MOSES HIS SELF-DENYALL Delivered In a Treatise upon Hebrewes 11. the 24. verse BY IEREMY BURROUGHS LUKE 9. 24. Hee that loseth his life for my sake shall save it Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 5. Non magnanimitatis est magnos petere honores sed contemnere LONDON Printed by T. Paine and are to be sold by H. Overton and T. Nichols at their Shops in Popes-head Alley 1641. HONORATISSIMO DOMINO EDVARDO DOMINO MANDEVILL VICE-COMITI HEROI SVMMI CANDORIS PIETATIS AC LITERARUM FAUTORI LIBELLVM HVNC IN PERPETUAE OBSERVANTIAE TESTIMONIUM D.D.D. JER BURROUGHS TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe corruption of Nature is exceeding great it appeares sundry wayes in none more then in selvishnesse hee which at first was made altogether for God is now altogether for himselfe The disease is Catholike and spreads to the ends of the earth Phil. 2. 21. All seeke their owne The people flocked after Christ by Sea and Land here was great seeming selfe-denyall Christ they must see Christ they must heare a Christ they must have but this Christ-seeking was altogether selfe-seeking Christ tells them that it was not himselfe his Doctrine or Miracles that drew them it was the loaves they found more vertue in that bread then in the bread of life It was selvishnesse that made Laban change Iacobs wages ten times and become a deceiver This made Naball churlishly deny reliefe to David and his in their distresse This made Gehezi run after Naaman and take talents of silver and change of garments Elishaes excellencie appear'd in his selfe-denyall and Gehezies basenesse in his selfe-seeking This humour is in all and predominant in most parties Some great pretenders of holinesse are polluted and poysoned with this venome You may see it in the Jesuites Maximes practise They say there is not a mixture in every congregation their Society is without spot or wrinkle they have all living and no dead members And againe their Society exceedes all others in this that they have Antidotes and Spices which will preserve them from corruption so that there is no danger of their degenerating after some Centuries of yeares as other orders have done Happy men if their sayings and Societies were the same When they deale with Princes and Potentates they tell them not of their faults but those opinions Qua liberiorem faciunt conscientiam Thus they doe to advance themselves and their cause that they may be thought the Non-suches of the world they boast of their grace and say the Monkes come short of them they can dally with the fairest women without danger Paul himselfe was not so perfect in that kinde as they are Here is selfe-seeking with a witnesse they throw downe an Apostle to lift up themselves they care not who fall so they may rise they blast all others to beautifie themselves But God in justice hath made them odious even among Papists as well as Protestants Great selfe-seekers in a Church or State ever gaine great hatred If men will pollute Gods worship with their devices hee will make their names to stinke Nothing makes us more honourable in the eyes of God and man then the advancing of his worship and preserving it unmixt If temporalls come in place of eternalls and that which is mans instead of that which is Gods God will make the Authours of such evill contemptible before all the people Mal. 2. 8 9. It is not unknowne how divine providence proceeded against the Danish Prelates Had they denyed themselves maintained the pure Worship of God sought the publike good of Prince and people they might have stood to this day but because they were shamefully wicked and sought themselves too much they were wholly cast out by Prince and people in the yeare 1537 Self-seeking is self-undoing Absolom and Adoniah whilest they sought themselves they lost their lives The argument of this Book is selfe-denyall a hard yet a safe lesson it is no other then Christ taught and practised If any man will bee my Disciple let him deny himselfe and follow me Matth. 16. 24. there 's the doctrine see his practise Ioh. 6. 15. when they would make him a King hee withdrawes the greatnesse and glory that was in royall Majesty could nothing prevaile with his spirit Hee did not his owne will but the will of his Father It liked not him to have his workes blowne abroad his whole life death was an absolute self-denyall This way would he have all his to goe and it is a way wherein is no death Hee that doth most deny himselfe he lives most free from sinne Take a true selfe-denying man and passion is a stranger to him he sinnes not with anger because he rejoyces in his wrongs hee swells not with pride because hee is content to bee contemned hee frets not at afflictions because he deemes himselfe worthy of all punishments Selfe-denyall breeds great joy and brings great ease It unburthens a man of himselfe his sinfull selfe What joy what ease was it to Joseph to bee rid of his inticing Mistresse he let goe his coat and saved his innocencie And let a Christian rid himselfe of his sinfull selfe and his joy and ease will exceed Josephs if he let goe his Flesh hee shall advance his Spirit Would it not be another Heaven to be rid of our sinfull opinions sinfull wills and affections deny thy selfe and this Heaven is thine A selfe-seeker onely makes himselfe miserable hee is an absolute Tyrant his self-selfe-love turnes charity out of doores eates up all the love that God man should have neither others good nor Gods glory are deare to him hee is a clod of the earth that sucks the