OF The markes of the children of God and of their comforts in afflictions To the faithfull of the Low Countrie By Iohn Taffin Ouerseene againe and augmented by the Author and translated out of French by Anne Prowse Rom 8.16 The spirit beareth witnes to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God If we be sonnes then are we also heires the heires of God and ioynt heires with Christ so that we suffer together that we also may be glorified together AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man 1590. To the right Honorable and vertuous Ladie The Countesse of War wicke FOrasmuch as it hath pleased almightie God of his infinite goodnesse to giue vnto the glorious Gospell of his eternall sonne so long prosperous successe in this our Countrie it is now time right Honorable and my verie good Ladie for euerie one that is a true professor of the same all carnall perswasions of humane reason deluding the soule being set aside to prepare our selues to the day of trial For although it pleaseth God sometimes for the gathering of his Church to giue vnto it as it were Halcyon daies yet common it is not that it should any long time continue in rest and pleasure Nay by the word of GOD wee know by experience sometimes of our selues her Maiesties royall person not excepted and now of our neighbours round about vs we see that the Church of God in this world as it euer hath bin so must it euer be vnder the crosse And therefore if wee will bee compted of the Church indeede and glorie in that excellent name of a Christian let vs knowe assuredlie that vnto vs euen vnto vs that haue so long liued in rest and pleasure if wee be the children of God in some sort and measure a triall must come For if God chastise euerie sonne whom he receiueth and euery member of Christes body must be fashioned like vnto the head if the afflictions of this world are manifest tokens to the children of God of his fauour and loue towards them and sure pledges of their adoptiō how can we looke or how can we desire to bee exempted from this common condition of God his owne children and household To this end therefore right Honorable Ladie I haue translated this little booke first to admonish some who for lacke of experience neuer feeling other daies than these full of peace and quietnes that they learne to applie vnto themselues whatsoeuer they heare or reade of the triall of GOD his children least falselie imagining it to appertaine either to the times that are past or to other Nations it fall sodainlie vpon them as a theefe in the night they be destitute of all hope and comfort Secondlie to awake others abounding both in knowledge and other graces whom notwithstanding satan by the deceaueable lusts vaine pleasures of this wicked world hath so rockt a sleepe that they seeme almost as they that are diseased with the Lethargie to haue forgottē both themselues their holie calling and profession Last of all to comfort an other sort whome it hath pleased GOD so to presse downe with sorrowes and to exercise with the continuall afflictions and calamities of this mortall life as no times seeming fauourable vnto thē they can scarse receiue the words of any comfort And because your Honor hath been of long time not onlie a professour but also a louer of the trueth whom the Lord exalting to an higher place of dignitie than many other hath set vp as it were a light vpō an high candlesticke to giue light vnto manie I haue especiallie dedicated vnto your Honour this my poore trauaile humblie beseeching the Lord to make it no lesse comfortable to your Honour and to those that shall reade it than it hath been vnto me who haue translated it Euerie one in his calling is bound to doo somewhat to the furtherance of the holie building but because great things by reason of my sex I may not doo and that which I may I ought to doo I haue according to my duetie brought my poore basket of stones to the strengthning of the walles of that Ierusalem whereof by grace wee are all both Citizens and members And now to returne to those whō experience hath not yet taught and whom prosperitie will not suffer to awake I earnestlie beseech them both in the Lord no longer to deceiue themselues with vaine imaginations neither to suffer their hearts so to be tied to earthlie vanities that they should despise or neglect those things that cā truely make them happie indeed When it shall please GOD to open their eyes to discerne betweene heauenlie and earthly betweene things transitorie and things euerlasting I know they will of themselues bee ashamed of this their negligence For what are all the pleasant things of this world which most bewitch the minds of men if they be compared with heauenlie and eternall things If statelie sumptuous buildings do delight what building is so statelie and glorious as newe Ierusalem If riches what so rich as that whose pauemēt is of pure gold whose foundations and walls of precious stones gates of orient pearles If friends kinsfolke and neighbours what Citie so replenished as this where God himselfe in his Maiestie Iesus Christ the head of the Church in his glorie all the holie Angels Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Martirs do dwel together in happinesse for euer If honor what