Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. 12.
That God afflicteth vsus no more then is necessary for his owne glory, and our saluation.
ANd thus Gods louelove and mercy appeareth in§ Sect. 1. That our state of corruption necessarily requireth affliction measuring our afflictions, according to our strength: the other point propounded is, that God sheweth the like louelove vntounto vsus, by measuring the proportion of afflictions, according to the scantest measure of our necessity, laying no more vponupon vsus then is necessary for the magnifying of his owne glory by our sanctification in this life, and our saluation in the life to come. For the Lord is chiefly delighted in exercising hi… louelove, mercy, and goodnesse towards his saints, and seruants; and would not willingly afflict and correct vsus, if wee did not vrge him thereunto by a kinde of necessity. For such is our naturall corruption, that wee are easily …ock…ed, and made wanton, with the fruition of Gods blessings, and grow to such pride, and insolency through his continuall sauours, that wee are ready to forget, and con…mne him, who is the author of all our good; and to runne into all excesse, and riot, with the wicked of the world, turning our liberty into loose licentiousnesse, and abusing our plenty of Gods blessings, as a meanes of maintayning vsus in our luxurious, and wicked courses. And therefore the Lord is after a sort enforced to correct vsus, that by sorrow and smart, hee may bring vsus to know our selues, and to remember him, of whom ease and prosperity hauehave made vsus ignorant, and forgetfull; and by these sharp whippes and rods, hee reclaimeth from our lewd courses, wherein if hee should let vsus alone, we would runne on with headlong hast vntounto our endles perdition and condemnation. And as the wise and faithfull Phisition is constrained, vponupon the necessity of recouering his patients health, to prescribe vntounto him fasting after feasting, abstinence after surfe…ing & excesse, and bitter potiōs & purges whē he findeth his body distempered with corrupt humors, and ouermuch fulnes: so vponupon the like necessity of recouering our spiritual health, the Lord is faine, when wee surfet on his blessings, to withdraw them from vsus, and to appoint vsus abstinence, or a shorter diet; and when hee seeth our soules full of sinful corruptions, to giuegive vntounto vsus these bitter potions of afflictions, to purge vsus from them. And when wee hauehave pampered our selues by feeding on the forbidden fruits of sinfull pleasures, and hauehave greedily drunke of the poysonous cuppes of excesse, and rapine, of whoredome, and fornication, and the wine of violence and oppression, wherewith our natures being tainted and infected, the life of our soules is hazarded and indangered: the Lord out of his louelove & care is enforced to prepare another cup for vsus, & to make vsus drinke of the antido…e, & counterpoison of afflictions, that the poison of sin may be purged, & expelled, & we freed from the danger of euerlasting death. And as in these regards there is necessity of sending these afflictions in respect of eueryevery particular faithfull man, so also in regard of the whole Church in generall. For as it is neuer more spiritually poore and leane, then when it is pampered in worldly pompe, and prosperity; so it is neuer richer, or in better liking, then when it is outwardly pinched with misery, and affliction. And as by too much fulnes it falleth into a consumption, and by being too ranke, is easilier laid, & cast downe with eueryevery storme of tentation, whereby it is indangered to rotting, and perishing: so it groweth fatter by fasting, prospereth better when it is bitten and nipped, nor euer thriueth so well, or groweth so fast, as when it carrieth the crosse on the shoulder. To which purpose one saith, that it is mostAgust. in Homil. 35. T. 10. necessary for the catholicke Church, to bee exercised, and tried with continuall tentations: because in the middest of tentations it liueth, flourisheth, constantly indureth, and commeth to perfection: vntounto which, when it hath attained, rest succeedeth labour, and the tentations departing, the blessing remaineth.
