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
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
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
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
Lord will call to us out of Heaven and say Come up hither Rev. 11. 12. Come up to me I have prepared a Place for you here There is room enough in our Father's House there are many Mansions and from thence there shall be no remove for ever no more any changing Houses for ever when once we are lodg'd in our Father's House There is our Forerunner for us entred Heb. 6. 20. The hope we have through Grace of getting into that blessed Place by that new and living Way to rest there after all our weary wandrings here and never to remove more is that which comforts us in these our troublesome removes here O that Place and that blessed State in that Place to see God and to be ever with the Lord to see our lovely Lord Jesus as he is and to be made like unto him Could we fix our Hearts and Eyes more stedfastly upon those invisible and eternal things we should more quietly and comfortably bear our present Troubles yea and rejoice in them And when we can act our Faith upon that Place and State above and conclude our Title to it by our Interest in Christ then our Hearts will not be troubled Also this Consideration should preserve us from Heart-trouble and Sorrow for the loss of our dear Relations which died in Jesus for that they are gone home to their Father's House they are arrived at their Harbor they are safely hous'd they are where theâ— would be they are gone to the Place that their beloved Lord went to prepare for them to that City of God â—â— the general Assembly of the First-borâ— whose Names are written in Heaven c Heb. 12. 23. They would not exchangâ— their Place now for the most stately and most magnificent Place in all thâ— World O could we but realize by Faith that most happy State and Placâ— where our deceased pious Friends are gone our Hearts would not be trouâ—led for them And this may comfort us also under all our present Sufferings and Sadnesses that e're long we also shall go tâ— that Place to that City above whicâ— God hath prepared for us Our Lorâ— assures us that he will come again and take us to himself that where he is â—â— may be also O could we believe this we should say Come Lord Jesus coâ— quickly Fourthly Our Faith must be acted upon the Work that Christ will do for us and in us and upon us in Heaven at the last It is above all our Understandings to conceive what glorious Works Christ will do for us and in us at the last day It doth not yet appear what we shall be 1 John 3. 2. There shall be a day of the Manifestation of the Sons of God The poor despised Saints all black and cloudy here covered with Shame and Reproach now shall then be manifested to be the Lord's Jewels That will be a Day of their full Redemption both of Soul and Body their Wedding and their solemn Coronation-day Then their blessed Redeemer shall publickly own them and bid them welcome to his Father's House saying Come ye Blessed of my Father c. Mat. 25. 34. Then will Jesus put the Crown of Glory of Righteousness and of Life upon their Heads Then will Jesus present them to his Father without Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5. 27. Then will he make their now vile Bodies subject now to vile Corruptions to vile Diseases to vile Abuses and to a vile dissolution at Death like unto his own gloriouâ— Body and their Souls shall be like to his to their full satisfaction Theâ— the poor Disciples of Christ shall havâ— a full End put to all their Heart-Troâ—bles Sorrows Fears and Cares Then their Hearts shall rejoice and theâ— Joy no Man nor Devil shall take froâ— them Sorrow and sighing shall flee away and they shall enter in into Everlasting Rest and into that unspeakable blessed State which was purchased by the precious Blood of Jesus and by him prepared and possessed in ouâ— Names and Steads All our dear Relations that died in Jesus are already entred Christ their dearest Lord hath wrought this glorious Work on their Souls already they are triumphing singing Hallelujahs in the highest Heavens While we are fighting sighing and sobbing here below they are with blessed Jesus above according to his Prayer for them seeing his Glory and participating of it Thus much for the Work of Christ upon whicâ— our Faith must act that our Heartâ— may not be troubled Sixthly Our Faith must act upon the Will of Christ in order to the preventing and curing our Heart-Troubles Fears and Sorrows What is the Will of Christ It is his Will that his Peoples Hearts should not be troubled nor afraid as in the Text It is his Will that in the World they should have Tribulation but yet that they should be of good chear It is his Will that in their Patience they should possess their Souls and not faint nor be discouraged It is his Will they should be sanctified and that all their Afflictions should promote their Sanctification It is his Will that although he love them yet to rebuke and chasten them And when he doth so that they should be zealous and repent It is his Will that they should deny themselves and take up their Cross daily and follow him That they should fear none of those things that they should suffer That they should walk in his steps hold fast to the End be faithful unto Death That they should overcome It is his Will that they should not love Father or Mother Son or Daughter more than himself no nor their Lives but be willing to part with all for his sake Yea it is his Will his last Will thaâ— all his poor Disciples after they havâ— suffered a while may be with him whoâ— he is to behold his Glory Thus if wâ— act Faith upon the Will of Christ anâ— labour to yield to it and acquiesce iâ— it we shall procure much freedom froâ— Heart-trouble Lastly Our Faith must be acteâ— upon the Ends and Designs of Chriâ— in all his afflictive Providences towards us and these his Ends are all very good and gracious With thiâ— Argument he himself used to cure the Heart-Troubles of his Disciples for his departure from them viz. thaâ— he had good Ends in his going away from them his End was to prepare a Place for them a better Place than any to be found here a Place iâ— Heaven in the Father's House And his End was to send the Spirit the Comforter unto them which woulâ— not come if he did not go away John 16. 6 7. He had told them of his going away from them upoâ— which Sorrow had filled their Hearts and it is even so with â—s when ouâ— earthly Comforts leave us Sorrow fills our Hearts but to cure this our Lord answers them that it was expedient for them good and necessary for them that he should go away shewing them his End in going
