The Rest of Faith THAT IS Souls fixed and established in God by believing on him through the Lord JESUS CHRIST With the grounds of this Faith from sanctified Reason the benefits of Faith and the evils of unbeliefe Proved by Gods Word and presented to open view By Coll. ROBERT TICHBORNE Psalm 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on mee hath everlasting life Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God LONDON Printed by M. Simmons at the gilded Lyon in Aldersgate-streete 1649. TO THE HONOURABLE Lieftenant Generall CROMWELL Honourable Sir GOD having first pitched my meditations upon the study after an establishment in this perishing World and shaking times in which we live and in this study more emminently then before made knowne himselfe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be that Rocke of Ages which never failes such as trust in him he did then draw forth my heart upon a principle of common good 〈◊〉 hold that forth to the World which he had made known to me that so if God would blesse it to the end I intended it every soule might be as happy in a fixed state as my selfe this is truly my end in publishing that to others which God did in secret imprint upon my heart Now in the publishing of this I take boldnes to Dedicate it to your self but if any aske why I doe so I shall render them these two Reasons First it is proper for me to tender respects to one from whom I have received so many I shall be short in this and say no more but that I remaine your Debtor My second reason is this Though the subject be of generall tendency to the wants of all Gods people yet such as God puts most worke upon have most need of this support such as fight and contend with the enemies of God either within them or without them will finde faith in God to be their best weapon that God hath emminently called and used you in such a weighty work I need produce no proofes to the World God himselfe hath done it what God hath further for you to doe I know not but this I know that faith in him will be your greatest strength in doing and a certaine rest what ever your worke maybe for this reason also I present this to your hands the scope and substance of which I believe hath strengthened your heart and hand in all that concernes you here and for ever Your enemies say you have done much but I beleeve the voyce of your owne heart is that God hath done all himselfe wherein he hath used you as an instrument What is yet behind for you to doe or suffer God only knows This I dare boldly affirme faith in God will be your best companion and your surest rest in all conditions therefore Sir in sincere love I present my service and this Treatise of the rest of Faith to your hands the Lord goe with it to your heart and make himselfe your rest here and forever which is the reall desire of him that truely loves you and in love will be ready to serve you in the worke of the Lord whilst I remaine ROBERT TICHBORNE To the READER READER I Observe in nature that the strongest liquors are of most use when the spirits are weakest as strong waters to a fainting man and when the seas are most boisterous then doth the Marriner cast forth his Anchor The dispensations of God in these latter dayes of the world in which we live hath made both Sea â—and full of troubles by reason whereof much fainting of spirit and trembling of heart hath overspread the Nation These out goings of God hath drawn forth my heart to follow that tracke of his Word in the light and strength of his spirit which leads to himselfe that so I might find in him reviving to my fainting spirit and a rest for my weary soule God having been so gracious in manifesting himselfe to be my all here and for ever and given me a heart to rest upon him by which I am in full and lasting rest It was set upon my heart that I should not be unthankfull to him and unchristian to others If I should have onely sed upon this bread of life in spirit and not tel forth to the glory of his grace and the good of others how sure a resting place his bosome of love is and how firmly all such shal be established that believe on him one drop of his love wll raise the lowest spirit that soule which stays it selfe upon God by faith will be at rest though the storms of the world be never so great If this be true which I am confident many thousand souls besides my own can bear the witness of to God then I am apt to believe the following Treatise will have acceptance with such as God hath made sensible that he is now shaking not onely the earth but the heavens also Most complaine of the earth-quakes which the Land and world is ful of but some complain of heart-quakes to these complaints give me leave to speak in the Prophets language Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established Believe in God as your God so will your hearts be fixed when as God shal write vanity upon al the world God is now staining all glories besides his own but such as live and glory in God through believing wil have a living glory in a dying world a bed of rest what ever troubles the world beâ— ful of Therefore Reader if you would faine rest you must live on God by faith and if in this worke God shall use the following Treatise for your good I shal blesse him for your soule as for my owne truly this is the highest end of your servant in the Lord Robert Tichborne Beleeving in God doth advantage a Saint with an established heart 2 CHRO 20. later part 20. Verse Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established THE Lord telleth us in his Word Heb. 12.26 of a time when as he will not onely shalâ—e the Earth but the Heavens also Shake all that may be shaken so as that which cannot be shaken may remaine and appeare this is his faithfull Word and truly his great and glorious workinge in these our dayes doth seem to point out that time to be neere at hand when God himselfe doth shake the whole Earth and heavens though they be vast bodies yet they must fall before the breath of the Almighty power which made them by a word this shaking truth and times hath with more solicitousnesse drawne forth my heart to seeke after establishment I found incouragement to this worke in that very text which
