farre aboue any father or mother insomuch as the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe Esa 49.15 and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee though hee delighteth to heare vs pray to him as Christ himselfe witnesseth to his Church saying My doue shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is sweete and thy sight comely yet when by the extremities of our miseries wee are so oppressed or distracted that wee cannot in any orderly manner pray vnto him as we ought yet he alloweth of the sighes sobs that we offer vp vnto him and granteth not so much our wordes which sometimes none or very fewe as the meaning of his spirit which is large and plentifull in vs. And hereupon it commeth to passe that the Lord in his iust mercie imputeth not vnto his seruants the manifold rebellions of their flesh or great complaints in their praier as hee did not vnto Iob nor to Dauid who were full of them as wee haue seene before because he hath respect vnto the meaning of his spirit in thē As the mother is not so much grieued or offended with the murmurings impatiencie and froward outcries of her poore sicke childe as she by the least token guesseth at the meaning of him and taketh that in good part and giueth to him accordingly What shall we say to these things Is it true indeede that the Lord will vouchsafe to looke vpon the low degree of his seruants and haue respect vnto poore sinnefull creatures who when they are fallen into the bottom of their iust deserued miserie and euen then can not pray vnto him one word aright and when they begin to speake vnto him euen then their tongue cleaueth to the roofe of their mouth that he will yet heare their sighs and their cries yea vndoubtedly he that of his great mercie will beare with such great weaknesse in men Matt. 12.20 that he will not breake a bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe he will of the like mercie heare not onely the well ordered prayers of his Church but euen the very cryings roarings of his seruants though they be like the Pellicans and the owles yea their mournings though they be like to the doues yea when they say nothing neither indeed can their very sobs and sighs which come frō the abundance of a troubled spirit and can not be expressed for he alloweth of the meaning of his Spirit which worketh these things in them and if they could thereby they are willing to performe better seruice vnto him and are sorie that they can not doe it What can be more comfortable vnto vs then this Therefore in all our necessities let vs goe vnto the Lord in Christ with great boldnesse and come vnto the throne of grace and though we can not vtter many wordes yet let vs speake vnto him for surely the acceptation of our praiers consisteth not in the multitude or well placing of our words but in the request and desire of our hearts and therefore if we can pray but two or three words say with the poore Publican Lord Luk. 18 1◠be merciful vnto me a sinner or with the Apostles Lord increase our faith 17.5 or with the man in the Gospel Lord I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleef Mar. 9.24 or with the blind man Matt. 9.29 O son of Dauid haue mercy vpon me or with the theefe vpon the crosse Luk. 23 4◠Lord remember me in thy kingdome c. this short prayer proceeding from the Spirit of God in vs and offered vp in the mediation of Christ Iesus and in the vertue of his prayers shall be as well receiued of him when we can doe no better as if we had spent an whole houre in prayer Yea if we do but lift vp our minds vnto God and pray in our spirite though we vtter not one word as that godly woman Hannah the mother of Samuel did 2. Sam. 1.10 who beeing troubled in her minde praied vnto the Lord and wept sore but how did shee pray shee spake in her heart her lips did mooue onely but her voice was not heard The Lord will heare vs as he did her and giue her according to her desire as shee afterward confessed to Heli the Priest I praied for this child and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him And so did Nehemiah pray vnto God for he waiting vpon the King of Babylon as hee sate at table and beeing sad in his presence more then he had wont to be the King demanded of him the cause he told him then hauing leaue of the King to ask what he would for the accomplishing of his desire it is saide that hee praied to the God of heauen that is Nehe. 2.4 he lifted vp his mind vnto God and desired him to blesse him in that enterprise of his and so he did So we if either we can not pray in words or waite opportunity of time and place and doe but sigh vnto him after an vnspeakeable manner the Lord will not refuse that because it proceedeth from his Spirit And as this may be no small comfort vnto vs in our affliction so the Apostle Paul in the next verse following doth for our further comfort shew what is the ende of all the afflictions of the children of God namely their benefit and good whē he saith Rom. 8 2◠Also we know that al things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose In which words he ministreth this soueraigne medicine against the contagion poison of all affliction telling vs that they come to the beleeuers not for their hurt but for their singular good especially seeing they befall them not by fortune or chance but by the speciall prouidence of God and that for the same ende who as he hath chosen them from euerlasting so in the same counsell of his he ordained that they should in their crosses bee like vnto his sonne Vers 29. For those whom hee knew before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his son that he might bee the first borne of many brethren and therefore hee calleth them in time iustifieth them by faith and by the crosse bringeth them to eternall glorie as he did his owne naturall sonne as it is said in the next words 30. Moreouer whom he predestinated them also he called whome he called them also he iustified and whome he iustified them also he glorified Whereupon he boldly concludeth that no affliction shall be able to hurt them seeing that the Lord is with them in the same meaning thereby to doe them good for he speaketh after a most confident maner What shall we then say to these things 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs as if he had
