Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
That we may much comfort our selues by comparing our afflictions with the punishments of the wicked, from which Christ hath freed vsus.
§ Sect. 1. Of the manifold and great miseries which worldlings suffer, for the attaining vntounto earthly vanities.AND thus may we comfort our selues in our crosses and miseries, by comparing them with those much more grieuous afflictions, which the holy Saints of God, yea, our Sauiour Christ himselfe, the onelyonly begotten and dearly beloued of his Father, hauehave suffered before vsus: Now in the second place let vsus compare our crosses and calamities which we find in the straight way that leadeth vntounto life eternall, with those troubles and miseries which worldly wicked men meete with, whilest they labour to satisfie their earthly desires, in the fruition of meere trifles and worldly vanities; and that both in respect of this life and the life to come. In this life they purchase the thinges which they set their hearts vponupon at such deare prizes, that none in their right wits would enuy their bargaine, or desire their penny-worth, if they did but know how deare they cost them. For to say nothing of their spiritaull punishments, which like furies continually haunt them as the wrath of God inflamed and inraged against them, for their grosse crimes and grieuous wickednesse committed by them, whilest they seeke by vngodly meanes to compasse their desires, which their guiltinesse maketh them often to apprehend, and must needs bee most terrible when it is apprehended; the affrighting terrours of an euill conscience, which night and day, alone and in companie, doe continually pursue them, as it were with an Hue-an-cry. The dreadfull expectation of Gods terrible iudgments, which daily hang ouer their heads in this life, and the day of death, which they know not how soone it will approach, and take them from al their worldly delights and comforts, which they louelove more dearely then their owne soules, and hale them, wil they, nill they, before Gods fearefull tribunal feate, there to receiue the sentence of condēnation, whereby they shall be adiudged to those euerlasting torments of hel fire; to let passe, I say, these spirituall plagues and punishments of wicked worldlings (which notwithstanding are incomparably greater then all the afflictions and miseries which are possibly incident vntounto any faithfull man or sound Christian) how great are the corporall and outward miseries which they willingly vndertake and suffer, being hyred with bare hopes of attaining vntounto worldly vanities? How doe they spend themselues, weaken their strength, hazard their health, wearie, and euen weare out their bodies with toyle and labour, for the obtaining of earthly trifles? Yea, how do they tyre themselues in the workes of wickednesse, thinking no danger too dangerous, no paines too painfull which they vndergoe and take, for the fruition of their sinfull pleasures; by their worldly and temporary torments, making way and preparing themselues, for those which are endlesse and euerlasting? So the Prophet speaking of the wicked of his times, saith, That they taught their tongues to speake lies, and tooke great paines to doe wickedly. And in theIer. 9. 5. Wisd. 5. 7. booke of Wisdome they are brought in complaining, that they had wearied themselues in the way of wickednesse and destruction, going through deserts where there lay no way; and so passing through worldly torments into the torments of hel. The which is noted by the Prophet, as a fearfull iudgment of God vponupon them. Behold (saith he) is it not of the Lord of Habac. 2. 13.h…asts, that the people shall labour in the very fire, and wearie themselues for very vanity? For whereas the faithfull by their many tribulations doe enter into the kingdome of heauen; these professed martyrs of the world, doe by as great troubles and miseries enter into the kingdome of darknesse, and by their temporarie paines, make purchase of euerlasting punishments.
