Precious Remedies Against Satans Devices, Part 1 · Subpart 9
Now the Remedies againſt this device of Satan are theſe that follow.
THe firſt Remedy againſt this Device1 Remedy. of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that all the afflictions that doe attend the people of God, are ſuch, as ſhall turne to the profit, and glorious advantage of the people of God; they ſhall diſcover that filthineſſe and vileneſſe in ſin, that yet the ſoul hath never ſeen. It was a ſpeech of a Germane Divine, in his ſickneſſe; In this DiſeaſeGuſpar Olevianus. I have learned how great God is, and what the evill of ſin is; I never knew to purpoſe what God was before, nor what ſin meant till now. Afflictions are a chriſtall glaſſe, wherein the ſoul hath the cleareſt ſight of the ugly face of ſin; in this glaſſe the ſoul comes to ſee ſin to be but a bitter-ſweet; yea, in this glaſſe the ſoul comes to ſee ſin, not only to be an evill, but to be the greateſt evill in the world, to be an evill far worſe then hel
Againe, they ſhall contribute to theIſa. 1. 25. c. 27. 8, 9. mortifying and purging away of their ſins; afflictions are Gods furnace, by which he cleanſes his people from their droſſe; affliction is a fire, to purge outIn times of peace our Armer is ruſty, in time of war 'tis bright. our droſſe, and to make virtue ſhine; it is a potion to carry away ill humours; better then all the Benedicta Medicamentum, as Phyſitians call them. Aloes kills worms, colds and froſts doe deſtroy Vermine: ſo doe afflictions the corruptions that be in our hearts. The Jewes under all the Prophets thundering, retained their Idols; but after their babyloniſh captivity, 'tis obſerved, there have been no Idols found amongſt them.
Again, afflictions are ſweet preſervatives to keep the Saints from ſin, which is a greater evill then hell it ſelf: as Job ſpake, Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, Job 34. 31, 32I have borne chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more. That which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will doe no more. Once have I ſpoken fooliſhly, yea, Salt brine preſerves from put…efaction, and ſalt marſhes keep the ſheep from the rot: ſo do afflictions, the Saints from ſin.twice, but I will doe ſo no more, ſaith Job. The burnt child dreads the fire; ah! ſaith the ſoul, under the rod, ſin is but a bitter-ſweet, and for the future I intend by the ſtrength of Chriſt, that I will not buy Repentance at ſo dear a rate. The Rabbins to ſcare their ſcholars from ſin, were wont to tell them, that ſin made Gods head ake; and Saints under the rod have found by wofull experience, that ſin makes, not only their heads, but their hearts ake alſo. Auguſtine by wandring out of his way, eſcaped one that lay in weight to miſchief him; if afflictions did not put us out of our way, we ſhould many times meet with ſome ſin or other, that would miſchief our precious ſouls.
Again, they will work the Saints to be more fruitfull in holineſſe, Heb. 12. 10, 11. But he afflicts us for our profit, that The b…ll in the emblem… ſaith, Percuſſa Su…go, the harder you beat me down in affliction, the higher I ſhall bound in affection towards heaven and heavenly things.we might be partakers of his holineſſe. The flowers ſmell ſweeteſt after a ſhower; Vines bear the better for bleeding, the Walnut-tree is moſt fruitfull, when moſt beaten; Saints ſpring and thrive moſt internally, when they are moſt externally afflicted; afflictions are called by ſome, the mother of virtue. Manaſſes his chain was more profitable to him, then his Crown. Luther could not underſtand ſome Scriptures, till he was in affliction; the Chriſ-croſſe is no letter, and yet that taught him more then all the letters in the row; Gods houſe ofSchola crucis Schola lucis. correction, is his ſchool of inſtruction; all the ſtones that came about Stevens …ars, did but knock him cloſer to Chriſt the corner-ſtone. The waves did but lift Noah's Ark nearer to Heaven, and the higher the waters grew, the more near the Ark was lifted up to Heaven; afflictions do lift up the ſoule to more rich, clear, and full injoyments of God, Hoſea 2. 