honor comparable to this to be the seruant and child of so mightie a King and heire of so glorious a kingdome where neither time doth consume nor enuie depriue of honour nor power of aduersarie spoyle of glorie that is endles incōprehensible If then there be no comparison betweene things heauenlie and things that are earthlie and no man can attaine to the things that are heauenlie but by the same way that Christ himselfe attained vnto them which was by the crosse why casting off all impediments that presseth downe doo we not runne on our course with cherefulnes and hope hauing Christ so mightie a King for our Captaine guide who as the Apostle saith for the glorie that was set before him indured the crosse and despising the shame sitteth now at the right hand of the throne of God How slowe and dull of heart are wee if as Esau who for a messe of pottage sold his birthright wee are contented for a small and short pleasure in this wicked world to leese that incomparable and euerlasting glorie which Christ the sonne of GOD with so great a price hath purchased for vs. The Lord giue vs wisedome to vnderstand grace to heare his voice while it is saide to day that when daies and nights times shall cease wee may without time enter into his ioye and rest which neuer shall haue end The Lord euer preserue your Honor and adde vnto a multitude of happie yeares spent in his feare a continuall increase of al spiritual graces to his glorie
Kingdome Hee hath suffered sayth Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.21 Leauing vs an example that wee should followe his steps Let vs not then thinke it strange as he faith in an other place 1. Pet. 4.12 when wee are as in a fornace for our triall as if an vnwonted thing had come vnto vs. Butrather in as much as wee communicate with the afflictions of Christ Let vs reioyce that when his glorie shall appeare wee also may reioyce wath gladnes Now let vs vnderstand how he addeth that suffering iniurie for Christes sake wee are happy forasmuch as the spirit of God which is the spirit of glory resteth in vs and the feeling which we haue causeth vs to glorifie him though of the blinde worlde he is euill spoken of Seeing then the heauenly father hath vouchsafed vs such loue 1. Ihon. 3.1 that wee are called the sons of God although the world persecute vs because it knoweth neither the Father nor vs Let vs saie boldlie with S. Ihon We are now the children of God And although it dooth not yet appeare what we shal be yet we knowe as hee also addeth that when Christ shall appeare we shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as hee is Col. 3.3 Let vs be contented to be dead in this worlde and to haue our life hid with Christ in God beeing assured that when Christ our life shall appeare we shall also appeare in glorie If the Diuell will gather of our afflictions that we are not the children of GOD let vs say boldlie that he is a lyar or let him first plucke out of the ranke of God his children the Martyres the Apostles the Prophets and other of the best and most approoued children and seruants of GOD which haue beene afflicted as well as wee and more than wee Euen the holie Virgine and Christ himselfe But rather seeing that wee beare their liuerie let vs acknowledge our selues the children of GOD with them and let vs say with a holie resolution with Saint Paule Rom. 8.38 that there is neyther death nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor heighth nor depth nor anie other creature which can separate vs from the loue of GOD which he beareth vs in Iesus Christ our Lorde That the faithfull haue the common afflictions of the children of Adam because of the excellent fruites of them testimonies of their adoption and of the loue of God toward them CAP. 9. TO bee yet better confirmed in this trueth let vs now consider how the afflictions themselues euen those that are common to the childrē of Adam serue for our profite and saluation First 1. Fruit to awake vs out of our sinnes for as much as the reliques of sinne abide still euen in the most perfect in this life which maketh them hardened in their faults and inclined to offend God We haue neede of helpes to be waked to be humbled and drawen from our sinnes to keep vs in the time to come and so to dispose vs to a perfect obedience holie and acceptable vnto God And to this ende tend the afflictions of the children of God which for this cause are called chastisements corrections and medicines of our soules The children of Jacob hauing committed a detestable crime in selling then brother Joseph Gen. 42.21 but they neuer thought of it vntill that beeing in Aegypt pressed with reproches and imprisonment they called to minde their sinne saying one to the other surely we haue sinued against our brother for we saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs and wee woulde not heare him and therefore is this trouble hapned vnto vs. Manasses King of Iuda hauing set vp Idolatrie againe persecuted those that woulde purelie serue the Lorde 2. Chro. 33 so as Ierusalem was full of blood and hauing shut his eares to the admonitions of the Lorde at the last was taken by the army of the king of the Assyrians bound with manacles fettered in chaines and carried prisoner into