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
difference of governments of necessity the difference must be made by that power that doth first confer this authority and so it is to be limited by that authority 5. But suppose Those that are limitted shall abuse their authority and go beyond it To that I answer The persons that are in authority are to be reverenced but their abuse may be two fold When they command a thing that is unlawful or when they do command a thing that is beyond their authority As suppose a Lord should command a thing that is beyond his Lordly power and belongs to a Prince if he doth command any thing that is beyond those limits where with he hath been limited from God by man then it is not disobedience to authority to disobey because authority doth not enjoine it If it be beleeved there must be power to confer authority and this power must be from God or man and if God or man do not confer it then they have no authority But suppose That any that are in authority do command a thing that is unlawful to be done and yet they do not go beyond the limits of authority How can that be It is true God gives commission only to command things lawful yet man may confer so much power upon others as they shal by vertue of that power is given to them by man command that which is unlawful I do not say rightly but their power wil work to it Now if any by the power which is given to them by man shal command that which is unlawful though we should not actively obey yet we must obey passively or slie we must not right our selves by way of mutiny or rebellion And my ground is this because it is between governor and Subject as it is between man and man Suppose another man hath in his possession that which is my right yet I cannot violently go and take my right from him I may justly be dealt withal as one that doth wrong and be proceeded against as a malefactor I must be content to suffer til such time as I can legally recover my right out of his hands And so if one in authority hath that in possession given him which he should not have as to command things that are unlawful by our forefathers or our own subjecting our selves to him I must suffer til I can recover my right out of his hand in a legal way by the power that first gave it him And this wil answer a great objection The Christians in the Primitive times that lived under persecuting Emperors they commanded them to worship Idolls that was a thing that was unlawful yet they would not rise against them though they had strength enough but rather suffered And upon this some think whatsoever men in authority do command there is no way to right it but by passive obedience It is true the Christians did not rise but did suffer passively because the Emperors had power given into their hands and they could not recover their right out of their hands in a legal way by the same power that gave them power So that all wil arise to these three conclusions The Firsts is this That al true authority is from God Secondly So farr as authority is administred lawfully We are to submit not only for fear but for Conscience sake Thirdly If authority be administred unlawfully yet so long as it is authority there must be passive obedience or flying This shal suffice to give some light unto the bond of obedience to those that are obvoe us CHAP. 5. Some further Directions how we should order our selves if we should be injoined unlawful things BUt to give some further rules of Direction if we should be enjoined things unlawful and we could not in a legal way recover the power out of the hands of those that do injoine such things how we should order our selves 1. First Do not do any thing otherwise than authority enjoines rashly forbeare as long as you can and consult and consider further about it because we should loath to do any thing than that which is injoin'd by tho sthat are above us If there be any arguments to shew that they may be done we should listen to them Some assoon as they see a thing Commanded that is forbidden they flie upon it before they try it and therefore when they come to suffer they have little comfort in it we are to try all our actions especially when they shal seem to have any opposition against authority Secondly If we be put upon it that we must of necessity do those things that authority forbids do them privately that it may appear we are loth to disobey those that are in authority because if we should do it openly others that know not our grounds may be brought into contempt of authority Thirdly We are to do it as silently as we can not to make a brag and boast of it as many will take a delight and pride in it if they have warrant enough to go against the command they brag and boast of it wheresoever they come it is enough for us to go on silently if we may do our duty to God make little noise of it Fourthly Observe all circumstances of time and place and so all other circumstances so as to do it in a way that may as little exasperate them that are in authority as possible we can Many when their Conscienc will not suffer them to do those things which those that are above them do enjoyn they wil go against it with such bitterness of spirit as if they did take delight to exasperate them this doth not become a Christian Fiftly Howsoever we do those things that authority forbids let us take heed we give as reverent respect unto authority as wee can not