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
all accomplishing his owne will in the giving in to his people the fulnesse of his pâ—â—mises made to them this the soule by faith is assured of and therefore waites patiently and is not moved from its beliefe of God though his present dispensations speaken some other thing to his fleshly understanding Now if this hee the workings in the soule as doubtlesse it is then faith is an exceeding great benefit in this very thing for a soul fixed on God in his word and promises is in a measure in Heaven already it is as rest in God and is filled with the joyes of God in its rest it lives above â—â—tward appearances even in what God in and what God saith noâ— doubting but that all his workeâ— shall make good his word to that what ever his owne flesh or any other shall speake contrary to the Word of God that faith beates downe in the soule and keeps up the soule in a steady expectation of Gods making good all his promises and a patient waiting upon God for his 〈◊〉 time the troubled unfixed soules of unbelievers could they speake would set forth the exceeding benefit of faith in this particuler that which fixeth the soule in God leaves it in the full possession of all good now this is the true property of faith it is that gift of God which gives the soule singly and purely up to God to live onely in him and upon him and from hence flowe this benefit to the soules of Beleevers Againe Faith in God is a benefit to the soule in this namely That By Faith Saints are weaned from the World When a soule by faith sees its interest in God in that more exceeding and eternall weight of glory then and not till then hath it a low esteeme of all the dying vanities in the World that iâ— as the Wise man computes vanity all things under the Sunne Faith is such an eye as can read that love which is in Gods heart and behold the glory of that love as an heire of God a joynt heire with Christ and a Citizen of the new Jerusalem and in this vision is the soule in all its affection centered in God and so truely weaned from the World and it is nothing lesse can doe it there is such a naturalnesse a congruity and onenesse between the World and our owne fleshly hearts that nothing can breake off this league and mount up the affections of the soule but an Almighty power the indwelling of God in the soule by saith through which the soule dwels in God and is continually feasted and satisfied with fuller love and richer glory then the World can give the soule now being made spirituall sees God and to be the onely fountaine of love the single object worthy of love and its eternall portion of love and so is carryed in its love and affections above the world into God and Christ being thus swallowed up into God the soule in its love joy pursulte and rest becomes crucified to the World and the World to it it looks upon the World as a dead thing and its heart is truely dead to the World this is a true effect of faith see this in the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 5.1.2 5. begin For wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernaclâ—were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands but eternally in the heavens This is the worke of faith in the soule to assure the soule of its interest in God this we know sayes this Apostle that God is our interest himselfe is our eternall habitation so that when ever these clay walls shall crumble into dust we shall be no loosers by it for the dissolving of them is nothing else but the possessing of our full interest in God Now marke the effects of this faith in the 2. verse For in this we groâ—ne earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven The knowledge of interest in God which is the proper worke of faith in the soule it makes the soule not onely weaned from but also a weary of the World it groanes earnestly to be uncloathed of the flesh to be absent from the body that it might be fully present with the Lord faith weanes the soule in the whole lumpe from the World it would leave it wholy it groanes to be uncloathed of the body that it might leave the World in all it is the disappointments of the World doe many times make worldlings out of love with sonte pieces of iâ— but it is onely faith that weanes any soule wholy from it and that because faith in God manifests the fulnesse of God to the soule and the soules interest in that fulnesse so that it rests in God nâ—â— onely as its interest and so better to it then all the World 〈◊〉 as a better interest so that being made wise in Christ its wisedome the soule makes choyse of God as having seene the dying glory of the World and the living glory of God by a spirituall eye of faith it is thereby made dead to the World and alive to God Christ he speakes to a believing soule in the spirit and tels the soule It is your Fathers good will to give you the Kingdome and that the Kingdome of glory to he joynt heirea with me in glory the soule believing this becomes dead in its love to all the Kingdomes of the world and to a world of King lomes Christ tels the soule further that in your Fathers house are many Mantions and I goe to prepare them for you your building in God is ready when ever God shall uncloathe you of your flesh the soule in believing this hath its heart where its treasure is it in now risen with Christ and gone to Heaven and in its affectionâ— doth manifest it selfe to be Crocified with Christ to the World wâ—â—nerâ— from all lower glories because liâ—ing in the glory of God thâ—â— is in God where all glory centers and from whom all gloryen have their originall so that when the soule is at the 〈…〉 doth not thirst after narrow streames whom over dâ—inkes of thin fountaine of life thirsts no more that is no more after fatilfaction in any thing but God it hath all in God therefore weaned from all below God doubtlesse this is a rare benefit of faith in the soule it is rare in its appearance and for such soules that with Demas forsake God and imbrace this present World what ever they have professed and though never so long under a profession of God and godlinesse yet they never truly knew God in the spirit nor did they ever live in God by a true and lively faith for if they had it would have wrought this effect in the soule to have weaned their hearts from I and have Crucified their hearts to the World had they ever tasted God in truth the would never have forsaken him for tenne thousand Worlds For the life of God in the
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
beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life To beleeve in Christ is to beleeve in God as our God and the effects of this is eternall life here is full establishment indeed here is life for ever eternity cannot shake this beleeving soule it is so established by beleeving in God as its God in Christ I intend to take this fundamentall establishing truth into particulars the which will give further light into what I aime at and clearer testimony to the generall truth That Saints are established by beleeving in God as their God I meane an applicatory apropriating faith and beliefe in God By beleeving in God as our God by which we come to bee established I meane this First To beleeve in God in what he is in himselfe Secondly To beleeve God in what he doth namely in all his workes Thirdly To beleeve God in what hee saith in his whole Word And in all these so farre as God is communicable to beleeve him to be our God Beleeving thus in the Lord our God we shall certainely be established First To believe in God in what he is in himselfe God in his Essence is incomprehensible and inexpressible so Exod. 3.14 When Moses asked God what hee should tell the Children of Israel his Name was if they asked him Gods answer to Moses is I am that I am and so tell the children of Israel I am hath sen◠me unto you that is I am so what I am that I cannot be fully expressed I am God Jehovah I am all God and nothing but God but this pure and eternall Essence is pleased so farre as is either fit or needfull for his people to know him to make known himselfe by his Attributes and in his word workes and miracles for the strengthening of his peoples faith and establishing them in himselfe And in this worke I shall take up Gods method and first looke into the Attributes of God for some discoveries of his Essence wherein hee doth make knowne himselfe to his people that they may believe in him in what he is in himselfe you must not expect I should be so large in this as to expresse all the Attributes of God that is a worke too large for a dying life or a dying man the fulnesse of that will fill eternity all that may be attributed to God which can be attributed to none but God and that all is exceeding large I shall onely mention some precious corner-stones for believers to build upon so that they may certainly bee established As first God is the only true and perfect God true Attribute of God so as there is no true God besides him and perfect so that all perfection is in him and nothing but perfection in him so in God as in none but God and therefore onely to be attributed to God I shall in this and all I write of God produce his word for my authority Isa 46.9 I am God and there is none else I am God Isa 46.9 and there is none like me God in this Scripture speaks positively in the verse before this the people worshipped and bowed downe to false Gods to images of God the Lord complaines of this in vers 5. To whom will yee liken me and make me equall Verse 5. and compare me that