A Counterpoison, Religious treatise · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
That it increaseth their joy and thankefulnesse.
11. BEcause our manifold sufferings and Gods often delivering us, doth increase our joy and thankefulnesse, yea make after-blessings more sweet; By this we have new Songs put into our mouthes, and new occasions offered to praise the Author of our deliverance. When the Lord brought againe the Captivity of Sion (saith David in the person of Israel) we were like them that dreame, meaning the happinesse seemed too good to be true) Then was our mouthes filled with laughter, (saith hee) and our tongues with joy, The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce, Psal. 126. 1, 2, 3, 4. And how could their case be otherwise; when in that miserable exigent, Exod. 14. they saw the Pillar remove behind them, and the Sea remove before them, they looking for nothing but death? Is any one afflicted? I may say unto him as that harbinger answered a Noble man complaining that he was lodged in so homely a Roome; you will take pleasure in it when you are out of it; For the more grievous our exigent, the more glorious our advancement. A desire accomplished delighteth the soule, Prov. 13. 19. Wee reade how that lamentable and sad decree of Ahasuerus through the goodnesse of God was an occasion exceedingly to increase the Jewes joy and thankefulnesse, insomuch, that (as the Text saith) the dayes that were appointed for their death and ruine were turned into dayes of feasting and joy, and wherein they sent presents every man to his neighbour, and gifts to the poore, Esther 9. 17. 22, to 28. And this joy and thankefulnesse was so lasting, that the Jewes cease not to celebrate the same to this day. Gods dealing with us is often harsh in the beginning, hard in the proceeding, but the conclusion is alwayes comfortable. The joy of Peter, and the rest of the Church was greater after he was delivered out of Prison by the Angell, Acts 12. And the joy of Judith and the rest of Bethulia when shee returned with Holefernes head, then if they never had beene in distresse, Judith 13. The Lord deprives us of good things for a time, because they never appeare in their full beauty, till they turne their backs and be going away. Againe, hee deserres his ayde on purpose to increase our desires before it comes; and our joy, and thankefulnesse, when it is come, to inflame our desires; for things easily come by, are little set by; to increase our j…y for that which hath beene long detained, is at last more sweetly obtained; What (thinke we) did hee that was borne blind thinke, when his Eyes were first given him; how did he wonder at Heaven and Earth, the strange and goodly varieties of all the Creatures, and cheerefulnesse of the light; every thing did not more please, than astonish him. Lastly our thankefulnesse, for suddenly gotten, suddenly forgotten; hardly gotten, hardly forgotten. Philoxenus was wont to say, it will tast sweeter, if it cost me sweetly. We love that dearely, that cost us deare. As mothers love their Children, more tenderly than Fathers; because they stood them in more. Abrahams Childe at hundred yeares of age was more welcome than if he had been given at thirty. And the same Isaac had not beene so precious to him if he had not beene as miraculously restored, as given; his recovery from death made him more acceptable: The benefit that comes soone and with ease is easily contemned, long and eager pursuite endeeres any favour: The wise men rejoyced exceedingly to finde the S…arre; The Woman to finde her peece of silver; The Virgin Mary to finde her and our JESUS: CHRIST alwayes returnes with increase of joy; Hee may absent himselfe for a time, but he intends it onelyonly as a preparative, to make us rellish that sweet food the better; he may keepe us fasting, but it is on purpose, that our tryall may be perfect, our deliverance welcome, our recompence glorious. Yea, the delivering of some, increaseth the joy of others, and causeth them to praise God for, and rejoyce in their behalfe that are delivered, Acts 12. 14. We never know the worth of a benefit so well as by the want of it, want teacheth us the worth of things most truly. Contraries are the best Commentaries upon each other, and there mutuall opposition, the best exposition. O how …eet a thing is peace to them that have beene long troubled with warres and tedious contentions? The Thunder of the Cannon, is the best Rhetoricke to commend it to us. How sweet is liberty to one that hath beene long imm…ed within a case of wals? A very Bird, never chants it so merryly, as when she is got loose into the open Ay…e, having beene long encaged. How deare a Jewell is health to him that tumbles in distempered bloud? For then only we begin to prize it, when we have lost it. Let a man but fast a meale or two, oh how sweete is browne bread, though it would not downe before? Yea, when Darius in a flight had drunk puddle water, polluted with dead Carkasses, he confest never to have drunke any thing more pleasant; the reason was, he alwayes before used to drinke ere he was a thirst. We are never so glad of our friends company, as when he returnes after long absence, or a tedious voyage. The nights darkenes maketh the light of the Sunne more desireable; and brings of it letters of recommendations. A calme is best welcome after a tempest, &c.
Yea, what serves others sorrowes for, but to encrease our joy, and thankefulnes; Thou hast eyes, aske the blind whether that be not a blessing: thou hast eares, aske the deafe whether that be not a great blessing: thou hast a tongue, what thinkes the dumbe of that: thou hast feet, hands, health, liberty, life, reason, &c. is all this nothing. Yea, others bleed, we sleepe; others beg, we abound; others starve, we surfet; others groape in the darke, our Sun still shines: and shall not we rejoyce and be thankefull. Blesse (saith our Saviour) when ye are cursed, and shall not we blesse, when thus blessed. Yet wo is me, we forfeit many of Gods favours, for not paying that easie Rent of thankefulnesse: like those Nine, Luke 17. 12. to 19. we are more apt to pray, then to give thankes: because we are more sensible of our owne wants, then of Gods glory. Wee can open our mouthes when wee want any thing, either to pray, or at least to murmur: and why should not our thankes-givings be as frequent as our blessings are. The Leppers voyce was not more loud in his sute, than in his thankes. It were happy for us Christians, if wee could but learne of this Samaritane.
And thus we see, that Good things then appeare of most worth, when they are knowne in their wants; When we have lost those invaluable comforts which we cannot well be without, the minde hath time to recount their severall worths; and the worths of blessings appeare not untill they are vanisht.
No wonder then that our estates and conditions are so variable, like the face of the Heavens, or the Sea; or like the weather about Michaelmas, which is now faire, and presently againe fowle; or rather the hard winter, which for one faire Sun-shine day, hath oftentimes ten foule. For God sees that it is very good for us; for as seeds that are deepest covered with snow in Winter, flourish most in the Spring; or as the winde by beating down the flame, rayseth it higher, and hotter: and as when we would have some Fires flame the more, we sprinkle water upon them; even so when the Lord would increase our joy and thankefulnesse, he allayeth it with the teares of affliction: misery sweetneth joy; yea, the sorrowes of this life shall (lik… a darke vayle) give a lustre to the glory of the next, when the Lord shall turne this water of our earthly afflictions into that wine of gladnesse, wherewith our soules shall be satiate for ever. Wee deceive our selves to thinke on earth continued joyes would please; Plenty of the choycest dainties is no dainty. When Pearles grew common at Rome, they wore them on their shooes, and they had much adoe to save themselves out of the durt, as Tertullian speaks. Nothing would bee more tedious then to bee glutted with perpetuall Jollyties▪ were the body tyed to one dish alwayes, though of the most exquisite delicate that it could make choyce of; yet after a small time it would complain of loathing, and saciety, and so would the soule if it did ever epicure it selfe in joyes. I know not which is the more usefull: Joy I may chuse for pleasure, but Adversities are the best for profit; I should without them want much of the joy I have. Well then, art thou vexed, persecuted, and afflicted by some cruell and malitious Saul? and is it grievous to thee for the present? Why, that which hath beene heard to suffer is sweet to remember, at last our Songs shall bee louder then our Cryes.