and cloathed beautifully I indeede desired that I might bee baptized and to give my selfe to the service of your God but now I am farre of another mind when I see the servants of your God so ill entertained and provided for This offence daily keepes off many but the conversion of great ones would bring on not onely multitudes of other people but other great ones also It is reported of Lucius King of England who was the first King that ever by his authority established Christian religion in his Kingdome which is the honour of our countrey it was the first Kingdome that ever had Christian Religion established by the supreme magistrate In the first entrance into the Kingdome he favovored Christian Religion as an ancient historian Gildas Albanius reports but yet the Religion hee was brought up in stucke so fast in him that hee could not bee brought off wholly to embrace Christian Religion And a great thing that hindered him was the offence he tooke at the outward meannesse and povertie of Christians and especially hee looked at the Romanes who were a glorious and victorious people and the Emperour there who lived in so great glorie and prosperitie and hee considered with himselfe that they did not embrace Christian Religion and wherefore then should hee But after hee learned from the Embassadours of Caesar that some of the noble and chiefe of Rome as by name Trebellius and Pertinax and others embraced the Religion of Christians that the Emperour himselfe was moved with that miraculous Raine that was caused by the prayers of the Christians then Lucius attended more fully to understand what Christian Religion was and was taken off from that which formerly hindered him Whereupon he sent to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome Elvanus and Medinus his Embassadours to send him some to instruct the Brittaines in the Doctrine of Christ that hee might establish Christian Religion in his Kingdome and abolish Heathenisme this was in the yeere of Christ 179. Thus you see what a power Religion hath when it is in great ones And on the contrarie the more eminent you are in Honours and in Greatnesse if your examples be evill they doe the more mischiefe Sinne dressed up with a diamond or covered with a scarlet robe carries a brave shew with it Desinunt esse probri loco purpurata flagitia If your waies bee never so base and unworthy the generall course of people will follow after you as Christ said if the sonne of man bee lifted up all men will follow him so if the most base wickednesse in the world bee lifted up in the examples of great ones all men will follow after it that way that they see to be a way of preferment and to get the countenance of those that are great men generally they will chuse yea how doe wee see many that they may bee like great ones in their way and get a little petty preferment by them they will subject themselves to most sordid things that otherwise common humanity would loath and abhorre There is a notable example for this in a relation that Contzen hath in his booke that he intitles Aulae speculum in the 156. page of one Eutropius an Eunuch hee was the governour of the Court and had in exceeding honour but favoured and preferred onely such which either were already or were willing to make themselves Eunuches like himselfe whereupon sayes my Authour multitudes of men made themselves and their children Eunuches that they might obtaine the favour of Eutropius and be raised to preferment by him and many of them dyed of the wounds that were made in their body Thus you see what the power of the countenance and favour of great ones is which men seeke by being like them in any base wayes And have we not many still that would bee content to prostitute themselves their soules and their bodies in the most shamefull wayes that can be to obtaine the favour of those who are great to get preferment by them willing to let humanity Religion God conscience soules and all goe so they may be countenanced in the World Lastly remember the great and solemne account that you are to give before the Lord another day of all the mercies you have received from God above others which have beene abundant which cannot be reckoned and if your receipts be so great as you know not how to reckon them how shall you be able then to reckon for them Surely when you come to give an account of all you enjoy you will have other manner of thoughts of all your outward glory then you had when you conceived there was so much happinesse in it Consider now what will be peace to your soules when you must bid an everlasting farewell to all those things which are so glorious in your eyes Doe you thinke that now you doe improve all those mercies that God hath given you so as when you come upon your death beds and before the Lord you shall be able to look backe to your former time and rejoyce in it The Lord will not regard how you have beene magnified by men but how you have magnified his great and glorious Name Riches will not availe in the day of wrath the remembrance of all sinfull delights will be bitterer then gall to you when the accounts of all your honours riches and pleasures shall be called for how they have been improved for God If you cannot then make your accounts even either by shewing how you have imployed these talents or by bringing in an acquittance and pardon bought with Christs precious bloud and sealed to you by his holy Spirit you are undone for ever so that now those things will prove your burdens that here were your delights and honours what will it then profit you to have beene honorable and rich in the World have nothing left but guilt in your consciences and Gods vile esteeme of you what good shall your passed pleasures bring to you when they have abandoned you and nothing remaines but pollution and filth upon your soules and the just wrath of God whom you have displeased by pleasing your selves in those pleasures or what will it profit you to have gained the whole world and to have lost your owne soules I have read of one Francisus Xaverius who writing to John the third King of Portugal gave this wholsome counsell to him that every day for a quarter of an houre he would meditate of that divine sentence What shall it profit a man to win the whole world and to lose his owne soule and that he would seeke of God the right understanding of this that hee might be sensible of it and that he would make it the close of all his prayers the repetition of those words What shall it profit a man c. How happy counsell would this be for all our Courtiers and great men if it might be followed when you have spent all your estates and
them as if they were made now to us Compare Joshua 1. 5. with Hebrewes 13. 5. God saith to Ioshua I will be with thee I will not faile thee nor forsake thee now in the Hebrewes Saint Paul applyeth it to the beleevers in his time as if it had beene made to them Be content saith he with such things as ye have for hee hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee They might have answered where hath God said so hee said it indeede to Ioshua but what is that to us yes all one as if he had spoken to you Vpon this one instance whatsoever promise God ever made to any of his people since the beginning of the world for any good if our condition comes to be the same Faith will make it her owne as if God had but now made it to us in particular So for Gods former dealings with our selves when all sense of Gods mercies faile that God seemes to be as an enemy Faith will fetch life from his former mercies as if they were now present as wee see in David Psal 77. 5 6. I have considered the dayes of old the yeeres of ancient time I call to remembrance my song in the night c. And vers 10. I said this is my infirmity but I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the most High Hee checkes himselfe for doubting of Gods mercies because of his former mercies and hee recovers himselfe by bringing to minde the former dealings of God with them So Psal 143. 45. Davids spirit was even overwhelmed within him and his heart was desolate yet he recovers himselfe by remembring the dayes of old and by meditating upon Gods former workes Now in this worke of Faith what abundance of strength doth it bring in from all the mercies of God to our fore-fathers from all the promises made to any godly men though never so long since from all Gods former dealings in his goodnesse and makes all these as present to us this must needs wonderfully strengthen the heart to any service or suffering As despaire makes all Gods former dealings in his judgements with others and Gods wayes concerning it selfe as present to fetch terror from them so Faith Gods mercies to fetch comfort and strength from them Secondly Faith is a raising grace it carries the soule on high above sense above reason above the world when Faith is working oh how is the soule raised above the feares and favours of men It is said of Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 17. 