to be violent in our words nor to give revileing provokeing speeches that shews our own pride of heart rather than any thing else Sixthly Be sure you keep to your Principles that they may be convinced that what you do is out of conscience and not out of any refractory humor if so be you should plead you cannot do such such things because of your Conscience and they shal observe that you wil do other things that are as apparent against conscience they may see it was not out of your conscience but out of your stoutness but if they shal observe that there is nothing in which you dare go against the rule of your conscience they shall see that it is not out of disobedience unto them but in obedience to conscience And therefore by how much the more you are forced to disobey in some things by so much the more be careful to obey in what you may And this is usual that those that are truly gracious and are in place of office they wil labor to see those laws that may make for Gods glory shal be executed and so they are accounted rather two busy Because they wil do so much for authority
but howsoever it ought to be the care of all Gods people to be obedient to authority in what they can And in the last place If authority should deal never so hardly with you take heed you have no thoughts of revenge but commit your cause to God and requite good for evil and pray for those that persecute you And these directions being premised you see how far you are to fear the wrath of the King and the displeasure of al that are in place above you CHAP. 6. The Point prosecuted more strictly BUt now we come to the point more strictly After you have observed these rules and made use of these directions you are to go on in your way resolutely and comfortably and cheerefully whatsoever falls out not to baulk your way at all in the least degree that God requires at your hands but to go on without feare The Scripture saith concerning a righteous man In Prov. 28.1 He is as bold as a Lion if a man know he is in the way of God he is to go on boldly like a Lion and in Prov. 30.30 not to turne out of his way for feare of any creature We find in scripture how the Godly are commended for their resoluteness and courage of spirit that they would not fear man and the creature As those three Prophets in 1 Kings 18.17.18 Elijah Elisha and Micaiah When Elijah met Ahab Saies he Art thou he that troublest Israel No saith he it is thou and thy fathers house And so Elisha when those three Kings came down to him the King of Israel and Jehosophat and the King of Edom saies he 2 Kings 3.14 Were it not that I regard the presence of of Jehoshaphat King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor see thee And so Micaiah when they would have had him prophesie good things sayes he 1 Kings 22.14 What the Lord sayth unto me that wil I speak I might give you many instances in Job and David of their courage not fearing the wrath of man Job hath a notable expression Job 31.34 Did I feare a multitude or did the contempt of families terrifie mee that I kept silence and went not out of the door he was not affraid though he lived amongst those that were vile and wicked And great courage you have in David in Psal 23. and others Though he walked in the shadow of death and whatsoever befel him he would not be affraid And so the Church of God sayth in Psal 46.2.3.4 verses Therefore we wil not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the middest of the Sea Though the waters thereof roare and be troubled though the Mountaines shake with the swelling thereof There is a river the Streams whereof shal make glad the City of our God We enjoy the ordinances of God and we wil not fear though there are such tumults abroad in the world And so that which is said concerning Jeremiah in Chap. 15.12 Shall iron breake the Northern Iron and the steele though they were as Iron that reasoned a-against Jeremiah yet Jeremiah was to be as steel when Iron Strikes against Steel It doth not break it but brighten it and so al the opposition that Jeremiah had from all the great ones was but as the striking of Iron against Steel it did not break his spirit but brighten it And that of the three Children in Dan. 3.16 Shews the magnanimous spirit that they had We are not careful to answer thee in this matter And so that speech of Saint Paul Acts 21.13 What meane you to weep and break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but to dy at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus And so many expressions we have of the Martyrs in the Primitive times Justin Martyr making his apologie for the Christians to Antonius Pius saith he we do not speak to dissemble to you but for our own right we can be hurt by no man you can kill us but not hurt us if you like mad men will observe the customs of men before the truths of God do then we wil not I do not name every speech of those servants of God as imitable because we do not know what spirits they were carried on with but to shew the strength of their spirits And so that of Ambrose speaking to the Emperor do not lift up thy self O Emperor if so be you would rule be subject to God And so Odosius that was a good man when he had been crossed with the people of Thessalonica he caused many of them to be murdered upon that Ambrose refused to give him the Sacrament though he came to the Temple door and desired it of him and fell down upon