Now he walketh
upon his high places, yea, will not now admit that so slovenly a
conversation should come within his doors, as did use to haunt his
house in former times. Now it is Christ-mas, now it is
suffering-time, now we must keep holy day every day.
The reason is, that a man when he suffereth for Christ, is set upon
a hill, upon a stage, as in a theatre, to play a part for God in the
world. And you know, when men are to play their parts upon a stage,
they count themselves if possible more bound to circumspection; and
that for the credit of their master, the credit of their art, and
the credit of themselves. For then the eyes of every body are fixed,
they gape and stare upon them, Psalm 22:17, and a trip here is as
bad as a fall in another place. Also now God himself looks on. Yea,
he smileth, as being pleased to see a good behavior attending the
trial of the innocent.
There are some of the graces of God that are in thee, that as to
some of their acts cannot show themselves, nor their excellency, nor
their power, nor what they can do, but as thou art in a suffering
state. Faith and patience in persecution have that to do, that to
show, and that to perform, that cannot be done, shown, nor
performed, anywhere else but there. There is also a patience of
hope, a rejoicing in hope when we are in tribulation, that is over
and above that which we have when we are at ease and quiet.
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