heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God 3. From the lying vanities we have chosen they that hearken unto lying vanities forsake their owne mercies 4. From ignorance heedlesnesse and forgetfulnesse of the fulnesse and freenesse of the promise of God and his everlasting covenant of grace and from living by sense and not by faith 5. From unskilfulnesse of the word of righteousnesse 6. From the want of watchfulnesse against sin the not keeping of a clear conscience omission of duties and loose walking with God these will raise tumults in the soul 7. From building our hope and comfort upon that which is mutable and uncertaine upon our own personal Sanctification and not upon Christ and our free justification by him who is made unto us of God Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 8. From ouâ— owne false reasonings as to conclude that we have no work â—o grace wrought upon us because we as present cannot see or feele any grace in our selves thus many weake believers that are through Christ right precious in the sight of God are subject to delude themselves in chusing trouble and preâ—erring it before comâ—ort 9. From the bodies distemper with melancolly and troubling your selves with the event of things and from pride which hinders a quiet submission unto God in that condition inward or outward which he hath led us unto and from want of patience to wait upon him for deliverance out of trouble in the use of means 10. From want of consideration of the ground of the trouble and enquiry whether it ought to be a cause of discouragement or not 11. From too much eying of sinne or an over-sensiblenesse of infirmities and not eying of Christ with them the conscience enlighted siding with the law against it self 12. From the poor creature striving to get out of its dungeon by its ownwrestling whereby in steed of gaining inlargment it heightens its own distempers 13. From unbelief which takes the law and applies the same with the threats thereof unto the soule therby occasioning fears and discouragements 14. From ignorance of the love of Christ and when the blessed spirit of truth doth once come into the soule and discover the love of Christ unto it its doubts are immediately resolved and it is sweetely revived 15 From slighting the means that God hath given for our recovery we are indeed with thankfulnesse to use the means and yet to know that means cannot cure a soul it must be the operation of the Spirit of Christ in the soul which is as God pleases 16. From Gods not appearing to and the Spirits not operating in the soule the operation whereof discovers unto the soule the overflowing fulnesse of the loves of Christ and brings the soule to believe in the Lord Jesus and trust in his mercy Our carnal reason and corrupt hearts and Satan with his suggestions are so neere us and before our eyes that we cannot see God and we hearken so much unto what these dictate that we mind not the blessed voice of the Spirit of Christ which would revive and fill our soules with joy and peace in believing and make us so wise and strong in his time that we should not any more cast away our confidence in God And as Gods love which is free ful and perfect is discovered to the soule so yea in the same measure anr doubts and feares cast out Perfect love casts out fear and the poore creature is made perfect in love Nine Reasons against fears and discouragements in a believer raised from Isaiah 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee yea I wil help thee yea I wil uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousnesse The first reason is Because it is against Gods command for a believer to feare or be discouraged fear thou not 2. Because thou hast the presence of God to helpe thee I am with thee 3. Because a believer hath an interest in God which is a happinesse beyond all miseries I am thy God 4. Because nothing can befall him but what God appoints who loveth him 5. Because whatsoever befals him shall do him good 6. Because the bitternesse shal be but short 7. Because fears and discouragements never do any good but much hurt they deprive us of many an opportunity of doing Christ service 8. Because fears are doubts are unsuitable for a Saint the fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake c. with Sâ—rcerers Idolaters and Lyars 9. Because fears are unreasonable for a child of God the Lord having given unto his many sweet and precious promises That they shall not want any good thing he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee they are therefore safe and neede not to fear but in God alwaies rejoice and sing praises to him One and twenty several means to be used by poore weake believers for their settlement in the assurance of the love of God when they are tossed with tempests and incompassed with discouragements viz. 1. Means Commune with thine owne heart and make diligent search to find out what it is that troubles thee Reason within thy selfe Why art thou cast downe O my soule and disquieted within me c. 2. Means Renounce all lying vanities and hearken unto none of them hearken not to the voice of thine own heart it is a lying vanity and wil deceive thee Hearken not unto sense Thomas said he would not believe unlesse he might see and thrust his hand into his side but such sensual practises are to be abhorred by us for it is no other but to consult with flesh and blood which cannot discern spiritual things and is condemned some wil see an holy frame of Spirit in themselvs and feele sinne subdued before they wil believe this is sensual for faith lookes not to such things as these but to God in his word therefore we live not by sight but by faith blessed are they which have not seen yet have believed Hearken not unto carnal reason for in so doing thou canst neither believe submit to God not be setled Reason wil say a Virgin cannot bring forth a child and that a woman ninetie years of age is past conceiving a child Reason contradicts God himselfe and saith these things cannot be can reason believe that the wals of Jericho fel down by faith and that the Saints stopped the mouths of Lyons and quenched the violence of fire Yet faith did it Is it likely or possible to reason for a man to walke upon the sea or Peter did Did not Christs command seeme vain to Peters reason that he should then cast hâ—s net into â—he sea seeing he had cast it in so often and fished all night and caught nothing Can reason
babe in Christ though carnal those desires which worke towards God came from God the Spirit returnes to him that gave it Secondly I call those Members of Christ accidentally weak who are habitually strong in the faith having strong breathings of the Spirit of Christ and so not lyable unto that constant weaknesse wherewith babes or children in Christ are incompassed and yet may somtimes be accidentally weakned by reason either of sharp afflictions unto which Christ brings them or great services unto which he calls them or else by some great and desperate falls into sinne which through infirmity and as it were by accident they have taken There are two sorts of men that after the committing of sinne can believe pardon thereof no further then they can see themselves humbled or finde repentance in them for it First Such as have a weak faith in the Lord Jesus and these with Thomas may receive reprehension from our Saviour Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Secondly Meere titular Christians but in very deed hypocrites who build their faith upon the sandy foundation of their own repentance humiliation and such other like qualifications though they say and perhaps think otherwise and then no wonder if when their foundation be removed their faith faile and they fall But if it be inquired what the difference is between a weak Member of Christ and an hypocrite I answer The weak Member of Christ hath another secret frame of Grace in him which will not suffer him to rest upon this rotten foundation the Spirit of God bloweth upon him and gives him to see that this way of the flesh will faile him and at last pitcheth him absolutely upon Christ and leads the poore soule to lay hold upon the word of his promise which indures for ever All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field the grasse withereth the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Surely the people is grasse the grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the word of God shall stand for ever When the Lord begets one by the immortall seed of his Word he then lets him know that all flesh is grasse and that whatsoever â—lesh and nature can desire to rest upon falleth away and teacheth him to rest onely upon the word of Promise which indures for ever tendred in the Gospel But the hypocrite being not blown upon by this Spirit not having the seed of grace conveyed unto him in the Gospel-promise stumbles at this way of free justification and seeks justification in another way forming up a Religion according to himselfe of pleasing and displeasing and by what he doth and doth not and thus going about through his naturall knowledge or light to establish his own righteousness wherein is but a more glorious damnation to be got at best he submits not to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ And he waxing confident in this way teacheth it unto others thinks others foolish and blind in regard of himselfe yea he growes so confident as that heâ— dares pleade his cause with God Have we not prophesied in thy name c. He hath a faith though indeed but a dead one and yet it wil go farre in the resemblance carrying the image of something like unto the new man as the faint reflections of the Sun in a cloud look like the Sun but are not and may both deceive the soul of the person where it is and of others that goe but according to the appearance yet there being no spiritual life nor Christ formed in such a soul there can be neither any right spiritual enjoyment of Christ nor sollid communion with God in him though all the changes of the Spirit may seeme to be there to such a carnal formally deceiving heart He may repent as Ahab he may joy in the Gospel ordinances and have a kind of reforming with Herod there may be in him a kind of faith as in those that believed mentioned in the Parable but in time of temptation fell away there may be a frequenting of the word preached as appears by those that said unto our Saviour have we not eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou taught in our streets There may be a conviction of sin as in Faelix who trembled at Pauls preaching he may hold out with Christ in very great troubles nay suffer even death in the cause of Christ But all these are not yet in the power of Christ nor in the life of the Spirit so that the fruits and seeming graces of such are but like the berries upon the thorn in the way side not like the grapes upon the Vine he is not built upon that Rock of ages Christ Jesus and other foundation can no man lay and therefore it is no matter of admiration if like wandring stars and clouds that have no water such are ever rolling up and down and never established He dare not reckon with his conscience for the blood of sprinkling is not there and without blood there is no remission no boldness against sinne no looking Conscience in the face An hypocrite may have a name to live and to tast of the heavenly gift but is indeed dead and senseless yea absolutely void of spiritual life and may not unfitly be compared to that Statue of a man which they say Albertus Magnus was thirty years about that by reason of springs and devices within could walke up and down and speak articulately which stil was void of life so here c. some springs within resulting from self-love some scrnes of ostentation may produce in the hypocrite speech and motion in the wayes of God but being destitute of spiritual life must needs be void of spiritual senses and consequently of those soule satisfying ravishing and transforming tastes and relishes of the goodness of God which the Saints enjoy And thus although he may ascend many rounds in Jacobs ladder the greater at last will his fall into utter darkness be if the Lord give not repentance But inasmuch as the child of God and an hypocrite both stand for repentance it may be enquired what the difference is between the repentance of the one and of the other I shal only instance a few of the differences instead of many more that might be insisted upon 1. That which turneth an hypocrite from his sin causing him to grieve and mourne for it is principally a convicted conscience and restraining grace this made Judas confesse his sin and restore his pieces of silver who neverthelesse denyed the power of the Spirit of Christ But the child of God he hath this Law of repentance put into his inward parts and written in his heart by the finger of the Spirit of the Lord though many times by
