Seuen treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holie Scriptures, leading and guiding to true happines, both in this life, and in the life to come: and may be called the practise of Christianitie. Profitable for all such as heartily desire the same: in the which, more particularly true Christians may learne how to leade a godly and comfortable life euery day. Penned by Richard Rogers, preacher of the word of God at Wethersfield in Essex.

CHAP. 11. Of the third branch of this priuiledge: That we may haue [ B] much good by our afflictions.

THe third point of this second branch now followeth, which is no lesse then a great priuiledge it selfe beside the two former, and that is: that the Lord teacheth his children aright and well to beare those afflictions, which he thinketh meet to try them with and to hold them vnder. So that they may not onely in∣dure and goe vnder them patiently and contentedly,* 1.1 but also receiue much good by them, as they themselues be constrained to confesse. And as the Lord teacheth his people to make this vse of their afflictions:* 1.2 so euery one of [ C] his, may also learne the same, if they be wise enough to thinke so; that is, to be resolued that for their exceeding benefite and profit he sendeth them. For then and neuer till then, they frame and addresse themselues to receiue them from God thankefully and meekely, when his word hath throughly setled this thought and perswasion in them: which wisdome few haue or attaine vnto, thus to thinke, but their owne foolish reason; which (while they seeke nothing but ease and freedome from trouble) leadeth them a cleane contrary way, that is, to be vtterly vnwilling to beare them, euen discouraged and heauy hearted as oft as they thinke on them. This wisdome therefore must be sought for, euen of the good seruants of God:* 1.3 that they looke for them [ D] daily, and be ready to receiue them from God. This it is, that must suppresse and checke all contrary power of carnall reason, which will be otherwise in the way at all times to annoy them.

It followeth therefore next and most consequently to declare, how the poore people of God may come by this wisdome: & then to shew, how it gui∣deth them to make such profitable and good vse of their crosses and chastise∣ments, as no other but they are able to doe the same. Saint Iames going a∣bout to perswade the Christians which were dispersed by reason of persecuti∣on, to receiue their afflictions meekely and ioyfully, (fearing that there were not many which could doe so) shewed them; that it was for want of this wis∣dome [ E] in them, whosoeuer rebelled vnder the hand of God; and that they ought to be throughly perswaded that God sent them for their benefit and good. And then he goeth forward to teach them, how they might come by it; and that he teacheth them thus:* 1.4 If any man want wisdome let him aske it of God, who giueth to euery one plentifully, and casteth no man in the teeth: but this watchword he giueth: That they must see, they aske in faith, and they shal ob∣taine it. Then for our instruction and edifying let vs know, that, if we desire

to be partakers of this priuiledge,* 1.5 to welcome our afflictions, to beare them [ F] chearefully, and to haue them turne to our great benefit (which the most doe thinke will turne to their vndoing:) then as we hold this principle of the Apo∣stle to be a trueth:* 1.6 that All things worke for the best to them which loue God; so we must be wise to thinke the same of our owne afflictions: and if we cannot easily be so perswaded (as no man is for the most part) we must be earnest with God,* 1.7 and that oft and from time to time, that our will may yeeld to Gods will, and we may thinke that good for vs which he thinketh good.

And to the end we may bring our hearts to this, let vs weigh to and fro, what we can obiect against it why we need not submit our selues vnto God: [ G] that when all our carnall reasons shall be answered, as being to weake to pre∣uaile with vs, we may referre the whole course of our liues to be gouerned by him: and what corrections soeuer he shall thinke meet for vs, and to try vs with and for our benefit,* 1.8 and to keepe vs from further hurt, (for he hath no worse end in chastising of vs) that then we may remember, in all things to be thankefull, and take vp our crosse readily and welcome it, seeing we know the end of it. And let it not be thought much that I say, He hath no worse end in afflicting vs: for we ought to be perswaded throughly of this, that the Lord our God louing vs, he cannot intend our hurt in the least maner, howsoeuer it shall please him to exercise vs.* 1.9 For we may be sure, that he afflicteth not wil∣lingly, [ H] nor at any time but when it is meet and expedient for vs: and as our Sauiour said to his beloued Apostles of his bodily departing from them, (which was the greatest outward crosse that could befall them:* 1.10) It is expedient that I goe away from you, for otherwise the comforter cannot come vnto you: so would he haue vs to thinke, that if it were not for our troubles we should neuer haue such comfort as we haue,* 1.11 which doth certainely follow the patient bea∣ring of them.