we may be like As if God had said you can liken me to nothing for there is nothing like me I am God and there is none else the true God your false Gods cannot be like me So in Isa Isa 45.33 45.22 Looke unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Marke the Scripture salvation in in me saith God I am the God of salvation If the ends of the Earth be saved they must looke unto me for I am God and there is none else That is there is no other true God no God that can save but me God proves himselfe to be the only true God by being the only saving God God in truth is the God of salvation That God which can save must needs be the true God and so there is no other God but our God hee is the true God and a God of truth all God and all truth this is a proper attribute of God for it can be attributed to none but God Againe God is perfect he is a perfect God he is all perfection in himselfe and all that is perfect is from him hee is that perfection to which there can be no addition hee giveth life and breath to all things Acts 17.25 Acts 17.25 Neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing hee giveth to all life and breath and all things God is perfect hee needeth nothing hee knowes no want hee is the fulnesse of all things and filleth all with himselfe he is the fountaine and giver of all life and breath and all things All that makes up perfection is alwayes in God and goeth forth from God into all things life and breath which comprehends the whole they are in the whole creation the breathings forth of Gods perfection God bounds all but none can bound him Perfection only lives in God he giveth bounds to all things else but can receive bounds from none to the creature God saith what have you that you have not received But as for God himselfe he is simply and absolutely perfect simply purely perfect 1 John 1.5 nothing but perfection altogether perfect 1 John 1.5 God is light and in him is no darkenesse at all So perfectly light that there is not the least shadow of darkenesse in him what is God is perfectly light or the light of God is perfect for God is altogether perfect nothing can be said to be perfect but God and God cannot be said to be any thing but perfection light and to darknesse at all is perfect light and this is God for GOD is perfect Another attribute of GOD Attribute 2 God the first without all cause which proveth the former is this That God is the first being without all cause this is truly an attribute of God which can be attributed to none but God for he is the first the only and without cause and the only cause of all things else not any thing gave God a being but God giveth being to all things Revel 1.8 Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Marke it I am the first you cannot produce any thing as the cause of my being for a cause must be before an effect and if 〈◊〉 be the effect of any cause then I cannot be Alpha the beginning but the proceed of some other first but this I am not for I am Alpha and Omega both first and lust I am first in my selfe without all cause and I am the first of all causes for I cause all to be I am the Almighty which gives
first being and all beings to all things saith the Lord. The Apostle Paul doth acknowledge this truth in Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him Rom. 11.36 and to him are all things All things are of God as God is the first cause of all all things are through God as they proceed of his will power and Majestie all things are to him to the glory of God that is in himselfe without cause Isa 41.4 and the cause of all as hee is God Isa 41.4 Who hath wrought and done it calling the generations from the beginning I the Lord the first and with the last I am he It is frequent in Scripture with God when he mentions any workes or beings and the beginning of any thing to declare himselfe to be the first that hee might be knowne to be in himselfe without all cause and the cause of all things else Isa 43.10 I the Lord am he that is the first So in Isa 43.10 Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me I am so the first in my selfe that I am the first of all and nothing shall be after mee God in himselfe is without cause and end Isa 44.6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts Isa 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God I am the first and besides me there is no God that is there is no God besides mee for I am the onely one that is first without all cause of being For were there a first cause of my being then I could not be God but I am God and therefore there can be no first cause of my being So the Lord Christ according to his God-head is said to be the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 Rev. 3.14 The faithfull and true witnesses the beginning of the Creation of God The God-head is the first of all beings and the beginning of the whole Creation Many more Scriptures joyne in this truth as Isa 48.12 Rev. 1.17 Rev. 22.13 But I leave them to the Reader A third Attribute of God is his immutability Attribute 3 this is an attribute of God that he is an immutable unchangeable God for this can be said of none but God God hath made the whole Creation mutable and changeable which doth demonstrate that himselfe is only God Num. 23.19 who is unchangeable Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should lye neither the sonne of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good What God saith that he will doe and what he hath spoken he will make good for he is an unchangeable God hee is not like man to lye or repent as the sonnes of men but he is God immutable and unchangeable in all hee is not one tittle shall faile of all that the Lord hath spoken For I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 God makes this an argument to prove himselfe God that he changeth not As if hee had said there is change and alteration in all but my selfe and I am the unchangeable God I am the Lord I change not As if hee should say if I were changeable I were not God but being God I am unchangeable If mutability dwelt in me I could not be the foundation and fulnesse of all things both in Heaven and Earth James 1.17 but so I am therefore I am the unchangeable immutable God This is fully proved in James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning This is a full description of and testimony to an immutable God in him sayes the Text there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Not the least shadow of change in God the perfect God is an immutable God and his immutability is perfect for he is God in both there can be no change in God because there is no imperfection in him where there is change and mutability there must be the annihilating of something Now it is impossible this should be in God for hee is an entire Essence which can admit of no annihilating therefore not any shadow of change God is purely and simply what hee is without all compounds he is one most pure and intire Essence nothing in him but God God is a Spirit John 4.24 A fourth Attribute of God is this Attribute 4 God is infinitely great in Majesty and works or the infinite greatnesse of our God doth appeare in the greatnesse of his Majestie and workes God is so infinitely God Isa 465. that nothing can be like him Isa 46.5 To whom will yee liken me and make me equall and compare me that we may bee like As if God had said doe you creatures thinke you have any thing amongst you that is infinite that you goe about to make the likenesse of me I am an infinite God finite creatures cannot be compared to me or if you doe there will be no more likenesse and similitude then between finite infinite So Isa 40.15 16 17. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket Isa 40.15 16 17. and are counted as the small dust of the ballance Lebanon and the beasts thereof are not sufficient for a burnt-offering All Nations before God are nothing compared to him lesse then nothing and vanity This proveth the infinitenesse of God that all besides him cannot be compared to him because God is infinite and so is none but God and it is the infinitenesse of God that makes all things before him and compared to him to be so empty a vanity This infinitenesse of God doth further appeare in the greatnesse and Majestie of his workes The Prophet David had great experience of God in his great and glorious workings and we shall see what ample testimony he gives to it in Psalm 86.8 Psalm 86.8 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any workes like unto thy workes As if the Prophet had said there is no infinite God besides thy selfe and it appeares in thy workings for there is no workes full of Majesty and power like thine Psalm 135.5 So in Psalm 135.5 For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all Gods The Prophet makes this an argument to stir them up to praise God the declaring of his greatnesse hee is great above all Gods He is infinite in power and Majestie and this makes him in his workes great above all Gods The Prophet is in the same frame of spirit in Psalm 145.3 Great is the Lord Psalm 145.3 and greatly to be praised his greatnesse is unsearchable Mark the Scripture his greatnesse is unsearchable As if hee had said God is infinitely great and none is infinite but God so that his greatnesse
