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cause_n	ghost_n	holy_a	spirit_n	3,926	5	5.5026	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

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

a beleever should What kind of trouble is ment what not become a Stoicct or stock cease to be a Man nor would it be any exercise or triall of grace if the matter of feare and greife were not perceived and felt by the heart for it then was to them as if there were no such thing wherefore he would haue them be toucht and feele the objects of feare and greife but would not have an inordinacy in those affections Which arose Partly from the excesse in that they were to much toucht sensible so that their hearts were perplext and disturbed which appeared both by the interruption of the exercise of their faith hope peace in that they did not so quietly and confidently cleave to him when he was in his passion but doubted as Luke 24. 20. 21. As allso it appeared by their being disinabled to duty for their hearts were so opprest with heavines that they were so sleepy as that they could not watch with him one houre Luke 22. 45. Now it s an excesse of affection and an in ordinacy a surfet or drunkonnes of heart when the heart is so taken with a feare or greife as that it cannot give its due to every one and doe its duty in every kind to God man in the calling generall and perticular This was an inordinacy Jn excesse Partly there was an inordinacy in the Object in that they feared greived about what they needed not For though they might be troubled at Christs departure as he was a man and their friend companion maister c a good ground for a morrall greife as he was their Jesus a good ground for a Spirituall greife in that they loved him and so his presence Yet there was no ground or cause to feare a losse by his departure or that they should be now totally left to the wide world as if all their safety and comfort had bin entailed to his bodily presence this trouble on wronge grounds and causes he forbids as we shall see more fully heere after So that the meaning of this charge of Christ is that they should not be troubled with more feares or greifes then there was true ground and cause for nor yet be so troubled with what was truely as to hinder the exercise of their peace hope and faith or to be so opprest as unfitted to every duty to God and man in their callings gennerall and perticular All which we may expresse in this An oppressing or perplexing trouble Hence Learne DOCTRINE Doct True beleevers should not be perplext in any thing True beleevers how weake soe ever in Faith should not be opprest or perplext in heart by any thinge whatever befalls them either in sinne or affliction There cannot be weaker Faith then this of the disciples who had indeed some little faith but so little as sometime it is called none Math 8. 26. with Marke 4. 40 therefore Christ did after wards upbraid them for their slownes to beleeve Luke 24. 25. There cannot be a greater affliction change or losse befall any then this was For Christ was to be taken from them by a shamefull death when they had enjoyed him but about three yeares and some months Now what feares of falls troubles might they have when Christ was taken from them who was to them more then an hen to new hatcht chickins Againe they had one of twelve of them proved a vile rotten hyppocrite who yet had so lurkt as that they could never discover him Also they had uppon them the guilte of much unfruitfullnes under Christs ministry for which he had oft reproved them Also they had either now or presently after the breaking forth of a base lust of pride ambition for which Christ had oft reproved them Yet at the passeover institution of the Lords supper they instantly fell into it againe Luke 22. 24. Also Christ had foretold them of a great fowle sinne for the future which afterwards the stoutest of them should commit namely Peter to deny him thrice Yea all of them to be offended at him as ye heard before Behould a concurrency of all at once as can befall any beleever a weake faith an unparraleld losse and change unfruitfullnes under meanes which were now to be removed many sinnes formerly committed sharpely reproved a returne relapse into the same sinne againe at present a foresight of a dangerous fall into a greivous sinne in the future a discovery at present of a most close hyppocrite among themselves of whome none of them had the least suspition more then of themselves Yet Christ chargeth them not to be opprest or perplext in heart with any feare or greife Thus Gen 45. 