The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 9-11, Treatise 3 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Helps for the soul in its walking by Faith. 1 Whatsoever our case is, we have to deal with an All-seeing God. 2 Gods Word is more to be relied upon than his Works. 3 All good that is in all Creatures is eminently in God. 4 No Creature in Heaven or Earth, hath the least power to do good or hurt, any further than God pleaseth to let out himself through them. 5 The way of God in working for his Saints, is often above, without, and contrary to means. 6 God puts the sentence of death upon a thing before he gives it. 7 Whatsoever Promise is made to any particular of the people of God, that may every Godly man apply to himself, being in the same condition that he was in. 8 No Condition so comfortless as it may be a sufficient plea for unbeleef.
BUt further, To proceed in the helping of the Soul in its walking by Faith: There are these four things that I intend to prosecute in this Point.
First, To lay before you some Principals of Faith, that Faith may help its self upon.
Secondly, To give you some Encouragements unto a soul that wants all Sence; when God is quite out of sight, yet what Encouragements the soul may have.
Thirdly, I shall lay down some Arguments to move your hearts to put forth Acts of Faith even in the want of Sence, when all is out of sight.
Fourthly, Some Rules of Direction, what the soul should do in that great case of the want of Sence. These are the Four Heads, and I shal not be large in any of them.
For the First, To lay down some Conclusions or Principals that may be for the support of Faith, when Sence and Reason is at a stand.
1 The first thing is this: What ever my case be, yet I have to deal with God, with the infinite and glorious God, who hath the compass of al things before him, who doth not only look upon things that are now present, but with one view he sees the whol Frame and Latitude of things. Our Knowledg is like a man that is going up to the top of a Tower, and looking through a little cranny he sees those things that are right before him: he sees not the things that are on this side, or that, only those things that are right before the cranny: But the Knowledg of God is like a mans Knowledg that is on the top of a Tower; if there be an Army of men in the field, with one view he can see them all: Now for the soul when it is in any straights, to look thus upon God, I have to deal with that God that hath the Compass, the Latitude, the Issues of al things before him: therfore upon this, see how Faith helps its self. Though I cannot …ee how such and such a thing can be, yet I have to deal with an infinite God that sees al before him, and he may see waies and means that I cannot see, and although I think that such a thing tends to such and such an evil, yet God he looks beyond the present, and may see a great deal or good coming a long time after by those things that seems to be very hurtful for the present. The great Reason why men beleeve not; and when Sence and Reason is at a stand, their hearts sink, because they look no higher than themselves, they look not at God that hath the compass of all things in his view; if they did, this would quiet them; as a child when he is at a stand, and knows not what to do, he wil commit himself unto his Father, and thinks, my Father knows: So should we do when we are at a stand, we should consider that we have to deal with a God that hath the Latitudes and Issues of al things in his eyes at one view.
2 The Second Principle that I would lay down for the help of our Faith in the want of sight, is this: That Gods Word is more to be stuck unto than his Works, we are more to rely upon a Word, than upon a Work of God; that's a Principle that would be a mighty help to Faith: Let's search and see whether we have a Word to warrant us in our way, whether any Word of God holds forth any comfort to us.
Object. You will say, When I read the Word, I have some comfort; Oh but when I see how things are working, then I am quite taken off.
Answ. Lay up this as an everlasting Principle, That Gods Word is more to be rested upon, than the Works of God; for God puts his Word as an Object of our Faith, but God never makes any single work of his to be the Object of our Faith; as we have had occasion already to shew you how that Gods Works many times doth seem to be quite contrary to his Word: As take one work single without reference unto another work, and it would be quite contrary to his Word; as I remember I instanced in that of Abraham, when God promised him to make his Seed as the S…ars of Heaven, and yet he must kill his Son; the Work that God would have him to do, was quite contrary to his Word; and then to bid him go from his own Country into the Land of Canaan that flowed with Milk and Honey; the first thing that he meets withal, was a famine in the Land of Canaan: Oh therefore rest on the Word of God rather than on any Work of his, for we cannot, nor God would not have us to understand his Works many times; God loves to be in the dark in his Works, but his Word is light; the Scripture saith, that Gods Waies are in the dark, but his Word is alwaies called light, therefore that's to be rested upon.
