Moses Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 10
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,1. & 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,Ezek. 12. 27. 28. 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,foreign Heb. 11. 13. 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 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. VponUpon 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,2. 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.Nihil viſibilium moror, nihil inviſibilium, ut Ieſum Chriſtum acquiram, ignis & crux, incurſus beſtiarum, diſſipatio oſſium, convulſio mē brorum, totiijs corporis commolitio, ac ſupplicia diaboli in me veniant, modo Ieſum Chriſtum acquiram. Euſeb. l. 3. c. 39. 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 onelyonly 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,Audere ad nomen Chriſti periculum vitae & fortunatum adire, ad id requiritur ſpiritus principalis. Luth. 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, foreign.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 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,Fides libenter accipit quicquid arduum videtur incredulis. 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,Quem neque pauperies, neque mors, neque vincula terrent. to endure ſtrong oppoſitions. A beleever is one, whom neither poverty, nor death, nor bonds, nor any outward evils can terrifie.
Thirdly,3. 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:Fides non timet famem. Tertul. 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, 'tis 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 onelyonly 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,4. 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.Ʋt vires aliis lapidibus pretioſis extinct is ſolo at tactu ſuſcitaret. 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,5. 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,Potuit quicquid voluit. 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 merciemercy, 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,Quam laetus & libens in talibus ſervis pugnavit & vicit protector fidei. Cypr. ep. 9. 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 onelyonly 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,4. 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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,Abite in profundum, malae cupiditates, ego vos mergam, ne ipſe mergar à vobis. 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;Non fuga nec abſentia, ſed vigore animi, & conſtanti praeſentia Macrob. l. 2. Satur. 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 onelyonly 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,3. 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 onelyonly 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? Ab ipſo ducunt opes animumque ferro.wee gather ſtrength by our oppoſition, wee conquer in being conquered: Perſecutors are tyred more in inflicting, then we in ſuffering.Euſeb. lib. 5. cap. 1. 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.