say upon sure experience with the Prophet that the Lord hath crowned them with loving kindness and tender mercies Psal 103.4 O let him then that readeth understand that every Soul that comes by Faith to be justified from their old sins have a great work to do requiring much watchfulness care and circumspection in order to their maintaining and keeping themselves in a justified estate But moreover let men consider whether they do not while wanting in their Applications to God for the Pardon of sin ignorantly go on in a way very dangerous while the true Fountain of Grace is neglected 't is greatly to be feared that they have hewed to themselves broken Cisterns that will not yea cannot answer their expectations that is to say persons being made sensible that they have sinned against God have thereupon resolved for the time to come to be more watchful and to walk more wisely before God and then having a little while in measure reformed themselves have thereby spoken peace to themselves thinking all is well And why Because they are reformed And thus do they as it were make their own works of Reformation the ground of their peace and satisfaction True it is that works of Reformation in such that have sinned is good for the Lord calls for it yet sure I am and I pray you to consider it that 't is not that no nor any work of Righteousness that they can do yea though they should for ever afterwards so exactly walk both in words thoughts and actions as not again to sin yet I say and confidently conclude that 't is not in the least that which can justifie or cleanse them from the sin already committed And therefore it remains a work none of the least for persons that have sinned against God speedily to draw nigh unto him that by humiliation attended with holy resolutions and Faith they may reach his promised Grace and Mercy the onely sure ground of peace and satisfaction which whosoever attains may understandingly with the Prophet say Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee And so then as persons justified and quitted from sin are to endeavour with calling upon God for his Grace to help them some real and thorow Reformation answering to their former resolutions far exceeding what is or can be in such who neglect the true means of Justification in which Reformation of theirs they may rejoyce but not as imagining peace from thence but rather upon the account that God is thereby more honoured even God who hath justified them from all their sins Now forasmuch as 't is Saints great work to keep themselves in the way of Gods Grace and Mercy that they may alwayes stand quitted and justified from sin without which they cannot go to the Throne of Grace with confidence to receive the special presence of Gods Spirit I would pray all such who are in the godly sorrow because of their sin to weigh these following considerations that henceforth there may be a more apt and ready closing in with Gods Promises in reference to Pardon and Forgiveness of sins Namely that the Lord the Lord God against whom ye have sinned is a gracious God abundant in goodness keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin plenteous in mercy rich in mercy abundant in mercy that will abundantly pardon all which the Scriptures witnesseth Consider also That God delighteth in mercy Mic. 7.18 and taketh pleasure in such as hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 and is full of compassion ready to forgive Nehem. 7.19 but slow to anger Psal 145.8 Consider also That Gods mercies endureth for ever and is from Everlasting to Everlasting to such as keep his Covenant reaching over all his Works as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his mercy even also as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103.11,13,17 Psal 145.9 Consider also That God who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all will with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more shall we be saved and justified from sin by his being alive for evermore making intercession for us Rom. 5.10 Consider also That notwithstanding the great backslidings of Israel even playing the harlot with many lovers upon every high Mountain and under every green Tree and that after God had drawn near unto them in much mercy and love yet even to them after they had done all these abominations saith the Lord the gracious God turn thou unto me Jerem. 3.1,6,7 And that in a day when they called not for mercy even then said the Lord return O backsliding Israel for I will be merciful and not keep anger for ever v. 12. Much more therefore will God extend his mercies unto such who mourn in the sence of their sins and call upon him for mercy whereby to be healed Consider also That to believe the Record of God touching the forgiveness of sins is a setting to our seals that God is true John 3.33 But contrariwise not to believe is as much as in us lyes a making God a lyar 1 John 5.10,11 Consider also That if we confess our sins God is just and faithful to forgive us our sins 1 John 1.9 Shewing that we may as well question the justness and faithfulness of God as question his readiness to forgive the sins of such as confess the same but let none question the necessity of Faith in order to the forgiveness of sins because the Apostle here assures it to such as confess their sins without the least word concerning Faith let none I say question it upon that account for by the same reason they may question the necessity of Prayer for that neither is mentioned in this place To this therefore I say as in many other cases must be concluded that it is such that shall find mercy that are qualified not only as saith one Scripture but as saith the Scriptures compared together Consider also That we have an High Priest passed into the Heavens sitting at the right hand of God for that very end to shew mercy even to save to the uttermost by making intercession with his blood Heb. 7.25 That speaketh far better things than that of Abel not for vengeance but for mercy for all such as have Faith in his blood and therefore saith the Apostle Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy Consider also That we have not such an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like we Heb. 4.15 and being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted for he is a merciful High Priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the People Heb. 2.17,18 God knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust Psal 103.14 Consider also That in thy
