Chapter 30

Of many reasons which there are, why we must hope that our Lord will deliver us, out of all tribulation, how grievous soever it be: and of two significations, which this word Believe, may be accounted to have.

It is true which S. Gregory saith, That the accomplishment of things past, giveth assurance concerning things to come. And since men are wont to trust others, upon taking pawns, we seem not to do much for God, if we hope for a deliverance out of future tribulation, since he hath so often done it, in times past. It¹ is certain that if any man should have made us find his love and favour, in succouring us ten, or twelve several times, in our troubles; we should believe he loved us; and that still he would do us favour, if, in other afflictions of ours we should have need. And why then shall we not have a confident belief, that God will defend us in all our dangers; since they are not twelve, but many more times, that we have taken experience of his succour, in our tribulations. Remember well, how often he hath drawn thee, with victory, out of those sharp skirmishes of thine against thy adversaries; and thou wert grateful unto him for it; and thereupon thou didst conceive a reason to believe, and confide, that he loved thee; since after the tempest, he sent fair weather; and joy after tears; and since he had been thy true Father, and defendor.

And why then, if now he please to try thy confidence, thy love, and thy patience, by a present tribulation, (as if he hide himself, because he answereth not to thy cries) dost thou let thyself fall, into such weakness, as that the present trial which cometh to thee, maketh thee lose the confidence, which in many former proofs, thou hadst gained. It is true, that we feel those things most, which at the present lie upon us; and if thou markest the straits wherein thou findest thyself, and how our Lord doth not free thee of them, thou wilt perhaps conceive, that our Lord hath laid aside the care, which formerly he had of thee; and thou wilt say, as the Apostles did, in that great sea-tempest, to our Lord, who then was sleeping, Master² dost thou not care, though we perish; and thus wilt thou be overtaken, by the reprehension of that scripture, which saith, The fool changeth like the moon; Because it is sometimes after one manner, and sometimes after another. And thou wilt be like a Vane, upon the top of a house, which is subject to many changes in one day, because it is governed by every wind. Thou wert in possession of our Lord, as one that was careful of thee, and thy defence in the time of trouble, because than he breathed upon thee, by the wind of his mercy and comfort, wherewith he gave thee deliverance; and thou didst pay him, with thankes. And because now, there blows another wind, wherewith our Lord is pleased to prove, and trouble thee; thou art no longer of that belief, and confidence, which before thou hadst. So that thou dost believe, but what thou seest; & thou dost not value our Lord, but according to that, which at the instant time, he doth towards thee; without helping thyself; of that which thou hast tried at many other times, that so at the present, thou mayst be comforted in our Lord.

A strange incredulity was theirs, who having seen the marvels of God in Egypt, and the victories, and favours, which he wrought for them, in the desert; would not take his word, whereby he told them, that they should enter into the land of promise. For this, saith S. Paul, they entered not. And so is it true (though not according to equality, yet with some resemblance,) that the disconfidence, and pusillanimity of that man is great, who, (notwithstanding that God hath delivered him many times from dangers past) groweth not yet to confide, that he shall not be abandoned, nor confounded, in the danger either present, or future; since as we have said, the hope which one putteth in our Lord, (if the man be not infault) will never fail, nor will there be cause that a man should say, I was deceived.

Now it is to be understood, that sometimes this word³ Believe, is taken for that work, which the understanding performeth, by settling itself in the truths of the Catholic faith, with a supreme kind of certitude, as formerly hath been said. And he that believeth against this faith, is called, with a full mouth, and is indeed, an Heretic, and an incredulous person; and such an error believed, hath the name of an heresy, or of incredulity. But the disconfident person, of whom we have spoken hitherto, is neither incredulous, nor is he subject to incredulity; because he hath no obligation to believe (in quality of an article of faith) that God will deliver him, out of that present trouble; as yet, they of the⁴ desert, were obliged to believe, that God would give them victory against those enemies, who were in the Land of promise, if they would have gone out to fight against them.