6. His heart was lift up in the wayes of God Faith lifts up the heart in the wayes of God A man raised on high sees all things under him as small Eusebius tells us of a notable speech that Ignatius used when hee was in his enemies hands not long before hee was to suffer which argued a raised spirit to a wonderfull height above the world and above himselfe I care sayes hee for nothing visible or invisible that I might get Christ let fire the crosse the letting out of beasts upon mee breaking of my bones the tearing of my members the grinding of my whole body and the torments of the Devils come upon me so be it I may get Christ Faith puts a holy magnanimity upon the soule to slight and to over-looke with a holy contempt whatsoever the world proffers or threatens All things are under us while wee are above our selves and it is onely Faith that empties us of our selves and raises us above our selves Faith raises the soule to converse with high and glorious things with the deepe and eternall counsels of God with the glorious mysteries of the Gospel with communion with God and Jesus Christ with the great things of the Kingdome of Christ with the great things of Heaven and eternall life Men before Faith comes into their soules have poore low spirits busied about meane and contemptible things and therefore every offer of the world prevailes with them and every little danger of suffering any trouble scares them and makes them yeeld to any thing but when Faith comes there is another manner of spirit in a man Every spirit is not fit for sufferings but a spirit truely raised by Faith a princely spirit so Luther calls it to dare to venture losse of estate and life for the Name of Christ to this a Princely spirit is required When Valens the Emperour sent his Officer to Basilius seeking to turne him from the Faith hee first offered him great preferments but Basil rejected them with scorne Offer these things sayes he to children then he threatens him most grievously Basil contemnes all his threatnings Threaten sayes he your purple Gallants that give themselves to their pleasures And Basil in his Homily in Quadraginta Martyres brings them in answering the offers of worldly preferments Why doe you promise us these small things of the world which you account great when as the whole world is despised by us What great spirits did Faith put into some of these worthies mentioned in this chapter which appeares by the great things that they did by their Faith vers 33. 34. Through Faith they subdued Kingdomes they stopped the mouthes of Lions and this is observable that working righteousnesse and obtaining the promises are put betweene these two as if these were workes of the same ranke fit to bee joyned with such great things as those were Againe by Faith they quenched the violence of the fire of weake they were made strong they waxed valiant in fight they turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Certainely Faith is as glorious a grace now as ever it was and if it be put forth it will enable the soule to doe great things The raising of the soule above reason and sense is as great a thing as any of these The Faith of Abraham was most glorious for which hee is stiled the Father of the faithfull and yet the chief for which this is commended is that hee beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. When the soule is in some straight it lookes up for helpe and sense sayes it cannot be reason sayes it will never be wicked men say it shall not be yea it may bee God in the wayes of his providence seemes to goe so crosse as if hee would not have it to be yet if Faith have a word for it it sayes it shall be In great difficulties in sore afflictions when God seemes to be angry and to strike in his wrath when there appeares nothing to sense and reason but wrath yet even then Faith hath hold on Gods heart when his hand strikes If Faith by raising the soule above reason and sense can carry it through even such streights as the sense and apprehension of the wrath of God himselfe if it can enable to beare the strokes of God when they appeare as the strokes of an enemy much more easily can Faith enable to resist the temptations of the world and to carry it through all the
was honoured of them by the name of Mercurius And Clemens Alexandrinus cites one saying that Moses taught the Israelites letters and from the Iewes he sayes the Phoenicians had them and from the Phoenicians the Graecians For the beauty of his body it was incomparable when he was borne hee was exceeding faire so Act. 7. 20. The words in the Greeke have a greater emphasis with them then our English expression hath fine elegant so as citizens are when they are trimmed up in their bravery upon dayes of festivity that is the propriety of the word and this is said to be exceeding in the text it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fayre to God divinely beautifull a kinde of divine beauty was upon him a beauty beyond humane beautie such beauty as in his very face a divine lustre appeared The Scripture useth this phrase to signifie the highest degree of a thing as Ionah 3. a very great citie it is in the Hebrew magna Deo so here exceeding faire venusta Deo Iosephus reports of him that by that time hee was three yeares old God added an admirable grace to his countenance so that there was none but was amazed at the beauty of Moses and would leave their serious businesse to feede their eyes with Moses his incomparable beauty their eyes were held with it that they could not tell how to looke enough upon him and hee sayes that they never went from him but unwillingly And for the sweet temper disposition of his spirit that was exceeding amiable the Scripture saies that hee was the meekest man upon earth Numb 12. 3. And Josephus in his fourth booke and last chapter sayes hee was so free from passions that hee knew no such thing in his owne soule he only knew the names of such things and saw them in others rather then in himselfe And fourthly for honour in the world he was very eminent the adopted son of Pharaohs daughter the name of this Pharaohs daughter Iosephus tells us was Thermuthis he sayes likewise she was the onely child Pharaoh had Pharaoh had no sonne to inherite the kingdom and that this his daughter Thermuthis had no child and therefore having found Moses shee set her heart upon him and feined her selfe to bee with child and kept Moses hid untill such a time as it might be thought to bee her owne child to that end that he might inherite her fathers crowne And further hee tells us that this daughter of Pharaoh was much beloved of her father and that in respect to her he loved Moses also which appeares in this relation that hee hath Hee saith that when Moses was a little one Pharaohs daughter brought him to her father put him into his armes he to gratifie his daughter tooke off his owne diadem and set it upon Moses head There were likewise divers prognostications that Moses should hereafter doe great things Iosephus saith that Amram Moses his father had a speciall revelation concerning this childe that he should be delivered from the danger of being slaine and that hee should bee a deliverer of his people He tells us likewise that when Pharaoh put his diadem upon his head hee though but a little child tooke it off and stampt it under his feete whereupon some of his Magicians would have had him put to death saying that it was a signe that this child in time would cast downe Pharaohs Crowne And one Gualmyn a later writer writing of the life of Moses hath this relation that when Moses was three yeares old Pharaoh made a great feast and his Queene holding him by the right hand and his daughter together with Moses by the left his Nobles being bid to sit before him Moses before them all tooke Pharaohs crowne from his head and set it upon his own whereupon all being amazed one Balaam a Magitian put Pharaoh in minde of a dreame hee had had which was this There stood before him an old man having a paire of scales in his hand and in one of the scales there appeared to him as if all Aegypt the children and women had beene in it in the other scale hee saw onely one childe which downe-weighed the whole Kingdome and all that was in the other scale This is Moses whose faith whose selfe-deniall is set downe unto us thus glorious in this Scripture one who might have lived a most brave life in the enjoyment of the highest honours the swetest pleasures the choisest delights that heart could wish yet this Moses refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter This Moses chooses rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God this Moses is contented to bee scorned and contemned for Christ he ventures upon the wrath of the King and endures it all In this excellent argument of the selfe deniall of such a worthy of the Lord we are to consider First what he refuses namely to bee accounted the sonne of Pharaohs daughter for Moses was generally reputed to be her owne sonne and honoured as her owne son but he thought it a greater honour to be a sonne of Abraham to come of the promised seede to have his pedigree from Gods people this hee accounts more noble and this hee will rather glory in though hee does prejudice himselfe in great pâ—eferments dignities and riches and all kind of outward glory that otherwise hee might have enjoyed from whence the point is That nobility of birth and court honours and all outward delights are to bee denied for Christ Secondly wee are to consider the time when this was it was when hee was of full yeares the words in the originall are when hee came to bee great and the observation from this is That it is then truly honorable indeede to deny honours and pleasures when wee have opportunitie to enjoy them to the full in the very prime of our time Thirdly wee are to consider the principle which carried him on which was faith and from thence the point is That faith is the principle that must carry through and make honorable all a Christians sufferings For the first CHAP. I. SECT 1. That nobilitie of birth and all honours and delights whatsoever are to be denyed for Christ IT must bee granted that nobility of birth in it selfe is a blessing of God The children of nobles have an honourable mention in Scripture Eccle. 10. 7. Blessed art thou O land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles The chiefe the nobles in Israel are called the renowned in the congregation Numb 1. 16. and Isay 5. 13. that which is translated honorable men is in the originall their glory and so by Arias Montanus gloria ejus The Nobility are the glory of a kingdome and Iude. 8. where some are said to speake evill of dignities the word is glories 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men in eminent places are or should be the glory of those places and of the
