Seven Treatises, Treatise 4 · Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. Of the declaration of the ſeuenth duty: Of bearing afflictions rightly eueryevery day they come.
THE next part of our life not yet mentioned, is that which is vnderunder the croſſe and in affliction. Our dutie here is, that when and ſo often as it ſhall pleaſe the Lord to trie vsus therewith, and to chaunge the courſe of proſperitie or any part of it: yet that with the ſame well ordered heart, which I hauehave ſaid ſhould accompanie our other actions and parts of our liues, with the ſame (I ſay) we be prepared to receiue it from him:1. Pet. 4.12. and count it no ſtraunge thing to be exerciſed with it; and the rather for this reaſon (as the Apoſtle admoniſhed the godly of his time) that we are predeſtinate thereunto,Rom. 8 29. 2. Tim. 3.12. euen to be like vntounto Chriſt in afflictions; & alſo, ſeeing through many of thē our way lyeth to the kingdome of heauen.
And all may ſee how needfull it is for vsus to hearten on our ſelues by theſe and ſuch like perſwaſions,How we may beare our afflictions rightly. to be willing to beare our croſſes meekly & with chearefulneſſe, becauſe we do ſo ſoone ſhrinke backe at the hearing of them, Ioh. 11.8.as the Apoſtles did when they heard that their maiſter would go into Iury againe, where the Iewes before had ſought to ſtone him; and ſeeing they be ſo vnwelcome to vsus by nature, although we be ſubiect to many and ſundrie,Heb. 12.11. and that daily. It muſt not be with vsus, as it is with the moſt: that is, that we louelove not to heare of them when we hauehave bene awhile free from them, and ſo hope ſtill for earthly peace, of the which we hauehave no promiſe: but reſt perſwaded eueryevery day, that our heauenly Father knoweth what is beſt for vsus; and as he ſeeth affliction or freedome from it to be meeteſt, ſo he will alwaies bring it to paſſe.
To this end we are admoniſhed of the Prophet,Lament. 3.27. to accuſtome our ſelues to beare the yoke in our youth, that we may be the better acquainted with it when it ſhall be put vponupon vsus: that ſo we being tamed and ſubdued by it, and our proud and rebellious hearts brought vnderunder of him, we may beare it with the more eaſe and comfort; encouraged hereby, that if we be able to beare afflictions contentedly, and with quiet and meeke ſpirits, (which is the hardeſt part of our life) we may eaſily prouide, to hauehave our whole life ſweet and ioyfull.
Furthermore, to this end that we may be readie to waite vponupon the Lord patiently in our chaſtiſements,Iob. 1.6. we muſt conſider that eueryevery day Sathan intendeth miſchiefe againſt vsus, and he knoweth our weakeneſſe to be greateſt in bearing the croſſe, and therefore will not leaue vsus vnaſſayed as much as in him lyeth: and not ſo onelyonly, but alſo will terrifie vsus with this perſwaſion, that they be greater then they are, and feare vsus with the oft and much thinking of them, that our ſorrow may be increaſed. Againſt all which his curſed vndermining of vsus, we hauing ſo great encouragement from the Lord, ought to be thus ſtayed: that ſuch of them as we can, we may auoide; and the reſt, we may go vnderunder contentedly, waiting for a good iſſue, euen as in faith we pray for it:Reu. 3.19. ſeeing our God will hauehave vsus perſwaded, that of very louelove and faithfulneſſe he correcteth vsus whenſoeuer we be corrected of him. But becauſe we faile many times in obſeruing theſe rules, and therefore find not grace then, to beare them aright, whiles they are vponupon vsus: nor afterwards get any wiſedome, experience or comfort thereby; we muſt diligently and faithfully marke,VVe muſt marke how we be affected in and vnderunder the croſſe. how we be affected vnderunder them: that if we ſhould be oppreſſed with confuſed and vnprofitable heauineſſe, diſtruſt or any other daungerous paſſions, we might learne before, that they be no fit companions for vsus; and ſooner get out of them, after we eſpie them in vsus, and ſo betake our ſelues to better gouernment.
And that this labour be thought no more then neceſſarie, we muſt know, that by Troubles we do not onelyonly meane great & vnwonted loſſes, long ſickneſſes,Not only great troubles, but alſo thoſe which are cō mon, muſt be borne meekly. perſecutions, and ſuch like: but thoſe alſo which fall out verie oft and commonly, as vnkindneſſe and diſcourteſie in neighbours; vnthriftineſſe, vnrulineſſe and diſobedience in children; vnfaithfulneſſe and negligence in ſeruants; diſcommodities and harmes in family matters; with ſuch like: all which to beare, without vnquietneſſe, impatience and vnſetling our ſelues out of the Chriſtian courſe, muſt be thought no meane nor ſmal gift of God; nor without daily and continuall watchfulneſſe and wiſe regard to be attained vntounto.
And I do the rather make mention of theſe troubles, which for the moſt part ariſe in our families as well as other waies, becauſe many Chriſtians do thinke through ignorance, that we are not to be directed in theſe common things, nor to be called to our reckoning and account for offending by impatience, anger, back-biting and heart-burning againſt any man, and for ſuch like paſſions: which declareth, that as it is an hard thing for Chriſtians to walk in the vprightneſſe of their hearts,Pſal. 101.2. by perfourming other duties in the midſt of their houſes; ſo it is no leſſe hard and rare in this bearing of diſcommodities and other troubles, to ſhew themſelues lights and examples to the reſt of their familie. But theſe vnquietneſſes, which are counted ſmall, are not to be admitted at any time in our liues, ſeeing they vnſettle and draw vsus out of our courſe. Therefore that neither one nor other kind of affliction become vnſetlings of vsus, this counſell we muſt take from the Lord, which I hauehave now ſet downe:Luc. 9.23. Iam. 5.10.11. that eueryevery day we arme our ſelues againſt the feare of ſuch as may come, and againſt impatience by ſuch as alreadie are come vponupon vsus.