in righteousnesse but also preserved by his power and in him have a defence about all their glory Hosea 14.4 God promiseth to heale the backe-sliding of his people and to love them freely This is a precious promise indeed that Gods free love will heale the backe slidings of his people it is a signe he will keepe his interest in them if he loveth them freely and that free love doth sanctifie them and heale their back-slidings nay God doth promise to doe it so the this people may plead his promise to them when they finde their owne wants See what care God takes of his Church and people whom he loveth freely Isai 27.3 Isa 27.3 I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keepe it day and night See what care God takeâ— of his Vineyard to keepe it day and night so that none can hurt it and to water it every moment that it may be very fruitfull in the spirit God will make his Vinyard holy it is his owne he will manifest his interest in making it like him and then hee will preserve it as his owne never leave nor forsake them keepe them day and night safe in his free love and protection so that not any shall have power to hurt them Wicked men though very industrious cannot be so watchfull to harme the people of God as God is to keepe them from harm he is a God that neither slumbers nor sleeps he takes care of his people day and night yea every moment there is no feare that he will loose his interest for want of care nor can he loose them for want of power for he is an infinite omnipotent God and there is no God besides him therefore care and power in God is sure defence to all his peoples glory who are his interest Isa 30.18 The Lord waites to be graclous to his people As if he had said God stayes for opportunities to doe his people good in his heart and hand is full of mercies and hee waites to shew forth the riches of his grace to them God there exalts himselfe to shew mercy to his people And the Prophet David makes this ground to exhort Princes to give glory to God by reason of his power and protection to his people in Ps Psalm 29.10.11 29.10 11. The Lord sitteth upon the flood saith he yea the Lord setteth King for ever the Lord will give strength to his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace It is the Lord that is King it is he that reignes and only can blesse with peace and whom will he thus blesse why his people his inheritance in the world therefore Princes and earthly powers commit folly to thinke they can curse where he will blesse for the Lord sitteth King for ever and all earthly powers are made by him and for to be his foâ—tstoole so that hee can kicke them downe when he pleaseth and if they meddle with his annointed chosen heritage hee will reprove Kings for their sakes That is as they are his foote-stool so hee will trample them to dust if they touch the apple of his eye God will preserve his interest his people when as he shall turne the world to its first lump of darknesse and were it not for this his interest that is in the world the world would soon have a period And in Psal 112.6 Psalus 112.6 Surely sayes David a good man hee shall not be moved for ever the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance It is the righteous man that is Gods interest whom he hath in everlasting remembrance of mercy Psalm 125.1 So in Psalm 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever Mount Zion that is the Church and people of God which is Gods interest it cannot be moved this mountaine can never be overturned it is fixed in God hee takes care of it as that whereon he hath placed his Name to abide for ever So in Psal 133. last Vpon the mountaines of Zion there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Zion is the place where God commands his blessings life for evermore to dwell God dwels in Zion as a God of blessings the life of his Church and people for evermore Psalm 147.2 3. Psalm 147.2 3. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem he gathereth together the out-casts of Israel Hee healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds This is Gods care over his inheritance in the World his chosen people hee buildeth them up and gathereth them together hee healeth the broken-hearted and bindeth up the wounded that is he maketh them what they are and supplyeth all their wants he makes them his people and takes care of them as his people and upon this his interest hee doth expostulate the case with his people how they should thinke that he should forget them Isa 49.14 15 16. But Zion saith the Lord hath forsaken mee and my Lord hath forgotten me Why sayes God can my people argue this thing with me Can a mother forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy walls are continually before me Mark it God puts the case as home as possible creature-affections could carry it can a tender mother forget the sonne of her womb and the child of her breast yea it is possible for she is a creature but what then I am God I will not forget my people why sayes God you are my people my interest I cannot forget you I have graven you upon the palmes of my hands you are continually before me you are engraven in my hands and my heart too my eternall love hath done it and eternity cannot wipe it out you are ever before me as my interest I can never forget you my thoughts are ever upon you for good and my care is ever over you for protection my right hand is over you and my left hand is under you my loving kindnesse doth embrace you for ever you are the jewels I have chosen to glorifie my free grace on to all eternity you perhappes have found man false what iâ— that to me though they seek to serve their corrupt ends on you yet my end is pure to preserve my glory in you as my interest you must not judge me by men the World is their interest but you are mine And when they sleight and trample you under foote to close with the World then wil I sleight and trample them under soot in the preservation of you that are my peculiar interest I will not give up my people whilst I keep my being and I am God from everlasting to everlasting and there is no God besides me I will keep my people as my being for it is the designe of
Sectary an Heritique and an enemy to Caesar So that not onely the ignorant multitude but even Authority it selfe which should protect them is set against them Now helpe Lord sayes these afflicted Spirits Psal 12. good and goodly men they cease for the faithfull fall among the children of men They speake vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart doe they speake So that all worldly men who are much the greater number are either open or private enemies to the Church and people of God therefore words are but the fleshly policy of their false hearts the mischiefe lyes at the root so that what ever the Serpent brew'd proveâ— their businesle is to bruise the heele of the Woman Christ in his Church and people So that indeede the condition of Gods Church and people in the World is very sadd they are a Lilly amongst Thornes enemyes either open or private round about them Is it so poore heart Why then looke up with an eye of faith are all men false yet God is true will not the powers on earth bea kinde to Zion doe they neglect their duty to protect the praise-worthy Yet feare not God will he kinds and faithfull too he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings all the powers is Heaven and Earth must obey him for thy incouragement and matter for thy faith to build on to the establishments of thy â—â—â—rit take into thy bosome and seriously consider what followes First Isa 43.1 confider Gods interest in his people Isa 43.1 〈◊〉 now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and hee that â—â—â—med thee O Israel feare not for I have redeemed thee I have â—â—led thee by my Name thou art mine Observe the end of God is this Scripture is to keepe up his peoples hearts above feare and the way God taketh is this to let them know his interests is them why sayes God I have not onely created thes but I have redeemed thee also thou hast not onely my first but also my second creation upon thee the new