Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 9 · Sermon 74
SERMON LXXIV.
Of Afflictions; The difference between Penal-Deſtructive Calamities, and thoſe that are Medicinal; And how Afflictions are operative to the Converſion of men.
JER. 18. 11.
Behold, I frame evil againſt you, and deviſe a device; Return now every one from his evil way.
THe Doctrine gathered from theſe words is, That God purpoſeth evil and calamities againſt a people, that they might return from their wicked ways. In this point three things are to be conſidered; 1. That God frameth all calamities. 2. That theſe calamities are called evil; both which are diſpatched. The third thing which remaineth is, That Gods end in all theſe exerciſes, is to make men turn from their ſins: Converſion is the end of all Gods ſcourges and ſtripes; if men did throw away their evil, God would quickly burn his rod. As Abſolom ſending for Ioab, who would not come to him, till his corn was ſet on fire, and then Ioab haſtened quickly to ſpeak with him; ſo it is here, God ſpeaks once or twice, yea often to us, to turn from our evil ways; but we ſtop the ears, and will not obey: at laſt God afflicts us in our body, or eſtate, or name, one way or other; and then we ſay, or at leaſt ſhould ſay, Come, let us return early unto God: So that Gods judgements, they are real ſermons, God preacheth by them, as well as by his word; inſomuch that he puts a remarkable obſervation upon their obſtinacy and impenitency, Amos cap. 4. from the 6; verſe to the latter end, upon five ſeveral judgements, he addeth, Yet have ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord: So that publique and perſonal evils which come upon us, ſhould make us turn from ſin: And Oh take heed, that God ſaith not, Yet have ye not returned unto me: Thus alſo God complaineth again, … 12. 13. For the people turneth not unto him that ſmiteth them: So that you ſee, God looks for converſion, from every one whom he doth any way chaſtiſe for ſin: For opening this point. Conſider
Firſt, That Gods afflictions upon a people, may be branched into three heads: Afflictions branched into three heads.ſome are firſt meerly exploratory, or by way of tryal, to draw out a Chriſtians graces, and to encreaſe his glory Thus perſecutions and troubles for the Goſpel, impriſonment and Martyrdom; theſe were not ſo much evil framed by God, to make them turn from their ſins; but conflicts and combates appointed by God, for his choice and valiant Champions, that ſo they might receive the greater weight of glory: And hence the people of God are commanded to account it all joy, when they fall into ſuch temptations, James 1. for what the fire is to the droſs, the water to a ſpotty garment, the winnowing to the wheat, the ſame are theſe combates to them, they ſtrengthen their graces, they weaken their luſts, and they advance their glory; ſo that the ignorance of this end, doth ſometimes put Gods children into great perplexities; for becauſe they fall frequently under Gods afflictions, no ſooner is one over, but another ſucceeds, like the waves of the ſea; they begin to doubt preſently about the main, they call the very foundations into queſtion, Why doth God thus follow me with loſſes and troubles? is it not becauſe I am an hypocrite? may I not fear the great work of converſion is yet to be done? But this is a temptation; had not Iob been well exerciſed to diſcern between good and evil; theſe very temprations had broken his heart.
A Second branch of Chaſtiſements, are indeed for ſin, and flow from Gods anger, 2.but they are wholly medicinal: They are to let blood, like the Phyſitian who intends health; not like the Butcher, who is to deſtroy; and theſe by the Scripture are called foreign, becauſe God would diſcipline us by them as children, not puniſh us as condemned malefactors.
And if you ſay, How can theſe be for converſion, when ſometimes they fall upon thoſe that are converted, ſuch as are made Gods children already?Queſt.
