and fully to satisfy our Souls O my Beloved and O my base and faithless Heart it is our base Vnbelief that doth us all the mischief that spoils our Peace that hinders our Comfort and makes us walk so heavily O let us bewail this God-dishonouring Sin this Peace-destroying Sin and let us who have received Jesus for our Lord and Saviour believe that he is ours indeed and that we are his indeed and then act our Faith upon him and our Hearts shall not be troubled Q. But may some say 'T is true if Christ be ours all is ours we believe that But how shall we know that Christ is ours A. Briefly thus If we be Christ's intirely and sincerely Christ's theâ— Christ is ours I am my Beloved's anâ— my Beloved is mine Cant. 2. 16. 6. 3. Her being Christ's was a sure evidence to her that Christ was hers Now it is not very hard to know whose we are whether we be Christ's or our own Christ's or the World's Christ's oâ— the Devil's Let us take a little paiâ—â— in trying and searching our selves the Matter requires it Whose are we Put this Question seriously to our Hearts in the sight of God Whose am I whose Image do I bear by whose Spirit am I acted who hath my Heart my chief Love and Delight Have we unfeignedly given up our selves to Christ Have we actually entred into Covenant with him and taken him for our Head and Husband Have we passed over and surrendred up our whole selves to Christ our Souls Bodies all our Concerns Have we given up our Hearts Heads Tongues Time Talents Estates Libeâ—ties Relations and all to Christ Have we done this sincerely Then we have received Christ upon his Terms If we be Christ's and not our own and live unto Christ and not to our selves Rom. 14. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Gal. 2. 20. and are content that Christ should dispose of us and ours as he pleaseth and are always labouring to be more and more like him and still longing for more and more Communion with him c. Then may we upon good Grounds conclude that Christ is ours If we be his he is ours Again if we truly believe in Christ then he is ours for it is by Faith that we receive him and are united to him and made one with him John 1. 12 13. and are by his Spirit and Word regenerated and made new Creatures and are enabled to walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 1 2. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. he need not go far to seek Make sure thy believing in Christ and thou hast the Witness in thy self that he is thine and that thou art his Q. But how shall we know that we have true Faith and that we do truly believe in Christ A. Briefly thus If we have been made sensible of our lost Condition by Nature of our misery by Sin of our Unbelief if we have found it an hard Work to believe if we have been made weary and heavy-laden with Sin so as to be truly willing to part with all Sin if we have been convinced of our absolute need of Christ and of his incomparable Excellency of his All-sufficiency and willingness to save us if Christ be most precious to us if these Convictions have been powerful in us to drive us from our Selves and the Creature and Sin if we have hereupon been perswaded and enabled sincerely to come unto Christ upon his Call in the Gospel to accept of him upon his Terms and to receive him as he is offered to us in the Gospel if our whole Hearts have opened to him and closed with him and we have given up our whole selves entirely to him and taken him for our only Lord and Saviour as the only way to God and do most sincerely resign up our selves to his Government trusting in him alone and relying upon him for Life and Righteousness for Grace and Glory then we do believe in him then have we this true Faith which is further to be known thus that it worketh in us true sincere Love to him and to all that is his his Word his People your Hearts will run out after him all your Affections will center in him This true Faith draws Vertue from Christ to purify the Heart and works Sanctification and Holiness it doth crucify your Affections to the World it works true Repentance and enables you to overcome the World and to realize the Glory of Heaven and to bear us up under all the Troubles in our way thither as in that 11th to the Hebrews enabling us to trust and betrust our selves our Souls and Bodies and all our Concernments with Christ by this Faith we shall stand by it we walk by it we live and hold on and hold out in following the Lamb to the end of of our Life Heb. 10. 38 c. Now certainly he that thus believes in Christ hath no cause of Heart-trouble but quietly submits to the good Will of his God in Christ under all the Dispensations of his Providence while he is here in this Vale of Tears until he come home to his Father's House in Peace where he shall meet his dearest Lord and an hearty welcome O this Faith this precious Faith in Christ will conquer all our base Fears moderate all our worldly Sorrows ease our Minds perplexed with earthly Cares and quiet our disturbed and distracted Thoughts about our outward Losses and Troubles By this Faith we shall find all our Losses made up in God and in Christ O then labour for it cry mightily to God for this great Gift cry to Jesus for it he is the Author and Finisher of it and labour to act it upon him continually and your Hearts shall not be troubled I dare affirm That if any thing bring Hearts-Ease in Heart-Trouble this will do it So long as our Faith holds up in Act and Exercise upon Christ we shall be free from Heart-trouble but when our Faith fails our Heart troubles prevail As when Moses lifted up his Hands and his Heart too by Faith Israel prevailed but when his Hands were down Amalek prevailed Faith and Heart-trouble are like a pair of Ballances when one goes up the other goes down Faith is the Counter-poize of Trouble of Heart Believe then in Jesus act Faith on him and that will prevent or cure Heart-trouble Continue in the Faith and your Heart-troubles will cease believe what Christ is and what he is to us Secondly Let us believe in Christ and believe where he is As to his Essential Presence he is in Heaven at the Father's right Hand making continual intercession for us to the Father Heb. 12. 2 3. Heb. 7. 25. He is our Advocate with the Father 1 John 2. 1 2. pleading our Cause presenting all our Services perfumed with his own Righteousness and resenting and feeling our Infirmities Sorrows and Sufferings sympathising with us In all our
