as descended from that fleshly birth-priviledged Seed of Abraham Therefore saith he If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature the Seed of Abraham according to the Faith of Abraham either Jews or Gentiles In like manner as there was a time when Christ was esteemed and known upon the account or because of his being born of the Tribe of Judah and of the birth-priviledged Seed of Abraham yet now henceforth saith the Apostle know we him so no more that is as to esteem him upon that account or for that reason meritoriously the Saviour of the world but rather upon the account of his coming down from Heaven his being the Son of God reconciling the world unto himself in the body of his flesh through death Object The first man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit Answ True it is that the Apostle thus speaketh but consider how he is or can be called the last Adam or the second Man as afterwards he is called if Christ be so a quickning Spirit considered as he was before the world was for if the Spirit as Spirit be the last or second Adam then it follows that the first man Adam who was of the earth earthy was first and before the Eternal quickning Spirit which were very absurd to think and therefore Christ of necessity must be understood to be the last Adam upon the account of his being become visible man a condition that he was not alwayes in but since the creation and fall of the first man Adam and so is truly and very properly the last or second man made a quickning Spirit yet not so a spirit in the Apostles sence but that he is also spiritual ver 46. and also the man by whom came the Resurrection from the dead ver 21. and also the Christ that died was buried and rose again ver 3 4. and therefore not so a quickning Spirit as in the Quakers sence for the Spirit considered as from Eternity was not man and so was never dead and so not buried and so not raised again all which Paul testifies in that very Chapter concerning him whom he calls a quickning Spirit in reference to his now being a spiritual glorified man which considered it remains that all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom the Jews Crucified both Lord and Christ Moreover as the Quaker holds That the Spirit which was in the visible man and not the man was the Christ So also he holds and indeed it leads him to hold that the second coming of Christ is in men and not otherwise and therefore Humphrey Smith in his Book entituled A true and everlasting Rule pag. 19 20. compares such who look after the body of Christ to those young men that sought in vain the body of Elijah and plainly saith that such whom he calls wandring stars shall never find the body they look so much after he also speaking of Christ pag. 30. saith That he is come whom we long waited for and we do not look for any other who now saith he appears the second time without sin to the saving that which was lost and so saith he we confess Christ come in the flesh and do not look for another pag. 32. Now as their perswasions concerning Christ being a Spirit and not man leads them to expect the coming of Christ in them so contrariwise our Faith and full perswasions that Christ is a visible glorified man leads us to expect his second coming as a distinct appearance from and not in his People whereupon I forbear to urge those many scripture-Scripture-grounds which with all plainness ane loudness of voice reproves these mens swelling words of vanity and shall onely speak something touching those Scriptures which speaks of Christs being in his People whereat some for want of understanding may possibly stumble True it is That the Apostle tells the Church of the Colossians that Crist was in them the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Yet not so in them but that he could also say and that at the same time to the same Church that when Christ who is our Life shall appear then ye shall appear with him in Glory even in the possession of that Glory which then they had hopes of ver 3 4. The Apostle also declares Christ to be in the Corinthians except they were Reprobates Yet not so in them but that they were also waiting for the coming of Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 Yea at that time when they were sanctified in Christ ver 2. and in every thing enriched by him coming behind in no gift ver 5 7. Paul also testifies concerning himself That Christ lived in him yet not so but that he looked also for the appearing of Christ Tit. 2.13 Yea and at that time when he had finished his course and the time of his departure at hand he speaks to Timothy of a Crown of Righteousness which the Righteous Judge saith he shall give me at that day even at his appearing 2 Tim. 4.1,6,7,8 The Apostle John saith Christ is come that is the first time which John might well say for he had seen him with his eyes and handled him with his hands 1 John 1.1 But Christ afterwards ascended from whom John received great things yea much of the special presence of Gods Spirit mightily working with him yet did he not say that Christ was come the second time for himself after those many Visions and Revelations we read of was discovered to him readily prayed even so come Lord Iesus Rev. 22.20 Stephen a man full of the Spirit yet looking up into Heaven testified that he saw in Heaven Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God and the truth of this he sealed with his blood Act. 7.55,56,58 Moreover as Paul bears witness of Christs dwelling in the Saints so also he declares that the Saints were in him even as it is meet saith he for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart Phil. 1.7 And elsewhere saith that you are in our hearts to dye and live with you 2 Cor. 7.3 Now 't is out of question that the several persons of the Churches were not in the Apostles heart but onely they were deep in his affections and much in the Thoughts and Meditations of his heart even so as to dye and live with them he believing them to be the beloved of God So the Saints having Christ deep in their affections much and often in their Thoughts and Meditations believing him to be their most precious Redeemer Who is gone into Heaven to prepare a place for them John 14.2 So I say Christ dwelleth in his People or in the hearts of his People by Faith And this kind of Language is both proper and common to this day for persons that are deep in each others affections in their personal absence one from another to say that such are in their hearts or that such are often