sap of his soule onely to himselfe It is the selfe-denying man that is the man for God and publike good Such a one was Moses Heaven and Earth have beene honoured by him such a one will venture even where danger difficultie is selfe shall not hinder publike good A selfe-denying man will stand by Gods cause and people when others shrinke for feare and shame One Dowglas a Scottish Knight having heard Master Whiscart preach said I know the Governour and Cardinall shall heare of it but say unto them I will avow it and not onely maintaine the Doctrine but also the person of the teacher to the uttermost of my power Had hee minded his credit with great ones his estate or libertie he would not have appeared for a persecuted truth and man selfe-denyall had stript him of private respects Antoninus Pius when hee undertooke the Title of Emperour said he did then forgoe the propertie and interest of a private person and when we take the name of Christ upon us wee should then forgoe all selvish and domestick respects It is the honour of a Christian to be like unto his Master Christ hee denyed himselfe throughly and was acted altogether by the Father let us doe the like and be acted wholly by Christ I live not sayes
Paul but Christ lives in me his judgement will affection life were transformed into Christs here was no halving himselfe was fully layd downe and Christ was all in all and hee gained enough by it there is no better way then to denie our selves and to doe it fully It is a fayling and that a great one in many they will denie themselves in some things in many things but not in all if they mortifie most lusts yet to some one they will shew mercie This mercie to thy lust is crueltie to thy selfe Iron fetters thou knockest off with indignation but pleadest for golden shackles some pettie beloved corruption Why doest thou denie thy selfe in part and not altogether Curvis jam pluribus rescissis manere in parvo ligatus Limitations here will prove thy lamentations denie thy selfe wholly or not at all if there be not through selfe-denyall ere long there will be God-denyall Hast thou loved thy selfe too much heretofore nunc opus est odisse now hate thy selfe hast thou leaned upon thy owne wisedome too much now despise it acknowledge God in all thy wayes The further off thou art from thy selfe the neerer thou art to God Selfe-seeking sets us at the borders of Hell and selfe-denyall sets us at the gate of Heaven Reader wouldst thou have two Heavens live in Heaven on Earth and goe to Heaven at death studie this Booke of Self-denyall Vergerius by reading of Luther was taken off from Poperie and Pighius by reading Calvin was brought to be of his mind in point of Justification Who knoweth but thou mayest by reading this learned Treatise of Selfe-denyall be brought off from all thy selfe-love and selfe-seeking This Author would pull from thee that which would ruine thee If thou wilt let the Physick purge out ill humours take away ill bloud to save thy life be not unwilling that a grave and godly Divine should purge out thy self-selfe-love and take away sinfull humours to save thy soule It is his ayme to doe thee good follow his counsell and thou shalt never be troubled with soule-sicknesse It is our sinfull selfe-seeking that breedes all the distempers of our spirits Let us denie our selves and then wee are as God would have us to be wee shall make high account of God and find great sweetnesse in the things of God They that fast most find the greatest sweetnesse in their meat And those that are the greatest selfe-denyers find the greatest content in God and most blessings from God They are ever in the valley of Berachah in the place of blessings and rest And what the Prophet crownes true fasting withall the same will God crowne selfe-denyall withall joy gladnesse and chearefull feasting Thy friend in Christ W. GREENHILL The Authours Advertisement to the Reader Christian Reader MVch of this treatise was preached before an auditory sutable to the subject especially the former part of it But many things are added especially exemplifications of Historie and quotations It is not my manner to fill Sermons either with histories or quotations But I may have leave to put them with my notes and so you have them here It may bee they may drawe some to the reading of some things that may sticke by them which otherwise the very title of the treatise would have caused them to reiect What you finde sutable to you take for your profit and thanke God what there is else be not offended at it but leave it to others who may perhaps gaine something by it I. B. CHristan Reader by reason of the authors absence diverse faultes have escaped especially this one in many places the person is changed the first is put in for the second and third It may seeme harsh and strange that when there is speaking to those of high ranke the authour should speake in the first person wee and ours but the coppie was otherwise p. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 59 partaker part p. 31. f. us r. you c. MOSES HIS SELFE-DENIALL HEB. 11. 