meanest workes of it is a greater honour to you then you can bee to it It is the unhappinesse of many who are of birth and quality they lose much spirituall good that they might have in communion with Gods servants in their gifts and graces because of that distance that is betweene them and although some duties of religion are taken up by them which may in their owne thoughts stand with their honours and correspond with their friends of quality yet other duties are looked at as too low as praying in their families when other helpe is wanting instructing servants leaving unnecessary occasions and sports to attend upon the preaching of the word calling over what of Gods minde hath beene made knowne to them The Holy Ghost sets it out as an addition to the honour of those noble men of Berea Acts 17. 11. that they received the word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures after they had heard Paul preach to examin what had beene delivered to them After Oswald King of Northumberland was converted by one Aidan a Bishop it is reported of him that he disdained not to preach and expound to his subjects and nobles in the English tongue that which Aidan preached to the Saxons in the Scottish tongue It still remaines the glory and renown of that young truly noble Lord Harrington in the blessed memory of him that he was so diligent so constant in those duties of religion which now are accounted so meane and low by many great ones It is recorded in his life that he prayed not onely twice a day in secret but twice with his servants likewise in his chamber besides the joyning at the appointed times of prayer in the family he meditated of three or foure sermons that hee had lately heard every day every Lords day morning hee would repeate the sermons that hee had heard the Lords day before and at night those he heard that day There is no disproportion betweene such exercises as those and the dignity of nobility if things be judged according to righteous judgement there is in truth no denial of the honour of true noblenesse in these but because of the perverse judgement of the world there is neede of much selfe-deniall to submit to them The conclusion of this point is this if you would be indeede honorable as your famous and religious ancestors have beene be as they were Religion sayes to us as God to Eli 1 Sam. 2. 30. them who honour me I will honour I have read of the Lacedaemonians that for the stirring up of the spirits of yong men to noble and heroicall enterprises they used to have the Statues in marble or brasse of their most famous worthies set up in their Senate house with this Epigramme graven in golden characters underneath si fueritis sicut hi if you will bee like these that is in vertue and famous actions eritis sicut illi you shall bee like them in glory and renowne Thus the memory of the succeeding generations after worthy ancestors hath lifted them up in their due honour and their deserved high esteeme with this Motto upon them si fueritis sicut hi eritis sicut illi be we like them in holy desires for the honour of religion and the good of our countrey and wee shall be now and in the succeeding generations like them in a blessed and glorious memoriall of us Honour likewise and all pleasures and delights that we enjoy are to bee denyed for Christ It is true they are the blessings of God in themselves many of Gods servants have enjoyed them and made much use of them for God and his people as Joseph Ester Mordecai Obadiah Ezra Nehemiah Daniel the Lord deputy of Cyprus Acts 13. 2. the great Lord Treasurer of the Queene of the Ethiopians Acts 8. 27. So it is said that he had the charge of all her treasure and those that were of Caesars houshold Phil. 4. 22. And so in after times Church Histories relate unto us many worthyes of the Lord who lived in the Courts of the greatest persecuters of Christian religion and yet they kept their faith intire and their consciences unspotted As Flavianus in Vespasianus his Court Dorotheus in Dioclesians Terentius in Valentinians and multitude of others might be named in all succeeding generations Court-honours are to bee denied for Christ for they are his it is hee that hath raised us in these higher then others And though they be blessings yet not so great that wee should grudge Iesus Christ the having the honour of them the least of his honour hath more excellency in it then all these in the heigth of them and ten thousand times more then these for there is a vanity in them all we know Solomon who had the highest of them that ever were yet hee saw and had the experience of vanity yea exceeding vanity and vexation of spirit to be in them observe his expression First vanity not vaine only but vanity it self Secondly excessive vanity for it is vanity of vanitie Thirdly a heape of vanities for it is in the plural number vanitie of vanities Fourthly all is vanity Fifthly hee addes his name to that he saith saies the Preacher Choeleth the word signifies the soule that hath gathered wisedome or the soule that is gathered to the Church as some When Daniel chap. 4. had the vision of the estate of the foure great Mornarchies of the world the Persian Chaldaean Graecian and Romane it was set out unto him by the foure windes what are all the Empires all the dignities of the world but as winde There is no reality in these brave Court things which are so admired and magnified by the most When Agrippa and Bernice came in great pompe to the judgement seate Acts 25. 23. it was all but a meere phancy for so the words are in the originall they came with much phansie Honour is but a shaddow and when it comes from these outward things it hath not the dignity to be so much as the shaddow of a substance for all these outward things are as shaddowes Prov. 8. 20. 21. wisedome there saies that shee leades in the pathes of righteousnesse and in the midst of the pathes of judgement that shee may cause those that love her to inherite substance the word substance is translated by some id quod est that which is that which hath a being as if nothing had a being as if nothing could bee called a substance but that which wisedome that is grace and godlinesse gives to inherite The fashion of this world passeth away saies the Holy Ghost the word in the originall signifies the surface the outside as if all the things of the world were a meere surface avaine outside The shadow of a man may be longer or shorter but the man remaines the same still it adds nothing to the man honours preferments may be more or lesse but the man remaines the same he did before
No man saies Seneca whom riches and honours set high is therefore great he onely seemes so because we measure him with his Basis but set a dwarfe upon a mountaine hee is not higer and set a mighty high statue in a pit it is not the lesse When gold is raised from twenty shillings to two twenty the gold was as good before as it is now it is the same peece still that then it was the raising of it is only in the estimation of men It is said of Eliakim Isaiah chap. 22. v. 24. They shall hang the honour of his fathers house upon him honour is but an externall additament there is no internall excellencie in it Great letters in a word set out with gaies take up more roome then others make a greater shew in the word then other letters but they adde no more to the sense of the word then others doe so men enjoying great honours in the world they carry a greater porte with them they make a greater shew then others but the men are not the better for theÌ„ Notwithstanding all the outward honours of Antiochus Epiphanes yet still the scripture calles him a vile person as Daniel chap. 11. 21. all these things are a meere fable When Augustus Caesar was neere to death who had been Emperour fifty yeares and living in much glory pompe commanding almost all the knowne world yet when he was to die he saw al that he had enjoyed to bee but a meere fable for thus he expresses himself to theÌ„ that were about him Have not I seemed to have acted my part sufficiently in this fable of the world But if there be no reality in honour yet it may be there is something in pleasures men feele something they thinke there is such a reality in them that in comparison of them all other excellencies that are spoken of are judged by them but meere imaginations but if the excellency of these may passe according to the judgement of the Holy Ghost if that sentence that he hath passed upon them may stand there is nothing in these neither which appeares by the comparing of two places of scripture In the sixth chap. of the Prophesie of Amos the fourth verse he charges the Courtiers of riotousnesse for it appeares that though before he was a heards-man yet now he is a Preacher to the Court Amos 7. 