as it were satisfied in their own cealed houses while the House of God wants perfecting and much of its original Ornaments 'T is well known that Saints should be rich in Good Works willing to communicate and ready to distribute But Oh! How doth Unbelief choak the inward movings hereunto possessing Souls with many fears touching what may happen in the time to come though at present they enjoy all fulness and so the bowels of compassion are too much shut up 'T is well known that Righteousness and Just-dealing is commanded of the Lord but saith the unbelieving Steward I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed and what then shall I eat or what shall I put on being discharged of my place Wherefore Unbelief drives him unrighteously to account with his Lord even fifty for that which was in Righteousness a hundred measures Luke 16. But I forbear instancing in Particulars concluding that as living by Faith is a God-honouring and Creature-comforting state and condition so not to live by Faith but by sight is a God-dishonouring and Creature-discomforting state and condition But having spoke something touching the great use of Faith with provocations thereunto which probably may be for advantage to some yet very possibly for disadvantge to other some for want of a wise understanding every thing in its place Therefore in the next place I do hereby warn and strictly charge all such who are carnally minded who have so embraced this present world as that the growing in the knowledge of Jesus is little minded by them or regarded and yet are apt to lean upon the Lord and seem to be very confident and with Israel ready to say Is not the Lord amongst us being as it were offended with those that shall question their condition they think it so good and therefore are ready to conclude as some of old have done that no evil shall come unto them when alas they are poor and miserable And all such I exclude as being none of them while such whom I hereby perswade to lean and stay upon God by Faith Therefore O ye sluggards and carnal-minded men think not to say within your selves because you profess and have practised some of the Ordinances of Christ and still do own them that therefore you have ground to believe that Gods Promises reaches you for this did Israel do and the Church of Laodecea who nevertheless were miserable and their leaning upon the Lord rendred of no effect because of their unworthy walking in other things Neither think to say within your selves because you do as well as others acknowledge that it is not enough to come into the Profession of Ordinances and Church-fellowship with a heavenly and spiritual walking therein to the glory of God that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for alas though you in words deny such a condition yet your conversation plainly declares to others and to your selves also if you would seriously heed it that you own it 't is not mens saying that there must be nor their much talking of a heavenly and spiritual walking in the Profession that proves them to be such even heavenly-minded men or spiritual walkers to talk of Life Light Spirit and Power of Godliness is now become a meer Form among men many getting the words but have not the thing it self and such are most apt to declare against others even to slight and disdain little ones that believe in Christ calling them carnal literal and low professors Yea some of this sort in the Apostles dayes were grown up to such height of spiritual pride and arrogancy as that they thought Paul and the rest of the Ministers of Christ did walk after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.2 and so they looked upon their bodily presence weak and their speech contemptible ver 10. Neither think to say within your selves because you walk honestly among men so as to abstain from gross and publick evils that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for all this you may do and continue so and yet go to Hell among the unprofitable servants that have not gained by trading with the Talent committed unto them this kind of common honesty you have possibly for a long time manifested in your conversations But where are the fruits that God justly looks for to be brought forth in the Power and Light of his Grace If you know these things and can talk of them happy shall you be if warned by them Neither think to say within your selves because you assemble with the Saints at their meetings that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for so did Israel yea they seemed to take delight in approaching before God to tread his Courts Is 58. Whose practises nevertheless was not regarded by God neither may yours being possibly to prevent the reproof of men more than Gods or at best to remove trouble of Conscience which sometimes possibly you have undergone for neglect of meetings but now frequenting them you thereby speak peace to your Souls though for years you experience no advantage or Soul-profit reaped thereby which is the true end of meeting a true Testimony O