But for the better clearing of this point, let vsus consider of§. Sect. 2. Examples of heathen men patiently induring great afflictions for the compassing of the earthly desires. the examples both of former ages, and of our owne present times; and wee shall plainely see that the miseries which worldlings hauehave and doe sustaine, are no lesse grieuous, and incomparably more vncomfortable then those which the faithfull endure in their way to Gods kingdome, they beeing depriued of the present consolations of Gods holy Spirit, and the hope of future happinesse, the want whereof maketh the lightest burthen of affliction heauie and intolerable, euen as their presence doth make the heauiest and most bitter, light and sweet. For what afflictions doe the Saints suffer for God and his kingdome; which euen meere heathen men hauehave not voluntarily and chearefully endured for the world and the fruites of worldly vanities? Are they afflicted with pouerty? Fabricius willingly and chearfully beares it, and after so great command and many victories, he is content to follow husbandrie to get his liuing, to sup in his chimney corner with rootes and hearbes, and for want of meanes is constrained to accept of portions for his daughters out of the common purse. And Valerius Publicol… after his famous consulship dyeth so poore, that he was buried at the publick charge. Are they afflicted with the death of their dearest friends, of their children, yea, of their owne, onelyonly, and most hopefull sonnes? Many of the Heathen hauehave borne this crosse with great patience and magnanimous courage, as Anaxagoras, P…ricles, Xenophon, Demosthenes, Plutarch. de Consol ad Apol. lon. t. 1.Di…, Antigonus, and many other, as Plutarch witnesseth. Are they exiled from their natiue home? Rutilius and Aristides, though vniustly banished out of their dearly loued countries, doe with constant meekenesse beare the waight of this heauie burthen. Are they whipped and cruelly scourged by mercilesse enemies? The Lacedem…nian children made this but a game & maistery, wherein they contended one with another, who should endure with patience most & sharpest stripes, till their bodies were so cruelly torne, that they hardly escaped with their liues. Are they subiect to the firie triall? Mucius Scaeuela voluntarily and vnmoueably endures this torment, vntill his greatest enemie was more wearie in seeing, then he in suffering it. Are they adiudged to death and brought out to execution? Socrates hauing drunke the deadly Hemlocke, dyeth discoursing in his diuine Philosophie. M. Curtius leapeth voluntarily into the noysome and deuouring gulfe; and the Decij deuote themselues to assured death for the preseruation of their armies. Are they vexed with torments, and see death approaching, with his most vglie visage and vizard, and apparelled in his most terrible habite? A…ilius Regulus willingly offers himselfe to suffer these exquisite tortures, & when hee might hauehave fled from them with some small impeachment and disparagement to his paganish faith, he standeth still, till they catch him, or rather meets them in the midde way. Finally,Senec. lib. de Prouiden. cap. 5. Demetrius (as Seneca reporteth) professeth himselfe readie and willing to endure the encounters of any afflictions. Herein alone (saith he) O ye immortall Gods, yee giuegive vntounto me iust cause of complaining, in that before yee brought vponupon me these crosses and calamities, yee did not acquaint me with your will, for had I knowne it, I would willingly hauehave offered my selfe to suffer these things, which I now endure being called by you to vndergoe them. Will you take away my children from me? I hauehave bred and brought them vp for you. Will ye hauehave any part of my bodie? Take it vntounto you; neither is it much that I offer, seeing shortly I shall leaue the whole. Will ye hauehave my soule? Why should you not? neither will I be against it, that you should at pleasure resume that which you hauehave first giuen. You shall hauehave whatsoeuer you require from one that is willing to part with it. What then doe I complaine of? I had rather voluntarily offer vntounto you what you would hauehave, then deliuer it vponupon demand. What need you to hauehave taken it by force, seeing you might hauehave receiued it on free-will. But now you shall pluck nothing from me, seeing nothing is wrested, but that which is retained. I am in nothing constrained, I suffer nothing against my will. Neither doe I seruilely serue God, but voluntarily assent vntounto him. By all which and many other examples, it may appeare that the paganes and infidels hauehave with great patience, constancie and courage, suffered as great and heauie crosses and calamities, as are incident vntounto vsus; hauing no other end, for the most part, but worldly glory, and to continue and eternize their name and fame vntounto all eternitie; and therefore how much more should we endure and suffer farre greater miseries with all ioy and chearfulnesse, seeing they tend not onelyonly to the glory of our gracious God, but also to the furthering and assuring of our euerlasting happinesse.