24. By Faith Moses when hee was come to yeares refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs Daughter IN this Chapter we have a divine record a famous catalogue of the worthies of the Lord manifesting the power and life of that blessed grace of faith in the glorious effects of it amongst whom Moses is one of the most choice eminent holding forth unto us the glory efficacie of his faith in divers wonderful blessed fruits of it both actively passively in what he did in what he suffered his wonderfull self-deniall his strange choice his fixed eye upon Heaven his undaunted courage his glorious constancy his cleare sight of the invisible God The first is his selfe-deniall which the Holy Ghost here records as a high cōmendation as a most famous testimony of the pretiousnesse of his faith and indeed so it is faith above all graces fills the heart with the fulnesse of God but most empties it of its selfe raises the heart the highest in communion with God but keepes it downe the lowest in selfe-abasement By faith Moses when he was come to yeares refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter He refused not a bare willingnes contentednesse to be without that honour but when he was put upon it he denyed it so the word is Yea horruit aver satus est saies Chrysostome upon that place he trembled hee was astonished at such a thought that he should embrace the honours of the Court rather then to own the people of God in their most afflicted distressed condition He abhorred he detested the entertaining such a thought in his heart therfore turned away from it with disdaine We never reade that he refused or denied in words that ever he said to Pharaohs daughter or any other to this effect that he would not be her heire or be called her sonne but actions have as lowd a voyce as words When Moses came downe from the Mount his face shined so gloriously as the people were not able to behold it here his faith raiseth him higher then the Mount and puts an unexpressible lustre glory up on him Here is a Worthy of the Lord indeed bright and glorious in the shining beauty of his faith set out unto us in the full expressions of it by the Holy Ghost himselfe By faith Moses Moses a man compleate every way for his parts admirable the Holy Ghost witnesses of him that hee was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians so Act. 7. 22. Philo Iudaeus in vita Mosis saies that there were sent for learned men at exceeding great charge out of forraine parts to instruct him in the liberall arts and out of Caldaea such as might instruct him in Astrology besides the most learned of Egypt and Eusebius cites another affirming that Moses was not onely learned in the learning of the Egyptians but that he taught the Egyptians the use of letters and therefore
great spirits but onely godly men Thirdly it argues the power of grace to resist powerfull temptations is powerfull grace It was powerfull grace that enabled Joseph to resist such a temptation as hee had from his Mistresse Luther sayes it was no lesse miracle to overcome the flame of lust in this temptation then it was for those three men to be kept safe in the firy furnace When the World proffers it selfe in the glory and beauty of it unto us the temptation is strong to flesh and bloud Hence wee have so many Caveats in Scripture that when we are full wee should beware that wee forget not God and take heed wee decline not from him then then is the danger when corruption hath matter to feed on yet then to keepe it downe argues strength It is not the worke of a childe to governe a horse pampered full fed in fat pastures It was an argument that David had much power over his affections that though the waters of Bethleem were so longed for of him so desirable to him yet when hee had it before him and might have drunke of it yet then hee could deny himselfe and refused When Esau looked on the pottage of Jacob and saw it was so red so sutable and pleasing to him that hee must needes have it though it cost him his birth-right hee was not able to deny himselfe in giving contentment to his flesh at that one time though he knew it must cost him dear but though all the delights of the World be proffered yet where there is powerfull grace they are rejected It is a strong stomacke that can disgest much fat much honey and sweet things that usually clog weake stomackes so it is a strong spirit that is not overcome with the sweet of much prosperity It argued there was much power in the oath that Saul caused his Army to take 1 Sam. 14. 26. Not to eate any thing that day when though they being faint for want of meate and yet comming through a Wood where honey dropped from the leaves before them as they went yet none dared to touch one drop So here when men are compassed about with all delights and they are flesh and bloud as well as others and they finde the temptation come strongly upon them yet through the assistance of the grace of God they can abstaine this is a great honour to grace and arguing much power in it Fourthly it is a testimony of deare love to the Lord to deny ones selfe for his sake when one is in the highest of enjoyment of all delights to the flesh it is an argument that God is indeed the proper place the centre of the soul when although it hath never so much of the creature to give satisfaction unto it yet it cannot rest but workes still to God through all and from all As a stone though it were in never so good a place although it were in Heaven yet it would desire to descend because the proper place of it is below so let a gracious heart which hath God for the centre be put into any condition never so full of delight yet it is not satisfied it is willing to leave all that it may close with God To seeke after God and make much of godlinesse in the times of affliction may argue selfe love but love to God appeares not then As God manifests his love to us in not sparing his owne Sonne for us so wee manifest our love to