do for thee I will be a Sun and a Shield to thee Psal 84. last I will give thee Grace and Glory and will withhold no good thing from thee I that am the infinite first and best Being of all Things the living Fountain of all Mercy the Original of all Power and Goodness I will be a God to thee thy God thy Father if thou wilt take me for thy God and place all thy Happiness in me and wilt become my Servant and give up thy self sincerely to me to serve and obey to love and fear and trust me only This is to believe in God to accept of God for our God and to yield up our selves to him to be his People Isa 56. 46. to chuse the things that please him to give him our Hearts and become his Servants aâ— Deut. 26. 17 18. And so God proposed himself to Abraham when he called him Gen. 12. 1 2 3. as a Rewarder and more fully Gen. 15. 1. I am thy Shield and they exceeding great Reward and so Abraham's Faith was to act on God so manifested And Gen. 17. 1. I am God All-sufficient all-sufficient to support thee in thy Way and Work and All-sufficient to reward thee in the end therefore be thou upright and faithful let not thy Heart be troubled what-ever Dangers and Difficulties thou meetest with in my Way and Work and what Losses soever thou sustainest for my sake believe I am God All-sufficient I will sufficiently reward thee thou shalt be no loser by following and serving me Also Moses his Faith had an eye to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 11. 26. And that you may see that this is not legal and mercinary our Lord Jesus proposeth this as an incouragement to his People Matth. 5. 12. Great is your Reward in Heaven And he himself took incouragement from it as Heb. 12. 1 2. for the Joy that was set before him c. So that this is to believe in God to believe that God is really and truly He is All that which he hath revealed himself to be and to believe that He is a Rewarder c. This Faith in God Christ took for granted that his Disciples had Ye believe in God Ye believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And if ye believe this let not your Hearts be troubled be not afraid nor dejected but act your Faith in God and seriously consider what God that is in whom you believe and believing also your Interest in that God that He is your God this God All-sufficient is your God you will have no cause to be troubled Your acting of Faith on God your God will prevent and cure your Heart-trouble and that these several ways First more generally He that believes in God as his God believes God is always present with him according to his Promises In the worst Times God is present with his People And can there be any cause of Heart-trouble to such Souls as have always the presence of God with them whose Presence makes Heaven and in whose Presence is fulness of Joy and at whose right Hand are Pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Surely Beloved this will prevent Heart-trouble when a Soul can act his Faith and firmly believe it God is always present with his People and that for gracious Purposes and not as a baâ— Spectator as to proportion and measurâ— out their Afflictions to them that theâ— may not be above their strength nor moâ— than need 1 Cor. 10. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Aâ— the Afflictions of God's People are mesured by the Hand of a most wise moâ— merciful and gracious God all the Mâ—lice of Men and Devils cannot add a dracâ— to the Weight nor a drop to the Measurâ— beyond God's appointment He is prâ—sent to order and fix the Time of our Suâ—ferings it is an Hour of Temptation Reâ— 2. 10. It is our loving Father that sets tâ— the Glass of the Time of our Troubleâ— he appoints their Beginning their Lration their End he holds the Glass his own Hand All the Powers on Earâ— cannot bring trouble on us till the Hâ—â— come till the appointed Time nor coâ—tinue our Troubles longer than his Timâ— The Rod of the Wâ—cked shall not rest on tâ— Lot of the Righteous Psal 125. 3. Gâ—â— is present to mix some Comforts with tâ— Cross thereby to allay the bitterness â—â— it present to support the Soul with iâ—ward strength Psal 138. 3. Thou strengtâ— nest me with strength in my Soul present â—â— sanctify Afflictions for Good and at lengtâ— in his good Time which is the best Time when he hath perfected his own Work in his People he is present for their full Deliverance A true Believer in God hath always a God to go unto O what a Comfort what an happiness is that He dwells in the Love of God as well in Affliction as out of it he may be cast out of his happy Condition in the World but never out of the favour of his God This believed by us will cure Heart-sorrow Heart-fear Heart-care all Despondency Dejectedness Disquietments and Distractions whatever Faith acted on God the Almighty All-sufficient God and our God always present with us is the Soveraign Antidote against and the best Cure of all Heart-trouble Psal 142. 