be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousand rivers of oyle Shal I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul No all this is ashes and all those that have not bread must die for hunger It is the vvill of God that the ends of the earth look up to Christ that those who have no price nor mony of their own might have milke and honey freely All the duties performances and righteousnesse which poor miserable man accounts gaine shall if he belong to Christ be by him counted a gaine to be losse for Christ And it would be seasonable to remember what the wise man saith Whoso trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Hence it appears that the strength and confidence of a deluded man may be so great that it may seem unto himselfe an unreasonable thing once to question it yea such an ones confidence of his salvation may be greater and stronger then the faith of some of the Lords deare ones and yet be false and nothing but a delusion of Satan and a deceived heart It is not the greatnesse or strength of any mans confidence can assure its possessor that it is not a delusion but confidence is proved to be true oâ— false by the ground of it the cause and foundation of it if it be grounded upon or caused by any mans qualifications either abstinence from sinne doing of good or upon his inward peace comfort joy c. it is false But if it be founded upon Christ alone in his free grace from the word and promise of God then it will hold in a storm In his word do I hope But I hope in thy word Did God give thee a tast not only of a river of Divine consolation running by thee but a relish and digestion of the matchlesse goodnesse of the Lord Jesus from a fountaine thereof before thee and transform thee into his own image thereby I say did God so convince thee that thou becamest lost and fatherlesse in thy owne sight and apprehension and perswade thy soul that he hath mercy for thee and cause thee to hope in him for it it is no delusion For the eye of the Lord is upon them that hope in his mercy And this is the work of God to perswade the heart to rest upon his free mercie in Christ did but God work upon thy heart so that thou longest for and thirstest after Christ and an interest in him and in his estimable goodness certainly thou art not deluded God is thine for he satisfieth the longing soule and fils the hungry soul with goodnesse Wherein Faith and Presumption differ He that presumes his confidence of pardon is without ground he hath no word of God to back his confidence but his confidence is fetched from his own conceits he seeks not life in and from Christ his word and promise and if he doth receive a promise he receives it upon his own qualifications without respect unto Christ and drawes conclusions of life from what he himselfe is and his owne doings and as his owne righteousnesse was never unto him as drosse and dung so he depends upon his faith and not upon Christ by faith his conâ—idence being grounded upon his own being so good or not so bad as others like the proud Pharisee such an one was never fatherless nor did he ever receive the sentence of death in himselfe and for that sin never revived in him he never died but was alwaies perswaded that it is a very easie thing to believe and assumes a confidence contrary to the word of God which hardens him and renders him bold to venture upon sinful practises whereas he that truly believes in Christ Jesus receives no promise of life but in and through him in the riches of his grace and for the sake of Christ this poor believer wil suffer the losse of all things his hope and helpe is only in the Lord his faith works by love he abhors that which is evil and cleaves unto that which is good and having this hope in him purifies himself as Christ is pure the Lord purifies his heart by Faith Who are weak members of Christ The weake member of Christ or the weake believer is either habitually or accidentally weak 1. I terme those habitually weake in whom the breathings or fruits of the Spirit are but in a low infant-like and feeble measure or degree True grace is very little at first and therefore compared to the least of grains mustard-seed A huge Oak was but an Acorne at first a bonefire a spark A poor weak believer is little in his own eyes and little in the eyes of the world the Pupil of the eye is very little yet seeth a great part of the heaven at once though faith be no bigger then a mustard seed yet it is all eye to behold Christ True grace is as the morning light and hath these three properties viz. 1. It is a remaining seede a living spring that shal never fail 2. It is stil growing and increasing its going forth is as the morning and riseth up to a glorious day 3. It wil in the end overcome all that overshadows it A poore weake believer being at first but a babe in Christ and consequently feeble is upon that account by the Spirit of the Lord in Isa 40. 11. likened unto a Lamb in Christs fold He shall gather the Lambs with his arme c. And hereupon God the father appoints Jesus Christ for poore sin-weakened believers as in Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath annointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted A true member of Christ may be weak in respect of life in whom indeed the spirit breaths though faintly whose pulse beats but feebly whose heart pants after Christ but weakly whose soul is indeed alive though his actions not lively who performs spiritual duties from an internal principle or power of spiritual life though but in the initiation of it in whom Christ who is the wisdome of the Father shines though through many clouds very dimly whose faith is weak who indeede receives Christ and his free grace though with a shaking hand who is a believer though but of little faith who hopes that Christ wil not cast him off though not sure he wil take him up who though he cannot see himself worthy can notwithstanding see God gracious or at least hath a glimmering thereof A poor weak believer is described by a desire to fear the name of the Lord and if this be all thou hast it is accepted there is as much difference betweene some of the Lords people as between willing and doing a will to obey the Lord is sometimes all that a blessed Paul can finde One may be a
are thy waies thou King of Saints It will I suppose seeme strange unto many That I have not according to the most general practise dedicated these endeavours unto some man in authoritie for Patronage and protection The matters contained herein as wel as in the ensuing Treatise wil appear truth when weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary stumble not then at the weakness of the instrument what is more usual then for the Lord through weak and contemptible means to perfect his owne praise How doe men prize the dust of Gold what a deal of worth is in a little diamond despise not the day of smal things a little starre may light to Christ The Doctrines and traditions of men indeed call for an arme of the Secular power to prop them up withall But the true doctrine of the word of the Kingdome hath a standing licence from Christ Jesus and comes upon the world as the rain and dew without asking leave of man or the sonnes of men what is stronger then truth whose going forth is as the morning and riseth up to a glorious day To protect truth and bring forth truth are the worke and prerogative royal of that King whom God hath set upon his holy hill of Sion And therefore also I commend you unto his protection and guidance and to the word of his grace who is able and willing abundantly to support and strengthen us in the inward man as well during the houre of temptation which is breaking forth as at any other time whatsoever and remaine Your and the truths unfeigned Friend and Servant JOHN SMITH THE CONTENTS A Man may be confident of his Salvation and yet deluded and whence such vaine confidence is derived 1 What it is to be fatherlesse and lost 4 121 50 The difference betweene faith and presumption 5 Who are weake Members of Christ 6 Three properties of true grace 7 The difference between a weak Member of Christ and an Hypocrite 10 to 14 Foure differences between the repentance of an hypocrite and that of a childe of God from 14 to 19 16 Precious and soule-establishing considerations deduced from the Covenant of grace from 20 to 37 Diverse inviting Characters and soule-winning incouragements of faith 37 to 40 Eleaven motives and incouragementâ— to believe 40 There is but looke up unto Christ Jesus and salvation is in thy soule and believing with thy heart and thou art saved thou wert saved by Christ before but now in thy selfe 43 Five grounds why Salvation is so soone done 46 How God begets faith in an unbeliever 47 When the soule is come to believe that Christ was made sinne for it its doubts are vanquished and the soul sweetly quieted and setled 48. A Collection of sixteen things from whence it is that many weake Believers are incompassed with so many doubts feares and discouragements together with 21 severall wayes and meanes to be used by them for their settlement in the Assurance of the love of God when they are tossed with tempests and incompassed with discouragements From 50 to 77 Meanes alone cannot settle a soule 77 Faith in Christ sweetly quiets and settles a soule 41 42 49 190. 191. 192 193 194 195 196 197. The poore believers doubts fears and discouragements proceed neither from God Christ nor the Spirit of Truth 50 to 53 Nine Reasons against feares and discouragements in a Believer raised from 41 Isa 10. 57 The feares of Believers are usually of some of these seaven kindes 79 With their Remedies 1. They are and they are not perswaded their sinnes are pardoned c. Ibid. 2. Some are perswaded that many of their sinnes are pardoned but not some others which they have most sinned in c. 80 3. Diverse feare still God doth not intend them such grace as he proffens and speaks of in his word but suspect the Gospel and are jealous that God hath some reckoning still behind because they see themselves sinfull c. Ibid. 4. They think though God may bee reconciled to them love them at sometimes and pardon their sinnes yet God may be provoked againe 81 5. They suppose they cannot sin as they doe daily and not be accountable and that they cannot but be sinners in Gods sight as well as in their owne c. 83 6. They think every affliction or trouble that befalls them is a messenger of wrath from God and so help the affliction to afflict themselves ib. 7. They enterpret every curse in the law and new Testament for sin their own if it be against their sin 85 64. 181 A Collection of 30 several fears doubts and discouragements that poor weak believers either in or about conversion or desertion take up against themselves with several remedies resolutions and answers thereunto from 86 to 175. Several degrees of the Saints growth in grace 88 89 90 91. The time of doubting is a barren time 89 90 The way for assurance 68 98 109 101 102 Faith evidenceth to us our justification 67 68 181. 182 Believers may think they believe not when they doe believe 142 Such as desire to believe have faith 153 Faith is where spiritual desires are 131 153 154. It is one thing to know and another thing to know that we know 145 146 No effect of Sanctification can evidence Justification 67 68 180 A Saints comfort not to depend upon his owne personal Sanctification and why 67 68 5. It is one thing to be justified and another thing to be sanctified 67 68 179 181 182 Faith looks beyond sight and feeling 123 124 125 126 127 131. 60 61. Several reasons wherefore God leaves sin in and many times permits corruptions to be strong in his deare children 122. 123 108 187 188. God turnes the sins of his children to the good of their soules 189 Great faith may be where there is feare and trembling 148 God is never an enemy to his though they greatly sinne against him 31 32 110 Heart what and where seated 153 What it is to give God the heart 153 154 The sins of the Elect are forgiven them before they know it 163 Faith is so smal and weak in many that they cannot discern it 145 147 148 155 God oft hides himselfe from his 104 105 The sins of believers are laid upon Christ and now they are Christs and not their own 66 179 183 184 190 191 A believers unbeliefe cannot frustrate Gods faithfulnesse 144 A believers happiness depends not upon his own doings 116 117 113 114 115 172 173 174 It is not any thing man can doe that makes him more or lesse beloved of God 107 108 160 178 179 180 Christs righteousnesse the Saints comfort 116 117 179 180 181 182 183 190 to 196. Believers are not to apply the threatnings in the Scriptures against their sins unto themselves they being laid upon Christ 64 85 The weakest Saint in Christ hath satisfied the Law 115 182 True believers put a difference between the
