A Christian Library, Chapter 13
CHAP. 13. That it increaseth their faith
10 TEnthly, because the malice of our enemies serves to increase our faith for the time to come, when we consider how the Lord hath delivered us formerly God hath delivered me (saith Paul) out of the mouth of the Lion, (meaning Nero) and he will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4.17, 18. When Saul tells David, Thou art not able to go against this great Philistine to fight with him, for thou art a boy, and he is a man of war from his youth; What saith David, Thy servant kept his fathers Sheep, and there came a Lion, and likewise a Bear, and took a Sheep out of the flock, and I went out after him and smote him, and took it out of his mouth, and when he rose against me, I caught him by the beard; and smote him, and slue him: so thy servant slue both the Lion and the Bear. Therefore, (mark the inference) this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them; Yea, (saith he) the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hands of this Philistine, 1 Sam. 17.33, to 37. Observe how confidently he speaks.
That Tree is deepest rooted in the Earth, which is most shaken by the windes; and they weak usually, that are planted in pleasant Valleys: so the Tree of Faith the more it is shaken with the violent storms of trouble, the faster it becomes rooted by patience. Alexander being trained up in huge and mighty enterprizes; when he was to fight with men, and beasts, haughty enemies and huge Elephants; said, Lo, a danger somewhat equivalent to my minde. He can never be a good Souldier, that hath not felt the toil of a battel: Ease and plenty made Hannibal say, he brought men into Campania; but carried women out again. Yea, the more deliverances David had; the greater was his faith: for, after the Lord had delivered him often out of extream exigents, namely, from this great Goliah, the cruelty of Saul, the unnatural insurrection of Absalom, and the unjust curses of Shimei, he was able to say, I trust in God, neither will I fear what fl…sh can do unto me, Psal. 56.4. And in Psal. 3. I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about, Vers. 6. And in Psal. 18.29. By thee I have broken through an host, and in thy Name I will leap over a wall. His experience had made it so easie to him, that it was no more then a skip or jump. We men indeed therefore shut our hands, because we have opened them; making our former kindnesses arguments of sparing afterwards: but contrarily, God therefore gives, because he hath given; making his former favours arguments for more: It is Davids onelyonly argument, Psal. 4. Have mercy upon me (saith he) and hearken unto my prayer, Why? Thou hast set me at liberty, when I was in distresse, Vers. 1. I might likewise here shew from 2 Chron. 20.29. Phil. 1.12, 13, 14. how the delivering of some increaseth the faith of others: but I passe that.
That we may live by faith, and not by sense; he first strips us of all our earthly confidence, and then gives us victory, and not before: lest he should be a loser in our gain, his help uses to shew it self in extremity: he that can prevent evils, conceals his aid till dangers be ripe, and then he is as careful, as before he seemed connivent. Daniel is not delivered at the beginning of his trouble, he must first be in the Lions den, and then he findes it. Those three Servants, Dan. 3.26. are not rescued at the Ovens mouth: in the Furnace; they are. That is a gracious and well tried faith, that can hold out with confidence to the last: Like Abraham, who is said to hope against hope, Rom. 4.18. which, with God, is a thing much set by: Yea, such he accounts his Champions, and Worthies. Whence it is, many are trained up in trouble all their dayes, as it fared with David: for as a Beare came to David after a Lion: and a Giant; after a Beare: and a King after a Giant: and Philistines; after a King: and all to make him more hardy and confident in his God; so, when they that are intended for Christs Champions, have fought with the Devil, and their own lusts; they shall fight with envy: when they have fought with envy, they shall fight with poverty: when they have fought with poverty; they shall fight with infamy: when they have fought with infamy; they shall fight with sicknesse: and after that; with death. Like a Labourer that is never out of work: and this not only proves; but mightily, improves their faith: And indeed, till we have been delivered out of a lesser trouble; we cannot trust God in a greater. Resembling that peasant, who would trust God upon the Land; but not upon the Sea: where should be but an inch-bord between him and death.
To hear a man in his best health and vigour, to talk of his confidence in God, and assurance of divine favour; cannot be much worth: but if in extremities, we can believe above hope, against hope; our hope is so much the more noble, as our difficulties are greater. For Iairus to believe that his sick daughter should recover; was no hard task: but Christ will scrue up his faith to believe she shall again live, though he sees with his eyes she is fully dead. When we are in heavy Agonies, and feel a very hell in our conscience; then to apprehend mercy: when with Ionas in the Whales belly, we can call upon God in faith, and see one contrary in another; in the very depth of Hell; Heaven: in the very midst of Anger; Love: When with the woman of Canaan, Matth. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachful name of Dog: and when nothing but war appears in Gods face; then by faith to pierce through all the thick clouds, and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour, and grace in Christ; Heb. 11. 1. we are believers indeed.
And he, saith Saint Bernard, is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities: Like the Palm-tree, which groweth so much the higher and stronger, and more fruitful; by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it.
Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting: for, let a man look down from the top of the strongest steeple, admit the Battlements be bresthigh, and he is sure he cannot fall; yet a kinde of fear possesses him. And well is it for us, that our assurance is mixed with doubting: Since the one makes us live, as though there were no Gospel: the other; to die, as if there were no Law.
The Lion seems to leave her young ones, till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and howling, but at last gasp she relieves them, whereby they become the more couragious. When the Prophet could say, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee; instantly follows (and not till then) the Lord heard me: the Lord saw him sinking all the while, yet lets him alone till he was at the bottom. Every main affliction is our Red-sea, which while it threats to swallow, preserves us: now when it comes to a dead lift, (as we say) then to have a strong confidence in God; is thankworthy. Hope in a state hopeless, and love to God under signes of his displeasure, and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affairs and allurements, drawing a contrary way; is the chief praise of faith: to love that God who crosseth us, to kiss that hand which strikes us, to trust in that power which kils us; this is the honourable proof of a Christian: this argues faith indeed. What made our Saviour say to that woman of Canaan, ô woman, great is thy faith! but this; when neither his silence, nor his flat denial could silence her? Matth. 15. It is not enough to say, God is good to Israel, when Israel is in peace and prosperity, and neither feels nor wants any thing: but God will have us believe that he is good, when we feel the smart of the rod, and at the same time, see our enemies (the wicked) prosper. It best pleaseth him when we can say boldly with Iob, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him, When our enemies are behinde us, and the Red-sea before us, then confidently to trust upon God; is much worth. When we are in the barren Wilderness almost famished, then to believe that God will provide Manna from Heaven, and water out of the Rock; is glorious: when with the three Children, we see nothing before us, but a fiery Furnace; to believe that God will send his Angel to be our deliverer, this is heroical, Dan. 3.20. And those which are acquainted with the proceedings of God, well know; that, cherishing ever follows stripes, as cordials do vehement evacuations, and the clear light of the morning; a dark night: yea, if we can look beyond the cloud of our afflictions, and see the sun-shine of comfort on the other side of it; we cannot be so discouraged with the presence of evil, as heartened with the issue. Chear up then, thou drooping soul, and trust in God, whatever thy sufferings be; God is no tyrant, to give thee more then thy load: and admit he stay long, yet be thou fully assured he will come at length. In thee do I trust (saith the Psalmist) all the day: He knew that if he came not in the Morning, he would come at Noon: if he came not at Noon, he would come at Night: at one hour of the day or other he will deliver me: and then, as the Calm is greater after the Tempest then it was before; so my joy shall be sweeter afterwards then it was before; The remembrance of Babylon will make us sing more joyfully in Sion. If then I finde the Lords dealing with me to transcend my thoughts; my faith shall be above my reason, and think, he will work good out of it, though I yet conceive not how.