God in not sparing our dearest contentments for him This God testifies of Abraham hereby hee knew he loved him indeed in that for his sake hee did not spare his onely sonne Isaac As Psal 45. when the Kings daughter is content to forsake her fathers house and dearest kindred then the King delights in her beauty to pretend love to Christ when the World withdrawes from us whatsoever is lovely in it this is not much but now to have our love burning after Jesus Christ when the World proffers to us all her lovelinesse this is true love Love is bountifull it is shewne to purpose when it shewes it selfe able and willing to part with much for the beloved as that love of God should be for ever accounted deare and pretious that shewes mercy to one at that time when hee is most wicked in the height of sinne even tempting God to destroy him so if when you have the strongest temptations to draw your hearts from God yet even then you can finde your hearts sweetly working towards him closing with him delighting in him here is love unfained this is love that God will owne and make much of for ever As the Idolatrous Jewes shewed their love to their Idols by plucking off their eare rings and parting with their Jewels and most pretious things they had for the honour of their Idols so doe the true worshippers of God shew their love to him when they doe part with much that is pretious and delightfull to flesh and bloud Fifthly this gives God the glory of all our prosperity which shewes wee acknowledge it to be from him and for him and that wee have it not for our selves but for the setting forth his praise When God gives us much of the creature wee mistake his meaning if we thinke hee gives it us to enjoy as we please for hee gives all to use for himselfe and where this is much acknowledged there God is much glorified if wee mistake not Gods meaning yet at least we forget upon what tearmes wee receive all our comforts from God namely that wee may returne them againe to him they are the words of a Heathen thou forgettest that thou hast received those things speaking of worldly prosperity to returne them againe Sixthly this gives testimony to the world that surely there are wonderfull blessed things that God acquaints the soule withall in the wayes of godlinesse that there is much sweet and contentment to be had in those wayes they see something more glorious that makes them so little to regard the glory that there is in the things of the World when men might have all content in what the World affords and yet they are willing to deny all for Christ surely they finde much sweetnesse in Jesus Christ that takes up their hearts and satisfies their soules or else they would never doe as they doe they have found something better then all these things something that the world knowes not of that makes them doe as they doe they would not let goe their hold in these outward things were it not they had found something better If you see a Bee leave a faire flower and sticke upon another you may conclude that she findes most Honey dew in that flower shee most stickes upon So here Gods people would never leave so many faire flowers in the Worlds Garden had they not some other in which they finde most sweetnesse Christ hath his Garden into which he brings his beloved
services for the honour of his name as Saul collected from the spirit of David when he saw how he was able to deny himselfe in not taking that advantage he had of him when he might have had his will upon him to the full blessed bee thou my sonne David sayes Saul thou shalt both doe great things and shalt also still prevaile 1 Sam. 26. 25. So when a man may have his will to the full and yet can deny himselfe it is a signe that God intends to use selfe-denying spirits in his service none to them and this selfe-deniall is of the highest kind Thirdly this is the highest improvement of all outward mercies that may bee this changes poore meane things into most excellent glorious things it is impossible to make so much advantage of any thing in the world any other way as in this way here is a spirituall divine improvement of naturall of vaine drossie things here is a turning of stubble and dirt into gold and pearles for great and precious and glorious are the mercies that God uses to recompence this selfe-deniall withall Fourthly this selfe-deniall is highly acceptable to God God glories in such Daniel kept close to God and denyed himselfe much in his great prosperity and hee is called a man greatly beloved Cap. 10. 11. vir desideriorum a man of desires so the words are as when a man is compassed with temptation to despaire a little breathing of faith is acceptable so when hee is compassed with temptation of satisfying the flesh of security of presumption then a little much more eminent selfe-deniall oh how acceptable is it Fifthly if you in the fulnesse of all your earthly contentments shall acknowledge Iesus Christ and bee willing to lay downe all for him when he shall come in the fulnesse of his glory hee will acknowledge you and will put glory upon you when hee shall come with his mighty Angels full of majestie to be admired of his Saints then he shall owne you and make you partakers of his owne glory hee will then remember every cup of cold water given for his names sake much more then the giving him the praise and honour of so much in the things of the world as you have enjoyed The being made partaker of the fulnesse of Christs honour in that day will then a thousand times recompence the emptying of