Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of afflictions, which are the second sort of our worldly enemies, of their power and danger: what they are, and of the diuers kinds of them.
WEll may the Christians life bee called a§. Sect. 1. The preface to the following discourse. Warfare on earth, and the whole number of the elect & faithful a Church militant, or royall armie of the Lord of hosts, seeing whilest we continue here, wee are beset on all sides with enemies, mightie, and malitious; which neuer cease to assault and vexe vsus, either with the lighter skirmish of weaker trialls, or the maine battel of stronger tentations, vntill by death obtaining a full victorie, the retrait is sounded by our great commander, and those receiued into the Church triumphant, who hauehave fought valiantly in the Church Militant, that they who hauehave contemned worldlie shame may be crowned with heauenly glorie, and they triumph in ioy and happines, who to obtaine the victory hauehave fought vntounto blood. For no sooner are Sathan and his Angells beaten backe, and that huge army of his hellish tentations discomfited and ouercome with the word of God, and the assistance of his holy spirit; but gathering againe their scattered forces, and adioyning vntounto them their strong aids the world and the flesh, with these fresh supplies they set forward againe with such hope and courage, as though they had neuer receiued any ouerthrow, and (as it were) filled with shame and malice because of their former foyle, they redouble their force and affresh assault vsus with greater furie. The consideration whereof as it should moue all Christians to shake off securitie, and to stand vponupon their guard with all care and watchfulnesse, armed at all points with their spirituall armour, that so they may be ready for the encounter; so should it moue all Gods faithful Ministers, who are made Captaines and Leaders vnderunder our great commander; to traine vp Gods people and souldiers vnderunder their charge in that skill which is required in this spirituall Warfare, and teach them so to vse their weapons, that they may bee the better inabled to defend themselues and offend the enemy. In conscience of which duty I (the weakest and vnworthiest of many,) hauehave vndertaken this hard taske, and hauing laid open the malice, might, and politicke stratagems of our arch enemie the Diuell, and instructed the weake Christian (according to my mediocrity of skill) in the art of this Christian Warfare, and taught him how to prepare himselfe for the day of conflict, and so to buckle vntounto him the christian armour, and manage his spirituall weapons, that he may be assured to foyle his enemy and obtaine the victorie; no sooner had I ended this labour, but I presently discouered new forces led vnderunder the conduct of the world, one of Sathans chiefest commanders and strongest ayds, armed with no lesse power and malice to worke the Christians ouerthrow, that so they may againe be made the captiues of sinne, and regained to the seruice of their olde master, the Prince of darkenesse, and god of this world. And beeing hartened and encouraged by that late victory obtained against that chiefe enemy of our saluation, and resting assured, by that experience which I hauehave had of the inuincible strength of my great Lord and commander assisting mee in this fight, of the goodnes of the spirituall armour, and of the excellency of that both defending and wounding sword of Gods word, that if now againe I gaue the assault, I should also obtaine the victory; I willingly reentred the field with a purpose to encounter these new supplies: and first taking a view of the enemie, that I might discouer their strength, number, and militarie discipline, I perceiued that they so far excelled in might, multitude, and warlike pollicie, that they were an army plainely inuincible in respect of humane strength. In the front and maine battell were marshalled the worlds glorious and glittering troups of prosperity, armed with those often approued weapons of honours, pleasures and riches, wherwith few are encountred who are not also ouercome. And obseruing the manner of their fight, I found it to bee no lesse admirable then dangerous, for they ouercame by yeelding, wounded by perswading, killed by imbracing, and whilest casting away their armes and all signes of hostility, they offered themselues as captiues and slaues, they became conquerours of those who tooke them, iaylors of those that kept them, and commanders of those who seemed to hold them in captiuity. In the flanke and rereward were ranged those terrible troups of aduersity and affliction, there placed by the Diuell and the world, to vanquish those by force, violence, and furious encounter, who could not be ouercome by the perswading allurements of deceiptfull prosperity, and these enemies seemed to bee of hideous strength, and in respect of their sterne and grimme visage, proud threats, and dangerous weapons, fearefull to looke vponupon.
Afflictions lesse dangerous then prosperity.
