Chapter 7: What use we should make of God's ordering his people to an afflicted condition

FIrst, that our rest is not here in this world; let us not promise to ourselves any such matter, let us not seek it here: the promise will not bear it, the promise will bear no further, then that we should have only so much of the things of this world, as shall be sutable to our condition; That which the Prophet speaks in another case, Micah 2:10 we may apply to all the things and places of the world; Arise, here is not your rest: this is not the place, this is not the time, here are not the things that God has appointed for our rest: this is the place and time for troubles, and sorrows, and afflictions, our warfare is here. No man in his warfare, will build himself a strong and sumptuous house in the field; if we seek for our rest here, we mistake; as if a man floating upon the waves of the sea, upon a board after shipwrack, should think to lie down and sleep, and settle himself there: or as a bird should build her nest in a bush, floating in the midst of the waves of the sea.

God, says Bernard, has not cast man out of Paradise, for him to think to finde out another Paradise in this world; no, man is born to labor. Why do you seek the living amongst the dead? why do you seek for living comforts, where you must expect to dye daily? It is only Heaven that is above all winds, storms, and tempests; rest must be after labor, our rest is the crown of our labor; to seek it here, is to seek it preposterously, and Why do you require that in one place (says S. Ambrose) which is due in another? Why would you preposterously have the crown before you have overcome? Imagine the most setled condition you can in this world, and although you had it, yet it were but vanity: so says the Psalmist, Psalm 39:5 Man in his best estate, is vanity: the word is in the Original, in his setled estate he is vanity; not only vain, but vanity it self.

It was a heavy charge that S. James, cap. 5. laid upon some, that they lived in pleasure upon earth: as if he should have said, earth is not the place for pleasure; this is the place of sorrow, of trouble, of mourning, of affliction. Thus Abraham charged Dives, In your life time, says he, you had your pleasure: the emphasis lies there, in your life time, that should not have been the time: let us take heed we be not too hasty in seeking our rest, our pleasure and delight; we may perhaps have a little for the while to the flesh, and because we will not be content with that condition that God has appointed for his people, here we may lose our parts in that glorious eternal rest which God has prepared for his people hereafter. Seek for that which ye do, namely for rest, but do not seek for it where ye do: if we seek our rest in this world, notwithstanding we meet with so many troubles in it, what would we do if the Lord should let us prosper? Behold (says an Ancient) the world is troublesome, and yet it is loved, what would it be if it were peaceable? you embrace it though it be filthy, what would you do if it were beautiful? you cannot keep your hands from the thorns, how earnest would you be then in gathering the flowers?

Secondly, hence it appears, that prosperity is not always a sign of love and favor from God. Rome makes it a note of the true Church: if that were so, then the Egyptians were in a righter way then the Israelites: the Philistims, the Ammonites, the Midianites, and afterward the Babylonians and the Persians, might have pleaded that their gods were true gods, and to be worshipped rather then the God of Israel: and when the ten Tribes broke off from Judah, and yet often prevailed against Judah, and were more prosperous, they might have pleaded that they were in the right, that their worshipping of God was more accepted, then that which was at Jerusalem. And afterwards the Heathens might have pleaded this argument against the Christians; and thus indeed they did, as we finde in the 30. Epistle of Ambrose: he answers to one Symmachus, a great man, who pleaded strongly against the Christians, and for the maintenance of Idols, by this argument, saying, That they prospered and flourished more in worshipping of their gods, then the Christians did in the worshipping of theirs. Certainly, the ancient godly Fathers could not have heard this argument of outward prosperity, of outward pomp and glory in the world, pleaded as a sign of the true Church, and of Gods love, but with much indignation; How cross is this to Scripture? where we finde the estate of Gods people has usually been a poor afflicted estate. And surely, the Papists could not always plead this argument; time has been when the Goths, Vandals, Hunnes, and Turks, have been more prosperous then they. The Emperor, Henry the fourth, was much hated by the Bishop of Rome, and yet he was not unprosperous in his way: when the Pope cursed him, and made another Emperor, namely, Rodulphus King of Swevia; yet this Emperor of his setting up, prospered not at all, but was overcome, and slain by Henry: The Pope after set up another, and he was slain by a woman: yea, he set up a third after him against Henry the fourth; he likewise was taken in a Mill, and slain by the Emperor: at the last, the Pope himself was cast out of his Seat, and cast into Prison, and dyed in extreme dolours of mind, for that he had so wronged the Emperor; and as it is reported, he asked pardon of him.