lusts and also living possibly among a people that are ready to reprove such fashions Hereupon is led forth by the hand of the old corrupt man to search for some reasonable account that may be given both to himself a little troubled through the Word bearing testimony against it and also unto others and while searching with this corrupt mind Satan being not wanting he findes that in some respect this new fashion may be profitable whereat he is glad and so hastily casts out all former questions and so procures it though it cost him a great deal more than at any time he is willing to bestow on the poor and then with a loud voice and much carnal disputings he stands to plead for it for saith he 't is thus and thus profitable which possibly may be true in some small sense But alas he considers not how the lust first conceived in him by his assent with love and delight thereunto He considers not that though there be some small profit therein that 't was not that which lead him to get it for 't was the love and heart-delight which he had to it as being a fashion pleasing the eye of flesh and whereby he might seem to others to be thus and thus that first moved him thereunto The worldly man will say that he must spend much time and take a great deal of care to get this Worlds goods that he may have somewhat considerably to give to the poor but he lies in his heart before God and men Neither think to say within your selves Because you sometimes distribute something to the poor Saints that therefore Gods Promises reaches you for alas sometimes that may be onely a matter of constraint and not willingly and so not rewardable I mean by constraint so as that you may rather than you will publickly oppose such and such works of Charity whereby you may think that people will speak hardly of you and you thereby come to have an ill name rather than this you may be constrained to give something though little or no heart to it otherwise and sometimes upon the account that conscience with such a loud voyce calls for works of Charity you may be perswaded to part with something to quiet conscience having all that while but little real and hearty love and compassion on the poor Saints as appears among some First by their being quieted and altogether satisfied in that they have distributed something never considering whether they have done what is their duties to do whether the poor Saints have food and raiment sufficient yea or nay Secondly As appears by their much more diligent eye over such as are poor than over others whereby to find some kind of flaw or other in their walkings that so they may quiet conscience thereby while they administer not to them this savours of much carnality where ever it is for should you not be merciful even as your Heavenly Father is merciful Neither think to say within your selves some of you Because you are more kind milde and more meek than others that therefore the Promises of God reaches you For although these things be good qualifications yet may be no certain testimony to you of your striving and labouring in the grace of God whereby these qualifications in you may be truly said to be the fruits of the Spirit though they being found in others may be so yet I say not in you because it is but the same which was alwayes in you naturally and you in the mean while may be far from it and a great stranger unto any experiences of Conquest and victory through Divine help over those other Passions that have reigned in you to the great dishonour of God Oh that you would remember Christs words as thus Every Branch in me that beareth not fruit God taketh away Neither think to say within your selves some of you Because you are able to preach and to dispute for Truth that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for all this may you do as some of the Jews that were become Teachers of others but were not taught themselves and yet at last may be inexcusable as they were while the life of Godliness preached to others is not lived up to by your selves For alas what availeth it men to Preach unto others that they must be new Creatures if in the mean while they themselves have not put off the old Man with his Deeds And with what comfort or boldness can men Preach to others that they should Repent Believe and be Baptized for the Remission of sins and so shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit if in the mean while they know not their own sins remitted nor the gift of the holy Spirit received Or with what comfort can any Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ to others if they in the mean while know not themselves out of the Kingdom of Darkness and so have themselves by faith interest in the Kingdom of Christ What men talk talk of life and eternal glory and in the mean while do the works that leads unavoidably to eternal death Oh horrible blindness Oh what a lamentable condition is this How great is the disproportion betwixt it and the condition of the Gospel-Preachers in dayes of old who perswaded others to have fellowship with them saying Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ 1 John 1.3 And so were such as were able to tell others what the Lord had done for their souls how God had comforted them in all their tribulations and so were made able to comfort them which were in any trouble by the comfort wherewith themselves were comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 These things write I unto you not because I slight you under what name or Title soever you are on whom these words may take hold neither for your destruction do I thus speak but rather desire you and with the holy Spirit speaking to the Churches do I hereby exhort you O Laodiceans timely to repent and be zealous that so Gods Promises may reach you as well as any other for the Lord is not willing that any of you should perish and that so his people may with all freeness have fellowship with you The great Errour and mistake of the Quakers concerning the true Christ and how he is said to be in his People And concerning the Rule of Man-kind MOreover Since 't is not the Talker nor ready Disputer nor the Busie Preacher of this World but the single-hearted doer of what is Preached Disputed or Talked of that shall enter into the Kingdom It remains a work very great for every Professing Soul to abide very circumspect and watchful together with a constant trusting in and dependance upon the Lord who waits to be gracious that thereby they may be more and more wrought up unto a well-pleasing the Lord in all things But lest any soul should be deceived by the
