The Haven of the Afflicted, Sermon

The Haven of the Afflicted · Sermon

p. 1AMOS 3.6.

Shall there be evill in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

CHriſtian profeſſion is by the Holy Spirit, 1. Cor. 9.24. &, Heb. 12.1. reſembled to a race. The runners in this race are the profeſſours of Chriſtianity, men & women, of all rankes, all Chriſtians. **Stadium eſt haec vita mortalibus; híc contē dimus, vt alibi coronemur. Hieron. ep. ad Euſtochium.We al runne, non pedum celeritate, ſed virtute, pietate, fide: our running is, not by ſwiftneſſe of foot, but by vertue, piety, and faith. And we runne for a price. The price is a crowne. No**A. Gellius Nect. Attic. lib. 5. cap. 6. murall, no ovall, no civil, no triumphal, no obſidional crowne; no ſuch crowne, as worthy champiōs of old contended for; no crowne of graſſe, no crowne of oliue, no crowne of oake, no crowne of gold. Al theſe were vile and contemptible in regard of the crowne, which we run for. They were all tranſitory and corruptible; but the crowne which we runne for, is a crowne of eternity. S. Peter in his 1. Epiſt. chap. 5. ver. 4. calleth it τὸν ἀμαράντινον τῆς δόξης στέφανον, a crown of glory, that fadeth not. S. Paule, 1. Cor. 9.25. calleth it τὸν στέφανον ἄφθαρτον, an incorruptible crowne. Now the place where we runne for p. 2this incorruptible and never fading crowne is, civitas huius mundi, the city of this world. Here we**Magnis inimicorum circundamur agminibus; hoſtiū plena ſunt omnia. Hieron vbi. ſuprà. meete with many ſtops; many lets, many hinderāces. Temptations vponupon temptations do even ſwarme before vsus, behinde vsus, beſide vsus, round about vsus. Temptations of proſperity, temptations of adverſity, temptations of hereſie, theſe ſtand in the ſtreets, likeaaGen 3.24.Gen 3:24 the flaming ſword, to ſtop our way to Paradiſe.

The greateſt obſtacle or impediment, moſt likely to overthrow vsus in this race, is the temptation of the croſſe, the temptation of adverſity. The godly man, he who hath the bb1. Tim. 4.8.1 Tim 4:8promiſes as well of the life that now is, as of that which is to come, as wellccDeut. 28 1. &c. Lev. 26.3. &c.Deut 28:1Lev 26:3 corporall, as ſpirituall, if he be depreſſed and kept vnderunder in diſgrace and miſery, while the wicked man before his face is highly advā ced to honour & preferment, how is he diſcouraged? how diſcomforted? With this temptation was David exerciſed. For when he ſaw the proſperity of the wicked, and conſidered, that they were not afflicted like other men, that they encreaſed in riches, that whatſoever they took in hand, it went well forward; his feet were almoſt gone, his ſteps had well-nigh ſlipt. It is his owne confeſſion, Pſal. 73.2. Did this temptation ſo farre prevaile with David, ddAct. 13.22.Acts 13:22a man after Gods owne heart? How ſhall the reſt of the Godly withſtand it? Behold for them an anchor, able to keep them, that they be not overwhelmed with the waues of this tēptation; even the words of my text, Shall there be evill in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

p. 3Here are ſeaven interogations together without any interruption. This is the ſeaventh, and is like the reſt. It beareth the forme of an Interrogation, but is for matter a vehement Aſſeveration. It's vſuall with the Scriptures then to propound a matter by way of queſtion, when they will moſt of all affirme it. Gen. 18.14. the LORD ſaith to Abraham: Is any thing too hard for the LORD? It is as if he had ſaid; al things are eaſie with the LORD; there is nothing impoſſible, nothing too hard for him. Mar. 12.24. Ieſus anſwering the Sadduces ſaid vntounto thē, Doe yee not therefore erre, becauſe yee knowe not the Scriptures, neither the power of God? It is, as if he had ſaid: doubtleſſe yee therefore erre becauſe yee knowe not the Scriptures, neither the power of God. 1. Cor. 10.16. S^t Paul ſaith, The bread which we breake, is it not the communion of the body of Chriſt? It is, as if he had ſaid: The bread which wee breake is the communion of the body of Chriſt. Many other places of like nature I might produce: But by theſe wee ſee, that an Interrogation vſeth to be put from an Affirmation; as in my text, Shall there bee evill in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

It is as if our Prophet had ſaid: There ſhall be no evill in a city, but the LORD will doe it. Or, whatſoever evil is in a city, the LORD hath done it.

