I say trust in the Lord first before you do work at all Answ 5 Fiftly If you would trust in the Lord so as you may not be discouraged what ever your Condition be Then trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in the first place before you trust in the Promise Christs Blood is the great and first Object of our Faith In times of the old Testament they came to Christ by the Promise because Christ was not then come but promised now Christ is come we come to the Promises by Christ Yet mistake not there is a Promise of Christ and a soul must come to Christ in that Promise But I speak of particular words and Promises Some wil not trust in Christ unless they have this or that particular word set upon their hearts and spirits and so indeed do rather rest on the bare letter of the Word or the sence and impression that is made upon the soul by the setting on of the Promise But al the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Christ therefore is first and if a man doth trust in the Promise first and so go unto Christ afterward then when he wants a particular Word or a Promise he wil not trust in Christ but be quite discouraged But when a man doth trust in the Lord Christ first and in particular Promises afterwards then though a particular Promise doth not shine forth yet his Faith lives and he is not diâ—couraged wherefore venture upon Jesus Christ first and then upon the Promise as given unto thee by the hand of Christ Answ 6 Sixtly if you would so trust in the Lord as you may not be discouraged whaâ—â—â—er your Condition be Then if ever it pleaseth the Lord to give our a Promise to you never let it go but hold it fast although you see nothing but the contrary unto the thing promised This was Abrahams case the Lord gave Abraham a Promise but Abraham saw the contrary to the thing promised yet Abraham did not dispute the Promise he did not stagger at the Promise and say Surely the Lord hath not given me this Promise it â—â—s but a delusion and I was deceived No but Abraham stil beâ—â—s up to the Promise and doth not dispute or stagger at the same So must you do likewise if ever the Lord give out a Promise to you hold it keep it never let it go although you do see the contrary Object O! but this is hard work indeed and if I should do so I fear that I should presume and that I should tempt the Lord What! trust in the Lord when there is no means in view yea when I see the contrary unto the thing promised I would do it but I fear I should presume and tempt the Lord. Answ Tempt the Lord say ye Dost thou know what it is for to tempt the Lord It is said oâ— the Children of Israel That they tempted the Lord and said Is God amongst us And when thou sayest after al the experience of Gods preâ—ence with thee Is God with me Is hot this rather for to tempt the Lord It is said of the Children of Israel That they tempted the Lord and limited the Holy One of Israel and when you limit God and say I shal never receive this Mercy for now I do see the contrary Is not this rather for to tempt the Lord Properly and according to Scripture Phrase to tempt the Lord is to put God upon a tryal for the satisfying of ones lust and therefore if you look into Psal 78. you shal find that these two go together at verse 18. They tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their Lust To put God upon a work for the satisfying of ones Lust is indeed to tempt the Lord Every putting God upon a tryal is not a tempting God but to put God upon a tryal for the satisfying of ones lust this is to tempt the Lord And therefore it is said the wicked Jews came to our Savior Christ tempting him and saying Shew us a sign Gideon desired a sign and yet he did not tempt the Lord Why Because he did not desire a sign to satisfie his Lust but to strengthen his Faith But now these Jews came and desired a sign to satisfie their Lust and therefore saith our Savior Christ unto them Ye wicked and Adulterous Generation How comes the word Adulterous in there Why look as it is with a woman that is nâ—ught filthy and unworthy her Husband sending a Message to her and warning her to take heed of such Company when the Messenger comes I doubt saith she whether you come from my Husband or no and what sign have you that you come from my Husband she knows that he comes from her Husband but because she may go on in her sin she asketh a sign How may I know that you come from my Husband So it was with these wicked Jews they asked a sign that so they might go on in their sins whereupon our Savior saith Ye wicked and Adulterous Generation But now when a poor doubâ—ing fearing trembling soul shal desire to beleeve and would fain have some token from the Lord to strengthen his Faith he is not Adulterous then nor doth he tempt the Lord nor presume for is it presumption for a man to keep the Sabbath day No Why Because it is commanded Is it presumption for a Child to obey his Parents No Why Because it is commanded So it is commanded for a soul to beleeve when al comforts are out of sight and when he sees nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised Presumption properly is the taking of a thing before it 's given or offered But in this case the Promise is given and therefore no presumption for to hold it fast There is a Two-fold Preâ—umption which you read of in Scripture One whereby men do rest upon their own Workâ— for Salvation without Christ So the Jews did and therein they presumed of mercy before it was given unto them Another whereby men do as they think or in their way rest on Christ for Salvation and yet live without Works and Obâ—dience and therein they preâ—â—me also because they take mercy â—hen it 's not given them Eâ—â— if I râ—â—l on the Promise or on Chrâ—st that I may be made the more holy doing what I can to be fruitful in every good work yet resting upon Christ for al this is no presumption Why Because I do not take mercy before it is offered and though I hold the Promise fast when I see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised yet this is no presumption Why Because I do what 's commanded For saies the Apostle Let them that suffer according to the Will of God commâ—â— the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as unto a Faithful Creator Now Creation-Work is out of nothing it is light out of darkness Yet thus are we commanded to commit our souls unto God and therefore though al fail and
I. SCRIPTURE-LIGHT THE MOST SURE LIGHT In compare with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without the Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7. Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrologie Delivered in Three Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 II. CHRIST IN TRAVEL Wherein 1. The greatness of his Travel both in Soul and Body 2. The first and after Effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. His Satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in Three Sermons on Isai 53.11 III. A LIFTING UP for the DOWN-CAST In case of 1. Great Sins 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Desertion 8. Vnserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in Thirteen Sermons on Psal 42.11 Four several Sermons concerning 1. The Sin against the Holy Ghost 2. Sins of Infirmity 3. The False Apostle tryed and discovered 4. The Good and Means of Establishment Preached by VVilliam Bridge somtimes Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk Sine gratia sordet Natura London Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold in his Shop at the Sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. To the Worshipful Maurice Thompson Esquire George Thompson Esquire William Thompson Esquire Sheriff of London Robert Thompson Esq S R John Wittewrong Knight William Ofield Esquire Samuel Champnes Elias Roberts and William Hawkins Esquires With their Wives and Children Grace and Peace Honored and Beloved in our Lord Jesus IT is not want of respect that I seem thus to crowd