is unsearchable for finite creatures can never search or finde out the infinitenesse of an it finite God So in Psalm 147.5 Psalm 147.5 Great is our Lord and of great power and his understanding is infinite God is infinitely great he is so in power in understanding in working in all he is that is God is infinitely what he is he is finite in nothing nor can he be confined by any thing because Lee is the infinite God of whom all things are his infinite power gives bounds to all things but can be bounded by nothing Jer. 23.24 Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord God is infinitely great in knowledge as well as power what can be hid from the al-seeing eye of an infinite God Our God is infinitely full he filleth heaven and earth he filleth all with his infinite power and greatnesse The vastnesse of Heaven and Earth can make no dimention to the infinite fulnesse and greatnesse of God Heaven is his Throne and the Earth his Foote-stoole and all filled with the infinite fulnesse of his power and greatnesse Fifthly Attribute 5 God is an eternall God Eternity is properly and truly the Attribute of God and of none but God God is from everlasting before every thing and on whom all things depends he is to all eternity without beginning or end and therefore must needs be an eternall God Isa 41.4 Isa 41.4 Who hath wrought and done it calling the generations from the beginning I the Lord the first and with the last I am he The Lord himselfe telleth us that he called the generations that he was first before all beginning of beings and that he abides for ever and is with the last that is Isa 43.10 as if God had said I am the eternal God So in Isa 43.10 God calleth the people to be his witnesses that before him there was no God formed nor shall there be any after him Yee are my witnesses saith the Lord and my servants whom I have chosen that ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me God confirmes the former Scripture by this that he is first and last that is he is eternall hee is before all beings and all other beings depends on him so that nothing can be after him If he should cease to be there could be no beings because all have their beings from him therefore God must needs be eternall that is the first and preserver of all beings Isa 44.6 So likewise in Isa 44.6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God As if the Lord had said there is none that is first and last but me and therefore no God but I it is onely the attribute of God to be eternall and that am I. I am first and last I am eternall that is I am God there is no God besides me therefore none eternall none is first and last besides mee I am onely the eternall God and I am truly so for I am the first and last God only is that high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity Isa 57.15 There is no everlasting but God and he is the everlasting God Moses doth acknowledge God to be so Psal 90. beg in Psalm 90. beg Before the mountaines were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God That is thou art the everlasting God that wert before the World was thou didst bring forth the mountaines thou hast formed the earth and the whole World Thou wert everlasting before the World was and it was thy everlasting power that made the World and thou art the same God still and remainest what thou art From everlasting to everlasting thou art God So the Prophet in the 102 Psalm 12 27. But thou O Lord Psa 102.12 27 shalt endure for ever and they remembrance unto all generations but thou art the same and thy yeares shall have no end thou art the everlasting Lord the same for ever thou art what thou art without end there is no end of thy being God for thou art the everlasting God Of old hath God layd the foundation of the earth Psal 102.25 26. and the heavens are the worke of his hand and though they perish and wax old as a garment yet the Lord he endureth for ever he is from everlasting for he must needs be before that which is made by him and he is to everlasting for he indureth when the heavens the earth wax old as God had nothing to make him God so there can be nothing to ungod him he is the same yesterday to day and for ever he is the eternall God he made all things of nothing but not any thing can make him nothing or lesse then he is for he is the eternall God and so the Apostle Paul sets him forth in the 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amongst other Attributes the Apostle gives God this the King or God eternall to whom is glory due for ever and ever as he is the everlasting and eternall God for this is an Attribute and a glory onely due to God Sixtly God is an omnipotent Almighty alsufficient God Attribute 6 he doth what he will his word is a Law he maketh all things with a word God said Let there bee light and there was light Gen. 1.3 the whole creation hath its forme light and being from the will and word of this Almighty Omnipotent and alsufficient God there needs no more then a word from God to make day and night heaven and firmament morning and evening to gather the waters together and to make dry land to cause the earth to bring forth after its kinde to make Sunne Moone and Starres to rule in the Heavens and to give light in their courses to cause the waters to bring forth abundantly of moving creatures after their kinde and the earth to bring forth living creatures after his kinde Cattell and creeping things and beasts of the earth I the powerfull word of this omnipotent God made man after his owne Image and gave him dominion over the fish of the Sea the fowles of the ayre over the Cattell over the earth and over every thing that creepeth upon the earth all this power flowes from the Word of an omnipotent God God said let it be so and it was so to all this 1 Gen. In this faith Isaac blesseth Jacob in the 28 Gen. 3. And God Almighty blesse thee and make thee fruitfull As if he should say if the Almighty God say but the word thou art blessed for he is the Almighty
3.23 24. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his grace As if the holy Ghost should say You justified soules you have sinned and come short of the glory of God It is not your owne justification which you stand before God in but the justification of his free grace it is the free grace of God that doth acquit you and make you righteous in his owne presence God gives the beauty he delights in his free grace gives a compleat righteousnesse to poore sinners and justifieth them in the righteousnesse of his owne free grace thus is God a God of free grace yea in all his gifts he is the same a God of free grace it is his free grace that giveth Christ in whom and with whom hee giveth all things to his people as a God of grace in his rich love it is of Gods grace that Christ is made wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption to his people 1. Cor. 1.30 We did not purchase Christ but Christ did purchase us and redeemed us and to this worke he is the gift of Gods free grace and all that more exceeding and eternall weight of glory that our poore soules have with and by Christ all is the gift of Gods free grace the Lord proclaimes his free grace by his Prophet in the 55. Isa 55. x. of Isa Ho every one that this steth come ye to the waterâ— he that hath no money shall have Wine and Milke without money and without price Here the Lord proclaimes to wanting thirsting soules that hee is a God of free grace in all his gifts as if the Lord had said though you be full of wants and unworthinesses yet let not this hinder your comming to me for I am a God of free grace all my gifts are free I give my Wine and Milke without money and without price I never turned any back which came to satisfie their thirst in me because they had no money to buy I satisfie all that comes to me I am free and full in my grace and with that I satisfie all soules that thirst after me God is a giving God not a selling God it is his free grace that gives all things out of himselfe needfull to his people for life and godlinesse for grace and glory So in the 7 Matth. 7. our Saviour bids us to Aske and it shall bee given to us He doth not bid us to buy but to beg he knew God to be a God of free grace and therefore puts 〈◊〉 upon the grace of God for God is the God of free grace in all his workes and in all his gifts to his owne people he elects and chooseth to salvation in his free grace and saveth all his Elect by his free grace God giveth Christ as the great gift of his grace and in Christ he giveth the fulnesse and fâ—eâ—nesse of his grace to his people so that it is truely the Attribute of God to call him the God of free grace in this Attribute God makes knowne himselfe to his people and in this a beleeving soule looks up to God and is established by beleeving in God as a God of free grace to be his God Another Attribute of God in which he makes himselfe known to his people is this Namely That God is a faithfull God Not a tittle which he hath spoken to his people shall falle what God speaks to his people he would have them beleeve now he never did nor will faile his people that beleeve his word Num. 23.19 God is not a man that he should lye neither the sonne of man that he should repent Num. 23.19 hath hee said and shall be not doe it or both hee spoken and shall he not make it good what can there be falshood or failing in God shall he repent and not make good what hee hath spoken no hee is a faithfull God Heaven and Earth may passe away but not one tittle of his Word shall fayle Yea though the making good of his word desolve Heaven and Earth both shall consume Num. 11.23 but not a tittle of his word shall faile for hee iâ— the faithfull God Numb 11.23 Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to passe unto thee or not Moses made a question how all that