1 2 3 4. there are the Psalmist's Troubles and Ver. 5. there is his Cure I cried unto thee O Lord Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the Land of the Living So Psal 143. 4 6 8. his Spirit was overwhelm'd with trouble but he cried to God and trusted in him and that was his Relief His trusting in God was an high exercise of his Faith This kept David from sinking under his great distress 1 Sam. 30. 6. He encouraged himself in the Lord his God Thus in general More particularly I shall endeavour â— shew what there is in God that a Beliâ—ver's Faith fetcheth virtue from to cuâ— his Heart-trouble in his greatest distresâ— even under the loss of the personal Prâ—sence of his best and dearest Friends oâ— Earth for such was like to be the Caâ— of the Disciples in the Text. First That in God which Faith looâ— unto and fetcheth Comfort from is hâ— sweet and gracious Nature God is Lovâ— the very Element of Love 1 John 4. 1â— and his gracious Name which discoveâ— his Nature Exod. 34. 6. The Lord grâ—cious and merciful When he gives to hâ— People he gives in love when he takeâ— he takes in love Now when a Soul bâ—lieves that all is from Love and all iâ— Love he is supported When a Man caâ— believe that all his Troubles come to hiâ— from the Father of Mercies and his Father in Christ he cannot but bear theâ— patiently Ye believe in God saith Christâ— ye believe that God loves you thereforâ— let not your Hearts be troubled Q. But how shall I know that God loves me when he afflicts me I answer When we can discern that we have received
Application of this First It follows hence that Heart-trouble under the afflicting Hand of God argues the weakness if not the want of Faith All those sorts of Heart-trouble and the parts of it which I have mentioned as Heart-Sorrow worldly Sorrow immoderate Mourning sinful Fear vexatious Care despondency of Spirit being offended disturbance of Mind Distraction Dejection Discouragement and the like all these slow from the want of Faith or at least from the weakness of Faith in God We do not believe in God we see the Causes of our Troubles they are mostly in our selves even our Vnbelief Whatever we profess we do not believe in God If we could but believe in God our Hearts would not be troubled O our want of Faith let us heartily lament it and cry to God for Pardon through the Blood of Christ If our Hearts be troubled where is our Faith in God What doth God and all that is in God signifâ— to us What are we the better for a that infinite All sufficiency and Goodneâ— that is in God if we do not act Faith uâ—on it Our Heart-troubles would be â—red could we act Faith on God as â— ought to do Immoderate Sorrow then is very uâ— becoming Believers in God If we wiâ— prove our selves Believers in God let â— discharge our selves from Heart-troublâ— and let us draw out Consolation for oâ— Hearts by Faith from all those comfortâ—ble Considerations of God and from â— those abundant Excellencies that are â— God O let us labour for Faith and aâ— it let us live in the exercise of it at then surely we shall find comfort Secondly Let us all labour to get an Iâ—terest in God by Faith in Jesus Chriâ— that so we may be able to look upoâ— God as our God and then we may claiâ— an Interest in All that God is and in â— that God hath and so shall we have â— cause of Heart-trouble in any Conditioâ— For if God be ours All his Attributes aâ— ours his gracious Covenant is ours hâ— Word and Promises are ours All is ours Therefore should we labour in this aboâ— all things spending all our Thoughts Affections and Spirits upon this O let us lay hold on God and his Covenant let us chuse him for our Portion and resign up our whole selves unfeignedly to him terminating and centring all our Desires Hope Love Delight in him alone placing all our Happiness in him and then commit all to him Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73. 23. The Second Question Secondly What is it to believe in Christ For saith he in the Text Believe also in me It is God in Christ that we must believe in not in God without Christ not in God out of Christ but believe in God in Christ Now what this believing in Christ is I shall endeavour to show looking up to the Father of Lights and to the Author and Finisher of our Faith for Light and Assistance In general It is to believe all that which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures concerning Christ to believe the Record that God hath given of him in his Word as 1 John 5. 10 11 12 13. Tâ— believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Sâ— of God Joh. 1. 18. That he came oâ— from the Father was made Flesh toâ— upon him our Nature was born of Virgin lived on Earth in the form of Servant a poor despicable Life preacâ—ed the Gospel working Miracles That he suffered upon the Cross with â— the Sins of his People upon his Soul at Body that he bore the Curse of the Laâ— the Wrath of God which was due to Maâ— for Sin That he died a most painfâ— shameful and cruel Death dying as Sacrifice to satisfy God's Justice to atâ— and pacify his Wrath to make our Peaâ— and to reconcile us to God That he roâ— again from the Dead ascended into Heâ—ven to prepare a Place there for â— People That he sitteth at the right Haâ— of God everlasting to make continuâ— Intercession for us And that he shall coâ— to judg the World at the last Day Aâ— while he is absent from us in Person heâ— on Earth he promised to send his Spirâ— the Comforter into the World to coâ—vince and convert all those which hâ— Father hath given him to call them bâ— his Word to quicken strengthen staâ—lish comfort and confirm them until he come again to take them to himself that where he is there they may be also John 16. 