A Counterpoison, Religious treatise · Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
Vse and Application of the …rmer Reason.
1. Use.
THese latter Reasons being dispatcht, returne wee to make use of the former; for I may seeme to have left them, and be gone quite out of sight, though indeed it cannot properly bee called a digression: seeing the last point proved, was; That God suffers his children to be persecuted and afflicted for the increase of their patience.
First, if God sends these afflictions, either for our Instruction, or Reformation, to scowre away the rust of corruption, or to try the truth of our sanctification, either for the increase of our patience, or the exercise of our faith, or the improvement of our zeale, or to provoke our importunity, or for the doubling of our Obligation: seeing true gold flyes not the touch-stone; let us examine whether we have thus husbanded our afflictions to his glory, and our owne spirituall and everlasting good. I know Gods fatherly chastisements for the time, seeme grievous to the best of his Children; Yea, at first they come upon us, like Samps…s Lyon, looke terrible in shew, as if they would devoure us; and as Children are affraid of their friends when they see them masked, so are we. But tell me, hath not this roaring Lyon prevailed against thy best part? hast thou kept thy head whole? I meane thy soule free? For as Fencers will seeme to fetch a blow at the legge, when they intended it at the head; so doth the Devill, though he strike at thy name, his ayme is to slay thy soule. Now instead of being overcome, dost thou overcome? Hath this Lyon yeelded thee any honey of Instruction, or Reformation? Hath thy sinne dyed with thy fame, or with thy health, or with thy peace, or with thy outward estate? D…est thou perceive the graces of Gods Spirit to come up, and flourish so much the more in the spring of thy recovery, by how much the more hard and bitter thy winter of adversity hath beene? Then thou hast approved thy selfe Christs faithfull Souldier, and a Citize… of that Ierusalem, which is above: …a, I dare boldly say of thee, as Saint Paul of himselfe, That nothing shall be able to seperate thee from the love of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord, Rom. 8. 39. To …in …e this honey in the Lyon, more than makes amends for all former feare and griese: and in case any man, by his humiliation under the hand of God, is growne more faithfull and conscion…ble; there is honey out of the Lyon: or is any man by his temptation or fall, become more circumspect after it? there also is honey out of the Lyon, &c. For there is no Sampson, to whom every Lyon doth not yeeld some honey; for as affliction sanctified, ever leaves some blessing behinde it, like the River Nilus, which by overflowing the Land of Aegypt, fattens, and …ils it, with flowers, and fruits; so a sine wit, and a Christian will, makes use of any thing: like the little Bee, which will not off the meanest flower, till she hath made somewhat of it. Even Sauls malice shall serve to enhaunce Davids zeale: and the likelihood of losing Isaac, shall both evidence and improve Abrahams love to God: or hath the Lord made Hannah barren, and doth her adversary vex her sore, yeare by yeare; and grievously upbraid her for it, so that she is troubled in her minde: why, even that shall make her pray, and weepe sore unto the Lord, and make vowes: yea, and when God gives Samuel to her, shee will give Samuel backe againe to God. Lastly, Saint Paul in this schoole of Affliction, will learne in what estate soever he is, prosperous, or adverse, therewith to be content: Phil. 4. 11. And thou mayest foulely suspect thy selfe, (if thou beest not the better) for thy being the worse. He is no true borne Christian, who is not the better for his evils, whatsoever they be; no price can buy of the true beleever the gaine of his sinnes. Yea, Sathan himselfe, in his exercise of Gods Children, advantageth them. And looke to it, if the malice and enmity of wicked men hath beaten thee off from thy profession, thou wert at the best but a counterfeit, and none of Christs owne Band. A little faith, even so much as a graine of Mustard-seed, would be able to remove greater mountaines of feare and distrust out of thy soule, than these: for know this, that Good men are like Diamonds, which will shine in the durt: yea, they resemble Glow-wormes, which shine most in the darke; or Juniper, which smels sweetest in the fire; or Pummander, which becomes more fragrant by chafeing; or Roses, which are sweeter in the Still, than on the stalke.
