Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
That afflictions in their owne nature beeing euill and the fruits of sinne, doe not deriue vntounto vsus all the former blessings and benefits; but as they are sanctified vntounto vsus for these ends by the spirit of God.
BY that which hath been sayd it may appeare,§ Sect. 1. That God by his infinite power & wisedome altereth the nature of afflictions and maketh them profitable vntounto vsus. that al the afflictions of the faithfull proceed out of Gods meere louelove, seeing in these fatherly chastisements, he wholly aymeth at his owne glory, and their good; and accordingly, through his infinite wisdome & power doth effectually atchieue it, causing many excellent fruits to spring from the tree of the crosse, and vsing our corrections as meanes to deriue vntounto vsus many incomparable benefits, both spirituall and worldly, temporall and eternall: But least any man should misapply vntounto himselfe these comforts to whom they do not belong, imagining that the sole suffering of afflictions, will intitle him to the goods of Gods temporary blessings, and the lands and inheritance of the heauenly Canaan; or that the crosse hath some vertue in it selfe for the working in vsus, or deriuing vntounto vsus these precious graces and inestimable benefits: we are to know that these are not the fruits of afflictions in their owne nature, but of Gods mercy and louelove, wisdome and power, who by his allruling prouidence doth order and dispose of them that they may be meanes for the conferring of this good vntounto vsus. For being considered in themselues, they are (as hath beene shewed) … the fruits of sin, the euills of punishment, the testimonies of Gods wrath, the curses of the lawe, and the first flashes of hell sire; and therefore these trees being so euill, must needs be in their owne nat…re barren of those excellent fruits of Gods spirituall graces, and heauenly glory, and fruitful only in malicious thoughts, wicked words, and euill works; but God alone to shew the infinitenesse of his wisedome, power and louelove towards vsus, doth change their nature, turuing these stones into bread, and making them fit to nourish in vsus all sauing graces, which in themselues are more likely to choake and stifle them; that hereby he may shew vntounto vsus that as in the life of nature, so in the life of grace we do not liue by the sole vertue of ordinary meanes, but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of his mouth; and causeth this birth and fruit of sinne to kill the mother who brought it forth, this temporary punishment to become a fatherly chastisement, whereby we are preserued from the euerlasting punishment of hell fire; these testimonies of his wrath to become signes of his louelove and seales of our adoption, and these curses of the law and flashes of hell to become euangelicall blessings, and an ordinary and direct way whereby wee may trauell towards his heauenly kingdome.
But this will better appeare if wee further consider§ Sect. 2. That afflictions tend to the hurt of the wicked, not making them better but much worse. what fruits afflictions beare in wicked men, when as they follow their kinde, and hauehave not their nature by any superior power changed and altered. For if we obserue them wee shall finde, that their miseries and calamities doe not at all profit, but exceedingly hurt them; nor make them any whit the better, but rather cause them to become worse and worse: wee shall see that when they first fall into them they storme and rage with great impatiencie, tormenting themselues more with their owne vnruly passions, and with their strugling and striuing to shake off their yoke, then they are tormented with any sence or smart of the euils which they suffer; and that (looking only vntounto secondarie causes) they are caried with mad fury, and desperate malice against the instruments and meanes of their miseries, and thinke of nothing but of mortall reuenge, which if they be vnable to execute, they keepe themselues from bursting with rage by bitter railings, wicked reproches, and with damnable curses and execrations. Yea when their calamities still continue, and their hornes are so shortned that they cannot shew their curstnesse, in wrecking their malice vpō the causes of their crosses, they are ready to murmure against the diuine prouidence, & to taxe it of vniustice, or vnmercifulnes, because they are punished aboue their strength, or more then any other, yea aboue their deserts, and with greater rigour then others who hauehave much more hainously offended; yea they stick not oftentimes in desperate malice to belch out blasphemies and horrible impieties against the soueraigne maiestie of God himselfe, and seeke to ease themselues of the smart which they suffer, by bursting out into this railing reuenge, and by casting out of their black and hellish mouthes the poison of aspes, vniust accusations and false aspertions, whereby in the depth of their malice they labour to blemish the beautie of the chiefest goodnesse. Or if their punishments open their eies to behold their nakednesse, and call all their sinnes to their remembrance; and if with the noise or sense of these heauie iudgements, their sleeping consciences are awakened, and begin to accuse and testifie against them, that they hauehave not only deserued the miseries which they suffer, but may iustly expect the full vials of Gods feirce wrath to be powred vponupon them in this life, and euerlasting tortures and hellish torments in the life to come; then are they filled with horror and desperation, crying out with Caine that their smart exceedeth theirGen. 