your Names together I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but because God hath made you one though branched into several Habitations I take the boldness to present this work to you as unto one Family It is written of the Stork Ciconiae mos est unum è pullis relinquere Domui qua nidulata est Ludo Vives that she useth to leave one of her Young ones to the House where she made her nest and upon that account some of my labors do belong to your Family where I studyed and from whence I Preached them some of you and yours have often desired the Publishing of these Notes and being Printed whither should the Press send them but to your Door you are the Family with whom I have had the honor to converse much whilst living and now the Blossoms of the Grave are upon me I dedicate these Notes unto you that by them I may live and speak with you when my Head shal lie under the Clods you are a Family whom the Lord hath blessed and raysed not only to a great estate in the world but to the saving knowledg of his Son our dear Savior and whom should I serve and honor but those whom God honors and blesseth 1. That Family is not far from blessing which hath Godly Children Children trayned up and seasoned with the Grace of Christ from the Cradle The Lord blessed the House of Obed-edom and wherein did that blessing consist the Scripture tells us 1 Chron. 26. That some of his Children were Porters in the House of God others were mighty Men of Valor able Men for strength and service and the reason is given ver 5. For the Lord blessed him So that Children useful and serviceable both in Church and State are a great blessing unto a Family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia filius est aedificium patris The Hebrews say that Children are the Fathers building and indeed he builds wisely that doth lay the Foundations of his House in a Godly Seed Loe Children saith the Psalmist are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the Womb are his reward as Arrowes in the Hand of the mighty so are Children of the youth blessed is the Man that hath his Quiver ful of them Especially where these Arrowes are wel headed wel hearted too And upon this account it is good for great Families to have good Servants For corrupt Servants do debauch Children and debauched Children do scatter Brimstone upon the House of their Fathers 2. Neither is that Family an unblessed Family which is strict in the observation of the Sabbath or the Lords day God hath blessed that day that he might bless them who do keep that day hereby England hath been blessed with the power of godliness more than other Nations My Sabbath saith God shall be a sign between me and thee Servasti diem Daminicam Christianus sum ' intermittere non possum And in the Primitive times when a Christian was asked whether he had kept the Lords day his answer generally was I am a Christian I cannot neglect it as if the observation of the Lords day were the badg of a Christian this is the Girdle of al our Duties and in respect of this Girdle I may say Ungirt unblessed the vallies of the week day are blessed by the upper springs of this day and as the Commandement doth especially poynt at and look wishly upon the Master of the Family saying Neither thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. So doth the blessing also 3. Blessed is that Family which doth industriously seek to build the House of God and the House of the Poor David did but intend to build Gods House and the Lord promised him to build his House The Egiptian Midwives spared the Israelites Children whereby the Poor Families and Houses of the Israelites were built And the Lord dealt wel with the Midwives and made them Houses Exod. 1.20 4. Neither is that Family far from blessing which is a friend to the Ministry Receiving hiding and refreshing the paynful and faithful Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel The Lord give mercy saith Paul to the House of Onesiphorus for he hath refreshed me Not once and no more but he hath oft refreshed me nor did he do this because I followed him and sought him out but he sought me out very diligently and found me And in the day of my greatest affliction he was not ashamed of me for he was not ashamed of my Chains wherefore the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy in that day and give mercy unto the House of Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1.16.17.18 He that receiveth a Prophet saith our Savior in the Name of a Prophet shal receive a Prophets reward and what is the reward of a Prophet but to profit by the Prophet and to have a share in his Venture and in al that good which he doth by his Ministry 5. A praying Family also is a precious Family and blessed Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum frustra laborat quisquis eam aedificat Psal 127. Non enim dicit Dominus aedificat domum nomine scilicet laborante sed ita nisi Dominus aedisica verit frustra laborat perinde ac si diceret labore
Savior give this as a Reason why they did not beleeve because they were not of his Sheep 5. The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 10.14 How shal they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shal they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent But now al the particular men in the world have not heard of a crucified Christ by the preaching of the Gospel And if it be said Yes but the Sun Moon and Stars do preach Christ as the Apostle saith in the same Chapter Their sound and words is gone forth into all the Earth I answer It 's true indeed that the Apostle doth here allude to that 19. Psalm where it 's said that the Voyce of the Sun Moon and Stars is gone forth unto al the Earth but the Apostle doth not contradict himself for he saith How can they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how can they hear without a Preacher and a Preacher sent If men can hear of Christ by the Preaching of the Sun Moon and Stars then they can hear of Christ without the preaching of one sent which he denies ver 14 15. And if the Sun Moon and Stars do preach Christ crucified then is the Matter of the Gospel no Divine Revelation And then why might not Adam beleeve in Christ in the state of Innocency the Sun Moon and Stars preach the same Doctrine now that they preached then and then the same that they preach now if therefore they do preach Christ crucified now then also they preached him in the state of Innocency and so Adam in the state of Innocency had a power to beleeve on Christ which the Maintainers of this Opinion deny Neither can it be said That if al men have not a Power to beleeve Quando homo non potest si volit propter voluntatem impossibilitas non imputatur si autem non vult propter impossibilitatem voluntas non excusatur Hugo de St. vict L. 2. de Sacr. part 14. Cap. 6. Cornel. Jansen August lib. 3. de gratia Christi salvatoris then God should be unjust in punishing so many for Unbelief for besides that al had a Power in Adam God doth punish and damn men for their will not for their want of Power for as Hugo observes wel when a man cannot if he wil for the wil the impossibility is not imputed but if he wil not for impossibility the wil is not excused Eightly Some again do think that Christ died to obtain a Power Dominion Smalcius Cateches Racov. de officio Christi Regio Theses Francis Davidis Thes 5. and Lord-ship over al things especially a power to forgive sins which he had not before his Death and that the next Effect of his Death was the obtainment of this Power and Dominion But this cannot be for if Christ had this Dominion Power and Lordship over al by vertue of the Hypostatical Vnion then it was not meri ed by his Death but this he had by that mysterious Union and therefore as soon as he was born the Angel said unto the Shepheards For unto you is born this day in the City of David the Savior which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.11 2. Christ did not merit for himself as