2. Use.
2. If the malice of our enemies, as it is husbanded to our thirst (by a divine and supreame providence) doth make so much for our advantage and benefit here, and hereaf…er; as namely, that it op…ns our eyes no lesse, than peace and prosperity had formerly s…ut them; that nothing doth so powerfully call home the conscience, as affliction; and that we need no other art of memory for sinne, besides misery; if commonly we are at variance with God, when we are at peace with our enemies, and that it is both hard and happy, not to be the worse with liberty, as the sedentary life is most subject to diseases: if vigor of body, and infirmity of minde, doe for the most part lodge under one roofe, and that a wearish outside is a strong motive to mortification: if God, the all-wise Physitian, knowes this the fittest medicine for our soules sicknesse, and that we cannot otherwise be cured; if our pride forceth God to doe by us, as Sertorius did by his Army, who perceiving his Souldiers puft up through many victories, and hearing them boast of their many conquests, led them of purpose into the lap of their enemies, to the end that stripes might learne them moderation.
If this above all will make us pray unto him with heat and fervency; as whither should we flye but to our Joshua, when the powers of darkenesse, like mighty Aramites, have besieged us? If ever we will send up our prayers to him, it will be when we are beleager'd with evils.
If true and saving joy is only the daughter of sorrow; if the security of any people is the cause of their corruption, as no sooner doth the Holy Ghost in sundry places say, Israel had rest; but it is added, They committed wickednesse: Even as standing waters soone grow naysome, and Vines that grow out at large, become wilde and fruitlesse in a small time; if it weanes us from the love of worldly things, and makes us no lesse inamored with heavenly: as Zeno, having but one Fly-boat left him, hearing newes that both it and all therein was cast away, said, O Fortune, thou hast done well to send me again to our Schoole of Philosophy: Whereas if we finde but a little pleasure in our life, wee are ready to doate upon it. Every small contentment glewes our affections to that we like, neither can we so heartily thinke of our home above, whilest we are furnished with these worldly contentments: But when God strips us of them, straightwayes our minde is home-ward; if this world may be compared to Athens, of which a Philosopher said, that it was a pleasant City to travell through, but not safe to dwell in: if by smarting in our bodyes, states, or names, we are saved from smarting in our soules. If it was good for Naaman, that he was a Leaper; good for David, that hee was in trouble; good for Bartimeus, that hee was blinde; if with that Athenian Captaine, we should have perished for ever, in case wee had not thus perished for a while; if our peace would have lost us, in case wee had not a little lost our peace: then refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieved with his correction, as Solomon adviseth, Proverbs 3. 11. And so much the rather,
1. First, because our strugling may aggravate; cannot redresse our miseries.
2. Secondly, because the Lord will bee sancti…ied either of us, or on us; one of the two as Saint Austin speakes.
3. Thirdly, because that is little which thou sufferest, in comparison of what thou deservest to suffer; for thou hast deserved to be destroyed: and he that hath deserved hanging, may be glad if he scape with whipping. Besides, as David told Saul, he could as easily have cut his throat, as hee had his coat: or as Caesar boasted to Metellus, he could as soone make him hop headlesse, as bid it be done: so the Lord may expostulate with thee, and much more.
Wherefore be patient I say, but not without sence; be not of those Stoicks, (stocks rather you may stile them) who like beasts, or rather like blocks, lie under their burthen, and account it greatest valour to make least adoe: and lay it as little as may be to heart. For if you meane to be the Kings sonnes, you must bring him the fore-skins of a hundred Philistims: shew him the fruit of your former sufferings. But above all, let us not resemble the wicked; who if affliction comes to them, receive the curse with cursing; and if the Devill throw but one crosse to them, they will take their soules and throw them againe to him; for they presently break out, either into some cursed rage, or into the rage of cursing, or into some cursed action.
A usuall thing, when men are crossed by the creatures (I might say, their owne husbands or children) to fall a cursing, and blaespheming them, to whom we may say, as the Prophet did to Senacharib: 2 Kings 19. 22. Whom hast thou blasphemed, and against whom hast thou exalted thy selfe; even against the holy one of Israel. Whom are you angry withall, doth the raine, and waters, or any other creature displease you: Alas, they are servants; if their master bid smite, they must not forbare: They may say truly what Rabshakeh usurped, are we come without the Lord, Isay 36. 10. Yea, are we not sent of the Lord in love, and to doe you good, and to give you occasion of rejoycing afterward, if you beare the crosse patiently, and make that use of it which others doe, and the Lords intends: Yea, Saint Paul could rejoyce even in tribulation.
