HOPE. But it must needs be a comfort to him, that they got not this jewel from him.

CHR. It might have been great comfort to him, had he used it as he should; but they that told me the story said, that he made but little use of it all the rest of the way, and that because of the dismay that he had in their taking away his money. Indeed, he forgot it a great part of the rest of his journey; and besides, when at any time it came into his mind, and he began to be comforted therewith, then would fresh thoughts of his loss come again upon him, and these thoughts would swallow up all.

HOPE. Alas, poor man! this could not but be a great grief to him.

HE IS PITIED BY BOTH.

CHR. Grief! ay, a grief indeed. Would it not have been so to any of us, had we been used as he, to be robbed and wounded too, and that in a strange place, as he was? It is a wonder he did not die with grief, poor heart! I was told that he scattered almost all the rest of the way with nothing but doleful and bitter complaints telling also to all that overtook him, or that he overtook in the way as he went, where he was robbed, and how; who they were that did it, and what he had lost; how he was wounded, and that he hardly escaped with life.*

HOPE. But it is a wonder that his necessity did not put him upon selling or pawning some of his jewels,

totally lost; therefore, though Peter lost his comforts for a season, yet not his faith totally, nor his soul eternally: for, says Jesus of all his dear flock, yea of those of little faith too," none shall pluck them out of my hand:" there is our blessed security-not in ourselves, but in our Lord.

Here is a discovery of true, though it be but little faith. It mourns its loss of God's presence, and comforts of his Spirit, and laments its folly for sleeping when it should have been watching and

that he might have wherewith to relieve himself in his journey.

CHRISTIAN SNIBBETH HIS FELLOW FOR UNADVISEDLY

SPEAKING.

CHR. Thou talkest like one upon whose head is the shell to this very day for what should he pawn them? or to whom should he sell them? In all that country where he was robbed, his jewels were not accounted of; nor did he want that relief which could from thence be administered to him. Besides, had his jewels been missing at the gate of the Celestial City, he had (and that he knew well enough) been excluded from an inheritance there; and that would have been worse to him than the appearance and villany of ten thousand thieves.

HOPE. Why art thou so tart, my brother? Esau sold his birthright, and that for a mess of pottage; and that birthright was his greatest jewel: and if he, why might not Little-Faith do so too?

ESAU AND LITTLE

FAITH.

CHR. Esau did sell his birthright indeed, and so do A DISCOURSE ABOUT many besides, and by so doing exclude themselves from the chief blessing, as also that caitiff did: but you must put a difference betwixt Esau and Little-Faith, as also betwixt their estates. Esau's birthright was typical, but Little-Faith's jewels were not so. Esau's belly was his god, but Little-Faith's belly was not so. Esau's want lay in his fleshly appetite, Little-Faith's did not so. Besides, Esau could see no further than to the fulfilling of his lusts: "For I am at the point to die, (said he,)

ESAU WAS RULED BY HIS LUSTS,

e Heb. xii. 16.

praying. He that pines under the sense of the loss of Christ's love, has faith in his heart, and a measure of love to Christ in his soul: though he goes on his way weeping, yet he shall find joy in the end. Hold on, Little-Faith: O remember thou hast a strong Lord, the very same as Much-Faith has, and the same precious faithful promises to hang upon, and the same glory to hope for.

But

ESAU NEVER HAD FAITH.

and what good will this birthright do me ?"f Little-Faith, though it was his lot to have but a little faith, was by his little faith kept from such extravagances, and made to see and prize his jewels more, than to sell them as Esau did his birthright. You read not any where that Esau had faith, no, not so much as a little; therefore no marvel, if, where the flesh only bears sway, (as it will in that man where no faith is to resist,) if he sells his birthright, and his soul and all, and that to the devil of hell; for it is with such as it is with the ass, "who in her occasions cannot be turned away:" when their minds are set upon their lusts, they will have them, whatever they cost. But Little-Faith was of another temper; his mind was on things divine; his livelihood was upon things that were spiritual and from above: therefore, to what end should he that is of such a temper sell his jewels, (had there been any that would have bought them,) to fill his mind with empty things? Will a man give a penny to fill his belly with hay? or can you persuade the turtle-dove to live upon carrion, like the crow? Though faithless ones can, for carnal lusts, pawn, or mortgage, or sell what they have, and themselves outright to boot, yet they that have faith, saving faith, though but a little of it, cannot do so. Here, therefore, my brother, is thy mistake.