the Protestants speak against the Papists for if Christ should merit such a glory and Dominion for himself then the Love of Christ to man in his Death would be much lessened it 's said indeed Dio non causam sed ordinem et consequentiam notat Acts 20.26 Heb. 3.7 2 Pet. 1.10 sic Luc. 24 26. oportuit illum pati et sic intrare sic sancti per multos tribulationes debent regnum ingâ—odi quae tamen hujus non sunt Causae Quistorp Annot. Bibl. in Psal 110. that upon his Suffering as a Consequent thereof or by way of Declaration say some God gave him a Name above every Name c. Phil. 2. but that relates to the former words also Who thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet took on him the form of a Servant verse 7. which notes the Hypostatical Union 3. If Christ bought in this Power and Dominion by his Death then he purchased it with his blood but his blood iâ— propitiatory and satisfactory not procuring Lordship and Dominion 4. The Power Lordship and Dominion which Christ hath is either Essential or Dispensatory and â—ediatorian His Essential Power and Lordship was not merited by his Death for he hath that as he is God and he had it before his Incarnation for Esaiah saw his Glory and did see him chap. 6. verse 5. For mine Eyes saith he have seen the King what King Even the Lord of Hosts verse 5. the holy holy holy Lord of Hosts which the Evangelist John doth apply unto Christ and tels us plainly that this Lord whom Esaiah saw was Christ Chap. 12.41 These things said Isaiah when he saw his Glory and spake of him His Mediatorian Power and Lordship could not be merited by his death for he was Mediator before he died and therefore had his Mediatorian Power before his Death 5. We find him actually possessed of this Power and Lordship over al before his death witness his casting out of Devils commanding Winds and Seas which obeyed him and his answer to the Owner of the Ass which he sent for Say the Lord hath need of him And 6. As for his Power to forgive sins as if he would on purpose obviate the Doctrine of the Socinians he doth declare it in so many words But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on Earth to forgive sins c. Matth. 9. Now if he had this Power on Earth then the obtainment of it was not the great and next Effect of his Death no nor any thing which his Soul travelled for in his Death Quest If these things be not the next and immediate Effects and Fruits of Christs Death and Sufferings what are and what is that Issue of his Death which he did presently see and was possessed of Answ Affirmatively Look what the first Adam destroyed that the Second Adam did build up again for his Seed the Second Adam recovered and gained that in a better Edition for his Seed which the first Adam lost from his Seed Therefore First As the first Adam by his Sin and Disobedience did break the Law of God affront his Justice and provoked the Anger and Wrath of God against his Posterity so the Second Adam did by his Obedience and Death satisfie the Law and Justice of God for al his Seed whom he died for which Satisfaction he did perform immediately For 1. When he died our sins were imputed to him and laid and charged on him for he was made sin for us who knew no sin 1 Cor. 5.21 that is the guilt of our sin was imputed to him The meaning of the words is not He was made a Sacrifice for it 's said that he knew
last and they are also profitable for us to consider I shall take them in their order and speak only unto the first at this time which is this Doct. 1 There is an inward Peace and Quietude of Soul which the Saints and People of God ordinarily are endued with Therefore David saies here Why art thou cast down and why art thou disquieted within me It seems then that this was not his ordinary temper his Pulse did not alwaies beat thus high in this way of Discouragement but ordinarily he had Peace and quiet within So that I say There is an inward peace and quietness of soul which the Saints and people of God ordinarily are endued withal Ordinarily they are arrayed in white so they are brought in Rev. 7.13.14 verses What are these which are arayed in white robes at the 13. They are such as have washed their robes and made them White in the blood of the Lamb verse 14. this book of the Revelatâ—on doth attend much unto the Jewish customes and among the Jewes they had their Mourning their Rejoycing garment the Mourning garment was a black garment and therefore when a man is brought in in a mourning way he is brought in in a black garment as ye find in the next Psal the 43. the 2. vers why go ye in mourning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies Black Why goe ye in Black because of the oppression of the enemy So that the mourning garmenâ— was the Black garment the Black garment was the mourning garment And the white garment was the Reioycing gâ—â—ment therefore Eccles 9.8 it is said let thy garments be alwayes white and let thy h ead lack no oyntment Upon which â—ccount the nobles amongst the Hebrewes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becanâ— they were clothed with white rayment Eccles Martinus de Râ—a sing S. Script Lib. 2. Cap. 1. 10.17 bâ—essed art thou O land when thy king is the son of nobles Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—on of princes or of those that are in white I confess this phrase doâ—h somtimes note the purity and holiness of the person so Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shal walk with me in white for they are worthy but ordinarily it notes the joy fulness and comfortableness of our state so in Rev. 7. the Saints are brought in in white not onely because of their purity and cleaneness but because of their rejoycing I say then ordinarily the Saints and people of God go in white they have a peace and a rest within Great peace have they that love thy law saies the Psalmist and nothing shal offend them Rom. 2.10 But glory honor and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Let him be what he wil be if he be godly if he work that which is good Glory Honor and Peace shal be upon him not onely an outward but an inward peace he shal have And indeed how can it be otherwise For the Saints and people of God do walk with God they converse with God they do acquaint themselves with God Now if ye look into Job 22.21 ye shal find that this acquaintance bringeth rest peace Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace The Saints and people of God are as I may so speak of Gods special acquaintance and so they have peace for they do walk with God and have communion with him They have communion with the Father and he is the God of al consolation they have communion and fellowship with the Son and he is the Prince of peace they have communion and fellowship with the Spirit and he is the Comforter they have communion with the Father and the Son and the Spirit in and by the Gospel and that is the word of peace the Gospel of peace How can it therefore be but that the Saints and people of God ordinarily should have peace within But to make out this more fully unto you Consider I pray How the Father the Son and the Holy-ghost with whom the Saints and people of God have communion and fellowship are engaged for their peace I. The Father is engaged to give peace unto them He is engaged by his Prerogative by his Commandement by his Promise by Christs Purchase and by the Saints Chastisements He is engaged by his Prerogative Kings and Princes wil stand ye know for their Prerogatives And this is the great Perogative of God the Father to give peace inward peace I create the fruit of the lips Isa 57.19 peace peace And he is called â—he God of peace the God of Consolation not the God oâ— Indignation not the God of War but the God of Peace This is the great Prerogative of God the Father to give peace unto his people He is engaged also by vertue of his Commandement And therefore if ye look into Isay 40.1.2 Ye shal find that he commands the Prophets and Ministers to preach comfort Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God vers 1. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for al her sins Suppose a mans Affliction or Temptation be very great or much he hath commanded us to comfort and comfort twice Comfort ye comfort ye not once but twice Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith the Lord. But there are divers comforters that are indeed like Jobs comforters like Jobs friends they speak hard words unto poor distressed souls Wel saies he therefore at vers 2. speak ye comfortably so ye read it but in the Hebrew speak ye to the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak soft and sweet words speak to the heart of Jerusalem O! but my Temptation is so great that I am not able to hear those that come to comfort me Mark what follows Speak ye to the heart of Jerusalem and cry unto her lift up thy voice and cry if a poor soul be distressed tempted and cannot hear easily you that are Ministers lift up your voice and cry not onely speak to the heart but cry lift up your voice and cry unto her Wel but what are they to speak and cry There are three things which wil comfort a poor distressed soul and they are here to be spoken Say 1. That her warfare is accomplished Affliction and Temptation is at an end it shal be no more 2. That her iniquity is pardoned Her sin is forgiven fully and freely 3. That she hath received at the Lords hand double for al her sins God hath no more against her no quarrel no controversie no further Punishment to inflict upon her she hath sufficiently born the punishment of her iniquity thus the Lord hath commanded Ministers for to preach peace and to preach Comfort And what God hath commanded us to speak he hath ingaged himself to
work Thus I say the Father is ingaged by vertue of his Commandement He is ingaged also by vertue of his promise And therefore if ye look into Psal 29. ye shal see what the Lord hath promised vers 11. The Lord wil give strength unto his people the Lord wil bless his people with peace Here is the promise the Lord wil bless his people with peace Yea if ye look into Isa 26. ye shal find there that the Lord hath promised to keep the peace of his people for them vers 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee So ye read the words but according to the Hebrew â—hey ought to be read thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou wilt keep peace peace twice peace Thou wilt keep peace peace for him whose mind is stayed on thee So that the Lord is not onely ingâ—ged to gâ—ve peace unto his people but he is by promise also ingaged to keep their peace for them Yea the Lord is ingaged by Purchase Christ hath purchased peace for his people and what Christ hath purchased for them God the Father is ingaged to give unto them Read the purchase in Eph. 2.13.14 But now in Christ Jesus ye who were somtimes afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wal of partition between us Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandements for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace vers 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby and came and preached peace unto you that were a far off and to them that were nigh So that thus ye see its the purchase of Jesus Christ this inward peace and quietness of soul it is Christs purchase and what Christ the Son hath purchased God the Father is engaged to give Yea the Father is engaged to give peace unto his people by al those Chastisements that they do meet withal And therefore in Isa 40. which I named before The Lord commands us to comfort and speak comfortably unto his people upon this account For she hath received of the Lords hand double for al her sins Even because a fullness of Chastisement had been upon them Thus I say God the Father by vertue of his Prerogative by vertue of his Commandement by vertue of his Promise by vertue of Christs Purchase by vertue of Chastisements that are laid upon his people is engaged to give peace unto his children II. But now proceed a little and ye shal see That as the Father is engaged So the Son also is engaged to give peace inward peace and quietude of soul unto his Servants He is engaged by those Qualifications and endowments that he received from God his Father for this end and purpose The spirit of the Lord is upon me saies he and he hath anointed me Isa 61. Why that I might comfort those that mourn That is one end But I pray look into Isa 50. and consider the 4. vers The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary he wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned They are plainly the words of Christ as wil appear to you if you read but the following words The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious neither turned I away the back I gave my back to the smiters and my cheekes to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitâ—â—ng So that these are the words of Christ Wel what doâ—h Christ say hear He tells us that he hath received the tongue of the learned to comfort those that are distressed and troubled in conscience for to help poor wearied souls Why doth he say the tongue of the learned The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned All men desire to hear the Learned and it is the greatest piece of learning in the world to speak a word in due season by way of comfort to those that are weary this is the greatest piece of Ministerial learning and sayth Christ he hath given me the tongue of the learned Wel but al learned men have not Wisdom to speak in season Mark what follows He hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary But hath Jesus Christ such skil at this work in comforting those that are troubled Yes He wakeneth morning by morning As a Master is early up in the morning to teach his Schollers So hath God the Father been teaching of Christ from al eternity this great skil morning by morning He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learn'd This is the piece of learning saies Christ which I have been learning morning by morning of my Father from eternity and this is that great learning which he had attained unto So that in regard of this endowment which he hath received from the Father he is engaged to give peace unto his people for he hath received the tongue of the learned for this end and purpose that he might speak a word in season to them that are weary He is engaged also by his own Disposition his sweet loving and tender disposition He is a Lyon indeed of the Tribe of Judah but not that roaring Lyon seeking to devour He is a King indeed but he comes meekly riding upon an Asses Colt He doth not lift up his voyce in the streets When our Lord and Savior Christ left the world he saies unto his Disciples My Peace I give unto you my Peace I leave with you Joh. 14.27 not as the world gives Peace but my Peace I give unto you And assoon as ever Christ rose from the dead again and met with his Disciples what doth he say unto them When they were all met together Peace be unto you Joh. 20.19 As it was his last words when he left them so it is the first word that now he useth when he seeth â—hem again But O Lord we have sinned greatly since we saw thee Be it so yet Peace be unto you But O Lord here is Peter among us that hath denied thee since thou sawest us Be it so I know it very wel yet Peace be unto you Peace when he went away and Peace when he came again this is his Language and this is his disposition still Thus he is engaged Yea He is engaged by Office to give Peace unto his People Ye know the Apostle calls him our great High-Priest It was the work of the High Priest in the Old Testament to bless the People and when he did bless the People What did he say But The Lord bless ye and give ye Peace Now then If Jesus