And as outward prosperity has not been always an argument that they could make use of; so we hope that time will come, when they shall make use of it no more, when their judgements shall be altered, and this argument in which now they boast, shall for ever fail them; but for the present, though now she be crowned with Diamonds, and cloathed with Scarlet, yet still she is the mother of Harlots, and the abominations of the earth. I have not, says Luther, a stronger argument against the Papal Kingdom, thenthis, that it is without the cross.

Let none amongst us deceive themselves, by resting upon outward prosperity, as an argument of Gods love, for their everlasting estates. Many have no other hold to lean upon for their salvation but this; all those solemn protestations of God against this in his word; all the works of Gods providence towards his own people, in leading them on in an afflicted condition, and towards the wicked in giving them the fat of the earth, will not take mens hearts off from this false reasoning, but still they will think, if God did not love them, surely he would not let them prosper so as he does. A painted face is as certain an argument of a good complexion, as this is of a good condition. When God shall come hereafter, to take up his own to himsef, he will not look so much amongst the great ones of the earth, the rich, the gorgious attires, sumptuous houses, furnished tables, as amongst the the persecuted, contemned, scorned company; out of them he will finde his own; Mal. 3:17 In that day when I make up my jewels, says the Lord: the phrase notes, that Gods jewels now do lie scattered in the dirt, and God has his time to make them up; God passes by Pallaces, and looks in at cottages; he passes by the rich, and takes the poor; he passes by the honorable, and takes the despised ones.

Thirdly, hence we have a confirmation of another life after this; certainly these things cannot always continue, it is impossible that the godly should always be in this poor, afflicted, distressed condition: it is not against the rule of justice to suffer this for a while, that way may be made to other of Gods intentions, but that there never should be any righting of their cause, that there should never be seen a difference between him that fears God, and him that fears him not; that God should never appear to judge in the Earth, that there should never be a reward for the righteous, this cannot be. The souls that are under the Altar, which were of those who were put to death for the Testimony of Christ, they cry, How long, O Lord, holy and true, will it be before you avengest yourself for the blood of your Saints? S. Paul reasons strongly from this argument, 1 Cor. 15:19 to prove the resurrection; For, says he, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. When therefore we see the godly to be wronged, and persecuted, when we see iniquity to be in the place of righteousness, and wickednes in the place of judgement, let us not be offended, but say in our hearts, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every purpose and every work; And as Chap. 5:8 When you seest the oppressionof the poor, and violent perverting of judgement, marvel not at the matter, for he that is higher then the highest regardeth. If God should always prosper his servants in this life, then it would be thought he intended no other for them; but he withdraws his hand here, that we might be taught to look for another.

In the times under the Law, God did usually more prosper his people in outward things, then now he does, and the reason may be because then Christ was but darkly revealed, the riches of spiritual mercies were not much made known; there was but little mention made of that eternal life, which is to come hereafter, we have very few texts of Scripture in the Old Testament, in which there is any clear mention made of eternal life, but in the times of the Gospel, God calls his people to a more suffering condition then he did then; and therefore the mystery of Christ, the glorious promises of the Gospel, the Doctrine of the resurrection, and the ways of God in that eternity which is to come hereafter, are more clearly and fully revealed. It is an excellent expression that Luther has to this purpose: Bodily promises, says he, is as the shell or husk that covers the nut, which is Christ, and eternal life; therefore Christ coming, the shell, the husk, is broken and taken off, that is, temporal promises cease, and the spiritual succeed; he means in comparison of that it was under the Law.

The Reason why the Pharisees scorned at Christ preaching against seeking the things of the world, Luke 13:14 was, because the promises were so large for temporal things. Therefore when Christ would teach them not to seek those which they conceived the chief blessings of God contained in the promises, they deride him; hence Christ tells them ver. 16. The Law and the Prophets were till Iohn, till then the promises ran much upon temporal things, but now the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, there is now another manner of kingdom revealed, sought after in another way then ever formerly. I dare appeal to your conscience, whoever you art; can you think otherwise in your conscience, but that those who walk close with God, subjecting their hearts and lives unto his fear, must be most beloved of him? they must needs be nearer that eternal good, and fountain of all happiness, then vile wretched sinners, who walk according to their lusts, who are vile and abominable in their ways. When you seest Gods people to be so low, so distressed, so afflicted, either you must be convinced strongly that there is a time, in which all shall be called over again, or else you art an Atheist; God will convince you another day by this argument, Did you not see what were the ways of my providence towards my people? Might you not have gathered from thence, that there was another time a coming?

Fourthly, Learn we hence to judge wisely of the poor, of the afflicted, and persecuted. Psalm 41:1 Far be it from us to think they are forsaken of God: let us not be offended at Religion, because troubles follow the profession of it; the blessing that comes by profession of the truth, consists not in such a peace as frees from trouble, but in giving peace and rest to the soul in the middest of troubles. Luther has an excellent speech for this in one of his Epistles ad Tonitorem.

