see this and be sensible of it and yet in this condition to raise up its self to lay hold upon the perfect righteousness of a Mediator God and Man and to venture its eternal estate upon that righteousness and to tender up to God by Faith that righteousness as a ful satisfaction to his Justice and as sufficient to bear off the the wrath of God from it and notwithstanding al the pollution of its nature yet to unite it self to the Deity in the neerest union that ever creature was united to the Deity except the personal Union of Christ to the Divine Nature this is a glorious work and no marvel though such glorious power of God be in Faith and a Faith that can do this may do any thing as Christ said If you can beleeve all things are possible so say I to every one that hath low thoughts of Faith and think it a mean work If you can beleeve al things are possible it is a greater thing to beleeve truly than for to work miracles a man may work miracles and yet be damned but justifying Faith doth so unite the soul to God that it is impossible the soul should be damned and therefore it is a greater miracle than ever any was enabled to do though God enables Angels to do great things yet he never enables them to do such a glorious work as this Besides though people think Faith is an easie matter yet it is the most difficult work in the world First Difficult in regard of the impediments no work hath such great impediments as this The soul seeing an enmity between God and it and seeing it self a polluted Creature and seeing the Law of God in its strictness and the Justice of God must be satisfied and sees the wrath of God burning against it and having nothing in its self to satisfie God yet Faith doth break through al these and if it can break through these then certainly it wil break through any thing for there can be no greater impediment to any service that God calls to than there was to this one work of beleeving Let us not therefore be feared by any difficulty and mountain that lies in our way to any work because there can never be any mountain laid in our way to hinder us in any work as did lie in our way to hinder us from beleeving and if Faith did burst through those impediments it shal be able to break through al other impediments Secondly It is difficult not only because of the impediments but because it is the highest duty of all to reach high is painful to the Body so the high actions of the soul are difficult to the soul now Faith is high the object is high the act is high and the end is high the object is the highest object it is the perfect righteousness of a Mediator God-man and the act is of the highest nature it is an act of uniting the soul with the Deity as by sin the soul departed from God so by faith the soul comes to be made one and for the end that is high it is for the satisfaction of infinite Justice and for appeasing of infinite wrath and for acceptation from infinite holiness let God be never so holy infinitely more than we can conceive of him yet faith does procure acceptance for such a polluted filthy creature as man is from the infinite holiness of God Thirdly It is difficult because it hath the least furtherance from any principle of Nature some other Graces as Patience and Justice and Sobriety they have some help from the principles in Reason and Nature but Faith hath no help from any principles in Reason or Nature and therefore surely it is difficult and if it be the most glorious and difficult thing surely it wil enable the soul to do most glorious and difficult works Fifthly Faith appears to be a most strong thing to carry the Soul through any service because it enables a soul to go on in any way of service that God calls to in a gracious manner and this doth facillitate a work a main thing that makes our services difficult is our blundering about them and going about them in a confused untoward manner we do not carry things graciously and sweetly In an outward work to carry it on in a right manner doth mightily further the work so in any work that Godsets us about if we went on in the right way that God set us about it would help us against difficulty we may thank our selves because we go about our work unto wardly As an apprentice that handles his tool untowardly he works with as much strength as another but not going in the right manner to work he does but hack spoil his work wheras a Mason or Carpenter that workes by rule and goes to it in the right manner he goes through his work with ease and if there be a knotty peice in the timber he knows how to order it because he hath skil when as others would throw away the work and could not tell what to do So many not having the grace of faith to guide them by the right rule when they set upon any work in religion they cry out of the difficultness and how it tires them no marvel if you be tired when you do not know the right rule but the principle of Faith being begotten by the word and being fed and nourished by the word it will keep the heart close to the word and give skill to the soul to apply it selfe to the rule and therefore though the work be hard yet to such a one in comparison it is Easy and so carries through abundance of difficulties which otherwise would hinder him Sixthly Faith carries through difficult works things that are hard to be done because by faith it is that the soul of a beleever hath much to do with God with the supream Cause with the highest cause of all and by reason of Faith the great things that he undertakes are transacted between God and him the cheif difficulty of business lies most in second causes in under causes now if so be the thing be cleare between the supreame cause and the agent that undertakes the work it may go on and that with ease As many times in the business and affaires of a country if a man have to do with many under Officers he may have a great deal of difficulty in his work in passing through them but if the business be transacted between him and the King and all be cleare there he may carry his business with ease so all the business of a beleever is transacted between God and him and faith keeps the soul to the supreame cause and works it that way and this must needs procure much ease to a service because the supream cause depends on no inferior but all inferior depends upon it and the supream cause is enough to work without any inferior causes and no inferior can any way
