The Marks of the Children of God and their Comforts in Affliction, Chapter 9
That the faithfull hauehave the common afflictions of the children of Adam, becauſe of the excellent fruites of them, testimonies of their adoption, and of the louelove of God toward them.
CAP. 9.
TO bee yet better confirmed in this trueth, let vsus now conſider how the afflictions themſelues, euen thoſe that are common to the childrē of Adam ſerue for our profite and ſaluation. Firſt,1. Fruit to awake vsus out of our ſinnes. for as much as the reliques of ſinne abide ſtill, euen in the moſt perfect in this life, which maketh them hardened in their faults, and inclined to offend God: We hauehave neede of helpes, to be waked, to be humbled, and drawen from our ſinnes, to keep vsus in the time to come, and ſo to diſpoſe vsus to a perfect obedience, holie, and acceptable vntounto God. And to this ende tend the afflictions of the children of God, which for this cauſe are called chaſtiſements, corrections, and medicines of our ſoules. The children of Jacob hauing committed a deteſtable crime in ſelling then brother Joſeph, Gen. 42.21but they neuer thought of it, vntill that beeing in Aegypt preſſed with reproches and impriſonment, they called to minde their ſinne, ſaying one to the other, ſurely we hauehave ſinued againſt our brother: for we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoule, when hee beſought vsus, and wee woulde not heare him, and therefore is this trouble hapned vntounto vsus. Manaſſes. King of Iuda hauing ſet vp Idolatrie againe, perſecuted thoſe that woulde purelie ſerue the Lorde,2. Chro. 33 ſo as Ieruſalem was full of blood, and hauing ſhut his eares to the admonitions of the Lorde, at the laſt was taken by the army of the king of the Aſſyrians bound with manacles, fettered in chaines, and carried priſoner into Babylon. Then, being in affliction, he was exceedingly humbled before God, hee prayed to the Lord, and was heard; and caried backe vntounto Jeruſalem. Then hee pulled downe all Idolatrie, reformed the ſeruice of God, and commanded Iuda to ſerue the Lorde the God of Iſraell. Yea, the poore pagane marriners, of whom the hiſtorie of Ionas maketh mention, ſeeing the continuaunce of the tempeſt, concluded to caſt lots to know who was the cauſe of that affliction; and God making it to appeare that it was the ſinne of Ionas; Ion. 1.7thereof is come a common Prouerb in a daungerous tempeſt; that there is ſome fonas in the ſhip. And this proceedeth of a feeling and apprehenſion of the prouidence and iuſtice of GOD: this little ſparke yet ſtill remaining in man of the image of God, whereby we thinke, that it is hee that afflicteth, that he is iuſt, & doth nothing but iuſtlie, and ſo, that afflictions are corrections of our ſinnes. Therefore Jeremie iuſtly reproueth the blockiſhneſſe of the people of Iſrael in this, that being afflicted,Ierem. 8.6 no man ſaide what hauehave I done? See now why God, to make vsus more liuelie feele his iudgements, & to the intent to wake vsus vp, & to conuert vsus vntounto him, ſendeth vsus oftē times afflictions, which after a ſort anſwere, & hauehave ſome conformitie to our ſins. As for example, EZechias king of Iuda ſinned by ambition or vain confidence, in ſhewing all his treaſures to the Embaſſadors of the king of Babel: and GOD tolde him by the Prophet Eſay, that all his treaſures ſhould be tranſported into Babel. Eſa. 39Dauid offended God in committing adultery,2. Sam. 11 and in putting to death Vriah, and GOD chaſtiſed him in this,2. Sam. 13 that Amnon his ſonne defiled his ſiſter Thamar; and that Amnon was ſlaine by his brother Abſolom, that Abſolom laie publikely with his fathers Concubines,2. Sam. 16. 22 according to that which God had ſaide vntounto him:2. Sam. 12 11 Thou haſt done it in ſecrete, and I will doo it in the ſight of all the people. The child borne in adultry died,2. Sam. 12 10 & he was threatned, that the Sword ſhould not depart from his houſe. Now as the afflictions bring vsus to the feeling of our ſinnes,2. Fruit, amendment of life, and firſt in workes. to wake vsus vp, and to humble vsus; ſo therof riſeth the reſolutions and proteſtations to fall into them no more, but to amend them. And this is it that is ſeene in thoſe that by tempeſt of ſea, or ſome grieuous diſeaſe, are in manifeſt danger of death. They examine their cōſciēce, their ſinnes & infirmities then come before them: they aske pardon, and make proteſtations to liue better in time to come. The ſame alſo we ſee in children that are beaten of their fathers. This