A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 5 · Sermon 47
THE NURTURE OF CHILDREN. THE XLVII. SERMON.
APOC. 3.19.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten.
Right Honourable, &c.
THat which Pliny writeth, and experience confirmeth concerning hony-combes, that the thinner and weaker hony runs out of them at the firſt, but the thickeſt and beſt is preſſed & ſqueezed out of them at the laſt; we find for the moſt part in handling Texts of holy Scripture, compared by the ProphetaPſal. 19.10. David to hony-combs, the eaſier & more vulgar obſervations flow out of them upon the lighteſt touch, but we are to preſſe each phraſe and circumſtance before we can get out the thickeſt hony, the choiceſt and moſt uſefull doctrines of inſpired wiſedome. The more we ſucke theſe combes, the more we may, the hony proveth the ſweeter, the combe the moiſter; and, which is nothing leſſe to be admired, the ſpirituall taſte is no way cloyed therewith. Wherefore with your good liking and approbation, I will preſſe again and againe theſe mellifluous combes in our Saviours lips, dropping celeſtiall doctrine ſweeter than hony, to delight the moſt diſtempered taſte, and ſharper than it, to cleanſe the moſt putrefied ſore. I rebuke and chaſten; there is the ſharpneſſe, and as it were the ſearching vertue of hony: As many as I love, there is the ſweetneſſe.
Parallel Texts of Scripture, like glaſſes ſet one againſt another, caſt a mutuall light: ſuch is this Text, and that Deut. 8.5. Thou ſhalt alſo conſider in thy heart, that as a man chaſteneth his ſonne, ſo the Lord thy God chasteneth thee: and, Job 5.17. Deſpiſe not thou the chaſtening of the Almighty: and, Prov. 3.11, 12. My ſonne, deſpiſe not the chaſtening of the Lord, neither bee weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as a father doth the ſonne in whom he delighteth: and, Hebr. 12.7. If yee endure chaſtening, God dealeth with you as with ſonnes: for what ſonne is he whom the father chaſteneth not? As a Muſician often toucheth upon the ſweeteſt note in his ſong, Paven or Galliard; ſo doth the holy Spirit upon this: and therefore we ought more eſpecially to liſten to it. For,
1. It convinceth the Papiſts, who over-value croſſes and afflictions, accounting the bearing of them ſatisfactions for ſinnes. For with a like pride, whereby they cry up their actions to be meritorious, they would improve their paſſions to be workes ſatisfactory (by ſatisfactory intending ſuch as make amends unto the juſtice of God) wherein they as much over-reach, as they ſupererogate, or rather ſuperarrogate in the former. Satiſfactions to our brethren for wrongs done unto them, by reſtitution, mulct or acknowledgement of our fault, with asking forgiveneſſe for it, we both teach and practiſe: but they ſhall never be able to ſatisfie us in this point, that any thing they can doe or ſuffer, can ſatisfie God. Neither can our actions ſatisfie his law, nor our penall ſufferings his juſtice: none can ſatiſfie for ſinne, but he that was without ſinne: nothing can recompence an infinite tranſgreſſion, but an infinite ſubmiſſion, or to ſpeake more properly, the ſubmiſſion and paſſion of him that was infinite. It coſt more to redeem ſinnes than the world is worth: and therefore they muſt let that alone for him, whofEſay 63.3. trod the wine-preſſe alone. Before, I noted the difference between chaſtiſement and puniſhment, in the one a compenſation of wrong done to the perſon or law, is intended; in the other a teſtifying of love, and a care of amendment of the party chaſtened. Who would ever be ſo unreaſonable, as to thinke, that a few ſtripes given by a tender-hearted father to the childe whom he moſt dearly affecteth, were a ſatisfaction for the loſſe of a Diamond of great price? yet our ſufferings hold not ſuch a proportion. For what are our finite and momentary ſufferings to the offence given to an infinite Majeſty? Nothing can be ſet in the other ſcale againſt it to weigh it downe, but the manifold ſufferings of an equall and infinite perſon, the eternall Sonne of God. Neither will it help our adverſaries any whit to ſay, that Chriſt ſatisfied for the eternall, but not for the temporall puniſhment of our ſinnes. For this is all one as to ſay, that our Redeemer laid downe a talent of gold for us, yet not a braſſe token: or payd many millions of pounds, yet not a piece. The Apoſtle ſaid, hee gave himſelfe a g1 Tim. 2.6.ranſome for all: will they deny it to be a ſufficient one? or was there any defect in his good intention? They have not rubbed their foreheads ſo hard, as to affirme any ſuch thing. Well then, let them tell us how that man is perfectly ranſomed by another, who is ſtill kept in priſon till he have diſcharged part of his ranſome himſelfe. This very conceit, that they merit by their actions, or ſatisfie by their paſſions, taketh away not only all merit, but all worth from them both.
