An Offer of Farther Help to Suffering Saints, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Shews that God doth ſometimes call his People to difficu… ſervices, and great ſufferings; with a ſhort accoun… how, and why he ſo calls them.
IT muſt be granted, that the tenderneſs and compaſſions of our God over his people are exceeding great, Pſal. 103.13. and yet this tenderneſs of God over them, exempts them not from grievous ſufferings in this World, Heb. 12.6. Seneca (though an Heathen) could ſay, That God loves his people with a maſculine love, not with a womaniſh indulgence and tenderneſs. He loves them with a Fatherly, but not with a fond affection. If need require, they ſhall be in heavineſs, 1 Pet. 1.6. and he had rather their hearts ſhould be heavy by adverſity, than haughty and vainly elated by proſperity. The choiceſt ſpirits have been exerciſed with the ſharpeſt ſufferings: and thoſe that now ſhine as the Stars in Heaven, have been trod under foot as Dung on Earth. What precious and excellent men were the Apoſtles! they were the light and glory of the World, like Diamonds among the common Pebbles of the World; and yet what vile and ignominious uſage had they from the World? Unto this preſent hour (ſaith Paul) we both hunger, and thirſt, and are naked, and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling places, and labour working with our hands: Being reviled, we bleſs; being perſecuted, we ſuffer it; being defamed, we intreat; we are made as the filth of the World, and the Off-ſcouring of all things unto this day, 1 Cor. 4.11, &c. The Greek words have an emphaſis, alluding to a Jumbril or Wheel-Barrow, that's drawn up and down the Streets, into which all the filth of the …wn is caſt.
And in Heb. 11.35. you have no leſs then nine …ts of cruel ſufferings and tortures, to which mul…des of the precious Servants of Chriſt were ex…ſed. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better Reſurrection; … others had Trials of cruel Mockings; yea, more… of Bonds and Impriſonments, they were ſtoned, they … ſawn aſunder, were tempted, were ſlain with the …d; they wandered about in Sheep-skins, and Goat…ns, being afflicted, deſtitute, tormented, of whom the … was not worthy; they wandered in Deſarts, and … M…untains, in Dens, and Caves of the Earth.
And ſince the Earth had dryed up thoſe Rivers … precious blood, whereof the ſacred Records make mention, what freſh Streams have again diſc…oured it? Hiſtoriographers inform us, that during the Ten Primitive Perſecutions, ſo many of the Saints and Martyrs of Jeſus have been ſlain, as that you may allow five thouſand a day to every day in the whole Year. And ſince the Jeſuits aroſe out of the bottomleſs Pit, they give us an account of eight hundred thouſand, that were inhumanely maſſacred in the ſpace of 30 years. In the French Maſſacre Thirty Thouſand Proteſtants cut off in 30 days. Farneſius vowing he would ride his Horſe up to the Bridle in the Blood of Lutherans. Thoſe precious Servants of Chriſt the Waldenſes and Albingenſer, who received the Light of Reformation about the Year 1260. See the Hiſt, of the Waldenſes, tranſlated by Sampſon Leonard, p. 85.when the Foggs of Antichriſtian Darkneſs had over-ſpread the Earth; a people of a found Judgment in the Doctrine of the Goſpel, as appears by their Letters, Catechiſms, Confeſſions, which are extant: Eſpecially that excellent Declaration of their Faith, publiſhed for the ſatisfaction of the Reformed Churches in the Year, 1603. a people of a ſimple, plain, and innoffenſive behaviour: Yet what dreadful and unparallel'd ſufferings have they been expoſed to for near 500 years ſpace. In Calalria Alexandria (to whom Pope Pius gave the charge of the Perſecution) drave them out of their Houſes into the Woods and Mountains, except the aged and children, that could not flee, whom they murthered in the way, purſuing the reſt like Wild Beaſts, and ſlaying Multitudes of them. Thoſe that could recover the Mountains, being on the height of the Rocks, intreated for their lives, beſeeched their Perſecutors to pity their Wives and Children, to remember how holily, and blameleſly they had lived among them; beſeeching them, for the Lords ſake, to permit them to betake themſelves, either by Sea or Land, to