is it which the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes teacheth vsus ſaying, That no chaſtiſement for the time ſeemeth pleaſant,Heb. 12.11. but grieuous: but after it bringeth the peaceable fruites of righteouſnes. And before he had ſaid, That God chaſtiſeth vsus for our profite, that we might be partakers of his holineſſe.Proſper in ſon. ex. Aug. …. The goodneſſe of God (ſaith S. Auguſtine) is angrie with his children in this world, that hee may not bee angrie with them in the life to come: and by his merciemercy he vſeth ſome temporal ſeueritie, to exempt thē from euerlaſting vengeance. According vntounto this, S. Bernard made this praier vntounto God; Lord burne and cut in this temporall life, that thou maiſt be mercifull to me in the life that is euerlaſting. And it is the ſame that S. Paule teacheth ſaying; When we are iudged and afflicted,1. Cor. 12.32. we are nurtured of the Lord, that wee might not be condēned with the world. And to this purpoſe Dauid proteſteth, that before hee was afflicted bee went wrong:Pſa. 119.67 but now (ſaith he) I keepe thy commandements. A game, It was good for me that I was afflicted,Pſa. 119 71 that I might keepe thy ſtatutes. Medicines are giuen either to heale diſeaſes, or to preuēt thē, and therefore are verie requiſite for the health and life of man. Nowe what bee theſe afflictions, but medicines of our ſoules? as alſo S. Auguſtine ſaith, This which thou ſo lamenteſt, is thy medicine, and not thy puniſhment, As in a houſe where there are manie children, the rod is neceſſarie: & as in a Citie ſubiect to diuers diſeaſes, & where there is an euill aire, Phiſitions are needfull: ſo in the houſe of god, where ther are manie children inclined to euill, the rod is many times more neceſſarie than bread: and in ſuch an hoſpitall full of diſeaſes and ſores, as the Church is (for out of it they are dead) it is a great fault if there be not Phiſitions and Surgeons to heale the corruptions of our ſoules, & to keep vsus from offending God, & from falling into death. Many accuſtomd to delicate meats, hauehave their mouths out of taſt, & after falling ſick, they take bitter drinks to recouer againe the health of their bodies: let vsus chearfully doo the ſame for the health of our ſoules. And indeede, behold the difference betweene a madd man, and one that is ſicke of a corporall diſeaſe; The mad man is angry with the Phiſition, chaſeth him away, and throweth awaye the medicine: but the other ſendeth for a Phiſition, taketh drinke at his hand, thanketh him, yea and giueth him a reward: So when God the ſoueraigne Phiſition of our ſoules, viſiteth vsus and giueth vsus wholſome medicines, let vsus not be like mad men reiecting the hand of God, but receiuing the medicine, let vsus giuegive him thankes and bleſſe him, after the example of Iob; 2. In words & afflictiō of heart.Furthermore, howſoeuer the goods and other commodities of this life ought to bee helpes to lift vp our hearts to the ſpring from whence they come, that is to the goodneſſe and power of God, to prayſe him: our corruption and affection to the world dooth turne them quite contrarie to thornes and hinderances, ſo as God oftentimes cutteth them off, or taketh them away, or mingleth thē with afflictions, to turn vsus from euill, to draw vsus vntounto him, and the better to diſpoſe vsus to his ſeruice. Experience ſheweth, that in bankets and feaſts men talke of the world: but where ſickneſſe, death and burials are, they talk of euerlaſting life. It is alſo ſeene that riches lift vsus vp in pride and inſolencie, and that pouertie bringeth vsus downe and humbleth vsus: that in proſperity we triumph, and feele not the force of the ſpirituall inſtructions and teachings: but being afflicted with ſickneſſe or anie other way, thē we are godly people, wee confeſſe that all fleſh is but graſſe, and that we hauehave here no abiding Citie. To be ſhort, our infirmities tending vntounto death, make vsus to lift vp our vnderſtanding and affections to a better life. Then God, who is good, and dooing well vntounto men, who taketh not pleaſure in our euills, afflicteth vsus not, but to wake vsus the better, & to ſanctifie vsus in his obedience, purifying our affections, and by the ſorrowes of troubles maketh vsus to abhorre our corruptions, the verie cauſe of them. He doth as the good keeper of a vine,Iohn 2. who cutteth his vine, that it may beare more and better fruite, not ſuffring it to grow wilde, in leauing too mame boughes on it. And as we cut the winges of hennes and other