2. It inſtructeth the penitent: for if afflictions are foreign, diſcipline and nurture, then ſomewhat is to be learned by them. It is good for mee, ſaithhPſal. 119.71. David, that I was in trouble, that I might learne thy ſtatutes. Bleſſed is he, ſaith Saint*Greg. mor. in Job c. 5. v. 17. Gregory, who is chaſtened of the Lord, Quia eruditur ad beatitudinem; becauſe he is ſet in the right way to bleſſedneſſe. The Greekes ſay in their Proverb, foreign, and the Latines anſwer them both in the rime & reaſon, Nocumenta documenta, that is, we gain wit by our loſſes, and the rod imprinteth learning into us. What wee learne in particular by it, I ſhall God willing declare at large hereafter: this leſſon ſhall ſuffice for the preſent, That as a loving father never beateth his child without a fault, ſo neither doth God chaſten us without a cauſe: our ſins are the cords which furniſh his whip.Lam. 3.39. Man ſuffereth for his ſinne. It is true that ſinne is not the adaequate or onelyonly cauſe for which God ſtriketh his children, yet is it alwayes cauſa ſine quâ non, a cauſe without which hee never ſtriketh them.iJoh. 9.3. Although neither the blind man his ſinne, nor his fathers were the cauſe why hee was borne blind more than other men, but that through the miraculous cure of his blindneſſe all might ſee the divine power of Chriſt; yet certaine it is that hee and his father for their ſinnes deſerved it or a greater puniſhment. Likewiſe Jobs ſinnes were not the cauſe why the arrowes of the Almighty fell thicker upon him than any other, but it was to make him a rare mirrour of patience, and convince Satan of his falſe ſlander, and to take occaſion of crowning him with greater bleſſings in this life, and everlaſtingly rewarding him hereafter; yet Job denies not that thoſe calamities fell juſtly upon him:kJob 7.20. I have ſinned, ſaith he, O Lord, what ſhall I doe unto thee, O thou preſerver of men?
3 It comforteth all that are afflicted: there are as many arguments of comfort in it, as words of arguments. Is any man either impoveriſhed with loſſes, or viſited with ſickneſſe, or ſtrucken with ſoares, or oppreſſed with heavie burdens, or pined with famine, or grieved with death of friends, or affrighted with terrours of conſcience? let him lay this text of holy writ to his heart, and it will preſently aſſwage his paine, and in the end, if not cure his malady, yet make it ſufferable, yea and comfortable alſo to him. Let him thus queſtion with himſelfe: Who afflicteth me? It is anſwered, God, I. How proceedeth hee to afflict? After warning, and upon conviction, foreign, rebuke. What are afflictions? chaſtiſements, and chasten. Whom doth he thus afflict? only ſome ſtubborn and obſtinate ſinners, or deſperate caſt-a-wayes? nay, but all his children, as many. Why afflicteth he? Becauſe he loveth them. I. It is God that ſmiteth me, can I reſiſt his power? muſt I not obey his will? Rebuke. Hee hath given me warning before, and I ſuffer but what I deſerve: Quae venit ex merito poena ferenda venit. Chaſten. Hee inflicteth with griefe, moderateth with love, guideth with fatherly providence what hee ordereth mee to ſuffer; ſhall I refuſe nurture, and ſhew my ſelfe a baſtard and no ſonne? had I rather hee ſhould leave me to my ſelfe, to follow my owne courſes, according to the bent of my corrupt nature, with a purpoſe to deprive mee of his glory, and diſ-inherite me of his kingdome? As many. Hee diſciplineth all his children, am I better than all the reſt? As I love. His only motive herein is his love, and ſhal I take that ill which is ſent to mee in love? ſhall I bee afraid of, and refuſe love tokens? ſhall I bee grieved and diſmaid becauſe I have now more ſenſible experience of his care and love than ever before? To joyne all together, to make of them all a ſtrong bulwarke againſt impatiency in all ſorts of afflictions and tribulations: Shall wee either ſtubbornly refuſe, or ungraciouſly deſpiſe, or take unkindly after all faire meanes by us ſleightened, the deſerved chaſtiſement of our heavenly father, which with great moderation and greater griefe, he inflicteth upon all his deereſt children in love? Can we juſtly repine at any thing offered us upon theſe tearmes? is not this ſalve of the ſpirit alone of it ſelfe able to allay the moſt ſwelling tumour of the greateſt hearts griefe? I rebuke and chaſten as many as I love.
