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
there is much mounting up to God that soule which keepes its experiences of God fresh and green wil be sure to have its faith flourish God gives many experiences of his love and goodnesse to his people that they may believe on his Name Now what God uses to his ends must needs be an effectual meanes therefore such soules as would have faith live must be sure to keep their experiences of God alive these are choyce Jewels they wil be no burthens to our bosomes every one that reades knowes his owne experiences best be they more or lesse keep them all alive faith wil delight to live with them in the soule but if these be lost faith wil judge there is no company fit for him and so take his leave and be gone and then wil doubting and shakings be the companions to such a soule be he that keepe experiences alive wil thereby keepe a living faith and such soules as believe in the Lord their God shal be established This is the first Rule for the preservation and nourishment of faith in the soule The second Rule is this Be diligent in observing the workings of Gods Providence God is various in those dispensations but they all workâ— together to the fulfilling and making good of his promises his wisedome is past finding out and his foot-steps cannot be traced no man can certainely say by the present dispensations of God in his providences either to Person or Nation what wil be his next but whom ever doth diligently observe Gods providential workings in the World wil finde that though one after another it may be many yeares yet that they worke one with another to the accomplishing of the most glorious wil word and promises of God the former making way for the latter and those that come after confirme them that went before so that such soulâ— which like the Virgin Mary doth ponder and lay up the words and the workings of Gods providences in their bosomes wil finde such eyings of God and treasuring up of his ways of providence to be exceeding usefull to the maintaining and increasing of faith to God in the soule This was the Prophet Davids frame of spirit Lord sayes he thou hast delivered me from the Lyon and the Beare and thou wilt also deliver mee from this uncircumcised Philistim Mark it he had diligently observed and treasured up in his heart Gods former providences to him and this is the use his soule makes in the remembrance of them to trust God in another great undertaking for him as if he had said I have had ample experience of thee in former acts of thy Providences to me and thou are the same God for love power faithfulnesse and goodnesse so that in the remembrances of thy loving kindnesse of old wil I tâ—â—st in thee and though I contend with a Gyant yet that I shal be safe under the shadow of thy wings Againe it is worth the observings of the most curious eye in the World how God doth Season his providences he brings them forth in such seasons that when they appeare they are like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver not onely 〈◊〉 oâ— beauty in themselves but also exceeding glorious in their season Eâ—â—her 5. such waâ— the workings of God upon the heart of Abasâ—â—â—â— the King to hold forth to Esther the Queen the Royal Sceptre when as she hazarded her owne life to plead for the life of has Nation the season of this kindnesse and Providence of God had as much beauty upon it as the life of Esther and the whole Nation of the Jewes could make one wrinckle in the brow at this time would have killed al the smiles of former times but a holding forth the Sceptre at this very nick of time doth crowne al former kindnesses with life the King knew not what was in Esthers heart but God knew and by his most seasonable Providence did prepare the heart and hand of the King for her entrance and her motion I shal give but this one instance though there be many more in Scripture of the like kinde and sure I am the experiences of this present Age is not without instances of the same nature I meane the seasonable working of Gods provilences to and for his people many times when our unbelieving hearts have given all for lost and could see no way of deliverance all lower helpes proving either weake or false then even then hath God divided the Red Sea to make way for his peoples deliverances and their enemies destruction God hath layd his owne and his peoples enemies low in the highest pride of their hearts and raised his people from the lowest of their feares both which reasons doe much advance the glory of his Providences Now sure I am such hearts as spiritually treasures up these wayes and workings of Gods seasonable acts of Providence wil be much advantaged to trust God in all times and tryals they shal meet with through their whole pilgrimage therefore I beseech you make use of these Rules if they advantage your soules to such an end as faith in God you wil blesse his Name and be blessed in the trusting upon his Name Now give mee leave to argue with my owne soule and others in the behalfe of God Me-thinkes I heare the Lord say You that distrust me come forth and produce your reasons Am I not God and for ever God is there or can there ever be any above me I say I am infinite Almighty and eternall disprove me if you can but if you greâ—â—â— me this sayes God then you can pretend no cause to distrust me in poynt of power Nay sayes God I am not onely powerfull but I am also faithfull I affirme it that I am God and cannot lye and I call your owne hearts to be my wiâ—nesses I challenge you to produce one tittle of all my Word my Covenant and my promises that I have made to you and you have trusted in me to make good wherein I have failed and deceived your trust if you can produce none but that your owne hearts are the witnesses within you of my faithfulnesse then sure I am those very witnesses will upbraide your unbelieâ—e and make as black as Hel all those black and hard thoughts you have of mee you will choose a faithfull man to trust that very choyce will condemn you in distrusting me that am the faithfull God if I have my witnesse in your hearth that I am faithfull why doe you distrust mee you must bee false to your owne bosomes when you have thoughts that I should bee false to you But it may be you will argue that you are sinfull mortals so that you feare my Justice and my Majesty that you dare non draw neare to me or rest upon me for feare I should consume you why then come and argue with my free grace my eternal and unchangable love my Christ crucified and therein my justice satisfied and a perfect righteousnesse freely given