13. that riotousnesse which he charges theÌ„ withall he expresses thus That lie upon beds of ivorie stretch themselves upon their couches and eate the lambs out of the flocke and calves out of the midst of the stall They would have the best of every thing whatsoever it cost them calves in the midst of the stall were the best They chanted to the sound of the viole and invented to themselves instruments of musicke like David that is most curious and exquisite instruments not like Davids instruments to praise the Lord by but as David intended the best instruments hee could to serve God by so they invented the best that could bee got and laid out much charge for them that they might more fully serve their lusts by them They drinke wine in bowles and annoynt themselves with the chiefe ointments and these they give up themselves unto so as they minde nothing else they care not what becomes of any thing so be it they may freely enjoy the pleasures of their lusts They are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph This their life might seeme to some a most brave and desireable life but marke what the Holy Ghost saies of it in the same chapter verse thirteene Ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought all these pleasures put together were in a true judgement but a thing of nought Res nihili they had nothing in them when wee feede upon those wee doe but feede upon ashes and a seduced heart hath deceived us Isay 44. 20. that wee cannot say is there not a lye in our right hand they doe most certainely put a lye into our right hand that is they make us to use our chiefest strength for that which is nothing else but a meere lie and yet they doe so ensnare us and so grossely seduce us that wee cannot say is there not a lye in my right hand wee cannot so much as question with our selves Are these the things that wee were borne for are these the chiefe good of those that are raised to such an high estate are there not other things that God requires of us to looke after we cannot thus say in our owne thoughts Is there not a lye in our right hand such is the evill unreasonablenesse of our way that if we did but say thus in our own heart we would soone bee ashamed of it confounded in it and our hearts would quickly turne away from it But by the favours of the court a man may raise his estate so as to make him and his that follow after great there is some reality in riches is there not No not in riches neither for so sayes Solomon Prov. 23. 5. wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainely make themselves wings they flie away as an Eagle Observe first the Holy Ghost saies that riches are not are nothing those things that make men great in the eye of the world are nothing in the eyes of God a cipher is nothing in its selfe yet put a figure to it and it is something Secondly observe the Holy Ghost would not have us so much as set our eyes upon riches they are not objects worth the looking on Thirdly observe with what indignation hee speakes against those that will set their eyes upon them wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not as if he should say what a vaine unreasonable sottish senselesse thing is it Fourthly observe that he sayes their parting from us is by way of flight that is a sudden a swift and irrecoverable motion Fifthly observe that this flight is by the wings of an Eagle which is the most sudden the most swift and irrecoverable motion Sixtly observe none neede put wings upon them to fly away for so sayes the text they make to themselves wings there is matter enough in themselves to worke their owne corruption and to put themselves into a flight Wee thinke when wee are called to denie such riches pleasures and honours that then we are called to deny some great thing but the truth is had wee an eye to discerne the vanity of them we should see that we are called to deny nothing but a meere fancy a thing of nought and that which is not Oh that the glory of the world were darkened in our eyes as one day it shall be that it might not bee so deare unto us as to thinke it such a great matter to partâ—â—â— with any thing in it in the cause of Iesus Christ Riches are too meane things for a truely noble spirit to be taken withall
great spirits but onely godly men Thirdly it argues the power of grace to resist powerfull temptations is powerfull grace It was powerfull grace that enabled Joseph to resist such a temptation as hee had from his Mistresse Luther sayes it was no lesse miracle to overcome the flame of lust in this temptation then it was for those three men to be kept safe in the firy furnace When the World proffers it selfe in the glory and beauty of it unto us the temptation is strong to flesh and bloud Hence wee have so many Caveats in Scripture that when we are full wee should beware that wee forget not God and take heed wee decline not from him then then is the danger when corruption hath matter to feed on yet then to keepe it downe argues strength It is not the worke of a childe to governe a horse pampered full fed in fat pastures It was an argument that David had much power over his affections that though the waters of Bethleem were so longed for of him so desirable to him yet when hee had it before him and might have drunke of it yet then hee could deny himselfe and refused When Esau looked on the pottage of Jacob and saw it was so red so sutable and pleasing to him that hee must needes have it though it cost him his birth-right hee was not able to deny himselfe in giving contentment to his flesh at that one time though he knew it must cost him dear but though all the delights of the World be proffered yet where there is powerfull grace they are rejected It is a strong stomacke that can disgest much fat much honey and sweet things that usually clog weake stomackes so it is a strong spirit that is not overcome with the sweet of much prosperity It argued there was much power in the oath that Saul caused his Army to take 1 Sam. 14. 26. Not to eate any thing that day when though they being faint for want of meate and yet comming through a Wood where honey dropped from the leaves before them as they went yet none dared to touch one drop So here when men are compassed about with all delights and they are flesh and bloud as well as others and they finde the temptation come strongly upon them yet through the assistance of the grace of God they can abstaine this is a great honour to grace and arguing much power in it Fourthly it is a testimony of deare love to the Lord to deny ones selfe for his sake when one is in the highest of enjoyment of all delights to the flesh it is an argument that God is indeed the proper place the centre of the soul when although it hath never so much of the creature to give satisfaction unto it yet it cannot rest but workes still to God through all and from all As a stone though it were in never so good a place although it were in Heaven yet it would desire to descend because the proper place of it is below so let a gracious heart which hath God for the centre be put into any condition never so full of delight yet it is not satisfied it is willing to leave all that it may close with God To seeke after God and make much of godlinesse in the times of affliction may argue selfe love but love to God appeares not then As God manifests his love to us in not sparing his owne Sonne for us so wee manifest our love to God in not sparing our dearest contentments for him This God testifies of Abraham hereby hee knew he loved him indeed in that for his sake hee did not spare his onely sonne Isaac As Psal 45. when the Kings daughter is content to forsake her fathers house and dearest kindred then the King delights in her beauty to pretend love to Christ when the World withdrawes from us whatsoever is lovely in it this is not much but now to have our love burning after Jesus Christ when the World proffers to us all her lovelinesse this is true love Love is bountifull it is shewne to purpose when it shewes it selfe able and willing to part with much for the beloved as that love of God should be for ever accounted deare and pretious that shewes mercy to one at that time when hee is most wicked in the height of sinne even tempting God to destroy him so if when you have the strongest temptations to draw your hearts from God yet even then you can finde your hearts sweetly working towards him closing with him delighting in him here is love unfained this is love that God will owne and make much of for ever As the Idolatrous Jewes shewed their love to their Idols by plucking off their eare rings and parting with their Jewels and most pretious things they had for the honour of their Idols so doe the true worshippers of God shew their love to him when they doe part with much that is pretious and delightfull to flesh and bloud Fifthly this gives God the glory of all our prosperity which shewes wee acknowledge it to be from him and for him and that wee have it not for our selves but for the setting forth his praise When God gives us much of the creature wee mistake his meaning if we thinke hee gives it us to enjoy as we please for hee gives all to use for himselfe and where this is much acknowledged there God is much glorified if wee mistake not Gods meaning yet at least we forget upon what tearmes wee receive all our comforts from God namely that wee may returne them againe to him they are the words of a Heathen thou forgettest that thou hast received those things speaking of worldly prosperity to returne them againe Sixthly this gives testimony to the world that surely there are wonderfull blessed things that God acquaints the soule withall in the wayes of godlinesse that there is much sweet and contentment to be had in those wayes they see something more glorious that makes them so little to regard the glory that there is in the things of the World when men might have all content in what the World affords and yet they are willing to deny all for Christ surely they finde much sweetnesse in Jesus Christ that takes up their hearts and satisfies their soules or else they would never doe as they doe they have found something better then all these things something that the world knowes not of that makes them doe as they doe they would not let goe their hold in these outward things were it not they had found something better If you see a Bee leave a faire flower and sticke upon another you may conclude that she findes most Honey dew in that flower shee most stickes upon So here Gods people would never leave so many faire flowers in the Worlds Garden had they not some other in which they finde most sweetnesse Christ hath his Garden into which he brings his beloved