people should eate flesh which the Lord had said should eatâ— flesh well sayes God I am God still my arme is not shortned nor doth my faithfulnesse faile for thou shalt surely see my word come to passe it is my word Moses and I am the faithfull God though thy faith be weake yet my faithfulnesse is strong and sure it is the Word of God and it shall not faile thou shalt surely see it come to passe The Psalmist doth acknowledge the testimonies of God to be very sure in the 93 Psalm 5. Hee had found that what ever God promised he made it good and allwayes proved himselfe a faithfull God His testimonies were ever sure so the 119 Psalm 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant O Lord according to thy Word Thou hast not deceived them but thou hast made good all thy word and promises to them As if he had said Thou art a faithfull God thou makest good all thy word so in the 89 and 90 verses of that Psalme For ever O Lord thy word is setled in Heaven Thy faithfulnesse is unto all Generations That is thou art for ever a faithfull God thy word is as fixed and sure as Heaven there can nothing faile of all that the Lord hath spoken Take some few instances of Gods fulfiling his word to his people as a faithfull God consider the first promise God made of Christ in the flesh Gen. 3.15 That the seed of the Woman should breake the head of the Serpent And how faithfull God hath beene in making good his word Christ in the flesh and Christ Crucified the whole currant of Scripture is proofe â—o it When God promiseth Abraham that he shall have a Son from Sarahs wombe though the wombe be dead yet the promise lives it is the word of a faithfull God and must be made good now Isaac the Child of promise comes from this dead wombe to manifest God to be a faithfull God God sends Moses to Pharoah and telleth him that he shall leade the Children of Israel out of Egypt and from under their bondage and slavery to serve the Lord their God in the Wildernesse Moses goes upon the word of God Now notwithstanding the hardnesse of Pharoahs heart and the power of his hand yet God makes good every tittle of his word to them though he make their way thorough the deep waters yet all must obey to fulfill the faithfull word of God and in that Divine story we may see with how many miracles and wonders God makes good all his faithfull word to them God is a faithfull God he could not else be God and I may truly say all these Scriptures which proves him
Christ making full satisfaction to the justice of God for all those whom he is made sinne for as Christ came in the flesh to take up the debt of sinne for his people and to lye under the wages of sinne which is death so in the flesh and in his death hee giveth such full satisfaction to Almighty God that God doth acknowledge himselfe fully pleased in the travell of his soule Isa 53.11 Hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied That is God doth behold that satisfaction which Christ hath made to his justice for the sinnes of his people and in it doth acknowledge himselfe fully satisfied and for ever well pleased with his Elect in him that whole Chapter is a proving of Christ in the flesh being made by God an offering for sinne verse 10. to be wounded for the transgression of his people and bruised for our iniquities having the chastisement of our peace put upon him so that by his stripes we are healed it having pleased the Lord to lay on him the iniquities of us all 5 6. verses So that here is not onely Christ in the flesh but Christ made sinne for his people that is hath all the iniquities of his people layd on him by God with all the wounds bruises and chastisements due to them that is all the punishment due to sinne from Gods justice and this Christ undergoeth to the utmost so that by his stripes we are heoled that is by his suffering and satisfaction his Elect are in the justice of God wholy acquitted and discharged for God chose Christ to fatisfie his justice for sinne and having laide the debt with all the weight of it upon him and Christ having discharged this debt to the full Gods justice cannot but discharge it where ever it was due otherwise as one Text speaks Christ had dyed in vaine and the designe of Gods free grace to poore sioners could never be accomplished So the Apostle in the 3. Gal. 13. telleth us that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Christ as our suerty and publique Redeemer tooke sinne with all its weight and curse upon himselfe and what he hath taken from us he hath fully delivered us from so that in his satisfaction he doth fully acquit his elect body the first debtor from the whole debt and danger of sin either in curse or punishment And the Apostle Paul argueth out his tryumph in the 8. Rom. latter end upon this very consideration Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is bee that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen againe As if the Apostle had saide God doth justifie his elect body as he is a just God For Christ hath dyed and is risen againe That is Christ is risen as the satisfier of Gods justice in his death for had not Christs death satisfied Gods justice when as the sinnes curse and punishment of sinne for all his Elect body was layd on him he could never have risen again but now his is risen and risen as the justifier of his people and the satisfier of Gods justice Now if any shall charge the Elect of God with what Christ hath borne and satisfied for them Even the justice of God or the just God will acquit them and if God acquit who can condemne and therefore hee glorieth So the same Apostle in the 4. Rom. 25 speaking of Christ as being risen from the dead sayes thus Who was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification That is it was the sinnes of his Elect that crucifyed him and it is the justification of his Elect for whom he dyed that he is risen and as nothing could have crucified him but our sins so now nothing can condemne those for whom he dyed he being risen his resurrection pleades to all justice satisfaction in his death And Christ was therefore delivered up to death for our offences that in his resurrection we might be justified from all offences Gods great aime and designe of grace Run thorough the former to the latter of these Rom. 10.4 the holy Ghost telleth us there That Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth As if he had said The beleeving soule shall finde that Christ hath fulfilled and doth fully keepe the whole Law for him and so is an end to it for righteousnesse that is Christ is now the soules righteousnesse not the Law the Law is kept and fulfilled by Christ for a beleever so that it cannot charge any soule in Christ to condemnation but the righteousnesse and justification of the soule in the sight of God is Christ not the Law if any soule could keepe the whole Law in it selfe the Law might have been for righteousnesse to that soule but all having sinned and come short now the Law is an accuser not a justifier but Christ for his people hee fully satisfies and keepes the Law so that Christ is the righteousnesse of his people and an end to the Law for righteousnesse This is a faithfull saying 1 Thâ— X. 15 and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the World to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 It was the end of Gods giving Christ and of Christ comming to save sinners from sinne Law death Hell and what ever would destroy them and this end is effected for Christ did not onely dye but is risen did not onely take sin but hath satisfyed for sinne and all this is the worke of grace which appeares in this it is the worke of God in Christ the Apostle Paul doth acknowledge and confirme this truth in Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ The Apostle here sayes it is redemption through Christ but that doth not hinder our being justified by free grace in God though God workes through Christ yet it is all the worke of his free grace it is through Christ and Christ is through grace there is not any tittle of redemption or justification through selfe it is all through Christ and by grace which is no more but grace working through Christ the great gift of Gods free grace what ever God doth in Christ can no wayes deminish his free grace for Christ is the Mediator or middle person betweene God and Man in whom God magnifies his grace to Man and giveth to his people the riches and greatnesse of his love wherewith he loveth them through him This indeed doth manifest the wisedome and justice of God to redeeme his people through Christ but it no wayes lesseneth the freenesse of his grace nay it makes it more glorious grace for that justice is fully satisfied makes mercy the greater mercy and the justified is nothing in himselfe all this while but a sinner now that God should make Christ his way to satisfie his Divine justice by and to
