Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the causes, effects, subiect and adiuncts of afflictions.
ANd thus we see what afflictions are, both as they are punishments, properly so called, and as they are chastisements and corrections; now briefly§. Sect. 1. Of the efficient and impulsiue cause of afflictions. wee will consider of their causes, effects, subiects and adiuncts or qualities, that so their nature beeing better vnderstood, there may bee a fitter passage to the discourse following. And first wee are to know that the Lord himselfe is the chiefe efficient and principall cause of all afflictions, which are not sinnes; for so himselfe speaketh by his Prophet; Shall there be euill in a city (that is the euill ofAmos. 3. 6. punishment and chastisement) and the Lord hath not done it? not that it is Gods proper and ordinary worke to afflict his creatures; for being the cheefe goodnes, hee chiefely intendeth doing good, hee delighteth in the conuersion ofMichah. 7. 18. sinners, and in shewing mercy; and thus doing hee doth his owne proper and vsuall worke, familiar to his owne nature; whereas the other is his worke improperly, and as the Prophet calleth it his strange worke, and his strange act, which with a kind of necessity we force vponupon his iustice, by our sinEsay. 28. 21. and wickednes, so that the meritorious cause of afflictions is sinne, whereby men offend against Gods iustice in transgressing his Law, as shall more fully appeare heereafter; & that whether we respect the wicked or the faithfull; although there bee great difference in the end why God afflicteth them; for (as I hauehave said) these punishments are laide vponupon the wicked for sinne, that they may satisfie Gods iustice by taking due vengeance on them: but howsoeuer they are also inflicted vponupon the faithfull for sinne, yet not to the former end, but that they may bee brought vntounto the sight and sense of it, that they may repent of it, and for the time to come forsake it, that so they may not bee condemned with the world. The impulsiue or motiue cause, wherby the Lord is incited to inflict these punishments and afflictions, is his iustice which is heereby manifested; for if euen in this life God punisheth the sins of the wicked, where they are to receiue all their good, as Abraham speaketh to Diues, then how much more grieuous punishmentsLuc. 16. 25. remaine for them in the life to come, which is the time appointed for their torment? And if he punish & chastise the sinnes of his faithfull children, where shall the wicked and the vngodly appeare? as the Apostle speaketh. If he1. Pet. 4. 17. will not suffer them to escape without seuere correction, whose sins are punished in Christ euen by his death as being satisfactorie, and in themselues by repentance, as being the fruit of their faith, louelove and zeale, which cause them to bewaile Zach. 12. 10.and lament for him whom they hauehave pearced, and to afflict their soules with bitter sorrow, for that they hauehave offended him who hath so loued them; then how certainely will there be a day of iudgement, wherein God wil manifest the seuerity of his iustice, in punishing their outragious sins, which hauehave wt an high hand sinned against him, seeing they hauehave not had their punishments here, but hauehave passed their time in all worldly prosperity, pleasure and delight? Secondly the mercy of God moueth him also to inflict on the faithfull these afflictions, that it may be manifested to his glory and their comfort, whilest hereby he stoppeth them in their course of sinne, and draweth them neerer to himselfe when they goe astray, that so escaping condemnation, they may walke in that way of holinesse, which will bring them to eternall happinesse. The instrumentall causes of these punishments and afflictions are the whole army of Gods cretures, which as they are his ready instruments, in deriuing his blessings and benefits to those that feare and serue him; so are they no lesse ready with all chearfulnesse, to inflict those punishments, which his iustice hath pronounced against the wicked for their confusion and destruction; and those afflictions wherewith hee correcteth the slips and faults of his owne seruants, that they may be brought to repentance and amendment. But especially this Lord of hosts imployeth in this seruice his Angells; and that both the good Angels, who are ministring spirits, alwaies prest to doe his will, as appeareth in the destruction of the hoast of Senacherib. and in the seuentie thousand Israelites slaine by the Angell of God with the sword of pestilence; and also the euill and wicked spirits; as appeareth in the afflictions of Iob, and in the deceiuing and ouerthrowing of Ahab, in the tormenting of Saul, in the afflicting of the Apostle Paul, and in the tempting of our Sauiour Christ himselfe. And for this purpose he no lesse vsually imployeth the world, that is, worldly wicked men, sometime to execute his iudgements one vponupon another, and sometimes as his rods and whips, wherwith he correcteth the faults of his owne children and seruants: and that either, when by their allurements, perswasions and euill example; or threats, violence and persecution they draw them into sinne; or when after they hauehave committed it, they serue as instruments to correct and chastise those offences, which through their inducements the faithfull hauehave fallen into. As wee may see in the example of the Israelites thus afflicted with the Canaanites, Moabites, Philistims, Aramits and Babilonians. All which (if we looke to their owne intentions) had no purpose at all to be Gods instruments for the correcting of his children; but chiefly aimed at their destruction, being moued thereunto with enuy, rage, hatred, couetousnes, and ambitious desire of soueraignty; but if we respect the will & worke of God, they were so ruled by his power and prouidence, that they were but his bare instruments for the chastising of his seruants for their amendment.