Babylon Then being in affliction he was exceedingly humbled before God hee prayed to the Lord and was heard and caried backe vnto Jerusalem Then hee pulled downe all Idolatrie reformed the seruice of God and commanded Iuda to serue the Lorde the God of Israell Yea the poore pagane marriners of whom the historie of Ionas maketh mention seeing the continuaunce of the tempest concluded to cast lots to know who was the cause of that affliction and God making it to appeare that it was the sinne of Ionas Ion. 1.7 thereof is come a common Prouerb in a daungerous tempest that there is some fonas in the ship And this proceedeth of a feeling and apprehension of the prouidence and iustice of GOD this little sparke yet still remaining in man of the image of God whereby we thinke that it is hee that afflicteth that he is iust doth nothing but iustlie and so that afflictions are corrections of our sinnes Therefore Jeremie iustly reproueth the blockishnesse of the people of Israel in this that being afflicted Ierem. 8.6 no man saide what haue I done See now why God to make vs more liuelie feele his iudgements to the intent to wake vs vp to conuert vs vnto him sendeth vs oftētimes afflictions which after a sort answere haue some conformitie to our sins As for example EZechias king of Iuda sinned by ambition or vain confidence in shewing all his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babel and GOD tolde him by the Prophet Esay that all his treasures should be transported into Babel Esa 39 Dauid offended God in committing adultery 2. Sam. 11 and in putting to death Vriah and GOD chastised him in this 2. Sam. 13 that Amnon his sonne defiled his sister Thamar and that Amnon was slaine by his brother Absolom that Absolom laie publikely with his fathers Concubines 2. Sam. 16. 22 according to that which God had saide vnto him 2. Sam. 12 11 Thou hast done it in secrete and I will doo it in the sight of all the people The child borne in adultry died 2. Sam. 12 10 he was threatned that the Sword should not depart from his house Now as the afflictions bring vs to the feeling of our sinnes 2. Fruit amendment of life and first in workes to wake vs vp and to humble vs so therof riseth the resolutions and protestations to fall into them no more but to amend them And this is it that is seene in those that by tempest of sea or some grieuous disease are in manifest danger of death They examine their cōsciēce their sinnes infirmities then come before them they aske pardon and make protestations to liue better in time to come The same also we see in children that are beaten of their fathers This is it which the Apostle to the Hebrewes teacheth vs saying That no chastisement for the time seemeth pleasant
vs that according to the loue that he beareth vs and according to his infinite wisedome hee will dispose nothing of vs which shall not be to his glorie and to our benefite and saluation It is well knowne that fathers mothers take no pleasure to afflict their children and to make them to weepe And although they haue power to beate them to appoynt them their diet and to put them abroad either to schoole or to serue some other yet when they doo this men doo not onlie confesse that they haue authoritie so to do but also euerie one beleeueth that it is for the benefite of the children whose duetie also it is to like well of it and to render vnto them willing obedience Now properlie God onlie is our father Mat. 23.9 as Iesus Christ saith Call ye no man father vppon the earth ye haue but one father which is in heauen What iniurie then doo we to this onlie true father that we being afflicted by his hand after what manner soeuer doo not sanctifie his name conforming our selues to his will thinking and confessing that all proceedeth from his goodnes and loue to his glorie and our benefite and saluation See how in the schoole of affliction we learne what it is properlie to obey God and that is verie necessarie for vs. Heb. 5.8 For if Iesus Christ being the sonne notwithstanding learned obedience by the things which he suffered how much more had wee neede to learne to submit our hearts and our neckes by afflictions to the guiding of our God as children yeelding themselues peaceablie to the gouernment of their father saying with Iob The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath takē his name be blessed Iob. 1.21 And with Dauid persecuted of Absalom If God say to me 2. Sam. 15.16 thou pleasest me not behold I am here let him do vnto me whatsoeuer pleaseth him And beeing readie to sacrifice our owne children with our owne hands vnto God when he shall commaund vs as Abraham did in olde time Gen. 22. To bee short in following GOD as the old prouerbe is in what condition or estate soeuer it shall please him to call vs. If then afflictions serue Sen. de Gita beata cap. 15. to awake vs out of sinne to humble vs to correct the infinite corruptions that are in vs to pull vs from the world to cleaue vnto God to draw our harts from the earth to lift them vp to heauen to fashion vs in the obedience of GOD to giue vs increase in patience and faith To be short to make vs so much the more feruently to pray vnto God it resteth that wee conclude that indeede they proceed from the loue of God toward