helpe by it hence wee have a most remarkable place in the 18. Psal v. 2. where he blesseth God for deliverance from all his enemies hee shewes what it was carried him through all the troubles hee had by them namely his faith pitched upon God for in that one verse hee hath nine severall expressions to shew God to be the full object of his faith in the times of all his distresses as First he is Jehovah Secondly he is my rocke Thirdly he is my fortresse Fourthly he is my deliverer Fifthly hee is my God Sixthly hee is my strength Seventhly he is my buckler Eighthly hee is the horne of my salvation Lastly he is my high tower And as hee hath trusted in him so in the same verse he resolves to trust in him still for so he saith my God my strength in whom I will trust The time of Habakuk his prophecy was a time of much trouble to the Church of God and then that which upheld the spirits of godly men and enabled them to suffer hard things it was their faith chap. 2. 4. The just by faith shall live when other mens spirits shall faile and sinke and dye in them then they shall live faith making just shall uphold them Faith in this case is like corke that is upon the nett though the leade on the one side sinkes it downe yet the corke on the other keepes it up in the water David professeth in the 27 Psalme v. 13. that hee had fainted unlesse he had beleeved Beleeving keepes from fainting in the times of trouble Saint Paul tells the Corinthians in the second Epistle and the first chapter verse 24. that by faith they stood it is faith that makes a man stand in the greatest trialls And therefore when Christ saw how Peter should bee tempted hee tells him that he had prayed that his faith should not faile noting that while his faith held all would bee sure when hee began to sinck in the waters as he was comming to Christ it was because his faith began to faile him So when our hearts beginne to sinke in afflictions it is because our faith begins to faile us We reade Acts 14. 22. that Saint Paul and Barnabas exhorted the disciples at Iconium and Antioch to continue in the faith and presently they adde that wee must through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God noting what use they should have of their faith to carry them through all Saint Paul saies of himselfe together with the rest of beleevers in the first epistle of Tim. 4. 10. Therefore wee labour and suffer reproach because wee trust in the living God Trusting in the living God is that which will carry a man through service and suffering whatsoever it bee But wherein lies the power of faith to take off the heart from the world and carry it through sufferings First It is the primary worke of this grace wherein the very beeing of it consists for the soule to cast it selfe upon God in Christ for all the good and happinesse it ever expects to relye here for all to roule it selfe upon God as an al-sufficient good to make an absolute resignation of all unto him so as to betrust him with all and to commit all unto him for ever Now this implies the taking off the heart from the things of the world for faith takes off the heart from its selfe therefore much more from any thing in the world and where this is sufferings cannot be very grievous because the whole good of the soule is now in God Psal 37. 7. Rest in the Lord and waite patiently where the soule pitches upon God as the rest and the al-sufficient good of it it will waite patiently whatsoever hard thing befalles it Secondly by faith the soule comes to have a higher principle to enable it to see God in his glory and majesty his greatnesse and infinitenesse his holinesse his justice and goodnesse then ever it had before It is true that by the use of reason we may come to understand much of God but certainely faith presents God to the soule after another manner then ever it formerly saw him or then any other man can see him untill faith comes into the soule it may well say it never knew God but now it sees him infinitely glorious and high above all It sees the infinite fountaine of all good and what an infinite dreadfull thing it were to be separated from this God or to have the wrath of such an infinite Diety to bee provoked against his creature We know by reason that the world was made by God but Saint Paul saith in the third verse of this chapter that by faith wee understand that the world was made so that the same thing may be knowne by reason and by faith too but faith being a higher principle discovers it to the soule in a higher way then reason can It is made one of the speciall fruits of Moses faith that enabled him to endure in all his sufferings in the 27. v. of this chapter that he saw him who was visible of which hereafter onely observe for the present that God is invisible to any eye but to the eye of Faith now where God is seene so as Faith presents him to the soule t is impossible but the feare of such a Deity must needes take mighty impression in that soule and all the glory of the world must needes be darkned to it and the least displeasure of the great God more troubled at then all the miseries that all creatures under Heaven are able to bring upon it How easie is it for a man to despise the World when faith gives him a cleare sight of God Isai 40. 5 6. The Text saith The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and then the voyce said Cry all flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field and vers 7. the latter end Surely the people is grasse When the glory of God appeares then all flesh and all worldly glory is but as grasse as the flower of the field as a contemptible thing Thirdly faith discovers the reality of the beauty and excellencie of spirituall supernaturall and eternall things revealed in the Word which before were looked upon as notions conceits and imaginary things In the first verse of this chapter faith is said to be the evidence of things not seene the word there translated evidence signifies the demonstration that convinces the soule throughly of the certainty and truth of such things as by reason and naturall parts are not seene And againe it is the substance of things hoped for the word is very significant in the Originall it is that which gives a substantiall being to the things of eternall life now when faith comes in the glorious mysteries of the Gospel the high priviledges of the godly the excellencie and beauty of grace the great things that God hath prepared for his servants are
manifestly discerned It is a notable expression of Jerome God would have such stability of faith in us that the things which we beleeve should be more certaine to us then the things wee suffer and the things hoped for should be in more reality with us then things sensible to us these things are now apprehended as reall and certaine things although they bee such things as the Apostle saith Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have they entered into the heart of man to conceive yet God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit even that Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God now there must be something in us to take this revelation of the spirit and that is faith The Spirit reveales them not as notions not as uncertain things and so faith takes them The Spirit of God sayes Luther does not write opinions but assertions in our hearts more certaine then life it selfe and all experiences whatsoever Faith can see into those things that no naturall eye ever saw it can apprehend that which never entred into the heart of man to conceive Saint Paul in the 2 Cor. 4. 18. sayes that the things that are eternall are things not seene and yet sayes that wee looke at things that are not seene though they be things that are not seene yet Saint Paul and other beleevers by the eye of faith could see them as certaine and reall things The things of Christ of grace of Heaven what poore empty notions were they to the soule what uncertaine things before faith came in but faith makes them to bee glorious things faith discovers such reall certaine excellencie in them and is so sure that it is not deceived that it will venture soule and body the losse of all that it will beare any hardship yea it will venture the infinite losse of eternity upon them faith discovers such reality and certainty in these things that now the things of the World that were before onely reall sure excellencies in the eyes of a man now are as fancies and shadowes empty imaginary contentments that have no being no foundation no certainty in them as formerly hath beene shewed Fourthly faith gives the soule an interest in God in Christ in all those glorious things in the Gospel and in the things of eternall life Faith is an appropriating an applying and uniting grace It is a blessed thing to have the sight of God there is much power in it but to see God in his glory as my God to see all the Majesty greatnesse and goodnesse of God as those things that my soule hath an interest in to see how the eternall Counsels of God wrought for mee to make mee happy to see Christ in whom all fulnesse dwels in whom the treasures of all Gods riches are and all those are mine to see Christ comming from the Father for mee to be my Redeemer all this is the worke of faith by the union of it with God in Jesus Christ Faith unites the soule to Christ after another manner then any other grace Love causeth a morall and spirituall union but this causeth a mysticall union other graces cause us to be like to Christ but this makes us be one with Christ and so have interest in what Christ hath interest in What is all the world now to such a soule where is all the bravery of it or the malice and opposition of it The losse of outward things or the enduring of afflictions are great evills to those who have not interest in better but to such as have interest in higher things there is no great matter though they lose lower Fifthly faith discharges the soule of the guilt of sinne and that dreadfull evill that followes upon it It gets a generall acquittance from God a pardon of all sinne and remission of all punishment thereof sealed in the blood of his Sonne The soule being made just by faith is able to live in the middest of many troubles The just by faith shall live so it is to be read not the just shall live by faith but being made just by faith so as to stand just and righteous in the Court of Heaven it now is able to live Faith cleares all betweene God and the soule it may bee there was long humiliation before many prayers made in seeking of this many teares shed many duties performed yet all this could not doe but the guilt lay on still but as soon as faith comes then all is gone and the soule stands righteous in the presence of God and all the breach betweene God and it is made up Being justified by faith wee have peace with God sayes Saint Paul Rom. 5. 