the protection of God; offering to leave their Towns and Eſtates to them: But the perſecution was commanded to go on, the Souldiers purſuing them through the Woods and Mountains, crying Am…ſſa, Am…ſſa, that is, Kill, kill. Thoſe that got into Caves, and Clefts of the Rocks, there periſhed through Famine; and thoſe that were taken alive, moſt inhumanely tortured: Some put upon the Rack for eight hours together; others being ſtript quite naked, were beaten with Iron Rods, and afterwards drawn through the Streets, and burnt with Fire-brands: Eighty of them had their Throats cut one after another, as a Butcher doth his Muttons; and being each divided into ſour Quarters, were ſet upon ſtakes all along the Road betwixt Montald and Villar, for the ſpace of 30 Miles: Others thrown from the Top of an high Tower, and broken to pieces, among which, one Sampſon, agodly young-man, lived for ſome hours after the fall in miſerable extremity, imploring. God for Mercy. The Vice-Roy paſſing by, …nd hearing him to groan out his deſires to God, …ve him a kick on the Head with his Foot, ſaying, … this Dog yet alive? Throw him to the Hogs.
And thus were theſe dear Servants of God uſed, …ill they were utterly deſtroyed and exterimated …ut of Calabria.
The like bloody Perſecutions befel them in the Valleys of Dauphine, Pragella, Faſſiniere, but eſpecially in the Valley of Loyſe, where all the Inhabitants, amounting to the number of 30000. fled from their Habitations, upon the approach of their Enemies, to the Clefts and Caverns of the Neighbouring Rocks and Mountains, whither their Perſecutors purſued them; and ſetting on fire great quantities of wood at the Mouthes of thoſe Caverns, that many were forced to leap out, and caſt themſelves head-long upon the Rocks below, where they were broken to pieces; the reſt were ſtifled within the Caverns, amongſt which were found 400 little Infants, dead in their Cradles, or in the Arms of their dead Mothers, beſides their late bloody Maſſacres by that inhumane Duke de A…va.
But it is enough, by this little taſte, and indeed but a taſte of their grievous ſufferings, you may ſee what hard things Gods deareſt Children have been exerciſed with. And what he hath done, he may do again, Are we better then our Fathers? Nay, how ſhort do we come, and with what unequal paces do we follow theſe glorious examples of faith, love, ſimplicity, and mortification? Or can we imagine the rage of Satan to be abated, now that his Kingdome haſtens to its period, Revel. 12.12. It's confeſt, God doth not call all his people to the ſame kinds or degrees of ſufferings: All have not a Martyrs faith, and all ſhall not have a Martyrs fire; The God that inſtructeth the Husbandman to beat outthe Fitches with a ſtaffe, Iſa. 28.27.and the Cummin with a rod, and not to turn the Cart wheel upon the leſſer and more tender Grain, will exactly proportion his peoples trials to his peoples ſtrength, For he is a God of judgement, Iſa. 30.18. but notwithſtanding this, it ſtill remains a truth as much as ever, that all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perfecution, 2 Tim. 3.12.
Auguſtine thinks that the bloody ſweat which over-run the body of Chriſt in the Garden, ſignified the ſharp and grievous ſuffering which in his myſtical body he ſhould afterwards endure. It is a truth, that theſe are alſo called the ſufferings of Chriſt, Col. 1.24. and there are yet remains of them foreign, his perſonal ſufferings were compleated … Reſurrection, and are fully full; he poured … blood enough to fill that Cup to the brim; by the former the wrath of God was fully quenched and ſatisfied, but the later cannot ſatisfie the wrath of man. Notwithſtanding the lives of millions of precious Saints have gone for it, in his Cauſe and Quarrel, whoſe ſouls are crying under the Altar, How long, Lord! how long! Yet there are many more coming on behind in the ſame Path of Perſecution, and much more of that bloody work is to be done before the myſtery of God be finiſhed. And though the Church have ſometimes its lucid intervals, yet the Clouds return again after the Rain. Cain's club (as Bucholcer ſaith) is ſtill carried up and down the world ſtained with the blood of Abel. Thus you ſee to what hard things God hath called his people.