Durus eſt hic ſermo, happyly will ſome ſay, as thoſe fleſhly hearers of Chriſt ſaid to Chriſt, Ioh. 6.60. When Chriſt had told them, that they were to eate his fleſh, & to drinke his blood, elſe they ſhould not liue. Durus eſt p. 4hic ſermo, This is a hard ſaying; who can endure to heare it? Shall there be no evil in a city, but the LORD will doe it? but he hath done it? Durus ſermo; This is a hard ſaying.

This ſtumbling blocke, this ſtone of offence will eaſily be remoued, if you will bee pleaſed to conſider with me three circumſtances expreſſed in the letter of my text: Quis, Quid, Vbi. An Agent, an Action, The place of performance. The Agent is the LORD, the Actiō is a doing of evill, the place where this action is to bee performed, is a City. Shall there be evill in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

Follow me, I beſeech you, in theſe three, I will paſſe them over as briefly, and as plainely as I may. If in my diſcourſe I ſhall ſeeme for a while ſomewhat thorny, or perplexed, helpe me with your attention.

Shall there be evill in a city, & the LORD hath not done it?] The firſt circumſtance to bee now conſidered is Quis. The Agent. My text cals him IEHOVAH.

IEHOVAH! It is the moſt proper name of God. No creature is made partaker of it; nor man, nor Angel. It betokeneth firſt the eſſence of God, ſecondly the truth and complement of his promiſes. Firſt it ſignifieth, that God is verè τὸ ὂν: à quo πάντα τὰ ὄντα ; that God is ſo of himſelfe, thateeRom. 11.36.Rom 11:36 of him, and through him, and to him are all things. Secondly it ſignifieth, that God is ever faithful in his promiſes. From whence two things ſhould deeply, and perpetually bee faſtned in the memory of every Chriſtian: one is, that our God is an everliuing God, is the chiefeſt good, is the author of all p. 5good, and is therefore alwaies, and aboue al things to be loued: the other is, that our God is ever true in his promiſes, and therefore that our whole truſt muſt ever lie on him. For he only is IEHOVAH: IEHOVAH is his name for ever, it is his memoriall vntounto all generations. So it is called, Exod. 3.15. and Hoſ. 12.5.

This our God, the Lord, IEHOVAH, who is of himſelfe alone, and is only true in all his ſayings, hee is not that God of thoſe ſhameleſſe blaſphemers, theffAuguſt, de Haereſib. c. 46. Manichees andggIbid. c. 22. Marcionites, hhZanchius de Attribut. Dei. lib. 4. cap. 1. qu. 1. theſ 4.Deus malus, à quo ſit omne malum, an evill God from whom commeth all evill. Our God is no ſuch God; there is no evill in him, there proceeds no evill frō him: he is whollyiiPſ. 33.5. & 73.1. & 103.11, 17. & 136.1. &c.Ps 33:5Ps 73:1Ps 103:11Ps 103:17Ps 136:1 good: good kkIn ſe Deꝰ bon' eſt ſuâ eſſē tiâ, & ſummè. Polā Syntag. Theol. lib. 2. cap 20.of himſelfe; & by his eſſence. Now, if hony, of its owne nature and eſſence ſweet, hath no bitterneſſe in it; if the Sunne of its owne nature and eſſence light, hath no darkneſſe in it; without doubt God of himſelfe, of his owne nature & eſſence good, hath no evill in him. Wee confeſſe with David, Pſal. 5.4. O our God, thou art not a God, that hath pleaſure in wickedneſſe, neither ſhall any evill dwell with thee.