3 The third Principle to help our Faith in the want of Sight and Sence, is this; That all good that is in all Creatures in the World, is eminently in God himself, in the very Being of God; that so the soul enjoyes al the good there is in al Creatures: I beseech you observe it, When the soul enjoyes God, it doth not only enjoy a good that is better than all Creatures, that every one wil say, that the mercy of God, and the goodness of God are higher and better than al the good that there is in al Creatures; no, but we must understand it yet further than that; not only that he enjoyment of God is better than having all Creatures, but we must understand thus, That al Creatures in the world, whatsoever good they have for doing any good, all that power, and sweetness, and comfort that is scattered up and down in several Creatures, it's al united in God in one; that while I have the Lord, I have al power in al Creatures whatsoever; that's a mighty Principle of Faith: For now I want sight, it may be I see this and the other Creature working against me, and I see the want of help in one, and the want of help in the other; but if I can have a real sight of God, to see al the good that is in al Creatures to be in him; this is a wonderful support: then if I have to do with nothing but God himself, I have enough, for I have al there in him: As though a man hath not such and such Herbs that grows in a Garden, perhaps he hath neither Rosemary, nor Time, nor Sweet-marjoram, yet if he hath the Water, that is still'd out of these Herbs, he hath the Vertue and Quintessence that is in every one of them: So the soul that hath union with God, and portion in the Almighty, hath the Quintessence, and Vertue, and Efficacy of al Creatures in God himself: That's the Third great Principle in the helping of Faith in the want of sight and sence, in any case of trouble that the soul is in.
4 The fourth Principle of Faith is this, That all Creatures that we look upon as those that may afford us any help; al their power depends upon God, they have power neither to do good or hurt any further than God doth give out his power, and doth concur with them; no Creature in Heaven or Earth, hath the least power to do the least hurt, any further than God is pleased to let out himself through those Creatures; he hath the absolute command of all. These things are granted in the general, and you are ready to say, Who doth not understand them? It's true, it's an easie matter to convince men of that, but if it comes to examination, the very ground of the shaking of our Faith when we meet with any trouble, ariseth from the want of the use of these Principles: Let these be laid to the heart, and let there be a right and a sound understanding of these, and it will be a mighty help to our Faith.
5 The fifth Principle for our Faith is this, That the way of God in working for his Creatures, is a way often beyond al means whatsoever; God doth delight in working (and especially for his Servants) beyond al means of al Creatures, and contrary unto means; above means, without means, and contrary unto means; this is the way of God in his working for his Saints. I confess the way that God uses to work for others (for the men of the world) it is but the way of a general Providence. It is a very useful Consideration this one Note, to consider the difference of the working of God towards the generality of the men of the world, and the working of God in re…erence to his Saints: The working of God towards the men of the world, is the working of his general Providence, and no further, they can expect no more; and if God work any further towards them, to bring good to them, or to help them, God hath a special aim to somwhat beyond them: But for his working towards his Saints, there's the right hand of God stretcht out, the right hand of Gods power, and it's glorious in Excellency, that is, God in working for the good of his Saints, takes a great deal of delight in going beyond al means, without means, contrary unto means; and indeed those actions of God that he doth mind his Saints more specially in, are such: And hence are al those expressions that you have, of the right hand of God, and the excellency of his power; the excellency of his power is over Jacob: it's true, it's the Power of God that works al good to al Creatures in the world, and God causes his general Providence to be working for good to them; but his Excellency is over Jacob; that is, to work beyond, without, and contrary unto means; ther's the glory of God. Saith God when he works for his people, such kind of works as are ordinary for me to do when I am working for others, wil not serve turn to manifest my love and respect to my Saints, no, I'le go beyond, and without, and contrary to them.
Oh that this might have a double use upon our hearts, not only to strengthen our Faith, that when means are wanting, and come short, and seem to go contrary, yet to walk by Faith. Oh but let us likewise learn by the way from hence to be more than ordinary in our Service for God, he is more than ordinary in his working towards us: For the soul to lay up this, and to take this as for granted, That God in his special working for his People and Churches, he works otherwise than he doth for others, he works beyond, and without, and contrary unto means; and he commonly doth use to put the Sentence of death upon a thing before he gives it.