and wil no bread down with you but leavened bread sowr bread the bread of mourning wil you thus keep your passover your christian feast some of you have been doubting fearing trembling cast down discouraged many years and is it not yet time to bewail your unbelief to honor free Grace what wil you alwaies grieve the Spirit the Father and Christ alwaies be frustrating of Christs work wil ye alwaies be eating old leaven is it not yet time to say why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in him for I shal yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Quest I know indeed that I have no just and scripture reason for my discouragements but I see there is much reason against it yet I am one of a troubled spirit I would fain have it otherwise that at last I might glorify free Grace what should I do that I may bear up against al discouragements that I may not be discouraged whatever my condition be Answ The onely way which the Psalmist useth here is to hope trust beleeve in God and how we should use our faith in Christ as that we may not be discouraged followes after for the present take these directons First If we would not be discouraged in any condition Then never lay your comforts upon your condition nor be in love with any condition for it self let not your condition it self be the cause or bottom of your incouragements Hang a cloak or garment upon a rotten peg and that wil break and the garment fal down now there is no condition but is a rotten peg every condition is alterable no condition so firm and fast but is exposed to many changes it is a rotten hold God is Pillars his name is Adonai which signifies so much and in Isa 26. we are commanded to trust in the Lord for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength or the rock of ages And saith the Psalmist my flesh faileth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 73.26 and my heart faileth but God is the rock of my heart for ever so the Hebrew Lay your comforts upon your own condition and you do but build on the sand which wil be carryed away with every wind and storm and tempest but if upon Christ himself upon God himself ye build upon the Rock and though the flouds and stormes and winds do rise and beat upon you yet you shal not lose your comforts because they are built upon a rock Secondly Be sure that you think of Christ in a right way and manner Christus titulos â—ibi sumit qui presenti rerum conditioni conveâ—iant unde varium suae gloriae radium in singuliâ— Epistolis ad Ecclesias spargit pro vaâ—ia fortuna qua sunt Ecclesiae quo docet illud immensae divinae majestatis inprimis esse mente contemplandum quod in rem preseniem maxime conducat Brightâ—n in Apocal. 2. P. 43. as he suteth with your condition and as he is held forth in the Gospel We are very apt to have mis-thoughts of Christ as Satan doth transform himself into an Angel of light so he would transform Christ before you into an Angel of darkness But the scripture holds him forth under such Relations as do make him very amiable unto poor sinners Are you accused by Satan world or your own conscience He is called your Advocate Are you ignorant He is called the Prophet Are you guilty of sin He is called A Priest and high Priest Are you afflicted with many enemies inward and outward He is called a King and King of Kings Are you in streights He is called your way Are you hungry or thirsty he is called bread and water of life Are you affraid you shal fal away and be condemned at the last He is our second Adam a publick person in whose death we dyed and in whose satisfaction we satisfyed As there is no Temptation or affliction but some promise or other doth especially sute there withal So there is no condition but some Name some Title some Attribute of Christ doth especially sute with it and as you do not look on Christ but in reference to your condition so you are not to look upon your condition alone but with Christs Attribute sutable thereunto if you look upon Christs Attribute of love without your condition you may presume if on your condition without Christs Attribute of love you may despair think on both together you wil not be discouraged Thirdly If your discouragements begin to arise and press in upon you check your self and say why should I multiply thoughts without knowledg why should I tire out my soul with these thoughts am I able to ad one cubit to my spiritual state am I by al my thoughtfulness able to alter my condition yea doth not my thoughtfulness set me at a farther distance from the mercy desired The truth is the only way to lose the comfort desired is to be sollicitous about it as the only way to have an outward blessing is to be content to go without it So the only way to have a spiritual or outward affliction removed is to be contented that it should be continued if God and Christ wil have it so But you wil have your affliction presently removed and you must presently know that you are in the state of Grace and the child of God or else you wil be discouraged and as the bird in the net the more it strives the more it is intangled so with you also Wherefore do temptations afflictions desertions come and Satan joyn with them and say unto thy soul this wil ever be answer wel but I therefore beleeve the contrary because thou sayest so Satan who art a Lyar yet if God wil have it so I am contented I leave it to him whether I shal ever be in this condition or not is not my question but now O Lord let me serve thee that is al my desire let me see thee as thou pleasest when thou pleasest I have done Lord I have done I have been questioning and questioning my condition these many years I see there is no end of that yea the more I do the more I may I get nothing by it why therefore O my soul should I tear out my self with this kind of thoughtfulness thus check your selves Fourthly When ever you think of any thing which is in it self terrible or matter of discouragement be sure that you mingle the Consideration thereof with those sweet things which God hath given and prescribed to you There is nothing terrible but God hath joyned some comfortable thing with it the Name of God is terrible he is called the great and dreadful God but to sweeten this he is called the God of all Consolations Death is terrible it 's called the King of Terrors but to sweeten this it is called a Sleep The day of Judgment is terrible but to sweeten that our present Advocate shal
not spent al my mercy upon David or upon Abraham or upon Paul or upon Peter but I keep mercy for thousands O! but yet my sins do recoyl I am the greatest Sinner in the world for I have sinned al kinds of sin I have sinned al sorts of sins and therefore I fear there 〈◊〉 no hope for me Yet saith the Lord be not discouraged for I keep mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin even all sorts and al kinds of sins the Sin of Nature and the Sin of Life the Sin of Weakness and the Sin of Presumption the Sin of Ignorance and the Sin against Knowledg these saith the Lord I forgive even al sorts and al kinds of Sins and this is my Name for ever O! but I am afraid to lay hold upon this Promise for I think this is a Doctrine of Liberty Say not so saith the Lord at the next verse I will by no means cleer the guilty But if there be ever a poor drooping fearing trembling soul that desires to know my Name Lo saith the Lord here is my Name whereby I wil be known for ever The Lord Jehovah that gives a Being to things that are not The Mighty God The Merciful God The Gracious God Abundant in Goodness and in Truth Reserving Mercy for thousands Forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and this is my Name for ever Now Faith comes and closeth with this Name of God leading the Soul into this rich Wardrop and so doth quiet the heart against all Discouragements Answ 3 Thirdly Faith doth put the Soul under Gods Commandement and leaveth God to Answer unto al such Objections and Inconveniences as may come thereby which if a man can do he may be very quiet Now true saving Faith wil enable him to do this for ye know how it was with the three Children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they put