FAITH IN GODS PROMISES THE Saints best Weapon OR The great Use and Availableness of Faith both for the support and growth of Saints in times most perilous Plainly discovering that the want of Faith in the way of Gods Promises is the great cause of the want of Gods Presence With several Considerations for the encrease of Faith that henceforth the Saints may by Faith so draw nigh unto God and in Faith so wait upon God as with certainty of receiving from him Whereunto is added something concerning the great Errour and Mistake of many men concerning the True Christ and how he is said to be in his People with other things very necessary to be known in order to Saints resisting the Temptation of the present Times Set forth as useful for all People but especially intended for the good of such as are returned to the Good Old Way of the Lord By MATTHEW CAFFYN of Horsham in Sussex And it is of Faith that it might be by Grace Rom. 4.16 LONDON Printed by S. Dover for F. Smith at the Elephâ—nt and Castle without Temple-Bar THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader FOrasmuch as there are many among the number of Professors that have somewhat considerably laid out themselves in a Holy pursuit after the more excellent degrees of Christianity hoth frequently and fervently seeking the Lord in order thereunto who nevertheless yet remain short thereof and much below the desired estate to their great dissatisfaction even sometimes tending to the begetting such temptations as are of a very dangerous consequence These things therefore write I unto you whereby you may as some already have come to see that there is one thing yet much lacking even Faith to believe that God is a gracious Rewarder of them that seek him without which 't is impossible to please God For though it be true that men have alwayes spoken of and readily acknowledged Faith to be that which greatly engages Gods grace and goodness for their help yet Oh! how far have men been from living by Faith indeed so as to esteem Gods Promises their ALL in every condition and at all times Whereupon these also are to direct you unto such enlargednesse of heart in believing Gods Promises as may with certainty reach the prayed-for Blessings from God that so having sweet experience of Gods Faithfulness to your Souls you may be encouraged for the future and made able to say with the Saints of old I love the Lord because he hath heard my Supplications therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Psal 116.1,2 But as there are some who have diligently sought the Lord that for want of believing him to be a faithful Rewarder of such have notwithstanding been much without the things sought for so also there are some yea very many that are apt to say with Israel of old that no evil shall come unto them and very confident that the Lord is among them that have indeed no real ground to depend upon the Lord such and so great are their miscarriages to God-ward as that their seeming Faith and Confidence is rendred thereby to be meer imaginations groundless perswasions and so they found such as think themselves to be what they are not and so are deceived These are therefore also to discover and lay open their great miscarriages and corruptions even in such performances of theirs as are supposed by them to be the best of their actions that henceforth they may upon better terms draw nigh unto God even so as that they may enjoy Gods drawing nigh unto them which is the onely real cause of Soul-satisfaction True it is that the dayes wherein we live are perilous and much more may be yet sure may you be that no condition may possibly befal you wherein you may not by Faith so lay hold of Gods Promises as nevertheless to be greatly supported and inwardly comforted Wherefore above all things take the shield of Faith and in every condition let the gracious Promises of God be the ground of your hopes and no longer visible things that the presence of the invisible God may be with all certainty experienced by your Souls Which that you may is and shall be the Prayers of Your Brother in the Lord MATTHEW CAFFYN FAITH IN GODS PROMISES The Saints best Weapon IN the beginning when God made the Heavens and the Earth it seemed good in his sight to make and ordain Mankind to be head over all other his Creatures to whom he freely gave the glory of Paradise a present possession of happiness which he during his innocency enjoyed not as an inheritance first obtained upon conditional terms but as a free gift given him of God without any condition required of him in order to his first entrance thereinto Gen. 2.8,15,16 Which possession when he had lost by his traâ—…gression and thereby made himself and all his posterity subâ—… the first death such was the Fathers love as that he freely gave his Son in due time to dye for the world that is for every man Heb. 2.9 By means whereof was procured a Resurrection of all men from the first death with the gift of Eternal life and glory 1 Cor. 15.22 Mat. 19.14 Which gift of eternal and more excellent life was as freely given to Mankind now since his fall as was that first life of happiness in Paradise before his fall not upon terms or conditions nor any fore-seen Faith in or works of Righteousness done by the Creature but meerly and alone the goodness and richness of grace dwelling in God himself moving him thereunto which life of glory all mankind have right to and are in sure capacity thereof during their infancy wherefore of such saith Christ Mat. 19.14 is the Kingdom of God till by their own personal transgressions they procure to themselves the severity of Gods wrath that is the second death which is Eternal John 3.19 Rev. 20.14 Under the desert of which death all persons quickly come all goes out of the way following the lusts and desires of the flesh which draws and vehemently inclines to its first estate of present pleasure ease and delight which mankind enjoyed while he stood in his first created estate without those many bodily miseries which now attends them which flesh and blood would fain be freed from and so it comes to pass that in all men in one measure or other according to every mans experience there ariseth such natural lusts and desires in the flesh as greatly provokes them to follow after these present things and too too often prevails with them to break the known Laws of God that something like to their first enjoyments might be attained but to follow the present glory of this life so as to delight in and love the same though once lawful for Adam in Paradise who undoubtedly might then as well love delight and take pleasure therein as Saints may take pleasure and delight in the heavenly glory when in the real possession