ye that your satisfaction is not in the right thing Neither think to say within your selves because you confess your sins and iniquities before the Lord that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for you may in words confess sin having at that time little or no sence either what sin you have committed or when committed and so your words of confession may proceed rather from a notion that such a thing is spoken of in the Scriptures and that others do so than from a spirit wounded with the stroke of sin and broken in the deep sence of sin from whence the words should flow and so having made confession of sin presently imagine that all is well speaking peace to your selves barely because you have spoken words as Saints did formerly and now do but alas are far from having any real ground to say with the Prophet Bless the Lord O my Soul for the Lord hath forgiven thee all thine iniquities Psal 103.2,3 Neither think to say within your selves because you pray sometimes both publick and private that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for many and long Prayers were found among the Children of Israel who nevertheless were a sinful Nation laden with iniquity Isa 1.15,4 And so may you be notwithstanding your many Prayers and that not onely upon the account of your unworthiness in other things but also upon the account of imperfection or rather corruptions that may be in these your prayers supposed by you the best of your performances for instead of speaking words of Prayer proceeding from a serious sence of the want of Grace which flowes from a great desire to honour God because of its love to God I say instead of this kind of sensible praying to God which is alwayes attended
FAITH IN GODS PROMISES THE Saints best Weapon OR The great Use and Availableness of Faith both for the support and growth of Saints in times most perilous Plainly discovering that the want of Faith in the way of Gods Promises is the great cause of the want of Gods Presence With several Considerations for the encrease of Faith that henceforth the Saints may by Faith so draw nigh unto God and in Faith so wait upon God as with certainty of receiving from him Whereunto is added something concerning the great Errour and Mistake of many men concerning the True Christ and how he is said to be in his People with other things very necessary to be known in order to Saints resisting the Temptation of the present Times Set forth as useful for all People but especially intended for the good of such as are returned to the Good Old Way of the Lord By MATTHEW CAFFYN of Horsham in Sussex And it is of Faith that it might be by Grace Rom. 4.16 LONDON Printed by S. Dover for F. Smith at the Elephâ—nt and Castle without Temple-Bar THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader FOrasmuch as there are many among the number of Professors that have somewhat considerably laid out themselves in a Holy pursuit after the more excellent degrees of Christianity hoth frequently and fervently seeking the Lord in order thereunto who nevertheless yet remain short thereof and much below the desired estate to their great dissatisfaction even sometimes tending to the begetting such temptations as are of a very dangerous consequence These things therefore write I unto you whereby you may as some already have come to see that there is one thing yet much lacking even Faith to believe that God is a gracious Rewarder of them that seek him without which 't is impossible to please God For though it be true that men have alwayes spoken of and readily acknowledged Faith to be that which greatly engages Gods grace and goodness for their help yet Oh! how far have men been from living by Faith indeed so as to esteem Gods Promises their ALL in every condition and at all times Whereupon these also are to direct you unto such enlargednesse of heart in believing Gods Promises as may with certainty reach the prayed-for Blessings from God that so having sweet experience of Gods Faithfulness to your Souls you may be encouraged for the future and made able to say with the Saints of old I love the Lord because he hath heard my Supplications therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Psal 116.1,2 But as there are some who have diligently sought the Lord that for want of believing him to be a faithful Rewarder of such have notwithstanding been much without the things sought for so also there are some yea very many that are apt to say with Israel of old that no evil shall come unto them and very confident that the Lord is among them that have indeed no real ground to depend upon the Lord such and so great are their miscarriages to God-ward as that their seeming Faith and Confidence is rendred thereby to be meer imaginations groundless perswasions and so they found such as think themselves to be what they are not and so are deceived These are therefore also to discover and lay open their great miscarriages and corruptions even in such performances of theirs as are supposed by them to be the best of their actions that henceforth they may upon better terms draw nigh unto God even so as that they may enjoy Gods drawing nigh unto them which is the onely real cause of Soul-satisfaction True it is that the dayes wherein we live are perilous and much more may be yet sure may you be that no condition may possibly befal you wherein you may not by Faith so lay hold of Gods Promises as nevertheless to be greatly supported and inwardly comforted Wherefore above all things take the shield of Faith and in every condition let the gracious Promises of God be the ground of your hopes and no longer visible things that the presence of the invisible God may be with all certainty experienced by your Souls Which that you may is and shall be the