reason of strong motions in the flesh he would not repent yet he cannot resist this law of his mind he must performe it when the Lord saith in his word repent and seeke my face hee this poor child of God replies Thy face Lord wil I seek the very same lesson that he is taught outvvardly by the vvord he is taught inwardly by the annointing spirit yea it is even his meat and drink to do the wil of God 2. Repentance in the hypocrite proceeds from a servile fear he being begotten under a covenant of works is through fear of death subject unto bondage all his life long and though he look to be saved by faith and repentance being instructed out of the Gospel yet he dares not expect grace and pardon any further then he sees himself work for he looks to be saved though not altogether yet as it were by the works of the Lavv thinking that mercy and pardon must needs follovv his vvorks and this is that which makes him take a great deal of pains in the Church yea he wil bear the burden and heat of the day and performe abundance of hypocriticall service unto the Lord yea til he troubles the Lord therewith and makes him weary thereof But the child of God is begotten under a Covenant of grace and hath not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of Adoption to cry unto God Abba Father and being delivered serves God without fear in holinesse and righteousness all his dayes he knows very wel that sin cannot damn him being delivered out of the hands of his enemies by the blood of Christ And hence though God break him in the place of Dragons and cover him with the shadow of death yet wil he not forget God nor deal falsely in his Covenant His repentance in that sin cannot damn him is not arbitrary he is bound to it by the Covenant of grace his faith works by love the love of Christ constrains him many waters cannot quench this love neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned the more sin the Lord hath forgiven him the more he loves God and repents mourns and weeps bitterly because of sin as it is an injurious offence against so merciful a Father instance Peter and Mary Magdalene who thought nothing too dear for a Christ from whom they had received a free and ful discharge from all their sins and provocations the hypocrite repents from a principle of slavish feare but the poore believer from a principle of a child-like love 3. An hypocrite never turnes to the Lord with his whole heart as the Lord requires for he is double minded True it is he may walk according to the dictate of his conscience as far as he is inlightned by the word of God leading a blamelesse life and may doe that which he does out of the integrity of his heart with Abimilech he perswades himselfe he is in the right when in truth he is farre wrong and because he received not the love of the truth that he might be saved the Lord gives him up to strong delusions to believe a lie that he might be damned who believes not the truth He may indeed seemingly turne unto the Lord in respect of many glorious actions but he hath not a new heart nor a renewing Spirit within him and if that action that as he thinks he doth most uprightly were put into an Evangelical frame he would most exceedingly haâ—e it because the carnal mind is at enmity against God for it is noâ— subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be his best duties proceed but from flesh and nature and from the old man which never turn'd to God and as for that which should give a spiritual being to those actions namely faith in Christ and the Spirit of grace these he hates from his heart But the child of God hath a new heart and a new Spirit he is a new creature all things are become new and although the flesh lusteth against the Spirit yet this new creature turneth wholly unto God and is all for God such a man seeks the Lord with his whole heart and all that is within him praises the Lords holy name 4. The hypocrite in his repentance and all his performances aimes at himselfe he doth them for corn wine and oyle when he fasts and mourns he doth it for himselfe and not unto the Lord the salvation of his soul is his utmost end But the child of God the believer doth all for Gods glory he desires the Salvation of his soul but he hath a further end hereby the Lord manifests his truth and mercy and gets himselfe a name Saith blessed David save me for thy mercies sake for thy Names sake and when he repents and confesses his sinne it is principally that he may give glory unto God and in all his actions terminates not in himself but doth them to the end that Christ may be magnified and esteemed all in all Sixteene precious and soul establishing considerations deduced from the Covenant of Grace The new Covenant of grace is held forth principally in these places of Scripture viz. 8. Heb. 10. Jer. 31. 31 33 34. 36. Ezek 25 26 27 29 31. Ezek. 16. 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 59 60 63 Jer. 32. 40. Jer. 33. 20 Heb. 6. 17 18. Heb. 12. 24. Heb. 13. 20. Mic. 7. 20. Psal 89. 28. 31 32 33 34. 1. Consideration His Covenant is a free Covenant being the offspring of the free love meer grace and rich mercy of God whereby he is pleased to make a blessed agreement with his Sonne Christ to save poore lost man yea the worst most vile despicable and helpless creatures in the world and of this sort of mankind doth God usually please to take into covenant with himself for he doth not as many would insinuate therfore take men into this covenant because they believe and are holy but that they might have faith and be holy in this covenant he promises holiness and through it conveys holinesse unto men as for example the Idolatrous Ephesians the profane Corinthians the vile Publicans the filthy Harlots yea the poore thiefe even at the last hour when he could neither serve nor glorifie God so much as one hour on earth and these when they were at the highest of their provocations and when no eye pityed them yea when their own eyes pittyed them not then was the time wherein the Lord out of the riches of his grace and soule astonishing love sware unto them and entred into covenant with them and this was likewise the time vvherein they became his as in that pregnant place of Scripture vvorthy to be vvritten in indelible characters of Gold upon the memory of
God and his motive to make and enter into this covenant was his everlasting love the righteousnesse upon which it is established is an everlasting Righteousnesse and all the mercies and blessings thereof are everlasting as everlasting pardon for I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and Iniquities will I remember no more Everlasting kindnesse In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer everlasting mercy for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Everlasting joy and the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads c. Everlasting consolation Now our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and God even our Father who hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation c. and likewise everlasting life For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life God hath ordained men unto eternal life before they believe and faith is a fruit of the spirit of Christ and of consequence we must be in Christ before we can bring forth fruit that whosoever believeth on him should not perish c. This and such like expressions are to be considered as declarations of the qualification of such as are saved not that faith gives us any interest in Christ but manifests unto us that he who hath loved us with an everlasting love hath by his Spirit come into our hearts and created faith there and shewed forth this love unto us When God is said to be in Covenant with a Soule A soule is then properly actually or expressy in Covenant with God when God hath come to it in the promise and then when it feels it self under the power of the promise it begins only to know it is in Covenant and yet to obey as if it were but to enter into that covenant which God hath made with it in Christ before it could do any thing so as they that believe doe rather feele themselves in that covenant which God hath made with them without any thing in themselves either faith or repentance c. The effect of this Covenant The Lord in and through this covenant brings a poore creature to see and seeing to admire the superabundant riches of his free grace and love and humbly and thankfully to embrace the same and the heart thus wrought upon vehemently desires that such carriage and kindness of its God might not slip out of mind but that the consideration of this soul-ravishing heart-melting and astonishing grace and loving kindnesse might through the Spirit of the Mediatour of this covenant carry him forth stedfastly to believe in dearly to love chearfully to obey and dutifully to honour and serve the God of this mercy in soule body and spirit so long as the Sun and Moon endure and for ever in a word the soul is carried forth out of selfe unto God and in God alone finds rest and satisfaction Divers inviting Characters and soul-winning encouragements of faith Faith is an assenting or cleaving to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his promise not from any thing the soule sees or feels in it selfe but from something it apprehends in God in his word faith sometimes is attended with much strife and strugling for Satan wil say to the soule it is in vain to believe Christ saith come I will ease thee and faith sweetly perswades the heart to rest upon the ability and fidelity of God in his free promise Faith is an emptying grace yea it is its property to empty the soule and keep it empty of selfe confidence and thereby it makes way for receiving of the righteousnesse of Christ even as the poor widows empty vessels for the receiving of the oyl out of the cruse whereas the fulnesse of the vessel caused the stay Yea it implies an emptinesse of selfe that we may be filled with him out of whose fulnesse wee receive grace for grace Faith is a believing that Jesus Christ is the Christ which implies a seeing and knowing that all is in Christ for life and salvation and so to rest upon him for it he that thus believs in Christ is brought over by Christ unto Christ and so centered upon him that he wil never go from him My soule wait thou on God for my expectation is from him And in those