4, 8 sin, and that their punishment is greater then they can beare, and then either with him they labour to bring a callum or thicke skinne ouer their galled consciences by giuing themselues ouer to all luxurious pleasures and carnall delights, and stop the cry of their inward accusations, with the loud clamour of their sports and merriments, or if their calamities do so hedge them in, that they cannot come at these worldly pastimes, then hauing no helpe in themselues, nor hope in God, they flee from him as from an incensed enemy, and either1. Sam. 28. 8 with Saul they resort vntounto witches and wizards, and seeke the diuels helpe for the remouall of those punishments which God hath imposed; or being quite forlorne and vtterly desperate, they do with Iudas becomeMath. 27. 5 their owne hang-men. So that the same fire of afflictions which purifieth the faithfull, like gold, from the drosse of their corruptions; doth vtterly consume the wicked like straw or stubble; the same winde of trouble which purgeth Gods good wheate, that it may be fit for his owne vse, doth blow away reprobate men from his presence vponupon the face of the earth: The same anuile and hammer of tribulation, which break and bruise in peeces Gods elect vessels, that being moulten againe they may be framed a new for his vse, do make the adamantine hearts of wicked men to become the harder and much more obdurate; the same dosse of misery which is a good antidote and preseruatiue to Gods owne children, to keepe them from falling into the spirituall diseases of sinne, is vntounto vngodly men deadly poison, bringing them to eternall death and vtter destruction. The same straight way of affliction and tribulation which leadeth the faithfull to the kingdome of heauen, conducteth the faithlesse to hell and condemnation; and the same bitter potion which keepeth those who hauehave grace in temperance and sobriety, doth make the gracelesse the more intemperatly to swallow downe the intoxicating cups of worldly vanities. So as we mayLam. 3. 15 say of them, as the Prophet Ieremy in another case of the afflicted Church, that they are made drunke with worme-wood, whilest they labour to sweeten their embittered mouthes by drinking vnsatiably of their carnall pleasures. In al which the saying of Salomon is plainly verified, that though a foole (that is a desperate sinner)Pro. 27. 22. & 17. 10. should be braied in a morter, yet his foolishnesse (that is his wickednesse) will not depart from him; and that a reproofe entreth more into him, that hath vnderstanding, then an hundred stripes into a foole.
And this will manifestly appeare by manifold examples;§ Sect. 3. The former point illustrated by diuers examples. Exod 8. 15. Cha. 10. 16. 17 Ver. 20. 28. for thus we see that the more Pharaoh was punished, the more his heart was hardned in his rebellion against God; and though to be freed from the sense of present smart, he confessed his sinne and craued pardon, desiring also Moses and Aaron to pray for him, yet no sooner was he repriued from Gods iudgements, but he hardneth his heart, and banisheth Gods seruants out of his presence, vntounto whom he had formerly so humbly sued. So Ieroboam profited nothing by that miraculous iudgement of God whereby his hand was dried vp, but howsoeuer for the instant he implored the Prophets1. Kin. 13. …. praiers for him, and intreated him kindly when it was restored, yet presently he forgetteth this memorable work of God, and returneth as eagerly as before to the practise of his wicked and abominable idolatry. Thus also it is said of Ahaz, that in the time of his tribulation he did 2. Chro. 28. 22yet trespasse more against the Lord: for which he is branded with the marke of a desperate sinner, of whom all are to take knowledge (This is King Ahaz:) And of the thiefe vponupon the crosse, that he mocked and railed at the LordLuk. 23. 39. of life, when himselfe was neere vntounto the pangs of death. Finally the holy Ghost obserueth, that the remnant of men in the world, who had hardly escaped out of the common destruction, like brands pulled out of the fire,Apoc. 9. 20. for all that, repented not of their sins, but continued in their idolatry, murther, sorcery, fornication, and theft: and that others who were tormented in the fiery furnace of Gods iudgement, whilst they boiled in this great heat, Apoc. 16. 9.blasphemed the name of God, who had power ouer those plagues, and repented not to giuegive him glory. And againe, that others in like case, did bite their tongues for sorrow; Apoc. 16. 11.but withall blasphemed the God of heauen because of their paines and sores, and repented not of their workes. And these fruits and effects so commonly spring from the plagues and punishments of wicked men, that the diuell presumed vponupon manifold experience, that if the Lord would but trie Iob with them, he would blaspheme him to his face. And howsoeuer Gods faithfull seruants, throughIob. 1. 11. the blessing of Gods holy spirit, doe reape from their crosses and calamities far better fruits of grace and glory, (as hath been shewed) yet those other fruits of sinne and condemnation, do so much exceed in numerous multitude; as the smal handful of Gods elect are in number exceeded by the wicked and reprobate.