the ground yet Ambrose stood and resisted him till there was through repentance manifested to the Church And so Chrisostome The Emperess Eudoxia had taken by wrong the vineyard of another Chrisostome forbad her the Communion And likewise Basil he writ to Julian the Apostate Crâ—tainly if you understood what we writ you would not oppose that we writ But saith he when I consider the dignity and crown you have and the use you make of them I tremble for they are for your honor but they make you more dishonorable And Julian meeting Pagmelius saith he I thank God I see you and when he replyed you cannot see saith he I thank God I can not see you are an Apostate And that is a notable speech of Luther when he was to go to Worms to answer for his faith saith hee though al the tiles of the houses of worms were Devils yet I would go And so divers women that were weak in regard of their sex yet when faith came what abundance of courage had they And thus you see by many examples both out of scripture and likewise out of Ecclesiastical histories the magnanimous spirits of Beleevers That we are to do now is to open the point in these three particulars First to shew Wherein lieth the power of faith to help against the sinful feare of authority and of man or any other creature Secondly to shew The difference between audaciousness of spirit and that courage which proceeds from faith Thirdly Though we are not sinfully to fear man yet to shew how far we may lawfully fear him CHAP. 7. How Faith helpeth against the fear of man Opened in fifteen particulars First wherein lieth the power of faith to help aaginst the fear of man Much hath been said concerning the power of faith to help against sufferings but now we have divers things to say concerning the power of faith in helping against the feare of man First Wheresoever faith is it putts the Beleever into a very secure and safe condition making sure of the safety of the Soul and that the termes between God and it are good and by that meanes it delivers the soul from being transported by feare There is nothing can secure the soul that the termes between
some notes to shew you who those are that are delivered from this Egypt by Faith And who those are that seem to be delivered upon other grounds 1. Those that are delivered by Faith are those that are wel grounded in the Doctrinal and maine points of Religion Faith can never work off the soul from the Government and Ceremonies of Antichrist unless it be well grounded in the doctrine and principles of Religion if I see men crie out of Antichrist and of the Government of Antichrist and it appears that they have not a competent measure of knowledg in the grounds of Religion and Principles of Faith they are to be suspected As many come and examine them about Church Government and they wil tell you a great deale not but that Christians should labor to have knowledg in that but come to examine them the Principles of Religion and there they are silly and ignorant if they be not grounded in them it appears it is not a work of Faith 2. If it be a work of Faith it is a work of much Humiliation and Prayer was there a time you were under the power and bondage of Antichrist how came you from under it did God shew you the evil of it and you sought God in much Humiliation and prayer for the taking off your hearts from it and shewing you his good way and did you find your hearts comming off was by that meanes that is a good argument it was of Faith but many their Consciences tell them it was not a work of Humiliation and Prayer that brought off their hearts they are to be feared 3. If it be a work of Faith it alwaies le ts in light as in the point of the government of Christ many cry out against Antichristian government and come and examine them about it and they have no more light no other arguments nor further understanding then before but only a bitterness of spirit against it If a man grow bitter against those things which before he yeilded too he had need have more light but if they grow exceeding bitter against them and have no further light and understanding then before it is an argument it is a distemper of heart rather then any thing else And therefore casting off all at once is very suspitious where it is of Faith God lets in light by degrees It s said of Luther in his reformation First he saw the evil of one thing and then the evil of another and so by degrees saw the evil of all And so those that forsake the bondage of Antichrist By Faith first God makes them suspect their way surely this is not the right way there is some better way and then they fall a praying and humbling of themselves and they fall examining and so they come to see the evil of one thing and then they examine another and so light comes in by degrees and then their hearts rise against them and if according to the measure of Light that you have your hearts do come off that is a good signe 4. If you break from Antichrist by Faith it will make you a Separate from the world aswel as Separate from them Many are Separates from any thing that hath but the least dependancy upon Antichristian government but they conform themselves to the world that there appears no difference between them and the world in their loose courses that man that is a conformist to the world is not a Non-Conformist to Antichrist by Faith 5. If Faith take you off from the bondage under Antichrist it wil