A Child of Light Walking in Darkness, Part 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
A ſecond ſort of Ends, for the tryall and diſcovery of graces: eſpecially of Faith.
OTher ends God hath to make tryall of our graces, and a diſcovery of them. The ſame end that God had in leading his people through the great wildernes where no water was, where Sco… pions ſtung them, Deu. 8. 16. wch was to prove the, &c. The ſame ends hath God in ſuffering his people to goe through this deſart, barrenneſſe, and darkneſſe, where no light is, and where terrours of the Law doe ſting them, (for all thoſe his dealings then, were types of Gods dealing with his people now) even to prove them, and to make tryall of their hearts. For the ſame ends as he left Hezekiah to the power of ſin, in the point of ſanctification, namely, To know what was in his heart, doth he alſo leave others of his children to the guilt of ſinne, in the point of juſtification, to diſcover alſo what is in their hearts. This is conceived to have been his end in deſerting Iob; to ſhew what ſtrong patience, unconquered faith was in him. There be many gracious diſpoſitions, which actually have not opportunity to diſcover themſelves, bu… in caſe of this kinde of deſertion: ſome of thoſe which are the higheſt acts of Grace, and pureſt fruits of it, and which are the ſureſt evidences of the truth of grace, would never appeare but in caſe of ſuch deſertion. For inſtance, then it is knowne, whether a man love God for himſelfe, and for thoſe excellencies of wiſdome, holineſſe, and goodneſſe that are in him, when yet hee knowes not, whether he himſelfe ſhall be ever the better for them yea or no: Then alſo it is manifeſted to be pure, ſincere, and unfained obedience. Then it is ſeene his repentance is true, when he repents not of it, then, when he is out of hopes of any reward for it. Then it is ſeene his ſorow is godly ſorow, when, though the ſentence of condemnation is read to him in his owne apprehenſion and conſcience, and he verily thinks he is taking his leave of God for ever, and going to execution, yet he can down upon his knees, & ask him forgiveneſſe, and mourneth that ever he wronged him; is angry and diſpleaſed with himſelf, that a God ſo good, ſo juſt, ſhould have ſo juſt cauſe to be angry, and diſpleaſed with him; and he findes he could have ſome reſt and contentment that God is glorified upon one, who hath ſo much diſhonored him. Such diſpoſitions as theſe would never ſee the light, if it were not for this darknes. But as Natura vexata prodit ſoipſam; Nature when concluſions are tryed upon it, and it is put out of its courſe, then it diſcovers it ſelfe, even as anger diſcovers it ſelfe when a man is … as if you would know the properties that are in herbes, you muſt try concluſions with them. So alſo here doth God with a mans graces; and then they diſcover their moſt occult and hidden properties.
It were endleſſe to go over all particular graces:Eſpecially for the tryall of Faith. I will but more diſtinctly inſtance in that glorious grace of Faith. Which in this tryall deſerves more then all graces elſe; and though in all the varieties of conditions we paſſe through, it ſtands us in ſtead, yet in deſertions it alone doth wonders: Standing like Sampſon, encountring, and conquering alone, when there is none to help. Becauſe likewiſe, it is that grace which is called for in the Text, Let him truſt in the name of the Lord: as being that grace which God principally tryes; to diſcover the truth, and magnifie the power there of in ſuch deſertions.
Firſt, this is certaine, there is no grace God tryes more then this grace of faith.1. Of all graces God tries faith the moſt. Therefore 1 Pet. 1. 7. Yee are in heavineſſe through manifold temptations, that the triall of your faith being much more precious then of gold which periſheth, being tryed in the fire, might bee found to glory, praiſe, and honour: That is, both to the honour of God who is beleeved in, and alſo of faith it ſelfe, which is the moſt glorious grace a Chriſtian hath; which God loves to try, to that end the glory of it may appeare. In the fifth verſe he having ſaid, that we are kept by the power of God to ſalvation, If any now ſhould aske, wherein is that power of keeping us moſt ſhewne? He anſwers, in and through faith; Yee are kept by the power of God through faith: and if you aske when and wherein is the power of God through faith ſeene moſt? He inſtanceth in manifold temptations, that the try all of your faith, &c.
Now then, as of all graces God would have faith tryed.
So 2.2. Of all trials this of darknes is the greateſt, … ▪ for 3. reaſons. of all temptations, none try it more then deſertion of Gods countenance, this of darkneſs and of terrours: other temptations ſtrike but obliquely at faith, but theſe lay direct battery to our faith; for they ſtrike at that which is the immediate aime and object of it; namely, [that God is a mans God.] Theſe ſpeak the direct contrary to what faith endeavours to apprehend, and that directly, and not by conſequence onelyonly. Again, other temptations are eaſily borne, and anſwered whileſt the aſſurance of Gods favour remaines unſhaken; it anſwers them all, and ſhakes duplicate page duplicate page them off, as He the viper off his hand: but when that ſhall begin to be queſtioned (as in this caſe it is) who is able to ſtand? and what is able to ſtrengthen a man then, but the power of faith? as Solomon ſayes of the ſpirit of a man, that it will beare all kinde of infirmities, if it ſelfe bee whole; but if it be wounded, who can beare it? So I ſay of aſſurance, if it be weakened, and battered, the very foundations thereby are ſhaken; a mans freehold toucht; the roote ſtruck; now in ſuch a caſe it is faiths peculiar office to ſtand a man in ſtead, when nothing elſe can: therefore hee ſayes, Let him truſt, &c. becauſe it helpes thus at this dead lift.
Againe, thirdly, in theſe conflicts of faith, with deſertions, conſiſteth the height of our Chriſtian warfare. This is the higheſt pitcht battell, the greateſt, and (as it were) the laſt brunt, upon which all is either won or loſt; for in theſe a man encounters with God himſelfe, apprehended as an enemy. God called out Iob to try him by fighting a ſingle combate with Sathan, and he became (as I may ſo ſay) too hard for Satan alone; and God joynes againſt him alſo: now then, to beare the brunt and ſhock of his wrath, and yet to ſtand upon a mans feete; this, to the utmoſt argueth the ſtrength of faith. Hoſea 12. 3. It is ſaid of Iacob, That by ſtrength he had power with God, it argued ſtrength indeed: and this is done by faith, by the power whereof (Gods power rather ſupporting it) a man relies on God, when all his dealings would argue hee had forſaken a man; that though God put on never ſo angry a countenance, lookes never ſo ſternely, yet faith is not daſht out of countenance but can reade love in his angry lookes, and truſt God beyond what he ſees, it being the evidence of things not ſeene. Then, faith goes wholly out of it ſelfe, and ſeeing nothing in it ſelfe but barely a capacity of mercy, and plenteous redemption which it knowes to be in God. This faith is a miracle of miracles, for it is founded as the earth, upon meere nothing in it ſelfe, and yet beares the weight and ſtreſſe of ſinnes, devill, yea of God himſelfe. And this is the faith ye are converted by, in beleeving then on him that juſtifies the ungodly. Rom. 4. 5. and that which we muſt live by, when all comforts faile: and this is that faith which muſt ſtand you in ſtead at death, when the King of feares comes and beſiegeth you: and this is the faith that is to honour, and glory at the appearing of Ieſus Chriſt.