The which commeth to passe because they neuer looke vp vntounto the hand of God striking them, nor vntounto§ Sect. 4. The causes why wicked men profit not by their afflictions, but grow worse & worse. their sinnes deseruing these punishments, but rather attribute them vntounto any other cause which is next at hand and subiect to the senses, then vntounto the supreme cause which setteth all the rest a working, and to the defect, disorder or malice of any inferior meanes, then to their owne wickednesse and ill-deseruing. As for example they vsually ascribe all their calamities (in stead of the supreme and highest cause) to destiny, chance and fortune, as though they might hauehave lighted vponupon any other as well as vponupon them, but that it was their hard hap to come in the way when as blind fortune, hauing these afflictions in her hand, did by hap-hazard stumble vponupon them. Sometimes also they attribute them wholly to secondary causes and inferiour meanes, which are more subiect to their senses; to the casuall concurrence of circumstances, which accidentally meeting together, produced these effects; or to their owne ouersight, rashnesse and want of prouidence, whereby if they had foreseene they might hauehave preuented them. Yea sometimes they ascribe all their miseries to Gods ministers and faithfullExod. 10. 28. people who liue amongst them, affirming like wolues, that it is these lambes of Christ which trouble their waters, as we may see in the example of Pharaoh, who banished Moses and Aaron, out of his presence, as the causes who brought all those plagues vponupon Egypt, and in Achab who when the land was grieuously punished with a long famine for want of raine, accused not himselfe and his owne sinnes, but the Prophet Elias, as the1. Kin. 18. 17. troubler of Israel. And thus the heathen persecuters vsually accused the christians as the only causes which brought vponupon them all their calamities. Yea rather then faile, they will not sticke to flander the Gospell, and true religion of Iesus Christ, as the cause of their troubles and miseries, affirming that there was neuer good world, neuer such plagues, wars, wants, and penurious scarcity of all things, as hauehave be fallen them since this new learning and religion (as they tearme it) was preached among them. Or if Gods iudgements are so fitted both in time and quality to their sinnes, that they lead them (as it were) by the hand to him that smiteth, yet they profit no whit by these stripes, because they hauehave not the eie of faith, whereby they might behold God as a gracious father louingly c…recting them for their amendment, that they may be saued; but looke vponupon him through the glasse of the law, with a guilty eie, as vponupon a seuere iudge who punisheth them for the satisfying of his iustice in their present torments, which doe but make way for their euerlasting condemnation.§ Sect. 5. That the present afflictions of wicked men doe not free them from future punishments, but rather much increase them.