Lament 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him This soule beleeveth God to be its portion and therefore lives upon God thus faith pitcheth upon what God is in himselfe to satisfie the soule withall the Prophet Habakkuk in his faith on God mentioned in his 3 Chapt. vers 17. to the end is a very emminent proofe to this truth he telleth us there Although the fig-tree shall not blosome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fould and there shall bee no heard in the stalles Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation The Lord God is my strength Observe the frame of his spirit and it speakes this That though all creature comfort should faile and be cut off from him yet that could not empty him of joy and rejoycing so long as the Lord continued to be the God of his salvation and his strength what doth this speake but that the Prophet lived purely upon what was in God and upon God himselfe as the God of his salvation for had his life been out of God his joy and rejoycing would have been cut off when the creatures of all kindes and in all places did faile but his soule living purely upon what God was in himselfe his joyes are alwayes green because God is the fountaine of his joy this is truly the benefit of the life of faith in the soule that must needs be a living advantage that leades the soule to a living fountaine and layes it to rest in the armes of God satisfying the soule with what flowes from the bosome of God that soule can never feare wants that hath this for its beliefe that what God is in himselfe he is for that soule and what is communicable in God shall according to the wants of that soule be communicated to it and this is the life of faith a life of joy and rest in God living upon the everliving God it is esteemed an advantage to joy and rest by the worldling to have his Bags and his Barnes full it is truly an advantage of joy and rest to a believer to live upon a full for God is ever full though the field and the barne faile though the bag have a hole in the bottome and cannot hold what is put into it yet the soule that liveth on God is full of joy and rest because God never failes Nay this is the advantage of a believing soule that liveth by faith in God it lives spiritually the streames that continually runs through the soule are Evangelicall the light is pure it is the light of the Lord the life is pure it is the life of God is lives upon what is in Heaven in God there is its treasure and its heart also the life of faith it is the evidence of things not seen not common objects to earthly eyes but sublime and spirituall objects the grace love redemption purity power and faithfulnesse of God these are the objects of faith which doe certainely make a most glorious life and rest in the soule this soule is of Heaven heavenly it is begot and new borne in Heaven and there it lives where ever it moves though the body be caryed from one piece of earth to another yet the heart is always in Heaven the object rest joy and satisfaction of this soule is spirituall God is all to this soule and all its life is in God the eye is spirituall and the heart is spirituall this eye doth alwayes see that in God which satisfieth the heart for the heart seasts and filleth it selfe with what it seeth and injoyeth in God if the Rocks in the Wildernesse should give no water yet the spirituall eye seeth Christ to be a Rock and a fountaine of life and there it drinketh and satisfieth it selfe with the waters of life the Prodigall had this eye when he said In my Fathers house is bread enough that eye which beholds God as a Father doth acknowledge that there is bread of life enough in God and that is the spirituall eye that eye of faith which makes God in single object and satisfies the heart with what God is in himselfe and to hâ—s people such souls as by experience knows what it is to live by faith in God I am sure doe value this as an exceeding great benefit and advantage of the life of saith that it hath God to live upon for its life A second benefit of faith in the soule is this By faith soules attaine to the righteousnesse of God which is Christ a believing soule makes Christ its righteousnesse so the Apostle Paul Phil 3.9 Phil. 3.9 And bee found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which iâ— through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith So long as this Apostle lived in his legal spirit principles his legall duties and priviledges were his righteousnesse but so soone as the life of faith lives in his soule Christ is made the righteousnesse of his soule hee counts all his former righteousnesse but as drosse and dung Now nothing will satissie his soule but to be found in Christ that is to have Christ his righteousnesse that God may behold him in Christ his owne righteousnesse faith it climes as high as God for righteousnesse nothing below Christ must be a righteousnesse to a believing soule To be found in him Christ the righteousnesse which it of God by faith When faith seeks a righteousnesse it restes no where till it attaine Christ Rom. 9.30 who is the righteous of God And this righteousnesse the Apostle telleth us in Rom. 9.30 That the Gentiles attained to by faith That the Gentiles have obtained righteousnesse even the righteousnesse of faith That is they have by faith pitched upon Christ for righteousnesse and so through believing have attained the true righteousnesse that righteousnesse which the soule can attaine to no other way but by believing the Jewes in all their legall duties could not attaine to that righteousnesse which the Gentiles did by believing The righteousnesse of God is not of works but by faith Christ is Gods righteousnesse he doth purchase and redeem the soule to believe faith doth not purchase Christ for a righteousnesse but believe in the purchase and redemption that Christ hath made for it and so attaines Christ its righteousnesse who is Gods righteousnesse and in whom the soule is to all eternity righteous in the sight of God Rom. 4.3 Thus was Abrahams beleeving in God accounted to him for righteousnesse It is not Abrahams doing but his believing by which he attaines to the righteousnesse of God and is counted righteous in the sight of God Gods righteousnesse is the gift of his free grace and can be attained by the soule no other way but in believing because any other
as God to answer your wants yeâ— there is none so near to you as God in relation to whom you may plead the interest of a Childe and from whom you may expect the bowels of a Father and upon this foundation the believing soul goes to God in all its wants as to a Father believing soules are onely satisfied with childrens bread and this they look for from their Father so answerably in all their wants goes to their Father faith is a great advantage to the soule in this in all its wants to carry it to a full fountaine and to bowels of love which is ready to answer the souls with its owne fulnesse a Fathes hath a quick eare and a tender heart to his childe crys and wants God is in this more exactly a Father then any on earth he is most ready to heare and answer the wants of his children this faith doth assure the soule of and hereby drawes it forth to goe to God as its Father and make his wants knowne First Epistle of John 5.14 1 John 5.14 15. 