birdes, that they ſhould not flie away and be loſt: ſo God cutteth off from vsus the commodities of the fleſh to keepe vsus downe, that we lift not vp and deſtroy our ſelues with vain confidence & pride. We ſee alſo that the corne ſhut within the chaffe commeth not foorth, if the eare be not beaten: and that it tarieth ſtil in the chaffe if it be not fanned. The like hapneth to the childrē of god if they be not beaten and fanned by tribulations, to be ſeperated frō the chaffe of the world, and the pleaſures & impediments that be in it. The Prophet Oſeas when he would ſhew how God wold turne away his people from following idolatrie.Hoſe. 2.6. I will hedge (ſaith he) thy way with thornes: wherein hee giueth vsus to vnderſtand, that as the beaſts that go by the way, & ſee on the ſide of them faire flelds, aſſaying to goe to thē, & running vponupon the hedges of thornes, if they feele the ſharpe prickes, they goe backe and return into the way: So, when the children of God goe out of the right waye to heauen, to goe to the fieldes of this world & o… the fleſh, God maketh thē to come vponupon the thornes of afflictions, to the ende that by their prickings they may turne backe againe. When a Mother willing to weane her childe ſhal ſay vntounto him night and day, My childe, it is time to weane thee, thou art growen great inough, and I am with childe, my milke is corrupt, it will make thee ſick; yet he is ſo fond of the breaſt that he cā not forſake it: but if the Mother put worm wood or muſtard vpō the breaſt, the childe ſucking it and feeling the bitterneſſe, hee quite forſaketh it without ſucking anie more. Euen ſo, though the preachers preachvnto vsus, and exhort vsus to forſake the corrupt milk of the world and of the fleſh, yet we ſeeme deaſe ſtill and are alwaies backward, vntill God put vppon theſe curſed teates the muſtard and wormwood of afflictions to weane vsus.
We hauehave alſo of our owne nature too much conſidence in our ſelues,3. In confidence. & in humane meanes, ſo as we know not what it is to hope in God againſt hope, & to truſt to him without gage in the hand. So the riches eſtates, traffiques, the leaning vponupon men, on the husband to the wife, on the father to the children, on the good Prince to the Subiects, are vntounto vsus as vayles, that keepe downe our ſight vppon the earth, and as ſtaues for vsus to leane vponupon. Now, our God takeing away theſe vayles and carnall leaning ſtocks, maketh vsus to feele the weakneiſe of our faith to humble vsus, and to conſtraine vsus to looke vntounto him with a pure eye, to cleaue vntounto him alone, and wholly to depende vppon him. According to that Saint Paule ſaith, That hee had receiued the ſentence of death in himſelf,2. Cor. 1.9. that he might hauehave no confidence in the ſleth, but in him that raiſeth vp againe the dead.
This is it alſo which Saint Peter teacheth by the ſimilitude which hee propoſeth in the firſt chapters of his firſt Epiſtle and the ſeauenth verſe, comparing the afflictions to fire, & faith to the golde, for as golde is put into the fining pot and furnace, not to conſume it, but to trie and purifie it: ſo our faith is tried and purified in the fire of tribulations. For as it hapneth to him that is quiet and at his eaſe, that he falleth ſoone aſleepe, and hauing an apple or anie other thing in his hand, it falleth, or is eaſely takē frō him: ſo the eaſe of the fleſh bringeth vsus a ſleep in the world, & cauſeth vsus to leeſe the ſpiritual good things and to ſuffer them to fall to the ground. On the contrarie ſide, the more one forceth to take away a ſtaffe which I holde in my hand while I am awake: ſo much the faſter I ſhut it in, & hold it the harder, that it may not be taken away from me. Euen ſo the more the diuell indeuoureth to take faith from vsus by tribulations, ſo much the more doo wee meditate on the promiſes of God to holde it faſt: and the more he thruſteth at vsus to ouerturn vsus, ſo much the more ſtrongly we leane vponupon the ſtaffe of faith, to ouercome his aſſaults.4. In Inuocation and praiers. From hence alſo proceedeth this excellent fruite of inuocation of the name of God. And ſurelie in the time of proſperitie, when we are at our eaſe wee pray not ordinarilie, but of cuſtome and for faſhion, but being preſſed with neceſsitie, being aſſailed on all ſides, finding no comfort in the earth, and feeling that we periſh if God doo not ſtrengthen, aide and deliuer vsus: Then it is, that with all our hearts, wee crie vntounto the Lord, that wee proteſt that he is our father and ſauiour, and