thereof though then lawful yet I say is not now lawful for the posterity of Adam because God hath now commanded as in very reason 't was meet that mankind having lost by sin the glory of present enjoyments once enjoyable in Paradise and Christ having freely purchased a more excellent even a Heavenly and Eternal glory I say God hath now commanded that mankind should deny themselves and take up a Cross that is to say that men should not now follow their own natural lusts which so greatly inclines to this present world but should deny and cross them and settle their affections and delights upon the more excellent estate of glory purchased by the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 5.15 Col. 3.2 And therefore the sons of men now following the natural lusts of the flesh become by nature the children of wrath led by the Prince of the power of the Air who also stirs up them to follow their own lusts and hearts desires with endeavours by deceit to enlarge the same and thus all men go out of the way there is none Righteous no not one But such and so great was the Fathers love to the world considered thus miserable lying under the burthen of their own personal transgressions as that he willed and accordingly commanded by the Lord Jesus that the Gospel should be preached to every Creature thereof Mark 16.15 that is The Glad-tydings of the Pardon and Remission of their sins so as that whosoever of the world thus miserable by reason of sin now repenteth of the same believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Ver. 16. But this purpose of God concerning Election that is in English choosing out all such as believe to life Everlasting was not in the least arising from or begotten in God by or because of any fore-seen Faith in or works of Righteousness done by the Creature but meerly and alone from the purpose of his own gracious Will nothing in man first or last moving him thereunto for the purpose of God according to Election is not of works but of him that calleth I with the Apostle bear Witness Rom. 9.11 And whereas the glory and excellency of Gods presence is such as cannot admit of any unholy or unclean thing for that Cause his Decree of Election or Predestination reaches the holy Ones or the number of Believers onely and not because God saw any worth or excellency in mens Faith or Holiness whereby to provoke him thus graciously to decree but according to the good pleasure of his Will saith the Apostle hath he Predestinated us that is in English fore-appointed us unto the Adoption of Children Ephes 1.5 Now whosoever of you that bear the name of Saints hearing this so gracious Gospel of Jesus Christ did in your hearts acknowledge the truth thereof verily believing that there was remission of sins to be had in Christ And that Christ therefore being the Justifier and so the most amiablest Object in the World was most worthy your affections and Soul-desires and thereupon resolved with godly sorrow for the sins past for the time to come to serve him with all affections and faithfulness and no longer your selves and so committed your selves to his grace confidently depending upon him for that which you verily believed was to be had in him even the remission of your sins and eternal life whosoever of you have So believed in Christ publickly professing the same by being Baptized that is in English Dipped in his Name by Faith you were justified from all your sins past and being thus reconciled the gift of eternal life freely purchased by Christ Jesus for you without any respect of Faith fore-seen in you or any condition required of you in order thereunto I say the gift of eternal life remained your portion This Faith being professed by you next thereunto O Friends you may remember that you with others and others with you and for you made application to the gracious God by Prayer and Supplication with the Laying on their Hands according to the Scriptures speaking in that case Heb. 6.12 Acts 8.15,17 That you might receive the holy Spirit by the gracious supplies of which you might be both furnished to continue the Faith professed and also to bear much fruit therein to the honour of him who had called you out of darkness into his marvellous light But since 't is the receiving of the holy Spirit and not the bare asking of him nor the much talk of him that makes men thus happy and the more and more receiving of him that makes men men indeed even strong in the Faith it remains a work none of the least for all such who have so believed and so practised well to consider what they have received from God and how they may come to receive more from him for it were a lamentable weakness even greatly tending to the provoking of God for men practising as aforesaid to rest and lye still secure as if all were well barely because they have called upon the Lord for his holy Spirit when for a long time they know him not received nothing of this work upon their own heatts whereby they can declare to others what the Lord hath done for their Souls David that heavenly pattern being in the profession of the Law of God rested not in that but followed hard after the Lord therein Psal 63.8 to whom having diligently sought and Prayed often he abode waiting upon him till the Lord gave him ground to say to his Soul Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 and as elsewhere he saith Psal 63.8 Thy right hand upholdeth me How good a thing were it for Professors in this day to take pattern hereby so as henceforth not to content themselves in that formerly they have prayed with subjection to the Laying on of Hands for the gift of Gods Spirit nor in that they continue sometimes yet to pray for the same for most surely 't is the known hand of God upon the Soul that onely can give real cause of satisfaction the certain experience of Gods bountifulness renders poor Souls otherwise restless to be at rest and true peace And then how boldly may such speak of Gods goodness to others having themselves sweet experience of his goodness to their own Souls And how boldly may such stand up and exhort others to keep under and mortifie the deeds of the body they in the mean while knowing the deeds of the Body mortified in themselves through the operation of Gods Spirit upon their Souls Yea and how boldly also may such reprove them that shall notwithstanding live after the flesh whereas otherwise the reproof of the reprover reflects and sticks fast on himself and not onely so but there is this mischief also attending even that thereby the fleshly part in the reproved hath occasion given it to follow its lusts and so how great are the retortings and reflections of such upon the reprover Sure I am