15. And this is the considence that wee have in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he beareth us And if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we aske wee know that wee have the petition that we desired of him Faith keeps the soule carefull to make petitions according to the will of God and in the name of Christ assures the soule that its petition is granted the reason is this the Child beggs of the Father for the Fathers will to be done and fulfilled in him for that is it which a believing soule wants and seeks for onely that God may be all in it and that his will may always be done by it now this spirit and this assurance will be certainly carrying the soule to God as to its Father in all wants when creatures in their wants comes to lower relations then a Father they give this for a reason my Father is not able or my Father is dead were he alive I would not trouble you which speakes this that if they had a Father to goe to which were able to helpe them they would carry all their wants to him and center all their desires in him because a Father but now saith in the soule it makes out God to bee a living Father able to answer all the wants that soule or body hath and maketh knowne to him and therefore carrys the soule in all its wants to God his father interest is the strongest of all pleas and the nearer the interest and relation is the stronger is the plea of the soule the Prophet David in Psalm 28.1 Psal 28.1 useth this argument with God for his assistance Vnto thee will I cry O Lord my Reek bee not silent to me This is his plea thou art my Rocke that is my foundation and my defence I have builded on thee therefore be not thou silent you see relation and interest is his argument thou art my Rock therefore I come to thee I sayes faith thou art my Father therefore I come to thee be not thou silent thou art my Father I know thy bowels cannot but yearn to see my wants and the injuries done to me he that beleeves most in God is least in revenging his owne injuries the reason is this faith carrys the soule to God and there it tels God all the injuries and wrongs that are offered and done to him and then the soule is at rest leaves the recompence to his Father this throughly and spiritually considered is a very great advantage in the soules of believers which is demonstrable by the many great evils it keeps the soule from what is the reason that men of the World in their wants will deceive and lye nay steal rather then goe without what they lust after and in their streights will sweare and forsweare yea doe any unlawfull thing to break through is it not want of faith in God they say they have no other ways to helpe them that is because they have no faith in God Gods children finds other wayes though they be in the same wants they goe to their Father saith pleadeth the interest of a Child and begs day by day its dayly bread and keeps the soule believing that as God is an inexhausted fountaine in himselfe so that he can never let that dye which himselfe hath begotten nor be worse to his Children then earthly parents are to theirs it is faith in the soule keeps it living upon God as a Father which preserves the soule from all evill ways to answer its wants for it carrys the soule to God as a Father in all its wants both for soule and body see the operation of faith in Davids soule Psal 31.14 I trust in thee O Lord I said thou art my God Psal 31.14 Where faith clears up interest it begets trust thou art my God therefore I trust in thee so doth faith clear up the relation of a Father in God to the soule and then what followes Thou art my Father therefore I come to thee and trust in thee The soule is exceeding full of sweetnesse joy rest and holy holdnesse when it can come to God as to its Father and stand in his presence as in presence of his Father Now this sweetenesse joy rest and holy boldnesse of the soule is the fruit of faith in the soule Faith in the soule makes the soule much in heaven by prayer because it delights to be in its Fathers presence and spreading before the bosome of his love all the wants it is in Burthened hearts doe use to seeke some true friendly bosome to open themselves to and so in some measure to ease themselves now in this faith is a mighty advantage to the soule for it leads the soule to God and God its Father where it shall not only open but certainly ease it selfe of all its burthens Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavy loaden sayes God and I will refresh you I sayes faith in the soule goe to your Father he will ease you of all burthens and rest you in his owne bosome when as the soule sees the power of a God and the love of a Father centre in one object it is easily drawn to runne after it in all its wants Now thus faith holds forth God to the soule as God our Father and by faith believing souls goes to God in all their wants and cry out O our Father we want victory over sin in our conversations deliverance from the temptations of Satan to be carryed in thy Spirit above the love and joy of the world to have our wils wholly melted into thine to be spirituall in our light motion and worship We desire as our head did for us to be kept from the evill of the world and that thou wouldst provide for us all things needfull quite through the Wildernesse these are our wants and desires But thou art God in whom there can
that it is the mind and wil of God he should so serve and worship him for uncertainty of Gods minde will make unsetlednesse in mans worship hee that believeth not that God is pleased with what he doth cannot be steady in that service to God He that worships an unknown God that is God in such a way as hee knoweth not whether God will approve of or not will not bee long known by that worship If faith cleares not up the will of God to the soule in its way of worship and serving God the soule walkes in the darke and hath trembling in it suitable to darknesse and trembling joynts cannot be steady in the way they walke the uncertaine soule will goe with every one that pretends to set it right but when faith hath cleared up Gode will to the soule then it moves steadily Faith is a steady eye and it makes God its object so that where faith lives the soule is steady in its motion and though it may as God comes nearer to it goe from lower to higher former yet in all it goes nearer to God and is more and more clear in the mind and will of God more steady and spirituall in its worship and service of God that is worships God more purely more out of the flesh and more in the Spirit according to that Gospel-worship our Saviour speaks of in John 4.24 God is a Spirit John 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth In spirit because he is a Spirit in truth because he is the true God Now none but the believing soule can worship God either in spirit or truth for he that believeth not his worship to be according to God cannot worship in truth because he knows not the mind of God who is the God of truth nor can it be in the spirit for the Spirit is light and makes knowledge of God therefore it is only the believing soul that can worship God in spirit and truth and no other souls can worship God truly or be true to the worship and service of God which it doth professe It was faith made the three Children and the Prophet Daniel in the Booke of Daniel so emminently steady in their worship and service of God and truly it is want of faith that makes the unsettlement of souls in this thing and such as are so zealous to have multitudes to worship God whether they know and believe it to be Gods minde or not may bring many pretenders to God but not any whit more of worship and service to him Faith makes men true