Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 3 · Sermon 43
SERMON XLIII.
Pſal. LXXIII. 12, 13, 14.
Behold theſe are the ungodly who proſper in the world, they increaſe in riches. Verily I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and waſhed my hands in innocency: For all the day long have I been plagued, and chaſtned every morning.
I Am indeavouring (as I have before told you) to make the ſeemingly rough ways of Actual Providence plain, expounding to you the hard Chapters of Divine Providence; I am ſtill ſpeaking to ſuch queſtions as relate to diſtributive juſtice, conſidered as in the hand of Actual Providence; and here alſo I have already ſpoken to ſeveral things: I am now come to the laſt which I intend to ſpeak to. It is the great queſtion which hath poſed the great Philoſophers of the world, and hath made ſome of them deny the being of God; others deny the care and Providence of God, or at leaſt reſtrain it to ſome particular objects; How it ſtandeth with the juſtice of God to puniſh and chaſten his own people, whiles in the mean time he ſuffereth the way of the wicked to proſper. To handle this, I have made choice of this Text: it is no wonder that the greateſt Philoſophers have been poſed here, when we find the moſt eminent ſervants of God whoſe names ſtand upon Sacred Record, at a loſs to find out this riddle, and finding it a ſad temptation to them. You ſhall find that Job ſtumbled at it, Job 21.7. and Jeremy, though he humbly prefaceth his complaint, Jer. 12.1. with, Righteous art thou, O Lord, in thy judgements; yet he muſt, he muſt talk with God about his judgements in this thing. Habbakuk was alſo ſomething diſturbed at it, Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to endure any iniquity: wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is better than himſelf? In my Text you find the man according to Gods own heart ſtumbling alſo at this ſtone, you have an account of his fall by this temptation, from the firſt ver. to the 16. 2. His recovery of himſelf, verſ. 17, 18, 19, 20. The Propoſitions which may be obſerved from this verſe, are two.
Prop. 1. That in this life ungodly men often proſper, and increaſe in riches, when in the mean time holy men are plagued and chaſtened.
2. Prop. That this is often a temptation to the beſt of men, to think that they have cleanſed their hearts in vain.
I ſay firſt, God in this life doth often meaſure out proſperity to the worſt, and afflictions to the beſt of men. The truth of the Propoſition as to matter of fact is evident, both from the Records of Scripture, and the whole courſe of Divine Providence in the diſpenſations of it, as through all ages, ſo in our preſent age, ſo as I ſhall not need ſpend any time in the proof of it. The Queſtion is,
Queſt. How this is conſiſtent with the Juſtice, Wiſdom, or Goodneſs of God, that the ungodly ſhould proſper in the world, and increaſe in riches, when his people are viſited with afflictions every night, and chaſtned every morning? I ſhall add further, to make uſe of the moſt vile and wicked men in the world, to chaſten thoſe that are more righteous than they are. This was Davids caſe, Saul and Abſolom, who (you know) were his great Enemies, were both moſt vile and wicked perſons, and that which Habbakuk expreſly complained of, Hab. 1.13. And ſuffereſt the wicked to devour the man that is more righteous than he; The Caldeans, a vile and wicked people, to devour the Jews, who were the only people God had upon the Earth at that time. Here are three Queſtions to be ſpoken to:
1. How it ſtandeth with the Juſtice of God to meaſure out good things to the vileſt and worſt of men?
2. How it ſtandeth with the Justice and Goodneſs of God, by his Actual Providence to diſpenſe out evil things to the best of men?
3. How it is conſiſtent with the Juſtice of God, to ſuffer the wicked to devour the man that is more righteous than himſelf?
I will begin with the firſt, where we muſt enquire, 1. What good things wicked men have. 2. We muſt vindicate the Juſtice of God in the diſtribution of them to them. The good things which a wicked man hath, can be only the good things of this life; for the good things of another life, they have no part nor portion in that matter. 2. They can be none of the good things of grace, ſpecial grace; they are without God, without Chriſt, without hope. Hence muſt follow, that the good things of which alone they are capable, are either bona corporis, the good things of the body; ſuch are life, health, ſtrength, &c. or the good things of fortune, as the Heathens call them, ſuch are riches, honours, pleaſures, or the good things of the mind, ſuch as are learning, wit, &c. Theſe good things wicked men are capable of, the wicked may live, become old, be mighty in power, Job 21.7. There may be no bands in their death, their ſtrength may be firm, they may not be in trouble as other men, as the Pſalmist ſpeaketh here in this Pſalm. Now this being firſt premiſed, I come ſtrictly to ſpeak to the Queſtion.
