The Life of Faith, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. How Faith vpholds life in Affliction.
SAy then, O Christian, is there any thing yet behinde that may impeach the cōpleat happinesse of a beleeuers life, speake now if there be any thing that hinders it, which Faith cannot helpe?
Oh! yes saies the Flesh (which euer is cowardly and loues ease) though a man be neuer so iustified and sanctified, yet may he liue in pouerty, in crosses, yea in great & manifolde pressures, and what a life can there bee in such extremities? Oh how doth Faith heere lift vp the Crest, shine and triumph aboue Nature, Reason and all Morall Vertues in her incomparable valour? Being in all these not as they, onelyonly a patient perforce, or a meere bearer, but more then Conquerour; not onelyonly, not daunted, but reioycing to fall into manifold trials and tentations; knowing it selfe to bee the Adamant, that nothing will breake; the Palme, that sinckes not vnderunder the waightiest of burthens; the Oyle, that euer ouer-swims the greatest quantity of water you can powre vponupon it, the sheate Anchor, that holds when all other Tackling breakes. Here is the Crowne and Garland of Faith. Were it not for Conflicts, what superexcellent vse were then of Faith? EueryEvery Cockboat can swim in a Riuer, eueryevery sculler saile in a Calme, in daily and ordinary gusts, eueryevery man of a patient temper or cheerely disposition can hold vp the head, but when a blacke tempest comes, a tenth waue flowes, and one deepe calls another, nature yeeldes, spirits faint, heart failes: then to stand erect, then to liue and raigne, that onelyonly can Faith doe, which hath the Word for the Compasse, and Christ at the helme. The greatest aduersities that are, are but the exercise, yea the soile and luster of Faith. Man gloryes when he can tame Tygers and Lyons, thinks himselfe a stately king when hee can make an Elephant bow and stoope to him, when he leads a Beare on the Ring, or can handle a Serpent without hurt; but what a small conquest is this to that of Faith? When it makes shame, pouertie, sickenesse, persecutions, banishment, yea death it selfe, not onelyonly, not dreadfull and harmefull, but tractable and seruiceable? Questionlesse, great and sundry aduantages hath a Christian by vertue of his Faith, aboue any Naturian or Politique by all his reason; onelyonly, heere is the defect of Christians that they want skill, or else forget to holde vp their shield when a Dart comes suddenly vponupon them. Like him that was robbed by a Theefe with a staffe onelyonly in his hand, hauing himselfe a Pistole at his backe ready charged, but surprised vponupon the sudden, altogether vnmindefull, or vnable to vse it. And if a man hath a Target that is impenetrable, what is hee the better if his heart or Arte faile him when hee should defend himselfe by it? This makes Christians when they ayle any thing, with Saul to runne to Endor, 1 Sam. 28 7.with Asa to send out to the Physitians,2 Chr. 16. 12. as if Faith could stand them in no steed. When therefore a storme rises, presently runne and awaken thy sleeping Faith, knocke at Faithes doore, ho Faith, helpe at a pinch, now doe thy office, and Faith will presenly ayde and releeue thee with one of these speciall cordials.
First, whereas sense and reason did but dimmely and cloudily suggest to their followers certaine broken and confused opinions, little better then dreames of destinie and prouidence. Faith will confidently and euidently assure thee of this ground of comfort, that the least ticke befalles thee not, without the ouer-ruling eye and hand, not onelyonly of a wise God, but of a tender Father, and fellow-feeling elder brother, who knowing thy mould doth more exactly measure out eueryevery Crosse vntounto thee, then the carefullest Apothecaries do their Scruples and Drammes of dangerous Physicke.
Secondly, out of this Principle, Faith will, extract these infallible conclusions, this estate is not the Axe of Perdition but the Pruning Knife of Affliction: this Cuppe is not a potion banefull, but medicinable, how bitter and wringing soeuer. Whateuer befals, being in Christ, it cannot bend to thy confusion, condemnation or vtter vndoing, but an issue shall bee giuen out of it. What terrible noyse soeuer the storme shall make ouer thy head, it shall bee but as Hailestones vponupon the Tiled or Leaded House that rattle more then hurt. Thou art kept by the power of his might the euill one shall not touch thee: thou art in safe harbour vnderunder the Rocke Christ, and mayest know in whom thou hast trusted, and art sure neuer to be confounded. If it be sicknesse or pouerty, it is in thy Fathers owne hand: if the rodde bee in some malicious enemies hand, if hee turne thee ouer to a seruant to scourge thee, and dresse him in the Diuels habit to scare thee, yea though Satan himselfe buffette thee, yet he stands by, lookes on, will moderate and number the stripes: the Diuels could not goe one inch beyond commission in the Swine: hee knowes thy strength is not the strength of Whales or stones, and therefore will not permit them to lay on more, then thou shalt well beare: his wisdome & grace will be sufficient for thee. Hee that is in good termes with a Prince, feares not the approach of Heraulds or Purseuants: he that is out of debt feares not Baylifes or Sergeants, but imagines they come vponupon some good Messages.