But alas, these are so farre from rejoycing with that blessed Apostle, that they rave in tribulation; and like some beasts, grow mad with bayting; or like frantick men wounded, who finding ingredients prepared to dr…sse them, teare them all in peeces. But let us not be …ke them, if Satan robs us of a bag of silver, let not us call after him, and bid him take a bag of gold also. If he afflict thee outwardly, yet surrender not to him the inward; rayle not at the hangman, but runne to the Judge; fret not with Joash, 2 Kings 6. 33. but submit with Hezekiah: Isay 39. 8. When Gods hand is on thy backe, let thy hand be on thy mouth: If thou beest wronged, call not thine adversary to account, but thy selfe; and let it trouble thee more to doe ill, than to heare of it; bee more sorty that it is true, than that it is knowne.
Yea, neither rage at the Surgion as mad-men, nor swoone under his hand as milke-sops; but consider with whom thou hast to doe: The Lord, the Lord, strong, mercifull, and gratious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodnesse and truth, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sinne; and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty, but visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon childrens children, unto the third and fourth generation: Exod. 34. 6. 7. And this (if any thing) will doe: It was before the Lord, faith David, and therefore I will be yet more vi…e. Reproach in Gods service, is our best preferment; the Lord so noble, the servant cannot be too humble: even Bucep…alus, that disdained any other rider, in all his trappings would kneele downe to his Master Alexander, and goe away proud of his burthen.
Yea, to goe yet father; let us with good old Ely, (who was a good s…nne to God, though he had beene an ill Father to his sonnes) even kisse the very …od we smart withall; and say, It is the LORD, let him doe what seemeth him good: for whatsoever seemeth good to him, cannot but be good, how soever it seemes to us. Yea, let us receive his stripes with all humility, patience, piety, and thankefulnesse; resolving as that holy Martyr John Bradford, who said to the Queene (how much more did hee meane it to the great King of Heaven and Earth?) If the Queene will give me life, I will thanke …et; if shee will banish me, I will thanke her; if she will burne me, I will thanke her; if she will condemne me to perpetuall imprisonment, I will thanke her. A man will easily swallow a bitter pill, to gaine health. The stomacke that is purged, must be content to part with some good nourishment, that it may deliver it selfe of more evill humours: and the Physitian knowes what is best for the Pati…nt, the Nurse better than the Infant, what is good and fit for it: Now the Tenant is more noble than the House; therefore why are wee not more joyed in this, then d…j…cted in the other: since the least graine of the increase of grace, is more worth, then can bee equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation. Yea, let us take them as tokens and pledges of Gods love and favour, who loves his Children so, as not to make wantons of them. They that would tame pampered Horses, doe adde to their travell, and abate of their provender; as Pharaoh served the Children of Israel. Which of us shall see peeces of Tamber cut and squared, and plained by the Carpenter; or Stones hewne and polished by the Mason; but will collect and gather, that these are Stones and Timber which the Master would imploy in some building? If I suffer, it is that I may raigne. And how profitable is that affliction, which carryeth me to Heaven? Oh, it is a good change, to have the fire of affliction for the fire of H…ll: Who would not rather sinart for a while, than for ever? Its true, these Waspes, wicked men, sting shrewdly, but the Hornet Sathan would sting worse a great deale. And not seldome doth the infliction of a lesse punishment, avoyde a greater.
Neither must any man thinke, to bee alwayes free from censure, aspertions, and wrongs; nor somtimes from faults: The very Heathen could say, It is for none but God, to feele or want nothing. Indeed, many are too apt to expect it, and therefore can beare nothing, like Minderides the Sibarite, who was grieved for that some of the Rose-leaves which hee lay upon, were rumpled together: But this is to vilipend, and …dervalue his kindnesse; to make no repute, nor reckoning of his deepest indulgencies, whereas the contrary approves our sincerity beyond all exceptions. Every man can open his hand to God while he blesses, but to expose our selves willingly to the astlicting hand of our M…ker, and to kneele to him while he scourges us, is peculiar to the faithfull.
