Resurrection Ascension aâ—â— Intercession and the Fruits of â—â— your own Labours Prayers Tearâ— and Sufferings and shall find that am faithful in making good all mâ— Promises and that your Labouâ— was not in vain in the Lord theâ— shall there be no more any distancâ— between you and me for ever Comfort your selves and comfort oâ—â— another with these words Belieâ—â— this and let not your Hearts be trâ—â—bled Thirdly That where I am ye may be also And what more can be deâ—â—red Where is Christ but at the rigâ—â— Hand of the Majesty on high far aboâ—â— all Principalities and Powers far abâ—â— al Heavens Heb. 12. 2. there shall you be also O admirable astonishing Dignity that blessed Jesus will advance his poor Saints unto at that Day This high and wonderful Honour shall all his Saints have they shall now receive the Kingdom prepared for them and that Crown of Glory of Righteousness and of Life which Christ hath purchased for them perfectly freed now from all Sin and Sorrow and stated in an unchangeable state of Happiness and Blessedness What cause have we then to grieve for our dear Relations whom Christ hath taken to himself and placed in the Father's House who are now sitting at his right Hand in Glory and singing Hallelujahs And could we but firmly believe these Promises of our Lord and act our Faith in meditating â—â—xedly on them and on Jesus in them applying and appropriating them and Christ in them to our own Souls considering and pondering on them until our Hearts be warmed and our Affections stirred and kindled with them acting also Hope Love Joy Desire Delight Hunger Thirst Panting Breathing pouring out our Heart in Prayer to God for his Spirit â—â— bring home these Promises to oâ— Souls in Power fixing them upon oâ— Hearts and helping us to lay hold oâ— them and upon Christ in them aâ— resigning up our whole Souls to Chriâ—â— in them stedfastly relying on â—â— Goodness and Faithfulness and truâ—â—ing in him I say could we but do sâ— and in the strength of God betrust oâ—â— whole selves and all our Concerns thus with Christ and live in the lively Exercises of Faith thus on God and on Christ we should find this to be Hearts-Ease to us in all our Heart-Trouble Behold I lay in Sion a chieâ— Corner-Stone Elect Precious and â—â— that believeth in him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. Let all Heart-Trouble cease Let nought disturb your Peace Who Faith in God profess And in his Son no less For in the Father's House Are many Mansions sweet Christ hath prepar'd for us When we 're for them made meet THE END Appendix Quest IT may be demanded That having heard the Excellency aâ—â— usefulness of this Soveraign Medicine â—â— cure Heart-Trouble namely Faith iâ— God and in Christ Can you tell us hoâ— we may get this Faith and what meaâ— we shall use to obtain it Answ I shall endeavour by the help of God's Spirit and Scripture-Light to direct you herein and aâ— briefly as I may Direct I. First You must be convinced of your Vnbelief of the greatness of the Sin of Vnbelief and of your absolute need of Faith Of these three things you must be fully convinced 1. Of your Vnbelief for most People think they have Faith and thaâ— they never were without it and therefore labour not for it Pray earnestly therefore that the Holy Spirit may be sent into your Hearts to work this Conviction in you for it 's his proper Work John 16. 8. to convince the World of Sin because they believe not on me saith our Lord this is the great Sin the damning Sin of the World their not believing on Christ Now that we may be convinced that by Nature we have no Faith let us consider these Scriptures Ephes 2. 1 2 12. and that until we are regenerate and born again we have no Faith is evident from John 1. 12 13. there believing in Christ and Regeneration are inseparably joined together Acts 15. 9. 26. 18. 20 21. From which Scriptures it is most evident that such as are Strangers to the Heart-purifying the Heart-sanctifying Work of Faith have no Faith if we have not truly repented nor know any saving Châ—nge wrought â—n us and upon us by the Spirit of God for certain what-ever we think we have no true Saving-Faith it is but a Fancy of this then we must be fully convinced and must most heartily beg the help of the Spirit to convince us 2. Of the greatness of the Sin of Unbelief it binds the Guilt of all other Sins upon us it is Disobedience and Rebellion against the great God for he commands us to believe 1 John 3. 21. and by our Unbelief we make God a Liar 1 John 5. 10. O horrible Wickedness And 3. We must be convinced also of our absolute need of Faith we must needs have it or we must perish Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. without it we cannot be the Children of God John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. without it we can have no pardon of Sin Acts 10. 43 Rom. 3. 25. John 8. 24. And in what a dangerous Case are we so long as we lie under the guilt of all our Sins Without Faith we are not reconciled to God nor justified Rom. 3. 22. 5. 1. Nor can we be sanctified Acts 26. 18. 2 Thess 2. 13. No access to God but by Faith Rom. 5. 2 Ephes 2. 18. No living the Life of Religion nor bearing up under Affliction nor holding out to the End without Faith Heb. 11. No Salvation nor Eternal Life without it Ephes 2. 18. Joh. 3. 16 36. Heb. 10. last Of all these things we must be convinced if ever we will have Faith Direct II. Secondly If we would have Faith we must diligently search the Scriptures read the Gospel attend on the reading and preaching of the Gospel for this very end that we may get Faith by it I say for this very end certainly that should be our End in reading and in hearing the Word which was God's End in publishing of it now this was his End in publishing of it John 20. 21. Rom. 16. 25 26. Rom. 10. 17. Acts 13. 48. Ephes 1. 13. This is the ordinary Means appointed by God to work Faith in the Souls of Men as appears by Acts 2. 42. and 4. 4. and 11. 20 21. and many more There are few that read and hear the Word for this End and therefore get no Faith by it Now that the Word read and heard may be effectual to work this precious this most necessary Grace of Faith in us there are some thingâ— Antecedent some Concomitant and some Consequent upon our attendance on the Word and our use of it First Some things Antecedent aâ—â— necessary 1. Preparation For want of thâ—â— the Word most times proves ineffectâ—al It is the empty hungry-Soul thaâ— relisheth and taketh in this Food Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Mat. 13.
our Minds to our Conditions to like and be pleased with our Conditions as being certainly perswaded that our present condition is best for us It would be all as good all as well all as comfortable to us as if we could bring our Conditions to our Minds for one of these must be done or else we shall never be free from Heart-trouble while we live Either our Minds must be brought just even to and suted and compliant to our Conditions be it Sickness Poverty Shame Prison c. or our Conditions must be suted just even to our Minds We have a mind to Health to Liberty c. we must have them or we are troubled Now this latter is wholly and altogether out of our Power we cannot add a Cubit to our Stature It is the Lord that appoints all our Conditions for us we cannot make our Conditions Happy Honourable c. of our selves and without God But the former is in our Power by the help of God's Spirit of Grace we may bring our Minds to our Conditions it is an holy Art attainable in the use of God's means Contentment in and with our Condition is thâ— bringing of our Minds to our Conditions to lie even and sutable and square onâ— with the other and this is as I said aâ— holy Art attainable by Christians Phil 4. 11. Saint Paul had learned it and sâ— may other Christians It is the sutableness between our Minds and our Conditions that breeds quiet and content anâ— if we have not quiet in our own Minds aâ— outward Comforts will do no more good than a silken Stocken to a scabbed Leg or a golden Slipper to a gouty Foot Now it is only God that can but never will except in wrath bring anâ— Man's Condition to his Mind for theâ— his Condition should be changed almoâ—â— every moment so mutable is Man'â— Mind God will not bring the conditioâ— of the Wicked to their mind except iâ— Wrath as was said for as their ouâ— ward Prosperity doth increase so do theiâ— desires after more Cressit amor Nummi c. And the wise Man tells us Tâ—â— Eye is never satisfied with seeing And thâ— more they have the more they crave Theâ— can never have enough And for the Godâ— themselves they are not so free from Covetousness as they should be but still need to learn this Lesson of Contentment and to be learning of it all their days And most commonly if not always God by his Grace brings their Minds to their Conditions and not their Conditions to their Minds And for this wise Agur prays Prov. 30. 9. Two dangerous Extreams he prays against the one is Poverty that would breed Discontent in that his Mind would be below his Condition debased to vile and sinful Practices as Stealing c. The other is Riches that would breed Discontent in that his Mind would be above his Condition and that would lift him up to base Pride and forgetfulness of God therefore he begs a sutableness and conveniency between his Mind and his Condition Feed me with food Convenient Certainly we shall never be free from Heart-trouble till our Minds be brought sutable to our Conditions and such a frame would prevent Casting-down in time of Affliction To like our Condition to be pleased and satisfied with it and with the holy Will of God in it that is to be content content with Sickness Poverty Shame Prison loss of Relations and Friends c. In a word when our Wills lie even with God's Will as in all reason they should and our Minds lie even with our Conditions then have we inward Peace and Tranquillity Quietness and Contentment and never till then and then Sickness is as good as Health and Poverty as good as Riches and â— Prison c. And this is that blessed Frame of Spirit we must labour for and we our selves shall have the sweetness oâ— it otherwise it is in a Man's Mind as iâ— is with the Body when Bones are out oâ— Joint there is nothing but pain and trouble but this bringing of our Minds tâ— our Conditions is as the Setting of thâ— Bone again Casting down our selves Despondency Discouragement which arise from Discontent are great pieces oâ— Heart-trouble This distrust of God's Providence is â— grand Evil whâ—n we think we cannoâ— live unless we have a greater portion oâ— earthly things and this sets us upon caâ— king Cares we know not how we anâ— ours shall be provided for c. Now this we may cure by casting our selveâ— upon God's Promises 1 Pet. 5. 7. Psal 34. 10. 84. 11. Heb. 13. 5. Let us cast our selves on God's Providence Will he provide for Ravens and clothe Lillies and neglect his own Children It cannot be imagined Earthly things are but a vain show they can give us no joy of Heart nor Peace of Conscience they cannot add one Cubit to our Stature nor one moment to our Lives Moreover this happy state of Mind is attainable Eli had it 1 Sam. 3. 18. and David 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Therefore let us labour for such a Spirit such a contented frame of Mind is worth a Kingdom without it Godliness it self is not great Gain It must be laboured for Paul said he had learn'd it it was a hard Lesson but sweet when learned Fifthly Persecution may cause Heart-trouble when Men are offended Mat. 13. 21. when Peter was an offence to Christ he was a trouble to him Our Lord did on purpose foretel his Disciples what Persecutions they should undergo that they might not be offended Joh. 16. 1. fore-warn'd fore-arm'd It is a blessed thing not to be offended at Persecution for Christ He foretold his Disciples the Night before his Passion that all of them should be offended at him that Night Mat. 26. 31 56. Which came to pass for one of them openly denied him and the rest forsook him and fled To be troubled at Persecution for Christ's sake is to be offended at the Cross of Christ and that he would not have his Disciples to be by any means Mark 8. last Object But is it not said Psal 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them How theâ— come the People of God to be offended I answer They that truly love God Law because they love God such shalâ— have Peace with God and with their owâ— Consciences and that is great Peace anâ— nothing shall offend them that is mucâ— trouble them since they have peace witâ— God and with their own Consciences Outward Losses and Crosses are easilâ— born they shall make no breach upoâ— their inward Peace They that havâ— this Character of God's Children wilâ— not be stumbled at God's Dispensations let them be never so cross to their Desires because they have a God to fly unto in all their Troubles and a sure Covenant to rest upon Therefore the Reproaches cast on them and on the Ways
of God do not scandalize them for they have found God in that very way which others speak evil of they are not so offended by any thing that attends the Way of God as to dislike or forsake that Way Nevertheless we must take heed that we be not offended Sixthly Temptations from Satan may cause Heart-trouble and Vexation Satan's Suggestions his fiery Darts these tormenting Thoughts which he casts into the Minds of Christ's Disciples create to them much Disturbance and Heart-trouble So soon as any Man is pluck'd out of the Devil's Hands by the mighty Power of Christ's Spirit he falls upon him speedily with all his force to trouble such a Soul and vex it so that he shall enjoy little peace if Satan can hinder it So long as the Devil keeps possession in the Soul he keeps all in peace a sad Peace But when a stronger than he comes and casteth out this strong Man armed then Satan rageth to recover his lost Captive Soul and vexeth that Soul with all his Temptations But let not this break your Peace nor cause Heart-trouble As Christ hath overcome the World and therefore bids his Disciples to be of good chear Joh. 16. 20. So hath he also overcome the Devil he hath trodden this Serpent under his Feet already and this Prince of Peace will tread him under your feet also shortly Therefore Let not your Hearts be troubled Seventhly Desertion another and not the least piece of Heart-trouble this may be the case of Christ's Disciples We read of the Saints complaining that God had forsaken them and when he hideth his Face they cannot but be troubled Sometimes God doth but seem to hide his Face Isa 49. 14 15. When God takes away their earthly Comforts from them and suffereth sharp and bitter Afflictions to befal them and though they cry unto him he doth not remove them then they think that God hath forsaken them Sometimes God doth really forsake his People as to the sense of his Favour Isa 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment And this is either by withholding comfort from them which they cry for or by withdrawing that Comfort from them which they had Psal 51. 11. Psal 77. 1 2 3 23. compared Yet here God supported and sustained his Servant's Soul with Grace many times When God's People have least Comfort they have most Grace most Humility Patience Self-denial thirstings after God Heavenly-mindedness c. God's People may lose the sense of his Love but never lose his Love for that is everlasting But to lose the sense of his Love is a grievous trouble to a gracious Soul that hath tasted and felt the Love of God and his Favour for their great Happiness is to have the Favour of God In his Favour is Life and his Loving-kindness is better than Life This is the Joy of their Lives Psal 119. 135. which David so earnestly prayed for Now such as have found this must needs be troubled when they lose it Two things chiefly cause God to hide his Face from his People 1. When their Hearts are too much set upon and carried out after earthly Comforts Psal 30. 6 7. Fleshly Delight and Confidence in earthly Things provokes God to hide his Face When a Man smiles so much on the World and gives it so much room in his Heart God frowns and is offended that the Gift should be so much loved and the Giver so neglected and forgotten 2. When their Hearts are let out too little after God and there grows a strangeness between God and them and they begin to grow cold dull and dead in Duty then God withdraws and hides himself Cant. 2. 