resist the working of the supream yea it is a great particular of the glory of the supream cause to work above and beyond all inferior causes and faith having to deal with that it is not so much scared with difficulties as others are Seventhly Yet further Faith helps through great difficulties because it doth remove and cure the difficulties that are within the spirits of men and women and if these be taken away external difficulties have little in them we complain of many difficulties in a work without whenas indeed the greatest difficulties are within in our hearts and faith hath a speciall efficacy for removing and curing of them As now unruly passions are great hinderances to any worke that we undertake faith hath a mighty power in curing of them And likewise distracting fears but of that before And the reasoning of flesh and blood have a mighty deal of power to make a work difficult and great care is to be had in curing of them And the lumpish deadness of our spirits And the base sluggishness of our hearts And the base ends that a man hath faith cures them and cleanses the heart of them And so foolish presumptions that people have and their false confidences and resting upon rotten props these and divers others may be named which are inward difficulties that faith helps against and by removing of them doth easily overcome any difficulty that is without therefore when you have any work which is hard look not so much for the removing the difficulties that are without as the difficulties that are within Eighthly The Eighth particular wherein the power of Faith is That Faith makes the work that God sets a Christian about to be suitable to his spirit let the work be what it wil be if it be a work of God any way of Godliness Faith hath a power to work the heart to be suitable to that work that there shal be an agreement between the frame and temper of heart and the work that God sets it to and then a work wil go on If you set one to a work that does but bungle the work does not go off hand because it is a work that is not suitable to his principles but if a man hath a work that is suitable to him he can go to it with singing and it goes off readily as in Nehem. 4.6 The work went on because the people had a mind to work though indeed it was a hard work Ninthly Again Another power of Faith is this Faith hath power to make use of difficulties for the furtherance of the work and therefore much more power for to carry through difficulties Faith can bring water out of the Rock it can make the mountains that lie in the way to be advantages to raise the heart upon We have a notable place for this in Hebr. 11.3 4. where it is said Out of weakness they were made strong not that they were made strong being weak that they were brought out of their weakness and had strength conveyed to them that is not al but it is made a fruit of their Faith that they were made strong out of weakness Faith did make use of their very weakness to strengthen them by so that Faith is not only able to strengthen those that are weak but to take advantage by weakness for to strengthen to turn al hindrances into furtherances for so God having promised all shal turn to good Faith can take hold of that Promise and so turn all hindrances that can be into furtherances Faith hath a Chymical Art those that have that Art wil get Gold cut of Stones or Iron So Faith wil draw Gold out of Iron and stones out of things that seem to be never so cross and contrary it wil draw help Tenthly Faith helps against difficulty because it works by love and that hath a great deal of power to carry through difficulties Much water cannot quench Love it is a speech of Bernard Cant. 8.7 The force of Love is violent Saies the Apostle in 1 Thess 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labor of Love Love is very laborious it will force through difficulty therefore that which makes so much use of Love and inflames that that hath much power against difficulty 11 ly Another thing wherein the power of Faith consists is Before we enter on the work it assures of a certain good success Now when we know the success shal be good and certain before we begin this wil help against any difficulty though the work be never so hard it is want of the hope of the success that deadens the heart But this must not be mistaken Faith doth not alwaies assure of a particular success if we wil assure our selves of a particular success which is more than the Promise wil bear this wil hinder Faith but faith wil assure of success in the general 12 ly Again Faith assures of the reward 2 Chron. 75.7 Be ye strong therefore and let not your hands be weak for your work shall be rewarded Faith assuring of this wil make one strong though God cal to never such hard things Marriners in hope of a good reward they wil venture themselves in storms tempests and in dangers on the Sea And so a Soldier if his Captain wil give him a months or two months pay over and above he wil venture his life 13 ly Lastly Faith quickens and stirs up al Graces cals in the help of every Grace Now many hands will do great works and so where al Graces do work together much wil be done And thus much for the explication of the work of faith in carrying through services that have so much difficulty For Use CHAP. 21. Vses of the Doctrine Use First Let none think God an hard Master when he puts them upon service because he affords them a principle to carry them through Use Secondly To Beleevers that they should expect to be put upon difficult things 1. Four considerations against discouragements It is not to be accounted an affliction to be put upon difficult things for 4. Reasons Use Thirdly Shewing it can be no concluding argument against a work because there are hinderances Use Fourthly When you have been carried through difficult services consider what it was which supported you USE 1. First Now then let none think God to be an hard Master in putting his servants upon such difficulties as are hard to do though he do put them upon difficulties yet he gives them a principle to carry them through and then it is al one as if it were easyer Carnal hearts are ready to complaine of the tediousness and hardness of Gods waies and they are ready to complain of God as an hard Master how are they hard and tedious They are hard and tedious to you because you want a principle to do them by but they are not hard to the Christian indeed it was cruelty and hardness to to Pharoah to put the Israelites upon work
you flee 3. Behave your selves as exiled people as men mortified to the things of the world 4. Get a contented frame of heart 5. When you are delivered keep your selves in the fervency of your spirits 6 Let those from whom you flee have your prayers Page 70 Chap. 13. How the Heart may be taken off from the fear of man First it is against the solemn charge of God Secondly It is an Idolizing of the Creature Thirdly It becomes not the State and Spirit and profession of a Christian Fourthly It dishonors God and the Cause of God Fifthly It mightily heartens the enemies of Gods people Sixthly It is threatened as a great judgment of God upon a people Seventhly The evil effects of the sinful fear of man 1. It distracts our thoughts 2. Weakens the heart 3. Eats out the true fear of God 4. It indisposeth us to any service 5. Insnares a Christian 6. It. causeth other desperate fears 7. Procures the judgment of God in our destruction Page 78 Chap. 14. Another Doctrine Much difference between Gods peoples spirits at several times Illustrated by examples Reasons 1. From the different dispositions their hearts are in to receive truths Which proceeds from Three Causes First the abatement of the strength that is opposite to that truth Secondly The stirrings or activity of those habits which are sutable to truth Thirdly The prevalences of self interest Reas 2. From the different representations of Truth Reas 3. Because the Graces of men do not burn so cleerly and purely at al times Reas 4. From the weakness of Grace the parts and