither that any thing is done by fortune or chance but by the very speciall appointment of God he not onely willingly suffering it and beholding it and vs in it with his own eies but laying it vpon vs himselfe euen with his owne hands and first of all ordaining it this I say not onely containeth in it most notable comfort and singular consolation considered alone
for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Where to perswade the Galatians and vs to go on coÌ„stantly in all good courses vnto the end he makes a promise of great reward which God will bestow vpon all them that shall so doe not so much in this life as the life to come when euery man shal receiue the things that are done in his bodie 2. Cor. 5.10 according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill and this he doth by a familiar and plaine comparison That as the husbandman though the seede-time be very painefull and costly vnto him so that both he buies his corne at a great price and hath many an hard iourney at the plow and meetes with many a boisterous storme yet he giues not ouer in the midst but comforts himselfe with the hope of haruest which in due time will come though long after and is perswaded that that will fully quite all his cost and recoÌ„pence all his labour to the full and when he hath gathered his corne into his barne he repents himselfe not one whit of his cost or trauell but rather is glad that by neither of them he was discouraged from following of that good course which now he seeeth to be so gainfull vnto himselfe So we in all afflictions and in all difficulties continuing in well doing must comfort our selues with the hope of that reward that God hath promised in the kingdom of heauen according to that that is said in the Psalme they that sow in teares Psal 126.5 shall reape in ioy they went out weeping and caried pretious seede but they shal returne with ioy and bring their sheaues Where the time of affliction is compared vnto a seede-time in a deare yeare when poore men because of the scarsitie and price of corne sow it with teares but the reward in heauen is likened vnto the haruest when the increase is so great that they reape carie in their corne with great ioy This is that then which we must set before our eyes that we might patiently vndergo the hardnes of affliction it beeing the readie way to bring vs to glorie And this Paul applieth vnto seruants whose condition of life especially of bondseruants and vnder heathen and vnchristian masters in those daies was very hard and willeth theÌ„ to doe their duties conscionably as seruing the Lord knowing that of him they shall receiue their reward when he saith Coloss 3.23 Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh in all things not with eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart pleasing God whatsoeuer ye doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the reward of the inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ Thus he would haue them to go on in their callings chearefully though they were very base and painfull in hope of that inheritance that was prepared for theÌ„ in the kingdome of heauen And truly if not onely seruants but all other men did beleeue that in all things they had to deale with God and that he would reward them if they did well though all other should neglect them the hope of that might comfort them in all difficulties And this made Moses the man of God to refuse all the riches and pleasures that he might haue inioyed in Egypt as beeing the reputed sonne of Pharaohs daughter and to choose rather to ioyne himselfe with the people of God though in great affliction Heb. 11.26 because he had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Which reward could not then be seene and therefore the Apostle saith that he did it by faith and truly if we did beleeue that great reward that is laid vp in heauen for them that serue God and is offered vnto vs in his word if all the pleasures of the world were laid before vs on the one hand and all the afflictions of the same on the other hand we should be of Moses his minde to choose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to indure the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of the world because by faith we haue respect vnto the recoÌ„pence of that reward And so I may conclude with that most excellent exhortation of the Apostle in the chapter following Wherefore let vs also chap. 12.1 seeing that we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him indured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Where he sets before our eyes the example of our Sauiour Christ who in those grieuous agonies he was in to sweeten the bitternes of his crosse did earnestly consider of the ioy and glorie which a little after he was to enter into that we might also in our sufferings hold our thoughts seriously vnto the meditation of the ioyes of heauen and for them indure them and treade vnder our feete for them all the shame reproach and contempt of the world that shall be cast vpon vs. Where also that we might not faint vnder the burden we are to consider of the circumstance of time when we shall reape the fruit of our labours Gal. 6. â— that is In due season if we faint not Which is partly in this life for godlinesse hath the promises of this life 2. Tim. 4. â— as well as of the life to come and the Lord as he doth in this life giue to his children the first fruits of his Spirit Rom. 8.23 so he doth giue them the first fruits of their labours as a tast of their happines which they shall enioy more fully hereafter and therefore Christ saith in the Gospel Mark 10. â—0 that he will reward those that are his an hundred fold in this life But this due time is meant principally of the life to come when they shall receiue their reward fully not onely in the houre of death when the soule entreth into happines as it is saide of Lazarus that when he died the Angels caried his soule into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 but especially at the day of iudgement when soule and bodie beeing ioyned together they shall be in full possession of eternal glorie and felicitie for euer And seeing the Lord hath of his wisdome and goodnes set downe the time when we shall be comforted receiue our reward we must in faith and patience waite vpon him for it And as the husbandman that hath sowne his field doth not looke for his croppe the next day or the next weeke but tarieth till the haruest come so must we sow the seede of obedience vnto God euen vnder the crosse though with teares and looke for the fruit of it at the great day of haruest when we shall reape it with ioy eueÌ„ with that ioy that is vnspeakable and most glorious when he shal separate the sheepe from the goates and giue them their reward saying Come ye blessed of my father Math. â— take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world And seeing the Lord hath beene patient in waiting for our amendement from day to day let vs patiently expect the accomplishment of this his gratious promise from day to day and from yeare to yeare Setting before our eyes the example of the dumbe creatures which expect with a feruent desire to be deliuered from that bondage and corruption â—â—m 8.19 that now they are in into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God and this they doe with stretching forth their heads as the Apostle saith like vnto the poore prisoner that is condemned and puts out his head at the prison window looking for the gratious pardon of the Prince And if we can thus doe as we shall not be frustrate of our hope 〈◊〉 6 1â— so it shall maruelously vphold vs as an ankor fixed in heauen and not in earth in all the waues and tempests of this troublesome world till we ariue happily at the hauen of heauen we shall find the ioyes so to exceede all the miseries that we haue indured here that we shall not be grieued one whit that we are come to such a place of rest by so long and tedious a iourney Which grace God graunt vnto vs for his sonne Iesus Christs sake Amen FINIS
