The Life of Faith in Times of Trial and Affliction, Consideration 13
CONSIDERATION XIII. Suffering hath been the Lot of Christ's Church, in all Ages.
ORdinarily when the Church and People of God meet with new trials and troubles, they cry out, as the Church did of old Lam. 1: v. 12. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow: They presently conclude, that their case hath not a parallel, and that the Church in no age did meet with such a dispensation, as they are under: Hence proceedeth much sorrow. But if it were considered, that the Church in all Ages (very few excepted) hath met with the like or sorer trouble, and hath drunk of that same cup, that is now at theit Head, they could not but see cause of laying their hand upon their mouth, and sitting silent in the dust, as being convinced, that there were no new thing under the Sun; Therefore, seing this Consideration may be of use, in order to a spiritual Life under Afflictions, we shall speak a little to it; and in order to the right improvement thereof, lay down these following Particulars to be pondered.
1. The only Wise God hath thought good, for His own Holy ends, that His Church should be a Militant Church here, should taste of the Worm-wood & the Gall of Affliction, and wade thorow Trouble and Persecution: He hath seen it fit, that she should be in a wilderness Condition here: And so it hath been in almost all ages, as might be evidenced, if necessary.
2. Not only hath the Church of God met with Affliction; but the cup hath been long at her Head, without any intermission. The seed of Abraham were to be strangers, to serve and be afflicted foure hundereth yeers and more, even from Ismaels beginning to mock, until they were delivered out of Aegypt Gen. 15: v. 13. Act. 7: 6, 7. with Exod. 12: 41. Was not the Church keeped fourtie yeers wandering in the Wilderness, before she came to rest? And when settled in the promised Land, how many yeers together was she oppressed by Enemies? sometimes Eight Iudg. 3: 8. then Eighteen vers. 14. then Twenty Iudg. 4: v. 3. Then Senventie Years in captivity in Babylon. And we know, how the Christian Church was in an afflicted and persecuted condition, in the primitive times, three hundereth Yeers, untill Constantine the great came to the Empire; and how long she hath groaned under Antichrist's tyrannie.
3. The Lord also thinketh good, to renew the daies of the Church her sorrow; after some warm blainks, and some short respite; as the primitive Church had, in the intervals betwixt the Ten vehement and fiery Persecutions, some whereof were of longer, some of shorter continuance: After a respite, He sendeth a new storme; so that her calamites are like waves of the sea, ere one be well away, another cometh. Hence the Psalmist saith Ps. 129. vers. 1, 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth.
4. Yea moreover, the Lord seeth good to afflict her, with billowes of waves of His displeasure, and to afflict her very sore: as Esai. 64. vers. 9, 10, 11, 12. Be not wroth very sore—Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Ierusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up with fire, and all our pleasant things are laid waste: wilt thou refraine thy self for these things? O Lord, wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore? This was a sore stroke, which destroyed both Church and State.
5. Some times the Church hath to do with moe Enemies, than one, at once: See Psal. 83. ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. For they have consulted together with one consent, they are consederat against thee. The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagarens, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre. Assur also is joined with them; they have holpen the children of Lot. This was a dreadful conspiracy of all the Enemies round about, both far and neer; and their designe was, to cut off the people of God from being a Nation, that the Name of Israel might be no more in remembrance vers. 4. As Herod and Pilat will agree, when they are to concurre to the cutting off of Christ; so these Enemies, though sometimes at variance among themselves, yet can agree in one to joine their forces together, to destroy and cut off, if they could, the Inheritance of the Lord.
6. Withall the Lord may hide His face, in the midst of these outward calamities, and refuse to give light, comfort, counsel or direction. She may be afflicted and tossed with tempests, and withall not comforted. How hath the Lord (said the Church Lam. 2. v. 1, 3.) covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger?—He burned against Iacob, like a flame of fire See also Chap. 3: 8, 9, 10, 11, &c. and several other passages.
7. Sometime the Lord so ordereth the affliction, as that the very timeing of it, maketh it much more heavy, than otherwise it would be; as when His people are secure, and crying peace, peace. The Israelites thought all was well, when they were gote out of Egypt; but ere they were awar, how quickly were they invironed with new Difficulties, pursued by Pharaoh, & all his hosts; & having the red sea before, and no way to escape upon either hand, doubtless the very season & time of this new difficulty made it very grievous. It cannot be but sad, when it is with the Church, as Ieremie saith of the Church, in his time Ier. 8: v. 15. and 14: 19. We looked for peace, but no good came, for a time of healing, and behold trouble.
