THE HAVEN OF THE AFFLICTED. A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF GLOUCESTER Aug. 10. 1613.  
BY SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD Doctor of Divinity and fellow of C.C.C. in Oxford.  PSAL. 119.71. 
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.  
AT OXFORD, Printed by Joseph Barnes. 1613.   

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN CHRIST MILES SMYTH BY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE L. BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER GRACE. AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED.  
RIGHT REVEREND,  
THis little Sermon preached by your Lordship's appointment in the chief City of that Shire, wherein I first drew breath, now seethe the light. The religious desires of some of my Countrymen there, wishing, that what I then uttered might not through oblivion perish in the air, have brought it forth. Now they, who heard it, may record it; they who heard it not, may read it; all, I hope, will be satisfied. My then endeavours were to arm myself, and that devout Auditory with patience against the day of affliction; that day, which we must look for, if we be the sons of our Heavenly Father. St Hierome in his Epistle to Eustochium hath these words: Quis sanctorum sine certamine coronatus est? Quaere, & invenies singulos adversa perpessos; solus Salomon in delitijs fuit, & forsitan ideò corruit: Who of all the Saints was ever crowned without a combat? Seek, and thou shalt find, that every one of them suffered adversities; only Solomon was lulled in delights, and therefore perchance he perished. It is but FORSITAN, perchance he perished. His book called Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher, argueth his repentance, and persuadeth me of his remission and salvation with the LORD. And why might not Solomon in his time be, as many in our time are, inwardly in conscience for sin afflicted? It's true; the stone hath no honourable place in a fair building unless it be much hewed and hammered; neither can we the lively stones of Christ's Church have any place of credit in the Celestial building unless we, like the chief corner stone, Christ himself, be hewed and hammered with adversity. To the patiented enduring whereof this little Sermon hath a desire to persuade. Give it (My good Lord) your favourable countenance, that it may cheerfully go abroad: and the Author of it shall heartily wish to your L. much increase of grace and honour, with a daily influence of blessings from Heaven upon your government in the Church.  
From my study in CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE in OXFORD, August 27, 1613. YOUR LORDSHIPS in all Christian duty to be commanded SEBASTIAN BENEFIELD.   

August. Enarrat. in Psal. 97. Vulgat.  
QVid sibi volunt tubae ductiles?— Ductiles tubae aereae sunt, tundendo producuntur. Si tundendo, ergo vapulando eritis tubae ductiles, ad laudem Dei productae. Si cum tribulamini proficiatis, tribulatio tunsio, profectus productio est Tuba ductilis. erat job, quando repentè percussus tantis damnis & orbitate filiorum, tunsione illâ tantae tribulationis factus tuba ductilis, sonuit: Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit;— sit nomen Domini benedictum. THAT IS, WHat is meant by those long trumpets? Long trumpets are of brass, and are by hammering lengthened. If by hammering, then by beating you shall be long trumpets, lengthened to praise God. If, when you are afflicted, you profit, your tribulation is your hammering, your profit that cometh thereby, is your lengthening. job was a long trumpet, when he was suddenly stricken with the losses of his substance and children. Being made by that hammering of so great a tribulation, a long trumpet, he sounded out: The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away,— blessed be the name of the Lord.   
AMOS 3.6. 
Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  
CHristian profession is by the Holy Spirit, 1. Cor. 9.24. &, Heb. 12.1. resembled to a race. The runners in this race are the professors of Christianity, men & women, of all ranks, all Christians. 
* Stadium est haec vita mortalibus; híc contendimus, ut alibi coronemur. Hieron. ep. ad Eustochium.  We all run, non pedum celeritate, sed virtute, pietate, fide: our running is, not by swiftness of foot, but by virtue, piety, and faith. And we run for a price. The price is a crown. No 
* A. Gellius Nect. Attic. lib. 5. cap. 6.  mural, no oval, no civil, no triumphal, no obsidional crown; no such crown, as worthy champions of old contended for; no crown of grass, no crown of olive, no crown of oak, no crown of gold. All these were vile and contemptible in regard of the crown, which we run for. They were all transitory and corruptible; but the crown which we run for, is a crown of eternity. S. Peter in his 1. Epist. chap. 5. ver. 4. calleth it τὸν ἀμαράντινον τῆς δόξης στέφανον, a crown of glory, that fadeth not. S. Paul, 1. Cor. 9.25. calleth it τὸν στέφανον ἄφθαρτον, an incorruptible crown. Now the place where we run for this incorruptible and never fading crown is, civitas huius mundi, the city of this world. Here we 
* Magnis inimicorum circundamur agminibus; hostium plena sunt omnia. Hieron ubi. suprà.  meet with many stops; many lets, many hindrances. Temptations upon temptations do even swarm before us, behind us, beside us, round about us. Temptations of prosperity, temptations of adversity, temptations of heresy, these stand in the streets, like 
a Gen 3.24.  the flaming sword, to stop our way to Paradise.  