creature thou are my redeemed one my image so that thou bearest my name thy 〈◊〉 myee looke upon thee as the redeemed of the Lord thou beareâ— my Name and thou art mine my interest thou art Jacob my servant Isa 44. â— and Israel whom I have chosen Marke the Scriptures Thâ—â— art my chosen interest my redeemed interest my new creaâ—â—â— interest my servant whom I have chosen to beare my names theâ— are thou mine Now why shouldest thou feare Doest thou think I will let my name be blotted out I am God not Men I cannot Iyes I cannot hee changable if I choose thee to love thee to make thee my redeemed one upon whom I will ingrave my Nature as a holy God in the new creature and so proclaim thee to the World to be mine I will never cast thee off againe nor out of my love and care thou art mine and I am thine my love thine I am thine as I am a God of free grace in Christ I am thine my power is thine that is it is all for thee as I am 〈◊〉 Omnipotent Almighty alsufficient and Eternall God so 〈◊〉 I thy God therefore feare not none can pluck theâ— out of my hande Zâ—â—h 2.12 Gods Church and people are his inheritance Zach. 2.12 And the Lord shall inherite Judah his portion in the holy Lâ—â—â— Gods people are his inheritance in that Land where they are God so accounte of them that is though Heaven and Earth be the Lorde yes he counts his people his inheritance that which he most loves and priseth so that hee will never cast them off nor destroy them God useth these tearmes meeâ—ely to speake â—o our capacity that he might tell us we are to him that which 〈◊〉 count most deare to us so as never to part with them but to use our utmost power to preserve and keepe them as our Name and our Inheritance we are exceeding tender of these and doe our utmost to preserve them so sayes God my Church and people are to mee exceeding deare as tender as the apple of my eye all my power shall preserve them they are my Name and my Heritage nay the Church and people of God is Gods habitation and his dwelling place not as a confined God but as a glorious God and loving Father Ezekiel 37.26 27 28. Ezek. 37.26 27 28. God Covenants to set his Sanctuary and his Tabernacle in the midst of his people for evermore That is I will dwell amongst you for ever you shall be my delight and my habitation for evermore I will walke among you sayes God and will be your God and you shall bee my people Levit. 26.12 I am your God you are my interest Lev. 26.12 I will live in you and walke amongst you as in my Heritage and the people which I have chosen to beare my Name so the Apostle Paul writing to the Church of God at Corinth 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Cor. 6.16 telleth them that they are the Temple of the living God the people whom God had chosen to dwell in and to walke in them as their God and they as his people Wee see then this is the Churches interest in God they are his people whom he ownes for his dwelleth in them sets his Sanctuary and his Tabernacle in the midst of them walkes with them puts his Name upon them makes them his owne Inheritance and is as tender of them as of the apple of his eye and this God declares to his Church and people that they should not feare for hee hath power enough to preserve his owne interest and love enough to answer all their wants Gods people they are the sheep of his pasture Psalm 100. Psal 100. Hee feedes and keepes them as his owne peculier interest the children of Zion finde bread enough in their Fathera house Psalm 134. last Psal 134. last The Lord that made Heaven and Eerth blesse thee out of Zion As if the Psalmist had sayd God as a God of blessngs dwelleth in Zion that is his heritage his throne where he sits and blesseth So in the 146 Psalm last The Lord that reignes for ever Psal 146. last even the God of Zion and the 147 Psalm 12. Praise thy God O Zion Psal 147.12 The Lord is for ever thy God O Zion therefore praise him this iâ— Gods interest he is the God of Zion and so he reâ—gties forever there he wraps up the glory of 〈◊〉 grace and there he right in his power and greatnesse for over This doubtlesse is ground of great establishment to our souls concerning the Church and people of God though in the wildernesse amongst ravenous beasts and subtle foxes that seekes to destroy the tender vines yeâ— eveâ— here they are Gods interest his inheritance his chosen and redeemed ones in whom he dwelleth and amongst these golden Candlesticks he walkes so that his Church
the 72. Psalme 7. so on In his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth he shall have dominion from Sea to Sea unto the ends of the Earth those that dwell in the Wildernesse the Beasts of prey shall bow downe to him and his enemies shall licke the dust Kings shall come in with their presents and offer gifts to him yea all Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall serve him and he shall deliver the needy and poore he shall redeeme their soules from deceite his Name shall endure for ever men shall be blessed in him and all Nations shall call him blessed the whole earth shall be filled with his glory Thus will Christ reigne in righteousnesse and all the Kings of the Earth shall tremble for their unrighteous reignes they shall all come in and offer up their Crownes and Sceptres to this King of righteousnesse bow downe before him and lay all their power at his feet and waite upon him for his Law then shall the Earth rejoyce that the Lord reignes and then shall the righteous be glad that the King of Zion ruleâ— in the whole Earth then shall the Land be a Land of peace when righteousnesse reignes then will peace flourish like the Tree planted by the river side that is alwayes green and flourisheth When Christ comes to reigne thus in the Earth it must needs be peace for then all his people will be one they will all have but one Name the Lords people and his name written upon them Zachariah 14.9 And the Lord shall bee King over all the Earth in that day shall there bee one Lord and his Name one When the Lord thus reignes over the whole Earth his people will be one then Names shall not divide his people for they shall all be knowne by his Name and he their King a holy King and a holy People he shall be known by his holinesse and righteousnesse so shall his people his holy Name shall be written upon them and that shall be a defence about all their glory Take one Scripture more which is exceeding full to this purpose in the 2. Isaiah beginning Isa â— beg Micha 4. beg And it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines and shall bee exalted above the Hils and all Nations shall flow into it and many people shall goe and say Come yee and let us goe to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and hee will teach us of his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes For out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and hee shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke my people and they shall beate their Swords into Plow-shares and their Speares into Pruning-hookes Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learne War any more First this Scripture telleth us the time of Christs reigning