souls who enjoy this precious faith old things are done away and they are new creatures there is a light set up in the soul and the soul sees and knowes all is by Christ and that there is no way or meanes of life but by him and thereupon closes with him and rests upon him Faith looks unto what God saith rests upon it and sets to its seale that God is true Faith doth not lay hold on Christ to fetch Justification from him till Christ hath first laid hold on us and imputed his righteousness unto us and by his Spirit in a free promise of grace declared the same unto us and then faith becomes active to receive and depend upon Christ and his everlasting righteousnesse Faith works by love and most highly prizeth Christ and his righteousnesse debases and vilifies self admires the immense and infinite riches of Gods free grace and love and engages the heart to holinesse yea to dedicate it selfe as a monument of eternal praise and thanksgiving for his inestimable goodnesse Yea that soul that is possessed of such precious faith can never in its owne eye see God high enough nor it selfe vile enough and fetches all its strength from Christ to doe all it doth There are many mistakes about faith some have thought comfort joy or ravishments of soule with God to be faith and so because they had not them have concluded they had no faith it is not mens believing but the object of faith that gives faith its denomination There are many precious souls that trust in Christ for life from an hope of mercy but this hope though the poore soul at present sees or knowes no certainty of enjoyment of what it hopes for hath a blessing intailed on it Turn ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope Eleven Motives to believe 1. By believing we come to know our interest in Christ and salvation by him 2. By believing we honour God he that receives his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true 3. If ye believe not surely ye shall not be established there is no true quietnesse and settlement of soule without believing thou standest by faith and fallest into sin by unbeliefe the word preached is precious and powerful yet it profited not being not mixed with faith in them that heard it 4. It s faith that
rids the soule of all its distempers doubts feares and discouragements we may not separate the Spirit from faith nor faith from the Spirit nor Christ from both 5. By faith in Christ thou shalt be kept in perfect peace it will sweetly and transcendently refresh the soule thou shalt keep him in perfect peace because he trusts in thee Being justified by faith we have peace with God by faith we apprehend Christ our Justification the fruit of which is joy and peace 6. By unbelief we adde sinne unto sinne in the highest nature if we believe not what God saith we accuse God of speaking falsely he that believeth not hath made God a lyer It is impossible for God to lye the strength of Israel cannot lye nor can it be any dishonour to God or danger to thy selfe to hope in his mercy and believe in him The eye of the Lord is upon them that hope in his mercy 7. As bad as thou canst be have been received unto mercy Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation When thou layest in thy blood it was a time of love He justifies the ungodly While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us have hope therefore feare not but believe the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall be with thee hope thou in God 8. Unbeliefe streightens thy heart stops thy mouth and hinders thy thankfulnesse and praysing of God thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not 9. Unlesse we believe we can never glorifie God Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God 10. Our naked cleaving to God in his free promise shall carry down all our distempers at once and drowne them in it as in a Sea the promises will answer all thy doubts and feares whatsoever and fill our soules with peace in believing 11. By our unbeliefe wee oppose riches of grace and love yea that love that could love enmity it selfe and reconcile those unto God that are enmity against him There is but looking up to Christ Jesus and salvation is in thy soule and believing with thy heart and thou art saved thou wert saved by Christ before but now in thy selfe Jesus Christ and forgivenesse of sins in his name and redemption through his blood is the first and only thing held forth in the Gospel to sinners the other mysterie of Righteousnesse is revealed to believers forgivenesse of sins is first taught that they may believe and the other glorious mysteries are taught that they may know what they believe they are first to see Gods love and afterwards his glory Jesus Christ crucified is the best story for sinners and Jesus Christ exalted for Saints and therefore it is that in all the Apostles Sermons the story of blood and redemtion was first preached and when they did believe that then they wrote Epistles and Revelations of greater things unto them so as they spake of Christ only to make them beleeve and wrote to them of him when they did beleeve Salvation is not made any puzzling work in the Gospel it is plainly easily and simply revealed Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners this is salvation and this work of salvation is past and finished sins are blotted out sinners are justified by him that rose for their justification now that which we must do to be saved is to believe in the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ and the promise is annexed thou shalt be saved All that is to be done in the work of salvation is to believe that there is such a worke and that Christ dyed for thee among all those other sinners he dyed for This is the commandment that ye believe on his Son Jesus Christ that is that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins and for your sins and we are called on to believe because they only that can believe are justified by him all that believe are justified so that salvation is not a business of our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father Sin Satan and hel were all triumphed over by Christ himself openly for us and all our worke is no worke of salvation but in salvation in the salvation we have by Christ We receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved therefore we work not that we may be saved and yet we are to worke as much as if we were to be saved by what we doe because so much is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves this is short work believe and be saved and yet this is the only gospel work and way Christ tels ye in few words and his Apostles in as few As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believes on him should have eternal life Saith Saint Paul say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ from above or who shall descend into into the deepe that is to bring Christ from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart the word of faith which we preach if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved The work is already done but then thou shalt see that it is done There are five grounds why salvation is so soone done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not believed on before by thee til now 2. Because it is the Gospel way of dispensation to assure and passe over salvation in Christ to any that will believe it 3. There needs no more on our sides to work or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Christ Jesus died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied now suffering and satisfaction is that great worke of salvation 4. Because they and they only are justified who can believe Righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith all that believe are justified 5. That it may be by grace and not of works being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus How God begets faith in an unbeliever We are commanded to believe and faith is the gift of God and the Spirit of Christ without which we can do nothing enlightens our understandings and worketh faith in us and hereupon our believing is said to be the work of God and the Spirit having set up a divine light in our understandings we being before altogether darknesse bowes our hearts to believe and indeede without
this quickning Spirit of Christ the two edged sword of the word preached wil prove but as Scanderbegs sword which without Scanderbegs arm was able to doe little or nothing It is through grace that men believe yet men are to use the means for in the preaching of the word God hath covenanted that his Spirit go along with and add power to the word spoken make it effectual to the enabling of the creature to obey he said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and the Spirit entered into me when he had spoken unto me and set me upon my feet And the dead shal hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live otherwiâ—e were it in vaine to speak unto dead men to believe and all men are by nature spiritually dead only they believe whose hearts God opens None can believe but they unto whom it is given When the soule is come to believe that Christ was made sinne for it its doubts are vanquished and the soul sweetly quieted and setled As soone as Jesus Christ by his Spirit hath convinced the soule that he is made sin for it and that it is made the Righteousnesse of God in him then do all its doubts fears and objections vanish and Christ is believed in and lived upon with thankfulnesse and joy yea such a soule by its eye of faith sees it farre better that Christ was made sin for it then if it had never sinned yea as much better as a spiritual body is better then a natural as much better as the image of the heavenly is better then the image of the earthly body yea as much better as strength is better then weaknesse and as heaven is better then earth It is faith in Christ that rids the soul of all its distempers doubts fears and discouragements we may not separate the Spirit from faith for faith is the fruit and effect of the Spirit and wee cannot rationally expect the effect without its cause And it is the want of faith that causes troubles in the soul saith Christ ye believe in God believe also in me and let not your hearts be troubled believing in Christ sweetly quiets and settles a troubled soule and those that know God wil trust him with their bodies and souls and that upon his word all that know thy name wil trust in thee yea they wil cleave unto God in his promise even then when they are in their greatest fears and most sensible of their owne vilenesse and that not without sufficient warâ—ant Trust in him at all times God is a refuge for us Selah if at all times then at the worst of times yea even then believe and hear nothing against thy believing of God in his promise Abraham the faithfull believed against hope oh believe God intends thy good Christ came to seeke and to save the lost such as are lost in their sight and sense of their owne vilenesse insufficiency and misery A Collection of divers things from whâ—nâ—e it is that many weake Believers are incompassed with so many doubts feares and discouragements together with sundry especiall meanes which they are to make use of and wherein the Lord Jesus usually quiâ—ts and 〈◊〉 a disquieted soule in the assurance of his Love Negatively the doubts feares and discouragements of weake Believers proceed not from God for his voice is peace and comfort to his people I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill Comfort yee my people saith the Lord speake yee comfortably to