A Christian Library, Part 1 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. They are Patient, because their sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet with more then answerable blessings.
5. HE beareth the Crosse patiently, because it is counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings. Satan and the world may take many things from us, as they did from Iob, viz. health, wealth, outward peace, friends, liberty, credit, &c. but they can never take God from us, who gives all: and at the same time supplies the want of these, with comforts farre …urpassing, and transcending them. And therefore in the midst of misery we say with Iob, Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Quest. But with what comforts doth the Lord supply our losses?
Answ. The assurance of the pardon of sinne alone, is able to cleer all storms of the minde: it teacheth misery, as sicknesse, poverty, famine, imprisonment, infamy, &c. to laugh: not by reason of some imaginary epicycles, but by naturall and palpable reasons. Yea, let death happen, it matters not: When a Malefactor hath sued out his pardon, let the Assises come when they will, the sooner the better.
But, to this is added the peace of conscience (the marrow of all comforts,) otherwise called the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, and surpasseth all commending: and never did man finde pleasure upon earth, like the sweet testimony of an appeased conscience, reconciled unto God, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, and quieted by the presence of the holy Ghost. Yea, hadst thou (who most dotest upon the world) but these comforts, thou wouldest not change them for all that Satan once offered to our Saviour, and are now accepted by many. O good life (saith an Ancient Father) what a Ioy art thou in time of distresse! And another, Sweet is the felicity of that man, whose works are just, and whose desires are innocent: though he be in Phaleris Bull. For these are priviledges which make Paul happier in his chain of Iron, than Agrippa in his chain of Gold, and Peter more merry under stripes, than Caiphas upon the Iudgment-seat: and Steven the like: For though he was under his persecutors for outward condition, yet he was far above them for inward consolation. Neither had wealthy Craesus so much riches, in his coffers, as poor Iob had; in his conscience. Yea, how can he be miserable, that hath Christ and all his merits made sure to him; that hath his Name written in Heaven, yea, that is already in Heaven! for, where our desires are, there our selves are. And the heavenly-minded live not so much, where they live, as where they love; that is to say▪ in Christ: Surely, his soul must be brim full of brave thoughts, that is able to refresh himself with this Meditation, God is my Father, the Church my Mother, Christ the Iudge my elder Brother and Advocate, the holy Ghost my Comforter, the Angels mine attendance; all the Creatures mine, for use, the stock of the Churches Prayers mine for benefit; the world mine Iune; Heaven my home; God is alwayes with me, before me, within me, overseeing me; I talk with him in Prayer, he with me in his word, &c. Sure if these be the accustomed meals of a good soul, it cannot chuse but keep naturall heat from decaying, and make it happy.
But behold yet a greater priviledge; These comforts do not only support and refresh us, and so supply our losses in common calamities; but even in the midst of tortures and torments, which otherwise were intollerable: The naturall mans stomack cannot (of all enemies) endure hunger: yea a prison, where he must alwayes lie under hatches, makes him all amort: but worthy Hawkes could clap his hands for joy in the midst of the flames. And Vincentius (as Luther reports) made a sport of his torments, and gloried, when they made him go upon hot burning coales, as if they had been Roses. And another that I read of, say; My good friends, I now finde it true indeed, he that leaveth all to follow Christ, shall have in this world centuplum, a hundred fold more; I have it in that centuplum peace of conscience with me at parting. And this made Ignatius say, he had rather be a Martyr then a Monark: Nor did he ever like himself, before he was thus tryed: for when he heard his bones crush between the wild beasts teeth, he said, now I begin to be a Christian. And Anaxarchus being laid along in a Trough of stone, and smitten with Iron sledges by the appointment of Nicocreon the Tyrant of Cyprus, ceased not to cry out, strike smite and beat; it is not Anaxarchus, but his vail you martyr so. And a Child in Iosephus, being all rent to death with biting snippers at the commandment of Antiochus, could cry with a loud, assured, and undaunted voice; Tyrant, thou losest time, loe I am still at mine ease: what is that smarting pain? where are those torments which whilome thou didst so threaten me withall? my constancy more troubles thee, than thy cruelty me. And how many more of those Martyrs in Queen Maryes Raign, were even ravished, before they could be permitted to die? so great, and so passing all expressing, is the peace and comfort of a good conscience.
Now as the Priests of Mercury when they eat their figgs and honey, cried out, O how sweet is truth! so if the worst of a Beleevers life in this world, be so sweet; how sweet shall his life be in Heaven! but Ile hold you no longer in this.
A man that hath his sins pardoned, is never compleatly miserable, till conscience again turns his enemy: whereas on the contrary; take the most happy worldling that ever was, if he have not his sins pardoned, he is compleatly wretched (though he sees it not:) suppose him Emperour of the whole world, as Adam, when he was in Paradise, and Lord of all; what did it avail him so long as he had a tormentor within, a self-condemning conscience? which told him, that God was his enemy, and knew no other then that hell should be his everlasting portion? Certainly this like a damp, could not chuse but put out all the lights of his pleasure, so that Paradise it self was not Paradise to him: which is the case of all wicked men, be they never so great, never so seemingly happy.