thus in righteousnesse it shall be in the last dayes the latter end of the World Secondly How this thing shall be that Christ shall be lifted up above all Hils and Mountaines above all powers and greatnesse in the World he shall then take all power and government into his owne hands all the Mountaines shall flow into him the Mountaine of the Lord shall swallow them all up there shall in those dayes goe forth no Law but what goeth forth of Zion Christ shall reigne amongst his people and the Earth shall be filled with the peace of his reigning in righteousnesse when the Law goeth forth of Zion then the spirit for War shall be rebuked and the Sword of Gods spirit shall turne the Sword of the flesh into Plow-shares and the Speares into Pruning-hooks so that Nation shall never war against Nation more all Wars shall be hush't and gone righteousnesse shall reigne and peace which is the fruits thereof for Warre is the fruit of unrighteous reigning and governing nothing but righteousnesse justice and judgement can bring lasting peace into the World or any part of it and I wish all that love peace did love righteousnesse as well and imbrace peace for righteousnesse sake all such as doe so Christ will satisfie them for behold he comes with healing under his winges he brings righteousnesse and peace with him his righteousnesse brings peace he is the righteous King and the Prince of peace and he that shall come will come and will not tarry But if any shall aske what I intend in all this My answer is To gather up matter for faith to live upon to the establishment of my owne soule and others By beleeving in the Lord our God And I trust I shall not lose my end it appeares to me to be precious matter for Faith to live upon God and Christ to the establishment of soules That the Church and people of God on Earth are Gods interest and Christs interest Gods Inheritance and Christs Kingdome over whom he doth reigne in righteousnesse his jewels the purchase of his blood and the throne of his glory those whom God hath chosen from all eternity to be the redeemed of his free grace to unbosome his love and reveale his glory too to all eternity those to whom he hath given Christ and in him all things to whom God is a God in Covenant and that of free grace for whom God hath satisfied his owne justice through his grace in Christ and made them compleate even his owne righteousnesse in him for whose sake God reproves Kings overthrowes unrighteous powers dashing them in pieces like a Potters vessell with his Iron Rod and amongst whom Christ shall reigne King for ever in peace and righteousnesse This is to me abundant ground of faith to believe in and to cast my precious eternal soul with al my comforts and concernments upon Gods eternall love and free grace in Christ salvation in all the parts of it to Gods Elect in Christ is the fruits of eternall love and free grace in God this is a sure foundation to build on it beares a great weight its true but it will never shrinke or faile it hath been tryed from eternity free grace is the foundation and Christ the corner stone of this eternal building so that it will abide to eternity Upon these very considerations we shall finde the Church of God in the 46 47 and 48. Psalmes living upon God by faith 46 47 and 48. Psalmes and praising him through beleeving God is our refuge and strength a very present helpe in time of trouble sayes the Church That is God is our God and we are his interest so that he is presently at our helpe he waites to be gradous to us he cannot forget us we are so deare to him well what use doth the Church make of this why to establish her selfe upon God by beleeving Therefore will not wee feare though
the earth be removed and though the Mountaines be carryed into the midst of the Sea and so goes on in her confidence in God what is it makes the Church so confident Why this that shee was Gods interest in the World and therefore though he should confound the whole frame and power and glory of the earth carry all the mountaines into the middest of the Sea as Pharoah and his Host yet that he will preserve his Church and people as his owne interest There is a River of Free grace in God Psal 46.4 that streames for ever to make glad the City of God his people are the Children of his infinite wombe of love and the preservation of these is the proper act of his Almighty power this City of God is Gods interest and inheritance his dwelling place Psal 46.6 God is in the middest of her shee shall not be moved he uttered his voice the earth melted but this City remaines for it is his interest and God is her refuge Therefore sayes God to the Church live upon me as your Refuge and your present helpe in time of need doe not doubt or feare but be still and quiet in your spirits Be still Psal 46 8 9 10. and know that I am God I will be exalted among the Heathens I will be exalted in the Earth I will cease Warres I will breake Bow and Speare and burne the Chariots with fire I will doe all this for you that are my interest I will make good all my promises to you of the peacefull and righteous reigne of my Son Christ over you I will be exalted in the Earth The Church beleeves God in this and shee is at rest shee is still and quiet knowing that God is God and that shee is his interest The Church answers thâ—â— in verse 11. The Lord of Host is with us Psal 46.11 the God of Jacob is our God Therefore will we not feare but rejoyce in God as our God our strength and our refuge and we his interest O clap your hands all yee people and rejoyce in God with tryumph for God is King of all the Earth Psal 47.1 7. God reignes over the Heathens God sitteth upon the throne of his bolinesse then sets forth his judgements on his peoples enemies and the feare that comes upon the Kings of the Earth According to thy Name O God so is thy praise unto the ends of the Earth thy right hand is full of righteousnesse Psal 48.10 Marke the Scripture According to thy Name thou art righteous and that is thy praise thou art called a God of righteousnesse and we so trust in thee and thou art according to thy Name this is thy praise thou artâ— righteous God Psal 48.11 observe the conclusion that is made of these promises Let Mount Sion rejoyce let the Daughters of Judah 〈◊〉 glad because of thy judgements That is let them that have an interest in thee and who is thy interest in the World rejoyce and be glad that thou art according to thy Name a God of judgement and righteousnes for this makes it certain that thou wilt preserve thine owne interest them that thou causest to trust in thy name as a righteous God come sayes the Church see what God hath done for us and then you will say as well as we that God is according to his Name a righteous God Walke about Sion Psal 48.12 13. and goe round about her tell the Towers thereof Marke yee well her Bulwarkes consider her Palaces that you may tell is to the Generations following Marke well and consider how the righteous God defends his interest in the World those that trust in his Name his mercy his providence his Almighty power greatnesse and majesty these be the Towers and Bulwarks of Sion his bâ—some of love and his