the heart of man and that we are altogether so vnworthie of theÌ„ we must thinke our selues happie if we come to inioy them any way at the last be it neuer so hard yea if we should goe to heauen thorough the midst of hell For when we are come thither in the presence of God is the fulnes of ioy Psal 16.11 at his right hand are pleasures for euermore we shall finde them so farr to exceed all that euer we heard read or thought of them so that we shall say of them as the Queene of Sheba saide of the wisdome and honour of king Salomon when she saw it It was a true word 2. Chr. 9.5 which I heard in mine owne land of thy acts and of thy wisdome howbeit I beleeued not their report vntill I came and mine eyes had seene it and behold not the one halfe of thy great wisdome was told me for thou exceedest the fame that I heard happie are thy men and happie are these thy seruants which stand before thee alway c. So we shall finde all things there to surpasse all that euer we heard so shal count our selues and other happie thrise happy that may stand in the presence of God for euer At what time we shall finde the happines of that life in many degrees to surmount all the troubles and aduersities that we haue suffered in this life to surmount them I say both in greatnes and in continuance without any interruption As the Apostle saith who had so great experience of all kind of afflictions that he saith of himselfe 2. Cor. 4.8 We are afflicted on euery side and euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus for we are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake yet he saith he did not faint vnder them for when he considered of the ioyes of heauen and compared the afflictions of this world with them he accounted the afflictions to be but short euen for a moment of time and very light and easie in respect of the eternall glorie and the great waight of it that was prepared for him and for others when he saith 17. for our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glorie and as he deliuereth it in an other place more plainly confidently in these words I count Rom. 8.18 or all things being well considered I gather that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. And then we shall neuer repent vs of the hardnes of the way by which we came through manifold afflictions vnto so great and eternall glorie no more then the sicke patient is sorie that by induring so many hard things vnder the physitians hands he attained vnto perfect health at the last But rather as it was a great comfort vnto Ioseph Gen. 49.5 to see what great honour he was come vnto in Egypt so that he was made lord of all the countrey though he had suffered many hard things before according to that that is said in the Psalme Psal 105.17 Ioseph was sold for a slaue they held his feet in the stockes he was laid in irons vntill his appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tried him Then the King sent and loosed him euen the ruler of the people deliuered him he made him Lord of his house and ruler of all his substance So it shall be a comfort vnto vs for euer and euer that by walking in the straite way of godlines and induring many grieuous things in the same we are come to that place where we are made Kings Queenes to raigne with Christ in glorie world without ende And as Iacob was not sorie that he came to inherite his fathers blessing at the last by induring a long exile froÌ„ his fathers house by the space of twentie yeares and a tedious kind of seruice vnder his cruell master Laban who did often change his wages and caused him to be pinched with the frost in the night and to be scorched with the heate of the sunne in the day So it shall be no griefe of heart at all vnto vs then that by patience vnder many crosses here we are come to inherit the blessing of our heauenly father in the kingdome of heauen which was prepared for vs before the foundation of the world But as the Israelites when they were quietly possessed of the land of Canaan that good land that flowed with milke and honie for ioy thereof neuer remembred their long iorney trauailing by the space of fourtie yeares through a vast desart and forlorne wildernes in which sometimes they wanted water sometimes food sometimes were in daunger of their enemies sometimes were stung with fierie serpents and sometimes were put in great feare of other calamities So wee when wee are come to that land of promise whereof this was out a type and figure where is the tree of life indeed Reuel 12.2 bearing fruit continually whose fruit are for meat and whose leaues are for medicine where shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the lambe shall be in it where his seruants shall serue him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there they shall neede no candle neither light of the sunne for the Lord God shall giue them light and they shall raigne for euermore Then all things that we haue suffered in these daies of our pilgrimage shall be cleane forgotten and remembred no more To conclude as Dauid did not repent him that he came to the kingdome of Israel at the ende of many yeares in which he suffered so many hard things vnder the tyrannie of Saul as he did when as sometimes he would haue smit him through with his speare vnto the wall 1. Sam. 18. â—2 and at an other time he would haue slain him in his bed and continually he hunted after his life 26.20 as one would hunt a partridge in the wildernes So we shall not repent vs that we are come to the kingdome of heauen after many yeares in which sometimes we haue beene pursued of one affliction and sometimes of an other so that all our life long hath beene nothing els but a continuall warrefare with our own corruptions and with the temptations of the world and of the deuill Therefore to vphold our selues in a good course and that in all trialls we might possesse our soules in patience unto the ende we must consider and seriously meditate vpon the happines of the life to come which shall so sweeten the bitternesse of all afflictions that either we shall not feele it in comparison or it shal seeme nothing unto vs and so let vs put that exhortation of the Apostle in practise Let 〈◊〉 not be wearie of well doing Gal. 6.9