The greatest obstacle or impediment, most likely to overthrow us in this race, is the temptation of the cross, the temptation of adversity. The godly man, he who hath the 
b 1. Tim. 4.8.  promises as well of the life that now is, as of that which is to come, as well 
c Deut. 28 1. etc. Lev. 26.3. etc.  corporal, as spiritual, if he be depressed and kept under in disgrace and misery, while the wicked man before his face is highly advanced to honour & preferment, how is he discouraged? how discomforted? With this temptation was David exercised. For when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, and considered, that they were not afflicted like other men, that they increased in riches, that whatsoever they took in hand, it went well forward; his feet were almost gone, his steps had well-nigh slipped. It is his own confession, Psal. 73.2. Did this temptation so far prevail with David, 
d Act. 13.22.  a man after Gods own heart? How shall the rest of the Godly withstand it? Behold for them an anchor, able to keep them, that they be not overwhelmed with the waves of this temptation; even the words of my text, Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  
Here are seven interogations together without any interruption. This is the seventh, and is like the rest. It beareth the form of an Interrogation, but is for matter a vehement Asseveration. It's usual with the Scriptures then to propound a matter by way of question, when they will most of all affirm it. Gen. 18.14. the LORD saith to Abraham: Is any thing too hard for the LORD? It is as if he had said; all things are easy with the LORD; there is nothing impossible, nothing too hard for him. Mar. 12.24. jesus answering the Sadduces said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God? It is, as if he had said: doubtless ye therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God. 1. Cor. 10.16. St Paul saith, The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? It is, as if he had said: The bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ. Many other places of like nature I might produce: But by these we see, that an Interrogation useth to be put from an Affirmation; as in my text, Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  
It is as if our Prophet had said: There shall be no evil in a city, but the LORD will do it. Or, whatsoever evil is in a city, the LORD hath done it.  
Durus est hic sermo, happily will some say, as those fleshly hearers of Christ said to Christ, joh. 6.60. When Christ had told them, that they were to eat his flesh, & to drink his blood, else they should not live. Durus est hic sermo, This is a hard saying; who can endure to hear it? Shall there be no evil in a city, but the LORD will do it? but he hath done it? Durus sermo; This is a hard saying.  
This stumbling block, this stone of offence will easily be removed, if you will be pleased to consider with me three circumstances expressed in the letter of my text: Quis, Quid, Vbi. An Agent, an Action, The place of performance. The Agent is the LORD, the Action is a doing of evil, the place where this action is to be performed, is a City. Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  
Fellow me, I beseech you, in these three, I will pass them over as briefly, and as plainly as I may. If in my discourse I shall seem for a while somewhat thorny, or perplexed, help me with your attention.  
Shall there be evil in a city, & the LORD hath not done it?] The first circumstance to be now considered is Quis. The Agent. My text calls him JEHOVAH.  
JEHOVAH! It is the most proper name of God. No creature is made partaker of it; nor man, nor Angel. It betokeneth first the essence of God, secondly the truth and complement of his promises. First it signifieth, that God is verè τὸ ὂν: à quo πάντα τὰ ὄντα; that God is so of himself, that 
e Rom. 11.36.  of him, and through him, and to him are all things. Secondly it signifieth, that God is ever faithful in his promises. From whence two things should deeply, and perpetually be fastened in the memory of every Christian: one is, that our God is an everliving God, is the chiefest good, is the author of all good, and is therefore always, and above all things to be loved: the other is, that our God is ever true in his promises, and therefore that our whole trust must ever lie on him. For he only is JEHOVAH: JEHOVAH is his name for ever, it is his memorial unto all generations. So it is called, Exod. 3. 15. and Hos. 12.5.  
