The Christian Armory, Book 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of priuate euils that are occasionall and from without vsus.
Question.
HOw shal they comfort and behaue themselus that are crossed with hard and shrewd mothers in law?
A. First, they must content themselues in this, that they hauehave an heauenly Father, and good Father in the flesh, and that they hauehave the Church of God for their mother.
Secondly, she is a woman, and of the weaker sexe, and therfore it is not a part of a valiant man to resist a woman.
Thirdly, that it is a matter far more glorious and acceptable to God and good men, to passe by & pardon wrongs, then to offer them.
Fourthly, it must suffice, that the step-mothers louelove their Fathers, and therefore they must for their fathers sake beare with them, and reuerence them.
Lastly, the more insolent that their stepmothers are, the more innocent and humble they must be; they must reuenge the wrongs (that their stepmothers offer them) ra…her by not regarding them then requiting them, and the more that the mothers in law hate their sonnes in law, the more must the sonnes louelove them; for then they shall either win them by their well doing, or else leaue them without al excuse or defence of themselues, before God the righteous Iudge.
Q. What comforts are to be ministred vntounto them that in iust and law…ull suites receiue many foiles and repulses?
A. First, it is arrogancy and presumption ambitiously to desire to obtain all things that wee néede. For mighty Emperours hauehave béene denied in many things, yea God himselfe (albeit hee demaund them for our good, and not for his owne, for hee néedeth nothing) hée requireth many things of vsus, which we yéeld him not.
Secondly, they must perswade themselues, that if their petition had been condescended vntounto, it (perhaps) had not béene for their good.
Thirdly, they must not be ouermuch aggreeued, if men denie vntounto them small thinges, seeing that God gratiously granteth them thinges of farre greater worth, vse, and excellency.
Fourthly, if Gods children should hauehave no deniall in worldly things, they would affect the world rather thē Gods word, and rather trust in men then in the Lord.
Fiftly, in this world, the mighty are preferred ordinarily before the meane, and great men before good men.
Lastly, though they receiue a deniall the first, second, or third time, yet if they be patient and constant, they may spéede at last.
Q. What vse are we to make hereof?
A. First, if wee would hauehave no repulse, we must craue things honest and possible.
Secondly, wee must be ready to pleasure others, if wee would hauehave them to gratifie vsus.
Q. What counsell and comfort is fit for them that are decayed or vndone by rash suertiship?
A. First, it déepely concerneth them to repent of their former vnaduisednes,Pro. 11.15. and be wiser for the time to come.
Pro. 6.1.2.3.4.5 6.Secondly, they must humbly sue to their creditors for fauour, patience, and forgiuenes, or (at least) for abasement.
Thirdly, that which their pouerty cannot pay, they must lay it, and put it on Christ, and then God will neuer exact it at their hands.
Fourthly, it fel out through their selfe-will and voluntary disposition,Gen. 42.37. and therfore they must take it patiently.
Fifthly, they shall learne by their own hurt, how profitable and pleasant a thing it is to owe nothing, and to liue without bonds and yrons.
Lastly, if they be onelyonly decaied, and not vndone, it wil make them (when the worst is past) alwaies to dread the like daunger, and to feare the like fals.
Q. What vse are wee to make hereof?
A. First, it behoueth vsus to be wary, for whom we become sureties,Pro. …2.26. and for what summes: alwayes remembring that the day of payment will come sooner then wee expect; and what though for the present, we are able to discharge the debt; yet wée full little know what losses and empouerishment may befal vsus in the meane time.
Secondly, other mens decaies by suertiship must bee our discipline, and their woes our warnings.
Lastly, if we be disposed to doe good, let vsus rather impart our goods to the poore, then (otherwise) to loose our liberty with our liuing.
Q. What comforts against discontentment conceiued by reason of good seruice towards Church and commonwealth, neither respected, nor rewarded?
A. They must take notice of these rules and directions following. First, this procéedeth from mans weakenesse, and forgetfulnesse, and therefore this offence must not bee ouermuch aggrauated.
Secondly, many worthy men of good parts and seruice, hauehave béene neglected & reiected in the world; Ioseph was forgotten of Pharaohs Butler; Dauid an humble petitioner vntounto Nabal was repelled, and reproched: good Iacob a faithful seruant was euill entreated of Laban: Dauids life was sought of Saul, and Christ the Lord of all, (yet seruant to all) was forsaken of all Unthankefull men are vngodly vnwise and wicked; and therfore we must the lesse regard them; for can men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Thirdly, we must alwayes doe good, and looke for our guerdon and reward from God, and not from men.