Afflictions are scarrbugges to wicked men, as bushes to theeues, but if thou bee a beleeuer, at peace with GOD in Christ, they lay off their terrible Vizard, and come with an amiable, countenance. GOD thy Father hath giuen the whole Host and Army of afflictions more inuiolable charge then Danids, Doe the younge man, my Sonne Absolon, no harme. Doe my annointed no harme.
Thirdly, Faith will further assure that he hath not onelyonly giuen them a prohibition or negatiue commission but an affirmatiue iniuuction to doe thee all good that may be: he hath said vntounto them, purge, refine, trye, exercise, breed the quiet fruit of righteousnesse, giuegive him experience of his faith, make him bring forth more fruit: so that though there be in thy Phisicke some maligne or poysonful ingredients, yet being administred by him that knowes thy temper and disease, and entirely affects thy health, it shall bee so mingled with allaies and correctors that the confection shall be good, and all together shall and must worke for the best. When thou feelest thy bowels wring, or (as in a Sea-sicknesse) are dead sicke for the present, remember thou shalt bee the better many daies after. And though with Iob and Dauid thy querulous flesh complaine, and grunt, and groane, yet when it is ouer a little, thou shalt bee able to say, Oh this was good for me! I would not for any thing but I had borne the yoake in my youth, that I may liue the more comfortably in age: Considering that sicke thou art, and that of many humours, thy Father should not louelove thee, if he should feede thee with sweete meate, and mingle no Aloes with them: much folly is bound vp in thy back, and if thy indulgent father should forbeare the rodde he should hate and not louelove thee.
Fourthly, Moreouer Faith will reminde thee of Christs partnership in thy affliction, and of thy conformity with him, the first borne, onelyonly begotten, and entirely beloued sonne of God, if hee that was without sinne, yet was not without stripes, wilt thou looke to bee a cockered Adoniah? And what if the Crosse bee heauy, and thou a weake Childe, yet Christ a Gyant at one end, beares part of it, and makes it light and easie, hee is quicke of feeling, when Stephen is stoned, saith, Saul why persecutest thou mee? Besides what more honourable Badge and Cognisance canst thou hauehave of thy Sonship, then this resemblance of him, not as now glorified in the heauens, which thou must stay for till thou come there, but as in the way to glory, when hee despised the shame, suffered the Crowne of thornes, the Scepter of Reed, the spittings, buffetings, mockes and mowes, and all reproches of vile sinners, the piercing of the Speare, and shewed himselfe to be the Sonne of God, not by descending from the Crosse but by enduring the Crosse: And shall I not (saith he) drinke the Cup which my Father hath tempered? and if thou wilt bee his Disciple, the first lesson in his Schoole is, Christs Crosse, Deny thy selfe, take it vp and follow him, And glory with the Martyrs, now am I like my Lord and Master.
Lastly, Faith will set before thee as before him the infinite recompence of rewarde, not onelyonly renowne in this World, which yet by Faith the patience, not onelyonly of Iob, but of all Martyrs hauehave obtained, but that farre most excellent Hyperbolicall weight of glory: Which Paul eying, counted his afflictions (which to vsus would hauehave beene intollerable) light and momentany, not worthy the naming in comparison: which made him not onelyonly, not weepe and howle, but sing in the Dungeon, and reckon it a speciall fauour and honour to be counted not onelyonly a beleeuer, but a sufferer for Christ. And God forbid, that a beleeuer should glory in any thing so much as in the Crosse of Christ, in his wounds and scarres for his Lord and Master: As that worthy Vincentius sayd to the Tyrant, Threaten these things to your Courtiers and Carpet Knights; Rackes, Strapadoes, torments, are but a play to vsus, we Souldiers chuse to bee in Christs Garrison, rather then in the Court, in the Field and fore-front of the battle, then in the Pallaces of Princes. The more hazard and perill, the more glory and honour. And what else desire wee but to dye dayly, that the life in Christ may be manifested in vsus? Yea, in the very instant of Death, Faith helpes the beleeuer to liue, so as he may be said not to see death, & neuer to dye, (but that requires a iust Treatise by it selfe.) Let all the complaints, greeuances, wants, and miseries of the world be searched and gaged; the bottome will bee found either to be want of Faith, or of the vse and practise of Faith: So that we may well say with Augustine, to any christian sinking vnderunder his crosse, or shrinking at his enemy, Hast thou lost thy Faith? And conclude with that worthy Ensigne-bearer of Christ, Many are the troubles of the Righteous, Foxe in 14.but by Faith wee stand, Apoc.by Faith we fight, by Faith we ouercome.