The Victory of Patience, Chapter 36
CHAP. 36. That all afflictions, from the least to the greatest, doe come to passe, not by accident, chance, or fortune, but by the especiall providence of God.
2 WEE shall beare the crosse with more patience and comfort. If we consider, that all afflictions, from the least to the greatest, doe come to passe, not by accident, chance, or fortune, but by the speciall providence of God, who not onelyonly decreeth and fore appointeth every particular crosse, Eccl. 3.1. Rom. 8.28, 29. but even effecteth them, and brings them into execution, as they are crosses, corrections, trials, and chastisements, Isaiah 45.7. Amos 3.6. and also ordereth and disposeth them, that is, limiteth and appointeth the beginning, the end, the measure, the quality, and the continuance thereof; yea, he ordereth them to their right ends, namely, his owne glory, the good of his servants, and the benefit of his Church, Ier. 30.11. Gen. 50.19, 20. 2 Sam. 16.10. Psal. 39. 9. God useth them but as Instruments wherewith to worke his good pleasure upon us; our adversaries are but as tooles in the hand of the Workeman, and we must not so much looke to the Instrument, as to the Author; Gen 45.5. and 50.20. Well may the Priests of the Philistims doubt whether their plague bee from God, or by Fortune, 1 Sam. 6.2, 9. but let a Ioseph be sold into Aegypt, he will say unto his enemies, Ye sent not me hither, but God; when ye thought evill against me, God disposed it to good, that he might bring to passe as it is this day, and save much people alive: or let a David be railed upon by any cursed Shemei, he will answer, Let him alone, for he curseth, even because the Lord hath bid him curse David. Who dare then say, wherefore hast thou done so? 2 Sam. 16.10. Or let a Micha be trodden upon and insulted over by his enemy, his answer shall bee no other than this, I will beare the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, untill he pleade my cause, and execute judgement for me, Micha 7.9. The beleever that is conversant in Gods booke, knowes that his adversaries are in the hands of God, as a Hammer, Axe, or Rod, in the hand of a smiter; and therefore as the Hammer, Axe, or Rod, of it selfe, can doe nothing, any further than the force of the hand using it gives strength unto it; No more can they doe any thing at all unto him, further than it is given them from above, as our Saviour told Pilate, Iohn 19.11. See this in some examples; you have Laban following Iacob with one troope; Esau meeting him with another, both with hostile intentions, both go on till the uttermost point of their execution, both are prevented ere the execution: for stay but a while, and you shall see Laban leave him with a kisse, Esau meet him with a kisse; of the one he hath an oath, teares of the other, peace with both; GOD makes fooles of the enemies of his Church; he lets them proceed that they may be frustrate, and when they are gone to the uttermost reach of their teather, he puls them back to the stake with shame. Againe, you have Senacherib let loose upon Hezekiah and his people, who insults over them intolerably, 2 Kings 18. Oh the lamentable and (in sight) desperate condition of distressed Ierusalem! wealth it had none, strength it had but a little, all the Countrey round about was subdued unto the Assyrian: that proud victor hath begirt the wals of it with an innumerable army, scorning that such a shovell-full of earth should stand out but one day: yet poore Ierusalem stands alone blockt up with a world of enemies, helplesse, friendlesse, comfortlesse, looking for the worst of an hostile fury; and on a sudden, before an Arrow is shot into the City, a hundred fourescore and five thousand of their enemies were slaine, and the rest run away, 2 Kings 19.35, 36. If we are in league with God, we need not feare the greatest of m…n; for let the Kings of the Earth be assembled, and the Rulers come together; Let Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, gather themselves in one league against him; it is in vaine, for they can do nothing, but what the hand of God and his Councell hath before determined to be done; as Peter and Iohn affirmed to the rest of the Disciples, for their better confirmation and comfort, Acts 4.26. to 29. Nothing can be accomplished in the Lower-House of this world, but first it is decreed in the Vpper-Court of Heaven; as for example, what did the Iewes ever doe to our Saviour Christ, that was not first both decreed by the Father of Spirits, and registred in the Scriptures for our notice and comfort? They could not so much as throw the Dice for his coat, but it was prophesied, Psalme 22.18. and Psal. 69.21. It is foretold that they should give him gall in his meat, and in his thirst vineger to drinke; the very quality and kinde of his drink is prophesied; yea, his face could not be spit upon without a prophesie; those filthy excrements of his enemies fell not upon his face, without Gods decree, and the Prophets relation, Esay 50.6. Now it must needs comfort and support us exceedingly, if in all cases we doe but duly consider, that inequality is the ground of order, that superiour causes guide the subordinate, that this sublunary Globe depends on the celestiall, as the lesser wheeles in a Clock doe on the great one, which I finde thus expressed,
As in a Clock one motion doth convey
And carry divers wheeles a severall way,
Yet altogether by the great wheeles force
Direct the hand unto his proper course.
