A Poor Man Robbed

‘“‘’ If a poor ina?i be robbed oftiuenty or thirty shillings no wojider if he cry ajid take on, because he hath no more to help himself with; but now, if a rich man be robbed of such a sum he is 7iot much troubled, because he hath more at ho7ne. So a man that is justified by faith, and hath assurance of the favour of God, he can comfortably bear up against all the troubles and crosses he meets with in his way to heavenP Remember the apostle’s reckoning in Romans viii. 18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” He was so rich in grace that all his losses were as nothing to him. One of old got his living by his losses, for he said, “By these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit “: thus spiritual riches enable us to bear temporal losses with great patience. It is far otherwise with the worlding, whose goods are his god; for when these are taken he cries out like Micah, “Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and what have I more?” He to whom God is all things cannot be robbed, for who can overcome and despoil the Almighty?

Lord, lead me to count nothing my treasure but thyself, and then I may defy the thief If I have suffered loss, let me make a gain thereby by prizing thee the more.