And heere consider the causes why God sendeth them to his beloued ones: which being knowen & rightly weighed,* 1.12 are of sufficient force to worke their great benefit & comfort. First, that they may haue experience frō how many [ I] troubles he deliuereth thē; and know after, how to look for the like helpe in the like trouble: secondly, that they may haue proofe of their faith and patience, which worketh vnspeakeable comfort: thirdly, that they may not be condem∣ned with the world: fourthly, that by them, as the body by physicke, they may be purged from their sinfull drosse and feare him: and fiftly, that the Lord may thereby weane them from the world (to the which they are so glued) as a child is from the brest (by bitter things) which would not otherwise leaue it. So that if we be thus taught of God & learne this wisdome of him, to beleeue, that to these ends and of very loue and faithfulnesse he afflicteth vs whensoe∣uer he doth it,* 1.13 we shall be sure to finde it so, to our exceeding comfort. [ K]

And although for a while we be tried, and therein may seeme to be neglec∣ted and forgotten of him; when others shake off the Lords yoke, and shunne the troubles by an euill conscience, which he laieth vpon them: yet when they shall after be plunged into dangers without recouery, then shall ours be at an end, and our reioicing neuer cease nor be taken from vs. Through this faith Dauid comforted himselfe in his God, when wicked men consulted to take

[ A] way his life. Through this wisdome which I haue spoken of, (an inseparable companion of faith) he said when his troubles were sore and great: I haue held my peace, because thou (ô Lord) haddest done it:* 1.14 and that God was most louing vnto him for all that. And so when by this wisdome and faith he had waited patiently on God, he reaped experience and gladnesse as the fruite thereof, which he himselfe expresseth in these words, saying:* 1.15 It is good for me (ô Lord) that I haue beene afflicted. And the like speeches he vttered at sundry times in many of his psalmes, which for breuity sake I omit: whereby it may be gather∣ed, that from time to time he was thus vpholden in his troubles; and therefore [ B] that he inioied this liberty and priuiledge in his life, to finde his very crosses profitable and good vnto him.

The same may be said of Abraham, both at many other times, and namely when he left his owne countrey and his fathers house, to goe to a place which God should shew him: where he being a stranger & had not a foot of ground to possesse, yet hauing leasure to returne, would not;* 1.16 but waited vpon God to know his pleasu••••••: which he would neuer haue done, if he had not beene per∣swaded, that the affliction was best for him, which God did trie him with.* 1.17 Io∣seph had no other thing to vpholde him when he was solde, put in prison, and his feet pinned in the stocks.

[ C] And to be short, if this trouble vs: that, although these woorthy seruants of God, and many other, had this wisedome to take their troubles aright, and in such meeke maner that they seemed not greatly to trouble them; yet we may not looke to do so: to this end, let the Apostles words direct and counsell vs; he saith: If any man want this wisdome, let him aske it of God, and it shall be gi∣uen. Loe, he excepteth none (which doe not except themselues) of such as know what faith is, and who are able to aske in faith (as all the Lords may be bolde to do;) for he addeth: But let him aske in faith. And:* 1.18 Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saued: for, how can we call vpon him,* 1.19 on whom we haue not beleeued? So that if any such be destitute of this wisdome, they may [ D] thanke themselues, it is their owne fault.

But to satisfie some, (who, I know, are many) which looking to the Apo∣stles words [that all turneth to the best to such as loue God] and looke no further: whereupon they conclude, if God will haue our troubles turne to our good, what need we take any further thought about the matter? I answere:* 1.20 They which beleeue that, will not be carelesse in their afflictions, how they be affe∣cted vnder them; whether they lie downe blockishly and senselesly vnder them, or whether they storme and be impatient in them: but will do as Dauid did in all his troubles, (who laied them to heart, and praied for grace to beare them and for deliuerance out of them, though he was sure God would giue a [ E] good end of them: euen as Daniel also did.* 1.21) And if they behaue themselues wilfully, carelesly or foolishly in them, they shall see them turne to their ex∣ceeding hurt and vexation: so farre is it off,* 1.22 that they should reape good there∣by, they know not how. For the Scripture, which teacheth that afflictions are sent them for their good, doth not profit them, if it be not mixed with faith in them that heare it, Heb. 4.2.