1 2. This is the Record that God hath given of his Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3. 16 36. Now to believe in Christ is to believe all this Testimony of him And also out of a deep sense of our Sin and Misery and sight of Christ's infinite Excellency All-sufficiency and Willingness to save Sinners and upon his Call to us in the Gospel to come unto him weary and heavy laden with our Sins heartily willing to accept of the Lord Jesus upon his own Terms to take him for our only Lord to give up our whole Selves Souls and Bodies to his blessed Government by his Word and Spirit in all things and unfeignedly and unreservedly to enter into Covenant with him to become his and his alone and his for ever and to relie upon him for Life for Grace and Salvation this is to believe in Christ Thus believe in Christ and let not your Hearts be troubled The acting of this Faith on blessed Jesus is a singular means to prevent and cure all Heart-Trouble all Heart-Sorrows Cares Fears Vexations Despondencies Dejections and Distractions whatsoever thâ— may arise in our Hearts by reason of aâ— Loss Cross Disappointment Distress â— Affliction that may befal us If we â—â— but thus believe in Christ and rest aâ— rely upon him and trust in him â— Hearts shall not be troubled Q. But what is that in Christ whiâ— Faith must act upon to effect this Cuâ— of Heart-Trouble when Afflictions coâ— upon us A. Such-like things as I shewed beforâ— as are in God for Faith to act upon whiâ— are these that follow First Faith must be acted upon â—â— loving gracious sweet Nature of Jesâ— Christ Our Lord Jesus is of a most lâ—ving and sweet Nature he is Love indeeâ— the Son of his Father's Love and altâ—gether lovely His Thoughts of us wâ— believe in him were Thoughts of Loâ— from Everlasting All his Words aâ— sweet his Mouth is most sweet O whâ— sweet Language doth he give his Church My Dove my Love my fair One my Sâ—ster my Spouse c. Cant. 5. 16. Hâ— loved us and gave himself for us Lovâ— us and washed us in his Blood Rev. 1. 6 He is one of our Nature our Kinsman our Husband our Father our Elder Brother c. So that if there be any Love in the Head to the Members if any in the Father to the Child if any in the Husband to the Wife
might have It is such a disturbance of our Passions such a storm and tempest in our Spirits as causeth inward Motions Emotions and Commotions of Mind putting all things in the Soul out of order and it carries in it several Evil Things as follow First Sinful Sorrow worldly Sorrow When Christ had told his Disciples that he would leave them and that after he was gone they should be exposed to hard and heavy things from the World bitter Persecution for his Name-sake then sorrow filled their Hearts John 16. 1 2 3 4 5 6. God's own Servants Christ's own Disciples may have their Hearts filled with Sorrow against this our Lord commands many Preservatives in this Sermon The ground of this Sorow is from our selves from our own Hearts though Satan will have a hand in it and it comes not from Humility but from Pride because we cannot have our Wills therefore we are discontented We may thank our selves not only for our Troubles but for our over-much troubling of our selves in our Troubles If we ward and guard against this worldly Sorrow our Troubles would not lie so heavy on us as they do for as the Joy of the Lord doth raise and strengthen the Soul so doth Sorrow deject and weaken it Sorrow and Grief doth lie like Lead to the Heart cold and heavy and sinks it downward still Sorrow contracteth and draweth the Soul into it self from that Communion and Comfort it might have with God and Man and it weakneth the execution of the Offices of it because it drinketh up the Spirits it melteth the Soul it causeth it to drop away Yea in this kind of Heart-trouble God's own People are many times more excessive than others 1. Because many times their Burdens are greater their Temptations Desertions Trouble for Sin greater As their Joys are unspeakable and glorious so their Sorrows are sometimes above expression Common natural Courage will carry a Man thorow other single Afflictions But Sin is a heavier burden than Affliction and the Wrath of God than the Wrath of Man 2. They have a greater sense than others their Hearts being made tender by Religion they have also a clearer Judgment than others and see more into the nature of things than others they see a greater Evil in Sin and in the displeasure of God than others They value God's Favour more than others therefore when he hides his Face they cannot but be troubled They observe more of the displeasure of God in afflictive Providences than others do and therefore they have more Sorrow 3. They have more tender Affections than others the new Heart is a soft Heart A Stamp is sooner set upon Wax than upon a Stone A wicked Man hath more cause to be troubled than a godly Man but he is not a Man of that tenderness and sense and therefore is not so affected either with God's dealings with him or with his dealings with God Thus we find often in Scripture good Souls depressed with Sorrow David said he was like a Skin-bottle in the Smoak all wrinkled and dried up Read Psal 38. Psal 39. 11. When thou with Rebukes dost correct Man for Sin that is by Sicknesses death of Relations and other Losses thou makest his Beauty that is of his outward Man to consume away like a Moth. Whereas the Beauty of the Soul grows fair by Affliction but that of the Body is blasted Age Sickness Losses will make the Beauty of the Body to fade but of the Soul to shine 2 Cor. 4. 