Prayers of Your Brother in the Lord MATTHEW CAFFYN FAITH IN GODS PROMISES The Saints best Weapon IN the beginning when God made the Heavens and the Earth it seemed good in his sight to make and ordain Mankind to be head over all other his Creatures to whom he freely gave the glory of Paradise a present possession of happiness which he during his innocency enjoyed not as an inheritance first obtained upon conditional terms but as a free gift given him of God without any condition required of him in order to his first entrance thereinto Gen. 2.8,15,16 Which possession when he had lost by his traâ—…gression and thereby made himself and all his posterity subâ—… the first death such was the Fathers love as that he freely gave his Son in due time to dye for the world that is for every man Heb. 2.9 By means whereof was procured a Resurrection of all men from the first death with the gift of Eternal life and glory 1 Cor. 15.22 Mat. 19.14 Which gift of eternal and more excellent life was as freely given to Mankind now since his fall as was that first life of happiness in Paradise before his fall not upon terms or conditions nor any fore-seen Faith in or works of Righteousness done by the Creature but meerly and alone the goodness and richness of grace dwelling in God himself moving him thereunto which life of glory all mankind have right to and are in sure capacity thereof during their infancy wherefore of such saith Christ Mat. 19.14 is the Kingdom of God till by their own personal transgressions they procure to themselves the severity of Gods wrath that is the second death which is Eternal John 3.19 Rev. 20.14 Under the desert of which death all persons quickly come all goes out of the way following the lusts and desires of the flesh which draws and vehemently inclines to its first estate of present pleasure ease and delight which mankind enjoyed while he stood in his first created estate without those many bodily miseries which now attends them which flesh and blood would fain be freed from and so it comes to pass that in all men in one measure or other according to every mans experience there ariseth such natural lusts and desires in the flesh as greatly provokes them to follow after these present things and too too often prevails with them to break the known Laws of God that something like to their first enjoyments might be attained but to follow the present glory of this life so as to delight in and love the same though once lawful for Adam in Paradise who undoubtedly might then as well love delight and take pleasure therein as Saints may take pleasure and delight in the heavenly glory when in the real possession
Name who notwithstanding yet come short and are much below that more excellent estate which they have longed for and which is certainly to be attained These are therefore to inform or remind all such that there is yet one thing much lacking namely Faith or the stedfast believing Gods Promises graciously made in order thereunto for they that come to God must believe not onely that God is or that he is diligently to be sought unto but also that he is a Rewarder of such as thus seek him mark you must believe saith the Apostle Heb. 11.6 shewing plainly that notwithstanding what measure soever of holinesse in point of conversation diligency of seeking or importunity of praying there is unlesse it be accompanied with faith in the Soul that God will reward according as he hath Promised all other virtues found in the Creature will not reach the desired Blessings from God For without Faith 't is impossible to please God To which also agrees the Advise of the Apostle saying let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10.22 Moreover I will saith the Apostle that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 Shewing that it is not enough for men to lift up holy hands to God though attended also with Charity so as to be without wrath both which are very special things unlesse attended also with that more special vertue of Faith so as to be without doubting not enough I say whereby to reach the prayed-for Blessings from God for as 't is the duty of Saints alwayes to be ready to do Gods Commandements thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be the Supream and Almighty God so also 't is their duty alwayes to be ready to believe Gods Promises thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be a just and faithful God for they that receive his Testimony sets to their seals that God is true John 3.33 Both which being experienced by the Prophet David caused him boldly to pray and confidently to conclude that he should not slide saying Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity I have also trusted in the Lord therefore I shall not slide Psal 26.1 Both which also being found in the Prophet Daniel did as it were fetch from God an extraordinary power for the stopping the Lyons mouths so as that he had not though among them the least hurt And why Because of his innocency towards God and man Dan. 6.22 and because he believed in his God ver 23. True it is that God hath promised his Spirit to them that ask him but 't is worthy all observation and I pray you to mark what kind of asking it is which the Promise is made to which you may observe from Christs own words where he saith What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 To which agrees Pauls Testimony to wit That we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 Plainly discovering what kind of Prayer it is Gods ears are open unto which I wish all your hearts may be open to consider even that it is the Prayer of Faith that reaches the Blessing from God whereby to strengthen the weak and sickly Soul for when Gods Promises shall be so magnified in the heart as that like Abraham