to the worship and service of God and force makes men true to the wil-worship of man for as hee that believeth will not swerve from what God hath revealed to him so such as worship onely by the rule of mans will and power is always ready to worship in what manner soever man will have him and this makes him as uncertain in his worship as man is who is his rule for worship but the soul advantaged to worship serve God in spirit and truth is the believing soule for what faith fixes of God in the soule that the soule is steady to God in and alwayes ready to worship and serve God with it therefore concerns such as would be steady in their worship and service of God to doe nothing in his worship and service but what they can doe from a principle of faith believing it to be the mind and will of God concerning their souls in their worship and service of him and in this faith the soule will be steady to God and it may say as the Prophet David O Lord my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise My heart is fixed on thee my joy is continually in thee and my praise and worship shall be alwayes to thee according as thou hast by faith sixed my heart on thee so shalt thou have fixed worship and service from me Soules thus fixed are rarely found nor are they ever found but where faith liveth and as faith growes so the soule fixes This is a benefit and advantage fixed to saith in the soule for they alwayes goe together and the want of either is the want of both but sure I am where both are they may truely be called benefits and advantages to the soule for that soul is advantaged above all the unsteady soules in the World whatever they pretend to besides A seventh benefit of Faith in the soule is this Faith it makes a ready submission in the soule to the will of God that soul which believeth in God and liveth upon God for alit hath or hopeth for doth not quarrel with or dispute against the will of God nay though Gods will be never so opposite against the will in man yet where faith liveth and bareth sway in the soule there the soule layes downe its owne will and readily submits to the will of God this was Josephs case in Matth. Mat. 1.24.25 1.24 25. there God bids him to take unto him his wise though she were with childe Now in the 19. verse his minde was to put her away privily because he would not make her a publique example but when God by the Angell had revealed his will to him he forsakes his former resolutions and doth as the Angell of the Lord had bidden him Now observe it was faith in Joseph made him thus to submit to Gods will for had not he beleeved the Angell of the Lord when he told him in the 20. verse That which was conceived in her was of the holy Ghost doubtlesse he would have keps to his former resolutions to put her away privily but believing that the thing was of God and of it was the will of God he said Take unto him Mary his Wise he through faith makes ready submission to the will of God And in the 2. Matth. 14. there by saith he readily obeyed God Mat. 2.14 In taking the young Childe and his Mother by night and departing into Aegypt which in the 13. verse was the command of God to him by the Angell the second time because Hered sought the Childes life thus Joseph believing God is ready to submit to all the will of God It was thus also with Peter and Andrew in Mat. 4.19 20 Mat. 4.19 20. when Christ called them to follow him he promising to make them fishers of men the Text sayes They streighway lift their Nets add followed him Had not they beleeved in Christ they would never have followed him but they did it streightway Faith it made them readily willing to obey the call of Christ saith it is the day of Gods power in the souls and it makes his people â—â—iling people unto his will This made Joshua readily obey all the commands of God in his besieging of Jericho as appeares at large in the fixt of Joshua he beleeved the word of God in the 2 verse That God had given Jericho into
his hands therefore waites on God for his directions and acts accordingly it is faith makes the soule wiling to the will and worke of God So sayes the Author to the Hebrewes Heb. 11.7 8.9 in Heb. 11.7 8 9. By faith Noah being warned of God prepared an Arke to the saving of his house And By faith Abraham when hee was called to goe out unto a place which bee should after receive for an Inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither hee went and so on The holy Ghost makes this expresse that it was faith in the soules of these faithfull ones that made them ready to all the will of God what ever flesh might have to object yet faith bearing sway the soule obeys where faith lives there the will of God lives and there Gods will is readily obeyed this is no small advantage to soules in their Wildernesse journey to be bound up in the will of God to have that live in them by which they live in God have Gods will for theirs and their will for God this is true faith in the soule it keeps the soule in a ready posture to say Amen to all the revealed will of God and to doe in Gods strength all that he requirs such soules and bodies to doe this ready frame of soule to all the revealed will of God is that which Saints doe breath after at the throne of grace therefore cannot but be welcome and highly prized by such soules that which is worth the seeking is a benefit to injoy but ready submission to the will of God is that which Saints do earnestly seek therefore this effect of faith in the soule must needes be a very great benefit and advantage to the soule The eight benefit of faith in the soule is this Faith makes the soule waite patiently upon God for his deliverance out of all its streights though with a single eye of hamane reason it can see no way of escape this is the language of faith in the soule disquiet not thy selfe by making conclusions according to thy darke apprehensions stand still and see the salvation of God salvation and deliverance is Gods not thine be quiet and still and thou shalt see the salvation of God faith speakes and workes thus in the soule that feareth the Lord That when it walketh in darknesse and hath no light then to trust in the name of the Lord and to stay himselfe upon his God Isa 5.10 Isa 5.10 Not to give up all hopes and to cast off all attendance upon God when it cannot see a way of deliverance by its Naturall reason but is wholly in the darke in that point Nay I thinke the Scripture goes higher when as faith cannot see what God meanes whether he will deliver or no yet then to trust in God and to waite upon him for the manifestation of his will though faith cannot make out what God will doe yet faith keeps the soule waiting upon God and that in a still frame of spirit to see his salvation Hee that beleeves sayes the Text makes not hast he goes not before God for faith keeps the soule in a waiting posture upon God in all conditions The believing soule makes not hast through impatience to cast off any burthen before Gods time nor doth it make haste through inordinate affections to enjoy what it delights in and desires before Gods time faith in the soule esteemes of things in season as in their full beauty Like apples of Golde in pictures of Silver and to