Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Proving the Doctrine from the neceſſity of Means in Four Particulars.
NOw Secondly Conſider, there is Neceſſitas 2. From neceſſity of MeansMedii. For a quiet, contented, ſubmiſſive Spirit, which patiently yields, and reſigns all to God, is either a means to remove the Trouble, or elſe, to Alleviate and Mitigate it, or 3dly. To have it Sanctified, and made Profitable, or 4thly. To make Compenſation for all Loſſes. Let's warily underſtand all theſe Particulars, not as if they were efficient or meritorious Cauſes; but only as inſtrumental Means, Subſervient, and Subordinate to God's Aſſiſtance: And ſo underſtanding them, we will inlarge them particularly, as followeth.
Firſt, I ſay a ſubmiſſive, quiet, yieldingA Submiſſive Spirit is a Means to remove the Burthen. Spirit, oftentimes gets the Burthen and Trouble removed. Thus it fared with Jehoſhaphat, 2 Cron. 20. 12. We know not what to do, but our Eyes are upon Thee. And ſee the Bleſſed Succeſs, verſ. 22, 23. And Hanani the Seer tells Aſa, 2 Chron. 16. 8. Were not the Aethiopians and Lubims an huge Hoſt, with many Chariots and Horſe-men? Yet becauſe thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered Tantum in nobis fidei ſta…bilitate Dominus eſſe deſiderat, ut certius eſſe, quod credimus, quam quod patimur judicemus, & verius habeamus ſperando, quam ſenſibiliter. Hieron.them into thine Hand. When we can Believe, and caſt our ſelves upon God, and wait with Patience, then are we in a capacity of receiving Mercy. Faith eſtabliſheth and quieteth the Heart, and prepares it for reception of Mercies.
Secondly, If the Trouble yet remain,2. A ſubmiſſive Spirit, is a meaus to eaſe the Burthen. and ſtill grieve us; however, if the Heart can truſt in God, and quietly ſubmit unto him, the Burthen is alleviated and facilitated, and the ſmart much Mitigated. It was a hard Tryal for Aaron to ſubmit ſo quietly, when two of his Children were ſtruck Dead before his Eyes; yet queſtionleſs his Grief was much abated, and his Affliction leſſened, by his ſilent and patient Deportment, under that heavy Stroke of God, Lev. 10. 3. Then Moſes ſaid unto Aaron, this is that which the Lord ſpake, ſaying, I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh Silet audita voluntate Dei, Cajetan.me, and before all the People I will be Glorified: And | Aaron held his peace.
It was an unwelcome, & an aſtoniſhing Meſſage, which Samuel told Eli from the Lord, of the Deſtruction of his Sons, and utter Extirpation of his Family: Yet Eli diſcovered ſuch an excellent temper of Spirit, in reſigning his Will to Gods Will, as thereby his Burthen was made far Lighter, 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Eli ſaid, it is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him Good. How dreadful was that Prophecy of Iſaiah to Hezekiah, that all his Treaſures ſhould be carried to Babylon, and that his Children ſhould be Eunuchs in the Palace at Babylon! Yet Hezekiah acknowledged all Good, that came from God, 2 King. 20. 19. Good is the Word of the Lord, which thou haſt Spoken. In all Job's Sufferings, he acknowledged that the Hand of God had Touched him, Job 19. 21. He received meſſage after meſſage of ſad Tydings, and each Meſſenger worſe than the former. One brings the News ofJob. 1. the Sabeans carrying away his Oxen and Aſſes. Another tells him of the Burning of his Sheep and Servants: A Third tells him of the Chaldeans taking away his Camels, and Slaying his Servants: A Fourth brings the Saddeſt News of all, that the Houſe fell upon his Children, and Slew them. The Meſſengers of Afflictions were ſo ſwift in running to meet with Job, as if the Second Meſſenger made haſt to Tread upon the Heels of the Firſt, and the Third upon the Second, and the Fourth upon the Third:Velut unda ſuperve… undae. All theſe came upon Job, like Tempeſtuous Waves of the Sea, daſhing one upon another, with renewed Violence▪ Now though Job could not remove theſe heavy Afflictions; yet he found the Senſe of them much abated, and his Spirit much quieted, by Praiſing God for all, and acknowledging the Hand of God in all, as appears, Job 1. 21.
Third, However though Afflictions3. Afflictions are Sanctified. continue very great and painful, and neither removeable, nor ſenſe of Mitigation appears at preſent, yet the worſt of Afflictions are (through Mercy) Sanctified to the Children of God. Affliction in it ſelf is not Bonum, yet it's turn'd in Bonum, to the Good of all true Believers.
