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
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
holdeth forth the shaking both of Earth and Heavens also for it seemeth to hold out thus much that the end of Gods so shaking is to manifest that which cannot be shaken by its remaining in which God taught me this truth that the establishment of his people lay in that which should remaine stedfast to eternity even when himselfe should shake not onely the earth but the heavens also by Earth here I understand the whole Earth in its frame and fashion beauty and glory power and government the time is comming when God will shake all this into its first nothing so that the establishment of an eternall being lyeth not in this By Heavens I understand not onely the materiall Heavens as Sonne Moone Starres and Firmament but also the Law of Heaven and earth namely the Ordinances and worship of God here the Churches and government of Christ on earth truly these are very glorious as they are in God and God in them so that they may well bee called the heavens but even these as they come from God have their time and their end these are the top and exceeding glory of all one wildernesse mercies but all these are to be shaken their end will cease and so must they too these are as the pillars of cloude by day and of fire by night to the body of Christ whilst it or any member of it remaines in the Wildernesse but Christ our head is ascended whom will draw his whole body after him and then the end of this will cease and their shaking time will be accomplished to the full so that though this be the glory of the World yet they cannot make up establishment to eternall soules because they are to be shaken Now by this I am further taught where to begin in seeking establishment namely not in the whole Earth no not in any part or appearance of Heaven that may be shaken not in the ordinances or worship of God but in God himselfe not in the Churches or government of Christ but in Christ himselfe So that good King Jehoshaphats counsell to his people in their day of straights and shakings will leade mee and all the people of God to a sure center of establishment Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established These are the words of Jehoshaphat the King to Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem at that time when they were under much feare and doubts concerning their condition by reason of a numerous and potent enemy which was come up against them to an eye of fleshly reason they were a lost people and nation but this good man had a better and more seeing eye to behold withall namely the eye of faith for in the 14 15 16 17 verses of this Chapter we shall finde that Jahaziel the Prophet having the spirit of the Lord come upon him in the middest of the Congregation when all the people were gathered together to seeke the Lord did Prophecy and told the King and all Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem that they should not bee afraid nor dismayed by reason of the great a multitude which come against them for the battell saith he is not yours but Gods He gives further direction when to goe downe against them and what to doe he tels them they shall not needs to fight onely to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord he bids them againe not to feare for the Lord would be with them Now upon this was Jehoshaphats eye of faith he did beleeve in the Lord and his word declared by his Prophet and in this twentieth verse telleth the people where his establishment was namely in God and if they also should beleeve in God as their God and in his Word declared by his Prophet that they should thereby be established Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established My intentions are to take this Scripture in the largest sense and to make use of it in the carrying on a Treatise of Faith as faith and beliefe in God doth settle and establish beleevers The plaine and visible truth which lyes in this Scripture and upon which I shall carry on what followeth is this That Saints are established by beleeving in God as their God This is the sense and almost the very words of the Scripture and for its proofe it hath the concurrance of the scope if not the letter of the whole Word of God the Prophet Isaiah in his seaventh Chapter and ninth verse prooves this by its contrary when in the former verses he had told them what God would doe for them he telleth them in this verse If you will not beleeve surely yee shall not bee established As if hee had sayd it is not my bare narrative or the history of God in his power greatnesse and goodnesse that will establish you if you doe not beleeve it is faith trust and beliefe in God as your God which is onely able to establish you if you beleeve not your foundation will alwayes bee tottering so that surely you will not bee established where beliefe is not establishment cannot be the reason is obvious and plaine for it is God alone that can and doth establish the hearts of his people now faith and beleeving in God is the onely discovery of union with God in which soules come to be established the soule by faith receiveth in God to it selfe and involveth it selfe into God and God in the soule makes it an established soule 2 Ephes 17. Christ dwels in the heart of beleevers by faith This was Abrahams condition who is called the Father of the faithfull the Text saies Rom. 3.19 20. when God made him the promise of an heire out of his owne loyner that he was not weake in faith nor did he stagger at the promise through unbeliefe notwithstanding his owne great age and the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe yet he beleeved the word and promise of the Lord and was established by beleeving this Father of the faithfull gave himselfe up to God he lost his owne fleshly reasoning in beleeving the faithfull word of God God had said that he should have a Childe of Sarahs wombe he giveth himselfe over to God by beleeving so that there is no staggering saith takes in the promise and the soule is established but where there is not faith to take in the promise of God or rather God in the promise there the soule is not nor cannot be established staggering is as properly the fruit of unbeliefe as stability is of faith and they demonstrate each other as white doth black and black white that Scripture which sayeth If you beleeve not you shall not be established doth give proofe to that Text which sayes Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you bee established So likewise on the contrary our Saviour gives in ample proofe to this truth that Saints are established by beleeving in God as their God in that John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you hee that