This our God, the Lord, JEHOVAH, who is of himself alone, and is only true in all his sayings, he is not that God of those shameless blasphemers, the 
f August, de Haeresib. c. 46.  Manichees and 
g Ibid. c. 22.  Marcionites, 
h Zanchius de Attribute. Dei. lib. 4. cap. 1. qu. 1. thes 4.  Deus malus, à quo sit omne malum, an evil God from whom cometh all evil. Our God is no such God; there is no evil in him, there proceeds no evil from him: he is wholly 
i Ps. 33.5. & 73.1. & 103.11, 17. & 136.1. etc.  good: good 
k In se Deus bon ' est suâ essentiâ, & summè. Polan Syntag. Theol. lib. 2. cap 20.  of himself; & by his essence. Now, if honey, of its own nature and essence sweet, hath no bitterness in it; if the Sun of its own nature and essence light, hath no darkness in it; without doubt God of himself, of his own nature & essence good, hath no evil in him. We confess with David, Psal. 5.4. O our God, thou art not a God, that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall any evil dwell with thee.  
Thus you see, Quis, who this Agent is. It is JEHOVAH, the Lord our God, whose being is of himself, who is true in all his sayings, who is absolutely good, in whom there is no stain of evil. Such is the Agent. The next circumstance is Quid, the Action, a doing of evil; Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  
The naturalist saith; 
l Mat. 7.17.  A good tree bringeth forth good fruit: the Philosopher saith; Omne 
m Arist. 2. Phys. Aquin. 2. Dist. 18. qu. 2. Art. 1. ad. 4. Zanch. de Attrib. l. 2. cap. 7. qu. 3.  agens agit sibi simile; Such as the Agent is, such is the Action: if the Agent be good, the Action cannot be evil. How then is it, that God of himself and absolutely Good, is here, in my text, noted, for a doer of evil?  
For answer hereunto we must with St Austin cap. 26. contra Adimantum Manichaeum distinguish of evils: there is malum, quod facit homo, and malum, quod patitur, there is an evil which man doth, and there is an evil which man suffereth: the first is sin, the other is the punishment of sin, of this, not of that, must God be said to be the doer. This distinction is more plainly delivered by Tertullian, contra Martion. lib. 2. cap. 14. There is malum delicti, and malum supplicij, there is malum culpae, and malum poenae; there is an evil of sin, & an evil of pain, Suum cuique parti definimus autorem, saith that Father, malorum quidem peccati & culpae Diabolum, malorum verò supplicij & poenae Deum creatorem. Of the evils of sin and fault the Devil is the author, but in the evils of pain and punishment, we acknowledge the hand of God the Creator.  
This distinction of evils, saith 
n Annot. 82. in locum Tertulliani.  Pamelius, is worth the noting against Calvin, and his followers; as if Calvin, or the rest, who maintain the truth of that doctrine, which Calvin professed, denied this distinction of Evils, to make God the cause and author of sin.  
This horrible blasphemy and impiety, wherewith 
o De amiss. Grat. & statu reccati lib. 2. cap. 4.  Bellarmine, 
p Octauâ ratione.  Campian, 
q Defension. praefationum Bellarm. Tom 1 pag. 5, & 6.  Gretser, 
r Tom. 1. Opusc. 3. de autore peccati p. 98.  Becan, and 
s Bernard. Dörhoff Apodix 1. cap. 3. pag. 32. Carol. Scribanius Orthod. fidei controvers. lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 121. etc. Matth. Kellison, in his Reply to sutcliffe's answer to the Survey 5. book pag. 356. etc.  other of that rabble, have branded us, I have elsewhere diverted in a Sermon upon Hos. 10.2. wherein I confirmed two positions.  
One: There is a degree of some forwarder disposition of God, in the actions of unrighteous men, than his bare toleration.  
The other: Though God be a worker in the works of the wicked, yet is the will of the wicked thereby no way compelled. Whence followeth this conclusion; God is not to any construction, the cause or author of sin. This we affirm in our books, we teach in our pulpits, we determine in our Schools.  
We say, and our adversaries will say no less, that God is the author of all actions in the world; that he is the author of every motion within us. In him we live and move, and have our being, Act. 17.28. without him we live not, we move not, we have no being. Yet we say that sin, is wholly and only of man himself; we cannot challenge God for any part thereof.  
Distinguish then the accident from the subject, distinguish the sin of the action from the action itself; God in the one shall be glorified, and man shall be justly condemned for the other. God is not to any construction the cause, or author of sin. Yet, you see my text chargeth him, as if he were the cause & author of Evil. Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?  