Rebuke and chaſten. So doth the Tranſlatour render foreign, truly and anſwerably to the main intent of the Spirit, but not fully and agreeably to the nature of the letter: wee have no one Engliſh word capable of the whole contents of the two words in the originall.
foreign primarily ſignifieth to evict or convince, to give evidence of any thing or againſt any perſon, to lay his ſinnes open before him, in ſuch ſort that hee cannot but ſee them, and bee aſhamed of them; as in theſe paſſages,lHeb. 11.1. foreign,mEph. 5.11. and, foreign,nPſal. 50.21. Bud foreign. and, foreign: Faith is the evidence of things not ſeene; and, I will rebuke thee, and ſet thy ſinnes in order before thy face; and, Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darkneſſe, but by the light of truth diſcover and openly rebuke them. Likewiſe foreign is a word much more pregnant than chaſten; and, if you will have it in one word expreſſed, is, I nurture, or, I diſcipline: for the word implyeth as well inſtruction as correction. Now out of the nature of the phraſe, which ſignifieth to rebuke upon conviction, or evidently convince by reproofe, and the order of the words, firſt rebuke, and then chaſten, All Judges and Ministers of justice are leſſoned to bee better inſtructed and informed in the cauſes they ſentence, than uſually they are; to ſift matters to the very bran, to weigh all circumſtances together before they give judgement. For to reprove without cauſe deſerveth reproofe, to cenſure without a fault deſerveth cenſure, and to puniſh without conviction deſerveth puniſhment.oFulgent. ad Monimum. Ipſa juſtitia, ſi puniendum reum non invenerit, ſed fecerit, injuſta eſt. Puniſhing juſtice if it fall not upon a party legally convicted, is it ſelfe injuſtice, and puniſhable in a Magiſtrate. Now that they who are in authority may not exerciſe injuſtice in ſtead of executing juſtice,
1 They muſt indifferently heare both parties. Philip kept an eare alwayes for the defendant:pOrat. de coron. in prooem. foreign. Demosthenes in his famous oration for Cteſiphon, putteth the Athenian Judges in mind of this, which he calleth the firſt law of equity, to heare both the plaintiffe and defendant with indifferency. For asqSenec. in Trag. Qui aliquid ſtatuerit parte inauditâ alterâ, aequum licet ſtatuerit, haud aequus eſt. Seneca ſaith truely, Hee that giveth a right judgement without hearing both parties, is no righteous Judge: and thereforerSuet. in Claud. Pronunciabat ſaepè alterâ parte auditâ, ſaepè neutrâ. Suetonius juſtly chargeth Claudius with injuſtice, for precipitating his ſentence before hee had given a full hearing to both parties, nay ſometimes to either.
2 They muſt lay all that they heare, and what is brought on both ſides, in an even ballance, and poyſe them together: Res cum re, cauſa cum cauſâ, ratio cum ratione concertet; by the colliſion of arguments on both ſides the fire of truth is ſtruck out. Protagoras his exception was good againſt them, who to prove the providence of their paynim gods, brought a number painted in a Table of them that calling upon them eſcaped ſhipwracke: At picti non ſunt, inquit, qui naufragio perierunt; True, ſaith he, but none of thoſe who notwithſtanding their prayers to them ſuffered ſhipwracke, are any where painted, neither is there any regiſter kept of them.
3 They muſt maturely adviſe, and ſeriouſly conſider of the matter before they paſſe ſentence. The eye unleſſe it bee fixed upon the object, cannot perfectly diſcerne it, nor diſtinguiſh it from things that are neare and like unto it. And howſoever in a cleare water we may eaſily perceive any thing that is in the bottome, yet if it bee troubled wee cannot: and in every Court there are many troublers of the water, the Lawyers by their wrangling, and the witneſſes by their varying, the Judges by their different opinions, (to ſpeake nothing of Angels alſo troubling the cleere ſtreame of juſtice at certaine times.)
4 The eyes of their judgement muſt bee free from all miſts of prejudice, and clouds of affection. For as that which a man looketh upon through red or greene glaſſe, ſeemeth to bee of that colour the glaſſe is of, though it bee of a far different, if not a contrary: ſo that which wee judge out of a foreſtalled conceit, or prejudicate opinion, ſeemeth to anſwer to our opinion of it, how contrary ſoever it bee. The Romane ſouldiers, astDiv. inſtit. l. 1. Lactantius noteth, thought verily that the goddeſſe worſhipped at Syracuſe, being demanded whether ſhee would bee carryed by them to Rome, anſwered, that ſhee would: not that the image ſpake any ſuch word, but becauſe they were before ſtrongly perſwaded that the goddeſſe would give ſuch an anſwere. Unleſſe thoſe that ſit in judgement obſerve theſe rules, they may eaſily take foreign for foreign, a fallacy for a demonſtration, and a malitious calumniation for a legall conviction. If their eyes be either dimme with private affection, or blinded with rewards, or wink through careleſneſſe, or are ſhut through wilfulneſſe; that will fall out which S.uL. 2. ep. 2. Inter leges ipſas delinquitur, inter jura peccatur, innocentia nec illic ubi defenditur reſervatur, qui ſedet crimina vindicaturus, admittit; & ut reus innocens pereat, ſit nocens judex. Cyprian ſo grievouſly complaineth of, Injustice ſitteth in the place of justice, and even in the ſight of the lawes, hanging about the judgement, ſeat the lawes are broken: the Judge who ſitteth to revenge wrongs offered, offereth that which hee ſhould revenge, and committeth that which hee ſhould puniſh (and hath his conſcience coloured with ſinnes of a deeper dye than the ſcarlet of his robes.) The Empreſſe wiſely adviſed her husband, when ſitting at play, and minding (as it ſeemes) that more than the cauſe before him, hee raſhly pronounced ſentence; Non eſt vita hominum ludus talorum, The ſitting upon life and death is not like the playing a game at Tables, where a Table-man of wood is taken up by a blot, and throwne aſide without any great loſſe; the life of man is of more worth than ſo. Though all men deteſted Seianus, and that moſt deſervedly, yet when they heard him adjudged to a moſt cruell and infamous death by no legall proceedings or courſe of juſtice, the hate of all men recoyled backe upon the Judges, and the people began to pity that great favourite, who before was moſt odious: Crepat ingens Seianus, great Seianus is drawn upon an hurdle, and hee ſuffereth for too much abuſing his Princes favour.
