Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
That afflictions doe not hurt the faithfull, nor bring vntounto them any great euill.
HAuing already proued that God out of…ect. 1. That though afflictions be euill in their owne nature, yet their nature in changed to the faithfull. our afflictions aduanceth and manifesteth his owne glory and also furthereth by them the good of our neighbour: it now followeth that I also shew, that the Lord in our crosses aymeth at and accordingly powerfully effecteth our owne good Neither doth the Lord inflict them as punishments of sinne to satisfie his iustice by our harmes, but as chastifements of a gracious father inflicted out of meere louelove for our singular vse and great benefit. The former of these two points is first to be proued, as being a paradox to the world and our corrupt flesh, who feare and fly from afflictions as the greatest euills, and doe in no other respect mislike this life, but because it is obnoxious and subiect vntounto them. And surely it cannot be denied but that these afflictions (as before I hauehave shewed) are in their owne nature euill, and that to wicked men they are exceeding hurtfull, seeing they thrust them into many tentations, and cause them to fall into many sinnes: they much vex and torment them both in their soules and bodies, and are vntounto them the beginnings, and (as it were) the first flashes of their hellish tortures: but vntounto the child of God and true beleeuer, their nature is changed, their sting ofNulla no…ebit aduersit as si nulla dominabitur iniquitas Bernard. in psal qui babitat serm▪ 7 sinne is taken away, and so though in themselues they b… harmfull they become harmlesse vntounto them. For as one saith, aduersity hurteth not, where iniquity raigneth not. And this commeth to passe chiefly and principally through the infinite wisedome and power of God, who taketh away the strength from this poison, and the hurtfull sting from this serpent; and also through the vertue of the precious death of his sonne Iesus Christ, who is the true brasen serpent lift vp vponupon the crosse, vponupon whom whosoeuer looketh with the eie of faith, after they feele themselues stung with these fiery serpents of afflictions, they are presently cured and find no harme at all by these wounds. And partly they become harmelesse through the inward vertue of their spirituall graces receiued from God, which as singular preseruatiues dispell the poison of afflictions; and so alter their nature through that right vse which they make of them, as that they become not only harmlesse but also good and profitable. To which purpose one faith, that as wicked men doe wickedly vse, not only euill things, but also thoseA…gust de ciuit. dei lib. …3 cap. 5. which are good: so they who are iust doe vse well, not good things alone, but also those which are euil. Wherof it is that they abuse the law of God, although it be good; and these doe die well, although death it selfe be euill. And this may well be, because (as I hauehave shewed) no worldly thing is of simple and absolute goodnesse, and therefore is subiect to be abused vntounto euill; neitherMalum pati malum non est: malum facere malum est &c. Chrysost. de prodit. Iud…. is there any thing in the earth (sinne only excepted) simply and absolutely euill, and therefore it may be vsed vntounto good. So one faith, that it is not euill to suffer euill, but to doe euill, that is euill. And therefore the patient enduring of euills assureth vsus of the kingdom of heauen; but the committing of euills threatneth vsus with the torments of hell fire.
There is no hurt therefore in afflictions to them thatSect. 2. Reasons why worldly afflictions cannot h…rt the faithfull. can make aright and holy vse of them; neither can all the miseries of the world make a faithfull man miserable; both because as his happinesse consisteth not in earthly things, but in spirituall and heauenly; so he cannot be made vnhappy, either with the want of the best things that the world can brag of, or with the presence and feeling of the worst things which it can threaten: and also because that grace & goodnesse which he hath receiued from God as a little spacke of that infinite flame, is (like vntounto fire) of such a quallity, that it turneth and changeth eueryevery thing which toucheth it into it owne nature,Sapiens potest miser dici, non potest esse. Sen. de prouident. lib. Cap. 3. and by a predominant vertue, and powerfull working conuerteth euill into good, and curses into blessings. But chiefely and principally this cometh to passe thorough the infinite wisedome, power, and goodnes of God, who is able to bring good out of the greatest euill; and so to order and dispose of our most greeuous afflictions, as wee shall receiue no hurt by them, but like the three children remaine vntouched, euen when wee are in the middest of this fiery furnace.