14. Behold, I will allure her into the wilderneſſe, and ſpeak comfortably to her (or rather, as the Hebraw hath it) Iforeign Vedib bartignal-libbab. will …arneſtly, or vehemently ſpeak to her heart. God makes afflictions to be but inlets to the ſoul, more ſweet and full injoyment of his bleſſed ſelf. When was it that Steven ſaw the Heavens open, and Chriſt ſtanding at the right hand of God? but when the ſtones were aboutIt is reported of Tiberius (the Emperour) that paſſing by a place where he ſaw a Croſſe lying in the ground upon a marble ſtone, and cauſing the ſtone to be … di…ged up, …ound a great deale of treaſure under the Croſſe. So many a precious Saint, hath ſound much ſpirituall and heavenly treaſure under the croſſes …hey have met withall. his ears, and there was but a ſhort ſtep betwixt him and eternity; and when did God appear in his glory to Jacob? but in the day of his troubles, when the ſtones were his pillows, and the ground his bed, and the hedges his curtaines, and the Heavens his Canopie; Then he ſaw the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending in their gliſtering robes. The plant in Nazianzen growes with cutting, being cut, it flouriſheth; it contends with the axe, it lives by dying, and by cutting it growes: ſo doe Saints by their afflictions that doe befall them. They gaine more experience of the power of God ſupporting them, of the wiſdome of God directing them, of the grace of God refreſhing, and cheering them, and of the goodneſſe of God quieting and quickning of them, to a greater love to holineſſe, and to a greater delight in holineſſe, and to a more vehement purſuing after holineſſe. I have read of a Fountaine, that at noon day is cold, and at midnight it growes warm: ſo many a precious Saint is cold God-wards, and Heaven-wards, and Holineſſe-wards, in the day of proſperity, that grow warm God-wards, and Heaven-wards, and Holineſſe-wards, in the midnight of adverſity.
Againe, afflictions ſerve to keep the hearts of the Saints humble and tender, Lam. 3. 19, 20. Remembring my affliction, and my miſery, the wormwood, and the gall; My ſoule hath them ſtill in remembrance, foreign from foreignand is humbled in me, or bowed downe in me, as the Originall hath it. So David, when he was under the rod, could ſay, I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou diddeſt it; I have read of one, who when any thing fell out proſperouſly, would read over the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Gregory Nazianzen.and that kept his heart tender, humble and low; proſperity doth not contribute more to the puffing up of the ſoul, then adverſity doth to the bowing down of the ſoule; this the Saints by experience find, and therefore they can kiſſe, and imbrace the Croſſe, as others doe the worlds Crowne.
Againe, they ſerve to bring the Saints nearer to God, and to make them more importunate and earneſt in prayer with God; Before I was afflicted, I went aſtray, Pſal 119. 67. 71. Hoſ. 5. 14, 15. Ch. 6. 1. 2.but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learne thy ſtatutes. I will be to Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the houſe of The more precious odours, and the pureſt ſpices are beaten and bruiſed, the ſweeter ſent and ſavour they ſend abroad: ſo doe Saints when they a… afflicted.Judah. I, even I will teare, and goe away, I will take away, and none ſhall reſcue him; I will goe and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and ſeek my face; in their affliction they will ſeek me early: and ſo they did, Come (ſay they) and let us returne unto the Lord; for he hath torne, and he will heale us, he hath ſmitten, and he will bind us up. After two dayes he will revive us, in the third day he will raiſe us up, and we ſhall live in his ſight. So when God had hedg'd up their way with thorns, then they ſay, I will goe and returne Heſ. 2. 6, 7.to my firſt husband, for then was it with me better then now. Ah the joy, the peace, the comfort, the delight, and content that did attend us, when we kept cloſe communion with God, doth beſpeak our return to God. We will returne to our firſt Husband, for then was it with us better then now.
When Tiribazus a noble Perſian, was arreſted, he drew out his ſword, and defended himſelfe, but when they toldMoſt men are like atop, that will not goe unleſſe you whip it, and the more you whip it, the better it goes you know how to apply it They tha… are in adverſ…y, ſaith▪ Luther, doe better underſtand Scripture; but thoſe that are in proſperity read them as a vers in Ovid. Bees are kill'd with hon…y▪ but quickned with vineger: The honey of proſperity kills our graces, but the vineger of adverſity quickens our graces. him that they came to carry him to the King, he willingly yielded; ſo, though a Saint may at firſt ſtand a little out, yet when he remembers, that afflictions are to carry him nearer God, he yields, and kiſſes the rod. Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingales breaſt, that awakes her, and puts her upon her ſweet and delightfull ſingings.