AGainst the former (as order required) I made my first§ Sect. 2. That tentations arising from afflictions are lesse dangerous then those of prosperity, though in their first aspect they be more terrible. assault, teaching the Christian souldier, who wil ioyne with mee in this fight, to ouercome them by contemning thē, & to stand with impregnable strength against their trecherous furie, & smooth smiling malice, by turning his eies from their alluring baits, by refusing their false fauours, by stopping his eares against their charming perswasions, and by suspecting most their malitious attempts, when as with greatest shew of louelove they smile and fawne vponupon him. And thus hauing enabled him, by the assistance of Gods spirit, and his owne carefull endeuour to beate backe the force of these enemies also, and to put them to flight: it now remaineth that being armed with Gods might, & defended with the Christian armour, especially with the shield of faith, and sword of the spirit, we doe encounter those other sort of enemies; not doubting (beeing thus assisted) but wee shall also giuegive them the foyle, and so obtaine full victory against these worldly forces. For howsoeuer this enemy aduersitie, and those innumerable troups of afflictions, are in shew much more terrible then prosperity, and those glorious forces led vnderunder his cōduct, yet are they much weaker in truth, and lesse dangerous when wee come to buckle with them. For these indeed are grim in their outward visage and appearance, but not so fearefull, when hauing experience of their strength, they are become more familiar with vsus; like those Barbarians which, when they were to fight with their enemies, painted themselues that they might appeare more terrible, whereas in truth they were weake and naked, vnable to endure the first onset: For so these afflictions hauehave in them but a painted shadow of fiercenesse, and doe put on but an vglie visard to make them full of terrour at their first appearing, whereas if the visard be done away, and we ceasing to look vponupon them through the false glasse of feare and astonishment, doe behold them with a true iudgement, wee shal find them so tolerable and easie to be endured, through the assistance of Gods spirit, that there will bee no cause of terrour and amazement. But on the other side those enemies, prosperity, and worldly allurements, hiding hostility vnderunder pretense of friendship, and beeing much stronger, and more forcible then they seeme in outward appearance, doe bring vsus into a pernitious securitie, and without shew of assault get the victorie. Afflictions like billes and pikes make a terrible shew when they cannot …each vsus: but the tentations of prosperity like vnseene bullets wound and kill vsus before they are discerned. They like the fiery serpents sting vsus, but with sense of paine, make vsus seeke for remedy, looking vp to the true brasen serpent, that we may be cured; these like the viper putting vsus to no paine, bring vsus into a sweet slumber of securitie, which endeth in that dead sleepe of death and condemnation. They wound with paine and enforce vsus with torment to seeke recouery, these with delight, making vsus to louelove still the weapons that hurt vsus, and to abhorre the meanes whereby we may be healed, because euen our wounds & sores are pleasing vntounto vsus. The one like the winde boysterously blowing vponupon vsus, make vsus more carefull to hold fast the garment of Gods graces that they be not taken from vsus; the other like the Sunne warming vsus with delight, cause vsus of our owne accord to cast it from vsus. Finally they vanquishing vsus by force make vsus captiues vntounto sinne, who are willing vponupon the next opportunity to come out of thraldome and regaine our liberty, because wee find but hard entertainment; these making conquest not onelyonly of our strength and power, but also of our hearts, wills and affections, retaine vsus in a voluntary seruitude, for the wages of worldly vanities, so as we hauehave no desire to come out of this pleasing bondage, nor to recouer our liberty though the meanes were offered vsus. In all which and many other respects Salomon truely saith, that, It is better to goe into the Eccles 7. 4.house of mourning, then into the house of feasting, and preferreth anger before laughter, affirming that the heart of the Eccles. 7. 4. 6. 7.wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth. Eccl. 7. 4. 6. 7.
