in case thou fearest any of thy sins should come up in the presence of of God to accuse thee Jesus Christ stands at the right hand of his Father to be thine advocate what is the office of an advocate But if there be any accusation brought against such a man the advocate stands to answer to the accusation Jesus Christ he stands at the right hand of his father thus to do In John 2. and the first verse My little Children these things I write unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous A comfort it is to have one stand to plead at the right hand of the father to be thine advocate Christ is as real an advocate at the right hand of God for al beleevers as ever any had any advocate in this world I find often in scripture this if you read in the 4. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews you shal find there that the holy Ghost speakes of a rest of God the rest of the saints of God Gods people and mark what is the first incouragment he gives and what ground he makes of the rest they have in two or three places he speakes of the rest of Gods people now the foundation of it is For we have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in al things tempted like as we are yet without sin let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need for we have a high Priest that is the ground of the rest of the saints of God V. Fifthly Come to me saith Christ and I wil give you rest from al the trouble that you have by the guilt of sin thus I wil sprinkle your consciences by my blood that you shal be able to give an answer to al temptations that can come to you not onely I wil stand before my father but you shal have your consciences sprinkled with my blood that you shal be able to give an answer to what accusation shal be made by Satan to disturb your rest to disquiet your soules In Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a pure heart in ful assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience whereas before you came to me you had an evil conscience that was ready to fly in your face and that did fear you vex you and trouble you I appeale unto you that understand what God is and what it is for the creature to have to do with God have not your consciences kept you from sleeping a nights an evil conscience that hath layen grating within you you have layen upon your beds and could not sleep when your wife was asleep by you now to such is this said Let us draw neer upon this ground here is the ground Let us draw neer with a pure heart in ful assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience that is the blood of Christ comes now to be sprinkled upon our soules and consciences and that is it that takes away the worme of our conscience perhaps other things may trouble conscience for a while but now the blood of Christ can wash you from that now when you come to Christ the conscience comes then to be able to answer what shal be laid to its Charge Perhaps those who are beleevers and are come to Christ the devil wil be ready to object and labor to disturb them usually after they first come to Christ there is as great a disturbance in the heart of a sinner as before But mark that text you have in the first of Peter the 3. and the 21. The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Through Christs Resurrection a beleever comes to have a good conscience having been sprinkled by his blood before through this resurection he is able to answer the conscience that is whatsoever accusation the Devil shal lay against the soul the soul that is sprinkled with the blood of Christ is able to answer it and this is the comfort that such have that we find our conscience satisfied in the blood of Jesus Christ perhaps at the first coming thou doest not feel it but at the first coming thou beginnest to be able to do it VI. Sixthly the rest that is to be had against the trouble of the guilt of sin is this That upon the first coming of the soul to Christ it is made as perfectly just before God as ever Abraham Isaac and Jacob as al the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs thou comest off as cleerly from the guilt of thy sin as ever Abraham Isaac and Jacob did It s true thou hast not at thy first coming to Christ thy sanctification made perfect but this I dare avouch that at thy first coming to Jesus Christ thou hast thy Justification made as perfect as ever the Justification of Abraham Isaac and Jacob was and what a mighty ease and rest is this what I a vile creature so defiled I that have had such a dreadfulness upon my Spirit now to be able to see my self stand as clear before the Throne of God as Abraham Isaac and Jacob did and as the Apostles and Prophets did Oh! this is a comfort We ought to labor to come to be equal with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in sanctification as we are equal with them in Justification this is the ease that the soul finds that comes to Christ VII Seventhly The rest that is to be had in Christ in point of Justification in freedome from the trouble that ariseth from the guilt of sin it is that Christ undertakes not only for that thou