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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	effect_n	good_a	reason_n	2,537	5	5.2979	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75536	Comfort for beleevers about their sinnes & troubles. In a treatise shevving. That true beleevers, how weake soever in faith, should not be opprest, or perplext in heart; by any thing whatever befalls them; either in sinne, or afflictions. Together with divers other comfortable observations; gathered out of that counsell, given by Christ to his Apostles: and in them, to all beleevers. In John chap. 14. verses 1,2,3,4. / By John Archer, Master of Art, sometime preacher of All-hallowes Lumbard-street. London.	Archer, John, Master of Art.	1645 (1645)	Wing A3612; Thomason E289_7; ESTC R200122	80,025	82

was the author of it then heere it is said that God did it because in some respects God was the onely Author of it and not Satan So that we may safely say That God is and hath an hand in and is the Author of the sinnfullnesses of his people For the evencing whereof Consider these Arguments besids the Arguments to prove it Voice of God in Scripture First Gods Will Pleasure is the Wombe that conceived and I. Gods will is the wōbe that conceived every worke of the creature whence springs every worke of the Creature whatever it be whither it be good or bad as they are that is continue for his pleasure Reve. 4. last So they so doe worke because it is his pleasure they so should doe the first reason and that which determines all why the Creature Sinnes must be because Gods will was that it should sinne That willed the creature should sinne For who hinted to God or gave advice by counsell to him to let the Creature sinne was it not his owne device counsell will that it should so be did any necessity arising upon the creatures being enforce it that sinne must be could not God have hindred sinne if he That ploted it before the creature was would might he not have kept man from sinning as he did some of the Angels Therefore it was his device plott before the creature was that there should be sinne And what incongruitye is it that Ye● without incongruity Gods Will Pleasure should first lay a ground worke to bring forth sinne For what is Sinne but an effect discovery of the weakenes mutability of the reasonable creature Wherefore Gods Vnchangablenes is alledged in oppsition to the creatures sinning sinnfull tempting to sinne James 1. 13. 17. as we shall more fully shew anon because Sinne as it is sinne ariseth from mutability weaknes Now what incongruity is it for the Creator to will and order it that the Creature It s necessary to give God the first hand in contriving shall shew its selfe and its owne shame Yea is it not necessary thus to give to God the first hand in contriving willing the Creatures sinne Because most of Gods greatest workes in this World and the everlasting World to come depend on the Creatures Sinne and it is by Sinne that most of Gods glory in the discovery of his Attributes doth arise wherefore must it not be said thought that his Will first and cheife was in the providing this meanes way for all those his ends Is there any thing by which God so serves himselfe except Christ as by Sinne Therefore certainely it limits him much to bring in Sinne by a contingent accedent meerly from the Creature and to deny God an hand will in its being bringing forth Secondly there is much good comes by Sinne yea the greatest good 2. The greatest good comes by Sinne. either in Gods glory the manefestations of God or the Creatures happynes in all that eternall glory through Christ in heaven it is all onely brought about by Sinne Which good effects however Either in Gods glory Or the Creatuers happines they excede their next cause namely Sinne the Creature they are no thanke to them Yet they are level with their cheife first cause God his Wisdome Power Love and doe shew that he Gods Attributes shews his will in Sinne. with those his Attributes had an head will hand in Sinne or else they could never have wrought such good effects Thus Joseph seemes to reason in the place forenamed Gen. 45. 5. 8. because good came of their sinne therefore it was God that was the author of it The Creature seperate from God as it is in sinning can produce no good yet the Creatures Sinne doth produce good therefore God hath also an hand in the sinne of the creature aswell as the creature And however God may be thought to take up the Creatures Sinne after it is committed or foreseene to be cōmitted or bring about or decree to bring about good by it without having a Will afore hand unto the being of it Yet if wee well consider this cannot be in God who so is in his Will the ground of every thing in the Creature both its standing falling as that he must first will the Creature shall Gods will is the groūd of the Creatures standing or falling stand or fall before the Creature can doe either and the Creature therefore falls sinns