Jerusalem cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned You see they come not from God Nor come they from Christ he neither troubles nor discourages any it was promised concerning him that hee should speake peace Thy King cometh he shall speak peace unto the Heathen this is his worke and he doth it therefore he doth not trouble nor discourage any He is the horne of Salvation that God hath raised up for us to guide our feete in the way of peace He opens the blinde eyes He brings out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house He is that light that is sprung up unto those that sit in darknesse and in the Region and shadow of death he bindes up the broken hearted he proclaimes peace and liberty he comforts all that mourne He gives beautie for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning and the garments of Praise for the spirit of heavinesse he was given to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at liberty poore bruised prisoners that have been taken Captive by the Devil and the maine end of his coming is to abolish death and to bring life and Immortality to light through the Gospel this is his worke and he doth it he is gracious and pitifull hee will not quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reed his voice is full of love and tendernesse his words are sweet words as Let not your hearts be troubled feare not it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Cast your care upon me I will care for you Christs voyce unto his poore people is Open to mee my sister my Love my Dove my undefiled his name is King of Salem that is King of peace It is palpably apparent that our feares and discouragements come not from Christ Nor come they from the holy Spirit of God for he is the great and most sweet Comforter he causes no discouragements but removes them all by revealing and applying unto the soule the love of God and carries the soule by faith from all discouragements unto God who is love and peace where the soule is to rest and be filled with sweet peace This is the worke of the Spirit and hence it is that he is called the Comforter he never caused the least feare or discouragement in the soule of any The consideration that our feares doubts and discouragements come not from God nor from Christ nor from the holy Spirit is sweet for then what need wee regard them yea we may slight them Affirmatively the doubts feares and discouragements of weake believers doe proceed viz. 1. From the Devill who is a malicious adversary to the Saints hee either tempts us to sinne and that will cause us to doubt or else hee tempts us to doubt and that will cause us to sinne and thus he raises doubts and feares to hinder their comfort and peace in believing he also tempts them and takes the word out of their hearts least they should believe From whence these particulars ensue 2. From our owne hearts Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil
make a good construction of all his dispensations towards thee and know that his actings in us or upon us are the accomplishing of his wil for his owne glory and the good of his that which I think worst for mee may be best for mee How ever it be yet God is good and good to mee Thou oh Lord art still the same 18 Means Frequent those whom God hath settled in the assurance of his love these are able to direct and informe thee in the knowledge of the grace of God revealed in them wherein is peace and joy unspeakable and ful of glory many heare and confer with such as are ignorant of the grace of God and finde successe accordingly 19. Means When our spirits are never so much dejected and sadned we should with Isaiah wind up our affections and stirre up our selves to take hold on God and remember that Christ is our resting place whose spirit whispers in and unto us as it did unto David return unto thy rest oh my soule c. If thou hast sinned thou hast done very foolishly it being done it cannot be undone what shal the soul do but remember that sweet and gracious promise their sins and iniquities I will remember no more and consider that there is not any sin a believer can commit that should cause him to cast away his confidence or so much as question the love of God unto him for any thing he hath done or can befal him All that know the name of the Lord wil trust in him and cleave unto him for strength yea to be their strength against sinne for the time to come it is but a foolish conceit that brings a poore child of God to cast away his confidence and renders him culpable of the reprehension of our Saviour oh fools and slow of heart to believe c. A poore believer is commanded to come boldly to the throne of his Fathers grace he may not in any wise admit of such a disquietnesse in his sorrowing for sin as shall discorage and hinder him in obeying another command of God Rejoice evermore 20. Means Know and remember the happinesse of a believer in Christ though never so weake he is cleane from all sin by the blood of Christ they are removed from him so that he is accepted of God in Christ as perfect righteous and comely as Christ is saith Christ who is on with his Father unto a poore believer Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee goe the â—ore in much assurance and confidence unto the throne of his grace who having given thee his Son cannot but with him freely give thee all things that he in his wisdome and love sees fit for thee whether for soule body or both Having therefore Brethren boldnesse to enter into the holâ—â—st by the blood of Christ by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh And seeeng that we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sinne Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and find grace to helpe in time of neede and let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Wheâ— shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Meditate on these precious truths until then sweet influence through the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead have warmed and enlivened thy soule 21. Means Lastly know and remember that though these means tending so much to the soules settlement in and assurance of the love of God are to be used yet means alone are 〈◊〉 sufficient to quiet and settle a troâ—â—lâ—d soule it is the work of Christ spirit to answer all doubts and remove all discouragements God creates the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afarre off and to him that is 〈◊〉 saith the Lord and I will heale him In the use of meanes we are to looke unto and wait upon him who wil in his owne time which is best free all his from all their discouragements doubts and fears and satisfie their souls with his love which is better then wine These things I write unto you that your faith and hope may be in God A Collection of many the fears doubts and discouragements that a poore weake believer either in or about conversion or desertion takes up against himselfe together with their several remedies resolutions and answers Weake believers are like melancholy people who think things farre otherwise then they truly are rightly smoaking flax where there is more smoak then light more ignorance then true discerning and thereby they expose themselves to manifold fears and discouragements when there is not the least cause as for example Mary was troubled and afraid all the matter was the Angel saluted her and told her that she had found favour in the sight of God the shepherds were afraid even then when the Angel brought them tidings of great joy Peter was afraid when he had drawn up much fish by which their discouragements they highly dishonoured God hindered their own peace The feares of weake believers are usually of these kindes Viz. 1. They cannot be perswaded their sinnes are pardoned indeed they would and they would not believe it they cannot from the spirit that is in them but close with Christ and claspe about him for salvation yet then they are not sure they have him they may be deceived they thinke in that in a word They are and they are not perswaded their sinnes are pardoned The Remedy to this feare We are commanded to believe forgivenesse of sinnes in Jesus Christ throughly and not in part Through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sinnes 2. If faith carrie them on to believe a little more or better of their condition yet the pride of some sinnes will not down with them some of their sinnes which they have made their darlings more then others and cherished themselves in oh these they thinke are either too great or too often committed to be all forgiven and at once the remainders of these sins are like dregs in the bottome and their consciences cannot be satisfied that God hath fully pardoned them Briefly They are perswaded some sinnes are pardoned but not some others which they have most sinned in The Remedy There is indeed a large disproportion between sinnes in regard of their causes effects and adjuncts yet the robe of Christs Righteousnesse is so large that it covers the greatest
turned that he fed upon wind and followed after the East winde and provoked the Lord unto anger most bitterly and that yet Gods bowels did still worke towards Ephraim so that he could not destroy him The Lord is exceedingly gracious unto such wretched creatures of his though they compasse him about with lies Let such poore believers consider that a sinner can never be too foule for his Saviour too much wounded and too sick for this Phisician to heale and cure nor too filthy for a fountaine opened to wash and that the whole neede not a phisician but those that are sick and that Christ came unto the world to justifie the ungodly and to save the chief of sinners he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and let such a soule that cannot as a Saint stick close unto the Lord Jesus as a sinner and his hopes in Christ through the enjoyment of his spirit within him wil lead him forth in the strength of Christ to purifie himselfe as Christ is pure Had the Lord Jesus by his Spirit wrought an effectual work of grace upon my heart I should have growne in grace but I doe not so my life is not holy nor am I like unto the Lords children 1. Consider whether thou art a child a young man or a father in Christ for as there is a great difference betweene a child and a man in Christ so betweene a babe in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1. and a man in Christ 2. Consider whether thou art a babe in the wombe or borne that is a babe that is unskilful in the word of righteousnesse as a child being begotten and alive is in the womb before it is borne so a soule is spiritually alive and begotten from above before it be born Christ must be formed in us before we can be new born babes before we can desire the sincere milk of the word that we might grow thereby When thou art delivered out of bondage darknesse and fears concerning thy eternal condition thou art born and brought forth for as the wombe is a place of bondage so is a doubting condition and therefore thou canst not looke for those attainments in this condition as others find in another and also in case thou art new borne there cannot be that expected from thee which is from a man in Christ there is a great difference you know to be put betweene a child and a man 3. Learne to distinguish betweene the fruits of the Spirit and the exercise of them it is not the having of the fruits of the Spirit but the exercise of them that attains an holy conversation and know that it is one thing to be the Lords and another thing for God to convey his power into the soul wherby