To Anſwer this, you muſt remember what was ſaid heretofore, that even thoſe who are converted, do yet need daily to draw nigher and nigher to God; Anſw.they are to be converted daily from thoſe frequent corruptions, which eſtrange them from God; and thus when Gods own people have their afflictions, they are to conſider, Is not this to turn me nearer to God? is there not ſuch pride, ſuch dulneſs and coldneſs in the ſervice of God, that I am to be turned from? Well, its clear, to Gods own children, they are thus medicinal; but by the Texts forementioned, and in ſeveral other places, its alſo evident, that even to thoſe who are ſinners, and remain in an unconverted eſtate, God reacheth out his gracious offer in their troubles: That as it is ſaid of ſeveral Pſalms, which more principally contain the ſubjects of affliction, A Pſalm to give underſtanding; ſo ſhouldſt thou write, as it were, upon every trouble, upon every affliction, An affliction to give underſtanding. Do not Phyſitians command men diſtracted, and out of their wits, to be kept in dark dungeons, to be bound in ſtraight chains and fetters, to have hard and miſerable fare, that ſo by all this hardſhip, they may come to their underſtandings again? thus God doth, Men by their ſins are turned mad, they are grown out of their right reaſon; they indeed think ſtrictneſs and preciſeneſs is the way to make men out of their wits; but thy luſts and thy wickedneſs, deprive thee of all ſound judgement; now God, that he may recover thee, bindes thee in chains, afflicts thee with ſeveral judgements, that ſo at laſt thou mayeſt ſeriouſly conſider of thy ſelf, and thy condition: ſo that there was never any trouble befell thee, but thou ſhouldſt make as good uſe of it, as ever thou didſt of the beſt ſermon thou haſt heard. Hence Pariſienſis will not call theſe afflictions evil, but good; and therefore divides Gods diſpenſations into Bona Attractionis, and Bona Retractionis; Good things drawing or attractive, theſe are Gods mercies; good things withdrawing or retractive from ſin, and theſe are afflictions.
But thirdly, There are ſome judgements of God for ſin, wherein God doth not aim at converſion, but utter ruine: Therefore when we ſay, God by his calamities, intends 3.the converſion of men; it is not to be underſtood univerſally, not of all men, nor at all times; God hath ſome judgements which are called foreign, puniſhments and torments, which proceed from the meer hatred and implacable enmity of God; and ſo converſion is no more intended by theſe, then the flames and torments in hell are appointed to convert, or to bring the damned to repentance: Thus was the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha, fire and brimſtone was a fit declaration of the hell they had deſerved; and although it may not be peremptorily ſaid, that all the whole world that periſhed ſave eight perſons, were all damned, for that is diſputed among the Learned; yet its plain, the greater part were incurably wicked, and ſo the deluge, though of water, was not to waſh their ſins, but God did firſt throw them into water, and then into eternal fire preſently; and wo be to thoſe wicked men, to whom their miſeries here are but the beginning of ſorrows hereafter.
Now we may obſerve a difference between theſe penal, deſtructive evils, and The difference between penal evils, and medicinal. 1.healing medicinal ones, in theſe reſpects:
Firſt, Deſtructive calamities come violently and totally upon men; So that the wrath of God comes upon ſuch to the extremity, to the uttermoſt: Thus Sod…m and Gomorrha were overthrown in a moment; and God thre…tens incurable Iſrael, That affliction ſhall not riſe up the ſecond time, Nahum 1. 9. he will ſtrike them dead with the firſt blow; whereas Gods converting ſcourges, they come by degrees: As God removed his glory from the temple, being unwilling to ſtir up all his wrath, as the Pſalmiſt expreſſeth it, Pſal. 78 38. when therefore God doth firſt threaten before he ſmite, and when he doth ſmite, he doth it with moderation; when if he doth rebuke, yet it is not in his ſore diſpleaſure; then all theſe diſpenſations are to purge out thy droſs; then thou art ſet on the fire, that thy ſcum may go over. Ieremy makes an excellent difference between theſe two diſpenſations, Ier. 10. 24, 25. Correct me, O Lord, but with judgement, not in thine anger, l…ſt I be brought to nothing; ſo then, never repine or grud e under any ſore hand of God upon thee, if it be with judgement, with meaſure, not in wrath; then it is but the ſhepherds crook, to bring the wandring ſheep in: As the waters of the flood overflowed the mountains, and drowned all the Roval Palaces, and great buildings, that were extant at that time, but advanced the Ark higher to heaven; ſo do afflictions to incurable men, that minde earthly things onelyonly, and glory with greedineſs in them; but thoſe that belong to God, will be advanced to heaven thereby.
