Consolations for the Afflicted, Book 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
That our afflictions are not signes of Gods hatred, nor the punishments of a righteous Iudge, but the chastisements of a gracious father.
AND thus hauehave I shewed the first cause mouing§ Sect. 1. That the former consolations are not comfortable vntounto vsus, nor worke in vsus true patience, vnlesse we be further assured that all our afflictions doe spring from the fountaine of Gods louelove. the Lord to inflict vponupon vsus these crosses and calamities, namely our sinnes which are the meritorious cause of all our afflictions; as also how wee may arme our selues with patience by this consideration, seeing our sinne doth exceed our smart, and our punishments are farre lesse then we hauehave deserued: Now we are to proceed to the other cause mouing the Lord thus to chastise and correct vsus, which is out of our selues in him, namely his infini…e louelove and boundlesse mercy, which moueth him to apply these wholesome, though sharpe medicines, for the curing of our desperate diseases; and to vse these profitable, though vnpleasant meanes for the purging of our sinnes, the enriching of vsus with the vnualuable treasures of his spirituall graces, and the furthering of our eternall happinesse. From whence ariseth our chiefest consolation in all our distresse and misery, and not onelyonly patience in troubles, but also contentednesse, thankfulnesse, and ioy in the holy Ghost. It is true that the former considerations, of Gods prouidence appointing, ruling and disposing all our afflictions, and of his iustice mixed and moderated with his louelove and mercy, which layeth nothing vponupon vsus but what our sinnes hauehave deserued, yea farre fewer and lighter punishments then wee hauehave iustly merited with our innumerable offences, and most haynous rebellion, may well perswade vsus to patience in our greatest calamities; but yet if we stay heere and goe no further, our patience will be but vnpleasant and forced hauing in it no comfort, sweetnesse or spirituall ioy; for our flesh being sensible of nothing but of present paine, and being hopelesse either of deliuerance, or of future profit by our sufferings; will make vsus easilie to forget Gods moderation in punishing, and the haynousnesse of our sinnes deseruing farre greater punishments, and neuer comparing our faults with the euils which we feele, but onelyonly looking vponupon the miseries which we indure, and our owne weakenesse and inabilitie to beare them any longer, will cause vsus in all impatiency to murmure and repine against Gods prouidence, which hath inflicted on vsus more heauie punishments then others suffer, who (as selfe-louelove perswadeth vsus) hauehave more offended. Or if our consciences tell vsus that our sinnes hauehave iustly deserued these and greater punishments; yet (howsoeuer this may iustly cause vsus to beare with more outward patience that which wee hauehave deserued) it will not much abate our inward greefe, or increase our comfort, vnlesse wee be assured that God measureth out vntounto vsus this proportion of affliction by the standard of his louelove, and will in the end conuert it to our good, bringing sweetnes out of bitternesse, and ioy out of mourning. Yea, rather the waight of sinne being added to the waight of our punishment; our euill of doing concurring with our euill of suffering, and both ioyned with selfe-guiltinesse, and the apprehension of Gods inflamed wrath, will but the more oppresse vsus with greefe; when as we cannot so much as with any shew of reason case our selues by expostulation, nor vent out any part of our sorrow by iust complaining, seeing wee are the onelyonly causes of our owne harmes. And looke how much it addeth to our patience in respect of God, whom we iustifie in his righteous iudgements; so much it increaseth our impatiency in respect of our selues, who hauehave incensed and inflamed so iust a wrath, and so mercifull a iustice to our ruine and destruction, and whilest it emptieth our hearts of grudging and repining, and our mouthes of murmuring and exclaiming against Gods wise prouidence, which selfe-guiltines causeth vsus to iustifie in al the euils which are inflicted on vsus: it filleth them with fretting indignation, quarrelsome complaints, & impatient inuectiues both against our selues, who hauehave beene the cheefe causes; and also against al secondary and inferiour meanes, which the Lord hath vsed as his instruments for the execution of his iudgments. Neither is it likely that we should stay here, but if wee doe not labour to see Gods Fatherly affection euen in his frownes, and to discerne the beames of his louelove & fauour through the cloud of our miseries and afflictions; we wil in short time like malefactours fall out with iustice it selfe, because it maketh against vsus, hate the vnpartiall vprightnesse of our iudge, as though it were the extreamest cruelty, and flye from his sight and presence as though hee were our greatest enemie.
That therefore those who are exercised in this irkesome§ Sect. 2. That the world iudgeth of Gods louelove & hatred towards men by their outward estate. combat of afflictions may hauehave not onelyonly quiet patience, but also sweet comfort and contentment in all their crosses and troubles, we will in the next place shew, that the cause mouing the Lord to afflict the faithfull is, not his wrath and displeasure, much lesse any malice or hatred which hee beareth them, but his meere mercy, louelove and goodnesse, which moueth him thus to chastize and correct them, that they may not run on in the pleasing course of sinne, and so bee condemned with the world. The which point and passage I hold the more necessary in this discourse, because both the world and our owne flesh are alwaies ready to iudge of Gods louelove and fauour, and of his hatred and displeasure, by the outward estate; and therefore as they thinke those most blessed and happy, vponupon whom God multiplyeth, and (as it were) showreth, his earthly benefits; so they iudge thē most miserable and forlorne, who are in aduersity and affliction, as being men reiected and forsaken of God, because (whatsoeuer shew they hauehave made in the world to the contrary) they hauehave more greeuously offended him by their sins then any other. An example whereof we hauehave in the Iewes, who iudged those vponupon whom the tower of Siloam fel greater sinners then other men, because they were oppressed with this heauy iudgement; and in the Barbarians, who condemnedLuk. 13. 1. 2. Act. 28. 4. Paul as a murtherer, or some notorious sinner, because they saw him indangered by a viper; and contrariwise magnified him as a God, because hee had escaped this bodily harme. Yea so fast doth this corruption cleaue vntounto vsus, that as long as we carry this flesh about vsus, wee are subiect to be ouertaken by this false and deceiuing iudgment, though we bee in some measure inlightened and sanctified by the spirit of God. As we may see in the example of Iobs friends, whoIob. 11. 6. being otherwise wise, religious and worthy men, yet when they saw the greatnesse of his afflictions, they passed vponupon him a most vncharitable censure; and when they could not with any probability iudge him a prophane and notorious sinner, because his life had beene vnblameable and vnspotted, they condemned him for a cunning and secret hypocrite; who had made shew of those vertues which were not in him: yea euen holy Dauid himselfe was much shakenPsa. 73. 2. 17. 22 with this tentation; for as himselfe confesseth his feete slipped, and were almost gone out of the path of godlines and integrity, when on the one side he saw the prosperity of the wicked, and on the other the afflictions vntounto which himselfe, and other of the faithful were daily subiect; yea so was the eye of holy reason dazeled, and the light of the Scriptures clouded and as it were ecclipsed from him, with the interposition of worldly and carnal tentations, that following onelyonly the iudgement of sense, hee acknowledgeth that hee was become foolish and ignorant like a beast, iudging of all things by the outward shew; vntill hauing recourse vntounto the sanctuary, the light of Gods word againe appeared and dispelled those mists and fogs of earthly and carnall errours which before blinded him. And howsoeuer being inlightned with Gods word and assisted with his holy spirit, he still got the victory ouer this tentation, yet how often regaining strength by new afflictions doth it return vponupon him, and incounter him a fresh as though it had bene neuer foyled. ForPsalm. 13. 1. & 22. 1. and 79. 5. and 77. 7. 8. 9. if we looke into the booke of the Psalmes we shal find, that being exercised with afflictions he complaineth, that God hid his eyes, and would not see his miseries, and stopt his eares and would not heare his prayers, that he was corrected in Gods wrath and anger, and that his iealousie did burne against him like fire: and finally that God had forgotten and forsaken him, that his fauour was cleane gone, that he would bee no more intreated, and that hee had shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure. Thus also Ieremie was so farre transported with the violence of this tentation grounded vponupon the prosperity of the wicked and afflictions of the faithfull, that though he durst not dispute with God because he knew him iust and righteous in all his waies, yet he dareth to offerIer. 12. 1. a parley and conference about the administration of his iudgements. And the disciples themselues who were inured to afflictions, yet when they saw an heauier iudgement then ordinary inflicted vponupon the blinde man, were ready toIohn. 9. 2. 3. iudge that it was eyther for his owne sins or the sins of his parents. Yea this is not the errour of some few men alone, but euen of the whole Church in her afflictions; for euen Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me; and my Lord hath forgotten Esa. 49. 14.me.