needfull And this corruption to be in the nature of all men generally euen by affliction to fall away from the loue and seruice of God Satan knew well enough and therefore thought to haue found it in Iob though he did not when he saide vnto the Lord Doth Iob loue or feare Iob 1.9 or serue God for nought as if he had said he doth not serue thee for thine owne sake or for any loue that hee beareth vnto thee but for the commoditie that he receiueth by thee for he addeth Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on euery side thou hast blessed the worke of his hands his substance is increased in the land but stretch out thine hand and touch all that he hath to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face In which words he noteth that vice that men commonly are subiect vnto that is to hide their rebellion in prosperitie and in aduersitie to bewray it Therefore if we be free from this vice and so cease not in affliction to loue God and in loue to serue him we shall be sure that he will fulfil this promise of his vnto vs of turning all things to our good and causing all our crosses to make together for the best vnto vs so long as we loue God and this vnfained loue that we finde we beare in our hearts vnto God is a sure testimonie vnto vs of it and we ought thereby to be perswaded of the vndoubted truth of it so comfort our selues for the time present that God will doe vs good by this correction of his euen because wee loue him Moreouer seeing that the Apostles purpose here is to intreat of patience in affliction and to prepare vs for it this no doubt is most fit for the fame namely the consideration of that loue which we ought to beare vnto God whereby we might be mooued to take all things in good part that he sends vnto vs because we loue him and in loue are desirous to please him For we see daily in all worldly matters what great things all sorts of men will beare at the hāds of them whome they loue as how many grieuous things doth the mother put vp at the hands of her froward child whome shee tenderly loueth And the husband passeth ouer with silence many things that are offensiue proceeding from his wife because shee is deare vnto him and his loue towards her causeth him not to regard them yea for her sake he beareth with many things at the hands of others As it is said of Iacob Gen. 29.20 that he serued Laban a very hard master seuen years for Rahel during which time he tooke great paines day and night 31.40 for in the day he was consumed with heat and with frost in the night and his wages was changed ten times yet they seemed vnto him but a fewe daies because he loued her thus loue vnto men causeth vs to indure hard things for their sakes whome we loue and the more we loue them the more willingly to gratifie them doe wee chearefully vndergoe any hard seruice for them How much more then ought we patiētly to beare all things at the hand of God whom we know that he so loued vs that he spared not his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 but gaue him for vs all to death and therefore we ought to loue him aboue all other things yea aboue our selues againe And no doubt wee would thus beare all crosses laid vpon vs by God for our good a great deale more patiently then we doe if there were in vs that loue vnto his maiestie that there ought 1. Cor. 13 5. For loue seeketh not her owne things that is it is the propertie of loue not so much to seeke to satisfie their owne minde as to gratifie the partie whome they loue euē in things osten contrary to their own liking therefore let vs labour for that pure sincere loue vnto God which may abide in the greatest affliction so shall we not onely patiently beare them but be assured that they shall be turned vnto our good according to the saying of the Apostle here All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God Rom. 8.28 When he addeth these wordes in the ende of the same verse which are called of his purpose as he doth in them further shew to whome this promise doth appertaine namely that all afflictions shall worke for their best euen vnto such as are effectually called vnto the knowledge of their saluation in Christ according to the good purpose and decree of God towards them So he sheweth the cause why all afflictions are made profitable vnto them especially and turned vnto their good in the ende which is not any worthines of theirs that they deserue it at Gods hands or any right behauing themselues vnder the crosse as though they were able to worke it out themselues for of themselues they are as weake and fraile and impatient vnder it as any other but the free loue of God towards them in Christ whereby before the beginning of the world he purposed to do them good and therfore in time effectually called them Which purpose of his nothing