Ioy in tribulation. Or, Consolations for the afflicted spirits. By Phinees Fletcher, B.D. and minister of Gods Word at Hilgay in Norfolke

CHAP. V. What comforts a Christian soule may gather from affliction it selfe.

FIrst therefore is it a small comfort that this evil cō∣meth

not only from God as a Father, but from the wisdom, love, faithfulnes of such a fa∣ther? The Lord in his graci∣ous love determineth to do us good, maketh an everlasting covenāt with us (not to please our flesh & blood, but) to do us good, putteth his feare into our hearts, that we shall never depart from him, yea, to delight in us to doe us good: and in his wisdom knowing that there is in us naturally a deceitfull heart, starting aside like a broken bow, an evill and unfaithfull heart readie to depart from the li∣ving God; such, as when it was at the best, soone turned out of the way which hee māded; he appointed his cha∣stisemēts as thongs to bind us to his feare, and to settle us in

his covenant, in which con∣sisteth our onely happinesse.

Can we thinke that God tak∣eth any pleasure in the smart of his children? If we (which af∣ter our owne pleasure) have no delight in the griefe of our in∣fants; oh then let our owne affections teach us, that hee who is love, who is infinit love, doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men: were not our necessity more then his pleasure, wee should never taste of chastisement. How then should we rejoyce (if not in the smart of the correction, yet) in the love of the Cor∣rectour? Shall a little Sugar sweeten, and make pleasant to our taste many things, which in themselves are sow∣er and bitter; and shall not the

love of Christ, which is better than wine, which is better than life it selfe, sweeten a light, nay the most grievous aff••iction? Iustly may wee blame our taste, that there is much flesh, and little savour of the Spirit in it, if Christ Iesus, who is whol∣ly delectable, and his love, which to us is the most dele∣ctable thing in him, cannot take away the bitternesse of some gentle, nay, the most sharpe correction.

Secondly, how soveraign•• a Cordiall is it to an afflicted Spirit, when hee remembers that all his troubles are ey∣ther such as the world layeth upon him to draw him from God to it selfe, or God layeth upon him, to draw him to himselfe from the world?

Seeing both of them are the very portion of Gods chil∣dren. For the former, perse∣cutions of wicked men, slan∣ders, reproches, and the scofs of the world are ranked a∣mong chiefe blessings, and are bequeathed by Christ as his legacie: See, Mar. 10.30. and we in such a case commanded by our Saviour to rejoyce, and to dance for joy, as being a most happy & blessed estate: For the other, should wee not as much rejoyce in it? For in these afflictions God is offered to us (so is the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) as unto Sonnes. Is there any gift in the world, or is the world it selfe a gift comparable to God? Seeing then that God offereth himself to us in these chastising afflictions, how

welcome should they be unto us, and how great pleasure should wee take in them, not for any thing indeed in them, but for that which they bring unto us? Is not their estate wofull, who being in the vi∣sible Church, and making no other account but to share the inheritance, shall at length be found bastards, and thrust out of doores (like scornfull Is∣mael) to their eternall shame and confusion? Now such are all they who receive no cha∣stisement from the hand of God: who then would not comfort himselfe in that cor∣rectiō, which is indeed for the time, unpleasant to the flesh, but yet even then, to the spi∣rit, an evidence of an happi∣nesse beyond all thought or

time? who would not with Moses, rather choose to suffer affliction with the children of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a sea∣son?

[ 3] Another especial comfort we may receive from the end or purpose of God; namely, that his grace which he hath given us may be tried, and so himselfe glorified. Now this triall implyeth not onely the proofe, or manifestation of it, that others might take exam∣ple by it, and God might have glory, but also a defaecation (as I may say) or purifying it, ta∣king away the rust, soyle and filth which it gathereth by our corruption. Thus in the first sense the Lord tried Io∣seph by his affliction. Thus A∣brahams

faith; thus the faith of those three royall young men was proved or tryed. Likewise that other kinde of tryall, whereby, as gold is pu∣rified in the furnace, so grace in affliction, is mentioned by the Apostle, That the tryall of your faith being much more preci∣ous then gold, though it be••ried by fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory. So Iob, He knoweth my way, and tryeth mee, and I shall come forth as gold. A speech worthy to be (as in∣deede it is) eternized for ever, and fitly written down by the finger of that blessed Spirit, by whose mouth it was also spoken. The Lord (saith that holy Patient) knoweth all my wayes; hee knoweth how dearely, more than my ap∣pointed

food, I have occoun∣ted his Word: hee knoweth that I have followed his steps yet he trieth me, (not because he is ignorant of any thing in mee, for hee knoweth all my wayes, but) first, that as in a furnace the most precious mettal leaveth behind it some drosse, so I from this tryall might come forth much more purified and clensed from my sinfull steynes and pollution; and secondly, that I might be current in his kingdome, even a patterne, as well of his pow∣erfull grace in upholding me, as of patience to them which shall be herafter exercised by like afflictions. A Christian who hath seene and loathed the filthinesse of his sinfull heart, what will hee not bee

willing to doe or suffer, that he may have it cleansed? Ma∣ny weake women will endure much to mend some deformi∣ty in their bodies, and shal not a Christian suffer the divels image to bee scoured off (al∣though it bee with smarting water) that the beauty of God may be imprinted upon him?

But especially it should [ 4] much refresh us to know, that hee who hath guided us into this narrow way of affliction, will safely lead us through it, and bring our feet into a large place, even the liberty of Gods children: going along with us in all our evil, and up∣holding us in it for our good, and Gods glory. Surely, if the Furnace heated at once as for seven times, could not con∣sume

the bodies of those stout Confessors, nay, could not singe a thred of their gar∣ments, so long as the Angell of the Lord was among them; what affliction or trouble shal hurt us, when the Lord of An∣gels is with us, nay in us, sup∣porting our weaknesse, and bearing it out in all our trou∣bles?

[ 5] Lastly, the many excellent delightfull fruits springing from this bitter roote, will a∣bundantly recompence, and with great, yea, infinite usury repay all that evill which can possibly bee in any affliction. First (which before was men∣tioned,) The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the evill, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly. It purgeth out the

old leven, and maketh us a new lump. Secondly, the fire of affliction softneth our yron hearts, and prepareth them for the hammar of the Word, to frame us after the image of God, and to set upon us the beauty of his holinesse. It bringeth forth the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse. Now what is there in all the world, which if wee might wish and have, wee would preferre or equall with this holinesse? Neither should it too much trouble, nay in some respect it should cheere us that we find inward terrors, & grievances, doubts, desertions, buffeters of Satan; we apply outward medicines to infants and weake ones, but inward Physicke, as it is given by expert Physicians, to the

strong, so it worketh more strongly. Inward stripes worke on the bowels, clense the inward man: this shaking rooteth our faith more strōg∣ly, and this disease of doub∣ting occasionally, se••leth us in more fulnesse and assurance of faith.

Notes

• Ier. 32••40, 41
• Ier. 5.••3.
• Heb. 3.12.
• Heb. 12.10
• Lam. 3.33.
• Can••. 1.1.
• Psal. 63.3.
• Cant, 5.1••
• Mat. 5. 11, 12.
• Heb. 12,7.
• Heb. 12. 8.
• Heb. 11.25
• Isa. 105••19
• Dan. 3.
• 1 Pet. 1.7.
• Iob 23. 10
• Dan. 3.
• Pro. 20.30
• Ier. 23.29.