this quickning Spirit of Christ the two edged sword of the word preached wil prove but as Scanderbegs sword which without Scanderbegs arm was able to doe little or nothing It is through grace that men believe yet men are to use the means for in the preaching of the word God hath covenanted that his Spirit go along with and add power to the word spoken make it effectual to the enabling of the creature to obey he said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and the Spirit entered into me when he had spoken unto me and set me upon my feet And the dead shal hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live otherwiâ—e were it in vaine to speak unto dead men to believe and all men are by nature spiritually dead only they believe whose hearts God opens None can believe but they unto whom it is given When the soule is come to believe that Christ was made sinne for it its doubts are vanquished and the soul sweetly quieted and setled As soone as Jesus Christ by his Spirit hath convinced the soule that he is made sin for it and that it is made the Righteousnesse of God in him then do all its doubts fears and objections vanish and Christ is believed in and lived upon with thankfulnesse and joy yea such a soule by its eye of faith sees it farre better that Christ was made sin for it then if it had never sinned yea as much better as a spiritual body is better then a natural as much better as the image of the heavenly is better then the image of the earthly body yea as much better as strength is better then weaknesse and as heaven is better then earth It is faith in Christ that rids the soul of all its distempers doubts fears and discouragements we may not separate the Spirit from faith for faith is the fruit and effect of the Spirit and wee cannot rationally expect the effect without its cause And it is the want of faith that causes troubles in the soul saith Christ ye believe in God believe also in me and let not your hearts be troubled believing in Christ sweetly quiets and settles a troubled soule and those that know God wil trust him with their bodies and souls and that upon his word all that know thy name wil trust in thee yea they wil cleave unto God in his promise even then when they are in their greatest fears and most sensible of their owne vilenesse and that not without sufficient warâ—ant Trust in him at all times God is a refuge for us Selah if at all times then at the worst of times yea even then believe and hear nothing against thy believing of God in his promise Abraham the faithfull believed against hope oh believe God intends thy good Christ came to seeke and to save the lost such as are lost in their sight and sense of their owne vilenesse insufficiency and misery A Collection of divers things from whâ—nâ—e it is that many weake Believers are incompassed with so many doubts feares and discouragements together with sundry especiall meanes which they are to make use of and wherein the Lord Jesus usually quiâ—ts and 〈◊〉 a disquieted soule in the assurance of his Love Negatively the doubts feares and discouragements of weake Believers proceed not from God for his voice is peace and comfort to his people I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill Comfort yee my people saith the Lord speake yee comfortably to Jerusalem cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned You see they come not from God Nor come they from Christ he neither troubles nor discourages any it was promised concerning him that hee should speake peace Thy King cometh he shall speak peace unto the Heathen this is his worke and he doth it therefore he doth not trouble nor discourage any He is the horne of Salvation that God hath raised up for us to guide our feete in the way of peace He opens the blinde eyes He brings out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison-house He is that light that is sprung up unto those that sit in darknesse and in the Region and shadow of death he bindes up the broken hearted he proclaimes peace and liberty he comforts all that mourne He gives beautie for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning and the garments of Praise for the spirit of heavinesse he was given to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blinde to set at liberty poore bruised prisoners that have been taken Captive by the Devil and the maine end of his coming is to abolish death and to bring life and Immortality to light through the Gospel this is his worke and he doth it he is gracious and pitifull hee will not quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reed his voice is full of love and tendernesse his words are sweet words as Let not your hearts be troubled feare not it is your fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Cast your care upon me I will care for you Christs voyce unto his poore people is Open to mee my sister my Love my Dove my undefiled his name is King of Salem that is King of peace It is palpably apparent that our feares and discouragements come not from Christ Nor come they from the holy Spirit of God for he is the great and most sweet Comforter he causes no discouragements but removes them all by revealing and applying unto the soule the love of God and carries the soule by faith from all discouragements unto God who is love and peace where the soule is to rest and be filled with sweet peace This is the worke of the Spirit and hence it is that he is called the Comforter he never caused the least feare or discouragement in the soule of any The consideration that our feares doubts and discouragements come not from God nor from Christ nor from the holy Spirit is sweet for then what need wee regard them yea we may slight them Affirmatively the doubts feares and discouragements of weake believers doe proceed viz. 1. From the Devill who is a malicious adversary to the Saints hee either tempts us to sinne and that will cause us to doubt or else hee tempts us to doubt and that will cause us to sinne and thus he raises doubts and feares to hinder their comfort and peace in believing he also tempts them and takes the word out of their hearts least they should believe From whence these particulars ensue 2. From our owne hearts Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil
every poor believer Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem thine habitation and thy kindred is of the Land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite and in thy nativity when thou wast born thy navel was not cut thou wast not washed inwater to soften thee thou wast not salted with salt nor swadled in clouts none eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee for to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne And when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood and I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live even when thou wast in thy blood live Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was as the time of love and I spread my skirts over thee and covered thy filthinesse yea I sware unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine then washed I thee with water yea I washed away thy blood from thee and I annointed thee with oyle I cloathed thee also with broidered work and shod thee with Badgers skin and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silke I decked thee also with ornaments and I put bracelets upon thine hands and a chaine on thy neck It is an apparent truth unto all experienced Christians that vvhen God first enters into covenant vvith men he finds them in their blood in their infidelity he finds them unholy but as soone as this covenant is struck vvith them thou becamest mine saith the Lord in the last mentioned Scripture then I washed thee with water c. yea I washed away thy blood â—rom thee The Lord puts his holy Spirit in them and his holinesse and so they immediately become the people of his holiness God becomes our God and then makes us his people and afterwards washes us and sanctifies us from our sins And although poor believers have injuriously and unkindly offended this gracious God by their manifold provocations yea though they have despised the oath in breaking this covenant and played the harlot in the face of the Lord yet the Lord wil have such to know that his wayes are not as their wayes but as farre above them as the heavens are above the earth For thus saith the Lord God I might even deale with thee as thou hast done which hast despised the oath in breaking the Covenant Neverthelesse I will remember my covenant with thee in the dayes of thy youth and I wil establish unto thee an everlasting covenant and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God And as this covenant is free so likewise it is unconditional on mans part God is pleased indeed to take us into covenant not upon any condition in us before he brings with him Christ and in him all the conditions and make us as he would have us not for the covenant but in it or under it we are not his people before he be our God first you have not chosen me but I have chosen you And it evidently appears that there is nothing required of a man to make him partaker of this covenant no not faith though divers affirm that it is requisite that God gives faith unto men before he enters into covenant with them that so they may have it as a hand to take hold upon the covenant but of such I would be satisfied if the new covenant of grace be not unconditinal on mans part how it differs from a covenant of works is it not a hard and as impossible a thing for man of himself to believe in Christ as it is to keepe the whole Law to believe in Christ is a fruit of his spirit and must we not be in Christ before we beare fruit we cannot rationally expect the effect before the cause the light before the sun or heat before we have fire therefore we must be in Christ before we can beleive we cannot from Scripture ground expect faith in the soul before Christs spiritual presence be there he that hath the spirit of Christ hath Christ we have the spirit of Christ before we believe therefore we have Christ before we can believe so â—at it is Christ in us that brings us to Christ out of us it is the spirit of Christ that leads a sinful soul to the person and righteousnes of Christ faith is no condition but one of the graces of the covenant on