to make it conformable to his wil and to live by faith in the Son of God the first is where the later is not 4. Know that the time of doubting is a barren time men cannot fight and work at such a time And yet as trees in the winter season grow in the roote though not in the branches so maist thou grow in humility love c. though thou maist unto thy self seem to decay in those and other graces of the Spirit But when a soule is delivered from its enemies that is to say from Satans errours and its owne doubtings then it begins to serve being delivered we serve there must be deliverance before working therefore a time of doubting and of bondage is not a season of growing in holy services 5. Believers are of several growthes and states 1. Babes or children in Christ 2. Young men 3. Fathers Can babes worke Yet if babes die in that state they shall not misse of glory it is one thing to be justified and another thing to be sanctified as it is one thing to live and another to be borne and to work distinct from both There is a great difference of degrees of the Lords own people some are spiritual but others are termed carnal as appears by Pauls epistle to the Church of Christ in Corinth And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spirituall but as unto carnal even unto babes in Christ thou mayest be begotten and yet not borne not a new born babe 6. If thou beest ignorant or in temptation then thy heart is clouded and distâ—mpered with feares and thy selfe not a competent judge of thy owne growth is a new borne babe able to judge of its own growth Consider also it may be thou dost not use the meanes or not rightly in Gods way And when grace is as seed newly cast into the earth and a weak believer while a babe for want of exercise and experience scarce knowes what he hath then as the land newly sown little differs in shew from other ground which was never sowne so a poore babe in Christ seems little different from the men of the world who lie in their sins and as childrens complaints are not alwaies to be taken for rules so the complaints of such babes that they grow not in grace do not so much evince their want as the sensiblenesse of their want of the growth of grace and of conformity to the wil of the Lord Jesus which is a certaine fruit of the in being of the spirit of Christ in the poore soule it is the spirit that convinceth of sinne and spiritual desires cannot possibly proceede from our selves but from faith In a word Let such a poore doubting believer hearken unto what God saith unto him From me is thy fruit found The righteous shal flourish like the Palme tree he shall grow like those Cedars in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruits in old age they shal be fat and flourishing And unto this end the Lord hath also promised I wil be as the dew unto Israel he shal grow as the Lily and cast forth his fruits as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smel as Lebanon the Lord hath also further promised that he wil turne the barren wildernesse into a fruitful field he wil open a fountain of pure living water and poure it forth upon the barren wildernesse and the dry ground The barren dry and unfruitful ground of unbelievers is by by the unction of the Spirit made the garden of the Lord and being trees of the Lords owne planting shall be watered every moment yea refreshed and comforted with the streame of that river that makes glad the City of God In the wildernesse shal waters break out and streames in the desert and the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water I say believers however it may seeme do alwaies grow in faith love or humility My heart is
so adamantinely hard that I can be affected neither with the chastisements nor mercies of the Lord. There is indeed much hardness of heart in the deare children of God their hearts have been as hard as a rock adamant or flint they and they only feel it complaine of it and mourn under it and this is tendernes or the effect of an heart of flesh It is the frame of a new heart and the temper of an experienced gracious spirit to lament from the sense of its own hardnesse of heart O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies and hardned our hearts from thy feare Doubtlesse thou art our father c. Their hearts were hardned from Gods feare and yet they were the children of God Poore soule I would be acquainted how thou camest to know thou hast an hard heart who told thee so art thou certaine thou art not mistaken if thou replyest that thou seest or feelest it I reply if it be so then thou art happy for thou haâ—â— the inbeing of the Spirit of Christ it is none other then the Spirit of the Lord Jesus that discovers to a man his own darknesse and convinceth him of his own deadnesse and hardnesse of heart yea none but this Spirit lusteth against the flesh and thou livest to God truly though not so holily and sensibly as thou mightest and oughtest for how should a senselesse stone feele its own hardnesse or he that is soundly a sleep perceive himself to sleepe or the dead man feele himselfe to be so Sense or feeling is an evident demonstration not only of life but of life in action Consider thy selfe as thou art in Christ in union with him what is his is thine Christs fruitfulnesse is thine in him is thy fruit found and if hee hath not as yet poured forth plentifully of the Spirit of grace and Supplication upon thee thou hast his promise for it hee hath offered up strong cries and teares unto the father for thee thou daily committest sinne from a body of death and corruption thou carriest with thee let thy glory and reioycing be that thy sinnes are forgiven and shall be remembred no more and rest satisfied in point of salvation in what Christ hath done Thy best works cannot save thee nor thy worst destroy thee Thanks be to God who hath given us victory by Jesus Christ Fetch thy comfort from him and not from what thou findest or possibly maiest find or feele in thy selfe We are not to judge of our eterâ—all condition and of Gods love to us by the hardnes or softnes of our hearts or by what workes of righteousnesse wee see and feele in our selves but to live by faith in the sonne of God who hath promised that hee will take away the stony heart out of thy flesh and give thee an heart of flesh and that hee wil turne the flint into a fountaine of waters Because I feele not my selfe sanctified I â—eare I am not justified Believers must not say they have no sanctification because they see and feele none David cried out in the bitternes of his soule that his sin was ever before him and then his sanctification was out of his sight and that God had forgotten to bee gracious but afterwards he said of it This is my infirmity You know in an house when it is darke there may bee all things that were there when it was light but you see them not till the candle be brought in The womans grote in the parable was in the house but shee found it not till she had lighted her candle therefore say with David Light my candle Oh Lord and the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. Sanctification or the fruits and effects of the spirit in a believer do indeed comfort our faith in their kind and degree they are given to bee a light in some measure to our own consciences and to others Let your light so shine before men And glorifie God in your bodies and spirits Shew me thy faith by thy works they are the bracelets of the Spouse they are the beames of Christ the sun of righteousnesse but they are not Christ now clouds may hinder the beames from inlightning a roome but the Sun is still where it was the tree you know is there where it was when the Apples or fruit thereof may be blowne down by the winde of Temptation spoken of in the Parable yet then such promises as these are laid in for such a season Who is among you that fears the Lord that obeys the voice of his servant that walks in darknesse and sees no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God And the vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie though it tarry wait for it wait for it because it wil surely come and not tarry But the just shall live by faith Consider seriously how can any good assurance arise from the change that is in any child of God in this life or his sanctification it being not such in any particular act or worke wherin is no spot of sinne is it not a mixture of flesh and Spirit why then feelest thou after it as thou dost Since the best and most through sanctification in any is not pure enough for the eyes of the Lord why then make you it any bottom for assurance Observe that all the while you or any others have so done you and they like Noahs Dove can find no resting place the soales of your feete for the Spirit of Christ tells us when we have done all we can we are but unprofitable servants and that all our righteousnesse is but as menstruous cloaths And while we gaze upon the work of sanctification in us we find stil a rottennesse in every part of it call all into question and find fault with our repentance mortification new obedience c. therefore let us be sure still to take Christ in here who is a believers sanctification as wel as his righteousnesse In order to the removing of this discouragement consider a few particulars 1. If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance new-obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifies or forgives you you are absolutely against the word for if it be of works it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more worke 2. It must then be only the evidence of your being justified that you seeke for in your sanctification These two things thus premised I proceed 1. We must allow any believer to take in any thing of his sanctification to help his assurance which the word allowes of as the Spirit and the fruits thereof that is to say repentance mortification of sin new obedience c. but then it