Who is he that saith, and it commeth to passe, when the Lord commandeth it not? Lam. 3.37. Suppose the Legions of Hell should combine with the Potentates of the Earth to doe their worst, they cannot go beyond the reach of their teather, whether they rise or sit still, they shall by an insensible ordination performe that will of the Almighty, which they least thinke of, and most oppose; yea, (saith Austine) by resisting the will of God they do fulfill it: and his will is done by and upon them, even in that they doe against his will.
That even Satan himselfe is limited, and can go no further than his chaine will reach, we may see, Revel. 20.2. More particularly; he could not touch so much as Iobs body or substance, no not one of his servants, nor one limbe of their bodies, nor one haire of their heads, nor one beast of their heards, but he must first beg leave of God, Iob 2.6. Nay Satan is so farre from having power over us living, that he cannot touch our bodies being dead; yea, he cannot finde them when God will conceale them, (witnesse the body of Moses:) and I doubt not, but as the Angels did wait at the Sepulchre of their and our Lord; so, for his sake, they also watch over our graves: he could not seduce a false Prophet, nor enter into a Hog without license; the whole Legion sue to Christ for a sufferance, not daring other than to grant, that without his permission they could not hurt a very Swine. Now if it be fearefull to thinke how great things evill spirits can doe with permission, it is comfortable to thinke how they can doe nothing without permission; for if GOD must give him leave, hee will never give him leave to doe any harme to his chosen, he will never give him leave to doe the least hurt to our soules. Now as by way of concession every greater includes the lesse, he that can lift a Talent, can easily lift a Pound; so by way of denyall, every greater excludes the lesse. If Satan himselfe cannot hurt us, much lesse his instruments, weake men: but for proofe of this, see also an instance or two, that a Sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our heavenly Father; and that without leave from him, our enemies cannot diminish one haire of our heads, wee have our SAVIOURS expresse testimony, Matthew 10. Let the Powder-Trayt…rs plot and contrive the ruine of our State never so cunningly and closely, let them goe on to the utmost, (as there wanted nothing but an Actor to bring on that Catholike doomesday;) yet before the Match could bee brought to the Powder, their artificiall fireworkes were discovered, their projection, prodition, deperdition, all disclosed, and seasonably returned on their owne heads. Let Iesabel fret her heart out, and sweare by her gods that Eliah shall dye, yet she shall be frustrate; Eliah shall be safe. Let the red Dragon spoute forth flouds of venome against the Church, the Church shall have wings given her to flie away, she shall be delivered, Revel. 12. Let the Scribes and Pharisees with their many false witnesses accuse Christ never so, yet in spight of malice innocency shall finde abbetors: and rather than he shall want witnesses, the mouth of Pilate shall be opened to his justification. Yea, let Ionas through frailty runne away from the execution of his embassage and GODS charge, and thereupon bee cast into the Sea, though the waves require him of the Ship, and the fish require him of the waves, yet the Lord will require him of the Fish: even the Sea and the Fish had as great a charge for the Prophet, as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh; for this is a sure rule, if in case God gives any of the creatures leave to afflict us, yet hee will bee sure to lay no more upon us than wee are able, or hee will make us able to beare yea, then shall make for our good and his glory; he hath a provident care over all the creatures, even Beasts and Plants: and certainely wee are more precious than Fowles or Flowers, yet the Lord cares for them. Will the Householder take care to water the Herbes of his Garden, or to fodder his Cattell, and suffer his Men and Maides to famish through hunger and thirst? Or will he provide for his Men and Maides, and let his owne Children starve? Surely if a man provide not for his owne, He hath denyed the faith, and is worse than an Infidell, 1 Tim. 5.8. Farre be it then from the great Householder, and judge of all the Earth, not to provide for his deere Children and servants, what shall be most necessary for them. Indeed wee may feare our owne flesh, as Saint Paul did; but God is faithfull, and will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, but will even give the issue with the temptation, and in the meane time support us with his grace, 2 Corinth. 12 9. You have an excellent place to this purpose, Ieremiah the 15.20, 21.
