Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
That we must with our spirituall consolations ioyne worldly comforts, when by lawfull meanes we may enioy them.
AND thus hauehave I handled those spirituall reasons§ Sect. 1. That we ought not to neglect any lawfull meanes of comfort or freedome from the crosse. and arguments, which being duly considered, may bring vntounto vsus much comfort in all our crosses. VponUpon which consolations as we are cheefly and principally to relie; so we are not to neglect those outward meanes and helpes, which God out of worldly things shall vouchsafe vntounto vsus, either for the taking away of our afflictions, or for the easing of our greefes, and confirming of our patience in bearing and sustaining them. Concerning the former, there is no lawfull meanes, which is not to be vsed for the remouall of our crosses; for as then alone we are called of God to suffer afflictions, when as we hauehave no lawfull meanes to auoide or escape them; so can wee onelyonly lie vnderunder the waight of this burthen with comfort and good conscience, whilest we want these meanes of freedome and deliuerance. For if when the Lord graciously granteth them vntounto vsus, wee will not vouchsafe to vse them, either because wee would not part with our afflictions, as thinking them meritorious and satisfactorie for sinne, or because wee would hauehave the Lord grant vntounto vsus other meanes, more extraordinarie, and better fitting our proud humours; wee doe therein but tempt the Lord, and are guiltie of all owne harmes, bearing now no more a crosse sent from God, but a burthen of our owne making and imposing; neither yet seruing God any longer in our obedience to his will, but becomming voluntarie seruants and slaues vntounto our afflictions, whereby we iustly deserue to bee vsed like seruants vnderunder the law, who refusing their libertie, when as it was lawfully offered vntounto them, had in token of perpetuall seruitude their eares bored with an awle vntounto the dore, and had neuer againe any offer of their freedome. Howbeit we must carefully take heed, that the meanes which wee vse for our deliuerie be iust, honest and lawfull; for otherwise we shall be in worse case then we were before, wounding our soules to cure our bodies, and hazarding our euerlasting happinesse, for our deliuerance out of light and momentanie miseries. But of this ISee first booke chap. 5. Sect. 12. hauehave before spoken, and therefore will heere thus breeflie passe it ouer.
But as wee must vse these worldly meanes of our deliuerance§. Sect. 2. That we must make known our greefes to some wise and faithfull friend. from affliction when we hauehave them, so when we want these, wee must not neglect such other meanes as may lighten our loade, and sweeten the bitternesse of this loathsome potion. Of which, among many other, there are two cheefe and principall. The first, is to impart and lay open our greefes vntounto our discreete and approued friends, that wee may receiue counsaile and comfort from them. For as an heauie burthen (which to one alone is vnsupportable) is made light and easie, when as it is borne vponupon many shoulders; and as those wounds are most desperatly dangerous, and doe soonest drowne the heart, which doe bleed inwardly, and those lesse perilous & sooner cured which hauehave an outward issue; so the burthen of sorrow which is intolerable to one onelyonly, is made much more easie when it is borne by diuers friends; and these bloudy streames of tribulation, which hauing no externall vent, will drowne the heart with greefe; when they finde an outward passage into the boosome of a faithfull friend, are easily cured by those soueraigne salues of diuine and morall consolation, which he through his wisdome is able to apply vntounto them. And therefore, as when we hauehave more labour and businesse then we can well by our selues dispatch, we vsually call in others to assist and helpe vsus, because labour communicated, becommeth easie to many, which is impossible to one: so when the yoake of affliction doth lye so heauie vponupon vsus, that in our owne sense we are readie to faint and sinke vnderunder it, let vsus call in to our aide, our deare and faithfull friends, that by the helpe of their counsailes and comforts, we may be refreshed and supported. And of this wee shall finde a double benefit; first, as it is an ease vntounto our hearts, when as they vnburthen themselues of greefe by complaining; for as when the flood of sorrow is pent in & dāmed vp, it so much the more swelleth and inwardly rageth, so when it hath a vent and free current, it will runne much more weakely and with greater stilnesse. In which respect, men to ease themselues are readie to make mone to the bare walls and sensles trees; because, as they are more irkesome when they are smothered, so it is a comfort, if by any meanes they can but vtter them; and secondly, because as sorrow issueth, and the heart emptieth it selfe, so comfort entreth and replenisheth it, whilest our friend to whom we make knowne our calamities, doth giuegive vsus ease and refreshing, partly by his compassion, fellow-feeling, condoling and pitying vsus in our greefes, and partly by his wise counsails and sweete consolations both diuine and morall.