The which will the better appeare, if we further consider,§ Sect. 3. That afflictions doe not depriue vsus of blessings which are of greatest worth; but rather encrease them. Rom. 8. 38. 39. that the afflictions of this life, doe neither depriue vsus of any of those things which are of chiefest excellency; nor bring vponupon vsus any of those euills, which are principally to bee auoided. As for example, they doe, nor cannot separate vsus from the louelove of God, as the Apostle witnesseth, in whose fauour is life in death, and happines in the greatest misery; yea rather, to those who vse them well, they are testimonies and pledges of his louelove, seeing whom hee loueth, hee correcteth, and Heb. 12. 6.se ourgeth eueryevery sonne whom hee receiueth. They doe not extinguish nor diminish in vsus Gods sanctifying and sauing graces; but rather their heate is intended and increased, when as they approach and come nere vntounto this fire of afflictions. They doe not make vsus more slacke and negligent in the duties of Gods seruice, in hearing the word, prayer, and all holy and religious exercises; yea rather the fire of afflictions is a chiefe helpe for the offering of those sacrifices; and if wee bee not sometimes warmed with the heate thereof, wee quickly grow cold in our deuotions, performing either no seruice vntounto God at all, or else with great carelesnes, sloth, and negligence. Finally they doe not at all hinder our heauenly happines; but further hasten, and increase it. In which respect wee may say of all afflictions, as one speaketh of persecution; whatsoeuer rageth againstAug. in senten. the name of Christ is tollerable, if it may bee ouercome; and if it cannot, it hasteneth the receiuing of our glorious reward; for the faithfull man in the end of his temp…rall euills, passeth into the fruition of his eternall good.
And as they do not depriue vsus of those chiefe blessingsSect. 4. That afflictions bring not vpō vsus the chiefest euills that are to be feared and auoided, but rather the contrary good. and benefits which are to bee chiefely desired and esteemed: so th…y doe not bring vponupon vsus those greatest and most capital euills which are principally to bee feared and auoided. They doe not impaire our spirituall estate or make vsus worse; but contrariwise, bring more good to our soules, then hurt to our bodies; for as by them the outward man dec…yeth, the inward man is renewed dayly; and as they are notable meanes to mortifie the flesh, so also to make the spirituall man more strong and vigorous. They doe not defile the faithfull man with sin, nor make him in himselfe more vitious, & in his life and cōue…sation more lude & licencious; but rather serue as fire & files, to purge & scoure him from the drosse & rust of sin, as profitable corrections to reforme him of his vices, as bridles to restraine him from running into licentious courses; and as hedges of thornes to keepe him from pampring his flesh in the pastures of sinfull pleasures: or if hee bee fallen into any sinne, they are not incouragements heartning him to liue and continue in it; yea rather they warne him from wickednes, when as hee findes this gall and wormewood miugled with sinfull delights; and serue as strong cords and cables to pull him out of the sinke of sinne, and to d…aw him vntounto God by vnfained repentance. They doe not subiect vsus to the curse of the lawe, the wrath of God, the torments of hell, and euerlasting condemnation: but rather they helpe to bring vsus to a sight of sinne, and to a sense of our owne misery, and so driue vsus out of our selues vntounto Christ, hungring after his righteousnesse & resting vponupon him by a liuely faith for iustification and saluation. The which being the onelyonly condition of the couenant of grace, wee are assured by it, that wee hauehave our part in Christ his righteousnes and obedience, and all the gracious promises of the Gospell made in him … and consequently that hee hath freed vsus from the curse of the lawe, by being made a curse for vsus, appeased Gods wrath, by satisfying his iustice, and deliuered vsus from hell and condemnation, by suffring the punishments which wee had deserued. So that our afflictions are not vntounto vsus (as they are vntounto the wicked) the punishments of sin, and first beginnings of hell torments: but rather when wee are thus iudged, wee are chastenedCor. 11. 