Temple of holinesse that is her Palace of delight shee hath her delight in God and her defence in God Marke and consider it well that you may tell is the Generations following that they may fall downe at the feet of this righteous God which will ever be according to his Name and not dare to grieve a member of Sion or to wound the interest of God For sayes the Church this God is our God for ever and ever Psal 4â— 14 he will is our guide even unto death He in our God and he is ever so we are his interest and he will preserve us so for ever he will guide us to death carry us safe through all the Wildernesse till we come into Heaven Thus is the Church of God established by beleeving in God as her God and a God that will ever be according to his Name a faithfull righteous gracious and glorious God to all that trust in him Thus also doe the Saints of God tryumph in God as their God and as they are his interest in the World So the Prophet David Psal 92.4 Psal 92.4 Thou Lord hast made me glad I will tryumph in thee Thou art my joy and thou shalt be my glory this is my joy that thou art mine Psal 95.3 4. and I will glory as I am thy interest So in Psalm 95.3 4. He glories in the greatnesse power and majesty of God because he did beleeve that God was his God and that he was part of Gods interest in the World and in Psal 96.10 Psal 96.10 Psal 97.1 I sayd among the Heathens that the Lord reigneth And Psal 97.1 The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce Psal 98.8 9. Let there be joy sayes he Psal 98.8 9. for the Lord commeth to judge the Earth with righteousnesse shall bee judge the World and his people with equity So Psal 99.1 2. Psal 99 1 2. The Lord reigneth let the people tremble The Lord is great in Zion hee is bigh above all people What doth the Prophet meane by all this Why he telleth us in the 121. Psalme I will fix my eye upon God sayes he my helpe commeth from the Lord the Lord is my keeper and shield And so goes on to declare his faith in God that God which he had before so extolled why sayes he this is the God I will live upon it is faith in God that makes my heart glad I beleeve he reigneth over all the Earth in his power and greatnesse he is my God I am his interest and he reignes over me in righteousnesse by all this it doth appeare that the Church and people of God have beene and are established by beleeving in God as their God taking his Word of truth for truth and beleeving God in it resting upon God according to his Name beleeving in him as the God of free grace taking the counsell of good King Jehoshaphat Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you bee established But me thinkes I heare some ready to Object Objection Is it no more but beleeve doe you make so easie a thing of beleeving why doe you tell us of
him he makes this declaration of his faith in the first verse I shall not want this is strong faith What is the reasen of this 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 why hee telleth us it is his interestion 〈…〉 that he had of him my reason say 〈…〉 is this 〈…〉 my Shepheard therefore I shall not want But why are 〈…〉 fident may not you want though the Lord be 〈…〉 why sayes the Prophet I am confident up 〈…〉 maketh me to lye downe in greene pastures hee leadeth me bâ—side the stil waters he restoreth my soule he leadeth me in the paths of rightâ—â—â—snesse for his Names sake These are the experiences that I have had of God and doe you aske mee now why I am so confideâ—t Why sayes he I have not only received all this mercy and grâ—ce from God but God hee is the fountaine of all the mercies I receive and it is his owne bowels that moves him he doth a this to me for his owne Name sake not because of any worthinesse in me I could not then be confident but he leadeth me into and cloatheth me with his owne righeousnesse and all for his name sake to the glory of his grace This is the experience that I have of the Lord who is my Shepheard and upon this I am so established iâ— God that though I walk through the valley of the shadâ—â— of death I will feare no evill for thou art with me And I have had such often and ample experiences of thy mercy power faithfulnesse and goodnesse that though the way I walke in be as dark as death that my flesh can see no way out of it yet I will trust in thy power and mercy to deliver me upon the former experiences I have had of thee This I know it is thy free grace that hath chosen me to be an heire of glory from all eternity and all the experiences I have had of thee hath proved thee to be a God of free grace and that this love and grace shall as it is thy selfe abide for ever so that this is a ground of assurance to me my experience of thee that I shall be for ever with thee for so he sayes that hee shall dwell with the Lord for ever This Prophet had a great stocke of experience in God and in this place he makes the right use of them that for which I shall here gather them up together the Prophet David he acts for his owne soule and doth counsell other souls upon the experiences he had of God in Psalm 31.5 He commits his spirit into Gods hand That is casts himselfe wholly upon God and in vers 7. giveth the reason of it because hee had experimented God in his adversities that God had not shut him up in the hands of his enemies but set his feete in a large roome This experience of God makeâ— him commit his spirit to God thus hee acts for his owne soule upon experiences of God and in the 2. last verses of that Psalm he counsels Saints to love God and to trust in him upon this consideration the experiences that hee had of him as a faithfull God who preserveth his faithfull ones and plentifully rewardeth the proud doâ—r Therefore sayes he be of good courage fear not trust in God he shall strengthen your hearts all ye that hope in him as if he should say I have had such experience of God that I dare assure you if you trust in him he will not faile you So in Psalm 32.10 Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked Psal 32.10 but be that trusteth in the Lord mercyshall compasse him about I speake this sayes the Prophet upon experience that I have of God and when you know God experimentally as I doe you will say as I say Therefore in the 34. Psal 8. he cals upon Saints to taste and then they should experimentally know that God is good so good so kinde so gracious so faithfull and so omnipotent that the man is certainely blessed that trusteth in him he cannot but be a blessed man for he trusteth in God whom can never faile him God iâ— an experimented God for truth and faithfulnesse by all his people as in the 19. verse Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all and so goes on shewing the goodnesse and faithfulnesse of God to his people I sayes he upon the experiences that I have had of God I can boldly affirme that they are blessed that trust in him Therefore he giveth this counsell in Psalme 55.22 Psal 55.22 Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and be shall sustaine thee be shall never suffer the righteous to be moved The Prophet giveth this counsell to his owne soule and to other soules why sayes he we have had expecience of God how