3 5 6. compared But no Affliction like this this disquieteth and dejecteth the People of God indeed And as all the Candles in the World cannot make it Day when the Sun is set so all the Comforts in the World cannot rejoice such a Soul nor can there be any Day in suâ—h a Soul until the Sun of Righteousness arise there with healing in his Wings Mal. 4. 2. So much for this Third Particular shewing what this Heart-Trouble is which our Lord here sorbids his Disciples namely Wordly-Sorrow sinful slavish Fear distracting Care Despondency dejectedness of Spirit Distrust Offence at Persecution for Christ's sake Satan's Temptations and Spiritual Desertions all which may either be the Causes or the parts and pieces of Heart-Trouble which must be avoided The Fourth Particular to be opened is to shew how that believing in God and in Christ is the best Antidote against this sinful Heart-Trouble Christ proposeth it as a special Remedy Q. But how is it so A. To answer this I shall endeavour to shew these three Things 1. What this believing in God is which our Saviour here grants that they had Ye believe in God 2. What it is to believe in Christ Believe also in me 3. That this Faith acted on God and Christ is the best Remedy to prevent and cure Heart-Trouble in all those several parts of it I have mentioned 1. What this Faith in God is Briefly the Apostle tells us Heb. 11. 6. it is to believe that God is that there is a God an infinite first and best Being to believe that God is that All that which he hath revealed himself in his Word to be viz. That he is an All-sufficient Almighty Only-wise God a righteous gracious merciful God an holy God a loving God He proclaims his Name himself Exod. 34. 6 â— The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth c. To believe that he is wonderful in Counsel and excellent iâ— Working Isa 28. last That he is the Father of Mercies the true and faithfuâ— God the God of all Grace and of aâ— Consolation with many more admirablâ— Attributes of God doth the Scripture furnish us that we may build our Faith and place our Trust in him to preveâ—â— Heart-trouble and to cure it when iâ— hath seized on us Whatsoever is revealed of God in his Word that trâ—â— Faith believes Also this Faith in God is to belieâ—â— that he is a Rewarder of them that diligenâ— seek him That he being God All-sufficient heâ— able to support to supply to deliveâ— his People out of all their Troubles anâ— that he is willing so to do as well as able for he hath promised and he is Rewarder a God that will abundantly plentifully reward all his suffering Ones Great shall be their Reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 12. And to believe God to be â— Rewarder is to lay hold on his Covenanâ— wherein he promiseth so to be I will be thy God thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Gen. 15. 1. The Sum of the Covenant is I will be thy God What is that but this I will be All that to thee and I will do All that for thee which a God can be to thee and
pardon all our Sins to give us his Spirit and all Grace here and Glory hereafter Now Christ our blessed Mediator hath perfectly fulfilled all that God required for us and in our room and stead that is most certain for he finished the work that his Father gave him to do and he hath made many sweet Promises to us That he will send the Spirit into our Hearts to work Faith in us to receive him and to apply the Merit of his Blood to us to sanctify and renew us thereby and hath promised That whosoever comes unto him he will in no wise cast out Matth. 11. 28. And all that come unto him shall find rest to their Souls That whosoever believeth in him shall be saved that he will keep them and nonâ— shall pluck them out of his Hand Thaâ— he will raise them up at the last Day John 10. 28. Assuring us That he iâ— gone to Heaven as our Fore-runner tâ— prepare a place for us there and that hâ— will come again and take us to himself that where he is we may be also Now if we can but act Faith on this Jesus and on the Covenant whereof he is the Mediator and on his Promises applying them and relying on them our Hearts shall not be troubled Besides Let us consider there is not a passage of Providence from God to us but it comes through the Hand of this Mediator 1 Cor. 8. 6. All things are by him Put what you will in the Hand of a Mediator and in his Power it must needs turn to the good of him for whom he is a Mediator Now to support and comfort us in all our Troubles let us consider two things 1. This Mediator steps in between God's Wrath and us in all our Afflictions that no Fury or Effects of it may break forth from God on his People for whom he is the Mediator that nothing but Fatherly Love may be in the Chastisement and if Love send the Affliction whatever it be to try and purge c. there can be no hurt in that Affliction Again our Mediator interposeth either to hold off the Smart or to allay and mitigate it that it shall not distract Dan. 3. 25. no nor hurt 2. He steps in to uphold us and to strengthen our Weakness enabling us to endure Phil. 4. 4 12 13. It was the Mediator that did strengthen Paul The Lord stood by me and strengthned me said he Faith acted on this Blessed Mediator eying him and believing that our Afflictions come through his Hands even his who loved us and died for us our dearest Friend and who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth must be a mighty support to us in all our Troubles Fourthly Let Faith be acted as the Word of Christ also Ye believe the Word of God believe the Word of Christ also His Mouth is most sweet None but gracious Words proceed out of his Mouth Grace was poured into his Lips Psal 45. 2. and he poured out Grace in all his Words His whole Gospel is a Gospel of Grace Words of Peace and Salvation Hear him speaking most sweetly Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavyladen and I will give you rest O what sweet Words are these Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and drink without Money and without Price Isa 55. 1 2. I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14. 6. Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 18. This is but a taste of those sweet Clusters of most refreshing Grapes which hang upon the Boughs of the Gospel let us take frequent view of what lies upon Record in the Evangelists and often read over the manifold Promises of Grace that fell from the sweet Mouth of our Blessed Lord and meditate and ponder and consider of them and act our Faith upon them and we shall find comfort in them his Words drop as an Honey-comb his Words are Spirit and Life More particularly First Our Faith must be acted upon Christ's Word of Precept his Word of Command in time of Trouble Fear not hâ—m that can kill the Body but 〈◊〉 that can cast both Soul and Body into â—â—â—ll Luke 12. 4 32. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Let not your Heart be troubled nor let it be afraid Rejoice when Men shall persecute you c. Luke 21. 19. In patience posses ye your Souls with many such Now Christians must yeild up the Obedience of Faith to such Commands and urge them upon their Hearts charging themselves to obey theâ— saying O my Soul my Lord hath forbidden me to fear to be troubled tâ— be thoughtful to be dejected c. â—â— hath commanded me to be patienâ— yea to rejoice in my Suffering Heâ— my Lord and I must obey him I muâ—â— keep his Commandments else I cannoâ— love him I must keep his Sayings or else I cannot be his Disciple â—â— I keep his Commandments he wiâ— manifest himself to my Soul his Father will love me and he will love me and they both will make theiâ— abode with me for it is his Promise John 14. 21 23. Say thus â— my Soul Jesus Christ is my King anâ— my Law-giver I must obey him hâ— is my Prophet also and I must heâ—â— him in all things whatsoever he shaâ— say unto me I have taken him for my Lord as well as for my Saviour for my King to rule me as well as for my Jesus to save me for my Prophet to teach me as well as for my Priest to satisfy for me O my Soul consider He is the Author of Eternal Salvation only to those that obey him Thus applying the Commands of Christ to our selves and urging his Authority upon our Hearts it will help us to bear up under our Troubles 2dly Act Faith upon the Promises of Christ of which somewhat was said before He hath promised to be always with us to send the Comforter to manifest himself unto us that he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax Mat. 19. 29. That he will give us an hundred-fold for all our Losses for his sake That he will gather us with his Arm carry us in his Bosom that he will hear our Prayers that he will give us a Crown a Kingdom Everlasting Life with many more O could we act our Faith upon his precious Promises and lie sucking by Faith on those full Breasts of Consolation and draw by Faith Prayer and Meditation from these Wells of Salvation we shouâ—d find sweet support under all our Troubles 3dly Faith acted on the Word â— Threatning may put a stop to Hear Trouble Jesus Christ hath dreaâ— fully threatned those that love Fatheâ— or Mother Son or Daughter moâ— than him or their own Lives aâ— those that are ashamed of him â— his Word and those that fall froâ— him and those that
Death oâ— the Cross and all as our Surety and â—â— a Sacrifice to God for our Sins Chriâ—â— our Passover was sacrificed for us 1 Cor 5. 7. to make Atonement and Satiâ—fâ—ction to the Law and Justice of Goâ— for us Rom. 3. 25. This was the great Work of the Transcendent Love of Jesus Chrisâ— when he was upon Earth when he travelled in Soul drank of the Brook in the way Psal 110. 7. that black Torrent of Wrath and Curses that lay in the way betwixt our Souls and Heaven which stopp'd up our Passage thitherward and made it utterly impassable for us But Jesus made a Passage by his Blood that his Redeemed might pass thorow So great were his Sufferings in this World for us that they made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me offering up strong Cries with Tears Mat. 27. 46. Heb. 5. 7. Now then let us act our Faith on the Sufferings of Christ here on Earth and believe that he suffered all those hard and heavy those bitter and grievous things for us and in our Names that he bore our Sins to satisfy God's Justice for them to purchase and procure our Pardon O that we could but believe in this Jesus that he sweated great drops of Blood for us and that he shed his very Heart-blood upon the Cross for us and by Faith apply and appropiate all this to our own Souls believing that he was wounded for our Transgressions smitten for â— Sins that the chastisement of our Peâ— was upon him Isa 53. that by â— Blood of his Cross he hath made oâ— Peace and hath purchased for us Etâ—â—nal Life Believe this and then â— what little cause you have to have yâ— Hearts troubled for any Loss or Crâ— whatsoever The consideration iâ— way of believing of what Christ hâ— done for us and of what he hath sâ—fered for us should make us patienâ— do or suffer any thing for him and frâ— him Believe also in me Secondly Our Faith must be 〈◊〉 upon the Work of Christ which he â— now doing for us in Heaven He is â—â— idle there although he be set down â— the Right Hand of the Majesty on Higâ— but he is at work for his People therâ— there he he maketh continual intercesâ—â— for us Rom. 8. 34. He is there â— our Advocate to plead our Cause aâ— manage all our Businesses there pâ—â—senting his Blood in the Vertue of to his Father for our Pardon presenâ—ing our Persons and Services perfumeâ— with the Incense of his own Righteouâ—ness and by his Spirit applying thâ— â—â—â—tue of all to our Souls He is able â— save to the uttermost all that come unto â—od by him seeing he ever liveth to make â—tercession for us Heb. 7. 25. Of this â— have spoken before Now if we â—an act our Faith upon the Intercession â—f Christ who knows all our Wants â—urdens Cares and Fears and whose â—ffice it is to plead and intercede for â—s in Heaven tho we may scarce have â—ny to plead or speak a word for us on â—arth yet we should have no cause â—o have our Hearts troubled We â—ave a faithful Friend to whom we â—ay commit our Cause Thirdly Christ is doing a Work â—n us on Earth while he himself is in Heaven He is humbling us purging â—s teaching us mortifying our Corâ—uptions crucifying our inordinate Affections sanctifying us and so preparing us for Heaven He is making â—s meet for the Kingdom He is fitâ—ing us for his Father's House by all â—is Ordinances and by all his Proviâ—ences by every Loss and Cross by â—ll our Afflictions as 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our â—ight Afflictions which are but for a moâ—ent work for us that is by way of preparation a far more exceeding anâ— eternal weight of Glory Jesus Chriâ—â— is in the Word and in the Rod he â— All in All He is still forming squâ—ring fashioning and working by hâ— Spirit Word and Rod upon his Peâ—ple to make them more and moâ— conformable to himself to square theâ— as Stones for his Building to maâ—â— them Habitations for himself Templâ— for the holy God to dwell in and thâ— he himself may delight to dwell iâ— them here and to make them fit â—â— dwell with him for ever in Glory Now let us labour to act our Faitâ— on those blessed Works of Christ in uâ— and believe that he is thus working iâ— us even in and by all our Afflictioâ— and labour to feel and find these grâ—cious Works carrying on in us and â—â— shall have no cause to be troubled Moreover our Faith should be actâ— upon the Work that Christ is now â—â—ing for us in Heaven besides his â—â—tercession for us there he is preparing Place for us in Heaven as he told â—â— Disciples to comfort them In â—â— Father's House are many Mansions I â— to prepare a Place for you A Place â— Heaven is infinitely better and more to be desired than the best Place on Earth A Place in the Father's House â—n the highest Heavens in that glorious Paradise above that 's the Place of all Places there the great and glorious God dwells there blessed Jesus dwells O that New Jerusalem the City of the â—iving God that 's the Place indeed that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. Some think that Jesus went locally into Hell but we are sure he went locally into Heaven and we know for what he went there for he hath told us it was to prepare a Place for us there Here below all Places are full of Darkness Snares Temptations Fears Dangers Persecutions but that is a Place of perfect Peace perfect Rest of Light Comfort Joy and Consolation Here we are Pilgrims and Strangers there is our Home our Father's House Here we have no continuing City 1 Cor. 4. 11. no abiding Place Christ's People here in this World many times have no certain dwelling-place but are driven from House and Home forced to fly from one City to another from Town to Country from one Kingdom to another constrained to wander froâ— Place to Place while others abide iâ— their Habitations they must seek theiâ— Quarters where they can find them â— while under one Friend's Roof a whilâ— under another's which is no small Affliction to them that feel it tho others lay it not to heart Now what shoulâ— comfort us in this our Pilgrimage anâ— Wilderness-condition what should support us in this our wandring and desolate State but that it was eveâ— thus with our blessed Lord himself upon Earth who had not an House to put his Head in And so it was with his Disciples and with many choice Saints as Heb. 11. 37 38. What should bear up our Spirits but this comfortable Consideration that our Lord went to Heaven on purpose to prepare a Place for us there If the Earth cast us out Heaven will receive us If Men say to us Remove be gone hence depart away here is no Place no abiding for you our dear