Gods part to be given to those who are given unto Christ and is not given before the covenant but in with and through the covenant and there must â—e the spiritual presence of Christ who is the Author of â—aith in the soul â—ither before or at the very first instant of believing for that the cause must necessarily anteceede the effect Thus it manifestly appeares that at Gods first entring into Covenant with a man the poore Creature is meerely passive having no condition at all in him yet when God hath taken a man into Covenant with himselfe and sowne the immortall seed of grace in the field of his heart and so sprung up light life and faith in the soule then the soule is to say as Christ said my Father worketh hitherto and I workâ— or as the Apostle said we are co-workers with him yet herein wee must also know it is not enough for God to tune the instrument of the soule unlesse he himself also play thereon without this the Musick cannot be melodious it is not enough for God to worke grace in mens hearts but hee must also quicken put forth and act those graces he hath been pleased to infuse into and worke in the Saints And it is Gods part not only to propound and to offer but it is his part also and his promise to bring men into the bonds of the Covenant and to worke a willingnesse and abilitie in men to receive what he offers and gives to believe what he promises and to obey what he commandâ— The new Covenant is indeed meerely a Promise for the Covenant that God makes with his now under the gospel is all on his owne part without any thing on mans he makes himselfe ours and makes us his all is of his owne doing though a Covenant in the strict legall and common sense is upon certaine Articleâ— of agreement and conditions on both sides to be performed Thus stood the old Covenant there was life promised on condition of obedience and so in Covenants and Contracts between man and man but now there is a Covenant or rather promise in Jesus Christ who is called the Mediatour or Manager of the Covenant in which God gives
God and his motive to make and enter into this covenant was his everlasting love the righteousnesse upon which it is established is an everlasting Righteousnesse and all the mercies and blessings thereof are everlasting as everlasting pardon for I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and Iniquities will I remember no more Everlasting kindnesse In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer everlasting mercy for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Everlasting joy and the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with Songs and everlasting joy upon their heads c. Everlasting consolation Now our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and God even our Father who hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation c. and likewise everlasting life For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life God hath ordained men unto eternal life before they believe and faith is a fruit of the spirit of Christ and of consequence we must be in Christ before we can bring forth fruit that whosoever believeth on him should not perish c. This and such like expressions are to be considered as declarations of the qualification of such as are saved not that faith gives us any interest in Christ but manifests unto us that he who hath loved us with an everlasting love hath by his Spirit come into our hearts and created faith there and shewed forth this love unto us When God is said to be in Covenant with a Soule A soule is then properly actually or expressy in Covenant with God when God hath come to it in the promise and then when it feels it self under the power of the promise it begins only to know it is in Covenant and yet to obey as if it were but to enter into that covenant which God hath made with it in Christ before it could do any thing so as they that believe doe rather feele themselves in that covenant which God hath made with them without any thing in themselves either faith or repentance c. The effect of this Covenant The Lord in and through this covenant brings a poore creature to see and seeing to admire the superabundant riches of his free grace and love and humbly and thankfully to embrace the same and the heart thus wrought upon vehemently desires that such carriage and kindness of its God might not slip out of mind but that the consideration of this soul-ravishing heart-melting and astonishing grace and loving kindnesse might through the Spirit of the Mediatour of this covenant carry him forth stedfastly to believe in dearly to love chearfully to obey and dutifully to honour and serve the God of this mercy in soule body and spirit so long as the Sun and Moon endure and for ever in a word the soul is carried forth out of selfe unto God and in God alone finds rest and satisfaction Divers inviting Characters and soul-winning encouragements of faith Faith is an assenting or cleaving to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his promise not from any thing the soule sees or feels in it selfe but from something it apprehends in God in his word faith sometimes is attended with much strife and strugling for Satan wil say to the soule it is in vain to believe Christ saith come I will ease thee and faith sweetly perswades the heart to rest upon the ability and fidelity of God in his free promise Faith is an emptying grace yea it is its property to empty the soule and keep it empty of selfe confidence and thereby it makes way for receiving of the righteousnesse of Christ even as the poor widows empty vessels for the receiving of the oyl out of the cruse whereas the fulnesse of the vessel caused the stay Yea it implies an emptinesse of selfe that we may be filled with him out of whose fulnesse wee receive grace for grace Faith is a believing that Jesus Christ is the Christ which implies a seeing and knowing that all is in Christ for life and salvation and so to rest upon him for it he that thus believs in Christ is brought over by Christ unto Christ and so centered upon him that he wil never go from him My soule wait thou on God for my expectation is from him And in those souls who enjoy this precious faith old things are done away and they are new creatures there is a light set up in the soul and the soul sees and knowes all is by Christ and that there is no way or meanes of life but by him and thereupon closes with him and rests upon him Faith looks unto what God saith rests upon it and sets to its seale that God is true Faith doth not lay hold on Christ to fetch Justification from him till Christ hath first laid hold on us and imputed his righteousness unto us and by his Spirit in a free promise of grace declared the same unto us and then faith becomes active to receive and depend upon Christ and his everlasting righteousnesse Faith works by love and most highly prizeth Christ and his righteousnesse debases and vilifies self admires the immense and infinite riches of Gods free grace and love and engages the heart to holinesse yea to dedicate it selfe as a monument of eternal praise and thanksgiving for his inestimable goodnesse Yea that soul that is possessed of such precious faith can never in its owne eye see God high enough nor it selfe vile enough and fetches all its strength from Christ to doe all it doth There are many mistakes about faith some have thought comfort joy or ravishments of soule with God to be faith and so because they had not them have concluded they had no faith it is not mens believing but the object of faith that gives faith its denomination There are many precious souls that trust in Christ for life from an hope of mercy but this hope though the poore soul at present sees or knowes no certainty of enjoyment of what it hopes for hath a blessing intailed on it Turn ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope Eleven Motives to believe 1. By believing we come to know our interest in Christ and salvation by him 2. By believing we honour God he that receives his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true 3. If ye believe not surely ye shall not be established there is no true quietnesse and settlement of soule without believing thou standest by faith and fallest into sin by unbeliefe the word preached is precious and powerful yet it profited not being not mixed with faith in them that heard it 4. It s faith that
make a good construction of all his dispensations towards thee and know that his actings in us or upon us are the accomplishing of his wil for his owne glory and the good of his that which I think worst for mee may be best for mee How ever it be yet God is good and good to mee Thou oh Lord art still the same 18 Means Frequent those whom God hath settled in the assurance of his love these are able to direct and informe thee in the knowledge of the grace of God revealed in them wherein is peace and joy unspeakable and ful of glory many heare and confer with such as are ignorant of the grace of God and finde successe accordingly 19. Means When our spirits are never so much dejected and sadned we should with Isaiah wind up our affections and stirre up our selves to take hold on God and remember that Christ is our resting place whose spirit whispers in and unto us as it did unto David return unto thy rest oh my soule c. If thou hast sinned thou hast done very foolishly it being done it cannot be undone what shal the soul do but remember that sweet and gracious promise their sins and iniquities I will remember no more and consider that there is not any sin a believer can commit that should cause him to cast away his confidence or so much as question the love of God unto him for any thing he hath done or can befal him All that know the name of the Lord wil trust in him and cleave unto him for strength yea to be their strength against sinne for the time to come it is but a foolish conceit that brings a poore child of God to cast away his confidence and renders him culpable of the reprehension of our Saviour oh fools and slow of heart to believe c. A poore believer is commanded to come boldly to the throne of his Fathers grace he may not in any wise admit of such a disquietnesse in his sorrowing for sin as shall discorage and hinder him in obeying another command of God Rejoice evermore 20. Means Know and remember the happinesse of a believer in Christ though never so weake he is cleane from all sin by the blood of Christ they are removed from him so that he is accepted of God in Christ as perfect righteous and comely as Christ is saith Christ who is on with his Father unto a poore believer Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee goe the â—ore in much assurance and confidence unto the throne of his grace who having given thee his Son cannot but with him freely give thee all things that he in his wisdome and love sees fit for thee whether for soule body or both Having therefore Brethren boldnesse to enter into the holâ—â—st by the blood of Christ by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh And seeeng that we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sinne Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and find grace to helpe in time of neede and let us draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Wheâ— shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Meditate on these precious truths until then sweet influence through the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead have warmed and enlivened thy soule 21. Means Lastly know and remember that though these means tending so much to the soules settlement in and assurance