Can a little Corn cause men to digest so many difficult labours, and make them wait with invincible patience till the reaping time come? much more should the expectation of eternal glory steel and fortify my spirit against all intercurrent hardships and difficulties. It least of all becomes a Christian to be of a hasty and impatient spirit. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart, Psal. 92. 11. Behold the Husbandman waiteth, &c. Jam. 5. 7. Be patient therefore my Brethren, for the coming of the Lord draws near. There are three great Arguments to persuade Christians to a long-suffering and patient frame under sufferings. (1) The example of Christ, Isa. 53. 7. to think how quietly he suffered all injuries and difficulties with invincible patience, is sufficient to shame the best of Christians, who are of such short Spirits. I have read of one Elezarius a noble ⟨p. 123⟩man, that when his wife wondered at his exceeding great patience in bearing njuries; he thus answered her, You know sometimes my heart is ready to rise with indignation against such as wrong me, but I presently begin to think of the wrongs that Christ suffered, and say thus to my self, although thy servant should pluck thy beard, and smite thee on thy face, this were nothing to what thy Lord suffered: he suffered more and greater things; and assure your self (wife) I never leave off thinking on the injuries done to my Saviour, till such time as my mind be still and quiet. To this purpose it was well noted by Bernard, speaking of Christ's humiliation; was Christ the Lord of glory thus humbled and emptied of his fullness of glory? and shall such a worm as I swell? (2) The desert of sin, Lam. 3. 39. Why doth the living man complain? It was a good saying of blessed Greenham: When sin lies heavy, affliction lies light. And it is a famous instance which Dr. Taylor 1gives us of the Duke of Condey; I have read (saith he) when the Duke of Condia had voluntarily entered into the incommodities of a religious poverty and retirement; he was one day spied and pitied by a Lord of Italy, who out of tenderness wished him to be more careful and nutritive of his person; the good Duke answered, Sir, be not troubled, and think not, that I am ill provided of conveniences, for I send an Harbinger before me that makes ready my lodgings, and takes care that I be royally entertained.
CAn a little Corn cause men to digest so many difficult labours, and make them wait with invincible patience till the reaping time come? much more should the expectation of eternal glory steel and fortifie my spirit against all intercurrent hardships and difficulties. It least of all becomes a Christian to be of a hasty and impatient spirit. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart, Psal. 92. 11. Behold the Husbandman waiteth, &c. Iam. 5. 7. Be patient therefore my Brethren, for the coming of the Lord draws neer. There are three great Arguments to perswade Christians to a long-suffering and patient frame under sufferings. (1) The example of Christ, Isa. 53. 7. to think how quietly he suffered all injuries and difficulties with invincible patience, is sufficient to shame the best of Christians, who are of such short Spirits. I have read of one Elezarius a noble ⟨p. 123⟩man, that when his wife wondered at his exceeding great patience in bearinig njuries; he thus answered her, You know sometimes my heart is ready to rise with indignation against such as wrong me, but I presently begin to think of the wrongs that Christ suffer'd, and say thus to my self, although thy servant should pluck thy beard, and smite thee on thy face, this were nothing to what thy Lord suffer'd: he suffered more and greater things; and assure your self (wife) I never leave off thinking on the injuries done to my Saviour, till such time as my mind be still and quiet. To this purpose it was well noted by Bernard, speaking of Christ's humiliation; was Christ the Lord of glory thus humbled and emptied of his fulness of glory? and shall such a worm as I swell? (2) The desert of sin, Lam. 3. 39. Why doth the living man complain? It was a good saying of blessed Greenham: When sin lyes heavy, affliction lyes light. And it is a famous instance which Dr. Taylor 1gives us of the Duke of Condey; I have read (saith he) when the Duke of Condia had voluntarily entred into the incommodities of a religious poverty and retirement; he was one day spied and pitied by a Lord of Italy, who out of tenderness wisht him to be more careful and nutritive of his person; the good Duke answered, Sir, be not troubled, and think not, that I am ill provided of conveniences, for I send an Harbinger before me that makes ready my lodgings, and takes care that I be royally entertained.
- 1Dr. Tailors great Exemplar, p. 103.Dr. Taylors great Exemplar, p. 103.
