A Christian Library, Chapter 10
CHAP. 10. That it prevents greater evils of sin, and punishment to come.
7 SEventhly: the Lord by this evil of Chastisement for sins past; preventeth the evils of sin, and greater punishments for the time to come. The Lord (saith Elihu) correcteth man, that he might turn away from his enterprize, and that he might keep back his soul from the pit, and that his life should not perish by the sword. Job 33.17, 18. This salt doth not only preserve from corruption; but also eat out corruption. We are chastened of the Lord, (saith the Holy Ghost) that we might not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11.32. If we be not chastened here; we shall be condemned hereafter: Erring souls be corrected that they may be converted: not, confounded. If Paul had not been buffetted by Satan and wicked men; he had been exalted out of measure, 2 Cor. 12.7. Pride is so dangerous a Poison, that of another poison there was confected a counterpoison to preserve him from it: God would rather suffer this chosen Vessel to fall into some infirmity, th…n to be proud of his singular priviledges. Lest I should be exalted above measure, through the abundance of Revelations; (there was the poison of Pride insinuating it self) I had a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me; There was the counterpoison or antidote which did at once make him both sick, and whole.
And this is no unusual thing with God, who in mercy doth so use the matter, that he cures one sin by another: how many proud men have been healed, by the shame of their uncleanness? how many furious men by a rash bloodshed? and so in many other cases: one Devil being used for the ejection of another
Yea, we gain strength by every new fall: for hence issues deeper humility, stronger hatred of sin, fresh indignation against our selves, more experience of the deceitfulness of our hearts, renued resolutions until sin be brought under, &c. 2 Cor. 7.11. The Lord sets some messenger of Satan and our lusts together by the ears, as the Egyptians against the Egyptians: that while two poisons wrestle, we may live. But, my purpose is to speak of affliction: not; sin. Bodily sickness (saith Saint Gregory) cleanseth away sins committed, and curbeth and hindreth those, that in health might have been committed. The flesh indeed is nourished by softness, but the spirit; by hardness: that is fed by delights and pleasures; this groweth by bitterness. And hereupon when a Religious man (as Ruffinus relates) prayed Iohn the Anchorite, to free him of a certaine Ague; he answered him, truly thou desirest to have a very necessary companion cast out of doors: for, saith he, as cloaths are washed with sope; so is the minde purified by diseases. And the same may be averred of all kindes of crosses: For, is it not commonly seen, that the pleasures of the body are the poisons of the soul? heap riches and honours upon an evil man: you do but minister wine to him that hath a Feaver, saith Aristotle: Honey to one oppressed with choler: and meat; to one troubled with morbus Cephaliacus, which, increaseth the disease, saith Plutarch. For as Noah was drunk with his own wine; so the cup of prosperity hath intoxicated many a soul: and God hath no worse servants in our Land, then they that can live of their Lands, and care for nothing else.
Commonly, where is no want; is much wantonness. And as we grow rich in temporals, we grow poor in spirituals. Nabal cannot abound, but he must surfet: Tertullus cannot be eloquent, but he must turn the edge of his wit against the Gospel. Many cannot have beauty, but they must love their faces more then their souls. We use Gods blssings, as Iehu did Iehorams messengers: David; Goliahs sword: We turn them against their owner and giver: and fight against Heaven with that health, wealth, wit, those friends, means, mercies that we received thence: abusing peace, to security: plenty; to ease: promises; to presumption: gifts; to pride: for commonly, so much the more proud, idle, secure, wanton, scornful, impenitent; by how much the more we are enriched, advanced, and blessed. And it is just with God to make us know what we had, by what we want; But I proceed:
The enjoyment of the Worlds peace might add to my content; but, it will endanger my soul: how oft doth the recovery of the body, state, or minde, occasion a Relapse in the soul? Turn but the Candle, and, that which keeps me in, puts me out. The younger brother shal not have all his portion, lest he run Riot. All the life of Solomon was full of prosperity, & therefore we finde, that Solomon did much forget God; but the whole life of David had many enemies, & much adversity: and therefore we see by his penitential Psalms, and others, that David did much remember God: And indeed if God did not often visit us, we should serve him as the women of Tartary do their husbands: who marry, if they be absent but twenty dayes. But the fire of correction, eats out the rust of corruption. And as Vineger with its sharpness, keeps flowers from corrupting: so their malice keeps our souls from festering. Bees are drowned in Honey, but live in Vineger. Now if sweet meats breed surfets, it is g…od sometimes to taste of bitter: it is good somwhat to unlade when the Ship is in danger by too liberal a ballast. I will tell you a Paradox: (I call it so because few will believe it, but it is true) many are able to say, they have learned to stand; by falling: got strength; by weakness. Tho burnt Childe dreads the fire: and a broken bone well set, is faster ever after. Like Trees, we take deeper root; by shaking: And like Torches, we flame the brighter for bruizing and knocking. God suffered Satan to spoil Job of his substance, …ob him of his Children, punish him in his body; Yet mark but the sequel well; and you shall finde, that he was crost, with a blessing. As the Physician, in making of Treacle or Mithridate for his Patient, useth Serpents, Adders, and such like poison, that he may drive out one poison with another; Even so our spiritual Physician is pleased to use the malice of Satan, and wicked men, when he tempereth us the cup of affliction, that hereby he may expel one evil with another; Yea, two evils with one; namely, the evil of sin, and the evil of punishment; and that both temporal and eternal.