take you off from the bondage under any lust That man that hath not the power of Faith to take him off from any Lust That man is not by Faith taken off from the bondage of Antichrist If Faith delivere from the bondage under Antichrist it will deliver from the bondage under Sin and Sathan and therefore though men do crie out of the bondage of Antichrist never so much and yet they go on under the bondage of any Lust it is not of Faith 6. That Soul that is taken from under the power of Antichrist by Faith is subject to the power and goverment of Christ and the Word If Faith takes from the one it puts under the other nothing but the Word can be the ground of Faith and if Faith takes a Soul from under the bondage of Antichrist Such a Soul finds the Word comes with divine power and majesty upon the heart and it laies a trembling heart under the power and majesty of the Word and it dares not goe from it no not in no other thing You plead for the Word in such and such things but there are other things you do not yield to the power of the Word in this is very suspitious Those that by Faith are brought from the power of Antichrist their hearts are put mightily under the power of the Word and they ly with trembling spirits before the majesty and Authority of the word 7. If it be Faith that takes off the Heart such a one is not content that he is taken from under the Antichristian government unless he meetes with Christ in the Ordinances he does not content it self with the bare huskes and to make all his Religion to consist meerly in Church discipline and Church constitution and to think therefore he hath Religion enough because he hath the Ordinances and yet never finds any panting of Heart after union and communion with Christ Jesus in this way of Church Government but goes on from year to year mearly in the outward performances of Religion I do not speak against the thing it self but to shew it is not of Faith if men do not pant after union with Christ if they be not sensible of the want of it and do not labor for the enjoyment of it 8. If it be Faith that brings thee from this way certainly thou wilt grow more Spirituall As thy heart will pant after Christ so there wil be a Spiritualness of thy Soul in the waies of Christ because thou comest neerer to the rule And this is the difference between Actions of Religion and civil Actions civil Actions that are done by civil rule have not alwaies success but a Spirituall Action that is done by the rule that hath a Spirituall success though not an outward success it does make the heart ever more Spirituall But for people though they be come from the yoake of Antichrist yet to be as dead as ever no more Spiritualness in their way then before no more savour of Godliness in their society and company then before those that knew them before can say I knew them a great deale more spirituall and savoury in that which is good then they are now This is a dangerous thing 9. Againe If it be out of Faith such a one will give all the glory unto God for his deliverance and he wil walk humbly in his own eyes and think I was disobedient and wretched and should have gone on in that way but God by his grace and power hath come and hath taken off my heart and it does magnifie the grace of God It doth not perke up it self and contemne others to think I have got more wisdom and understanding then others and so attribute it to his wit and understanding but it gives the glory to God and instead of censuring others he prays for them and saies it is not all the arguments under Heaven can convince them for I had arguments enough but they were all as nothing til it pleased God by his Grace to set them upon my heart and so though they may see arguments as wel as I they will not do Therefore he pitties others and prays for them and he hath a reverent respect to the Grace of others though they be not in the same way that he is in he doth not presently cast them off saying surely there is no Grace and Godliness in them this is a signe of a proud spirit there are none that are gracious but know there was a time when they went on in that way and yet they did not goe against their light but were willing to understand Gods mind and yet til God came in their hearts were not taken off and therefore they learn to have good thoughts of those that are godly though in other waies But especially if it were out of Faith that you were brought from this Antichristian Bondage it will not leave in thee the Spirit of Antichrist many are far from being under Antichristian bondage and yet have an Antichristian Spirit a Spirit of pride a domineering Spirit a Crooked Perverse Spirit and this is a great evil that in the way of Christ there should be manifested an Antichristian Spirit this should be lamented with tears of blood Now so much as an Antichristian spirit does rule in any though they be from under his Goverment so much it is to be suspected it was not the work of Faith but somwhat else that took them off We should have the spirit of Christ the spirit of Love and Humillity and gentleness and peace and as we would make it appear we are taken off from the yoak of Antichrist by Faith let us shew the Spirit of Christ as Faith hath taken us off from Antichristian power so we should exercise Faith to go on in the waies of Christ as beseems those that are delivered from Antichristian power FINIS Eorum certitudo A. Mont. Interliâ—