hast done but for whatever thou shalt commit al thy life O! that none but those that are believers might heare me did I say so But this is a certain truth You wil say though I by coming to him might stand Justified before my father yet I am a poor creature I shal sin again and again and bring guilt upon my conscience Yet come to Christ here is free Grace in Christ and know that Christ laies in pardon for thee against whatsoever guilt thou shalt again contract unto thy Soul There is mercy with thee that thou maiest be feared with thee there is forgiveness Christ laies in for the Guilt of sin that thou shalt afterwards contract to thy Soul so as thou shalt never be condemned Perhaps thou shalt deserve condemnation a hundred times over and over again but Christ will take care that thou shalt never enter into condemnation thou shalt never be in the state of Condemnation Oh the Rest that here is VIII Eightly When the Soul comes to
thee so much as from his son in one regard that is thou hast not such a dreadful apprehension of Gods withdrawing from thee as Christ had for Christ would never have cryed out else My God My God why hast thou forsaken mee This was a real thing Christ did not speak at uncertainties he did feel a withdrawing of the influence sweetness and comfort of the Lord though stil he had union with him by Nature and he was his Father as before but the Human Nature did not feel the influence of the Grace and sweetness and the shine of the Favor of God as at other times and therefore he cries out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Exercise thy Faith upon Christ as one that was in spiritual desertions It is true perhaps that Christ did not come to determin himself that he was utterly forsaken as thou dost but Christ was apprehensive of Gods withdrawing himself and therefore this may bring ease and Rest unto thy Soul and the rather because that his being so forsaken it was to Sanctifie thy being forsaken it was to take away the curse of those desertions that thou hast in thy self Such desertions as are in any afflictions materially they are a curse they are such things as in their own Nature are a curse Christ being so forsaken by the Father doth take away the curse that is in spiritual desertions and there is no such way for the soul that is in spiritual desertions as to look up to Christ and to consider that Christ was forsaken for my sake Christ was forsaken for mee that I might not be eternally forsaken So there is these three things in looking up to Christ as forsaken First thou seest that the Lord that is the beloved son of God was forsaken forsaken by God Secondly here thou maist see the merit of this that it was to sanctifie thy forsaking that thy forsaking might not be a curse to thee Thirdly It was that thou mightest not be eternally forsaken by God so that by exercising of thy Faith thus upon him thou maist get a great deal of Rest and ease unto thy soul A carnal Heart when he finds this terror of spirit he runs to his company Musick good chear and business of the world but a gracious Heart runs to Christ and goes to him that was thus forsaken of the Lord for him Secondly If thou beest under the burden of spiritual desertions then look up to Christ as being such a Mediator as is ful of Grace and goodness there being such a fulness of the Grace of God in him as makes him a sufficient object for the Faith of adherence when he cannot be unto me an object of the Faith of evidence I say we are to exercise Faith upon Christ when we are under this Burden of spiritual desertions thus we are to look upon Christ as being the fulness of the Godhead of all the treasure of Grace and goodness having so much of the Grace and mercy of God in him as shal make him a fit object of the Faith of adherence though he is not now to me an object of the Faith of evidence Quest You will say What is the meaning of that I mean by the Faith of evidence that I am able to say that Christ is mine and I have an argument to perswade my conscience that he is mine that is the Faith of evidence but yet there is enough in Christ to draw forth the Soul to Reâ—t upon him from the Faith of adherence that is thus Though I cannot draw arguments to rely upon Christ as mine yet I wil cleave to him and adhere to him I know there is no help but here and therefore here I will cleave and cling here now is the Faith of adherence Now because there is so much Grace in it therefore Christ may be a great object of thy Faith of adherence when thou canst not see him to be an object of the Faith of evidence and that is a way to help the Soul in time of spiritual desertion When many poor souls are under spiritual afflictions and desertions they think of no other Faith to rest upon Christ but barely upon the faith of evidence and when they have evidence to their Souls that Christ is theirs and that from some fruits of Grace in them then they rely upon him but now learn that there is such a Faith the Faith of adherence and Christ may appear to a Soul as a fit object to the Soul for the Faith of adherence when he cannot be to it an object of the Faith of evidence