manifests himselfe to others of our Brethren and fellow Members he rises in their Hemispheare And what though thy sinnes have eclipsed the love of thy God unto thy soule The Lord onely bids thee to acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord c. What a poore recompence is this Turne oh backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you c. Poore soule the love of God remaines still as sure and as great as ever and in his due time shall shine forth againe upon thy soul the thick clouds will blow over and the soule reviving light of his love will arise upon thee He will take away all iniquity and receive us graciously I thought I had true faith but since I fell into an hainous transgression I am perswaded that if I had beene the Lords he would not have left me to sin as I did This is a deplorable case indeed and the fruit of unbelief and of the want of watchfulnesse yet consider the Lord hath suffered such or as great if not greater spots to overtake his own dear children David sinned in adultery and murder Solomon sinned greatly after hee had obtained mercy and Peter denyeth Christ with an oath these examples are recorded to hold forth the glory of the riches of Gods free grace that men may be acquainted with the mirrour of his grace long sufferance and forbearance that so great sinners might not despaire and faint under their sinnes 2. To despair of the mercy of God because our sins are great were to limit God in his mercy which is to add sin unto sin and a greater sin then the former The Lord Jesus takes much pains and le ts out merciful power for the raising of sin-weakened souls and for the gathering of wandring Lambs Poor soul know this that the greatest sin a believer can commit ought not to make him mourn without hope for no sin can put him in the state of condemnation or bring him under the curse While we live here below God healeth not our sinfull nature wholly nor takes it quite away the flesh lusteth God ever looks upon his as they are in Christ and not simply as they are in themselves saith Paul I my selfe keepe the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of sin flesh and sin do the evil Consider Nehem. 9. 16 17. The Spirit also tells us in another place that he knowes our frame and remembers that we are but dust God hath in much wisdome and love left sinne in his to humble them and to exercise the fruits of the Spirit in them and that we might long to be where we shall not sinne also that we might the more dearly love Christ in that it is pardoned and depend upon him to subdue it and that we might not scorne nor insult over any poore sinâ— weakned ones but restore them with the spirit of meeknesse and that we may admire the more that rich grace of the Lord Jesus whereby notwithstanding all our provocations we have accesse unto the Father by him The Lords people are indeed taught by his spirit not to sinne that grace may abound but to love and to love with the more vehemency of affection the God of their incomprehensible mercy and to use all means against sinne and not to be over-pressed and sunk in despaire under it They also know that they are the more happy in that they were sinners else how could they be capable of union with God of mercy and heaven If there were not evil it would not be known what is good Justice and mercy had not beene known the wisdom of God could not have been known in drawing good out of evil or his love in sending the dearly beloved out of his bosom to die for us man had not come unto that happness in Christ which the Saints have and shal enjoy 3. God is never an enemy to his though they greatly sinne against him Wee are not beloved for our owne sakes nor for any thing in our selves but in Christ Who hath made us acceptable in the beloved Therefore nothing wee doe can cause God to love us more or lesse his love is as himselfe ever the same therfore a belivers hope joy and confidence is to bee ever the same in Christ Hence it is that such are alwayes to reioyce Reioyce alwayes Reioyce evermore Againe I say rejoyce Let them exceedingly rejoyce The joy of the Lord is our strength Oh there is enough in the Lord to satisfieâ— thee at all times he is an unchangeable object of true joy in him is all our hope and happinesse therefore let not thy fall cause thee to question the love of God unto thee thy salvation depends not upon thy repentance and holinesse See Rom. 9. 15 16. Isa 43 24 25. Ezek. 16. from 1. to ver 9. See also and mind what the Apostle saith in this case My little children these things write I unto you that you sinne not And if any man sinne we have an advocate with the Father Christ Jesus the righteous and he is a propitiation for our sins c. These things are written unto us indeed that we sinne not But as for such as turne the grace of God into wantonnesse whom the mercies of God encourage in their sinful practise these are led by the spirit of the divell he is their father and his works they doe these are not at present in any wise to be numbred with those who through temptations and weaknesse are overtaken with the sin they hate if fallen be not out of hope If the Lords children have fallen into sinne they are to rise by faith Shal a man fall and not arise Who is a God like unto thee that pardonest the transgression of the remnant of thy people God subdues the corruption that is in his not all at once but by degrees and thereupon saith I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sins and iniquities I wil remember no more God hath nothing in charge against those who are in Christ and therefore commands us to goe boldly to the throne of grace in full assurance of faith If I were fitted with Qualifications as humblenesse brokennesse of heart c. and tooke delight in hearing and praying as others I could then entertaine hope that God hath thoughts of love and mercy towards me but it is not so with me Such an objection in some may be the product of the sweet operation of the Spirit of grace which hath shewed them some amiable and desirable thing in the precious promises and wayes of God so as they panâ— after them But more usually this is a whining because the worke of preparation is more sensible then the worke of
now decayed Poore heart I would have thee consider these five things viz. 1. The ground of our faith is God in his word and not our sight and feeling That is sensual we live not by sight but by faith in the Son of God 2. Consider that as long as thou maintainest fears jealousies of Gods love unto thee it is no wonder if thy condition be no better then it is Call to mind the daies of old And remember that with God is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning whom he loves he loves for ever his love is an everlasting love And remember that a poore believers consolation depends not so much upon his knowing Christ as upon this that we are knowne of him and held fast by him who hath taken the charge of us 3. A child of God may decay in parts sight feeling and exercise of faith these are sometimes more and sometimes lesse as God sees best that we might rest and relie upon Christ alone The graces accompanying salvation no saint shal ever lose but a present sensible and continuall exercise of any grace God hath not promised the exercise of grace in the Saints ebbs and flowes the Lord often withdrawes the exercise of one grace that so another may shine forth with the greater lustre and that we may in faith and humility depend up on him who is the rock of our strength and our portion for ever 4. Consider That it is a principal part of the new covenant of Gods grace that he wil write his law in our hearts and that we shall not depart from him And the Lord also saith The mountains shal depart and the hils be removed but my loving kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace he removed And in the Prophesie of Jeremiah he saith further If thou canst breake my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there shall not be day and night in their season then may also my covenant be broken 5. Consider that wee ought to believe that which wee neither see nor â—eel wee are to believe under hope against hope Faith is the evidence of things not seene To live by faith is to walk after the spirit and to live by sight sense and feeling is to live after the flesh Were it not a groundless thing in nature to feare that there is no sinne in the firmament because that at present its face is masked with a cloud and wee feele not the warming and inlivening influence of its beames I feare that the opposition in mee against sinne is not between Christ and Satan or the spirit and the flesh but betweene my corrupt will and my inlightened conscience It is granted that every opposition or striving in men is not from the antipathy between Christ and Satan or the flesh and spirit which reciprocally lust against each other yet the difference between the antipathy of the flesh and spirit and of the corrupt will and enlightened conscience is very discernable 1. The naturall conscience though inlightened acts only in a naturall way at the most it is but morall as not to lie steale sweare c. 2. It stirs not unless forced and then unto that only whereunto it is forced as a Justice of the peace having issued forth his warrant to a drunken constable to search for drunkards this constable dare do no other then search for them though his heart bee with them 3. Conscience inlightened strikes only at the branches but not at the root of sinne 4. It sets one faculty against another as the will and affections against the understanding First But the spirit of Christ causes an opposition in the same faculty as in the will c. 2. The spiritâ— of Christ makes a free full constant and impartial resistance against all sinne 3. It discovers to the soule her secret corruptions in their colours this spirit overpowereth the soule causing it to hate sinne and leave it 4. This spirit causeth the soule to bee so much the more glad by how much sinne is the more discovered 5. It teaches the soul to oppose all sin even the appearance of evil equally proportionably and orderly 6. This Spirit teaches the soul not to turn the grace of God into incouragement to sin I cannot pray nor do any thing that is good therefore God hath not done my soule good and I have many suggestions that I have no worke of grace wrought in mee which much weakens my confidence 1. Poore soul 〈◊〉 thy grace is weak and thy weaknesse proceeds from infidelity which deadens the heart and hinders thy living upon the strength of Christ 2. It is thus with thee that thou mayest see thy necessity of Christs strength go to and waite upon him by faith for it and live upon him who hath promised to be a ful supply unto his 3. If God hath given thee a desire to obey him say not that it is nothing God saith it is something he that gives this accepts it for if there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not and he wil grant thy desire in his time he wil 〈◊〉 the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and wil save them Christ wil not quench the smoaking flax though we see no fire yet we know there is some by the smoake it is a Character of a servant of the Lord to desire to feare his name spiritual or holy desires cannot be in a soule that hath no grace desires after grace and of spiritual things is an act of spiritual life an act is from a faculty and a faculty is a concomitant of life a man that is dead in trespasses and sins cannot while dead have a spiritual desire spiritual desires are the productions of faith and love and many times a wil to obey is all that a spiritual believer can find To will is present with mee but how to performe that which is good I find not for the good I would I do not but the evil I would not that do I the strongest saint is but weak Paul was an eminent Saint yet consider what he saith of himselfe Rom. 7. from 14. to 25. Rom. 8. from 37. to 39. he had no power to doe what he would yet he lived by faith in the Son of God 4. We should doe all we can to obey God yet we must know that our all wil be infinitely too little to justifie us in the sight of God for by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of our selves c. not of works lest any man should boast Then as to the second branch viz. That God hath not done thy soule good Certainly God hath begun his work in thee if he hath convinced thee of sin and