there shall not be so much as a considering the deadness of its own body that is to say it s own weakness and inability to bring forth fruit to God but shall confidently relye upon his Promises considering that he is both able and willing to cause the barren womb to bear even the unlikeliest of men the base things of the world things that are not to confound the things that are even the Wise and Prudent of the World surely Gods ears are open to hear the Prayers of such they shall not go empty away but rather as 't is written shall be like the Tree planted by the waters that shall not see when heat cometh whose leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit Jer. 17.7 .8 When Israel of old distrusted the help of the Lord and so went down into Egypt for help the Lord spake unto them saying In quietness and confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.2,3,15 Shewing that if Israel had been quiet so as not to have stirred for Egypts help but in confidence or Faith stayed upon the Lord he even the Lord would have been their strength and Salvation so as that they needed not to have feared though an Host had risen up against them but alas because of their unbelief God could do no mighty work of deliverance for them for said they We will flee upon Horses and ride upon the swift and therefore God in his wrath and great displeasure against them said That those that should pursue them should be swift a thousand of them should flye at the rebuke of one and the shadow of Egypt should be their shame ver 3 16 17. and he would wait that he might be gracious ver 18. If peradventure when they had tasted of his Judgements they would thenceforth believe in him and confidently relye upon him that so he might be their strength So much to do hath Faith with the powerful Vertue of the Lord it being the Lords pleasure that it should as that when the Woman that had an issue of blood twelve years was cured by means of the Vertue that was in Christ he casts her Cure upon her Faith saying Daughter thy Faith hath made the whole Mark 5.34 So likewise the Sanctification or Cleansing of the heart is ascribed unto Faith Acts 26.18 Yet not in the least as if Faith of it self or in its own strength could sanctifie or cleanse any heart or cure any mans body for that is the proper work of that spiritual Vertue and Power which is in the Lord but inasmuch as the good pleasure of his good Will is that the same powerful vertue shall serve for the cure of none but such as shall touch him by Faith whereby to draw the Soul-healing Vertue from him therefore 't is said that through Faith men are sanctified and kept by the Power of God through Faith to Salvation So tha notwithstanding the readiness and great willingness that there is in God to cure the distempered and diseased Souls as his many Promises and gracious Protestations in order thereunto plainly declares yet unless they shall make selious and â—…arty Applications unto him together with a holy dependance upon him and a serious waiting in Faith for the same they may nevertheless remain very much out of frame and greatly unhealthful in their Souls there being not ground otherwise for the Lord the great Curer of Souls to say Sons and Daughters your Faith hath â—ade you whole When the Church of the Hebrews were likely to faint in
their Minds the Apostle being greatly desirous of their holding out could find no better way it appears then mightily to presse them to a close dependance upon God by Faith and therefore he begins his account from Abel who through faith obtained witnesse that he was Righteous and being dead yet speaketh and so down to Enoch Abraham and the rest of the Fathers and Prophets who through Faith obtained a good report wrought Righteousness obtained Promises mentioning many other also as well extraordinary as ordinary deliverances obtained by Faith and yet he mentions not all he could touching the Power of Faith for himself saith That the time would fail him to tell thereof Heb. 11. Now what less is there to be learned by this so large an account of the Apostle touching Faith then that Faith is somewhat more concerned in the receiving spiritual Power and Divine Light from God in order to their standing and thriving in his way than any other thing on the Creatures part whatsoever As elsewhere the Apostle mentioning divers pieces of Armour wherewith Christians are to be attired not one of which but that is of special concernment yet saith the Apostle Ephes 6.16 Above all things take the sâ—…ld of Faith wherewith you shall be able through the Grace handed to the Soul by Faith to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked for none of them that trusteth in the Lord shall be left desolate saith the Prophet Psal 34.22 So much doth Faith carry the sence and scope of the Gospel-Covenant as that sometimes the Apostles called it the Faith as you may read Jude 3. Act. 6.7 Gal. 3.23 And it is of Faith mark it I pray that it might be by Grace Rom. 4.16 Now then if it be so that mens prayers to God though never so many or largely performed renders them not happy but that their happinesse consists in their receivings from God what they have prayed for and that the way proposed by God wherein persons may come to receive from him is not onely for them to lift up Holy hands to God but that also they be without doubting that is to say such as believe that they shall receive what they have sought for it remains a weighry work for every Gospel-professing Soul well to consider of what nature and kind their applications have been which they have made to God considering that his grace and goodness is no otherwise engaged for their Souls help but as they shall rely and depend on him to receive the same by Faith which considered and believed as