Objection, But wee see by experience, that GOD gives wicked men power often times to take away the very lives of the godly.
Answer. When then? If we lose the lives of our bodies, it is, that wee may save the lives of our soules, Luke 9. Verse 24. and so wee are made gainers even by that losse; againe, thou hast merited a three-fold death, if thou art freed from the two worser, spirituall and eternall, and God deale favourably with thee touching thy naturall death, he is mercifull; if not, thou mus… not thinke him unjust. Though the Devil… and the World can hurt us, as well as othe… men, in our outward and bodily estates, ye… they can doe us no hurt, nor indanger ou… soules; they shall lose nothing but their drosse, as in Zachary 13.9. Isaiah 12. they cannot deprive us of our spirituall treasure here, no… eternall hereafter; which makes our Saviour say, Feare ye not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soule; but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell, Mat. 10.28. The body is but the Barke, Cabinet, Case, or Instrument of the soule; and say it fals in peeces, there is but a Pitcher broken; the soule a glorious Ruby, held more fit to be set in the Crowne of glory, than here to be trodden under foot by dirty Swine; and therefore so soone as separated, the Angels convey her hence to the place of everlasting blisse. Alas, what can they doe? they cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus, Romans 8.38, 39. Yea, they are so far from doing us harme, as that, contrariwise, we are much the better for them; In all these things we are more than conquerours, through him that loved us, Verse 37. Whatsoever then becomes of goods or lives, happy are wee so long as (like wise Souldiers) we guard the vitall parts, while the soule is kept sound from impatience, from distrust, &c. Our enemy may afflict us, he cannot hurt us.
There is no chastisement not grievous; the bone that was disjoynted, cannot be set right without paine; no potion can cure us, if it worke not; and it workes not except it makes us sick; we are contented with that sicknesse which is the way to health, there is a vexation without hurt, such is this: we are afflicted, not overpressed; needy, not desperate; persecuted, not forsaken; cast downe▪ but perish not: how should wee▪ when all the evill in a City comes from the providence of a good GOD, which can neither be impotent nor unmercifull? It is the Lord, let him doe what he will: woe worth us, if evils could come by chance, or were let loose to light where they list; now they are over-ruled, wee are safe. In the name of God then, let not the tall stature of the Anakims, nor the combination of the Edomites, nor the politicke counsels of all the Achitophels and Machivilians, nor the proud lookes, nor the big words of all the Amaziahs combining themselves together, deter or dismay you. Let not the overtopping growth of the sons of Zerviah seem too hard for you; for GOD is infinitely more strong and mighty to save us, than all our enemies are to destroy us; and he hath his Oare in their Boate, he hath a speciall stroke in all actions whatsoever, and can easily over-reach and make starke fooles of the wisest; by making their owne councels and endeavours like Chusaes, to overthrow those intentions which they seeme to support.