You seek and affect peace, but preposterously, such as the worlds peace, not Christs, who gives peace in the middest of troubles; as he says, Rule you in the middest of your Enemies. Now the cause of the Church calls for a wise judging: How many carnal people are ready to think that Popery is rather the truth, and that the Religion of Protestants is not right, because God has of late years so grievously afflicted his Church? What, would God suffer his own people (say they) his own truth thus to be beaten down? As they formerly said of Christ, Let him save him, seeing he delighted in him, so if God delighted in this way, surely he would have saved it, he would not have suffered opposition so far to have prevailed against the professors of it. It is no argument that Christ is not in the ship, because tempests and storms arise. It is no argument that our cause is not Gods, that Christ is not with us, because of our afflictions, it may be we have not awakened him by our prayers, we are not yet fit to enjoy the sweetness of a calm.

Salvian was fain to write a whole Treatise, above eleven hundred years ago, to answer this argument that men had against the people of God, and the profession of the Gospel. Turks judge all things according to outward success, and so did the heathens of old. We read of Brutus, being overcome by Anthony, he cryes out, Whatever things are disputed concerningvertue, are but meer toys and fancies; for fortune rules in all humane things: but it beseems not Christians to judge by this rule. Clemens Alexandrinus cites Plato, expressing himself thus, Although a righteous man be tormented, although his eyes be digged out, yet he remains a blessed man. Let none judge worse of himself meerly because of afflictions: before you were of the world, it may be you prospered, it shined upon you; but now since you have given your name to Christ, many troubles and afflictions follow you: this is no other but that has been, is, will be the estate of Gods people in this life: we must not draw ill consequences from, or make ill constructions of our afflictions, for this is to charge God foolishly, which Job did not, Chap. 1:22 There are some kinde of sufferings that a man meets with, that have a kinde of sweet seal of God with them, even in the time of suffering, by which a man is more confirmed in his way to be from God, then ever he was before.

Fifthly, what shall become then of ungodly and wicked men? Thus Saint Peter argues, 1. Epist. 4. 17, 18. Iudgement must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us, what shall the end of them be, that obey not the Gospel of God? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinners appear? If it be done thus to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry? Behold, they whose judgement was not to drink of the cup, have assuredly drunken, and art tbou he that shall go altogether unpunished? you shall not go unpunished; but you shall assuredly drink of it, Ier. 49:12 certainly there is shame and confusion for you, there are tortures prepared for you. You heard what the Martyrs have suffered, but all that is nothing to the least spark of Gods revenging wrath, when it is mingled with hatred.

That is a fearful expression that we have, Psalm 35:6 Let their way be slippery, and the angel of the Lord persecuting them. It is a more fearful thing to have the Angel of the Lord persecute, then to be persecuted by men; but how fearful a thing is it, when God himself, that infinite Deity, when he persecutes a man? when Divine justice follows a man from one place to another and persecutes him? You look upon those poor despised misused Servants of God, and you think vilely of them; let those spectacles strike terror into your hearts every time you see them! O what is reserved for me then?

Sixthly, if this be the usual estate of Gods people, let us learn then to prepare for afflictions before they come; although we have escaped many years, yet we may be called to such an estate at last. Polycarpus escaped till he was fourscore and six years old, and then he was called to Martyrdom. In the first ten persecutions in the primitive times, the Christians in England escaped all the nine, although the Gospel not many years after Christ was professed in England, yet the tenth and last persecution fell heavy upon them. Iulius Caesar escaped fifty several battels, in which he was personally present, and yet at last in the Senate house, he was unexpectedly murthered.

Now all is well with you, lay up for times of trouble: this is a gathering time, that will be a spending time; know that that which will serve turn now, will not serve turn then: many are not able to hold out now, what will they do then? O what will you do in the day of your visitation? Jer. 12:5 If thefootmen have wearied you, how can you contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, how will you do in the swelling of Jordan? We read of Polycarpus, that as he lay in his bed, he saw in a vision the bed set on fire under his head, forewarning him of his Martyrdom; we in our ease should seriously think of our sufferings, now while Sun-shine days of peace continue, we should consider of the days of darkness which may be many. Oftentimes we are thinking of, and seeking after great things, when we should be preparing for suffering hard things: as Mat. 20:20 when Christ had been speaking to prepare for sufferings, Zebedees children most unseasonably come, seeking for the highest places in his kingdom. This was the fault of Baruc, Jer. 45. when God was bringing sore and grievous afflictions to his people, he was seeking great things for himself.