And therefore seeing this tentation is so strong and dangerous,§ Sect. 3. That the former conceipt is the ground of a most dangerous tentation. it behooueth vsus to arme our selues against it, lest in the time of triall we likewise bee surprized and ouercome, and that the rather, because it maketh way for another tentation much more pernicious then it selfe, namely, for hopeles despaire, and hellish prophanenesse which attends vponupon it, for euen Dauid himselfe being pressed and pinched with the waight of his afflictions, was readie to conclude that heePsal. 73. 13. 14. had cleansed his heart and washed his hands in innocencie in vaine, because whilest the wicked flourished, hee was daily punished and chastened eueryevery morning. But the violence of this tentation more plainly appeareth when those are tryed with it, who being wholy carnall hauehave no grace to make resistance, for the flesh beeing pressed with the burthen of the crosse, is readie to conceiue, that the afflictions which it beareth are the signes of Gods wrath, and implacable anger, and that there is now no hope of receiuing any good by seruing of God, beeing so much displeased, nor of freedome from these euils, though there should bee a surceasing from the course of sinning; and therefore in this desperate case being tempted by the Diuell or the world, to leaue the seruice of God, wherein there is no profit, and to run on in a headlong course of sin, wherein for the present there is pleasure and delight, it doth with all readinesse giuegive way vntounto this tentation. An example whereof we hauehave in the stiffe-necked Iewes, who because for their outward and formall seruice of God, they had not for their reward that worldly prosperitie which they expected, but rather were exercised with troubles and afflictions, they burst out into these desperate speaches; It Mal. 3. 14. 15.is in vaine to serue God; and what profit is it that wee keepe his commadement, & that we walke humbly before the Lord of hoasts? therefore we count the proud blessed. Euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp, yea and they that tempt God are deliuered. So else where, when the Lord by the summons of afflictions did call them to weeping and mourning, to baldnesse Esa. 22. 13. 14.and girding with sackcloth, they spent their time in ioy and gladnesse, in feasting and drinking, resoluing to take their pleasure whilest they might hauehave it, because on the morrow they should dye. And in another place they professe that they thought it bootlesse to repent, because being punished in Gods wrath for their sinnes, they had no hope of mercy and deliuerance, though they should forsake their wicked waies; If (say they) our transgressions and our sinnes be vponupon Ezech. 33. 10. 11.vsus, and we are consumed because of them, how shall wee then liue? And therefore being at this desperate point, the Lord is faine to admonish them by his Prophet, that he thus corrected them in his louelove and merciemercy for their conuersion, and not in wrath and anger for their destruction: Say vntounto them (saith the Lord God) as I liue, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue. Turne you, turne you, from your euill waies, for why will ye dye O ye house of Israel?
That therefore these and such like tentations may not§. Sect. 4. That afflictions are no signes of Gods hatred. foile our faith, and cause vsus to make shipwracke in the tempestuous storme of troubles and afflictions; let vsus first generally know, that as worldly prosperitie is no certaine signe of Gods fauour; nor of his sinceritie, piety and righteousnesse who hath it, (the which I hauehave in the former part of this treatise plainly proued) so contrariwise worldly aduersity, crosses and calamities, are no infallible tokens of Gods displeasure; nor of his impiety and wickednesse who is tossed and turmoyled with them. For these things fall out alike to all, and as the Lord doth in mercy and goodnesse giuegive these temporall benefits vntounto his children, whose godlinesse hath the promises of this life and the life to come; so doth he giuegive them oftentimes to the wicked and reprobate1. Tim. 4. 8. as their portion in this life, and that in his wrath and heauie displeasure, onelyonly to encrease the bills of their account and fearfull reckoning at the day of iudgment, and to aggrauate the dreadfull waight of their hellish condemnation. And so in like manner as he doth sometimes lay these temporary crosses and calamities vponupon his owne children and faithfull seruants, for their triall or chastisement, that heereby hee may further and encrease their eternall happinesse; so doth he sometimes inflict them vponupon carnall worldlings and desperate sinners, that he may begin their hell in this life, and whilest they remaine on earth, may enter then into the possession of those neuer ending torments of hell fire. To this truth the wise man giueth a plaine testimonie, wher speakingEccles 9. 1. 2. of these earthly benefits and crosses, he saith, that no man knoweth either louelove or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all; and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted: and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, and he that feareth an oath. This is euill among all that is done vnderunder the Sunne, that there is one condition to all, &c. So our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the parable of Diues and Lazarus, that neitherLuk. 16. worldly prosperitie is a signe of Gods louelove, nor aduersitie of his hatred, and correcteth this peruerse iudgment, both in his disciples censuring the blinde man, or his parents as enormous sinners, because of this punishment which God inflicted on him; and in the Iewes, who thought, that the eighteene vponupon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, were greater sinners then other men, because they were ouertaken by these great and suddaine iudgments; shewing that the former crosse was inflicted, not for the sinne of theIoh. 9. 2. 3. partie or his parents, but that the workes of God might be manifest in him; and that the other were not thus punished because they were greater sinners then other men, but thatLuk. 13. 3. they might be examples vntounto others, of Gods anger against sinne, that they might bring them to repentance. But I shall not need to illustrate this truth by examples, seeing they are so ordinary in the Scriptures, that a man shall not lighty read any page in the history of the Bible, where he shall not find both afflictions and temporall benefits (as it were) in common cast out to the good and bad, sometimes the one, and sometimes the other flourishing in prosperitie, or deiected§ Sect. 5. In what sense God is said to be angry with the faithful, and to punish their sinnes. and cast downe into miserie and aduersitie.