vs of the care that he hath of our saluation and so that in afflicting vs he sheweth himselfe indeed our father as the Apostle to the Hebrues doth also teach vs saying Heb. 12.6 That God chastiseth those whom he loueth and correcteth euery child whom he receiueth If you indure saith he chastisement God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto his childrē For what child is it whom the father doth not chastise Then if ye be not vnder chastisement whereof all are partakers yee are bastards and not sonnes Rods then are testimonies that he accōpteth vs his lawfull children and not bastards And nature it selfe teacheth it vs. For if wee see two children striue together and a man comming by taketh the one of them and beateth him leauing the other we will iudge by and by that this man is the father of him that he did beate and that the other appertained not vnto him And this is it that S. Peter meaneth saying that iudgement beginneth at the house of God 1. Pet. 4.17 shewing that they are his children and household seruants which are afflicted in this life The which thing a good auncient father did thinke and well expresse calling his afflictions Grego Nazian bitter arrowes shot from a sweet and amiable hand Therefore as when we see the Carpenters strike with their hatchets vpon pieces of wood to pare it or plane it and Masons to polish stones with the strokes of an hammer wee gather that these are stones and timber which the master would imploy to some building Euen so let vs conclude of our selues that if God lift vp vpon vs the hatchets and hammers of afflictions to polish vs It is a manifest and sure testimonie that he hath chosen vs to put in the building of his temple And that so we are his children both welbeloued and happie But let vs passe to another consideration of singular comfort Of the afflictions for the name of Christ and of their fruites CHAP. 10. TRue it is that God being iust doth neuer afflict vs vniustlie which thing we ought alwais to think and confesse to humble our selues and to giue glorie vnto God Neuerthelesse GOD doth not alwaies take occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but often times hee sheweth this fauour to his children to dispose that the cause and title of their afflictions should bee honorable calling them persecutions and sufferings for righteousnes sake Matt. 5.10 Mar. 10.29 Col. 1.24 Matth. 5.11 Rom. 8.35 What are the afflictions for Christ for the Gospell for the Church for the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and for the loue of GOD. And this commeth when we are persecuted of men because wee will not approue iniquitie or false doctrine nor defile our selues with idolatries and superstitiōs but serue God purelie and holilie according to his word To be short when we will liue in the feare of God in Iesus Christ as Saint Paule speaketh 2. Tim. 3.12 who speaking of these afflictions saith Phil. 1.29 To you it is giuen of God not onlie to beleeue but also to suffer for his name They that suffer for Christ are happie wherein he sheweth that such afflictions are the gifts of GOD proceeding from good will loue towards vs And see why Iesus Christ said Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnes sake 1 By the testimonie of the word of the God Mat. 5.10 Also Blessed are you when men shall reuile you and persecute you speak all manner of euill against you lying of you for my sake reioyce ye and be glad Wherevnto Saint Peter agreeth 1. Pet. 4.14 saying If ye suffer wrong for the name of Iesus Christ ye are happie Now if we haue no other foundation than the onelie testimonie of Iesus Christ to assure vs that being persecuted for his name God loueth vs and will make vs blessed were it not an vntollerable impudencie for the diuell and an incredulitie inexcusable for vs to call that in doubt which he who is the trueth it selfe doth affirme Notwithstanding to the end that we may the more liuelie feele this felicitie than when wee are persecuted for his name let vs consider the reasons which the holie ghost giueth vs. First when Iesus
of kindnes of humility of meeknes of longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarel with another euē as Christ hath forgiuen you Loue one another 1. Ihon 10 as God hath loued you For herein is the difference betwene the children of God and the children of the deuil wherein ye may be knowne to be the true disciples of Christ Ye are al members of one body Iho. 13.35 let there be no diuision or parts-taking among you 1. Cor. 12 25 but feele the afflictions of those that weepe to weepe with them and to comfort them reioyce with those that reioyce to praise God with them If yee be the Citizens of the City Ierusalem wil haue a sure dwelling in it walke in integritie Psal 15 labour to deale iustly speake the truth from your harts keepe you from slandering couetousnes and all other corruption Acknowledge in al men the image of God whereunto you owe honor loue and in your brethren acknowledge the renuing of this image Gala. 6.10 and the brotherly coniunction in Christ in doing good to al men 1. Pet. 4.10 loue honor and help especially those that are of the houshold of faith Ye are debtors to your neighbors of all that ye haue 1. Pet. 4.8 or are