save sinners this must needes magnifie the grace of God because the saved and the justified are nothing in the worke themselves onely sinners and the worst of sinners saved onely of grace by grace it is grace in God and grace in Christ the grace of God through Christ that makes such as are dead in sins to be quickned together with Christ and from this the holy Ghost telleth us that by grace wee are saved Ephes 2.5 Christ came from Heaven to doe his Fathers will that was to save all which his Father had given him not to loose any but to raise them up at the last day John 6.38 39. God chooseth Christ a body John 6.38 39 of which hâ— maketh him head and Saviour and send him into the World that he might rederme his body by satisfying justice so that he might save the whole and raise them up at the last day at his redeemed body and all this the worke of Gods free grace through Christ for Christ doth acknowledge that his worke of redemption was his Fathers will and his word was to perfect the designe of his Fathers grace that all God had given him might be redeemed through him and justified by his Fathers grace in the death of Christ God commendeth his love and grace to â—e Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love to us in that whilst wee were sinners Christ dyed for us Marke it the satisfaction that Christ gave to the justice of God for sinners was so farre from being any diminution to Gods grace that it is a commendation of it or an exaltation and glory of it for it exceedingly commends the glory of Gods love and grace that Christ should dye because we were sinners there lyes the emminency of Gods love it is Christ the gift of his grace dying for sinners this makes all the worke grace grace in God sends Christ to dye for sinners whom otherwise must dye eternally in sinne can there bee any thing but grace in this in the Apostles account Christs dying for us when when we were sinners doth much demonstrate the love and grace of God and surely so it doth Thus doth God save his people by grace and satisfie his justice in Christ Now Christ having satisfied his Fathers justice fulfilled and kept the Law to the utmost for all his elect body he bringeth them to the throne of his fathers justice as well as the throne of his grace and there God as a just God doth justifie head and members Col. 2.9 10. For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily And yet are compleate in him As if God should say Christ hath satisfied my justice as God Man and though my justice were the justice of a God yet him in whom the fulnesse of the God head dwelleth bodily hath fully satisfied it and all his members are compleate in him I have received full satisfaction for them in him and in him doe sully acquit and discharge them of all guilt and unrighteousnesse before me to all eternity for yee are compleate in him That iâ— compleate in his compleatnesse For he was made sinne for you which knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5. last that you might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Marke it the end of Christ being made sinne was that in him his elect body might bee made the righteousnesse of God that is that Christ might bee our righteousnesse as the gift of God so that Christ being our righteousnesse wee might bee righteous in the righteousnesse of God and so compleate in him namely Christ as Christ is the righteousnesse of God to his people So are they all compleate in him and in this the righteousnesse of God Saints are justified at the throne of Gods justice and taken up into his bosome of grace for in union with Christ there can be no condemnation Rom. 8. Thus doth free grace in God accomplish and finish its worke of salvation for all his elect through Christ God doth this worke in Christ that it might be all free grace and that he might take off all boasting in the creature by the Law of faith Rom. 3.27 whom hee chooseth from all eternity to be heires of glory hee chooseth them in Christ Ephes 1.4 whom he calleth out of nature into his grace he calleth in Christ Rom. 8. latter end Such as he redeemeth he redeemeth through Christ and makes him to bee redemption to them 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 3.24 Them which God justifies and makes righteous he justifieth and maketh righteous in Christ Rom. 4.25 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 10.3 4. Rom. 4.25 Gal. 5.4 So Christ he is made sanctification to his people 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 1 Cor. 1.30 Rom. 8.10 8.10 And when Saints are taken up into their fulnesse of glory then they reape the fulnesse of their union with Christ John 17. latter end John 14.19 Rom. 8.17 So that this whole salvation is the worke and gift of Gods free grace wrought in Christ Now that it might be free grace in God and onely free grace which begins carries on and perfects this worke of Salvation in all the parts and degrees of it this is the will of God That the hand which taketh receiveth applyeth and oppropriateth thiâ— free gift of Gods grace to the soules of his Elect body should bee the hand fo saith so that as it reignes in the soules of beleevers Rom. 3 24 37. 1 John 3.23 it might appeare to be of grace and not of workes Rom. 3. ◠〈◊〉 27. 1 John 3.23 And this is his Commandement that 〈◊〉 should beleeve on the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ The will of God appeares in his Commandement and that is to beleeve in the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ to beleeve in Jesus as a Saviour and a Redeemer to save and redeeme his people from their sins Matthew 1.21 And she shall bring forth a Sonne and thou shalt call his name Jesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes This is to beleeve in the name of Jesus to beleeve in Jesus as the Saviour of his people from their sinnes this is the will and commandement of God in this sense in Scripture Rom. 3.1 we are often said to be justified by faith Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ That is not by faith as a meritorious grace to merit justification for then it were of works which would destroy the nature of faith and the designe of Gods free grace but by faith as an appropriating and applying hand to lay hold on the salvation of Gods free grace through Christ in beleeving of Gods Word and worke of Salvation by his free grace through Christ so as to cast the salvation of our eternall soules Rom. 5.1 upon Gods free grace in the satisfaction and redemption of Christ therefore Justified by faith wee have 〈◊〉 with God through our Lord Jesus Christ That is by faith laying hold
beleeving is that in our power is it not the gift of God is it not above the reach of humane reason and understanding is it a worke of nature or grace To this I answer Answer and acknowledge that Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 But take this with it this God is a God of free grace which giveth Salvation to his people and the hand of faith to lay hold on his salvation all in his owne grace and therefore I tell my owne soule and others of beleeving in God because he is a God of free grace I know faith is the worke of Divine power it is not of our selves therefore I say againe God is a God of free grace stay not in selfe lye at the throne of grace as that poore man in the Gospell Lord I beleeve helpe thou my unbeliefe Me-thinkes he speakes thus Lord I beleeve that thou canst helpe me against my unbeliefe that thou canst destroy the unbeliefe that is in me and make me to beleeve upon thee to establishment and I thinke this is the language of the Objection which saith Faith is the gift of God is it not the same with this Lord thou canst make me beleeve in thee it is thy worke to destroy my unbeliefe and to helpe my soule against it This is all I say God is a God of free grace and faith is the gift of his grace he waites to be gracious to give his free grace and all the gifts of it freely to those that need it nothing in creature but want makes it an object for Gods grace for he gives all freely without price and without money Now if faith be the gift of God as thou doest acknowledge then lye at the throne of his grace if thou wantest know all he hath is for those that want waite on him and tell him he can helpe thee against thy unbeliefe But you demand whether faith were not above the reach of humane reason and understanding I acknowledge Yes when it is under its naturall darknesse so that the soule it lives in nothing but nature as it fell from the first Adam So The naturall Man descernes not the things of God neither can be because they are spiritually discerned But when God comes to worke the worke of his grace in any soule he doth not destroy his owne first and pure worke of nature in the man the fall from grace corrupted the reason and understanding of man as it did the whole man so the restoration to grace doth restore the first image of God in the reason and understanding of men though faith as it leads to God and pitcheth the soule upon God be above the light or reach of reason in it selfe yet when God workes faith in the soule and so takes the soule up to himselfe to live in him and to rest on him God doth not thereby destroy reason and understanding in the man that were to make him a Beast No God doth inlighten and convince the soul in its reason and judgement though when it was in its corrupted nature it could not discerne the things of God nor understand the worke of his salvation of free grace in Christ through beleeving so as to choose God for a portion and to rest on the salvation of his free grace yet when God shall inlighten the reason and judgement of a man by his owne spirit so that now it is spirituall reason and judgement then by the spirit of God in it it comes to apprehend and to close with the salvation of Gods free grace in Christ through beleeving it is now reason and judgement sanctified and made light in the Lord so that now it seeth a beauty in the grace of God and Christ the gift of his grace now it is no more its owne under its corruption but Gods in his renuing grace by which in Christ he hath redeemed it out of the power of Satan and the region of darknesse into his owne