assurance is by so much the lesser is our faith 2. Consider that besides the illumination which wicked men and devils may have as wel as a believer there is a twofold act of faith viz. a direct act and a reflect act of faith 1. A direct act of faith is to believe that Christ is and that life and every good thing is treasured up in him this is to believe the record that God hath given concerning his Sonne And that he came into the world to save sinners and thereupon for the soule to look unto Christ that it may be saved and so to long for him rest upon and trust in him for life from an hope though not from an assurance of mercie a man may believe and yet not know that he hath eternal life yet those who have such faith as this are blessed Turne ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope and these are really possessed of Christ though at present they themselves perhaps know it not Those are blessed that hope in Christs mercy The reflect act of faith is to believe in Christ the soul knowing its proprietie in him for thee to believe that Christ came to save thy soul from thy sins this is to trust him from a knowledge of our interest in him The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God We believe and are sure c. Hee that hath this act of faith hath also the former but there are divers precious soules that have the former and yet have not attained this though they are under the promises of it They shall know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord. 3. Consider that there are divers that have this direct act of faith who yet being babes do through ignorance unskilfulnesse and want of experience of the order and manner of Gods dealing with his call it into question whether they have any faith or not yea and when Christ doth not clearly appeare and faith not lively act in the soule they resolve it in the negative but when the Sunne of Righteousnesse shines forth againe upon this poore creature with his beames of soule-reviving and soul-raising love then are these clouds dispelled and the soule satisfied and armed for the future with experiences of God against giving way unto doubts of such a nature I feare that my faith is not the faith of Gods Elect but a presumption it being attended with so many doubtings Poore heart consider five things viz. 1. Consider that though faith is not doubting and doubting not faith yet both of them usually lodg in one soule Thy fears and doubts are indeed the effects of unbeliefe but do argue only weaknesse of faith and sure it is that faith may be true and lively when weake and smal yea further there may be not only true but great faith where there is feare and trembling so that you neither put faith for unbeliefe nor light for darknesse 2. Consider that to doubt because of doubting is to relie rather upon our faith then upon Christ it is not the greatnesse of our faith but Christ whom faith receives and apprehends that makes us accepted and this a weake faith may doe as truly as the strongest Those that were stung of the fiery Scorpion and looked up to the Brazen Serpent though with the weakest eye of faith were healed Christ is the same to the weak that he is to the strong in point of justification yet the more of Christ and of faith that a man hath the more strength and comfort he enjoyes It is our dutie in the strength of Christ to withstand doubting it being a weaknesse and a flie in our box of oyntment and to endeavor to be strong in faith and lay hold on that everlasting Covenant which God hath made and confirmed with an oath 3. Consider that none is able to perswade a soul that it doth believe but he on whom it believes God shall perswade Japheth who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him she loves but himselfe Can all the love-tokens or testimonial rings and bracelets They may concurre and help in the manifestation But it is the voice of the beloved that efficaciously doth the work My beloved spake and said unto mee rise up my Love my faire one saith the Spouse 4. Consider that we are to believe that we may know we believe that we may be sealed with the holy Spirit of promise for the witnesse comes by believing The Spirit bearing witnesse And he that believeth hath the witnesse in himselfe We believe and are sure the way to be warme is not only to ask for a fire or whether there be one or not and hold out the hands towards it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close unto that fire there is and to gather heat Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God They entred not in because of unbeliefe 5. Consider the happiness of a believer in Christ feed thy faith with suitable promises live upon Christ above pray in faith ask his Spirit and thou shalt have it which will revive and fill thy soule with joy and peace in believing In the same measure that God reveals his love to a soule in that measure doubts and fears are cast out perfect love casts out fear I cannot believe that I am elected therefore nothing can doe mee good 1. This is a secret and to be left unto God and not medled withall by us Secret things belong unto God and revealed things to us 2. Consider that it is most certain that these thoughts come from Satan being so directly contrary to God in his word and Satan is most especially not to be hearkned unto when he tempts to unbeliefe the stalke upon which all other sinnes grow saith Satan if thou are elected thou dost believe and this faith brings forth the pleasant fruits of righteousnes This is one of the grand polices of Satan wherewith he nonpluses poore soules for by this hee sets on the soule for evidence of its justification from things which he knows can afford little but questionable assurance at best as perswasion most upon markes and signes of our owne sanctification or good works which can not hold good without love to Christ and without faith it selfe to bring downe Christ upon them wee know that every piece of coyne is valued according to the image and superscription that it beares and if Caesar be not there though it bee silver stil yet it is not coyne it is not so currant and he that hath it cannot make such use of it and so assure himselfe to
trade with it as otherwise he might so there is not any thing of sanctification currant and of solid comfort to a believer unlesse Christ be there and his image which is righteousnes and true holinesse 3. Consider that it is a usual delusion of Satan to tell a poore soule that God hath no mercy for it when the soule hath obtained mercy and this mercy not farr from it yea at the gate as it were and that it is the nature of unbeliefe to be inquisitive and curious to find out any colourable pretention whereby it may seeme to doe wel in excluding it selfe from grace and in not harkening unto what God saith in his word I would gladly believe but I dare not besides I cannot believe Consider four things viz. 1. Consider with thy selfe and examine what reason thou hast or canst have to doubt or be afraid since Christ cryeth saing If any man thirst let him come to me and drink The spirit and the Bride say come and whosoever wil let him come Doth God invite you to come and are you afraid oh come he wil not quench the smoking flax Hope thou in his mercy and know that the Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him in them that hope in his mercy Examine thy soule why it would flie unto the hills of its owne preparations seeing that God who is a strong hold hath invited thee unto himselfe and indeed the first thing that a poore soule that sees it self lost and fatherlesse is to do is to believe in the Lord Jesus he expects no previous qualifications and indeed the best preparation for Christ is to see in our selves no preparation at all for him 2. Consider that if thou desirest to believe thy will is in part regenerate and thou dost in some measure believe though weakly Lord I believe help thou my unbeliefe And remember that the heart in a mystical and spiritual acceptation is seated in the will and in the understanding but more principally in the will so that that object or thing unto which the will is most inclined or the desires runne out most after unto that is the bent of the heart said to be if our wills be renewed our hearts are renewed Saith Paul to will is present with me good I would do so then with my mind I serve the law of God whereby it evidently appears that the will is one with the mind and that the heart is one with them and that these three are one and are alike spirituall where your treasure is there will your hearts be also there will be your mind and your affections and by affections the heart is meant Set your affections on things above Gods servants are in Scripture described by a desire to feare his name Those desires that work towards God came from him The Spirit returns to him that gave it If thy desires be spiritual thou art spiritual they flow from faith and from the Spirit and are a part of the worke of grace in us which he having begunne will perfect to his own praise A man cannot desire that which he doth not believe to be nor love To wil to believe and repent is an evidence that the soul doth believe and repent to will to be regenerate is an effect and testimonie of regeneration It is God that worketh in you to will c. Spiritual desires cannot possibly be in that soule that hath not spirituall life for to desire after Christ or to a believe in him is an act of spirituall life a dead man cannot desire and nothing but Christ can possesse the soule of a sense of its want of him the depraved will of man being wholly inthralled unto sin can contribute nothing hereunto but is altogether insufficient for and averse unto it and also to the perceiving and receiving of the things of God they being spiritually discerned God must give eyes to see and an heart to understand 3. Considert hat many doe believe and yet know not whether they believe or no and thereupon they doe as the blinde man did call their faith unbeliefe many give God their hearts and know it not being ignorant of what is meant by the heart and where it is seated viz. in the will understanding desires affections and delights though principally in the will 4. Consider that it is not in the power of the Creature to believe and that faith is not any condition of the covenant of grace required on thy part but a grace of the covenant on Gods part to be given for this covenant is not made with us but with Christ for us to believe is a fruit of the Spirit of Christ we must bee in Christ before wee can beare fruit therefore we must be in Christ before we can believe hee that hath the Spirit of Christ hath Christ we have the Spirit of Christ before we believe therefore we have Christ before we believe and men are ordained unto eternall life before they believe I am afraid the day of grace is past and so nothing can doe me good 1. You must not give way to such discouraging thoughts answer them with Jonah who knowes but the Lord may returne 2. For which of Gods loving kindnesses and rich mercies hast thou taken up such hard thoughts of him to nourish Jealousies against his love remember what David saith How precious are thy thoughts to me oh God great is the summe of them If I should count them they are more then the Sands and what Christ saith Be not afraid onely believe and what he did he received sinners 3. If thou thinkest the day of grace is past because thy sinnes are great that argument will not hold hearken what God saith I have spread out my hand all the day to a rebellious people that provoke me to anger continually to my face 4. Consider That if thou hast an heart desirous to returne unto God thy day of grace is not past Christ knocks still If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes c. Saith a poore drooping believer I feare that when persecution comes I shall not suffer nor hold out unto the end but dishonour God betray his truth shame and grieve his people Cast all these cares and feares upon the Lord In nothing be carefull hee will care for thee he that hath ingaged his owne faithfulnesse for the making good of every tittle of his promises hath promised I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God will take care for his owne glory truth and servants his wisdome power Love and faithfulnesse shall order all I am discouraged because that of all the spirituall things I hoped for none are made good to mee I doe not possesse any 1.