But not onelyonly hauehave men in times past beene subiect to§. Sect. 3. Of the paines, dangers and miseries, which worldlings suffer, for the attaining vntounto earthly trifles. great and innumerable afflictions, for the compassing of their worldly desires, but euen in these dayes, they are, in ayming at the same ends, liable to the like miseries. For what difficulties and dangers, what excessiue paines and toylesome labours, doe ambitious men vndertake that they may aspire vntounto worldly honours? How are their heads broken with cares, and their hearts with greefes, in plotting the meanes of their preferments, and in beeing crossed in their designes? how doe they beate their braines in studying Machiauells pollicies, and in contriuing meanes for the ouerthrowing of their enemies, for the supplanting of their competitours, that themselues may rise by their fall, yea for the cunning betraying of those vntounto, whom they professe louelove & friendship standing in their way, so as they may hauehave their bane, and yet neuer know who hurt them? With what feares are they racked lest they should be catched in their owne nets? And what sorrowes doe they sustaine, when as they are ouertaken and supplanted by them at whose heeles they tripped? Neither doe men take lesse paines, or vndergoe fewer dangers, or endure smaller or lighter miseries for the obtaining of the Mammon of iniquitie. The husband man is vexed with the cold of Winter, and the heate of Sommer. He toyleth in the myre and dirt, and his body is subiect to the ini…ries of flormie tempests, boysterous winds, hayle, snow, and all weathers; he wasteth his bodie, and consumeth his strength in digging, ditching, hedging, plowing, threshing, sowing, reaping, carting, hauing no other comfort to strengthen him, but the hoped haruest which seldome answereth vntounto his ouer greedie expectation. The Merchant trauelleth by sea and land, and is exposed to innumerable dangers, to stormes and leakes, to rocks and wracks, to the robberies of mercilesse pyrats, and the iniuries of lawlesse barbarians, by many whereof he is oftentimes ouertaken, and seldome escapeth them all. And all these paines and dangers he taketh and runneth into, onelyonly in hope of obtaining some riches, of which hee sometimes faileth, running into great losses, whilest hee pursued small gaines; or though hee doe attaine vntounto that which he seeketh, yet is hee as much troubled in the possession, as in the pursuite; and after al his paines in getting, and care in keeping, he is most of all tormented, when as loosing that which is endeared vntounto him by induring so much for it, his heartQuaeris vt acquiras, acquiris vt perdas, perdis vt doleas. Bernard. serm. de quinque negotiationib. lieth open to let in greefe and sorrow. So that (as one saith) by all these excessiue cares, labours and manifold dangers; they seeke to obtaine, obtaine to loose, and loose to greeue. The souldiar to maintaine himselfe in his estate and calling, endures innumerable and greeuous miseries; hee watcheth and wardeth, he lyeth hardly and fareth barely, he runneth desperatly into any dangers, and endureth the incounters of mightie enemies, he is subiect daily to wounds and maimes, and is continually exposed to perill of death; all which hee vndertaketh and sustaineth with courage and comfort, for the gayning of some smal pay, which he no sooner receiueth but hee presently spendeth it; or for the purchase of some smokie honour, the commendation of his Generall, or the applause of his fellow souldiars. So what paines and torments doth the seeke man endure, that hee may recouer his impayred health? What cutting and lancing, what serching and searing, what corasiues and cautarizing, what distaste and loathsomnesse doth he endure, whilest he chaweth the pills which he cannot swallow, and whether hee will or no, casteth vp againe the loathed potion? and yet oftentimes he is deceiued of his hope, his medicine being his poyson, which killeth, in stead of curing him. Or though he attaineth vntounto that health which he expecteth, it is onelyonly a repriuall from death and no deliuerance; no full freedome from greefes and paines, but a further enabling of him by recouery of strength, to endure them longer. Finally, we see what paines are sustained by ignorant idolaters, and what afflictions and miseries are with patience endured by the blind and superstitious in their will-worship and idolatrous seruice. The Baalits cut and lance themselues before their Idoll; the Papists goe bare-foote on pilgrimages to their images of Saints, and cruelly whip themselues before their crucifix; many of the Iewes would endure any torments, rather then they would eate swines flesh; and the Turkes themselues would rather dye, then blaspheme their false Prophet Mahomet, or lying Alcharon. In a word, worldlings of any sort are content with patience to suffer any miserie for the fruition of their earthly desires, and the pleasing of theirSi tanta suffert anima mundana vt possideat vnde pereat, quanta debet sufferre ne pereat. August. lib. de patient. cap. 6. carnall appetite; and though they are not assured to attaine vntounto them, yet the very bare hope of enioying doth lighten all their labours, and sweeten vntounto them their most distastfull sorrowes. And therefore, if worldly men are content to suffer so many afflictions, that they may obtaine those things which further their destruction, how much more