Now God may be ſaid to call forth his people to ſuffer, How God calls to ſufferings.when he ſo hedgeth them in by providence, that there is no way to eſcape it but by ſin. Whatſoever providence labours with ſuch a dialem…a as this, is a plain ſignification of Gods will to us in the caſe. We may not now expect ſuch an extraordinary call to ſuffering-work, as ſome of me Saints had of old, Gen. 22.2. Acts 9.16. but when we meet them in the way of our duty, and there is no avoiding of them, but by ſtepping over the hedge of the command, God will have us to look upon that exigence as his call to ſuffer.
And the reaſons why he doth ſo often hedge them in thus by his providence in a ſuffering path, Why he calls his people to ſuch grievous ſufferings.and bring them to theſe exigencies, may be drawn partly from his own Glory, which is thereby ſingulary illuſtrated, and partly from his peoples good, which is alſo thereby ſtrangely promoted and carried on.
By theſe Sufferings (albeit Satan, and his Inſtruments think not ſo) doth the moſt Wiſe God illuſtrate and advance his own glory. For,
1. Thereby he vindicates his Righteouſneſs, not onelyonly in making good the Promiſes to his people under them, and ſo ſilencing all their unbelieving fears and jealouſies, Micah 6.5. but he vindicates it alſo from the aſperſions, and falſe imputations of his enemies; by this the world ſhall ſee, that how well ſoever he loves his people, yet he will not indulge or patronize their ſins. If they will be ſo diſingenuous to ſin againſt him, he will be ſo juſt to make them ſuffer for their ſin, and in thoſe ſufferings will provide for his glory, which by their ſin was prejudiced in the eyes of the world, Amos 3.2. Ezra 9.13, 15. He hates not ſin a jot the leſs, becauſe it is found in his own people; and though for the magnifying of his mercy, he will pardon their ſin, yet for the clearing of his Righteouſneſs he will take vengeance upon their inventions, Pſal. 99.8.
2. And in theſe ſufferings his glorious Power hath an opportunity to ſhine forth alſo, and that both in their ſupportations under trouble, and deliverances out of it. It is one of the greateſt wonders in the world, how the Church ſubjects under ſuch violent Aſſaults, as are frequently made upon it. I will turn aſide (ſaid Moſes) and ſee this great fight, why the Buſh is not conſumed, Exod. 3.3. But eſpecially in its marvellous deliverances, which the power of God often effects ſo ſtrangely, that it overmatches the ſpirits of Gods …own people, and their ſouls like a Watch wound up above its height, ſtands ſtill with amazement and admiration, Pſal. 126.7. When the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion, we were-like them that dreamed.
3. His Wiſdome is triumphant in theſe dayes of Diſtreſs and trouble. Now you may ſee the All-wiſe God going beyond a ſubtile Devil, and in a moment fruſtrating the deepeſt and moſt deſperate Deſigns of Hell, and that at the very birth and article of Execution, Heſt. 6.1. ſometimes effecting their Deliverances immediately by his own hand, Zech. 4.6. Exod. 15.6. Hoſ. 1.7. to the end he may be exalted in his own Strength, Pſal. 21.12, 13. for he affects not Social Glory.
Sometimes, by contemptible and improbable means, out-witting an Ahithophel, by a plain Huſhai, Haman by Heſter, Siſera by Jael.
Yea ſometimes by dreadful means, I mean ſuch as rather threaten his peoples Ruine, then ſeem to promiſe their Deliverance, Pſal. 65.5. The fiery Furnace, the Lions Den, the Belly of a Whale, are ſtrange means of preſervation.