The ends of these afflictions for which God correcteth§ Sect. 2. Of the ends, effects, subiect and adiuncts of ou… afflictions. his children are manifold; as principally his owne glory in the manifestation of his iustice, mercy, wisedome, power and prouidence; and next heereunto the good and saluation of the faithfull, whom he thus chastiseth with these temporary afflictions, that repenting of their euill waies, they may not be condemned with the world: that he may heereby strengthen and increase in them their faith, affiance, hope, patience, humility, obedience and all other sanctifying and sauing graces; that heereby they may bee brought to a true hatred of sinne, when as they feele and tast the bitter fruits thereof; and to loath the world where they find no better entertainment; that their flesh with the corruptions thereof may be mortified and crucified, and the spirituall man receiuing more strength heereby may hold it in subiection: and finally that beeing heereby put in minde of their corruption and mortality, they may not fixe and settle their hopes & hearts vponupon the things of this life, but may be moued to desire earnestly with the Apostle Paul to be dissolued and to be with Christ, seeing that is best of all; the which with diuers otherPhil. 1. 23. ends of these afflictions, I onelyonly heere name, because afterwards I shall hauehave fit occasion to intreat more largely of them. The effects of these crosses and corrections are al those benefits and blessings, which God propoundeth for his ends in inflicting them; for seeing he is infinite both in wisdome and power, he can faile of nothing which he intendeth, but alwaies attaineth vntounto his ends, and mightily effecteth all these things at which he aymeth. The subiect of these afflictions (if we respect the place) is this miserable world; for this is the valley of death, the vale of teares, the fiery furnace, in which when we hauehave beene tried and approued, wee shall be laid vp in Gods treasury of blessednes; the lists of our spirituall combat, in which when we hauehave fought and ouercome, we shall afterwards triumph in glory and be crowned with victory; the race, wherein hauing run we get the price and garland of blessednes; the vineyard, in which we labour till the night of death, when as we shall receiue the wages of euerlasting happines; and finally the place of our pilgrimage, which when we hauehave trauailed, we shal ioyfully arriue at our owne country, and enter into the paradise of our delights. But if we respect the subiect vponupon which they are exercised then is it the whole Christian man with all that belonlongeth vntounto him; as his body, soule, name, state and friends, there beeing no part of him or his, which is not a fit subiect for sorrow and smart, and a fit place where afflictions vsually may keepe their residence. The adiuncts, properties, and qualities of these afflictions are manifold; in respect of their time they last onelyonly for this life: and therefore are of a2. Cor 4. 17.short & momentany continuance, they are for their waight, light and easie to bee borne by those who are assisted by Gods spirit; in respect of our sense, they are bHeb. 12. 11. Lamen. 3. 19.sharpe and bitter, vntil by often tasting them, they are made more familiar vntounto vsus. In respect of the fruit which through the blessing of God ariseth from them, they are vntounto the faithful exceeding profitable, stopping them in the course of sin, pricking them forward in the race of new obedience, preseruing them from the c1. Cor. 11. 32.condemnation of the world, and bringing forth the quiet fruit of righteousnes vntounto them, which are therby exercised, as the Apostle speaketh. dHeb. 12. 11.Heb. 12. 11.