of the love of God are to be used yet means alone are 〈◊〉 sufficient to quiet and settle a troâ—â—lâ—d soule it is the work of Christ spirit to answer all doubts and remove all discouragements God creates the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is afarre off and to him that is 〈◊〉 saith the Lord and I will heale him In the use of meanes we are to looke unto and wait upon him who wil in his owne time which is best free all his from all their discouragements doubts and fears and satisfie their souls with his love which is better then wine These things I write unto you that your faith and hope may be in God A Collection of many the fears doubts and discouragements that a poore weake believer either in or about conversion or desertion takes up against himselfe together with their several remedies resolutions and answers Weake believers are like melancholy people who think things farre otherwise then they truly are rightly smoaking flax where there is more smoak then light more ignorance then true discerning and thereby they expose themselves to manifold fears and discouragements when there is not the least cause as for example Mary was troubled and afraid all the matter was the Angel saluted her and told her that she had found favour in the sight of God the shepherds were afraid even then when the Angel brought them tidings of great joy Peter was afraid when he had drawn up much fish by which their discouragements they highly dishonoured God hindered their own peace The feares of weake believers are usually of these kindes Viz. 1. They cannot be perswaded their sinnes are pardoned indeed they would and they would not believe it they cannot from the spirit that is in them but close with Christ and claspe about him for salvation yet then they are not sure they have him they may be deceived they thinke in that in a word They are and they are not perswaded their sinnes are pardoned The Remedy to this feare We are commanded to believe forgivenesse of sinnes in Jesus Christ throughly and not in part Through his name whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sinnes 2. If faith carrie them on to believe a little more or better of their condition yet the pride of some sinnes will not down with them some of their sinnes which they have made their darlings more then others and cherished themselves in oh these they thinke are either too great or too often committed to be all forgiven and at once the remainders of these sins are like dregs in the bottome and their consciences cannot be satisfied that God hath fully pardoned them Briefly They are perswaded some sinnes are pardoned but not some others which they have most sinned in The Remedy There is indeed a large disproportion between sinnes in regard of their causes effects and adjuncts yet the robe of Christs Righteousnesse is so large that it covers the greatest
sinne as easily as the least And we are to consider that one sinne cannot be forgiven but all are forgiven Jesus Christ hath done away all sinnes For this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate down on the right hand of God 3. They looke not upon God in the pure simplicity of his word and promise but suspect and are jealous that God hath some reckoning still behind because they see themselves sinful and know that God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and they cannot believe that God can bear with all those corruptions and transgressions in them Briefly they fear still God doth not intend them such grace as he proffers and speaks of in his word and suspect the Gospel The Remedie We are to believe God in the plainnesse and simplicity he speaks in in Gospel promises the word of his grace even unto our soules as if he spake out unto us by name from heaven he that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he beleeveth not the Record that God gave of his Sonne 4. They think though God may be reconciled unto them and love them at sometimes for they poore souls only reckon the seasons of the Spirits comfortings and breathing for the times of forgivenesse yet God may be provoked againe and angry again for new sins and failings and then they are as much troubled how to come at any peace againe as they were before and then it must be only another sun-shine of the like comfort must warme them into peace and believing In a word they think if God do pardon them yet they may provoke him againe soon after The Remedie We must know that God is not as man that he should be angry and pleased as we carry our selves I wil be merciful to their unrighteousnesse and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more I wil be to them a God and they shall be to me a people There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus c. The apprehension indeed of pardon and salvation is variable but yet the pardon and salvation it self is immutable and as the Gospel needs to be given but once so a mans sins need but once to be forgiven once is enough because if once then for ever 5. They cannot perswade themselves how they can sin as they doe daily but that they are countable for all the breaches and set up new scores of sin in their consciences and keepe reckoning for God and disquiet themselves in vaine in a word they suppose they cannot sin as they doe and not be accountable and they cannot but be sinners in Gods sight as well as their owne The Remedie We must remember our sins are no more ours but Christs and his righteousnesse is ours God reckons and accounts us as one now so though we sin yet every sin was accounted for in him And now there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth 6. They think every affliction or trouble that befalls them is a punishment for some sin they have committed and they looke on them as messengers of wrath from God sent upon them in judgment as if God were satisfying himselfe upon them and pouring forth some wrath upon their heads to satisfie his justice against such sins In a word they think afflictions are sent upon them for their sins and they cannot look upon God in them but as angry and so helpe the afflictions to afflict themselves The Remedie We are to consider that although afflictions come in with sinne and for sin and are the wages of sin yet to the righteous and believers they are not judgements for every thing of justice against sin was spent upon Christ so as to believers they are only trials and temptations My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations They are chastnings of love to prevent and imbitter sin unto us As many as I love I rebuke and chasten c. The rod of afflictions is a teaching rod David found it good for his soule that he had been afflicted and the fruit of affliction to believers is the taking away of sinne And the Spirit tells us expresly If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not But if yee be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonnes Afflictions are in a word a diverse way or dispensation of love and grace unto the poore soule love working by that which is evil in it selfe We know that all things do work together for good unto them that love God 7. They mistake the Gospel in the doctrine of it and every Scripture that threatens for sinne they apply unto themselves because they have committed that sin In a word They interpret every curse in the law and new Testament for sin their own if it be against their sinne The Remedie We are to consider that though the Scriptures do often set forth the righteousnesse of God against sinne and his justice against iniquity yet the justice of God being satisfied by him who made his soule an offering for thy sins Justice it selfe hath no more power against thee for thy sins then the pursuer hath to doe with the murderer in the City of refuge For sin shall not have dominion over you ye are not under the law but under grace The Discouragements of poore weake believers herein mentioned are as followeth I feare I am but an hypocrite notwithstanding all the faire shewes I have made for the Lord his waies and people It is contrary to the nature of an hypocrite to feare that he is such an one and it is a Character of a sincere heart to see and seeing to bemoane its owne deceitfulnesse to desire sincerity and to imbrace and most highly to prize that word of thâ— Lord that is most searching in its owne soule to thirst after that word that is most powerful and keene and pierceth even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and to examine it selfe it is the prayer of a David-like spirit Examine me O Lord and prove me trie my reines and mine heart It is as dangerous for a soul to skin up its wounds before they are searched as to presse it selfe downe with discouragements and helpe the affliction to afflict it self Take it rather for granted that thou art an hypocrite and if so what is that but a sinner though of a deeper die then an ordinary sinner is We reade that Ephraim compassed the Lord about with lies and the house of Israel with deceits c. and that he was a cake not
turned that he fed upon wind and followed after the East winde and provoked the Lord unto anger most bitterly and that yet Gods bowels did still worke towards Ephraim so that he could not destroy him The Lord is exceedingly gracious unto such wretched creatures of his though they compasse him about with lies Let such poore believers consider that a sinner can never be too foule for his Saviour too much wounded and too sick for this Phisician to heale and cure nor too filthy for a fountaine opened to wash and that the whole neede not a phisician but those that are sick and that Christ came unto the world to justifie the ungodly and to save the chief of sinners he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and let such a soule that cannot as a Saint stick close unto the Lord Jesus as a sinner and his hopes in Christ through the enjoyment of his spirit within him wil lead him forth in the strength of Christ to purifie himselfe as Christ is pure Had the Lord Jesus by his Spirit wrought an effectual work of grace upon my heart I should have growne in grace but I doe not so my life is not holy nor am I like unto the Lords children 1. Consider whether thou art a child a young man or a father in Christ for as there is a great difference betweene a child and a man in Christ so betweene a babe in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1. and a man in Christ 2. Consider whether thou art a babe in the wombe or borne that is a babe that is unskilful in the word of righteousnesse as a child being begotten and alive is in the womb before it is borne so a soule is spiritually alive and begotten from above before it be born Christ must be formed in us before we can be new born babes before we can desire the sincere milk of the word that we might grow thereby When thou art delivered out of bondage darknesse and fears concerning thy eternal condition thou art born and brought forth for as the wombe is a place of bondage so is a doubting condition and therefore thou canst not looke for those attainments in this condition as others find in another and also in case thou art new borne there cannot be that expected from thee which is from a man in Christ there is a great difference you know to be put betweene a child and a man 3. Learne to distinguish betweene the fruits of the Spirit and the exercise of them it is not the having of the fruits of the Spirit but the exercise of them that attains an holy conversation and know that it is one thing to be the Lords and another thing for God to convey his power into the soul wherby to make it