Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
That God by our afflictions confirmeth and increaseth in in vsus aur affiance hope, louelove, feare, and humility.
ANd thus it appeareth that our faith is§ Sect. 1. That by afflictions our affiance in God is confirmed & increased. much confirmed by afflictions, as in other respects, so especially as they are to those who profit by them, notable signes of their election, vocation, and adoption. The like also may bee said of other graces, which are chiefely seated in the heart, as affiance, hope, louelove, feare of God, humility, and the rest. For first our affiance and confidence in God is notably strengthned and increased by our afflictions, when as being forsaken of all humane helpe & inferiour meanes, he by his owne wisedome and power saueth and deliuereth vsus. And this is one speciall end why the Lord in mercy and louelove, bringeth vsus into tribulation and distresse, that wee may not trust in secundary causes and worldly helpes, when wee hauehave experience of their weakenes and insufficiency, but may put our whole affiance in him, hauing made triall of his all sufficiency, and omnipotent power, whereby hee helpeth and deliuereth vsus, when as they forsake and faile vsus. For naturally wee put our affiance in outward and inferiour meanes, because they are subiect to our senses, and trust in any thing weere at hand, rather then in God, who alone is able to releeue and succour vsus, because hee seemeth fearre off to carnal reason, and is only beheld and apprehended by the eie and hand of faith; and as those who are ready to fal into some deepe pit, being astonished with suddain feare, do not consider what is sufficient to stay them, but catch hold of that which is next vntounto them, and so often times pull that vponupon them which they hoped would hauehave held them vp: so wee no sooner fall into any daunger, but wee presently lay hold vponupon worldly helpes, and trust to bee deliuered by earthly meanes, as by our owne wisedome, strength, and riches▪ or by the aide and support of our friends, and the arme of flesh; and therefore the Lord in mercy doth often times withdraw them from vsus, because they are but weake reeds and broken staues, which would faile and deceiue vsus, when wee most rested on them; to the end that being forsaken of these vaine succours and supports, wee might with full affiance rely vponupon him, who is alone able to helpe and saue vsus. And thus when the people of Israell being ouertaken with daungers, did not put their trust in God for their deliuery, but did flee for helpe to the Assyrians & Aegyptians; the Lord caused them not only to forsake them in their greatest need, but also to be vntounto them the meanes of their great miserie and calamity, by inuading their country, ouercomming and leading them captiue, and miserably vexing and afflicting them, in the land of their captiuity. By which experience, comming to a sight of their vaine & sinfull confidence, they presently leaue and sorsake it, and putting their whole affiance in God, cry out vntounto him; There is none like vntounto thee O Lord: thou art great, Ier. 10. 6.and thy name is great in power. And after the same manner wee, herein no better then they, trust in worldly helpes, rather then in God, thinking that our wisedome and power shall deliuer vsus from daungers, our friends from pouerty and want, and that our Phisitions shall preserue vsus in health, or recouer vsus out of sicknes; and therefore the Lord bringeth these things wherein wee trust vntounto the touch-stone of triall, causing vsus to fall into perills, pouerty, and diseases, that wee may hauehave experience of the weakenesse and vanity of these earthly succours; and then finding our wisedome is to bee so infatuated, that in steede of freeing, it doth the more intangle and insnare vsus in the nett of daungers; that our friends doe not only forsake vsus in our neede, but also further oppresse vsus with fraud and violence; and that our phisitions doe rather increase our paines, then ease vsus of them; wee leaue these vaine helps, and flee vntounto the Lord, resting vponupon his whole power and promises for comfort and deliuerance. And being releeued by him in our greatest distresse, by this experience our confidence and affiance in him is exceedingly strengthned and increased for the time to come; for as wee are confident in the assistance of such a friend, who hath often helped vsus in our greatest daungers; as wee trust muc… vntounto such a Phisition, who hath in former times recoueted vsus out of many desperate diseases; and boldly rely in the storme vponupon the approued skill of such a pilot, as hath formerly brought vsus safe out of many daungerous tempests into the desired hauen: so when the Lord hath deliuered vsus out of many tribulations, and hath been our helpe and comfort in our greeuous miseries, when as being forsaken of all worldly succour, our estate seemed vtterly desperate; then is our trust and affiance in God so strengthned and increased, that wee are ready to say with Dauid, that though wee should walke through the vally of the shadow of death, wee will feare no euill, because Psal. 23. 4.God is with vsus, and his rod and staffe doe comfort vsus; and with the Church to sing that song of thankesgiuing; God is our hope and strength, and helpe in troubles ready to Psal▪ 46. 1, 2.bee found. Therefore will wee not feare though the earth be moued, and though the mountaines fall into the middest of the Sea. An example whereof we hauehave in the Apostle, who hauing receiued the sentence of death in himselfe, because hee should not trust in himselfe, but in God, which raiseth the dead, and being deliuered through the power & goodnes of God from this deadly danger, doth hereby confirme his affiance in him for the time to come, concluding, that because hee already had experience of Gods might and mercy in deliuering him,2. Cor. 1. 9. 10. therfore he wold trust in him, that yet hereafter he wold deliuer him. As also in holy Iob, who hauing had manifoldIob 13. 15. experience of Gods louelove and assistance in his miseries and afflictions, groweth hereby so confident and couragious that hee professeth; though God should kill him yet hee would still trust in him.