faithfull he is in preserving his righteous one those that put their trust in him they shall never bee moved Therefore why should we distrust and through unbeliefe take the burthen upon our selves as we have experimented God so let us trust him and he doth so indeed for in Psalm 61.3 he flyeth to God upon his former experience that he had of him For thou hast beene a shelter for me and a strang towre from the enemy I have had this experience of thee therefore in all streights and in all conditions I will trust in the covert of thy wings and in the next Psalm 7 8. verses he professeth that all the resuge he had was in God and saith he I have experimented God he is a sure resuge to his people He is my salvation my glory and the reck of my strength the Prophet tells us what God is from the experience that he had of him Psalm 145.17 18. The Lord is righteout in all his wayes and holy in all his workes The Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth This is God upon experience and abundantly more then this dâ—th that Man of much experience in God set him forth to be Againe consider the most glorious experiences of God thâ—â— those three emminent servants of his Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had which is recorded in the third of Daniel wee may read in that Scripture upon what consideration the Funâ—acâ— was heat seaven times hotter then before for these three faithfull ones to be cast into it and in the 17. verse how they cast themselves upon God for their deliverance Our God say they is able to deliver us from thy burning firy Furnace and hee will deliver us out of thy hands O King Well marke the issue they deny Nehuchadnezâ—ar and trust in God this inrages the Kings fury and into the sire they are cast bound hand and foot Now God giveth them to know by experience what it is to trust in him for deliverance Hee maketh them to walke in the fire loosed from their bonds without the least harme and a fourth to bee with them whose forme wat like the Sonne of God This presence and
these were dead souls in living bodies and God throws in his displeasure their living bodies into the graves of death Thus we see the Scripture is ful of proof in this that God is an experimented God these are the experiments that Saints of old have had of God and left them upon record for the use of after ages It is a great mercy that wee have these experiments of God but I doe believe no age that ever lived were without particuler experiences of God I am sure this present age is not without wonderful many and great experiences of God in his goodnesse faithfulnesse power mercy and grace to his poore hated and despised people I shall not here mention any particulers I trust providence hath a faithfull store-house for them and a time to bring them forth entire to the glory of God who is the living and eternall fountaine of all mercy Yet let me desire Saints for their establishment in God to look backe upon the foote-steps of his power and providence his faithfulnesse and righteousnesse in ordering of battles and disposing of victories even amongst the sonnes of men If you cannot looke many yeares yet looke but some moneâ—◠〈…〉 which you may see such glorious experiences of God that if you understand them they will fill your hearts with admiring God and the language of your lips will be as the servants of God in former ages to be telling forth the experiences of God whereever you come God giveth to his children some more and to some lesse experiences of himselfe but in these latter dayes God hath given such great experience of himselfe to the whole body of Saints that I trust he wil thereby establish his people through believing in himselfe as an experimented God this is the thingâ— drive at in my selfe and other Saints and therefore have I made so large a recitall of these experiences of God to the sanctified reason of precious soules And give me leave now to argue the case a little with sanctified Reason and to tell you that God is no new-found fancy or appearance which may prove good or evill to the soule upon tryall but God is the ancient of dayes from everlasting and a tryed God such a one whom Saints in all ages have tryed and found to be a faithfull gracious just righteous glorious and omnipotent God Now tell me the best of reason that which is most sanctified if God be not the best nay the only foundation to build our saith upon and if one so much experiment doth not captivate thy reason to himselfe I know it is a principle of right reason to trust that most which hath been most tryed and always found faithfull therefore have I been the more large to hold out God to sanctified reason as a faithfull God upon experience Now reason must either deny it selfe in its owne right principles or else choose God as the only object of faith If so then I may cease to argue for I have my end if otherwise it cannot be argued with as reason for it ceases so to be in denying its owne right and true principle But if any soule full of sanctified reason shall speake like it selfe and say I will trust my selfe where I find by experience there is most grace and goodnesse faithfulnesse and righteousnesse most power to preserve me and most fulnesse to supply all my wants then I say to such a soule all this is God and none of this is any where else but in God and that God is an experimented God in all this if thou knewest his dealings with thy own soule thou wils confesse him to be so his Saintâ— of olde have recorded some of those many and great experiences which they had of him Now here is that thou lookest for experimented goodnesse and faithfulnesse in God and that which God lookes for is that Now thou shouldst trust him upon all that experience which thy owne soule and other of his Saints have had of him If thou hast any thing to object make thy objection there is fulnesse enough in God to answer all that thou canst desire if all be answered then trust him that is all and doth satisfie all that trust in him with his owne fulnesse The fifth argument that I shall offer to sanctified Reason why to believe in God is this That God counts his faithfulnesse his glory and was never stained in it nor can ever be because he is the faithfull God a God that never failed any that trusted in him so sayes the Prophet David Psal 18.30 Psal 18.30 As for God his way is perfect his word is tryed bee is a buckler to all those that trust in him God is perfectly faithfull in all his words his workes and his wayes hee cannot deny himselfe to be God therefore can never be unfaithfull From hence the Psalmist in Psalm 33.21 Psal 33.21 saith that the righteous doe reigne in the Lord when he makes them to trust in him For they then joy in their desires as fulfilled for if God make them trust in him for it he will certainely accomplish it he will never be stained in his faithfulnesse Mal. 37.40 So in Psalm 37.40 God will save his people from the wicked because they trust in him That is God will preserve his owne faithfulnesse not any soule shall trust on him in vaine much lesse be deceived by relying on him So Psalm 48.10 This it the praise of God unto the ends of the earth that he is faithfull and righteous according to his Name he will never loose nor staine the name of a faithfull God So he sayes himselfe in Psalm 89.34 35. My Covenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Psal 89.34 35. Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lye unto David That is I will make good what ever I have said my Covenant and promises shall all be performed for I have sworn by my holinesse I have engaged that which is most deare to me and I will not forâ—eiâ—it And in Psalm 105.8 Psal 105.8 His Saintâ— beare witnesse to him that thee remembreth his Covenant for ever So in Psalm 119.89 For ever O Lord thy word is setled in beaven It is as sure as heaven thou 〈◊〉 so faithfull a God And in vers 90. Thy faithfulnesse is unto all Generations It never weares out or becomes unfaithfull it is the faithfulnesse of God that is eternall like himselfe Psal 119.160 Psal 119.160 Thy word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgements endureth for ever That is God is true to his word from everlasting and his truth and righteousnesse abideth for ever not any that can challenge him with unfaithfulnesse his robe of righteousnesse is spotlesse this is his glory and so he values it And the Prophet Isaiah bears witnesse to it in Isa 34.16 Seeke yet out of the book of the Lord Isa 34.16 and
soule is the life of faith and the effect of faith in the soule is a weaning of it from the World by a gathering of it into God The last benefit of faith in God which I shall mention is this True faith in God doth truly fixe and establish the soules of Beleevere in the redemption of Gods free grace from all our enemies from sinne death Hell Law grave men and Devils none of these can hurt or destroy such soules as lives in the free grace of God by faith free grace it freely pardons finne and so plucks out the sting of death delivers from the jawes of Hell satisfies and fulfils the Law gathers from the grave that which in sowne in corruption and cloathes it with incorruption chains up the power and malice of men and Devils against his people this free grace doth and by faith the soule lives thus on God by which it becomes a fixed and established soule beleeving soules are not like the restlesse waves of the Sea that rowle from shore to shore and soame up their owne mire but they are soules fixed in God and Christ God by faith did answer the Prophets prayer which deâ—â—red to be led to that Rock which was higher then himselfe that is the work of faith it leads the soul to God and Chirst and then it is an established soule it is then built upon 〈◊〉 Rock higher then it selfe so that windes cannot shake it nor 〈◊〉 undermine it as if it had built upon a sandy soundation faith builds upon a Rock and that the Rock of Ages i◠〈◊〉 in the free grace of God the redemption and the righteousnesse of Christ so that neither life nor death nor any thing no not finne shall ever be able to separate such soules from God and Christ and hence it is that soules beleeving thus in God through Christ by his spirit are fixed and established soules the Prophet David in Psal 125.1 gives in testimony to this benefit of faith in the soule he telleth us there They that trâ—st in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever Faith in God fixeth the soule in everlasting safety and keepes it upon a Rock of establishment even when Earth and Heaven is shaking Now I shall gather up what I aime at in all this in reference to my owne soule and others and it is singly this to eye God with a single eye and to rest upon him with a steady undoubting heart by a single eye I meane a single heart fixed upon what God is does and sayes concerning his people and then by faith to apply and appropriate that to our selves resting steadily and undoubtingly upon him assuring our soules that what hee sayes concerning us he will fully make good unto us God cannot lye when he speakes he speakes his heart and what is in his heart to doe no power or powers can hinder his hand from doing such soules then as thus see God and rest upon him are sure to be established so as the counsell of good King Jeboshaphat is worthy to be received by all soules Beleave in the Lord your God so shall you be established Then first give me leave to advise to a serions and constant inquiry after God if establishment in the soule come by believing in God then knowing of God aright is of absolute necessity 〈◊〉 such a believing now soules sleight or inconstant in their inquities after God in what he is doth and saith are very unlikely soules to come to such a knowledge of him as will bring forth beliefe to establishment It was the saying of an established soule in God I know whom I have trusted and doubtlesse there had not been trust to establishment but that knowledge was in the very foundation the argument seemeth to me to runne thus I know God and therefore I have trusted in him and 〈◊〉 I know him I am assured I shall not be deceived by him so that from this knowledge I am established through believing darknesse is the proper wombe of feare there in nothing else foturely begotten there so is light of faith and establishment thiâ— I say and speake by experience in which I shall appeale to the â—â—perience of all Saints that the more any soule truely knows God the more that soule will trust him therefore give mee leave againe to say Be serious and constant in the inquiries after God study him as he is in himselfe in his Christ and our Saviour iâ— his Covenant of free grace in all his promises and performances in his word and workes in our owne and other Saints experiences of him And this I dare boldly affirme the more God is thus spiritually knowne of his people the more he will be admired loved and trusted by them and such soules the more truly established Secondly This seemes to be suitable advice to be exceeding watchfull over Satan and our owne hearts in all the temptations to or movings of unbeliefe in our soules there is nothing so great a friend to the Kingdome of Satan and so great an eneny to the Kingdome of Gods free grace as unbeliefe is nor can any sinne so certainely destroy the soule as unbeliefe nay all other sinnes without this can never destroy any soule doubtlesse these reasons have weight enough in them to make Christian soules stand upon their guard against this enemy of unbeliefe it is the Generall of the Host of evill it commands all other sinnes and where it enters it comes with great attendants of evils subservant to is selfe unbeliefe is the supreame Agient in the World for the Prince of darknesse in what ever God is distrusted and not believed Satan shall surely be served Faith is that Anchor that keeps the soule close to God if that be plucked up Satan sils the Sailes I meane the heart with the World and so carryes the Vessell where he pleaseth Faith is Gods interest and unbeliefe the Devile interest in the soule and at the last day when Christ shall give the Devill his due I mean his share of men in the world iâ— will be onely unbelievers for he hath interest in nor can lay claime to none else therefore unbeliefe should be dreaded as the Devils brand that by which he markes his owne distrust God and honour Satan for they cannot be parted he that doth the former cannot avoyd the latter A soule watchfull in this thing iâ— so for Gods glory its owne peace and eternall saivation for these two can never be parted what preserves the one preserves the other but unbeliefe looseth both consider free grace is the originall the first cause of all Gods promises to and his dealings with his people Now a distrust in these how doth it dishonour God and not onely unestablish but undoe our owne soules therefore no enemy so dangerous as unbeliefe and should with most watchfulnesse be prevented unbeliefe it opposeth Gods ends in his Covenant of free grace and in all his gracious promises