1. In the firſt place I deſire that may be remembred, which in ſome of my former diſcourſes I commended to your obſervation, That as adverſity is not the portion of every child of God, ſo proſperity is not the portion of every ſinner: nay if you fix your eyes upon any certain number of good men that live up to the rule of Gods word, and a like number of leud and wicked men, who live without a God in the world; you will find that as to outward proſperity is on the ſide of them that fear God: Wiſdom hath riches and honour in her hand, as well as grace and glory; that which cheats us, is the odds that is in numbers betwixt men who fear God, and ſuch as fear him not, but fix your eye upon any number of certain perſons on either ſide, and you will ſee that Gods fulfilling of his promiſes to good men for the things of this life, ſuch as health, long-life, riches, honour, &c. to ſuch as fear him are not made in vain, and the juſtification of Gods truth in them, doth not ſtand in need of thoſe diſtinctions which we ordinarily make uſe of, they are only ſome that God proſpereth.
2. As there is no godly man but hath ſin enough to juſtify in his afflictions; ſo there are many wicked men, who may have done ſome ſervice for God, which will juſtify God in ſuch rewardings of them. It is but juſt with God (as I have ſhewed you) for God to reward men for the ſervice which they have done for God; he rewarded Jehu, Aſſyria, and Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon.
3. I have ſhewed you, that God with the rewards of this life, doth often reward, and with the puniſhments of this life doth often puniſh relations in their correlates; ſo God may reward, if not the perſon, for ſome ſervice he hath done for God; yet he may reward a Father, a Grandfather in the riches, and honour, and outward good things which the preſent ſinner doth enjoy: it was thus you know in the caſe of Jehu, the proſperity of Joaſh and Jeroboam, and another or two deſcended from Jehu, was but the reward which Jehu had for his ſervice againſt the houſe of Ahab. But I have enlarged my diſcourſe upon all theſe things before, and do only hint them here.
4. The good things of this life, are not truly good; they are only called by us good, becauſe of their gratefulneſs to our ſenſe; they are in themſelves but things of a middle nature, good or bad, as we uſe them well or ill. It is the ſaying of Nierembergius (an acute Author, though a Jeſuite), Fortunantur improbi larvatis hujus vitae bonis ad correctionem noſtrae opinionis, ne putemus illa bona poſthumae noſtrae foelicitati comparanda. Wicked men, ſaith he, are inriched with the ſpecious good things of this life, to correct our judgments, that we may not judg that thoſe things are worthy to be compared with that felicity, which we after this life ſhall enjoy. The wiſer Philoſophers, in their diſputes about the happineſs of man in this life, which they rightly enough determined muſt lye in the enjoyments of the greateſt good, and their further queſt, what that ſummum bonum was, determined it could not be the good things of the body, nor the good things of fortune (as they call them, we ſpeaking more like Chriſtians, call them the good things of Common Providence), but at laſt determined (the wiſer of them I mean) that it was the goods of the mind in conjunction with a competency, or a moderate portion of the good things of the other natures. But Religion teacheth us to conſider man in another notion than they by the conduct of meer natural reaſon could conſider him, as a creature under an ordination to an eternal exiſtence, and capable of an union with, and an enjoyment of God. Now upon theſe two Hypotheſes, it is impoſſible that the good things of this life ſhould be vere bona, truly good things, and that upon theſe two grounds: 1. They reach not to another life. What is our inch of time to Eternity? Now all theſe things leave us in the very hour that our ſoul goes out into an eternal ſtate; Riches, honours, pleaſures, ſtrength of body, &c. all leave us when the body dyeth.