Name who notwithstanding yet come short and are much below that more excellent estate which they have longed for and which is certainly to be attained These are therefore to inform or remind all such that there is yet one thing much lacking namely Faith or the stedfast believing Gods Promises graciously made in order thereunto for they that come to God must believe not onely that God is or that he is diligently to be sought unto but also that he is a Rewarder of such as thus seek him mark you must believe saith the Apostle Heb. 11.6 shewing plainly that notwithstanding what measure soever of holinesse in point of conversation diligency of seeking or importunity of praying there is unlesse it be accompanied with faith in the Soul that God will reward according as he hath Promised all other virtues found in the Creature will not reach the desired Blessings from God For without Faith 't is impossible to please God To which also agrees the Advise of the Apostle saying let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10.22 Moreover I will saith the Apostle that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 Shewing that it is not enough for men to lift up holy hands to God though attended also with Charity so as to be without wrath both which are very special things unlesse attended also with that more special vertue of Faith so as to be without doubting not enough I say whereby to reach the prayed-for Blessings from God for as 't is the duty of Saints alwayes to be ready to do Gods Commandements thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be the Supream and Almighty God so also 't is their duty alwayes to be ready to believe Gods Promises thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be a just and faithful God for they that receive his Testimony sets to their seals that God is true John 3.33 Both which being experienced by the Prophet David caused him boldly to pray and confidently to conclude that he should not slide saying Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity I have also trusted in the Lord therefore I shall not slide Psal 26.1 Both which also being found in the Prophet Daniel did as it were fetch from God an extraordinary power for the stopping the Lyons mouths so as that he had not though among them the least hurt And why Because of his innocency towards God and man Dan. 6.22 and because he believed in his God ver 23. True it is that God hath promised his Spirit to them that ask him but 't is worthy all observation and I pray you to mark what kind of asking it is which the Promise is made to which you may observe from Christs own words where he saith What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 To which agrees Pauls Testimony to wit That we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 Plainly discovering what kind of Prayer it is Gods ears are open unto which I wish all your hearts may be open to consider even that it is the Prayer of Faith that reaches the Blessing from God whereby to strengthen the weak and sickly Soul for when Gods Promises shall be so magnified in the heart as that like Abraham there shall not be so much as a considering the deadness of its own body that is to say it s own weakness and inability to bring forth fruit to God but shall confidently relye upon his Promises considering that he is both able and willing to cause the barren womb to bear even the unlikeliest of men the base things of the world things that are not to confound the things that are even the Wise and Prudent of the World surely Gods ears are open to hear the Prayers of such they shall not go empty away but rather as 't is written shall be like the Tree planted by the waters that shall not see when heat cometh whose leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit Jer. 17.7 .8 When Israel of old distrusted the help of the Lord and so went down into Egypt for help the Lord spake unto them saying In quietness and confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.2,3,15 Shewing that if Israel had been quiet so as not to have stirred for Egypts help but in confidence or Faith stayed upon the Lord he even the Lord would have been their strength and Salvation so as that they needed not to have feared though an Host had risen up against them but alas because of their unbelief God could do no mighty work of deliverance for them for said they We will flee upon Horses and ride upon the swift and therefore God in his wrath and great displeasure against them said That those that should pursue them should be swift a thousand of them should flye at the rebuke of one and the shadow of Egypt should be their shame ver 3 16 17. and he would wait that he might be gracious ver 18. If peradventure when they had tasted of his Judgements they would thenceforth believe in him and confidently relye upon him that so he might be their strength So much to do hath Faith with the powerful Vertue of the Lord it being the Lords pleasure that it should as that when the Woman that had an issue of blood twelve years was cured by means of the Vertue that was in Christ he casts her Cure upon her Faith saying Daughter thy Faith hath made the whole Mark 5.34 So likewise the Sanctification or Cleansing of the heart is ascribed unto Faith Acts 26.18 Yet not in the least as if Faith of it self or in its own strength could sanctifie or cleanse any heart or cure any mans body for that is the proper work of that spiritual Vertue and Power which is in the Lord but inasmuch as the good pleasure of his good Will is that the same powerful vertue shall serve for the cure of none but such as shall touch him by Faith whereby to draw the Soul-healing Vertue from him therefore 't is said that through Faith men are sanctified and kept by the Power of God through Faith to Salvation So tha notwithstanding the readiness and great willingness that there is in God to cure the distempered and diseased Souls as his many Promises and gracious Protestations in order thereunto plainly declares yet unless they shall make selious and â—…arty Applications unto him together with a holy dependance upon him and a serious waiting in Faith for the same they may nevertheless remain very much out of frame and greatly unhealthful in their Souls there being not ground otherwise for the Lord the great Curer of Souls to say Sons and Daughters your Faith hath â—ade you whole When the Church of the Hebrews were likely to faint in