Evil! If by evil you will understand according to my former distinctions (malum poenae, malum supplicij, malum, quod homo patitur, which you may call, malum afflictionis) if by Evil you will understand the evil of pain, the evil of punishment, the evil of affliction, you have the meaning of my Prophet: Shall there be any Evil] Any evil of pain, punishment, or affliction, Shall there be any such Evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?  
These now brought distinctions of evil may serve for the unfolding of other texts of Scripture: of that, Esay 45.7. I, the Lord, create Evil; & that, Lament. 3.38. Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth Evil; & that jon. 3.10. God repent of the Evil, that he had said, he would do unto them. By Evil in all those places, as here in my text, we are to understand the Evil of pain, punishment, and affliction.  
The Evil of pain, punishment, and affliction! Why Evil? Doubtless whatsoever pain, punishment, or affliction befalleth us, it is good. 1. Because it is laid upon us, by God, who is of himself, and absolutely good. 2. Because it is just: and what is just, must needs be good. 3. Because it tendeth to the glory of God, and the salvation of the elect; and who will deny this to be good? For these reasons whatsoever pain, punishment, or affliction may befall us, it is good. Why then is it in my text, and elsewhere noted by the name of Evil?.  
It is so noted, because in our sense and feeling it is Evil. Things may be termed Evil two manner of ways: some are Evil indeed, and of their own nature; in this rank we must place our sins: some are Evil, not indeed and of their own nature, but in regard of our sense, apprehension, and estimation; & in this rank we must place whatsoever, pain, punishment, or affliction God layeth upon us in this life for our sins. I say then, that the Evil in my text, is indeed good, but improperly Evil; it is good in its own nature, but Evil only, as we call Evil, whatsoever liketh us not, or is not for our ease. Thus far have you my second circumstance, Quid, the Action, a doing of Evil: Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?  
The third circumstance is Vbi, the place where this Action is performed. My text calls it a City. Shall there be Evil in a City] In Civitatibus, in Cities, so Lyranus expoundeth it. In Civitate aliquâ, in any City, it is Mercerus his exposition. I say, in Civitate huius mundi, in the City of this world.  
This universe, & admirable frame of Nature wherein JEHOVAH, the LORD, our God, 
t Ps. 97.1. & 91.1.  reigneth, consisteth of two Cities: the one is, 
u August. Retract. l 2. c. 43.  Civitas Dei, the city of God, the other is, 
x August. de temp. serm. 106.  Civitas huius mundi, the city of this world. The one is 
y Aug. de Civ. Dei lib 14. cap. 28.  Celestial, the other is Terrene; the one is of the 
z Aug. de catechizandis rudib. l. 1. c. 19  Saints, the other of the wicked; the one is 
a Aug. Enarrat in Ps. 61.  jerusalem, the other is Babylon. In the first, that most glorious city of God, and his Saints, the Celestial jerusalem, all tears are wiped away from the eyes of the Citizens; there is neither death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain, Revel. 21.4. There is no Evil there; no not the Evil of affliction. Wherefore that City, is not the City in my text.  
In the other City, the City of this world, the Terrene city, the city pestered with the wicked, Babylon, great Babylon, the city of confusion, there is no sure repose for the Godly there. There may they become a 
b Ps 79 4.  reproach to their neighbours, there may they be a scorn, and derision, to them, with whom they live; there may they 
c Psal. 88.9.  mourn daily by reason of affliction. For even the Godly, who are 
d August. de civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 1.  by grace cives sursum, Citizens above, citizens of the supernal and Celestial City of God, they are also by grace peregrini deorsum, pilgrims, or strangers here below, in this Terrene city, the city of this world. Here must they pass through many evils; here must they be cut, hewn, and squared, with sundry tribulations, sicknesses, and diseases, before they can be made fit and lively stones for the heavenly jerusalem.  
Thus have we found out the City in my text; it is this Terrene City, the City of this world; and this was my third circumstance. Vbi, the circumstance of the place, where the Agent performeth his Action.  
Now the meaning of my text is plain. Shall there be evil in a city; and the LORD hath not done it? Shall there be evil] Any evil of pain, punishment, or affliction, In a City] Not only in this City, wherein we are now assembled, but in any City, or other place of the whole world, in the city of this world, Shall there be any such evil any where, and the LORD hath not done it?] Or, as the divers reading is, 
e In the margin of the new translation.  Shall not the LORD do somewhat? The doctrine from hence to be commended to your most serious and religious meditations, is, Whatsoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the LORD.  