members of it are not consolidated Reas 5. Because our hearts are sometimes filled with more heavenly consolations then at other times Reas 6. From the different breathings of the spirit of God Reas 7. Because men have somtimes a more clear and distinct sight of their call to suffer then at other times 3. Particular directions in this Case Reas 8. The different tempers of mans Body Reas 9. From the difference in the encouraging occurrency of Gods providence Page 97 Chap. 15. Containing the First Use Which teacheh us to entreat God not to take the advantage of us when our hearts are low Page 110. Chap. 16. Another Vse to teach us not to be discouraged at this different temper of our Spirits but to be humbled for it Five Helps against discouraging thoughts Two objections Page 113 Chap. 17. Containing the Third Vse of Direction branched into four particulars 1. If couragious and fit for service give God the praise Four reasons for it 2. Learn to rebuke unbelief 3. Labor to keep your hearts up The manner how that may be done in eight particulars 4. Improve this gracious working of God Page 119 Chap. 18. A fourth Vse To be restless till we get our selves into a good frame Page 128 Chap. 19. A Fifth Vse To see the misery of being alwaies unfit for service A Sixt Vse To teach us to long for Heaven Page 130 Chap. 20. Shewing the power of Faith to carry through the most difficult work Question What is there in Faith which helps the Soul Answered in four Particulars 1. It settles the Heart on the surest ground which is Gods call and Promises 2. It fetches in the greatest strength 3. It assists with the highest encouragements 5. Faith of its own Nature is a mighty strong principle The most illustrious work of Faith Thirteen remarkable things concerning Faith and the difficulties which it breaks through Page 133. Chap. 21. Vses of the Doctrine Use First Let none think God an hard Master when he puts them upon service because he affords them a principle to carry them through Use Secondly To Beleevers that they should expect to be put upon difficult things 1. Four considerations against discouragements It is not to be accounted an affliction to be put upon difficult things for 4. Reasons Use Thirdly Shewing it can be no concluding argument against a work because there are hindrances Use Fourthly When you have been carried through difficult services consider what it was which supported you Page 145 Chap. 22. Quest How to know whether Faith wil carry us through difficult works Answered in several particulars 1. Faith Goes upon spiritual grounds motives and ends 2. Makes men sollicitous and careful for the enjoyment of Gods presence with them 3. Causes men to carry themselves in a Gracious manner 4. To have an high esteem of the name of God 5 Makes them careful that they may not be frustrated of their end 6. It makes men satisfied with God Alone 7. Faith is a continued work That Faith which brought you out will carry you through Page 156 Chap. 23. Containing other uses of the point Use 5. Shews the reason why we faile in any thing we do it is for want of Faith Use 6. Labor to rise in indignation against your unbelief Use 7. Consider what it is to faile in that work which concernes thy eternal estate Page 162 Chap. 24. Helps to put on Faith in any undertaking 1. Set before you the example of our great Captain Jesus Christ 2. Make preparation for the work of Faith by Humiliation 3. Renew your Faith in the Covenant of Grace 4. In difficult times set Faith on work to purifie the heart 5. Take heed of shifting waies and dependances 6. Set loose from your own ends 7. Cast your selves upon the word of God 8. Plead the word with God in Prayer 9. Refuse no meanes that God puts into your hands 10. Do nothing with a slavish spirit 11. Be not discouraged by miscarriages that are past 12. Take heed of the disturbance of passion in your work 13. Observe the dependances one work hath upon another 14. Lisson not to Temptations 15. Take heed of perverse reasonings 16. Take heed of disorderly working in four cases 17. Vse resolution and courage 18. Look on your selves as Gods Instruments 19. Be constant though you find nothing come of it 20. Encrease not the difficulty by your carriage 21. Look most at your Encouragements 22. Vse not the difficulty in the way to reason against the work 23. Labor to harden your selves by Faith against al difficulties Page 165 Chap. 25. Containing a second consideration of the Text to wit and Allegoricall interpretation of Moses forsaking Egypt by Faith Warrant for Allegoricall interpretations Forsaking this world renouncing our naturall estate a difficult work Fourteen reasons of it Page 184 Chap. 26. How Faith carries the Soul through the Difficult work of forsaking Egypt Their Works of Faith 1. The discovering work in two particulars 2. The relying Work 3. The Surrendring work Question Resolved concerning the force of Natural Conscience in three Particulars shewing the great difference between the actings of Faith and Natural Conscience Application 1. Hence see the Ground of Miscarriages 2. A Rule of Direction Incouragements to Faith and Beleeving 3. Let delivered Persons see what delivered them Faith which acts by a power without us Twelve
so such a one comes no longer to live the life of care he doth not tremble any more And suitable to his expression so was his life speaking of Eudoxia the Empres saies he what wil she do wil shee bannish me the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Wil she cut me asunder so was Isaiah Wil she drown me John was cast into the Sea Will she stone me So was Steven Will she behead me so was Paul Will she take away my substance my heart is taken a way from that already It is reported of Illaria meeting with theeves say they are you not affraid no saith he I have nothing to loose but We will Kill thee saith he I am prepared to die And to a Heart seeing it hath nothing to loose and it is prepared to die it doth not fear it values no evil in the creature nor any good in it and therefore it is not affraid Now it is faith that glorious and mighty grace takes the heart off from all creature Evil and creature good and by this you may know the work of Faith in your Souls When you feel a principle within you taking you from the creature and lifting you aboue creature comforts and creature evils that is the glorious work of Faith And that is the Seventh thing Eightly Faith doth interest God in the cause of a Beleever Whatsoever cause a beleever doth undertake wherein he doth exercise faith his Faith doth interest God in it so that it hath not only the countenance command and faithfulness of God to help it but the Name of God and God himself As in England if a man hath a debt and knows not how to get it he will turne it over to the King and if he can interest the King in the debt He thinks that will be a way to help himself So here when a beleever is in a straight and he knows not what to do he looks this way and that way and sees nothing but fears and Terrours and knows not how to help himself yet if he can but turne over the cause to God and interest him in the cause he is quiet Ninthly Faith hath a notable work to help against fear in that it fils the