Again, afflictions they ſerve to revive and recover decayed graces, they infame that love that's cold, and they quicken that faith that is decaying, and they put life into thoſe hopes that are withering, and ſpirits into thoſe joyes and comforts that are languiſhing. Musk (ſaith one) when it hath loſt its ſweetneſſe, if it be put into the ſink amongſt filth, it recovers it: ſo doe afflictions recover and revive decayed graces. The more Saints be beaten with the hammer of afflictions, the more they are made the Trumpets of Gods praiſes, and the more are their graces revived and quickned. Adverſity abaſes the lovelineſſe of the world, that might intice us; it abates the Iuſtineſſe of the fleſh within, that might incite us to folly and vanity, and it abets the ſpirit in his quarrell, to the two former, which tends much to the reviving and recovering decayed graces. Now ſuppoſe afflictions, and troubles doe attend the wayes of holineſſe, yet ſeeing that they all work for the great profit, and ſingular advantage of the Saints, let no ſoul be ſo mad, as to leave an afflicted way of holineſſe, to walk in a ſmooth path of wickedneſſe.
The ſecond Remedy againſt this Device2 Remedy. of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that all the afflictions that doe befallThe Chriſtian ſouldier ſhall ever be maſter of the day (Mori poſſe vinci non poſſe, ſaid Cyprian to Cornelius) he may ſuffer death, but never conqueſt. the Saints, doe onelyonly reach their worſer part; they reach not, they hurt not their noble part, their beſt part, all the arrowes ſtick in the Target, they reach not the Conſcience. And who ſhall harme you, if you be followers of that which is good, (ſaith the Apoſtle) that is, none ſhall harm you; they may thus and thus afflict you, but they ſhall never harm you.
It was the ſpeech of a Heathen, when as by the Tyrant he was commanded to be put into a morter, and be beaten to pieces with an iron peſtell, he cries out to his perſecutors, you doe but beat the veſſell, the caſe, the …usk of Anaxarchus, you doe not beat me; his body was to him but as a caſe, a husk; he counted his ſoul himſelf, which they could not reach; you are wiſe, and know how to apply it. Socrates ſaid of his enemies, they may kill me, but they cannot hurt me: ſo afflictions may kill us, but they cannot hurt us; they may take away my life, but they cannot take away my God, my Chriſt, my Crown.
The …ird Remedy againſt this Devi… 3 Remedy.of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to conſider, that the afflictions that doe attend the Saints in the wayes of holineſſe, are but ſhort, and momentary; Sorrow may abide for a night, but joy comes in the morning; There are none of Gods afflicted ones that have not their (lucida intervalla) intermiſſions, reſpits, and breathing whiles, under their ſhort a…d momen… afflictio…s. Wh…n Gods hand is on thy back, let thy hand be on thy mouth; for though the affliction be ſharp, it ſhall be but ſhort.this ſhort ſtorm will end in an everlaſting calm; this ſhort night will end in a glorious day, that ſhall never have end. 'Tis but a very ſhort time betweene grace and glory, between our title to the Crown, and our wearing the Crown, between our right to the heavenly inheritance, and our poſſeſſing of the heavenly inheritance. Fourteen thouſand years to the Lord, is but as one day, what is our life, but a ſhadow, a bubble, a flower, a poſt, a ſpan, a dream, &c. yea, ſo ſmall a while doth the hand of the Lord reſt upon us, that Luther cannot get diminutives enough to extenuate it; for he calls it a very little little croſſe that we beare. The Prophet in Iſaiah 26. 20. (to pikron mikron) ſaith the indignation doth not (tranſire) paſſe, but (pertranſire) overpaſſe. The ſharpneſſe, ſhortneſſe, and ſuddenneſſe of it is ſet forth by the travell of a woman, John 16. 21. And that is aJohn 16. 21. Heb. 10. 36, 37. ſweet Scripture, For yee have need of patience, that after yee have done the will of God, yee might receive the promiſe: For yet a little while, and he that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry. (Tantillum, tantillum foreign.adhuc puſillum) A little, little, little while. When Athanaſius friends came to bewaile him becauſe of his miſery and baniſhment, he ſaid, It is but a little cloud, and will quickly be gone. 'Twill be but as a day before God will give his Nebecula eſt cito tranſibit. Athanaſius.afflicted ones beauty for aſhes, the oyle of gladneſſe, for the ſpirit of heavineſſe; before he will turne all your ſighing into ſinging, all your lamentations, to conſolations, your ſackcloath into ſilks, aſhes into oyntments, and your faſts into4 Remedy. …verlaſting feaſts, &c.