True; wicked men think the godly lesse merry, and more miserable than themselves: yea some, that mirth and mischief are only sworn brothers, but this is a foundationlesse opinion. For first, no man is miserable, because another so thinks him. Secondly, Gods word teacheth, and a good conscience findeth, that no man can be so joyfull as the faithfull, though they want many things which others may have. St Austin before his conversion, could not tell how he should want those delights, he then found so much contentment in: but after, when his nature was changed, when he had another spirit put into him; then he sayes, O how sweet is it to be without those former sweet delights! Indeed, carnall men laugh more, but that laughter is only the hypocrisie, of mirth: they rejoyce in the face only, and not in the heart, as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Cor. 5.12. or as another hath it,
Where O God there wants thy grace,
Mirth is onelyonly in the face.
Yea, their own consciences bear me witnesse, as that Spanish Iudge well considered; who when a murther was committed in a tumultuous crowd of people, bared all their bosomes, and feeling upon their brests, discovered the guilty Author by the panting of his heart. And Tully who makes it an argument of Roscius Amerinus Innocency, that he killed not his Father, because he so securely slept. Yea, as in prophane joy, even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull; so in godly sorrow, even in weeping, the heart is light and cheerfull. The tears of those that pray, are sweeter than the joyes of the Theatre, saith St Augustin; for our cheeks may run down with tears, and yet our mouthes sing forth praises; the face may be pale, yet the heart may be quiet and cheerfull: so St Paul, as sorrowing, and yet alwayes rejoycing, 2 Cor. 6.10. Neither can it be solid comfort, except it hath his issue from a good conscience. Indeed we therefore are not merry enough, because we are not Christians enough.
Now if all our sufferings are thus counterpoysed, and exceeded with blessings; have we any cause to be angry and impatient? What saith Iob? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not evill? He was content to eat the crust with the crumme. Indeed his wife (like the wicked,) would only have fair weather, all peace and plenty, no touch of trouble: but it is not so with the godly, who have learnt better things. Who will not suffer a few stripes from a Father, by whom he receiveth so much good, even all that he hath? Diogenes would have no nay, but Antisthenes must entertain him his Scholer, insomuch that Antisthenes, to have him gone, was forc't to cudgell him: yet all would not do, he stirs not, but takes the blowes very patiently; saying, Use me how you will, so I may be your Scholer and hear your daily discourses, I care not. Much more may a Christian say unto God, Let me enjoy the sweet fruition of thy presence; speak thou peace unto my conscience, and say unto my soul, I am thy salvation, and then afflict me how thou pleasest, I am content▪ yea, very willing to bear it. Yea, if we well consider the commodity it brings, we shall rather wish for affliction, than be displeased when it comes, Col. 1.24. For, it even bringeth with it the company of God himself: I will be with you in tribulation, saith God to the disconsolate soul, Psal. 91.15. When Sidrack, Mishack, and Abednego, were cast into the fiery furnace, there was presently a fourth came to bear them company, and that was God himself, Dan. 3.23, to 27. And his presence makes any condition comfortable, were a man even in hell it self. Yea, as when St Paul was rapt up to the third Heaven; he was so ravished with the joy thereof, that he knew not whether he had his body about him or not, 2 Cor. 12.2. Whether in the body, or out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth. So Gods presence so ravisheth the soul, that while a man suffers the greatest pain, he knows not whether he be in pain or no. Yea God is not only with them, to comfort them in all their tribulation, 2 Cor. 1.4. but in them: for at the same time when the Disciples were persecuted, they are said to be filled with joy, and with the holy Ghost, Acts 13.52. And as our sufferings in Christ do abound, so our consolation also aboundeth through Christ, 2 Cor. 1.5. And lastly, he doth comfort us according to the dayes we are afflicted, and according to the years we have seen evil, Psal 90.15. So that a Christian gains more by his losses and crosses, than the happiest worldling by all his immunities: as it was said of Demosthenes, that he got more by holding his peace, than other Lawyers did by their pleading.
And if so; our sufferings require patience with thankfulnesse: as it fared with Iob.
Object. But what ever others finde, thy sufferings are not thus counterpoysed and sweetned?
Answ. What's the reason? get but the light of grace to shine in thy heart, thy prison shall be an Heaven: thy Keepers Angels: thy chains thy glory: and thy deliverance salvation: Grow but heavenly minded, and thou shalt be able to extract gain out of losse: peace out of trouble: strength out of infirmity: out of tears joy: out of sin holinesse: out of persecution profit: out of affliction comfort: For godlinesse in every sicknesse, is a Physician: in every contention, an Advocate: in every doubt, a Schoolman: in all heavinesse, a Preacher; and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes, making the whole life, as it were, a perpetuall hallelujah.
Besides, we look for a Crown of glory, even that most excellent and eternall weight of glory, to succeed this wreath of Thorns: but if we are never tryed in the field, never set foot to run the race of patience, how can we look for a Garland? Ten repulses did the Israelites suffer, before they could get out of Aegypt; and twice ten more, before they could get possession of the promised Land of Canaan. And as many did David endure before he was invested in the promised Kingdom: many lets came before the Temple was re-edified.
All men would come to Heaven, but they do not like the way: they like well of Abrahams bosome, but not of Dives door. But, God seeth it … for us to tast of that Cap, of which his Sonne drank so deep; that we should feel a little what sin is, and what his love was; that we may learn patience in adversity, as well as thankefulnesse in prosperity; while one scale is not alwayes in depression, nor the other lifted ever high; while none is so miserable, but he shall hear of another that would change calamities with him.