true may well remove all doubts and suspicions concerning the way of God which sometimes arise in the Professors thereof upon the account of so little received from God for undoubtedly the Lords hand is not shortned his way he hath not left his Promises thereunto are Yea and Amen in the Lord but alas How short have men been in coming up to the terms of his goodness That part of Gods Word which consists of Commandments men indeed have been somewhat busied about but as for that part which consisteth of Promises Oh how little hath it been minded they have been indeed often read of and sometimes talked of But how are they that have seriously pondred them and in their hearts magnified them so as to wait in and live upon them counting them all things to them in every condition Hast thou then O thou that out-strippest some others in thy zeal after spiritual things hast thou I say often visited the Throne of Grace as a work most pleasant to thy Soul beseeching the Lord to draw nigh to thee in the large givings forth of his Grace to thy Soul well knowing that without it all thy drawings nigh to him is nothing and hast thou there waited in the sight of the worth and excellency thereof and so in the sence of thy great need of the same thy Soul as it were fainting and thine eyes like the Prophets failing for the Word of God that is the Word of his Promise to be fulfilled to thy Soul saying with him in thy Soul-longings after the desired Bread from above to refresh and strengthen thy Soul born anew from above when Lord wilt thou comfort me Psal 119.81,82 I say hast thou thus waited upon God and art thou yet often with God in thy most solemn and serious Meditations O do but now give the Lord who waiteth to be gracious being as willing to do good as thou art desirous of good give the Lord I say ground to say to thee as once the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15.28 O man great is thy Faith and then O then will the Lord readily say to thee Be it unto thee even as thou wilt according to thy faith be it unto thee But if otherwise the account will be a sad and doleful account even that the Lord could do no mighty work of love for thee because of thy unbelief Matth. 13.58 Mark 6.5,6 O that all were wise that bear the name of Saints even with the Wisdom which is from above So that the bare knowledge of these things or the much talk or preaching of them to others might not be their satisfaction but that all would rather carefully and speedily endeavour to know and be satisfied that they themselves doth so wait upon God by Faith and consequently doth so receive from him which to know and experience within is real cause and ground of peace and Soul-satisfaction In order whereunto even that Faith may grow and flourish in your Souls consider O Friends whether we are not to believe that a Son shall be given when God hath promised it without giving the least heed to what the deadness of body on either hand may say Rom. 4.19,20 Are we not to believe that the promised Seed shall be as the Stars for multitude when God hath spoken it Gen. 15.5,6 notwithstanding all the fleshly opposition arising from the Commandement to slay Isaac the onely promised Seed from whence the multitude should come forth Are we not to believe that the Israel of God shall be brought into the good Land flowing with Milk and Honey when God that cannot lye hath spoken it notwithstanding all the gain-sayings of the red Sea before and the Egyptian Host behind Are we not to believe and confidently to expect a great plenty even a measure of fine Flower for a shekel and two measures of Barly for a shekel and that so soon as to morrow when the Lord God hath spoken it 2 Kings 7.1 notwithstanding the many and great oppositions and contrary speakings of this dayes poverty even that an Asses head is sold for fourscore pieces of Silver and the fourth part of a Cab of Doves dung for five pieces of Silver Chap. 6.25 And was not unbelief in this Promise the cause of sudden Judgement taking hold upon the mighty man upon whom the King leaned Chap. 7.2,19,20 Are we not to believe that the mighty Hosts of the Midianites and Amalekites who for
of God who being almost if not altogether silent concerning mens following after Faith have thereby I greatly fear been a means to freeze up the desires of men and wholly to stop their endeavours after Faith which if so I could wish that henceforth they would hearken unto the Apostle who puts men upon following after Faith equally observe it as he puts them to follow after Meekness or Patience c. Which considered may be a means to thaw them out of that benummed and frozen estate even unto due considerations and serious stirrings on their parts in order unto the growth and encrease of Faith And withal be sure that your Prayers and Supplications be not wanting to the Lord that he would be pleased to encrease your Faith and so shall you in due time come to experience the being of Faith in you after special degrees wrought there by the operation of Gods Spirit according to Pauls words to the Galatians Chap. 6.22 while you diligently sought and carefully followed after Faith according to his words to Timothy Chap. 6.11 Together with these things let it not be thought a needless work or besides the business in hand to consider whether Saints are not now in these latter dayes wherein 't is evil as appears by the Apostle to depart from the Faith professed in former Apostolical dayes 1 Tim. 4.1 whether Saints I say are not now to seek for and in Faith to wait whereby to receive the Spirit with the same particular gifts and operations which Saints formerly enjoyed in order to their carrying on the great Work of the Gospel both among themselves and others Since God in his making Promise of pouring out the