By affliction in this proposition I understand the suffering of any thing, the sense, or cogitation whereof our nature shuneth. Whatsoever is any way grievous, or offensive, to our human nature, I call Affliction. The temptations of the flesh, the world & the Devil; the diseases of the body, an infortunate husband or wife, rebellious children, unthankful friends, loss of goods, reproaches, slanders, war, pestilence, famine, imprisonment, death; every cross and passion, bodily or ghostly, proper to ourselves, or appertaining to such as are of our blood private or public, secret or manifest, either by our own deserts gotten, or otherwise imposed upon us, I call Afflictions. In a word, all manner of miseries, calamities, vexations, or molestations in this life from the least to the greatest, from the pain of the little finger, to the very pangs of death, I call Afflictions.  
There are two sorts of men (shall I say, in this city? I say in the city of this world) there are two sorts of men visited with afflictions: the one, the Scriptures call the reprobate; the other, the elect; they are the wicked, these the godly. Whatsoever Affliction befalleth the first sort, the Reprobate, the wicked, it is, (as Divines call it) τιμωία, a punishment wherewith God as a fearful judge avengeth himself upon the wicked for their sins; properly a punishment; a punishment inflicted on men sinning, that the justice of God may thereby be satisfied.  
With the other sort, with the Elect, with the Godly it is not so. Whatsoever afflictions befall them, they are not properly punishments for their sins; they are more rightly called Crosses. Punishments they cannot properly be called; because whatsoever punishment is due to any of the Elect for their sins, it's fully answered by Christ in his active and passive obedience, in his life and death. He is become our λύτρον, he hath paid the price of our redemption, he hath fully satisfied for all our sins; our sins past, present, and to come. And therefore if any afflictions be upon us, we are not to call them properly punishments for our sins; the name of crosses will befit them better.  
These crosses of the godly are either παιδιεῖαι or δοχιμα●αι, they are either chastisements for our sins already perpetrated, to make us the more wary for the time to come, that we fall not again into the same, or the like sins; or they are trials, and exercises, of our faith, hope, charity, patience, and other like Christian virtues. Now all these forementioned afflictions, either properly punishments for sin, such as are the afflictions of the wicked, or chastisements, or trials, such as are the afflictions of the Godly, they are all from the LORD according to the truth of my doctrine, Whatsoever affliction befalleth any one, any where in this world, it is from the LORD.  
The LORD, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the primary cause of all afflictions, and of many the immediate cause. Of the universal deluge, and flood of waters in the days of Noah, Gen. 6.17. Of the burning of Sodom, Gomorah, and their sister Cities, Gen. 19.24. Of the overthrow of Pharaohs host in the midst of the sea, Exod. 14.27. Of the smiting of Nabal to death, 1. Sam. 25.38. of all these was God the immediate cause.  
Some afflictions it pleaseth God to effect mediatè, by secondary, and instrumental causes, by Angels, by men, by other creatures.  
First God afflicteth by Angels. By an Angel he smote David's people, so that there died of the pestilence from Dan to Beersheba, scutcheon thousand men, 2. Sam. 24.15. By an Angel he smote in the camp of the Assyrians, one hundred fourscore and five thousand, 2. King. 19.35. By an Angel he smote K. Herod, so that he died, Act. 12.23.  
Secondly, God afflicteth by men. Here might I tell you of the afflictions, wherewith God exercised his people Israel by Cushan-Rishathaim K. of Mesopotamia for eight years, judg. 3.8. By the Midianites for seven years, judg. 6.1. By the Philistines, and the Ammonites for eighteen years, judg. 10.8. By the Philistines again for forty years, judg. 13.1. Here might I relate unto you the many afflictions, wherewith God proved his people, the people of judah, by sending against them the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans. The books of the Kings and Chronicles are copious in describing them. I need not remember you of Ashur, Esai, 10.5. how there he is styled the rod & the staff of the wrath of God, to signify, that he was organum, sive instrumentum Dei, the executioner of God's vengeance upon Hypocrites. I will not hold you with any long narration of Attila, King of the Huns, Medes, goths, and Danes, how in his title or inscription he called himself, metum orbis, flagellúmque Dei, the terror of the world, & the scourge of God. I pass over the great Turk, whom you know now to be the hammer of the world, and the rod of Christendom.  