5. though their sinne in selling Ioseph was very hanious conteining profaines For they hated him for his goodnes Gen 37. 2 and envy because of his Fathers love Gods oracle by dreames of his preferment which they knew was a way of God to reveale himselfe by barbarous murder was in it toward Ioseph cruelty to their Father who so loved him Yet he bids them neither to be greived or angry with themselves that is so as to perplexe themselves with gteife or indignation FIRST REASON 1. Reason B●c such trouble ariseth from an evill roote Because such trouble ariseth from an evill roote cause Namely ignorance or unbeleefe For either they understand not or beleeve not the worke of God for them in the three persons The Fathers everlasting decree about them The Sonnes union with them headship to them his merrits intercession The holy Spirrits inhabitation in them office towards them to worke all their works for them till he hath made them meete for glory All which is expresst in the covenant of Grace in which they be assured that nothing shall befall them but for their good that the corruption of their natures shall be so ordered overruled both before after conversion as that it shall end in turne to Gods glory their eternall good that Christ hath made atonement for all sinne past present to come though it is gradually applied to them in as much as all beleevers sinnes were laid on him or met in him as it is read on the margent Isai 53. 6. And that the holy Ghost shall dwell in them for ever they shall never fall away finally totally but that the things which concerne salvation are better then the best things in the gloriousest hyppocrits are wrought in them Heb 6. 4. to 10. I say these things are not understood or not beleeved or else they never could be opprest with any feare or greife so that it ariseth from an evill roote and therefore should not be in true beleevers SECOND REASON 2. Reason Bec such trouble hath evill effects as 1. It troubles Gods heart Because such trouble hath evill effects uppon beleevers Namely First Its trouble some to 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 what Or elce the heart is comforted discoursively when such strong things are presented by the understanding as weaken and exceed the causes of

Them and so of All Beleevers for He speakes to these Eleaven in the Names of All as ye heard before there are in it many Mansions It were noe Comfort to heare of its Excellency if it could not receive us though God dwel there yet the Creature also may For He is now Emmanuel God with Vs And many not a few though Comparatively they be a Little Flocke Luke 12. 32. and many for some not for all and that a sett number for it is Prepared for Beleevers Heb. 11. 16. Therefore for so many as shall beleeve and for no more Now these their dwelling places are called Mansions to expresse their abode in them they be Sonnes with Christ and shall abide in that House for Ever Now the Truth of all this Description of Heaven is ratified by an Argument taken from Himselfe If it were not so I would have told you He was their Freind came from Heaven to Reveale its Secrets He is the faithfull true Witnes therefore could not but deale truely with thē Further Heaven is Discribed in referrence to Beleevers By the Meanes of their accesse enterance into it which is Christ Who First Prepares a Place for them their The Father prepares it Math. 25. 34. Both by a Free choosing them to it and their perticular Portion or Place in it before the World began As also by Creating it for them from the Foundation of the World But Christ prepares it By Meriting Bringing about their Fruition of it Both by Removing Impediments And Purchasing the Fathers Favour Now Christ prepares a Place By Going I goe to prepare a Place He came from Heaven to prepare a Place in Heaven by His humiliation And then He went from Earth To prepare a Place Both by His dying To satisfie Justice for Sinne and to ratifie the Promises Heb. 9. 15. to the end And by His rising from Death in that if He had bin held under Death He had not bin quitt from our imputed guilt nor could we have bin nor had he lived to bring us to Heauen 1. Cor. 15. 14. 17. Rom. 4. 25. 5. 10. Heb. 7. 25. Also by his Ascention in that he thereby opened heaven doore which was before shut Heb. 9. 8. 12. dispenced gifts to gather the Elect. Eph. 4. 8. 11. 