Wanting the Poor will find them Wanting and the Church also David lamented the loss of Jonathan And the Disciples the loss of Lazarus Lawful it is then to be affected with the Deaths and Departures of our dear Relations and Friends and moderately to Mourn for them but our care must be that we suffer not Nature to work alone without Grace for then it will soon go beyond its bounds Nature must be restrained and bounded It is moderate Mourning that is lawful Mourn we may but not as those that have no Hope 1 Thess 4. 13 1â— For those that sleep in Jesus they being safe and happy for If we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so they that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Troubled wâ— caâ—not chuse but be â—n sâ—ch 〈◊〉 and under 〈◊〉 strokeâ— but we must not let our Hearts be troubled â—aith ouâ— Lord. And what this imports you shall sâ—e by and by It is trouble of Heart that is here forbidden But what is it that will preveâ—t or cure this Heart trouble Our Saviour answers in the next Words Ye believe in God believe also in me In my Father's House are many Mansions c. In which we may observe these Parts viz. 1. An Evil Disease or Spiritual Distemper intimated and prohibited to which the Disciples of Christ are incident and prone in time of Affliction and that is Trouble of Heart This may seize you but take heed of it labour against it As if the Lord had said I know it will be a cutting a killing thing to you to part with me your dear and loving Lord and Master but part with me you must and take heed of this undecent Distemper of Heart-trouble Let not your Hearts be troubled saith our Lord Jesus 2. The best Preventive of or Remedy for this Spiritual Distemper proposed and enjoyned Ye believe in God believe also in Me. As if our Lord had said Surely you believe in God why then are your Hearts troubled Cannot your Faith in God support you if you act it upon him But if that cannot then act your Faith also on me Believe also in me Set your Faith on work on me Believe that I love you that when I leave you I will not leave you Comfortless I will send the Comforter unto you and he shall abide with you for ever John 14. 16 17. Therefore let not your Hearts be troubled Believe in me I must leave you and I and you must part but believe where I am going and let the consideration of that quiet you and comfort you In my Father's House are many Mansions There is a better a far better condition for you above than that you are in here for here you are tossed up and down from place to place and are exposed to many straits I my self here on Earth have not an House wherein to lay my head but in my Father's House are many Manons There is an House above not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. When once you come thither you shall remove no more there are many Mansions room enough for you all and for all the innumerable company of Angels and Saints therefore Believe in me for these things are most true that I tell you And believe also That I go to prepare a place for you I go to take Possession of those Câ—lestial Mansions of those everlasting Habitations for you in your Name and Stead While you are here on Earth I shall prepare you for those Mansions and when I go from you I will prepare them for you Therefore to â—revent those Heart-Troubles which you are subject to because of my Departure from you and to fortify you against them for I am sollicitous for you This is the Remedy that I propose you and enjoin you to practise That seeing you Believe in God Believe also in me Act your Faith on me From which Words thus explain'd I commend to your Christian Consideration this Gospel-Doctrine viz. Doct. That the lively Acting of True Faith upon God and Christ or upon God in Christ is the best Preventive of and Remedy against Heart-Trouble under the greatest Loss whatsoever Or Faith acted on God in Christ is the Sovereign Cure of Heart-Trouble Our Lord Jesus is very tender over his poor Disciples and having foretold them of the hard usage and bad entertainment they should meet with in the World Losses and Crosses Tribulations and Persecutions He now leaves with them some Antidotes against Distempers of Mâ—â—d some Câ—rdials against those faintings of Spirit and troubles of Heart to which he knew they being Flesh and Blood were subject And this in the Text is Chief and Principal Let not your Heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also iâ— me This your Faith will be your bâ—st Cure your best Remedy Poor Believers are but Princes in Disguise here in this World Princes they are Christ hath made them all so but while here below they are in a foreign Land under a Veil It doth not now appear what they shall be 1 John 3. 2. They have a large Patrimony but it lies indeed in a Land unknown to the World it is in Terra incognita if the expression can be born The holy the great God himself is their Portion their Heritage God is their Sure their Full their Lasting their Everlasting Portion They are Heirs of a Kingdom Jam. 2. 5. Heirs of Salvation Heb. 2. last Heirs of God Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Yea All things of this World are theirs 1 Cor. 3. 21. All things are Blessed and Sanctified to them and shall conduce to their Spiritual and eternal Welfare Rom. 8. 28. Yet notwithstanding all this and although Heaven and Earth lies at the feet as it were of Godliness and of those that profess it in the Power of it Godliness having the Promise of this Life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. and notwithstanding Believers have a true Title to all the Good of both Worlds yet may those poor but blessed Saints be exposed to manifold Temptations and Tribulations in this World they may have a dark and sad and stormy way of it to their Father's House they may be stript of all their earthly Comforts may be deprived of their Liberty Estate nearest Friends and Relations as we read in Scripture that such hath been the Portion of the best Saints And upon this the People of God have been dejected and disquieted they have desponded their Hearts have been troubled and have thereby displeased their heavenly Father who would have them believe That all things shall work together for their good Now our Lord in this Text foâ—bids this Distemper of Mind and woulâ— not have his Disciples who had God fâ— their Father and Himself for their Râ—deemer and who had Title to such Haâ—piness in the other World to Desponâ— and to be Disquieted therefore he laâ— this Charge on them Let not your Heaâ— be troubled adding
the proper meaâ— to prevent this sinful malady of Hearâ— Trouble that it might not seize oâ— them or if it had to cure them â—â— it viz. Ye Believe in God Believe also in mâ— The lively Acting of true Faith upoâ— God in Christ it is the best Preventive oâ— and Remedy against Heart-Trouble undâ—â— the greatest loss whatsoever Whicâ— Proposition I shall prosecute in the Assistance of God's Spirit and accordinâ— to the measure of Light and Grace I havâ— received after this manner and methoâ— following First by way of Demonstration 2ly O Confirmation And then to Apply and make Improvement of it for our use 1. By way of Demonstration Endeavouring to shew First That God's choicest Saints are in this World subject to all kinds of Troubles Losses and Afflictions and whence it is and why so Secondly That under those Losses and Afflictions they are subject to Despond to be Dejected and to be Troubled in their Hearts Thirdly What this Heart-Trouble is that Christ forbids here Fourthly How that Believing in God and Christ is the best means to prevent and cure this Heart-Trouble First That God's choicest Saints are liable to all kinds of Troubles Losses and Afflictions even the greatest heaviest and sorest as we read of Job David Heman and others God had but one Son without Sin but no Son without Suffering His only begotten Son was a Man of Sorrows and the Holy Ghost assures us that if ye be without chastning whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Heb. 8. 12. God's Children are liable to Sufferings whether we consider them as Men or as Christians as Men Job 14. 1. Man that is born of a Woman is full of Trouble As our Relations and Comforts increase so do the Occasions of Trouble God never appointed this World to be the place of Man's Rest but of our Exercise and only a Passage to another World And in this our Passage we must look for Storms and Tempests If we can through Mercy obtain a tolerable Passage thorow this World and a comfortable Passage out of it into that better above we shall have cause to bless the Lord to all Eternity And much more as Christians must we expect Troubles for a Man is no sooner brought home to God but he must expect to be hated by the World assaulteâ— by Satan chastned by the Lord our owâ— corrupt Hearts will be always vexing the old Man the Flesh thwarting all thâ— Motions of the new Nature lusting againâ—â— the Spirit The Lusts of the Flesh wilâ— be as Pricks in our Eyes and as Thorns iâ— our Sides We shall have Enemies in ouâ— own Houses But this Truth is so manifest in all thâ— Scripture that I shall insist no longer oâ— it only shall add this by way of Use Leâ— all Christians prepare for Affliction by getting an Interest in God through Christ by getting Sin pardoned and purged by getting Peace with God and Conscience by getting Hearts crucified to the World and then when Troubles come let us bear them as Christians not murmur not repine but in patience possess our Souls not desponding nor fainting remembring that our Troubles are no more but infinitely less than we have deserved Job 34. 23. He will not lay upon Man more than right God perfectly understands our Need and knows our Strength 1 Pet. 1. 6. If need be ye are in heaviness He is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able 1 Cor. 10. 13. It is the Wise Just and Gracious God and our Father that tempers our Cup for us Many Earthly Parents do not correct their Children in measure being ignorant of their Nature and Disposition and therefore their Correction doth them no good Many Physicians mistake the Constitutions of their Patients and therefore may do them more hurt than good But God knows our Need and our Strength and so sutes all his Remedies accordingly therefore let us be patient bearing our Troubles with an equal Mind not suffering as per-force but willingly It is said Dan. 3. 28. That they yielded their Bodies that is chearfully to the Fire In our Affliction let us search our Hearts and try our Ways let us fly to God by Prayer and resign up our selves to him and trust in him casting our Cares and Burdens on him Psal 55. 22. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Moreover it is our Wisdom that while we are at ease have our Comforts about us let us look for Troubles Afflictions from God as well as for God are part of our Cross which we must take up daily Sickness death of Friends loss of Estate c. we must look for them that we may not be surprized He that buildeth an House or a Ship doth not make this his Work and Care that it should not rain upon it or that it should have no Storms or Tempests for this cannot be prevented by any care of ours but that the House or Ship may be made able to endure all without prejudice So must it be our care to provide for Afflictions for to prevent them altogether we cannot but prepare for them we may and must as was hinted before to treasure up God's Promises and store our Souls with Graces and spiritual Comforts and firm Resolutions in God's strength to bear up and hold on We had need be well shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace Eph. 6. 15. Most Christians are not mortified and crucified to the World not acquainted with God and the Promises as they ought to be nor so resolved to follow God fully as they ought and therefore are so dejected and discontented when Affliction comes O that we did count the Cost when we first begin to make Profession of Christ and that we had had such full Perswasions of the incomparable Worth and Excellencies of the Lord Jesus as that we could willingly part with all things for his sake O that we had such believing Apprehensions of the Wisdom Faithfulness Righteousness and Mercy of God such sights of his reconciled Face and such tastes of his fatherly Love to us in Christ as that we could quietly submit to his holy Will and be well satisfied with all his Dispensations towards us So much of this first Particular Secondly The Disciples of Christ under the Afflictions which they meet with in this World are apt to be troubled in their Hearts to be disquieted in their Minds to be dejected and discouraged It was so with holy David Psal 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou disquieted within me He was sensible of his Afflictions and that disquieted him and cast him down God's People are subject to such disquietments because they are Flesh and Blood subject to the same Passions made of the same Mould subject to the same Impressions from without as other Men and their Natures are upheld with the same Supports and Refreshments as others the withdrawing and want of which affecteth them as well as others And
besides those Troubles they suffer in common with others by reason of their being called out of the World the World hates them and they are therefore more exposed to Tribulation than others and so are apt to be cast down and discouraged This our Lord foresaw would befal his Disciples after his departure from them and therefore he counsels them against the same Let not your Hearts be troubled Quest But it may be demanded Whence ariseth this Heart-trouble and disquietment of Mind under Affliction Answ There are many Causes of it which is necessary for us to know that so knowing the Causes we may the better find the Cure There are outward and inward Causes First Outward Causes And the first may be God himself He sometimes withdraws the Beams of his Countenance withholds the sense of his Love hideth his Face from his Children which the Saints in Scripture so bitterly complain of and so earnestly pray against Whereupon the Souls even of the strongest Christians are disquieted This caused trouble to the Soul of Jesus Christ himself Joh. 12. 37. When a poor Child of God together with his Affliction apprehends God to be his Enemy and that his Troubles are mix'd with God's Displeasure and it may be his Conscience tells him that God hath a just Quarrel against him because he hath not walked so holily so humbly so evenly and so strictly with God as he might had he been more watchful careful and circumspect and that he hath not renewed and kept his Peace with God as he should and might have done and this sense of God's Displeasure puts a Sting into all his Afflictions and this causeth trouble of Heart and disquietment of Mind And justly may such a Soul be troubled that has ever felt the Joys of God's Salvation the sweet Influences of his Love that has tasted that the Lord is gracious seeing that in his Favour is Life and his Loving-kindness is better than Life Psal 30. 5. 63. 3. Secondly The Devil is the Cause sometimes of the Heart-trouble of God's Children For he being a cursed Spirit cast out of Heaven full of Disquietment and Discontent himself labours all he can to trouble and disquiet others to bring others as much as in him lies into the same cursed Condition with himself He being cast out of Paradise himself envieâ— us the Paradise of a good and quiet Conscience for that is our Paradise until we come to Heaven And this Paradise a poor Child of God may possess in a Prison in a Dungeon on a Dunghil Two main Designs the Devil hath upon Men the one is if possibly by all imaginable Slights Temptations and Inticements he may keep Men in a course of Ungodliness to hinder them from coming to Christ by Faith and Repentance to deter them from his holy Ways And when he cannot prosper in this but that unsearchable rich and free Grace takes hold of some poor Souls and they are snatch'd out of his Hands their Captivity led captive by that mighty Redeemer then all the Devil's labour is to hinder their Comfort and to interrupt their Peace and to make their way to Heaven as hard and uncomfortable to them as possible pursuing them with all dejecting and Heart-troubling Temptations Thirdly Wicked Men are also active in the troubling of God's People they are indeed the true Troublers of God's Israel They load God's People with Reproaches And there is nothing that the Nature of Man is more impatient of than Reproaches for there is no Man so mean but thinks himself worthy of some Respect now a reproachful Scorn shews an utter disrespect of a Man which flows from the very superfluity of Malice Reproach hath broken my Heart saith David Psal 69. 