Come we home unto ourselves. Here shall we find it made good, that by men God afflicteth men. Else why is it come to pass according to jeremies' words, chap. 9.4. that a neighbour deceiveth his neighbour, that a brother supplanteth his brother? Why is it now according to Micah's words, chap. 7 6. that the son dishonoureth his father, that the daughter riseth up against her mother? Why are a 
f Micah 7 6. Matth 10.36.  man's enemies now the men of his own house? Why doth the corrupt Magistrate 
g Amos 2.6.  sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes? Why doth the cruel Landlord 
h Amos 2.7.  pant after the dust of the earth on the head of his poor tenant? Why behold we in our cities biting usury, 
i Hab. 1.2, 3.  violence, oppression, false dealing? Certainly God is even now pleased to afflict men by men.  
Thirdly, God afflicteth by other creatures also. This the story of God's visitation upon Pharaoh, and the Egyptians, Exod. chap. 8, 9, 10. maketh plain unto us. There we find that frogs, lice, flies, grasshoppers, thunder, hail, lightning, murrain, botches, and sores, did instrumentally avenge God upon man & beast in Egypt. Not in Egypt only, but every where else, those & other like creatures, as fire, and snow, and vapours, and stormy winds, do fulfil what God commandeth. So saith the Spirit, Ps. 148.8.  
Infinite might I be in the prosecution of this point & yet keep myself within the limits of Sacred writ. But I may not dwell hereon. Only in sum I say; jehovah, the Lord our God, the Agent in my text, is Deus exercituum, a God of hosts. All creatures, Celestial, Terrestrial, Infernal, & the rest, that are either in the air, or in water; they are all of God's army, and are ready to do his Holy will. By these God afflicteth us. These are the instruments, but God is the author of our afflictions. Thus is my doctrine established, Whatsoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the Lord.  
Whatsoever affliction] be it punishment, chastisement or trial, Befalleth any one] wicked or Godly, Any where in this world] either here or else where, in the city of this world, It is from the Lord] either immediately and primarily of himself, or mediately and secondarily, by Angels, men, and other creatures, the instruments & executioners of his holy and just judgements.  
This doctrine thus confirmed and explained is profitable many ways.  
First it may serve for reproof of some old Heretics, the Coluthians, and Florinians. The 
k August. de haeres. cap. 65  Coluthians affirmed, that God doth no evil, contrary to my present text and doctrine. The Florinians affirmed, that God createth evil, contrary to that, Gen. 1.31. God saw every thing, that he had made, and behold it was very good. These two sects of Heretics are one against the other, but both against the dictates of the holy Spirit. S. Austin cap. 66. lib. de haeresib. hath fitted one answer for both: Create Deus mala, poenas iustissimas irrogando, quod Coluthus non videbat; non autem malas creando naturas, atque substantias, in quantum sunt naturae, atque substantiae, ubi Florinus errabat. The sum of his answer is: God may be said to create evil, to do evil, by laying upon offenders just punishments, which Coluthus saw not; but not by making evil natures and substances, which was Florinus his error. God createth evil, God doth evil; understand it not 
l Paulus de Palatio.  the malo culpae & criminum, but the punitione, poenâque scelerum, understand it not of the evil 
m Rupertus.  of iniquity, but of the evil of affliction, you are in right. For, Whatsoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the LORD.  
Is it from the LORD? Then in the second place this doctrine serveth to reprove such, as do voluntarily, and wilfully thrust themselves into afflictions, not expecting the good hour, when God should lay his rod upon them. The offenders in this kind are the Papists, such as betake themselves to the discipline, as they call it, 
n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  to beat themselves naked with rods & whips: such as superstitiously 
o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  wear sackcloth, 
p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  go barefooted, and 
q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  lie upon the ground; thinking by these, and such toys, to expiate their sins, and to demerit unto themselves eternal life.  
A vail for this their hypocrisy they think they have, in 1. Cor. 9.27. where St Paul saith of himself, I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection. The words are much stood on by Gretser lib. 1. de Disciplinis cap. 4. He collecteth from them, that St Paul did discipline himself, that is, did punish himself with strokes of rods or whips. For what else, saith he, is ὑποπιάζειν, but to beat with mighty strokes? And what is that, but facere disciplinam, to use discipline upon himself.  