But though this which I hauehave said generally, may iustly take away all secure presumption from carnall worldlings, whereby they perswade themselues of Gods louelove, because they flourish in outward prosperitie, and also all cause of horrour and desperation from them who are in misery and affliction, because there is no certaine iudgment by this externall estate, all things falling out alike to all: yet seeing no man out of this generalitie can gather vntounto himselfe any sound comfort, seeing he may be as well one of them whom God punisheth in his anger and wrath, as of them whom he correcteth in louelove and merciemercy: therefore in the next place I will more specially shew, that eueryevery faithfull man, who feareth God, both in his mercies and iudgments, and desireth to profit by his chastisements and corrections, may to his comfort bee most certainely assured, that the afflictions which he suffereth are not the fruites and effects of Gods wrath and hatred towards him, but of his fatherly louelove and goodnesse; not the deserued punishments of his sinnes, but gentle chastisements and profitable trials, which shall tend to the aduancing of Gods glory, in the further enriching him with his spirituall graces in this life, and in the euerlasting saluation of his body and soule in the life to come. For the clearing of the former point, namely, that the afflictions of the faithfull are not the fruits of Gods anger, nor imposed vponupon them as punishments for their sinnes, wee are to know that these words, wrath, anger and punishment, are either taken largely, or strictly and properly. In a large signification God is said to bee angry with his seruants and children, when he doth afflict them, but not as a seuere Iudge out of the rigour of iustice to punish the person for the sinne sake, but as a gracious father out of meer louelove that he may destroy sinne for the persons sake; neither hath hee any quarrell to the party, but onelyonly to the sinne; and therefore in louelove to his childe, and in hatred to his faultinesse, he doth by affliction mortifie the sinne which he abhorreth, that by the death thereof he may reserue his sonne whom he loueth vntounto euerlasting life and happinesse. And so hee may be said to be angry, not with the person for his hatred to the sinne, but with the sinne, for the louelove of the person. He is not angry with his children in truth, because hee alwaies looketh vponupon thē in his Son Christ in whom he is well pleased, nor correcteth them in wrath after they are in Christ reconciled vntounto him, seeing the cause of reconciliation for euer remaineth, euen the merit of Christs death and blood shed, whereby his iustice is satisfied, and his wrath appeased; but onelyonly in semblance and shew, hee (like a wise father) frowneth vponupon them, that they may be more watchfull ouer their wayes for the time to come, and not run on in such a course of sinne as would iustly deserue his wrath and displeasure. Hee is not angry in iustice, because we hauehave sinned, but in mercy, that we may sinne no more; not in his owne affection and disposition, but in our feeling and apprehension, because our guilty consciences tell vsus what wee hauehave deserued; and because the corrupt humours of sin adhere and cleaue so fast vntounto vsus, that our spirituall Physitian is faine to giuegive vsus these bitter potions of afflictions to purge thē away, which for the present making vsus sick, in our sense doth cause vsus to conceiue and complaine of him as an enemie who hateth and hurteth vsus, if wee looke to our present feeling, and no to his end, which is our spiritual cure & the recouery of our health. The like also may be said of punishment, for if we take it in a large signification, it comprehendeth both the afflictions of the godly and the torments of the wicked: first because if we respect the matter of them, and the euils themselues which are suffered both by the faithful and the wicked, they are al one. Secondly, because in the law they are threatned as punishments of sinne against eueryevery one who offendeth. And thirdly, because in the sense and feeling of the outward man, they are both alike; euen as there is no difference betweene the smart of the stripes felt by a slaue and by a sonne, sauing that these are some time inflicted by a more light and gentle hand. But if wee take it in a strict and proper sense, then is punishment so appropriated and peculiar to the wicked, that it is no way incident to the faithfull and righteous. For punishment is inflicted vponupon enemies, and not vponupon friends; by a iust iudge and not by a gracious Father; to satisfie iustice by suffering that punishment which ye fault hath deserued, though it be to the vtter destruction of the party offending; and not out of louelove to preserue him from greater harme by reclaiming him from his faultinesse; because he hath offended already, and not that hee may take heede of offending for the time to come. Finally the cause of punishment is the fault of the party, and not desire of his amendment; and the end of the punisher is to reuenge and hurt the malefactor for the good of others, to whom hee serueth for an example of iustice; and not to seeke his profit and benefit by reclaiming him from his fault; for iustice in punishing wil hauehave it course for sinne already committed, though the offender could giuegive assurance of his amendment for the time to come.
But that the afflictions of the faithfull are not the fruits§. Sect. 6. The first reason to proue that the afflictions of the faithfull are not punishments but fatherly chastisements. of Gods anger, nor punishments for their sinnes, it may further appeare by these reasons; first because Christ our Sauiour bore all our sinnes in his body vponupon the tree, as the Apostle Peter speaketh, and suffered the punishment which was due vntounto them, that we might be freed from it, according to that of the Prophet: Surely he hath borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrowes, &c. He was wounded for our transgressions, 1. Pet. 2. 24. Esa. 53. 5. 6.hee was broken for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was vponupon him, and with his stripes wee are healed. But I demand to what purpose did hee beare our infirmities and sorrowes, if wee must still beare them? to what end was hee wounded and broken for our sinnes, if they still wound and breake vsus? or finally how hauehave we peace by his sufferings, or how are we healed with his stripes, if we are still at war with Gods iustice, and stil receiue stripes and wounds in this conflict? Againe had not Christ freed vsus from all the punishment due vntounto our sinnes, he were not a perfect Sauiour, nor did not offer vntounto his Father a full and all-sufficient price for our redemption; for if he did perfectly deliuer vsus from all enemies, then from lesser sinnes as well as from greater; if he did perfectly saue vsus, then from temporall punishments, as well as from eternall; if his sacrifice were all-sufficient for the sins of the whole world, then need we not (as the PapistsEsa. 63. 1. Luc. 1. 74. Heb 7. 25. and 9. 12. 26. Matth. 20. 28. and 26. 28. Ioh. 1. 29. affirme) to hauehave the sacrifice of our owne sufferings stil offered to make satisfaction for our veniall sinnes. But the Scriptures eueryevery where, and especially in the epistle to the Hebrewes, teach vsus, that Christ is a perfect Sauiour that he hath deliuered vsus from all our enemies, and hath offered vntounto his Father an all-sufficient sacrifice, and full price for our redemption; and therefore there remaineth vntounto the faithful, who apply Christ and his suffrings vntounto themselues, no more punishments, nor satisfaction therby to be made vntounto God: for Christ hath fully satisfied for vsus by his all-sufficient sacrifice of himselfe, and the precious bloud of Iesus Christ hath 1. Iohn. 1. 7.cleansed vsus from all our sinnes, as the Apostle teacheth vsus.
Now if it hauehave cleansed vsus from all sinne, then also from veniall sinnes (as the Papists terme them) and consequently from all punishment, for where there is no guilt, there punishment hath no place, & if we be freed from transgression of the law then also from the curse. It is true indeed that the afflictions which the faithfull suffer, are in their owne nature the punishments of sinne, and as punishments are denounced against the transgressours of the law; but Christ by his suffrings hath changed their nature, & as by reconciling vsus vntounto God, he hath made him of a seuere iudge, a mercifull Father, so he hath made our suffrings to become the chastisements of a gracious father inflicted for our good, and not the punishments of a righteous iudge imposed for the satisfying of his iustice, and the destruction or hurt of him who suffereth them, neither is it materiall, that in matter the sufferings of the faithfull and wicked be the same, that is, the same sicknes, pouerty, imprisonment and the like; for euen the sonne and the slaue doe often suffer the same stripes, but yet these are punishments, being inflicted by the hand of an angry master, for the fault committed; those the chastisements of a louing Father correcting his childe for his good and amendment. And so though the afflictions of the faithfull and the punishments of the wicked are of the same nature in respect of themselues, yet their nature beeing changed by the sufferings of Christ, they doe now much differ both in respect of their agent, and their end, the one comming from a Father; the other from a iudge, they to profit and doe good, and these to hurt and bring to destruction. And though these waters of Meribah bee all alike bitter to the Canaanitish sinner, and the true Israelite in whom there is no guile, in respect of their naturall tast, yet the wood of Christs crosse doth make these bitter waters sweete; and purifying them from the coliquintida and gall of sinne, doth make them wholesome drinke and profitable potions, which will quench our thirsting after the pleasures of sinne, and the poysonous cups of worldly vanities.