this soule Gods time is the season for all things Gods time is the most beautifull season to lay downe a burthen in and to take up an injoyment in to a believing soule therefore it makes not haste but waites upon God for his season lyes patiently at the poole side till the Angell of the Covenant come and trouble the waters this was Davids frame of spirit in Psalm 13.5 But I have trusted in thy mercy my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation Observe he had put his trust in God and therefore rejoyces in his salvation the Psalme is a prayer for salvation it being in faith the Prophet joyes in the salvation of God as though he were in present possession of the thing he prayed for doubtlesse he waited joyfully when as he joyed in the salvation to come as if it were present the same frame of spirit we shall finde in the righteous Psal 33.20 21. Our soules waiteth for the Lord Psal 33.20 21 he is our helpe and our shield For our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy Name Marke it here is a waiting upon God and that with joy and this the fruit of faith Because men have trusted in his boly Name Faith in God makes the soule waite on God with joy So the Prophet David in Psal 37.7 giveth this counsell as the effect of faith in his owne soule Rest in the Lord and waite patiently for him free not thy selfe because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to passe As if he had said thou poore heart weake in faith thou frettest thy selfe because the wicked prosper in their wayes wert thou strong in faith thou wouldst not minde them so as to disquiet thy selfe but rest in the Lord and waite patiently on him their prospering hinders not Gods designe therefore waite on God and be at rest this is the effect of faith in my soule sayes the Prophet and I recommend to thee beleeve in God so wilt thou be at rest and in that rest waite patiently on God for the manifestation of his will So in Psal 40.1 their waiting patiently on God is expressed to be an effect of faith and confidence in God And in Psal 62.1 2. Truely my soule waites upon God he is my Rocke my salvation my defence and so forth His soule by faith trusts in God he had made God his Rock what is the effect of this faith therefore truely sayes he my soule waites upon thee faith makes the soule truely to waite upon God Lamen 3.26 Lament 3.26 It is good obat a man should both hope and quietly waite for the salvation of the Lord This is the voice of faith in the soule when the soul asket faith what is good faith gives it this answer It is good to waite patiently on the Lord Vers 1. though thou art the man that hath seen al afflictions yet it is good for thee to waite patiently on the Lord this is both the counsell and practice of faith where it liveth in any soule and doublesse to have the soule in a quiet sweet frame of spirit waiting and depending on God is no small benefit faith leades the soule to God and acquaints the soule with Gods fulnesse so that thereby the soul is brought into a quiet waiting upon God this blessed benefit neither is nor can be any where but in beleeving soule therefore men fret themselves and
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
soule is the life of faith and the effect of faith in the soule is a weaning of it from the World by a gathering of it into God The last benefit of faith in God which I shall mention is this True faith in God doth truly fixe and establish the soules of Beleevere in the redemption of Gods free grace from all our enemies from sinne death Hell Law grave men and Devils none of these can hurt or destroy such soules as lives in the free grace of God by faith free grace it freely pardons finne and so plucks out the sting of death delivers from the jawes of Hell satisfies and fulfils the Law gathers from the grave that which in sowne in corruption and cloathes it with incorruption chains up the power and malice of men and Devils against his people this free grace doth and by faith the soule lives thus on God by which it becomes a fixed and established soule beleeving soules are not like the restlesse waves of the Sea that rowle from shore to shore and soame up their owne mire but they are soules fixed in God and Christ God by faith did answer the Prophets prayer which deâ—â—red to be led to that Rock which was higher then himselfe that is the work of faith it leads the soul to God and Chirst and then it is an established soule it is then built upon 〈◊〉 Rock higher then it selfe so that windes cannot shake it nor 〈◊〉 undermine it as if it had built upon a sandy soundation faith builds upon a Rock and that the Rock of Ages i◠〈◊〉 in the free grace of God the redemption and the righteousnesse of Christ so that neither life nor death nor any thing no not finne shall ever be able to separate such soules from God and Christ and hence it is that soules beleeving thus in God through Christ by his spirit are fixed and established soules the Prophet David in Psal 125.1 gives in testimony to this benefit of faith in the soule he telleth us there They that trâ—st in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever Faith in God fixeth the soule in everlasting safety and keepes it upon a Rock of establishment even when Earth and Heaven is shaking Now I shall gather up what I aime at in all this in reference to my owne soule and others and it is singly this to eye God with a single eye and to rest upon him with a steady undoubting heart by a single eye I meane a single heart fixed upon what God is does and sayes concerning his people and then by faith to apply and appropriate that to our selves resting steadily and undoubtingly upon him assuring our soules that what hee sayes concerning us he will fully make good unto us God cannot lye when he speakes he speakes his heart and what is in his heart to doe no power or powers can hinder his hand from doing such soules then as thus see God and rest upon him are sure to be established so as the counsell of good King Jeboshaphat is worthy to be received by all soules Beleave in the Lord your God so shall you be established Then first give me leave to advise to a serions and constant inquiry after God if establishment in the soule come by believing in God then knowing of God aright is of absolute necessity 〈◊〉 such a believing now soules sleight or inconstant in their inquities after God in what he is doth and saith are very unlikely soules to come to such a knowledge of him as will bring forth beliefe to establishment It was the saying of an established soule in God I know whom I have trusted and doubtlesse there had not been trust to establishment but that knowledge was in the very foundation the argument seemeth to me to runne thus I know God and therefore I have trusted in him and 〈◊〉 I know him I am assured I shall not be deceived by him so that from this knowledge I am established through believing darknesse is the proper wombe of feare there in nothing else foturely begotten there so is light of faith and establishment thiâ— I say and speake by experience in which I shall appeale to the â—â—perience of all Saints that the more any soule truely knows God the more that soule will trust him therefore