Let vsus thinke it no toyle to watch and looke to our ſelues thus, if we may by this meanes be rid of that which is toile indeed, yea greater toile; and eaſe our ſelues on the contrarie, an hundred fold. For we ſhall not onelyonly prouide well hereby,Rom. 5.5. Pſal. 120.1. againſt thoſe which are preſent: but as experience and proofe of Gods helpe bringeth hope which maketh not aſhamed; ſo by our experience we ſhall find the like in our troubles to come. What ſtrength got Ioſua by this,Experience is a great helpe in trouble. that he had oft times beleeued Gods promiſe, and found that he neuer failed him truſting in his word which he had ſpoken concerning victorie ouer his enemies, or deliuerance from them? Inſomuch that he after ſome proofe of Gods keeping promiſe with him, in bringing him ouer the riuer Iordane, in giuing Iericho and the citie Ay into his hands, in the battell againſt the fiue kings of Canaan; he triumpheth in his hope of conqueſt, (the Lord hauing promiſed to him victorie ouer them) and therefore ſaith to his ſouldiers and men of warre, before he ouercame them:Ioſ. 10.19. The Lord hath deliuered them into your hands, and therefore be of good courage.
And what other thing made the Apoſtle Paule in great afflictions to ſtay himſelfe vponupon God, and to caſt his care vponupon him, but this experience and long proofe which he had of Gods tender care ouer him. It was (I ſay) that which made him expreſſe the ſame in theſe words:2. Cor. 1.10. God hath deliuered out of great tribulations, and doth deliuer daily, and I am ſure alſo that he will deliuer in all time to come. This experience if we hauehave (as who may not hauehave it in many afflictions, if he hauehave reſted vponupon God therein?) it ſhall be a ſtrong weapon to defend vsus from fainting, diſtruſt or diſpairing, and to keepe vsus from vnſetlednes, and able to vphold vsus in an infallible hope of a good iſſue, euen before it come. But to this end we muſt hold our ſelues faſt to the prop of Gods promiſes, and lye cloſe to them, as an anker: and thus we being armed, we ſhal ſee the Lords deliuerance for vsus, as clearely as we may diſcerne the arrow to flie in the ayre.
It is a great point of wiſedome, to learne of God,Jt is our wiſedome, to be guided by God in bearing our troubles. Heſt. 4.16. thus to beare our trials and troubles, that firſt we commit the ordering and diſpoſing of them to him as Heſter did, by faſting and prayer of faith: ſecondly, that we vſe all lawfull meanes whereby we may hauehave a good ſucceſſe and end, as ſhe did in going to the king for helpe againſt Hamans diuelliſh deuiſes: and then the third will follow, that God will turne them to the beſt. Theſe three in one ſhort verſe the Prophet ſetteth downe together, ſaying: Commit thy way to God,Pſal. 37.5. and be thou doing good, and verily he will bring it to paſſe.
But if we will not be directed by the Lord in bearing our afflictions, (as the rebellious heart will be ſoone readie to caſt off his yoke) but will take counſell of fleſh and bloud, as Saul and many ſuch hauehave done,Pſal. 73.3. & 4 yea and Dauid at that one time (though ſmally to his comfort:) then this ſhall follow, either for want of preparing our ſelues meekely for them before they come, or for not thankfully receiuing them when they are come, they ſhall ſore flaight and aſtoniſh vsus, and raiſe in our hearts ſuch paſſions and diſtemperature, as will vnſettle our whole courſe and bring vsus out of frame. In which eſtate as we ſhall be vtterly vnfit to any ſeruice of God: ſo ſhall we be alſo vnmeet for any Chriſtian ſocietie with men, we being ſo confounded in our ſelues for our vnwelcome troubles, and ſo diſguiſed in our ſpeech, countenance and behauiour, by yeelding and giuing place to the frowardneſſe and vnbridledneſſe of our hearts. By all which, who doth not ſee,How we adde new troubles to the old. that we do both adde new troubles vntounto the former, and make them which God ſendeth vponupon vsus, farre more grieuous then otherwiſe they ſhould hauehave bene? For all who hauehave experience, can tell, that the intemperance of our hearts, and the impatience which is ſuffered to beare ſway in vsus, do raiſe many diſtractions and vexations in our liues, which we might elſe hauehave bene voide of: and the Lords trials and fatherly chaſtiſements are thereby made farre more irkeſome vntounto vsus.
And of this ſeuenth dutie thus much: whereby we may ſee, how neceſſarie it is for vsus daily, beſide the well beginning of the day and care for right vſing our proſperitie moderately, that we be alſo very watchfull, that our afflictions breed no diſorder in vsus, but be quietly borne: that ſo all parts of our liues throughout the day, and the whole courſe of our waies may be ordered commendably and aright: that euen in the dayes of health and peace, we looking for our chaunge, and labouring to bring our hearts to more humilitie through continuall watching, and oft and earneſt prayer, we may not onelyonly not count it ſtraunge, when euen ſharpe viſitations ſhall take hold of vsus, but in reſpect of the end thereof, (which is to do vsus much good) we may with willingneſſe receiue and go vnderunder them; eſpecially, ſeeing (as hath bene ſaid) our moſt louing father hath fully certified vsus, that he hath no other meaning in ſending them.Lament. 3.33 And here marke, that as poore and rich are both taught their dutie in common together: ſo there is ſomewhat to be learned of them both ſeuerally: the one to be more ſpecially armed with contentation vnderunder his pouertie; the other with humilitie and ſoberneſſe, for the right and well vſing of his wealth and plentie.