Thirdly Another help to the Soul that is under spiritual desertions is this the soul in this case is to exercise Faith upon Christ as an advocate that is at the right hand of the Father to plead the cause of his people That Scripture you have often named to you in 1 John 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Christ is at the right hand of the Father as an advocate for you as we shewed when we spake of the Rest of the soul from the guilt of sin So now when thou hast not the sense of the Love of God to thee exercise thy Faith upon Christ that he is at the right Hand of the Father to plead for poor sinners In Jer. 50.34 Saith the Text there Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hostes is his name he shall throughly plead their cause that he may give Rest to the Land It is true this is meant literally of an outward Rest unto the people of God to deliver them from the Captivity of Babilon and here is a promise that the redeemer is strong and the Lord of hosts that he shall throughly plead their cause they were carried into Babilon and they were scorned and contemned and despised and they said where is their Lord of hosts Now here is a promise that their redeemer will come and that he shal throughly plead their cause and give them rest in their land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babilon This promise we are to make use of in regard of our outward troubles at this day in regard of our adversaries and though the Lord let them prevaile somtimes yet the Lord hath shewed himself at hand to plead his cause and no question he hath throughly pleaded the cause of his people when the adversaries began to lift up their hands against them when they insulted in regard of the late blow that God gave us the Lord hath begun already to give them a blow and I hope we shal hear further of it But now that which is true here literally is true spiritually the Lord wil redeem them from spiritual captivity and this redeemer is the Lord of hosts he will give them rest he is at the right hand of the Father throughly to plead the cause of his poor Servants when accusation comes up to the Father against the Soul then the Lord Christ stands at the right hand
thou findest thy self at that time As now if so be a man when he hath been long in a Quartan Feaver or one that hath layen long in the Disease of the Pox if he shal at last look upon his visage and judg of the constitution of his body according to his countenance this would discourage him but he must judg of his constitution at that time when the distemper is not upon him So many poor Christians they judg of their condition then when they are under the greatest temptation No you should rather judg of your estates as you are when you injoy your selves most when God and your souls are together and most free from temptation If a man would weigh Gold perhaps the Gold hath one grain more then the weight yet if you come to weigh it and hold it in the wind the wind may toss up the scale and make the Gold seem to be too light and you wil say the Gold is not weight Why Because the wind tosseth up the scale the other way But now if you would see whether the Gold be weight indeed hold it steady where the wind comes not So if you would weigh your condition aright do it at that time when your spirit is most setled and staied and do not do it when temptation tosseth you up and down Fourthly Another help to beleevers to prevent another hinderance of their rest is this That their spirits because they have not what rest they would have many times grow impatient and trouble themselves more then God would have them Now this is a Rule labor to quiet your hearts by waiting upon God in the want of comfort and Labor in the use of what means God shal give you for a waiting frame That Text is very notable for that purpose in Isai 30.7 For the Egyptians shal help in Vain and to no purpose therefore have I cryed concerning this their strength is to â—it stil And than at verse 15. Thus saith the Lord God the Holy one of Israel in returning and Rest shal ye be saved in quietness and confidence shal be your strength but ye would not And so in Isaiah 52.12 For ye shal not go out with hast nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel wil be your rereward There shal not be a tumultuous hurrying hasty Spirit You wil say can a man make too much hast to get assurance of Gods Love in Christ The truth is you make the best speed when you can in the quiet and calme of your spirits waite upon God while he wil please to speak to your Souls when we can go on in the use of means til God seal up by his spirit of assurance to your Souls Many Reasons might be given to put on the Soul to waite upon God but I pass on Fiftly Another Rule is this be much in Meditation upon the promises swallow down promises do not let them role upon your Tongues Wicked men they role the promises upon their Tongues but they do not take them down But now as when we take bitter Pils the way is to swallow them down whole when we take sweet things the way is to chew them if a man should chew his Pills he would suddenly