Perhaps this byting plaister burneth thee, but it healeth thee. He suffers us to be afflicted, because he will not suffer us to be damned; such is the goodness of our heavenly Father to us, that even his anger proceeds from mercy; he scourgeth the flesh, that the spirit, may be saved in the day of Iesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 5.5. Yea, Ioseph was therefore abased in the dungeon, that his advancement might be the greater. It is true, in our thoughts we often speak for the flesh, as Abraham did for Ishmael, O that Ishmael might live in thy sight! No, God takes away Ishmael and gives Isaac: he withdraws the pleasure of the flesh; gives delight to the soul: crossing us in our wils, that he may advance our benefit. As it fared with Manasses, whose Chain was more profitable to him then his Crown. The man sick of a burning Feaver, cries to his Physician for drink; he pities him, but does not satisfie him he gives him proper Physick, but not drink. A man is sick of a Pleurisie; the Physician lets him blood, he is content with it; the arm shall smart to ease the heart. The cov…tous man hath a pleurisie of riches: God lets him blood by poverty: let him be patient; it is a course to save his soul.
But we are so sensual, that no reason can prevail: We are sorry to lose the proper cause of our sorrow: we are like whining children, that will not stay until their Milk be cold; but must have it, though they be scalded with it. Yea, it fares with many, as with the Mother of Nero: let them be damn'd, so they may be dubb'd. But our Heavenly Father will do us good; though we desire the contrary: Wherefore if he scourge us any way; so we bleed not: on till we bleed; so we faint not: or till we even faint, so we perish not; let us be comforted: for if the Lord prune his Vine, he means not to root it up: if he ministers Physick to our souls; it is because he would not have us die in our sins: all is for salvation. What if Noah were pent up in the Ark; sith he was safe in it: what if it were his Prison; sith it was his Fort against the waters.
I might illustrate the point, and make it plain by sundry and divers comparisons. We know one nail drives out another: one heat; another: one cold; another: yea, out of admirable experience I can witnesse it, that for most constitutions, there is not such a remedy for a cold in the head, or extream tendernesse, as a frequent bathing it (especially the temples) with cold water; I can justly say, I am twenty years the younger for it. Yea, one sorrow drives out another: one passion; another: one rumour is expelled by another: and though for the most part, contraries are cured by contraries; yet, not seldome will Physicians stop a lask with a purge: they will bleed a patient in the Arme; to stop a worse bleeding at Nose. Again, in some Patients they will procure a gentle Ague; that they may cure them of a more dangerous disease. Even so deals God with us: he often punisheth the worser part of man (saith Saint Hierome,) That is, the body, state, or name; that the better part, (to wit) the soul, may be saved in the day of judgement. Neither are chastisements any whit lesse necessary for the soul; then medicines are for the body: many a man had been undone by prosperity; if they had not been undone by adversity: they had perished in their souls; if they had not perished in their bodies, estates, or good names. It is probable, Naamans soul had never been cleansed; if his body had not been leprous: but, his leprous flesh brought him to a white and clean spirit: and though affliction be hard of digestion to the natural man; yet the sheep of Christ know; that to feed upon this salt Marsh; is the only preservative against the Rot: the experienced Christian knowes, that it is good for the soul, that the body is sometimes sick: and therefore to have his inward man cured; he is content his outward man should be diseased: and cares not so the sins of his soul may be lessened, though the soares of his flesh be increased. It is better (saith Saint Hierome) to have a sick stomack, then a grieved minde. Yea, he desires with Saint Austine, that God will send him any plague, rather then the plague of the heart.
And why is it not so with thee? I hope thou desirest thy souls safety above all; and thou knowest, the stomack that is purged, must be content to part with some good nourishment, that it may deliver it self of more evil humours. Of what kinde soever thy sufferings be; it is doubtlesse the fittest for thy souls recovery; or else God (the only wise Physician) would not appoint it. Now who would not be willing to bleed, when by that means an inveterate sicknesse may be prevented? Yea, it is a happy blood-letting which saves the life: which makes Saint Austine say unto God; Let my body be crucified, or burnt, or do with it what thou wilt; so thou save my soul. And another: let me swim a River of boiling brimstone; to live eternally happy: rather then dwell in a Paradise of pleasure; to be damned after death.