Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. What uſe we ſhould make of Gods ſparing us from the woful afflictions which have befaln, and do befal others.
NOw what uſe ſhould we make of this difference? Firſt, we had need examine whether our proſperity be in love or not, whether it be ſanctified unto us or not; for we have a great deal more then Gods people uſe to have: And we ſhall know it by this, if the chief thing we rejoyce in, in the enjoyment of our proſperity, be the opportunity of ſervice for God, that we have by it.
Secondly, let us admire Gods goodneſs to us, and bleſs his name: How favorable is the Lord to us, who ſpares us, that we ſuffer little or nothing in compariſon of what others have done? We are weak, and if we ſhould have felt ſuch things as others have, what ſhould have become of us? They endured ſpoiling of their goods, impriſonment, tortures, but we may go to Heaven, and have peace, comfort, the uſe of the creature, houſes, lands, friends: had we onelyonly the bleſſings of the upper ſprings, although we wanted wholly the bleſſings of the nether, we were happy; but oh the goodneſs of our God unto us, we do plentifully enjoy both! Though a man do loſe all the world, and win his ſoul, although he beg his bread from door to door, if he be ſaved at laſt, he is a happy man, happy that ever he was born: but we may ſave our ſouls, and yet have the good things of the world too.
But it may be ſaid, A ſuffering condition is the joyful condition, why then ſhould we thus bleſs God that we are freed from it?
Anſw. 1. Sufferings in themſelves have no good, but as God uſes them, and turns them unto good; now God can uſe and turn proſperity into good as well if he pleaſe, and proſperity hath good in it ſelf, and in the uſe of it too.
2. The Apoſtle Saint Iames, Cap. 1. 6. calls for joy in both conditions; Let the brother of high degree rejoyce, when he is abaſed, and the brother of low degree, in that he is exalted; it ſeems we are not fit for ſufferings, and therefore our preſent condition is a mercy.
Thirdly, ſeeing God ſpares us ſo much from ſufferings, and calls us not to ſuch paſſive obedience as formerly he hath called his ſervants, let us therefore labor to be more abundant in active obedience, in giving God the glory of that peace and many liberties, and thoſe comforts that we do enjoy, which we might have been deprived of by the malice of men; let our ſtrength now be employed for God, in doing ſervice, which might have been ſpent in ſuffering the rage of man, yea, might have been ſpent in bearing the wrath of God himſelf: O how much better is it, that we have it to ſpend it in doing ſervice for God in an active way, for his praiſe and our own comfort! The more peace and outward comforts, the more ſervice is due to God. It is obſervable that Solomons Altar was four times as big as Moſes's. We read Exod. 27. 1. That Moſes was to make an Altar five cubits long, and five broad, and three high, but Solomon made an Altar twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits broad. Moſes was in the wilderneſs, in an unſetled condition, full of troubles: Solomon on his Throne, in a peaceable condition, full of proſperity; as our peace and proſperity is more then others, ſo our ſervice ſhould be more then theirs, and that in a due proportion.
Salvian writing about the condition of Gods people Contentus eſt Devs noſter, ut et pax noſtra ſerviat, ut ci immaculatorum. actuum puritate et vitae incō taminabilis ſanctitate placeamus: plus ei fides & devotio noſtra debet quia minora a nobis exigit & majora conceſſit, & ideo cum principes Chriſtiava ſint & perſecutio nulla fit & religio non inquietetur, qui ad probandam fidem experimentis durioribus non compellimur, inferioribus ſaltem officiis domino plus placere debemus: Demittamus ergo illa quae beatiſſimus Paulces pentulit, …ide…mus, ſi in illis ſulte… religioſae … obſequtis quae minora atque communia, &c. Salvian. de gubernatione Dei. lib. 3.in their ſuffering of affliction, anſwers an Objection which ſome might make. But we do not live under perſecuting Emperors, as formerly Chriſtians did. To that he ſays, By how much the leſs they were in their paſſive obedience, by ſo much the more they ſhould be in their active obedience. God is content, ſays he, that our peace ſhould ſerve him, that we ſhould pleaſe him, in the purity of actions undefiled, in the holineſs of a life unſpotted; by ſo much the more is our faithfulneſs and devotion indebted to him, becauſe he requires of us ſmaller things, and hath granted greater things unto us: and therefore ſeeing Princes are Chriſtians, there is no perſecution, Religion is not diſturbed, we are not compelled to manifeſt the proof of our faith by harder tryals, we ought ſo much the more to pleaſe the Lord in inferior duties. He inſtanceth in divers particulars: as Chriſt (ſays he) commands us not to ſtrive, and Dimicave runt patres noſtri contra aſperimos dolores nos è contrario dimicimus contra nobiliſſimas voluptates; vicerunt tormenta flammarum, nos vincamus ignea tela vitiorum. Euſeh. Emeſ. Homilia Natalis Sancti Geneſii.contend with one another, but rather to put up wrong, let us obey him in this, ſeeing he frees us from ſuch great and dreadful miſeries, which others have ſuffered before us. Again, Chriſt would have us do that to others, which we would have others do to us, let us obey him in this. He commands us by his Apoſtle, that we ſhould not ſeek that which is our own, but every one ſeek the good of another: he requires of us to love our enemies, and to take heed of the occaſions of evil, &c. Although duties be never ſo hard to fleſh and blood, yet let us ſet upon them. It was an excellent ſpeech of Euſebius Emeſenus, Our forefathers did ſtrive againſt ſharp piercing griefs, let us be willing to ſtrive againſt the moſt excellent pleaſures; They overcame the torments of the flames, let us overcome the fiery darts of vices.