your selves of any fulnesse of outward contentments in the creature you have had here Sixthly if ever you should live to come to come to any adversity in this world surely it will bee much sweetned to you if you bee willing to give God the honour of the sweet of prosperity though adversity may come yet God will keepe the bitternesse of it from you if you so know God in prosperity as to deny the comforts of it for him hee will so know you in adversity as to take off the gall and bitternesse of it from you in all your seeking of God in the time of trouble you may have a holy boldnesse and freedom of spirit having assurance that it is not out of self-selfe-love that you seeke him that it is not out of constraint because driven to him by afflictions but it is out of love to that God to whom your soule flowes as to a God in whō you have an especiall interest that God who was so deare to you in the midst of the enjoyment of the abundance of the creature so that now in the want of all things you shall bee freed from those checkes of spirit that others have damping their hearts when they are about seeking after the Lord in the time of their trouble Seventhly it is so much the more honorable and may bee so much the more comfortable to you by how much the more rare it is God hath but few selfe-denying spirits in the world there are a word of people that will be crying to him in the times of affliction but a few peculiar ones who have hearts to seeke his face and honour his name in the height of their prosperity few that are then humble and selfe-denying to be set on high and yet to have the heart kept downe is hard and unusuall saies Bernard but the more unusuall the more glorious CHAP. VII Reproofe of those who greedily pursue sensuall delights THe second use is for Reproofe to those who greedily give up their hearts to the enjoyment of all the carnall and sensuall delight that they can take in the abundance of the outward mercies that God hath given them knowing no higher good of them then to take their fill of cannall delight from them blessing themselves in them little thinking of God or any service that God calls for at their hands in the use of them They know not how to rejoyce and not to let out themselves to the full beyond all bounds of moderation They know not how to make any conjunction betweene rejoycing and moderation they thinke there is such a distance betweene these two that they can never be joyned in one but marke how wide these are from the minde of the Holy Ghost Phil. 4. 4 5. Rejoyce alwaies and againe I say rejoyce what followes then let us let out our hearts to the full let us satisfie our selves to the utmost way but let your moderation be knowne to all men many who care not how they neglect full oportunities for the service of God or receiving spirituall blessings from God yet will bee sure to take to the full all the advantage they can of all their outward prosperitie to fatten their hearts in all manner of carnall jollity and brutish sensuality they let out their hearts to the utmost to this making the bounty of God but as fuell to their lusts and meanes to fatt up their hearts to destruction and to make them the more bold and impudent in sinning against him Doe you thinke in your consciences that this is the end why God hath given you an abundance of these outward things more then others what did God aime at no higher end then this is there no other way whereby God may bee more glorified by that you have will it rejoyce your hearts hereafter to remember what you have done how many are there who have their hearts so glued to the comforts of the creature that they enjoy that they had rather venture to part with God and conscience and those blessed things they heare of Christ and of eternity then venture the losse of these present delights that they see before them as that prophane Duke of Burbon in France said he would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise what more apparent argument can there be that you have these things as your portion you are the man who have your portion in this life you are never like to have any other good from God Yea a certaine argument it is that all these things are for the present cursed to you
manifestly discerned It is a notable expression of Jerome God would have such stability of faith in us that the things which we beleeve should be more certaine to us then the things wee suffer and the things hoped for should be in more reality with us then things sensible to us these things are now apprehended as reall and certaine things although they bee such things as the Apostle saith Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have they entered into the heart of man to conceive yet God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit even that Spirit that searcheth the deepe things of God now there must be something in us to take this revelation of the spirit and that is faith The Spirit reveales them not as notions not as uncertain things and so faith takes them The Spirit of God sayes Luther does not write opinions but assertions in our hearts more certaine then life it selfe and all experiences whatsoever Faith can see into those things that no naturall eye ever saw it can apprehend that which never entred into the heart of man to conceive Saint Paul in the 2 Cor. 4. 