The Churchs Thank-Offering to God Her King, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Dayes of Affliction, Dayes of bleſſing; for ſo the Lord hath altered them, and ſweetned theſe to the Church.
SECT. I.
Afflictions muſt be reckoned among the Bleſſings.
ANd thus for Mercies, which properly and in their owne Nature are ſo, and ſence can reliſh ſo. Now the Church muſt record her afflictions and ſorrowes, for theſe She can call Mercies now; Not ſo in their owne Nature, but through the Mercy of her God, ſo ordering her and them; And this muſt be recorded; for this She ſtands moſt bounden to Thanke and Praiſe She could ſurfeit on her ſweets as we may with honey; Her ſorrowes allay'd the luſhiouſneſſe thereof. She expected an Heaven upon Earth; her unquiet motions there told her it was not the place of her reſt. She had comforts upon the Earth, and She would build Tabernacles upon them; A Cloud overſhadowed them, and She feared. She bleſſeth God for all this, but more of this anon.
The Church then looks back and beholds Mercies, and cals them ſo, which the world cals evils: Her God made them good to her, and a bleſſing; therefore muſt She bleſſe God for them in the firſt place, accounting them fit matter to ſtir her up to Record and Thank. Gall and Wormewood yeelded ſweets to the Church; She found Honey in the carkaſe of the Lyon; Therefore She remembers the time, when She ſaid, This is my death aPſ. 77. 10.. No indeed it was her miſtake, and ſhe ſees …, …r it was but her infirmity, and wrought very effectually to th… ſt…engthning of her, ſo that ſhe can now glory in that ſhe, in her h…ſte, called her Death, knowing that it wrought Patience, and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope bRom. 5. 1, 4.. She recordeth the daies of her Wid…w-hood. She cannot leape over that time, when ſhe ſate Deſolate, alone, and as forſaken. There ſhe ſaid well, as forſaken; for indeed there is but a ſicut, an as, in all which ſhe ſuffers, and in all ſhe enjoyes here below, ſhe weepes as though ſhe wept not; ſhe rejoyceth as though ſhe rejoyced not; ſhe poſſeſſeth as though ſhe poſſeſſed not c1 Cor. 7. 3.. So alſo ſhe knowes now, by experience, that there was but an as in her greateſt ſufferings, as unkowne d2 Cor. 6. 9, 10., as dying, as chaſtened, as ſorrowfull, as poore, as having nothing: and ſo, as forſaken, but then God was with her, working moſt powerfully for her eſtabliſhment, and moſt effectually for her comfort; therefore ſhe remembers that time, even when ſhe ſpake in griefe of heart, as Iacob did; All theſe things are againſt me eGen. 42. 36.. Ioſeph is not, and Simeon is not, and yee will take my Benjamin alſo; All theſe things are againſt me. No indeed Iacob was deceived, ſo hath the Church beene theſe ten times, and now ſhe ſees her miſtake and muſt record it, that all theſe things were for her; This deare child was ſnach'd away; and this ſo ſutable a comfort, this ſtaffe and this ſtay all gone; and yet for all this, as her long Captivity was, all for her good fIer. 24. 5., that the ſtreame of her affections might runne the clearer to the Fountain; That He, Who alone is Worthy might have all, all her Love, and all her delight, and all her joy, as neare as can be in this world; That her Lord and Chriſt may be, if not All in All, yet above all Beloveds, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand: Why then all thoſe things She thought againſt her were for her, promoting her good very much. Therefore Shee doth record that time, and ſpeaks of it with rejoycing, finding by many good experiences, That there is no Condition, how uncomfortable ſoever, but what is ordered according to Righteouſneſſe and faithfulneſſe. This ce…tains much, we will then proceed in it.
SECT. II.
As the Righteous now doe, ſo have all done before them: They have recorded Dayes of Trouble, for that was a meanes to ſettle them the faſter on their Rocke; and have been thankefull for their Hell here, for that made them looke for Heaven where it is.
THe Church muſt remember the former yeares, when they called her Marah, becauſe the Almighty had dealt very bitterly with her dRuth 1. 20.She cannot paſſe-over that Time, as if a Time let forth like water, to waſte. Plowing and harrowing time is as ſeaſonable for the Church, as it is for the fallow-ground, and ſhe doth record that time thankfully and with an heart full of Praiſes: for the deeper the furrowes are, and the longer, the fuller the Sheaves will bee at the Harveſt.
