The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 19
DISCOURSE XIX. Of the needfulneſs and uſefulneſs of Affliction.
VVE commonly ſay, that a rod now and then is as good for children as their meat, and God knows that it is ſo for his; ſhould he ſpate his rod, and ſhould his ſoul ſpare them for their crying, he ſhould ſpoil his children. 1 Pet. 1.6. For a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are in heavinaſs. If God do not correct us for his own pleaſure (as it is certain he doth not; for judgment is his ſtrange act, neither doth he willingly afflict the children of men) then ſurely it is for our profit. We read in Pſa. 55.19. Becauſe men have no changes (viz. from proſperity to adverſity, but the mountain of their bappineſs ſtands ſtrong) therefore they fear not God. And another Text ſaith, Put them in fear, that they may know themſelves to be but men. (As if men, but for Gods terrifying them by affliction, would conceit themſelves to be more than men.) It is tendered as a reaſon why the Moabites were ſo wicked, becauſe they had no affliction (at leaſtwiſe of a long time.) Jer. 48.11. Moab hath been at eaſe from his youth, and he hath ſetled on his …ees, and hath not been emptied from veſſel to veſſel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his …aſte remained in him, and his ſent is not changed: Agur gives this reaſon why he prayed againſt riches, Prov. 30.9. Leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay who is the Lord? David himſelf ſaith, Pſal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now have I kept thy word. Believe theſe paſſages of Scripture, and judge afflictions needleſs if you can. Wind, (to which actions may be compared) may do ſome hurt; but if there were no winds the aire would putrifie, and there would be no living in it. Standing waters, as ſome moats and lakes, and ſuch like (to which perſons alwaies in proſperity may be compared) how unwholſome and unuſeful are they? As it is neceſſary that the Sea (and ſome other waters) ſhould ebbe as well as flow, and that the Moon ſhould ſometimes decreaſe, or wane, as well as wax and increaſe at other times: ſo for us to have our ebbs as well as our tides our wanes as well as our waxings.
It is a hard thought of God, that he ſhould make us drink bitter and loathſome potions, when we need them not. We cannot finde in our hearts to uſe our children ſo, nor yet to correct them (ſo much as gently) when we think there is no occaſion for it. Oh that we ſhould think more meanly of God than of our ſelves; or more highly of our ſelves than of the great and ever bleſſed God. Do we hear him crying out, Hoſ. 11.8. How ſhall I deliver thee up Ephraim, how ſhall I make thee as Admah, and Zeboim, my heart is turned within me, &c. And ſhall we think he will do ſuch things where there is no need? Take heed of charging God with hypocriſie, who is truth it ſelf. Far be it from us to ſay, Afflictions are not needful, becauſe our partial ſelves do not ſee how needful they are. When will our children confeſs that they want whipping? ſpare them till then, and you ſhall never correct them. Had Paul no need (yea he ſaith he had) of a meſſenger of Sathan to buffet him, leſt he ſhould be lifted up with the abundance of revelations? we have not his revelations, yet are we not as proud as he either was, or was in danger to have been? Some humble ſervants of God have ſaid they never had that affliction in all their lives which they did not firſt or laſt finde they had need of. He that wants no correction is better than any of thoſe worthies we read of in Scripture; and he that thinks himſelf ſo, I am ſure hath need of it to humble him. Read the third chapter, and ſee how many leſſons afflictions do teach us, and then judge if there be none of them you have yet to learn, at leaſtwiſe better and more perfectly than you have yet done. Can nothing profit us but that which pleaſeth us? Phyſicians know that bitter drinks in many caſes are more profitable (though loathſome) than thoſe which are moſt pleaſant.
O Lord, why am I ſo childiſhly averſe to that which is ſo needful for me? If thoſe to whom I commit the care of my body, do counſel me to bleed or purge, or to be cupt or ſcarified, and do adviſe me to it as neceſſary for my health, I ſubmit to it, and why do I not ſubmit to thee when thou ordereſt me unpleaſant things, which yet are more needful for me? Are not froſts and nipping weather as neceſſary to kill the weeds, as warm Sunſhine to ripen the corn? Though no chaſtening be jo…ous for the preſent, but grievous, yet if it worketh the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſs (Heb. 12.11.) I deſire not only to be patient under it, but alſo thankful for it.