But, at other times, holy men, and even the common use of speech, do call, Believing, the holding an opinion, which is caused by reason, or conjectures. This do they call credulity; and if it be vehement, it is called faith. And this manner of credulity doth he possess, who believeth, by probable conjectures, that he is pardoned by God, & that he is in state of grace; and that God will help him, in that whereof he shall have need in the future; and this which passeth in the understanding, doth help men to have confidence, & hope, which are in the will. And therefore sometimes, Incredulity is taken for Disconfidence, and credulity for confidence. And thus it may be said, that he who (because God had delivered him out of other dangers, and for other motives also) had reason to believe though not with certainty) that God will also deliver him out of this danger) is subject, if he do it not, to incredulity: not against the Catholic faith; but against that, which riseth, out of coniecturs. But because the⁵ Lutherans take one of these words for the other, we Catholics must speak distinctly; calling faith, and confidence by their proper names; declaring how we are to understand, either believing, or being incredulous; since⁶ that, which at some one time may be securely expressed, by such words, at some other time, must be avoided.

Returning therefore to our purpose, thou must five from disconfidence; and from being changeable, which the⁷ Scripture reprehendeth in the fool, who is, as the Moon. And procure thou, to partake of that stability, for which the just man is praised thus, As the Sun, shall he remain. Which signifieth, that he shall be ever after the same manner. Learn⁸ by one time, how thou art to carry thyself in others; and, as the Scripture saith, In⁹ the day of thy prosperity, forget not that, of thy adversity; and in the day of thy adversity, forget not that, of thy prosperity. That so, tempering the prosperity of one, with the adversity of the other, thou mayst grow to live in an¹⁰ equality. And that neither thou mayst be drawn down in the time of thy tribulation, by the weight of disconfidence, and sadhes; nor yet grow giddy-headed, by excess of joy, in the time of spiritual consolations.

So do we read, of that holy Anna, the Mother of of the Prophet¹¹ Samuel, who, after having prayed in the Temple of God, still kept her face, the same way. The meaning is, that she conserved her hart in equality. Isaias¹² saith, That one should have such a habitation, as might give shade, against the heat of the Sun; and security, or defence, against the storm and the rain. And it were well, that thou didst procure to live in this¹³ house; that so, having strength of hart, and confiding in the mercy of God, it might give thee assurance, in those places and passages of business, wherein there useth to be¹⁴ danger. As it was prophesied, of the time of the new Law, That¹⁵ men should sleep securely, in the thickest woods. And although it seem a strange thing, to be at rest; and to have security in this place of our exile (and indeed it must be very little, in comparison of that, which is in heaven) yet, if we rank it, by those fears, which the wicked of the world are subject to, it is very great; and deserveth greatly to be esteemed. And particularly S. Paul¹⁶ saith, that the virtue of hope is as a firm, and secure anchor of the soul. Because although we have an enemy of the Devil, who hath a mind to fright, & to discomfort us, by means of these combats; we have yet withal a friend, who is both more stout, and more wise than he. And if the former do abhor us much, incomparably more doth Christ love us; and if he sleep not, endeavouring still how to do us mischief; the blessed eyes of God, do watch over us to help us to save ourselves; as sheep, for which he gave his precious blood.