Spirit upon his People which Promise we in these latter dayes flye unto as the ground of our Faith makes mention also of several gifts of the same Spirit John 2.28,29 And withal considering that the Apostles exhorted the Churches earnestly to covet and follow after the several gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.28,29,30,31 14.1,39 Which exhortations if they reach us and speak to us 〈◊〉 much as any other Scripture-exhortations which for any to deny is hard then Oh then great need have all to pray Lord 〈…〉 Faith But in reference to the fore-mentioned drawing nigh unto God by Faith I suppose that which is a very general hinderance thereof is the great unworthiness that persons find in themselves by reason of sin by means whereof they are as it were afraid to draw near unto God or however if they do 't is very coldly having little or no hopes of acceptance with the Lord and so being not in a justified estate from sin are without Faith in reference to the special Graces of Gods Spirit but among these there are some much more worthy than others who by reason of the strength and subtilty of temptations sometimes as well as others transgress the Laws of God but not as such who overtake sin but rather are overtaken with sin Gal. 6.1 Not allowing themselves therein as their great trouble and Soul-heaviness with daily complaints because thereof plainly declares and yet these for want of a right understanding Gods Way to justifie sinners and his readiness to justifie them alas even these go mourning all the day long rather decaying than flourishing in the Way of God You even you in particular the beloved of my Soul do I hereby exhort First That ye alwayes abide watchful and abundantly careful that ye sin not But Secondly If any man sin that you remember there is an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is a propitiation for our sins by whom way is made for you boldly to come to the Throne of Grace that you may find mercy that is to say for all you that having sinned feels the stroke of sin and forgets it not as Sluggards do and so in the sence and godly sorrow for sin in particular attended with holy Resolutions with humble and hearty Confession of the same with fervent desires leading unto earnest Prayer to God for the Remission of the same you forgiving them that have trespassed against you and not onely this for one thing is yet lacking even that you in Faith also commit your selves to his Grace Believing that as he hath in mercy promised so in faithfulness he will perform what he hath promised even the Remission of sins for what things soever ye desire when ye pray saith Christ believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 And who then can lay any thing to your charge It is God that justifieth such Who or what is there then that condemneth It is Christ that hath died yea rather that he is risen again who also maketh intercession for you through Faith in his blood Rom 3.25 Thus you being very serious and diligent in your Applications to God laying hold on his Promises of Pardon and Remission of sin by Faith and so standing alwayes justified by Faith quitted and freed from all your sins through Grace have so considered no ground or plea because of your unworthiness being now made worthy in the Beloved the Lord Jesus any longer to mistrust or question the good Will and Pleasure of God in reference to your receiving from him the more special Discoveries and Operations of his Spirit but may now boldly go to the Throne of Grace for the same being such whom God waiteth to be gracious unto you having that Faith which his pleasure is to account unto you for Righteousness This being considered how speedily should every Soul not as a thing by the by but as their greatest work when at any time overtaken with sin to draw nigh unto God and that in the sence of every known sin with godly sorrow for the same not daring to delay heaping up sin like the wantons there being every way as much cause of Repentance and Faith for the latter sins as there was for the many former sins committed in ignorance which though persons are ready to acknowledge yet are I fear too apt to neglect the same upon the account that they have renounced their former wayes and their now being in the Way of God and that Christ is now a Mediator for them and the like not considering that the Soul-satisfying benefit of Christs Media orship is enjoyed according to mens Applications unto the Father by him But O what comfort can a Soul have in any thing or with what boldness shall he walk talk or commit himself to his Bed that having sinned against his God hath not as yee been with him and so by Faith received a Pardon from him True it is that such while they neglect the great Soul-searching work and are tossed up and down with the cumbrances of this life may have an imagined Peace and supposed Comfort and so may go on somewhat cheerfully in their thoughts and thinkings as if all were theirs but alas these though they may talk of Gods Love and Mercy are not able to