marvelous light though â—t first it may onely fee men walke as trees yet God will not leave it till he makes it see plainely God is light and in him is no darknesse at all So that as God commeth into the reason and judgements of his people they have light in the Lord the worke is neverthelesse but the more a worke of grace in God that he doth thus sanctifie and inlighten the reason and judgements of his people carrying on the worke of his salvation in the soule God is not bound to worke thus for the whole worke of his salvation is free but that hee chooseth to worke thus I thinke is the experience of all Saints that ever had reason and judgement in which Saints have much joy and by which doubtlesse the glory of Gods free grace is much manifested and declared and therefore I shall in the next place hold forth some grounds and reasons to the sanctified reason and judgements of Saints why to beleeve in God why to take his word and to rest upon the salvation of his free grace Grounds for faith from reason First Because there is truth in none but God and his Word by God here I meane Father Sonne and Spirit all truth is in this Fountaine and what ever truth is in the creature it is a streame from this fountaine so much of truth so much a beama of God in any soule It is one of Gods Attributes which we have mentioned to be a God of truth which is the true God I shall adde little to the proofe of it only a Scripture or two Psal 18.30 As for God Psalm 18.30 his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tryed be is a buckler to all those that trust in him As if the Prophet had said I have tryed God by trusting him and I find him true and perfect in all his words and wayes his word is perfectly true if her say he will be a buckler to you you may trust him he is a tryed God of truth he never deceived any foule that trusted in him his truth reacheth to the clouds Psalm 57.10 sayes the Prophet Psalm 57.10 It is boundlesse truth it is the truth of God whom is all truth So Psalm 117.2 The truth of the Lord endureth for ever That is God is for ever a God of truth hee is nothing but truth not doth he speake any thing but truth not any soule can be decalved by believing what he sayes he meanes what hee sayes for he is the God of truth Now I would argue with reason and aske it whether it would choose truth or untruth to believe in Doubtlesse this will be the answer of a rationall man I doe choose truth for this it my misery I know not what to believe there is so much untruth is the world nor can I finde any man or sort of men to trust all men are so false If mens words promises or engagements were any safety wee have had enough of them but men forget their words
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
appearance of God did astonish the King so that he called them to come forth and when they came out of the firy Furnace they were so farre from any harme That a haire of their heads was not singed mither had the smell of fire passed on them What a most glorious experience of the power faithfulnesse and goodnesse of God is here the Kings fury was so hot that the Furnace must be heat seaven times hotter then before and it was made furious in heat indeed for the flames which came forth from it slue them which cast in Shadrach Meshach and Abednego to the firy Furnace but notwithstanding all his fury God preserveth those that trust in him he is with them according to his promise when as they passe through the fire and as the Winds and Seas so the flames of fire obey him for they finge not so much as the cloathes of these faithfull ones nor leave so much as the smell of fire upon their Garments O the infinite power and faithfulnesse of God fire shall lose its nature and cease to burne rather then such as trust in him shall be consumed by it God hath power enough to preserve his owne interest those that trust in him even in the eaging flames of consuming fire no flames nor fury can destroy that which the power and mercy of God will preserve and now here is a full experience of God he will preserve that which his people commits to him and trusts to him for the preservation of it these precious soules God had brought to this glorious pitch that they sleighted the Kings power and fury by beleeâ—ing in the power and faithfulnesse of himself And now sayes God it shall he knowne what I am and what it is to trust in me God could either have turned the heart of Nebuchadnezzar or have crushed his power that he should never have been able to have cast them into the firy Fumace but in this also God workes as the wheele within the wheeles he lete the furious man go on that he might have the fitter opportunity to manifest the glory of his grace power and faithfulnesse in their deliverance and that his people might have greater experience of their safety in trusting him God lets them goe into the fire that they might have experience of his love in going with them and of his power in preserving them and bringing them forth againe to the astonishment of all beholders and that it might remaine on Record to after Ages that Generations to come might say this is God and this will God be for ever to his people Should I inlarge according to the matter and worth of these experiences I should swell into a great bulke which I seâ—ke to avoide and therefore shall upon the matter onely make resitallâ— and leave inlargements to the Spirit of God upon the hearts of the Readers We shall finde in this Booke another glorious experience of God which the Prophet Daniel himselfe had in the sixth of Daniel we shall finde a decree to cast the Prophet into the Den of Lyons was deceitfully gotten and the cause was his making of petitions to God the Prophet knew of the decree which waâ— as of the Meades and Perâ—â—ans not to be altered and yet he alters not his course of calling upon God by Prayer he opens his mouth to God and trusts God to stop the Lyons mouthes he lifts up his hands and heart to God and trustâ— God to keâ—pe downe the Lyons pawes well God will not deceive his trust but yet he will let him be cast into the Lyons Den Daniel 6.16 Though the King was sorry yet he commanded Daniel to be cast into the Lyons Den and there Daniel is as safe as amongst Lambes the Angell of God had shut the Lyons mouthes that though they remained Lyons still yet to Daniel they had no more harme in them then so many quiet Lambet and when the King comen early in the morning with dread in his spirit lest the Lyons should have feasted themselves upon that precious piece Hecryes out O Daniel servant of the living God is thy God whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the Lyons Vers 20. vers 20. In the 22. vers Daniel answers him My God hath sent his Angell and shut the Lyons mouthes that they have not burt mee In the 23. vers Then was the King exceeding glad and commanded to take Daniel out of the Den so he was and not any manner of 〈◊〉 found upon him But in the 24. vers when his accusers were cast into the Lyons They brake their bones before ever they came to the bottome of the Den. The Lyons were raging Lyons in themselves though their mouthes were stopped by God in the preserving of Daniel that put his trust in him O the power of God fire cannot burne nor Lyons bite where God forbids he that made all for his own glory can change the nature of what he hath made when in so doing he may magnifie the glory of his grace and faithfulnesse to his people doth not these experiences say that God is onely to be trusted and feared he shuts where no man opens and opens where no man shuts Daniel had experience of Gods love and power in this that those very Lyons that lay like Lambes by him should devoure his enemies before his face none can bound the holy one of Israel but he can lock up the Lions mouths and open them at his pleasure sure it is good to trust in so good a gracious and powerfull God one that giveth such full experience to his people that trust in him of what he is a God infinite in power mercy and goodnesse there is a spirituallity in all these experiences of God which if God give in in the reading it will make them exceeding sweet and apt to that end I quote them for namely to beget faith in God and a holy dependency on him Amongst these holy witnesses let the Prophet Jonah be admitted to bring in his experiences of God and we shall finde them to be very glorious the Prophet doth at large declare how he came to be cast into the Sea in a great tempest here is nothing appeares to fleshly reason but destruction and doubtlesse those that cast him out of the Ship expected nothing else but that the Sea should be a grave to his dead body therefore they prayed that God would not lay his blood to their charge in the 14. verse But in the 17. verse Now the Lord prepared a great Fish to swallow up Jonah Jonah 1.17 and Jonah was in the belly of the Fish three dayes and three nights Well and is this a likely way of preservation is there not as much death in the belly of the Fish as in the belly of the Sea Lay aside fleshly reasonings for a little and observe the end of Gods worke In the 2. Chap. vers 10. And the Lord spake unto the Fish and it
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