20. and nothing more doth he complain of than Reproach and nothing more are God's People liable to than this These are the Causes from without Secondly There are Inward Causes also of Heart-trouble and Despondency When God's People are in Affliction most time that black Cloud of Melancholy also surrounds them and Darkness makes Men fearful and dejected There are many Causes within our selves As ignorance of God and of Christ of the Govenant of Grace of the Name of God They that know God's Name will trust in him and not be dejected Also forgetfulness of God and of what he hath done for us We forget God when we are afraid of Man Our overlooking and passing by the many Comforts we enjoy even while we are under Affliction taking little notice of our Mercies â—ut let them be all swallowed up in our Miseries as Abraham because he had no Heir and Rachel who said Give me Children or I die though she had all other earthly Comforts yet the want of this one so troubled her that all the rest seemed nothing It is an evil thing for us to be wedded to our own Wills None more subject to Discontent than those who would have all things after their own way and are meer Strangers to Self-denial Likewise false apprehensions of things cause Heart-trouble to think God hates us because he corrects us and when he takes from us that it is all in Wrath. Another common Cause is our own Watchlessness and Carelessness our neglect of keeping our Hearts and Consciences pure and clean and in time of Affliction these former neglects of Duty come to our Minds then Conscience awakes and tells us our former Faults and this brings trouble of Heart 1 King 17. 18. Moreover unnecessary Scruples cause Disquietness Solitariness Idleness when Persons will not do what is needful they are troubled with that which is needless and Idleness tempts the Devil to tempt us and trouble us If we cannot find work for our selves the Devil will make work for us Also when we are guilty of neglecting doing good to others as to our Relations not reproving admonishing or incouraging them as we ought or have neglected to receive that good from them that we might but now they are dead and gone and we can no more do any good to them nor receive any from them this hath troubled many on their Sick and Death-beds Inconstancy wavering in the Ways of God will also breed disquiet And our inordinate love of Creature-Comforts our setting of our Hearts on Friends Estates and the like letting out our Hearts on Husbands Wives Children c. this is to build Castles in the Air expecting Contentment in and from those things that cannot yield it Also multitude of worldly Business and too much poring on our Afflictions and fore-casting the Events of things You see what a croud of Causes here be within our selves of Disquiet and Heart-trouble The third Particular proposed is What is this Heart-trouble which Christ here forbids his People and that he would fortify them against A. This Heart-trouble is such a sense of Evils felt or feared as creates to us Heart-disquietment Dejection Despondency depriving us of that Tranquillity Peace and Comfort which we had in our selves or otherwise
might have It is such a disturbance of our Passions such a storm and tempest in our Spirits as causeth inward Motions Emotions and Commotions of Mind putting all things in the Soul out of order and it carries in it several Evil Things as follow First Sinful Sorrow worldly Sorrow When Christ had told his Disciples that he would leave them and that after he was gone they should be exposed to hard and heavy things from the World bitter Persecution for his Name-sake then sorrow filled their Hearts John 16. 1 2 3 4 5 6. God's own Servants Christ's own Disciples may have their Hearts filled with Sorrow against this our Lord commands many Preservatives in this Sermon The ground of this Sorow is from our selves from our own Hearts though Satan will have a hand in it and it comes not from Humility but from Pride because we cannot have our Wills therefore we are discontented We may thank our selves not only for our Troubles but for our over-much troubling of our selves in our Troubles If we ward and guard against this worldly Sorrow our Troubles would not lie so heavy on us as they do for as the Joy of the Lord doth raise and strengthen the Soul so doth Sorrow deject and weaken it Sorrow and Grief doth lie like Lead to the Heart cold and heavy and sinks it downward still Sorrow contracteth and draweth the Soul into it self from that Communion and Comfort it might have with God and Man and it weakneth the execution of the Offices of it because it drinketh up the Spirits it melteth the Soul it causeth it to drop away Yea in this kind of Heart-trouble God's own People are many times more excessive than others 1. Because many times their Burdens are greater their Temptations Desertions Trouble for Sin greater As their Joys are unspeakable and glorious so their Sorrows are sometimes above expression Common natural Courage will carry a Man thorow other single Afflictions But Sin is a heavier burden than Affliction and the Wrath of God than the Wrath of Man 2. They have a greater sense than others their Hearts being made tender by Religion they have also a clearer Judgment than others and see more into the nature of things than others they see a greater Evil in Sin and in the displeasure of God than others They value God's Favour more than others therefore when he hides his Face they cannot but be troubled They observe more of the displeasure of God in afflictive Providences than others do and therefore they have more Sorrow 3. They have more tender Affections than others the new Heart is a soft Heart A Stamp is sooner set upon Wax than upon a Stone A wicked Man hath more cause to be troubled than a godly Man but he is not a Man of that tenderness and sense and therefore is not so affected either with God's dealings with him or with his dealings with God Thus we find often in Scripture good Souls depressed with Sorrow David said he was like a Skin-bottle in the Smoak all wrinkled and dried up Read Psal 38. Psal 39. 11. When thou with Rebukes dost correct Man for Sin that is by Sicknesses death of Relations and other Losses thou makest his Beauty that is of his outward Man to consume away like a Moth. Whereas the Beauty of the Soul grows fair by Affliction but that of the Body is blasted Age Sickness Losses will make the Beauty of the Body to fade but of the Soul to shine 2 Cor. 4. 14. Though our outward Man doth decay and perish our inward Man is renewed day by day But for worldly Sorrow that too often not only weakneth the Body but also causeth Heart-trouble A merry Heart doth goeâ— like a Medicine but a broken Spirit drieth thâ— bones Prov. 17. 22. Quest But is this worldly Sorrow lawful and commendable Answ No surely for there are many Evils in it which we should avoid As 1st Impatience and Murmuring againsâ— God that is an effect of immoderate Sorrow when our Wills are crossed we cannot bear it for want of Self-denial 2ly Quarrelling at Instruments 3ly Using indirect means for our Relief It is better to pine away in our Afflictions than to be freed from them bâ— sinning 4ly Desponding and distrustful thoughâ— of God Is his Mercy clean gone wiâ— he be favourable no more Psal 77. 7 8. 5ly Questioning our Interest in God meerly because of the Affliction upon us Judg. 6. 13. If God be with us why is aâ— this befallen us Not considering how harâ— soever God dealeth with his People yeâ— he loveth them Heb. 12. 6. 6ly Sometimes Atheistical Thoughts do arise as if there were no God no Providence Psal 73. 13. as if it were in vain to serve the Lord. 7ly This worldly Sorrow indisposeth to all good Duties it makes a Man like an Instrument out of Tune or a Bone out of Joint which makes the Body move both uncomely and painfully it unfits for Duty to God and Man 8ly It makes a Man forget former Mercies and overlook present Mercies all is nothing under present Sufferings Give me Children or else I dye 9ly It makes us unfit to receive Mercies and to embrace the best Counsels such Plaisters will not stick they refuse to be comforted Psal 77. 2. 10ly It disposeth us to receive any Temptation Satan hath never more advantage than upon Discontent 11ly It hinders Beginners from coming into the Ways of God 12ly It rejoiceth and hardneth the Wicked and it grieves and damps the Spirits of our Friends All these and many more Evils are in worldly Sorrow Therefore this Evil Temper we must labour against and not suffer our selves to be dejâ—cted in Sickness contempt in the World loss of Friends and Relations loss of Honour and Earthly Interest May we only think to be exempted from Chastisements whereof all God's Children are partakers Heb. 12. 8. And must God make a new way to Heaven for us Or do we think it best for us to live here for ever in Ease and Plenty and Honour and never see a Change No surely it is in vain to think so It becometh us betimes to prepare for Crosses None so strong lively and brisk now but they shall shortly wither and decay None hold their Heads so high now but they must shortly lay them down in the Dust We and our dearest Relations must part It would be our wisdom to turn the stream of our Sorrow for Losses and Crosses into godly Sorrow for Sin then it will run in its right Channel Let our Sins lie heavy upon us and then our Afflictions will lie light Let us grow weary of our Sins not of our Sufferings God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men Lam. 3. 33. Let us consider also the real spiritual benefit of Afflictions God aims at our Profit and in good time in the best time he will send Deliverance And be sure those that are not unmindful of their Duty God will not be
unmindful of their Safety But that which should mostly affect us and make us take heed of immoderate worldly Sorrow is to consider that this kind of Sorrow of Heart is God's Curse imprecated on God's Enemies Lament 3. 65. Give them Sorrow of Heart thy Curse As godly Sorrow is God's Blessing a Grace of God's Spirit a Fruit of the Covenant of Grace and a Fruit of Faith Zech. 12. 10. So worldly Sorrow is God's Curse and a bitter Fruit of Vnbelief They that sorrow for Sin shall be comforted Matth. 5. 4. but they that mourn immoderately for outward Losses there shall be none to comfort them This is the first piece of Heart-Trouble which Jesus Christ hath forbidden Let not your Hearts be troubled that is not filled and overcome with worldly Sorrow what ever your Losses and Crosses be let not your Sorrow go beyond its lawful bounds take heed Let not your Hearts be troubled Secondly Another piece of Heart-Trouble is Sinful Fear And against this Distemper also Christ counselleth his Disciples Let not your Heart be troubled nor let it be afraid as ver 27. As if he had said Let not that distemper of base slavish Fear seize your Hearts This Fear is a Passion or rather a Perturbation of Mind whereby upon the sense of approaching Evils the Mind is discompos'd and disorder'd and the Heart troubled and dejected This Fear is a Tyrant where it comes and it tyrannizeth where it prevails as Job 4. 14 15. We read how it prevailed over that famous Believer the Father of Believers Abraham to his prejudice and to the Discredit of his Religion who for Fear denied his Wife once and again Gen. 12. and Gen. 20. And good Isaaâ— was taken in the same Fault Gen. 26. This Fear troubles Mens Peace and disquiets their Minds that they are saiâ— sometimes to be like the Leaves of the Forest and this Fear is often forbidder to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. And to Isaac Gen. 26. 24. And when Israel was in the greatest Dangers that ever Men were they were forbid to Fear Exod. 14. 13. Isa 8. 12. And in the New Testament our Lord strongly cautions against this Fear Luke 12. 4 32. Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Slavish Fear troubles the Heart more than any thing Object But may we not fear God's Judgments Did not good Josiah tremble at them And did not holy David say in Psal 119. 120. I am afraid of thy Judgments Answ Doubtless it is our Duties so to do When we see the same Sins abound for which God hath executed his Judgments in former times we ought to lay them to heart and to be affected Jer. 7. 12. Luk. 17. 26 c. Remember Lots Wife said our Lord. So 1 Cor. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 6. Rom. 1. 18. Zeph. 3. 6 7. a remakable Scripture Altho' it went well with Nehemiah himself yet had he a sad Resentment of the State of Jerusalem Nehem. 1. God's People have tender Hearts Wicked Men have Hearts of Stone when God smites them they are not grieved Jer. 5. 3. But we must distinguish of Fear 1. There is a Natural Lawful Fear when Evils are approaching to our Bodies or Names or Friends or the like Dangers are apparent 't is natural to fear This was in the best Men in the World it was in Christ himself Mark 12. 14 15. Also it is said He feared and was sore amazed Mar. 14. 33. yeâ— without Sin Secondly There is a lawful filial Fear of God's Judgments which ariseth from the consideration of the Evil of Sin and of God's Righteousness of his hatred of Sin and his wrath against it which Fear produceth Repentance Self-examination a turning to God with our whole Hearts thorow Reformation and an endeavour to secure our selves in God's Covenant and to hide our Selves Prov. 22. 3. A prudent Man foreseeth the Evil and hideth himself A striving to get into Christ and to get clear Evidences â—â— God 's Love to us in Christ I say such â— Fear that worketh these Effects is a great Duty Thirdly There is a base slavish Fear of approaching Evils arising from our Misapprehensions of God producing in us unworthy Thoughts sinking into Despondency and inciting to Murmuring and Impatience and putting us upon sinful Shifts the use of unlawful means to prevent or escape Dangers a Fear of Despondency a vexatious distracting Fear that drives from God and unfits for Service A tormenting disquieting Fear that unsettles and discomposeth our Minds disturbs our Peace suspends our Acts of Faith and disposeth us to diffidence distrust and impatience This is the Fear that Christ would not have his Peoples Heart troubled with Thirdly Another piece of Heart trouble is Care vexatious distracting Care which our Lord would not have his Disciples trouble themselves with and therefore he useth so many powerful Arguments to disswade them from it Matth. 6. from ver 25. onward 1st He assures us it is God that takes care for our bodily Life we trust him with that how much more should we for Food and Raiment 2ly Saith he Your Father takes care for the Fowls and provides for them Are ye not much better than they 3ly He clotheth the Lillies And will he not clothe you 4ly You cannot by all your care make your condition better than God hath appointed it shall be ver 27. 5ly Your heavenly Father knows you want all these things 6ly They that are ignorant of God and of his Fatherly Care and good Providence that have no God to care for them they trouble themselves with those Cares therefore you should not do so who have an heavenly Father that dearly loves you and looks after you 7ly Yoâ— have the Promise of the faithful God to have all Necessaries provided for you while you make it your care to Serve and Please and Trust him Ver. 23. All these things shall be added unto you 8ly We have no cause to be thoughtful for time to come because every day brings evil enough with it and therefore it is no wisdom to perplex our selves with Cares ver last So again Luke 21. 34. Phil. 4 6. Be careful in nothing Our Lord alsâ— shews us how prejudicial such Cares arâ— to our Profiting by the Word Mat. 13. 2â— And expresly commands us To cast oâ— Cares upon him for he careth for us 1 Peâ— 5. 7. Fourthly Despondency of Spirit Dejectedness Distrust Discouragement are other pieces of Heart-trouble Such as was in David Psal 142. 3 4 5. and 143. 4 and Psal 42. 5. Casting down breed Disquietment because it springs froâ— Pride which is a turbulent Passion anâ— every thing that crosseth and disappoint it causeth a Combustion in the Mind When a Man cannot come down anâ— stoop to that condition that God casts him into then is he discontented and this comes from his Pride A Christian should be very careful to keep up his Spirits when his condition in the World falls down Could we but bring