14. Though our outward Man doth decay and perish our inward Man is renewed day by day But for worldly Sorrow that too often not only weakneth the Body but also causeth Heart-trouble A merry Heart doth goeâ— like a Medicine but a broken Spirit drieth thâ— bones Prov. 17. 22. Quest But is this worldly Sorrow lawful and commendable Answ No surely for there are many Evils in it which we should avoid As 1st Impatience and Murmuring againsâ— God that is an effect of immoderate Sorrow when our Wills are crossed we cannot bear it for want of Self-denial 2ly Quarrelling at Instruments 3ly Using indirect means for our Relief It is better to pine away in our Afflictions than to be freed from them bâ— sinning 4ly Desponding and distrustful thoughâ— of God Is his Mercy clean gone wiâ— he be favourable no more Psal 77. 7 8. 5ly Questioning our Interest in God meerly because of the Affliction upon us Judg. 6. 13. If God be with us why is aâ— this befallen us Not considering how harâ— soever God dealeth with his People yeâ— he loveth them Heb. 12. 6. 6ly Sometimes Atheistical Thoughts do arise as if there were no God no Providence Psal 73. 13. as if it were in vain to serve the Lord. 7ly This worldly Sorrow indisposeth to all good Duties it makes a Man like an Instrument out of Tune or a Bone out of Joint which makes the Body move both uncomely and painfully it unfits for Duty to God and Man 8ly It makes a Man forget former Mercies and overlook present Mercies all is nothing under present Sufferings Give me Children or else I dye 9ly It makes us unfit to receive Mercies and to embrace the best Counsels such Plaisters will not stick they refuse to be comforted Psal 77. 2. 10ly It disposeth us to receive any Temptation Satan hath never more advantage than upon Discontent 11ly It hinders Beginners from coming into the Ways of God 12ly It rejoiceth and hardneth the Wicked and it grieves and damps the Spirits of our Friends All these and many more Evils are in worldly Sorrow Therefore this Evil Temper we must labour against and not suffer our selves to be dejâ—cted in Sickness contempt in the World loss of Friends and Relations loss of Honour and Earthly Interest May we only think to be exempted from Chastisements whereof all God's Children are partakers Heb. 12. 8. And must God make a new way to Heaven for us Or do we think it best for us to live here for ever in Ease and Plenty and Honour and never see a Change No surely it is in vain to think so It becometh us betimes to prepare for Crosses None so strong lively and brisk now but they shall shortly wither and decay None hold their Heads so high now but they must shortly lay them down in the Dust We and our dearest Relations must part It would be our wisdom to turn the stream of our Sorrow for Losses and Crosses into godly Sorrow for Sin then it will run in its right Channel Let our Sins lie heavy upon us and then our Afflictions will lie light Let us grow weary of our Sins not of our Sufferings God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men Lam. 3. 33. Let us consider also the real spiritual benefit of Afflictions God aims at our Profit and in good time in the best time he will send Deliverance And be sure those that are not unmindful of their Duty God will not be
of God do not scandalize them for they have found God in that very way which others speak evil of they are not so offended by any thing that attends the Way of God as to dislike or forsake that Way Nevertheless we must take heed that we be not offended Sixthly Temptations from Satan may cause Heart-trouble and Vexation Satan's Suggestions his fiery Darts these tormenting Thoughts which he casts into the Minds of Christ's Disciples create to them much Disturbance and Heart-trouble So soon as any Man is pluck'd out of the Devil's Hands by the mighty Power of Christ's Spirit he falls upon him speedily with all his force to trouble such a Soul and vex it so that he shall enjoy little peace if Satan can hinder it So long as the Devil keeps possession in the Soul he keeps all in peace a sad Peace But when a stronger than he comes and casteth out this strong Man armed then Satan rageth to recover his lost Captive Soul and vexeth that Soul with all his Temptations But let not this break your Peace nor cause Heart-trouble As Christ hath overcome the World and therefore bids his Disciples to be of good chear Joh. 16. 20. So hath he also overcome the Devil he hath trodden this Serpent under his Feet already and this Prince of Peace will tread him under your feet also shortly Therefore Let not your Hearts be troubled Seventhly Desertion another and not the least piece of Heart-trouble this may be the case of Christ's Disciples We read of the Saints complaining that God had forsaken them and when he hideth his Face they cannot but be troubled Sometimes God doth but seem to hide his Face Isa 49. 14 15. When God takes away their earthly Comforts from them and suffereth sharp and bitter Afflictions to befal them and though they cry unto him he doth not remove them then they think that God hath forsaken them Sometimes God doth really forsake his People as to the sense of his Favour Isa 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment And this is either by withholding comfort from them which they cry for or by withdrawing that Comfort from them which they had Psal 51. 11. Psal 77. 1 2 3 23. compared Yet here God supported and sustained his Servant's Soul with Grace many times When God's People have least Comfort they have most Grace most Humility Patience Self-denial thirstings after God Heavenly-mindedness c. God's People may lose the sense of his Love but never lose his Love for that is everlasting But to lose the sense of his Love is a grievous trouble to a gracious Soul that hath tasted and felt the Love of God and his Favour for their great Happiness is to have the Favour of God In his Favour is Life and his Loving-kindness is better than Life This is the Joy of their Lives Psal 119. 