The fourth Remedy againſt this Device of Satan, is, ſeriouſly to confider, that the afflictions that doe befall the Saints, are ſuch as proceed from Gods deareſt love. As many as I love I rebuke Auſtine asketh (Si amatur quomedo infirmatur) if he were belov'd, how came he to be ſick? So are wicked men apt to ſay, becauſe they know not that corrections are pledges of our adoption, and badges of our Son ſhip. God had one Son without ſin, but none without ſorrow.and chaſten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Saints ſaith God, think not that I hate you, becauſe I thus chide you; he that eſcapes reprehenſion, may ſuſpect his adoption; God had one Son without corruption, but no Son without correction. A gracious ſoule may look through the darkeſt cloud, and ſee a God ſmiling on him. We muſt look through the anger of his correction, to the ſweetneſſe of his countenance, and as by a Rain-bow, we ſee the beautifull image of the Suns light, in the midſt of a dark, and wateriſh cloud. When Munſter lay ſick, and his friends asked him how he did, and how he felt himſelfe, he pointed to his ſores and ulcers (whereof he was full) and ſaid, theſe are Gods Gems, and Jewells, wherewith he decketh his beſt friends, and to me they are more precious then all the gold and ſilver in the world. A ſoul at firſt converſion is but ruf caſt, but God by afflictions doth ſquare and fit, and faſhion it for that glory above, which doth ſpeak them out, to flow from precious love; therefore the afflictions that doe attend the people of God, ſhould be no bar to holineſſe, nor no motive to draw the ſoul to wayes of wickedneſſe.
The fift Remedy againſt this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that 'tis our duty, and glory, not to meaſure afflictions by the ſmart, but by the end. When Iſrael was diſmiſled out ofExod. 11. Aegypt, 'twas with gold, and ear-rings. So the Jewes were diſmiſſed out of Babylon, with gifts, jewels, and all neceſſary utenſils. Look more at the latter end of aEzra 1. Chriſtian, then the beginning of his affliction; conſider the patience of Job, and what end the Lord made with him. Look not upon Lazarus lying at Dives Afflictions they are but our fathers Gold Smiths, who are working to adde pearls to our Crownes.door, but lying in Abrahams boſome; look not to the beginning of Joſeph, who was ſo far from his dream, that the Sun and Moon ſhould reverence him, that for two years he was caſt where he could ſee neither Sun, Moon, nor Stars; but behold him at the laſt made Ruler over Aegypt. Look not upon David, as there was but a ſtep between him andTiburtius ſaw paradiſe, when he walked upon hot burning coals. Heredotus ſaid of the Aſſyrians, let them drink nothing but wormwood all, their life long; when they dye, they ſhall ſwimme in honey; you are wiſe and know how to apply it. 6. Remedy. death, nor as he was envied by ſome, and ſlighted and deſpiſed by others, but behold him ſeated in his Royal Throne, and dying in his bed of honour, and his Son Solomon, and all his gliſtering Nobles about him. Afflictions they are but as a dark entry into your Fathers houſe, they are but as a dirty lane to a Royall Palace. Now tell me ſoules, whether it be not very great madneſſe to ſhun the wayes of holineſſe, and to walke in the wayes of wickedneſſe, becauſe of thoſe afflictions that doe attend the wayes of holineſſe.
The ſixt Remedy againſt this device of Satan, is ſeriouſly to conſider, that the deſigne of God in all the afflictions that do befall them, is only to try them; 'tis not to wrong them, nor to ruine them, as ignorant ſoules are apt to think. He knoweth the way that I take, and when he hath tryed me, I ſhall come forth as gold, ſaith patient Job So in that 8. Dan. 2. And thou ſhalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God l…d thee, theſe fourty yeares in the willderneſſe, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou The King of Aracum in Scaliger tries her whom he meanes to marry, by ſweating; if they be ſweet, then he marries them, if not, he rejects them; you may eaſily make the application.wouldeſt keep his Commandements or no. God afflicted them thus, that he might make known to themſelves, and others, what was in their hearts. When fire is put to green wood, there comes out abundance of watery ſtuffe that afore appeared not; when the pond is empty, the mud, filth, and toads come to light. The ſnow covers many a dunghill; ſo doth proſperity many a rotten heart. It is eaſie to wade in a warme-bath, and every bird can ſing in a ſun-ſhine-day, &c. Hard weather tries what health we have; afflictions trie what ſap we have, what grace we have. Weathered leaves ſoon fall off in windy weather; Rotten boughes quickly break with heavy weights, &c. you are wiſe, and know how to apply it.