Sectary an Heritique and an enemy to Caesar So that not onely the ignorant multitude but even Authority it selfe which should protect them is set against them Now helpe Lord sayes these afflicted Spirits Psal 12. good and goodly men they cease for the faithfull fall among the children of men They speake vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart doe they speake So that all worldly men who are much the greater number are either open or private enemies to the Church and people of God therefore words are but the fleshly policy of their false hearts the mischiefe lyes at the root so that what ever the Serpent brew'd proveâ— their businesle is to bruise the heele of the Woman Christ in his Church and people So that indeede the condition of Gods Church and people in the World is very sadd they are a Lilly amongst Thornes enemyes either open or private round about them Is it so poore heart Why then looke up with an eye of faith are all men false yet God is true will not the powers on earth bea kinde to Zion doe they neglect their duty to protect the praise-worthy Yet feare not God will he kinds and faithfull too he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings all the powers is Heaven and Earth must obey him for thy incouragement and matter for thy faith to build on to the establishments of thy â—â—â—rit take into thy bosome and seriously consider what followes First Isa 43.1 confider Gods interest in his people Isa 43.1 〈◊〉 now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and hee that â—â—â—med thee O Israel feare not for I have redeemed thee I have â—â—led thee by my Name thou art mine Observe the end of God is this Scripture is to keepe up his peoples hearts above feare and the way God taketh is this to let them know his interests is them why sayes God I have not onely created thes but I have redeemed thee also thou hast not onely my first but also my second creation upon thee the new creature thou are my redeemed one my image so that thou bearest my name thy 〈◊〉 myee looke upon thee as the redeemed of the Lord thou beareâ— my Name and thou art mine my interest thou art Jacob my servant Isa 44. â— and Israel whom I have chosen Marke the Scriptures Thâ—â— art my chosen interest my redeemed interest my new creaâ—â—â— interest my servant whom I have chosen to beare my names theâ— are thou mine Now why shouldest thou feare Doest thou think I will let my name be blotted out I am God not Men I cannot Iyes I cannot hee changable if I choose thee to love thee to make thee my redeemed one upon whom I will ingrave my Nature as a holy God in the new creature and so proclaim thee to the World to be mine I will never cast thee off againe nor out of my love and care thou art mine and I am thine my love thine I am thine as I am a God of free grace in Christ I am thine my power is thine that is it is all for thee as I am 〈◊〉 Omnipotent Almighty alsufficient and Eternall God so 〈◊〉 I thy God therefore feare not none can pluck theâ— out of my hande Zâ—â—h 2.12 Gods Church and people are his inheritance Zach. 2.12 And the Lord shall inherite Judah his portion in the holy Lâ—â—â— Gods people are his inheritance in that Land where they are God so accounte of them that is though Heaven and Earth be the Lorde yes he counts his people his inheritance that which he most loves and priseth so that hee will never cast them off nor destroy them God useth these tearmes meeâ—ely to speake â—o our capacity that he might tell us we are to him that which 〈◊〉 count most deare to us so as never to part with them but to use our utmost power to preserve and keepe them as our Name and our Inheritance we are exceeding tender of these and doe our utmost to preserve them so sayes God my Church and people are to mee exceeding deare as tender as the apple of my eye all my power shall preserve them they are my Name and my Heritage nay the Church and people of God is Gods habitation and his dwelling place not as a confined God but as a glorious God and loving Father Ezekiel 37.26 27 28. Ezek. 37.26 27 28. God Covenants to set his Sanctuary and his Tabernacle in the midst of his people for evermore That is I will dwell amongst you for ever you shall be my delight and my habitation for evermore I will walke among you sayes God and will be your God and you shall bee my people Levit. 26.12 I am your God you are my interest Lev. 26.12 I will live in you and walke amongst you as in my Heritage and the people which I have chosen to beare my Name so the Apostle Paul writing to the Church of God at Corinth 2 Cor. 6.16 2 Cor. 6.16 telleth them that they are the Temple of the living God the people whom God had chosen to dwell in and to walke in them as their God and they as his people Wee see then this is the Churches interest in God they are his people whom he ownes for his dwelleth in them sets his Sanctuary and his Tabernacle in the midst of them walkes with them puts his Name upon them makes them his owne Inheritance and is as tender of them as of the apple of his eye and this God declares to his Church and people that they should not feare for hee hath power enough to preserve his owne interest and love enough to answer all their wants Gods people they are the sheep of his pasture Psalm 100. Psal 100. Hee feedes and keepes them as his owne peculier interest the children of Zion finde bread enough in their Fathera house Psalm 134. last Psal 134. last The Lord that made Heaven and Eerth blesse thee out of Zion As if the Psalmist had sayd God as a God of blessngs dwelleth in Zion that is his heritage his throne where he sits and blesseth So in the 146 Psalm last The Lord that reignes for ever Psal 146. last even the God of Zion and the 147 Psalm 12. Praise thy God O Zion Psal 147.12 The Lord is for ever thy God O Zion therefore praise him this iâ— Gods interest he is the God of Zion and so he reâ—gties forever there he wraps up the glory of 〈◊〉 grace and there he right in his power and greatnesse for over This doubtlesse is ground of great establishment to our souls concerning the Church and people of God though in the wildernesse amongst ravenous beasts and subtle foxes that seekes to destroy the tender vines yeâ— eveâ— here they are Gods interest his inheritance his chosen and redeemed ones in whom he dwelleth and amongst these golden Candlesticks he walkes so that his Church