them hee speakes to the people in Chap. 3. vers 12. And when Peter saw it hee answered unto the people yee men of Israel why marvell you at this or why looke you so cornestly on us as though by our owne power and holinesse we had made this man to walke This Scripture clearly proves thus much that the Apostles were carefull that not so much as a thought should remaine in the peoples hearts that the lame man was made to walk by any power and holinesse that was singly or originally in them and therefore to put all that out of dispute they declare themselves nothing but Christ all in the worke in Acts 4.10 Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom yee crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand before you whole Observe the care of preserving the glory of God and Christ intire that was in these faithfull soules for they make a full Declaration of the power which did the work at which they were so amazed Know all you and doe you make it knowne to all the people of Israel that by the Name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ this worke is done They had here a faire opportunity to gaine great honour to themselves from the people but faith in the soule makes it its businesse to lift up the Name and glory of God and to live upon that in all it doth By faith these Apostles were instrumentall in this worke and this faith keepes them true to the originall glory which they acted by namely God and Christ they wrought this great worke in the Name of Christ and by the power of God and their second worke is to keepe the glory of it upon its owne foundation namely God and Christ Now that they might more plainly shew God and Christ to the people in this great worke they throw downe all that stands in the way and first begins with themselves Looke not upon us as if wee by one owne power and holinesse had made this man whole God hath used us as instruments but in this God is originally all therefore looke upon God not us Thus faith in GOD throwes downe selfe and flesh that GOD in his glory may appeare that the soule might glory in what God is and not what selfe is this is a precious grace in the soule for it makes a precious soule a soule willing to worke for Gods glory and accounts this a full recompence to all its labour and worke that God is thereby glorified but withall is exceeding tender that nothing of selfe should share with GOD in the glory onely due to his Name Faith at this pitch is very rarely found in these latter dayes wherein mâ—n are lovers of themselves themselves more then lovers of God but where ever it is it is an exceeding benefit and advantage to the soule such soules doe the worke of Heaven on Earth lift up the name and glory of God in all they doe and are not contented in doing any thing but in which they may doe this throw downe the vaile of their owne flesh that the glory of God might appeare in them and by them all those fleshly selfeish carnall principles and practices that are in the hearta and lives of men they are the fruite and effects of unbeliefe in the soule the evill of which doth give demonstration to the excellency and benefit of faith saith that workes and rules in the soule and conversation to the throwing downe of selfe and to the lifting up of Christ in the World this is so great a benefit that none can prize it but they that have it it is more in the injoying then it can be in the desiring Another benefit of faith in the soule is this Faith in God keepes the soule in a steady expectation of Gods fulfilling and making good his promises though the acts of his providence may seeme to worke crosly Faith centers the soule upon God in his promiset and brings it to this pitch that though it cannot see Gods way of working yet having believed God in his word doth rest in this that all his workes shall and doe make good his word so that the soule when it is at a losse concerning Gods way of working yet it is at rest in the end of God made knowne by his Word and can argue thus with it selfe though in the actings of God he seemes to crossâ— his owne ends yet I know they shall all runne into his faithfull Word and what he there speakes he is now a doing though I am a stranger to the way of his working yet he will never be failing to his owne holy ends declared in his word and upon this account the soule is kept to waite quietly and to bee steady in its expectations of Gods sulfilling and making good his promises though the workings of his providence may seeme to act crosly Therefore sayes the Prophet I will trust in thee though thou killest mee Whatever thou deest I know thou wilt fulfill thy promises this was Moses faith at the Rad Sea and his counsell to the Israelites Exod. 14.13 Exod. 14.13 Not to feare but to stand still and see the salvation of God As if he had said I and you have received promises from God that he will be with us and deliver us out of the hands of Phareah and his Task-masters why let us beleeve these promises though his workings at this present may seeme as though hee meant to let Pharoah destroy us yet having his word to the contrary feare not his workes but stand still and see the salvation of the Lord all his workes shall accomplish the fulfilling of his Word therefore in faith be quiet and waite for it there is not any thing that is more truely the nature of faith then this to keepe the soule quiet in waiting on God for the fulfilling of his promises God exhorts to this in Psalm 46.10 Psal 46.10 Be still and know that I am God I will bee exalted amongst the Heathen I will be exalted in the Earth That is you that have beleeved my word if it have spoken good to you be still and quiet in your spirits concerning the fulfilling of it for I am God I am faithfull and true though my workes seem contrary to your eyes yet they are but to exalt my name among the Heathen and in the whole earth that men may not trace me in my way but yet know I am God I will be faithfull to my ends and promises fixe you your eyes there and quiet your heart in them judge not my end by my wayes but my wayes by my end waite on the fulfilling of my word be still and know that I am God Faith in God makes the soule still and quiet in all Gods dispensations to it because it knowes that he is God therefore cannot be unfaithfull to his promiser but is in
on mee shall your hearts be established Secondly God doth engage himselfe by Covenant to forgive the iniquity of his people and to remember their sins no more Now to beleeve God in this his own Covenant how exceedingly will it establish the soule there is nothing like sinne and iniquity to make an earth-quake and a soule quake If God once brings a soule or a Land to account with him for sinne and iniquity that will make dreadfull shakings indeed so on the contrary where God acquits from sinne and iniquity he makes rest and establishment for it is sinne that is the troubler of Israel but when God in his Covenant of grace shall engage himselfe to pardon and acquit soules from sinne such soules as receives this Covenant of God and believes that he hath and will make it good to them will surely be at rest But this is not all for God Covenants further with his people That he will put his law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts so that he will be our God and that wee shall be his people Now examine it over againe and see what is wanting to make an established soul if God be believed in it and rested upon for the fulfilling of it Here is choosing grace pardoning and purging grace here is justifying and sanctifying grace yea all this is grace free grace the grace of God and God in his free grace engaging himselfe to make all this good to such soules as rest upon him What now can any soule say against trusting in God for all that hee hath covenanted to doe in his owne free grace if the soule say I am not worthy what is that to the free grace of God God doth not move upon any such grounds it may be a good heart may say it is not broken enough why a broken heart is a new heart that which God hath Covenanted to give trust God hee will make good every part and tittle of his owne Covenant that should not hinder faith for it is the effect of faith Seeke not first to make thy heart good and then to trust God but trust in God and he will mend thy heart nay he will give thee a new heart that which thou wouldst give all the World to gaine he will give thee freely if thou trust in him he will not onely establish thy heart but sanctifie it also Now hence I dare be bold to affirme to any soule if it believe iâ— God and his Covenant of grace it shall be established finne shall not shake it for God hath acquitted such soules of that and cast all the sinnes of Believers out of his remembrance God hath done this great worke in his owne grace and neither can nor will ever undoe it Corruption shall not be able to unestablish a soule that believes on God in his Covenant of grace for such soules goe to God and spread their corrupt hearts before him and pleading his owne Covenant with him for new hearts and that he would renue right spirits within them Believing soules are fixed upon a rocke that is higher then themselves so that nothing in selfe can reach them and what ever is in God doth establish them such souls see God to be rich in mercy full of grace pardming iniquity transgression and sins for his owne Names sake Thus are soules established by believing in the Lord their God Againe Believe God in Christ our Saviour himselfe cals for this in John 14.1 You believe in God believe also in me That is believe in God through me looke through my wounds and see how he loves you behold the streumings of my blood and see how freely and fully he hath justified you consider your union with me and therein how he hath made you compleatly right â—teous in his owne sight He hath made me to be sin for you who knew no sin that you