Chryſoſtomes words are remarkably notable. Evermore in your foreign Chryſ Hom. 10. Col. 3. See …hil. 4. 6.prayers give thankes for knowne and unknowne mercies; for mercies which appeare to you ſo to be, and ſuch which appeare not: for mercies you received with a willing mind, and for thoſe, which God did for you againſt your will, be exceeding thankfull for them. For your good things, your comforts, your refreſhments, your ſtrange Deliverances, your rich mercies, yea and for your lucida intervalla, for your well nights and your good daies. Yes, who would not be thankfull for all this? All are not, nay the feweſt of many. But the Father hath not rais'd up his children to the height of thankfulneſſe yet. You muſt be thankfull for your turbida intervalla, ſicke dayes and weariſome Nights; for your aches and your paines, for your troubles in and to the fleſh; the knotty racking Gout, the tormenting Stone, the bloudy torturing Strangury, the burning Fever: In a word, you muſt be thankfull for your Hell here. For Hell! who can be thankfull for that? they that are of another foreign. Humb. 14. 24.ſpirit. Their Hell here made them not to looke for Heaven here, vvhichwhich elſe they had done, though they have their Lords expreſſe word for it. In the world yee ſhall have tribulation, in Mee peace eIoh. 16. 33.. Their Hell here made them to lift up their heads and ſtretch forth their necks *foreign. Rom. 8. 19., and to ſtand, as it were, on tip-toes, ſo earneſtly looking after things, which are not ſeene. And this earneſt expectation of glory hereafter, even to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the Land of the living, this aſſurance of hope cauſed their very Hell here to ſeeme a very light affliction, and its continuance very ſhort, but for a night, an houre, nay, but for a moment, a little ſmall moment.… Cor. 4. 17.
To conclude; Their Hell here made them flee from the vvrath to come, and that is hell indeed, and the ſenſe thereof raiſed up their thoughts and endeared Chriſt unto them, the chiefeſt now of ten thouſand. O how precious are their thoughts concerning Chr…ſt? A drop of vvrath burnt their fleſh, and vvas ſore upon them, though but for a night: how are their he…rts enlarged after Chriſt, vvho redeemed their ſoule out of all adverſity, and from the vvrath to come.
I have added a ſhort paraphraſe on Chryſoſtomes vvords, he goes o… foreign Ch…y…. T…m. 6. …e …. judic.and gives us an example I knew a man ſaid h…, a very pious Man he vvas, vvho prayed thus (as vve have heard) and the firſt vvord vvas Thankes: and that he firſt thanked his good God for, vvas for his afflictions, his Hell here So vve have that vve come for ſo fitted to this place, vvhichwhich is, They put afflictions into the Catalogue or Regiſter of Gods mercies, and in the firſt p…ce. Indeed it is no ha…d matter to open the mouth in vvay of Thankefullneſſe, for the goo… things of this life, as vve call them; but to be thankefull for the … vils, that is an hard taske, but yet the daily vvorke of a true Chriſtian.
SECT. III.
The Church recordeth her evill Dayes, when Shee ſaw Affliction.
HEnce we alſo may learne our Duty and ſee our patterne; for according thereunto the Church Records and Thankes her Lord for her afflictions, her preſſures, her tribulations, her anguiſh, her ſorrows. She gives thanks for her nights of mourning, as wel as for her morning joy; for her Aegypt in this life, as well as for her Goſhen here. She thankes her God for her treading downe by the foot of Pride, for that made her riſe more victoriouſly: for the blood vvas drawne from her, becauſe that vvatered her, and made her more fruitfull. She thankes her God for the Courts of Inquiſition, though bloudy Courts, and all the Purgatory ſhe lookes for: becauſe the oppreſſion ſhe felt therein, and the violent perverting of Iudgement and Iuſtice, pointed her eyes and ſet them ſtedfaſt towards Him, Who is higher then the higheſt; and made her to ſtay, fixe and ſettle her ſelfe at that high Throne, before vvhichwhich the Judges muſt be judged, and from which there is no appeale. She gives thankes for her mockings, Eccl. 5. 8.ſcornings, revilings, buffetings; for all the hard vvords and deeds ſhe heard and felt there. O hovv thankefull is ſhee for all that, thereby ſhee vvas made conformable to Her Lord and Head; ſo Hee was dealt withall. O, how did She rejoyce at all this! (though perhaps not at that preſent) all this makes their Crowne the more maſſy …d weighty. It added muc… to their conſolations, which … 2 Cor. 15, 7.are ever …fter the me…ſure and is their ſufferings are. The Righteous doe conclude thus, That after the rate of their ſorrowes and ſufferings ſhall their comforts and conſolations be And by the meaſure of their ſhame and reproach for Chriſt here, ſhall their Robe o… Glory be cut out hereafter, wherewith they ſhall be veſted in H…aven; Therefore, The Church thanks her God for her weakeneſſes and many infirmities; They made her leane more ſt…adily upo… her Beloved, That ſtrong Arme: For her ſl…ps and fals too, they made her ſtand … Theſ. 1. 10.more ſtrong in her God, and in the power of His Might: For her feares, they pointed her to her rocke, that is higher then her, above all: For her troubles without, and her terrours within; For now She can admire her Saviour, the mighty God of her ſtrength: For her anguiſh of ſpirit, and paines in ſoule, when She travelled with her Chriſt firſt, and now with her after-birth: For all this made their birth more vigorous, ſtrong and Man-like.