And thus also doth the Lord by our afflictions exercise,§ Sect. 2. Tha… God by affl…ctions streng…h…th our hope in him strengthen, and increase our hope; for then is our spirituall hope in the full tide, when our worldly hopes are at their greatest ebbe; then doe wee with all feruency and patience waite vppon God for the accomplishing of his promises, when wee are frustrated of all earthly expectation; and then wee fixe this sure anchor vppon Gods neuer decaying trueth, looking for comfort and stay from him alone▪ when our worldly hopes appeare false and deceiuable, leauing vsus desperately forlorne in our greatest miseries, when as they promised vntounto vsus greatest security. VntoUnto which our spirituall hopes when God answereth according to his word and trueth, and hath often giuen vntounto vsus that helpe and deliuerance which wee expected from him▪ then doth this experience worke hope (as the Apostle speaketh) strengthning and assuring vsus in our expectation, that the Lord will helpe and deliuer vsus, as in former times. And this hope maketh vsus not ashamed, in our greatest miseries; becauseRom. 5. 4. though wee wait long▪ yet are wee sure at length to be satisfied in our expectation. And though helpe and deliuerance out of afflictions seeme as impossible to naturall reason▪ as for old Sara to hauehave a sonne, yet if by manifold experience wee hauehave found, that our hope in God did neuer faile vsus, then will wee learne with Abraham, as to beleeue aboue beleefe, so also to hope aboue hope being fully assured that hee who hath promised, Rom. 4. 18. 21.is able to effect it.
So our louelove of God is exercised, confirmed, and increased§ Sect. 3. That God by afflictions increaseth and confirmeth our louelove towards him. by our crosses; for this louelove towards God (as the spouse in the Canticles speaketh) is such a vehement flame, and (like wild-fire) so vnquenchable, that much waters of affliction cannot extinguish it, nor whole flouds drowne it. Yea rather these waters of tribulation, beingCant. 8. 6, 7. cast vponupon it, doe (like the water in the forge) adde much heate to this holy affection, when withall, the Lord with the breath of his spirit doth blow vponupon it. And this will manifestly appeare, whether wee respect the instruments of our corrections, the world, and wicked men, or the chiefe and principall cause, which is our gracious God, and mercifull Father. For the more the world maligneth and persecuteth vsus, the more our affection is weaned from the world, and the lesse that wee louelove the world▪ the more is our affection inflame… towards God. And therefore the Lord being iealouze of our louelove, and desiring to hauehave our whole hearts without corriuall, or copartner; doth suffer the world to vse vsus roughly and vnkindly, that our louelove being withdrawen from it, may bee fixed wholy vponupon him. And as the louing mother when shee seeth her childe fonde on her seruant, and to neglect her who so much affecteth him, doth cause the seruant when the sonne offendeth to correct him, and to vse him hardly, that being estranged in his affection from him, of whom hee receiueth such hard measure, his whole louelove may bee set on her: so when wee dote vponupon the world with excessiue fondnes, and neglect our heauenly Father who deserueth all our louelove; he maketh it, as being his slaue, to correct all our faults, and to vse vsus harshly & vnkindely, not only to bring vsus vntounto amendment, but also to weane our hearts from this pernicious louelove, to the end that hee may hauehave the whole interest in our affection. Yea our louelove towards God is increased, not only in regard of these inferiour causes and instruments of our afflictions; but also, if lifting the eies of our mindes higher, wee doe take knowledge of the chiefe & supreame cause of our chastisements, and discerne that it is the hand of our heauenly Father, who vseth these