A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…

First, to seek God is but a matter of mockery to profane men: for, let a man set his face to Jerusalem, there are presently Samaritans, which for that cause will hate and mock him: Let a man set his heart to seek God, by hearing the word more carefully, praying to God, instructing his family, or keeping the Sabaoth more carefully then afore, and forthwith he is the laughing stock, and the byword to profane men: but lo, here is comfort; The God whom thou seekest will reward thee, and that so richly, that thou wilt think thy self well recompensed, both for thy service and their mocks. In this world men care not who think or speak evil of them, so the Prince like them: and shall it not encourage us to seek God, though the world mock us? seeing so doing we please God, and so far do please him as he will highly reward us? Those therefore, that fall from religion for those mockers, it appears they seek not to please God, but men.

First, to seeke God is but a matter of mockerie to profane men: for, let a man set his face to Ierusalem, there are presently Samaritanes, which for that cause will hate and mocke him: Let a man set his heart to seeke God, by hearing the word more carefully, praying to God, instructing his family, or keeping the Sabbaoth more carefully then afore, and forthwith he is the laughing stocke, and the byword to profane men: but loe, here is comfort; The God whom thou seekest will reward thee, and that so richly, that thou wilt thinke thy selfe well recompenced, both for thy seruice and their mockes. In this world men care not who thinke or speake euill of them, so the Prince like them: and shall it not encourage vs to seeke God, though the world mocke vs? seeing so doing we please God, and so farre doe please him as he will highly reward vs? Those therefore, that fall from religion for those mockers, it appeares they seeke not to please God, but men.

Secondly, for a man that is a Magistrate or a Minister, to do his duty carefully, is the high way to undergo a burden of contempt and hatred. Insomuch as many good men are afraid to be either Magistrates or Ministers: for, first, wicked men must needs hate them, because the one is to rebuke, and the other to punish their faults. And again, even good men are too respectless of them that are in these places, & for the most part neither yield them that reverence, nor reward, that is due unto them; but often times a man for all his pains and care taken for Church or common-wealth, is recompensed with hatred, envy, grudges, evil words, and slanderous reports. In this case, the comfort is this, that though a man be in the world neither regarded, nor rewarded, as his desert is, yet the Lord seeth what he doth, and is a plentiful rewarder of all that seek & serve him: and therefore especially of them, who not only themselves serve him in his chief places of service, but also do win many other to seek and serve God.