12. Also by his Session at Gods right Hand where he pleads his Merits which is called his makeing Intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. and thence sends downe the holy Ghost to doe all in us that is requisite to our meetenes for that place And administers the World for our good And possesseth the Heaven in our Name and as our Head Roote So that Christ as a Meritorious cause an Exemplary cause and an Efficient cause prepares a Place in Heaven for Beleevers by his going And this is further Secondly Amplified by his Consumation of this his Preparation As he prepares a Place for them So he will bring them into that Place Which that he may doe being now gone he must come againe Christ will come from Heaven to fetch Beleevers unto Heaven he will not send for them but come for them which makes their accesse to Heaven the more glorious in that they shall be fetcht thither by Christ Which is done both in regard of Himselfe that he may have the Glory of judging the World both Beleevers and Unbeleevers And in regard of them because they are his body spouse and he will come to them therefore to marry them and joyne them to Himselfe this is another discription of Heaven by the manner of their Enterance into it Even by Christ his glorious Comming from Heaven to fetch them thither LASTLY He further Amplifies it by a Discription of the heavenly Place by Its Communion with Him They shall be taken to him to be one with him as the Body with the Head the Spouse with the Husband and they shall be where he is That is in the same Place State Condition Heavenly happines is a being one with Christ and in his place state John 12. 26. Thus these Words are a Discription of Heaven and the heavenly Condition of true Beleevers And shew us That Christ is the Way Truth Life as John 14. 6. The Way For by Him they come The Truth For if every thinge were not so He would tell it The Life Not onely as a Meritorious Cause But as the Roote Heavens Life is in Him Col. 3. 3. 4. A being taken to Him and with Him SEVENTH OBSERVATION That Beleevers Glory in Heaven is a Fellowshipe in the Fathers Glory It is a dwelling in his House and so a sharing in that Glory which the Father there hath arising to Himselfe There is great Question about desires of Salvation and not Gods Glory But the Truth is Salvation is the Fruition of Gods Glory a being in and so pertaking of the Glory of Gods house as they are pertakers of the Divine Nature So of His Glory That is Their Salvation And it being the End of all things it is the Fathers glory who is the Beginning of all things EIGHT OBSERVATION That Gods Glory in Heaven which Beleevers pertake off Is a Created Glory Or a Glory which ariseth from Creatures to God and had a beginning For it is the Glory which He hath since he made him an House and dwelt in a Place And so it is neerer to the capacity of Creatures Whereas the Glory that is in and of Himselfe and Eternall Is Incomprehensible Incommunicable NINTH OBSERVATION That Beleevers Glory in Heaven Is in a Communiō Vniō together Many together dwell in one House It is a being One as God Christ are One John 17. 22. as the Glory of this World and so of Mans body is in the union compact of many parts together It is also a being with Christ as is exprest in the Text and hath bin shewed before And it is a being with God also As John 17 21. One with Vs FINIS THE TABLE THE Words are parte of Christs last Words spoken to the Eleven Apostles Page 1. The Occasion or Ground And so the Coherence of the Words 2. The Partes which are Two ibid. FIRST The Duty charged by Christ on His beleeving Desciples That their hearts should not be troubled And what Trouble is ment what not 2. 3. DOCTRINE   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 4. REASONS   First Because such Trouble ariseth from an Evill Roote and Cause Viz. Ignorance or Vnbeleife 5. Secondly Because such Trouble hath Evill Effects Shewed in Sixe Perticulers   1. It is Troublesome to Gods Heart ibid. 2. It Frustrats Christs Worke In a great part 6. 3. It Unfitts them for their Christian Service Which is to eate the Holy Things and keepe a Continuall Feast ibid. 4. It brings a Consumption upon their Spirituall Strength ibid. 5. It Casts an Evill Report on God ibid. 6. It Gives great Occasion to Corruption and the Divell 7. USES   First For Information To them that jugde the way of Beleeving a sad way Shewing it is the onely Way of Joy and Quiettnes ibid. Secondly For Exhortation To Beleevers Not to be perplext with Sinne or Sorrow 8. THE SECOND Part of the Text.   Is the MEANES To fence Beleevers hearts against Trouble Which are partly Implied and partly Expressed 9. FIRST MEANES Implied Is that Beleevers put themselves under the Command ibid. SECOND MEANES Implied Is that Beleevers gather up and present to their judgments Grounds of Comforts stronger then them of Trouble 10. THIRD MEANES Expressed Is to beleeve in Christ as in God both which explained 11. 