The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 9-11, Treatise 3 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
Faith helps the soul in time of affliction. 1 By taking away guilt, which makes afflictions heavy. 2 And by turning them into good. 3 By concluding deliverance as present. 4 By resting upon the Word. 5 By making up all comforts in God.
1 ANd then another thing wherein Faith helps the soul is this: Faith takes away the guilt of sin, and so makes the affliction easie to be born; it takes away the guiltiness, and so it comes to purifie the heart; guiltiness makes afflictions very heavy and sad: When Josephs Brethr…n had guiltiness upon their Consciences, in Gen. 42. 21. That made the affliction to sting indeed: Faith takes away guiltiness: That place in Rom. 5. 1. is notable for this, We being justified by Faith, have peace with God; and what then? We rejoyce in Tribulations: We can easily rejoyce in Tribulations, if we be justified by Faith, and so we have peace with God; it's the guilt of sin that is the sting in afflictions: Saith Luther, Strike Lord, strike, for I am absolved from my sin: Let God take away guilt, it's an easie matter to bear afflictions: And this is the proper work of Faith to justifie the soul before the Lord, and to take away the Curse in Afflictions: All the sting and curse of an affliction comes by sin, it comes by the Law; Faith acts upon the afflictions of Christ, upon what Christ hath suffered, and so comes to take away the sting of all afflictions; Oh Death, where is thy sting? under the word Death, is comprehended al the forerunners to it, Oh Death, where is thy sting? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ: It's all taken away in the Lord Jesus Christ; and so Faith it comes to turn Afflictions into Good, our Water into Wine.
2 Afflictions that were evil before, they come to be turned into Good: As when Moses took up the Serpent; it was a Serpent before he touch'd it, but when he took it up, it was a rod in his hand, of use unto him: So though Afflictions in themselves be as a Serpent ready to devour, yet being toucht by the hand of Faith, they are a Rod, and such a Rod as is useful, they are turned into good? and this is the work of Faith to make such a strange kind of alteration in afflictions: there's a notable Scripture in Job, 5. 19. speaking concerning afflictions, He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee; it's a very strange expression: though thou beest under many troubles, no evil shall touch you; the evil is taken away, the sting is gone, though the trouble be there: If the sting be taken out of a Bee, though it may make a buzzing so as to scare a child, yet a man of understanding is not afraid.
3 Again, Faith doth enable the soul to look upon the Issue of Afflictions as present, and to conclude deliverance out of afflictions, though it be not actual, yet to make it as actual, and real; as in Hosea, 6. 2. After three daies he will revive us: He Will, though he hath smitten us, yet we can look upon our reviving as a certain thing; After three daies, he will revive us: And in Job, 23. 10. I shall come forth as Gold: I know what the issue of all will be, it will be good; and this is as present to the soul, the soul by Faith doth see the quiet fruit of Righteousness that will come of all Afflictions: How easie is it to walk by Faith in Afflictions, when I can see the Issue of all as present, and good coming out of all afflictions.
4 Again, Faith helps in Afflictions by resting upon the Word: In the 119. Psalm, 49, 50. there David tells you what it was that did support him in the time of his affliction, namely, The Word: This is the way that a Beleever helps himself in afflictions; he doth not so much fly to this Duty, or the other Duty, and fall a whining, and crying out, and wringing his hands, and shewing passion and distemper; but goes and turns over the Word, and if he find the Word speaking well unto him, that's that which doth support the soul in the time of trouble; when God saith, I will be with you in six troubles, and in seven, and in the fire, and in the water, that they shall do you no hurt: these things doth Faith rest upon. The Promises that God hath made to help the soul in afflictions, are exceeding many; take that one Scripture in the 27. of Isa. 7, 8. Hath he smitten him as he smot those that smot him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt deba…e with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East wind: it's as sweet and excellent a Scripture for Faith to rest upon, almost as any I know: The day of the East wind, it's a day of a great deal of trouble and danger, a cold and nipping wind; but God staies his rough wind, he doth pity them, and in measure he will debate; they are as yong tender buds, and God sees that if the rough wind should come upon them, that they were not able to bear it, and therfore God deals with them according to their tenderness: Oh that you would consider of this, you that think your afflictions great; as every man and woman is ready to think their affliction to be the greatest: It is an East wind that is upon you, but there might have come a rough wind in the day of the East wind, but God staies that, because in measure he would debate with you; in Psal. 103. 13, 14.
5 Besides, In Afflictions Faith exercises thus; It makes up all in God; such and such Creature Comforts are taken from me, but Faith is such an excellent Principle as it makes up al in God: this is as great an excellency of Faith as any, and those that are Beleevers, know what the meaning of this is: This I confess is a riddle to many, To make up their losses in God; such an heavy affliction hath befallen me, but when the soul can go and make up all in God, here's the work of Faith, to close with God, the Lord is an Al-sufficient good, and what I had before in the Creature, was but as in the Pipe or Conduit; but I have the Fountain now in having God: This is the principal work of Faith; I thirst for thee (saith David) in a dry Land; not for Water, but for Thee, for thou canst make up the want of water; this is the very Nature of this Grace: What is the very chief work of Faith but this, The giving up its self wholly to God as the Alsufficient good, as its Infinite Alsufficient good, and to be satisfied in him alone whatsoever I want in any Creature? This is the very Primary act of Faith, and the excellency of Faith appears in this; and therefore it's very useful in the day of Jacobs trouble.