give mee leave againe to say Be serious and constant in the inquiries after God study him as he is in himselfe in his Christ and our Saviour iâ— his Covenant of free grace in all his promises and performances in his word and workes in our owne and other Saints experiences of him And this I dare boldly affirme the more God is thus spiritually knowne of his people the more he will be admired loved and trusted by them and such soules the more truly established Secondly This seemes to be suitable advice to be exceeding watchfull over Satan and our owne hearts in all the temptations to or movings of unbeliefe in our soules there is nothing so great a friend to the Kingdome of Satan and so great an eneny to the Kingdome of Gods free grace as unbeliefe is nor can any sinne so certainely destroy the soule as unbeliefe nay all other sinnes without this can never destroy any soule doubtlesse these reasons have weight enough in them to make Christian soules stand upon their guard against this enemy of unbeliefe it is the Generall of the Host of evill it commands all other sinnes and where it enters it comes with great attendants of evils subservant to is selfe unbeliefe is the supreame Agient in the World for the Prince of darknesse in what ever God is distrusted and not believed Satan shall surely be served Faith is that Anchor that keeps the soule close to God if that be plucked up Satan sils the Sailes I meane the heart with the World and so carryes the Vessell where he pleaseth Faith is Gods interest and unbeliefe the Devile interest in the soule and at the last day when Christ shall give the Devill his due I mean his share of men in the world iâ— will be onely unbelievers for he hath interest in nor can lay claime to none else therefore unbeliefe should be dreaded as the Devils brand that by which he markes his owne distrust God and honour Satan for they cannot be parted he that doth the former cannot avoyd the latter A soule watchfull in this thing iâ— so for Gods glory its owne peace and eternall saivation for these two can never be parted what preserves the one preserves the other but unbeliefe looseth both consider free grace is the originall the first cause of all Gods promises to and his dealings with his people Now a distrust in these how doth it dishonour God and not onely unestablish but undoe our owne soules therefore no enemy so dangerous as unbeliefe and should with most watchfulnesse be prevented unbeliefe it opposeth Gods ends in his Covenant of free grace and in all his gracious promises
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
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
be our God and that wee shall be his people to put his Low in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that all his people shall know him from the least to the greatest and that hee will forgive their iniquity and remember their sinnes no more In this Covenant God wraps up all the parts of the salvation of his free grace and doth fully oblige himselfe to them all Now what is the reason that God doth thus oblige himselfe by Covenant is it because of himselfe that he might not goe back from his designe of grace to his people No he is God that changes not an immutable God Numb Num. 23.19 Psal 90.2 23.19 God from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90.2 But God makes this Covenant for our sake that we might beleeve in him as a God of grace and a faithfull God the holy Ghost argues thus he telleth us that a faithfull man will keepe his Covenant much more God as if hee had said The faithfull God hath made his Covenant of grace that you might beleeve he will make good his Covenant as he is a faithfull God God obligeth his owne faithfulnesse in a Covenant of grace that his people might have both his grace and his faithfulnesse for a foundation of their faith God will be beleeved by his people and therefore hee ingageth himselfe as a faithfull gracious God to the faith of his people sayes God I will pardon your sinnes and remember them no more I will put my Law in your hearts the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus and I will be your God and you shall be my people beleeve all this for I will doe it saith God I the faithfull the gracious and omnipotent God I that am omnipotent who can hinder me I that am gracious so that your sinnes can be no barre nay I that am faithfull and cannot lye nor repent I have spoken it and I will make it good what is the meaning of all this but that we should beleeve the faithfull word of our faithfull and gracious God he will oblige his owne faithfulnesse by way of Covenant that wee might beleeve in the free salvation of his owne grace made out in that Covenant Secondly Consider what is Gods end in the promulgation and spreading abroad of the Gospell It is not that his people should beleeve in the salvation of his owne grace why is Christ pleased to be the way of Gods salvation to his people of his owne free grace so that whom ever beleeveth thus on him hath everlasting life John 6.47 But that they might beleeve and bee saved by him 29. verse This is the worke of God that yee beleeve on him that hee hath sent This is the end of the Gospell for it is the effect of it where it workes savingly this is Gods worke or the worke of his spirit in the Gospell to make soules beleeve in Jesus Christ whom hee hath sent when Christ sent forth his Disciples to preach the Gospell he directs them to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and biddeth them to Preach this Mat. 10.6 7. that the Kingdome of Heaven was at hand Mat. 10.6 7. Matth. 10.6 7. That is goe to poore lost soules in themselves and tell them that the Salvation of Gods free grace iâ— at hand it is neere to them it seekes them and saveth them freely but what is the end of this onely that the history of Christ might come to these lost soules no sure that is not enough for lost sheepe but that they might beleeve in the salvation of Gods free grace and bee saved and for this end hath God preserved his Gospell in the World and made it to prosper against all the power and malice of Satan and his instruments that thereby his people might heare the glad tydings of salvation by free grace in Christ and in the beleeving of it be saved and established John 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which sâ—ttâ— the Sonne and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life It is not onely a bare hearing or seeing of Christ in the flesh but beleeving on him that makes Christ to bee everlasting life to the soule and this is the end of God in the Gospell that soules might haw everlasting life through beleeving in Christ it is faith in the soules of his people that God intends both by giving the Gospel to the World and preserving it in the World So that for these two reasons which might have bin exceedingly more inlarged is doth appeare That this is the will of God in keeping his salvation to bee wholy the worke of his grece that the hand which received and applyeth it should be a hand of faith which is the worke of his owne free grace in the soule Thus farre I have held forth matter for faith in the soules of beleevers to rest on for establishment