The Life of Faith, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. An inforcement of the former vse, with a reproofe of the neglect and disuse of Faith.
WHerefore I say again, Liue by Faith, againe I say, alwaies liue by it, reioyce alwaies through Faith in the Lord. I dare boldly say, It is thy fault and neglect of this exercise, if thou suffer either thy own melancholly humor, or Satan to interrupt thy mirth and spirituall alacritie, and to detaine thee in dumps and pensiuenesse at any time. What if thou beest of a sad constitution, of a darke complexion? Is not Faith able to rectifie nature? is it not stronger then any ellebore.Doct. Bright of Melanch. Doth not an experienced both Diuine and Phisition worthily preferre one dramme of it before all the Drugges in the Apothecaries shop for this effect? Hath it not soueraigne vertue in it to excerebrate all cares, expectorate all feares and griefes, euacuate the minde of all ill thoughts and passions, to exhilerate the whose man? But what good doth it any to hauehave a Cordiall by him, if he vse it not? to weare a sword souldier like by the side, and not to draw it forth vponupon an assault? when a dump ouer-takes thee, if thou wouldest say to thy soule in a word or two; Soule, why art thou disquieted? know and consider in whom thou beleeuest? would it not presently returne to it rest againe? would not the Master rebuke the Windes and Stormes and calme thy minde presently? Hath not eueryevery man something or other wherewithall hee vseth to put away dumps to driue away the ill spirit as Dauid with his Harp: some with merry company, some with a cup of sack, most with a pipe of Tobacco, without which they scarce ride or goe, if they misse it a day together, they are troubled with rhumes, dulnesse of spirits, they that liue in Fennes and ill ayres, dare not stirre out without a morning draught of some strong liquor. Poore silly smoaky helps, in comparison of the least taste, (but for dishonouring of Faith, I would say) whiffe, or draught of Faith.
Oh! that wise Christians would as often take the one, as idle Guls doe the other? would not the drawing in of sweete ayer from the pretious promises breede excellent blood and cheerely spirits; It is a mystery in bodily health that to keepe the arteries and the nosthrils, veines, and other passages to the head, heart, and liuer, cleere and free from colds and obstructions, maintaines a healthfull and cheerefull temper. The Pipe of Faith is the same to the soule. Hee that is Astmaticall, narrow breathed or straight breasted in his Faith, cannot bee but lumpish and melancholly. Wherefore as thou louest thy mirth aboue all other, tend this vitall artery aboue all keepings, keepe thy Faith and it will keepe thy ioy: It will keepe it an euen euerflowing current, without ebbe and flowe, clouds and eclipses, turning euer vponupon the hinges of heauenly and solid mirth. And indeed, how or why should it be otherwise? Doe not Christians consider how vnseemely it is for them, to goe drooping, hanging the head? Is any so simple to think because hee is a Christian that hee should affect a sad carriage, a deiected look, a demure countenance like an image? Away with such Monkish hypocrisie. How doth it become the Righteous to reioyce? Do they not consider how they wrong themselues of the maine benefit of their Iustification? what is a Christian but his mirth? wherein doth the kingdom of Heauen consist but in Ioy? Doe they not see how they offend standers by and beholders? Is not heauinesse a check that driues away and mirth as a lure that wins to the liking of their profession? Men wonder to see a rich man that hath the world at will, all things at hearts desire, to be but in a fit of heauinesse. What, say they, should hee ayle? The Irish aske such, what they meane to die? but I wonder a thousand times more to see one that hath Christ to friend, that beleeues God to be his shepheard, that knowes all must worke for the best, to bee at any time out of tune or out of sorts. For a N…abal to be all a mort like a stone, it is no newes to me; but to see Nehemiahs countenance changed, there must needs be some extraordinary cause: should such a man as he feare, or carke, or grieue? What if it doe not yet appeare what thou shalt bee? Is a yong Ward prouder and gladder (in his minority) of an vncertaine reuersion, then a yeoman of his present estate? And is not Faith an Hypostasis and euidence to thee of an infallible inheritance? Canst thou bee sad, which mayest say, not to thy belly, but to thy soule, Thou hast, not many goods, but fulnesse of all treasures, layd vp, not in the earth, where moath and canker and theeues may come, but in heauenly places, out of the Deuils reach, and that not for many yeares, but for euer and euer, neuer to bee taken from thy soule, nor thy soule from them. Oh thou vaine man! shew mee thy Faith by thy ioy: if thou liuest dumpishly, and yet say thou liuest by Faith, I wil as soone beleeue thee as him, that shall say hee hath the Phylosophers stone, and liues like a beggar, If it were euer well with thy Faith, could it euer bee amisse with thee: should not the temper of thy body follow the temper of thy soule, and the temper of thy soule, the temper of thy Faith? The body may incline thy soule, but the soule commands the body, and Faith is the Lord of them both. According to thy Faith, so be it vntounto thee, so will it be with thee. Vse thy Faith and hauehave ioy: encrease thy Faith, encrease thy ioy.