8. Not only is the Church put to contend with open Enemies; but she is also much molested with false friends, who, under pretence of friendship, seek to ruine her; These prove most dangerous Enemies, as traitours within a besieged place. While she is prospering, many offer their service to her, and seem to be cordial friends, and yet are but a mixed multitude, who, when the first occasion offers, will seek to returne to Egypt: for all their profession of kindness and friendship, when a fit opportunity offereth, there are none more bitter Enemies, than they are. So that it oft fareth with her, as Paul said it would fare, after his death, with the Church of Ephesus, in respect of Hereticks and false Teachers Act. 20. vers. 29, 30 For I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of your own selves shall men arise, spea…ing perverse things &c.
9. Yea, so low may the Church sometimes be brought, under the feet of adversaries. that little hope may remaine of her recovery; yea she may be looked on by one and other, as in a desperat and forlorne condition; so that even many of the faithful may be shaken in their hops, and saying, will the Lord be favourable no more? Are His mercies clean gone? Doth His promise fail for ever more? Hath He forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Such may be her condition, that all humane probability of her recovery may be gone, and the faithful have nothing but a bare haire ofhop to hold by, or a small plank ofa promise, & that also under the waters of contrary dispensations, to stand upon; and so far may the delivery be out of sight, that, when it beginneth to dawne, they may be as those that dream Ps. 126. vers. 1.
10. Yet withall it is considerable, that notwithstanding of all the opposition, made by the Devil and his Instruments, against the Church, she hath been a burning bush, and yet not consumed: though she hath been many a time afflicted, and that from her youth, yet her adversaries have not prevailed against her: the plowers have often plowed upon her back, and made long their furrowes; yet still the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked Psa. 129. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4. Many an arrow have they shot at her; yet mount Zion stands, and she hath her Towers, Bulwarcks and Palaces Psal. 48. She is founded upon the rock of ages, and the ports of hell cannot prevail against her Mat. 16. No Weapon, that is formed against Israel, shall prosper Esai. 54: 17.
If these particulars were rightly thought upon and improven, we might be helped thereby to a life of Faith and Hope, both in reference to the sad condition of the Church in general, and also in reference to our own particular suffering condition.
And first, In reference to the Church, we may from these particulars see ground of giving a check to our Inferences from the Lords's present Dispensations with His Church, savouring of Unbeleef, Despondency, Discouragment and Hoplesness. We see, it is true, the Church over-whelmed with sorrow, fitting as a widow, and her teares upon her face: We see her looking pale, as if death were in her face, all beauty and liveliness gone, her Enemies multipliying and prospering daily, and the Church still sincking more and more in the sea of sorrow and distress. Many, it is true, are ready to say, can this be the true Church, and these the real people of God, whose life is thus constantly made bitter with renewed stormes and tempests of adversity? Can this indeed be the work of God, which is thus cast down to the ground, and trampled under-foot? Would the Lord stand by and look on, when His spouse (if she were so indeed) is thus abused by the vilest of men? Would He suffer His Name and Work to be thus blasphemed? True, all this and much more may be said, and be done against His Church, and she remaine the true Church of Christ; and His work be His work. It hath been so before now; and there is no new thing under the Sun. And the right thoughts of what is said would prevent the trouble, that such Atheistical and perplexing thoughts necessarily cause, if they be admitted and fomented. Hath not the Church of Christ been a militant Church from the beginning? hath there not been a constant enmity betwixt the seed of the Serpent, and the seed of the woman? Is it any new thing to see the Church driven to the wilderness, and tossed in the sea of afflictions? Is it any un-heard-of thing, that the Church must be tossed betwixt winde and wave, and have stormes and tides and all against her? Is it any new thing to see the Church, even while within the sight of the haven of an happy and glorious Reformation, driven back to sea againe? What? hath she not oftentimes seemed to on-lookers to be sunck? have not false friends many a time sought to drive her upon rocks, or cut her cables, that she might be left to the mercy of the seas; or to make lecks, that she might sinck to the ground? Is outward prosperity the mark of the true Church? No: let Antichrist make it a mark ofhis, seing so the Papists will. The Church of Christ must be the speckled bird; She must have many horns in her side: Her rest and triumphant state is above; though, it is true, she may have some breathing times, some lucide intervals, and a more glorious day, when the Vial is poured forth on the Seat of the Beast, Euphrates dried up, and the Kings of the East brought in, and when Babylon the great is fallen, Gog and Magog destroyed, and the Beast and the false Prophet cast into the lake of brimstone; but then the end of her warfare will be nigh.