roddes and scourges to correct vsus for our sinnes. For as wee finde by worldly experience, that cockring in the parent, breedeth contempt in the childe; and that contempt and louelove doe neuer match togeather; whereas seuerer discipline worketh in his heart awfull reuerence, which is a true mixture of feare and louelove, and maketh him to shew all affectionate duty to his parent, that hee may obtaine his fauour; and so by continuall inuring of him in these duties of louelove, it is at last made hearty & habituall, though happily feare and formallity did first begin it: so if our heauenly Father should cocker vsus with pleasure and prosperity, his kindenes would cause contempt; and contempt would like a fretting canker eate out the heart of louelove, and make vsus neglect all filiall respect: but by keeping vsus vnderunder strict gouerment, and by correcting vsus when wee doe amisse, hee worketh in our hearts an awfull reuerence, whereby we are incited to the performance of all filial duties, and to shew all louelove towards him, that so wee may gaine some assurance of his louelove and fauour towards vsus, of which we make highest accompt, when as it is endeared by the difficulty of obtaining it. Besides our louelove towards God is much increased in our afflictions, when as in his sharpest chastisements, we plainely discerne his fatherly louelove and goodnesse towards vsus, and that not only in regard of their end, which is the amendement of our liues, and saluation of our soules, but also in respect of his whole course and carriage in the inflicting of them. For looking into our afflictions with a spirituall eie, wee shall plainely discerne Gods wise prouidence, both in the inflicting and disposing of them. Wee shall perceiue how hee bridleth and curbeth in the rage of our enemies, so that though their mallice be neuer so great yet they are not suffered to goe beyond their tether. Wee shall see his fatherly louelove and care whereby he moderateth and measureth our afflictions according to our ability to beare them, making our crosse lighter when it is ready to oppresse vsus, or vsus stronger to sustaine the waight. Wee shall sensibly finde, how hee supporteth vsus with his might, when wee are ready to faint, and lifteth vsus vp againe, when wee are foiled or fallen. Wee shall in our outward crosses feele the inward comforts of his spirit, the which are so pleasant and delightfull, that they are sufficient to sweeten a world of miseries, and as the Apostle saith, the more our suffrings abound 2. Cor. 1. 5.in vsus, the more our consolations shall abound through Christ; the more hee restraineth vsus from feeding vponupon worldly delicates, which would glut & cloy, but neuer satisfie vsus; the more liberall banquet hee maketh vsus of spirituall blessings, giuing vsus to drinke full flagons of his louelove, filling vsus with inward feeling of his fauour, and with those precious cates of his sauing graces. Finally seeing our louelove towards our benefactour is proportioned according to our valuation of his gifts, and seeing wee are brought to esteeme of Gods benefits rather by wanting, then by enioying them; Heereby it cometh to passe, that wee louelove the Lord much better when hee taketh his gifts from vsus, then when we doe securely possesse them. For by the want of them finding their value, we then know and acknowledge how much wee are bound vntounto God for suffering vsus graciously so long to enioy them; we come also by this cōsideration to a sight of the excellency of those benefits, which still God is content to continue vntounto vsus; and so are more louing and thankfull for the remainder of Gods blessings, then when we had all without any partition, thinking our selues (with the afflicted Church) more behold…ng vntounto God, that we are not vtterly consumed, then we did whenLamen 3 22. we abounded in worldly prosperity, and wanted nothing that our hearts desired.