3. Use.
3. Thirdly, if the sharpe sufferings, and bitter conflicts, and sore travells of Gods children, are usually the fore-runners of a joyfull issue; even the happy birth of saving repentance: and that the sharpe paine of the Sur…ions cutting them, is onelyonly to ease them of a more durable, and dangerous, yea a farre heavier paine, the stone of the heart: If while their enemies goe about to rob them, they doe but inrich them. As that Sexton, who in the night went to rob a Gentlewoman, that had beene buried the day before with a gold Ring, and having opened the coffin, loosed the sheet, and chased her finger to get it off, she having beene but in a swoone before: her spirits returning, she revived, and for many yeares after lived comfortably. If they may bee resembled to the sive loaves in the Gospell, which by a strange Arethmetick, were multiplyed by Division, and augmented by Substraction; then let none dare to flatter, or flesh themselves, because their estate is prosperous; especially in an evill way, as it fared with Leah, whom wee may heare thus chanting her happinesse: God, saith she, hath given me my reward, because I have given my mayde to my husband: Gen. 30. 18. when she should rather have repented, then rejoyced: and the like with Mic…h, Judges 17. 13. and Saul, 1 Sam. 23. 7. and Dionysius, when he found the windes favourable in his navigation, after he had dispoiled the Temple of all the gold therein. Neither let such as suffer not, censure their brethren that doe; as those three misjudged of Job, that he was an hypocrite, and a greater sinner than others; and God had cast him off, or else it could not goe so ill with him. Or as the Jewes censured our Savious, Isay 53. 3, 4. And those Barbarians, Saint Paul, Acts 28. 4. which is to condemne the generation of Gods Children, Psal. 73. 15. But rather mistrust themselves, which was the use our Saviour warned those to make of it, who told him of the Galileans, whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, Luke 13. 1. to 6.
And indeed, he is blinde that judgeth of mans felicity by his outward prosperity, or concludes of ones misery from his calamity: Eccles. 9. 1, 2. The Sunne of prosperity shines no lesse upon brambles in the wildernesse, than fruitfull trees in the Orchard. The cold frost and show of adversity, lights upon Gardens, aswell as the wilde waste. Ahab and Josiah's end, concur in the very circumstances, the one destroyeth Religion, the other restoreth it; yet both shot with an Arrow. Saul and Jonathan, though different in dispositions, yet in their deaths they were not divided. Zedekiah a wicked man, had his eyes put out: so had Sampson the valiant Judge of Israel, and Type of Christ; Moses and Aaron, both were shut out of Canaan, aswell as the Searchers: so that if we judge of mens persons by their outward conditions, we must needs erre.
Yea, usually God doth most afflict those, whom he best affecteth; dealing with his children as the good husband deales with his Trees; those in the Garden he is ever and annon medling with them, either lopping off the superfluous branches, or scraping off the mosse, or paring of the root, or digging and dunging them; so using all good meanes to make them fruitfull: whereas he lets them alone which grow in the hedge row, or Forrest, till at length he comes with his Axe, and cuts them downe for the fire. He was not the best Disciple that had the bag: and fatted ware, you know, is but fitted for the shambles. God puts money indeed (as some Hoorders doe) into these earthen boxes, that have only one chinke to let in, but none to let out, with purpose to breake them when they are full. What was Human the better for his honour, while the King frowned on him; or the happier for being lift up the ladder, when hee was to come downe againe with a roape.
And for ought thou knowest, (at least if thou takest not heed, for prosperity is the more dangerous enemy of the two, and skilfull to destroy;) thy preservation is but a reservation; as it fared with Sodome and her sisters, which were preserved from the slaughter of the foure Kings, that God might raine downe Hell from Heaven upon them. And Senacharib, who escaped the stroake of the destroying Angell, that hee might fall by the sword of his owne sonnes, Isay 37. 37, 38. say then one woe, the woe of adversity, (as thou accountest it) hath passed thee, perhaps there is a second and a third, worse behinde: Revel. 9. 12. & 8. 13. The Philosopher would see a mens end, before he pronounst him happy. Yea, it may be that which thou accountest thy primest priviledge, may prove to thee a snare, and may be granted thee rather out of anger than love; as the Devill left Jobs tongue untouched of all the rest, but why? in hope that therewith hee would have cursed God; or charged him with folly and cruelty: so that we may say of prosperity, as Antigonus did of his garment; O noble, rather than happy priviledge; but of adversity, O happy rather then noble favour.
