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
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.
22 usually our Success is according to ouâ— preparation as in Prayer Psal 10 17. compare 2 Chron. 12. 14. with 2 Chron. 19. 3. make Conscience theâ— of preparation 2. Prayer Pour out your Hearâ— to God in Prayer for a Blessing oâ— the Word that you read or heaâ— O lift up a Cry to God and say Lord make this Word effectual to worâ— Faith in my Soul c. 3. Earnest Desire and Expectatis of meeting God in the Word and oâ— his blessing on it if we expect nothing from it no wonder if we receive nothing there is a fulness of Blessing in the Gospel Rom. 15. 29. We should bring hungry and thirsty Souls after God the Living God as Psal 63. 1 2 3. and 84. 1 2. God filleth the Hungry with good things Luke 1. 53. Secondly Some things are Concomitant As 1. We must read and hear it as the Word of God and not as the Word of Man 1 Thess 2. 13. Acts 10. 33. and we must acknowledg God's Authority in it 2. Receive it with Meekness opening our Hearts to it and give it the most tender entertainment Jam. 1. 21. 3. With Love readiness of Mind and gladness of Heart 2 Thess 2. 10. Acts 2. 41. 4. With Faith giving credit to it believing it to be the Word of God Heb. 4. 2. 5. We must be careful to remember it See what great stress is laid upon our remembring 1 Cor. 15. 2. Our Salvation lies upon it Psal 119. 11. Love the Word for Love is the Act of Memory 6. Prayer must be added again for a Blessing Thirdly Some things must be done afterward also As 1. Meditation upon what you have heard and read for want of this usually all is lost I am perswaded this is one great Reason why most profit so little by the Word because they make no Conscience of Meditation they hear and read but never think more on it afterwards So Preaching Hearing Reading and all lost and Souls and Heaven and all lost For God's sake then whose Word you read and hear and for your own Souls sake if you are not willing they should perish for want of Faith make Conscience of Meditation on the Word Psal 1. 2. and 119. 97. if ever you get good by the Word meditate upon it 2. Application of it take it home to your selves Job 5. 27. Let it sink down into your Hearts saith Christ it must be an ingrafted Word you must receive it into your Hearts and not into your Heads only 2. Cor. 4. 6. your Hearts must be joined to it and mix'd with it 3. Practice Yielding up our selves to the Government of it making it the Standard and Rule of your whole Conversation We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only lest we deceive our own Souls Jam. 1. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Mat. 7. 22 24. And in observing these Scripture-Rules here laid down in the careful and conscientious use of God's Word after this manner you may not doubt but the Holy Spirit of God will work with the Word of God to make it effectual to work this most precious Grace of Faith in us whereby to believe in God and in Christ to the Consolation and eternal Salvation of our Souls But if we neglect the Means God hath ordained to get Faith and for want of it die in our Sins and perish eternally our Destruction will be of our selves Direct III. Thirdly Would we have Faith Let us engage our whole Souls in the deep and serious consideration of the infinite unspeakable unconceivable Love of God the Father in this the highest and fullest demonstration of it in giving his Son his only begotten Son to be a Sin-Offering a Sacrifice a Ransom for poor Sinners and that for this very end and purpose that we poor Sinners might believe in him and by believing might not perish but might have Eternal Life I pray read and ponder upon the following Texts and let your most serious Thoughts fix on them and meditate on them Isa 53. throughout John 3. 16 17. Rom. 3. 25. Rom. 5. 8. 10. Prov. 8. 30. Col. 1. 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. Rom. 8. 3. 8. 32. with many other which for brevity sake I cannot transcribe If we can but believe this wonderful Love of God the Father in giving his dear Son to be a Surety a Sin-Offering to lay all our Iniquities on him that he was pleased to bruise him and put him to Grief for us and consider and meditate upon the Heighth and Depth the Breadth and Length of this immense imcomprehensible Love of God in giving his Son and that on purpose that we might believe in him and by beleiving might have Eternal Life I say it will greatly help us to believe in his Son to accept of this his unspeakable Gift and to receive him as he is offered to us in the Gospel Moreover let us also consider of and deeply meditate upon the transcendent Love of the Son of God himself who though he were the Delight of his Father and lay in the Bosom of his Father even then his Delights were with the Sons of Men then was his Heart full of Love to poor Sinners and his Love brought him down from Heaven to Earth to assume Humane Nature to take upon him all the Sins of his People to bear them on his Soul and Body in the Garden there sweating great drops of Blood and on the Cross there pouring out his Heart-Blood made a Curse endured the full measure of the Wrath of God due for Sin and became the Ransom of Souls Philip. 2. 6 7 8. Luke 22. 44. Gal. 2. 20. He loved us and gave himself for us Loved us and washed us from our Sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Gal. 3. 13. Tit. 2. 