18. sayes that the things that are eternall are things not seene and yet sayes that wee looke at things that are not seene though they be things that are not seene yet Saint Paul and other beleevers by the eye of faith could see them as certaine and reall things The things of Christ of grace of Heaven what poore empty notions were they to the soule what uncertaine things before faith came in but faith makes them to bee glorious things faith discovers such reall certaine excellencie in them and is so sure that it is not deceived that it will venture soule and body the losse of all that it will beare any hardship yea it will venture the infinite losse of eternity upon them faith discovers such reality and certainty in these things that now the things of the World that were before onely reall sure excellencies in the eyes of a man now are as fancies and shadowes empty imaginary contentments that have no being no foundation no certainty in them as formerly hath beene shewed Fourthly faith gives the soule an interest in God in Christ in all those glorious things in the Gospel and in the things of eternall life Faith is an appropriating an applying and uniting grace It is a blessed thing to have the sight of God there is much power in it but to see God in his glory as my God to see all the Majesty greatnesse and goodnesse of God as those things that my soule hath an interest in to see how the eternall Counsels of God wrought for mee to make mee happy to see Christ in whom all fulnesse dwels in whom the treasures of all Gods riches are and all those are mine to see Christ comming from the Father for mee to be my Redeemer all this is the worke of faith by the union of it with God in Jesus Christ Faith unites the soule to Christ after another manner then any other grace Love causeth a morall and spirituall union but this causeth a mysticall union other graces cause us to be like to Christ but this makes us be one with Christ and so have interest in what Christ hath interest in What is all the world now to such a soule where is all the bravery of it or the malice and opposition of it The losse of outward things or the enduring of afflictions are great evills to those who have not interest in better but to such as have interest in higher things there is no great matter though they lose lower Fifthly faith discharges the soule of the guilt of sinne and that dreadfull evill that followes upon it It gets a generall acquittance from God a pardon of all sinne and remission of all punishment thereof sealed in the blood of his Sonne The soule being made just by faith is able to live in the middest of many troubles The just by faith shall live so it is to be read not the just shall live by faith but being made just by faith so as to stand just and righteous in the Court of Heaven it now is able to live Faith cleares all betweene God and the soule it may bee there was long humiliation before many prayers made in seeking of this many teares shed many duties performed yet all this could not doe but the guilt lay on still but as soon as faith comes then all is gone and the soule stands righteous in the presence of God and all the breach betweene God and it is made up Being justified by faith wee have peace with God sayes Saint Paul Rom. 5. 1. Now the breach being made up and peace made marke what followes a little after in that Scripture there is not onely ability to beare trouble but to rejoyce in tribulations yea not onely to rejoyce but to glory in tribulations Strike Lord strike sayes Luther for I am absolved from my sinnes Now the soule hath got a greater good then the world can afford and is freed from greater evils then the world can inflict A man that hath beene with the King and gotten his pardon for his life is not troubled though hee lose his glove or handkerchiefe as hee comes out nor though it should prove a rainy day as he returnes home truely the losse of all things in the world to such a soule if it hath faith acting is but as the one and the enduring of all evils is but as the other And besides by this the soule sees it selfe so infinitely engaged to God as it is willing to doe or suffer whatsoever God will have it How readily doth Isaiah offer himselfe to God in service to which much suffering was annexed after God had taken away his sinne When God asked whom hee shall send hee presently answers Here am I Lord send mee It is enough that my sinne is pardoned my soule is saved let mee bee cast into any condition in the World let mee bee imployed in any service I have mercie and happinesse enough 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 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
is that it hath made betweene God and it selfe when the Soule is truly burdened with it when it hath the sight of Gods infinite holinesse and knowes what the consequence of an eternall estate meanes and yet for me to venture all so as I am lost for ever if I miscarrie here and that when I have nothing to commend me to God when he can see no good in me nothing but that which his Soule loathes and abhorres surely now to venture upon the free Grace of God is a most glorious worke of Faith And that Faith that can doe this we need not feare but it will carry through all outward troubles Secondly if your Faith can keepe you in love to holy duties although you find nothing come in by them you pray you heare you reade you receive Sacraments and yet you finde your hearts as hard and your corruptions as strong as ever yet if still you can continue not onely the practice of holy duties but love unto them this is a great worke of Faith The three latter are Luthers three difficulties of Faith namely first To beleeve things