can alter but he maketh all things to further it yea sometimes contrarie to their nature as afflictions So that from the first vnchangeable cause of their saluation and of all good intented towardes them he sheweth the certentie of this that all afflictions shall worke together for the best to those that loue God for who can hinder or frustrate the determinate purpose of God in any thing None in the world no not the deuill himselfe and therefore afflictions can not hinder the good that he meaneth to his children because he hath purposed to doe them good Which purpose of his for their good hath alway appeared by their fruitfull and effectuall calling For when he had purposed to saue them by his sonne Iesus Christ he called them by the ministerie of the Gospel in his good time some sooner some later vnto the knowledge of it and from the same purpose of his it came to passe that the word was made effectuall vnto them by the inward operation of his holy Spirit working in them faith and repentance and so became vnto thē The power of God vnto their saluation Rom. 1.16 as the Apostle calleth it that is the mightie and effectuall instrument of God to worke their saluation when it was altogether vnprofitable vnto others that heard it as well as they So then the Lord continuing the same purpose of his towards them it shall vndoubtedly come to passe that though al other men should not profit by their afflictiōs but waxe worse and worse as commonly the wicked doe as we see in the example of Pharaoh king of Egypt who after many grieuous plagues brought vpon him Exod. 9.35 and vpon the whole land one after an other
Errata Pag. 51. l. 15. for rather read either p. 53. l. 4. for The This. p. 55. l. for note roote p. 65. l. 4. dele not p. 98. l. 10. for vse inioy p. 101. l. 7. for walke wash p. 108. l. 20. dele that p. 109. l. 7. deest to p. 119. l. vlt. for that if p. 120. l. 3. deest to p. 140. l. 11. for turning curing A TREATISE FVL OF CONSOLATION for all that are afflicted in minde or bodie or otherwise Which armeth vs against impatiencie vnder any crosse By NICOLAS BOVVNDE Doctor of Divinitie Lament Ierem. 4.27 It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth Printed by CANTRELL LEGGE Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1608. To the right Worshipfull Sir HENRIE WARNER Knight and to the vertuous Ladie FRANCIS WARNER his Christian and godly wife the daily increase of that true godlines that hath the promises of this life and of the life to come RIght Worshipfull Sir in respect of your place indeede some learned Treatise of Iustice might haue seemed more fitting which if I had attempted I could haue added nothing vnto that which you daily practise and haue done many yeares to the great good of that part of our countrey wherein God hath placed you But yet as you are a Christian and a professor of the Gospel and so euen in the multitude of Gods blessings many waies and plentifully powred out vpon you are subiect with all the rest of Gods children vnto some afflictions and crosses this argument I hope for the time present or to come may seeme not altogether vnseasonable Seeing that the Lord hath saide that if any man will follow him Matth. 16.24 he must take vp his crosse and follow him And therefore that is it which euery one must looke for at one time or an other and in what kind it shall seeme best to his heauenly wisdome For here I haue laboured to shew out of the word of God many reasons of the patient and comfortable bearing of the same But whatsoeuer it be it proceedeth from an heart vnfainedly well wishing vnto you and so I pray you accept of it as an apparant testimonie of the same And for your selfe good Madame though your owne vertues and kindnes deserue much God hauing put vpon you that crowne of glorie Prov. 16.31 that Salomon speaketh of namely that your age is found in the way of righteousnes euen in these most corrupt and dangerous times yet the worthie memorie of M. Robert Foorth sometimes of Butly Esquire Prou. 2 17. heretofore the guide of your youth your selfe beeing ioyned vnto him in the neerest couenant of God had beene sufficient to mooue me among other his friends and allies to shew what testimonie of loue I could vnto any of his Whose zeale to the Gospel of Christ and loue to all that professed it with his sinceritie in executing of iustice heartie affection to all his neighbours great hospitalitie and releefe to the poore euen in the times of greatest scarsitie and want with most excellent orders in his family for daily praier for reading the Scriptures and for singing of Psalmes doe yet speake for him and shall whiles this age remaineth Whose vprightnesse of heart vnto God wherein he was a right Nathanael Ioh. 1.47 euen a true Israelite indeed I pray God that all his right worshipfull children sonnes and daughters may set before their eyes as an example to follow And so praying God to blesse you both with many comfortable daies together in this life and eternall happines after death in the kingdome of heauen neuer to be seuered with the like blessing of God vpon the right worshipfull your children and childrens children on both sides I bid you all most humbly and heartily fare-well in Christ Norton in Suff. Iun. 24. 1608. Your Worships in all vnfained loue for Christs sake Nicolas Bownde Errata Pag 19. l. 5. read that God 25.4 r. mixt thing 27.20 r. distracted 2◠9 r. our selues 33.16 r. infirmities 42.20 deest are 24. r. rich mercie 47.11 r. want 53.7 r. meaning 57.18 r. fauour of God 62 3. r. searing 99. 