Secondly, Christ taking vponupon him to bee our surety hath§ Sect. 7. The second reason taken from the full payment of our debt by Christ our surety. paid our debt to the vttermost farthing, fully satisfied Gods iustice, and appeased his wrath towards vsus by taking away our sinnes which were the cause thereof. For standing in our stead and taking vponupon him to discharge our debt, hee was arrested by death at the suit of Gods iustice, and cast into the prison of the graue, till hee had discharged our debt to the vttermost farthing, but now he hath brokē the bands of death, and beeing deliuered out of this prison is risen againe; and gloriously ascended; whereby hee hath certainly assured vsus that he hath satisfied Gods iustice by full paiment of our debt, and therefore hath left nothing vponupon the score for vsus to satisfie; yea he hath cancelled the hād-writingCol. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 13. of ordinances and the obligation of the law by nailing them to his crosse, and hath taken away the penalty of the curse, by bearing it himselfe. And therefore seeing Christ hath fully satisfied by his sufferings the iustice of God; he wil not require a new satisfaction by our suffrings and punishments; seeing he hath fully discharged our debt to the vtmost farthing, he wil not vniustly require from vsus a second paiment, or though it could bee imagined, (as bee it farre from vsus that we should so imagine) that the iudge of heauen and earth could vse this rigorous strictnes; yet hee hath nothing to shew if he should commence suite against vsus, seeing our suretie vponupon the discharge of our debt, hath cancelled all the writings whereby we were obliged to his iustice, either to make payment or to suffer punishment. Neither is that of any force which is obiected by our aduersaries; namely, that he suffered to satisfie Gods iustice for our greater sins, and so hath freed vsus from eternal punishments; but hath left our veniall sinnes to be satisfied for by our selues, from the which we are freed, whilest we satisfie Gods iustice by our temporarie punishments: For the word of God hath taught vsus, that he is a perfect Sauiour, that in him we hauehave full redemption, and that his blood purgeth vsus from all our sinnes, without any exception or limitation. Againe, as the satisfaction which Christ made for vsus was all-sufficient, and the price which he offered for our redemption of infinite merite and value; so both the iustice and mercy of God, whereby hee accepted them for full payment, are also infinite. Whereas, if (as our aduersaries affirme) we are to satisfie by our temporary punishments for our veniall sinnes, then must it needs follow, that either Christs satisfaction was imperfect, and his sufferings so insufficient, that they needed to be patched vp with our punishments; or that being perfect and all sufficient, God should be, not onelyonly vnmercifull but iniust also, in not accepting of this full discharge, but requiring payment of a debt by vsus, which our suretie hath alreadie discharged: either of which were blasphemous to speake or thinke. For hee that suffered for vsus was not man onelyonly, but God also, and therefore needs mustAct. 20. 28. his sufferings be all-sufficient and of infinite value and merit; and the mercies of God being infinite, and farre aboue all his workes, doe make him so farre off from punishing, where his iustice beeing satisfied, willeth him to spare, that when he doth afflict his Church and people for their sinnes, hee is said to doe his strange worke, vntounto which out of his owne nature he is auerse and indisposed; to hauehave his soule Esa. 28. 21.grieued for the misery of Israell; and to make stay of the executionIud. 10. 16. of these iudgements, till by reason of the multitude of their sinnes ioyned with impenitencie, there be no remedie. 1. Chro. 36. 16.But as in these respects this assertion sauoureth of impietie; so also of extreame follie, vnlesse they will with like impietie shift it off themselues by imputing it vntounto their Creatour: For who can imagine that God infinite in wisdome and bountie should frankly, for the merits of his Son, forgiue our enormious and grieuous sinnes; and punish vsus for these which are small and veniall? that his louelove should enlarge it selfe to the remitting and releasing vsus from the euerlasting torments of hell fire; and be straightned in forgiuing vsus those sinnes which are small, and (as they call them) veniall: as if a King should out of his great liberalitie forgiue his poore and miserable subiect ten thousand talents; and afterwards miserably exact a base reckoning of some few pence; or as though a Iudge should pardon a malefactour for his horrible treasons or cruel murthers, and should punish him for some pettie theft. But it is further obiected, that the iniquitie of Ierusalem is pardoned, because she had Esa. 40. 2.receiued double of the Lords hands for all her sins. VntoUnto which I answere, that this is not the speach of a Iudge punishing malefactours for their sinnes, and surceasing from punishment after that his iustice is satisfied; but of a most gracious and compassionate father, who hauing seuerely corrected the faults of his sonne for his amendement, earneth in his bowels of louelove and tender merciemercy, when hee knoweth his smart and paine, and seeth him humbling himselfe before him by true repentance. For that it cannot with any probabilitie of truth be vnderstood of the satisfying Gods iustice by their suffering of punishment, it heereby appeareth in that he saith, that they had suffered double for their sinnes; the which must needs hauehave relation to the compassion of a tender father, the greatnesse of whose louelove moueth him to thinke that a few stripes inflicted on his humbled childe, are enough and too much for his great faults; and not to the iustice of a Iudge, proportionating his punishment according to the demerit of the offence; seeing the least of our sins being committed against the infinite maiestie of God, deserue the euerlasting torments of hell fire, and therefore cannot be truely said to be punished double, though all the plagues of this life were inflicted vponupon vsus. Besides, if wee should vnderstand these words of punishments inflicted to satisfie for sinnes, how will it stand with Gods iustice, and much lesse with his merciemercy and goodnesse, to inflict vponupon his seruants twice as much punishment as their faults hauehave deserued?
And thus it appeareth that the afflictions of the faithfull§. Sect. 8. The conclusion of the two former reasons. are not punishments for their sinnes to satisfie the iustice of God, seeing our Sauiour hath borne all the punishments due vntounto our sinnes, fully satisfied Gods iustice and discharged our debt, by offering himselfe vntounto his Father, as a sacrifice for sin, and by paying a price of infinite value and merit for our redemption. And therefore, wee are not punished as slaues, but chastised as sonnes, not so much because we hauehave offended our heauenly father, as because wee should, being in awe and vnderunder discipline, offend no more. For if an earthly parent doth not correct his sonne, to take reuenge for the fault committed, but to keepe him from running into the like fault for the time to come; and taking no pleasure, but rather greefe and compassion in his smart and torment, would willingly pardon his fault and remit his punishment, if he were fully assured, that he would offend no more, vnlesse it be in regard of the rest of his children, whom hee would not hauehave encouraged to commit the like fault through this conuinencie and impunitie; then how much lesse will the Lord who is louelove, mercy, and goodnesseSuscipiēdo poenā & non suscipiendo culpam, & culpam deleuit. & poenam. August. de verb. dom. ser. 37. t. 10 it selfe, punish his sonnes to satisfie his iustice in taking reuenge by their paine and torture? especially considering that his iustice is satisfied, and their faults pardoned by the sufferings and obedience of Iesus Christ. For so one saith, that Christ by taking vponupon him our punishment, and not being guilty of our faults, hath quite done away both faultFilius Dei carnem peccati suscepit & poenam sine culpa, vt in carne peccati, & culpa soluetur & poena. August. de baptism. paruul. lib. 1. cap. 32. and punishment. And againe, the Sonne of God hath taken vponupon him the flesh of sinners, and the punishment without the fault, that in the flesh of sinners, both the fault and punishment should be discharged and remitted. And therefore our afflictions are no punishments for sinne past, but are inflicted by our heauenly Father to preuent sinne for the time to come, either in vsus, after we hauehave felt the smart of it, or in other of our brethren, who seing sin corrected in vsus, are warned to take heed of it by our example.