LITTLE FAITH COULD NOT LIVE ON ESAU'S POTTAGE.

A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TURTLEDOVE AND THE CROW.

HOPE. I acknowledge it; but yet your severe reflection had almost made me angry.

Faith is said to be obtained by lot, 2 Pet. i. 1. O ye of little faith, wherefore do ye doubt? Remember, it is your unspeakable mercy, not to be left shut up in unbelief. What you have, is by lot of free grace, by free gift. Bless the Giver, and glory in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

CHR. Why, I did but compare thee to some of the birds that are of the brisker sort, who will run to and fro in untrodden paths with the shell upon their heads. But pass by that, and consider the matter under debate, and all shall be well betwixt thee and me.

HOPEFUL SWAGGERS.

:

HOPE. But, Christian, these three fellows, I am persuaded in my heart, are but a company of cowards would they have run else, think you, as they did, at the noise of one that was coming on the road? Why did not Little-Faith pluck up a greater heart? He might, methinks, have stood one brush with them, and have yielded when there had been no remedy?

CHR. That they are cowards, many have said, but few have found it so in the time of trial.

NO GREAT HEART

FOR GOD WHERE

THERE IS BUT LIT-
TLE FAITH.

As for a great heart, Little-Faith had none; and I perceive by thee, my brother, hadst thou been the man concerned, thou art but for a brush and then to yield. And verily, since this is the height of thy stomach now they are at a distance from us, should they appear to thee as they did to him, they might put thee to second thoughts.*

WE HAVE MORE COURAGE WHEN WE ARE OUT, THAN WHEN WE ARE IN.

But consider again, they are but journeymen thieves they serve under the king of the bottomless pit, who, if need be, will come to their aid himself, and his voice is as the roaring of a lion." I myself have been engaged

h 1 Pet. v. 8.

* Ah! how easy is it to talk when enemies are out of sight! We too often wax valiant in our own esteem, when we have constant need to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, knowing what mere nothings we are in ourselves. It makes a Christian speak tartly, when one sees self-exaltings in another. Paul frequently speaks thus, from warm zeal for Christ's glory, and strong love to the truth as it is in Jesus Christ.

CHRISTIAN TELLS

HIS OWN EXPERI-
ENCE IN THIS CASE.

as this Little-Faith was; and I found it a terrible thing. These three villains set upon me, and I beginning like a Christian to resist, they gave but a call, and in came their master : I would, as the saying is, have given my life for a penny; but that, as God would have it, I was clothed with armour of proof. Ay, and yet, though I was so harnessed, I found it hard work to quit myself like a man: no man can tell what in that combat attends us, but he that hath been in the battle himself.*

HOPE. Well, but they ran, you see, when they did but suppose that one Great-Grace was in the way.

THE KING'S CHAMPION.

CHR. True, they have often fled, both they and their master, when Great - Grace hath but appeared : and no marvel, for he is the King's champion; but, I trow, you will put some difference between Little-Faith and the King's champion. All the King's subjects are not his champions; nor can they, when tried, do such feats of war as he. Is it meet to think that a little child should handle Goliath as David did; or that there should be the strength of an ox in a wren? Some are strong, some are weak; some have great faith, some have little; this man was one of the weak, and therefore he went to the wall.†

* Who can stand in the evil day of temptation, when beset with Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, backed by the power of their master Satan? No one, unless armed with the whole armour of God: and even then the power of such infernal foes makes it a hard fight to the Christian. But this is our glory-" the Lord shall fight for us, and we shall hold our peace:" we shall be silent as to ascribing any glory to ourselves, knowing our very enemies are part of ourselves, and that we are more than conquerors over all these (only) through HIM who loved us, Rom. viii. 37.

+ Pray mind this, ye lambs of the flock, whose knowledge is small, and whose faith is weak: O never think the God ye believe in, the Saviour you follow, is an austere master, who expects more from you