But yet we are to knowe, that not eueryevery friend is fit, vntounto§ Sect. 3. That choice is to be made of a fit friend, when we would communicate our greefes. whom we may communicate and lay open our greefes, for there are some that handle sores with so rough an hand, that they rather bruise and hurt them, then cure and heale them, and are so austere and ha…sh in their disposition; so tart and cynicall in all their cariage and behauiour, that they are more likely to gaule new skinned wounds, and to make the sores of sorrow all most healed to bleed afresh, then by the sweete Balsum of comfort and discreete counsaile to giuegive vntounto their greeued patient any refreshing. There are some also which being in the contrary extreame are too too sorrowfull and ouer passionate, weeping ouer wounds in stead of curing them; vntounto whom sorrow and greefe being imparted by pitifull cryes and mournfull complaints, is echoed back againe, and so redoubled both in the sound and strength, like two fires when they meete together. And finally, there are some both faithful and willing, who through their want of wisdome and experience, are not able to aply vntounto vsus fit comforts; vntounto whom we are no more to resor… for the refreshing of our soules tyred with sorrow, because of their friendship and louelove towards vsus, then wee doe for the curing of bodily diseases, make choice of vnskilfull empericks because they affect vsus; knowing that not louelove, but skill and learning doe cure diseases, although they are best when they are ioyned together. And therefore wee are to make choice of such a comforter, as is both compassionate, temperate in his affections, and wise and discreete in his comforts and counsailes; and not so onelyonly wise, that hee is withall proud and cynicall; nor so onelyonly pitifull and passionate, that hee is fit for nothing; but with the showres of teares to increase the flood of greefe, and to make the streame of sorrow to runne with double violence. And because Gods faithfull ministers are for the most part the best able, and most readie to performe this dutie, who hauehave receiued from God the tongue of the learned, that they should knowe to minister a word in time to him that is wearie; Esa. 50. 4.therefore aboue all others, choise is to be made of them for this purpose, especially when as their knowledge is sweetned with louelove, meeknesse and humilitie; for otherwise it is as good to be without their helpe as hauehave it, when the danger of the disease is much exceeded by the paines which they put vsus to, in their rude and rough curing it. Now that we may finde such a friend in the time of our aduersitie, the readiest way is to be such an one vntounto others in their griefes,In aduersis habet auxilia qu… in secundis commodat. in the time of our prosperitie. For if in our plentie we are no niggards of our good counsails and consolations, but lend them freely vntounto all distressed christians, when they are readie to faint in their afflictions; then shall wee in the time of our need finde them returned vntounto vsus with plentifull vsurie and increase, the Lord rewarding our pietie and louelove into our boosomes, and neuer suffering vsus to bee confortlesse, who hauehave beene so comfortable vntounto others.
The second meanes of refreshing our hearts oppressed§ Sect. 4. The second meanes of worldly comfort, is lawful recreations ioyned with our honest labours. with greefe, is by ioyning seasonably our honest labours with lawfull recreations. For whereas idlenesse giueth full scope and opportunitie vntounto Satan and our owne corruption, to aggrauate and amplifie our afflictions, and gather arguments against our owne peace and contentment, tormenting our selues with our owne conceipt and apprehension, and (as it were) whipping our soules with rodds of our owne making; this serious employment in the businesses of our callings, will put all these conceipts out of our mindes, and free vsus from all other greefe, then that which wee are subiect vntounto in present sense and feeling. And whereas idlenesse maketh vsus fall into deepe melancholie, by giuing vntounto vsus full leasure and libertie, not onelyonly to meditate on present miseries, but to recall those which are past, and through feare to anticipate those which are not yet come; the which humour is the very rurse of discontent, and impatiencie, and the tindar into which when the least sparke of affliction falleth, it is encreased in the apprehension, and within a short time, becomes a great and vnquenchable flame; labour and continuall exercise, doth so wholy take vp the minde, that there is no place for this idle humour to settle in, nor any meanes to nourish it, though at the first we hauehave giuen way vntounto it. But yet excessiue and vnremitted labour, doth as much prepare the minde for the admitting of melancholie, as sloth and idlenesse, and doth no lesse possesse it with impatiencie and discontent; and therefore as the cheefe part of our time must be spent in taking paines, and in performing the duties of pietie and of our callings, to put out of our minds all false apprehensions and idle conceipts; so must wee allot some share thereof vntounto honest and lawfull recreations, as walking in pleasant places, conferences which are delightfull without offence, Poetrie, Musicke, shooting, and such other allowable sports as best fit with mens seuerall dispositions for their comfort and refreshing. And this is alike, though not equally, necessary as the other, because as too much ease breedeth wantonnesse; so too much labour causeth wearinesse, of which the one, as well as the other, is the mother and nurse of wawardnesse and impatiencie. But yet we must not at the first approaching of our afflictions so vse these delights and recreations, that they keepe vsus from applying them to our hearts, and making an holy vse of them, for the furthering of our repentance and mortification; as it is the custome of worldly men, who laugh out their sorrowes, discountenance their new approached griefes, drowne their dolour with excessiue drinking, and keepe the noise of their afflictions from pearcing their eares or hearts, with the lowder clamour of their merry company; for so they will bee vntounto vsus as bewitching Syrens, which will rocke vsus a sleepe in carnall securitie, bring vsus into a spirituall lethargie, and to become senslesse both of smart and sinne: but in the first place wee must giuegive way vntounto God by sorrow for sinne, which is the cause of our afflictions, and vse our crosses, as hammers to driue repentance more deepely into our hearts, and that being there throughly fixed and fastned, our peace made with God, and the mortall poyson of our miseries (which is sin) being taken away, then wee are by these comforts and recreations to refresh our mindes, when they are tyred with the waight and continuance of our calamities, in the meane while carefully taking heed, that neither at first nor last, our sports and delights doe not lessen our sorrow for sin, which is alwaies too litle and farre short of that it should be; but onelyonly mitigate our greefe for our miseries and afflictions, which too too often is excessiue and immoderate, for as the salue being rightly applyed to the sore, doth heale and cure it, but being laide vponupon the hole skinne, doth draw a blister, and make the patient in worse case then hee was before; so if this medicine of delight and lawfull recreation, be well applyed to that sorrow which ariseth from afflictions, it will do vsus much good, and helpe to recouer our spirituall health; because this is a disease of the minde which needeth curing; whereas if it be misapplied vntounto our sorrow for sinne, which is a sauing grace, and one of the soundest parts of a true Christian, it will exulcerate the soule, and make the faithful patient in farre worse estate then he was before.