Fourthly, let us take heed of the leaſt froward murmuring 4.and repining at little croſſes, that ſometime we meet withal. What, are we diſcontented at ſuch ſmall afflictions? at ſuch light things? when as others (our betters) have ſuffered ſuch hard, ſuch grievous, ſuch lamentable things; that our hearts do ake at the very hearing of. What is our fleſh better then theirs, that we muſt have ours ſo pampered, when as theirs was ſo grievouſly tormented? How far are you from reſiſting unto blood? O what an unworthy thing is this in Chriſtians, to vex and fret at every ſmall croſs; when they read and hear what others have ſuffered before them! all our troubles are but as the ſlivers and chips of that croſs, upon which they have been crucified.
Fifthly, be willing to abate ſomewhat of your delight 5.in the creature that you do enjoy, do not give liberty to your ſelves, to ſatisfie your ſelves to the full: Is it ſeemly that when Gods choice Servants have ſuffered, and ſtill do ſuffer ſuch hard things, that you ſhould delight and rejoyce to the utmoſt in giving content unto the fleſh? You know how it was with Uriah, while the Ark, and his Lord Joab was in the field, he would not go down to his houſe to ſolace himſelf there. Joſephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. reports of Titus, when he had by his conqueſt brought the Jews into miſerable extremities, that ſome of the Prieſts petitioning him for their lives, he commanded them to be ſlain, ſaying, they were of degenerous mindes that they deſired to live, when their people and Religion ſuffered ſo much as it did: Titus a Heathen judged thus of them; of what degenerous mindes then are thoſe, who not onelyonly deſire to live, but to live in pomp, in bravery, in giving liberty to themſelves in all ſenſual delights, in abating nothing of their carnal contentments, when they ſee and hear of the Churches of God ſuffering grievous things, brought unto lamentable ſtraights under the burthen of moſt heavy and ſore afflictions? The like we finde related of Anchiſes Aeneas his father; when Aeneas would have ſaved his life, Far be it from me, ſays he, that I ſhould deſire to live when Troy ſuffers that it does:
Abſit, ut exciſa poſſim ſupervivere Troia.
Far then be it from us to deſire to live diliciouſly, Cum extrema ſiti laboraret oblatam aquam accipere noluit, quia durum putabat & parum regium, ſi ipſe ſolus ſitim extingueret aut levaret ſuam, cum alii eo tempore nihil haberent, quo arida corpora reſicerent; tunc poculo pleno ſicut oblatum fuit redito, nec ſolus (inquit) bibere ſuſtinco nec tam exigu um dividere omnibus poſſum. Quintus Curtius. l. 7.when not Troy, but the Churches of God ſuffer ſuch things as they do. It is reported of Alexander, that being in extream thirſt, when a little water was offered to him, he thought it a hard thing and not Princely, for him alone to quench his thirſt, when others in his Army had not wherewithal to abate theirs; wherefore he gives back again the cup with this ſpeech, ſaying, I cannot bear to drink alone, and here is not enough to divide amongſt the reſt.
Sixthly, let us learn to be compaſſionate towards them that do ſuffer; while the bowels of others are torn out by the rage of men, let the bowels of our compaſſions work towards them, let us be even in bonds with thoſe that are bound, in all our peace, liberties, and comforts, let us remember them, let us pray for them, and as much as we are able, relieve them, and help to bear their burthens.
Seventhly, let us lay hold upon our opportunities of peace and liberties that we do enjoy, to edifie our ſelves in our moſt holy faith: let us make uſe of our peace to prepare us for the times of affliction, which God may call us unto. This was the care of the Churches, when they had got a little reſt from their enemies, Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches reſt through all Iudea, Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghoſt, were multiplyed. It is wiſdom while our ſhip is in the haven, to mend it there, and to prepare it for ſtorms, that it may meet withal at ſea; when ſtorms ariſe, it is no time then: ſhips lie in the harbor on purpoſe to prepare them for the dangers they meet withal afterwards in Sea. Naturaliſts tell us, that while the Halcyon bird is brooding her eggs, and bringing forth her yong ones, there is uſually fair weather; from whence we call pleaſant weather, Halcyon days; ſhe neglects not any of thoſe days, but is diligent in bringing forth her yong: God gives us fair weather, much peace, that we may be diligent in our work, to provide for after-times: let none of thoſe Halcyon days be loſt.