The third argument, to proue that the afflictions of the§ Sect. 9. The third reason taken from Gods free forgiuing vsus of our sinnes. faithfull are onelyonly chastisements of a father, and not punishments of a Iudge may be this; where there is no sinne, there is no place for punishment; but in the faithfull there is no sinne, because it is not imputed vntounto them, for first all their sinne is washed and purged away by the blood of Christ; and they being iustified for his righteousnesse and obedience are accepted as righteous in Gods sight. So the Apostle Paul saith, that we hauehave redemption through his blood, that is, Col▪ 1. 14. & cap. 2. 13.the forgiuenesse of sinnes; and againe, yee which were dead in sinnes, and in the vncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickned together with him, forgiuing you all your trespasses. To the same purpose the Apostle Iohn saith, that, he hath washed vsus from our sinnes in his blood: and else where, that the blood Apoc. 1. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Ioh. 1. 29of Christ cleanseth vsus from all sinne. In which respect hee is called by Iohn the Baptist, the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world. Secondly, all the faithfull are in the couenant of grace, this being the onelyonly condition which God requireth, that we doe beleeue; but it is one speciall branch of this couenant, that God will forgiue their iniquity, and will remember their sins no more: and thereforeIer. 31. 34. if God so remit the sinnes of the faithfull, that hee doth not so much as remember them; how farre is he from punishing them when they are thus forgiuen? So when the Lord would expresse this couenant of grace by the similitude of mariage, he promiseh to marry the faithfull vntounto himselfe in righteousnesse and iudgment; and because on the one side,Hos. 2. 19. it was vnfit to beate and punishe his spouse, because of this neere vnion betweene them; and because on the other side, shee was so full of faults and infirmities, that by her sinnes she would deserue to be punished, therefore he addeth, that he will marry her also in mercy and in compassion, whereby in and for his Sonne Iesus Christ, he would remit and pardon her sins, and not inflict these iudgements and punishments, though she did deserue them. Finally, the places of Scripture where the Lord promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes, doe plainly euince that God doth so pardon them, that he doth neuer call them into iudgment, neither in this world to punish them with temporall punishments, nor with euerlasting condemnation in the world to come. So he promiseth the Iewes, that if they would turne from their sinnes by true repentance, though they were as crimson, they should be made Esa. 1. 18.white as snow; though they were red like scarlet, they should be made like vntounto wool. So the Lord saith by the Prophet Ieremie that he would so pardon the iniquities of his people, that though one should diligently seek thē, yet he should by no means find thē. In those days, and at that time (saith the Lord) the iniquities of Israell shall be sought for, & there shal be none; Ier. 50. 18.and the sins of Iudah, and they shall not be found; for I will be mercifull vntounto thē whom I reserue. Now how can they be thus cleane purged and washed, if some part of the punishment doth still remaine? Or how are they not to be found, if hee who committeth them be punished for them? Againe, theEsa. 44. 22. Lord saith by the Prophet Esay, that he would put away the transgressions of his people like a cloude, and their sinnes like a Mica. 7. 19.mist: and by Micah; that he would cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea. And Dauid, to signifie the forgiuenesse ofPsa. 31. 1. sinne, vseth the phrase of couering, and not imputing them; but if the Lord looketh vponupon our sinnes to punish them, how can he be said to put them away as a cloude? If in this life he bring them into iudgement, how doth he cast them into the bottome of the sea? And if by punishing he bring them to an account, how can hee bee said to couer, or not impute them? Finally the contrary phrases vsed in the ScripturesIob. 14. 17. Ier. 17. 1. Hos. 13. 12. being truly expounded, may serue as a comment to shew what these meane, for if to seale vp iniquity in a bagge, to write and register vp the sinne of the people with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, to bind vp iniquity▪ and to keepe it in store, doe signifie that God will bring them to iudgement, by punishing them in the wicked, and correcting them in the faithfull; then contrariwise not to remember sin, to wash it away, to hide it out of fight, and cast it into the bottome of the sea, must needs signifie, that God will neuer lay it to the charge of the faithfull, nor inflict any of that punishment on them which they hauehave deserued.
The fourth argument, which prooueth that the afflictions§ Sect. 10. The fourth reason is, because our afflictions tend to the aduancing of our good. Rom. 8. 18. 28. of the faithfull are not punishments, is because they do tend to our good, euen to the mortifying of our sinnes, the multiplying and encreasing of Gods spirituall graces in vsus, and the furthering of our euerlasting happinesse. And this argument the Apostle purposely vseth to comfort those who are vnderunder the crosse, not only because our present afflictions shall bee ouerwaighed with an incomparable waight of future glory, but also because all things whatsoeuer, and they among the rest1. Cor. 11. 32. worke together for the best vntounto them that louelove God. So elsewhere he telleth vsus, that when we are thus iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not bee condemned with the world; that he chasteneth vsus for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holines; that though for the present it bee grieuous to the sense, yet it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnes Heb. 12. 10. 11.vntounto them which are thereby exercised, and that these short & light afflictions shall cause vntounto vsus a farre most excellent & an 2. Cor. 4. 17.eternall waight of glory, And this good and singular profit which commeth to the faithfull by their afflictions the Prophet Dauid out of experience confessed that hee had receiued;Psalm. 119. 71. It is good (saith he) for me that I hauehave beene afflicted, Iam. 3. 27.that I may learne thy statutes; and the Church in the lamentations affirmeth, that it is good for a man that hee beare the yoake in his youth. By all which it plainely appeareth that these afflictions are not punishments vntounto the faithfull, seeing they are inflicted for the hurt, and not for the good of the party, to satisfie iustice, and not out of any louelove, to take vponupon them due reuenge for the euill they hauehave committed, though it be to their vtter destruction, and not to confer and deriue vntounto them any temporall benefit, and much lesse that maine benefit of their euerlasting ioy and happinesse.
Lastly that cannot be a punishment which is either a cause§. Sect. 11. The fifth reason is, because our afflictions are a meanes of eternal blessednes. or meanes of eternall blessednesse; but by the testimony of the holy Ghost they are pronounced blessed who are thus afflicted and corrected, the Lord vsing it as a meanes to keep them in his fear, and to instruct them in the way of his commandements, which leadeth vntounto this euerlasting blessednes and happinesse in his kingdome, according to that of the Psalmist; Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord, Psal. 94. 12. 13.and teachest him in thy law: that thou maiest giuegive him rest from the daies of euill, whilest the pit is digged for the wicked. AndPsalm. 23. 4. heereof it is, that he receiued comfort; not only from GodsPsalm. 16. 11. staffe supporting and defending him, but also from his rod correcting and chastising him, because it was a meanes to containe him in the way of righteousnesse, which is the path of life, bringing vsus into Gods presence, where is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore: and to reduce and bring him back into this way when through frailty and infirmity hee erred and digressed out of it, as he also confesseth in another place,Psalm. 119. 67. before I was afflicted (saith he) I went astray, but now I keepe thy word. But what blessednes, or what comfort and consolation could there be in afflictions, if they were punishmēts, seeing they are fruits of the curse, and tend not to aduance the happines of the party punished, but to his hurt & ruine? neither are they the causes or signes of blessednes, but the forerunners of his euerlasting destruction; seeing God by them, euen in this life, doth begin to shew his anger, and to satisfie his iustice by inflicting on them those tortures & torments which their sinnes hauehave deserued.