*Juven. ſat. 9.—Sed quo cecidit ſub crimine? quiſnam
Delator? quibus indiciic? quo teſte probavit? &c.
Nil horum: Verboſa & grandis epiſtola venit
A Capreis. Benè habet, nil plus interrogo.—
What crime was laid to his charge? what evidence was given in againſt him? what witneſſes were ſworne? I heare of none: onelyonly I heare of a long letter ſent from the Emperour, taking his paſtime at the Capreae. Huſh, not a word more. Who doth not obſerve in our owne Chronicles how God met to Haſtings his owne meaſure, who the ſame day that the Earle Rivers, Gray, and others, in the reigne of Edward the fourth, without triall of law, were by his advice executed at Pomfret, had his head ſtrucken off in the ſame manner in the Tower of London? Such as Tiberius his Judges, or Edward the fourth's, are no fit Preſidents for Chriſtian Magiſtrates; this foreign in my text will evidently convince them at Chriſts tribunall in the clouds, for not looking better to their evidence when they ſate on the bench here below: let them therefore take judicii praefidem for a preſident in their judgements, even God himſelfe; who, as weexGen. 18.20. reade, though the ſinne of Sodome were exceeding great, and the cry of it went up to heaven, yet came downe from heaven to ſee whether they had done according to that cry, Chryſ. in Gen.before hee rained down fire and brimſtone, to burn their bodies with unnaturall fire, whoſe ſoules burned with unnaturall luſt.
As the word foreign, I rebuke, rebuketh the careleſneſſe & raſhneſſe of Judges and Magiſtrates, in giving ſentence upon the life or ſtate of any in queſtion before them: ſo the other word, foreign, I inſtruct by chaſtening, inſtructeth fathers and mothers to performe that duty which they owe to God, and muſt performe to their children, viz. before them continually to rehearſe the law of God,yDeut. 11.19. & 4 10. To talke of it when they are in their houſe, and when they walke abroad, when they lye down, and when they riſe up. Above all things they muſt take care to ſeaſon their young and tender years with pure and incorrupt religion, and bring them up in the feare of God: otherwiſe they are but halfe parents, if they have not as well a care of their ſoules as of their bodies; if they pamper the fleſh in them, but ſtarve the ſpirit; if they labour not to bee Gods inſtruments for their eternall, as they have beene for their temporall life. DoubtleſſezPro. 1.8. Solomon, who injoineth children to heare their fathers instruction, and not to forſake the law of their mother, becauſe they ſhall be as an ornament of grace unto their head, and chaines about their necke, implieth in the duty of children to receive, the duety of parents to give them ſuch inſtructions and lawes. What yeares fitter to lay the ground colour of vertue and true religion,*Quint. inſtit. orat. l. 1. c. 1 Sapor quo nova imbuis diutiſſimè durat. Horat. ep. Quo ſemel eſt imbuta recens ſervabit odotem teſta diu. Naturâ tenaciſſimi ſumus eorum quae rudibus annis imbibimus, nec lanarum colores quibus ſimplex ille candor mutatus eſt, elui poſſunt. Quint. il. than thoſe which are the more capable thereof, becauſe as yet without any tincture at all? when better forming the mould of the heart and affections than when it is ſofteſt? and who rather to doe it than a father, whoſe workmanſhip next after God the child is? If it have any blemiſh or deformity of body, bee it a ſcar in the face, or ſtammering in the tongue, or wrineſſe in the necke, or diſproportion in any limbe, what will not a tender hearted parent doe to take away ſuch a blemiſh, and rectifie ſuch a diſtortion? All children are borne with worſer deformities in their ſoule than theſe imperfections are in their bodie, and yet how few parents take them to heart? Scarce one of an hundred attendeth upon Gods ordinance, and uſeth the meanes therein preſcribed to cure the naturall blindneſſe of ignorance, or to purge the dregges of concupiſcence in them, or to breake them of many ill cuſtomes and habites growing upon them. If children ſtammer out good words, or pronounce them liſpingly, their fathers and mothers are offended at it, and rebuke them for it; but if they ſpeake plainly and diſtinctly their words, though they bee never ſo rotten and unſavoury, they make much of them for it: Verba ne Alexandrinis quidem permittenda deliciis, riſu & oſculo excipiunt. Hence it commeth to paſſe that they can ſpeake ill before they can well ſpeake, and