in the poynt of salvation by shewing in some of Gods Attributes what hee is in himselfe and what the designe of his free grace is in the salvation of sinners My intention is to hold out more matter for faith to take in before I give the arguments for Faith or motives to Faith Now I finde this by my selfe and others that feares and doubtings in the soule next to its owne salvation is about the Church and people of God on earth how it will fare with them and therefore I shall in the next place take that into consideration You shall heare poore soules that love Christ and his people bâ—t are weake in faith make these sad complaints O the poore Church and people of Christ what will become of them the multitudes of the World they hate them so that they use all their power and policy to ruine and destroy them Princes off the Earth joyne themselves together and take counsell against them if any in power own them it is but a little number and they but for a little time we finde them men subject to temptations many times when as by faire promises and some sinall beginnings men in power beget a confidence in Gods people concerning them till fairer advantages are offered by Satan in a temptation to their flesh and then they prove false to former promises and undoe all their beginnings of good by setting open the Flood-gates of evill and tyranny upon the Church and people of God Satan sheweth them the World they are taken with the temptation fall downe and worship him and if Gods people will not doe so too then the furnace must bee hear seaven times hotter then before and if they desire to go into the Wildernesse to worship the Lord their God then they are idle the Task-masters must increase their worke so that truly sayes this poore bleeding heart if a man have any thing more then a naked profession of Religion in such a forme that will be turned by every blaft of power from men he is then taken for a
and people are certainly safe as they are thus his interest But as if this were not enough to our doubting unbelieving hearts see how God hath engaged his faithfulnesse to his Church and people by way of Covenant besides the first making of his Covenant of grace in the 31. Jer. 31. Hebr. 8. Isa 59.20 21. Jer. and Hebr. 8. Observe how hee followeth it Isa 59.20 21. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever This is Gods Covenant of giving Christ and his Spirit to his Church and people that so hee might preserve his interest in them for ever he makes his Covenant in Christ that it might be an everlasting Covenant Fsahn 89.34 35 36. and that believers might plead his owne Covenant before him in Christ So in Psalm 89.34 35 36. My Covenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have I sworne by my holinesse that I will not lye unto David His seede shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sunne before me By David here is meant Christ God makes a Covenant and an Oath in Christ that his seede his Elect Gods Interest his Church and people shall endure and stand before him for ever God makes his Covenant to strengthen faith in his Church and people that we might argue thus God is an infinite pure faithfull and unchangeable God so that what her covenants and sweares to must certainly be not one tittle of his word can faile because he is a faithfull God and his faithfulnesse he hath freely engaged to his Church and people by Covenant for the establishment of their soules In the next place consider Gods care of his Church and people and his promises to them in which he declares his interest in them Isa 43.2 3. In Isa 43.2 3. When thou passest through the waters I wil be with thee and through the rivers they shall not everflow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned neither shall the flame kindle upon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel they Saviour Observe Gods care of his Church they shall not goe without him and then the effect of his presence though they go through dangers yet in Gods care and presence they shall be preserved from all danger and ruine God preferveth them as his owne interest though they goe through deep waters even rivers yet they shall not overflow them God keepes their heads above water he will not let his owne interest sincke though they walk through the fire yet God preserveth his interest from burning and consuming This care over his Church and people God doth engage himselfe to by promise thus God engageth his faithfulnesse that he will preserve his owne interest in the World his Church and faithfull people both which his interest and his faithfulnesse are strong arguments to faith and God maketh this use of them Feare not sayes God I am with thee vers 5. So in the next Chapter beg Feare not O Jacob my servant Isa 44. beg and Jesurun whom I have chosen for I will give you water when you thirst and poure my Spirit upon your seede And so goes on making promises to his people and comforting them in their interest in him I am your God and your Redeemer the holy one of Israel besides me there is no God If I say I will preserve you none can hurt you for besides me there is no God I that am your God am the only God I that am this will preserve you in all dangers as my owne interest I will not leave you in fire or water that is not in any danger so God speaks comfortably to Zion in Isa 51.3 He saith Isa 51.3 hee will comfort all her wast places and hee will make her wildernesse like Eden and her desart like the garden of the Lord joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thanksgiving and the voyce of melody God for his Churches comfort doth engage himself to make her fruitfull in her most barâ—en places and it shall be the fruit of joy and gladnesse She shall be fruitfull as the garden of the Lord and in the Spirit of the Lord and the fruits of that Spirit shall be thankefulnesse and a voyce of melody to the Lord. Here is God still maintaining his owne interest in his people in all his care over his Church and people in his promises to them therefore feare not for the interest of God hath God for its interest So in Ezek. 34.20 to the end Ezek. 34.20 to the end there God makes many a precious promise to his people and expresseth much of his care over them and what a defence he will be to them Sayes God I will be judg betweene Cattle and Cattle I will save my owne flocke they shall us more be a prey to those proud cattell which thrust with the side shoulder But sayes God I will set a shepheard over them my servant Dâ—vid which is Christ and he shall feede them hee shall be their shapheard and I will be their God yea Christ shall be a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it And I will make a Covenant of peace with the beasts of the field so that they shall dwell safely in the wildernesse and sleepe in the woods and all about them shall be a blessing to them Thus shall they know that I am with them and that they are my people and the flocke of my pasture saith the Lord God Here is a bundle of promises all full of mercies goodnesse care and providence from God what is the reason of all this why sayes God they are my people My interest is in them they are the sheepe of my pasture therefore Christ shall be their shâ—pheard and their Prince he shall take care of them and rule over them with righteousnesse Doe you thinke that I am carelesse of my people my interest in the world for I have given them a Prince of power and righteousnesse to rule over them and to take care of them even Jesus Christ who shall feed them and preserve them as the sheepe of my pasture Isa 4.5 6. So likewise in Isa 4.5.6 God promises to be a defence about all the glory of Zion to be to them as a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night to be a tabernacle a refuge and a covering to them from heate and stormes This is the fruits of the Kingdome of Christ it was Gods care in making him King over his Church that they might not only be governed