Thus also our feare of God receiueth much growth§ Sect. 4. That God by our affl…ct…ons worketh and increaseth his feare in vsus. and strength by our afflictiōs, which vsually is weakned and impaired with that wretchlesnesse and security which ariseth from long prosperity. For howsoeuer our feare of God, being a filiall affection, should chiefly spring from faith and assurance of his louelove towards vsus, and from that louelove which is inflamed in our hearts towards him, by the apprehension of this his vndeserued fauour, and the consideration of those innumerable benefits which as fruits of this fatherly affection, hauehave been communicated vntounto vsus; chiefly fearing to offend and displease such a gracious God whom we so louelove, because hee so loueth vsus: yet so is our spirituall part hamp…ed with the flesh, and our filiall affection assaulted with carnall negligence and security, that (herein like vntounto earthly children) wee feare our heauenly Father most, when he holdeth in his hand the rodde of correction, and when we see that by offending him, we make our selues obnoxious vntounto his heauy iudgements, the which we cannot possibly escape, either by resisting his power or auoiding his presence. And so wretchlesse we are in all good duties, and so much delighted with the pleasures of sinne, that if we had a priuiledge of impunity, doing what we list without controlement, and did not feare the smart of correction which followeth sin, as well as the displeasure of our louing father, we would grow dissolute in our courses, and be hardly kept either in awe or order. And therefore the Lord, out of his mercy and louelove towards vsus, maketh vsus to feare him for his iudgemēts, seeing we wil not, as we ought, feare him for his mercies▪ and to stand in awe of him to auoide our owne paine, when we take no care to auoide his fatherly displeasure: as wee may see in the example of ho…y Dauid himself, who hauing often felt the smart of Gods chastizing hand, crieth out: My flesh trembleth for feare Psal. 119. 120.of thee, & I am afraide of thy iudgements. For the burnt child dreadeth the fire, and he who hath once been scorched with the heat of Gods wrath, and felt the smart of his di…pleasure, will hardly euer after be allured with the sweetnesse of sinne to ineurre the danger therof againe, knowing that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of Heb. 12. 31.the liuing God. Whereas they who neuer tasted the bitternesse and sowrenesse of these heauy iudgements, and neuer felt the smart of these whips, are ready to nibble at eueryevery worldly baite, and to ha…ard the committing of any sinne, out of wanton contempt and hope of impunity. For as the wise man speaketh, because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of Eccles. 8. 11.the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill. To which purpose the Lord thus reasoneth with his owne Church and people; Whom diddest▪ thou reuerence or feare seeing Esa 57. 11.thou hast lied vntounto me, and hast not remembred me, nor laid it to the heart? Is it not because I hold my peace, and that of long time, therefore thou fearest me not? And therefore seeing afflictions worke in vsus the feare of God, whereby wePsal. 111. 10. are incited to all good duties, and restrained from sinne, which would in this life fill our consciences with horror and terror of Gods wrath, and cast vsus into eternall condemnation in the life to come; great cause hauehave we to kisse our earthly crosses with comfort and contentment; seeing they doe not so much crucifie vsus as our sinnes, by the death of the flesh preserue vsus from death euerlasting▪ and by pricking vsus in the sides hasten our speed in the way of righteousnesse and holinesse, which at last will bring vsus to endlesse ioy▪ and heauenly happinesse.
Finally the Lord vseth these afflictions, as a notable§▪ Sect. 5. That God by afflictions worketh and increaseth in vsus the grace of tr… humility. meanes to worke and increase in vsus that excellent grace of humility, bringing vsus thereby to a sight and sense of our own vilenesse and vnworthinesse, to a true acknowledgement of our infirmities, weaknesse, and great insufficiency, and to a voluntary subiection and submission of our wills in all things to the good will and pleasure of God. For whereas in the time of prosperity we are so blinded with naturall pride and selfe louelove, that we neuer come to a cleare knowledge of our selues, nor to a true valuation of our owne gifts and good parts; but are puffed vp with selfe-conceipt, hauing a great opinion of our owne excellency, strength and abilities; imaginingPsal. 30. 6. that though God should leaue vsus to our selues, we could stand in our owne might, resist any tentation, and encounter and ouercome any enemy; when God bringeth vsus into trouble and affliction, and exerciseth vsus with those vsuall trialls of sicknesse, pouerty, disgrace, or losse of our neerest and deerest friends; then are we by them brought to a sight of our own frailty and infirmity, and by this experience find, how vnable we are by our owne strength to indure the weakest triall, or to get the vpper hand ouer the least tentation. And then casting from vsus our vaine selfe confidence, we implore the Lords assistance, and trust wholly in the power of his might, through which obtaining victory, we disclaim all praise as not due vntounto vsus, and returne it vntounto God to whom of right it appertaineth, saying with the Church, not vntounto Psal. 115. 1.vsus O Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glory. And whereas in the time of our prosperity, we would hauehave all the glory our selues, and will scarce admit the Lord to be a sharer with vsus; In our affliction we seeDan. 9. 