read no one of these shall faile That iâ— looke into Gods word and what ever you finde hee hath said he will make it good not any tittle of his word shall faile you shall never blemish him in his faithfulnesse for it is his glory Now sanctified Reason let mee aske you if this be not a good reason why you should trust in God because it is his glory to be faithfull and that glory which hee hath unspottedly preserved from everlasting Fleshly judgements sees reason in this for when they commit businesse and trust to men they will choose as they thinke the most faithfull to the worke and when men do otherwise we count they have lost their common reason and when we choose men to fight our Battles in whom we commit much trust Doe we not choose such men who make it their glory to be gallant and will rather choose to dye then staine their fidelity and their valour Why upon this account sanctified reason may safely commit all trust to God it is his glory to be saithfull Sinne and all the other enemies of God and his people shall perish in the maintaining of the glory of Gods faithfulnesse I am to seeke of all reason if this doe not answer the best of reason to trust that God who makes it his glory to be faithful and that faithfulnesse which never was stained A sixth reason that I shal offer is this That God is an inexhausted fountaine and treasury of all grace and goodnesse that either the soules or bodies of his people can stand in need of he can never promise more then he can perform nor can any of his people want that good which is not in him hee is not onely all good in himselfe but also the fountain of all that which fils heaven and earth good is originall in God and in every thing else as it is derived from God or received of God what ever of mercy and grace either externall or internall it is received and God is the fountaine The Prophet David doth acknowledge God to be the fountain and giver of all the good he enjoyed Psalm 23. It was God that made him lye down in green pastures that lead him by still waters that restored his soule and lead him in the paths of righteousnesse that prepared a table before him in the middest of his enemies that annoynted his head with oyle and made his cup to run over He found God so full of all good that he filled him till his cup run over and that in the middest of his enemies a place more apt to streights then fulnesse yet this was Davids condition because God was his shepheard he received from an inexhausted fountaine therefore his cup runs over God is so full that if heâ— doe but drop of his owne fulnese the narrow vessel of the creature runs over he is the fountaine of life and the God of salvation Psal 68 19 20. He daily loadeth his people with benefits for he is the God of salvation The sull fountaine of all blessings there is fulness of grace in him to kil sinne and to save the sinner there is fulnesse of love in him to pardon the greatest evill and to love the least good in his children there is fulnesse of power in him to crush and destroy a world of Enemies and to preserve his owne little Flocke there is riches of goodnesse and mercy in him to supply all the wants of his people In a word there is all good in God that wee can either aske or need to read his Attributes will discover his fulnesse And now me-thinkes sanctified Reason should answer as Simon-Peter did our Saviour in the 6th of John verse 68. When Christ asked his Disciples if they would leave him also his answer is Lord to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life So should Saints filled with sanctified Reason say to GOD thou art an inexhausted fountaine of grace and goodnessee wee can go no whither but to thee for Eternall life for thou art to thy people the fountain of life That is life from all Eternity To my understanding this should bee a prevailing argument with the purest and rightest reason to cast all upon him that is all and to trust in the fountaine of life for life that can give most which is most and nothing can give all but GOD that is all in himselfe Eternity cannot wastâ— nor consume the least of GODS fulnesse therefore is GOD a suitable fulnesse for Eternall soules and him only to be rested upon that can never fail to be what our souls stand in need of to all eternity Reason carries men from one thing to another because they conceive a greater good in the last then in the first how should it teach men then to goe from all to God because in him is all good and to rest in nothing but in him because there is good in nothing out of him and for over to depend on him because he is not onely good but the fountaine of all good The seventh and last argument that I shall give to sanctified Reason is this That what ever any soule beleeveth and trusteth in besides God it must and will deceive the soule there is no rock of ages besides him nor is there any Almighty power ouâ— of him vanity is at the root of every created being and doth as the worme to Jonahs Gourd bring them to nothing that which cannot preserve its owne being cannot of it selfe preserve any other being though committed to it but no created being can preserve or continue it selfe by its owne strength therefore not able to preserve any thing committed to them borrowed strength and received abilities will not be trusted by right sanctified Reason because the lender may call back his owne and then the receiver is empty of any ability to answer trust and must of necessity faile the expectation of the Trustee Now this is all that can be thought of besides God by nature empty Vesselâ— meer Ciphers have nothing originall that is worthy every dram of excellency and good is received now such a subject is altogether unsutable to make a God of that is to commit the trust of eternall soules or any thing that is precious too but if trusted it must needs deceive because that which is nothing in it selfe cannot add any thing to another that which is vanity in it selfe cannot give better to any nor make a better returne to any that trust in it and the Wise man sayes of all things under the Sunne that they are vanity Eccles 1.14 and vexation of spirit Eccles 1.14 At they are vanity so they deceive all that trust in them and in the deceiving of trust and great expectations so they become vexation of spirit So the Prophet David in Psalm 62.9 Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye That is men of all degrees have so much vanity in them that they are
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