5. after man put in colon A COMFORTABLE TREATISE for the afflicted Rom. 8.26 c. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed 27 But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God 28 Also we know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose 29 For those whome he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren c. THe generall intent and purpose of the Apostle here is to intreat of the matter of afflictions to this ende that he might shew that none of them shall be able to hinder vs frō our saluation that so beeing well perswaded of them and of the goodnes of God towards vs in them we might be the better prepared for them and haue more comfort in the bearing of them For he hauing prooued before that we are iustified saued by faith in Christ for the further assurance of all those that relie vpon Christ for their saluation he remooueth out of their minds those things that might seeme to weaken their faith herein And namely first of all the consideration of our naturall corruption cleauing fast vnto vs hindering vs from that which is good and drawing vs to that that is euill euen after such time as we do beleeue of which he hath spoken in the former chapter Rom. 7 15. saying I allow not that which I doe for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that do I. For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that that is good For I doe not the good that I would but the euill that I would not that doe I. I finde then that when I would doe good I am thus yoaked that euill is present with me For I delight in the law of God in the inner man But I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death For answer vnto which he saith that by the imputation of the perfect holinesse of our Sauiour Christ the guiltines of this is taken away and is not imputed vnto vs before the iudgment seat of God and therefore he saith vers 17. it is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me for if I doe that I
said seeing that God is with vs in all our afflictions by his prouidence and power and by the assistance of his holy Spirit none of them shall be able to doe vs any harme And the truth of Gods loue and meaning towards vs this way he confirmeth by a most excellēt proof when he addeth 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also In which words he sheweth that we haue no cause to feare no not in any crosse that the Lord will not giue vs whatsoeuer is profitable for vs seeing that he hath not spared his owne Sonne to saue vs. Therfore when he saith All things worke together for the best to them that feare God it is most true whether we take it generally as the words may be expounded namely not onely prosperitie but aduersitie also not onely health but sicknes not onely libertie but imprisonment not onely honour but dishonour make for the best to those that loue God Or whether it be restrained to this particular purpose of his namely to affliction of what nature or kind so euer It is no doubt the intent of the Apostle to speake of this latter and to shew that all afflictions doe not onely not hinder the saluation of the godly but doe greatly further the same Which saying of his though it containeth an whole and entire matter by it selfe yet beeing inferred vpon the former wordes he seemeth therein to answer a secret obiection which might arise in mens mindes from thence namely that it seemeth many times that the Lord doth not heare the praiers of the afflicted because their afflictions be not onely not remooued according to their praiers but somtimes increased contrarie to their earnest desire Therefore wee must remember what hath beene alreadie said touching this matter namly how the Lord in graunting our requests looketh not so much to the particular things which we desire as to the meaning of his Spirit in vs and granteth that in turning our afflictions to our singular good wheras if they were presently remooued the Lord seeth that it would be far worse with vs though we imagine the contrarie For as if one in a burning feauer should in the middest of his fit impatiently desire to be washed with colde water and then the skilfull Physitian standing by beeing his friend also should giue him some wholesome conserues or other cooling thing hee should in denying that particular thing demāded graunt vnto his generall meaning which was that he might haue some thing giuen him that might do him most good though now beeing distēpered he was not able to iudge of it but did mistake one thing for an other and thought that to be best as to be plunged into the colde water which indeede is the worst So wee whatsoeuer we aske in our distresse by praier vnto God our meaning is and must be if it be ruled by Gods spirit that we would haue that giuen vnto vs which might procure our best good and further our saluation most of all Therefore if the Lord suffer our crosses to remaine and turne them to our good though we in particular praied for the cleane taking of them away hee fulfilleth both these promises vnto vs at once namely he giueth vs according to the measure of his spirit in vs and hee also causeth them to worke together for the best to those that loue God Thus then Paul besought the Lord thrice that is very often 2. Cor. 12.8 that the messenger of Satan might depart from him and yet the Lord suffered him stil to buffet the Apostle least he should bee exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations that were giuen vnto him and the Lord gaue him this further answer that his grace should be sufficient