SECT. IV.
The Church returneth Praiſe and Thanks for all the good She received from That, The World cals evill.
IT is not poſſible to reckon up the heads and particulars of the Churches accounts; nor how She hath gained by her loſſes; nor what …ealings She hath had from her ſtripes; nor how enriched by her poverties; nor how enlarged by her ſtraights. But abundantly thankfull She is for former yeares, and for all that which happened to her then, and was, as She thought, againſt her, being evill dayes, and the yeares of her captivity: for all that which happened to her then, helped marvellouſly to cleare her veſſell; and She is as thankfull for that, as for filling the ſame with Glory. All that fitted, made her meet a for after Glory. foreign Col. 1. 12.All that their Adverſary did againſt them then, his madneſſe and rage, his breathing out threatenings, all tended much to their advantage. Theſe ſmitings of the hand and tongue, hewed them, poliſhed them, as the ſtone… of the Temple in the out-Court, ſo making them as lively ſtones built up a ſpirituall houſe: Theſe preparations; Theſe fittings; This making meet for glory, are more to the Church, though theſe are blowes, priſons, inquiſitions, fire, faggot, ſword and the like; Theſe, I ſay, are more, and of more account with the Church then. Glory it ſelfe. Their way thither, to Glory, I meane, ſometimes hedged about with thornes, and blocked up againſt them, as with hewn ſtone: This way is as pleaſant to thinke on (when it is paſſed over) as is the Crowne at the end. The Summe is; The Church gives thanks unto the Father, Who hath ſtrengthened Her with all might, according to His Glorious Power unto all patience, and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe, and ſo hath made her meet, hath fitted, hath prepared her to be partaker of the inheritance of her Brethren and Siſters, the Patri…kes, Prophets, Apoſtles, Diſciples, Martyrs, of all the Saints by Calling, while here below in this darke world, now Saints in light.
And ſo the Church hath after her meaſure, offered to her God the ſacrifice of Praiſe and Thanks for His good and gracious dealing with her in former times, the dayes of her captivity. O what her enlargements then! Their ſtraights helpt to ſet their feet in a large place; Their bonds made them free indeed; Their wounds healed them; Their diſtractions united them; Their unquiet motions ſetled them; Their …eaths quickned them; Their ſorrowes comforted them; The ſh…me for Chriſt is their Glory; Their reproach for Him their Crowne. Who would not ſerve this God? Who would not feare Him? He turneth ſickneſſe into health; weakneſſe into ſtrength; mourning into Songs of rejoyc…ng; The ſhadow of Death into the Morning *Amos 5. ….Who would not ſeeke this Lord? Who would not feare Him? This by the way, we goe on.
This is written for our inſtruction, whoſe minds are taken up with preſent things, which fill us with ſo much hope as that we caſt away feare; o… with ſo much feare, that we caſt away hope. We are in an extreame about them ſtill, either over-grieving or overjoying; full of ſtirres we are, a tumultuous people the Lord knowes. A Gracious heart not ſo, he can indite Pſalmes not onelyonly when out of …fflictions, but in the night of his ſorrow, even the deepeſt afflictions; When flying before the enemy; When perſecuted and diſtreſſed; When in darkneſſe of ſpirit, yet then he can indite a Pſalme: Heman did ſo, for he was the wiſeſt man upon earth, next unto King Salomon b1 King. 5. 4, 31.; but ſo ſorely …fflicted, and ſuffering ſuch terrours, that (in his ſence) he was diſtracted cPſal. 88. 15.A Good heart can make the greateſt ſorrowes that he hath felt, or doth feele, matter of bleſſing and praiſe, alwayes an hint for prayer. How-ever it is to ſenſe, yet God is good to Iſrael ſtill, and doth good; Therefore all the worke he hath to doe with his owne ſpirit is this, To ſerve His God heartily, and to ſubmit to Hi… will patiently, yea comfortably; for many experiences have told him, That the end will be good. The Righteous know well, That no Condition here below is like the Hill Olympu… (ſome ſay) wholly cleare aforeign, without clouds. No, They expect windes and ſtormes both, which when blowne over, The aire is the clearer and wholſomer for it; They have made application, and counted their Coſt, and thoſe happy who endure, and ſo can wait patiently, having ſeene the end of the Lord bIam. 5. 1…..