1. Now the breach being made up and peace made marke what followes a little after in that Scripture there is not onely ability to beare trouble but to rejoyce in tribulations yea not onely to rejoyce but to glory in tribulations Strike Lord strike sayes Luther for I am absolved from my sinnes Now the soule hath got a greater good then the world can afford and is freed from greater evils then the world can inflict A man that hath beene with the King and gotten his pardon for his life is not troubled though hee lose his glove or handkerchiefe as hee comes out nor though it should prove a rainy day as he returnes home truely the losse of all things in the world to such a soule if it hath faith acting is but as the one and the enduring of all evils is but as the other And besides by this the soule sees it selfe so infinitely engaged to God as it is willing to doe or suffer whatsoever God will have it How readily doth Isaiah offer himselfe to God in service to which much suffering was annexed after God had taken away his sinne When God asked whom hee shall send hee presently answers Here am I Lord send mee It is enough that my sinne is pardoned my soule is saved let mee bee cast into any condition in the World let mee bee imployed in any service I have mercie and happinesse enough CHAP. X. Sixe more particulars wherein the power of faith is seene in taking the heart off from the world and carrying it through all afflictions FIrst Faith makes the future good of spirituall and eternall things to be as present to the soule to worke upon the soule as if they were present and makes use likewise of things past as if they were present and in these operations of faith there is much power to carry on the soule with comfort through sufferings for present things are apprehended by the minde more fully work more strongly upō the will and affections then things past or to come if I view a thing afarre off it appeares small to mee and little of what the thing is is conceived by me but if it be brought neere to me I see it to the full bignesse and am better able to judge of the nature
of the thing as it is And againe it workes more strongly upon my heart if I see a toade a great way off my heart stirrs not but if I see it neere as Pharaoh saw the froggs crawling upon his bed then my heart rises with loathing of it If wee could but see things now as God hath told us they shall appeare to us hereafter how mightily would they worke upon the soule howsoever there are many things that shall be seene hereafter that yet were never revealed and those things faith cannot make as present but such things as God hath revealed in his word that they shall hereafter come to passe faith may and whē it is active doth make them as present to the soule workes them upon the heart as if they did now appeare The want of this worke of faith is the cause almost of all the evill in the world and the acting of faith in this her worke in the lively and constant worke of it would produce fruites even to admiration The reason why those threates of God did not worke upon the people to whom Ezekiel preached God himselfe gives in the 12. chap. Sonne of man they say thou prophesiest of things a farre off And so for the mercies of God and the things of eternall life because the choyce of them are things to come the world with her present delights prevailes against them If you could see that glory of God in Christ and those glorious treasures of mercies that shall bee communicated and are now revealed and those dreadful evills that are now threatned and shall then be fulfilled I say if you could see them with the same eyes that now is manifested you shall see them with hereafter they would draw the hardest heart that is and bring downe the stoutest spirit that lives If you had faith you would bee able to see them so and the reason is because faith sees things as the word makes them knowne it pitches upon the word in that way that it revealeth the mind of God now the word speakes of mercies that are to come as present things and of evills that God intends to bring herafter as if God were now in the execution of them as will appeare in these scriptures Isa 52. 9. 10. Breake forth into joy sing together yee waste places of Ierusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Ierusalem the Lord hath made bare his holy arme in the eyes of all the nations thus the Prophet speakes of the deliverance of the Church from captivity as a thing done already which was not fulfilled many yeares after And David Psal 57. 2. even then when he fled from Saul in the cave hee lookes upon God as having performed all things for him the word is he hath perfected all things and that is observable that David uses the same expression of praising God here when hee was in the cave hiding himselfe to save his life as hee did when hee triumphed over his enemies Psal 6. and Psal 108. And 2 Chron. 20. from the 17. verse to the 22. as soone as Jehosaphat had received the promise he falls on praysing the Lord as if the mercy were already enjoyed praise ye the Lord for his mercy endures for ever Christ saith of Abraham John 8. 56. that he saw his day and rejoyced and was glad Christs day was unto him as if it had beene then And in the 13. verse of this chapter it is said of the godly who lived in former ages that though they saw the promises that were afarre off to be fulfilled yet the text sayes they imbraced them the word in the originall signifies they saluted them now salutations are not but betweene friends when they meet together To faith a thousand yeares are but as one day faith takes hold upon eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 19. It takes present possession of the glorious things of the kingdome of God it makes the soule to be in heaven conversing with God Christ his Saints and Angels already That which is promised faith accounts it given Gen. 35. 12. And the land which I gave to Abraham to thee will I give it it was onely promised to Abraham but Abrahams faith made it to him as given So for judgements and threatnings Esay 13. 6. Howle ye for the day of the Lord is at hand this is spoken of the destruction of Babylon which was a hundred and fifty yeares after but the word speakes of it as if it were now and so faith apprehends it the like wee may instance in many Scriptures you know it is ordinary and you who know the worke of faith you know it is as ordinary for it to looke at that which God saies as if it were now done things seene so work strongly What difference is there between mens thoughts and judgements of spirituall and eternall things in times of health in times of their sicknesse in the apprehension of death Aske them now what they thinke of grace of a good conscience of the pardon of sin of walking strictly with God Aske them now what their judgement is of Gods Saints Aske them what they thinke of eternal separation from God and the infinite wrath of a Deity for evermore now you shall finde their judgements otherwise then formerly and what is the reason of all but that things are judged now as present As despaire brings hell into the soule and puts the soule as it were into hell for the present the soule apprehends as if it were already there many in the horrour of their spirits have cryed out that they were in hell Francis Spira in the despaire of his soule cryed out verily desperation is hell it selfe So on the contrary faith brings heaven into the soule puts it as it were into heaven so that many of Gods people upon their sick beds when they have beene put in minde of heaven they have joyfully answered that they were in heaven already Faith likewise makes use of things past as if they were present as the ancient mercies of God shewed to our forefathers and Gods former dealings with our selves As Hosea 12. 4. the mercy of God to Iacob when he wrestled with him and prevailed the Church makes use of it as if it were a present mercy to themselves for so saith the text he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him hee found him in Bethel and there hee spake with us not onely with Iacob but with us whatsoever mercy God shewed to him we make it ours as if God were speaking with us and Psal 66. 6. Hee turned the sea into dry land they went through the flood on foot there did we rejoyce in them the comfort of the mercies of God for many yeares past to their forefathers they make as theirs there did wee rejoyce So all the promises that God hath made to any of his people though never so long agoe faith fetches out the comfort of