heart with spirituall good and the true boldness that is in any heart comes from the fulness of spirituall good that is in their Souls As the Naturalists observe the reason why the Lyon hath that courage and boldness Is because he hath a heart compacted and filled with strong spirits Many things when they are empty are weake but when they are filled ful of that which is sutable to them it makes them strong So when a Soul hath a fulness of spiritual good in it it is very strong Look what is the reason of the boldness and courage and impudence of wicked men in their sin the contrary is the reason of the boldness and courage of Gods people in the way of God The speciall reason of the courage and boldness of the wicked in a way of evill is the fullness of wickedness that is in their souls And therefore in that fact of Ananias and Saphira Acts. 5.3 saith the Apostle Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the holy Ghost If Satan had not filled your hearts you could not have been thus bold to have lied to the holy Ghost And so it is a notable passage we have in Esther 7.5 speaking concerning Haman saith the King Who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so In the Hebrew it is who hath filled his heart to do this who hath a heart so ful as to venture upon such an evill as this As the filling of the heart with evill makes it bold and couragious in that which is evill so the filling of the heart with spirituall good makes it forward in that which is good As it is observed concerning Steven after Steven was filled with the Holy Ghost how bold was he he could look upon the face of his persecuters with boldness in Acts 6.15 and the Councell looked upon him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel because his heart was filled with the Holy Ghost And so the Apostles were very feareful before the Holy Ghost came down upon them but when they were filled with the Holy Ghost they had no more feare And so Elisha how full of courage was he when the three Kings came to him saith he Had it not been for Jehosaphat I had not seen thy face What was the reason he had the Spirit of Elijah double upon him and therefore he was bold As there is a Plerophorie of evil that causeth boldness so there is a Plerophorie of good that filleth the heart with boldness and nothing doth so fil the heart as faith that fetcheth of the fulness of Christ and of his fulness we are full In the Tenth place Faith hath a great deale of power to cause boldness and take off the heart from the feare of Man because Faith doth acquaint a beleever with the waies of God towards his people and therefore he doth not fear A beleever comes to have skill in the passages of Gods Providence and his dealings towards his people and thereby he comes to know that it is Gods ordinary way to suffer the enemies of his people to rage against them and prevail against them and to have much power over them and yet they are his people And it is no argument that God hath forsaken them because of their affliction And therefore you know the Scripture speaks oftentimes of Gods leading his people through the Fire and the Water and that God will be with them there Isa 43.2 It is the way of God to choose his people and set his heart upon them in the Fiery Furnace when he intends the greatest good to his people He brings them through Fire and Water and setteth them in wealthy places Psal 66.12 And if one be acquainted with Gods way he doth not fear If a souldier be not acquainted with the way of his General when he seeth him undertake great things and brings them into danger he is affraid but one that is acquainted with the way of his General how he will lay his stratagems and knows that it is his way to go through such dangers he is not affraid And so it is true carnal Hearts assoon as they see any danger they are affraid because they have not the skil to understand the mind and will of God in his way towards his people when as the people of God know that it is the ordinary way of God to work good out of Evil. As Luther saies He doth kill that he may quicken and cast down that he may raise up And the like and so he goes on in three or four lines together but saith he For to know this this is the art of arts and the Knowledg of Knowledges very few do know and understand this way
boldly upon it and say God hath established me in my kingdom and made me many promises to uphold me why should I flee he did flee but was it not an abatement of his faith and confidence in God no at vers 3 But thou O Lord art a shield for me my glory and the lifter up of my head To shew there may be fleeing and yet confidence in God as our sheild and glory and lifter up of our head and at verse 5. I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me he Fled but he was quiet for al that in verse 6. I wil not be affraid of ten thousand of people that have set themselves against me round about He Fled from his Son and yet said he would not be affraid of ten thousands of people in verse 7. Arise O Lord save me O God for thou hast smitten all my enemies upon the cheek bone thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly His faith was so confident as it made him to think that which was to be done as done already and yet he penned this psalm in a Fleeing condition So that the second thing is appearent Thirdly In some cases a man not onely may but must Flee he hath not only a permission but a command when they persecute you in this citty flee into another Quest What cases are those Answ First If the case be such as no extraordinary thing depends upon me in that station that God hath set me There is no station but hath somthing depends upon it therefore if we should say they may not Flee but when the case is that nothing depends upon it then none should Flee but where there is nothing extraordinary depends upon it Secondly When I feel the hand of God loose my relations which are otherwise tyes to me Thirdly when God in the way of his providence doth open a door to me else where where I may honor him may be honor him more Fourthly When I find my heart doubtful about my call to suffer for the present after much seeking of God and much examination of things yet with a heart desirous to submit to God when the case is such no question there is a bond to Fleeing and it wil be a sin against God and tempting of God not to do it Fourthly There are some cases we must not Flee in If you ask what they are It is breifely answered the contrary to the other when as God hath set me in such a place as some special thing depends upon me or if I be convinced in my conscience being willing to be convinced that the cause of God and people of God shall have more prejudice and hurt by my fleeing then by my staying It is an expression of Augustine in his Epistle to Honoratus about this argument When any by fleeing shal do more hurt then he is able to requite by any worke in all his life as the case is so sometimes then he is bound to venture himself and not to flee And it doth depend much upon a mans own conscience and the judgment of others to know this a man would be willing to favour himself in such a case but let him be sure he deal uprightly with God and his own soul and not