Secondly, Afflictions are converting, and not deſtructive, when God doth vouchſafe inward teachings of the ſoul, inward meltings and humiliations of the ſpirit 2.with them. Gods judgements upon Pharaoh, had no gracious operation upon him, becauſe his heart was more hardened every day. Hence the Pſal…riſt, Bleſſed i… the man, whom thou chaſteneſt, and teacheſt thy way, Pſal. 94. 12. when Gods chaſtening and Gods teaching go together, then there is hope of an hearty converſion unto God: when God ſtrikes on the back, and opens the eyes at the ſame time, then are afflictions bleſſed and happy to ſuch men: The bitterneſs of them is quickly recompenſed with the fruits of righteouſneſs they bring forth. Conſider then, doth the rod give thee wiſdom and underſtanding? doth God ſpeak wiſdom to thy heart, while thy outward man is ſo ſharply exerciſed? then theſe things come from love, and will end in love: Oh this undoeth us in out calamities! we attend to the outward burthen, and grievous nature of them, we ask, When will they be gone? we cry out, How long Lord? but wenever remember that we are by our calamities in Gods School; we conſider not, neither do we hearken to what God ſaith unto us; look then to have teaching, as well as ſtriking: Oh woe be to that man, whom God onelyonly beats and beats, but teacheth him not at all: This is a forerunner of ſad deſtruction.
Having premiſed theſe things, I come to ſhew in the next place, how Afflictions How afflictions are operative to the converſion of men Not of their own nature.are operative to the converſion of men, what influence they have to make us turn to God: And here are two Errors to be avoided:
The firſt is, as if afflictions of their own nature, in their own ſelf, could beget any ſuch heavenly change upon men: No ſuch matter, for if the Word of God it ſelf, and the Sacraments, if deſtitute of Gods ſpirit and his power, are uneffectual, how much more muſt theſe outward calamities be? Therefore as Ezekiels wheels could not move, unleſs the Spirit drive them; nor the pool of Betheſda communicate health, unleſs the Angel deſcended and ſtirred the waters; ſo neither do any afflictions or troubles at all, do any good, but where Gods ſpirit moveth upon theſe waters. Experience confirmeth this, How many times do people grow more deſperate, more obſtinate and impenitent in every evil way, by the judgements upon them? The Prophet Iſaiah complaineth of them, O Lord, when thy hand is lifted up they will not ſee, Iſa, 26. 11. Though a fool be brayed in a morter, yet he will not learn wiſdom, Prov. 27. 22.
The Second Error to be avoided, is to attribute any merit or worth to a patient Nor by way of merit for the patient bearing of them.bearing of afflictions, as if by this we could merit either grace or glory. The Apoſtle indeed ſaith of Afflictions, That they do work an eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. but the word doth not there ſignifie a proper cauſality, onelyonly God doth make afflictions advantagious for his children glory: Do not then think, that becauſe thou haſt a miſerable life here, God is bound to make thee amends in the life to come: Thoſe that ſay ſuch things, know not that their ſins have deſerved all wrath in this world, and the world to come. This ſtone being removed out of the way, I proceed to deſcribe the manner how theſe outward calamities may further converſion.
And firſt, They are very advantagious to ſet the word preached upon our hearts: But firſt by ſetting the word preached upon our hearts.I ſpake unto thee in thy proſperity, ſaith God, but thou heardeſt not, Jer. 22. 21. The word of God is never ſo likely to have a powerful impreſſion, as when men are in miſeries; then their proud ſpirits, their lofty hearts are tamed: As the rod in the ſchool, and diſcipline makes inſtruction eaſily enter into the negligent childe; ſo when God teacheth you by his word, and afflicts you by his works, this may provoke to converſion: Doth God therefore put thee in this fiery furnace? ſay, This is to bring all that hath been preached to me to my minde; God hath a ſpecial regard to his word, it is the precious ſeed ſown, and therefore he ploweth and harroweth the ground; he afflicts and humbles Hearers, that they may get good by it: This is the proper uſe of all chaſtiſements, to make way for the word preached, to mollifie and ſoften, that it may enter; and therefore what hearers are more obſtinate and oppoſite to the word, then ſuch as live in jollity and ſecurity, that have their hearts eaſe? Theſe have a fat heart, and ſo are not ſenſible.