7. and acknowledge that nothing belongeth vntounto vsus but shame and confusion of face, and whatsoeuer is praiseworthy in vsus, we ascribe it wholly vntounto the Lord, as vntounto the sole author and fountaine of all our good. Finally whereas in our prosperity we grow so wilfull and stubborne, that we cannot with meeknesse and patience submit our will to the will of God, but rather wish that ours, then his should be fulfilled; and wax through pride and insolency so impatient, that we storme and rage▪ when we are but touched with any sleight affliction; as though we thought that some wrong and iniury were offered vsus by God, when we, who hauehave in our own conceipt deserued so well, are thus put to suffer this smart and misery: this fire of affliction melteth & softneth our hard and stubborne hearts, making them tender and pliable vntounto the good will and pleasure of almighty God, and these chastisements and corrections, bringing vsus to a sight and sense of our manifold and grieuous sinnes, do cause vsus to …udge & condemn our selues as worthy of far greater punishments, & then do we not only with meeknesse and patience suffer these fatherly corrections, but are ready to acknowledge, that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lord that we are not vtterly consumed. And as cockered children doe struggle and striue with their parents, when they goe about to chastise them for their faults and with great impatiency roare and crie out, when they feele the smart of the first stripes, but when they see them resolued to continue and redouble their blowes, till they hauehave broken them of their stubbornesse, they at last become as mild as lambes, and with al meeknesse and humility submit themselues to their parents pleasure: so when our heauenly father first taketh vsus in hand after we hauehave been long cockered in plenty and prosperity, and beginneth to correct vsus for our sins; we murmur and repine, straggle and striue with great impatiencie and rebellion against his will and prouidence, but when he still beateth vsus with these rods, and either continueth or increaseth our afflictions, and addeth one crosse vntounto another, then our proud and sturdy stomacks being mastred, we humble our selues vnderunder his holy hand, and indure whatsoeuer correction he is pleased to inflict with all meeknesse and patience. And this is a principall end why the Lord afflicteth vsus, that he may abate our pride, tame our vnrulinesse, and worke inDeut. 8. 2. vsus that excellent vertue of humility. For so himselfe saith that he afflicted his people for the space of forty yeeres in the wildernesse, that he might humble and proue them; And the Apostle Paul affirmeth of himselfe, that God2. Cor. 12. 7. gaue him that pricke in his flesh, and the messenger of sathan to buffet him, that he might not be exalted aboue measure with the multitude of reuelations. The which his end be powerfully effecteth as we may see by many examples. Thus Dauid in his greatest afflictions humbleth himselfe before God▪ saying Here am I, let him doe to me as seemeth 2. Sam. 15. 26.good in his eies. So R…hoboam, who whilst he enioyed peace and prosperity, was so proud and insolent, when he was brought into the straights of affliction by reason that the King of Egypt made war against him, humbled himselfe before the Lord, acknowledging that the Lord was 2. Chro. 12. 6. Dan▪ 4. 27. 31.iust. And Nebuchadnezzar who in pride of heart had so gloriously boasted of his might and maiesty, being grieuously afflicted humbleth himselfe and giueth vntounto God all praise and glory. Yea wicked Manasses himselfe, who had raged against God and his saints, with wonderfull insolency, when he was led captiue by his enemies in fetters and chaines, then was this wild colt and sauage lion broken and tamed, and be humbled himselfe greatly 2. Chro 33. 12.before the Lord his God. Yea euen where there hath been no place for true humility in the reprobate hearts of wicked men; afflictions hauehave wrought so powerfully in them, that they hauehave been brought hereby to an outward andExod. 10. 16. 1. Kin. 21. 27. hypocriticall humiliation, as we may see in the example of Pharaoh and Ahab, who in their afflictions confessed their sin and humbled themselues before the Lord. And thus it appeareth that the Lord by affliction doth powerfully pull downe our pride, and worketh and increaseth in our hearts that excellent grace of humility, which being the foundation and ground of other vertues, doth, the deeper it is layd in our hearts, make the building of spirituall grace so much the more firme and strong, that the tempests of tentation cannot ouerthrow it. Of which the afflicted Church hauing good experience, professeth it to be good for a man to beare the yoke of Lame…i 3. 28. 29. 30.affliction euen in his youth. Seeing he sitteth meekly alone & keepeth silence, because he hath borne it vponupon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust if there may be hope. He giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him, and is filled full with reproch. The consideration whereof should moue vsus to beare all our afflictions with patience and comfort, seeing we receiue this singular fruit by them, and hauehave this excellent grace of humility, which is the ornament that graceth al our other graces in the sight of God and men, both begun and also continued and increased in vsus; and that damnable sinne of pride mortified and subdued, which is so odious and abominable in the sight of God, that he loatheth his owne gifts which are tainted and stained with it; and chooseth rather to suffer his deerest children to fall into other grieuous sinnes, that in the sight of them they may be humbled, then indure that pride should harbour in them; because their other sinnes doe not so much dishonor God, nor hinder the saluation of their soules, as this sinne of pride, if it were suffered to raigne in them in it full strength. In which respect oneAugust. de ciuit. dei lib. 14▪ saith; I dare be bold to affirme, that it is profitable for the proude to fall into some open & manifest sin, that hereby they may displease themselues, who formerly sinned by too much pleasing: So Peters displeasure, was more holesome to his soule when hee wept and wailed, then his pleasing of himselfe when he presumed.