Since¹⁷ then, we have the arm of the Omnipotent, why shall we fear the Devil; whose power is mere weakness in comparison of the other. How shall he be able to fear the Devil, who doth cordially believe this truth (if he will serve himself of faith, as was said before) that the devils can do us no manner of harm, unless first, they have leave from God Can the devils peradventure, touch job, or any thing that was his, or could they drown the swine of the Genesarits, without first obtaining leave? Or shall he perhaps, who may not touch the swine, touch the children? Do you therefore comfort yourselves in our Lord: as S. Paul requireth; & in the power of his virtue take in hand the weapons of God, that you may standon foot against the cra●ty enterprises of the devil. And, having spoken of some of the particular weapons, he addeth, saying: In all things, take to you, the shield of faith; whereby you may quench all those darts that burn like●●re For as this enemy, is of more strength than we; so we must help ourselves, by the shield of faith, which is a supernatural remedy; defending ourselves with some what, that belongeth thereunto; as with some word of God; or by receiving the Sacraments; or following some instruction of the Church. And beheving firmly, with the understanding that all power is of God. We must also be comforted with the head piece of hope; & so being offered up to God, by the love of him (taking with a good will, whatsoever he shall send) and by which way soever it come) we shall make a scorn of our enemy; and we shall adore our Lord, who gave us the victory, against him; and that, not only by himself, but by means of the succour of his holy Angels, who fight for us; as was declared to the servant of the Great¹⁸ Elizaeus, who (being in much¹⁹ fear of a great army of men, who came to take his master) the Prophet bade him not fear; for, faith he, there are more for us then against us. And whilst I lizaus prayed, and said, Open thou O Lord the eyes of this young man, that he may see, God did open his eyes; and he saw that there was a hill full of horsemen; and chariots round about Elizaeus; who were the Angels of our Lord, who came to defend the Prophet. In such sort; that if we will take the part of God, we shall have a multitude of Angels, on our side; one of which number is able to do more, for us, than all the powers of hell against us.

Therefore, so great assistance, should make us able, to despise the devil; and to lay all vain fear aside; and to give us the courage of ●ions, ●gainst him, in the virtue of Christ. Who²⁰ was a meek Lamb, in delivering himself to death; & was a Lion in dis-peopling hell; overcoming and binding the devils; and with his arm, defending his beloved flock. And if any man shall think, that I have been to prolix in this argument; let him attribute it to the desire I have, that thou mayest not be one of the many, whom I have seen; who for fear of the Devil, have given over the service of God.

I well know, that by this enemy, some other wars are made, even more cruel, than the aforesaid. And I also know, that in the very extremity of tribulation, when already there is grown to be no strength in him that suffers, nor wise knowledge in him that guides the ship, and when the infernal Lion, and Bear, means to swallow up the poor sheep, it grows to be comforted; and that piteous David, Jesus Christ taketh the sheep without harm, out of the mouth of the Lion; cutting in pieces him that was carrying it away. Myself am a witness, of greater tribulations than I could possibly have believed, if I had not seen them; and of the marvellous, and piteous providence of God, who doth not in affliction abandon them that seek him, although it be with many frailties, and faults. And²¹ although I have seen many of them who feared God, to have been grievously assaulted in these fights, I never saw one that ended ill. And therefore whosoever shall find himself in these trances, (although he seem conveyed even into the very belly of the whale) let him call, even from thence, upon Jesus Christ; and let him serve himself of the good advice which his Ghostly Father shall give him. And let both of them have good hope, in that good shepherd, who gave his life for his sheep; who killeth, and quickeneth; who placeth men, as it were, in hell, and draweth them out alive from thence. For although at one time, he send troubles, at another time he taketh them away; and that to the great advantage of him, that suffereth the tribulation.

Footnotes

1. A lively comparison, wherein we ought to take much comfort. ↩

2. Marc, 4. ↩

3. Note. ↩

4. The children of Israel. ↩

5. The Caluinists were scarce known in this Authors time; though their case be all one with that of the Lutherans. ↩

6. A wise proposition, and being well applied, will serve to many good purposes. ↩

7. Eccles. 17. ↩

8. Note. ↩

9. Eccles. 11. ↩

10. A happy state of mind. ↩

11. 1. Reg. 1.
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12. Isa. 4. ↩

13. Happiness is ever in this house. ↩

14. Of trouble. ↩

15. Ezech. 34. ↩

16. Heb. 6. ↩

17. Note. ↩

18. 4. Reg. 6.
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19. An example to prove the assistance that we have by the holy Angell●. ↩

20. The sweet and strong power of our Lord jesus. ↩

21. Note this for thy comfort. ↩