do for thee I will be a Sun and a Shield to thee Psal 84. last I will give thee Grace and Glory and will withhold no good thing from thee I that am the infinite first and best Being of all Things the living Fountain of all Mercy the Original of all Power and Goodness I will be a God to thee thy God thy Father if thou wilt take me for thy God and place all thy Happiness in me and wilt become my Servant and give up thy self sincerely to me to serve and obey to love and fear and trust me only This is to believe in God to accept of God for our God and to yield up our selves to him to be his People Isa 56. 46. to chuse the things that please him to give him our Hearts and become his Servants aâ— Deut. 26. 17 18. And so God proposed himself to Abraham when he called him Gen. 12. 1 2 3. as a Rewarder and more fully Gen. 15. 1. I am thy Shield and they exceeding great Reward and so Abraham's Faith was to act on God so manifested And Gen. 17. 1. I am God All-sufficient all-sufficient to support thee in thy Way and Work and All-sufficient to reward thee in the end therefore be thou upright and faithful let not thy Heart be troubled what-ever Dangers and Difficulties thou meetest with in my Way and Work and what Losses soever thou sustainest for my sake believe I am God All-sufficient I will sufficiently reward thee thou shalt be no loser by following and serving me Also Moses his Faith had an eye to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 11. 26. And that you may see that this is not legal and mercinary our Lord Jesus proposeth this as an incouragement to his People Matth. 5. 12. Great is your Reward in Heaven And he himself took incouragement from it as Heb. 12. 1 2. for the Joy that was set before him c. So that this is to believe in God to believe that God is really and truly He is All that which he hath revealed himself to be and to believe that He is a Rewarder c. This Faith in God Christ took for granted that his Disciples had Ye believe in God Ye believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And if ye believe this let not your Hearts be troubled be not afraid nor dejected but act your Faith in God and seriously consider what God that is in whom you believe and believing also your Interest in that God that He is your God this God All-sufficient is your God you will have no cause to be troubled Your acting of Faith on God your God will prevent and cure your Heart-trouble and that these several ways First more generally He that believes in God as his God believes God is always present with him according to his Promises In the worst Times God is present with his People And can there be any cause of Heart-trouble to such Souls as have always the presence of God with them whose Presence makes Heaven and in whose Presence is fulness of Joy and at whose right Hand are Pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Surely Beloved this will prevent Heart-trouble when a Soul can act his Faith and firmly believe it God is always present with his People and that for gracious Purposes and not as a baâ— Spectator as to proportion and measurâ— out their Afflictions to them that theâ— may not be above their strength nor moâ— than need 1 Cor. 10. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Aâ— the Afflictions of God's People are mesured by the Hand of a most wise moâ— merciful and gracious God all the Mâ—lice of Men and Devils cannot add a dracâ— to the Weight nor a drop to the Measurâ— beyond God's appointment He is prâ—sent to order and fix the Time of our Suâ—ferings it is an Hour of Temptation Reâ— 2. 10. It is our loving Father that sets tâ— the Glass of the Time of our Troubleâ— he appoints their Beginning their Lration their End he holds the Glass his own Hand All the Powers on Earâ— cannot bring trouble on us till the Hâ—â— come till the appointed Time nor coâ—tinue our Troubles longer than his Timâ— The Rod of the Wâ—cked shall not rest on tâ— Lot of the Righteous Psal 125. 3. Gâ—â— is present to mix some Comforts with tâ— Cross thereby to allay the bitterness â—â— it present to support the Soul with iâ—ward strength Psal 138. 3. Thou strengtâ— nest me with strength in my Soul present â—â— sanctify Afflictions for Good and at lengtâ— in his good Time which is the best Time when he hath perfected his own Work in his People he is present for their full Deliverance A true Believer in God hath always a God to go unto O what a Comfort what an happiness is that He dwells in the Love of God as well in Affliction as out of it he may be cast out of his happy Condition in the World but never out of the favour of his God This believed by us will cure Heart-sorrow Heart-fear Heart-care all Despondency Dejectedness Disquietments and Distractions whatever Faith acted on God the Almighty All-sufficient God and our God always present with us is the Soveraign Antidote against and the best Cure of all Heart-trouble Psal 142. 1 2 3 4. there are the Psalmist's Troubles and Ver. 5. there is his Cure I cried unto thee O Lord Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the Land of the Living So Psal 143. 4 6 8. his Spirit was overwhelm'd with trouble but he cried to God and trusted in him and that was his Relief His trusting in God was an high exercise of his Faith This kept David from sinking under his great distress 1 Sam. 30. 6. He encouraged himself in the Lord his God Thus in general More particularly I shall endeavour â— shew what there is in God that a Beliâ—ver's Faith fetcheth virtue from to cuâ— his Heart-trouble in his greatest distresâ— even under the loss of the personal Prâ—sence of his best and dearest Friends oâ— Earth for such was like to be the Caâ— of the Disciples in the Text. First That in God which Faith looâ— unto and fetcheth Comfort from is hâ— sweet and gracious Nature God is Lovâ— the very Element of Love 1 John 4. 1â— and his gracious Name which discoveâ— his Nature Exod. 34. 6. The Lord grâ—cious and merciful When he gives to hâ— People he gives in love when he takeâ— he takes in love Now when a Soul bâ—lieves that all is from Love and all iâ— Love he is supported When a Man caâ— believe that all his Troubles come to hiâ— from the Father of Mercies and his Father in Christ he cannot but bear theâ— patiently Ye believe in God saith Christâ— ye believe that God loves you thereforâ— let not your Hearts be troubled Q. But how shall I know that God loves me when he afflicts me I answer When we can discern that we have received
Application of this First It follows hence that Heart-trouble under the afflicting Hand of God argues the weakness if not the want of Faith All those sorts of Heart-trouble and the parts of it which I have mentioned as Heart-Sorrow worldly Sorrow immoderate Mourning sinful Fear vexatious Care despondency of Spirit being offended disturbance of Mind Distraction Dejection Discouragement and the like all these slow from the want of Faith or at least from the weakness of Faith in God We do not believe in God we see the Causes of our Troubles they are mostly in our selves even our Vnbelief Whatever we profess we do not believe in God If we could but believe in God our Hearts would not be troubled O our want of Faith let us heartily lament it and cry to God for Pardon through the Blood of Christ If our Hearts be troubled where is our Faith in God What doth God and all that is in God signifâ— to us What are we the better for a that infinite All sufficiency and Goodneâ— that is in God if we do not act Faith uâ—on it Our Heart-troubles would be â—red could we act Faith on God as â— ought to do Immoderate Sorrow then is very uâ— becoming Believers in God If we wiâ— prove our selves Believers in God let â— discharge our selves from Heart-troublâ— and let us draw out Consolation for oâ— Hearts by Faith from all those comfortâ—ble Considerations of God and from â— those abundant Excellencies that are â— God O let us labour for Faith and aâ— it let us live in the exercise of it at then surely we shall find comfort Secondly Let us all labour to get an Iâ—terest in God by Faith in Jesus Chriâ— that so we may be able to look upoâ— God as our God and then we may claiâ— an Interest in All that God is and in â— that God hath and so shall we have â— cause of Heart-trouble in any Conditioâ— For if God be ours All his Attributes aâ— ours his gracious Covenant is ours hâ— Word and Promises are ours All is ours Therefore should we labour in this aboâ— all things spending all our Thoughts Affections and Spirits upon this O let us lay hold on God and his Covenant let us chuse him for our Portion and resign up our whole selves unfeignedly to him terminating and centring all our Desires Hope Love Delight in him alone placing all our Happiness in him and then commit all to him Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73. 23. The Second Question Secondly What is it to believe in Christ For saith he in the Text Believe also in me It is God in Christ that we must believe in not in God without Christ not in God out of Christ but believe in God in Christ Now what this believing in Christ is I shall endeavour to show looking up to the Father of Lights and to the Author and Finisher of our Faith for Light and Assistance In general It is to believe all that which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures concerning Christ to believe the Record that God hath given of him in his Word as 1 John 5. 10 11 12 13. Tâ— believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Sâ— of God Joh. 1. 18. That he came oâ— from the Father was made Flesh toâ— upon him our Nature was born of Virgin lived on Earth in the form of Servant a poor despicable Life preacâ—ed the Gospel working Miracles That he suffered upon the Cross with â— the Sins of his People upon his Soul at Body that he bore the Curse of the Laâ— the Wrath of God which was due to Maâ— for Sin That he died a most painfâ— shameful and cruel Death dying as Sacrifice to satisfy God's Justice to atâ— and pacify his Wrath to make our Peaâ— and to reconcile us to God That he roâ— again from the Dead ascended into Heâ—ven to prepare a Place there for â— People That he sitteth at the right Haâ— of God everlasting to make continuâ— Intercession for us And that he shall coâ— to judg the World at the last Day Aâ— while he is absent from us in Person heâ— on Earth he promised to send his Spirâ— the Comforter into the World to coâ—vince and convert all those which hâ— Father hath given him to call them bâ— his Word to quicken strengthen staâ—lish comfort and confirm them until he come again to take them to himself that where he is there they may be also John 16. 1 2. This is the Record that God hath given of his Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3. 16 36. Now to believe in Christ is to believe all this Testimony of him And also out of a deep sense of our Sin and Misery and sight of Christ's infinite Excellency All-sufficiency and Willingness to save Sinners and upon his Call to us in the Gospel to come unto him weary and heavy laden with our Sins heartily willing to accept of the Lord Jesus upon his own Terms to take him for our only Lord to give up our whole Selves Souls and Bodies to his blessed Government by his Word and Spirit in all things and unfeignedly and unreservedly to enter into Covenant with him to become his and his alone and his for ever and to relie upon him for Life for Grace and Salvation this is to believe in Christ Thus believe in Christ and let not your Hearts be troubled The acting of this Faith on blessed Jesus is a singular means to prevent and cure all Heart-Trouble all Heart-Sorrows Cares Fears Vexations Despondencies Dejections and Distractions whatsoever thâ— may arise in our Hearts by reason of aâ— Loss Cross Disappointment Distress â— Affliction that may befal us If we â—â— but thus believe in Christ and rest aâ— rely upon him and trust in him â— Hearts shall not be troubled Q. But what is that in Christ whiâ— Faith must act upon to effect this Cuâ— of Heart-Trouble when Afflictions coâ— upon us A. Such-like things as I shewed beforâ— as are in God for Faith to act upon whiâ— are these that follow First Faith must be acted upon â—â— loving gracious sweet Nature of Jesâ— Christ Our Lord Jesus is of a most lâ—ving and sweet Nature he is Love indeeâ— the Son of his Father's Love and altâ—gether lovely His Thoughts of us wâ— believe in him were Thoughts of Loâ— from Everlasting All his Words aâ— sweet his Mouth is most sweet O whâ— sweet Language doth he give his Church My Dove my Love my fair One my Sâ—ster my Spouse c. Cant. 5. 16. Hâ— loved us and gave himself for us Lovâ— us and washed us in his Blood Rev. 1. 6 He is one of our Nature our Kinsman our Husband our Father our Elder Brother c. So that if there be any Love in the Head to the Members if any in the Father to the Child if any in the Husband to the Wife
Comfort and draw from this Spring by Prayer Faith and Meditation all supplies of Comfort and let not your Hearts be troubled Sixthly Jesus Christ is called a Counsellor Isa 9. 6. He is most wise he is the Wisdom of the Father In him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2. 3. Yea he is made of God our Wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sâ— that when we are in Doubts and Darkness perplexed with Temptations anâ— know not what to do when we aâ— under sad and dark Providences aâ— know not how to interpret them wheâ— we are under various Exercises anâ— know not how to answer God's Enâ— in them nor how to improve them when we are in the Dark and knoâ— not the meaning of God's Dispensatons nor the Design of God in them Now are our Hearts troubled in aâ— such Cases but here is our Remedâ— this is the Course we must take Aâ— Faith now upon Jesus he is Wisdom he is a most wise and faithful Counsellor we may freely open all our Cases and Conditions to him he will nâ—â— betray us nor bewray us we may safely trust him with all the Secrets of oâ— Hearts and let us labour by Faith tâ— trust him for Counsel in all Cases lâ—â— us wait for his Counsel trust to it aâ— let not our Hearts be troubled Seventhly Jesus is a Redeemer thâ— is his Name he came into the Worâ— on this very Business to redeem his People to redeem them from all Iniquitâ— Tit. 2. 14. from this present evil World from our vain Conversations He hath shed his precious Blood to purchase us we are bought with a Price 1 Cor. 6. 20. We are none of our own we are his the purchase of his Blood and we may be confident that he dearly loves us for he dearly bought us and if he had not dearly loved us he would never have given himself for us Gal. 2. 20. That was the highest Testimony of his Love He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 6. He will redeem us from the Wrath to come O then let us act Faith on our sweet Redeemer as Job did in the midst of all his Troubles I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth c. So may every Believer say Although my Friends and dearest Relations die my Credit and Estate dies though my outward Comforts all die this supports me that my Redeemer liveth and this our Redeemer is mighty mighty to save able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Therefore let us act Faith on our dear Redeemer and upon his Redemption and let us believe that shortly the day of our full Redemption will come when we shall be delivered fully and for ever from Sin Satan the World from all our Burdens Fears and Sorrows Temptations and Tribulations I might mention many other sweeâ— Names and Titles of Jesus Christ which would be Food for Faith tâ— feed upon as that He is the Everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. he hath pitâ— and compassion for all his poor Children and Power to help them being the Father Almighty and hath a Portion for them too He is their Portion and hath provided for them an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4 He is the Prince of Peace he giveth his Peace to his People even thaâ— Peace that the World can neitheâ— give to them nor take from them When he speaks Peace none caâ— cause Trouble He is our Peace anâ— hath made our Peace with God anâ— it is he alone that speaketh Peace and creates the Fruit of the Lips Peace Isa 57. 