The Good Figgs were carried away Captive for their Good, Jer. 24. 5. The Tribe of Judah reſembled by thoſe Good Figgs, was carried away Captive into Babylon; but God wrought Good for them, out of their Captivity. Men would be apt to paſs Cenſures, becauſe of the Sufferings of Judah in their Captivity: but the Lord Corrects their Cenſures, in promiſing that all ſhall be for their Good.Quaſi diceret, prepoſtere fieri judicium de calamitate paucorum annorum, ſed expectandum eſſe finem. Calvin in Jer. 24. 5. Luther in Gen. 6. As if he ſhould ſay, That a Judgment of the Calamity of a few Years, is made prepoſterouſly, but the End muſt be expected, (as Calvin obſerves on the place fore-quoted, Jer. 24. 5.) The Lord Profeſſeth that he humbled, and proved his People, and his end was to do them Good in the latter End, Deut. 8. 16. We are Corrected for our Profit, Heb. 12. 10.
Luther uſed to ſay, Schola crucis, eſt Schola lucis, & non eſt Chriſtanus qui non est crucianus. It's a common ſaying, foreign; Corrections are Inſtructions; ſo they ſhould be; and they are happy, where Correction and Inſtruction meet together, as the PſalmiſtCum vibices dorſo meo imprimeres, precepta tua cordi meo inſculpſiſti. Rivet. in Pſalm. expreſſeth, Pſal. 94. 12. Bleſſed is the Man, whom thou chaſtneth O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy Law. Joſeph's Brethren, when they were in diſtreſs in Egypt, reflected upon their Sin, and were perplexed for it, which was committed many Years before, and lookt upon their preſent Suffering, as a juſt Puniſhment for that Sin, Gen. 42. 21. And they ſaid one to another, we are verily Prius quam urgeret eos afflictio tor pebant, nunc ingredi coguntur in ſuas conſcientias. Calvin in Gen. 42. 21.Guilty concerning our Brother, in that we ſaw the Anguiſh of his Soul when he beſought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this Diſtreſs come upon us. They are good Obſervations, Oculos, quos culpa claudit, poena aperit, vexatio Qui tribulantur, Sacras Scripturas melius intelligunt, Secundi & proſperi eas legu… ſicut Ovi…ii carmen, Luther.dat intellectum. The Fiery Furnace did not hurt the Three Children. Only Three were caſt into the Furnace, but there appeared a Fourth, even the Angel of God for their Deliverance: The nature of Fire was changed, inſomuch, as it had no power, ſo much as to Singe an Hair of their Heads.
The Mouths of the Lyons were ſtopt, and could not hurt Daniel; Daniel wasDan. 7. 22. caſt alone into the Den, but he was not alone there, for he had the company of an Angel of God, who was ſent to ſhut the Lyons Mouths.
The Deluge of Water, which Drowned the whole World, did not drown Noah's Ark. but bare it up; ſo Afflictions, when Sanctified, are ſo far from hurting God's Children, as they help them, and lift them up nigher to Heaven. Afflictions are as a vantage ground, to raiſe them higher, to ſee a great deal further; or like ſo many Looking-Glaſſes, to repreſent to the Children of God, their Stains and Deformities. I ſhall apply a ſaying of St. Ambroſe, Quod pateris, unde plangis, Medicina est tibi non poena, caſtigatio, non damnatio; noli repellere flagellum Domini, niſi vis repelli ab haereditate. Tribu…atio eſt aqua ſalſa quae Scabiem purgat & abſtergit. Guil. Paris. de morib. 9.It's reported that ſalt Mariſhes cure diſſeaſed Sheep; I am ſure, Salt preſerves Meat from Putrifaction. Scullions ſcoure away Ruſt from Veſſels. The Fan ſeparates the Wheat from the Chaff: much more do Afflictions when Sanctifi'd, advantage God's Children: But we muſt know, that it was not the movingVeniet tribulatio mea, veniet & purgatio mea. Auguſt. Pſal▪ 61. Joh. 5. 4. of the Waters of the pool of Betheſda, that made them Healing; but it was the coming of the Angel at a certain Seaſon, who troubled the Waters, and afterwards, who ever ſtept in firſt was Healed. It was not the Mantle of Elijah that divided the Waters, but the God of Elijah: neither will Troubles, Loſſes, Sufferings, meerly conſidered as in themſelves, do us any good, unleſs the Lord Sanctify them to us, and by them, Purge, Purify, Refine, and Cleanſe us, and make us partakers of his Holineſs: Wherefore our Duty is, with a calm and ſedate Spirit, to ſubmit unto God's Correcting Hand, and act Faith on Promiſes, and exerciſe Patience, and PrayJob 36. 10. that God would open our Ears to receive Diſcipline, and Purge out our Droſs and Tin; ſo that by Afflictions and Corrections, our Sins and Corruptions, may be wrought out, and Graces wrought into our Hearts. If Afflictions produce ſuch good Effects, we ſhall be exceeding great Gainers by our Loſſes; and after a deliberate reflecting upon all our Sufferrings, we ſhall Experimentally conclude▪ with David, every one of us in particular, as Pſal. 119. 67. Before I was Afflicted I went aſtray; but now I have kept thy Words, Comp. with verſ. 17. It is good for me, that I have been Afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. What great benefit God's People get by their Sufferings, is evidently Repreſented, Pſal. 68. 13. Though ye have lain among the Pots, yet ſhall ye be as the Wings of a Dove, covered with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow Gold. |Etiam jacueritis inter vaſa plena fuliginis i. e. oppreſſi fueritis magna calamitate candidi laetique reddemini ob liberationem Vatab.This (as good Authors obſerve) ſets forth the happy Iſſue of Afflictions, and the great Benefit which the People of God get by them; but of this more largely in the next particular.