straights that any outward afflictions can bring it to All the strength that the temptations that come from the allurements of the world or the troubles that it threatens have it is from sense and carnall reasonings if the soule bee got above them then it is above the danger of such temptations by that magnanimity that Faith brings into the soule it is prepared to set upon difficult things to endure strong oppositions A beleever is one whom neither poverty nor death nor bonds nor any outward evils can terrifie Thirdly Faith is a purifying and healing grace Act. 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by Faith It purges out base desires after the things of the world and living at ease base joyes and delights in the creature in satisfying the flesh the feares of future evils that may come hereafter Faith feares not hunger saith Tertullian If the heart bee sound it will be strong this purging of it makes it sound 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of feare sayes the Apostle but of power of love and a sound minde the spirit of feare is first purged out and then there is a spirit of power and a sound minde where there is a sound minde there is a spirit of power what weakens the body but the unsoundnesse of it If distempered humours be in the body 't is not able to endure any thing a little cold oh how tedious is it to it but when these humours are purged out then it is strong and able to doe or suffer much more That which ill humours are to the body sinne is to the soule which being purged out the soule growes strong to resist temptations and to endure afflictions But further sinne in the soule is not onely as an ill humour to weaken it but it wounds it too now how little can a man doe or suffer with a wounded member It is Faith that heales our wounds by applying the Bloud of Christ to them and so it strengthens Fourthly Faith is a quickning grace it sets all other graces on worke it puts life and activitie into them all I live by the Faith of the Sonne of God sayes Saint Paul and especially it sets love on worke which is a grace exceedingly powerfull Faith workes by love If a mans faith be up all his graces will be so too and if that be downe all other graces are weake and downe with it Gulielmus Parisiensis reports of a Chrystall that it hath such a vertue as when the vertues of other pretious stones are extinct it will revive them againe Faith is such a Chrystall to revive the vertue of all graces When Davids heart was so downe that he chides himselfe so much Psal 43. 5. Why art thou cast down oh my soule he labors to recover himselfe by his Faith still trust in God hee is the health of my countenance and my God Faith brings life and maintaines life in the soule for it hath the most immediate union with Christ and therefore the livelinesse and activity of our graces depends much upon it now where the graces of Gods Spirit are lively and active the allurements and threats of the World cannot much prevaile Fifthly Faith is a mighty prevailing grace with God and with Jesus Christ as it is said of Jacob Gen. 32. 28. hee prevailed with God as a Prince Luther was a man full of faith and it was said of him Hee could doe what hee would Faith sets all Gods Attributes on worke for the good and reliefe of a beleever it stirres as I may so say the arme of an infinite power it opens the sluce that lets out the streames of an infinite mercie and causes an infinite wisdome to be active to finde out wayes to relieve in time of distresses it brings in all the strength and good of the New Covenant when Faith workes Jesus Christ is working to make good all the gracious promises of the Gospel and hee is the Mighty God wonderfull Counsellour the Prince of peace Faith does not strengthen the soule in a way of suffering by its owne strength but by the strength that it bringeth in from Iesus Christ Rev. 12. 11. The Saints overcame by the Blood of the Lambe Oh how willingly and joyfully does the Protector of Faith fight in such servants of his sayes Cyprian It is one thing to have interest in God and Christ and another thing to have them working for good in a speciall manner in particular causes where wee desire helpe and reliefe although it be true that God and Iesus Christ are alwayes working for the good of beleevers in some kind or other but yet when faith lyes still and is not active although wee doe not lose our interest in God yet we cannot expect such sensible manifestations of the gracious workings of God for us as when we put forth our faith and keepe it active and lively and then though we be never so weake in our selves wee set an infinite strength to worke for us Wee have a notable expression of Gods stirring up his strength and wisdome for those whose hearts are right with him 2 Chron. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth to shew himselfe strong for those whose heart is perfect towards him the words are ad roborandum se to strengthen himselfe God strengthens himselfe hee does as it were stirre up all his strength for such And although wee be in the darke and know not how to order our steps and to discover the subtilties of temptation yet there is an infinite wisdome working for us and although we be never so unworthy and vile yet wee have an infinite mercy whose bowels yerne towards us and will not suffer any evill to befall us yea the more weake and succourlesse wee are in our selves if the sense of it stirres up faith to set God on work for us wee are strong by our weaknesse not onely of weake are made strong but by being weake are made strong It is said of the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 8. that it had a little strength and yet it kept Gods Word and had not denyed his Name Although we have but a little strength yet if wee have faith to set Gods strength on worke wee shall keep Gods Word and not deny his Name Hence in the sixt place from all these it followes that faith is an overcomming grace this is the victory that overcommeth the world even our faith saith Saint John Epistle 1 chap. 5. v. 4. In this victorie there are three things First there is a conquering of the assaults of the world so as they can doe us no hurt bnt wee are able to repell the force of them But this is not all there is something further namely the making use of those things of the world for our good that would have undone us that is a full victorie where the enemies doe not onely resist and breake
backe but he brings the conquered into bondage so as now he is able to use the adversary to serve his owne turne so in this conquest of faith there is not onely an overcomming of the temptations of the pleasures of the world but abilitie to use them for God and the furtherance of our owne good And so in riches and honours Conquerours doe not use to put to the sword and destroy all they conquer but they bring them into bondage to be serviceable to them Some thinke there is no other victory over the world but to throw all away presently as wee reade of Crates the Philosopher hee cast his goods into the sea with this speech Get you gone into the deepes I will drowne you lest I bee drowned of you But this is not the way of God wee are to stay till God call us to leave that we doe enjoy untill that time you may enjoy your honours your riches and your moderate lawfull pleasures but to be able to use these for God this is a great victory The Devill often makes use of many of Gods good blessings which he gives us for our furtherance in his wayes to be a meanes to hinder us so faith makes use of all his oppositions in those waies which hee intends hinderances to bee meanes of great furtherance in them In former times men thought it a good piece of skill to keepe wilde beasts from doing hurt but after they got that skil not onely to keepe them from that mischiefe they did but to make use of them for their benefit to make use of theis skinnes and their intralls and divers other waies this is the skill of Faith in overcomming the world to make use of those things of the world that heretofore have done them so much hurt But yet further there is a third thing in victory which is triumph a beleever can triumph over the world over all his allurements and threats As Christ did not onely prevaile against his and our enemies but triumphed over them likewise as Col. 2. 15. having spoyled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them so Christ makes us to triumph as 2 Cor. 2. 14. Now thankes bee to God which alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ And yet further there is something more then all this in Faiths overcomming the world which is beyond our expressions By Faith we are more then conquerours Rom. 8. 37. In all these things wee are more then conquerers in what things in tribulation in persecution in famine in nakednesse and perill of sword while we are killed all the day long and accounted as sheepe for the slaughter in all these things But how more then conquerours wee gather strength by our opposition wee conquer in being conquered Persecutors are tyred more in inflicting then we in suffering Eusebius reports of the tormentors of Blandina who tormented her by turnes from morning to night that they fainted for wearinesse confessing themselves overcome And Gregory Nazianzen tells of one of the nobles of Iulian who at the tormenting of Marcus Bishop of Arethusa said unto him wee are ashamed O Emperour the Christians laugh at your cruelty and grow the more resolute Rev. 12. 