4. Use.
4. Fourthly, if Affliction be so profitable, and prosperity so dangerous as hath beene showne; if it be our Isaacks use, first to feele us by tribulation, and then to blesse us; then away with those foolish queries, why doth God this, and why that? why doth he punish the innocent, and acquit the peccant? why doth he permit so m…ny, and such notorious crimes? why is he so severe towards his owne, so gentle to others. Aske not (saith Salvianus) why one is greater, another lesse; one wretched, another happy; I know not Gods intent, but it is sufficient satisfaction to me, that this is done by God. Why doth a Physitian give more Wormewood, or Hellebore to this sick party, than to that; even because, either his disease, or his constitution so requires it.
Neither let us value things as they seeme, or according to sence; but rather when we are best pleased, let us be most suspitious: let us desire and chuse blessings, as hee chose his friend; not him that would bee plausible to his humour for a day, but him that should be profitable to his minde during life. Let us imitate Bees, that passe over Roses, and Violets, to set upon Time: If crosses are not toothsome, let it suffice they are wholesome; 'tis not required in Physick that it should please, but heal: unlesse we esteeme our pleasure above our health.
Experience tells us, that those things (for the most part) which are least pleasing, are most wholsome: Rue is a hearbe most bitter to the taste, yet in regard of the vertue, which is in it, we call it herbe of grace: And Methridate, though of all other electuaries it be most distastfull; yet of all others it is the most wholesome.
The world hates thee, and deales most spitefully with thee; a good signe, it hath alwayes beene the portion of good men, to suffer at the hands of evill men; as appeares both by holy, and humane Writers: as for Divine Authority, you know how it fared with the Prophets, Apostles, and our Saviour Christ himselfe, whose whole life, by reason of spitefull enemies, was but one continued crosse. And as touching, secular, examples are infinite; whereof a few: In Athens, wee read of wise Socrates, good Phocion, just Aristides, victorious Miltiades; but how unworthily were they dealt withall: At Rome they had Marcus Cato, the patterne of a wise and prudent man, a lively emblem of ver…ue; how was he hated, thrust downe, spit upon, stript both of his Senator-ship, and Pretor-ship, cast into prison, &c. Rutilius and Camillus were both exiled, Pompeus and Cicero both yeelded their necks to their Clients: Who so often curst by the Popes, with Bell, Booke, and Candle, as Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory; though she outlived seaven of them.
But to leave examples and come to reason, Is it not an evident signe, that if the world hates thee, thou art none of the world; yea, therefore it hates thee, because thy practice shames the world; and because thou discoverest, and opposest her treasons and deceits. Wicked men are like dogges in condition, who will let a man amble a faire pace quietly, but if he gallop through the Towne, though his errand be of importance, and to the King, perhaps, they will barke and fly at him, which is a token to them of perdition, but to thee of salvation: Phil. 1. 28. yea, it is an evident signe, that they are of the stock of Ishmael, and not the seed of Israel. I finde many acts of deception in the Saints, I find… infi…mity in those acts, but that any one of them hath scoft at, and hated another for goodnesse, I finde not: much lesse that any after regeneration, have in this case beene cruell. If we would know (saith Chrysostome) a Wolfe from a Sheepe (since their cloathing is alike) looke to their fangs, and their mouth, if they be bloudy: for who ever saw the lips of a Sheepe besmeared with bloud? which being so, no matter though the gate be straight, and the w…y narrow, if the end to which it leadeth be everl…sting life.
5. Use.
5. Fifthly, if in conclusion the most malitious and damnable practises of our worft and greatest enemies, prove no other in effect to us, than did the malice of Josephs bret…ren, Mistrisse, and Lord to him: the first, in selling of him; the second, in falsely accusing him; the third, in imprisoning him; (all which made for his inestimable good and benefit;) than the mal…ce of H…man to Morde…i, and the Jewes; whose bloudy decree obtained against them, procured them exceeding much joy and peace: than Balacks malice to the Children of Israel, whose desire of cursing them, caused the Lord so much the more to blesse them, Numbers 23. Than the Devils spight to Job, who pleasured him more by his soare afflicting him, than any thing else could possibly have done, whether wee regard his name, children, substance, or soule; than Judas his treason against the Lord of life▪ whose detestable fact served not onelyonly to accomplish his will, but the meanes also of all their salvations, that either before or after should beleeve in him: this should move wonder to astonishment, and cause us to cry out with the Apostle; O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How unsearch…ble are his judgements, and his wayes past finding out! Rom. 11. 33. O the wonderfull and soveraigne goodnesse of our God! that turnes all our Poysons into Co…; that can change our terrours into pleasures, and make the greatest evils beneficiall unto us; for they are evill in their owne nature, and strong temptations to sinne: James 1. 2. also fruits of sinne, and part of the cu…se; and worke those former good effects, not prop…y by themselves, but by accident; as they are so disposed by the infinite wisedome, goodnesse, and power of God, who is able to bring light out of darkenesse, and good out of evill: yea, this should tutor us to love our enemies; we love the medicine, not for its owne sake, but for the health it brings us; and to suffer chearefully whatsoever is laid upon us: for how can Gods Church in generall, or any member in particular but fare well, since the very malice of their enemies benefits them? How can we but say, let the world frowne, and all things in it runne crosse to the graine of our mindes? Yet, with thee, O Lord, is mercy, and plenteous redemption: thou makest us better by their making us worse.
