Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII. Of Afflictions.
AL afflictions are for sin, as the deservingLamen. 3. cause: for living man mourneth for the punishment of his sin. Whereupon the prophet tels the Iews, that their own wickednes should Ieremy 2.correct them. Neyther doth God punish, but where man sins, sayth one. Now to set these two together orderly, is the propertie of a wise man: Ieremy 9.and accordingly in our afflictions, to mourn for our sins, which we then rightly do, when out of the clear sight of their odiousnes in Gods account, we more vehemently desire the pardon of them, then the removing of the bodily punishment: as who having understanding in him, would not raither hauehave the bodily soar healed, then the playster (though byting) taken from it? And withall, when we acknowledge, that our afflictions are infinitely lesse, then our sins. Which they that do not, neyther know Gods justice, nor their own demerits, as they ought. Neyther yet is it sufficient, that in such cases, wee confesse Levit. 26.our sins, and how we have walked contrarie unto God; but we must withall confesse our miserie, and that God hath walked contrary unto us, and brought our present afflictions upon us. In Confessing our sins we shame our selvs, and declare our naughtines: but in ackowledging our selvsIoshua 7. justly punished for them; we honour God, as a wise, powerfull, and just Iudg.
Notwithstanding there be alwayes the desert of sin procuring punishment: yet God doth not alwayes principally aym at that: but sometimes that his power may be seen, Iohn 9.as in the man born blinde: sometimes for the honour of his holy name, having been blasphemed of his enemies by the2 Sam. 12. sins of his servants, as it was by Davids adulterie, and other mischeifs following thereupon: sometymes for mans salvation, as we see in the sufferings of Christ: sometimes for the confirmation of others, by testimonie given to the Melanct▪truth, as in the case of Steven, whose sufferings ▪sayth one)Ignatius. exhort to the confession thereof: sometimes for the tryall of our faith, seeing without afflictions neyther others knew us, Iames 1.nor we our selvs, and for the shameing of the divell therein,Seneca. as in the case of Iob: sometimes to draw men nearer to himself by humiliation, and repentance, which is a generall end: sometimes to wean us from the love of the world, unto which we are too much addicted, notwithstanding all the sorrows, which we do finde in it, and like foolish travaylers, love our way, though troublesome, in stead Gregorie▪of our country: sometimes, to prevent some sin ready to break out in us; as physitians let blood to prevent sicknes: Lastly, to make the glorie which shall be shewed, and whereof our afflictions are not worthy, the more glorious; as the sun is, 2 Cor. 12.when the clouds are driven away, wherewith, for a time, it Naziam.hath been darkned. Now, as it were to be wished, that we could alwaies certainly know the Lords particular ends in afflicting us; (as we may gather much ordinarily, by the knowledge of his word, observation of his dealing towards our selvs, and others, and due examination of our estate, and wayes in his sight) so is it most necessarie for all his people, ever to hold this generall conclusion; that in all their afflictions the justice, and mercy of God meet together: and that he begins in justice, and wil end in mercy, with them.
God hath in a peculiar manner entayled afflictions to the sincere profession of the gospel, above that of the law before Christ. The law was given by Moyses, whose ministerie began with killing the Egiptian, that oppressed the Israelite; and was prosequuted with leading the people out of Egipt, through the sea, and wildernes, with great might, and a strong hand; and lastly, was finished with bloody victorie over Sihon, and Og the kings of Canaan. But Christs dispensation was all of an other kynde: his birth mean; his life sorrowfull; and his death shamefull. And albeit the love of God towards his people be alwaies the same in it self, yet is the manifestation thereof very divers. Before Christs coming in the flesh, in whom the grace of God appeared, God shewed his love more fully in earthly blessings, and peace; and more sparingly in spirituall, and heavenly: But now, on the other side, he dealeth forth temporall blessings more sparingly; and spirituall with a fuller hand. It is not unprobably gathered, that, after the destruction of the dragon, and beast, and recalling of the Iewes after their long divorse from the Lord; the blessings of both kindes shall meet together, and the Church enjoy, for a time, a verie gracefull state upon earth both in regard of spirituall, and bodily good things.
In the mean while, many would fayn have their worldly advantage, and the obedience of the gospell to agree together, further then they will. And when they cannot frame the world and their worldly conveniencie to the gospell; they will fashion the gospel to the world, and to their carnall courses in it. Pitty it is, that such men were not of the Lords councell, when he first contrived, and preached his gospel; that they might have helped him in some such discreet, and middle course, as might have served the turn both for Heaven, and earth. But let the world, in its foolish wisdom, say and do what it will, or can; the way is narrow, which leads unto life: and consideringMath. 7. mans naughtines, it is neyther fit, nor hardly possible, that it should be broader.
All the afflictions which Christians suffer are not afflictions of Christ: nor all the crosses which they take up, the crosses of Christ. The afflictions of Christ may be set in three ranks. The first, (and those most properly so called) are when men for Christs cause, hate, revile, and persequute us. The second, when we suffer evils, which we might be free from, and escape, if we durst deny in word, or deed any part of Christs truth. The third, and last sort are, such as befall us in the course of godlines, though humayn, and as they do all other men; as bodily sicknes, death of freinds, crosses, and losses by sea, and land, and the like. If we be members of Christ our such afflictions are the afflictions of Christ; els the mercy shewed, and good done to such were not done to Christ. But now, if he that in his person is a true Christian, suffer for evil doing, he takes not up the crosse of Christ, but of the divel therein; and if he put himself upon needlesse danger, and difficulties, he takes not up Christs crosse, but his own herein: and so hath his amends in his own hands. Yet may even afflictions so coming by our true repentance be sanctified unto us; and we please God in their use, though not in their cause.