Thus you ſee, Quis, who this Agent is. It is IEHOVAH, the Lord our God, whoſe being is of himſelfe, who is true in all his ſayings, who is abſolutely good, in whom there is no ſtaine of evill. Such is the Agent. The next circumſtance is Quid, the Action, a doing of evill; Shall there be evill in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

The naturaliſt ſaith;llMat. 7.17.Matt 7:17 A good tree bringeth forth good fruit: the Philoſopher ſaith; Omne mmAriſt. 2. Phyſ. Aquin. 2. Diſt. 18. qu. 2. Art. 1. ad. 4. Zanch. de Attrib. l. 2. cap. 7. qu. 3.agens agit ſibi ſimile; Such as the Agent is, ſuch is the Action: if the Agent p. 6be good, the Action cannot be evil. How then is it, that God of himſelfe and abſolutely Good, is here, in my text, noted, for a doer of evill?

For anſwer herevnto wee muſt with S^t Auſtin cap. 26. contra Adimantum Manichaeum diſtinguiſh of evils: there is malum, quod facit homo, and malum, quod patitur, there is an evill which man doth, and there is an evill which man ſuffereth: the firſt is ſinne, the other is the puniſhment of ſinne, of this, not of that, muſt God be ſaid to be the doer. This diſtinction is more plainely delivered by Tertullian, contra Marcion. lib. 2. cap. 14. There is malum delicti, and malum ſupplicij, there is malum culpae, and malum poenae; there is an evill of ſinne, & an evill of paine, Suum cui que parti definimus autorem, ſaith that Father, malorum quidem peccati & culpae Diabolum, malorum verò ſupplicij & poenae Deum creatorem. Of the evills of ſinne and fault the Devill is the author, but in the evils of paine and puniſhment, wee acknowledge the hand of God the Creatour.

This diſtinction of evils, ſaithnnAnnot. 82. in locum Tertulliani. Pamelius, is worth the noting againſt Calvin, and his followers; as if Calvin, or the reſt, who maintaine the truth of that doctrine, which Calvin profeſſed, denied this diſtinction of Evils, to make God the cauſe and author of ſinne.

This horrible blaſphemie and impietie, wherewithooDe amiſſ. Grat. & ſtatu reccati lib. 2. cap. 4. Bellarmine, ppOctavâ ratione.Campian, qqDefenſione. praefationum Bellarm. Tom 1 pag. 5, & 6.Gretſer, rrTom. 1. Opuſc. 3. de autore peccati p. 98.Becan, andſſBernard. Dörhoff Apodix 1. cap. 3. pag. 32. Carol. Scribanius Orthod. fidei controverſ. lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 121. &c. Matth. Kelliſon, in his Reply to Sutcliffes anſwer to the Survey 5. booke pag. 356. &c. other of that rabble, hauehave branded vsus, I hauehave elſewhere diverted in a Sermon vponupon Hoſ. 10.2. wherein I confirmed two poſitions.

One: There is a degree of ſome forwarder diſpoſition of p. 7God, in the actions of vnrighteous men, then his bare toleration.

The other: Though God bee a worker in the workes of the wicked, yet is the will of the wicked thereby no way cō pelled. Whence followeth this concluſion; God is not to any conſtruction, the cauſe or author of ſinne. This we affirme in our bookes, we teach in our pulpits, we determine in our Schooles.

We ſay, and our adverſaries will ſay no leſſe, that God is the author of all actions in the world; that hee is the author of every motion within vsus. In him we liue and moue, and hauehave our being, Act. 17.28. without him we liue not, we moue not, we hauehave no being. Yet wee ſay that ſinne, is wholly and only of man himſelfe; we cannot challenge God for any part thereof.

Diſtinguiſh then the accident from the ſubiect, diſtinguiſh the ſinne of the action from the action it ſelfe; God in the one ſhal be glorified, and man ſhal be iuſtly condemned for the other. God is not to any cōſtruction the cauſe, or author of ſinne. Yet, you ſee my text chargeth him, as if he were the cauſe & author of Evill. Shall there be evill in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

Evill! If by evill you will vnderſtande according to my former diſtinctions (malum poenae, malum ſupplicij, malum, quod homo patitur, which you may call, malum afflictionis) if by Evill you will vnderſtand the evill of paine, the evill of puniſhment, the evill of affliction, you hauehave the meaning of my Prophet: Shall there be any Evill] Any evill of paine, puniſhment, or afflictiō, Shall there be any ſuch Evill in a city, and the Lord hath p. 8not done it?