say upon sure experience with the Prophet that the Lord hath crowned them with loving kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.4 O let him then that readeth understand that every Soul that comes by Faith to be justified from their old sins have a great work to do requiring much watchfulness care and circumspection in order to their maintaining and keeping themselves in a justified estate But moreover let men consider whether they do not while wanting in their Applications to God for the Pardon of sin ignorantly go on in a way very dangerous while the true Fountain of Grace is neglected 't is greatly to be feared that they have hewed to themselves broken Cisterns that will not yea cannot answer their expectations that is to say persons being made sensible that they have sinned against God have thereupon resolved for the time to come to be more watchful and to walk more wisely before God and then having a little while in measure reformed themselves have thereby spoken peace to themselves thinking all is well And why Because they are reformed And thus do they as it were make their own works of Reformation the ground of their peace and satisfaction True it is that works of Reformation in such that have sinned is good for the Lord calls for it yet sure I am and I pray you to consider it that 't is not that no nor any work of Righteousness that they can do yea though they should for ever afterwards so exactly walk both in words thoughts and actions as not again to sin yet I say and confidently conclude that 't is not in the least that which can justifie or cleanse them from the sin already committed And therefore it remains a work none of the least for persons that have sinned against God speedily to draw nigh unto him that by humiliation attended with holy resolutions and Faith they may reach his promised Grace and Mercy the onely sure ground of peace and satisfaction which whosoever attains may understandingly with the Prophet say Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And so then as persons justified and quitted from sin are to endeavour with calling upon God for his Grace to help them some real and thorow Reformation answering to their former resolutions far exceeding what is or can be in such who neglect the true means of Justification in which Reformation of theirs they may rejoyce but not as imagining peace from thence but rather upon the account that God is thereby more honoured even God who hath justified them from all their sins Now forasmuch as 't is Saints great work to keep themselves in the way of Gods Grace and Mercy that they may alwayes stand quitted and justified from sin without which they cannot go to the Throne of Grace with confidence to receive the special presence of Gods Spirit I would pray all such who are in the godly sorrow because of their sin to weigh these following considerations that henceforth there may be a more apt and ready closing in with Gods Promises in reference to Pardon and Forgiveness of sins Namely that the Lord the Lord God against whom ye have sinned is a gracious God abundant in goodness keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin plenteous in mercy rich in mercy abundant in mercy that will abundantly pardon all which the Scriptures witnesseth Consider also That God delighteth in mercy Mic. 7.18 and taketh pleasure in such as hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 and is full of compassion ready to forgive Nehem. 7.19 but slow to anger Psal 145.8 Consider also That Gods mercies endureth for ever and is from Everlasting to Everlasting to such as keep his Covenant reaching over all his Works as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy even also as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103.11,13,17 Psal 145.9 Consider also That God who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all will with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more shall we be saved and justified from sin by his being alive for evermore making intercession for us Rom. 5.10 Consider also That notwithstanding the great backslidings of Israel even playing the harlot with many lovers upon every high Mountain and under every green Tree and that after God had drawn near unto them in much mercy and love yet even to them after they had done all these abominations saith the Lord the gracious God turn thou unto me Jerem. 3.1,6,7 And that in a day when they called not for mercy even then said the Lord return O backsliding Israel for I will be merciful and not keep anger for ever v. 12. Much more therefore will God extend his mercies unto such who mourn in the sence of their sins and call upon him for mercy whereby to be healed Consider also That to believe the Record of God touching the forgiveness of sins is a setting to our seals that God is true John 3.33 But contrariwise not to believe is as much as in us lyes a making God a lyar 1 John 5.10,11 Consider also That if we confess our sins God is just and faithful to forgive us our sins 1 John 1.9 Shewing that we may as well question the justness and faithfulness of God as question his readiness to forgive the sins of such as confess the same but let none question the necessity of Faith in order to the forgiveness of sins because the Apostle here assures it to such as confess their sins without the least word concerning Faith let none I say question it upon that account for by the same reason they may question the necessity of Prayer for that neither is mentioned in this place To this therefore I say as in many other cases must be concluded that it is such that shall find mercy that are qualified not only as saith one Scripture but as saith the Scriptures compared together Consider also That we have an High Priest passed into the Heavens sitting at the right hand of God for that very end to shew mercy even to save to the uttermost by making intercession with his blood Heb. 7.25 That speaketh far better things than that of Abel not for vengeance but for mercy for all such as have Faith in his blood and therefore saith the Apostle Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy Consider also That we have not such an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like we Heb. 4.15 and being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted for he is a merciful High Priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the People Heb. 2.17,18 God knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust Psal 103.14 Consider also That in thy