Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Salvian was fain to write a whole Treatise, above eleven hundred years ago, to answer this argument that men had against the people of God, and the profession of the Gospel. Turks judge all things according to outward success, and so did the heathens of old. We read of Brutus, being overcome by Anthony, he cries out, Whatsoever things are disputed concerning ¹virtue, are but mere toys and fancies; for fortune rules in all humane things: but it beseems not Christians to judge by this rule. Clemens Alexandrinus cites Plato, expressing himself thus, Although a righteous man be tormented, although his eyes be digged out, yet he remains a blessed man. Let none judge worse of himself merely because of afflictions: before you were of the world, it may be you prospered, it shined upon you; but now since you have given your name to Christ, many troubles and afflictions follow you: this is no other but that hath been, is, will be the estate of Gods people in this life: we must not draw ill consequences from, or make ill constructions of our afflictions, for this is to charge God foolishly, which Job did not, Chap. 1. 22. There are some kind of sufferings that a man meets with, that have a kind of sweet seal of God with them, even in the time of ⟨p. 69⟩suffering, by which a man is more confirmed in his way to be from God, then ever he was before.

Salvian was fain to write a whole Treatise, above eleven hundred years ago, to answer this argument that men had against the people of God, and the profession of the Gospel. Turks judge all things according to outward success, and so did the heathens of old. We read of Brutus, being overcome by Anthony, he cryes out, Whatsoever things are disputed concerning ¹vertue, are but meer toys and fancies; for fortune rules in all humane things: but it beseems not Christians to judge by this rule. Clemens Alexandrinus cites Plato, expressing himself thus, Although a righteous man be tormented, although his eyes be digged out, yet he remains a blessed man. Let none judge worse of himself meerly because of afflictions: before you were of the world, it may be you prospered, it shined upon you; but now since you have given your name to Christ, many troubles and afflictions follow you: this is no other but that hath been, is, will be the estate of Gods people in this life: we must not draw ill consequences from, or make ill constructions of our afflictions, for this is to charge God foolishly, which Job did not, Chap. 1. 22. There are some kinde of sufferings that a man meets with, that have a kinde of sweet seal of God with them, even in the time of