If thou beest included in and art under the promise of them thou shalt possesse them 2. Consider they may be made good to thee without thy sensible enjoyment of them there is neither faith nor hope exercised upon what we possesse to have a right in or to a thing and to possesse it are distinct They died in faith they possessed not what they believed they should enjoy Abraham believed he should have a sonne here was his faith yet did he not then possesse his sonne To make enjoyment essentiall to faith is a very great mistake wee being united and married unto Christ doe through faith by him bring forth fruit unto God yea perfect obedience imputatively and through the operation of his Spirit I have many discouragements for that I am not filled with joy and comfort and peace in believing Consider two things viz. 1. Faith may be strong when joy is absent David had faith when he had not joy Restore to me the joy of my salvation he had refused comfort before but now he came to want it 2. Such as judge their condition good because they are filled with joy build upon a sandy foundation in that they are not founded upon Christ alone If some had joy they would make it a Christ to them they would live upon it and therby abuse Christ themselves and their joy It is a mercy unto such poore creatures that they have not joy til they better know how to use it I cannot believe that I am in Christ for that I fall back into sinne Consider three things viz. 1. That no sinne can make one less beloved of God or lesse in Christ for the mercies of God are called sure mercies his love an everlasting love his covenant an everlasting covenant I am perswaded saith Paul That neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord So that to whom he is once merciful he is ever merciful whom he once loves he ever loves when he once takes poore creatures into covenant with him he is ever theirs I am the Lord I change not 2. That whom the Father loves he loves in his Son in whom he is well pleased and his Son is alwaies alike beloved of him The same yesterday to day and for ever and whom he loves in his Son he accounts as his Son he is made unto us of God righteousnesse sanctification and redemptiin so as wee being not beloved for our owne sakes nothing in us can make God love us lesse because he loves us not for our selves nor any thing in our selves but in and through his Son in whom he is wel pleased with us 3. Consider That if God should love us lesse or more as we are lesse or more sinful then he should be as man and as the Son of man and if believers stood upon these termes with God then how are these Scriptures said to be true He arose again for our Justification Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Who shall condemne There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The foundation of God standeth sure he ever lives to make intercession for us so as God is ever the same that loves and his love is as himselfe ever the same and Christ in whom we are beloved ever the same and our righteousnesse ever the same Thy righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. Saith a poore drooping believer I having lyen a long time under and used the means of grace grow stil worse and worse therefore I cannot but conclude That God wil not doe me good Poore heart 1. Dost thou know Gods means and the number of them Have your ends been good and rightly placed Have you used the means in a right manner measure time and in sincerity Have you not rested in the means Have you used them in faith waiting for Gods blessing upon them The word they heard profited them not for want of faith 2. It is not good reasoning to say because God hath not as yet given me my request therefore he never wil mind what the Lord saith But ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood c. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy They shallnot be ashamed that wait for me 3. Consider that it is just with God to blast the means yea it is a mercy to blast it that yet still using them we might look more unto Christ for his blessing upon them and to be all unto us 4. Consider If thou hast a wil that Christ should save thee and rule in thee and over thee he that hath begun this good work in thee wil perfect the same Thou shalt one day know that thy sins are pardoned and not imputed unto thee and subdued in thee 5. Consider God may have mercy for thee though thou know it not for mens sins are first forgiven before they can know it believe it or be assured of it thy sins may be pardoned though thou knowest it not faith believes the pardon of sinne but our believing neither pardons nor procures the pardon of any sin but faith brings into the soule the apprehension of the pardon of those sins which were pardoned before though not by us known so to be til then I fear that my motions Godward doe flow from a principle of self-love and not from pure love unto the Lord Jesus Consider though they do not yet the Lord Jesus promised to his people Israel of old who were incompassed with as many Aggravations of sinnes and infirmities as thou that he would love them freely and as he loved his people Israel of old so he wil love thee freely and betroth thee unto himselfe in loving kindnesse and mercyes he hath also promised and his faithfulnesse is engaged I will circumcise thy heart saith he and thou shalt love mee he wil give thee an heart-breaking sight and sense of the free pardon of all thy sins through the spirits manifestation of the riches of his superabundant grace and love and thy apprehension thereof through faith ingages thy heart and constrains thee to love him again Wee love him because he loved us first Saith a poore deserted soule I cannot believe that God wil pardon my sins they being greater and heightned with many more circumstances of aggravation then the sins of others are This is the effect of thy unbeliefe and of thy low and finite thoughts of God his grace and mercy whereas they are infinite Oh measure not the Lord by thy selfe but remember that hee whose Character is The Lord gracious and merciful c. Hee doth great things
and that is for the soule to cleave to and depend upon God in Christ for life and salvation upon such places of Scriptures as these To live by faith in justification The Lord Jesus having spoken peace to the soule that he hath paid all for it and that its sins shall be remembred no more now the soule knowes its happy and enjoyes the comfort of it is filled with joy and peace in believing his life is a life of comfort beholding and enjoying Christs righteousnesse as his owne lives upon it whatsoever befals him he is comforted in his interest in the righteousnesse of Christ as sufficient to satisfie him at all times living upon such places of Scripture as these To live by faith in Sanctification which is twofold 1. For the soule to cleave unto Christ its sanctification Secondly for a Believer to cleave unto God in his promise to cleanse and renew his heart and life and to be a quickning Spirit in him To live by faith in Infirmities And that is for the soule to believe that God will be to us according to his owne gracious promise and Covenant for ever a God of love grace and mercy notwithstanding all our daily omissions and commissions excesses and defects according to that blessed word of his If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgments if they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile My Covenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips c. He that lives by faith in infirmities may be thus characterized First he will hear Christ and not the voice of a stranger Secondly he is not offended at whatsoever Christ requires Thirdly the revealed will of God in the Scripture is his rule Fourthly he will trust God and rely upon his word he eyeth the promise and saith Surely in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength c. Fifthly he will contend for the truth Sixthly he will doe others good Seventhly his sin doth not sink him into dispair though he may have many doubtings yea he is not by any sinne or trouble reduced unto dispaire He will and indeed the weakest Believer ought in the midst of all his imperfections say I have as much of the love of God acceptation and perfect righteousnesse in Christ as the best Saint ever had my state is as happy as any of theirs And say with Habakkuk Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines The labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Such as live by faith in infirmities live upon Christ in his promise for strength against all infirmities in such places of Scripture as these In deadnesse of heart 35 Isa 5 6. If falne by passion not to sinke under it 5 James 17. 14 Acts 15. They relie upon God for ability to obey him and for fruitfulnesse in season 17 Jer. 8. 1 Psa 2 3. 92 Psa 13 14. 61 Isa 9. 62 Isa 12. Psa 84. 7. If they are under temptations they have a promise that no temptation shall be above their ability to beare and to have a good issue To live by faith for Protection and supply of all wants They who live by faith for these things relie upon Christ in such Scriptures as these are if in sicknesse 41 Psa 3. 103 Psa 3. to be hid in times of danger 3 Zeph. 16 17. v. for a supply of every thing we need 4 Phil. 6. 19. if in Prosperity 29 Jer. 5 6. till God see it good we shall meet with no change our condition may be changed indeeed but our God iâ— Jehovah that changes not 13 Heb. 5 6. If in adversity to be contented in a hard or low condition 13 Heb. 5. 18 Joh. 11. 4 Phil. 11. 12. it is appointed 1 Thes 3. 3. John 16. 33. Joh. 7. 30. Wee stand in need of such a condition if our need required it not our God that loves us would not afflict us with it 1 Pet. 1. 6. and the time cannot be long ere they shal be no more And they live upon Christ and his presence in times of trouble in such places of Scripture as these Psalm 91. 15. Psal 9. 9. Psal 37. 39. That the troubles shal not be too great Jer. 30. 11. and that they shall profit by them Heb. 12. 11. for deliverance out of them Job 5. 19. Psal 50. 15. for speedy deliverance Psal 31. 2. Psal 69. 17. Isaiah 58. 8. To live by faith in glorification Which is by the eye of faith to behold hold the rest joy peace and perfect happinesse which is provided for us in heaven firmly believing that God will after this life give us all those things with himselfe which hee hath promised his For the resurrection of my body 1 Thes 4. 16. To have a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15. 43 44. To have a glorified body Phil. 3. 21. The Sun in the firmament is not so glorious as the bodies of the Saints shall be because the Sunne is but a naturall body To have fulnesse of knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. To have fulnesse of joy and pleasure Psal 16. 11. Such as shall be internall pure full spiritual and eternal no miserie hunger cold nakednesse paine griefe nor wearinesse but rest without labour 2 Thes 1. 7. In rest tranquillity in tranquillity contentment in contentment joy in joy variety in variety security in security eternity To see the Lord as he is 1 John 3. 1 2. 1 Cor. 13 12. To behold his glory John 17. 24 with him in glory Col. 3. 4. And to be changed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. To have fulnesse of communion with God Ephes 3. 19. Sight is a degree higher then presence union then sight communion then union and full communion is more Wee shall have as much of God as we can desire be filled with him and enjoy the Quintessence of all sweetnesse fulnesse and goodnesse in God yea we shall be raised inflamed and ravished with him in admiration of the perfection of his beauties and this shall coninue without intermission or wearinesse this is our Summum bonum our chiefest good and the end of our being viz. To be for ever with the Lord. 1 Thes 4 17. and enjoy the things which eye hath not seene neither ear heard neither came into mans heart to conceive which God hath prepared for