2. Again, While we are in the poſſeſſion of our breath, all theſe things do ſignify juſt nothing to the felicity of the ſoul, which is far the better and nobler part of man: the intereſt of the ſoul lyeth in its union and communion with God, to which none of theſe contribute any thing, ſo that the objection proceedeth upon an hypotheſis that is meerly falſe; it ſuppoſeth that God diſtributeth things truly and properly good to wicked men, he only diſtributeth ſuch things to them as have a ſhew and appearance of good, ſuch things as to their palats and ſenſe are good, but have nothing of goodneſs in them, further than that they are a viaticum, things of neceſſary uſe to ſupport us in our way to eternity, and to uphold our beings in the world, while we are here doing the work which God hath given us to do, and finiſhing our courſe; and for that, what our Saviour ſaid is true, Our life doth not lye in the abundance of that which we poſſeſs.
5. Though they be not things in themſelves good, nor abſolutely and compleatly good; yet having ſomething of goodneſs in them, and a great goodneſs relative to the fancy, apprehenſion, and deſires of ſinners (for there be many that will ſay, Who will ſhew us any good)? underſtanding nothing elſe but corn, and wine, and oyl, a long-life, an healthful body, a great eſtate, honour and power, &c. It is but equal that God ſhould gratify their ſenſes, and pleaſe them with ſome ſuch things as they account the goods, the greateſt goods, That they might not be without ſome experience of the riches of divine liberality and bounty. God muſt be allowed to have a relation, unto the vileſt men and women; he is not indeed their Father by Adoption, but he is their Father by Creation. It is not reaſonable that any of Gods Creatures, Abſque ulla liberalitatis experientia elabantur, ſhould go out of the world without ſome experience of the divine liberality and goodneſs. I remember it is ſaid of Abraham, that for the Children he had by Concubines, he gave them portions, and ſent them away, Gen. 25.5. Abraham gave all that he had unto Iſaac: but unto the ſons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and ſent them away, &c. We may ſay the ſame of God, he gives grace and glory to his Iſaacs, to the children of the promiſe; but as for others, he gives them gifts of the good things of this life; feſtinat largiri, ſaith an acute Author, God makes haſt to give out his largeſſes of mercy to them, becauſe they are not capable of the mercies of another life. God hath time in eternity to reward his Saints, but after this life he hath no time to give ſinners any thing. And this appeareth the more reaſonable, becauſe the worſt of men are not only Gods Creatures, but may be in ſome things Gods Servants, as the Aſſyrian and Nebuchadnezzar, and Cyrus were Gods Servants: there are very few wicked men but God maketh ſome uſe of, if it be but to ſcourge his own people, for that was the ſervice which the Aſſyrian did God, Iſa. 10. But this I have before ſpoken to more largely.
6. It is very reaſonable, if we conſider what there is in theſe good things of this life, which God giveth out to ſinners, of the nature of means on Gods part, to allure and perſwade them to turn unto him. The Apoſtle telleth us, That the goodneſs of God leadeth men to repentance, Rom. 2.4. It doth ſo ex natura ſua, of its own nature, though through the wickedneſs of their heart, it but makes them worſe; ſo Acts 14.17. He left not himſelf without witneſs, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful ſeaſons, filling our hearts with food and gladneſs: and this he did, verſ. 16. to nations whom he ſuffered to walk in their own ways. The buſineſs is not what theſe things prove eventually to ſinners, ſo indeed they prove but ſnares to their ſouls, that is, accidentally through the miſimprovement they make of them, by reaſon of the luſt and corruption that is in their hearts: nor is Gods intention and deſign in giving them the thing to be conſidered, but what they are in themſelves, and of their own nature; ſo they are things which they deſire more than better things, which are grateful and pleaſant to them, and ſhould therefore oblige them to ſerve, and pleaſe that God, who ſo gratifyeth and pleaſeth them in things which they make their delight, and the matter of their choice.