And as wicked men are not bettered by their afflictions in regard of their sinnes; so neither hauehave they any benefit by them, as they serue to free them from future punishments and euerlasting condemnation. Yea contrariwise, as they harden their hearts, and make them more desperate in wicked courses, so consequently they i…rage Gods wrath the more, and bring vponupon them more fearefull iudgements. For it is vsuall with God, when he seeth wicked men contemne his lesser punishments,Solos pana a supplicio liberat quos immutat: nam quos praesentiae mala non corrigunt ad sequenti… perducunt. Gregor. moral. lib. 9. cap. 24. and not apply them to their hearts for their conuersion and amendment, to proceede like a wise and righteous iudge in the administration of his iudgements, & as they multiply their impieties, adding impenitencie and hardnesse of heart to their other sinnes, so he also multiplieth their plagues, till he hath vtterly destroied them, according to that threatning denounced in the law; If ye will not for these things obey me, then will I Leuit. 26. 18.punish you seauen times more according to your sinnes. An example whereof we hauehave in Pharaoh, who not relenting when Gods hand was vponupon him, nor repenting of his sinnes after so many plagues, was at last with his people ouerwhelmed and drowned, in the red sea. So when Saul profited not by so many admonitions and more gentle punishments, at last he was crushed and quelled vnderunder that fearefull iudgement of being his owne executioner, and became mercilesse to himselfe in his death who in his life had been cruell vntounto others. Thus when Ieroboam amended not by the death of his sonne, nor drying vp of his hand; and when Achab repented not, neither for Gods threatnings, nor for the plagues of drought and famine, which were in the land; they were both rooted out with all their posterity, and became fearefull examples of Gods terrible vengeance. And thus when Senacherib repented not of his idolatry after the destruction of his army, nor acknowledged the true God in this miraculous iudgement, he was ouertaken with Gods wrath in the very act of his sinne, and slaine by his owne sonnes, euen whilst he was worshipping his2. King. 19. 37. idolls. Or if the Lord doe not lay vponupon the contemners of his afflictions thefe outward and visible punishments he doth certainly inflict vponupon them inwardly much more fearefull iudgements, giuing them ouer vntounto their owne sensuall lusts, vile affections, and vntounto a reprobate mind, to commit all manner of sinne with greedinesse, for the further sealing and increasing of their hellish condemnation. For as sure as God is iust, so assuredly will be seuerely punish this outragious wickednesse; if not in this world yet in the world to come. And their euerlasting torments shall be much more fearefully increased, because vntounto their other sinnes they hauehave added cursed security and hardnesse of heart, and hauehave contemned Gods righteous iudgements, growing worseQuicquid hic passus fuerit home, si corrigatur emendatio est, si non corrigatur duplex damnatio est. &c. Chryso. de patient. Iob Homil. vltima Gandeat Christianus in aduersis quia aut probatur si iustus est, aut si peccator est emendatur August. Homil. 46. Tom. 10. and worse, and more desperate in their wickednesse, when as they should hauehave been reclaimed by the feeling of his punishments. In which respect one saith, that all which a man suffers in this life is but a correction if he amend, and double damnation if he be not thereby reformed: for here he suffereth temporall punishments and hereafter he shall suffer those which are eternall. And another willeth the faithfull to reioyce in aduersitie, because if he be righteous he is tried, or amended if he be a sinner. But (saith he) let him mourne in his afflictions who is not bettered and amended with diuine chastisements, and let him feare future punishments, who hath contemned Gods present correction, which he appointed to be the meanes of his reformation.
Yea so farre are afflictions from conferring any good vntounto the wicked and reprobate; that sometime they§ Sect. 6. That afflictions sometime for want of a right vse of them, bring no prèsent benefit to the faithfull them selues. bring no present profit to Gods own Church and chosen people. The which commeth to passe either because they doe not rightly beare them, or doe not labour after they are taken away to be better…d by them. For we receiue no good by these crosses and calamities when they take vsus vnprouided and vnprepared, either hauing a smal and weake measure of those graces which are required to this conflict or rather le…ting them lie wretchlesly by vsus, not renuing, surbushing & putting them on before we are assaulted with these spirituall enemies Wee profit not by them, when, through our negligence, we do not …ooke to the hand that smiteth vsus, nor consider that all our afflictions are sent, ruled and disposed, by Gods wise and gracious prouidence, but rest in secondary causes, and ascribe all our troubles to inferiour meanes, which are in truth but Gods bare instruments, in bringing vsus into these miseries and calamities; wee are not bettered by them, when through our sloth wee doe not examine our selues, search out our sinnes, and acknowledge that they are the onelyonly cause of all our smart, but still securely sleepe in them, ascribing our crosses vntounto outward accidents, our owne negligence the malice of our enemies, or vnfaithfulnesse of our friends; and also when we are wholly intent vponupon our smart and sense of paine, and neuer consider of those gracious ends, which the Lord out of his endlesse louelove propoundeth vntounto our chastisements.