32. of the Lord, that we might escape this hellish condemnation. They will not hurt vsus in the day of death, but by being inured to suffer them, death becometh much more tollerable, and wee bid it welcome with far greater cherefulnesse: because wee know that it will put an end vntounto all these earthly miseries. Neither will they cause any cuill vntounto vsus in the day of iudgment, seeing then wee must answere for the euill which wee hauehave done, and not for the euill which we hauehave suffered: but contrariwise if wee hauehave borne these afflictions in patience, and profited in grace by these corrections; then shal we receiue the crowne of our patience and for our short and momentany afflictions, a far most excellent and eternall waight of glory. Yea so farre are they fromNemo frangitur aduersarū molestia; qui prosperarum dilectione non capitur. Aug. de serm. in monte. lib. 2. 1. Cor. 10. 13. plunging vsus into these intollerable & euerlasting euills, that they doe not subiect to the greatest of those miseries which this life affordeth, for God sendeth them to trie vsus, and not to destroy vsus, that they may purifie vsus, and not bring vsus to vtter perdition; for (as hath beene shewed) hee suffereth vsus not to bee tempted aboue our power, but still giueth a good issue vntounto the tentation; and though hee cast vsus into this fiery furnace of afflictions, yet euen when (like the bush appearing to Moises) weeExod 3. 1, 2, 3. seeme to burne, we are not consumed: though he bring vsus into many miseries, yet hee doth not suffer vsus to perish in them. For though great bee the troubles of the righteous, Psal. 34 19.yet the Lord deliuereth him out of all; though for a time hee seeme to embondage them to afflictions, yet at last, the Lord redeemeth the soules of his seruants, and none that trusteth in him shall perish. Though hee seemethver. 22. to giuegive them ouer to the cruelty of their enemies, yet hee so continually protecteth and watcheth ouer thē with his power & prouidence, that they may alwaies say with the Church, They hauehave oftentimes afflicted me frō Psal. 129. 2. 3.my youth but they could not preuaile against me. The plowers hauehave plowed vponupon my back and made long furrowes: but the righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked. And with the Apostle Paul; wee are afflicted on eueryevery 2 Cor. 4. 8, 9.side, yet are wee not in distresse; in pouerty, but not ouercome of pouerty; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast downe, but wee perish not. For though wee bee weake in our selues, yet are wee strengthned with the power of Gods might; though we are faint and feeble, and our enemies mighty and many, yet being built vponupon Christ the rockMath. 16. 18. of our saluation, the gates and power of hell shall not preuaile against vsus.§ Sect. 5. That it is a great euill to be wholy exempted from the euill of afflictions.
And thus it appeareth that the afflictions of the faithfull doe not hurt them, especially in those things which are chiefely pernicious: but I may adde further, that it much hurteth them, not to be thus afflicted; that it is a miserable thing neuer to hauehave bin in misery; and a great vnhappines to hauehave alwaies inioyed worldly happines. For want of correction maketh vsus to become,Nihil mihi videtur infalicius eo cui nihil vnquam euenit aduersi. Deme…. apud Senec. de prouid Cap. 3. like cockred children) contemptuous towards our heauenly Father, forgetfull of his mercies, negligent in all duties which wee owe vntounto him, dissolute and licentious in all our courses, secure in wickednesse, and so wanton in following our owne wills, that wee are ready to bee displeased, because nothing displeaseth vsus, and to grow foolishly discontented, because weeImpunitas est securitatis et negligentia ma…er, n…uerea virtu tum, religion… tirus, …inea sanctitatis. Bern. de Cons. lib. cap. 3. hauehave no cause of discontentment. To which purpose one saith well, that impunitie is the mother of security, and negligence, the step-mother of vertue, the poison of religion, and moath of holines. For such is the corruption of our nature, that wee neuer come to good, if wee hauehave free leaue to bee as bad as wee will; neither is the bare commaundement of our heauenly Father enough to make vsus yeeld simple obedience, vnles it be strengthned and made powerfull in our mindes, both by rewards and punishments. And although vertue and goodnes be in themselues so louely and beautifull, that they are most worthy of entertainement, though they should come alone, hauing no other to solicit for them: yet are we so carnally poreblind & owle-sighted, and so wholy wedded to the things of this life, that wee are not willing to admit them, vnles wee hauehave the hire of some earthly reward. And so contrariwis…; though sinne be in it owne nature so vgly and hatefull, that wee hauehave great cause to abhorre it, and flee such loathsome company, though nothing should discommend it, but it owne deformity; yet doth our carnall appetite so transport vsus, that like filthy swine wee would take delight to wallow our selues in this loathsome puddle; if we were not beaten out of it, with these rodds of correction, and made to forsake it with sense of paine.