drinke-in many vices with their mothers milke, and get ſuch ill cuſtomes and habites, which afterwards when, they would, they cannot leave; becauſe, according to our true Proverbe, That will never out of the fleſh which is bread in the bone. It would touch the quickeſt veines in the heart of a Chriſtian Parent, to heare what a grievous complaint divers children made againſt their fathers & mothers inaCyp. ſer. de lap. Nos nihil fecimus, nec derelicto cibo & poculo Dei, ad profanas contagiones ſponte properavimus, perdidit nos aliena perfidia, parentes ſenſimus parricidas, illi nobis Deum patrem, & eccleſiam matrē abnegarunt. S. Cyprian his dayes. Alas, what have we done that wee are thus pitifully tormented? The negligence, or treachery, or miſguided zeale of our parents hath brought all this miſery upon us; wee periſh through others default; our fathers and mothers have proved our murderers; they that gave us our naturall life bereaved us of a better, by depriving us of the wholeſome nouriſhment of the Word, and giving us a ſcorpion in ſtead of fiſh; they plunged us in the mire of all ſenſuall pleaſures, when they ſhould have dipped us in the ſacred Laver of regeneration; they kept us from God our Father, and the Church our Mother.
But I will not longer inſiſt upon this obſervation, becauſe (as I conceive) the Spirit uſeth this ſpeech not ſo much to ſet an edge upon our religious care & diligence, as give a backe to our patience; only I propoſe Monica the mother of S. Auſtin as a pattern to all parents:bAug. confeſ. l. 1. c. 11. Illa magis ſatagebat ut tu mihi pater eſſes quam ille, & conturbata erat propter baptiſmi dilationem, quoniam ſempiternam ſalutem meam chariùs parturiebat. Shee endured, ſaith hee, greater ſorrow, and was longer in travell for my ſecond birth than my firſt, and much more rejoiced at it; ſhee continued her fervent prayers day and night, with ſighes of griefe and teares of love, for my converſion. Sometimes ſhee ſought to winne mee by ſweet allurements, ſometimes by ſharpe threats, ſometimes by force of argument, ſometimes by vehemency of paſſion; ſhe dealt with many learned Biſhops to conferre with me, to convince me of my errors, whereof one ſent her away with this comfort;*Confeſ. l. 2. c. 12. Fieri non potest ut filius tantarum lachrymarum pereat; It is not poſsible that a child ſhould miſcarry, for whom the mother hath taken ſo much thought, and ſhed ſo many teares. This care of planting religion in the hearts of children, as ground new broken up, and watering the roots of grace in them by frequent admonitons and inſtructions, is aſſigned for the chiefe cauſe of thoſe extraordinary bleſſings which God beſtowed upon Abraham: for ſo wee read,cGen. 18.17. Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I doe, ſeeing he ſhall be a mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth ſhall bee bleſſed in him? for I know him, that hee will command his ſonnes, and his houſhold after him, that they ſhall keepe the way of the Lord, to doe juſtice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which hee hath ſpoken of him.
Now becauſe ſuch is the wantonneſſe and ſtubbornneſſe of moſt children, that they cannot be taught any thing without fear of the rod, the word foreign is in ſome ſort appropriated to gentle corrections, ſuch as are uſed by Maſters and Fathers in the nurturing and teaching their ſcholars and children. Wherein God taketh a cleane contrary courſe to the cuſtome of moſt earthly parents: for they commonly beat thoſe children whom they affect not, and lay ſtripes upon them often without cauſe or mercy; but they are moſt indulgent unto, cocker up, and never leave embracing and kiſſing their darlings: God contrariwiſe ſcourgeth that childe moſt, whom he moſt delighteth in. Why? taketh hee any pleaſure to ſee his deareſt childrens eyes ſwolne with weeping, their cheekes blubbered with teares, their fleſh torne with rods? Surely no: for they that are in ſuch a plight, are rather ruefull ſpectacles of miſery, than amiable objects of love: how then doth he that in love, which he loveth not to doe? Is not that elegant ſpeech of Saint Auſtine a riddle, Caſtigat quos amat, non tamen amat Caſtigare; Hee chaſteneth whom he loves, yet he loves not to chaſten? None at all: for a Surgeon launceth the fleſh of his deareſt friend or brother in love, yet he taketh no pleaſure in launcing, nor would doe it at all, but to prevent the feſtring of the ſore.