Secondly, Affliction helpeth much to make men ſober and wiſe, to give our ſelves to underſtanding; and by underſtanding we come to be converted. Solomon often 2. Afflictions help to make men ſober and wiſe.tells us, That the rod gives wiſdom; and therefore God takes this way with us, we being far more ſtupid and ſenſeleſs in ſpiritual things, then any childe can be to humane Learning: Now when God depriveth us of our joy, of our comforts, of all outward delights, this is apt to make a man to conſider the vanity of all things, What are Riches, what are Honors, what are External mercies to be me thus afflicted, thus broken and bruiſed? When thou rebukeſt man for his ſin, all his deſireable things periſh; when then God takes away the deſire of thy eyes, the deſire of thy heart, this is to make thee wiſe; as you take away the childes babies, to make it learn its leſſon: Its better to go to the houſe of mourning then laughter, for the living will lay it to heart. The Prodigal never came to his true minde, till he was brought to bitter extremity: Oh then, if thou finde Gods hand heavy upon thee, ſay, This is the time to get wiſdom, ſpeak now Lord, for my heart is ready to hear: If thou doeſt not know more, and underſtand more then ever, thou loſeſt the benefit of thy affliction.
Thirdly, Affliction may further converſion, in that it doth ſenſibly teach a man, how 3. By ſenſibly teaching a man how ſad and bitter a thing it is to ſin againſt God.ſad and bitter a thing it is to ſin againſt God: Sin is compared to gall and wormwood, but it is never perceived to be ſo, till God bring us into external miſeries: Thus Jeremy, Jer. 2. 19. Then ſhall ye know, it is a bitter thing to depart from God: Therefore though men in jollity and outward eaſe, never think of turning unto God, yet how is it that you refuſe, whoſe ſins have found you out. Theſe Serpents have now put out their ſtings upon you; you finde your iniquities no longer ſmiling on you, no longer tickling and pleaſing of you, but they have ſaid you in a tormenting bed of ſorrow: Thou haſt received thy good things, but now thy time is come for evil things: Every man doth quickly ſettle upon his lees, if he be not removed from affliction to affliction: How fit then and congruous is it for that man, who lieth under the ſmart of his ſins, to depart from them! What is the cauſe of thy preſent miſery, of thy preſent troubles? is it not ſin? What hath brought thee into that deep gulf thou art in? is it not ſin? What hath turned all thy waters into blood, as it was with the Egyptians? all thoſe comforts and delights thou uſeſt to refreſh thy ſelf with? is it not ſin? Then why doeſt thou not ſay? If ſin make all this evil, if that bring all this miſery, why ſhall I imbrace it any louger? And a Chriſtian will further argue, If theſe beginnings be ſo heavy, what will the after end be? if in this life it ſting and wound ſo deeply, what will it in the life to come? What is hell and the tormenting flames thereof, if now ſin be ſo terrible?
Fourthly, In this afflictions may alſo prepare for converſion, becauſe they are apt 4. They are apt to dead a mans heart to all creature-delights.to dead a mans heart, and all his delights that he took in the creatures: Sin is an averſion from God, and converſion to the creature; now grace is an averſion from ſin, and converſion to God; and there is nothing doth ſo prepare and take off the heart from the creature, as when God afflicts us in them, and by them. As then the breaſt is made bitter, to wean the child; ſo God puts bitterneſs in every comfort, in every condition, makes affliction to grow up with every mercy, a thorn with every flower; that ſo thou mayeſt ſay, Its not good to be here, we muſt ſeek a better good then theſe things are: In their afflictions they will ſeek me early, ſaith God, Hoſea 5. 15. Oh when God ſhall make every thing bryars and thorns to thee! when thou lookeſt for good, and behold nothing but bitterneſs, now is the time to allure thy ſoul to God; ſay, What wilt thou do? whether wilt thou go? Hath not that Star wormwood fallen into every ſtate thou art in? Hath not God bid thee be called no more Naomi, but Marah: Why then doeſt thou any longer ſeek for grapes on thorns; for true happineſs in the way of ſin? God took the Church into the wilderneſs, and then he ſpake to her, Hoſea 2. 