135. which David so earnestly prayed for Now such as have found this must needs be troubled when they lose it Two things chiefly cause God to hide his Face from his People 1. When their Hearts are too much set upon and carried out after earthly Comforts Psal 30. 6 7. Fleshly Delight and Confidence in earthly Things provokes God to hide his Face When a Man smiles so much on the World and gives it so much room in his Heart God frowns and is offended that the Gift should be so much loved and the Giver so neglected and forgotten 2. When their Hearts are let out too little after God and there grows a strangeness between God and them and they begin to grow cold dull and dead in Duty then God withdraws and hides himself Cant. 2. 3 5 6. compared But no Affliction like this this disquieteth and dejecteth the People of God indeed And as all the Candles in the World cannot make it Day when the Sun is set so all the Comforts in the World cannot rejoice such a Soul nor can there be any Day in suâ—h a Soul until the Sun of Righteousness arise there with healing in his Wings Mal. 4. 2. So much for this Third Particular shewing what this Heart-Trouble is which our Lord here sorbids his Disciples namely Wordly-Sorrow sinful slavish Fear distracting Care Despondency dejectedness of Spirit Distrust Offence at Persecution for Christ's sake Satan's Temptations and Spiritual Desertions all which may either be the Causes or the parts and pieces of Heart-Trouble which must be avoided The Fourth Particular to be opened is to shew how that believing in God and in Christ is the best Antidote against this sinful Heart-Trouble Christ proposeth it as a special Remedy Q. But how is it so A. To answer this I shall endeavour to shew these three Things 1. What this believing in God is which our Saviour here grants that they had Ye believe in God 2. What it is to believe in Christ Believe also in me 3. That this Faith acted on God and Christ is the best Remedy to prevent and cure Heart-Trouble in all those several parts of it I have mentioned 1. What this Faith in God is Briefly the Apostle tells us Heb. 11. 6. it is to believe that God is that there is a God an infinite first and best Being to believe that God is that All that which he hath revealed himself in his Word to be viz. That he is an All-sufficient Almighty Only-wise God a righteous gracious merciful God an holy God a loving God He proclaims his Name himself Exod. 34. 6 â— The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth c. To believe that he is wonderful in Counsel and excellent iâ— Working Isa 28. last That he is the Father of Mercies the true and faithfuâ— God the God of all Grace and of aâ— Consolation with many more admirablâ— Attributes of God doth the Scripture furnish us that we may build our Faith and place our Trust in him to preveâ—â— Heart-trouble and to cure it when iâ— hath seized on us Whatsoever is revealed of God in his Word that trâ—â— Faith believes Also this Faith in God is to belieâ—â— that he is a Rewarder of them that diligenâ— seek him That he being God All-sufficient heâ— able to support to supply to deliveâ— his People out of all their Troubles anâ— that he is willing so to do as well as able for he hath promised and he is Rewarder a God that will abundantly plentifully reward all his suffering Ones Great shall be their Reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 12. And to believe God to be â— Rewarder is to lay hold on his Covenanâ— wherein he promiseth so to be I will be thy God thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Gen. 15. 1. The Sum of the Covenant is I will be thy God What is that but this I will be All that to thee and I will do All that for thee which a God can be to thee and
Death oâ— the Cross and all as our Surety and â—â— a Sacrifice to God for our Sins Chriâ—â— our Passover was sacrificed for us 1 Cor 5. 7. to make Atonement and Satiâ—fâ—ction to the Law and Justice of Goâ— for us Rom. 3. 25. This was the great Work of the Transcendent Love of Jesus Chrisâ— when he was upon Earth when he travelled in Soul drank of the Brook in the way Psal 110. 7. that black Torrent of Wrath and Curses that lay in the way betwixt our Souls and Heaven which stopp'd up our Passage thitherward and made it utterly impassable for us But Jesus made a Passage by his Blood that his Redeemed might pass thorow So great were his Sufferings in this World for us that they made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me offering up strong Cries with Tears Mat. 27. 46. Heb. 5. 7. Now then let us act our Faith on the Sufferings of Christ here on Earth and believe that he suffered all those hard and heavy those bitter and grievous things for us and in our Names that he bore our Sins to satisfy God's Justice for them to purchase and procure our Pardon O that we could but believe in this Jesus that he sweated great drops of Blood for us and that he shed his very Heart-blood upon the Cross for us and by Faith apply and appropiate all this to our own Souls believing that he was wounded for our Transgressions smitten for â— Sins that the chastisement of our Peâ— was upon him Isa 53. that by â— Blood of his Cross he hath made oâ— Peace and hath purchased for us Etâ—â—nal Life Believe this and then â— what little cause you have to have yâ— Hearts troubled for any Loss or Crâ— whatsoever The consideration iâ— way of believing of what Christ hâ— done for us and of what he hath sâ—fered for us should make us patienâ— do or suffer any thing for him and frâ— him Believe also in me Secondly Our Faith must be 〈◊〉 upon the Work of Christ which he â— now doing for us in Heaven He is â—â— idle there although he be set down â— the Right Hand of the Majesty on Higâ— but he is at work for his People therâ— there he he maketh continual intercesâ—â— for us Rom. 8. 