But this profit and fruit is not to be attributed vntounto afflictions§. Sect. 3. That afflictions are euill in their owne nature. in themselues, for if we respect them in their own nature they are euill, and so the Lord himselfe stileth them; Esay 45. 7. I make peace, and create euill. So the Prophet speaketh. Amos 3. Shall there be euill in a city, and the Lord hath Esa. 45. 7. Amos. 3. 6.not done it? Yea as they are in themselues euill; so are they of a contagious quality spreading their poyson, and making those things euill which are good in their owne nature, and therefore the wise man saith, that all the daies of the afflicted are euill, Of which Iacob hauing experience complaineth,Pro. 15. 15. Gen. 47. 9. that the daies of his life had beene few and euill, in respect of the manifold miseries which he had indured. And this reason it selfe will teach vsus, for what are afflictions (in their owne nature) but the punishments of sin, the fruits of Gods iust displeasure, a prelude to death, small flashes of those endlesse flames of torment, the blacke guard of hell and destruction, the first beginning of euerlasting torments, and enemies to our ioy, peace, and comfort, of which the faithfull at last shal hauehave the victory, when as all teares shal be wiped from their eyes, and they receiued into those eternal ioyes, from which all these crosses and molestations shall be for euer banished? yea though reason were silent, yet sense it selfe would learne vsus this lesson, that afflictions are euill and to be auoided, seeing they are the mother and nurses of smart and sorrow, terrible in their very sound, fearefull to looke vponupon, bitter to the tast, painfull to our feeling, and tormenting vsus whilest they touch vsus, whereof it is, that the lamenting Church ioyneth together her crosses & her griefes, & remembring her affliction could not forget her mourning, because though memory should hauehave failed, tast distasted with this wormewood and gall, would hauehave brought sorrow to minde, and ministred matter of iust complaining. Remembring (saith he)Lamen. 3 19. my affliction and my mourning, the wormewood and the gall, my s…ule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled▪ in me. And heereof it is, that not onelyonly wise men, but fooles and idiots, yea euen the bruit beasts that hauehave no vnderstāding, taught onelyonly by sense and instinct of nature, doe flee these euils, and feare them at their first appearance, as robbing them of their pleasure, plunging them into griefe and misery, and tending to the hurt and vtter destruction of their essence and being. And as they are in themselues euill trees, so naturally they bring forth euill fruits, vnlesse grace being ingrafted in them doe alter their nature. As we may see in the example of wicked men, who the more they are afflicted, the more they hate God, despaire of his mercy, murmure & repine against his prouidence, and vse all vnlawfull meanes, and wicked courses, to ease themselues of these afflictions, which they finde so painfull to them: the which they would not doe, if these afflictions were in their owne nature simply good, seeing (as our Sauiour hath taught vsus) a good tree cannot bring Math. 7. 18.forth euill fruit. And therefore that extreame is to be auoyded, which some vndiscreetly run into, who because they often obserue men to bee bettered by their crosses, and that much better fruits do vsually spring from afflictiō, then prosperity and worldly plenty, do condemne this estate as euil, and magnifie the other, as good and profitable in it selfe: as though our health and safety were to bee ascribed to this deadly poyson, and not rather, to the louelove and skill of our heauenly physitian, who by his wise tempering of it hath altered it nature, and beeing hurtfull in it selfe, hath made it helpfull vntounto vsus. And although afflictions serue as instruments and meanes to reclaime men from sinne, and to increase in them sauing and sanctifying graces, yet are we not simply to desire or pray for them, nor yet to afflict our selues and to pull crosses vntounto vsus, and lay them on our owne shoulders, seeing they are euill in their owne nature, and worke those former good effects not properly by themselues, but by accident, as they are so disposed by the infinit wisdome, goodnes, and power of God, who is able to bring light out of darknes, and good out of euill.