Theſe now brought diſtinctions of evill may ſerue for the vnfolding of other texts of Scripture: of that, Eſay 45.7. I, the Lord, create Evill; & that, Lament. 3.38. Out of the mouth of the moſt high proceedeth Evill; & that Ion. 3.10. God repented of the Evill, that he had ſaid, hee would do vntounto them. By Evill in all thoſe places, as here in my text, we are to vnderſtand the Evil of paine, puniſhment, and affliction.

The Evill of paine, puniſhment, and affliction! Why Euil? Doubtleſſe whatſoever paine, puniſhmēt, or affliction befalleth vsus, it is good. 1. Becauſe it is laide vponupon vsus, by God, who is of himſelfe, and abſolutelie good. 2. Becauſe it is iuſt: and what is iuſt, muſt needs be good. 3. Becauſe it tendeth to the glory of God, and the ſalvation of the elect; and who will deny this to be good? For theſe reaſons whatſoever paine, puniſhment, or affliction may befall vsus, it is good. Why then is it in my text, and elſewhere noted by the name of Evill?.

Jt is ſo noted, becauſe in our ſenſe and feeling it is Evill. Things may bee tearmed Evill two manner of waies: ſome are Euill indeed, and of their owne nature; in this rancke we muſt place our ſinnes: ſome are Evill, not indeed and of their owne nature, but in regard of our ſenſe, apprehenſion, and eſtimatiō; & in this ranke we muſt place whatſoever, paine, puniſhment, or afflictiō God layeth vponupon vsus in this life for our ſinnes. I ſay thē, that the Euill in my text, is indeed good, but improperly Evill; it is good in its owne nature, but Evill only, as wee p. 9call Euill, whatſoever liketh vsus not, or is not for our eaſe. Thus farre hauehave you my ſecond circumſtance, Quid, the Action, a doing of Euill: Shall there be euill in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

The third circumſtance is Vbi, the place where this Action is performed. My text cals it a City. Shal there be Evill in a City] In Civitatibus, in Cities, ſo Lyranus expoūdeth it. In Civitate aliquâ, in any City, it is Mercerus his expoſition. I ſay, in Civitate huius mundi, in the City of this world.

This vniverſe, & admirable frame of Nature wherin IEHOVAH, the LORD, our God, ttPſ. 97.1. & 91.1.Ps 97:1Ps 91:1raigneth, conſiſteth of two Cities: the one is,uuAuguſt. Retract. l 2. c. 43. Civitas Dei, the city of God, the other is,xxAuguſt. de temp. ſerm. 106. Civitas huius mundi, the city of this world. The one isyyAug. de Civ. Dei lib 14. cap. 28. Celeſtiall, the other is Terrene; the one is of the zzAug. de catechizandis rudib. l. 1. c. 19Saints, the other of the wicked; the one isaaAug. Enarrat in Pſ. 61.Ps 61 Ieruſalem, the other is Babylon. In the firſt, that moſt glorious city of God, and his Saints, the Celeſtiall Ieruſalem, all teares are wiped away from the eies of the Citizens; there is neither death, nor ſorrow, nor crying, nor paine, Revel. 21.4. There is no Evill there; no not the Evill of affliction. Wherefore that City, is not the City in my text.

In the other City, the City of this world, the Terrene city, the city peſtered with the wicked, Babylon, great Babylon, the city of confuſion, there is no ſure repoſe for the Godly there. There may they become abbPſ 79 4.Ps 79:4 reproach to their neighbours, there may they be a ſcorne, and deriſiō, to them, with whō they liue; there may theyccPſal. 88.9.Ps 88:9 mourne daily by reaſon of affliction. For even the Godly, who p. 10areddAuguſt. de civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 1. by grace cives ſurſum, Citizens aboue, citizens of the ſupernall and Celeſtiall City of God, they are alſo by grace peregrini deorſum, pilgrimes, or ſtrangers here below, in this Terrene city, the city of this world. Here muſt they paſſe through many evils; here muſt they be cut, hewen, and ſquared, with ſundry tribulations, ſickneſſes, and diſeaſes, before they can bee made fit and liuely ſtones for the heavenly Ieruſalem.