7. What in the laſt place, if we ſhould ſay, that it is reaſonable God ſhould give them theſe things, as one expreſſeth it, In infortuniis apparatum; that if they will not uſe them to their own good and advantage, yet they might give Gods glory an advantage by juſtifying him in their condemnation upon their abuſing the goodneſs of God. They tell us a ſtory of Philip King of Macedon, and of ſome noble Romans, that they were wont to pray to their Idols, that they would mix their proſperity with ſome grains of adverſity. It is a dreadful ſpeech, Luk. 6. Wo to you that are rich, for you have received your conſolation. It is a ſaying of an ingenious Author, a Jeſuite,
Inſignitur ſolum titulus opulentiae ad juſtitiam damnationis, quia licet ipſa crimen non ſit multis fundatur criminibus, aut fundat multa; vel ſceleribus paritur, vel ſcelera parturit—ſolitarius titulus fortunae infamis eſt, niſi aliquid pietatis agnomen purget; Merem. That is,
Riches is only a famous title to juſtify God in the damnation of a ſinner, for though they in themſelves be no crime, yet they are a building founded on many ſins, or they lay a foundation for many; they either are bred of many ſins, or elſe they bring forth many—The title of outward proſperity alone, is an infamous title, if it hath not ſome addition of Piety. The wrath of God ſmoaked againſt the Iſraelites, whiles the fleſh was betwixt their teeth. God tells them by the Prophet Hoſea, chap. 13. v. 11. He gave them a King in his wrath. There is a wonderful wiſdom of Divine Providence ſeen in the proſperity of ſinners, their long-life, health, ſucceſſes, riches, honours: for one of theſe two things follow; ſome of them are by them made better, and brought home to God, as children by ſome ſlighty rewards are won unto their duty; or if the Providence of God obtaineth not this effect, it faileth not in another, viz. The juſtification of God before Angels and men, in his righteous condemnation of them: He hath given them time to repent, and they repented not; he hath given them mercies alluring them to their duty, but they have not been won by them; he hath piped unto them, but they have not danced: and thus much may ſerve to have juſtified the Providence of God, and ſhewed you the reaſonableneſs of its motion, in the diſtribution of the good things of this life to ſinners.
Queſt. 2. It remains in the ſecond place to ſhew you, how it conſiſteth with the righteouſneſs and goodneſs of God to diſpenſe out evil things to his own people. Job complaineth of his ſad tryals, and David, that he was viſited every morning, and chaſtened every moment; and we ſee in our daily experience, that many are the tryals of the moſt righteous ſervants of God, and thoſe of all ſorts.
1. I ſay in the firſt place, This is not the lot of all the ſervants of God, it is only the portion of ſome of them; ſome of thoſe who fear God are rich, honourable, mighty in power, men of good eſtates, proſpering in the world: there was a rich Abraham, a rich Joſeph, a great man in Egypt, and a rich Joſeph of Arimathea; David, the man according to Gods own heart was a great Prince, ſo was Solomon; nay, as I ſaid before, were we not deceived by the odds in the number of Sinners and Saints, I doubt whether we ſhould not find that God with the good things of this life, doth not more univerſally bleſs his own ſervants than he doth others.
2. Suppoſe that ſome, yea that many of the People of God in this world are toſſed with tempeſts, and afflicted; yet ſurely there is none of them but hath ſin enough to justifie God in their puniſhments of this nature. I have in my former diſcourſes proved to you, that notwithſtanding the ſatisfaction which Chriſt hath paid to the Juſtice of his Father, and the Covenant of Grace made betwixt Christ and his Father, on the behalf of his Elect, and the pardoning of their ſins; yet it is conſiſtent enough with Divine Juſtice, to puniſh the ſins of Gods own People, with the afflictions and puniſhments of this life: they may be chastened of the Lord, that they may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. 11.32. Now the moſt righteous man ſinneth ſeven times a day; nor doth any know how often he offendeth: and why ſhould a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his iniquity? Lam. 3.
3. If you could imagine any perſon to have lived ſo innocently, as that he had not by his perſonal ſins deſerved thoſe temporal afflictions with which God viſiteth him; yet (as you have heard) God may viſit the ſins of Parents, of proparents, upon Children, and afflictions of this nature, may come upon good people, although not for their perſonal ſins, yet for the ſins of their Parents; and this is but righteouſneſs with God, as I have heretofore ſhewed you in a ſet diſcourſe upon that Subject.
4. But there is yet a fourth thing, which I would ſpeak to a little more fully in anſwer to this Queſtion, and that indeed takes away the Subject of the queſtion upon the point. As I ſaid of the good things of this life, they are not truly good, ſo I may ſay of the evil things of this life, they are not truly evil: as the other are but larvata bona, ſuch things as have but a Vizard of goodneſs; ſo theſe are but larvata mala, ſuch things as have but a ſhew and appearance of evil in them; they are only ſenſible evils, and our ſenſes do but cheat our Souls in judging them evil. This I will ſpend a little time to evince to you.