And thus it appeareth that the afflictions of the faithfull§. Sect. 12. Their obiection answered who affirme that Dauids afflictions were punishmēts of his sinnes. Arminij respons. ad. 31. articulos. Art. 9. are not the punishments of a righteous iudge, but the gentle chastisements of a louing Father. Against which too maine obiections are made, not onelyonly by our common aduersaries, but also by some amongst our selues: the first is taken from the example of Dauid, who though his sinne was pardoned, yet he was not freed thereby from temporall punishments; and though his fault was remitted so farre forth as it merited eternall condemnation; yet it was reserued by God to bee punished with such punishments as were corporall & temporary. But vntounto this obiection the answere is easie, if wee doe but remember what hath beene deliuered allready; for the rule generally holdeth, that where sinne, which is the cause, is taken away, punishment, which is the effect, ceaseth; but presently vponupon the confession of Dauids sinne the Prophet assureth him from God, of the forgiuenesse of it,2. Sam. 12. 13. though before he had denounced those temporal afflictions against him and his house. And therfore seeing the forgiuenesse of sinne is (as hath beene said) the not imputing, couering, hiding, not remembring, casting of it into the bottome of the sea, and (as it is there said) the putting of it away; it is manifest that Dauids sinne thus before remitted, was not afterwards brought into iudgement, and hee punished for it, but that these afflictions were the chastisements of a gracious father, inflicted vponupon Dauid, not in hatred and reuenge, or for the punishment of the sin committed, but our of meere louelove, to bring him heereby to more serious and sound repentance, that he might with more bitter greefe bewaile his sinne past, and bee more watchfull and carefull to preuent it for the time to come. VntoUnto which end of Dauids …. Sam. 12. 24.good, wee may adde another ende respecting the glory of God, which by these afflictions, whereby hee corrected Dauids sinne, was vindicated from the slaunderous blasphemies of the heathen, for whereas if Dauid vponupon his repentance had not beene thus corrected and afflicted, they would hauehave beene readie to hauehave accused the Lord of partiality, seeing howsoeuer hee punished such hainous sinnes in others with rigour and extremity, yet hee liked them well enough in his owne seruants, and could bee content to winke at their faults, suffering them with impunity to liue in enormous crimes. All which occasion of slanderIer. 25. 29. was taken away, when as God did thus beginne iudgement in his owne house, and with such seuerity corrected the faults of his seruant, vponupon whom his name was called. But yet with Gods glory was ioyned Dauids good; neyther did God punish him as a iudge, but chastise him as a father, not to satisfie iustice, or to reuenge his fault vponupon him to his hurt, but out of his meere louelove and mercy to bring him heereby to an hearty sorrow for his sin past, and to makeSi texit peccata Deus noluit aduertere, si noluit aduertere, noluit animaduertere, si noluit animaduertere noluit punire, noluit agnoscere, maluit ignoscere. Aug. Caluin. instit. lib. 3. cap. 4. sect. 3. him abhorre and flee from the like for the time to come. For (as one saith) when God forgiueth sinne, hee couereth and forgetteth it; and if he couereth it, he will not obserue it, and if he do not obserue it, he wil not reserue it in memory with a purpose to punish it. He will not acknowledge it, but rather pardoneth it. To conclude this point with the words of that excellent and worthy seruant of God; it is strange (saith he) that they should so cast their eies vponupon this one example of Dauid, to proue thereby that the faithfull are punished for their sinnes, as that they are nothing moued with so many other examples, wherein they may cleerely behold the free forgiuenes of sinne without any temporary punishment; for we read of the publicane, that he departed out of the temple iustified, and no punishment followed; Peter also obtained the pardon of his sinne, and (as Ambrose saith) we read only of his teares, but not of his satisfaction. So Christ saith toMath. 9 2. the sicke of the palsie: thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, but hee doth not withall impose any punishment.§ Sect. 13. Their obiection answered who affirme that the death of the faithfull is a punishment of their sinnes.
The second obiection is, that the bodily death of the faithfull is a punishment to the body, because though the soule passe after the separation into ioy and happinesse, yet the body is punished for the time; seeing it corrupteth in the graue, and is not actually deliuered from death, vntil the time of the resurrection. The right indeede of houlding vsus vnderunder his dominion is taken away from death by Christ, but from the actuall dominion thereof we are not freed till wee rise againe. To which I answer that death is to bee considered in it owne nature, or as it hath relation to the faithfull, in it owne nature it is indeed a punishment of sinne. But to the faithfull the nature therof is changed, and of a curse it is turned into a blessing. For Christ hath taken away the sting thereof which is sinne, and where there is no sinne, there can be no punishment. It was indeed a deadly stinging serpent which destroyed vsus, but since sinne was taken away, like a serpent without a sting it cannot hurt vsus. And there cannot be any punishment where there is no hurt or damage. Neither hath now death (as hee affirmeth) actuall dominion ouerArminius. vsus, seeing in Christ we hauehave gotten the victory ouer it; so as we neede not to crouch vntounto it, as captiues to those who hauehave dominion ouer them, but as conquerers after victorie obtained by Christ, we may triumph ouer it, saying with the Apostle, O death where is thy sting, O hell where is 1. Cor. 15. 55.thy victory. Heretofore it held vsus like prisoners vnderunder his arrest till Gods iustice was satisfied, but this being done, this arrest is turned into a rest, death into a sleepe, and the graue is become to the bodies of the faithfull, as a bed of downe, wherein they quietly rest without all sense of euill, vntil the day that they are raised by vertue of Christ their head to be glorified with him. Neither is there now any hurt in death, (which hurt neuerthelesse alwaies accompanieth punishment) but much fruit and benefit; and that not onelyonly in respect of the soule, which by this separation is ioyned with God, and enioyeth fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his rightPsalm. 16. 11. hand for euermore; but also in regard of the body. For hereby it is freed from all miseries and afflictions wherewith in this life it is turmoiled, as heat, cold, hunger, nakednes, sicknesse, paine, with many such calamities; it is eased and resteth from those painefull labours, wherewith it was spent and wearied, it is deliuered both from the oppressions and iniuries of wicked worldlings, yea euen from their society and company which was in this world so irkesome & cumbersome. To which purpose one demaundeth, how it commethAugust. de vita Christian. lib. c. 4. to passe, that wee see the good and euill perish together? and then answereth, that they perish not, but make an escape out of their miseries, who are freed from the company and persecutions of wicked men: but they truely dye and perish, whom the paine and punishment of a more fearefull iudgement doth attend after they depart this life. And lastly (which is a benefit aboue all the rest) it resteth from the works of wickednes, beeing no more subiect to our sinfull soules to bee abused by them, as their instruments for the committing of iniquity. Finally the Apostle reckoneth death among the chastisements wherewith the Lord corrected the Corinthians for their vnworthy receiuing the Lords Supper; for this cause (saith hee) many are weake and sicke among you, and many sleepe, that is, are dead; and then addeth that when they were this iudged, they were (not punished but) chastened of the Lord, because they should not bee condemned 1. Cor. 11. 30. 32with the world. And therefore if death to them were onelyonly a chastisement of a gracious Father, and that out of meere louelove to preserue them from euerlasting condemnation, it was a benefit, and not a punishment, proceeding from so gracious an author, to so good an end.