6 And that may be in the sixth place: That God in his dealings towards his people, he seldom uses to do any great matters for them, but he doth use to put the Sentence of death first upon it before it's done, he doth not use to come to help till just they are ready to die, until al seems to be gone, then their extremity is his opportunity; God would not give Abraham a child til Sarahs womb was dead, and he was as it were dead: so if you examine the waies of God towards his people, he usually brings them into the shadow of death, and there is a sentence of death, and then appears the grace and mercy of God towards his people, and so the Apostle speaks of Gods dealing towards him, in 2 Cor. 1. 8, 9. We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life; but (saith he) we had the SENTENCEforeign, the Answer, or Denunciation of Death. OF DEATH in our selves: But to what end? That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Hope is never higher elevated, than when our state in all mens eyes is at the lowest: You must not therefore when you find your condition brought so low, as to say, this is beyond al my strength, and God doth not use to tempt his people beyond their strength, and therefore surely God is gone, help is gone; no, now is the time for God to come if ever, when the Sentence of death is put upon a people: Oh how often have you found God somtimes coming in, when you have given up al at Sea, and if the wind had not turned just at that instant you had been gone; but then hath been the time for God to come and work for your deliverance when the Sentence of death hath been upon you, because God would have al the glory of it to himself: And that's a sixt Principle.
7 A Seventh is this: Whatsoever Promise we have in al the Book of God to any particular of the people of God, that Promise may every godly man apply unto himself being in the same condition that he was in: If you read in the Book of God how he hath dealt with any of his Saints when they have been in any extremity or difficulty, God hath given out Promises to them to succor them, that is a Warrant for thee to lay hold upon that Promise as if it were made to thee in particular; and this is a great help to Faith. These two Scriptures are generally known, the Promise that God made to Joshua, he said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: Now the Apostle in the Hebrews, doth apply it to the Christians that liv'd in those times, For God hath said (saith he) I will never leave you, nor forsake you: They might have said, this Promise was made to Joshua, and not to us: yet that way of the Apostle in applying the Promise, is a general Rule to us, that whensoever we find any Promise in Scripture concerning any particular godly man, we have warrant to make use of that as if so be that God had called to us from Heaven by name, and said Thomas, or Richard, I wil do this and this for thee: That's a Seventh Principle for Faith.
8 The Eighth thing that I would lay down to help Faith in the time of the want of Sight, is this, That there is no condition that any of the People of God can be in, no condition so dark, and so wanting comfort, as is a sufficient Plea for Unbeleef: Though thy condition be never so dark and dismal in thine own eyes, yet remember, it can never be so dark, so dismal, so void of comfort, of help, as should give thee any ground▪ for thy Unbeleef. I'le give you one Scripture that may serve instead of all for this, In Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord? that obeyeth the voyce of his Servant? that walk in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God: Who is there that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? no light at al, nothing but black darkness, dismal darkness; You walk in darkness because your walk is not the walk of Faith: But who is it that walks in darkness, and sees no light of comfort at al? what should he do? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
It is, Whosoever is among you that feareth the Lord: It's those indeed that fear God, so they must be qualified, and their desires are to obey the voyce of his Servants; mark, the holy Spirit speaks of two things that Godly People in their greatest weaknesses may find: That is,
First, The fear of God is upon their hearts, indeed although they cannot do as others of the Saints, they cannot overcome their corruptions as they, yet the fear of God is upon them.
And then Secondly, That obeyeth the voyce of his Servant: They can appeal to God that knoweth all things that there's nothing their souls more desires than to be obedient to God, speaking by his Servants to their souls; and though it's true, they have not power to do the thing that is required▪ yet there is the obedience of the heart: Well then, Who is it? Whosoever it be, though never so weak, though never such stirrings of corruption in them, yet if they thus fear God, and their hearts lie under the Authority of his Word, so as to be willing to yield obedience to the voyce of God by his Servants, though he walks in darkness, and sees no light, he sees no comfort, no way of succor for him, yet let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, so that there is no condition so dark and dismal to any that desire to fear the Lord, and walk in his ways, but they may have exercise of their Faith in trusting in the Name of the Lord, and staying upon their God. And thus you have these Principles laid down for to ground your Faith upon, which you should lay next to your hearts, for you may have use of every one of these in your walk.