Fourthly, the lesse hope and expectation that wee hauehave of reward from men, (who are many times vnthankefull, the more reuerend and regardfull is our good seruice before God.
Lastly, Gods children are plaine and simple, and cannot begge, flatter, nor dissemble▪ and therefore they are not estéemed in the world, much lesse promoted and preferred.
Q. What duties must wee performe herein?
A. First, we must render to no man euill for euill, but good for euill, and other mens vnthankefulnes must not hinder vsus from doing good.
Secondly, let vsus beware, lest whiles wee complaine and crie out of other mens vnthankefulnes, we bee found vnthankefull our selues, especially towards God.
Lastly, the vnthankfulnes of men must not barre vsus from doing good, lest that we forgoe the comfort of a good conscience.
Q. How shall a man comfort himselfe whose wife is barren, and how shall likewise the woman quiet her selfe?
A. First, they both are freed from euil children, and from the feare of sinne and danger, that they might otherwise fall into.
Secondly, they are fréed from the contentions of nurses, and the yelling of infants.
Thirdly, the husband shall bee sure neuer to nourish and bring vp another mans children for his owne. And this is a great benefit; for if an adulterous wife be a great euill, much more is …hee that is in this case fruitfull.
Fourthly, the reproch of barrennesse, maketh the wife more diligent and dutifull: for shee with Hannah weepeth, and is silent, when many other women are insolent and imperious. 1. Sam. 1.9.
Fiftly, God will hereby correct couetous and worldly affections in thē which by the number & multiplication of childrē might be caused and encreased.
Lastly, in common calamities, especially of the sword,Math. 24.19. war, and persecution, such shall with more expedition shift for themselues,Luk. 23.27 28.29. and hauehave no cause to mourn and howle for bloudy & vntimely death of their children.
Q. Comforts and counsell for godly and innocent persons, vniustly cast into, and detained in prison.
Math. 25.36.First, many of Gods Saints, as Ioseph, Paul, &c. hauehave beene wrongfully imprisoned,Act. 28.31 and hauehave herein been kept in safety from the enemies rage, as Paul was, who had a souldier tending on him, and who in prison two whole yeares, receiued all that came in vntounto him, and preached Gods kingdome, and taught those things that concerned the Lord Iesu, with all boldnes, no man forbidding him.
Secondly, many in their imprisonment hauehave not onelyonly beene preserued from the great euils of the sword, famine and penurie, but hauehave wrote many famous Epistles and works, (as Paul then endited most of his Epistles) yea they hauehave conuerted many to the Lord, and some hauehave from hence (as Ioseph) béen exalted to great honour and dignity, Eccles 4.14.
Thirdly, their mothers wombe was once their prison, and the graue shall be their second prison: and why then do they so much feare the Magistrates prison?
Fourthly, many of deuotion to God, and because they would be crucified and mortified to the world, hauehave spent & ended their mortall liues in dens, caues, cloisters, dungeons, and therfore they in prison must carry the same mortified affections, and all will be well.
Lastly,Act. 3.19. the day of death, and the day of iudgement wil put an end to it at the furthermost, & therefore they must take their false imprisonment most patiently,Psal. 123.2 and with Paul and Silas pray vntounto God and sing Psalmes, and wait also Gods good leasure for their deliuerance.
Q. How shall we comfort them▪ that are heauy hearted and afflicted, because they are borne downe and oppressed in their lawfull suite?
A. First, we must possesse their minds and hearts with this,Eccl. 5.7. that nothing befalleth them but by Gods prouidence, and for their good:Eccles. 4.….2.3. for hee suffereth this wrong to be done: hee seeth it, and will in time require it.
Eccle. 7.17Secondly, Salomon in his time saw a righteous man perish in his iustice; and why may not the like happen in our declining dayes?c. 8. v. 14. There are righteous men to whom it commeth according to the work of the wicked.
Thirdly, God will hereby hauehave the aduersaries of the iust mans cause (whether Iudges or Iustices,Eccles. 3.16.17. Lawyers, Procters, or Apparitors &c.) to fulfill the measure of their sins, and so (if they betimes repent not) to engulfe themselues into the lake of eternall damnation.
Fourthly, God will hauehave his people to suffer many wrongs by the wicked, that they should not be corrupted with the flatterie of the world, and so should be condemned with it.
Lastly, let vsus truely and constantly serue our good God, and he will (partly in this world, and abundantly in the world to come) comfort, right, and aduance vsus.