Thus hauehave wee found out the City in my text; it is this Terrene City, the City of this world; and this was my third circumſtance. Vbi, the circumſtance of the place, where the Agent performeth his Action.

Now the meaning of my text is plaine. Shall there be evil in a city; and the LORD hath not done it? Shal there be evill] Any evill of paine, puniſhment, or affliction, In a City] Not only in this City, wherein wee are now aſſembled, but in any City, or other place of the whole world, in the city of this world, Shall there bee any ſuch evill any where, and the LORD hath not done it?] Or, as the diverſe reading is,eeIn the margin of the new tranſlation. Shall not the LORD doe ſomewhat? The doctrine from hence to be commended to your moſt ſerious and religious meditations, is, Whatſoeuer affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the LORD.

By affliction in this propoſition I vnderſtand the ſuffering of any thing, the ſenſe, or cogitation whereof our nature ſhunneth. Whatſoever is any way grievous, or offenſiue, to our humane nature, I call Afflictiō. The temptations of the fleſh, the world & the Devil; the diſeaſes of the body, an infortunate husband or p. 11wife, rebellious children, vnthankfull friends, loſſe of goods, reproaches, ſclaunders, war, peſtilence, famine, impriſonment, death; every croſſe and paſſion, bodily or ghoſtly, proper to our ſelues, or appertaining to ſuch as are of our blood private or publike, ſecret or manifeſt, either by our owne deſerts gotten, or otherwiſe impoſed vponupon vsus, I call Afflictions. In a word, all manner of miſeries, calamities, vexations, or moleſtations in this life from the leaſt to the greateſt, from the paine of the little finger, to the very pangs of death, I call Afflictions.

There are two ſorts of men (ſhall I ſay, in this city? I ſay in the city of this world) there are two ſorts of men viſited with afflictions: the one, the Scriptures cal the reprobate; the other, the elect; they are the wicked, theſe the godly. Whatſoever Affliction befalleth the firſt ſort, the Reprobate, the wicked, it is, (as Divines call it) τιμωία, a puniſhment wherewith God as a fearefull iudge avengeth himſelfe vponupon the wicked for their ſins; properly a puniſhment; a puniſhment inflicted on men ſinning, that the iuſtice of God may thereby bee ſatiſfied.

With the other ſort, with the Elect, with the Godly it is not ſo. Whatſoever afflictions befall them, they are not properly puniſhments for their ſinnes; they are more rightly called Croſſes. Puniſhments they cannot properly be called; becauſe whatſoever puniſhment is due to any of the Elect for their ſinnes, it's fully anſwered by Chriſt in his actiue and paſſiue obedience, in his life and death. He is become our λύτρον, hee hath paid p. 12the price of our redemption, he hath fully ſatisfied for all our ſinnes; our ſinnes paſt, preſent, and to come. And therefore if any afflictions be vponupon vsus, we are not to call them properly puniſhments for our ſinnes; the name of croſſes will befit them better.

Theſe croſſes of the godly are either παιδιεῖαι or δοχιμα…αι, they are either chaſtiſements for our ſinnes already perpetrated, to make vsus the more wary for the time to come, that we fall not againe into the ſame, or the like ſinnes; or they are trials, and exerciſes, of our faith, hope, charitie, patience, and other like Chriſtian vertues. Now all theſe fore-mentioned afflictions, either properly puniſhments for ſinne, ſuch as are the afflictions of the wicked, or chaſtiſements, or trials, ſuch as are the afflictions of the Godly, they are all from the LORD according to the truth of my doctrine, Whatſoever affliction befalleth any one, any where in this world, it is from the LORD.

The LORD, he is foreign, the primary cauſe of all afflictions, and of many the immediate cauſe. Of the vniverſall deluge, and floud of waters in the daies of Noah, Gen. 6.17. Of the burning of Sodom, Gomorah, and their ſiſter Cities, Gen. 19.24. Of the overthrow of Pharaohs hoſt in the midſt of the ſea, Exod. 14.27. Of the ſmiting of Nabal to death, 1. Sam. 25.38. of all theſe was God the immediate cauſe.