conformable to his wil and to live by faith in the Son of God the first is where the later is not 4. Know that the time of doubting is a barren time men cannot fight and work at such a time And yet as trees in the winter season grow in the roote though not in the branches so maist thou grow in humility love c. though thou maist unto thy self seem to decay in those and other graces of the Spirit But when a soule is delivered from its enemies that is to say from Satans errours and its owne doubtings then it begins to serve being delivered we serve there must be deliverance before working therefore a time of doubting and of bondage is not a season of growing in holy services 5. Believers are of several growthes and states 1. Babes or children in Christ 2. Young men 3. Fathers Can babes worke Yet if babes die in that state they shall not misse of glory it is one thing to be justified and another thing to be sanctified as it is one thing to live and another to be borne and to work distinct from both There is a great difference of degrees of the Lords own people some are spiritual but others are termed carnal as appears by Pauls epistle to the Church of Christ in Corinth And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spirituall but as unto carnal even unto babes in Christ thou mayest be begotten and yet not borne not a new born babe 6. If thou beest ignorant or in temptation then thy heart is clouded and distâ—mpered with feares and thy selfe not a competent judge of thy owne growth is a new borne babe able to judge of its own growth Consider also it may be thou dost not use the meanes or not rightly in Gods way And when grace is as seed newly cast into the earth and a weak believer while a babe for want of exercise and experience scarce knowes what he hath then as the land newly sown little differs in shew from other ground which was never sowne so a poore babe in Christ seems little different from the men of the world who lie in their sins and as childrens complaints are not alwaies to be taken for rules so the complaints of such babes that they grow not in grace do not so much evince their want as the sensiblenesse of their want of the growth of grace and of conformity to the wil of the Lord Jesus which is a certaine fruit of the in being of the spirit of Christ in the poore soule it is the spirit that convinceth of sinne and spiritual desires cannot possibly proceede from our selves but from faith In a word Let such a poore doubting believer hearken unto what God saith unto him From me is thy fruit found The righteous shal flourish like the Palme tree he shall grow like those Cedars in Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruits in old age they shal be fat and flourishing And unto this end the Lord hath also promised I wil be as the dew unto Israel he shal grow as the Lily and cast forth his fruits as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smel as Lebanon the Lord hath also further promised that he wil turne the barren wildernesse into a fruitful field he wil open a fountain of pure living water and poure it forth upon the barren wildernesse and the dry ground The barren dry and unfruitful ground of unbelievers is by by the unction of the Spirit made the garden of the Lord and being trees of the Lords owne planting shall be watered every moment yea refreshed and comforted with the streame of that river that makes glad the City of God In the wildernesse shal waters break out and streames in the desert and the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water I say believers however it may seeme do alwaies grow in faith love or humility My heart is
must be done in the Scriptures owne caution and way the surest knowledg that any one hath that he hath received the promise is the closing of his heart with Christ the real receiving and believing and relying and going out of the heart upon Christ The Just shal live by faith We walke by faith and not by sight This was the assurance of the father of the faithful who staggered not at the promise but gave glory to God There is yet something in man besides faith to be satisfied reason wil have more light to see by and therefore the workings of the Spirit in new obedience love repentance and self-denyal these may be compared to the tokens and change of raiment whereby Jacob was perswaded that Joseph was alive The word saith that we are complete in Christ and righteous in Christ hereupon saith the soule being a reasonable and discoursive spirit when I repent love or obey I believe I am in Christ and therefore my love repentance and obedience are such as I may believe though not in themselves yet in him to be good and spiritual 2. The Scriptures laie down these following things that is to say Christs sanctification or his true holinesse to be ours and faith about our owne sanctification 1. Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us Righteousnesse Sanctification c. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Ye are Christs But ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Jesus Christ being the corner stone That Christ may dwel in your hearts by faith The new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bone And be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse I can doe all things through Christ that strenthens me That we present every man perfect in Christ Jesus But Christ is all and in all Your life is hid with Christ in God All these Scriptures set forth and declare Christ the sanctification and the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sinne perfectly and all are ours and we are Chrsts and Christ is Gods 2. The other thing is faith about our own sanctification we must believe more truth of our own graces then we can see or feele the Lord hath in his infinite wisdome so ordered that here our life should bee hid with Christ in God that we should walk by faith and not by sight so as we are to believe our repentance true in him who hath repented for us our mortifying of sin true in him through whom we are more then conquerours our new obedience true in him who hath obeyed for us and is the end of the law to every one that believeth Our change of the whole man true in him who is righteousnesse and true holinesse and thus without faith it is impossible to please God This is the Scripture assurance for a child of God or a believer to see every thing in himselfe as nothing and himselfe every thing in Christ faith is the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene It is our leaving out Christ in our Sanctification that is the foundation of all our doubts fears and distractions and he that looks on his repentance love humility obedience and not in the tincture of the blood of Christ must needs believe weakly and uncomfortably I cannot see God and if I were one of his Children he would not hide himselfe from mee as he doth surely he hath forsaken me Is Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse set in thy soul Remember the Psalmist though sadnesse come at night joy may returne the next morning And in the meane time there shall be moon and starre light and these though they cannot make day are some comfort to travellers In Christs withdrawings you have faith the evidence of things not seene and all the promises as stars about her a glorious spangled canopy over you so that you shall live by faith and adhere to Christ in such a condition the seede of Christ remains in you the suns heate is felt when his light is not seen Saints may have grace when they want comfort from Christ the Spouse thought shee had lost Christ yet stil she had a principle of love to him and a resolution to seeke him thy love unto Christ shal continue he wil be as good as his word The Lord shall arise and his glory shall be seene upon thee 1. Sometimes God hides himselfe from his and seemes to leave the poore soule for its sinnes and sometimes onely to exercise his own graces in the soule But alwayes in much love unto it Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe I opened to my Beloved and he had withdrawn himselfe Behold I goe forward and hee is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he worketh but I cannot behold him on the right hand but I cannot see him yet he doth but hide himselfe behinde the Curtaine he cannot forsake thee for thy maker is thy husband the Lord of Hosts is his name and thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel c. The Lord in another place to condescend unto the weaknesse of our capacities holds forth his love unto us by the similie of a Fathers love I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my first borne 2. When God hides his face waite upon him and looke for him for he will returne againe But Sion saith the Lord hath forsakâ—n me and my God hath forgotten mee Can a woman forget her sucking childe c. yea she may yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord. Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy walls are continually before me For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee And the Spirit of the Lord bears witnesse that Israel hath not beene forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord of Hosts though their Land was filled with sinne against the holy one of Israel And the Lord saith in another place Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake comfortably unto her I have seene his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners Although the Lord absent himselfe from his yet his love to and care for them is the same as when he manifests most of himself unto them when the Sun of Righteousnesse sets with us he
and thou maiest be as well mistaken as Gideon was 4. Consider that the greatest peace any saint enjoyes is not any ground of incouragement for him to believe and likewise remember that no terrors that ever take any of Gods Jobs Davids or Jeremiahs ought in the least to discourage them in believing for our happiness consists not in any thing that wee can â—ee feele or apprehend in our selves but in the word and promise of our God and in that wee are knowne of him who loves us and comprehends us in himselfe not imputing our trespasses unto us but his righteousnesse without works 5. Hearken what the Lord saith by his Prophet Isaiah and cast all thy fears of hell upon God in a promise and trust in the Lord when thou art in the flames of this fire thou shalt not be burnt With God nothing is impossible oh troubled soule the day spring from on high hath by the tender mercies of our God visited us and so it will visit thee also and give light to thee that sittest in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide thy feete in the way of peace 6. Consider whether poring too much upon thy sins untill thou wert filled with despaire hath not brought thy terrors upon thee consider whether thy omissions and commissions against conscience have not augmented thy horrour and looke that thou skin not thy self againe with thy performances and duties and remember that what is a great cause of mourning is not the least ground of dispaire Oh therefore cast not away your confidence for yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry And say with the Prophet Micah When I sit in darknes the Lord shall be a light unto mee He will bring mee forth into the light and I shall behold his righteousness I have no love to Christ I am an enemie to him and not fit for him 1 The reason why thou lovest not Christ is because thou livest not in the apprehension of his rich love because thou hast not the heart-breaking sight and sense of the pardon of thy sinnes by him Wee love