their Minds the Apostle being greatly desirous of their holding out could find no better way it appears then mightily to presse them to a close dependance upon God by Faith and therefore he begins his account from Abel who through faith obtained witnesse that he was Righteous and being dead yet speaketh and so down to Enoch Abraham and the rest of the Fathers and Prophets who through Faith obtained a good report wrought Righteousness obtained Promises mentioning many other also as well extraordinary as ordinary deliverances obtained by Faith and yet he mentions not all he could touching the Power of Faith for himself saith That the time would fail him to tell thereof Heb. 11. Now what less is there to be learned by this so large an account of the Apostle touching Faith then that Faith is somewhat more concerned in the receiving spiritual Power and Divine Light from God in order to their standing and thriving in his way than any other thing on the Creatures part whatsoever As elsewhere the Apostle mentioning divers pieces of Armour wherewith Christians are to be attired not one of which but that is of special concernment yet saith the Apostle Ephes 6.16 Above all things take the sâ—…ld of Faith wherewith you shall be able through the Grace handed to the Soul by Faith to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked for none of them that trusteth in the Lord shall be left desolate saith the Prophet Psal 34.22 So much doth Faith carry the sence and scope of the Gospel-Covenant as that sometimes the Apostles called it the Faith as you may read Jude 3. Act. 6.7 Gal. 3.23 And it is of Faith mark it I pray that it might be by Grace Rom. 4.16 Now then if it be so that mens prayers to God though never so many or largely performed renders them not happy but that their happinesse consists in their receivings from God what they have prayed for and that the way proposed by God wherein persons may come to receive from him is not onely for them to lift up Holy hands to God but that also they be without doubting that is to say such as believe that they shall receive what they have sought for it remains a weighry work for every Gospel-professing Soul well to consider of what nature and kind their applications have been which they have made to God considering that his grace and goodness is no otherwise engaged for their Souls help but as they shall rely and depend on him to receive the same by Faith which considered and believed as true may well remove all doubts and suspicions concerning the way of God which sometimes arise in the Professors thereof upon the account of so little received from God for undoubtedly the Lords hand is not shortned his way he hath not left his Promises thereunto are Yea and Amen in the Lord but alas How short have men been in coming up to the terms of his goodness That part of Gods Word which consists of Commandments men indeed have been somewhat busied about but as for that part which consisteth of Promises Oh how little hath it been minded they have been indeed often read of and sometimes talked of But how are they that have seriously pondred them and in their hearts magnified them so as to wait in and live upon them counting them all things to them in every condition Hast thou then O thou that out-strippest some others in thy zeal after spiritual things hast thou I say often visited the Throne of Grace as a work most pleasant to thy Soul beseeching the Lord to draw nigh to thee in the large givings forth of his Grace to thy Soul well knowing that without it all thy drawings nigh to him is nothing and hast thou there waited in the sight of the worth and excellency thereof and so in the sence of thy great need of the same thy Soul as it were fainting and thine eyes like the Prophets failing for the Word of God that is the Word of his Promise to be fulfilled to thy Soul saying with him in thy Soul-longings after the desired Bread from above to refresh and strengthen thy Soul born anew from above when Lord wilt thou comfort me Psal 119.81,82 I say hast thou thus waited upon God and art thou yet often with God in thy most solemn and serious Meditations O do but now give the Lord who waiteth to be gracious being as willing to do good as thou art desirous of good give the Lord I say ground to say to thee as once the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15.28 O man great is thy Faith and then O then will the Lord readily say to thee Be it unto thee even as thou wilt according to thy faith be it unto thee But if otherwise the account will be a sad and doleful account even that the Lord could do no mighty work of love for thee because of thy unbelief Matth. 13.58 Mark 6.5,6 O that all were wise that bear the name of Saints even with the Wisdom which is from above So that the bare knowledge of these things or the much talk or preaching of them to others might not be their satisfaction but that all would rather carefully and speedily endeavour to know and be satisfied that they themselves doth so wait upon God by Faith and consequently doth so receive from him which to know and experience within is real cause and ground of peace and Soul-satisfaction In order whereunto even that Faith may grow and flourish in your Souls consider O Friends whether we are not to believe that a Son shall be given when God hath promised it without giving the least heed to what the deadness of body on either hand may say Rom. 4.19,20 Are we not to believe that the promised Seed shall be as the Stars for multitude when God hath spoken it Gen. 15.5,6 notwithstanding all the fleshly opposition arising from the Commandement to slay Isaac the onely promised Seed from whence the multitude should come forth Are we not to believe that the Israel of God shall be brought into the good Land flowing with Milk and Honey when God that cannot lye hath spoken it notwithstanding all the gain-sayings of the red Sea before and the Egyptian Host behind Are we not to believe and confidently to expect a great plenty even a measure of fine Flower for a shekel and two measures of Barly for a shekel and that so soon as to morrow when the Lord God hath spoken it 2 Kings 7.1 notwithstanding the many and great oppositions and contrary speakings of this dayes poverty even that an Asses head is sold for fourscore pieces of Silver and the fourth part of a Cab of Doves dung for five pieces of Silver Chap. 6.25 And was not unbelief in this Promise the cause of sudden Judgement taking hold upon the mighty man upon whom the King leaned Chap. 7.2,19,20 Are we not to believe that the mighty Hosts of the Midianites and Amalekites who for