for him to vphold and strengthen him and that the power of God should be seen in the Apostles weaknesse The Lord in denying this request of his did giue him according to the meaning of his spirit in him which was that the Lord would deale with him this way as it should make most for his owne glorie and for the furtherance of Pauls saluation and also did cause this affliction to worke together with other things for his best good for this did him more good remaining then if it had beene taken away for hereby he had more experience of his owne weakenesse and of the power of God then otherwise he could haue had And thus also the Lord hath verified from time to time vnto the rest of his seruants the truth of that promise of his which is vttered by the mouth of the Prophet Salomon Pro. 10.24 God will fulfill the desire of the righteous that is God will not onely blesse those that serue him but hee will bestowe those blessings vpon thē most of all which they especially desire and do most earnestly pray vnto him for according to that that is said in the Psalme Psal 145.19 Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Which promises are so to bee vnderstood not that he will alwaies giue them euery particular thing that they aske for many times through ignorance or beeing distempered with some tēptation they aske that that is hurtfull and then God denieth them but he giueth them some other thing that is more profitable for them according to the generall meaning of the spirit of God in them And so doe parents vnto their little children whom they loue full dearely when they aske kniues and such hurtfull things in stead of them they in wisedome giue them some other thing that they shall delight in as much and so still their frowardnesse and giue them their desire in another kind Euen so the Lord fulfilleth the desire of his seruants by making an exchange when as they name one thing and he giueth them an other as good or better as it is saide in the Psalme Psal 21.4 He asked life of thee thou gauest him a long life euen for euer and euer where in the person of Dauid he sheweth how God dealeth with his Church they aske life of him and he giueth not onely that but eternall life as he did to Hezekiah but yet sometimes they that are weake and sicke and desire life they haue it not graunted but linger and pine away euen vnto death and so God taketh them into his blessed kingdome and giues them eternall life which is better then that life that they desired And thus did he deale with many of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.32 whō he did by death iudge and chastise in this world that they might be saued in the world to come And this was the case of his faithfull seruant Moses Deut. 3.25 who in the wildernesse desired earnestly of the Lord that he might goe ouer and see that good land that was beyond Iorden and that goodly mountain Sion and Lebanon but he would not heare him in
promise we know that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Rom. 8.28 Moreouer by affliction the Lord bringeth vs to a more thorough repentance and sorrow for our sinnes and worketh that in vs therby which the word did not before when wee finde by woefull experience what great miseries our sins haue brought vs vnto and how iust and true God is in all his threatnings 1. Cor. 11 31 For if when we haue sinned we would iudge our selues before hand God would not iudge vs but when wee are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord that we might not bee condemned with the world whereunto agreeth the saying of the Psalmist which is fouÌ„d to bee true by daily experience that whether the Lord laie vpon men sickenesse or imprisonment or pouertie and want or banishment or such like Psal 107.11 when he huÌ„bleth the heart with heauinesse they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble so that affliction bringeth men to humilitie for their sinnes and to pray vnto God to be pardoned and to be deliuered As we see in the example of the prodigall childe who by great miserie came to repent him of his riotous life for when he had spent all Luk. 1â— there arose a great famine in that land and he began to bee in necessitie which afterwards was so great that hee would faine haue filled his bellie with the huskes that the swine ate but no man gaue them him then he said I will rise and goe to my father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants Thus wee see by affliction vnto what measure of humiliatioÌ„ and repentance for his sinnes confession of them he was brought vnto a most excellent fruit of the crosse The like may bee said of the brethren of Ioseph who after that they had sold him into Egypt and made their father beleeue that hee was torne in pieces of some wilde beast though we may presume of theÌ„ that they beeing brought vp and still liuing in the house of their godly father Iacob they did secretly repent theÌ„ of their ill dealing towards their brother Ioseph yet many yeares after euen twentie or thereabout wheÌ„ they were in aduersitie the memorie of it renued it selfe afresh and thereby they were brought more seriously to iudge themselues for it for they said one to another Gen. 42.21 We haue verily sinned against our brother in that wee sawe the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and wee would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. Thus this crosse was turned to their good in that it brought them to a further sight and feeling of their sinne and to a more voluntarie and free confession of the same So