As touching the continuance of afflictions, God so ordereth and tempereth the same, in his mercifull wisdome, that either they bee tolerable, or short, either our sorrowes shall not be violent, or they shall not last; if they bee not light, they shall not be long: grievous and sore trials last but for a season, 1 Peter 1.6. A little while, Iohn 16.16. Yea but a moment, 2 Cor. 4.17. He endureth but a while in his anger (saith the Psalmist) but in his favour is life: weeping may abide for a night, but joy commeth in the morning, Psal. 30.5. And this had he good expeience of; for if we mark it, all those Psalmes whose first lines containe sighes and broken complaints do end with delight and contentment, he began them in feare, but they end in joy; you shall see terrible anguish sitting in the dore, irremediable sorrow looking in at the window, despaire bordering in the margent, and offering to creep into the Text; yet after a sharpe conflict, nothing appeares but joy and comfort. God loves to send reliefe when we least looke for it, as Elisha sent to the King of Israel when hee was rending his clothes, 2 Kin. 5 8. Heare what the Lord thy Redeemer saith by Esaiah, For a moment in thine anger. I hid my face from thee for a little season, but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee, Esay 54.8. It is but a little for a moment that his anger lasts, his mercy is everlasting: and I hid my face, never turn'd my heart from thee. Ioseph when he lay downe to sleep, was full of care about his wives being with childe, Mat. 1.20. but he awakened well satisfied, Vers. 24. To day a measure of fine flower is lower rated in Samaria, than yesterday of dung. Although Christs Star left the Wise Men for a time, yet instantly it appeared againe, and forsooke them not untill they had found CHRIST; which was the marke they aimed at, Mat. 2.9. Yea, its a Rule in nature, that violent things cannot last long: The Philosophers could observe, that no motion violent is wont to be permanent; and Seneca concludes, That if the sicknesse be tedious and lasting, the paine is tolerable; but if violent, short: so if we suffer much, it shall not be long, if we suffer long, it shall not be much. Some misery is like a Consumption, gentle, but of long continuance; other like a Feaver, violent, but soone over. If our sorrowes be long, they are the lighter; if sharper, the shorter. The sharpe North-East winde (saith the Astronomer) never lasteth three dayes; and thunder, the more violent, the lesse permanent. Wherefore cheere up thou drooping soule; if the Sun of comfort be for the present clouded, it will ere long shine forth bright againe; if now with the Moone thou art in the wayne; stay but a little, thou shalt as much increase; for as dayes succeed nights, Summer Winter, and rest travell; so undoubtedly, joy shall suc…ed and exceed thy sorrow. Thy griefe shall dissolve, or be dissolved; yea, it is in some measure dissolved by hope for the present. The Portingals will rejoyce in foule weather; why, because they know faire will follow: and so may the beleever in his greatest exigents; because God will shortly tread Satan under our feet, Rom. 16.20. Here also the distressed soule may raise comfort to himselfe out of former experience; who is he that hath not beene delivered out of some miserable exigent? which if thou hast, thou mayest well say unto God with the Psalmist, Thou hast shewed me great troubles and adversities, but thou wilt-returne and revive me, and wilt come againe, and take mee up from the depth of the earth, and comfort mee, Psalme 71.20, 21. For Gods former actions are paternes of his future; he teacheth you what he will doe, by what he hath done: and nothing more raiseth up the heart in present affiance, than the recognition of favours or wonders passed: he that hath found God present in one extremity, may trust him in the next; every sensible favour of the Almighty, invites both his gifts and our trust.
Ob. But thou wilt say with the Psalmist, thine enemies have long prevailed against thee, and God seemeth altogether to hide his face, and to have cleane forgotten thee: and so thou fearest he will for ever, Psal. 13.1, 2.
Answ. It is but so in thy apprehension, as it w… with him; Gods deliverance may overstay thy expectation, it cannot the due period of his owne counsels; for know first, That Gods workes are not to be judged of, untill the fifth act. The case deplorable and desperate in outward appearance, may with one smile from Heaven finde a blessed issue: Dotham is besieged, and the Prophets servant distressed, they are in a grievous case, (as they thinke) yet a very apparition in the clouds shall secure them; not a squadron shall bee raised, and yet the enemy is surprised, 2 Kings 6. here was no slacknesse. The Midianites invade Israel, and are suddenly confounded by a dreame, Iudges 7. Mistris Honiwood, that Religious Gentlewoman, famous for her vertues, after she had beene distressed in her mind many yeeres, without feeling the least comfort, not being able to hold out any longer (as a wounded spirit who can beare?) flung a Venice-glasse against the ground, and said to a grave Divine that sought to comfort her, I am as sure to be damned, as this Glasse is to be broken: but what followed, the Glasse was not broken: at the sight whereof she was so confirmed, that ever after to her dying