that our truſt is in him: as the feeling of our diſeaſes is it that maketh vsus runne to the Phiſition. The hiſtorie of the booke of Iudges ſheweth by manie examples that the people of Iſrael being in peace grewe corrupt, but after beeing afflicted they had recourſe to GOD, asking of him deliuerance. When God ſlewe them (ſaith Dauid) then they ſought him, &Pſal. 78.34. turned them ſelues, and roſe earlie in the morning to ſeeke after God, and then they remembred that God was their rocke, and that the high and mightie GOD was their redeemer.Oſe. 5.15. & 7.1. I will goe (ſaith the Lord by his Prophet Oſee) and returne to my place, vntill they confeſſe their fault, and ſeeke my face: They ſhal ſeeke me diligentlie in their trouble, ſaying: Come, let vsus returne vntounto the Lord, for it is he that hath ſpoiled vsus, and he wil heale vsus, he hath ſtriken vsus, and he will cure vsus. So long as the prodigall ſonne had meanes,Iuk. 15.11. he continued in his diſorders: but beeing brought to extreame pouertie, he remembred his fathers houſe, and returned vntounto him. Furthermore, our patience is prooued and augmented by troubles,5. In patience and hope. Rom. 5.3. as S. Paule teacheth: and by the experience of GOD his aſsiſtance, our hope groweth, in ſo much as making vsus (in the time of need) to feele his goodnes, his power, and his trueth, in ſtrengthning and ſuſtaining vsus in aſſaults and conflicts, and in deliuering vsus out of our afflictions: he ſealeth in vsus the aſſurance of this his promiſe,Ioel. 2.32. that whoſoeuer calleth vponupon him ſhall be ſaued. And he that ſhall put his truſt in him, ſhall neuer be cō founded.Ro. 10.13. For this cauſe S. Paule teacheth vsus to reioyce in our tribulatiōs: adding, that tribulation bringeth patience,Ro. 10.11. Rom. 5.3. and patience experience, and experience hope. And S. Iames exhorteth vsus to compt temptations for matter of great ioy,Iam. 1.2. foraſmuch as the triall of our faith ingendreth patiēce. By the ſame meanes he trieth our obedience and faſhioneth vsus. For when God intertaineth vsus in proſperitie according to the fleſh,6. In obedience, becauſe he that afflicteth vsus, is firſt our creatour. it is eaſie to ſubmit our ſelues to ſo ſweete handling, and to frame our ſelues according to his will, with acknowledging of his goodnes and louelove towards vsus. But when he afflicteth vsus with ſicknes, pouertie, reproach and other calamities. Then to feele that he loueth vsus, to like this handling, to ſubiect our ſelues to this his will: herein conſiſteth true obedience. Then,Rom. 12.1. he afflicteth vsus to trie vsus and to faſhion vsus in this obedience, in as much as working in vsus his children by his ſpirit, he maketh vsus to cōmit our ſelues to his gouernment, to depend vponupon him, & to ſuffer our ſelues to be guided by his hand, offring our ſelues as a liuing ſacrifice, holy and acceptable vntounto God, conſidering that it is reaſonable, that wee being his, by right of creation and redemption, he may diſpoſe of vsus as it pleaſeth him. And herein there are two things to be conſidered. Firſt, in as much as hee is our creatour, wee ought to practiſe that which Dauid ſaith:Pſal. 39.10. Lord I hauehave held my peace, and hauehave not opened my mouth, becauſe it is thou that haſt done it: ſhewing thereby, that whether he tie vsus to our bed by ſicknes, or bring vsus to pouertie, or driuing vsus from place to place, he bring vsus to many diſcommodities, or euen make vsus to languiſh in priſon, or paſſe through the ſword or fire, we muſt thinke and ſay, Lord I hold my peace and will not murmure againſt thee: but render thee obedience, becauſe it is thou that haſt done it: for thou haſt all authoritie ouer me, in as much as I am thy creature. And indeed if after the ſimilitude of a potter, who is able to make of the ſelfe ſame lumpe of earth, ſome veſſells of honor, and others of diſhonor, Saint Paule ſheweth, that God hath authoritie to chuſe ſome to ſaluation,Rom. 9.20. and to reiect others, ſo as they that are reiected to be damned eternallie, hauehave no cauſe to replie or murmur: how much more ought wee to hold our peace & obey, when he diſpoſeth that we ſhall be afflicted but for a little time, and that in the bodie onelie? But that in this obedience wee may feele indeed that we are happie,2. Becauſe he is our father and redeemer. we muſt marke an other poynt: that he which doth afflict vsus, is not onelie our creatour, but alſo our redeemer: not only God, but alſo our GOD and father. And that ſame aſſureth