The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. That all worldly croſſes and tribulations are not a ſhew or ſigne that God will refuſe that man to whom he ſendeth them.
SEeing that by the reaſons and proofes aforeſaid it is cleare and euident, that God alſo ſuffereth croſſes and tribulations, to fall vponupon the moſt godly men that are here in this world, it appeareth thereby alſo without contradiction, that all tribulations and troubles are not a croſſe of God, neither an argument, that God will ouerthrow, and at once conſume vsus, when he layeth tribulations vponupon vsus; but on the contrary, God ſometimes ſuffereth his owne louing and deareſt children, whom he liketh well, and approueth of, to fall into great miſeries and calamities ſometimes. So wonderfull is God in his workes to mankind; thoſe that he loueth, and moſt certainely determineth to giuegive vntounto them the kingdome of heauen, and euerlaſting ioy, yet them giueth hee oft into their enemies hands, Ier. 12. 7. For ſo hee witneſſeth vntounto vsus in his word. And he is wont to Chaſten as many as he loueth, Apo: 3. 19. For whom the Lordloueth hee chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth eueryevery ſonne whom he receiueth, Heb 12. 6. Yea, becauſe hee loueth them, and becauſe hee liketh them, therefore he inſtructeth and chaſtneth them the more: hearken what he ſayth to that purpoſe to the Children of Iſraell, his darlings; You onelyonly hauehave I knowne of all the families of the earth, therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities, Amos 3. 2. He will come to viſite you at home, to make you better, that you may not periſh with the wicked world, 1 Cor. 11. 32.
This might abaſhe thoſe that are ſo plagued, and yet are happie, who otherwiſe in their weakneſſe many times when croſſes fall vponupon them are wont to ſay as Sion ſayd in her griefe, The Lord hath for ſaken me, and my God hath forgotten me, Eſa. 49. 14. But what ſayth Gods anſwer? Can a woman forget her ſucking Child, that ſhe ſhould not hauehave compaſsion on the ſonne of her wombe? though they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I hauehave grauen thee vponupon the palmes of my hands; thy walles are continually before me, thy Children ſhall make haſt, thy deſtroyers, and they that make thee waſt ſhall goe forth of thee. I ift vp thy eyes round about, and behold, all theſe gather themſelues together, and come to thee, as I liue ſayth the Lord, thou ſhalt ſurely cloth thee with them all as with a raiment, and bi… them on thee as a bride doth; for thy waſt and thy deſolate places, and the land of thy deſtruction ſhall euen now be too narrow, by reaſon of the Inhabitants, and they that ſwallowed thee vp ſhall be far away, Eſa. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.
Therefore all you godly people, that are in any trouble or aduerſitie, remember this, and perſwade your ſelues hereof, that Gods heart, Gods louelove, and Gods fauour is not with-drawne from you, although it appeareth, that your outward ſtate is changed; the Lord loueth you now as well as he did when you were in your greateſt proſperitie. God loued Dauid as well when hee was in trouble, and hunted vp and downe like a hound, as he did, when he ſat vponupon his Princely throne. Yea, Gods fatherly heart (if I may ſo ſpeake with reuerence) is then more friendly vntounto you, when your ſtate is moſt croſſe and feeble-ſome, as wee ſee that a louing mother is much more mooued to pittie and compaſſion, to ſeeke reliefe for her Childe, when it is ſicke then when it is whole and ſound. This did Iob beleeue, and therewith comforted himſelfe, and boldly ſayd vntounto God, that then ſhewed ſo ſtrange a countenance towardes him (as Ioſeph did ſeeme to ſhew a ſtrange countenance towardes his brethren, as if hee would hauehave puniſhed them, and yet meant it not, Gen: 42. 7.) and theſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart, I know that this is with thee, Iob 10. 13. and therefore concludeth, and ſayth; Though he ſlay mee, yet will I truſt in him, Iob 13. 15. So the Lord alſo himſelfe witneſſeth, that hee doth not willingly ſuffer his people to fall into any trouble, but is moued thereunto, that he may doe them good at the latter end, Deut. 8. 16. VponUpon this ground did Dauid alſo comfort himſelfe in all his troubles, and ſaid to his afflicted ſoule; Why art thou caſt downe, O my ſoule? and why art thou diſquieted within mee? hope thou in God: for I ſhall yet prayſe him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God, Pſa. 42. 11. Yea, at the laſt it ſhall for certaine goe well with the godly; and to that end heare what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Marke the perfect and behold the vpright: for the end of that man is peace. But the tranſgreſſours ſhall bee deſtroyed together; the end of the wicked ſhall bee cut off. But the ſaluation of the righteous is of the Lord; hee is their ſtrength in the time of trouble. And the Lord ſhall helpe them and deliuer them; he ſhall deliuer them from the wicked, and ſaue them, becauſe they truſt in him, Pſalme 37. 37. 38. 39. 40. And although the godly here in this world endure tribulation and anguiſh with Lazarus, yet they ſhall receiue the more comfort, Luke 16. 25. All teares ſhall be then wipt away from their eyes, Apoc. 7. 17. and euerlaſting ioy ſhall bee vponupon their heads, they ſhall obtaine ioy and gladneſſe, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away Eſay 53. 10. and 51. 11. Therefore, let the godly comfort themſelues with theſe words, in all their ſorrowes and troubles. (⸪)