Fourthly and laſtly, though Afflictions4thly. Ʋnde ſequitur non ſemper jucunda ſerenitate frui Eccleſiam; ſed ex tenebris erutam ſplendorem recuperare, ac ſi ab omni malo intacta foret. Calv. may be heavy for a time, yet the exceeding great Compenſation, and Profit acruing in the cloſe, will make amends for all: So it was with Job, Jam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord. And what that was, we have Recorded, Job. 42 10. |Scriptura monet ipſi duplo facultates amiſſas fuiſſe redditas benedictione ſc. Domini, quae abunde ditat. Merc.The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Chriſt makes a large Promiſe, conſiſting of many particulars (which according to the Rule of an Induction, concludes Univerſally) Mat. 19. 29. And every one that hath forſaken Houſes, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife or Children, or Lands for my Names Sake, ſhall receive an Hundred Fold, and ſhall Inherit Everlasting Life. The meaning is not, that a Man ſhould receive an Hundred Fathers or Mothers, &c. but that he ſhould receive Chriſt, who is infinitely |Ipſe unus Chriſtus erit tibi omnia, quia in ipſo uno bono bona ſ…nt om…a▪ Auguſt. Exo… 12. 36.more worth then all. Sometimes God makes up the Loſſes of his Suffering Servants in kind. God gave the Iſraelites Favour in the Eyes of the Egyptians, ſo that at parting from them, They Spoiled them. And God took away the Subſtance of Laban, and gave it unto Jacob, in Recompence of his rigorous Servitude; however, if God doth not make up worldly Loſſes, with the Riches of the World, yet he makes them up to his Children with Spiritual Riches; which are as much better, as Heaven is better than Earth. David loſt his Wives, his Houſe, even all that he had of the World, at the ſacking of Ziglag; but he had that which was infinitely better, than all that he had Loſt; for he had Conſolations from Heaven, and Supportation from God, 1 Sam. 30. 6. But David incouraged himſelf in the Lord his God. It's a ſaying commonly obſerv'd, Virtus repulſae neſcia Sordidae. I have Read, that when Alexander was in a great Strait, and was put upon an hard Service, he ſaid, En periculum par animo Alexandri; here's a Danger fit for the Mind of an Alexander to Encounter withal: So David▪ in his great Straits at Ziglag, diſcovered heroical Magnanimity; he ſunk not under thoſe heavy Preſſures, but made uſe of the Right and only Support, and Strength in Trouble, as the Text Specifies. But (i. e.) notwithſtanding the Burning of Ziglag, the carrying away his Wives, and many People Captive, and the Mutiny of the diſcontented Souldiers, who threatned to Stone him; David encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God. Manaſſeh gain'd more good by a Priſon, than by a Palace, and was a greater gainer for his Soul, by an Iron Chain, than by a Chain of Gold; when the Prodigal fed on Husks, he underſtood himſelf better, than when he fed delicately at his Fathers Table. Zeno could ſay after heJam didici Philoſophari Zeno. had ſuffered Shipwrack, Now I have learned to be a Philoſopher. And ſhould not a Chriſtian ſay Experimentally; By Sufferings, Loſſes, and Croſſes, I have Learned to value all things under the Sun at a lower rate than ever, and Chriſt, and his Graces, and Heaven at an higher rate. It was a frequent ſaying of Aquinas, that great School-Doctor,Mallem bonam conſcientiam, quam plenum marſupium. Aquinas. I had rather have a good Conſcience, than a full Purſe. But inſtar omnium the Apoſtles Determination takes place, Phil. 3. 8. who counted all things but Loſs and Dung, in compariſon of Chriſt. The Original words are Emphatical foreign, Loſs and Garbidge. Put Chriſt and his Riches in one Scale, and the World with all its Pomp, and Bravery in another Scale, and theſe are leſs, than the Duſt of the Ballance, in compariſon of Chriſt and his Riches; for theſe will infinitely preponderate. Wherefore let us make ſure of Eternal, and never fading Riches. It was a choice ſaying of Lewis of Bavoyer, Emperour of Germany, Hujusmodi comparandae ſunt opes quae cum naufragio ſimul enatent, i. e. Such Riches are to be got, as when a Shipwrack comes, they will Swim out with us. And theſe are only the Riches of Chriſt.