Afflictions are like pinching froſts,Dunghills raked ſend out a filthy ſteame, oyntment a ſweet perſume; this is applicable to ſinners, and Saints under the rod. that will ſearch us; where we are moſt unſound, we ſhall ſooneſt complaine, and where moſt corruptions lie, wee ſhall moſt ſhrinke; We try mettall by knocking, if it ſound well, then we like it: ſo God …ies his by knocking, and if under knocks they yeeld a pleaſant ſound, God will turne their night into day, and their bitter into ſweet, and their Croſſe into a Crown; and they ſhall hear that voice, ariſe and ſhine, for the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee, and the favours of the Lord are flowing in on thee.
The ſeventh, and laſt Remedy againſt7. Remedie. this device of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that the afflictions, wrath, and miſerie that doe attend the wayes of wickedneſſe, are far greater, and heavier then thoſe are, that doe attend the wayes of holineſſe. Oh! the gauling, girding, laſhing, and gnawings of Conſcience, that doe attend ſoules in a way of wickedneſſe▪ The wicked (ſaith Iſaiah) are like the troubled ſea, when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters Sin oftentimes makes men inſenſible of the wrath of the Almighty; Sin transformes many a man, as it were into thoſe beats in Pliny, that could not be ſtirred with the ſharpeſt prickles; or thoſe fiſhes in Ariſtotle, that though they have ſpeares thruſt into their ſides, yet they awake not.caſt up mire and dirt. There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God. There are ſnares in all …heir mercies; and curſes, and croſſes doe attend all their comforts, both at home, and abroad; what is a fine ſute of cloathes with the plague in it? and what's a golden cup▪ when there is poyſon at the bottome? or whats a ſilken ſtocking with a broken leg in it? the curſe of God, the wrath of God, the hatred of God, and the fierce indignation of God doe alwayes attend ſinners, walking in a way of wickedneſſe. Turne to that 28. of Deuteronomie, and read from the 15. verſe, to the end of that chapter, and turne to the 26. chapter of Leviticus, and read from the 14. verſe, to the end of that chapter, and then you ſhall ſee, how the curſe of God haunts the wicked (as it were a fury) in all his wayes; In the City it attends him,Sin brings in ſorrow, and ſickneſſe, &c. The Rabbins ſay, that when Adam taſted the forbidden frui…, his head a…ed. in the Country it hovers over him; coming in, it accompanies him; going forth, it followes him; and is travell it is his Comrade, it fills his ſtore with ſtrife, and mingles the wrath of God with his ſweeteſt morſell; It is a moth in his wardrope, murren among his cattle, mildew in his field, rot among ſheep, and ofttimes makes the fruit of his loynes his greateſt vexation, and confuſion. There is no ſolid joy, nor laſting peace, norSirens are ſaid to ſing curiouſly while they live, but to rore horribly when they dye; So doe the wicked. pure comfort, that doth attend ſinners in their ſinfull wayes. There is a ſword of vengeance, that doth every moment hang over their heads, by a ſmall thread; and what joy and content can attend ſuch ſoules, if the eye of Conſcience be but ſo far open, as to ſee the ſword? ah! the horrours, and terrours, the tremblings, and ſhakings that attend their ſoules.
The tenth Device that Satan hath,10. Device. to draw the ſoules of men to ſin, is, by working them to be frequent, inNon vulnera ſed munera oſtendit. He ſhewes not his want, but his worth, and ſtands not onelyonly upon his conpariſons, but upon his diſpariſons; I am not as this Publican. They are very good, that are not very bad; and they that are very bad, doe alwayes prize themſelves above the market. comparing themſelves, and their wayes with thoſe, that are reputed, or reported to be worſe then themſelves. By this device, the devill drew the proud Phariſee to bleſſe himſelfe, in a curſed condition. God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even as this Publican &c. Why ſaith Satan, you ſweare but petty oaths, as by your faith, and troth, &c. but ſuch, and ſuch ſweare by wounds and bloud; you are now and then a little wanton; but ſuch and ſuch doe daily defile, and pollute themſelves, by actuall uncleanneſſe, and filthineſſe; you deceive, and over-reach your neighbours, in things that are but as toyes, and trifles; but ſuch and ſuch deceive, and over-reach others in things of greateſt concernment, even to their ruine and undoings; you doe but ſit, and chat, and ſip with the drunkard; but ſuch, and ſuch ſit, and drinke drunk with the drunkard; you are onelyonly a little proud in heart, and habit, in looks, and words, &c.