So also with no lesse care, we must auoid the contrary extreame,§ Sect. 4. That afflictions are not absolutely euil, but inclinable to good through Gods power and wisedome. Haec sola mala deputant mala quae non faciunt malos. August. de ciuit. dei lib. … cap. 1. whereinto worldly men run more vsually, who remaining stil in louelove with their sinne, which is the greatest euill, yea in truth, if we speake absolutely, and properly, the onelyonly euil, doe abhorre and flee from these afflictions, esteeming them onelyonly, or at least the most intolerable euill, which neuertheles do not make men euil, but oftentimes (through the blessing of God) much the better. To which purpose we are to know, that howsoeuer afflictions are euill in their owne nature, yet not simply and absolutely, (for this sin only is euill) but of an indifferent quality, and inclinable to good. For if we respect the chiefe efficient and author from whom they come, they are good eyther as they are punishments inflicted by a righteous iudge, or chastisements comming from the hand of a mercifull Father; neither can any euill, properly so called, proceede from the fountaine of all goodnes, whose will is the rule of all iustice and righteousnes. And as proceeding from the chiefe goodnesse, as their author, they are therefore good, so also because they hauehave had for their subiect the chiefe goodnes, euen our Sauiour Iesus Christ God and man, who whilest hee liued in this world was as much afflicted as any other; whose most pure nature cloud not admit of any thing, which in it owne nature was simply euill, and was able to turne all things (which was not so) into good. Euen as the sweet perfume is not sweet to it selfe alone, but is able to make sweet whatsoeuer toucheth it. To which purpose one saith, that the man Christ contemned all earthly good, that hee might shew them to bee contemptible; and sustainedAugustine. all earthly euils, which hee commanded others to beare with patience, that happinesse might not be sought in them, nor vnhappinesse feared in these. So also they helpe vsus to come to this chiefe goodnes, and in this respect also they are not euill; for God in his eternall counsell hath ordained them as meanes to further his elect in attaining to saluation. For those which he knew before, he also predestinate Rom. 8. 29.to be made like to the image of his son, that is, to be comformable vntounto him in his suffrings, as elsewhere he expoundeth it. So he willeth, that no man should bee moued or offended with 1. Thes. 3. 3.these afflictions of the faithfull, seeing we our selues know that we are appointed thereunto. And thus they are the meanes to make vsus draw neere vntounto this cheefe goodnesse in this life, by true repentance, and feruent prayer; and the way which leadeth to this eternall and heauenly happines, of which we shall hauehave the full fruition in the life to come: for they are that narrow way and straight gate, which leade to these euerlasting ioyes; and if we meane euer to come thether, wee must by many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God, as theMatth. 7. 14. Act. 14. 22. the Apostle speaketh. Act. 14. 22. So that in respect of Gods decree and ordinance they are good to the faithfull, because through his blessing they tend to their good, euen the furnishing them with Gods graces and the euerlasting saluation of their soules. Whereby it appeareth, that afflictions (in respect of their subiect) are of an indifferent nature, good to those who rightly vse, and profit by them; and euil to those, who take occasion by them to hasten, & increase their condemnation in their abusing them vntounto sinne, wherein they are not vnfitly compared to the red sea, which according to it owne nature drowned the Egyptians, but by the power and blessing of God was the meanes of the Israelites preseruation & deliuerance: for so these afflictions which drowne vnbeleeuers and worldlings in the gulfe of desperation, doe serue for a ready, though straight way, to conduct the true Israelites into the heauenly Canaan, and as a wall on eyther hand to keepe them from erring and going astray into the by-paths of sin, and to preserue them harmelesse from the most dangerous assaults of their spirituall enemies.