34. He is there â— our Advocate to plead our Cause aâ— manage all our Businesses there pâ—â—senting his Blood in the Vertue of to his Father for our Pardon presenâ—ing our Persons and Services perfumeâ— with the Incense of his own Righteouâ—ness and by his Spirit applying thâ— â—â—â—tue of all to our Souls He is able â— save to the uttermost all that come unto â—od by him seeing he ever liveth to make â—tercession for us Heb. 7. 25. Of this â— have spoken before Now if we â—an act our Faith upon the Intercession â—f Christ who knows all our Wants â—urdens Cares and Fears and whose â—ffice it is to plead and intercede for â—s in Heaven tho we may scarce have â—ny to plead or speak a word for us on â—arth yet we should have no cause â—o have our Hearts troubled We â—ave a faithful Friend to whom we â—ay commit our Cause Thirdly Christ is doing a Work â—n us on Earth while he himself is in Heaven He is humbling us purging â—s teaching us mortifying our Corâ—uptions crucifying our inordinate Affections sanctifying us and so preparing us for Heaven He is making â—s meet for the Kingdom He is fitâ—ing us for his Father's House by all â—is Ordinances and by all his Proviâ—ences by every Loss and Cross by â—ll our Afflictions as 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our â—ight Afflictions which are but for a moâ—ent work for us that is by way of preparation a far more exceeding anâ— eternal weight of Glory Jesus Chriâ—â— is in the Word and in the Rod he â— All in All He is still forming squâ—ring fashioning and working by hâ— Spirit Word and Rod upon his Peâ—ple to make them more and moâ— conformable to himself to square theâ— as Stones for his Building to maâ—â— them Habitations for himself Templâ— for the holy God to dwell in and thâ— he himself may delight to dwell iâ— them here and to make them fit â—â— dwell with him for ever in Glory Now let us labour to act our Faitâ— on those blessed Works of Christ in uâ— and believe that he is thus working iâ— us even in and by all our Afflictioâ— and labour to feel and find these grâ—cious Works carrying on in us and â—â— shall have no cause to be troubled Moreover our Faith should be actâ— upon the Work that Christ is now â—â—ing for us in Heaven besides his â—â—tercession for us there he is preparing Place for us in Heaven as he told â—â— Disciples to comfort them In â—â— Father's House are many Mansions I â— to prepare a Place for you A Place â— Heaven is infinitely better and more to be desired than the best Place on Earth A Place in the Father's House â—n the highest Heavens in that glorious Paradise above that 's the Place of all Places there the great and glorious God dwells there blessed Jesus dwells O that New Jerusalem the City of the â—iving God that 's the Place indeed that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. Some think that Jesus went locally into Hell but we are sure he went locally into Heaven and we know for what he went there for he hath told us it was to prepare a Place for us there Here below all Places are full of Darkness Snares Temptations Fears Dangers Persecutions but that is a Place of perfect Peace perfect Rest of Light Comfort Joy and Consolation Here we are Pilgrims and Strangers there is our Home our Father's House Here we have no continuing City 1 Cor. 4. 11. no abiding Place Christ's People here in this World many times have no certain dwelling-place but are driven from House and Home forced to fly from one City to another from Town to Country from one Kingdom to another constrained to wander froâ— Place to Place while others abide iâ— their Habitations they must seek theiâ— Quarters where they can find them â— while under one Friend's Roof a whilâ— under another's which is no small Affliction to them that feel it tho others lay it not to heart Now what shoulâ— comfort us in this our Pilgrimage anâ— Wilderness-condition what should support us in this our wandring and desolate State but that it was eveâ— thus with our blessed Lord himself upon Earth who had not an House to put his Head in And so it was with his Disciples and with many choice Saints as Heb. 11. 37 38. What should bear up our Spirits but this comfortable Consideration that our Lord went to Heaven on purpose to prepare a Place for us there If the Earth cast us out Heaven will receive us If Men say to us Remove be gone hence depart away here is no Place no abiding for you our dear