1. In the firſt place, Theſe are not thoſe things which deſile the Soul. It was a ſaying of Auguſtines, There is a great deal of difference betwixt a mans being evil, and ſuffering evil. Many a Soul is made better by affliction, none is made worſe by it, unleſs it be by accident. Nothing but ſin defileth a Soul: a man may be poor in this world yet rich in grace, he may have a ſickly body, yet an healthy Soul he may be ignoble in the world, yet have the honour to be called the Child of God; thoſe things alone are evil, which make the Soul filthy, and unclean in the ſight of God. Afflictions tend to make the Soul white, to purge it and to cleanſe it, they are therefore compared to fire, and help to make our faith to appear more precious than Gold that periſheth; they do not prejudice a Soul as to its grace, nor yet as to its glory; none was ever condemned by God becauſe he was ſickly or low in the world: Afflictions are only ingrateful to our ſenſe grievous to our fleſh; but as to our Soul and inward man, they touch it not, they do only ſully the ſurface of a man, they do no injury to all to his better part.
This Argument is plain, what doth the Soul of a Chriſtian no hurt is no evil. Why ſhould I call that evil which neither ever did me any hurt nor ever will?
2. The Afflictions of this life are ſuch things as the beſt of Gods people have choſen and preferred before the contrary ſuppoſed good. This is a piece of that anſwer which Salvian long ſince, gave to this difficulty of Providence.
Humiles ſunt Religioſi? hoc volunt: pauperes ſunt? pauperie delectantur? ſine ambitione, ambitum reſpuunt; in honore ſunt? honorem reſpuunt: lugent? lugere geſtiunt: infirmi ſunt? infirmitate delectantur, Salvian. de Prov.
Are good people (ſaith he) in a low condition? they deſire to be ſo. Are they poor? they are pleaſed with poverty; they without ambition refuſe the objects of ambition, hunt not after great things. Are they without honour? they refuſe the honours of this world. Do they mourn? they rejoyce to mourn. Are they weak? they triumph in their weakneſs, Heb. 11.24. By faith Moſes refuſed to be called the Son of Pharaoh's daughter, chuſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt, greater riches than the treaſures of Egypt. The Apoſtle refuſed Simon Magus his mony, and that with a more than ordinary deteſtation. Agur indeed prayeth againſt extreme poverty, as a condition expoſing him to temptation; but he alſo upon the ſame account prayeth againſt Riches. Lord, ſaith he, give me neither poverty nor riches. Moſt glady (ſaith the bleſſed Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 12.10.) will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me; therefore I take pleaſure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſſities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes for Chriſts ſake, for when I am weak, then am I ſtrong. The Apoſtles ſing in Priſon, and rejoice that they are counted worthy to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt. The primitive Chriſtians ſuffered joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods. No man chuſeth what he apprehendeth evil, but thoſe things the world call evils have very ordinarily been the choice of the beſt, and moſt judicious ſervants of God.