And as Divine Wiſdome is glorified in the way and manner of their deliverance out of trouble, ſo in ordering thoſe troubles to their ſingular benefit and advantage. For,
1. They are ordered to be the occaſions of drawing out the magnificent Acts of your Faith and Patience, which elſe could not ſhew themſelves to the world as now they do. There are the Ordinary and common Acts of Faith, and there are its Magnificent and Heroick Acts; that is, its Reſolute and High-raiſed Actings, by which it triumphs over greateſt Difficulties, and enables the ſoul couragiouſly to break down all the Difficulties that lie before him in the way of his Duty. Such were thoſe of Heſter, Job, and Daniel, Heſt. 4.16. Job 13.15. Dan. 6.10. When this holy Gallantry of Spirit appears in Believers, God is exceedingly glorified. Poor timerous low-ſpirited Saints, like young Swimmers, are afraid to venture farther then they can feel Ground (I mean ſome ſenſible Encouragement) under their feet; but theſe can caſt themſelves into the Sea of Troubles upon a naked Promiſe. From theſe Trials of Faith God hath a great Revenue of Glory, 1 Pet. 1.7. and theſe could not appear in the world, were it not for ſuch Troubles, Revel. 13.16. Here is the Faith and the Patience of the Saints.
2. They are wiſely ordered as means of ſevering and diſcriminating the Spirits of Profeſſors. By this means the Church is disburthened and rid of many Hypocrites, which were its Reproach as well as Burthen, Amos 9.9, 10. I will ſift the houſe of Iſrael among all Nations, like as Corn is ſifted in a Sieve, yet ſhall not the leaſt Grain fall upon the Earth. All the ſinners of my people ſhall die, &c. All the heterogeneous Stuffe that mingles, and embaſes the more pure and noble Metal, ſhall be ſeparated in this Furnace. In Times of Peace Profeſſors multiply apace; the Sun-ſhine of Proſperity breeds Profeſſors, as an hot Summer doth Flies, though Heaven will be little the fuller for this ſtrange multiplication of them: And this I ſuppoſe is the ground of that ſaying, That it's never better with the Church, then when it hath moſt Hypocrites in it. But now Perſecution like a windy day cauſes all this rotten Fruit to fall. Lightning and Thunder is terrible weather, but it purifies and cleanſeth the Air, Some of theſe ſeem to be very beautiful Flowers in the Field of the Church, where they ſtand (during the Sun-ſhine of Peace) in the Pride and Bravery of their Profeſſions and Gifts; but the wind paſſeth over them and they are gone, and their places ſhall know them no more. To allude to that in Pſa. 103.16.
3. As God makes them ſeparating Times in reſpect of Hypocrites, ſo are they Times of endearing the Saints to each other. Never are Saints more endeared, then when moſt perſecuted: never more united, then when moſt ſcattered. Though in Times of Liberty they will bite and devour one another, yet under common Perſecution they will die one for another. You have two pregnant inſtances of this, Acts 43.2. Mal. 3.17. Certainly there is ſomething that is engaging, in fellowſhip in the ſame Sufferings. But there is much more in the diſcoveries that Perſecution makes of their ſincerity, which it may be was before entertained with jealouſie. And there is yet more, in the reproofs of the Rod, whereby they are taught the evil of their former wayes, and made to cry, as Pſal. 79.8. Oremember not againſt us former iniquities.
4. By theſe Storms they are awakened to their Duty, and taught to cry more fervently. Ah! what drowſie Prayers? what heartleſs Devotions are preſented to God ſometimes? But now, they cry as the Diſciples to Chriſt, when ready to ſink in the Storm, Iſa. 26, 16. O Lord, in trouble they have viſited thee: they have poured out a Prayer when thy chaſtning was upon them. Now they pray more humbly, frequently, fervently. Muſick they ſay is ſweeteſt upon the Waters; I am ſure the ſweeteſt Melody is made by the Saints upon theſe Waters of Trouble.
Theſe few Hints may ſuffice to ſhew you the admirable Fruits which God aims at in exerciſing his people under afflictions, and what one of theſe ſingly may not preponderate all the ſmart and pain they coſt you. And thus you ſee that God doth, as alſo how, and why he doth call forth his people to ſuch hard Sufferings.