that affliction in this respect is compared to fire that purgeth the gold and consumeth the drosse of it and vnto a file that scowreth off the rust of yron and maketh it bright vnto a purgation that expelleth the corrupt and superfluous humors out of the bodie Therefore euen as the fire doth not hurt the gold in consuming the drosse neither the file hurteth the yron in taking away the rust neither doth the purgation hurt the bodie in expelling of ill humors So afflictions causing vs to abhorre and leaue some sinne or other which if we continued in would destroy vs may truely be said not to hurt vs but to worke our good of what nature or kinde soeuer they bee according to the saying of the Apostle All things worke together for the good of those that loue God In the third place this is the benefit of affliction that it preserueth vs from many sinnes which otherwise through our owne corruption and the temptations of the world and Satan we might fall into but that being vnder the haÌ„d of God as it were vnder the rodde we are thereby kept in more awe So that as Physicke serueth not only to cure vs of the diseases which we are alreadie fallen into but also and especially to preuent them and to keepe vs in some tolerable estate of health So the crosse recouereth vs out of sinne when we are fallen into it and preserueth vs from many which otherwise might creepe vpon vs. And therefore as some sickly bodies are driuen to diet themselues and are in a continuall course of physicke to preuent that which their corrupt estate would otherwise necessarily pull vpon them So others by reason of the corruptions of their soules and the manifold offences that they liue amongst are alwaies or the greatest part of their liues in the diet of affliction as it were the physicke of their soules not so much to bring them from grosse and grieuous sinnes which they are as yet free from as to keepe them froÌ„ falling into them which the Lord foreseeth they are most readie to do in respect of their ages callings and places that they liue in If then the Lord at any time deale with vs as men do with vnruly coâ—â— or vntamed heyfers which are kept from straying out of their pastures with hedges and ditches so that they can not break out without their own hurt so the Lord puts thornes and bryars as it were in our waies that is laieth affliction vpon vs and so stoppeth the way against vs that wee might not breake forth by any kinde of disobedience either on the right hand or on the left to our own hurt must we not needs say that euen this way as well as any other the Lord worketh by affliction our singular good And this is that which God promised to his owne people among the idolatrous Israelites namely that by his afflictions he would so keepe them in and bring them to such straitnes that they shold haue no lust to play the wantons and to fall away from him by idolatrie after the example of others when he faith I will stoppe thy way with thornes Hos 2.6 and make an hedge that shee shall not finde her paths So that their affliction should be an hedge of sharpe thornes to pricke them least they should breake out and stray froÌ„ Gods commandements And this as it is a singular ende of affliction so Dauid pronounceth theÌ„ blessed that are partakers of it to that ende and can make that good vse of it to themselues saying Blessed is the man whome thou chastisest O Lord Psal 94.12 and teachest in thy law that thou maiest giue him rest from the daies of euill whiles the pit is digged for the wicked So that it is a blessed thing to be so corrected that he is taught the right vse of it euen to walke more carefully in the obedience of Gods law that so he may escape those punishments which shall come vpon the wicked for their sinns to their destruction And this vse David made of his affliction as he professeth of himselfe 116.
as they should and might yet all this hindereth not but that the Lord by them seeketh their good they should labour to profit to be bettered by their afflictions and bee perswaded that they shall worke together for the best vnto them thogh they be full of cōplaints whiles they are in the middest of them For who euer complained more of their afflictions then these two men Iob and Dauid and yet who had more profit or gote more good by thē then they both of thē being thus tried in the triall found to bee most faithfull and patient and constant vnto the ende And concerning this pronenesse in vs to complaine we must consider that such is our nature that we must needes haue the feeling of our afflictions vnlesse our hearts were hardened like yron or steele and so wee were senslesse like stocks and stones and not as men And therefore seeing it is otherwise namly our hearts naturally are soft and tender and readie to be broken with affliction and some more and some lesse it cannot possibly be but that euery thing that befalleth vs should worke vpon vs and that we should bee mooued according to the nature and qualitie of it either to ioy or sorrow loue or hatred anger or feare and such like therefore tribulation must needes trouble vs and affliction must needs afflict vs and the crosse cannot but crucifie vs yet we may and ought for all that bee perswaded that it is for our good and looke for it from thence and pray to God in faith that we may finde it Euen as the sicke patient painfull languishing creature vnder the Physitians hand cannot as he is a naturall man indued with sense and reason but feele to his great griefe the launcing with sharpe kniues and the searing of his flesh