12 Faith in Christ gives the strongest Grounds of Comfort For divers Reasons 13. First Because it gives more Boldnes towards God Upon Sixe Grounds ibid. 1. It presents them nearer to God Being made one with Christ Gods naturall Sonne ibid. 2. It presents God nearer to them For it shewes them God in their owne Nature ibid. 3. By it there is hold layed on Gods Iustice As well as on his Mercy 14. 4. By it there is an accesse with boldnes to Gods Holines explained 15. 5. By it there is raised unlimited expectation from God 16. 〈…〉 REASON   It is from His Nature 54. USES   First For Instruction 1. That God is most tender to Beleevers in Troubles 55. 2. That Beleevers should be Compassionate especially Church Officers ibid. Secondly For Exhortation To gett assured of Christs tendernes towards them in All their Troubles 56. SECOND OBSERVATION   That as we must beleeve in Christ So we must cōtinue our Faith in the Father 57. REASON   Because Though God put the Promises into Christ and gave him them yet he reserved them also in his owne hands 58. Question What the difference is twixt Beleeving in the Father the Sonne 59. Answered In Foure Things ibid. USE   For Information To shunn an Error of pitching our Faith onely on Christ not with him on the Father 60. THIRD OBSERVATION   That Beleevers are prone to sinne in those Affections which be lawfull in some sen●e necessary 61. USE   For Information Not onely to care to sett our Affections on lawfull things But to care not to exceed ibid. FOURTH OBSERVATION   That Beleevers hearts are prone to be to much sinnfully troubled with the approach of Afflictions 62. REASONS   First Because Troubles doe crosse the workings of our sinnfull selfe-Love ibid. Secondly Bec. Troubles doe estrange vs from this World ibid. Thirdly Bec. Troubles are contrary to a good principle within us ibid. Fourthly Bec. Selfe flattery promise the Contrary 63. USE   For Exhortation 1. To take paines about fitting our selves for Troubles ibid. 2. In Troubles to looke out for helpe to beare ibid. FIFT OBSERVATION   That Beleevers should renew increase Faith when Troubles doth asayle 64. USE   For Exhortation To Renew Increase and Exercise Faith 65. 66. SIXT OBSERVATION   Now Christ is come to use spirituall Consideratiōs to strengthē against troubles 67. REASONS   1. Bec. Now is the Season 2. Bec. the Life of Christianity is in these 68. USE   To Blame for not using And Exhort to use more these Cordialls 69. 70. 71. 72. The Description of Heaven c. with Three Observations 73. 74. 75. 76. FINIS

his nature and the of springe of his person Whereas the promises are the issue of his mind will he is the expresse image of the Fathers person whereas the promises are but the expression of his purpose wherefore faith joyning the Soule immediately to Christ must needs greatly strengthen against trouble in that it derives the sweetest strongest most pure comforts Thus much for the Second Reason THIRDLY Faith in Christ is such a speciall antidote against 3. Reason Bec. Faith in Christ brings the holy Ghost trouble because it brings the Holy Ghost into the heart in that it joynes the Soule to Christ as to an head or roote whose Spirrit the holy Ghost is and so conveyes him into them as the ingrasting an impe or science into a stock derives the sapp of that stock into the science Gala. 3. 14. Now the holy Ghost gives strength to the Soule as bancks doe to water which of it selfe is weake Which strengthens the Soule yeilds falls asunder but strenthened with bancks becomes strong and mighty Therefore Eph. 3. 16. he beggs their strengthning by the Spirrit not onely in the naturall spirrit but in the Inner man the regenerate spirrit needs strengthening from the holy Ghost in that it also is a creature yea besids or over above the holy Ghost sometimes vouchsafes such a presence reall sence of himselfe of the things of Jesus Christs as fills the heart with glorious and inexpressible joy as the Sunne doth a roome with light when it ariseth which is a joy very differing from and better then that which faith gives of which we spake before being a glimpse first fruites of heaven a presence of God whereby the heart is lifted up aboue the reach of any feares or greife which so bore up the Apostles in all their suffrings as in the Acts. Thus Faith in Christ uppon these grounds gives stronger comfort Thus faith in Christ gives c. then any thing else can doe And faith in Christ doth it