go only upon his own judgment but take the judgment of others and then if conscience shal give him this dictate his life cannot recompence that hurt he shal do by Fleeing he is to stay when he shal see the cause of God shal suffer much in it and God comes in by some especial assistance helping of him in a more then ordinary way he may take it as an item from God that God hath a speciall work for him to do And this was the case of Daniel He saw the cause of God lay upon that work and it would suffer if he should baulk his way and God did come in with especial assistance and strength to him and rather then the cause of God should suffer he would put himself upon that danger men according to natural discretion would think he might have spared the opening of his window but his conscience was convinced that his life was not of so much use as his witnessing to the cause of God at that time and especially if we be in such a way as we find God hemming of us in and knocking off those things that may further our fleeing that we cannot flee but we must do somthing against conscience and do somthing that is evil you are to know that God doth cal you rather to suffer and to venture upon him in such a case Fiftly Those that flee to avoid danger if they take not heed there may be many miscarriages in their fleeing whereby they may much sin against God and dishonor their cause As 1. To flee upon every slight thing that doth not beseem a Christian it should be somthing of weight that should cause him to leave his station for there is no man or woman in any Station but God set them in that station and therefore without the command of God we may not stir We are all as Souldiers and God hath put us into our ranks as a Captain sets his Souldiers in their ranks now a Souldier dare not presume to Go out of his rank without a commission whatsoever pretence he hath though it be to do much good for his country so we must have a Commission from God and not flee upon every slight thing 2. Many in their fleeing flee much to their spiritual disadvantage as they wil flee for feare of suffering loss in their estates and outward liberties and care not whither they flee to further themselves in their spiritual course though may be they might with some loss of their estates have more spiritual advantage then in the place whither they flee yet they wil rather flee then loose some of their estates this is a miscarriage Indeed if this be the care of a man when he flees to flee where he may have most spiritual advantage not outward trading but God in his ordinances he may have comfort in it but if men flee into places where they have no spiritual advantage but onely for trading this is a miscarriage 3. When secretly they have denied the truth before-hand not only fear what they may do but their hearts tells them if they be called to suffer they cannot stand out and they flee only to prevent the shame of their apostacy they cannot tell how to look upon the faces of their acquaintance that shal know they are Apostates this is a miscarriage Tertullian hath a whol treatise upon this concerning fleeing in persecution and I know no man that ever denied it might not be but only he he would not have any flee in any danger for the case of religion and he brings in many arguments but they are not such but an ordinary understanding Christian may answer but this is one thing amongst the rest says he When you
any thing so we fear the contrary let us but mortify our love to the creature and we shal mortify the fear of the creature 2. Let us get and keep our interest in God and that wil keep us from the fear of the creature 3. Let us labor to see clearly that the cause we are in is Gods Cause 4. Look to the call of that cause though the cause be good if we have not as all to that cause we cannot be helpt against Fear 5. Labor to bring your Hearts to count it Honor and Riches and pleasure enough to be employed in Gods service any way whatsoever comes of it if I should endure such and such troubles in it yet the wil of God be done God cals for my estate and liberty and comfort to be employed this way and that is enough that any thing I have may be employed in Gods way and if it be lost in Gods service it is well lost if the Heart be brought to this disposition it wil not fear the loss of any thing 6. Keep the conscience upright in Gods way Job 11.14.15 If iniquity be in thy hand put it far from thee and let not wickedness dwel in thy tabernacle for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and not fear When the Heart begins to decline in the least degree then it is filled with Fear 7. Keep a close and ful and comfortable communion one with another let there be no fear with one another as that is a notable place 1 Cor. 16.10 Concerning the care of Saint Paul over Timothy because he was young and so weak That he might be with the Church without fears As a means to help Timothy in his way against whatsoever troubles he met abroad so whatsoever dangers there be abroad in the world you will find this a notable means to strengthen your hearts to be without fear of all the world to keep close one with another 8. If you will needs fear fear prosperity rather then trouble and indeed there is more cause to fear our ease and our prosperity then to fear any trouble in the world there is more cause to fear the favors of men then their threatnings there is more cause to fear the world when it comes like a Fox then when it comes like a Lyon the joys of this present world are to be feared by a Christian now Christians fear altogether present adversity but you should labor to fear prosperity 9. Lastly consider how little good fear of any creature will do it will never a whit free you from the evil you fear But rather bring it sooner as when Peter was affraid of the waves and affraid of sinking did it help him No it rather brought the waves upon him and so in trouble your fear cannot help you and deliver you but bring trouble sooner upon you And therefore that is an observable note the difference between John and the other disciples when Christ was apprehended all the disciples fled except John and John stood when he was in the Priests Hall and when he was upon the Cross he said to him behold thy Mother so that he was not affraid of his life now their was not one of all the Disciples that fled for there lives but dyed violent Deaths and their lives were taken away and John that did not flee lived fourscore years after Christ and continued in his ministry So that you see God many times will preserve such as are least affraid and let such as are affraid fal into the trouble that they are affraid of at that time they are affraid or afterwards And thus we have finished the second Doctrinal conclusion from these words that faith cures sinful Fear CHAP. 14 Another Doctrine Much difference between Gods peoples spirits at several times Illustrated by examples Reasons 1. From the different dispositions their hearts are in to receive truths Which proceeds from Three Causes First the abatement of the strength that is opposite to that truth Secondly The stirrings or activity of those habits which are sutable to truth Thirdly The prevalences of self-Interest Reas 