because his Will before was it should so doe and this he willed as a meanes to all those great good ends which thereby he did bring about and what is it but the pravity sinfullnes of the act and not the act it selfe as it is good naturally or morally whereby God brings about those his many great good ends therefore he must will the sinfullnes itselfe and be its author as a wise man is of the choycest meanes by which he brings about his cheifest ends Thirdly it s as incongruous and inconvenient to make God have an 3. It s as incongruous to make God have a hand in afflictions as in sinne hand will and be the author of the afflictions of the Creatures as of the sinnes onely there is a gradual difference Sinne is indeede worse infinitly then Afflictions yet both are truely alike inconvenient to be fathered on God For what are Afflictions in respect of the Creature They are disorders of the Creatures second well being which stands in peace happynes and an eclipse of that his glory And what are Sinnes in respect of the Creature but a disorder of the Creatures first cheife well being which stands in righteousnes and an eclipse of that his glory both of them a sicknes a disturbance of pure nature the one in Both a di●sturbance to pure nature morrals the other in naturals the one hurts more namely Sinne in that it cutts of from God the other hurts lesse namely Afflictions in that they cutt of from some perticular good yet they both hurt the Creature Againe Consider what are Afflictions in regard of God they reach him not they impeach not his eternal blessednes which from himselfe ariseth to himselfe though the creature be ever so miserable God is as happy as he ever was as the Sunne is as glorious as ever though the Earth it shines on be ever so distressed yea God getts glory by the creatures misery for thereby as by a foyle his Immutable Blessednes is better set of as also his Holynes Justice Truth in threats c. But yet all Afflictions are against Gods heart because against the Creatures Afflictions are against Gods heart good and their disorder is in it It is a disturbance of his worke and it is against unsuitable to that mercifullnes which is in a Creator to his Creatures so that there is an eclipse of Gods

which sinns not 1. Iohn 3. serving Christ with his mind sinne but with his flesh Rom 7 25. Yet I say for the outward bulke of sinne a beleever may have as greate and greater then some unbeleever As Davids pride in numbring his people against counsell in adultery murder were as great and greater then Saules not staying till Sammuell came sparing some Amalekites for which God rent the kingdom from him Yet beleevers should not be perplext with any sinnes Godly sorrow and true Godly sorrow becommeth beleevers Yet they are not to be perplext or troubled with any Sinne change or losse not immaginary losses shame becomes them till they have it God will not owne them but so to be perplext as is before discribed they ought not to be So neither with any change or losse which God brings uppon them should their hearts be opprest For if not with sinne then much lesse with losses should they be troubled So neither should they trouble themselves with surmised imaginary losses as beleevers for most part doe in all their troubles they either thinke that to be which is not or that it is much greater then it is this is usually the Spring of all their excesse in greife feare thus the disciples thought when Christ should goe away in body that all their hope helpe was gon whereas indeed Christ with drawing his bodily presence made way for all their hope helpe Thus Iacob thought when Ioseph was lost that he was dead where as in that his absence God prepared greater good to Jacob by Joseph then he ever else could have had more advantage to Joseph Beleevers judg Gods dispensation by sence carnall reason not by faith God carries things in contraryes usually layes foundations of greatest good comfort in greatest appearances of the contrary as we shall see heereafter therefore they feare what they needed not greive for what is not trouble themselves with mistakes so cause passions to swell up to inordinacy over flowe the heart Now I exhort An in●●●●ing 〈◊〉 exhortation beleevers not to doe thus but to take heede of perplexing feares and greifes of fearing greiving on their owne surmises dreames mistakes takeing things for that which they are not or for much worse then they carry with them this is a dronkonnes Passions increase your darknes of mind your darknes of mind increase your passions and whilst by these inordinacyes your soules are darkned Satan the prince of darknes gets in captives you miserably Wherefore consider that this charge not to be troubled in heart was given by Christs owne mouth that not only to the eleven beleeving disciples but in them to all that shall beleeve through their word as his prayer was John 17. 