him because hee loved us first the manifestation of this love unto a poore soule constraines it to love him againe 2. Dost thou apprehend thy selfe an enemy to God so were the dearest of Gods children While wee were yet enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son c. Enemies cannot deserve nor desire a Christ yet God gives forth a Christ unto such 3. It is impossible for thee to fit thy selfe for Christ If thou seest such a necessity of him as that without him thou art undone and hereupon pantest after him he hath brought thee absolutely under his promise oh then go to him and thou shalt speed he is faithful that hath promised He wil draw thee unto him with the cords of a man with bands of love and with loving kindnesse He saith also He that cometh unto me I wil in no wise cast out And Christ adds further I and my Father are one And we give power to the faint and to them that have no might we adde strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walke and not faint Remember this that if God hath wrought in thee to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse that is Christ he himself hath pronounced thee blessed a desire after Christ and his righteousnesse is no other then the off-spring of the Spirit and life of Christ in the soule the best perswasion for Christ is to see in our selves no preparation for Christ at all None but fitted or prepared ones will take Christ yet is no preparation to be forced on any as mans work in any sense There are indeed many sweete and precious promises in the word but those who have a propriety in them are believers and I am none Poore soule Consider three things 1. Consider that you may be mistaken in your selfe and think you do not when you do believe and herein may you erre on the one hand as the carnal man doth on the other he thinks he doth believe when he doth not and you think you do not when you do believe as a cheater would put off his brasse for gold so an honest man may suspect his gold to be brass It is a great signe and symptome of faith to have a sight and sense of our owne infidelity and unworthinesse 2. I grant that none may apply a promise of life but such as believe yet the promises are for all the elect thou knowest not but that thou art one of them when God shall give thee faith thou shalt know thy interest in the promises In the meane time stay thy selfe with this that the Lord Jesus gave himselfe for enemies and to justifie the ungodly Be not dismayed God may save you hearken unto what the Lord saith I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy and I will say unto them Thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God Oh sweet place then by no means yeild to thy fears nourish not jealousies against the love of God but resolve in the strength of Christ to cleave unto him in his word hold him fast with the Spouse saying My beloved is mine and I am his 3. Consider that if ever any of the light of Gods soule-astonishing love and sinne pardoning mercie dawned upon thy soule if ever hee hath made any spirituall discoveries of his love unto thee and in thee remember with him is no variablenes nor shadow of turning hee changes not and therefore the Sonnes of Jacob are not consumed And though you finde your selfe unbelieving yet you are not to question the truth and certainty of the accomplishment of Gods promises that are in him yea and amen that are sure and not grounded upon your faith but upon his owne grace and upon his Sonne and his righteousness and faithfulness it is not thy unbeliefe that can make the faith of God without effect if wee believe not yet he remaines faithful he cannot deny himselfe I have no assurance of salvation I am not sealed up to the day of redemption and therefore have no faith 1. Consider that faith and assurance are distinct assurance cannot bee without faith but faith may be without assurance assurance is not properly an act of faith but an effect of it and indeed above it After that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise the seede of faith may be in the soule before the soule know it and by how much the greater our feeling and
assurance is by so much the lesser is our faith 2. Consider that besides the illumination which wicked men and devils may have as wel as a believer there is a twofold act of faith viz. a direct act and a reflect act of faith 1. A direct act of faith is to believe that Christ is and that life and every good thing is treasured up in him this is to believe the record that God hath given concerning his Sonne And that he came into the world to save sinners and thereupon for the soule to look unto Christ that it may be saved and so to long for him rest upon and trust in him for life from an hope though not from an assurance of mercie a man may believe and yet not know that he hath eternal life yet those who have such faith as this are blessed Turne ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope and these are really possessed of Christ though at present they themselves perhaps know it not Those are blessed that hope in Christs mercy The reflect act of faith is to believe in Christ the soul knowing its proprietie in him for thee to believe that Christ came to save thy soul from thy sins this is to trust him from a knowledge of our interest in him The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God We believe and are sure c. Hee that hath this act of faith hath also the former but there are divers precious soules that have the former and yet have not attained this though they are under the promises of it They shall know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord. 3. Consider that there are divers that have this direct act of faith who yet being babes do through ignorance unskilfulnesse and want of experience of the order and manner of Gods dealing with his call it into question whether they have any faith or not yea and when Christ doth not clearly appeare and faith not lively act in the soule they resolve it in the negative but when the Sunne of Righteousnesse shines forth againe upon this poore creature with his beames of soule-reviving and soul-raising love then are these clouds dispelled and the soule satisfied and armed for the future with experiences of God against giving way unto doubts of such a nature I feare that my faith is not the faith of Gods Elect but a presumption it being attended with so many doubtings Poore heart consider five things viz. 1. Consider that though faith is not doubting and doubting not faith yet both of them usually lodg in one soule Thy fears and doubts are indeed the effects of unbeliefe but do argue only weaknesse of faith and sure it is that faith may be true and lively when weake and smal yea further there may be not only true but great faith where there is feare and trembling so that you neither put faith for unbeliefe nor light for darknesse 2. Consider that to doubt because of doubting is to relie rather upon our faith then upon Christ it is not the greatnesse of our faith but Christ whom faith receives and apprehends that makes us accepted and this a weake faith may doe as truly as the strongest Those that were stung of the fiery Scorpion and looked up to the Brazen Serpent though with the weakest eye of faith were healed Christ is the same to the weak that he is to the strong in point of justification yet the more of Christ and of faith that a man hath the more strength and comfort he enjoyes It is our dutie in the strength of Christ to withstand doubting it being a weaknesse and a flie in our box of oyntment and to endeavor to be strong in faith and lay hold on that everlasting Covenant which God hath made and confirmed with an oath 3. Consider that none is able to perswade a soul that it doth believe but he on whom it believes God shall perswade Japheth who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him she loves but himselfe Can all the love-tokens or testimonial rings and bracelets They may concurre and help in the manifestation But it is the voice of the beloved that efficaciously doth the work My beloved spake and said unto mee rise up my Love my faire one saith the Spouse 4. Consider that we are to believe that we may know we believe that we may be sealed with the holy Spirit of promise for the witnesse comes by believing The Spirit bearing witnesse And he that believeth hath the witnesse in himselfe We believe and are sure the way to be warme is not only to ask for a fire or whether there be one or not and hold out the hands towards it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close unto that fire there is and to gather heat Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God They entred not in because of unbeliefe 5. Consider the happiness of a believer in Christ feed thy faith with suitable promises live upon Christ above pray in faith ask his Spirit and thou shalt have it which will revive and fill thy soule with joy and peace in believing In the same measure that God reveals his love to a soule in that measure doubts and fears are cast out perfect love casts out fear I cannot believe that I am elected therefore nothing can doe mee good 1. This is a secret and to be left unto God and not medled withall by us Secret things belong unto God and revealed things to us 2. Consider that it is most certain that these thoughts come from Satan being so directly contrary to God in his word and Satan is most especially not to be hearkned unto when he tempts to unbeliefe the stalke upon which all other sinnes grow saith Satan if thou are elected thou dost believe and this faith brings forth the pleasant fruits of righteousnes This is one of the grand polices of Satan wherewith he nonpluses poore soules for by this hee sets on the soule for evidence of its justification from things which he knows can afford little but questionable assurance at best as perswasion most upon markes and signes of our owne sanctification or good works which can not hold good without love to Christ and without faith it selfe to bring downe Christ upon them wee know that every piece of coyne is valued according to the image and superscription that it beares and if Caesar be not there though it bee silver stil yet it is not coyne it is not so currant and he that hath it cannot make such use of it and so assure himselfe to