3. How can thoſe things be called evils, which have a tendency to make the man better. Afflictions both from Gods intention, and their own nature, have a tendency to the making of the Souls of Saints better. God intends them for that purpoſe, for they are his fatherly Providence for them; all thoſe twigs which make up the rods with which God laſheth his people, grow out of the root and ſtock of Divine love. The rods with which God ſcourgeth Sinners, are gathered of a Tree that ſtandeth upon the brink of the bottomleſs pit; but thoſe with which God chaſtiſeth his people, are gathered of a Tree that ſtands in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God. Nay afflictions have in themſelves a tendency to better the Souls of Saints. They are but like a warm wall to the fruit-Tree, which makes the fruit fairer; you obſerve that young Children ſhoot out in ſickneſs, you may obſerve the Saints too ſhooting out upon their afflictions; O how many of them have we ſeen ſhot out, in humility, in faith, in patience, in heavenly-mindedneſs, and contempt of the world, &c. It is a ſaying of Salvian upon this Argument, Ideo Sancti viri ſunt infirmiores, quia ſi fortes fuerint vix Sancti eſſe poterint. Saints, ſaith he, are therefore weak, becauſe it is an hard thing to be ſtrong and Saints too: we may ſay it is hard to be rich in Gold and Silver, and rich in grace too; to be great in the world, and great with God too; to have an healthy body, and an healthy Soul too. It is true there is not an abſolute inconſiſtency, betwixt worldly preſperity and grace. Job and Abraham were rich, Joſeph and Daniel were both honourable, and had great places; Our Saviour doth not ſay that it is ſimply impoſſible, for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God; but he ſaith, It is eaſier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Let the word be underſtood of the beaſt called a Camel, or for a Cable-rope, and by the Eye of a Needle, whether you underſtand what we call ſo, or a gate, a little gate in Hieruſalem which ſome ſay had that name; It is not ſimply impoſſible for a Camel, or a Cable rope to paſs through the Eye of a Needle: it is a thing may be done, if you cut the one into pieces ſmall enough, or ſufficiently untwiſt the other; but it asks a great deal of labour, it muſt be done with a great deal of difficulty.
There are three things in which the felicity of the Soul lieth, 1. In its favour with God. 2. In its conformation to God. 3. In its beatifical viſion of God. I ſhall ſhew you that ſome of thoſe things, which we call evils, have an influence upon all theſe.
1. They do indeed none of them merit the love and favour of God, but they are teſtimonies and indications of this love, and this is eminently true of ſuch as are ſufferings for the name of Chriſt: the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of Afflictions in general, whom he loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every Child whom he receiveth. Chriſt ſaith particularly of the ſufferings of his people for him, They ſhall turn unto you for a teſtimony, Luk. 21.13. And the bleſſed Apoſtle, 2 Theſ. 1.5. ſaith of them, that they are manifeſt tokens of the righteous judgment of God, that, ſaith he, you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you ſuffer. It is a ſaying of Salvian; Quis tam profundi Cordis, &c. He means, who is ſo ſhallow as to think that the rewards of the Saints are carnes & fortitudines, abundance of the good things of this life; the love of God, ſaith he, is ſeen in higher things than theſe, and in things of a quite different nature from theſe. It is a paſſage of Auguſtine, Surgunt procellae hujus ſtagni, vides malos florere, bonos laborare, tentatio eſt, fluctus eſt, & dicit anima tua, O Deus! Deus! Haeccine eſt juſtitiae tua, ut mali floreant, & boni laborent: Deus tibi reſpondet, Haeccine eſt fides tua? Haeccine tibi promiſi, aut ad hoc factus es Chriſtanus, ut in ſaculo floreres? Aug. in Pſal. 25. The ſtorms (ſaith he) of this Pit ariſe, you ſee ſinners flouriſh and Saints in adverſity, this is a temptation; it is a wave, and your Soul ſays, O God! O God! Is this thy Juſtice, That Sinners ſhould proſper, and thy Saints ſhould be oppreſſed? God anſwereth thee, is this thy faith? wert thou made a Chriſtian for this that thou ſhouldeſt flouriſh in this life?
It was the rich glutton in the Goſpel, who had his good things in this life. Gods Lazarus had evil things; far be it from us, ſaith Salvian, to think that an Argument of Gods neglect of us, which is an Argument of Gods further love to us.
2. Doth the happineſs of a Soul lie in its conformation to God? to the image of his Son? (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) Afflictions highly conduce to this end.
1. This is peculiarly true of ſuch Afflictions as a Chriſtian ſuffers for the goſpel and for the name of the Lord Jeſus; and therefore the Apoſtle triumpheth in this, 1 Phil. 20. That Chriſt ſhould be magnified in his body, whether by life or death; and therefore ſpeaks of his ſufferings of this nature, as the matter of his expectation, his hope, his boldneſs, and what he was confident he ſhould not be aſhamed of: and he prayeth for a fellowſhip with Chriſt in his ſufferings, Phil. 3.12. Ignatius is reported after all his ſufferings to have ſaid, Now I begin to be a diſciple. Now (ſaith Anthony Perſon a Martyr of our own Nation) I am dreſſed like a Souldier of Chriſt, when he had put ſome of the ſtraw that was prepared to kindle the wood which was to burn him, on the top of his Head.