Yea, but by death the body is made subiect to corruption,§ Sect. 14. The former obiection further vrged and answered. & therefore it is a bodily punishment. I answer, that though this argument holdeth in respect of meere naturall men, yet not in regard of the faithful, the corruption of whose body is but a preparation to their glorification; for they are sowne in corruption, that they may be raised in incorruption; they are sowne in dishonour, that they may be raised in glory; they are sowne in weaknesse, that they may be raised in power; in which respect they hauehave no more hurt, and1. Cor. 15. 36. consequently no more punishment by this temporary corruption, then the corne hath, which must first dye that it may bee quickned, as the Apostle likeneth it; or then the gold hath which is melted, that beeing purified from the drosse, it may bee framed into glorious vessels fit for the Kings table. Neither is it a punishment to bee corrupted, when the corruption tendeth to perfection, but onelyonly when1. Cor. 15. 26. it tendeth to destruction; seeing in naturall reason it is necessary that the worser forme must first be lost by corruption, before a better and more excellent can be acquired and obtained. Yea, but death is called an enemie, which is to be destroied, and therefore vntill it be brought to this finall destruction, it is a punishment. I answere, that it followeth not; that because death is an enemie, therefore it is a punishment, seeing punishments hauehave their name and nature, not from the enimity and malignity of the secondarie causes and instruments, but from the chiefe author who inflicteth them, from the end of their imposing, and the effects and fruites which they worke in the partie that suffereth them. As namely, when they proceed from an angry Iudge, and not a gracious father, to satisfie iustice, and not to reforme and benefit the partie; and when accordingly they hurt and profite not, they damnifie and destroy the offender who suffereth them, and doe not by his reformation make way for his saluation. And therefore though death be an enemie, and in it owne nature full of malignitie, yet seeing it is an instrument, and as it were a rodde in the hand of our heauenly father, which he vseth for our benefit, and maketh it to serue as a meanes for the deriuing much good, not onelyonly to our soules, but also to our bodies, the enimity and malignity thereof doth no more proue it to be a punishment vntounto the faithfull; then the enimitie and malice of a slaue, who is commanded by a louing father to chastise his sonne according to his appointmēt and no otherwise, doth make it cease to be a fatherly correction, and to become a punishment, when as the father doth it out of meere louelove to his childe, and notwithstanding the malignitie of his instrument or deputie, intendeth and powerfully effecteth the good of his sonne by this his chastisement. Neither doth this proue it to bee a punishment, because it is an enemie which is to bee, and therefore is not, yet destroyed; seeing heereby is meant the vtter destruction and full abolishing of it at Christs second comming. For euen now death is destroyed, as hee is, who hath the power of death, the Diuell, and the rest of our spirituall enemies; namely, not that they should not assault vsus, but that they should not hurtHeb. 2. 14. vsus. It is true, that at Christs second comming wee shall hauehave full redemption and perfect deliuerance from the hands of our spirituall enemies, when as they shall, not only, not ouercome vsus, and hold vsus in their captiuitie, but not so much as molest vsus, or disturbe our peace; but in the meane time their poyson, sting and strength is taken away, so that though they assault and tempt vsus, yet they shall neuer be able to hurt vsus, seeing the Lord so directeth vsus with his wisdome, and assisteth vsus with his power, that wee still obtaine the victorie, and receaue much profit and benefit by their encounters. And as this is true of all the rest, so especially of death, who in it selfe is an enemie, which is wholy to be abolished at Christs appearing; but in the meane time, the poyson and sting thereof is taken away by the death of Christ, and the nature thereof is quite changed, so as it is no longer a tyrant, which holdeth vsus to our hurt vnderunder his dominion, but as to the soule it is a passage to glory and happinesse; so to the body it is but a sleepe a litle longer then ordinary, whereby it resteth from labour and sinne, that when the day of glory breaketh, and the Sunne of righteousnesse appeareth, wee may lay aside corruption, and put1. Cor. 15. 53. § Sect.. 15 Of the manifold differences betweene the afflictions of the faithfull and the punishments of the wicked. on incorruption, and hauing our mortall swallowed vp of immortalitie, may rise with full strength, beautie and vigour, to serue and praise God without paine or wearinesse.
And thus hauehave I shewed, that none of the afflictions of the faithfull, no, not death it selfe, the greatest and last of temporall euils, are vntounto the faithfull punishments for sinne, but onelyonly the chastisements of a louing father, inflicted for his glory and their good; for howsoeuer the punishments of the wicked, and chastisements of the godly be in matter and in outward appearance, yea euen in respect of bodily sense, and the apprehension of naturall reason all one; yet is there great and manifold difference betweene them to bee obserued by the eie of spirituall iudgment, enlightened by the bright beames of Gods truth shining in his word. As first the chastisements of the faithfull and punishments of the wicked doe differ in their efficient causes who inflict and impose them. For they come from the hand of a gracious father reconciled vntounto vsus in Christ; these from a iust Iudge, and from a powerfull and incensed enemie. They are inflicted in louelove and fatherly compassion, which causeth his bowels to earne, and his heart to relent, so as he cannot cast off his children like the wicked, but receiueth them againe into his former fauour, after that they are humbled vnderunder his chastising hand; according to that of the Prophet Hosea, How shall I giuegive thee vp Ephraim? how shall I deliuer Hos. 11. 8.thee Israell? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings Deut. 29. 23.are rowled together. As if he had said, though your sins are so many and grieuous, that I might iustly destroy you with fire and brimstone, as I did those cities adioyning to Sodome and Gomorrah; yet in regard of my couenant, and my louelove which in Christ I beare you, I cannot deale with you as I did with those cursed nations; but when your sinnes enforce me to correct you, I do compassionate your griefes, and am readie to repent and surcease your afflictions, when you repent of your sinne against me. And with this agreeth Gods promise made to Dauid concerning his sonne Salomon. If he sinne, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with 2. Sam. 7. 14.the plagues of the children of men; but my mercy shall not depart from him, as I tooke it from Saul, whom I hauehave put away before me. So that the Lord in correcting his children, dothHab. 3. 2. (as the Prophet Habakkuc speaketh) In wrath remember mercy, and he doth chastise them in his iudgment, not in his Ier. 10. 24. & 30. 11.anger to bring them to nothing, and vtterly cut them off. But contrariwise, the punishments of the wicked are inflicted vponupon them in Gods wrath and heauie displeasure; neither doth he take any compassion on them in their miseries, but rather delighteth himselfe in the exercising his iustice and iudgements vponupon them for their vtter ruine and destruction.
Secondly, they differ in their impulsiue or mouing cause; for the cause mouing the Lord to chastise the faithfull, is his louelove and goodnesse, whereas his wrath and iust displeasure conceiued against the wicked for their sinnes, moueth him to inflict deserued punishments vponupon them.
Thirdly, they differ in their end, for the Lord chastiseth the faithfull, that hee may manifest his merciemercy in their conuersion,Rom. 9. 22. but he punisheth the wicked, that he may manifest his iustice in their confusion. Hee chastiseth them in louelove for their amendement, that they may not sin; hee punisheth these in wrath to satisfie his iustice, because they hauehave sinned. Hee chastiseth them that they may like gold be purified in the fire of affliction from their drosse and corruption, and so be made fit for Gods heauenly treasurie; hee punisheth these that like chaffe or stubble they may be consumed with the fire of his wrath. He chastiseth them that they may not1. Cor. 11. 32. be condemned with the world; hee punisheth these that their earthly miseries may bee the beginning of their condemnation,Iam. 1. 3. and (as it were) their first step into hell. Hee chastiseth them to try them, that in triall they may bee approued; he punisheth these to vex and torment them, by bringing vponupon them that vengeance which their sinnes hauehave deserued.