able to do to be disposers of it with condition that ye render to God an account Iam. 1.19 Honor the graces of God in your brethren and couer their infirmities by charitie be quicke to heare but slowe to speake and slow to wrath For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous in the sight of God Do not desire hope or imagine any other means to prosper by thā by the blessing of God And do not looke that hee stould aduaunce by the ayde of his blessing that which he hath accursed by his mouth So go forward in the amendment of your liues that this day may passe yesterday Seale to the puritie of the doctrine with the holines of your life that the ignorant seing your blameles conuersatiō 1. Pet. 2.12 esteming you by your good workes may glorifie God and imbrace the gospel with you Luke 7.1 when it shall please GOD to call them Haue mind of that great curse pronoūced by the high Iudge 2. Cor. 13 11 against such as offend any of the very least Furthermore reioyce in the Lord indeuour to be perfect be comforted be of one consent liue in peace Phil. 2.13 and the God of loue and peace shall be with you But as it is God which worketh in vs both to will in worke to accomplish according to his good pleasure 6. To pray to God So aboue all thinges imploy your selues to pray feruently continually Prayer saith Chrysostome is the soule of our souls For it also is the soule which quickneth al the actions of the children of God It was the lifting vp of Moses hands to heauen Exo. 17.11 which strengthned Iosuah his army gaue him victorie ouer the Amalckites And in deede without the grace of God the which we obtaine by prayer all that we do is but vanitie Faith is the key that openeth the coffers of the treasures of our God Prayer is the hand to draw it out to inrich our selues Prayer lifteth vp our hearts from earth to heauen it renueth the memorie of the promises of God to confirme vs it assureth vs against all that wee can feare it obtaineth all that we can desire It giueth rest and contentment to our soules It keepeth and strengtheneth the feare to offend God It increaseth the desire to go vnto him whom in praying we feele to be the spring and heape of all good things It ingendreth in vs a stedfast despising of the world and renouncing of the flesh it representeth vnto vs the heauenly and euerlasting felicitie that we may aspire to the inioying of them There is nothing to bee more desired than to be conuersant with him without whome we can not be happy But he that wil alwayes be with GOD he must alwaies eyther pray or reade For when we pray we talke with God and when wee reade Aug. in Psal 85. God talketh with vs. The more we are exercised in prayer to God the more we increase in godlines Therefore also we may not be weary or faint-hearted in prayer although the Lord deferre to make vs feele the fruite of our prayers For we haue a promise of him that can not lie that whatsoeuer we aske of GOD in the name of Iesus Christ it shal be giuen vs. If he deferre for some time to make vs feele the fruit of our praiers it is for our greater benefite Let vs continue still and waight knowing assuredly that he who according to his fatherly loue bounty desireth our good can according to his infinite power giue that which we aske of him and according to his truth will hear vs he also according to his wisdōe knoweth the fittest time as is before said and the meanes most apt to make vs feele the fruite of our praiers When we aske of God saith S. Bernard euen those thinges that concerne this present life our praiers are not so soone gone out of our mouth but they are written in his booke and we ought saith he to be assured that hee will either giue the thing it selfe which we haue asked or other things which hee knoweth to bee more profitable for vs. To conclude Praier is the most mightie and fruitfull worke of charitie seeing by it we helpe our neighbors present absent knowen and vnknowen great and little and that both with spirituall and corporall good things drawing by our praiers the blessing of God vpon them And in this confidence my very deare and worshipfull Brethren I will continue in this dutie and office of charitie earnestlie to pray to God for you and particularlie I will water with my praiers to God this Exhortation which I haue directed vnto you beseeching him with all my heart that beeing comforted and strengthened thereby in the doctrine of the truth which yee haue receiued yee may continue constantly in it sealing it by the works of godlinesse and charitie comforting your selues in the Lord in that yee are his welbeloued Children in Iesus Christ and surmounting al temptations and assaults to the ende that by the power of the holy Ghost departing Conquerors out of all conflicts ye may attaine at the last to the crowne of glorie which God hath prepared to all his childrē 1. Thess 5.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. Now the GOD of peace sanctifie you throughout and preserue your whole spirit and soule and bodie blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath called you is faithfull who also will doo it I also beseech you my brethren to imploy your seiues more and more in feruent and continuall praiers for the preseruation prosperitie and