CHAPTER X.

TROUBLE, AFFLICTION, AND ADVERSITY, DO HELP AND FUR

THER US TO THE EXERCISING AND INCREASING OF OUR
FAITH.

THAT our faith is proved and tried through the cross and through adversity, it is declared before. And now shall it be evidently proved, that our faith is then first right stablished, exercised, and augmented, when adversity cometh. The very true christian faith is grounded only upon the grace, mercy, power, and help of God through Christ. Which thing cannot be right comprehended with vain thoughts, imaginations, and speculations; but God cometh upon the miserable sinners with heaps of miseries. Whatsoever they attempt, go about, or take in hand, it goeth backward with them, and their whole life is made so bitter as gall unto them, that they can nowhere find any rest.

And why? forsooth it is done for this purpose, that they should utterly neglect and despise all manner of counsel and comfort of man; that they should be plucked from all manner of trust in the policies and powers of the world; and that they should utterly despair of all help in any creature and in the stead of that, they should set and fix their hearts and minds only in God, and that nothing at all should else remain in them, but only unspeakable sighing unto God, proceeding out of a true faith, in whose help and mercy only altogether consisteth.

Testimonies of scripture: Moses witnesseth that God suffered the Israelites to be diversely vexed, and to be brought into great distress, and yet preserved them wonderfully, for this cause, that when they should come into the land of promise, they should not say: "Mine own power, and the strength of mine own hands, were able to bring this to pass; but thou shouldest think upon the Lord thy God: for he it is which giveth thee such power, whereby thou art able to perform and bring any thing to pass." (Deut. viii.)

And so did God deal afterward with the children of Israel, which of their own brain and wisdom sought help,

Deut. viii. 2, &c.

2 Cor. i. 9.

succour, and maintenance at the king of the Assyrians, and at the king of Egypt, which were the very same that afterward did besiege them, slay them, and carry them away prisoners.

And so after that they felt and proved that there was none that could succour and help them, but only the Lord, unto whom they yielded and gave over themselves at length; as, I looked for no other but that I should die. (Jer. x. Hosea ii. iv. vi.) But it was done for this purpose, that we "should not put any trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth up the dead again." (2 Cor. i.)

Item: Whatsoever stirreth up and exerciseth our faith, of that ought we not to be afraid, but rather to rejoice in it. When we live in idleness, in all lust and pleasure, the devil snappeth us up, and so blindeth us in our weakness, that we think God doth not regard us, and all things in the world to happen without any working or foresight of God. But as well in special as in general adversities, there is greater matter and occasion to practise and to exercise the faith.

God suffereth thee to fall into poverty, or thy most dear friends to be taken from thee by death, or some other disquietness to happen unto thee. As then hast thou a great occasion to awake and to practise thy faith; and first to call to remembrance the promises of God, contained in his word, and then to call upon him for his grace and assistance, and so to resist and withstand all manner of natural doubtfulness and despair, that hangeth in thy flesh, how grievous soever the necessity seem to be, and howsoever any man doth imagine that God hath withdrawn his face from thee, and will not help thee at all.

In like manner, in all common necessities and general, this is the right exercise of faith, and the most holy service of God, that we first consider and weigh earnestly all manner of perils and assaults of the church and of the commonwealth; and after that, that we pray unto God with a constant and a lively faith, that he will deliver and preserve the church from false doctrine, superstition, and hypocrisy, and that he will graciously rule and govern it: and that he will also preserve the commonwealth in good order and quietness, and will grant wholesome air and season

able weather, and will also restrain and let the wild and dissolute behaviour and conversation of the common sort of people; and will grant, maintain, and preserve a christian discipline, behaviour, and honesty, whereby his holy and godly name may be lauded and magnified, his kingdom augmented, increased, and confirmed, and the kingdom of the devil subverted and confounded.

And remember this also: whensoever thou considerest thy adversity, forget not to desire of God hope and trust for comfort, aid, and succour; and look that thou strive and fight mightily and manfully against all manner of mistrust, and put away all manner of despair, how grievously soever thy adversity and sorrow doth increase; and thus is thy faith well rightly practised and exercised.

:

An example from holy Job was taken all that ever any man might take any comfort in, wife, children, goods, and friends; and one trouble, sorrow, and heavy message came still in another's neck, and he had not one drop of blood in his body, that was not consumed and wasted. And he sat in the sight of all the world, was their laughing-stock, and so exercised and practised his faith, and gave over himself only and wholly unto God. (Job i. ii. iii.)

xviii. 18.

21.

Unto Abraham was promised a seed, which should be in multitude as the sand of the sea, and as the stars of the sky (Gen. xii. xviii. Eccles. xliv.); and yet was his Gen. xii. 2; wife barren and unfruitful, and he also waxen old and aged, Eccles. xliv. that after the judgment of natural reason it was not possible that that promise should be fulfilled and come to pass, by the means whereof Abraham did exercise, try, and practise his faith.