day, she lived most comfortably: much like that of Apelles, who striving to paint a drop of foame falling from a Horse mouth, after long study how to expresse it, even despairing flung away his Pensill, and that throw did it. Spirituall consolations are commonly late and sudden; long before they come, and speedy when they doe come, even preventing expectation: and our last conflicts have wont▪ ever to be the sorest; as when after s…me dripping raine, it powres downe most vehemently, we thinke the weather is changing. Againe, in the next place thou must know, that mans extremity is Gods opportunity; well may he forbeare so long as we have any thing else to relye upon; but we are sure to finde him in our greatest exigents, who loves to give comfort to those that are forsaken of their hopes, as aboundance of examples witnesse. When had the Children of Israel the greatest victories, but when they feared most to bee overcome? 2 Kings 19.35. Exod. 14.28, 29. When was Hagar comforted of the Angell, but when her childe was neere famished, and she had cast it under a Tree for dead? Genesis 21.15. to 20. When was Eliah comforted and releeved by an Angell, with a Cake baked on the coales, and a Cruse of Water, but when hee was utterly forsaken of his hopes? 1 Kings 19.4. to 7. When did God answer the hopes of Sarah, Rebecah, Rachel, the wife of Manoah, and Elizabeth, touching their long and much desired issues? but when they were barren and past hope of children by reason of age, Genesis 18. Iudges 13. Luke 1.6, 7. When did our Saviour heale the Woman of her bloudy issue, but after the Physitians had given her over, and she becomming much worse, had given them over, when shee had spent all she had upon them: for to mend the matter, poverty, which is another disease, was superadded to make her compleatly miserable. When did Moses finde succour, but when his Mother could no longer hide him: and he was put into the River among the Bull-rushes? she would have given all she was worth to save him; and now she hath wages to nurse him: she doth but change the name of Mother into Nurse, and she hath her son without feare, not without great reward▪ when Israel was sn so hard a straight, as either to be drowned in the Sea, or slaine by the Sword; how miraculously did God provide an evasion by dividing the waters? When Rochel, like Samariah, had a strong enemy without, and a sore famine within; how miraculously did God provide an evasion, by making the tyde their Purveyor to bring them in an Ocean of shell fish, the like of which was never knowne before nor since. When the English had left Cales, and the Spaniard was againe repossest of it; by some neglect or oversight there was an English-man left behinde; but how did God provide for his escape? its worth the remembring; he was no sooner crept into a hole under a paire of staires, but instantly a Spider weaves a web over the hole, and this diverted them; for when one of them said, here is surely some of them hid, another replyes, What a foole art thou, doest thou not see, its covered with a firme cobweb? and so past him, that in the night he escaped. O Saviour, our extremities are the seasons of thy aide: even when Fa…x was giving fire to the Match, that should have given fire to the Powder, which should have blowne up men and Monuments, even the whole State together; thou that never sleepest didst prevent him, and disclose the whole designe; yea, thou didst turne our intended Funerall into a Festivall. And why doth the goodnesse of our God pick out the most needfull times for our reliefe and comfort? but because our extremities drive us to him that is omnipotent; there is no feare, no danger, but in our owne insensiblenesse: but because when we are forsaken of all succours and hopes, we are f…test for his redresse; and never are we neerer to helpe, than when wee despaire of helpe; but because our extremities give him the most glory, and our comfort is the greater, when the deliverance is seene before it is expected, his wisdome knowes when aide will be most seasonable, most wellcome; which he then loves to give, when he findes us left of all other props. That mercifull hand is reserved for a dead lift, and then he failes us not; as when Abraham had given Isaack ▪ and Isaac had given himselfe for dead; when the knife is falling upon his throate, then, then comes the deliverance by an Angell, calling, forbidding, commending him.
And indeed our faith is most commendable in the last act, it is no praise to hould out, until we be harde driven, but when we are forsaken of meanes, then to live by faith in our God, is thought worthy of a Crowne. O wretched Saul, hadst thou held out never so little longer without offering, and without distrust, Samuel had come, and thou hadst kept the favour of God, whereas now for thy unbeliefe thou art cast off for ever, 1 Sam. 13.10, to 15. To shut up all in a word, were thy soule in such a straight, as Israel was betweene the red Sea, and the Egyptians; the spirits of vengeance, (like those enemies) pursuing thee behind; Hell and death (like that Red Sea,) ready to ingulfe thee before, yet would I speak to thee in the confidence of Moses, Exodus 14.13. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Thy Word, ô God, made all, thy word shall repaire all; hence all ye diffident feares, he whom I trust is omnipotent.