But howsoeuer aduersitie and afflictions be enemies vntounto§. Sect 3. Diuers d…s…riptions of afflictions being diue…sly considered. our saluation, lesse dangerous then those of prosperity and worldly abundance, yet are they strong enough to worke our ouerthrow, vnlesse wee bee assisted with the power of Gods might, armed with the Christian armour, and with care and watchfulnes do learne and practise al good meanes which may inable vsus to make resistance and obtaine the victory. And therefore let vsus in the next place fit our selues against the day of conflict, & as we hauehave learned to contemne the world when it fawneth, so also let vsus learne not to feare it when it frowneth and rageth; that so when our great commander soundeth the alarme vntounto battell, wee may with comfort and courage enter the field, and becomming conquerors, may receiue the crowne of victory, glory matchles and happines endlesse. And to this purpose let vsus consider of the nature, quality and strength of these our enemies; and then of the meanes whereby wee may be inabled to endure their encounters, abate their strength and furie and so obtaine the victory. Concerning the former wee are to know that afflictions diuersly considered may bee diuersly described; for if wee looke vponupon them as they are in their owne nature, & by God inflicted vponupon the wicked; they are those euills of punishment, wherewith he beginneth iustly to punish their sinnes euen in this life, and as it were the flashes of hell fire, and first entrance into vtter destruction; as it may heereby appeare in that they are all comprized vnderunder the curse of the law, and denounced and threatned against the transgressours of it. Againe if we consider them as inflicted by God vponupon the faithfull, they are those fatherly chastizements, wherewith out of his louelove and wisedome hee eyther correcteth them for their sinnes, that being brought to repentance they may not be condemned with the world; or1. Cor. 11. 32. trieth them that his spirituall graces bestowed on them may more clearely shine to his owne glory that gaue them, and the furthering and assuring of their saluation who hauehave receiued them. So that howsoeuer the afflictions of the wicked, and of the faithful are all one in respect of their matter, yet they differ in respect of the author, the one beeing the punishments of an angry and iust iudge, the other the chastisements and trialls of a gratious and louing father; and in respect of their vse and end, the one tending to destroy, the other to saue; the one to punish, the other to correct; the one to begin the torments of hell, the other to fit and prepare for the ioyes of heauen. Furthermore if we consider afflictionsAd tantas in…ptias peruentum est vt non dolore tantum sed doloris opinione vexemur. Senec. lib. in sap. non. Cad. iniur. cap. 4. in respect of vsus vponupon whom they are inflicted, we may define them to be all that our nature abhorreth, & that crosseth our desires; or all those crosses which either in their owne nature, or through our opinion do molest and greeue vsus. Neyther are those alone afflictions vntounto vsus which are so in truth, and in their owne nature, but those also which we conceipt so to be in the estimation of our opinion: yea it may be truely said that as these in number do much exceede the other, so are they much more intolerable to those that beare them. For whereas there is one affliction truely so in it owne nature layde vponupon men, there are many which they fancie to themselues out of meere conceipt, the which wanting strength to hurt them because they hauehave no true existence, they make powerfull enough to deiect their minds by the strength of their apprehension. Thus one torments himselfe with greefe, because he hath lost those riches, which if hee had still possessed hee would neuer hauehave vsed; another vexeth himselfe about the smoake of honour, eating out his heart with sorrow because hee is put from that authoritie which whil'st hee had it, oppressed him with the burthen; & pining with griefe because his superiour eyther frowned vponupon or graced him not; because hee is bearded by his equalls, and not according to expectation respected and reuerenced by his inferiours, and because he hath not the wall and precedence, or higher place of those, before whom his proud conceipt preferreth him. Thus a bare feare of expected euils which neuer happen, doth as much vexe men, as those which they truly suffer, and a bare suspition of faultines in their friends as much tormenteth them, as if they were truely guilty. And as this opinion giues life and beingOpinio est ergo quae nos cru…iat, et tanti quodque malum est qua… ti ill…d ta…auimus. In nostra potestate remedium habemus. Senec. consol. ad Marc. cap. 19. to many afflictions, so also their quantity and measure, by reason wherof that which is a light affliction to one, is intolerable to another: and that which maketh one to g…one vnderunder it as being an vnsupportable waight, is by another carried with ease. One is most tender when his honour is touched; another little respecteth this, but groweth very passionate if he be wronged in his