chearfully and patiently should we suffer farre greater crosses, that wee may attaine vntounto saluation. If they suffer so much for Mammon and things of no worth, let vsus be ashamed, to be vnwilling to suffer so much and more for Christ, and the fruition of heauenly happinesse. If they endure so many miseries for temporarie trifles, which they are not sure to obtaine after all their paines and trauailes, nor to retaine them for one houre, though they should hauehave them in possession; how much rather should wee with ioy and thankfulnesse endure all crosse and calamities, for the assured fruition & euerlasting possession of God himselfe, and those vnspeakeable ioyes of his heauenly kingdome? It is the lot of the most to suffer many miseries in this life; and (as one saith in this world, not to feare, greeue, labour and bee inAlia est autem spes piorum, alius laboris fruct…s, alia periculorum merces. &c. August. epist. ad La… gum. epist. 82. danger, it is meerely impossible; but seeing farre other is the hope of the godly, then of the wicked, farre other the fruit of their labour, and much richer the reward of their dangers; it is principally to bee respected for what cause, with what expectation, and to what end eueryevery one indureth these crosses and miseries. And therefore (as another perswadeth)Chrysost. in 2. Cor. 12. Hom. 26 if thou art a disciple of Christ grudge not, nor take it greeuously to enter into the straight and affl…cted way, considering that if thou be not by this meanes afflicted thou wil… assuredly suffer for some other cause; though fruitlesse and vnprofitable. For the enuious and couetous man, hee that is inflamed with the louelove of harlots, and ambitious of vaine▪ glory, yea eueryevery one whosoeuer runneth wicked courses, doth sustaine many molestations & afflictions &c. And therfore seeing howsoeuer we carry our selues, it is altogether necessary that we should suffer tribulations; why should we not make choise to suffer in the way of righteousnes, which with our afflictions wil bring vntounto vsus innumerable crownes of happinesse.
And thus many we comfort our selues, by comparing our crosses and afflictions, with those which worldly men suffe… § Sect. 4. That we may receiue much comfort, if wee compare our light afflictions with the hellish torments of the damned.for the obtaining of monentany vanities: but much more may we be comforted, if we compare them with those euerlasting and hellish torments, which after these temporary punishments they shall endlesly suffer with the Deuill and his Angels. For they shall eternally bee pursued with the fierce wrath of God, which lying vponupon our Sauiour, but for a while for our sinnes, and that, at the same time, with some comfortable assurance of Gods louelove, did force him to crye out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me; they shal for euer boyle, burne and broyle, in those vnquenchable flames without hauing so much as a droppe of cold water to coole their heat. Their tortures and paines shall bee intolerable, and yet without end. Their misery shall be comfortles, and yet without hope of future amendment, for the fire shall neuer go out, and the worme dyeth not. And as they are outwardly burned and tormented, so inwardly they shall bee racked and tortured with the guiltinesse of sinne, and the terrours of an euill conscience, which shall accuse them as selfe▪ murtherers, & the onelyonly causes of al their hellish miserie▪ All which positiue punishments will not be so grieuous vntounto them, as their depriuation of glory and happinesse, and their euerlasting banishment out of the presence of God, and the inestimable ioyes of his heauenly kingdome. For their torments though neuer so great, are neuertheles finite in their quantity, whereas their losse is infinite, seeing they not onelyonly loose the ioyes of heauen, but the fruition of God himselfe. Now vntounto these punishments which they suffer directly and properly in their own persons, we may adde those which shall lye vponupon them in regard of their company; for besides those hellish fiends and vncleane and filthy spirits, who will be ready to scorne, deride and insult ouer them in their miseries, executing Gods fearefull iudgements with al malicious tyranny, they shall hauehave the fellowship of damned men like themselues, among whom they shall heare nothing but direfull yelling and hideous crying, shrieking and blaspheming, which will double and redouble their tortures and grieuous paines. All which and much more (which might be spoken of this argument, if it were pertinent to our present purpose) being considered, may serue to lighten all our afflictions, and to yeeld vsus comfort in all our crosses, for seeing the Lord of his free grace and infinite mercies, hath through his sonne Christ saued and deliuered vsus from these greatest euils, and those intolerable & euerlasting punishments, though by nature we are no better then they yt suffer them, and both by our originall corruption and our actuall transgressions, which we hauehave innumerable times committed against Gods infinite maiesty, hauehave deserued to be partakers of those endlesse torments; well may we with patience and comfort, yea with exceeding thankfulnesse and ioy vnspeakeable, endure these light and momentany afflictions, as thinking our selues happy, that we are not vtterly consumed, and euerlastingly swallowed vp of that hellish condemnation which others suffer.