themselves under Gods Commandement The Lord commanded and said Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image Well but the King commands them to fal down before his Image No say they we wil not stir we wil not bow but saith the King I wil make you bow or I wil heat the Furnace seven times hotter for you Well be it so say they as for that we are not solicitous we wil do the work that God hath set us to do we wil put our selves under Gods Command we know that our God is able to deliver us and whether he wil deliver us or no we wil leave that to him let him answer to the inconveniencies and mischiefs that follow upon his Work for saith the Text They trusted in the Lord. And so you know it was with Noah Noah was commanded to build an Ark for saith the Lord yet an hundred twenty yeers and the whol world shal be destroyed and therefore Noah build thou an Ark for thy self and thy family which Noah did and put himself under this Command But now the world the old world might speak thus as certainly the language of their Conversation was Noah Dost thou think that thou art the only man in al the world that God loves Dost thou think Noah that God loves thee one man more than al the men or the world and thy one Family more than al the Families in the world beside And if thou dost beleeve what thou preachest That the World shal be destroyed by Water in an hundred and twenty yeers why dost thou marry and begeâ— Châ—ldren as thou hast done since thou hast preached this Doctrine And Noah if thou dost make an Ark or a Ship who shal be the Pilate who shal be the Mâ—â—riner the Sâ—â—ler As for thy self thou hast been a Preacher and dost thou think that thou and thy few Sons are able to guide and gâ—vern so great a Vessel If it be as thou preacheâ—t That the â—easts the wild Beasts of the Field shal come unto this Ark the Lyon and the Bear and the Tyger wil they not tear thee to pieces And if all the Beasts of the field two by two shal come into the Ark Noah wil there not be such a stench in the Ark with their dung as wil poyson thee shalt thou be ever able to live thinkest thou Wel for al this Noah goes on and he built the Ark and leaves God that â—et him on work to answer to al these Objections and to all those Inconveniences that might come by the doing the thing which God commands And so doth Faith alwaies Faith puts a man under the Commandement of God and leaves God to answer to those Oâ—jections and inconveniences that may come thereby Now when a man can do thus must he not needs be quiet It is to speak more briefly the proper wâ—rk of Faith to resign and give up our wils unto God for by the resignation of the wil unto God we do trust God with our selves and Conditions It is the proper work of Faith to fal with a suitable Promise and to apply the same if that Plaister of the Promise be noâ— laid on the Soul with a warm hand it wil not stick And what is the reason that the Promise sticks not upon many souls but because it is laid on with the cold and chil hand of Unbelief Now the hand of Faith is a warm hand It 's the proper work of Faith to trade with the Call of God for true saving Faith is a venturing Grace but without a Call it wil not venture It is the proper work of Faith to see the hand of God in every Dispensation The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away saith Faith I was dumb and opened not my mouth for thou Lord hast done it saith Faith It 's the proper work of Faiâ—h to look on both sides of Gods Dispensation and of our own Condition there is a dark side of a Dispensation and there is a light side thereof Sence and Reason looks on the dark side alone Faith seeth both sides Come my beloved Brethren said Laâ—imer to his fellow Prisoners when he went to the Stake though we pass through he fire to day yet we shal light such a Candle in England as shal never be put out again He saw both sides of the Dispensation why but because he beleeved It is the proper work of Faith to see one Contrary in another for it speaks and concludes as the Word of Faith doth Now the word oâ— Faith speaketh on this wise I will give you a door of Hope in the Valley of Achor And the Lord shall judg his People and repent towards his Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and none shut up or left Deut. 32.36 It is the proper work of Faith to engage God to succor Psal 37.40 For the Lord shall save them because they trust in him So Esai 26.3 Thou will keep them in perfect peace because they trust in thee Now when a man can do al these things wil he not be quiet and free from Discouragements Surely he wil.
Deity was the Word of Christs Patience Therâ— is alwaies some Truth or other the profession and owning whereof saith here is the Patience of the Saints Now if the Churches keep that word and overcome in the keeping of it the Lord Christ wil make every Member of them as a Pillar in the Temple of God that shal go no more out In case any Difficulty or Trouble do arise in a Church which is beyond their own Light and Strength they must cal in the help of other Churches For when there was such a knot as the Church of Antioch could not untie they sent to the Church and Apostles at Jerusalem Acts 15.16 who having setled the Matter they sent the result and Decrees unto other Churches concerned whereby they had Peace and Establishment But especially it is the Duty of al the Churches to pray and pray much for this great Mercy of Establishment for the Lord hath said Esai 62.6 Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Such a time as this there is a coming we are commanded to pray and to pray earnestly for it and the Lord hath not only promised the Mercy but to give hearts to pray for it for saith he I have set Watch-men upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shal never hold their peace day nor night wherefore let us give him no rest So shal the Churches have rest and be established Thirdly As for Particular Persons Would'st thou be established in the Truth and good Waies of God Then observe what those things are which do make others unsetled and take heed thereof In case a man doth decay or break in his Estate some great Merchant Tradesman or Farmer break you wil diligently look into the causes of it and say this man lived at too high a rate beyond his Estate or he was bound for others or he kept ill Company or he did not keep his Accounts wel and therefore I wil take heed of these things Now wil ye observe the Causes of an outward Break and wil ye not observe what are the Reasons that so many are unsetled break and decay in the Trade of their souls Surely 1. Either it is because they do want primitive breakings for the stony Ground comes to nothing at the last though it hath much joy at the first because it wants depth of Earth The stick that is thrust into the Earth is more easily pulled up than the Plant which is rooted in the Earth So are al those who have no root in themselves 2. Or because they take up great Resolutions withouâ— answerable pre-deliberations whereas we know that the Needle must play about the Polar Point before it comes to stand and sâ—ttle he that would hit the mark must take his level before he parts with his Arrow And if men resolve before they have fully considered they wil ere long be unresolved again 3. Or because men do not walk by a setled Rule â—e can never be setled that doth not walk by a setled Rule A mans own thoughts and apprehensions are unsetled things the Hebrew word for Thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cogitationes quae in corde sunt sicut ramus in arbore hinc inde diffusus comes from a Root which signifies to move as the tops of Trees because as the tops of the Trees waver and are in continual motion so are our Thoughts and Apprehensions But the Word of the Lord is setled as the Heavens Psal 119. Thy Word is for ever setled in Heaven So long as I want the Divine Counsel of the Word my heart is like a Vagrant that is most unstable said Bernard for whilst