A29372:141
Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London
Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London by William Bridge, late preacher of the word of God at Yarmouth.Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London by Willam Bridge, late preacher of the word of God at Yarmouth.
London: printed for Nath. Crouch, 1668
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
If there be a great deal of suffering that will come to little; and if there be a little suffering that will amount to much, and come to much: then many that are last shall be first, and the first shall be last, in point of suffering.
Now so it is, that there is a great deal of suffering which will come to little, come to little account. Judas left all; and it came to little. Alexander drawn out of the crowd in suffering for Christ, and it came to little: Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works. His sufferings came to little. The poor Christians that are taken slaves by the Turks, they lie in slavery ten years together, rather then they will renounce the Christian Religion: yet when they come out, O what drunkards, and swearers, and enemies to God, and such as have nothing of Christ in them! O they suffer much, but it comes to little; they shall not be saved. So that I say there is a great deal of suffering that will come to little.
Now so it is, that there is a great deal of suffering which will come to little, come to little account. Judas left all; and it came to little. Alexander drawn out of the croud in suffering for Christ, and it came to little: Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works. His sufferings came to little. The poor Christians that are taken slaves by the Turks, they lie in slavery ten years together, rather then they will renounce the Christian Religion: yet when they come out, O what drunkards, and swearers, and enemies to God, and such as have nothing of Christ in them! O they suffer much, but it comes to little; they shall not be sav'd. So that I say there is a great deal of suffering that will come to little.
On the other side, there is a little suffering that will amount to much. A cup of cold water shall have its reward; the mite that the poor woman gave, more then all the rest, saith our Saviour. 'Twas no great matter that Onesiphorus suffered for Paul: saith Paul, Onsiphorus was not ashamed of my chains; he sought me out diligently, and oft refreshed my bowels. The Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus. It was no great matter