Oh labour for such thoughts of sufferings now, as thou wilt have then, and this will carry thee through fire and water for Christs sake, and, with the Daughter of Zion, cause thee to shake thy head at them. Though sufferings offend thee now, and are very grievous to the fleshy part, yet it will be no grief of heart to thee then, when thou comest to put on thy Robe, and thy Crown, and to sit down with Christ on his Throne. If there could be grief in heaven about sufferings, it would grieve a Saint, that he had suffered no more for Christ, or suffered with no more patience, courage, and holy insulting over the persecutors, 1now led by his sufferings into so much glory. Pore not then upon thy sufferings, but look up to the Crown that is prepared to be set upon thy head after thy sufferings; behold Martyrdom it self shall be but as Elijah's Chariot to carry thee up to heaven in triumph: If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; if we wear his Crown of thorns, we shall wear his Crown of glory; if we dye with him, we shall also rise with him, and reign with him for ever. Think much of the Kingdom to expel base fears in sufferings. This is the glorious recompense which Christ sets before his Church, 2to encourage her in the midst of her persecutions; Fear not, little flock, it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom. If a Kingdom (yea, the Kingdom of Heaven) be able to make you amends for your sufferings, you shall not be losers by them, well you may be losers for Christ, but, to be sure, you shall not be losers by Christ. Our Lord Christ himself did set the joy of this Kingdom before himself in his temptations and sufferings, 3and the Apostle (therein) set Christ as an example before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy which was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, &c.
Oh labour for such thoughts of sufferings now, as thou wilt have then, and this will carry thee through fire and water for Christs sake, and, with the Daughter of Sion, cause thee to shake thy head at them. Though sufferings offend thee now, and are very grievous to the fleshy part, yet it will be no grief of heart to thee then, when thou comest to put on thy Robe, and thy Crown, and to sit down with Christ on his Throne. If there could be grief in heaven about sufferings, it would grieve a Saint, that he had suffered no more for Christ, or suffered with no more patience, courage, and holy insulting over the persecutors, 1now led by his sufferings into so much glory. Pore not then upon thy sufferings, but look up to the Crown that is prepared to be set upon thy head after thy sufferings; behold Martyrdom it self shall be but as Elijah's Chariot to carry thee up to heaven in triumph: If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; if we wear his Crown of thorns, we shall wear his Crown of glory; if we dye with him, we shall also rise with him, and reign with him for ever. Think much of the Kingdom to expel base fears in sufferings. This is the glorious recompence which Christ sets before his Church, 2to encourage her in the midst of her persecutions; Fear not, little flock, it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom. If a Kingdom (yea, the Kingdom of Heaven) be able to make you amends for your sufferings, you shall not be losers by them, well you may be losers for Christ, but, to be sure, you shall not be losers by Christ. Our Lord Christ himself did set the joy of this Kingdom before himself in his temptations and sufferings, 3and the Apostle (therein) set Christ as an example before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy which was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, &c.
- 140. Martyrs in Basil.
- 2Luke 12.32.
- 3Heb. 12.2.