14. Oh when God hath brought thee into a wilderneſs, all comforts are kept from thee, then take the advantage, then pray, then mourn; now, if ever, that iron of thy heart is in the fire, and it may be beaten into a good frame; and therefore the more univerſal thy affliction is, if it takes thee off from all refuges, leaveth thee not one drop of comfort, the likelier it is to do thee good, for thy ſpiritual diſeaſe and corruption is contumelious, that it muſt be ſtrong phyſick, elſe it will not work on thee: As long as thou canſt catch upon any twig, any branch to ſave thy ſelf, thou wilt not throw thy ſelf into the arms of Chriſt: Therefore God hedged the Churches way with thorns, Hoſea 2. 6. that ſhe might not any way break through for her ſins; and when ſhe was thus ſtopped, then ſhe reſolveth to go back to her former husband again. Thus afflictions in theſe particulars may help on our turning to God, not but that the word is the proper inſtrument, onelyonly this may ſmooth and prepare the way for the word to enter; inſomuch that a man, who hath no afflictions, and who liveth in all the eaſe and delight of his ſoul, he may be in a deſperate condition, and moſt dangerous, though he bleſs himſelf. Its related of Ambroſe, that being in the houſe of a man who boaſted he never had any calamity in all his life; Come, ſaith he, let us make haſte out of this houſe, leſt ſome remarkable vengeance of God fall upon us: He thought thoſe were moſt unhappy, that had ſo much earthly happineſs, Nihil infelicius ſemper felici.
Here is one doubt to be anſwered, and that is, Why ſhould men be preſſed in times of calamities and miſeries to turn unto God, ſeeing that is uſually branded Queſt.for hypocriſie; all is out of fear, and extorted, and ſo not thank worthy: If Iſrael return to God, becauſe he is framing evil againſt them, its meerly for fear of evil, and not love of God, or what is good. Doth not the Prophet call the Iſraelites faſtings and mournings, when they were under Gods judgements, by no other name, then howlings, as if they were ſo many beaſts kept up in a den, ready to be famiſhed, that cryed for food onelyonly, Why then ſhould this be urged upon us?
I Anſwer, Theſe calamities must be the occaſion onelyonly and initial motive; they muſt prepare and make way, but they muſt not be the principal ground, nor the Anſw.onelyonly: Even as the needle draweth on the thread; or as in matter of faith, the true Churches Authority, makes way to receive the truth of God, but afterwards we believe for the divine Authority thereof; ſo theſe outward miſeries, they give the firſt hint, they begin to make the firſt ſhake, but afterwards the ſoul forſakes ſin, and cleaveth to God, not out of fear onelyonly, but love to him: We do not therefore preſs you, to make your afflictions the onelyonly ground, but let them be ſanctified introductions: And ſo I proceed to the Uſes.
Firſt, That no man hath cauſe to boaſt and rejoyce of his outward proſperity, that he is not afflicted as others, he liveth and is dandled, as it were, in the worlds Uſe 1.lap: Who knoweth, but that this is the fatting of thee for the ſhambles? Who can ſay, but that God is moſt angry with thee, while he ſeemeth not to be angry: Oh how much better were it, that God did follow thee by one affliction after another, by one miſery after another; this great calm is but the forerunner of a terrible ſtorm; know ſin hath it ſtings, and it will one time or other be terrible. As its ſaid, the Magiſtrates hath not the ſword in vain; ſo neither are all thoſe threatnings, all thoſe arrows and ſwords of Gods vengeance in vain, But who believeth our report?
Secondly, That we the people of England, of any Nation in the world, ſhould be a converted generation to him: It ſhould be matter of amazement and aſtoniſhment, Uſe 2.if every ſinner be not turned from his evil ways; for God hath not onelyonly framed evil againſt us, but poured it on us; he hath not onelyonly whet his gliſtering ſword, but run it in our bowels; the Lyon hath not onelyonly roared, but torn in pieces: In vain do we ſpeak and hope of Gods turning his wrath from us, till we have turned from our iniquities: We look not to the true cauſe of all our judgements; the ſins we lie in, we live in; the ſins that every Town and Village walloweth in, theſe have been our undoing: Oh then you who ſay, Your have loſt thus much and thus much by the times, be able to ſay, You have loſt your ſins alſo, and found God.