Fourthly, they differ in their effects; for the afflictions of the faithfull doe much profit them, and further their saluation; but the punishments of the wicked doe much hurt them and further their condemnation. They soften and mollifie their hearts, and make them to humble themselues before their heauenly father, imploring mercy and forgiuenes; these doe make them more hard and obdurate, and in furie and desperate madnesse to blaspheme, murmure and repine against their Iudge, because he doth execute vponupon them his righteous iudgments. They not onelyonly helpe to increase in them all spirituall graces, but also manifest them to Gods glory and their owne comfort; these both multiplie and manifest the sinnes and corruptions of the wicked to their euerlasting horrour and confusion. They beating, and (as it were punning) the faithfull, doe make them like odoriferous spices to smell the more sweetly, the more they are brused, these vexing the wicked doe make them like filthie sinkes and puddles to stinke the more noysomly the more they are troubled. Finally, they serue as an vnpleasant, yet straight and direct way which bringeth the faithfull into the kingdome of heauen; but these are (as it were) the porch and first entrance of hell, and like a stormie and tempestuous sea, which splitteth and sinketh the wicked on the sands of desperation,Ideota inter orthodoxogr. de patient. verae contemplat. cap. 20. and maketh them to wrack their soules on the rocks of destruction. To which purpose one saith, that to the damned and reprobate, tribulation begetteth pusillaminitie, pusillaminitie perplexitie, perplexitie desperation, and desperation confusion and condemnation.
Fifthly, the afflictions of the faithfull, and the punishments of the wicked doe differ, in respect of their seuerall subiects, or the persons vponupon whom they are imposed; for they are inflicted on sonnes, these on slaues, they on friends, these on enemies; they on Gods faithfull and couragious souldiars, whom after the victory he will crowne with glory; these on malefactours and offenders, whom it is his purpose to punish according to their demerits.
Sixthly, they differ in time and continuance; for the afflictions of the faithfull are short and momentanie; but the punishments of the wicked are endlesse and euerlasting; for as the happinesse of the elect and their glorification, is inchoate and begun euen in this life, when they hauehave attained vntounto some measure of sanctification, vntounto peace with God, peace of couscience and ioy in the holy Ghost; so contrariwise the torments of the reprobate, are euen begunne in this world, when as they suffer for their sinnes temporall plagues and punishments, seeing they are the earnest of their condemnation, and the very flashing of that infernall fire.
Seauenthly, they differ in their measure and quantitie, in which respect the afflictions of the faithfull are that gentle rod, whereby like children they are louingly corrected by1. Cor. 11. 32. their heauenly father; but the punishments of the wicked are that three stringed whip, whereby the wicked are scourged and tormented like slaues and malefactours, at the appointmentIer. 30. 11. of their Iudge. They tending to correct in iudgment for the good of the partie, and these to destroy and vtterly cut off, as the Prophet speaketh. And though there seeme to be no difference in outward appearance betweene the stripes of the sonne, and the lashes of the slaue; yet is there great difference in their inward feeling, seeing they hauehave much internall ioy, and comfort from the assurance which they hauehave of the louelove and fauour of their heauenly father, euen whilest he correcteth them, whereby they are ascertained that all their afflictions shall hauehave a ioyfull and happie issue; whereas these conceiuing God to be a seuere Iudge, and an incensed enemie, doe with horrour and feare suffer the euils which lie vponupon them, as the deserued punishments of their sinnes, hauing no better hopes for the time to come, but rather a terrible expectation of hellish condemnation after all their worldly miseries, and calamities. To this purpose one saith, that there is great difference betweeneChrysost. de fide & loge naturae. serm. t. 3. the chastisements of a sonne and the punishments of a slaue. For the sonne is beaten, and so is the seruant, but he like a seruant who hath offended, but the other as free-borne, and as a sonne vntounto whom discipline is necessary. Neither doe their like stripes proue them to be of like honour, nor doth it heereupon follow, that because the wicked and godly suffer the same things, therefore they are of the same condition; but correction is inflicted vponupon the sonne, for his humiliation or triall; vponupon the slaue, for his torment and punishment. And therefore Dauid knowing these differences, saith of the iust, that many were their tribulations, but presently addeth, that the Lord deliuereth Psal 34. 19. vers. 21.them out of all: shewing the cure and remedie as soone as the disease and maladie. But speaking of the wicked, hee saith, that many are the torments of the sinner, but addeth no comfort of helpe and deliuerance. Finally, as there are these and many such like differences betweene the chastisements of the faithfull, and the punishments of the wicked, for the present in this world; so farre greater shall the difference be betweene them in that which followeth in the life to come; for the afflictions of the godly in this present life are not (as the Apostle speaketh) worthy the glory which shall be reuealed. Seeing as hee saith in another place, These Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17.light and momentanie afflictions, shall cause vntounto them a farre most excellent, and an eternall waight-of glorie Whereas the temporarie punishments of vngodly men, working in them no reformation and amendement, but rather (as hath beene shewed) encreasing and multiplying their haynous sinnes, are accompanied with euerlasting torments, and hellish condemnation in the world to come.
And thus hauehave I proued that the afflictions of the faithfull,§ Sect. 15. That there were no comfort in afflictions, if they were punishments. are not punishments of their sinnes, inflicted by an offended iudge, for the satisfying of his iustice; but the chastisements of a gracious father, by which hee correcteth his children for their profit & amendment; and hauehave also shewed the manifold and greater differences betweene the punishments of the wicked and the afflictions of the godly, vponupon the which I hauehave the longer insisted, because the contrary opinion of the aduersaries, opposed against this truth, striketh at the very roote of all true and sound comfort. For as it is the cheefe stay, to vphold fainting soules oppressed with the heauy waight of grieuous afflictions, to know, and to be assured that all which they suffer are the chastisements of a gracious Father, whereby hee correcteth them out of meere louelove, for their owne profit and benefit, and not for any pleasure which he taketh in their smart and paine, but vponupon meere necessity to reclaime them from their sinnes, and to fit them for his kingdome: so when this stay is taken away, and the afflicted party is perswaded, that the miseries which hee endureth are deserued punishments of an angrie iudge, inflicted for the satisfying of his iustice, beeing robbed of all consolation, hee fainteth vnderunder his burthen, and sinketh into the bottomlesse gulfe of deepe despaire. For if he were vnable to beare the burthen of his afflictions when they were alone, what will become of him when the double load of Gods wrath and displeasure is added vntounto it? or whether should he flee for comfort, when hee seeth, that hee who is onelyonly able to reeleeue him is an incensed enemie? How should he hauehave any hope to hauehave his afflictions lightened or shortned, which are inflicted to satisfie iustice, when as his owne conscience telleth him that his least sinnes are of infinite guilt in respect of that infinite maiesty which is offended? or what shal stay him from fleeing out of the presence of God, when like a righteous iudge hee pursueth him in wrath to take due vengeance on him for his wickednes? Finally how shall a faithfull man conclude wt Dauid, that itPsalm. 119. 71. is good for him to be afflicted, if his afflictions be the fruits and effects of Gods wrath and the deserued punishments of his sinne, which hurt and profit not? or how shall he pronounce them blessed whom God correcteth, if they bee stillPsalm. 94. 12. vnderunder the curse, suffring those punishments which the Law threatneth? Whereas contrariwise if we be perswaded that the Lord is still our gracious Father, we wil flee into his bosome for refuge against all euils, and humble our selues vnderunder his mighty hand whom wee hauehave offended, hoping to receiue vponupon our submission, mercy and forgiuenes, if wee conceiue that he correcteth vsus for our profit, our future hopes will strengthen our patience to indure present smart. If wee be assured that God loueth our persons, and in all his corrections aymeth at nothing but the mortifying of our sins, and our reformation; this will make vsus also labour to subdue them, and to amend what is amisse, that so wee may bee freed from our paine and smart. Which a malefactour who is punished for his fault neuer aymeth at, seeing hee knoweth that the end of his suffering is not to amend him, but to satisfie iustice, which will hauehave it course, and not remit any of the punishment vponupon the repentance of the party.