his Heart and who will in his due time make all the World know that his People are as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye Trust then depend and rely upon God in Christ and by an holy Confidence resign up your Wills to his Will to do what he would have us do to be what he would have us be to suffer what he would have us suffer and then Heart-trouble will cease and sweet Peace cometh when having trusted all with God we can in heart say Lord if thou wilt have me poor disgraced imprisoned diseased deprived of my dearest Friends I am content to be so I trust all my Concerns with Thee O the sweet peace and quiet that will be in that Soul There is the Almightiness the Wisdom Goodness Love Mercy and Faithfulness of God in Christ for us to trust in and to rely upon a Bottom and Foundation strong enough to build our Confidence upon in all Storms and Streights God hath also made many exceeding great and precious Promises in his Word and not a naked Promise but he hath entred into Covenant with us founded upon full satisfaction by the Blood of Jesus and confirmed it with an Oath Heb. 6. 17. and to this Covenant sealed by the Blood of his Son he hath added the Seals of the Sacraments and all this that the Heirs of the Promises namely All true Believers night have strong Consolation and be cured of all their Heart-troubles Upon this sure Foundation then must our Faith act in an holy Confidence in God and in Christ the Soul being taken off from all other Objects carried out of Self unto God and Christ who presently as soon as trusted in communicate themselves and their love and goodness to the Soul filling it with peace strength and settlement By this trusting in God we honour God most and best provide for our own safety The way then whereby Faith quieteth the Soul and cures it of its Troubles is by raising it above all Disquietments and pitching it solely upon God in Christ and thereby uniting it to God in Christ from whence it draws Vertue and Strength to subdue what ever troubleth its Peace For the Soul is made for God and never finds Rest till it return unto and settle and center it self upon him again And that we may thus place our Confidence in God and Christ for all supplies we must most earnestly beg cry and seek to God for Grace and Strength so to do we must trust in God aloneâ— for all things and at all times and thus by appropriating God to us and Christ to us and placing our Confidence in them we may be cured of alâ— our Heart-troubles The Application 1. For Information These Inferences follow First If Faith acted upon God in Christ be such a Remedy against Heart-trouble then surely Faith is a very precious a very excellent thing a Grace of very great worth and value and of great use and efficacy It is precious Faith indeed the very Trial of it is more precious than Gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. Precious for its Author the Lord Jesus for its Object precious Jesus and all the exceeding great and precious Promises the purchased Inheritance For its Offices it unites to us Christ gives us Title to eternal Life it supports under all Afflictions prevents or cures all Heart-troubles and precious for its End which is the Salvation of our Souls Eph. 3. 17. Heb. 11. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 9. This Grace of Faith is of a transforming spiritual Nature and the Soul of a Believer by acting it on God and Christ and on Divine Heavenly and Spiritual things becomes Divine Heavenly and Spiritual Faith unfastneth the Heart from the Creature shewing the Soul the Vanity of it and carries the Soul unto God and Christ shewing it God's All-sufficiency and Christ's All-fulness for Faith believes what God in his Word hath revealed of both It is the great Design of God in all the Troubles he sends upon his People effectually to teach them the exceeding Vanity of the Creature to imbitter the things of this World to them to wean their Hearts from them to bring earthly things out of Request with them to make them see that there is no true Contentment nor solid Satisfaction for the Soul to be found in them and to make them see where true Happiness and Contentment is to be had even in God and in Christ alone for whom their Souls were Created Redeemed and Sanctified Now the great Work of Faith is to take off the Soul from the Creature and fix and settle it upon God and Christ the true Foundation Naturally our Hearts hang loose from God and cleave to the Creature and when the Creature fails our Hearts are troubled but Faith takes off the Heart from the Creature and settles it upon God in Christ where it finds Rest and this is the great Service it doth us All the great and famous things which those Worthies did and all the hard and heavy things they suffered mentioned in Heb. 11. were all done and suffered by the Power of Faith ver 37 c. The setling of our Hearts upon God in Christ trusting all there is the best means to cure our Heart-trouble and this Faith doth and therefore it is precious Secondly It follows from the Premisses That the want of Faith in God and in Christ is the Great Cause of all our Heart-Troubles Despondencies and Disquietness Could we but act our Faith strongly on God and Christ as our God in Christ our Troubles would be prevented or cured For by Faith the Soul looks up to God in Christ through the Promises looking off from all other Supports unto God for all Supplies for the removing of all Evil felt or feared and for the obtaining of all Good promised and needed and by this exercise of Faith the Soul is raised up above all Discouragements and Disquietments but where this Faith is wanting or the lively exercise of it suspended there the Soul sinks under Heart-Troubles But of this some-what was said before Thirdly Hence also we may clearly see the absolute Necessity of getting Faith in God and in Christ and of acting it and living by it There is no living quietly and comfortably without it no standing under our Burdens no bearing with Patience and Chearfulness our Losses and Crosses without this Faith no Joy and Peace but by believing by Faith we stand Fourthly Then the Things of the World are not to be trusted to nor trusted in for Comfort in time of Trouble Nothing but God and Christ to be trusted in and trusted to and there is enough in them to support and comfort us as hath been shewed but no confidence to be put in the Creature there is a Curse upon such Confidence but a Blessing on them that trust in God No trusting in Friends Riches Gifts or any thing for so to do is Idolatry to give that to the Creature which is due to God alone Fifthly Hence we see
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
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.