This vail we easily take from them. St Paul takes his ὑποπιάζω tropically, as translated from the manner of fight between a champion, and his antagonist. But what is this to the jesuits purpose, who takes it literally?  
St Paul kept his body under, and brought it into subjection. I grant it. So should we after his example. Jt's our parts also ὑποπιάζειν: it's our parts to keep our bodies under, to bring them into subjection. The meaning is not, that we should afflict and macerate our bodies with whips, with scourges, with hairecloths, with lying upon the ground, and the like; St Paul did not do so; but the meaning is, that we should subdue the relics of the old man within us, that we should keep under the body of sin within us, that we should bring into subjection the corrupt nature within us, that thus mortified in the flesh, we may be quickened by the Spirit, as St Peter speaketh. 1. Epist. chap. 3.18. Thus mortified in the one, and quickened by the other, we shall be armed with patience to bear whatsoever affliction shall light upon us, being well assured, that every such affliction is from the LORD, according to the truth of my doctrine, Whatsoever affliction befalleth any one, any where in this world, it's from the LORD.  
Is it so beloved? Then in the third place, this doctrine serveth to confute the vain opinion of Fortune, whereunto, like the Philosophers of old, some carnal ignorant people now adays use to ascribe such their afflictions, whereof they see not an apparent cause. If by fire, by lightning, by tempests, by winds, by waters, by unseasonable weather, by thieves, or otherwise, they receive loss, they ascribe all to Fortune; quasi Deus otium coleret in coelo, & non curaret res humanas, as if they were to hold it for an article of their belief, that God liveth idly in Heaven, and hath no care of man's affairs.  
Noli fortunam, quae non est, dicere caecam. Foolish man! why dost thou for thy losses accuse blind fortune, when there is no such thing? Look up to Heaven. There is the seat of Majesty, whereon he sitteth, who ordereth all thy losses. Be patiented towards him. He is the Lord. How knowest thou, whether he will not deal with thee, as he dealt with job, cha. 42.12? It may be, he will make thy latter end, better than thy beginning was. Forget not therefore what now thou hast learned, Whatsoever affliction befalleth any one any where in this world, it is from the LORD.  
Is it from the LORD? Here then in the fourth place we have, wherewith to comfort ourselves in the day of affliction. Whatsoever affliction shall befall us, it's from the LORD: the LORD he is omnipotent, he is merciful, he is ever present with us; he will not suffer us to be tempted above our abilities; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it. So saith S. Paul, 1. Cor. 10.13. Well: we may be troubled on every side, but we shall not be overpressed; we may be perplexed, but shall not be in despair; we may be persecuted, but shall not be forsaken; we may be cast down, but shall not be destroyed. The same Apostle doth assure us hereof, 2. Cor. 4.8. Say, it is our case. We are troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down; what shall we do? We will support ourselves with David's confidence, Psal. 23.4. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil; for thou LORD, art with us. Thou, LORD art with us; 
r Rom. 8.13.  Quis contra nos? We 
s Hebr. 13.6.  will not fear, what man can do unto us.  
Wherefore to conclude, sith there is no affliction, that befalleth any man in this world, but it's from the LORD; and he is a bastard, not a son, that is not partaker of afflictions, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews witnesseth, chap. 12.8. Let us with S. james, chap. 1.2. account it exceeding joy, when we are afflicted. The patriarchs, the Prophets, the Evangelists, the Apostles, have found the way to Heaven narrow, rugged, and bloody: and shall we think that God will strew carpets for our nice feet to walk thither? He that is the door, and the way, our LORD & Saviour, jesus Christ, hath by his own example taught us, that by many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of Heaven. There is but one passage thither; and it is a straight one. If with much pressure we can get through, and leave but our superfluous rags, as torn from us, in the throng, we shall be happy.  
Let us therefore, whensoever any adversity, cross, calamity, misery, or affliction shall betide us, let us with due regard to the hand, that smiteth us, receive it with thanks, keep it with patience, digest it in hope, apply it with wisdom, bury it with meditation, and doubtless it shall end unto us in peace and glory, in peace of Conscience in this life, and in glory eternal in the highest Heavens. Of this peace of Conscience in this life, and that immarcessible crown of glory in the life to come, vouchsafe gracious Father, to make us all partakers for thy best beloved Son jesus Christ his sake: to whom with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit be all praise and power, might and Majesty, dignity and dominion for evermore. Amen.  
FINIS.