riches, this man is patient in bearing blowes, but cannot indure contumelious wordes; but another is sensible onelyonly of smart, and careth not for the winde of words, so he may sleepe in a whole skinne. Yea by reason of this opinion, crosses are made comforts, and great blessings in themselues are turned into great afflictions, in conceipt: and heereof it is, that that which is one mans delight, is anothers torment, and that which one affecteth as his paradise another loatheth as his hell. One thinketh restraint of his liberty to be an intolerable bondage, though he fare daintelie, lie soft, and abound in all plenty: another would willingly presse into such a prison, and could be content to become an immured Anachoret to hauehave such case with such abundance. One taketh his chiefe contentment in ease and idlenesse, and to another it is the greatest paines to sit still and doe nothing, seeing all his delight is in businesse and imployment: and accordingly as he is afflicted and tormented with the least labour, so this man is no lesse molested and greeued, if for want of imployment hee be forced to wast his time in languishing idlenes. Finallie if we consider afflictions in respect of the world inflicting them vponupon the faithfull, they are those tentations on the left hand, grounded on all those miseries which are incident to the life of man, whether in respect of his mind, body, name, state or friends, whereby the world as the instrument of Sathan endeauoureth to discourage and hinder them in the way of godlinesse and righteousnesse which leadeth to Gods kingdome, and to diuert and thrust them into the way of sinne which leadeth to destruction. By all which it appeareth what we vnderstand by afflictions, namely all euills of punishment sent of God, eyther as from a father to correct vsus, or as a iudge to punish vsus; al things which crosse our desires, and do molest and greeue vsus, either in their owne nature, or through our opinion and conceipt; and finally all the miseries of this life which the diuell and the world doe cast in our way, as we are running in the race of godlinesse for the garland of eternall happines, that like briars they may hold vsus from going forward, or like thornes vnderunder our feete may vexe and torment vsus, that so being weary in this vnpleasant passage, we may turne aside into that broad and delightfull way of sinne which leadeth to destruction.
And thus our afflictions are but bare punishments only,§. Sect. 4. That afflictions are eyther bare punishments or else also ioyned with sinne. or else ioyned with sinne: Bare punishments I call all those plagues, crosses, losses, troubles and trialls which by God are inflicted vponupon men; and that either vponupon the wicked for the satisfying of his iustice which is offended, in regard of whom they are properly called punishments as tending to their hurt and destruction; or vponupon the faithfull for their chastisement or triall, in respect of whom they are improperly, and in a large signification called punishments, because they are not inflicted to satisfie Gods iustice which is1. Cor. 11. 32. fully satisfied by Christ, but out of fatherly louelove for their amendment, that they may not bee condemned with the world. Punishment ioyned with sinne is, when as God punisheth one sinne with another, not by infusing into men any corruption or malitiousnesse, for seeing hee is most holy and pure, and his will the rule of all iustice, hee cannot bee said to be the author of sin, nor to hauehave any hand in that euil which his nature abhorreth, and his iustice punisheth, but when for their former sinnes he leaueth them to their owne corruptions, lusts, vile affections, and to a reprobate minde, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 1. 24. 26. 28. and beeing soRom. 1. 24. 26. 28. left to themselues they run headlong into wickednes: for that men may become as bad as Cain, Saul▪ Ahab, or Iudas, it needeth not that externall wickednesse should be infused into them, seeing it is enough if they be left of God to their owne naturall corruption which inclineth them to all manner of sin; euen as for the descending of a stone, it is not needfull to cast it to the earth, but onelyonly to leaue holding of it, and then it will fall downe in it owne nature; and as the boat goes vp the streame by an externall strength thrusting it on, but needeth not any to carrie it downe, seeing it driueth that way of it owne accord; so wee goe against the streame of our naturall corruptions towards the hauen of rest by the assistance of the diuine power which helpeth vsus forward; but we need not to be thrust downward, seeing it is sufficient if the Lord withhold his hand & leaue vsus to our owne naturall inclination. Againe the Lord punisheth in men one sin with another, when like a righteous iudge hee doth punish their former sins by deliuering them into the power of his executioner Sathan, to bee tempted and ouercome by him; suffering them to bee ruled by him, because they hauehave pulled their necks from the yoke of his subiection, and to row in his gallies, because they would not freelie serue their great King & maister. Neither