The Life of Faith in Times of Trial and Affliction, Introduction
THE INTRODUCTION.
A Word spoken fitly (saith the Wise man Prov. 25. ver. 11.) or in its season, or as it is in the Original, upon his wheels, is like apples of gold, in pictures of silver; that is, is both pleasant and profitable. We began, in the foregoing Treatise of this Subject to explaine the nature of this Life, which is to be had by faith, in a very sad and trying time; how and what way faith interesteth a Soul in this Life; and how they should Act faith, who would partake hereof, in a day of Difficulty and Temptation, wherein, because of adhereing to Christ, and his Truth, the life of his people is made bitter unto them, and they are exposed to many Troubles and sharpe Exercises: And, for a further Encouragment unto a faithful and stedfast adhereing to the Truth, in a day of stormy Tempests, and fierie Trials, we mentioned some of those many Considerations, which the Lord had left on record, in his word, that we through patience and comfort of these Scriptures might have hope; and so might be perfect, and of good comfort: such as
1. Gods promised Presence with them, in all their Trials, how sharpe and fierie so ever, the faith of which would make the weak and fainting soul become couragious and valiant, as David.
2. Christ's Sympathie with them, in all their Distresses, Troubles, Necessities, Dangers, Paines, Losses, Crosses, and Sufferings for Him, and His Cause; which, if firmly beleeved, according to the s…re and undoubted grounds thereof, could not but make them sing all their Sorrow out of countenance.
3. The Lord's Stile of being a Redeemer; which if fled unto by faith, in an evil day, would prove a strong Tour, to which they might …un and be saife.
4. The promises, which are Many, Great, Glorious, Sutable, Pertinent, Precious, Sure and Covenanted; and as these are made and registred of purpose, that His People might have strong Consolation; so the Christian faith & Improvement of them, in a day, when Dispensations would seem to cross them, is both the special duty of His people, in that day; and also the only mean to keep them in life, and hold their head above water, when called to swime against both tide and stream; and the fixed faith of these would both stablish & strengthen the tossed and wearie soul.
5. Former Experiences of God's Care, Faithfulness, Tenderness, Readiness to deliver and supply wants, to carry thorow Troubles, and at length, in due time, to deliver out of them. These, when rightly improven, according to Gods warrand, and Gospel grounds, will fournish a feast, whereupon faith may feed, and the soul become strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; and with Courage, Hop and Confidence wade thorow a Sea of Affliction.
6. The quarrel and controversie is the Lords. A noble ground of courage, comfort and confidence, when beleeved and rightly Improven.
7. Their Sufferings are the Sufferings of Christ, when they are for His sake, and upon His account. And this cannot but be a wel full of Consolation, unto the poor afflicted and persecuted Childe of God, when it is beleeved, and fed upon by faith.
These I have (as the Lord was pleased to assist) spoken a little unto, in the foregoing Piece, onelyonly in order to this End, That the faithful and honest hearted Beleever, who either hath already met with, or layeth his account to meet with, Sufferings of one kind, or of another, in following his Lord and Master, in the way of Truth and Righteousness, according to the Commands of God, and Institutions of Christ, may in part be helped to know his own strength, where the stock thereof is, and how he may improve the same to his own rich advantage, in every Case and Condition, that the Lord, in his wise and holy Providence, bringeth him into; and that so, as, notwithstanding of all the fiery Trials, sharpe Afflictions, sore Temptations, sad Exercises, cruel Persecutions, continual Tossings and Harassings and pinching Straits and Difficulties, that he may meet with, in his way, he may be helped unto a Christian Deportment, a Rejoicing evermore, and a bearing of the cross with Joy, Valour, Christian Courage, undaunted Resolution and a fixed Stedfastness and Unmovablness in the way of the Lord: and so win to a life of faith, and through faith, in the midst of all the deathes, that he is to rancountre with, in his way, to the everlasting possession of that Crown of life, and of the Inheritance, that is Incorruptible and Undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them, who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto Salvation.
I shall now, in the prosecution of this Matter for the end mentioned, mentione and speak a little unto some other Considerations: such as.