vsus, that according to the louelove that he beareth vsus, and according to his infinite wiſedome, hee will diſpoſe nothing of vsus, which ſhall not be to his glorie, and to our benefite and ſaluation. It is well knowne that fathers & mothers take no pleaſure to afflict their children, and to make them to weepe. And although they hauehave power to beate them, to appoynt them their diet, and to put them abroad, either to ſchoole, or to ſerue ſome other, yet when they doo this, men doo not onlie confeſſe that they hauehave authoritie ſo to do: but alſo euerie one beleeueth, that it is for the benefite of the children, whoſe duetie alſo it is to like well of it, and to render vntounto them willing obedience. Now, properlie God onlie is our father,Mat. 23.9. as Ieſus Chriſt ſaith: Call ye no man father vppon the earth: ye hauehave but one father, which is in heauen. What iniurie then doo we to this onlie true father, that we being afflicted by his hand, after what manner ſoeuer, doo not ſanctifie his name, conforming our ſelues to his will, thinking and confeſsing, that all proceedeth from his goodnes and louelove, to his glorie, and our benefite and ſaluation? See how, in the ſchoole of affliction, we learne what it is properlie to obey God: and that is verie neceſſarie for vsus.Heb. 5.8. For, if Ieſus Chriſt being the ſonne, notwithſtanding learned obedience, by the things which he ſuffered: how much more had wee neede to learne to ſubmit our hearts and our neckes by afflictions, to the guiding of our God, as children yeelding themſelues peaceablie to the gouernment of their father, ſaying with Iob: The Lord hath giuen, the Lord hath takē, his name be bleſſed:Iob. 1.21. And with Dauid perſecuted of Abſalom: If God ſay to me,2. Sam. 15.16. thou pleaſeſt me not, behold I am here, let him do vntounto me whatſoeuer pleaſeth him. And beeing readie to ſacrifice our owne children with our owne hands vntounto God, when he ſhall commaund vsus, as Abraham did in olde time.Gen. 22. To bee ſhort in following GOD, as the old prouerbe is, in what condition or eſtate ſoeuer it ſhall pleaſe him to call vsus. If then afflictions ſerue,Sen. de Gita beata. cap. 15. to awake vsus out of ſinne, to humble vsus, to correct the infinite corruptions that are in vsus, to pull vsus from the world, to cleaue vntounto God, & to draw our harts from the earth, to lift them vp to heauen, to faſhion vsus in the obedience of GOD, to giuegive vsus increaſe in patience and faith. To be ſhort, to make vsus ſo much the more feruently to pray vntounto God; it reſteth that wee conclude, that indeede they proceed from the louelove of God toward vsus, & of the care that he hath of our ſaluation, and ſo, that in afflicting vsus, he ſheweth himſelfe indeed our father: as the Apoſtle to the Hebrues doth alſo teach vsus, ſaying:Heb. 12.6. That God chaſtiſeth thoſe whom he loueth, and correcteth eueryevery child whom he receiueth: If you indure (ſaith he) chaſtiſement, God offereth himſelfe vntounto you, as vntounto his childrē. For what child is it whom the father doth not chaſtiſe? Then, if ye be not vnderunder chaſtiſement, whereof all are partakers, yee are baſtards and not ſonnes. Rods then are teſtimonies, that he accōpteth vsus his lawfull children, and not baſtards. And nature it ſelfe teacheth it vsus. For, if wee ſee two children ſtriue together, and a man comming by, taketh the one of them and beateth him, leauing the other, we will iudge by and by that this man is the father of him that he did beate, and that the other appertained not vntounto him. And this is it that S. Peter meaneth, ſaying: that iudgement beginneth at the houſe of God:1. Pet. 4.17. ſhewing that they are his children and houſehold ſeruants, which are afflicted in this life. The which thing a good auncient father did thinke and well expreſſe, calling his afflictions,Grego. Nazian. bitter arrowes ſhot from a ſweet and amiable hand. Therefore as, when we ſee the Carpenters ſtrike with their hatchets vponupon pieces of wood to pare it, or plane it: and Maſons to poliſh ſtones with the ſtrokes of an hammer; wee gather that theſe are ſtones and timber, which the maſter would imploy to ſome building: Euen ſo let vsus conclude of our ſelues, that if God lift vp vponupon vsus the hatchets and hammers of afflictions to poliſh vsus: It is a manifeſt and ſure teſtimonie, that he hath choſen vsus to put in the building of his temple. And that ſo, we are his children both welbeloued and happie. But let vsus paſſe to another conſideration of ſingular comfort.