with redde hotte yrons so complaine of them with much heauinesse and many teares yea crie out and roare for the extremitie of his paine though he knoweth it be best for him then thus to be handled and therefore though he be sometimes bound in the dressing both hand and foote or violently held by men yet after a sort hee doth most willingly suffer it And this is one cause of complaining in affliction though they are perswaded that it is for their good euen the infirmitie and tendernes of our nature whereby all crosses worke on vs as they doe But there is an other cause more principall then this which proceedeth from ignorāce or want of faith for many are too full of complaints in their affliction because they are not perswaded at all or not at that time when they are in temptation that aduersitie or the crosse is for their good or at least not that particular crosse and in that manner that it is vpon them which if they could come vnto whatsoeuer should be laid vpō them they would not greatly complaine of it for the hope of future good would mitigate and asswage all Therefore all such are to meditate vpon that which hath alreadie beene spoken concerning this matter namely how many waies by affliction the Lord doth vs good In the latter part of the verse whē he saith To them that loue God that is all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God as he thereby restraineth this general promise because it is not made to all so he sheweth to whome it appertaineth namely to those that beleeue in Christ and are sanctified by his Spirit whereof this is one speciall fruit The loue of God For he intreateth here of the certentie of the saluation of those that belong vnto Christ as appeareth by the first words of the chapter Rom. 8.1 Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Where he also discerneth the true beleeuer from others by this fruit of faith namely sanctification here he doth name one principall of it which is loue Loue to God from whence ariseth loue vnto men for his sake and from them both all duties to God and man And thus the Apostle also in an other place ioyneth faith and loue together as those that are inseparable when he saith Gal. 5 6. that in Iesus Christ neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith which worketh by loue where his meaning is that no outward thing or seruice of God though commanded by him as circumcision was commendeth vs to God or maketh vs acceptable vnto God but onely Christ and his obedience which we take hold of and so make ours by faith which faith is then effectual and liuely when it breedeth in vs a loue which loue appeareth by the fruits and effects of the same So then the Apostle here vnder one fruit which is loue comprehendeth all godlines and sanctification But hee taketh this thing rather then any other The loue of God as that that is most fit for his purpose for speaking of affliction he saith that by this we shall trie our faith if our loue to God continue euen then so that wee cease not to loue God though he afflict vs. For whereas the very wicked will pretend to loue God in prosperitie and as long as all things goe well with them they will professe that they loue God as much as any yea and that they were worse then the bruit beasts if that they did not loue him and that with all their heart who bestoweth all things vpon them so liberally and many such glorious words they will vtter but in aduersitie and when God layeth affliction vpon them their loue is changed yea they fall into open hatred and defiance with God yea euen vnto plaine cursing and banning as appeareth by the example of Iobs wife who saide vnto her husband Iob 2. ◠Doest thou continue still in thine vprightnesse blaspheme God and die But he that loueth God truly loueth him not for his backe and belly as we say but because he is goodnes it selfe and therefore principally to be beloued for himselfe and so their loue continueth though all outward blessings be taken away And herein the wicked too manifestly bewray vile mindes and seruile natures that like as seruants loue not their masters nor maidens their mistresses if they once beginne to correct them for their faults so grow wearie of them and are readie to run away from them as the maid seruant Hagar the Egyptian did from her mistresse Sarai Gen. 16.6 But the godly doe this way as apparantly shew their liberall nature and ingenuous disposition in that as no correction or stripes of the father or mother can make the child to change his loue to them wholly to alienate his minde from them much lesse can they driue him cleane away from them but he will abide in their house and in all his neede resort to them for succour so will they still in affliction loue God and depend vpon him for all things