c. If we have a Resemblance of our Father in us a Likeness of Disposition to God and Christ the Image of God the Life of Christ manifest in us If we do side with God and his Cause in evil Times so that we are willing to part with any thing with all things for Christ's sake and at his Call If it be thus with us in the main Bent and constant Frame of our Hearts and in the Sincerity and Integrity of our Souls our Consciences in the sight of God bearing us witness that thus it is with us then may we upon good grounds conclude that God the All-sufficient God is ours and Christ Jesus who is all Fulness is ours and then our Hearts should not be troubled And to prevent and cure all our Heart-trouble we must act Faith on all these things in God and in Christ which I mentioned before and which would be too long to repeat again here therefore I earnestly desire you to look back anâ— view over those several particular things considerable in God and iâ— Christ and believe in God and iâ— Christ applying and appropriation them to our selves and we shall seâ— we have no cause of Heart-trouble If the great God be ours and thâ— Lord Jesus be ours if we have â—â— Husbands nor Wives nor Sons noâ— Daughters nor Health nor Wealth we have enough to content and satisfâ— our Souls for ever But to draw to a Conclusion that there may be an effectual cure of all our Heart-trouble whatever our distress may be let us labour to act Faith oâ— Christ in considering and believing 1. What he is 2. Where he is 3. What he hath declared 4. What he hath promised and aâ—â— within the Confines of this Text Ver. 2 3. First Let Christ's Disciples labour to believe what Christ is and who he is He himself asked his Disciples this Question Mat. 16. 16. Whom say â—â— that I am Peter answered Thou aâ—â— Christ the Son of the living God I know in whom I have believed saith the Apostle and that supported him and for this knowledg of Jesus Christ his Lord he counted all things but Dung and Dross Phil. 3. 9. To believe all things that are written of Christ is not enough but to believe in him is by Faith to receive him for our only Lord and Saviour John 1. 12. Col. 2. 6. and actually unreservedly unfeignedly and heartily to give up our whole selves unto him taking him for our absolute Lord our Head our Treasure and our All and believing He is all that to us that he is That he was made Sin for us made Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to us That he is indeed our Husband our Head our High-Priest our Surety our Ransom our Redeemer That he hath loved us and washed us in his Blood That he was delivered up to Death for our Offences and rose again for our Justification That he hath made our Peace with God by the Blood of his Cross and purchased our Pardon and an Inheritance for us with the Saints in Light and that by believing in him we shall have everlasting Life John 3. 16 36. I say this is to believe in Christ and such as thus believe in him have no cause of Heart-trouble And thuâ— we must believe in him and it is the great Commandment of God to believe in him 1 John 3. 23. and the positive Command of Christ himself in the Text Belive also in me And he that hath this Faith hath Christ 1 John 5. 10 12. and hath Life Eternal Life John 6. 47. Verily verily I say unto you saith Christ the Eternal Truth himself He that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life He hath it in Pretio in the Price of it that was punctually paid down upon the Cross therefore called the Purchased Possession He hath Eternal Life in Promissis iâ— the Promises of it it is promised to every one that believed God that cannot lie hath promised it Tit. 1. 1 2. and he hath it in Primitiis in the first Fruits of it the saving Graces of the Spirit which in some measure every true Believer hath 2 Cor. 5. 5. Ephes 1. 13 14. Now he that thus believes in Christ Christ is his and all that Christ haâ—â— done and suffered and merited is his he hath Right and Title to it for by Faith he is become the Child of God Gal. 3. 26. We are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ And if we be Christ's then are we the Heirs of the Promise Gal. 3. 29. Yea Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Yea then all things are ours 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. All is ours if we be Christ's whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas All the Gifts Graces Labours Prayers of all Gospel-Ministers all Gospel-Ordinances are ordained and designed for our Good Ephes 4. 11 12 13. for the gathering of us in and for the perfecting and building of us up in Christ Jesus until we all come to Heaven The World is ours the Good and Evil of it the Bitter and the Sweet of it the Comforts and the Crosses of it the Gains and the Losses of it the Love and the Hate of it the Smiles and the Frowns the Friends and Foes in it All is designed for and shall further and promote our Spiritual and Eternal Welfare Life is ours All the Troubles Sicknesses Pains evil Tidings Persecutions Disappointments Losses of Relations Shame Reproach or whatever attends this Mortal Life shall be sanctified and blessed to us for our Good Yea Death is ours that shall be our Advantage our Gain that shall put a full end and period to all our Sin and Suffering and be a Door of Entrance for us into Glory in our Father's House Or things present our present Fears Sorrows Miseries Infirmities c. shall be so ordered and over-ruled by the Wisdom and Love of our Father that they shall all help us onward to Heaven And things to come are ours all that Glory to be revealed that Saints Everlasting Rest that is prepared for the People of God that Crown of Righteousness of Glory and of Life that Kingdom of Glory that unspeakable that inconceivable State of Happiness and Blessedness which Christ our Lord hath purchased by his Blood all this is ours also But how come we to have a Right and Title to all this Why saith the Apostle thus Ye are Christ's and Christ is God's As sure as Christ is God's so sure if you be Christ's All is yours and as I have proved if we be true Believers in Christ then we are Christ's we are his Members his Spouse his Children and then what cause have we to be troubled at any thing or in any Condition What cause hath such a Soul to be dejected whatever Crosses or Losses do befal him Is there not enough in Christ in the Promises in the Purchase of Christ Is there not enough in Heaven in all that Glory to quiet content