past finding out and wonders without number Fear not the Lord will do great things Worlds of sinne are in the vast Ocean of Gods love swallowed up as nothing But saith the poore soul my sins are many So were Israels and Judahs yet God notwithstanding pardons them all But mine are great and hainous So were Israels and Judahs and Manasses and so were the woman 's mentioned in Luke so were Pauls yet God pardoned them all as he hath also many others if thou art a wonderful sinner Christ is a wonderful Saviour But mine are after the receiving of many mercies So were Solomons his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice But I have sinned against Gods entreaties to returne So did Israel and Judah aforementioned I said after shee had done all thâ—se things saith the Lord turne thou unto me but shee returned not But I have sinned against the reproofs of the Lord. This was their transgression still Thou hast a whores forehead thou wouldst not be ashamed when I saw how that by all occasions rebellious Israel had played the Harlot I cast her away and gave her a bill of divorcement yet her rebellious sister Judah was not afraid but shee went also and played the Harlot But I have sinned not only against the mercies of the Lord but against his fatherly corrections and chastisements So did they In vain have I smitten your children They have received no correction Thy bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vaine for the wicked are not plucked away For his wicked covetousnesse I am angry with him and have smitten him I hid me and was angry yet he went on frowardly in the way of his owne heart yet for all this the Lord saith I have seene his waies and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and his mourners But I have committed one sin often So did they Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers But I have continued a long time in sin So did they We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord from our youth unto this day But my sins are against knowledge and conscience So did David concerning Bathsheba and in putting Vriah to death and so did Peter sin when he said and sware That he knew not the man and that he was not with him But I am fallen back from what I have beene So were they Return thou backsliding Israel But I have willingly and resolvedly forsaken God So did they Oh generation take heed to the word of the Lord. Have I beene as a wildernesse unto Israel or a land of darknesse Wherefore saith my people wee are Lords we wil come no more unto thee But I have willingly chosen sin So did they saying Wee have loved strangers and after them will wee goe But I have seduced others and caused them to sinne So had they Thou hast also taught the wicked ones thy wayes And King Manasseh seduced the people to doe more evill then did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel and made Judah also to sinne with his Idols Yet Manasseh obtained mercy when Amon his sonne a lesser sinner perished in his sinnes That men may know that the Lord will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will hee hardeneth But I have sinned as much as I could So had they Behold thou hast spoken and done as evill things as thou couldst But my sinnes are committed notwithstanding many vowes and Covenants against them So were theirs Thou saidst I will no more transgresse but like an harlot thou runnest about upon every high hill and under every greene tree thou wanderest playing the Harlot But I have justified my self in all my sins So had they yet thou saist because I am innocent surely his wrath shall turne from mee Behold I will enter into Judgement with thee because thou saist I have not sinned But I despaire having no hope of mercy This is worst of all yet so did they Thou saidst there is no hope c. And saith Jeremiah in his Lamentations when I cry he shutteth out my prayers And I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord and Job saith My Hope hath he removed like a tree Abraham believed in hope against hope Ye were sometimes without hope and without God in the world saith Paul to the Church of Christ in Ephesus these had been in thy condition and yet found mercy be therefore of good cheare saith David concerning his and thy God I was of his low and hee helped me The riches brought grace is unsearchable All that know his name will trust in him c. 2. Consider that it is thy selfe-deceit which dictates unto thee that thou mightest pleade for mercy if thy sinnes were fewer and smaller or thy selfe better the sicker thou art the more standst thou in need of such a Physician as Christ is oh make the more hast unto him he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance He will save none but the ungodly and these without works or any of their previous Qualifications 3. Consider that God makes his grace to superabound where sinne did but abound And if thou art a greater sinner then David then art thou dearer to Christ then him for he paid more for thee then for him As Jacob loved Rachel more then Leah because he suffered and endured most for her And as the Prodigals father rejoyced most in his lost and dead sonne though he had spent his owne and his fathers substance with Harlots Even so thou who art the greatest sinner didst cost Christ most and art certainly become dearest unto him we have an eminent example of this in the Prophesie of Jeremiah Is Ephraim my deare sonne he is a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels earne towards him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. 4 Consider that for a regenerate person upon commission of sin immediately and directly to have an eye to the covenant of grace and to believe the pardon of his sinns is the way to get such assurance as brings true and solid comfort such a course was taken to heale men stung of the fiery scorpion they were to looke upon the brazen serpent if once twice yea seaven times a day so often as they were stung so often looking were healed This the Apostle Paul exhorted the Hebrewes to in the like case they had backsliden and come near to the sin against the holy Spirit and the roote of
through the Gospel he ever remaines beautifull and comely to an eye of faith whereby he sees himselfe in the righteousnesse of Christ made perfectly and everlastingly righteous yea presented in the body of Christs flesh through death holy unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of God 4. From ignorance of their glorious Gospel freedome Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law c. that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Now wee know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law But no true Believer is under the Law but they are all under grace In the first Adam we had to doe with God onely in a way of subjection and righteousnesse but now in our second Adam in a way of Sonship or adoption free grace and love For what the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his own sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh That the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in us who walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of sin and death We are delivered from the Law that we should serve in newnesse of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and taken it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse He hath led Captivity captive That he might deliver the creature from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God the Spirit saith that no Curse can come nigh our dwelling place The glorious beames of Christs grace and love now shine forth upon the soules of his poore children like the Sunne in the spring time which light carries a vertue causing the earth to spring and blossome as the garden of the Lord. Christ hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve in newnesse of Spirit without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life The Spirit of Christ doth indeed set a believer as free from hel the Law and bondage here on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him thus free but to bring him to believe that he is so for Satan sinne sinful flesh and the law are all so neer and about him in this life that hee cannot so walke by sight or in the clear apprehension of it but the just live by faith and faith is the evidence of things not seene Two wayes for a believer to hold stable comfort hope Joy and confidence in God at all times 1. To live in Christ and not in our selves A believers condition is twofold yet as a believer he hath but one in Christ in himselfe yet he ought ever to consider himselfe in Christ by faith and not in himselfe In Christ he hath perfectly obeyed the whole law perfectly suffered and satisfied for all his sins to the justice of God and in Christ is perfectly just and righteous and thereupon it is said that our life is hid with Christ in God And we are raised up with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus even already but in himselfe there is a body of lust corruption and sinne and there is a law revealing sinne accusing and condemning so as if a believer live only by sense reason and experience of himselfe and as he lives to men he lives both under the power and feeling of sinne and the law but if he by the eie of faith lookes upon himselfe to be within the walls of that strong and impregnable City of refuge the Lord Jesus the law and divine Justice of God cannot pursue him for his sins if he live by faith in Christ and in the apprehension of his love believing in the life righteousnesse obedience satisfaction and glory of him whom the Spirit calls ours Christ is ours we are Christs and Christ is Gods he then lives out of the power of all condemnation and unrighteousnesse Christ being the end of the Law for righteousnesse c. And thus a believer is blessed only in a righteousnesse without not within and all his assurance confidence and comforts are to flow in unto him through a channel of faith and not of works believing himselfe happy for what another even Christ hath done for him not for what he hath done or can doe for himselfe for when wee are at the best we are but unprofitable servants and may not live in our selves nor by sight but by faith and when we are at the worst we are to live upon Christ by faith and derive all our comforts from God in in his everlasting and inviolable covenant of grace which is an inexhaustible fountaine of divine consolation for a poore believer to have recourse unto for the stability of soulâ—satisfying joy and comfort sparkling from the face of God upon him and indeed the glorious joy of a believer would be alwaies unspeakable did he alwaies apprehend his happinesse in and by Christ Jesus 2. To live by faith which consists in the souls communion with God in Christ and the soules enjoying of Christ in his promises both spiritual and temporal Faith supplies all wants it honours God and God honours those most that live by it By faith we live to God a life of joy in him our righteousnesse as if we had never sinned by faith wee live above sinne infirmities temptations desertions sense reason feares and doubts faith sweetens the sweetest mercie and the bitterest miseries it renders great afflictions as none it is the Bulwarke of the souls strength and comfort By faith wee obey God it makes the yoke of Christ easie and sweet it states the soul in the possession of heaven while the bodo remains on earth By saith wee view the glory of heaven and know our selves to be happy even then when to a carnal eye we seeme most miserable By faith we can chearfully part with and suffer deprivation of the sweetest outward comforts and enjoyments and welcome death knowing that we do but exchange the worst place and things for better Those that live by faith live upon God and are feasted in his banquetting house which is plentifully stored with all desirable dainties having this welcome Eate O friends and drinke abundantly It is oh believer thy portion duty and priviledge to refresh and exhilerate thy soule with his dainties and to enjoy Christ in them all that so thy joy may be full To live by faith in effectual calling
