Seven godly and fruitful sermons. The six first preached by Master John DodSeuen godlie and fruitfull sermons. The six first preached by Master Iohn Dod

Fourthly, §4that we may be enabled in conscience to swallow up such reproaches as are cast upon us, ¹let us seriously meditate on the reward which is promised unto them that can so do. ²Blessed are you (saith our Saviour) when men revile you, and persecute you, and speak all manner of evil against you for my names sake falsely. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. And again, ³the Apostle Peter saith, If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; for the spirit of glory, and of God resteth upon you. This made Moses to esteem the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt: for (saith the holy Ghost) he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. ⁴Therefore when we find our hearts beginning to be dismayed at the bitter taunts and jests of profane scoffers, let us animate our selves unto patience with these or the like considerations; why should I be discouraged at these things? sinful men seek to vilify and disgrace me; but doth God think ever the worse of me? I am base and contemptible in their eyes, but do the Angels of God, or any of his Saints, conceive any whit more hardly of me in that regard? Nay, doth not the Lord himself, and such as have his image most lively shining ⟨p. 108⟩forth in them, esteem me so much more honourable, by how much they labour to make me more vile and abject in regard of my well doing? Why then should I faint under the burden of reproach, wherewith they do still load me? especially seeing that this momentany disgrace which I sustain for Christ his cause, shall bring unto me an eternal and invaluable weight of glory.

Fourthly, §4that we may be inabled in conscience to swallow vp such reproaches as are cast vpon vs, ¹