Chapter XIV
A second sort of ends for the trial and discovery of graces ; especially offaith.
5. OTHEE ends God hath, to make trial of our graces and a discovery of
them. The same end that God had in leading his people through the great
wilderness, where no water was/ where scorpions stung them/ Deut. viii.
16, which was to prove them, &c. ; the same ends hath God in suffering his
people to go through this desert, barrenness, and darkness, where no light is, and where terrors of the law do sting them, for all those his dealings then were types of God s dealings with his people now, even to prove them, and
to make trial of their hearts. For the same ends as he left Hezekiah to the
power of sin in the point of sanctification, namely, to know what was in his
heart, doth he also leave others of his children to the guilt of sin in the
point of justification, to discover also what is in their hearts. This is con
ceived to have been his end in deserting Job, to shew what strong patience, unconquered faith was in him. There be many gracious dispositions which
actually have not opportunity to discover themselves but in case of this kind
of desertion. Some of those which are the highest acts of grace and purest fruits of it, and which are the surest evidences of the truth of grace, would
never appear but in case of such desertion. For instance, then it is known whether a man love God for himself, and for those excellences of wisdom,
holiness, and goodness that are in him, when yet he knows not whether he
himself shall be ever the better for them, yea or no. Then also it is mani
fested to be pure, sincere, and unfeigned obedience. Then it is seen his
repentance is true, when he repents not of it, then when he is out of hopes of any reward for it. Then it is seen his sorrow is godly sorrow, when,
though the sentence of condemnation is read to him in his own apprehension and conscience, and he verily thinks he is taking his leave of God for ever, and going to execution, yet he can down upon his knees, and ask him for
giveness, and mourneth that ever he wronged him ; is angry and displeased with himself that a God so good, so just, should have so just cause to be
angry and displeased with him ; and he finds that he could have some rest and contentment that God is glorified upon one who hath so much dishon
oured him. Such dispositions as these would never see the light, if it were
not for this darkness. But as natura vexata prodit seipsam ; nature, when
conclusions are tried upon it, and it is put out of its course, then it discovers
itself, (even as anger discovers itself when a man is vexed,) as, if you would know the properties that are in herbs, you must try conclusions with them ; so also here doth God with a man s graces, and then they discover their most occult and hidden properties.
It were needless to go over all particular graces ; I will but more dis
tinctly instance in that glorious grace offaith. Which in this trial deserves more than all graces else, and though in all the varieties of conditions we
pass through it stands us in stead, yet in desertions it alone doth wonders ;
304 A CHILD OF LIGHT WALKING IN DARKNESS. [PART 1.
standing like Samson, encountering and conquering alone, when there is none to help. Because likewise, it is that grace which is called for in the
text, Let him trust in the name of the Lord, as being that grace which God
principally tries, to discover the truth, and magnify the power thereof in such
desertions.
(1.) First, this is certain, there is no grace God tries more than this grace of faith. Therefore, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7, Ye are in heaviness through manifold
: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of
temptations
gold which perisheth, being tried in the fire, might be found to glory, praise, and honour ; that is, both to the honour of God who is believed in, and also of faith itself, which is the most glorious grace a Christian hath ; which God loves to try, to that end the glory of it may appear. In the 5th verse he
having said, that we are kept by the power of God to salvation, if any now should ask, Wherein is that power of keeping us most shewn ? he answers, In and through faith. Ye are kept by the power of God through faith. And if you ask, When and wherein is the power of God through faith seen most ? he instanceth in manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith,
tfec.
Now then, as of all graces God would have faith tried ; so
(2.) Of all temptations none try it more than desertion of God s counte
nance, this of darkness and of terrors. Other temptations strike but obliquely at faith, but these lay direct battery to our faith, for they strike at that which is the immediate aim and object of it ; namely, that God is a man s God. These speak the direct contrary to what faith endeavours to appre hend, and that directly, and not by consequence only. Again, other temp tations are easily borne and answered, whilst the assurance of God s favour remains unshaken. It answers them all, and shakes them off, as he the viper off his hand ; but when that shall begin to be questioned, as in this case it
is, who is able to stand ? And what is able to strengthen a man then but the power of faith 1 As Solomon says of the spirit of a man, that it will bear all kinds of infirmities, if itself be whole ; but if it be wounded, who can bear it 1 so I say of assurance : if it be weakened and battered, the
very foundations thereby are shaken; a man s freehold touched, the root
struck. Now, in such a case, it is faith s peculiar office to stand a man in
stead, when nothing else can. Therefore he says, Let him trust, &c., because it helps thus at this dead lift.
(3.) Again, thirdly, in these conflicts of faith with desertions, consisteth the height of our Christian warfare. This is the highest pitched battle, the
greatest, and, as it were, the last brunt, upon which all is either won or lost; for in these a man encounters with God himself, apprehended as an enemy. God called out Job to try him by fighting a single combat with Satan, and he became, as I may so say, too hard for Satan alone ; and God joins against him also. Now then, to bear the brunt and shock of his wrath, and yet to stand upon a man s feet ; this, to the utmost, argueth the strength of faith. Hos. xii. 3, it is said of Jacob that by strength he had power with God;
it argued strength indeed : and this is done by faith, by the power whereof, God s power rather supporting it, a man relies on God, when all his
dealings would argue he had forsaken a man; that though God put on never
so angry a countenance, look never so sternly, yet faith is not dashed out of countenance, but can read love in his angry looks, and trust God beyond what he sees, it being the evidence of things not seen. Then, faith goes wholly out of itself, as seeing nothing in itself but barely a capacity of mercy and plenteous redemption, which it knows to be in God. This faith is a
CHAP. XIV.] A CHILD OP LIGHT WALKING IN DAKKNESS. 305
miracle of miracles, for it is founded, as the earth, upon mere nothing in itself, and yet bears the weight and stress of sins, devil, yea, of God himself. And this is the faith ye are converted by, in believing then on him that justifies the ungodly, Eom. iv. 5 ; and that which we must live by when all comforts
fail : and this is that faith which must stand you in stead at death, when the king of fears comes and besiegeth you
: and this is the faith that is to honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
VOL. in.
306 A CHILD OF LIGHT WALKING IN DAHKNESS. [PART I.