Secondly, Thou must know, that GOD in his wisdome hath set downe a certaine period of time, within which hee will exercise his Children more or lesse: and at the end wherof, and not before, hee will relieve and comfort them againe. As wee may perceive by, Eccles. 3.1. Acts 7.25. Exodus 12.41. Gen. 15.13. Daniel 1.5, 30. Ier. 25.11. Gen. 6.3. Foure hundred yeares hee appointed to Abraham and his seed, that they should be Sojourners in a strange land, where they should be kept in bondage, and evill intreated, Genesis 15. At the end of which time, even the selfe same day, they returned from the land of Aegypt: that was the precise time appointed, and the selfe same day it was accomplished: and till then Moses undertooke it in vaine. Why were they so long kept from it? the land was their owne before, they were the right heires to it, lineally descended from him who was the first Possessor of it after the floud: God will doe all in due time, that is, in his time, not in ours; if at any time the Lord deliver us, it is more than he owes us. Let him (saith Saint Augustine) choose his owne opportunity that so freely grants the mercy. Againe, he appointed that the Iewes should serve the King of Babylon seventy yeeres; not a day, not an houre to bee abated, Ieremy 25.11. but at the end thereof, even that very night, Daniel 9. it was accomplished; neither did Daniel, (who knew the determinate time) once pray for deliverance, till just upon the expiration. Thirty eight yeeres hee appointed the sicke man at Bethesda's Poole, Iohn 5.5. Twelve yeares to the Woman with the bloudy issue, Matthew 9.20. Three Moneths to Moses, Exod. 2.2. Tenne dayes tribulation to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna, Apocal. 2.10. Three dayes plague to David, 2 Sam. 24.13. Each of these groaned for a time, under the like burden as thou doest: But when their time which God had appointed, was come, they were delivered from all their miseries, troubles and calamities: and so likewise ere long, if thou wilt patiently tarry the Lords leasure, thou shalt also be delivered from thy affliction and sorrow, either in the Morning of thy trouble, with David, Psal. 30.5. or at the Noone of thy life with Iob, Chapter 42.10. to the end, or toward the Evening, with Mr. Glover, that holy Martyr, who could have no comfortable feeling, till he came to the sight of the stake: but then he cryed out, and clapt his hands for joy to his friend, saying, O Austine, he is come, hee is come, meaning the feeling joy, of faith, and the Holy Ghost, Acts and Monuments, Fol. 1555. in the last edition save this? Or at night with Lazarus, at one houre or another thou art sure to be delivered. Be our troubles many in number, strange in nature, heavy in measure, much in burthen, and long in continuance, yet Gods mercies are more numerous, his wisdome more wondrous, his power more miraculous, he will deliver us out of all, Many are the troubles of the Righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all, Psal. 34.19. How many or how great soever they be, or how long soever they continue, yet an end they shall all have: For the LORD either taketh troubles from them, or takes them from troubles, by receiving them into his heavenly rest, where they shall acknowledge that GOD hath rewarded them as farre beyond their expectation, as he had formerly punished them lesse than they did deserve: this Doctrine well digested will breed good bloud in our soules, and is specially usefull to bound our desires of release; for though we may be importunate, impatient we may not be, stay he never so long, Patience must not be an Inch shorter than Affliction: If the Bridge reach but halfe way over the Brooke, we shall have but an ill-favoured passage. We are taught in Scripture to praise Patience, as we doe a faire day at night; He that endureth to the end shall be saved, Matth. 24.13. Much the better for that light, which will not bring us to bed: perseverance is a kinde, of all in all. But not seldome doth the Lord onelyonly release his Children out of extreame adversity here, but withall makes their latter end so much the more prosperous, by how much the more their former time hath beene miserable and adverse. We have experience in Iob: You have heard, saith Saint Iames, of the patience of Iob, and what end the Lord made with him: What end is that; the Holy Ghost tels you: That the Lord turned the captivity of Iob, and blessed his last dayes more than the first, for hee had foureteene thousand Sheepe, and six thousand Camels, and a thousand Yoake of Oxen, and a thousand she Asses; he had also seaven sonnes, and three daughters, and all his friends came unto him againe with presents, and comforted him for all the evill that the Lord had brought unto him, Iob 42.10. to 14. And in David, who for a long time was in such feare of Saul, that he was forc't to flye for his life, first, to Samuel, where Saul pursueth him; then to Ionathan, where his griefe is doubled; then to Abimelech, where is Doeg to betray him; after that he flyeth to Achish King of Gath, where, being discovered, he is in greatest feare of all, lest the King should take away his life, and lastly when he returnes to his owne Ziklag, he finds it smitten and burnt with