throw them out of his Mouth So a Godly man should not chew the Pills that is by Meditating upon the threatnings of the Law this is not the way rather swallow down the Pills by Meditating upon the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace and so thy soul may come to find rest in Christ this way And when thou hast done al that thou canst yet stil the only way is for thee to depend upon God in his ordinances and to pray for the spirit no evidence that can be given can quiet the Heart till that comes to pass But now if so be the soul hath gained this what a thing is it for the soul to loose it again In Isaiah 26. â—0 Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers and shut the doores about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast What is it to come and enter into our Chamber To get into Christ our hiding place and then shut the dores that is take heed of parlying with temptation As thus now when as the Lord hath given thee rest and thy rest comes in by the word by applying the word to thy soul now shut the dore against temptation there wil arise some fears and Jealousies at that time now therefore shut the dore against al surmises â—eaâ—es and Jealousies and call for the word let the word be the rule for thy fear as wel as for thy comfort and rather depend on one Scripture for thy comfort then upon a thousand Jealousies for thy fear And this is now to shut the dore against temptation resolve here will I venture here is the word of God which is sure and certain and for temptation the Devil will trouble me with the Rapping and knocking at the dore but let him Knock as long as he will I have got a promise here and I will venture my Soul upon this promise And for want of this though thou hast gotten the promise yet upon every temptation thou openest the dore You know in time of danger when any come and rap at the dore wil you open the dore presently No you bid your Servant ask who it is and they must give a good account what they would have and from whence they come before you wil open the dore So when any temptation raps at thy soul inquire what it would have and whence it comes doth it come from God or no or from the Devil Many people they think the word to be a rule for their Faith but they think the word is not a rule for their fear you must have as good a warrant for refusing any comfort that is tendred to you as wel as for the taking of any comfort and if you would observe that rule that you wil never refuse comfort but you wil have a word to warrant you If the Lord come to you and say why did you refuse such comforts and you say I was in fear and Jealousies I but if God should say what word have you for it What were you able to answer Oh This is that that God wil require of you for it is a dishonor to the truth of God that whenas there is a word to ground thy Faith upon and nothing but Jealousies to ground thy fears yet thou wilt make thy Jealousies and thy fears to weigh down the word Sixthly Again according to the degrees of thy inlargment so let thy Humiliation be as thou findest thy Heart inlarged with joy at the same time let thy Grace work downward in way of Humiliation observe a proportion betwen thy joy and Humiliation many people are inlarged upon the joy they have in Christ but they are not humbled and therefore they vanish Seventhly Again Be not satisfied meerly that thou art in Christ and a beleever but labor to be throughly grounded that thou art in Christ for who knows what troubles and desertions thou maist meet with al labor to roote thy soul be established in Christ grounded in Christ to be a grounded Christian aâ—d therefore not to live upon sence but to live by Faith when thou hast sence Eightly Lastly Improve thy rest for God be sure to do much work when the Lord gives thee Rest as we use to say of outward peace it brings plenty so the truth is the peace thaâ— God gives in our consciences and the rest that we have in Christ should make us plentiful in all good works And by these rules if thou dost keep the dore shut against temptation if according to the degrees of thy inlargment thy Humiliation is If thou art not satisfied meerly that thou art in Christ and a beleever but laborest to be throughly grounded that thou art in Christ if thou dost roote thy soul in Christ and if thou dost improve thy rest to God to do much work for God when he gives thee Rest Thus doing thou shalt have rest an abiding rest unto thy soul thus thou shalt be in thy Chamber of Rest with the door shut while the indignation is overpast thus thou shalt have rest in the time of evil and all the troubles in the world shal be but as the rattling of the Rain upon the Tiles while thou art in the House Yea and the rest thou hast in Christ is but the forerunner of the glory that thou shalt have with Christ which thou oughtest to long for when thou hast fears and troubles thou oughtest to pray O Lord Jesus Christ fulfil the things thou hast promised to thy Servants and give Rest and Peace unto my Soul FINIS * See my Treatise on 2 Cor. 5.19 20. See my Treatise of the Evil of Sin See the treatise of the evil of sin