19. He is also our Shepherâ— therefore said David I shall want nothing Psal 23. 1. He is a Fountain opened a Fountain of Light Life Love Grace and Truth He is the Head of his Body the Church The Husband the Bridegroom his People are his Members his Spouse He is the Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. In him dwelleth all Fulness He is the King of Saints the Rock of Ages Yea He is All and in All. O Beloved had we but Faith to act on this Blessed Jesus and on these his most sweet Names and gracious Attributes our Hearts would not be troubled into what Condition soever we were brought Could we act Faith on Jesus as our Head Husband and Father who is All Fulness All in All could we doubt of having all seasonable Supplies from him Let our Faith but apprehend apply and appropriate Jesus as our blessed Head our most dear Husband and then consider in earnest who he is and what he is how mighty how full how loving pittiful compassionate tender-hearted and kind how ready to help how engaged to us by many Promises and can we then take up such unworthy thoughts of him as to think he hath forgotten us Will he not timely support and supply us Hath he shed his Blood for us and will he forget us caâ— he forget us Are not all his People as dear to him as the Apple of his Eyâ—â— Zech. 2. 8. Surely it is our want oâ— the weakness of our Faith that causeth all our Heart-Trouble O my poor Soul how comfortably mightest thou live if thou couldest live by Faith Lord believe help strengthen my Faith Coulâ— we but apply and appropriate Chrisâ— to our Souls and act Faith upon those precious Names of Christ which aâ— not as so many empty Titles whicâ— are sometimes given to Men but theâ— are real Representations of that mosâ— dear Love and tender Affection of thaâ— special Care Mercy and Loving-kindness that is in Jesus towards aâ— his poor Children that they mighâ— draw out the same for their stronâ— Consolation and that they might truâ— in him and not despond nor be dejected Thus if we can believe in Jesus our Hearts shall not be troubled Thirdly Faith acted on the Covenant of Grace whereof Christ is the Mediator and upon all his exceeding great and precious Promises will prevent and cure all Heart-Trouble Believe in the blessed Mediator of the New Covenant who hath undertaken not only on God's part to see that his Part be performed to us but also is become our Surety undertaking for us and by himself to fulfil the whole Law of God both actively and passively to fulfil all Righteousness for us and by his Spirit to enable us to fulfil the Conditions of the Covenant working in us Faith Love Obedience and all Grace In this Sense God hath given Christ to be a Covenant to us Isa 42. 6. and his Blood is the Blood of the Covenant by which he rescueth poor Souls that were Prisoners to Sin and Satan out of the Pit of Destruction Zech. 9. 11. By this Covenant upon Christ's shedding of his Blood as a Sacrifice for Sin and his performing all the work of Mediation and upon our receiving of him and believing in him as he is offered to us in the Gospel God is pleased to promise to become our God our Reconciled Father to
the Reason why so many faint in the Day of Adversity and sink under Trouble and others use unlawful means to prevent Trouble or to get out of it It is because they want this Faith in God and Christ and for want of it too many miscarry under Affliction The Second Use is by way of Exhortation to all the Disciples of Christ in the Words of the Text Let not your Hearts be troubled but Believe in God and Believe in Christ You must get and act Faith in God and Christ this is the only Preventive the only Remedy against Heart-Trouble Our Lord in this Text commands it and commends it we must needs get Faith above all gettings next to Christ we must get Faith for we cannot have Christ without Faith Go to God for it it is his Work his Gift yea it is his Operation yea the same Power that raised up Jesus from the Dead must be put forth upon a Soul to work Faith Eph. 1. 19 20. The exceeding great and mighty working of the Power of God to raise up the Soul to God and Christ and to enable it to lay hold on God and Christ for such is our natural proneness to live by Sense and Carnal Reason and such is the most transcendent Excellency of God and Christ and of Divine Things which Faith looks unto and so great an Inclination we have to Self-sufficiency and so much rooted in Self-Love and inordinate Love of the Creature and so hard to take off the Soul from false bottoms and because we are such Strangers to God naturally and because there is so much Guilt of Sin still remaining on us by our renewed Provocations that we are afraid to entertain serious Thoughts of God and because of that infinite Distance between God and us we can never come to believe in him and rely upon him until our Hearts be renewed by the Power of Grace and this Divine Grace of Faith infused into them Therefore must we go to God and Christ and put up strong Cries and Prayers to God to work Faith in us and never give over until it be wrought in us And having got Faith we must act and exercise it upon God in Christ upon God I say He only is the Object of Faith and is worthy of it for a Man can be in no condition in which God is at a loss and cannot help him If Comforts and means of Deliverance be wanting God can create Comforts and command Deliverance Isa 57. 19. He can bring Light out of Darkness to him all things are possible 1. Then Faith assents to and is perswaded that there is a God the Infinite First and Best Being of all things and who giveth Being to all Things Hebr. 11. 6. 2. That in this Blessed Being are Three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost and all the Object of our Faith 3. Faith must always act on God in Christ and not otherwise for in Christ God reconciles the World In Christ God becomes our Friend is at peace with us by Christ the Enmity between God and us is taken away in Christ God becomes our Father John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. 4. Faith is acted by Meditating on Considering of and Applying and Appropriating of God in Christ to the Soul laying claim to all that God is and to all that God hath as its own 5. It must also act upon the Promises of God in his Word and upon God and Christ in them God hath opened all his Heart to us in his Word making many sweet Promises exceeding great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. and also He hath made a Covenant of Grace with us to bestow himself and all good things upon us upon which we must live until Promises eâ—â— in Performances These Promises aâ—â— our Spiritual Treasury Promises 〈◊〉 Pardon of Sin upon Repentance and Faith Promises of renewing sanctifying Grace Promises of the Spirit of Heaven of Eternal Life and Glory of Mansions in the Father's House and of all things needful it the way to the Kingdom that we shall want no good thing and that all things shall work together for our good c. Lastly That our Hearts may not be troubled but fully satisfied and comforted we must by Faith lay hold on God take hold of God's Strength which is his Mercy in Christ and most solemnly most considerately and most sincerely take God for our God in Christ and actually enter into Covenant with him This Covenant is founded upon Jesus Christ his Satisfaction and Righteousness and therefore we must also believe in Christ taking him for our only Lord and Saviour receiving him by Faith as he is offered to us in the Gospel to be All in All to us As God offers so Faith receives God offers himself in Christ and so Faith receives him God doth as it were say in the Gospel O poor lost Sinner come to my Son Jesus take him for thy only Lord and Saviour and by him come to me and take me for thy God and Father and by Faith the poor Believer ecchoeth back My Lord and my God I humbly and heartily come to thee accept of thee close with thee and so by Faith the believing Soul becomes one with God and Christ and hereupon the Soul by Faith cleaves to God and Christ and unfeignedly and unreservedly resigns and gives up its whole self to God in Christ taking God in Christ for his and intirely surrenders up it self to be the Lord's My Beloved is mine and I am his Now Faith thus acted will certainly cure all our Heart-Troubles In order then to obtain solid Comfort in all our Distresses let us carefully look whether these Acts of Faith have really passed upon our Souls Have we thus actually understandingly and sincerely believed in God aâ—â— in Christ Have we unfeignedly eâ—tred into Covenant with God â—â— Christ Can we conclude that Gâ—â— is our God in Christ by our beiâ—â— his If we be intirely his he is 〈◊〉 for certein 1 John 4. 19. Cant. 2. 1â— If we place all our Happiness in hiâ— Psal 73. 25. If we give him tâ—â— Throne in our Hearts subjecting oâ— whole selves to his Government making God in Christ all our Love â—â— Trust Joy Desire Delight Feaâ— our All cleaving to him alone and above all depending upon him as oâ—â— chief Good contenting our selâ—â— with him as All-sufficient for us â—signing up our selves to his goâ—â— Will to be to do and suffer whâ—â— he will If we can and do engagâ— our selves to sincere Obedience thâ—â— none of his Commandments be griâ—vous to us If in all things we giâ—â— Christ the preheminence if we haâ—â— received the Spirit of Christ as Râ—â— 8. 9. Gal. 4. 6. which joins us him and makes us one Spirit with hiâ— and which is a Spirit of Adoption whereby the Soul seeing his Interest in God as his Father can freely go to God in all its straits If we have the Graces of the Spirit as Love Meekness Patience Humility
and fully to satisfy our Souls O my Beloved and O my base and faithless Heart it is our base Vnbelief that doth us all the mischief that spoils our Peace that hinders our Comfort and makes us walk so heavily O let us bewail this God-dishonouring Sin this Peace-destroying Sin and let us who have received Jesus for our Lord and Saviour believe that he is ours indeed and that we are his indeed and then act our Faith upon him and our Hearts shall not be troubled Q. But may some say 'T is true if Christ be ours all is ours we believe that But how shall we know that Christ is ours A. Briefly thus If we be Christ's intirely and sincerely Christ's theâ— Christ is ours I am my Beloved's anâ— my Beloved is mine Cant. 2. 16. 6. 3. Her being Christ's was a sure evidence to her that Christ was hers Now it is not very hard to know whose we are whether we be Christ's or our own Christ's or the World's Christ's oâ— the Devil's Let us take a little paiâ—â— in trying and searching our selves the Matter requires it Whose are we Put this Question seriously to our Hearts in the sight of God Whose am I whose Image do I bear by whose Spirit am I acted who hath my Heart my chief Love and Delight Have we unfeignedly given up our selves to Christ Have we actually entred into Covenant with him and taken him for our Head and Husband Have we passed over and surrendred up our whole selves to Christ our Souls Bodies all our Concerns Have we given up our Hearts Heads Tongues Time Talents Estates Libeâ—ties Relations and all to Christ Have we done this sincerely Then we have received Christ upon his Terms If we be Christ's and not our own and live unto Christ and not to our selves Rom. 14. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Gal. 2. 20. and are content that Christ should dispose of us and ours as he pleaseth and are always labouring to be more and more like him and still longing for more and more Communion with him c. Then may we upon good Grounds conclude that Christ is ours If we be his he is ours Again if we truly believe in Christ then he is ours for it is by Faith that we receive him and are united to him and made one with him John 1. 12 13. and are by his Spirit and Word regenerated and made new Creatures and are enabled to walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 1 2. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. he need not go far to seek Make sure thy believing in Christ and thou hast the Witness in thy self that he is thine and that thou art his Q. But how shall we know that we have true Faith and that we do truly believe in Christ A. Briefly thus If we have been made sensible of our lost Condition by Nature of our misery by Sin of our Unbelief if we have found it an hard Work to believe if we have been made weary and heavy-laden with Sin so as to be truly willing to part with all Sin if we have been convinced of our absolute need of Christ and of his incomparable Excellency of his All-sufficiency and willingness to save us if Christ be most precious to us if these Convictions have been powerful in us to drive us from our Selves and the Creature and Sin if we have hereupon been perswaded and enabled sincerely to come unto Christ upon his Call in the Gospel to accept of him upon his Terms and to receive him as he is offered to us in the Gospel if our whole Hearts have opened to him and closed with him and we have given up our whole selves entirely to him and taken him for our only Lord and Saviour as the only way to God and do most sincerely resign up our selves to his Government trusting in him alone and relying upon him for Life and Righteousness for Grace and Glory then we do believe in him then have we this true Faith which is further to be known thus that it worketh in us true sincere Love to him and to all that is his his Word his People your Hearts will run out after him all your Affections will center in him This true Faith draws Vertue from Christ to purify the Heart and works Sanctification and Holiness it doth crucify your Affections to the World it works true Repentance and enables you to overcome the World and to realize the Glory of Heaven and to bear us up under all the Troubles in our way thither as in that 11th to the Hebrews enabling us to trust and betrust our selves our Souls and Bodies and all our Concernments with Christ by this Faith we shall stand by it we walk by it we live and hold on and hold out in following the Lamb to the end of of our Life Heb. 10. 38 c. Now certainly he that thus believes in Christ hath no cause of Heart-trouble but quietly submits to the good Will of his God in Christ under all the Dispensations of his Providence while he is here in this Vale of Tears until he come home to his Father's House in Peace where he shall meet his dearest Lord and an hearty welcome O this Faith this precious Faith in Christ will conquer all our base Fears moderate all our worldly Sorrows ease our Minds perplexed with earthly Cares and quiet our disturbed and distracted Thoughts about our outward Losses and Troubles By this Faith we shall find all our Losses made up in God and in Christ O then labour for it cry mightily to God for this great Gift cry to Jesus for it he is the Author and Finisher of it and labour to act it upon him continually and your Hearts shall not be troubled I dare affirm That if any thing bring Hearts-Ease in Heart-Trouble this will do it So long as our Faith holds up in Act and Exercise upon Christ we shall be free from Heart-trouble but when our Faith fails our Heart troubles prevail As when Moses lifted up his Hands and his Heart too by Faith Israel prevailed but when his Hands were down Amalek prevailed Faith and Heart-trouble are like a pair of Ballances when one goes up the other goes down Faith is the Counter-poize of Trouble of Heart Believe then in Jesus act Faith on him and that will prevent or cure Heart-trouble Continue in the Faith and your Heart-troubles will cease believe what Christ is and what he is to us Secondly Let us believe in Christ and believe where he is As to his Essential Presence he is in Heaven at the Father's right Hand making continual intercession for us to the Father Heb. 12. 2 3. Heb. 7. 25. He is our Advocate with the Father 1 John 2. 1 2. pleading our Cause presenting all our Services perfumed with his own Righteousness and resenting and feeling our Infirmities Sorrows and Sufferings sympathising with us In all our
Afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63. 9. He knows all our Troubles Trials Temptations Sicknesses Losses and Miseries Jesus himself knew when he was on Earth what it was to lose a Friend He wept when his Friend Lazarus was dead He is a most tender-hearted Saviour a most merciful High Priest He sees and feels now in Heaven all the Miseries of his People upon Earth and pleads for them there believe this and let not your Hearts be troubled And as to his Spiritual and Providential Presence he is always with his People on Earth He is in his People Christ in you the Hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. He is in his Word and Ordinances by his Spirit to bless them to his People Christ is All Col. 3. 11. and in All. He is All that is instead of All of Father Mother Husband Wife of Son and Daughter instead of Health Wealth Liberty and All to his People In him dwelleth all Fulness Eph. 1. 23. and 3. 17. And he is also in All he filleth all in all In all his People he dwells in their Hearts by Faith All our fresh Springs are in him All the Strength Support and Comfort we have comes from him He is in all Providences be they never so bitter so afflictive never so smarting so destructive to our Earthly Comforts Christ is in them all his Love his Wisdom his Mercy his Pity and Compassion is in them all every Cup is of his preparing it is Jesus your best Friend O ye poor Believers who most dearly loves you It is he that died for you that appoints all those Providences orders them all over-rules moderates and sanctifies them all and will sweeten them all and in his due time will make them All profitable unto you that you shall have cause one day to praise and bless his Name for them all O that we could but believe all this and could by Faith look unto our Jesus in all dark Providences and by Faith behold this Jesus managing of them and believe his Love Wisdom Tenderness and Faithfulness in all in our Sicknesses Losses Prisons Restraints c. then surely our Hearts should not be troubled Thirdly Believe in Christ Believe what he hath told us In my Father's House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you John 14. 3. Let us act Faith upon these true sweet sayings of our dear Lord who is Truth it self In my Father's House are many Mansions In my Father's House my Father's and your Father's House one House must hold us all John 20. 17. I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God and it is in that House which is far above all Heavens all visible Elementary Heavens the third Heaven that is the Father's House That House not made with hands whose builder and maker is God and is Eternal 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. This City of the living God this New Jerusalem there saith Christ are many Mansions many Dwellings many fixed abiding lasting everlasting Habitations Not Tents and Tabernacles such as we live in here on Earth but Mansions abiding-places Is not this a most comfortable Consideration to such poor Saints as have here on Earth no certain dwelling-places not an House of their own wherein to lay their Heads but are forc'd to remove from place to place still seeking an Habitation banished from Family and Friends from Relations and Acquaintance some cast into Prisons while others dwell safely in their own Houses and none to make them afraid and others exposed to much hardship and danger I say this is good news to them That in their Father's House are many Mansions there are everlasting Habitations ready to receive them made ready for them from which when once they are entred they shall never be cast out more from whence there shall be no more any remove for ever When once their earthly House of this Tabernacle is broken down they shall possess that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Let us then by Faith often look into the Father's House and view and review those many Mansions that are there and let us act Hope also that shortly we shall possess that Place and enjoy that blessed State The believing frequent Prospects of that place will prevent our Heart-trouble or cure it If it were not so I would have told you saith our Lord If there were not such a blessed State and glorious Place for you my Disciples in the other World after all your Sufferings in this I would have told you so For I have told of the many Troubles you must endure in this World and for your support and comfort I am now telling you what good things you shall shortly enjoy above in my Father's House where is all Joy Peace Reâ— and Consolation There are many Mansions no Prisons Chains nor Fetters but glorious Dwellings enough to hold all the Saints that ever were and that ever shall be in the World where they shall enjoy full and free Communion with the Blessed Trinity and with one another perfect Liberty without any Restraint or remove for ever Believe this and let not your Hearts be troubled I go to prepare a Place for you I have purchased this most glorious Place for you by my Blood I have promised it to you now I go away to take Possession of it for you in your Name and Stead O what an Heart-comforting and Heart-easing Consideration should this be to us poor Believers That our Lord went from Earth to Heaven oâ— purpose to prepare a Place in Heaven for us to possess it in our Name and stead and in the mean time he is preparing us by his Word and Spirit by Afflictions and Deliverances for that glorious Place Hence he is called ouâ— Forerunner who is for us entred into that within the Vail Heb. 6. 20. So that as sure as Christ himself ascended and went into the Highest Heavens so sure shall all his Disciples all true Believers ascend and enter into Heaven also because he went thither himself to prepare Heaven for them by taking Possession of it in his Humane Nature for us as our Head and Saviour God hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. Heaven and heavenly Glory is said to be prepared A Kingdom prepared from the Foundation of the World Matth. 25. 34. If we could believe that Christ hath prepared a Place in Heaven for us and that Heaven will make amends for all our Sufferings in the way thither and if we could keep the Eye of our Faith upon that Recompence of Reward that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. we should bear up bravely under all our Sufferings and not have our Hearts troubled Let us then look more Heaven-ward more to our Father's House Let us have our Conversations more in Heaven and set our Affections more upon things above upon that blessed State and Place above and
know That when Christ who is our Life shall appear we shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3. 1 2 3. Believe this and be comforted Certainly we are too much taker up with and too sollicitous about our earthly Tabernacles these Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dustcrushed before the Moth We are always minding the Diseases Distempers and Dangers of our Bodies those old crazy tottering Houses the Prisons of our Souls we mind earthly Places too much but too little those Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 6. where we shall shortly sit with him Were we more heavenly-minded we should be more free from Heart-trouble and disquietness of mind Lastly To prevent and cure all our Heart-trouble Let us labour to believe what Christ hath promise here in the Text Verse 3. I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Most sweeâ— and comfortable Promises I will come again So ver 18. I wâ—â— come again I will not leave you comfortless For when I am absent from you in respect of my bodily Presence I will send the Comforter to you that shall abide with you for ever And I my self will come again unto you you shall not long be without my Company Tho' Christ seems to withdraw and hide his Face from his People it shall be but a little moment Isa 54. 7 8. He will return again and have Mercy yea with everlasting kindness will he return I will come again I will not stay long from you my Heart is still towards you while I am absent therefore I will come quickly Rev. 3. 11. I will come to you with my Messenger Death tho' it be the King of Terrors in it self and a grim Porter yet by my coming with it it shall be to you the King of Comforts I will come with it by my Spirit to strengthen you to look it in the Face to apply to you the virtue of my Death and thereby to take out the Sting of it and I will come to you by my Angels to secure your Souls through the Region of Devils into my Father's House If Death did come alone to us it would be terrible to us indeed it 's ghastly Countenance would affright us but here is the Comfort That Christ our dearest Lord will come with Death to sweeten it to us and support us under it This prevented David's Fear Psaâ— 23. 4. When I walk thorow the valley oâ— the shadow of Death I will fear no Evil for thou art with me O welcomâ— Death when Christ comes with iâ— This bitter Cup of which we must aâ— drink is brought to us by the hand oâ— our dearest Lord This last stroke iâ— given by the hand of Love it is â— taking us home to our Father's House This last Enemy hath Christ conquered for us because his Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood He likewise took part of the same that througâ— Death that is his own Death â—â— might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life time subject to Bondage Heb. 2. 14. Jesus knew what Death was he himself had the Pangs of Death upon him Sin the Sting of Death was laid on him and the Laâ— which is the strength of Sin the Cursâ— of the Law was upon him but now for us who believe in Jesus the sting and strength of Death is taken out and when we die we shall die in the Lord Sleep in Jesus in Union and Communion with Jesus we shall fall â—sleep in the Blessed Arms of our dear Redeemer He will come then to keep as Company through that dark Enâ—ry Death into the Father's House His Angels shall carry our Souls into Abraham's Bosom yea into the Father's Bosom O that we would make â—â—re of our Union with Christ and â—â—en let us believe that he will come â—ith Death to translâ—â—â— our Souls out â—f these Earthly Tabernacles these â—rison-Houses these Houses of Bonâ—age wherein our poor Souls have â—een fetter'd and chain'd cloy'd and â—og'd with Corruptions and Temptaâ—â—ons kept at a distance and absent â—â—om the Lord and in which they â—ave been groaning for deliverance â— to the glorious Liberty of the Sons â—â— God in their Father's House and â—all ever be with the Lord 1 Thess â— â—7 Secondly I will receive you to my self â— sweet Promise This is aâ—l the Hope all the Desire all the Longing Thirâ—ing Breathing of poor Believers â—â— that Christ would take them to hiâ— self This is the Sum of all thâ— Prayers and Labours that they mâ— be fitted for Christ and then tâ—â— Christ would take them to himseâ— Well saith Christ work and wait little longer do and suffer a liâ—â— more act your Faith and Patience little longer and I will come to yâ—â— and take you home to my self wheâ— your Souls shall be at Rest for eâ—â— The Saints while they are here â— home in the Body they are absent froâ— the Lord they see but in part darklâ— and know but in part very imperfeâ—ly and enjoy but a little a very lâ—tle of God and Christ O how swâ— are a few Drops a few Glimpses aâ— Glances of Divine Love now to a poâ— Soul the least Cast of Christ's Eyâ— the least Beam of his Loving-kindneâ— the least Intimation of his Favour â—â— least hint of his Goodness how râ—freshing to a poor Believer But whâ— Christ shall receive them to himseâ— they shall then see him as he is shall â— like him and shall he satisfied with his Lâ—â— â—â—ss 1 John 3. 2 3. Psal 17. 15. Then â—â—all they see him whom their Souls â—ove Face to Face and then will Jesus open to them all the Treasures of his Love and Grace to their everlastâ—ng Consolation They shall then be admitted into the glorious Presence of â—he great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ in whose Presence is fulness of Joy and at whose right Hand are Pleasures for ever-more Psal 16. ult When the World shall cast them out and their Habitations shall cast them out â—nd shall know them no more yea when their Houses of Clay shall be broken down and dissolved and can hold them no longer then will Jesus blessed Jesus receive them to himself Then shall they be solemnly married to their glorious Bridegroom the King of Heaven's Son the Prince of the Kings of the Earth he will receive them to himself he will take them for â—is Bride embrace them in his everlasting Arms and lay them in his blessed Bosom for ever and ever I will receive you to my self into the nearest Union and Communion with my self and therefore be not uâ—willing to part with your dear Relations be not afraid to be sepâ—rated from your Bodies your oâ— Friends for when these earthâ— Tabernacles are dissolved immedâ—ately I will receive you to my selâ— which is best of all You shall thâ— enjoy the Fruits of all my Suffering Death
22 usually our Success is according to ouâ— preparation as in Prayer Psal 10 17. compare 2 Chron. 12. 14. with 2 Chron. 19. 3. make Conscience theâ— of preparation 2. Prayer Pour out your Hearâ— to God in Prayer for a Blessing oâ— the Word that you read or heaâ— O lift up a Cry to God and say Lord make this Word effectual to worâ— Faith in my Soul c. 3. Earnest Desire and Expectatis of meeting God in the Word and oâ— his blessing on it if we expect nothing from it no wonder if we receive nothing there is a fulness of Blessing in the Gospel Rom. 15. 29. We should bring hungry and thirsty Souls after God the Living God as Psal 63. 1 2 3. and 84. 1 2. God filleth the Hungry with good things Luke 1. 53. Secondly Some things are Concomitant As 1. We must read and hear it as the Word of God and not as the Word of Man 1 Thess 2. 13. Acts 10. 33. and we must acknowledg God's Authority in it 2. Receive it with Meekness opening our Hearts to it and give it the most tender entertainment Jam. 1. 21. 3. With Love readiness of Mind and gladness of Heart 2 Thess 2. 10. Acts 2. 41. 4. With Faith giving credit to it believing it to be the Word of God Heb. 4. 2. 5. We must be careful to remember it See what great stress is laid upon our remembring 1 Cor. 15. 2. Our Salvation lies upon it Psal 119. 11. Love the Word for Love is the Act of Memory 6. Prayer must be added again for a Blessing Thirdly Some things must be done afterward also As 1. Meditation upon what you have heard and read for want of this usually all is lost I am perswaded this is one great Reason why most profit so little by the Word because they make no Conscience of Meditation they hear and read but never think more on it afterwards So Preaching Hearing Reading and all lost and Souls and Heaven and all lost For God's sake then whose Word you read and hear and for your own Souls sake if you are not willing they should perish for want of Faith make Conscience of Meditation on the Word Psal 1. 2. and 119. 97. if ever you get good by the Word meditate upon it 2. Application of it take it home to your selves Job 5. 27. Let it sink down into your Hearts saith Christ it must be an ingrafted Word you must receive it into your Hearts and not into your Heads only 2. Cor. 4. 6. your Hearts must be joined to it and mix'd with it 3. Practice Yielding up our selves to the Government of it making it the Standard and Rule of your whole Conversation We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only lest we deceive our own Souls Jam. 1. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Mat. 7. 