Some afflictions it pleaſeth God to effect mediatè, by ſecundary, and inſtrumentall cauſes, by Angels, by mē, by other creatures.

Firſt God afflicteth by Angels. By an Angel he ſmote p. 13Davids people, ſo that there died of the peſtilence frō Dan to Beerſheba, ſeauenty thouſand men, 2. Sam. 24.15. By an Angel he ſmote in the campe of the Aſſyrians, one hundred foureſcore and fiue thouſand, 2. King. 19.35. By an Angel he ſmote K. Herod, ſo that he died, Act. 12.23.

Secondly, God afflicteth by men. Here might I tell you of the afflictions, wherewith God exerciſed his people Iſrael by Cuſhan-Riſhathaim K. of Meſopotamia for eight yeares, Iudg. 3.8. By the Midianites for ſeaven yeares, Iudg. 6.1. By the Philiſtines, and the Ammonites for eighteene yeares, Iudg. 10.8. By the Philiſtines againe for forty years, Iudg. 13.1. Here might I relate vntounto you the many afflictions, wherewith God proved his people, the people of Iudah, by ſending againſt them the Egyptians, Aſſyrians, and Chaldeans. The bookes of the Kings and Chronicles are copious in deſcribing them. I need not remember you of Aſhur, Eſai, 10.5. how there he is ſtiled the rod & the ſtaffe of the wrath of God, to ſignifie, that he was organum, ſiue inſtrumentum Dei, the executioner of Gods vengeance vpō Hypocrites. I will not hold you with any long narration of Attila, King of the Hunnes, Medes, Gotthes, and Danes, how in his title or inſcription he called himſelfe, metum orbis, flagellúm que Dei, the terrour of the world, & the ſcourge of God. I paſſe over the great Turke, whom you know now to bee the hammer of the world, and the rod of Chriſtendome.

Come we home vntounto our ſelues. Here ſhal we find it made good, that by men God afflicteth men. Elſe why is it come to paſſe according to Ieremies words, chap. p. 149.4. that a neighbour deceiueth his neighbour, that a brother ſupplanteth his brother? Why is it now according to Micah's words, chap. 7 6. that the ſonne diſhonoureth his father, that the daughter riſeth vp against her mother? Why are affMicah 7 6. Matth 10.36.Mic 7:6Matt 10:36 mans enimies now the men of his owne houſe? Why doth the corrupt MagiſtrateggAmos 2.6.Amos 2:6 ſel the righteous for ſiluer, and the poore for a paire of ſhooes? Why doth the cruell LandlordhhAmos 2.7.Amos 2:7 pant after the duſt of the earth on the head of his poore tenant? Why behold we in our cities biting vſurie, iiHab. 1.2, 3.Hab 1:2Hab 1:3violence, oppreſsion, falſe dealing? Certainely God is even now pleaſed to afflict men by men.

Thirdly, God afflicteth by other creatures alſo. This the ſtory of Gods viſitation vponupon Pharaoh, and the Egyptians, Exod. chap. 8, 9, 10. maketh plaine vntounto vsus. There we finde that frogges, lice, flies, graſhoppers, thunder, haile, lightning, murraine, botches, and ſores, did inſtrumentally avenge God vponupon man & beaſt in Egypt. Not in Egypt only, but every where elſe, thoſe & other like creatures, as fire, and ſnow, and vapours, and ſtormy windes, doe fulfill what God commandeth. So ſaith the Spirit, Pſ. 148.8.

Infinite might I be in the proſecution of this point & yet keepe my ſelfe within the limits of Sacred writ. But I may not dwell hereon. Only in ſumme I ſay; Iehovah, the Lord our God, the Agent in my text, is Deus exercituum, a God of hoſts. All creatures, Celeſtial, Terreſtrial, Infernal, & the reſt, that are either in the aire, or in water; they are all of Gods armie, and are ready to doe his Holy will. By theſe God afflicteth vsus. Theſe p. 15are the inſtruments, but God is the author of our afflictions. Thus is my doctrine eſtabliſhed, Whatſoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the Lord.