impossible to reason secondly To hope for things that are deferred and thirdly To love God when he shewes himselfe to be an enemie If Faith can doe these things there is no feare but it will overcome all outward difficulties that possibly can befall CHAP. XVI The meanes to maintaine and strengthen our Faith LAstly if Faith be the Grace that carryes through all then it is our wisedome to labour what wee can to maintaine and strengthen our Faith Let us looke especially to that wherein our chiefe strength lyes let not a Dalilah let not any carnall content get away no nor in the least degree abate our strength let us be sure we looke to our Shield that that be safe and sound As that Heathen Epaminondas being dangerously wounded with a Speare so that hee sunke downe as one dead but after comming to himselfe hee asked if his Target were safe his chiefe care was about that so should ours be about the Shield of our Faith The Devill labours above all things against us in this hee cares not what men doe so be it their Faith be neglected Especially therefore labour to strengthen your Faith in these three things The first is the principall and ground of all namely The assurance of your interest in the Covenant of Grace that you are received by God into that free rich glorious Covenant of life in Christ That now you are not to stand or fall by what is in your selves or what comes from you but by the perfect righteousnesse of that blessed Mediator who hath undertaken your Cause with God doubts and fears about this doe much weaken the spirits of men when troubles come upon them Secondly in the assurance of Gods fatherly love unto and care over you in the sorest and hardest afflictions that can befall you As it is an argument of much ignorance to perswade ones selfe that God loves one because of present prosperitie so it is exceeding weakenesse to call Gods love in question upon the feeling the smart of affliction to thinke that none of Gods people are afflicted in such a kinde as I am If it were in some other kind it were not so much but being thus I am afraid that God never loved mee and that he hath now quite forsaken mee Thirdly in the assurance of the blessed issue of all that all will be peace and comfort at the last if Faith be strong in these it will be able to encounter with all assaults whatsoever this strengthening of our Faith must be First by much meditation in the covenant of grace the rich promises and glorious manifestations of Gods goodnesse in his Word that so the soule may be acquainted with the promises and have alwayes a word at hand to relieve it selfe withall Secondly by keeping conscience cleare that it may speake peace and encourage us that it may not upbraid us that it may not cast feares into us that it may not cast camps of spirit within us Thirdly take heed of listening to the reasonings of flesh and blood venture we our selves wholly upon the word if wee have that never argue the cause any further Wee read of Saint Paul Gal. 1. 16. that he dared not to consult with flesh and blood after Christ was once revealed in him if he had he had never beene able to deny himselfe as hee did carnall reasonings are great enemies to Faith they are the strong holds of Satan which must be battered downe Prov. 3. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and leave not unto thine owne understanding There we see that leaning to ones owne understanding and trusting in God are opposed one to another Fourthly keepe Faith in continuall exercise upon all occasions looke up to God in the strength of a promise for assistance in all things for sanctifying for blessing every thing unto you live by Faith in whatsoever you undertake or doe that so when greater tryalls come faith may be in a readinesse being alwayes kept active and stirring Fifthly labour much to keepe up your converse with God in his ordinances in all holy duties that you may be exercised in them with life and power that there being a holy sweet familiarity between God and the soule it may be more able freely and cheerfully and confidently to repaire unto him in times of trouble and exercise its Faith upon him as that God betweene whom and the soule there is daily a sweet intercourse God letting himselfe out daily in his love and mercie to the soule and the soules working up its selfe and inlarging it selfe in love and delight and praise to God againe And when sufferings come then stir up and put forth the grace of Faith in the exercise of it looke up to God for strength and assistance commit your selfe and cause wholly to him plead the promise plead your call that hee hath called you to this plead the cause that it is his Master Tindall in a Letter of his to Master Frith who was then in prison hath foure expressions of the worke of Faith in time of suffering If you give your selfe cast your selfe yield your selfe commit your selfe wholly and onely to your loving Father then shall his power bee in you and make you strong hee shall set out his truth by you wonderfully and work for you above all your heart can imagine And observe this rule labour to strengthen and exercise your Faith before your heart bee too deepely affected with your affliction Wee usually have our first and chiefest thoughts upon our Troubles and spend the strength of our spirits in poring upon them and tyre our selves in the workings of our unbeleeving discontented spirits giving libertie to the reasonings of our hearts so that wee are sunke before any promise can come to us wee are not able to