multitude are as Grashoppers and their Camels as the sand by the Sea-shore shall be put to flight when the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it notwithstanding all the strong reasonings of flesh and blood that is for walking by sight because there is no more than three hundred men allowed by God to do it Judg. 7. Are we not to believe that the Meal in the Barrel and the Oyl in the Cruse shall not waste nor fail when the faithful God hath spoken it though never so much contradicted by the nature of flesh and blood because that at present it is but a handful of Meal in a Barrel and but a little Oyl in a Cruse 1 Kings 17. Are we not to believe that the great Walls of Jericho shall fall down flat there being a Promise of God that they shall without giving any heed to the many fleshly gain-sayings because of their height or great strength or because of the low means as blowing in Rams-horns appointed of God in order thereunto Josh 6. The sum of all which is whether such as have attained to a state of Justification from their old sins by Faith in Christ are not in Faith and full assurance to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit whereby to carry on and work through the work begun which otherwise will never be finished there being a plain and most certain promise of God to pour out the same John 2.28,29 Act. 2.38 Without the least hearkning to fleshly gain-sayings or yielding to fleshly dulness or any mistrust because of the low means as Imposition of Hands Heb. 6.1.2 Act. 8.12,15,17 appointed of God in order thereunto or whatsoever else shall attempt the making his word of Promise of no effect Yea and not onely a Promise of God but also very strong provocations whereby to believe the same being assured from the Lord Jesus that he doth not onely as readily as Fathers that are evil give to their Children but how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 That is the Scriptures compared the Lords good pleasure and great freeness is to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him with lifting up of Holy hands unto him in Faith that they shall receive from him Mal. 21.22 And so waiting with opportunity till they do receive him Luke 11.8,9 so as to know his Power and enjoy his Comfort and Light in their Souls that as uncleanness wrath strife with many other such manifest fruits of the flesh heretofore reigned in them now love joy peace gentleness goodness with many other such like Vertues the manifest fruits of the Spirit may appear in them Gal. 6. for where such things are designed by the Soul so as that all other enjoyments of the world gives no satisfaction to it while this spiritual frame is wanting which it desires of any thing yea above all things that the world can afford and thereupon have diligently sought the Lord for it and now setting to its seal that God is True by believing that he is a Rewarder of them that so seek him where I say spiritual things are thus designed Gods ears are open to hear their Prayers he will be nigh unto them in all conditions Moreover for the growing and flourishing of Faith consider that the Lord sought after you when you sought not after him and said to you when you were in your blood turn turn for why will ye dye Turn at my reproof and I will pour out my Spirit unto you Pro. 1.23 And all this before you saw any beauty or excellency in the Holy Spirit and so had no desire after him and therefore sought not God for him and yet even then God thus magnified the riches of his Grace in the kind tenders thereof to you while such And will he not now much more take care for you and possess you with that which he before tendered unto you even the comfortable presence of his Holy Spirit Since you are now turned unto him and become his servants not seeking the honour of the world as before but his Holy Spirit whereby to do him service for the honour of his Name Will he not much more I say tender such Will he with-hold his good Spirit from such He the Lord the Righteous God that hath said He will with-hold no good thing from such as walk uprightly Psal 84.11 Surely no Hath God begot by his Word of Truth brought to the birth caused the Man-child the New-creature to be born into the world to whom he saith Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 and may you judge and not desperately sin through unbelief that God will now starve this New-creature of his own begetting and bringing forth that he will with-hold the spiritual Bread which onely will satisfie it and so famish his own adopted Children as starve they must and starve they will if God give not his Holy Spirit unto them No surely no carnal men will not starve but nourish and cherish their Children And will not God who is rich in mercy and delighteth in mercy nourish his Yea how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him as abovesaid Moreover consider that God having promised his Holy Spirit to such as seek him with Faith to receive the same both his Faithfulness and Righteousness is engaged for them that so seek him which the holy and believing man fears not to make mention before the Lord saying with David Hear me O Lord in thy Faithfulness and in thy Righteousness Psal 143.1 Moreover for men highly to esteem Gods Promises and so to magnifie them in their hearts as that all pleading of Flesh World or Devil because of the deadness of body or barrenness of the womb shall be utterly rejected as not worthy to be considered when God hath spoken I say for men thus to esteem Gods Promises there being every whit as much reason for them so to do as to esteem and keep his Commandments is not onely the way leading to their Happiness but also that which mightily gives glory to God Abraham staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God Rom. 4.20 These things write I unto you O Friends that henceforth your sences might be much exercised and your minds more and more busied in the consideration of these and such like things that the knowledge which you have of Gods Promises may be a word so planted in your understandings by Faith as that all fleshly staggerings and carnal oppositions may fall down before it and by such endeavours on your part you shal appear to be such who are obedient to the wholsom Counsel of the Apostle who exhorted Timothy to follow after Godliness Righteousness Charity Faith Meekness Patience 1 Tim. 6.11 Who questionless knew how Faith was to be obtained as well as any of those that speak so much of Faith's being the gift