22 24. And in observing these Scripture-Rules here laid down in the careful and conscientious use of God's Word after this manner you may not doubt but the Holy Spirit of God will work with the Word of God to make it effectual to work this most precious Grace of Faith in us whereby to believe in God and in Christ to the Consolation and eternal Salvation of our Souls But if we neglect the Means God hath ordained to get Faith and for want of it die in our Sins and perish eternally our Destruction will be of our selves Direct III. Thirdly Would we have Faith Let us engage our whole Souls in the deep and serious consideration of the infinite unspeakable unconceivable Love of God the Father in this the highest and fullest demonstration of it in giving his Son his only begotten Son to be a Sin-Offering a Sacrifice a Ransom for poor Sinners and that for this very end and purpose that we poor Sinners might believe in him and by believing might not perish but might have Eternal Life I pray read and ponder upon the following Texts and let your most serious Thoughts fix on them and meditate on them Isa 53. throughout John 3. 16 17. Rom. 3. 25. Rom. 5. 8. 10. Prov. 8. 30. Col. 1. 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. Rom. 8. 3. 8. 32. with many other which for brevity sake I cannot transcribe If we can but believe this wonderful Love of God the Father in giving his dear Son to be a Surety a Sin-Offering to lay all our Iniquities on him that he was pleased to bruise him and put him to Grief for us and consider and meditate upon the Heighth and Depth the Breadth and Length of this immense imcomprehensible Love of God in giving his Son and that on purpose that we might believe in him and by beleiving might have Eternal Life I say it will greatly help us to believe in his Son to accept of this his unspeakable Gift and to receive him as he is offered to us in the Gospel Moreover let us also consider of and deeply meditate upon the transcendent Love of the Son of God himself who though he were the Delight of his Father and lay in the Bosom of his Father even then his Delights were with the Sons of Men then was his Heart full of Love to poor Sinners and his Love brought him down from Heaven to Earth to assume Humane Nature to take upon him all the Sins of his People to bear them on his Soul and Body in the Garden there sweating great drops of Blood and on the Cross there pouring out his Heart-Blood made a Curse endured the full measure of the Wrath of God due for Sin and became the Ransom of Souls Philip. 2. 6 7 8. Luke 22. 44. Gal. 2. 20. He loved us and gave himself for us Loved us and washed us from our Sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Gal. 3. 13. Tit. 2. 14. But while I am writing these things I cannot but conceive an Indignation against my self and heartily wish I were filled with Shame Sorrow and Grief of Spirit that having read and heard so often of the surpassing Love of God the Father in giving his Son and so often of the unspeakable Love of Jesus and to be no more affected with it no more sensible of it to have my Affections no more stirred and moved no more quickned and warmed Alas my dead Heart my Adamantine Heart Lord sprinkle it with that Blood Lord shed abroad that Love of thine upon my Heart abundantly by the holy Ghost Lord Jesus manifest thy Love to me that I may love thee I am ashamed and pained for want of Love to God to Jesus O that I could believe thy Love to my Soul then I should not chuse but love thee Lord I believe help my Unbelief The consideration of this Love of God and of Christ is a means to work Faith try it I pray you and you will find it so Direct IV. Fourthly Improve and act the Historical Faith you have on the Doctrines Promises and Threatnings in the
or in any near and dear Relation then sure there is Love strong Love in Jesus Christ to all Believers for in him is the Love of all Relations and therefore he expresseth it under all these Relations He calls us his Friends He is of a most tender a most merciful Nature full of Bowels of Compassion and of tender Mercies It would be endless to express the loving Nature of Jesus Christ to poor Believers which when a Believer duly considers ponders upon and acteth Faith upon it cannot but support him under all Heart-Trouble Act your Faith on Christ as yours your Jesus he that died for you he that sweated great drops of Blood for you in the Garden wrestling and grapling with his Father's Wrath for you in your Name and stead there and upon the Cross Consider that this your dearest Jesus now in Glory knows your Souls in Adversity he seeth all the Troubles of your Hearts he sympathizeth with you in all your Afflictions his Heart now in Heaven â— touched with the feeling of your Infirmiâ—â— on Earth Heb. 4. 15. He hath Humaâ— Nature still though glorified He feels oâ— Losses Crosses Griefs Pains Sorrow his Heart his most tender Heart is â—fected O that we could but believe thiâ— and thus consider with our selves Her sit solitary as a Widow or a Widowâ— or Childless or Fatherless or Motherleâ— or Friendless my Family is broken feel Pains and Sicknesses I am deprivâ— of my Liberty my sweet Relations aâ— comfortable Friends are laid in the Dust I have none about me to counsel or coâ—fort me I am brought low in the Woâ— my Estate is diminished my Honour aâ— Reputation lost my Pleasure gone â—â— Flesh faileth me my Strength faileâ— Lovers and Friends fail me c. Sâ— Complaints we are apt enough to makâ— and it may be worse than these My Gâ— hath forsaken me he hides his Face frâ— me I am compass'd about with Temâ—tations sad dejecting and distractiâ— Thoughts I am persecuted banisheâ— from House and Home all my outward aâ— inward Comforts sail me These haâ— been the Cases and Conditions of Godâ— dearest Servants as Job David Heman and others But yet let not your Hearts be troubled for all this Ye believe in God act your Faith on God yea and act it on Christ also Believe in Jesus look up by Faith unto Jesus your dear Lord whatsoever whomsoever you have lost you have not lost your Jesus your best Friend your Heavenly Husband you have his Heart his Bowels towards you still you have his Eye his tender watchful provident Eye upon you still you have his Ear open to your Cries still yea you have his everlasting Arms underneath you to sustain you still for else you would sink Oh then act Faith upon the sweet Nature of Christ as your Head and Husband Can a Mother forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb Isa 49. 14. possibly she may But can Jesus forget those whom he died for and traâ—elled for No no he will not hide his Face for ever he will never forget his People Your Maker is your Husband and he is the Father of Mercies If we read these things or hear theâ— read and do not apply them to ouâ— own Souls by Faith if we do not mâ—ditate on them and let them sink dowâ— into our Hearts if we do not prâ— earnestly that the Holy Spirit wouâ— bring them home and lay them clâ— to and fix them on our Hearts thâ— will do us no good yield us no Comforâ— therefore meditate on them apply theâ— and act Faith upon them Secondly We must act Faith upâ— the many precious Attributes of Jesâ— Christ all which will afford to Faiâ— much matter of support under all â—â— Heart-Troubles whatever And thâ— are exceeding many I shall mention oâ— some First Jesus Christ is our Advocaâ— with the Father 1 John 2. 1 2. Oâ— that undertaketh for us to plead oâ— Cause in that highest Court of Heâ—ven If a Man be sued in Law or â— accused of any Crime in any Court is a great priviledg to have a Sollicitâ— there for him that is skilful and faâ—tâ—ful and powerful with the Judg in thâ— Court Jesus Christ is such an Advocatâ— or Sollicitor for us in Heaven he wiâ— plead our Cause and he is Wise he is the Wisdom of the Father he is a Great Counsellor and the only Counsellor none else can plead in that High Court and he is most Faithful he is a merciful and faithful High-Priest in all things pertaining to God Heb. 2. 17. He appears for us in Heaven Heb. 9. 24. When a Man is indicted in a Court and hath none to appear for him there he is in a bad Case But all poor Believers are in a better Case they have a blessed Advocate to appear in the Presence of God for them He continually presents his Blood his Sacrifice to the Father for them Heb. 10. 10. And it is his Will to have that Sacrifice accepted for our Justification and Sanctification Christ prevails so with his Father that he always heareth him John 11. 42. Now if we can act Faith on this Blessed Advocate in Heaven who is there always pleading for us ever-living to make continual Intercession for us Rom. 3. 25. presenting himself before God as our Sacrifice and Propitiation when Men accuse us and our own Consciences too when we are deprived of our near and dear Relations distressed with Pains and Sicknesses pinched wiâ— Wants and Necessities I say then iâ— us to act our Faith on this precioâ— Advocate at the Right Hand of Gâ— for us interceding there for us â—â— who knows and feels all our Miser it must needs be a great support aâ— relief to us and the best Remedy gainst our Heart-Troubles O that â— could act Faith strongly on this oâ— Advocate To have a Friend in Heaven aâ— such a Friend so wise so powerfâ— so faithful so merciful so sensibly â—fected with all our Misery so tender able and so willing to hear and hâ— us I say this is infinitely better thâ— all the Friends that ever we had â— could have on Earth And this Frieâ— ever liveth and maketh continual Intecession for us And as this is mattâ— of Comfort in case of Suffering so case of Sin too If any Man sin have an Advocate with the Father Jeâ— Christ the Righteous and he is the Prâ—pitiation for our Sins 1 John 2. 1 â— Faith acted on this blessed Advocate the best Remedy against Heart-Troublâ— in case both of Sin and Suffering Secondly Jesus Christ is Bread from Heaven the true Bread for Souls the Bread of Life the Water of Life John 6. 35 48 51. Now when poor Saints are fed with the Bread of Affliction and with the Water of Adversity let them look up to Christ and act Faith upon him he will be living Bread Life-giving Bread living Waters to their Souls to revive their drooping and to refresh their fainting Spirits
By acting Faith on this blessed Jesus the Fountain of living Waters their Souls shall be so satisfied as that they shall never hunger more never thirst more that is inordinately after the things of this World When your Souls want strength to bear your Burdens want comfort in your Distresses act Faith on this Jesus this Bread of Life thiâ— Water of Life and you shall be refreshed you shall have Joy and Peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. Thirdly Jesus Christ is called the Sun of Righteousness and the bright Morning-Star Mal. 4. 3. Rev. 22. 16. He is the Fountain of Righteousness and Life as the Sun is of Light he hath healing in his Wings He was wounded for our Transgressions that by his Stripâ— we might be healed Isa 53. 4 5. anâ— 61. 1 2. He was appointed to heal thâ— broken-hearted Luke 4. He will heal oâ— back-slidings Hos 14. 4. He is the greaâ— Physician he can heal all our Spirituaâ— and Corporal Diseases His Blood iâ— an healing Blood his Spirit an heaâ—ing Spirit his Word an healing Word his Promises healing Promises Hâ— hath all healing Vertue in him Hâ— is the true brazen Serpent could wâ— but act Faith on this Jesus we shoulâ— be healed of all our Diseases He iâ— the bright Morning-Star We are in Darkness Clouds and Darkness upon our Spirits many dark Providence befal us we see not our way manâ— times know not what to do Now let us act Faith on Jesus he will brinâ— Light out of Darkness We are under black Fears and Sorrows and aâ— dark Night sometimes with us buâ— if we can look up to this bright Morning-Star he will enlighten our Darkness he will shine in upon our Hearts and scatter all those Clouds and givâ— us a joyful Morning Fourthly Jesus Christ is called the Captain of the Lord's Hosts and the Captain of our Salvation Josh 5. 14 15. Heb. 2. 10. He hath the command of all the Creatures for he is Head over all Things Eph. 1. 22. over Men and Devils All Power in Heaven and Earth is his Matth. 28. 18. O if we could act Faith on this Almighty Jesus our Hearts would not be troubled for any thing What can hurt us What should we fear Our Blessed Jesus our Saviour our Husband commands all Things he rules and over-rules all Things No Creature no Man no Devil can act any thing against us without our Lord's leave Believe in this Captain and let not your Hearts be troubled He will tread Satan under your Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. He will make all his and our Enemies his Foot-stool Let us look by Faith unto our Captain and keep our Eye on him and follow him wheresoever he goeth Let us make him our Leader and by Faith in him we shall be more than Conquerors He hath overcome the Devil and the World for us and he will overcome all our Corruptions Fears and Sorrows in us and wiâ— shortly set his Crown upon our Heads Christ is the Captain of our Salvation and in bringing of many Sons to Glory he was made perfect through Suffering Heb. 2. 14. John 16. last Act Faith iâ— him who hath perfected our Salvation for us that Work is done and iâ— was through Suffering to teach us tâ— be willing to suffer also to walk iâ— his Steps for in the way of Suffering he entred into his Glory and the very same way will he bring all his Sons and Daughters unto Glory So that while we are suffering for him or from him if we be his Children which we may know if we have his Spirit we are in the right and ready way tâ— Glory And then have we any cause to let our Hearts be troubled with sinful Fears Cares and Sorrows Havâ— we any cause to be cast down and discouraged while we are following ouâ— Captain are making conformable tâ— him travelling the same way to Heaven that he went thither the same waâ— to Glory the way of Reproach Shame Grief Sorrow Fear Poverty Persecution Tribulation Desertion thâ— same Steps that our Lord went to Glory O that we could but still keep our Eye on Jesus and often consider what way he went to Heaven and being our Captain we should shew our selves his good Souldiers and be content to go the same way Fifthly Jesus Christ is called the Consolation of Israel Luke 2. 25. A sweet Name indeed He is the only Person that brings true Comfort being the Fountain and Spring of all Consolation that One of a Thousand who gave himself a Ransom for us He it is that comforteth his People in all their Tribulations 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. He it is that speaketh and giveth his Peace to his People and when he giveth Peace none can cause Trouble And it is his Promise that when he hath brought his People into the Wilderness of Fears and Troubles that they know not which way to turn that then he will speak comfortably to them will speak to their Hearts as the Word in the Original signifies Hos 2. 14. I might largely shew here that Jesus Christ is the Consolation of his People many ways as by his coming from his Father into the World to become our Surety to undertake for us to take our Sins upon him and to make his Soul an Offering for our Sins and by his Blood to purchase our Remission Ephes 1. 7. O how comfortable is a Surety to one that is Arrested Indicted and Arraigned How comfortable is a Redeemer to a poor miserable Captive How comfortable iâ— a Pardon to a condemned Malefactor All this is Jesus to his People and infinitely more He is Gold to make uâ— rich white Raiment to cover our nakedness Eye-salve to make us see Rev. 3. 17 18. He is Light John 5. 12. the Light of Life the Fountain of Life of Spiritual and Eternal Life no Life but by him And he hath assured us That whosoever cometh to him and believeth in him shall have everlasting Life and shall not come in Condemnation Johâ— 3. 16 36. He is afflicted in all our Afflictions Isa 63. 9. And is not this â— comfortable Consideration All his Promises are as so many Breasts of Consolation all his Ordinances means oâ— Consolation his Word a Word oâ— Consolation yea his Rod of Affliction as well as his Staff is blessed for the Comfort of his People Psal 23. He hath also promised to send his Spirit the Comforter to his People to abide with them for ever John 16. 7. Yea Christ himself makes this his own special Work also to comfort them that mourn Isa 61. 2. and hath blessed those that mourn Matth. 5. 4. that is with godly Sorrow for saith he they shall be comforted How greatly then doth it concern us to believe in this Jesus the Consolation of Israel to look by Faith to this Fountain of Comfort look to his Office look to his Word and Promises beg him earnestly to send the Spirit the Comforter into your Hearts Look to Jesus alone for all