reason of strong motions in the flesh he would not repent yet he cannot resist this law of his mind he must performe it when the Lord saith in his word repent and seeke my face hee this poor child of God replies Thy face Lord wil I seek the very same lesson that he is taught outvvardly by the vvord he is taught inwardly by the annointing spirit yea it is even his meat and drink to do the wil of God 2. Repentance in the hypocrite proceeds from a servile fear he being begotten under a covenant of works is through fear of death subject unto bondage all his life long and though he look to be saved by faith and repentance being instructed out of the Gospel yet he dares not expect grace and pardon any further then he sees himself work for he looks to be saved though not altogether yet as it were by the works of the Lavv thinking that mercy and pardon must needs follovv his vvorks and this is that which makes him take a great deal of pains in the Church yea he wil bear the burden and heat of the day and performe abundance of hypocriticall service unto the Lord yea til he troubles the Lord therewith and makes him weary thereof But the child of God is begotten under a Covenant of grace and hath not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of Adoption to cry unto God Abba Father and being delivered serves God without fear in holinesse and righteousness all his dayes he knows very wel that sin cannot damn him being delivered out of the hands of his enemies by the blood of Christ And hence though God break him in the place of Dragons and cover him with the shadow of death yet wil he not forget God nor deal falsely in his Covenant His repentance in that sin cannot damn him is not arbitrary he is bound to it by the Covenant of grace his faith works by love the love of Christ constrains him many waters cannot quench this love neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned the more sin the Lord hath forgiven him the more he loves God and repents mourns and weeps bitterly because of sin as it is an injurious offence against so merciful a Father instance Peter and Mary Magdalene who thought nothing too dear for a Christ from whom they had received a free and ful discharge from all their sins and provocations the hypocrite repents from a principle of slavish feare but the poore believer from a principle of a child-like love 3. An hypocrite never turnes to the Lord with his whole heart as the Lord requires for he is double minded True it is he may walk according to the dictate of his conscience as far as he is inlightned by the word of God leading a blamelesse life and may doe that which he does out of the integrity of his heart with Abimilech he perswades himselfe he is in the right when in truth he is farre wrong and because he received not the love of the truth that he might be saved the Lord gives him up to strong delusions to believe a lie that he might be damned who believes not the truth He may indeed seemingly turne unto the Lord in respect of many glorious actions but he hath not a new heart nor a renewing Spirit within him and if that action that as he thinks he doth most uprightly were put into an Evangelical frame he would most exceedingly haâ—e it because the carnal mind is at enmity against God for it is noâ— subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be his best duties proceed but from flesh and nature and from the old man which never turn'd to God and as for that which should give a spiritual being to those actions namely faith in Christ and the Spirit of grace these he hates from his heart But the child of God hath a new heart and a new Spirit he is a new creature all things are become new and although the flesh lusteth against the Spirit yet this new creature turneth wholly unto God and is all for God such a man seeks the Lord with his whole heart and all that is within him praises the Lords holy name 4. The hypocrite in his repentance and all his performances aimes at himselfe he doth them for corn wine and oyle when he fasts and mourns he doth it for himselfe and not unto the Lord the salvation of his soul is his utmost end But the child of God the believer doth all for Gods glory he desires the Salvation of his soul but he hath a further end hereby the Lord manifests his truth and mercy and gets himselfe a name Saith blessed David save me for thy mercies sake for thy Names sake and when he repents and confesses his sinne it is principally that he may give glory unto God and in all his actions terminates not in himself but doth them to the end that Christ may be magnified and esteemed all in all Sixteene precious and soul establishing considerations deduced from the Covenant of Grace The new Covenant of grace is held forth principally in these places of Scripture viz. 8. Heb. 10. Jer. 31. 31 33 34. 36. Ezek 25 26 27 29 31. Ezek. 16. 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 59 60 63 Jer. 32. 40. Jer. 33. 20 Heb. 6. 17 18. Heb. 12. 24. Heb. 13. 20. Mic. 7. 20. Psal 89. 28. 31 32 33 34. 1. Consideration His Covenant is a free Covenant being the offspring of the free love meer grace and rich mercy of God whereby he is pleased to make a blessed agreement with his Sonne Christ to save poore lost man yea the worst most vile despicable and helpless creatures in the world and of this sort of mankind doth God usually please to take into covenant with himself for he doth not as many would insinuate therfore take men into this covenant because they believe and are holy but that they might have faith and be holy in this covenant he promises holiness and through it conveys holinesse unto men as for example the Idolatrous Ephesians the profane Corinthians the vile Publicans the filthy Harlots yea the poore thiefe even at the last hour when he could neither serve nor glorifie God so much as one hour on earth and these when they were at the highest of their provocations and when no eye pityed them yea when their own eyes pittyed them not then was the time wherein the Lord out of the riches of his grace and soule astonishing love sware unto them and entred into covenant with them and this was likewise the time vvherein they became his as in that pregnant place of Scripture vvorthy to be vvritten in indelible characters of Gold upon the memory of
rids the soule of all its distempers doubts feares and discouragements we may not separate the Spirit from faith nor faith from the Spirit nor Christ from both 5. By faith in Christ thou shalt be kept in perfect peace it will sweetly and transcendently refresh the soule thou shalt keep him in perfect peace because he trusts in thee Being justified by faith we have peace with God by faith we apprehend Christ our Justification the fruit of which is joy and peace 6. By unbelief we adde sinne unto sinne in the highest nature if we believe not what God saith we accuse God of speaking falsely he that believeth not hath made God a lyer It is impossible for God to lye the strength of Israel cannot lye nor can it be any dishonour to God or danger to thy selfe to hope in his mercy and believe in him The eye of the Lord is upon them that hope in his mercy 7. As bad as thou canst be have been received unto mercy Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation When thou layest in thy blood it was a time of love He justifies the ungodly While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us have hope therefore feare not but believe the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall be with thee hope thou in God 8. Unbeliefe streightens thy heart stops thy mouth and hinders thy thankfulnesse and praysing of God thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not 9. Unlesse we believe we can never glorifie God Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God 10. Our naked cleaving to God in his free promise shall carry down all our distempers at once and drowne them in it as in a Sea the promises will answer all thy doubts and feares whatsoever and fill our soules with peace in believing 11. By our unbeliefe wee oppose riches of grace and love yea that love that could love enmity it selfe and reconcile those unto God that are enmity against him There is but looking up to Christ Jesus and salvation is in thy soule and believing with thy heart and thou art saved thou wert saved by Christ before but now in thy selfe Jesus Christ and forgivenesse of sins in his name and redemption through his blood is the first and only thing held forth in the Gospel to sinners the other mysterie of Righteousnesse is revealed to believers forgivenesse of sins is first taught that they may believe and the other glorious mysteries are taught that they may know what they believe they are first to see Gods love and afterwards his glory Jesus Christ crucified is the best story for sinners and Jesus Christ exalted for Saints and therefore it is that in all the Apostles Sermons the story of blood and redemtion was first preached and when they did believe that then they wrote Epistles and Revelations of greater things unto them so as they spake of Christ only to make them beleeve and wrote to them of him when they did beleeve Salvation is not made any puzzling work in the Gospel it is plainly easily and simply revealed Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners this is salvation and this work of salvation is past and finished sins are blotted out sinners are justified by him that rose for their justification now that which we must do to be saved is to believe in the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ and the promise is annexed thou shalt be saved All that is to be done in the work of salvation is to believe that there is such a worke and that Christ dyed for thee among all those other sinners he dyed for This is the commandment that ye believe on his Son Jesus Christ that is that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins and for your sins and we are called on to believe because they only that can believe are justified by him all that believe are justified so that salvation is not a business of our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father Sin Satan and hel were all triumphed over by Christ himself openly for us and all our worke is no worke of salvation but in salvation in the salvation we have by Christ We receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved therefore we work not that we may be saved and yet we are to worke as much as if we were to be saved by what we doe because so much is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves this is short work believe and be saved and yet this is the only gospel work and way Christ tels ye in few words and his Apostles in as few As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believes on him should have eternal life Saith Saint Paul say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ from above or who shall descend into into the deepe that is to bring Christ from the dead but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart the word of faith which we preach if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved The work is already done but then thou shalt see that it is done There are five grounds why salvation is so soone done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not believed on before by thee til now 2. Because it is the Gospel way of dispensation to assure and passe over salvation in Christ to any that will believe it 3. There needs no more on our sides to work or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Christ Jesus died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied now suffering and satisfaction is that great worke of salvation 4. Because they and they only are justified who can believe Righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith all that believe are justified 5. That it may be by grace and not of works being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus How God begets faith in an unbeliever We are commanded to believe and faith is the gift of God and the Spirit of Christ without which we can do nothing enlightens our understandings and worketh faith in us and hereupon our believing is said to be the work of God and the Spirit having set up a divine light in our understandings we being before altogether darknesse bowes our hearts to believe and indeede without