Whatſoever affliction] be it puniſhment, chaſtiſemēt or triall, Befalleth any one] wicked or Godly, Any where in this world] either here or elſe where, in the city of this world, It is from the Lord] either immediatly and primarily of himſelfe, or mediatly and ſecundarily, by Angels, men, and other creatures, the inſtruments & executioners of his holy and iuſt iudgements.

This doctrine thus confirmed and explained is profitable many waies.

Firſt it may ſerue for reproofe of ſome olde Hereticks, the Coluthians, and Florinians. ThekkAuguſt. de haereſ. cap. 65 Coluthians affirmed, that God doth no evill, contrary to my preſent text and doctrine. The Florinians affirmed, that God createth evill, contrary to that, Gen. 1.31. God ſaw every thing, that he had made, and behold it was very good. Theſe two ſects of Hereticks are one againſt the other, but both againſt the dictates of the holy Spirit. S. Auſtine cap. 66. lib. de haereſib. hath fitted one anſwer for both: Creat Deus mala, poenas iuſtiſsimas irrogando, quod Coluthus non videbat; non autem malas creando naturas, at que ſubſtantias, in quantum ſunt naturae, at que ſubſtantiae, vbi Florinus errabat. The ſumme of his anſwer is: God may bee ſaid to create evill, to doe evill, by laying vponupon offenders iuſt puniſhments, which Coluthus ſaw not; but not by making evill natures and ſubſtances, which was Florinus his errour. God createth p. 16evill, God doth evill; vnderſtand it notllPaulus de Palatio. de malo culpae & criminū, but de punitione, poenâ que ſcelerum, vnderſtand it not of the evill mmRupertus.of iniquitie, but of the evill of affliction, you are in right. For, Whatſoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the LORD.

Is it from the LORD? Then in the ſecond place this doctrine ſerueth to reproue ſuch, as doe voluntarily, and wilfully thruſt themſelues into afflictions, not expecting the good houre, when God ſhould lay his rod vponupon them. The offenders in this kind are the Papiſts, ſuch as betake themſelues to the diſcipline, as they cal it,nnforeign to beat themſelues naked with rods & whips: ſuch as ſuperſtitiouſlyooforeign weare ſackcloath, ppforeigngoe barefooted, and qqforeign.lie vponupon the ground; thinking by theſe, and ſuch toies, to expiate their ſinnes, and to demerite vntounto themſelues eternall life.

A vaile for this their hypocriſie they thinke they hauehave, in 1. Cor. 9.27. where S^t Paul ſaith of himſelfe, I keepe my body vnderunder, and bring it into ſubiection. The words are much ſtood on by Gretſer lib. 1. de Diſciplinis cap. 4. Hee collecteth from them, that S^t Paul did diſcipline himſelfe, that is, did puniſh himſelfe with ſtrokes of rods or whips. For what elſe, ſaith hee, is ὑποπιάζειν, but to beate with mightie ſtrokes? And what is that, but facere diſciplinam, to vſe diſcipline vponupon himſelfe.

This vaile we eaſily take from them. S^t Paule takes his ὑποπιάζω tropically, as tranſlated from the manner of fight betweene a champion, and his antagoniſt. p. 17But what is this to the Ieſuites purpoſe, who takes it literally?

S^t Paule kept his body vnderunder, and brought it into ſubiection. I graunt it. So ſhould we after his example. Jt's our parts alſo ὑποπιάζειν: it's our parts to keepe our bodies vnderunder, to bring them into ſubiection. The meaning is not, that wee ſhould afflict and macerate our bodies with whips, with ſcourges, with hairecloths, with lying vponupon the ground, and the like; S^t Paule did not do ſo; but the meaning is, that we ſhould ſubdue the reliques of the old man within vsus, that wee ſhould keepe vnderunder the body of ſinne within vsus, that we ſhould bring into ſubiection the corrupt nature within vsus, that thus mortified in the fleſh, we may bee quickned by the Spirit, as S^t Peter ſpeaketh. 1. Epiſt. chap. 3.18. Thus mortified in the one, and quickned by the other, wee ſhall bee armed with patience to beare whatſoever affliction ſhal light vponupon vsus, being well aſſured, that every ſuch affliction is from the LORD, according to the truth of my doctrine, Whatſoever affliction befalleth any one, any where in this world, it's from the LORD.