my eternall love and free grace that my people shall have their being in me and with me for ever you are graven upon the palmes of my hands for evermore you are my people in Covenant the elect and chosen of my grace to be my inheritance and dwelling place for ever I cannot forget you you are ever before me you lye in the wounds of my Sonne Jesus Christ and you are righteous in my owne righteousnesse so that to forget you were to forget my selfe and Jesus Christ I am a full treasury of mercy and grace and you are the onely vessels whom I have chosen to fill with my mercy and grace to all eternity think you that I can forget you as you are my inheritance so I have made my selfe your inheritance Rom. 8.17 and you are fellow heyres with Christ is it possible I can forget you to whom I have given my selfe for an inheritance no I have you in remembrance as my beloved ones for ever my owne grace hath begotten you my heart of love is to you and my outstretched arme of power and Majesty is for you you shall knowe I have not forgotten you I and so shall your enemies too they shall know that you are my interest and my care is over you as my chosen Inheritance whom I will preserve in the utter ruine and destruction of your enemyes Bloody hard-hearted Pharoah and all his Host overthrowne in the Red Sea doth proclaymâ— this to the World so those that cast the three emminent Children of God into the fiery Furnace they were consumed with the blast of the Furnace when the Saints of God walked harmelesse in the fire in the 33 Isa beginning Isa 33. beg there is a wâ—â— pronounced against those that made waste and spoils of Gods people and dealt treacherously with them the righteous God will be sure to spoyle all treacherous wretches which deale treacherously with his people I sayes God doe you thinke that I have forgotten my people and that you shall prosper in your treachery Surely to I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Psal 2. and hee shall breake the enemies of my Inheritance my Church and people with an Iron Rod he shall dash them in pieces like a porters vessell Observe the Scripture it is the power of Christ that is the defence of his Church and the ruining of their enemies and he doth it with an Iron Rod Christ reignes over them in his indignation he dasheth them in pieces very easily as a Potter doth a brickle piece of clay and when they are thus broken they are quite destroyed never to be made whole againe no more thâ—n a broken Pot the enemies of Christ and his people they rage take counsell together and set themselves against the Lord Christ and his annoynted people but the Lord he fitteth in Heaven and laugheth them to scorne what sayes God you thinke to bring your ends about and your designes to passe you thinke your counsels very deepe they cannot be found out and your power so great that it cannot be shaken and nothing will satisfie your lusts but to destroy my interest from off the face of the Earth I tell you sayes God you imagine a vaine thing and you are all this while inventing your owne ruines you ingage your selves to certaine destruction when you set your selves against my people be you what you will Kings or Counsels you shall surely be crushed to pieces in the undermining my interest it is your folly to looke upon them in themselves so they seeme a poore despisable people which doth harden your hearts but did you see them as they are in me my interest you would then see your folly what are you or all the Nations of the Earth to me no more then the drop of a bucket or the small dust of the ballance I will speake to you in my wrath and vexe you in my sore displeasure if once you touch my people the apple of myne eye therefore sayes he be wise O yee Kings and be instructed you Judges of the Earth you that make Lawes and you that rule and reigne take heed be wise meddle not with my Inheritance I am onely King and Law-maker there iâ— will be your wisedome to kisse the Sonne and to serve him with feare and trembling but if you intrench upon his Kingdome and offend one of his little ones I assure you he will be angry he is zealous over them and his owne glory he will have no sharere in his Kingdome nor will he suffer any to rend his Flock but he will be angry and then O Kings and Counsellors you shall all perish from the way you shall never bring your designes to effect God will bring his designe to perfection which is your ruine and your end when Christ is intrenched upon in his glory and his jewells then is his wrath kindled very hot and then he shewes himselfe what he is in his victory over his enemies in the 63. of Isa Then he commeth from Edom with dyed garments stained all over in the blood of his enemies this is the day of his vengeance now he treads downe his enemies in his anger makes them drunke in his fury and brings downe their strength to the earth thus doth Christ destroy the enemies of his people For he hath an interest in them as God hath in this 2 Psalme 6. Christ is King of his Church Psal 2. Isa 9.6 Cant. 4.8 1. Reve. 19.7 Eph. 1.22 23. Mat. 12.49 50 the government is upon his shoulder Isaiah 9.6 The Church is Christe Spouse Cant. 4.8 his Love 1. Shee is the Lambes Wife Rev. 19.7 The body of which Christ is the head Ephes 1.22 23. And Christ owneth his Saints and people to be his Brethren and Sisters Mat. 12.49 50. Now what doe all these relations speake but union with Christ Cant. 2.16 My beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2 16. and Christs interest in his people which he will preserve as his glory and delight he will not spoyle his Kingdome nor suffer others to doe it he rules in the middest of his Kingdome in the hearts of his people with a golden Septre even his owne spirit he binds them to his commands by his words of love and he protecte them from ruining by their enemies with his Rod of Iron he will be sure to preserve his Kingdome at his glory this his glory he will not give to another and his Spouse he will keep as his delight she is the Wife of his bosome his love his faire one one whom he hath made faire by his love and lovely in his lovelinesse compleate in him he hath washed her cleane in his owne blood and hath made it life blood to her so that she liveth to the glory of his grace that streames in his blood Christ hath made his Church so cleane in his blood that it becomes his owne body and he the head of it Christ having
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