his soule worke his good that way But indeede herein lieth the point of this matter and this is all in all namely that the poore afflicted soule knoweth not that the Lord by his affliction will work his good and that maketh him so vnquiet and euer complaining for giue him this faith and the feeling of it that his affliction shall be turned vnto his good and lay vpon him whatsoeuer you will he is content to beare it Therefore for the satisfying of our selues herein let vs hearken to that which the Apostle saith Wee know Rom. 8.28 that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God which is as if he had saide though you because of your ignorance vnbeleefe and want of experience are vncerten what wil be the happie issue of all your afflictions yet we know very well that all shall worke together for our your good Which he speaketh confidently both as a teacher of the Church an Apostle and as a man of experience and therefore we ought to giue credit vnto him rather then to our selues Euen as the patient doth to the Physitian though himselfe had neuer experience of any such thing before when he saith vnto him I knowe that this will make for the health of your bodie and the preseruation of your life And in this thing wee ought to giue credit vnto the Apostle so much the more because vnto his own word and saying he ioyneth the testimony of many other saying Wee know meaning the rest of the Apostles and ministers and men of experience he saith that all of them knew it therfore this word beeing confirmed by the mouthes not of two or three witnesses onely but hauing as the Apostle speaketh so great a cloud of witnesses for it Hâ—b 12.1 it should be receiued without all gainesaying For it is all one as if the sicke patient fearing to take the potion that is prescribed vnto him lest it should make him more sicke he should haue not onely one but an whole counsell of Physitians saying vnto him that vndoubtedly this medicine is like to do you good we know the working of it very wel and haue had great experience of it in many you neede not to feare it take it vpon our credit This would much mooue and incourage him vnto it So no doubt this should correct the too much feare that is in vs of beeing hurt by the crosse when we heare so many excellent and famous men very skilfull therein to speake so boldly vnto vs of the benefit of it euen those whome seeing that we are most readie to beleeue in all other things why should we not giue credit vnto them in this also But that we might doe it the rather let vs a little consider in particular of the benefit of the crosse And though the Apostle name one great one here which might be sufficient yet before we come to it let vs see what other endes of it the Scripture affoardeth vnto vs. And first of all we shall finde it to be a speciall meanes to draw vs from the too much loue of this world that according to the saying of the Apostle 2. Cor. 7.31 they that vse this world might be as though they vsed it not that is that we might be so addicted to these worldly things that we set not our affections too much vpon them For such is the corruption of our nature that when wee haue all things at will we are so wedded to this world that we thinke it best for vs alwaies to abide here and here we would set vp our tabernacles for euer and wee are readie to say with the worldling in the Gospel Luk. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate and drinke take thy pleasure and though heauen be a thousand times heauenly yet we desire it not at all or not so earnestly as we should but wee are still earthly minded and as it were groueling vpon the earth so hardly or not at all can wee come vnto that that we are exhorted vnto to seeke Colos 3. â— and to set our affections on those things that are aboue and not on things which are in the earth yet when by affliction we shal finde that there is no contentation in any estate here below it may mooue vs to despise all worldly things and to aspire vnto heauen Psal 16.11 where in the presence of God is the fulnesse of ioy at his right hand are pleasures for euermore For this cause the holy Patriarkes suffered so many afflictions in the daies of their pilgrimages as appeareth in their seueral stories in respect of which one of them said Gen. 47. â— That his daies were fewe and euill For wheras many earthly things were promised vnto them yet that they might not staie in them but from them as it were by certaine stairs they might ascend vnto the consideration of heauenly things which the earthly did shadow out vnto them and which they were especially to looke for he mingled his manifold great blessings with manifold crosses in that land that was promised vnto them they had no certaine abiding that they might seeke after the kingdome of heauen As the Apostle saith vnto the Hebrewes Hâ—b 11.9 By faith Abraham abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey as one that dwelt in tents with Izaack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God These men had none inheritance in the land of Canaan that they might not dream of a perpetuitie there but might thinke of heauen as of a better countrey where they should remain for euer confessing themselues continually to bee but strangers and pilgrimes on the earth Thus also the Lord dealeth with many before their death laying long and grieuous diseases vpon them as he did vpon his seruant Iob that they finding no rest in this world might be willing to goe out of it when hee shall send for them and say with olde father Simeon Lord Luk. 2.29 now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace yea that they might desire death most willingly which before as most ougly and loathsome they did abhorre and so saie with S. Paul I desire to bee loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all So that as the mother by some vnpleasant thing weaneth the sucking childe from the breast now when stronger meate is more fit for it vpon which otherwise it would alwaies linger to the hurt of it so the Lord by the crosse weaneth our affections from the profits and pleasures of the world and so turneth it vnto our good and therefore if by experience we find that by any affliction we growe more wearie of the world or lesse in loue with it we are not onely to take it patiently but therein see the truth of this