2. From the different representations of Truth Reas 3. Because the Graces of men do not burn so cleerly and purely at al times Reas 4. From the weakness of Grace the parts and members of it are not consolidated Reas 5. Because our hearts are somtimes filled with more heavenly consolations then at other times Reas 6. From the different breathings of the spirit of God Reas 7. Because men have somtimes a more clear and distinct sight of their call to suffer then at other times 3. Particular directions in this Case Reas 8. The different tempers of mans Body Reas 9. From the difference in the encouraging occurrency of Gods providence WEE come now to the next Doctrinal conclusion which was raised from hence there was a time when Moses was affraid he did forsake Egypt out of fear now Moses by faith did forsake Egypt and was not affraid The Point is Doct. There is a great deal of difference between the Spirits of Gods people at some time from that they are at other times Now Moses seems to have further courage and strength then formerly we have many examples in scripture and dayly experience of this that there is a wonderful difference between the spirits of Gods people at sometimes and at other times As Elijah was a man of mighty courage that could look Ahab on the face and when Ahab said art thou he that troublest Israel nay saith he it is thou and thy Fathers house at another time he fled from Jezebel and God said to him what dost thou here Elijah art thou fleeing from a woman that but the other day hadst such a courage And so David there was a time when David was affraid and behaved himself with much folly in his fear as in the change of his behavior before the King of Gath at another time as in Psalm 23. He would not fear what man could do unto him though he walked in the vally of the shadow of Death And so in many Psalms you have his heart mightily dejected in the beginning of the Psalm and before he had done mightily raised And so Abraham sometime he had mighty strength and confidence of his Faith at other times his faith failed him and he was fain to equivocate and shift for himself And so Jeremiah God said he would make him as a Brazen wal and he would give him a spirit of courage at another time Jeremiah was mightily dejected because of the reproach he met withal and he would speak no more in the name of God unto the people And so Peter there was a time when he was affraid of a poor damsel at other times who so bold as Peter as in Acts 2.14 And so Joseph of Arimathea he was a disciple of Christ but secretly for fear of the Jews but afterward he came boldly and begged the body of Christ at
keep me from temptation now do not cast me down now God hath promised In 1 Cor. 10.13 He wil not suffer his people to be tempted above their strength Somtime the Godly can say my heart is fixed speak Lord here I am to do thy will some times Gods people are able to endure any danger and then God brings his people to the tryal As the disciples after the holy ghost came upon them then they were called to suffer they never were put to such tryals before and when God grants mercy to his people this way it is a mercy indeed CHAP. 16. Another Vse to teach us not to be discouraged at this different temper of our Spirits but to be humbled for it Five Helps against discouraging thoughts Two objections USE 2. THe second use of this point is this If there be such a difference between the hearts of Gods people at some time from that they are at others hence is an incouragement to the servants of God to teach them though they do not feel their hearts always in the same temper and to have the same spirit to do good not to be discouraged it is true we should be humbled for want of having our hearts up at any time but be not discouraged because it is no other but what befals the most dear servants of God and though you do not find your hearts up always as at some time do not therefore conclude there is now no good at al in me for Gods people are ready and prepared for every good work and my heart is thus dul and heavy and dead and it wil never be otherwise with me I am afraid whensoever I shal be called to the service of God my heart wil be thus and I shal forsake God and betray the cause of God Do not reason thus to discourage your selves take heed of those determining thoughts to determine that your hearts wil be always so because they are so for the present there is a great deale of difference between the spirits of Gods people at some times and at other times and therefore there may be so in you For your help against these discouraging thoughts First Consider that you have union with a principle that is ful of al Grace though you do not feel the influence of it at all times alike you have union with a principle so ful that you have no cause to determine against your selves Secondly Know you have promises that are ful of Grace for the encouraging of Gods servants Promises that there may be drawn abundance of good from and therefore you cannot determine that it shall not be otherwise with you Thirdly know the glory of God is as deare and precious to him as your own souls are to you and therefore if so be the cause the honor of God depend upon it know God wil take care for his own honor you are afraid you should betray the cause of God because you find your hearts so down now and perhaps if they were so down then when God calls you to stand for his cause it might be so but what is it that troubles you you are afraid to bring guilt and misery upon your selves and dishonor God but know the glory of God is precious to him and being it is engaged in you that you should dishonor him being one of his he wil take care of you Fourthly Consider how God hath come in graciously to supply his people in the time of need he hath filled their spirits in the time of straights when he hath called them to any hard work and they have done that which they thought they should never have done as it is with wicked men you see some so vile and wicked as you could never have thought they should have been so the Godly though somâ—imes their hearts are down yet at other times they have such assistance and enlargement and fulness of the spirit as one would never have thought they should have had Fifthly God hath made a mighty difference in your estates from that they were before and therefore why should you not hope that God will make a difference between that we are now and that we may be hereafter If God have wrought the least degree of saving grace in you he hath made more difference between you and one that is in his natural condition than there is between you and the gloryfied Saints as I have noted before and if God have made such a great difference why should you disturbe your selves to think it wil never be other then it is now Sixthly nay I appeal to you have you never found your hearts up for God was there never a time that there was quickning and enlarging of your hearts for God that you have felt some comfortable fitness for service or suffering Object I cannot but say it hath been so with me but it is gone and down again there are none but have some flashings and stirrings and some good moods and mine may be no more for all I know