I am not subject to God I am contrary to my self 4. Or because they are divided in their own hearts a double minded man is unstable in al his Waies saith the Apostle and when men have an heart and an heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart for the World yet a good mind to Christ how is it possible but thâ—y should be most unsetled 5. Or because they are too confident of their own strength and Judgment whereas the only way to be firm and stedfast is to be sensible of ones own Infirmity We read of a two-fold Confidence in Peter a Confidence in Christ and a Confidence in his own strength when he was confident in Christ saying Master if it be thou command that I come unto thee he did not miscarry but when he was confident in his own strength saying Lord though all men forsake thee yet will not I then he sel and fel fouly Hold thou me up said the Psalmist and I shall be safe Psal 119.119 and I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually But if men lean to their own Understanding are confident of their own strength and think that they are able to deal with al gain-sayers and so wil try al things God leaves them to their own Opinions and they scrabble upon the door and do change their behavior 6. Or because men do forsake the Ministry which Christ hath given to the Churches for their Edification Perfection and Establishment Ephes 4.11 12 13 14.7 Or because they have too fair an Opinion of those that are erroneous thinking that they may be Godly though they be never so unsound in their Judgments whereby they are drawn into Society and Communion with them and so fal from their own stedfastness whereas the Apost e â—els us of the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 and that men may be wicked upon the account of their errors in Judgment James 5.19 20. Bâ—â—thren if any of you do err from the Truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteâ—h a sinner from thâ— Eâ—ror of his way shal save a Soul from death and shal hide a multitude of sins And our Lord and Savior Christ calling upon us to beware of Falâ—e Prophets Matth. 7 15. tels us That they are corrupt Trees and cannot bring forth good Fruit verse 16 17 18. As if he should say if you would take heed and beware of them you must know them and not think that they are good men for if you think that they may be good notwithstanding their Errors in Doctrine you wil be mis-led by them and removed from your stedfastness 8. Or because that men do not improve their Christian Communion for the Life and Power of Godliness but for Light only and Discoursing Notions whereas the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy saith Keep that which is committed to thy trust avoiding oppositions of Science falsly so called which some professing have erred concerning the Faith 1 Tim. 6.20 21. And what is the reason that not only some but many have now erred concerning the Faith and have fallen from their stedfastness but because they have been thus affected 9. Or because they have not been built on the Rock Christ but on some
Sandy and washy Foundation whereas the Psalmist saith He set my feet on a Rock and established my goings Psal 40.2 but if men be upon the Sand they must needs fal and great wil be their fal as their Profession is great 10. Somtimes men live high and profess beyond that Stock of Grace which they have But if you would be kept and established observe what the causes and reasons are of the Instability and Apostacy of others and take heed thereof Quest 1 But what shall I do that I may be more setled in regard of my Judgment and that I may be established in the present Truth Answ 1 Get a cleer and distinct Understanding in the things and Truths of the Gospel labor not only to know but to get a cleer and judicious apprehension and cleerness in the Truths of Christ Psal 106. it 's saâ—d of the Israelâ—tes That when they saw the Egyptians drowned in the Sea They sang the Praises of God and beleeved his Words verse 12. yet they soâ—n forgat his Works verse 13. And why so but because they had no cleer Understanding in them verse 7. Our Fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt And this Apostle Peter doth joyn the un-learned and un-stable man together 2 Pet. 3. Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction verse 16. Some would have it read thus Graecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie significâ—t indociles qui nolunt rectius instâ—ui et informari qui monstratae ex verbo Dei Coelesti veritati locum dare renuunt Gerard in Loc. Which those that are unteachable and do refuse But unlearned suits wel enough with the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For what is the Reason that men are so unstable but because they are not grounded and studied in the Body of Divinity They take up some Truths by hear-say and Education and not being studied in them they are soon removed from them Study therefore and get a cleer and distinct knowledg in the great Mysteries and Truths of the Gospel Answ 2 Take heed of unâ—etling Principles for they wil baptize your Judgment into a Conformity with them such as the Apostacy of Saints Cum improbarem illam novatorum sententiam qua docebant non justificari nos à Deo nisi justitia aliens videremque illius sententiae Authores in dicto illo B. Pauli Fides credentis reputatur ipsi in justitiam vocem fidei non pâ—oprie accipere sed per Catalepim aut Metonymiam ita Scil. ut per fidem non ipsa fides sed objectum fidei Christus scil vel obedientia Christi significaretur ostendi non tamen idâ—â— Scripturis esse alienum sed etiam nervos Religionis hoc est studium bonorum operum ea sententia succidi suscepi ergo adversus Sibrand Lubbertum acerrimum novae illius arrogantis et prophanae Opinionis Patronum grave certamen hic ergo primus fuit meâ— ad fidem Catholicam Conversionis gradus Petri Bertii Oraâ—io qua rationem reddit cur Romano Catholicam fidem amplexus sit â— pag. 19. and falling from Grace If a man hold that he may be a Saint to day and none to morrow a Saint the third day again and none the fourth day must not he needs be unsetled in his Judgment It 's commonly known that Bertius wrote a Book de Apostasia Sanâ—â—orum of the Apostacy of the Saints and as wel known that being then a Protestant he after fel away unto Popery and when he came to France and made a Renounciation of his former Faith and shewed the Reasons of his Conversion to the Popish Faith he tels us in his printed Oration That Primus Conversionis gradus The first step to his Popish Conversion was The knowledg of and contending for that Doctrine that Faith as an Act justifies and that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere is imputed to us for our Justification in the sight of God And wel might that Principle have such an influence upon him being brought forth by his former unsetling Principles Unsetling Principles wil make an unsetled Judgment and an unsetled Judgment will bring forth an unsetled Life and Practice Take heed therefore of unsetling Principles Answ 3 Be sure that you do not make any Impression the Rule and Square of your Judgment judg not Doctrines by Impressions We have a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye shal do well that you take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.19 Where do ye find in al the Scripture that God hath put Heart-Impressions into the Chair to be Judg of Doctrines If I judg of a Doctrine by an impression made upon my soul the Devil knows how to fetch me off quickly from the Truth What Settlement or Establishment of Soul can there be whilst men wil make their Light within them the Rule of their Judging Doctrines The Word of God without is my Rule the Light within is my Help to understand that Rule But if I judg of Doctrines by Impressions of the Word on my heart I can never be setled therefore take heed of that Answ 4 Get into the House of God Gods House is an House of Establishment there he commandeth his Blessing and Life for evermore there if one fal another may help him up and if one err another may inform him there the Lord hath promised to make men Pillars for Sâ—edfastness And he that overcometh I wil make him saith Christ a Pillar in the Temple of God and he shal go no more out Rev. 3.12 Ye know how it is with the Bee so long as it is fair and Sun-shining weather it is abroad in the Fields but if the winds be high and rough it doth then keep its Hive Now as Solomon saith Learn of the Pismire so say I Learn of the Bee Are the winds high and rough Keep your Hive and your Hive or rather Gods House wil keep you Answ 5 Go not into those Companies and Meetings where the false Prophet and unclean Spirit are and where false Doctrine is taught False Doctrine is a great Leaven Ye read of three Leavens in the New Testament 1. The Leaven of Hypocrisie Luk. 12.1 Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie 2. The Leaven of il Company and Society 1 Cor. 5. A little Leaven leaveneth the whol Lump 3. The Leaven of false Doctrine Matth. 