Is it ſo beloued? Then in the third place, this doctrine ſerueth to confute the vaine opiniō of Fortune, wherevnto, like the Philoſophers of old, ſome carnal ignorant people now adaies vſe to aſcribe ſuch their afflictions, whereof they ſee not an apparant cauſe. If by fire, by lightning, by tempeſts, by windes, by waters, by vnſeaſonable weather, by theeues, or otherwiſe, they receaue loſſe, they aſcribe all to Fortune; quaſi p. 18Deus otium coleret in coelo, & non curaret res humanas, as if they were to hold it for an article of their beleefe, that God liueth idlely in Heaven, and hath no care of mans affaires.

Noli fortunam, quae non eſt, dicere caecam. Fooliſh man! why doſt thou for thy loſſes accuſe blinde fortune, when there is no ſuch thing? Looke vp to Heavē. There is the ſeate of Maieſtie, whereon he ſitteth, who ordereth all thy loſſes. Be patient towards him. He is the Lord. How knoweſt thou, whether hee will not deale with thee, as he dealt with Iob, cha. 42.12? It may be, hee will make thy latter ende, better then thy beginning was. Forget not therefore what now thou haſt learned, Whatſoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the LORD.

Is it from the LORD? Here then in the fourth place we hauehave, wherewith to comfort our ſelues in the day of affliction. Whatſoever affliction ſhall befall vsus, its frō the LORD: the LORD he is omnipotent, he is merciful, he is ever preſent with vsus; he will not ſuffer vsus to be tempted aboue our abilities; but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that wee may be able to beare it. So ſaith S. Paule, 1. Cor. 10.13. Well: we may be troubled on every ſide, but we ſhall not be overpreſſed; we may bee perplexed, but ſhall not be in deſpaire; we may be perſecuted, but ſhall not be forſaken; wee may be caſt downe, but ſhall not bee deſtroyed. The ſame Apoſtle doth aſſure vsus hereof, 2. Cor. 4.8. Say, it is our caſe. Wee are troubled, perplexed, perſecuted, caſt downe; what ſhall wee p. 19doe? Wee will ſupport our ſelues with Davids confidence, Pſal. 23.4. Though we walke through the valley of the ſhaddow of death, we wil feare no evil; for thou LORD, art with vsus. Thou, LORD art with vsus;rrRom. 8.13.Rom 8:13 Quis contra nos? WeſſHebr. 13.6.Heb 13:6 will not feare, what man can doe vntounto vsus.

Wherefore to conclude, ſith there is no affliction, that befalleth any man in this world, but it's from the LORD; and he is a baſtard, not a ſonne, that is not partaker of afflictions, as the author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes witneſſeth, chap. 12.8. Let vsus with S. Iames, chap. 1.2. account it exceeding ioy, when we are afflicted. The Patriarches, the Prophets, the Evangeliſts, the Apoſtles, hauehave found the way to Heavē narrow, rugged, and bloody: and ſhall wee thinke that God will ſtrew carpets for our nice feete to walke thither? He that is the dore, and the way, our LORD & Saviour, Ieſus Chriſt, hath by his owne example taught vsus, that by many afflictions we muſt enter into the kingdome of Heaven. There is but one paſſage thither; and it is a ſtrait one. If with much preſſure we can get through, and leaue but our ſuperfluous rags, as torne from vsus, in the throng, we ſhall be happy.

Let vsus therefore, whenſoever any adverſity, croſſe, calamity, miſerie, or affliction ſhall betide vsus, let vsus with due regard to the hand, that ſmiteth vsus, receiue it with thankes, keepe it with patience, digeſt it in hope, apply it with wiſedome, bury it with meditation, and doubtleſſe it ſhall end vntounto vsus in peace and glory, in peace of Conſcience in this life, and in glory eternall in the higheſt Heavens. Of this peace of Conſcience in p. 20this life, and that immarceſſible crowne of glory in the life to come, vouchſafe gracious Father, to make vsus all partakers for thy beſt beloued Sonne Ieſus Chriſt his ſake: to whom with thee in the vnitie of the Holy Spirit be all praiſe and power, might and Maieſtie, dignitie and dominion for evermore. Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · Sebastian Benefield, The Haven of the Afflicted (1613)