Neither doth the Lord take any delight in our smart,§ Sect. 2. That the Lord taketh no delight in our smart, but vseth all meanes to preuent our punishment. Amos 2. 13. or maketh any hast to inflict his chastisements, but with great patience, and long suffring, hee expecteth our repentance, that hee may hauehave mercy vponupon vsus; and doth not take his rod of correction into his hand, till hee bee pressed with the waight of our sinnes, as the Cart is pressed which is full of sheaues, as the prophet speaketh, and till there bee no other remedy. And euen then when we hauehave vrged him with a kinde of necessity to chastise vsus, because otherwise we would go on in the waies of wickednes to our perdition, and euerlasting condemnation, hee doth not punish vsus willingly, as one that taketh delight inLamen. 3. 33. our smart, and torment; but performeth it as an action, which is rather fit for vsus to suffer, then for him to do, …t being vntounto him, as the Prophet speaketh, his strange worke Esay 28. 21.and not familiar vntounto his nature, which is full of louelove, mercy, and goodnesse, and is most delighted and pleasedMich. 7. 18. in shewing and extending grace and compassion to those who are in misery. And therefore in all his courses and proceedings, hee auoideth as much as will stand with his glory, and our euerlasting good, all hard, and rigorous courses towards vsus. For first like a gracious father he louingly acquainteth vsus with his will, and informeth vsus in the duties which wee ought to performe vntounto him, alluring vsus to obedience, and incouraging vsus to serue him, with innumerable benefits in present possession, and with many gracious promises of bestowing much more excellent things vponupon vsus in time to come. And if wee bee so forgetfull of him, and our selues, that notwithstanding all his fauours, wee neglect our duty, and abuse his mercies, as occasions and meanes of sinne; hee doth in the next place after a fatherly manner admonish vsus, in the ministry of the word, of the neglect of our dutie, and putteth vsus in minde of our faultines, that wee may amend it, which if wee doe, hee stayeth here, and goeth no further: but if wee persist in our euill courses, hee doth by the same his holy word, sharply rebuke and reproue vsus for our sinnes; and threatneth his iudgements and chastisements, if by gentler meanes wee will not bee reformed. And if hee yet preuaile with vsus, hee stayeth his hand, and proceedeth no further against vsus. But if all this will not reclaime vsus from our wicked waies, and bring vsus to repentance; then is hee forced to let vsus feele the smart of the rod, and though in his fatherly affection hee much pitieth vsus, and tendreth our griefes, yet both in his wisedome and louelove, he seeth it necessary that wee should rather presently bee vexed with some momentany affliction, then that wee should run a course through impunity, and want of correction,1. Cor. 11. 32. which in the end would plunge vsus into euerlasting condemnation.
And yet hee doth not presently deale with vsus in that§ Sect. 3. That the measure of our afflictions exceedeth not necess…y. strait and iust seuerity, which our sinnes hauehave deserued hee should vse towards vsus, but at first, doth correct vsus lightly, and gently, with all tendernesse and compassion; with which small chastisement if wee bee amended, hee stayeth his hand, hauing attained vntounto that which hee desired & intended; but if fewer stripes will not reforme vsus, hee is necessarily vrged to lay on more; and if wee bee so stubborne, as to contemne his rodds, whereby hee gently correcteth vsus, hee is constrained to scourge and beate vsus with the whippe & cudgell of more greeuous afflictions; being resolued out of mere louelove, and fatherly affection, to vse towards vsus any present rigour and extremity, then he wil suffer vsus by persisting in our sins, to fall into euerlasting perdition, or to become so desperate in our wickednes, as that he should …ee forced to disinherit vsus of our heauenly inheritance, So that if wee endure grieuous afflictions, and doe finde that our heauenly Father doth correct vsus sharply, and with great seuerity, wee are not to impute it vntounto any want of louelove in him, as though hee tooke any pleasure in our paine, but are to lay the fault wholy vponupon our selues, who are so stubborne, and vndutifull, that more gentle corrections would not reclaime vsus. For if there bee such louelove and tendernesse in earthly parents (which notwithstanding is but a litte droppe distilled into them, from this fountaine, or rather ocean of mercy and compassion) that they desire, and chiefely delight in shewing their kinde affection to their children, and in giuing vntounto them all testimonies and signes of louelove: and are loth to correct them for their faults, if any admonitions & rebukes will reforme & amend them; neuer thinking stripes seasonable, but when they see them necessarie, in regard that other meanes will not reclaime them from their faults, and bring them to good: yea, if their louelove bee such, and so great, that according to the same necessity, it measureth out the number of their stripes, and quantity of their correction, so as they are not willing to giuegive them one blow more, then they thinke necessary for their amendment: then how much lesse will the Lord exceede this measure of necessity, seeing hee both infinitelty excelleth al earthly parents in louelove, and goodnes, as being not only gracious, but the God of grace, and not only louing, but louelove it selfe, as the Apostle stileth1. Iohn 4. 