Lastly, wee might receiue much consolation in all our§. Sect. 5. That we may receiue much comfort if wee compare our earthly afflictions with our heauenly ioyes. crosses and calamities, if wee would often compare them in our meditations with those eternall and heauenly loyes, which we shal attaine vntounto at the end of our wearisome pilgrimage, after we hauehave beene a while tryed and tyred with these light and momentany sufferings. For there wee shall finde a most happy catastrophe and blessed change of all our crosses and miseries, there not onelyonly shall we hauehave all tearesLuk. 6. 21. Iohn 16. 20. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. wiped from our eies, but our weeping shall be turned into laughter, and our sorrow into ioy, as our Sauiour hath promised vsus. There shall wee finde that truely verified which the Apostle speaketh, namely, that our present afflictions are not worthy the glory which shall be reuealed. For (as elsewhere he saith) these light and momentany afflictions shall cause vntounto vsus a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glory; and after our slight and short paines which we take in trauelling our iourney, we shall come to an inheritance, immortall and 1. Pet. 1. 4. 6. 7.vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen for vsus; wherein wee hauehave cause to reioyce, though now for a season (if neede require) we… are in heauines, through many tentations; that the tryall of our Faith, being much more pretious then gold that perish…th (…hough it be tried with fire) might be found vntounto our praise, and honor and glory, at the appearing of I…sus Christ. Finally there we shall not onelyonly be freed both in our soules and bodies, from all worldly miseries, but also be made partakers of such surpassing and inestimable ioyes, as neither the eye hath seene, the …are hath heard▪ nor the hart of man conceiued. 1. Cor. 29.There we shall hauehave the society of the blessed Saints and Angels to communicate with vsus in all our happinesse, yea we shall hauehave fellowship with our Sauiour Christ, who hath so deerly loued vsus, and is now aduanced aboue al powers and principalities, and all things in heauen and earth. Yea we shal hauehave the fruition of God himselfe, our summum bonum, and cheefe happinesse, in whose presence there is fulnesse of ioy for euermore, he being infinite in all perfection & containing in himselfe alone all beauty, maiesty, glory, excellency, vertue, goodnes, and whatsoeuer may bee loued, desired or admired. But of these points I hauehave largely spokenSee contempt of the world. lib. 3. chap. 3▪ to 11. in the other part of this treatise, and therefore need not heere to insist longer vponupon them: onelyonly let vsus consider, that if after these short and light afflictions we shall attaine vntounto such vnspeakeable happinesse, and hauing possession of this glorious kingdome shal neuer be dispossessed, but after many millions of yeares shall be as farre from the ending of our ioyes, as we were at out first entrance vntounto them, wee hauehave great cause not onelyonly to bee patient, but also to reioyce in our greatest miseries and afflictions. For if worldly men doe comfort themselues in all their labours? dangers, and sorrowes, by remembring that they shall hauehave an end, and that they are the meanes to helpe them to the attaining of earthly riches, honours and pleasures? which when they enioy, they thinke all their paines and greefes sufficiently recompenced, although they are both vaine and momentany, so as they may outliue them, or are assured that at their soone-approaching death they shal dye with them, & leaue them comfortlesse in this last and greatest extremity; then how much more should our hearts be comforted, yea replenished with ioy in all our crosses and afflictions? when as we thinke with our selues that they are but short and momentany, and that when they are passed, wee shal obtaine those euerduring riches, and neuer fading glory, those endlesse pleasures & euerlasting ioyes, which the Lord who is a most sure paymaster doth reserue for vsus in his heauenly kingdome.