2. But, All ſorts of afflictions have an influence upon the Soul to make it more like to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Sufferings in the fleſh for Chriſts ſake make us conformable to Chriſts fleſh, to Chriſt in his ſtate of humiliation, to Chriſt upon the Croſs, but all the Afflictions of the Saints conduce to make them like unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in his holineſs, and purity, that now belongeth unto Chriſt, and is inſeparable from him in his eſtate of glory, and exaltation: in that he died, he died once and but once, and ſhall hang on the Croſs no more, wear a Crown of thorns no more, but his purity and holineſs, that is eſſential to him: now the Afflictions of Gods people make them like unto Chriſt in this. This is an argument which I have had occaſion before to touch upon, and therefore I ſhall be the ſhorter in it now.
1. They wonderfully conduce to take the hearts of the people of God off from the Earth, and to ſix them upon Heaven. Poverty takes off the heart from the love of riches, and delivereth it from an evil covetouſneſs; ſickneſs weaneth the Soul from the love of this life. Now holineſs lieth ſo much in the Sequeſtration of the heart from the world, that in Greek, an holy man ſignifies a man that is not earthly. it is an hard thing for a man to be poſſeſſed of much of the Earth, and not to have his heart buried in it: it is true we ſhould rejoyce as if we rejoyced not, and poſſeſs as if we poſſeſſed not; but this is an hard ſaying to fleſh and blood, Who is there almoſt who can hear, who can learn it? how rare is that Soul which liveth in the full fruition of the things of this life, that can yet keep his heart looſe from them, and ſequeſtred for God? Proſperity, plenty, a great affluence of the good things of this life are as birdlime to a Souls wings, and keep it from mounting up to God. I remember it is a ſaying of Salvian, Repugnanti corporis valetudine quae optamus facere non facimus; many a time, the want of ſtrength, and health in our bodies, hindreth us from doing that ſin which we have a mind to commit. The great enjoyments of the world are not only the things which make men unwilling to die, but both they, and the great buſineſſes and employments of the world, are thoſe things which keep Chriſtians fettered; they cannot pray, they cannot wait upon God in ordinances, they cannot faſt, they cannot ſolemnly worſhip God as others leſs intangled can: amongſt other advantages therefore of a poor and afflicted ſtate an ingenious Author reckons this for one, he ſaith it is puritatis condimentum, the pickle of purity and holineſs. They are the very ſalt of the Earth, without which the beſt of men would putrify in their full enjoyment. They are (you know) ſharp, and acrimonious things, that are the Enemies to putrefaction: ſalt ſeaſoneth things, vinegar makes a good pickle preſervative of things Sugar quickly corrupteth. It is true there are too too many that have little enough of theſe things, and as little of any gracious habits, poverty, and afflictions will not give grace; but that is a rare Chriſtian that abounds with the affluences of this life, and yet keepeth his integrity, is as pure, as holy, as full of duty, as others who have leſs of this worlds goods; they are no fountains of grace, but they are great preſervatives of it.
2. Nay this is not all; in the ſecond place, they conduce much to the improvements of grace, eſpecially of faith and patience. They are two habits of grace, that like Solomons brother and friend are made for adverſity. Tribulatio patientiae Robur operatur, patientia fidei probationem parit. Tribulation addeth to the ſtrength of patience; and patience bringeth forth the tryal of Faith. If the people of God never met with affliction, how ſhould the trial of their faith appear more pretious than that of Gold which periſheth? How ſhould their patience have its perfect work? Faith is never ſeen till we be out of ſight of the thing which we pretend to truſt God for. Hope which is ſeen is no hope, but if we hope for that which we ſee not, then do we with patience wait for it. Job's faith in God, and love to God, was ſeen in his truſting in him, and adhering to him while God ſeemed to be killing of him. Practical habits are improved by exerciſe. The Souls of the Saints ordinarily come out of their trials, more ſtrong in faith, more confirmed in hope, more exerciſed in patience, more flaming in love to God; how then ſhall we call thoſe things evils which inſtead of depraving the Soul and making it worſe, do tend to the improvement of the Soul and making of it better?