of God who being almost if not altogether silent concerning mens following after Faith have thereby I greatly fear been a means to freeze up the desires of men and wholly to stop their endeavours after Faith which if so I could wish that henceforth they would hearken unto the Apostle who puts men upon following after Faith equally observe it as he puts them to follow after Meekness or Patience c. Which considered may be a means to thaw them out of that benummed and frozen estate even unto due considerations and serious stirrings on their parts in order unto the growth and encrease of Faith And withal be sure that your Prayers and Supplications be not wanting to the Lord that he would be pleased to encrease your Faith and so shall you in due time come to experience the being of Faith in you after special degrees wrought there by the operation of Gods Spirit according to Pauls words to the Galatians Chap. 6.22 while you diligently sought and carefully followed after Faith according to his words to Timothy Chap. 6.11 Together with these things let it not be thought a needless work or besides the business in hand to consider whether Saints are not now in these latter dayes wherein 't is evil as appears by the Apostle to depart from the Faith professed in former Apostolical dayes 1 Tim. 4.1 whether Saints I say are not now to seek for and in Faith to wait whereby to receive the Spirit with the same particular gifts and operations which Saints formerly enjoyed in order to their carrying on the great Work of the Gospel both among themselves and others Since God in his making Promise of pouring out the Spirit upon his People which Promise we in these latter dayes flye unto as the ground of our Faith makes mention also of several gifts of the same Spirit John 2.28,29 And withal considering that the Apostles exhorted the Churches earnestly to covet and follow after the several gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.28,29,30,31 14.1,39 Which exhortations if they reach us and speak to us 〈◊〉 much as any other Scripture-exhortations which for any to deny is hard then Oh then great need have all to pray Lord 〈…〉 Faith But in reference to the fore-mentioned drawing nigh unto God by Faith I suppose that which is a very general hinderance thereof is the great unworthiness that persons find in themselves by reason of sin by means whereof they are as it were afraid to draw near unto God or however if they do 't is very coldly having little or no hopes of acceptance with the Lord and so being not in a justified estate from sin are without Faith in reference to the special Graces of Gods Spirit but among these there are some much more worthy than others who by reason of the strength and subtilty of temptations sometimes as well as others transgress the Laws of God but not as such who overtake sin but rather are overtaken with sin Gal. 6.1 Not allowing themselves therein as their great trouble and Soul-heaviness with daily complaints because thereof plainly declares and yet these for want of a right understanding Gods Way to justifie sinners and his readiness to justifie them alas even these go mourning all the day long rather decaying than flourishing in the Way of God You even you in particular the beloved of my Soul do I hereby exhort First That ye alwayes abide watchful and abundantly careful that ye sin not But Secondly If any man sin that you remember there is an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is a propitiation for our sins by whom way is made for you boldly to come to the Throne of Grace that you may find mercy that is to say for all you that having sinned feels the stroke of sin and forgets it not as Sluggards do and so in the sence and godly sorrow for sin in particular attended with holy Resolutions with humble and hearty Confession of the same with fervent desires leading unto earnest Prayer to God for the Remission of the same you forgiving them that have trespassed against you and not onely this for one thing is yet lacking even that you in Faith also commit your selves to his Grace Believing that as he hath in mercy promised so in faithfulness he will perform what he hath promised even the Remission of sins for what things soever ye desire when ye pray saith Christ believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 And who then can lay any thing to your charge It is God that justifieth such Who or what is there then that condemneth It is Christ that hath died yea rather that he is risen again who also maketh intercession for you through Faith in his blood Rom 3.25 Thus you being very serious and diligent in your Applications to God laying hold on his Promises of Pardon and Remission of sin by Faith and so standing alwayes justified by Faith quitted and freed from all your sins through Grace have so considered no ground or plea because of your unworthiness being now made worthy in the Beloved the Lord Jesus any longer to mistrust or question the good Will and Pleasure of God in reference to your receiving from him the more special Discoveries and Operations of his Spirit but may now boldly go to the Throne of Grace for the same being such whom God waiteth to be gracious unto you having that Faith which his pleasure is to account unto you for Righteousness This being considered how speedily should every Soul not as a thing by the by but as their greatest work when at any time overtaken with sin to draw nigh unto God and that in the sence of every known sin with godly sorrow for the same not daring to delay heaping up sin like the wantons there being every way as much cause of Repentance and Faith for the latter sins as there was for the many former sins committed in ignorance which though persons are ready to acknowledge yet are I fear too apt to neglect the same upon the account that they have renounced their former wayes and their now being in the Way of God and that Christ is now a Mediator for them and the like not considering that the Soul-satisfying benefit of Christs Media orship is enjoyed according to mens Applications unto the Father by him But O what comfort can a Soul have in any thing or with what boldness shall he walk talk or commit himself to his Bed that having sinned against his God hath not as yee been with him and so by Faith received a Pardon from him True it is that such while they neglect the great Soul-searching work and are tossed up and down with the cumbrances of this life may have an imagined Peace and supposed Comfort and so may go on somewhat cheerfully in their thoughts and thinkings as if all were theirs but alas these though they may talk of Gods Love and Mercy are not able to