might be made the righteousnesse of God in me 2 Cor. 5. last Now believe thus in God through me that I have born your sinnes and satisfied his justice to such a perfection that you stand the righteousnesse of God in me Believe in God through me so shall you be established above the feare of sinne or puniâ—â—â—ment for you shall see I have borne them both for you Isa 53. I have â—â—orne your griefes and carried your sorrowes God hath struckeâ— smieten afflicted and wounded me for your transgressions he hath bruised me for your iniquities the chastisement of your peace hath hee laid upon me and with my stripes are you healed for the Lard hath laid on me the iniquities of you all God hath made my soule an offering for your sinnes and hath seene the travâ—ll of my soule and is satisfied Now if you believe thus in God through me your soules will be satisfied too you will be established as soulee that are fixed in the bosom of God me-thinks Christ sayes here goe with holy boldnesse to the barre of Gods justice and by faith offer up my wounds my stripes and the travell of my soule in full satisfaction for all your sinnes and I dare assure you hee will acquit and write your discharge by his owne spirit in your own bâ—somâ—â— I begge of you says Christ have not the least doubt of his faithfulnesse or the fulnesse of my satisfaction I have paid the â—â—most farthing you may boldly goe to Gods justice believing this there shall not to all eternity be a tittle laid to your charge No sayes he God will be just both to you and me he will nâ—ver charge you with that which I have paid and beâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 have finished the whole worke of redemption I have 〈…〉 that believe in God through me from the curse of the law being 〈…〉 curse for them In the whole worke of redemption I did the will of my Father in my agony when I sweat drops of bloud and on the Crosse when there issued out from my sides streates of â—â—ter and blood I did bear your sinnes for I had none of my own and in all this I have perfected your redemption in the â—â—ll satifaction of my Fathers justice so that by believing in God through me you will see Gods Justice fully satisfied for your finnes and your selves wholy acquitted from sinne and made righteous in the righteousnesse of God himselfe and this I am sure will establish your hearts where sinne is discharged and righteousnesse sealed up there all cause of feare and shaking is banishâ—â— and this is by believing in God through me sayes Christ for 〈◊〉 the great designe of Gods free grace my blood hath discharged all your sinnes and I am your righteousnesse I that am the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and you compleat in me perfectly righteous without spot or wrinckle in the pure eyes of God nay sayes Christ had not my blood made a full end of sinne I should have valued it at a higher rate then to have sheddâ— it as I did had I been but a perfect
Gods shaking worke makes shaking hearts and trembling soules but had they faith in God concerning these promises they would stand still and be quiet waiting believingly for the salvation of God in the peacefull reigne and righteous government of Jesus Christ were God but believed in what he sayes all the temptations of Satan and the doubtings of our unbelieving hearts would be silenced and brought to nothing what exceeding folly is it in our hearts that GOD whom never deceived any that trusted on him should be distrusted by any and not believed by all he is the God of truth so is his word the word of truth and not any soule that ever tryed God by trusting him upon his word but found him so The Apostle Paul Rom. 8.28 tels us that all things workes together for good to them that love God This takes in all things as the other generall did all times so that put them together and it amounts to this that all things and all times are filled with Gods love to his people and so worke all together for the good of all his God loves his children as dearely upon their beds of sicknesse as in their most perfect health and his love in both makes both worke together for good to his people upon this account the Apostle knew both how to want and to abound and in all estates to be content such a presence of God is in the word of God promised to his people and God thâ—â— believed on doth quiet and establish the heart in all conditions all carnal feares are the fruits of our owne darknesses 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of faith open to see the loving kindnesse of God at he haâ—â—â—â—nifested it in the flesh of his Sonne and in his written 〈◊〉 these seares would vanish and our hearts would be fully 〈◊〉 â—â—ed by living on the fulnesse of God I have mentioned bâ—â—â—â—â—â—ety Teâ—ts of Scripture but I beseech you receive them and 〈◊〉 whole into the armes of faith they will prove cordials to 〈◊〉 hearte and establishment to your soules beleeve it GOD is worth the trust if faith open the everlasting gates and let this King of glory in his presence will make all such to be gloriâ—â—â— soules he dispels all darknesse and so all feares he fixes 〈◊〉 soules aâ— believe on him in the Lord Jesus Christ and layes them to rest in his owne bosome so as no thing or time no not Hâ—â—rulty iâ— selfe can either shake or disquiet them My whole design in this is to be an Advocate for faith in God therefore give me leave to mention one 〈◊〉 and two Rules which are subservant to this glorious end The caution is this He wary that you check not the spirit of God when it comes â—â—om God about this worke The Rules are these First Nourish all your experiences of God Secondly Be diligent in observing the workings of GODS Proâ—idence But first a little of the Caution Be wary that you cheek not the spirit of God when it comes from God to worke over and to seale up your soules in the beliefe of himselfe GOD and Christ hath promised that the spirit of God shall beare witnesse with our spirit that we are the Children of God now this promise is fulfilled many times in the hearing of the Gospel in reading of his Word or it may be in the immediate workings of himselfe upon our soules O be careful to entertaine this spirit wel a wound here may danger eternal life But it may be you wil say how shal I know the spirit of God from the dâ—ltisiâ—ns of my owne heart and the temptations of Satan I answer Try Gods Spirit by his Word and you shal finde them both centre in the manifesting Gods free graâ—e in the salvation of the worst of sinners through Christ in believing Now the delusions of our owne hearts wil lift up selfe not God and Christ and the motions of Satan wil be to distrust God as it was to our first Parents Does God say the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye sayes he It is not so God doth but delude thee â—â—te and thou shalt bee as God knowing Good and Evilâ— By this we may distinguish what spirit speakes in us and as the word and spirit of God beares witnesse each to other so doth Satans contradicting what God sayes confirme the truthes of God for were it not truth he could not oppose himselfe being the Father of lyes so that when I would lay hold of truth I would observe what Satan sayes to choose the contrary wel then if God by his spirit make knownâ— a Christ crucified toâ—â— and bid us believe on him through this Christ for everlasting salvation have a care of checking this spirit if the Dâ—vil and our owne darke hearts in which by nature the Prince of darknesse rules doth contradict the testimony of Gods spirit in this truth that is the fuller confirmation of the truth if in any streight or condition whatsoever God shall by his spirit bring to your hearts any suitable promâ—se or place of Scripture be exceeding watchful that you check not that spirit this spirit is a free spirit it is as the winde blowes where it pleaseth this iâ— Scripture advice try all spirits if they be of God that which comes from God wil leade thee to God quench not the spirit which leades thee to God in himselfe in his Sonne in his word and in his workes for that spirit which thus leadeâ— thee wil bring thee to God whom wil establish thee Oh prize that spirit that prizes God and tels thee his grace is free and rich his râ—demption ful and compleate his word true and faithful his workes great and glorious and the injoyment of him to be eternally with him if this spirit be deare to thee it wil seale thee up in this beliefe that thou art deare and neare to God in Christ and so establish thy soule by believing in the Lord thy God Now a little of the Rules First Nourish all thy experiences of God this wil much advantage faith in the soule we are apt to trust experimented creatures much more if spiritually wise shal we trust an â—â—â—â—â—mented God I have been large in the particulers of this beâ—on I onely mention it here by way of Rule for doubtlesse such souls as nourish their experiences of God doe thereby nourish and increase faith in God if such as have fought Gods battles doe preserve and nourish the experiences they have had of the powerful presence and loving kindnesses of God in those dying and difficult workes surely it wil nourish faith in their soule to trust God if ever hee shal bring to any more such workes againâ— Surely Shadrach Meshach and Abednego did never feare to follow GOD through the fire after they had experimented the power of his presence with them in the fire nor Daniel the Lyons Experiences are to faith as oyle to the fire it increaseth the flames where they meet in any soule