8. him; and is alike infinite in wisedome, and therefore cannot (like earthly parents) bee deceiued in the proportion of his chastisements, but iustly knoweth how much is necessary▪ & neither too much, nor too little, for the amendment of his children? yea if there bee such louelove, and care in an honest, faithfull, and learned Phisition, that according to his skill, hee will take for the ease of his patient the gentlest, and most pleasing courses which hee thinketh sufficient for the effecting of the cure; and will neuer vse sharper and more painefull remedies then the necessitie of the soare or sickenesse doth require: as for example, he will not mixe a greater quantity of poison in the purgation, then by the rules of arte hee findeth necessary for such a patient, and such a disease; hee will not appoint a cortasiue, launcher or burning iron, where a healing plaister will effect the cure: hee will not prescribe violent purgations, when gentle potions are sufficient; nor giuegive vntounto his patien… bitter and loathsome drugges, which hee hateth as much as his disease, when as hee seeth that hee may as well recouer him by pleasant electuaries, and comfortable restoratiues: how much more may we bee assured, that our heauenly Phisition, who neuer faileth for want of skill, and is also infinite in louelove and goodnes towards his diseased patients, will neuer for the curing of our spirituall diseases vse sharper meanes then our sicknes requireth, nor euer giuegive vsus more of the bitter medicines of afflictions & misery, then is fit for the recouery of our spirituall health? And therefore if wee with patience and contentment, resigne our selues ouer to the skill and fidelity of our earthly Phisitions, though sometime they faile in both; and doe not limit them, either in respect of the quantity, or quality of their phisicke, but refer it wholy to their discretion, and only desire that they will vse the easiest, speediest, & safest meanes, for the effecting of the cure: then how much more should wee wholy rely vponupon the Lord, who is aswell a father in louelove, as a Phisition in skill; neither prescribing vntounto him what wee must take, or how long wee must bee vnderunder cure, seeing wee are assured that hee will not vnfaithfully protract it for his owne profit, for hee needeth nothing, and expecteth no reward, but thankes; nor yet put vsus to more paine then is profitable, yea necessary for our recouery, seeing hee is not delighted in our torments, but taketh much more pleasure in hearing vsus sing Psalmes and songs of deliuerance, then in our lighing, and sorrowing, crying, and complaining?§ Sect. 4. That wee are by Gods corrections & medicines to guesse at the greatnes of our foults, & grieuousnes of our diseases.
When therefore wee see that our heauenly Phisition hath prouided diuers kindes of medicines for his diuers patients; for one a greater and more bitter purge, for an other a lesse and more pleasant potion; for this man a corrasiue, & for that an healing plaister; Let vsus not wonder at it; for eyther their diseases are diuers, or they are diuers in their temperature, and constitution; and it beseemeth not the skill of our heauenly phisition, like the ignorant Empericke to apply one salue for all sores, and the same medicine for all kinde of maladies and diseases, but to fit the remedy according to the nature of the infirmity, and condition of the party. And if wee hauehave a potion of the largest size, and loathsome in tast, appointed for vsus, let vsus not thinke it too much, and murmur against our phisition, who knoweth better then wee, what medicine is fittest for the curing of our diseases: neither let vsus say that others hauehave worse soares, and more gentle salues; more dangerous sicknesses, and more easie remedies; for if wee are often mistaken in our bodily diseases, and thinke that wee are in no perill, when the Phisition seeth that our sickenes is almost desperate, and in this regard, rest not vponupon our owne feeling, but vponupon his skill, and willingly take that which hee prescribeth; then how much more may wee bee deceiued in the sicknesses of our soules; thinking our dāgerous diseases, to be but smal infirmities; & deepe consumptions in grace but some little distemper, & faint languishing; & therefore how much rather should we referre our selues wholy to the skill and wisedome of God, who cannot erre for want of iudgement, because he knoweth all things, nor for want of care, because his louelove is infinite, patiently drinking a more bitter potion, then wee see prouided for others, who outwardly seeme more dangerously sicke, because wee may bee assured, that either our Phisition seeth our diseases inwardly to be more perilsome, and therefore neede sharper medicines; or that wee are of greater strength, and therefore better able to brooke their bitternesse? And when we find and feele that our heauenly father doth diuersly chastise his children, some with fewer and lighter, and others with more and harder stripes; and that wee hauehave our part among those who hauehave the greatest measure, let vsus know that he correcteth diuers faults, and that in those who are of a diuers nature. Some faults are lesser, either in themselues, or as they are extenuated with circumstances, and are with little adoe left and amended; some are greater, either in their owne nature, or as they are by circumstances aggrauated, and are not forsaken without great difficulty: Some sinnes are like the cloke or vpper garment, easily shaken off, without any trouble to him who layeth them aside, and some cleaue to our corrupt nature like the skinne to the flesh, or the