11. It is said of the Saints they loved not their lives to the death and yet they overcame they overcame in being killed and this is to be more then a conquerour CHAP. XI Most men are strangers to this precious Faith The Tryall thereof discovered IF this be the work of Faith if these be the glorious effects of it then hence the faith of the most men in the world is discovered not to be right not to be precious faith that faith that is the faith of Gods elect because it is altogether void of this vertue and efficacie you thinke you have faith what can you doe with your faith what power what efficacie hath it can it draw your hearts off from all creatures here below can it raise your spirits above all the delights honours profits of the world can it satisfie your soules with God alone as an infinite all-sufficient good Surely a precious faith that is the Faith of Gods Elect doth this First Faith hath a mighty power of God put forth for the working of it in the soule It is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power the same that raised Jesus Christ from the dead that workes faith wheresoever ir is and God does not use to put forth his Almighty power in any extraordinary manner for the wotking of an ordinary thing therefore faith must needes bee some extraordinary thing and have some extraordinary vertue in it wheresoever it is true to doe great things Secondly Faith hath the great honour above all other graces to be the condition of the second Covenant therefore surely it is some great matter that faith enables to doe whatsoever keeps covenant with God brings strength though it selfe be never so weake As Sampsons Haire what is weaker then a little haire yet because the keeping that was keeping covenant with God therefore even a little Haire was so great strength to Sampson Faith then that is the condition of the covenant in which all grace and mercy is contained if it be kept it will cause strength indeed to doe great things Thirdly Faith hath high and glorious things for its object it is God himselfe his electing redeeming love the Lord Iesus Christ in his natures and offices the glorious mysteries of redemption c. that it exercises it selfe upon It could not have to deale with these things if it were not a most excellent grace full of admirable vertue and efficacie Fourthly Faith hath high and glorious acts that it performes that are essentiall to it Fifthly it hath many glorious effects it is that which must carry the soule through all hazards difficulties and oppositions to eternall life Surely then this grace hath exceeding great things in it certainely the world is mistaken in this grace It is something else that they have taken up for faith all this while for there is nothing more dull flat and dead then that which they take for Faith their hope in God and trusting in God what empty heartlesse livelesse things are they No marvell though they thinke it an easie thing to beleeve It is easie indeed to beleeve with such a kind of beliefe as theirs is Truly wee had need looke to it that wee be not mistaken in our Faith for it is of infinite consequence upon which all depends if we be mistaken in this all the mercy in God all the blood of Christ all the good in the promises can doe nothing for us Consider therefore againe surely that cannot be right faith that cannot doe that which the light of nature can doe that meere civility and morality can doe Suppose it did as much as they can doe yet if it can doe no more it is not right it is not
even in sufferings as the Palme Tree is not onely kept from being bowed downe by weights but it growes higher even whilst weights are upon it Hence lastly where a man is enabled to suffer by a Naturall Conscience onely there one suffering does not prepare for another but the more he suffers the more shye he is of hazzarding himselfe another time the more afraid hee is of suffering afterwards It is in his suffering as it is in his service one service does not prepare him for another he is not fitted by one duty to doe another but where the heart is truely gracious as the more such a one does for God he is still the more ready and the more fit to doe further service so the more he suffers for God the more ready hee is to suffer further Wee see by all this what great deceit there is in mans heart even there where there is the least suspition of it wee often thinke our hearts may deceive us in doing but we doe not feare our hearts in suffering let us learne now that deceit lyes closer then wee thought of we had need looke well to our principle in suffering or else wee lose the honour of it That place is observable Mat. 19. 27. 30. Peter tells Christ that hee and the rest of the Disciples were content to forsake all for him Well sayes Christ But many that are first who suffer much for mee yet if they looke not well to their principle if there bee mixture and nature and selfe appeare in their sufferings they shall be last others who suffer not so much shall be preferred before them and cap. 20. 16. he give the reason why many who are first who are very forward shall be last because many are called but few are chosen many are called to endure hard things for God but few are chosen few suffer so as to be accepted as the chosen ones of the Lord. Faith puts an excellencie upon what wee receive upon what we doe and upon what we suffer that which wee have by Faith is better then that wee have any other way and that which we doe or suffer by faith is better then that which is done or suffered any other way The Scripture makes it a great matter that Abraham should have a childe when hee was a hundred yeeres old why Terah his Father was a 130. when he begat Abraham but because Abraham had his child by faith therefore it was a great matter And so in all other things that wee have doe or suffer if they be by Faith they are great things CHAP. XV. Comfort to those who have true Faith IF Faith be that grace that will carry a soule through the hardest things then here is comfort to those who have true Faith you have that which will uphold you which will certainly beare you out and safely and comfortably carry you through all the troubles that you can meet withall in this world When you heare of the many afflictions that Gods people are exercised withall and the many troubles through which we must passe to Heaven be not discouraged you have more then your owne strength It is a notable speech of Cyprian Hee that once overcome death for us alwayes overcomes death in us you have more with you then against you God hath given you that which will strengthen you against all that none of them shall ever separate you from God this grace will bee sufficient for you this is a sure Antidote against all poyson this is a safe shield against all fiery darts all the evils that can befall you will be but the exercise of your faith to make it more bright and shining and the tryall of your faith which is a most precious things 1 Pet. 1. 7. The tryall of your faith sayes the Apostle is more precious then gold that perisheth although it be tryed with fire and this tryall will be found to your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ Observe how the Apostle heapes up words praise honour and glory for the setting out what a blessed thing the very tryall of our faith is shewing how all the troubles of the Saints considering what a principle they have to carry them through are a greater good unto them then if they met with none with what confidence and courage may a man resist any opposition when he knowes before-hand that hee hath that which which will quell it and that all opposition is but for the exercise and tryall of his strength which certainely shall be to his prayse and honour and glory Although you thinke you have no strength to encounter with such great tryals as you are like to meet withall yet labour to quiet your hearts in the exercise of Faith alone that wil bring in strength enough whatsoever you thinke would strengthen you you shall finde it all in the exercise of Faith That place is very observable Isay 30. 7. Your strength is to sit still They thought their strength had beene in the helpe of Egypt as if nothing could helpe them but Egypt Nay saith God if you would quietly rest your spirits in me you should have an Egypt Whatsoever strength you expect from Egypt you shall have it here For the word translated strength is the same that is used in Scripture to signifie Egypt namely Rahab and so the sense goes thus Your Egypt is to sit still By sitting still you shall have an Egypt whatsoever succour you might thinke to have that way you shall have it this way Oh that we could thus quiet our hearts in the exercise of our Faith in all our feares This were comfort indeed if wee were sure our Faith were right and such as would carry us through But how shall we know that I answer First if your Faith be such as carryes your Soules to God as an universall good so as you can satisfie your selves in Him alone then it is this precious Faith that will doe this that we speake of Secondly if your Faith workes a sanctified use of your prosperitie if your Faith can carry you through the temptations of prosperitie it will certainely carry you through the tryals of adversitie if Faith can keepe you from swelling in prosperitie it will keepe you from breaking in adversitie But especially in the third place if your Faith can carry you through spirituall difficulties it will be much more able to carry you through all outward troubles I will instance in five spirituall difficulties First if it can enable you to venture your Soule and eternall estate upon the free Grace of God in the sight and sense of all your owne unworthinesse This many will thinke is not so hard a matter but certainely there is more difficultie in this worke of Faith then in enabling to beare all the miseries of the world To doe this when the Soule understands throughly what the meaning of sinne is what that breach