The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs ; published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

CHAP. 22. (Book 22)

Quest, How to know whether Faith wil carry us through difficult works, Answered in several particu∣lars, 1. Faith Goes upon spiritual grounds, motives, and ends. 2. Makes men sollicitous and careful for the enjoyment of Gods presence with them. 3. Causes men to carry themselves in a Gracious manner. 4. To have an high esteem of the name of God. 5. Makes them careful, that they may not be frustrated of their end. 6. It makes men satisfied with God Alone. 7. Faith is a continued work. That Faith, Which brought you out, will carry you through.

QƲEST. It is true faith doth carry through difficult

works, and amongst other difficult works the forsak∣ing of ones own country: it is much that we forsake in forsaking our country, and we had need of Faith to car∣ry one through this, indeed a Christian should look upon all the world as his country, he treads upon no ground but that which is his Fathers ground. Socrates used to call himself a Citizen of the world when he was banished he counted it no banishment for the world was his country, and he being a man was a Citizen of it, certainly God hath given the Saints the World: The promise was to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heire of the World, Rom. 4.13. And as it was said of the children of Israel, Deut. 11.24. So it may be said of the Saints, Whatever ground you tread upon, it is your own for use: And further though the world be theirs yet they live above the world and therefore they care not in what part of the world they are: Thus Ter∣tullian writing to Martyrs to encourage them being dri∣ven from their own country it is no matter saies he in what part of the world you are who are separated from the world: Yet there is much difficulty in le••••ing of a mans country, and he had need of faith to carry him through who doth leave it, But how shall we know that faith carries us through, there may be many other princi∣ples.

Answ. First, Faith goes upon spiritual grounds, motives and ends, Faith is a spiritual grace and it works exceeding spiritually, and the reasonings of Faith are above the reasonings of Flesh and Blood, what were your motives and grounds and ends by that you might know whether out of faith you forsook your country, it may be it was from vexation or discontent that you left your country; or from the example of others, or from engagement unto others, or out of novelty or out of carnal fears or out of vaine hopes, or for further providing for your selves, a great many things there may be that may put people on such a way, especially those three, novelty, example, and

discontent: but if it be by faith the ground and the end wil be spiritual, for God and out of obedience unto God. It is observable of Moses (for I will go no further for notes of tryal then from the worke of Moses) Moses when he pleads with Pharoah to go out of his country, he did not plead the peoples bondage, you do so abuse the people here, and we are in such grievous bondage, that we cannot bear it, but saies he In Exod. 4.23. The Lord hath commanded, we must go into the wilderness to worship him, that was his plea and ground and end rather then the bondage that the people did suffer: so when men forsake their country, outward things may come in, in subordination to higher things: and there may be faith in ordering the heart about them, but faith must go above them: now can your conscien∣ces witness, as in the presence of God, it was your long∣ing desire, for to enjoy God in his ordinances and to keep your souls from defilement, this was the argument of Moses, they could not set up the worship of God there, but they must go where God called them.

2. If Faith be the thing that brings any from their country, above all things they will be very sollicitous, and careful, for the enjoyment of Gods presence with them; though they are in a subordinate way to provide for their families and to look how to live yet the great care of their souls is that they may enjoy the presence of God: this was Moses argument: Exod. 33.15. Except thy presence go with us Lord carrie us not hence: now if so be it was thy care in departing to carry God, and his gracious presence with thee, let me stay here and suffer any thing, lie in prison and rot, rather then go without the presence of God, this is an argument it was of Faith.

3. Moses in forsaking his own country and going from Egypt he carries it in a very gratious manner, when he came to Pharoah though the people were vext and troubled, because their bondage did increase, he did

not fall exclaiming against him, but rather yeilding to him in a way of submission as far as he could: he did not go on rashly, headily, foolishly, and self-confidently, as many do, which manifest a great deal of pride, and stoutness of spirit rather then any thing else, but he carries on the business with a great deal of sobriety and gravity, with much humility, and meekness of spirit, in a way of wisdom; and so it is in every action of faith so far as faith is in it, now what was the maner of your forsaking your country, was it in a way of seeking of God, knowing the mind of God, with quietness of spirit, and humility, and wisdom that you were brought away, that is ano∣ther note that it is of faith.

4. Moses when he came from his country, above al things the name of God was dear to him after he was come away and especially upon this because their very departing from Egypt held out the name of God much, and therefore he was very careful that that name of God, that was held out in their departing from Egypt might not be polluted, when he was in any danger, presently he flees to this, Lord what will become of thy great name: he does not so much plead in the behalf of the people, as in the name of God, so if faith hath brought you from your country, the name of God is much in it: you take a profession that you come from your country for the ordinances of God, and the further purity of his worship, now for one to leave friends, and estate, and country, and all upon this ground, if it were out of faith, how dear would the name of God be to such a one, least the name of God that is held out in his profession should be polluted; when you come here and there should be divisions, and nothing but tearing, and rending of one another; consider what shall become of the great name of God, thus Moses reasoned what will the heathen say, that thou hast brought the people hither to destroy them? so will others say, they are come out of their own country to tear and rend, and

fight with one another. Let that name that is held out ••n your profession be dear to you, and make that an ar∣gument to curb passion, and to order you in your deal∣ings one with another.

5. Moses was mightily careful that he might not be frustrat of his end: he went out of Egypt that he might come to Canaan: and when there was any danger that he was like to be frustrated in this, how it troubled him it went to his heart; and he cried to God that God would let him see that good land: so if it be out of faith that you come from your country, great care will be had that you be not frustrate of your end, wherefore came you? came you not to enjoy God? to have fur∣ther communion with God? to walk with God in a more close way then you could do before? are you careful to attaine your end? doth it trouble your souls when at any time you see any danger to be frustrate of your end? doth it come near to you that you find for the pre∣sent you have attained so little of your end? those that come out of other ends, let this go: but if you come out of Faith, you will be mightily careful to attaine the end for which you came, that work that is done out of faith will work mightily to the end, and never leave wor∣king till it come at its end.

6. If so be you came out of your country by Faith your souls will be satisfied with God alone and the cal and promise of God is that which your souls will have recourse unto continually for the satisfaction of your souls, so Moses when he was in straight he presently had recourse to the call and promise of God, to bring his people out of Egypt, and that satisfied him.

7. As it will quiet, and satisfie the soul, so that Faith that brought you out will carry you through all difficulties, now you meet with many difficulties, and some you thought not of, if it were out of faith that you came, and that faith were a continued work it will car∣ry you through the difficulties you meet withall, do you

find that upon the difficulties you meet withall your hearts sink? you may fear it was not Faith that first brought you out. I would not have any gather any si∣nister conclusion from this which hath been said, to think that we make comparisons between our country and Egypt: no but we bless God for the good we received in our own country, and do desire the good of it as far as we can, but only to shew the work of Moses in forsak∣ing Egypt. But in those that came from Egypt there was a mixt company; and those mixt company were a continual trouble and disturbance to those that were the Israel of God. Numb. 11.4. And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting, and the children of Is∣rael also wept again and sayd who shal give us flesh to eate? the mixt multitude they began the sin, and the children of Israel fell with them: And so into these countries there are come many of the people of God that were gracious out of faith; but there are a great many that are the mixt multitude, that were of broken estates, they knew not how to live, and coming upon those ends, the people of God are troubled with such, and they are the gratest contemners of the waies of Godliness, they have kindness from the people of the country, but they meet with trouble from this mixt company, espe∣cially when any of those do creep into the Church, and come to be members of it, but for those that come from their country by faith, we hope we shal enjoy comfor∣table communion with all such, and thus much for this fourth use.