A42350:35
The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at…
The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at the funeral of the Right Honourable the Lady Mary Vere, relict of Sir Horace Vere, Baron of Tilbury, on the 10th of January, 1671, at Castle Heviningham in Essex by William Gurnall ...
London: printed by J.M. for Ralph Smith, 1672
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.
Quest. But why hath God charged his peoples work with so much labour, travel, and trouble?
Answ. First, Therefore they have so much labour here, because they shall have none at all hereafter; they shall in Heaven rest from their labours, therefore it is fit they should have some on Earth; otherwise, some Graces could never be exercised, and so their excellency would not be known, and consequently might seem to be Created in vain; there resulting from them neither benefit to the Saint, nor Glory to God. To name but one, how should the excellent Grace of Patience (which shall have no occasion for its exercise in ⟨p. 30⟩Heaven) be ever seen, if no part were given it to bring it upon the stage in this world? and what can discover Patience, but labour and trouble? we had never heard of Job, probably, but for his Patience; and I am sure we could never have heard of his Patience, if we had not also heard of his Trials: indeed there is a great decorum in this dispensation, that the Christian should have his Patience tried in this world, where God himself hath his own Patience so much exercised: that they should endure some affliction from God, where God bears with so much sin from them.
Answ. First, Therefore they have so much labour here, because they shall have none at all hereafter; they shall in Heaven rest from their labours, therefore it is fit they should have some on Earth; otherwise, some Graces could never be exercised, and so their excellency would not be known, and consequently might seem to be Created in vain; there resulting from them neither benefit to the Saint, nor Glory to God. To name but one, how should the excellent Grace of Patience (which shall have no occasion for its exercise in ⟨p. 30⟩Heaven) be ever seen, if no part were given it to bring it upon the stage in this world? and what can discover Patience, but labour and trouble? we had never heard of Job, probably, but for his Patience; and I am sure we could never have heard of his Patience, if we had not also heard of his Tryals: indeed there is a great decorum in this dispensation, that the Christian should have his Patience tryed in this world, where God himself hath his own Patience so much exercised: that they should endure some affliction from God, where God bears with so much sin from them.