[4.] As they are short, so they are light. Leveset breves. The scripture often joineth them together : '2 Cor. iv. 17, ' This light affliction which is but for a moment.' They are light, just so they are short in compari- son of eternal glory ; as of short continuance if compared with eternity, so of small weight if compared with the reward ; eternity maketh them short ; and the greatness of the reward maketh them easy. There are degrees in our troubles ; some of the saints get to heaven at a cheaper rate than others do ; but yet the afflictions of all are light, if we consider the unspeakable glory of the world to come. Indeed we do but prattle when we presume fully to describe it ; for it doth not appear what we shall be, and it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive the great things which he hath prepared for them that love him. But the scripture expressions everywhere show it shall be exceeding great, and also by the beginnings of it. The world is ignorant and incredulous of futurity, therefore God giveth us the beginnings of heaven and hell in this world, in a wounded spirit and the comforts of a good conscience ; these things we have experience of ; we know not exactly what our future condition will be, but the hopes and fears of that estate are very affective ; the fears and horrors of eternal torment, which are found in a guilty conscience, do in part show what hell will be, or the nature of that woe and anguish which abideth for the impenitent : Prov. xviii. 14, ' The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity ; but a wounded spirit who can bear ? ' The salve for this sore must come from heaven only. So the joys of a good conscience, which are unspeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. i. 8, show that the happiness appointed for the saints will be exceeding great ; for if the foretaste be so sweet, the hope and expecta- tion be so ravishing, what will the enjoyment be ? Besides, God mod- erateth our sufferings, that they may not be over-long, or over-grievous :
144 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXVI.
1 Cor. X. 13, 'But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able ; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' If the trial be lieavy, he fortifieth us by the comfort and support of the Spirit, and so maketh it light and easy to us. To a strong back that burden is light which would crush the weak and faint, and cause them to shrink under it ; but though God moderateth our afflictions, he doth not abate our glory, that is given without measure : ' A far more exceeding weight of glory.'
[5.] The sufferings are in our mortal bodies, but the glory is both in soul and body. It is but the flesh which is troubled and grieved by affliction ; the flesh which, if delicately used, soon becometh our enemy ; the soul is free, and not liable to the power of man. Now it becometh a man, much more a behever, to look after the soul : Heb. x. Si), ' We are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul ; ' ovk ecr/J,ev i/ttoo-toX?}? ew aircoXeiav, aXXa TTto-Te&j? et? TTepiTroirjaiv '^v)(fj<;, implying, that they that are tender of flesh are apostates in heart ; if not actually and indeed so, yet in the ^iractice ; but those which will purchase the saving of the soul at any rates, are the true and sound believers. The world, which gratifieth the bodily life, may be bought at too dear a rate ; but not so the salvation of the soul ; they that are so thirsty of the comforts and interests of the bodily life, will certainly be prodigal of their salvation. But a believer is all for the saving of his soul ; that is the end of his faith, and labours, and sufferings, and his self-deuial. The end of his faith is to save his soul, 1 Pet. i. 9. So much as God is to be preferred before the creature, heaven before the world, eternity before time, the soul before the body ; so much doth it concern us to have the better part safe. But yet this is not all ; that which is lost for a while, is preserved to us for ever ; if the body be lost temporally, it is secured to all eternity. If we lose it by the way, we are sure to have it at the end of the journey, when the body shall have many privileges bestowed upon it ; but this above all the rest, that it shall be united to a soul fully sanctified, from which it shall never any more be separated, but both together shall be the eternal temple of the Holy Ghost.
[6.] Sufferings do mostly deprive us of those things which are without a man ; but this is a glory which shall be revealed in us. By sufferings we lose estate, liberty, coinfortable abode in the world among our friends and relations. If life itself, which is within us, it is only as to its capacity of outward enjoyments; for as to the fruition of God and Christ, so it is true he that loseth his life shall save it, Mat. x. 39, and shall live though he die, John xi. 25 ; it is but deposited in Christ's hands. But this glory is revealed in us, in oiu- bodies in their immor- tality, agility, claritj', and brightness ; in our souls by the beatifical vision, the ardent love of God, the unconceivable joy and everlasting peace and rest which we shall have when we shall attain our end. Now if we be deprived of things without us ; if we be denied to live in dependence on the creature, that we may immediately enjoy God, should we grudge and murmur ?