And finally, wee receiue no good by our afflictions when being deliuered, we take no paines nor care to bee bettered by them; and when wee doe not labour to make a profitable vse of them, to forsake our sinnes which were the causes of our crosses, and to draw neerer vntounto God by hearty repentance, more zealously and conscionably seruing him in the performance of all holy and Christian duties: but either continue in our sinnes, or after some slight and short reformation, returne againe into our former course of wickednesse. In all which cases the faithfull are so farre from receiuing the former benefits and blessings by their corrections, that they do for the present but increase their sinne, and make their temporary chastisements much more sharpe and grieuous. In respect of the former the Lord complaineth of his people, that they were not by his chastisements brought vntounto vnfained repentance, but rather waxed worse and worse vnderunder his corrections, so he cryeth out by the Prophet Esay: Wherefore should you Esay 1. 5…ee s…itten any more, seeing you fall away more and wore: and againe; The people turneth not vntounto him that smiteth Chap. 9. 13them, neither do they seeke vntounto the Lord of hoasts. So he complaineth by the Prophet Ieremy, that he had smitten Ier. 2. 30their children in vaine, because they receiued no correction: namely, in their harts to make an holy vse of it, though it was outwardly inflicted vponupon their bodies. And though they reasoned thus: Will the Lord keep his anger for euer? Chap. 3. 5will hee reserue it vntounto the end? Yet hauing thus spoken, they did still euill more and more. And this the Prophet himselfe obserued and lamented in his prayer to God: O Lord (sayth he) are not thine eyes vponupon the truth, thou Ier. 5. 3hast stricken them, but they hauehave not sorrowed, thou hast consumed them, but they hauehave refused to receiue correction, they hauehave made their faces harder thē a stone, & hauehave refused to returne. And thus the Lord cōplaineth by the Prophet Amos, that he had afflicted his people with famine,Amos 4. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 pestilence, and the sword; yea ouerthrown them as he ouerthrew Sodom & Gomorrah, reseruing only a remnant, which were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning, & yet they returned not vntounto him by vnfained and renued repentance. And for the latter it is manifest in the administration of Gods iudgements towards his children, that if gentler chastisements will not reforme them, he wil vse more sharpe discipline, and if they wil not be reclaimed with his smarting rods, he wil correct them with his stinging whips, and neuer leaue them vntill he hauehave brought them to some amendment. For so the Lord threatneth in the former places, that because they had not profited by his former corrections, he wold increase their calamities, and deale with them so seuerely, as if they were aduersaries & enemies; that he would makeEsa. 1. 2…. 25. the fire of their afflictions hot inough to burne out their drosse purely, and take away their tinne; that hee would bring vponupon them a fearefull destruction, cutting Chap. 9. 14.off from Israell head and tayle, branch and rush in one day; and that hee vvould cause a Lyon out of the Forrest Ier. 5. 6▪to slay them, and a Wolfe of the wildernesse to destroy them; that a Leopard should watch ouer their Cities, and that eueryevery one going out thence should be torne in peeces, because (after all their former afflictions) their trespasses were Ier. 5. 6.many, and their rebellions were increased.
And therfore seeing afflictions in their owne nature, or by any vertue that is in themselues, do not deriue vntounto vsus those spiritual graces and heauenly blessings, but contrariwise, through our corruption, are fit meanes to increase both our sinnes and punishments; for the attayning vntounto grace and glory, let vsus not thinke it enough to be afflicted in the world; but let vsus labour withall to make such an holy vse of our troubles, (humbling our selues vnderunder the mighty hand of God, bewayling our sins wherby we hauehave deserued them, and drawing neare vntounto God by hearty repentance, and an earnest indeauor of seruing and pleasing him in holinesse and newnesse of life) that they may be vntounto vsus testimonies of his louelove, and so assure vsus of all the former benefits. And because afflictions in their owne nature deriue them not vntounto vsus, but as they are sanctified by Gods holy spirit, and made fit for these purposes by his alone wisdome, power, and louelove, therefore let vsus continually implore by faithfull & feruent praier his gracious assistance, that by his blessing they may be made fit meanes for the working of his graces in vsus; and that we may be inabled by his spirit to make such an holy and profitable vse of them, that wee may be fit to receiue them, when as by this meanes hee offereth them vntounto vsus.