grace is a constant thing and the heart is established with it and therefore though I feel my heart a little up sometimes yet they are but such flashings as any may have that have no grace Answ To that I answer There are some works of Grace that are steady and constant that do more immediately flow from the principles and being of Grace and there are other works of Grace that are more remote that are not so steady and constant 1. There are some that are steady and constant as these two things take Gods people and consider of them in any condition if they know but their own hearts they will find these two things First An approving of the life and power and the strictness of the waies of Godliness Secondly they wil find a savor of that which is spiritual either in Ordinances or in Gods People their hearts will savor them though their hearts be very much down yet these two things they find constant 2. But for the abilities to perform duties for abilities in service or suffering they do not lie so next the root of Grace they are but as the Leaves or the blossoms or the fruit now though the sap be constant at the root yet the blossoms leaves and fruit are not Object But you wil say Being there may be good moods in men take the worst of all though their hearts be naught sometime yet their hearts are up at other times and may not you instead of encouraging Gods Servants encourage the wicked they may think we hear there is a difference between Gods People they are not alwaies alike so it is with me somtimes I am distempered but at other times thanks be to God it is better with me and so instead of taking away discouragements from those that are weak there may be encouragement to the wicked and therefore where lies the difference between the good moods that some have that have no true Grace and the difference of
humiliation and much seeking of God surely that should be the matter of our praises 3. This is a gracious visitation of God God comes in with this and here is the presence of God and therfore there is much cause of praise 4. It is an argument that God hath some especial service for you to do now those that are godly count this a great mercy for God to have any employment for them now that they have received an evidence to their souls that God intend to imploy them this is a great mercy Secondly Learn to check your Unbelief when your hearts were down you were ready to say it would never be otherwise now check your hearts and bring your hearts to this conclusion I will never think it in vain to seek God though I do not find him come in presently and I will learn though I may judg my self worthy that God should leave me yet I will never determine that God will not come in because I see Gods waies are not as my waies and Gods thoughts are not as my thoughts Oh take heed of judging the waies and thoughts of God according to your waies and thoughts Thirdly Is God come in and do you find that you have a spirit of courage and boldness more than before now you find God sweetly breathing upon you to put life into that dead and to raise that heavy heart of yours do you find God sweetly and comfortably enlivening your souls and putting the spirit of confidence in that unbeleeving heart of yours Labor to keep your hearts thus There is a great deal of difficulty when a thing is fallen down to get it up but when a thing is up if one be careful it is not difficult to keep it up It is a notable expression that David had when he found the hearts of the people got up in their willing Offering 1 Chron. 29.18 O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the hearts of thy people and prepare their hearts unto thee So let it be thy prayer and it is my prayer for thee Is thy heart up more than before Pray O God of Abraham Isaac and Israel keep this in the thoughts of the heart of this man or woman for ever be careful now to keep your hearts up so when you are well or otherwise if you should lose this through this negligence 1 It wil make you cal into question the truth of these gracious breathings yea you wil think it was but a meer flash such as Hypocrites may have yea not cal this into question only but to cal the truth of al into question this is that which makes men take the foundation of al because their hearts somtimes are raised and they through their negligence let them fall and lose that spiritual life and courage once they had and so bring abundance of sadness upon their hearts now as you would have an evidence of the truth of Gods work upon you and the truth of grace labor to keep up your hearts 2 Labor to keep up your hearts otherwise if they fal off again the waies of God wil come to be very tedious to you As a man that walks unevenly in regard of the unevenness of his leggs or the unevenness of the way he is quickly tired and so if a Christians way be up and down and there be not an evenness in his way he is quickly discouraged and a main means to help one to go on with freedom and courage in Gods waies is to go on in an even course 3 If so be you lose this you lose the beauty of your profession the beauty of the waies of Godliness consists much in the constancy and if your way be up and down there is no beauty in your conversation it takes away the convincing power of your way and conversation if others saw your hearts up and saw a constant evenness in your way this would mightily convince them that it is a work of Gods Spirit upon your hearts but somtimes your hearts are up and down again somtime you are patient and meek at other times you are passionate and fretting this doth not convince them that it is the work of Gods Spirit but only the stirring of a natural spirit 4 By this means you wil cause God to walk differently with you if you keep not up your hearts when God hath raised them though God be in a way of mercy you wil cause him to walk in a way of displeasure against you 5 Again When your hearts are up that is the thing that the Devil doth most watch to give you a trip in As when Daniel walked so strictly in al the matters of the Kingdom as they could find no fault in him they accused him in the matter of his God of his Religion so saies the Devil if I should tempt him to such and such sins I cannot prevail but there is such a way I may prevail and the Devil doth labor there most to trip you As he did with Christ in another case when you are on the top of the pinacle then he labors to throw you down It is true it is the work of God that hath brought you up to the pinacle but there the Devil doth labor to throw you down Quest You wil say How shall we come to keep up our hearts whenas our hearts are in a better frame than at some other times Answ First When your hearts are up labor to make use of that grace that raised your hearts improve it so as to make your hearts more holy and more upright A Tree if it sprout upward only and do not run down in the root proportionably it wil wither and die and so if grace do work only upward in abilities and performances of duties and joy and such things and do not proportionably work downward in the root it is like it will come to little and you will soon lose all Secondly Work that grace you find in your inward as wel as outward man Do not think it enough that you have stirrings of Grace to enable you to do duties but improve this grace for the working out of corruption consider the corruptions of your heart and now take the advantage to work them out Thirdly be sure you take nothing that is Gods due at this time that is if God have raised your hearts though the peace and joy of it be yours the Glory of it is Gods do not be fingering of that take heed of lifting up of your hearts in a way of pride it is enough your heart is lifted up in a way of grace and you must be content with that but many when God gives them a lift in a way of Grace they cannot be content with their part the peace and the joy but they lift up themselves in a way of pride and would have some of Gods part of the Glory and that spoils all Fourthly When you
