Chapter 17: Of the burden of outward afflictions, and the grievousness thereof laid open in three Pa
when you labour under it. But someone who feels the burden of sin says, "The Lord be merciful to me—I thought my back would break under the burden of sin." This is why David prays for the healing of the bones that were broken. And this is the reason for the saints' watchfulness and carefulness under this burden.
The main point of all I have said about this burden is this: that I might point out those whom Christ calls to Himself, so that you may be prepared to listen to His invitation to come to Him for rest.
Though we have not yet come to that part, take notice that there is rest in Christ for all these burdens, and from all these burdens.
And so much for the burden of the remaining corruption in the hearts of the saints.
Chapter 17:
Of the burden of outward afflictions, and the grievousness thereof laid open in three Particulars.
1. In themselves, they are a part of the curse of the Law.
2. They hinder much in doing Service to God.
3. They often help forward many strong temptations.
Why God will have his Saints to be under this burden:
4. Because He will have His servants honour and obey Him, merely out of love.
5. Because He knows that, through this, their corruptions may be best mortified.
6. To be a stumbling block to the wicked.
The next burden is the burden of affliction, the burden of outward afflictions: poverty, disgrace, sickness, or any kind of trouble in this world. You shall find these things to be very burdensome to you.
Now, Christ calls such as labour under this burden to come to Him, and He promises to give them rest. Christ has a tender affection towards poor creatures under outward burdens—towards all those whom the Father has given to Him—especially when they are burdened with outward affliction. The Gospel contains an abundance of refreshment to help and ease sinners who feel the burden of afflictions in this world. There is no greater way to ease and rest than by the grace of God in Christ, as we shall explore more fully when we come to the promise.
Now, the burden of affliction is very grievous to many. The burden of poverty, disgrace, sickness, or the like—those whom God allows to prosper in their ways little think of the burdens upon their brethren.
How many of our brethren, in these days, groan under these burdens, though we do not feel them ourselves? We do not know how soon we may be brought under them, and therefore it is timely to show the rest we have in Christ, even from under these burdens. I have spent some time opening the grievousness of other burdens; now, this burden of outward afflictions is one that people are so keenly aware of that there is little need for much explanation. But it is necessary to tell all who feel these burdens that they may come to this promise and that they are under Christ's invitation. He invites them to come to Him for rest from these burdens.
First, outward afflictions are burdens because they are, in themselves, part of the curse of the Law. If they are sanctified to anyone, it is by virtue of this promise in the text. If any affliction upon you is sanctified, it comes from Christ. Before you come to Christ, all outward afflictions—poverty, sickness, or any disturbance you face in your estate—are the fruit of the curse, and they remain so until you come to Christ. Now, to bear something that is, in itself, a fruit of the curse must, of course, be a burden because it is so contrary to nature and most afflictive to nature.
Secondly, outward afflictions are burdensome because they hinder us greatly in doing the service that we were born for, the service we were born to do in this world. They hinder us from many opportunities to serve God. For example, sickness of body—what a burden it is! Because it hinders those who are continually sick from doing the service that God requires of them. Indeed, this is what makes it most burdensome to someone who is gracious. It is not simply the pain that makes it a burden, but the fact that my soul is hindered in those operations I would gladly be exercising for God and in doing good in the place I am set in.
Similarly, poverty is a burden—not because I cannot live as comfortably as others, or have fine houses, clothes, and food as others do—but because I must spend all my time merely getting provision for my family. This leaves me little time for God's service.
Others can spend time in God's service, hearing, praying, and meditating, but I must spend most of my time simply trying to get bread. Now, this is a burden. Additionally, because of poverty, I have little opportunity to do service for God. Those with large estates have more opportunities to serve God; they are called to public services, while I am not in the same position. This is a great burden for one who has any beginnings of grace in their heart.
By the way, it is a good sign of true grace if you, who are under the burden of affliction, can feel the burden where it truly lies. I appeal to those who complain of the burden of affliction, poverty, and the like—what is it that makes your affliction most burdensome? Yes, it is painful to your nature, but the Lord knows this: what makes it truly grievous and burdensome to me is that, because of this affliction, I am forced to spend so much time on lesser tasks that I have little time to do good in my generation. Others who have greater estates, I count them happier in this—that the Lord has given them greater opportunities to serve Him than I have. I do not envy their wealth, but rather their greater opportunities to serve God. But it is
God who orders things in this way, and I must be content to bear this burden. If your heart complains in this way about your burden, it is a good sign, and know that in Christ there is an abundance of grace to sanctify these burdens to you.
Many other things could be said about the burden of affliction, but I will add just one more.
Thirdly, outward afflictions are a great burden in this respect because they often occasion and further many strong temptations.
Outward afflictions strengthen and give rise to powerful temptations, which are very grievous to the soul. For example, when someone is afflicted more than others, the temptation arises: "Surely God does not love me, because of this affliction." Then follows the temptation to envy others, because I am afflicted more than they are. Next comes the temptation of distrust: "I shall perish one day or another."
Then comes the temptation to murmur under God's hand; the temptation to take unlawful courses, to shift for oneself by unworthy means. Oh, what temptations many experience who are under severe afflictions—poverty, imprisonment, disgrace, dishonour in the world!
What strong temptations they have to stretch their consciences.
This is what makes outward afflictions such a grievous burden, because they occasion great temptations, leading poor souls to stretch out their hands to folly, and often to resort to unlawful means to help themselves. Yes, the very anticipation of these burdens is often so grievous that it leads to temptation to do much evil in order to avoid those burdens. And yet, despite all this, the Lord is pleased to order and dispose of things in this world so that even those to whom He intends everlasting good in Christ must go through such burdens. For most of their lives, they bear the burdens of poverty, sickness, and outward troubles in this world.
Many reasons can be given why the Lord orders things in this way, so that His dear servants, for whom Christ shed His precious blood, must bear these burdens, while others who are wicked and ungodly scarcely know what such burdens are.
1. The Lord does this to show that He will have His servants honour and serve Him purely out of love, and not in a mercenary way to gain outward things in this world. He wants us to serve Him out of love and faith. If we were always to prosper in outward things, our service would become more carnal. But now, though His servants face many afflictions in this world, they still love the Lord, love His ways, love His service, and continue in faithful obedience to Him. This demonstrates the excellency of grace more than if they prospered in this world.
2. The Lord sees this as the best means to mortify our corruptions.
You may complain about your afflictions, but who knows what sins you would have fallen into if you had not experienced such afflictions?