Objecti…n. But perhaps thou hast not proved the truth of this by thy owne knowledge, and particular …xperience.
Answer. If thou hast not, thou shalt in due time, the end shall prove it; stay but till the conclusion, and thou shalt see that there is no Crosse, no enemy, no evils can happen unto thee, that shall not be turned to good, by him that dwelleth in thee. Will you take Saint Pauls word for it, or rather GODS owne word, who is truth it selfe, and cannot lye? His words are, We know that all things worke togethe… for the best, unto them that love God: even to them that are called of his purpose, Rom 8. 28. And in Verse 3…, 36. after he hath declared that Gods chosen people shall suffer tribulation▪ and anguish, and pers…c…tion, and famine, and nakednesse, perill, sword, &c. be killed all the day long, and counted as Sheepe for the slaughter; he concludeth with N…verthelesse, in all these things we are more than conqu…ours, through him that loved us: and so goeth on, even to a challenge of our worst enemies, Death, Angels, Principalities, and Powers, things present, and to come; heighth, depth, and what other creature besides, should stand in opposition. What voluminous waves bee here, for numb…r, and power, and terrour; yet they shall not seperate the Arke from Christ, nor a soule from the Arke, nor a body from the soule, nor an haire from the body, to doe us hurt. What saith David? Marke the upright man, and behold the just; for the …nd of that man is peace: Psal. 37. 37. Marke him in his setting out, he hath many oppositions; marke him in the journey, he is full of tribulations: but marke him in the conclusion, and the end of that man is peace. In Christ all things are ours, 1 Cor. 3. …2. How is that? Why, we have all things, because we have the h…ver of all things. And if we love Christ, all things worke together for our good; yea, for the best: Rom. 8. 28. And if all things (quoth Luther) then …ven sinne it selfe. And indeed, how many have wee knowne the better for th…ir sinne? That Magdalen had never loved so much, if she had not so much sinned: had not the incestuous person sinned so notoriously, he had never beene so happy. God tooke the advantage of his humiliation for his conversion. Had not one foot slipt into the mouth of Hell, he had never beene in this forwardnesse to Heaven: sinne first wrought sorrow, (saith Saint Austin) and now godly sorrow kils sinne; the daughter destroyes the mother: neither doe our owne sinnes onelyonly advantage us, but other mens sinnes worke for our good also.
Objection. But may some say, can any good come out of such a Nazarite?
Answer. Yes: The advantage we have by Christ, is more than the losse we had by Adam. If Ariu… had not held a Trinity of Substances, with a Trinity of Persons; and Sabellius an Vnity of Persons, with an Vnity of Essences; the Mysteries of the Trinity had not beene so clearely explained by those great lights of the Church. If Rome had not so violently obtruded her merites, the doctrine of Justification onelyonly by faith in Christ, might have beene lesse digested into mens hearts. We may say here, as Augustine doth of Carthage and Rome; If some enemies had not contested against the Church, it might have gone worse with the Church. Lastly, suppose our enemies should kill us, they shall not hurt, but pleasure us: yea, even death it selfe shall worke our good. That Red Sea shall put us over to the Land of Promise, and wee shall say to the praise of God, we are delivered, we are the better for our enemies, the better for our sins, the better for death; yea, better for the devill: and to thinke otherwise even for the present, were not onelyonly to derogate from the wisedome; power, and goodnesse of God, but it would be against reason; for in reason, if he have vouchsafed us that great mercy to make us his owne, he hath given the whole army of afflictions a more inviolable charge concerning us, than David gave his Host concerning Absolom; See yee doe the young man, my sonne Absolom, no harme. Now if for the present thou lackest faith, patience, wisedome, and true judgement how to beare, and make this gaine of the crosse, Aske it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be given thee; James 1. 5. For every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above; and commeth downe from the Father of lights: Verse 17.