The beſt anſwer to the former objection will be, to aſſigne the reaſons why God in juſtice and in love cannot oftentimes withhold his rod from his deareſt children. To ſpeake nothing of the reliques of originall ſin in us after Baptiſme, which like cindars are ſtill apt to ſet on fire Gods wrath, and like an aguiſh matter left after a fit, ſtill cauſe new paroxyſmes of Gods judgements: eaſe it ſelfe and reſt caſteth us into a dead ſleep of ſecurity, which we are never thoroughly awaked of, till God ſmite us on the ſide, as the dActs 12.7.Angel did Peter. Proſperity, and a ſequence of temporall bleſſings, like fatneſſe in the ſoyle, breed in the mind a kind of rankneſſe, which the ſorrowes of afflictions eate out. Moreover, worldly pleaſures diſtemper the taſte of the ſoule, ſo that it cannot relliſh wholſome food; which evill is cured by drinking deep in the cup of teares. Neither ſeemeth it to ſtand with the juſtice of God, that they who are to triumph in heaven, ſhould performe no worthy ſervice in his battels upon the earth. It is too great ambition for any Chriſtian to deſire two heavens; and to attaine greater happineſſe than our Lord and King, who tooke his croſſe in his way to his Kingdome, and was crowned with thornes before hee was crowned with glory.eLact. div. inſtit. Lactantius rightly obſerveth, Bonis brevibus mala aeterna, & malis brevibus bona aeterna ſuccedunt: that we are put to our choice, either to paſſe from momentary pleaſures to everlaſting paines, or to paſſe from momentary paines to everlaſting pleaſures; either to forgoe tranſitory delights for eternall joyes, or to buy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon at the deare rate of everlaſting torments. Were there no neceſſity of juſtice, that they who are to receive a ſuperexcellent weight of glory, ſhould beare heavie croſſes in this life; nor congruity of reaſon, that they who are to be ſatisfied with celeſtiall dainties, ſhould faſt here, and taſte of bitter ſorrowes, that they might better relliſh their future banquet: yet it were an indecorum at leaſt, that the Captaine ſhould beare all the brunt, and endure all the hardneſſe, and the common ſouldier endure nothing; that the head ſhould be crowned with thornes, and the members ſoftly arrayed; that the head ſhould be ſpit upon, and the members have ſweet oyntments poured on them. Wherefore Saint Paul teacheth us, that all whom God fore-knew, he predeſtinated to be made conformable to thefRom. 8.29. image of his Sonne, who was ſo disfigured with buffets, ſtripes, blowes, and wounds, that the Prophet ſaith, he had no gEſa. 53.2.forme in him. What himſelfe ſpake of the children of Zebedee, appertaines to us all, Ye ſhall hMat. 20.22.drink of my cup, and be baptized with the baptiſme wherewith I am baptized withall. By baptiſme he meaneth not to be dipped only in the waters of Marah, but to be plunged in them over head and eares, as the ancient manner of baptiſme was. He who was nailed to the Croſſe for us, will have us take up our iMat. 10.38.croſſe and follow him. He that endured ſo much to ſhew his love to us, will have us in ſome ſort to anſwer him in love: which as it is a paſſion, ſo it is tryed rather by paſſions than by actions; in which reſpect we muſt not only doe, but ſuffer for his ſake, that our love may be compleat both in parts and degrees. To you it is kPhil. 1.29.given, ſaith Saint Paul, not only to beleeve in him, but to ſuffer for his ſake. For he l1 Pet. 2.21.ſuffered for us, giving us an example. Should he have ſuffered all for us, and as he tooke away all ſinne, ſo all ſuffering from us, carrying away all croſſes and tribulations with him; patience ſhould not have had her worke among other divine vertues and graces, and thereby our crowne of glory ſhould have wanted one moſt faire and rich jewell. Wherefore God, who is all goodneſſe, deſirous to make us partakers of all the goodneſſe which our nature is capable of, by the miſery of his diſtreſſed members giveth matter for our charity and compaſſion, by our continuall temptations matter for faith, by conflicts with heretickes and perſecuters matter for conſtancy, by the dangers of this life matter for wiſedome, by our manifold infirmities and frailties matter for humility, by chaſtenings and afflictions matter for patience to worke upon.