to his people which is that all the ends of the Earth should come unto him and be saved that is beleeve on his free grace for salvation Now this is Satans grand designe to hinder faith because he is the great enemy of Mans salvation Our Saviour tould his Disciples that to them that beleeve all things were possible Satan knowes this full well and therefore doth all that possibly he can to hinder faith in the soule therefore be exceeding watchfull over Satan in this thing and looke often and diligently into our owne hearts and know that so much unbeliefe as is there so much interest the Devill hath in us and by that possession he hath an iolet to the soul for any temptation therefore I say againe in our Saviours words Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation But in the last place I shall winde up all in the Prophets owne words Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established And first beleeve God in himselfe and now I pray look back upon his Attributes and you shall finde him God and alwayes God an everliving and eterna â— God a faithfull God and a God that cannot lye a God of love and an everloving God his love is like himselfe unchangable he is the originall of all pure and holy love and as love is originally in him so that love is eternall like him he is a God of free grace and hath made his owne grace to be his Childrens title to life and salvation Now I date confidently affirme that whom ever thus believes in God shall be established what can shake that soule that lives upon God as God Almighty Omnipotent infinite and eternall what can kill those joyes and comforts that lives in God as he is a God of eternall and originall love and free grace these joys and comforts will live so long as the fountaine of their life abider and that is for ever God in what he it is unchangable the same yesterday to day and for ever from everlasting to everlstaing where God is the foundation and Christ the Comer stone that building will abide for ever shakings and great sâ—â—s doe arise from sandy foundations But the Prophe Davld teleth us that such people are blessed whose God is the Lord that is they have this blessing to be established whom have pitched upon God for their all and live upon what God is that soule which lives in God is above the feare of any other strength to overturne or destroy it because it lives upon an Almighty God neither can this soule feare to outlive its comforts and delights because they are bound up in an ever-living God and the eternall love and free grace of God to be the hand that bound them up and the wombe that brought them forth therefore this believing soule doth not say it shall one day fall by the hand of Saul that is of this or the other lust but that the eternall love and free grace of God hath delivered it from and carryed it up above all its enemies so that it may serve him without feare as a soule established in himselfe living purely upon what God is so that nothing can shake or unsettle this soule which cannot lessen God and as no power can make God lesse then the true Almighty Omnipotent Eternall and ever faithfull God no more can such powers shake much lesse destroy such soule soules as lives thus upon God the Author to the Hebrewes tels us Chap. 12. vers 27. That there are things which are made that are and must be shaken and there is a Kingdome which cannot bee shaken but shall remaine for ever Truely all below and besides God are now shaking and shall not cease til they return to their first nothing but the Kingdome of God or more properly God the glory of that Kingdome shall never be shaken but abide for ever so shall all those that live in him this is Mount Zion which cannot be moved to live in God ever hath and shall be a life of glory therefore this exhortation is alwayes ful of weight and glory but me thinkes in these latter dayes of the World when as the whole World is as it were giving up the ghost and every man complaining that there is no sweet nor relish in it the most discerning eyes plainely beholding its glory departed from it the Pillars cracked and breken so that it can be but a very little time before the Fabrick fals Now me-thinkes that which cannot be shaken but shall remaine for ever should have its exceeding worth and glory in our eyes and hearts and this is nothing else but God himselfe O then such as would live for ever must live in God for all things else are not onely dying but very neare their death God hath written upon honours pleasures and profits of the world Death so visible in such bigge characters that every eye almost can reade it but himselfe is the ever-living God hee that made all things out of nothing can when hee pleaseth make all that hee hath made returne to its first nothing and yet himselfe be to eternity what hee was from eternity an Almighty glorious and ever-living God Oh therefore live onely in the glory of this ever living God so shall you live when the World is dead so shall you dye to the World but live above the World Jehovah will be eternal life to all that live in him Faith in Jehovah will make an established soule Secondly Believe on God in the Covenant and salvation of his free grace in Jesus Christ the great gift of his grace in whom he hath satisfied his owne pure justice and perfected the salvation of his people and in all his gracious promises First believe him in his Covenant of free grace believe that he meanes to keepe it and will perform it to the utmost were there no othere reason this is enough to make us believe hee will keepe it because he hath made it in himselfe and hee is God that cannot lye he is Almighty and can want no power to prove himselfe the true and faithfull God it is all grace and so all God that it can never be lesse then it is but for ever the grace of God or the Covenant of the God of grace A little consider the conditions of this Covenant and then see how faith on God in this Covenant will establish the soules of believers First Sayes God this shall be the Covenant that I will make with my people As if God had said it is my Covenant so that if you that trust in it should finde it faile blame me but I am God and cannot lye It is the Covenant of my grace that is it is the powrings forth of my selfe it is eternall as my selfe and shall never faile in a title of it it is truâ— as I am true therefore believe this my Covenant as you would my selfe if I should speak to you face to face and in beleiving thus