6. Use.
6. Sixthly, (for this point calling more for practice than proofe, it behoves us to bee larger here, briefer there.) If that which is one mans meat, proves another mans poyson; let it bee acknowledged, that the fault is not in the meat, but in the stomack: and that it is the wickednesse of our hearts, and want of a sincere endeavour, to make good use of Gods corrections, which causeth him to withdraw his blessing from them. Wherefore let it provoke us as we love our selves, as wee love our soules, through all the transitory, temporary, momentary passages of this world; first, to strive after, and then to preserve the life of our lives, and soule of our soules sincerity, and integrity.
Againe, if Afflictions (which are in their owne nature evill, and unto others strong temptations to sinne) by the goodnesse of God, doe make so much for our advantage, and benefit here, and hereafter: If our Heavenly Father turnes all things, even the malice of Satan, and wicked men; yea, our owne sinnes to our good: Rom. 8. 28. If for our sakes, and for his name sake, he even changeth the nature and property of each creature, rather than they shall hurt us; as it is the nature and property of fire to burne, yet tha… …hement fire in Nebuchadnezzars furnace, did not …urne the three servants of God. It is proper to the Sea to drowne those that be cast into it; yet it did not drowne the Prophet in the very depth of it. It is proper for bungry ravenous Lyons to kill, and devoure, yet they did Daniel no harme. And the like, when we need their helpe. It is proper for the Sun to move, yet it stood still at the prayer of Joshuah, proper for it to goe from East to West; yet for Hezekiahs confirmation, it went from West to East: It is proper for Iron to sinke in the Water, yet it swoom when the children of the Prophets had need of it. In like manner it is proper for affliction to harden, and make worse, as well as for riches and prosperity to insnare: But as some simples are made by Art medicinable, which are by nature poyson…ble: So afflictions, which are in nature destructive; by grace become preservative. And as evill waters when the Unicornes horne hath beene in them, are no longer poysonable, but heal…hfull; or as a waspe when her sting is out, may awaken us by buzzing, but cannot hurte us by stinging: so fares it with affliction, when God pleaseth to sanctifie the same, as he doth to all that love him, Rom. 8. 28. For of God it is, (without thankes to Affliction, or our selves, or our sinnes) that we are bettered by them: All the worke is thine, let thine be the glory.
But l…stly (for though we can never be thankefull enough for this, yet this is not all) that we should finde him a Saviour, whom our enemies finde a just revenger; That we should be loosed from the chaines of our sinnes, and they delivered into the chaines of Plagues; That the same Christ should with his precious blood free us, that shall with his Word sentence them.
Againe, if we were by nature the Seed of the Serpent, children of the Devill, and Subjects to that Prince which ruleth in the Ayre; even that spirit which now worketh in these children of disobedience, Ephes. 2. 2. We may learne by it, to be humble and thankefull, if changed to be the womans Seed, children of God, and members of Christ, since we were once in so vilde a condition; for God found nothing in us but Enmity, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Rom. 7. 18. 25. We are not borne, but new-borne Christians. And whereas he might have left us in that perishing condition (being bound to none) and have chosen others; he hath of his free grace adopted us, and left others▪ Whats the reason? surely no reason can be given, but O the depth! only this I am sure of, it is a mercy beyo…d all expression: O my soule, thou hast not roome enough for thankefulnesse.
Wherefore let it provoke us so to love him, that we shew forth the vertues, and fruits of him that hath called us, and done all this for us, 1 Pet. 2. 9. But I feare we forfeit many of Gods favours, for not paying that easie rent of thankfulnesse.
For conclusion, If we be the seed of the Woman, and our enemies the seed of the Serpent, let us goe before them in goodnesse, as farre as God hath preferred us before them in mercy: let us be able to say of our enemies, as Job of his, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, by wishing a curse unto his soule, Job 31. 30. Yea, let us send downe water from our compassionate eyes, and weepe for them by whom we bleed. In briefe, let us hate their opinions, strive against their practise, pitty their misguidings, neglect their censures, labour their recovery, and pray for their salvation.