flesh to the bones, and cannot be parted from vsus without great paine in the parting: of those we may be reformed with the least word or lightest correction, but of these not without many stripes and bitter paine. Againe, the children of God whom he chastiseth, are of diuers natures and dispositions; one is milde and gentle, and is easily rebuked with an angry word, another is so sturdy and stomackfull, that he will not be reformed with many blowes; one needeth no more but the shadow or shaking of the rodde, and he is presently humbled, and beggeth pardon with promise of amendment; but vntounto another the smart of the rod is not sufficient, but he needeth also a whip to pull downe his stomack, and to make his stout heart to yeeld and relent. And therefore seeing there is such great diuersitie both in faults committed, and natures who offend, it is no great maruaile if Gods chastisements be also diuers. Neither dooth it follow hereupon, that the greatest measure or hardest stripes exceed necessitie, or be more then needs. For our most wise Father, in his corrections resolueth to reforme all his children, and to free them from the greatest, as well as from the least sins, as well from those which they are most in louelove with, and loathest to leaue, and from which they part with greatest paine and difficulty, as from them with which being in least league and liking, they are willing to leaue at the first admonition. And when he taketh vsus in hand, he will maister the proudest heart and stoutest stomacke, as wel as that which is milde and gentle; and for this end if fewer and lighter stripes will not serue the turne, he wil inflict more and harder, neuer ceasing till he hauehave throughly humbled vsus, brought vsus vponupon our knees, and made vsus to promise reformation and amendment; because if he giuegive ouer before he hauehave att…ined vntounto his end, we shall be but hardned in our stubbbornnesse, and all the stripes which we hauehave formerly suffered shall be in vaine.
From whence we may conclude, that if we hauehave greatSect. 5. That our great afflictions argue our great sinnes, either in their owne nature, or as they are aggrauated by circumstances. or tedious afflictions lying vponupon vsus, either we hauehave great faults or great stomaches; or if we be nor guilty of hainous sinnes in their owne nature, yet wee make them hainous vntounto vsus by diuers circumstances; as by committing them willingly against knowledge and conscience; by continuing in them after we are admonished of them, and perswaded to leaue them, both by Gods promises and threatnings: and finally, when we are in such louelove and league with them, that no ordinary chastisements will moue vsus to leaue them. Neither let any man here say, that he hath humbled himselfe already vnderunder Gods chastizing hand, and hath long agoe resolued to forsake his sinne, and many times promised amendment; and yet the Lord continueth to correct him, and therefore inflicteth stripes more then necessary: For thus not only the naturall child, but the child of God likewise, when they are vnderunder the rodde, doe seeke to dece…ue their Parents, to escape further correction; yea are euen themselues oftentimes deceiued. For though in sense of present smart they resolue to amend, and hauehave some purpose to be as good as their word; yet being not throughly setled in their resolutions, they are vnconstant in them; and together with their paine forget their promises. But though we may be deceiued and deceiue others, yet we cannot our heauenly father, because he searcheth the heart and reines, and knowing when our resolutions of amendment are flickring and vnsetled, and when they are well grounded, firme and constant, he doth accordingly continue his chastisements, till he hath fully confi…med them; vnlesse vponupon our faire promises he sometimes spareth vsus for a time, that we may vponupon our owne experience, see how little credit is to be giuen to them; but no sooner doth he see vsus throughly setled in our good resolutions, and stedfastly purposed to forsake our sinnes, but presently he casteth away his rod, and not giuing one blow more, dooth ease and release vsus from all afflictions. To which purpose one saith, that God could, if he pleased, euen in the very day that we first call vponupon him, lighten vsus of all our load, but he deferreth to do it, till he see vsus throughly humbled and amended; and til he know that our conuersion and repentance be constant, and without danger of flitting, he will not remoue our tribulation;Chrysost homil. ad pop. Antioch. 4. de pati…ntia. but as the Gold-smith which draweth not his gold out of the melting furnace, till he perceiueth it to bee throughly purified from the drosse, and when he seeth it purified to his mind, will by no meanes suffer it to stay there any longer, because it would but waste and loose of it waight; so dooth the Lord suffer vsus to remaine in the furnace of affliction till wee bee purged from our drosse of sinne, by renewing our faith and repentance; but no sooner are wee according to his purpose purified, but he pulleth vsus out, and will not suffer vsus to waste and consume our selues with sorrow, and heauinesse. And therefore let vsus with patience indure our triall; seeing he who putteth vsus into the furnace, knoweth when it is fittest time to take vsus out; let vsus with comfort and thankfulnesse beare all our chastisements; seeing we hauehave assurance, that we shall not hauehave one stripe more then our heauenly Father in his infinite wisdome seeth necessary, for the amendment of our liues and the sauing of our soules.