your own thoughts and stir up your Faith CHAP. 22. Quest How to know whether Faith wil carry us through difficult works Answered in several particulars 1. Faith Goes upon spiritual grounds motives and ends 2. Makes men sollicitous and careful for the enjoyment of Gods presence with them 3. Causes men to carry themselves in a Gracious manner 4. To have an high esteem of the name of God 5. Makes them careful that they may not be frustrated of their end 6. It makes men satisfied with God Alone 7. Faith is a continued work That Faith Which brought you out will carry you through QVEST It is true faith doth carry through difficult works and amongst other difficult works the forsaking of ones own country it is much that we forsake in forsaking our country and we had need of Faith to carry one through this indeed a Christian should look upon all the world as his country he treads upon no ground but that which is his Fathers ground Socrates used to call himself a Citizen of the world when he was banished he counted it no banishment for the world was his country and he being a man was a Citizen of it certainly God hath given the Saints the World The promise was to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heire of the World Rom. 4.13 And as it was said of the children of Israel Deut. 11.24 So it may be said of the Saints Whatever ground you tread upon it is your own for use And further though the world be theirs yet they live above the world and therefore they care not in what part of the world they are Thus Tertullian writing to Martyrs to encourage them being driven from their own country it is no matter saies he in what part of the world you are who are separated from the world Yet there is much difficulty in leâ—â—ing of a mans country and he had need of faith to carry him through who doth leave it But how shall we know that faith carries us through there may be many other principles Answ First Faith goes upon spiritual grounds motives and ends Faith is a spiritual grace and it works exceeding spiritually and the reasonings of Faith are above the reasonings of Flesh and Blood what were your motives and grounds and ends by that you might know whether out of faith you forsook your country it may be it was from vexation or discontent that you left your country or from the example of others or from engagement unto others or out of novelty or out of carnal fears or out of vaine hopes or for further providing for your selves a great many things there may be that may put people on such a way especially those three novelty example and discontent but if it be by faith the ground and the end wil be spiritual for God and out of obedience unto God It is observable of Moses for I will go no further for notes of tryal then from the worke of Moses Moses when he pleads with Pharoah to go out of his country he did not plead the peoples bondage you do so abuse the people here and we are in such grievous bondage that we cannot bear it but saies he In Exod. 4.23 The Lord hath commanded we must go into the wilderness to worship him that was his plea and ground and end rather then the bondage that the people did suffer so when men forsake their country outward things may come in in subordination to higher things and there may be faith in ordering the heart about them but faith must go above them now can your consciences witness as in the presence of God it was your longing desire for to enjoy God in his ordinances and to keep your souls from defilement this was the argument of Moses they could not set up the worship of God there but they must go where God called them 2. If Faith be the thing that brings any from their country above all things they will be very sollicitous and careful for the enjoyment of Gods presence with them though they are in a subordinate way to provide for their families and to look how to live yet the great care of their souls is that they may enjoy the presence of God this was Moses argument Exod. 33.15 Except thy presence go with us Lord carrie us not hence now if so be it was thy care in departing to carry God and his gracious presence with thee let me stay here and suffer any thing lie in prison and rot rather then go without the presence of God this is an argument it was of Faith 3. Moses in forsaking his own country and going from Egypt he carries it in a very gratious manner when he came to Pharoah though the people were vext and troubled because their bondage did increase he did not fall exclaiming against him but rather yeilding to him in a way of submission as far as he could he did not go on rashly headily foolishly and self-confidently as many do which manifest a great deal of pride and stoutness of spirit rather then any thing else but he carries on the business with a great deal of sobriety and gravity with much humility and meekness of spirit in a way of wisdom and so it is in every action of faith so far as faith is in it now what was the maner of your forsaking your country was it in a way of seeking of God knowing the mind of God with quietness of spirit and humility and wisdom that you were brought away that is another note that it is of faith 4. Moses when he came from his country above al things the name of God was dear to him after he was come away and especially upon this because their very departing from Egypt held out the name of God much and therefore he was very careful that that name of God that was held out in their departing from Egypt might not be polluted when he was in any danger presently he flees to this Lord what will become of thy great name he does not so much plead in the behalf of the people as in the name of God so if faith hath brought you from your country the name of God is much in it you take a profession that you come from your country for the ordinances of God and the further purity of his worship now for one to leave friends and estate and country and all upon this ground if it were out of faith how dear would the name of God be to such a one least the name of God that is held out in his profession should be polluted when you come here and there should be divisions and nothing but tearing and rending of one another consider what shall become of the great name of God thus Moses reasoned what will the heathen say that thou hast brought the people hither to destroy them so will others say they are come out of their own country to tear and rend and fight with