20. it was given to you when he was neare his death and pressed with large arguments exhortations throughout this Chapt the next which argues both the great consequence of this duty Christs desire that ye should observe it in that he spent so much tyme about it when he was at point of death had so much to doe himselfe and also the great love of Christ who would so vehemently mind our quiet then when he was entring uppon his owne horrid Passion Had Christ when he was about to The Second Part of the Text is The meanes to sence Beleevers hearts agt. Trouble Which are partly implied and partly expressed dye for you commanded you an heard thing would you not have done it how much more when so earnestly he chargeth you not to let your hearts be troubled whatever befalls you Thus much for the First part of the text The duty exhorted unto THE SECOND Part of the Text Is. The Meanes by which he fenceth their hearts against this trouble which are partly implyed in these first words Let not your hearts be troubled And partly exprest in the following words FIRST MEANES 1. Meanes implied Is that beleevers put themselves under the Command Which is implied in these words Let not your hearts be troubled Is that beleevers put themselves under the command set it before them labor with themselves to keepe from the trouble of heart forbid So much Christ implies when he layes the command before them saying be not troubled Gods words are operative aswell as imparative they carry a power to doe that which they command beleevers as in the Creation let there Gods Commands are operative be light there was light and though it is God which helpes Yet he will have beleevers bestir themselves he helpes in by their putting forth themselves up be doing the Lord will be with you For beleevers have an understanding a will a principle of grace which God will have improved that none of his gifts may be in vaine in the use of them he comes in he is the Creator applies himselfe to every creature according to its nature so as to improve and not to destroy it Wherfore he helpes reasonable creatures in by their use of reason will and Grace by the exercise of Grace Wherefore beleevers must bestir themselves to keepe of get of trouble of heart Ye must not as some in an ague who when the fitt is comming run to the fire drinke stretch themselves help on the fitt but ye must shake of sloth striue against it trust not to your owne indevors but yet indevor Consider provoke your selves Affections of feare greife are as winds to a shipe which a well ordered judgment should raise lay manage as is best ye must therefore as Psal 42. 5. consider the reason why ye are troubled this is to find out the cause of the disease and then ye must consider the reasons against the trouble this is to find out the remedy of the disease and then ye must provoke your heart to use the remedy and quitt the passions SECOND MEANES 2. Meanes implied Is to gather up grounds of Comfort Which is also implied in the latter part of the first verse in the following verses being indeed the general scope summe of them all is to gather up present to our judgments grounds of comfort which are stronger then the grounds of our present trouble For it is comfort that is the onely Antidote against trouble joy may be with out trouble as a well about a citty though there be noe enemy But comfort suppotteth and guards against trouble as a bulwarke doth against an enemy Comfort by the holy Ghost immediately What Now nothing can comfort the heart but it is either through a sence by a presence as when the husband present comforts the wife who is in some trouble Now thus to comfort beleevers is the immediate worke of the holy Ghost his presence it is not any worke of the beleever Comfort discoursive

reason but that in the whole worke ye expect nothing from your owne worke but being emptied of all sufficiency or fitnes in your selves ye doe wholy onely expect the fruite from the holy Ghost his assistance as Fayling in some of this a cause of not having help he is the Spirit of Christ pertaining to you as united to Christ by faith The fayling in some of this is the reason why beleevers doe consider discourse on the objects of faith and yet have no helpe or strength come thence Wherefore be carefull Wherefore 1. Not to leane on your owne spirit memory wit no nor on your grace but know that ye must have a fresh influence from the Spirit 1. Knowe the Spirit must assist and his assistance As your faith cannot act it selfe for naturall things cannot worke with out a fresh concurrence of God in him we move Wherefore his suspending and not assisting the fire caused it not to burne the three children though he put no impediment in its way And though grace be stronger then nature yet it cannot act or move it selfe without the concurrence assistance of the holy Ghost for it comes from Christ as light from the Sunne by an effluxe Mal. 4. 2. which ever supposeth a fresh act to every shining The grace is in Christ though it worke in us as the light is in the Sunne though it shines on us 2. Tim 2. 