(4.) Fourthly, Though thy afflictions are greater than this and that particular man's afflictions, yet doubtless there are many thousands in the world whose afflictions are greater than thine. Canst thou seriously consider the sore calamities and miseries that the devouring sword hath brought upon many thousand Christians in foreign parts, and say that thy afflictions are greater than theirs ? Surely no. Pliny, in his Natural History, writeth1 that the nature of the basilisk is to kill all trees and shrubs it breathes upon, and to scorch and burn all herbs and grass it passeth over. Such are the dismal effects of war.2 The sword knows no difference between Catholics and Lutherans, as once the duke of Medina Sidonia said, betwixt the innocent and the guilty, betwixt young and old, betwixt bond and free, betwixt male and female, betwixt the precious and the vile, the godly and the profane, betwixt the prince and the subject, betwixt the nobleman and the beggar. The sword eats the flesh and drinks the blood of all sorts and sexes, without putting any difference betwixt one or the other. The poor protestants under the Duke of Savoy, and those in Poland, Den- mark, Germany, and several other parts, have found it so ; many of their wounds are not healed to this day. Who can retain in his fresh and bleeding memory the dreadful work that the sword of war hath made in this nation, and not say, Surely many thousands have been greater sufferers than myself ; they have resisted unto blood, but so have not I, Heb. xii. 4. But,
(5.) Fifthly, As thy afflictions are greater than other men's, so it may be thy mercies are greater than other men's mercies ; and if so, thou hast no cause but to hold thy peace. As Job's afflictions were greater than other men's, so his mercies were greater than other men's, and Job wisely sets one against another, and then lays his hand upon his mouth, Job i. 21, 22. It may be thou hast had more health than others, and more strength than others, and more prosperity than others, and more smiling providences than others, and more good days than others, and more sweet and comfortable relations than others ; and if this be thy case, thou hast much cause to be mute, thou hast no cause to murmur. If now thy winter nights be longer than others, remember thy summer days have formerly been longer than others ; and therefore hold thy peace. But,
(6.) Sixthly and lastly, By great afflictions the Lord may greaten thy graces, and greaten thy name and fame in the world, James v.
1 Lib. viii. c. 21. 2 Read Josephus, and the History of the Bohemian Persecution.
366 THE MUTE CHRISTIAN' [Ps. XXXIX !).
10, 11. By Job's great afflictions, God did greaten his faith, and great* n his patience, and greaten his integrity, and greaten his wisdom and knowledge, and greaten his experience, and greaten his name and fame in the world, as you all know that have hut read his book. Bonds and afflictions waited on Paul in every city, Acts xx. 23, 2 Cor. xi. ; his afflict ions and sufferings were very great, but by them the Lord greatened his spirit, his zeal, his courage, his confidence, his resolution, and his name and fame, both among sinners and saints. Certainly, if thou art dear to Christ, he will greaten thee in spirituals, by all the great afflic- tions that are upon thee ; he will raise thy faith, and inflame thy love, and quicken thy hope, and brighten thy zeal, and perfect thy patience, and perfume thy name, and make it like a precious ointment, ' like a precious ointment poured forth/ Prov. xxii. 1, Eccles. vii. 1 ; so that good men shall say, and bad men shall say, Lo, here is a Christian in- deed, here is a man more worth than the gold of Ophir ; therefore, hold thy peace, though thy afflictions are greater than others.
Object. 7. I would be silent, but my outward affliction is attended with sore temptations ; God hath not only outwardly afflicted me, but Satan is let loose to buffet me ; and therefore how can I be silent ? how can I hold my peace, now I am fallen under manifold temptations ? To this I answer :
(1.) First, No man is the less beloved because he is tempted ; vay, those that God loves best are usually tempted most, Eph. vi. 12. Wit- ness David, Job, Joshua, Peter, Paul, yea, Christ himself, Mat, iv., who, as he was beloved above all others, so he was tempted above all others; he was tempted to question his Sonship ; he was tempted to the worst idolatry, even to worship the devil himself; to the greatest infidelity, to distrust his Father's providence, and to use unlawful means for neces- sary supplies ; and to self-murder, ' Cast thyself down,' &c. Those that were once glorious on earth, and are now triumphing in heaven, have been sorely tempted and assaulted. It is as natural and common for the choicest saints to be tempted, as it is for the sun to shine, the bird to fly, the fire to burn. The eagle complains not of her wings, nor the peacock of his train, nor the nightingale of her voice, because these are natural to them ; no more should saints of their temptations, because they are natural to them. Our whole life, saith Austin, is nothing but a tentation ; the best men have been worst tempted ; therefore, hold thy peace.1
(2.) Secondly, Temptation resisted and bewailed, will never hurt you, nor harm you. Distasted temptations seldom or never prevail. So long as the soul distastes them and the will remains firmly averse against them, they can do no hurt ; so long as the language of the soul is, ' Get thee behind me, Satan/ Mat. xvi. 23, the soul is safe. It is not Satan tempting but my assenting, it is not his enticing but my yielding, that mischiefs me. Temptations may be troubles to my mind, but they are not sins upon my soul whilst I am in arms against them. If tliv heart trembles and thy flesh quakes when Satan tempts, thy con- dition is good enough ; if Satan's temptations be thy greatest afflictions,
1 I am without, set upon by all the world, and within, by the devil and all his aDgels, saith Luther.
PS. XXXIX. 9.] UNDER THE SMARTING ROD. 3G7
his temptations shall never worst thee nor harm thee ; and therefore, if this be thy case, hold thy peace.1