Whether for theſe, or any better reaſons, beſt knowne to himſelfe, it is that our heavenly Father holdeth a heavie hand ſometimes over his deareſt children, certaine it is, that few or none of them eſcape his ſtroake: he chaſteneth as many as hee loveth; or, as wee reade Hebr. 12.6. hee ſcourgeth every ſonne whom hee receiveth: therefore all that n2 Tim. 3.12.will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer affliction. Afflictions are in our way to heaven: for wee muſt through many oActs 14.22.afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God. Before wee ſing the ſong of Moſes and the ſervants of God, we are to ſwimme through a ſea of burning glaſſe: the ſea is this preſent life, ſwelling with pride, wan with envie, boyling with wrath, deep with fraud and malice, foming with luxuriouſneſſe, ebbing and flowing with inconſtancy; which is here ſaid to be ofpApoc. 15.2. I ſaw as it were a ſea of glaſſe mingled with fire. glaſſe, to ſignifie the brittle nature thereof; and burning, to repreſent the furnace of adverſity, wherein the godly are ſtill tryed and purified in this world. And that we may not thinke, that God his rod is for thoſe only who are habes in Chriſt Jeſus, let us ſet before us David and Jeremy: the former a man after Gods owne heart; the latter a Prophet ſanctified from his mothers wombe: the former laid his heart a ſoaking in the brine of afflictions: Every qPſal. 6.6.night (ſaith hee) waſh I my bed, and water my couch with my teares: and,rPſal. 102.9. I have eaten aſhes for bread, and teares have been my drinke day and night. The other cryeth out in the bitterneſſe of his ſoule, I am the man that have ſeen *Lam 3.12, 15.affliction in the rod of his indignation. Hee hath bent his bow, and made mee a marke for his arrowes, and hath filled mee with bitterneſſe, and made mee drunke with wormwood. Verily Job ſipped not of the cup of trembling, but tooke ſuch a deep draught, that it bereft him in a manner of all ſenſe, and put him ſo far beſides himſelfe, that he curſeth the very day of his birth, and would have it razed out of the calendar:ſJob 3 4, 5, 6, 7. Let that day be darkned, let the ſhadow of death obſcure it, let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeer, nor let it come within the count of the moneths: why dyed I not in my birth? why dyed I not when I came out of the wombe? Yee heare the loud cryes of Gods children, whereby yee perceive they feele oftentimes the ſmart of their Fathers rod, and are ſore beat by him.
Applicat. Deus unum habuit filium ſine flagitio, nullum ſine flagello.1. Is it ſo? doth God chaſten every ſonne whom he receiveth? nay in whom he delighteth, not ſparing his only beloved ſonne, with whom he was ever well pleaſed? why then ſhould we looke to be priviledged and exempted from the orders of Chriſts ſchoole? How nice and tenderly have wee been brought up, that we cannot endure the ſight of our heavenly Fathers rod? We ſticke to ſip of that cup which was Davids diet-drinke; and Jeremy and Job tooke it all off: are we better than theſe holy men? nay are we too good to pledge our Saviour in the cup of his paſſion? Doe we breathe out ſome ſighes in our croſſes? hee ſighed out his laſt breath in torments upon the croſſe: Nos ſuſpiramus in cruciatibus, ille expiravit in cruce. Doe our troubles and vexations draw ſome watery teares from our eyes? his drew from him teares of bloud, yea clotted bloud from all parts of his body. Doth the burthen of our ſinnes preſſe our ſoules? the burthen of the ſinnes of the whole world lay upon him. Are wee pricked with cares? hee was crowned with thorns. Are we cruciated? he was crucified. Tacitus reporteth, that though the amber ring among the Romans were before of no value, yet after the Emperour began to weare it, it became to be in great eſteem: ſo (mee thinkes) ſith our Lord and Saviour both bore his croſſe, and was borne upon it, we ſhould make better reckoning of croſſes; and it ſhould be counted an honour for every Chriſtian to take up his croſſe and follow him.
2. Againe, doth God chaſten as many as he loveth; and conſequently, loveth them not at all whom he never chaſteneth? how far then are moſt of us beſides the matter in our judgement, and opinion of theſe things? If we ſee a man flouriſh in proſperity, we commonly ſay ſuch a man is beloved of God; for he thriveth in the world, and all things proſper with him: but if on the ſudden all the fruits of his labours are blaſted with ſome ſharp wind of adverſity, if wee ſee him never without ſome griefe or other, ſome croſſe or other, we alter our opinion, and ſuppoſe him to be ſome wretch, whom God plagueth for his ſinnes. If the Viper be upon Pauls hand, hee is preſently a tAct. 28.4.murderer, whom vengeance would not ſuffer to live: whereas the verdict and ſentence of the Holy Ghoſt, whereto our judgements ſhould abſolutely ſubmit, is farre otherwiſe. Loe, theſe are the wicked, who have their uPſal. 17.14.portion in this life, the rod of God is not upon them: they grow in wealth, and their ſeed is eſtabliſhed in their ſight. They come in no *Pſal. 73.5, 6, 7.trouble like other folke, neither are they plagued like other men. Their eyes ſtand out with fatneſſe, and they have more than heart can wiſh. Thou haſt planted xJerem. 12.2.them, and they have taken root, and bring forth fruit.