16.6.11 12. Gal. 6.8 9. This Perswasion is not of him that calleth you a little Leaven leaveneth the whol Lump verse 9. Possibly al these three Leavens may be in such a Meeting but the two last are certainly And can you think to be under the power of these Leavens and to come away unleavened It argues unsetledness to go to such a Meeting and by your going you wil be more setled in your unsetledness As men are confirmed in that Grace which they bring to Gods Ordinances so they wil be confirmed in that
we see nothing of the Mercy promised it 's no presumption then to hold and keep fast the Promise Quest But suppose the Lord hath given me a Promise and now after the Promise given I see nothing of the mercy promised and that all my Comforts are out of sight how shal I be able to bear up my heart against all Discouragements notwithstanding I see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised and to the mercy desired Answ Either thou hast assurance of Gods Love or else thou hast not If thou hast assurance of the Love of God then put thy self often to this disjunction O my soul either it is thy Duty to beleeve or it is not If it be not thy Duty to beleeve why dost thou beleeve at al If it be not thy Duty to beleeve and rest on Christ why dost thou rest upon Christ at al And if it be thy Duty to rest on Christ and beleeve why then should st thou not beleeve at al times and trust perfectly unto the Lord And if you have Assurance then actuate your Assurance mind your self of your Priviledges and your Interest in Christ then you wil say unto your self what though I have nothing but bad tidings from this world yet notwithstanding I have nothing but good tidings from the other world and from my Father above and if Christ be mine then al is mine Life is mine and Death is mine and what though al my Comforts be dead and are gone and are al out of sight yet Christ is a living Christ Christ is a living Savior and therefore be of good Comfort O my soul But if you do want assurance of the Love of God then yet you must and may look on Christ who is the Brazen Serpent the only Brazen Serpent and your very looking upon him in the time of your Discouragement shal go for Faith Look unto me â—aith he from all the ends of the Earth and be saved Again If you want Assurance you may and must turn your eye and your thoughts from those Objections that do invade your Faith 'T is said of Abraham That he considered not the weakness of his own Body and this was imputed unto him for beleeving that he considered not what might invade his Faith And so this shal be imputed unto you for Faith if when these Objâ—ctions shal come in upon you you turn your Eye from them unto Jesus Christ and do not consider them And if you do want Assurance then set your selves to beleeve that you do beleeve Faith is the Evidence of thâ—n â—s not seen and therefore if your Faith be not seen you must beleeve that you do beleeve thou â—ust beleeve somtimes that thou hast Faith As there is a feeling in Prayer so Faith haâ—h it's feeling too and therefore iâ— you cannot see your Faith you must beleeve that you do beleeve And whether you have Assurance or have not Assurance consider these few things as some Helps to your Faith in this case First That God doth never lead his People unto any great Mercy but first he doth put the Sentence of Dâ—ath upon al the means that do rend unto it Thus it was with Abraham so with Joseph so with David and many others Secondly That it iâ— a great sin to liâ—â—t â—ods Mercy as wel as to limit his Power You say it is a great sin to limit the Power of God the Children of â—â—rael are condeâ—â—ed for this they limited the Holy One of Iâ—rael they tempted the Lord and limited the Holy One of Israel Now dâ—â—h not a man limit God when he limits his Mercy as wel as when he limits his Power And when you say you shal never have such a mercy granted because I now see the contrary is not this to limit his Mercy Thirdly That when the Lord hath given out a Promise to his People he doth then somtimes try whether they wil trust to his naked Word or no. Christ hath his times to try men and when he gives out a Promise and bringeth the soul into a quite contrary condition this is his trying time And therefore hath the Lord now given out a Promise unto you and do you see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised Say unto thine own soul O my soul it may be Christ is now trying of me it may be this is my trying time and therefore now wil I wait on God Fourthly That God doth oftentimes fulfil one Promise by denying another Hath the Lord therefore given thee a Promise and doest thou see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised Now know and remember That we have by not having God doth give by denying and fulfils some Promises by not fulfilling others Fiftly That when we see nothing but what is contrary unto our help then is Christs time to help I read as I remember but twice in the new Testament that mention is made of Christs Hour once in John 13. And he knowing that his hour was coming and that was the hour of darkness Once in John 2.4 when his Mother came unto him for Wine he said Woman my hour is not yet come But afterwards when their own Wine was done and their pots were fill'd with Water then he turns their Water into Wine then Christs hour was come So now when al our Bottles are dry when there is no Wine of Comfort in our own Bottles then is Christs hour and when the hour of darkness is upon our Condition then is Christs hour And if thou would'st but say so unto thine own soul Soul Christs time and hour is an hour of darkness Christs time is a time when there is no Wine in our own Bottles Now thus it is with me I have no Wine left in my own Bottles my Bottles are al dry and empty and there is an hour of darkness upon my Condition therefore this time is the time for Christ to help me This would cause you to wait on God and exercise Faith in the lowest Condition even when you see nothing but the contrary unto your desires and the Lords Promises Sixtly That either you are under an extraordinary Affliction or an ordinary Either you are under an ordinary Temptation or an extraordinary Either you are under an extraordinary Desertion or an ordinary Either thy streit or stress and trouble is ordinary or else it is extraordinary If it be an ordinary trouble why then are you troubled more thâ—n ordinary why are you discouraged extraordinarily If your Affliction or Misery be extraordinary then either God hath brought you into this condition and hath led you heretofore in a way of extraordinary deliverance or of ordinary deliverance if God have led you heretofore in a way of ordinary deliverance what means those wonderful incomes of Love and supporting Grace that you have had when your soul have been ready to sink and to die within you And if the Lord hath heretofore led you in a way of extraordinary deliverance and