more then faith in God That is faith in Christ as come in the flesh yeilds stronger comfort then faith in God promising Christ because through Christ come is that actually done which is the meritorious cause ground of conveyance of all communion with God and comfort from him Wherefore more must be conveyed then when this was but to be done and in the promise Therefore now God dispenseth more of the Spirrit and gives clearer revelations of Christ then ever he did before So that as it is said of the Gentiles that their conversion was an hiden misterye before though it yet was knowne darkely Even so the misterye of Christ his Person Righteousnes Merrits c. was not knowne before his comming in comparison of what it now is nor the priviledges by him wherefore there could not be so much comfort then as now may be Christ in the flesh come is called Gods arme Isa 53. 1. because he thereby strengethneth himselfe to give us more grounds of comfort and strengthneth our hearts to take more comfort then every any before Christs comming could have Therefore the Arke which did tipify Christ is called the Arke of Gods strength Psal 78. 61. 132. 8. Wherefore when ever troubles assaile you that are beleevers fly presently to Christ even to him in the word and promise In troubles fly to Christ which holds him forth in his Person Natures Workes Offices and leane thereon And fly not first or onely to the particular promises of good things to these in the second place goe by faith but to Christ in the first place To pitch faith on God the promises is so to doe as they did that were Jewes before Christs comming but to pitch your faith on Christ is the Christian way It is folly unkindnes since God hath given us his Sonne to leane first on his word in the second place which they had not of old that yet wee doe it not ye doe Else you slight him and Gods mercy in g●ving him slite him Gods mercy in giving him if you doe not pitch your faith on him Indeed before Christ came faith was to be pitcht on God his promise of Christ but now Christ is come ye must pitch your faith on Christ himselfe then on particular promises wherefore the New Testament makes Christ the object of our faith and this indeed is to honor the Sonne as ye did the Father John 5. 23. that whereas before Christ his comming the Father was beleeved in Now the Sonne should be beleeved in and therefore it is that beleevers are so heart-eaten heart-broken with troubles because they fly not presently by faith to Christ and why though they put forth in particular promises they oft get noe stay because they trust not in the promises in the second place in from and through Christ Now because Directions how to use improve faith faith in Christ is so prime a meanes of helpe against all troubles I will give you some directions how to use improve your faith in Christ so as it may preserve your hearts from trouble First Set before you the objects of your faith namely Christ the 1 Sett before you the objects of faith promises rest not content with your knowledge of them or that you have lookt on them heeretofore but when ye are freshly assaulted with trouble set them afresh before you againe Christ in his Person Natures Offices Workes and if you can find out particular promises for your present particular case for particulars best helpe and come most home and since God hath condescended to speake to particulars wee should also looke into them find them out but if you cannot find out particular promises for your case then set the general promises before you as Heb. 11. 13. see them looke on them and gaine your hearts to be perswaded of them that is of the reality and truth of them then imbrace them that is relye on them as yours I say put forth all these acts afresh as ye have fresh occasions for faith is to be from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17 and beleeving in Christ is called eating drinking John 6. because it is to be renewed as strength decayes or now strength is required new fresh veiwings This gives fresh vigor and acting uppon those objects gives new fresh vigor Secondly make your reason discourse worke uppon those 2 Make reason worke on those objects objects which your faith setts before you even as when an object is before the eye the Soule rests not in viewing it but the phansy and understanding worke uppon it about it deduceth drawes divers conclusions from it even so when Christ the promises are by faith set before you ye must use reason discourse to inferr and draw thence such forces of cōclusions as may arme the heart against the assaults of