The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII.
The miseries of a Christian in respect of God in this life.
THus of what hee wants in this life. Secondly, he ought to be as much troubled to think what hee hath, and cannot auoide while he li…es: and thus his life is distressed, and made vnlouely, either if he respect God, or the euill angels, or the world, or himselfe.
For first, if he respect God, there are two things should Life bitter in r…spect of God di…ers wayes.marre the taste of life, and make it out of liking. The first is the danger of displeasing of God: who would liue to offend God▪ or grieue his H. Spirit? or any way to make hi… angry? Th…gh this reason will mooue little in the hearts of wicked men, yet it is of singular force in the heart of an humble Christian, who as he accounts Gods louing kindnesse better then life: so he findes nothing more bitter, then that he should displease God: that God (I say) who is so great in maiestie, and hath shewed himselfe so aboun…nt in mercy to him. It would lie as an heauy load vponupon our hearts to … of the displeasing of our best friend; specially if hee were a … person, or a Prince. How much more should wee desi… to bee … of tha… condition … may displease our good God; and to be there, where wee are sure neuer to anger him more? Th… second thing …hat should … looke with … vponupon life, … God …oth con…ally … the things of this life: The Lord doth of purpose so watch vsus, that when hee sees vsus settle any contentment in life, he drops in some thing, that makes all extremely bitter. And those correctiōs of God should be the more noted, if we consider but diuers aggrauations about them, as
1. That God will correct eueryevery Eight aggrauations of the miseries of li…e, in respect o… the co… ctions of God.sonne whom he loueth, none can escape, Heb. 12. 7.
2. That a man is vsually most opposed and crossed in that …ee loues best.
3. That a man shall euer want what he wisheth, euen in such things as other men doe not w…. There is a secret vexatiō cleaues vntounto mans estate, that their hearts runne vponupon such thing… which cannot be had, but in the callings of other men. The countryman praiseth the Citizens life; and the Citizen is full of the praises of the Countrey: and so is there in all men a liking of the callings of other men, with a dislike of their owne, Eccles. 6.
4. That there is no discharge in that warre, but that a man must eueryevery day looke for crosses. EueryEvery day hath his griefe, Eccles. 8. 8. Luke 9. 24. Ma…. 6. vlt.
5. That God will not l…t. vsus know the times of our corrections, but executeth them according to the vnchangeable purpose of his owne counsell: so as they come vponupon vsus as a snare vp…n a bird. For this reason Salomon saith: That the misery of man is great vponupon him, because there is … time for eueryevery purpose, which cannot be auoided, nor can man know before ha…d, that which shall bee; for who can tell him, when it shall bee? Eccles. 8. 6, 7, 8. and 9. 12.
6. That no man knoweth either louelove or hatred, by all that is before him. A godly man can hauehave no such blessings outwardly, but a wicked man may hauehave them in as great abundance as hee: nor doth there any misery fall vponupon the wicked in outward crosses, but the like may be…all the godly. All things come alike to all: there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked; to the cleane, and vnclean…, to him that swe…eth, and to him that … an …ath; as is the good so is the …. This, saith Salomon, is an euill among all things that …e done vnderunder the Sunne, that there is one …uent vntounto all, Eccles. 9. 1, …, ….
7. This bitternesse is increased, because God will not dispose of things according to the meanes or likelihoods of mans estate. The race is not to the swi…, nor the battell to the strong, nor yet br…ad to the wise, nor riches to men of vnderstanding, nor yet …our to men of skill, but time and chance hapneth to them all, Eccles. 9. 11.
8. That besides the present miseries, there are many miseries to come; so as it is an argument to proue the happines of the dead, that they are taken away from the misery to come, Esay …57. 1, 2. Which should likewise mooue vsus to louelove life the lesse, because we know not what fearefull alterations may come, either in our outward estate, … ▪ … ters of Religion. What … were we in, if war should come vponupon vsus, with all the desolation… and terrors that accompany it? What if the …, should come againe? or wee be l…t in, the hands of the violent? or God fight against our estates▪ by …, or inundations, or the like? Who can tell what fearefull alterations may bee…in Religion? And is it no… best to bee in heauen, and then are we safe? Besides, the miseries may fall vponupon our owne bodies, or our children, or friends, &c. And these things should … life as we …espect God.
CHAP. VIII.
The miseries of life, in respect of euill angels.
NOw secondly, let vsus turne our eyes to the euill angels, and then these things may affright vsus.
1. That they are eueryevery where 1. The world full of diuels.vp and downe the world; in the earth, ayre, seas; no place free. Those fiery serpents are eueryevery where, in the wildernesse of the world. Wee lead our liues here in the midst of innumerable dragons; yea, they are in the most heauenly places in this life: the Church is not free from them. A man can stand no where before the Lord, but one diuell or other is at his right hand, Eph. 2. 2. and 6. 12. Zac. 3. 1. Iob 1. And sure, it should make vsus like the place the worse, where such foule spirits are: the earth is a kind of hell in that very respect.
Secondly, it should more trouble 2. Our conflict with diuels.vsus, that we must of necessity enter into the Conflict with the diuels, and their temptations, and to bee buffeted and gored by them.
A man that knew he must goe into the field, to answer a challenge, will be at no great rest in himselfe: But, alas, it is more easie, a thousand fold, to wrest… with flesh and blood, then with these Principalities and Powers, and spirituall wickednesses, and great Rulers of the world, Ephes. 6. 12.
Thirdly, besides, it addes vntounto 3. Their subtilty & cruelty.the distresse of life, to consider of the subtiltie and cruelty of these diuels, who are therefore like the crooked Serpent, and Leuiathan, and Dragons, and roaring Lyons, seeking whom they may deuo…re. Though these things will little moue the hearts of wicked men; yet vntounto the godly minde, duplicate page duplicate page the temptations of life are a grieuous burthen Thus much of euill angels.