fire, and his Wives taken prisoners, and in the midst of all his griefe, when hee had wept untill hee could weepe no more, the people being vexed intend to stone him; so that, as he had long before complayned, there was but a steppe betweene him and death; but marke the issue, within two dayes the Crowne of Israel is brought unto him, and he is annoynted King, 2 Sam. 1. and for the present he was able to comfort himselfe in the Lord his God, 1 Sam. 30.6. Yea after this, when by that foule sin of Adultery and Murther hee had brought more enemies about his eares (God and Men, and Divells) having once repented his fault, he was able to say with confidence, O God thou hast shewed me great troubles and adversities, but thou wilt take me up from the depth of the earth, and increase my honour, Psalme 71.21. He knew well enough that cherishing was wont to follow stripes: how oft hath a Tragick entrance had a happy end? We read that Michael was condemned to death by the Emperor Leo, upon a false accusation, but before the execution the Emperor dyed, and Michael was chosen in his stead. God loves to doe by his Children, as Ioseph did by his Father; first, we must have our beloved Ioseph a long time deteyned from us then he robbes us of Simeon, after that sends for our best beloved Benjamin, and makes us beleeve he will robbe us of all our Children at once, all the things that are deare to us. But why is it? Even that when we think to have lost all, he might returne himselfe, and all againe with the greater interest of joy and felicity. The LORD, saith Hannah, killeth and maketh alive, first killeth, and then maketh alive, bringeth downe to the grave, and raiseth up; the LORD maketh poore, and maketh rich; bringeth lowe, and exalteth; he rayseth the poore out of the dust, and lifteth up the begger from the Dunghill, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherite the seate of glory, 1 Sam. 2.6, 7, 8. And why all this, but that in his owne might no man may bee strong, verse 9. That which Plutarch reports of Dionysius, how he tooke away from one of his Nobles, almost his whole estate, and seeing him neverthelesse continue as jocund and well contented as ever, he gave him that againe, and as much more; Is a common thing with the Lord; and thousands can witnesse, that though they went weeping under the burthen, when they first carryed the precious seed of Repentance, yet they still returned with joy, and brought their sheaves with them, Ps. 126.5, 6.
Object. But thou thinkest thou shalt not hold out, if God should long delay thee.
Answ. If he delay thee never so long, he will be sure to support thee as long, 2 Cor. 4.16. his grace shall be sufficient for thee at the least, 2 Cor. 12.9. Phil. 1.29. which was Pauls answere, and it may suffice all suitors; the measure of our patience shall be proportionable to our suffering, and our strength equalled to our Temptations, 1 Cor. 10.13. Now if God doe either take away our appetite, or give us meate, it is enough. The Bush, which was a Type of the Church, consumed not all the while it burned with fire, because God was in the middest of it: God waighes out to us our favours and Crosses, in an equall ballance, and so tempers our sorrowes, that they may not oppresse; and our joyes, that they may not transport us: each one hath some matter of envy to others, and of griefe to himselfe.
Object. But thou hast no evidence of Divine assistance, nor thou canst not pray for it to purpose.
Answ. We have the presence of Gods Spirit, and grace many times, and feele it not; yea, when we complaine for want of it (as Pilate asked Christ what was the truth, when the Truth stood before him.) The stomacke finds the best digestion, even in sleepe, when we least perceive it; and whiles we are most awake, this power worketh in us, either to further strength or disease, without our knowledge of what is done within; and on the other side, that man is most dangerously sicke, in whom nature decayes without his feeling, without his complaint. To know our selves happy, is good, but woe were to us Christians, if we could not be happy and know it not. As touching prayer, every one is not so happy as Steven was, to be most fervent when they are most in paine; yea it were miserable for the best Christian, if all his former prayers and meditations did not serve to ayde him in his last streights, and meet together in the center of his extremitie; yeelding, though not sensible reliefe, yet secret benefit to the soule; whereas the worldly man in this case, having not layed up for this houre, hath no comfort from GOD, or from others, or from himselfe. And thus you see that nothing can befall us without the speciall appointment of our good God, who not only takes notice of our sufferings, but sweetneth them with his presence, takes our part, stintes our enemies, and so ordereth the whole, that our griefe is either short, or tolerable; and that though he is oftentimes harsh in the beginning and progresse, and late in comming, yet he comes on the sudden, and is alwaies comfortable in the conclusion. And lastly, that if he defer his help, it is on purpose that our tryalls may be perfect, our deliverance welcome, our recompence glorious. And may not this comfort thee?