I ſpeake not this to detract from the bounty of our gracious God, who hath the bleſſings of this life and the life to come in ſtore for his children, and he beſtoweth them upon them, when he ſeeth it good for them; but to leſſen ſomewhat our great opinion of them, and put us in a better conceit of afflictions, which are ſurer arguments of Gods love than the other. Had the Apoſtle ſaid, We muſt through many pleaſures enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, it is to be thought Heaven would have been full by this time: but he ſaith not ſo, but the direct contrary; We must through many yActs 14.22.afflictions enter into it. Wherefore, as paſſengers that have been told that their way lyeth over a ſteep hill, or downe a craggy rocke, or through a moriſh fen, or dirty vale, if they ſuddenly fall into ſome pleaſant meddow enameled with beautifull flowers, or a goodly corne field, or a faire champian country, looke about them, and, bethinking themſelves where they are, ſay, Surely we are out of the way, we ſee no hills, nor rockes, nor fens, nor deep clay: this is too good to be the right way. So in the courſe of our life, which is a pilgrimage upon earth, when we paſſe through fields of corne, or gardens of flowers, and enjoy all worldly pleaſures and contentments, let us caſt with our ſelves: Surely this is not the way the Scripture directeth us unto, here are not the tribulations we are to paſſe through, we ſee no footſteps of Gods Saints here, but only the print of Dives feet; ſomewhere we have miſt our way, let us ſearch and find out where and when we turned out of it. This anxiety of mind, this carefull circumſpection, this queſtioning our ſelves, and ſuſpecting our owne wayes, will bring us into the right way: for by thus afflicting our ſelves in proſperity, we ſhall make it the way to Heaven. As the Paſſeover was to be eaten with ſowre herbes, ſo let us ſawce all our worldly comforts with theſe ſharp and ſowre meditations, that we ſurfeit not of them.
We find no grievous crime laid to Dives his charge, only this is father Abrahams memento to him: Sonne, remember thou receivedſt thy pleaſure in this life. ContinuallzLact. divin. inſtit. l. 6. c. 21. Cavenda ſunt oblectamenta iſta tanquam laquei & plagae, ne ſuavitudinum mollitie capti, ſub ditionem mortis cum ipſo corpore redigamur cui mancipamur. proſperity and worldly pleaſures are like luſcious fruit, more ſweet than wholſome: they diſtemper the ſpirituall taſte, they breed noxious humours in the body, and dangerous maladies in the ſoule. And if they end not in ſorrow, we are the more to ſorrow for them, according to that ſweet ſpeech of Saint*Aug. confeſ. l. 10. c. 1. Caetera vitae hujus tantò minus flenda, quantò magis fletur in iis, &c. Auſtine: The joyes and delights, or rather the toyes and vanities of this life, are by ſo much the leſſe to be bewailed, by how much more we bewaile; and by ſo much the more to be bewailed, by how much the leſſe we bewaile them, and for them. On the contrary, afflictions are uſually tokens of Gods love, badges of his ſervants, arguments of his care, remedies againſt moſt dangerous evills, and occaſions of excellent vertues: and as the other have a ſweet taſte at the firſt, but are bitter afterwards; ſo theſe are bitter at the firſt, but ſweet at the laſt. For in the end they bring the quiet fruit of aHeb. 12.11.righteouſneſſe to them thot are exerciſed thereby. bJohn 16.20.Yee ſhall mourne, ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples, but the world ſhall rejoyce; but be of good comfort, your ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy.
What then? are we profeſſedly to pray for afflictions? No, God requireth no ſuch thing; but only that we patiently endure them. May we not enjoy the bleſſings of this life? We may, but not over-joy in them. What Chriſt ſpeaketh of riches, may be ſaid of the reſt: If honours, if promotions, if all ſorts of worldly comforts abound to us, let us not ſet our hearts on them: let us neither accept the greateſt preferments with his curſe, nor repine at the greateſt afflictions with his love. As Fabritius told Pyrrhus, who one day tempted him with gold, and the next day ſought to terrefie him with an Elephant, which before he had never ſeen; Yeſterday I was no whit moved with your gold, nor to day with your beaſt: So let neither abundance tranſport us, nor wants diſmay us: neither proſperity exalt us, nor adverſity deject us; but both incite us to bleſſe God: In proſperity to praiſe his bounty, and in adverſity his juſtice; and in both, his provident care over us. And the Lord of his infinite mercy informe us by his Word of the true eſtimate of the things of this life, that we neither over-value earthly bleſſings, nor under-value croſſes and afflictions: that we be neither lifted up with the one, nor depreſſed with the other; but alwayes even ballanced with his love. And becauſe the bitter cup of trembling cannot paſſe, but firſt or laſt we muſt all drinke it, let us beſeech him to ſweeten it unto us, and ſtrengthen us with cordialls of comfort, that we faint not under his rod, but endure with patience what he inflicteth in love, and overcome with courage what he ſuffered for love, that following his obedience, and bearing his croſſe, we may enter his Kingdome, and weare his Crowne. Cui, &c.