heaven, even when they are _thrust into the inner prison_, their bodies scourged with _many stripes, and their feet fast in the stocks_. The martyrs find more rest in their flames, than their persecutors in their pomp and tyranny; because they foresee the flames they escape, and the rest which their fiery chariot is conveying them to. If _the Son of God_ will _walk with us_, we are safe _in the midst of those flames_, which shall devour them that cast us in. _Abraham went out_ of his country, _not knowing whither he went_; because _he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt_, because _he had respect unto the recompense of reward. He forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king_; because _he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection._ Even _Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God_. This is the noble advantage of faith, it can look on the means and end together. This is the great reason of our impatience, and censuring of God, because we gaze on the evil itself, but fix not our thoughts on what is beyond it. They that saw Christ only on the cross, or in the grave, _do shake their heads_, and think him lost; but God saw him dying, buried, rising, glorified, and all this at one view. Faith will in this imitate God, so far as it hath the glass of a promise to help it. We see God burying us under ground, but we foresee not the spring, when we shall all revive. Could we but clearly see heaven, as the end of all God's dealings with us, surely none of his dealings could be so grievous. If God would once raise us to this life, we should find, that though heaven and sin are at a great distance; yet heaven and a prison, or banishment, heaven and the _belly of a whale_, or a _den of lions_, heaven and consuming sickness, or invading death, are at no such distance. But as _Abraham saw Christ's day, and rejoiced_; so we, in our most forlorn state, might see that day when Christ shall give us rest, and therein rejoice. I beseech thee, Christian, for the honor of the gospel, and for thy soul's comfort, be not to learn this heavenly art, when in thy greatest extremity thou hast most need to use it. He that, with Stephen, _sees the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God_, will comfortably bear the shower of stones. _The joy of the Lord is our strength_, and that joy must be fetched from the place of our joy! and if we walk without our strength, how long are we like to endure? [Footnote 306] Psalm xxvii, 13. cxix, 92. xxvii, 4-6.