1. Wherefore Christ must by a fresh act put it forth if it worke in us Wherefore all things are said to be done by Jesus strengthning Philip. 4. 13. not onely by strength which he had given but which he is at the present in a continuall giving Every act of faith requiers the power of God afresh administred 2. Thes 1. 11. fullfill the worke of faith with power that is Gods power for one act of faith is to evidence things which to doe he begs strengthning by might from the Spirit Eph. 3. 16. 17. And as the holy Ghost must assist the grace of faith before it can act so must he doe some what to the objects of faith before they can worke upon faith as the light must shine on colours before they can move the eye that is the Spirit must shew them to the Soule which is called a revealing of them 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. not onely at the first but every time that they draw forth faith he must reveale them which is done by giving in convincingly his owne testimony of those things which presents them to the Soule as light doth colours to the eye Wherefore he so prayes Ephes 1. 17. 18. that by the Spirit they may have revelation to know the things they beleeved hoped for So that without the Spirits ayde nothing can be done in beleeving as in praying it must be in the holy Ghost Jude 20. that is in his strength assistance So also must it be in beleeving therefore he joynes building up in faith praying because without praying we cannot make progresse in our beleeving 2. Consider That the holy Ghost assists onely as he is Christs 2. As Christs Spirit spirit that is sent from him merited by him as he is God and man the head of the Church For in no other way or respect doth the holy Ghost assist Wherefore all that he doth is said to be of Christs John 16. 14. and it is called Christs strengthning Phil. 4. 13. 19. whereas it is the Spirit which doth it Eph. 1. 17. 3. 16. if thus he be not considred he is taken under a wrong notion and Christ is wronged for he glorifies not Christ John 16 14. and he will not assist 3. Ye must be carefull to consider that the holy Ghost assists 3. As members of Christ you as members of Christ by vertue of your union with Christ by faith for how can the spirite of the head come into one but by its union with the head and how comes the sapp to flow from the roote into the branch but as it is joyned to the roote Eph. 4. 15. 16. from the head being joyned to it is edified 4. And lastly Ye must be carefull to looke up unto the holy 4. Looke up to the holy Ghost Ghost to assist you cast an eye on him as ye doe on that whose helpe you expect and in the expectation thus of him must ye sett upon the worke of acting your faith This is the second direction how to improve Faith Thirdly get your Faith to be evident add a reflect act to the 3. Direction Get saith to to be evident direct act of faith That is labour to know that ye doe beleeve as well as to beleeve For Election being evidenced by Faith and a title to Christ and all promises depending on beleeving the soule cannot be perswaded of its propriety interest in God Christ the Promises and so cannot be comforted against troubles till it knowes it beleeves Faith may save but it is evidence of faith which onely comforts Wherefore this is one maine end of rhe evidence of faith comforts first Epistle of John as is exprest Chapt. 5. 13. these things I have writt to you that beleeve that ye may knowe ye have eternal life beleeve that is and beleeve that ye beleeve This reflecting act whereby we can looke on what we doe consider it take comfort in it is a maine excellency of a reasonable creature by which we excell bruite beasts should be exercised by us Unto the doing whereof we must labour For which 1. To knowe the act of faith what it is and to knowe that it is 1. Labour to knowe the act of faith what it is not the strength but the truth of faith which evidenceth election Acts. 13. 48. those ordained to life beleeved some with more some with lesse faith but every degree of it betokened life eternal and gives title to Christ happines for faith is but an hand or eye which toucheth or looks to Christ that he may worke all its works which a small faith doth as truely as a strong wherefore we never find in Scripture that Christ rejected any for the smallnes of their faith 2. Labour to view your owne hearts and see if you have not put 2. See if you have done it forth that small act of faith faith may be seene in its selfe its owne act aswell as in its fruits effects though these also may must be considred Wherefore John putts beleevers much upon signes By its selfe fruites of faith in his first Epistle which was writt to helpe to the evidence of faith and sometimes faith is best perceived by its fruites By its fruits Yet some times it is best seene by its selfe its owne act of relying on Christ and a carefull search into the heart whither such an act be put forth or no would oft discover it but neither