3. Laſtly, the higheſt good which the Soul is capable of is, the beatifical viſion, and enjoyment of God to all Eternity. To this the low eſtate of the people of God doth exceedingly conduce, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light Affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Thoſe who ſhall ſit with God upon thrones, are thoſe which continue with him in tribulations. The great multitude which St. John ſaw, Rev. 7.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. which no man could number, of all Nations, kindreds, people, and tongues, which ſtood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, upon inquiry were found to be thoſe who came out of great tribulation, and had waſhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, v. 14. Our ſufferings in this life do not merit glory, alas there is no perfection in our ſuffering, and ſufferings are but our duty; nor is there any proportion, betwixt light and momentany afflictions, and a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; but they work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory. Thou art miſtaken then, O Chriſtian in thy Judgment. God doth not (as thou dreameſt) diſtribute good things to his Enemies, nor yet evil things to his friends: the buſineſs is no more than this, Deus per ficta mala punit ſuos, & per larvata bona impios remunerat. Nierem. God indeed by things in appearance good rewardeth wicked men, and by things in appearance evil he puniſheth thoſe that are his own people.
Nor let any one think to quibble here, as if God mocked either the one or the other, for although theſe things which the wicked enjoy, are not real and ſubſtantial good things; yet as they are the things which they deſire, delight in, which they chuſe above other things more ſolidly, and ſubſtantially good, they are to them really good, and they have a tendency to make them better; and the afflictions of the people of God, as they have in them an enmity to their fleſh, and are ingrateful to their ſenſes, ſo they have ſomething of real evil in them; but comparatively with other evils, or the greater good things which God hath prepared for his people, they have nothing of evil in them. In ſhort, every obſerving man diſcerneth the difference betwixt the love of an indulgent cockering mother, and a wiſe, and prudent father. The father ſheweth his love to the Child, by fitting it to live in the world another day, learning it to be a man, to know the world, and to converſe with it: to this purpoſe, he inureth it to hardſhip, he ſends it to ſchool, and keepeth it under a ſevere diſcipline: thus he ſheweth his love to his Child, and when the Child cometh to years of diſcretion the Child thanks him for it, though under the diſcipline of its youth poſſibly the Child thinks the father its worſt enemy. The mother poſſibly ſheweth her love by cockering the Child, dandling it upon her knee, providing fine clothes for it, giving it ſweet-meats, &c. Which things indeed have nothing of true love in them, and do only tend to emaſculate the Child, and make it of an effeminate temper, and more unfit to converſe with, or live in the world another day. Patrium Deus habet in bonos animum, (ſaith an ingenious Author) God loves good people, not like a mother but like a father: whom he loveth he chaſtneth, and ſcourgeth every Child whom he receiveth; he keeps them at the ſchool of affliction, and educateth them under the diſcipline of the rods, and ferulaes of many trials, and afflictions: he ſuffereth not the world which is their natural mother according to the fleſh, to hug them in her boſom, nor to dandle them upon her knees; he chaſteneth them that they might not be condemned with the wicked; he hath ſaid, bleſſed is he whom thou chaſteneth, and teacheſt him out of thy Law. This is but a fatherly dealing of God with his people. God thus fitteth them for Heaven, poliſheth them for ſhafts in his own quiver, by this darkneſs makes them fit for the Saints in light. Why ſayeſt thou, O Chriſtian, that the Lords ways are not equal, or that the Lord dealeth hardly with thee? God dealeth with thee, but as every wiſe and prudent father dealeth with the Child of his deareſt love: and thus I have ſpoken to two of the Queſtions which fall under this head. But there is yet a third would be ſpoken to, and the rather, becauſe it may be a temptation that ſeized the hearts of many of Gods people in former times, that is, How it conſiſteth with the juſtice, wiſdom, and goodneſs of God in the motions of his Providence to make the vileſt, and worſt of men his Inſtruments to chaſten the beſt, and deareſt of his own people: it was Habbakuks complaint, Hab. 1.13. why holdeſt thou thy peace, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he, and maketh men as fiſhes of the Sea, as the creeping things which have no ruler over them? But that will be my next Text, where I ſhall ſpeak ſomething relating to that diſpenſation of God, and afterwards ſhall more largely apply both what I have ſpoken, and what I ſhall further ſpeak on this Argument.