Againe would we call to mind, how often the Church hath been very low, and her Enemies singing a triumph, as if they had gotten an everlasting victory, and as if they were assured, that the Name of Israel should be no more mentioned; and yet the Lord hath hithertill saved, and hath brought that broken Vessel saife to land. Notwithstanding of all that the red Dragon the Hethenish Emperours did in persecuting, with their bloudy massacres, the Christian Church, the first three hundered Years; yet the Church of Christ, grew and multiplied and spread over all the Empire. And though the Antichristian abomination did prevail in the Church, and the woman was made to flee to the wilderness 42 moneths, or 1260 dayes, or Years, from the Year 660 or 666 (as some compute) untill the Reformation 1550. or 1560. Yet notwithstanding of this long desolation and darkness, dureing which time the Gentiles possessed the outter court, the Lord in his own good time, in the dayes of Luther and afterward, made light break up, and made the world see, that His Church was not yet destroyed. And though now Antichrist be thinking to possesse the outter Court againe, and to destroy the Reformation & to make even the lands, that were by solemne Covenant devouted unto Christ, as His peculiar Inheritance, become lands of graven images, and brought under his tyrannie: yet the Lord liveth, & we are to waite in faith & hop and to possess our souls in patience; for now is the faith & patience of the Saints; & to beleeve, that in due time, He, who hath begun to poure forth the vials of His wrath upon that Antichristian cursed conspiracy, will also make an end: & in His own good time shall poure forth the Vial on the Beast Revel. 16. vers. 10. And the judgment of the great whore shall come, that fitteth upon many waters, with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication, even the woman, that sitteth upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of Names of Blasphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns, arayed in purple and scarlet coloure, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearles, having a golden Cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication, upon whose fore-head is a Name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And which is drunken with the bloud of the Saints, and with the bloud of the Martyres of Jesus. Which is manifestly interpreted by the Spirit of God (Revel. 17. vers. 8. to the end,) to be the Papal Church and State, sitting at Rome and commanding all. Wherefore it becometh all, who love their lives, to take notice of that word Revel. 18. vers. 4, 5.—Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues, &c. for the day is coming, when it shall be said (as it is vers. 6, 7, 8, &c.) Rewarde her, even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her worksin the cup, which she hath filled, fill to her double. How much she hath glorified her self and lived delicious…, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no Sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire; for strong is the Lord God, who judgeth her. Let us live in hope, that the day shall come, when what followeth there shall be fulfilled, and it shall be said, as vers. 20. Rejoice over her, thou Heaven, and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And it shall be found true, that is said vers. 21. And a mighty Angel took up a stone, like a great milstone, and cast it into the Sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And that shall be verified, which is foretold Chap. 19. A great voice shall be heard of much people, saying Allelujah, Salvation and Glory, and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are His judgments; for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the Earth with her fornications, and hath avenged the Blood of His Servants at her hand, vers. 1, 2.
Next, This Confideration may be improven by particular Beleevers, in reference to their particular Exercises and Afflictions: For hence they might inferre,
1. That they have no cause to complean, but reason rather to lay their hand upon their mouth, what ever way the Lord be pleased to exercise them, and what ever Affliction▪ He lay upon their loines; for this hath been the ordinary Lot of the Church; and seing the Lord thinketh good to exercise her with sore and sharpe trials, in all Ages: Why may He not also exercise them, in Particular?
2. That they have yet less cause to compleane or be dissatisfied, seing the Church, their Common Mother, hath met with sadder and sorer Crosses and Distresses, than they have met with, or can meet with: It is a sadder sight to see the Mother put to the door, and sitting in a Wilderness, weeping and refusing to be comforted; than to see a Child whipped.
3. That they have reason to rejoice, in their sad Lot, upon this account, that they are not in that solitary and lamentable Condition alone; their Mother is suffering with them. Are they in a Wilderness, so is she: are they sitting in the dust, so is their Mother sitting with them.
4. That by this they see, they are no Bastards, but Children of the House, suffering with the Mother, and no other wayes dealt with, than the Mother is.
5. That Crosses and a Course of Affliction are no evidence of the Lords not owning or looking upon them as His Children; as corruption and unbeleefe would prompt them to inferre and conclude: Afflictions can no more say, that they are not the Children of God; than Afflictions on the Church can say, that she is not the Church of Christ, nor His Spouse.
6. That they may comfort themselves, in their Troubles, with the Mother her Consolations; and as it were lye in her lap or bosome, and partake of her cordials, and feed with her upon the same promises, until the night be over, and the day dawn, and the time of the singing of the birds come, and the voice of the turtle be heard in the land, and until the Beleever's God and the Church her Husband wipe all teares away from the face both of Mother and Child.