But if they beleeue that Scripture to be written for them, and applie it; then

they receiue their crosses from God as sent to them in his loue, they murmure [ F] not against him,* 1.23 neither refuse to be chastised of him, but are thankfull, and therefore labour for patience, that it may haue her perfect worke: yea and fur∣ther, if they can finde any sinne in themselues which might draw these corre∣ctions of the Lord vpon them, they heartily turne from it with all possible speed, that so they may more confidently intreat the Lord to turne away all the tartnesse of their affliction frō them. And they which after this maner be∣haue themselues vnder the crosse, although they performe these duties but in weaknesse, shall finde their troubles, howsoeuer for the time irkesome vnto the flesh,* 1.24 yet to be gainfull manie waies and in manie respects vnto their soules. [ G]

* 1.25For they shall giue them a proofe of that grace, as meeknesse, trust and con∣fidence, [ 1] which otherwise they could not know to be in them. They shall [ 2] teach them also experience of greater acknowledging Gods fatherly kind∣nesse, which worketh and bringeth forth these sweet graces in them, by as vn∣likely occasions, as the soft waters gush out of the hard and stonie rocke: for in others, what doe afflictions cause for the most part that haue them, but rage [ 3] and fretting and such like? Besides, in those who are rightly exercised in the bearing of them, they hold them from many sinnes which others runne into: [ 4.5.] they make them more humble and thankfull: they hearten them by custome [ 6] therein to beare greater,* 1.26 yea greater than they thought possible that euer [ H] they should haue gone vnder: and with all these commeth most sound and exceeding comfort,* 1.27 in the end at least, with hope in the middest of them, which shall not make them ashamed.

Therefore if the seruants of God may inioy these with many other such commodities by their afflictions, and haue so good liking of the Christian life that they will not forsake it for the greatest of them, I conclude this third branch as the two former: That the Lord hath not left their afflictions vpon them to vexe them, and make their liues wearisome and vnpleasant to them; but that they should receiue much good and benefit by them. And although they be not without sharpnesse, yet the Christian life hath so many sweet [ I] fruits of them therewith, that as men are not wearie of the pleasant spring time though it be anoied with the flea: so we do not loath our afflicted estate being so many waies gainfull, for some bitternesse that accompanieth the same: for holy securitie through the favour of God, a good conscience, and confidence of our cause that it is good,* 1.28 maketh euen a hard state easie, or at least tolerable. And these priuiledges which I haue now spoken of, who can sufficientlie mar∣uell that our glorious God doth communicate to mortall men, yea vile sin∣ners, which were once without God in the world? I confesse in setting them downe, that I am much astonished to thinke of his vnspeakable kindnesse; e∣specially because I haue mentioned no vaine speculations or dreames of mans [ K] braine which vanish in the aire, but vndoubted truethes out of the word of God, and found true by experience of many good Christians: so that we may worthily be prouoked to seeke a part therein amongst them. And yet so much the greater they are, and better to be accounted of, inasmuch as the longer they be inioyed, the more fruit and comfort they bring to him that hath his part in them. And when we finde not this doctrine sauourie and sweet to vs,

[ A] nor the vse of it in our afflictions, let vs not charge and challenge the Lord for it, but consider what we haue lost through vnbeliefe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ps. 119.71.
• * 1.2

  Iohn 16.6.7. 1. Pet. 1.5.6.
• * 1.3

  Luc. 9.23.
• * 1.4

  Ia. 1.5.6.
• * 1.5

  How we may take good by our afflictions:
• * 1.6

  Rom. 8.28.
• * 1.7

  Petit. 3.
• * 1.8

  For God sen∣deth them to that end.
• * 1.9

  Lam. 3.33. 1. Pet. 1.6
• * 1.10

  Iohn. 16.7.
• * 1.11

  Heb. 12.11.
• * 1.12

  Reasons why God afflicteth his. Ps. 34.17.19. & 2. Cor. 1.10. Rom. 5.4.5. Iam. 1.3. 1. Cor. 11.32. Ps. 119.67.
• * 1.13

  2. Cor. 4.9. & 6.9. Gods children are neuer for∣gotten, though they may seeme for a time to be neglected. Ps. 20.8. Ioh. 16.22. 1. Sam. 30.6.
• * 1.14

  Ps. 73.1.
• * 1.15

  Ps. 119.71.
• * 1.16

  Heb. 11.8.
• * 1.17

  Ps. 105.19. Ps. 105.18.
• * 1.18

  Act. 2.21.
• * 1.19

  Rom. 10.14.
• * 1.20

  Though God promise to turne our troubles to good, yet we must not be carelesse vnder them.
• * 1.21

  Dan. 9.5.
• * 1.22

  Ps. 18.26.
• * 1.23

  How they may profit by affli∣ctions.
• * 1.24

  Heb. 12.11.
• * 1.25

  Vses of afflicti∣ons.
• * 1.26

  Lam. 3.27.
• * 1.27

  Iam. 1.2. Col. 1.11. Rom. 5.4.
• * 1.28

  Animi securi∣tas, conscientia bona, causae fi∣ducia, plurimùm valent ad susti∣nendas afflicti∣ones.