And thus did Joseph, David, Daniel, all patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, as well in the common and general adversities of the church, as in their own private and peculiar afflictions, exercise and practise their faith; and this was their highest God's service, wherewith they honoured and served God. (2 Sam. xv. Dan. iii. vi.)

Wherefore in our time also God giveth us great and marvellous occasion, through trouble and adversity, to awake, stir up, and to exercise our faith. And by such exercise is the faith increased and confirmed; yea, and shineth more brightly, and is made more beautiful and glorious.

For

Rom. v. 5.

whatsoever a man hath proved and tried himself, that believeth he afterward the more steadfastly. Now he that is a christian man or woman proveth and feeleth in deed, that in the midst of his sorrow and affliction he is ruled, defended, comforted, and preserved of God. For hope cannot be confounded.

And therefore the Christian and the faithful man, through trouble and adversity, is made more bold and hearty, and concludeth with himself, more than ever he did before, that God hath a special regard and consideration of those that are in trouble and misery, and will graciously help and deliver them out.

Like as one that hath sailed oft upon the sea, and proved and escaped great and dangerous tempests, and hath been sore tossed with the fearful waves, is afterward the more bold and hardy to go unto the sea, forasmuch as he hath ever escaped well, and hath had good fortune before; even so a christian man, whom the cross hath oft assaulted and exercised, forasmuch as he hath always found comfort, aid, and help of God, afterward he trusteth God, the longer the more, though the same affliction and adversity come again unto him, that he had before.

And to this purpose hear and mark two especial and notable examples; one out of the Old, and another out of the New Testament. David, when he prepared himself to fight against the valiant giant Goliah, said these words: "The Lord, which hath delivered me from a lion and from 1 Sam. xvii. a bear, shall deliver me also from this Philistine." (1 Sam. xvii.) And again, Paul saith: "God hath delivered us from so great a death, and delivereth us daily, and we hope that 2 Cor. i. 10. he will deliver us from henceforth also." (2 Cor. i.)

37.

And to the same purpose doth this also appertain, to consider, that the cross assureth those that bear it in the Lord, of the grace and favour of God, whereby they know certainly, that they are of the number of the elect, and the children of God; forasmuch as he looketh upon them fatherly, to reform and to correct them. (Job v. Hos. vi. 1 Pet. iv. 16. Prov. iii. Tobit xii. 1 Pet. iv. Heb. xii. Rev. iii.)

Job v. 17.
Hos. vi. 1.

Prov. iii. 11,
12.

Tobit xii. 17.

Heb. xii. 1, 2.

Rev. iii. 19.

Judith viii.

26.

For why thus it is written: "Yea, all those that ever did please God have been proved and tried by many and [ Peterborough copy: Forasmuch as.]

divers troubles, and have been found constant and steadfast in faith." Item: "All those that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and affliction." (2 Tim. iii. 2 Tim. iii. 12. Eccles. ii. Psalm xxxiii.)

Eccles. ii. 4, &c.

Psal. xxxiii. 18, 19.

CHAPTER XI.

TROUBLE AND ADVERSITY GIVETH US OCCASION TO PRAY

UNTO GOD, AND TO LAUD AND PRAISE HIM.

EVERY christian man knoweth this, that it is necessary and profitable for him to pray and to call upon God most fervently and devoutly. Now when a man liveth in all prosperity, then he prayeth very little, or very slenderly and coldly; he hath no great affection or mind upon it.

That prayer that is not pressed and thrust out with the cross, floweth not out from the depth and bottom of the heart.

But sorrow, heaviness, and adversity, kindleth the mind and setteth it on fire; driveth, chaseth, and hunteth it unto God, and compelleth it to call upon God fervently and earnestly: for at such time we feel and perceive well, that we can do nothing of ourselves, and what great need we have of God, that he will vouchsafe to govern, aid, and defend us.

Like as the water, as long as it floweth and runneth over the even, plain, wide, and broad fields, it breaketh not out by no violence, but disperseth and spreadeth itself abroad every where alike; but when it is gathered together by cunning and science, and conveyed into a narrow room, as into a pipe or conduit, then it springeth or spouteth out on high even so the mind of man, as long as it is quiet, idle, and without sorrow or trouble, it walketh and wandereth abroad at large and at liberty; but when it is brought in, restrained, and driven to a strait and a narrow issue through trouble and adversity, it breaketh out aloft to God in heaven with an earnest, hearty, and fervent prayer for grace, aid, and comfort. (Eccles. XXXV. Eccles. xxxv. Acts x.)

Whereupon there is a common proverb sprung: "Need and necessity teacheth men to pray." "O Lord, when

17.

Acts x. 2.