Both good conscience and wisdom must be used in applying such scriptures, as speak of the afflictions of Christians for well doing: neyther is all that can be sayd out of everie text thereabout, to be applyed to all times. For howsoever hardly at any time, or in any place, things go so well, especially in our dayes (which even they, who are none of the best themselvs, will confesse, yea complayn to be extreamly evill) but that truth goes with a scratcht face, lesse, or more; yet the differences of times and state of things must be observed, and put, this way. Yea further, though the times in the generall should be very evill; yet for a person, who himself is wel furnished with earthly good things, wel fed, and glad, and in outward peace, to dwel much upon the afflictions of Christians, specially with application to the present state of things, is not to hold decorum, but hath an appearance more oratour, then preacher-like.
We are never simply to desire crosses, because they are naturall evils: nor to abhor from them, because we know they work together with our election, calling, justification, Rom. 8.and sanctification, for our good: Not as causes thereof, as the forenamed are; for the effects of sin cannot be the causes of righteousnes, or happines: nor yet as means properly; as are the word, sacraments, prayer, and examples of good men: but onelyonly as occasions capable of sanctification to our use, which sins properly are not, as having no good in them, as such; whereas afflictions have a morall good in them, as they are of God, and by him inflicted. Though to speak of crosses most properly, God sanctifies us to them, in giving us grace to make a right use of them. And considering, how it is both good for us to be afflicted, and that God hath promised, that no good thing shall be lacking to them Psal. 119. and 34.that fear him; we are thus to make account; that God afflicts us, as he doth, not onelyonly in justice for sin, but in faythfulnes also; that is, both in mercy, and in truth of promise: and must accordingly confesse with the man of God; I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are righteous; Psal. 119.and that thou in faithfulnes hast afflicted me: and so must learn to take our severall crosses at Gods hands, not onelyonly patiently, but thankfully. We have cause to thank our selvs, and our sins, that wholesom things both for body and soul are for the most part bitter and greivous to our nature: and to thank God, that makes afflictions bitter-sweets, by turning deserved curses into fatherly corrections to us.
It is commonly receaved for truth, that in all adversitie Boethius.the greatest miserie is, sometimes to have been happy. But we must here use a distinction. If we onelyonly respect the time Keckerns▪in which we are in miserie apart from the former time, we are both more sensible of our present miserie, by remembring our former happines; and also more tender, and delicate, and so lesse able to bear it: But if we consider our whole life together; then the lesse time we are afflicted, the lesse our afflictions are, in that respect, and so must be mynded of us. It is not nothing, that God hath given us to passe over some part of our dayes in peace, and with comfort: neyther must we be so unthankfull, as to account it no benefit, because it is past: but we must, contrarywise, something quiet ourselvs in our present affliction with the remembrance of Gods goodnes in our former peace; as did our example Iames 5.of patience, who in the extreamitie of his present distresse sayd, shall we receav good at the hand of God, and shall we Iob 2.not receav evill? Reason teacheth this (except in a case, when God lifts up a man on high, that he may the more violently through him down) how much more, fayth; which perswades the godly mans heart, that the Lord loves him as well, & as much, in his after afflicted estate▪ as he did before in his prosperous; as the gold-smith esteems his gold as much, though melting in the furnace; as glittering in the shop: and that the same God will both give patience, and strength of fayth, according to the tryall; and encrease of strength, if he encrease the affliction; as also full deliverance in due time. He Psalm. 25.will redeem Israel from all his trouble.
As even good men perform their whole duetie to God, with some corruption mingled among: so God promiseth (and performeth accordingly) the good things of this life, with exception of the crosse, and tribulation. If we could amend the one, God would leavMark 10. out the other.
The Lord who tryed Abraham in his son Isaak, whom he loved; and the rich young man in his riches which he loved, knows well in what veyn to strike a man, that the blood may follow. The more we love any earthly thing, we are the more in danger to be crossed in, or about it. Not that God envyes our delights, as one man often envyes anothers: but eyther because we do, or lest we should surfet in affections towards it.
Most men are moved too much with their own miseryes in this world, melting in them, as wax in the sun, so as they are unapt to hold any impression eyther of fayth, or reason: but are too litle moved with other mens calamities, not affoarding them so much as a compassionate affection. Yet may, and doth the contrary extream of over pittying others also, prevayl with some. Against both which it is good to consider, that eyther we, and they reap spirituall benefit by our afflictions, or no. If the former; that may, and ought to moderate the greif: If not; there is cause of greater greif for after greater afflictions to come upon us, and them.
A man may much encrease, or lessen a crosse by the course, which he suffers his mynde to run, in it; seeing all crosses have some conveniencies joyned with them; as all commodities have some discommodities. If a man set his thoughts a work upon the inconveniencies, and discommodityes alone, which are in it, he shall heap sorrow upon sorrow. But if, on the contrary, he draw into consideration such conveniencyes, as usually fall in with their contraryes; he shall alwaies finde some matter of ease: and sometimes,Iudg. 14▪ that meat comes out of the eater, and that which at first seemed a crosse, is rayther a benefit. It is a most dangerous thing for any to deem his afflictions extraordinarie; least by so doing, he prejudice himself against ordinary comforts; which we should with readynes, and thankfulnes embrace; and not look for angels from heaven to comfort us, or for manna from heaven to feed us.