is the Lord heerby made the author of sin, seeing he onelyonly performeth a iust act of a righteous iudge, in deliuering vp wicked men for their demerits to Sathan, as his executioner to be blinded, misled, and punished by him; nor yet are they any whit excused, in that being deliuered vp of God they run headlong into all sinne; because they hauehave deseruedly brought vponupon themselues this feareful iudgement, by their former sinnes, and now are ready to commit all wickednesse, not by any outward violence forcing them thereunto, but by Sathans perswasion alluring them, and their owne sinfull lusts inclining them to perpetrate these sins with all chearfulnes and delight, hauing therein no respect vntounto God or his iudgements; but onelyonly to please and satisfie their owne corrupt will and carnall lusts. So that God punisheth one sin with another, not by infusing wickednes, or by tempting, that is, alluring and prouoking men vntounto sin; for thus God tempteth no man, as the Apostle affirmeth: but by withdrawingIam. 1. 13. his grace, and by leauing men to bee misled by their owne corruptions. Hee leadeth men into tentation, and deliuereth them into euill; not by perswading or compelling them to commit wickednes, for his nature abhorreth it, and his will is the rule of all iustice, but by giuing them ouer, and deliuering them vp, as a righteous iudge, vntounto the diuell his executioner, to be for their former sins further blinded, hardned & made more wicked, that their condemnation might bee more iust and fearefull in the life to come. And of this we hauehave manifold examples in the Scriptures, for thus the Lord hardned Pharaohs heart, when he denied to giuegive himExod. 7. 3. 11. & 9. 12. the oyle of his grace whereby it might bee softned, and left him to his owne obstinacie, and Sathans tentations. Thus he punished the spirituall whoredome of the Israelites, by giuing them vp to commit corporall vncleannes. Hos. 4. ThusHos. 4. 13. 14. Iohn. 13. 26. 27. he punished the couetousnes and worldlinesse of Iudas, by permitting Sathan to enter into him, and so to carry him to the committing of that horrible treason against his master. Thus he punished the Gentiles idolatry, by giuing them vp to their owne hearts lusts, vntounto vncleannesse, to defile theirRom. 1. 24. 2…. 28. owne bodies between themselues; and vntounto vile affections, and to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not conuenient. Rom. 1. And thus the Apostle saith, that because men receiued not the louelove of the truth, that they might bee saued, therefore God would send them strong delusions, that they 2. Thes. 2. 11. 12.should beleeue lyes, that all might bee damned which beleeued not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes. The which iudgement we see powerfully inflicted vponupon many Apostates in these daies, who are giuen ouer of God to be deluded and seduced by Priests and Iesuites, because they hauehave not loued God his truth, but hauehave shut their eyes against the light of the Gospell. Euen as the like was threatned against the Iewes. Esa. 6. 9. Goe and say to this people, ye shall heare indeed Esa. 6 9.but ye shall not vnderstand, ye shall plainely see and not perceiue: make the heart of this people fat, make their eares heauy, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderstand with their hearts, and conuert, and he heale them, the which accordingly was inflicted on them as the Apostle obserueth. Acts 28. 25. 26.Acts 28. 25. And this is the feare fullest punishment of all others; for other afflictions are vsual meanes to draw vsus neerer vntounto God but these make vsus flee further from him; they sharpen our sight, these made vsus the more blind; they like good salues draw out the core of our corruptions, but these make vsus to rot and putrifie in our sinnes, from which neuertheles Gods seruants are not exempted, as appeareth in the example of Lot, whose drunkennes God punished by giuing him ouer to commit the sinne of incest; in Dauid, whose adultery God punished by leauing him to himselfe, and withdrawing his grace, whereby it came to passe that hee also fell into the sin of murther; and whose pride and confidence in the arme of flesh he punished by mouing him, that is, by suffering Sathan his executioner to prouoke him to number the people; as may appeare by comparing the story in the second booke of Samuel, with the same recorded in the first of Chronicles:2. Sam. 24. 1. with 1. Chron. 21. 1. for whereas in the one place he saith, that God moued Dauid against Israell to cause them to be numbred, in the other it is said that Sathan prouoked him to doe it, whereby is ment, that God as a righteous iudge, intending to punish Dauids sinne, and thereupon to take occasion to punish the sinnes of the people, did giuegive or deliuer him into the power of Satan, as vntounto the executioner of his punishments, to bee tempted by him vntounto the committing of this sin. And thus God punished the pride, presumption, and selfe confidency of Peter by suffring Satan to sift him like wheat, and to preuaile thus farre against him, as to moue him first to deny, and then to forsweare his master.