14. But while I am writing these things I cannot but conceive an Indignation against my self and heartily wish I were filled with Shame Sorrow and Grief of Spirit that having read and heard so often of the surpassing Love of God the Father in giving his Son and so often of the unspeakable Love of Jesus and to be no more affected with it no more sensible of it to have my Affections no more stirred and moved no more quickned and warmed Alas my dead Heart my Adamantine Heart Lord sprinkle it with that Blood Lord shed abroad that Love of thine upon my Heart abundantly by the holy Ghost Lord Jesus manifest thy Love to me that I may love thee I am ashamed and pained for want of Love to God to Jesus O that I could believe thy Love to my Soul then I should not chuse but love thee Lord I believe help my Unbelief The consideration of this Love of God and of Christ is a means to work Faith try it I pray you and you will find it so Direct IV. Fourthly Improve and act the Historical Faith you have on the Doctrines Promises and Threatnings in the
more Troubles Act. 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 18. All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution of Hand or Tongue one way or other Indeed such as can be content with a profession of a Godliness that may suit with the Times that can please themselves with any kind of Godliness or with a Form any Form of Godliness and that can change their Forms when they please such may avoid Persecution but all that will live godly in Christ Jesus in the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus and resolve to live up to the Example and Rule of Christ Jesus they shall have Persecution no avoiding of it No entring into the Kingdom of God but by Tribulation But notwithstanding this our Lâ—rd lays this positive Command on his Disciples Let not your Hearts be troubled These poor Disciples were like shortly to sustain an heavy Loss of their dearest Lord he was now a going away from them a greater Loss they could not have and yet saith Christ Let not your Hearts be troubled Which Command is repeated and explained in the 27th Verse Let not your Heart be troubled nor let it be afraid What! might they say Must we not be troubled at all Must nothing trouble us No we must not be troubled for any outward Loss for any outward Tribulation for parting with the nearest and dearest Relation we must not be troubled Yet we are not forbidden to be troubled for Zion It is a grievous Sin not to be grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph Surely we must be troubled for God's Dishonour because Men break God's Commandments Trouble of Heart except for Sin is sinful Trouble Where Sin lies heavy Affliction lies light Isa 33. 24. They shall not say I am sick for their Iniquities shall be forgiven them Sense of Pardon to those Souls that have felt the burden of Sin much alleviates and lightens the burden of Affliction Strike Lord said Luther now I am absolved from my Sin We are always too prone to fall into Extreams to sin either in Excess or in Defect too much or too little we are faulty both ways As for Sin which is the worst of Evils we are apt to be troubled too little How few fail here in the Excess tho 't is possible so to do and some have that refuse to be comforted by all the sweet Promises of Christ in the Gospel But there are but few of those most of us fail in the Defect We are not troubled for Sin so much as we should our Sins do not lie so hard and heavy upon as they should our Hearts do seldom feel the weight of Sin pressing us down many Sins lie light on us our â—â—in Thoughts our Omissions careless performance of Holy Duties misspending precious Time idle Talk c. and such like Evils which should trouble us most they trouble us least But our Afflictions which comparatively are but light lie too heavy upon us and press us down even to the Dust So in respâ—ct of Afflictions themselves we are apt to ran into Extreams against which the Holy Ghost gives caution as to both Extreams Prov. 3. 11 12. My Son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord neither be weary of his Chastisements the Apostle explains it neither faint when thou art corrected of him Heb. 12. 5 6. Adding a most powerful Argument against those Extreams Ver. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth and therefore despise not his Chastisements and fatherly Corrections slight them not for they come from a loving Father a wise Father and should not be despised by his Children they are the Fruits of his Love Also you must not be weary of them nor faint under them for the same reason viz. because they shall not hurt you they flow from your Father's Love from a Father they come who delighteth in you and therefore ye ought not to faint under them or as it is in the Text Whatever Affliction befals you let not your Heart be troubled It is Heart-trouble you see that is here forbidden not a filial sense of God's Hand nor a Child-like acknowledgment of God's Rod God's Rod hath a Voice and its Voice must be heard When his Hand is â—iâ—ted up to strike to say on any blows on us or on any of our Relations or earthly Comforts we must observe it and him and acknowledg the same but not to acknowledg and observe the Hand of God not to consider in the Day of Adversity not to humble our selves under his mighty Hand not to stoop and yield to God but to think or say of our Affliction that it cannot be helped there is no Remedy it is common and ordinary and the like this is to despise the chastning of the Lord take heed of this But yet we must take heed too that under the pretence of being sensible of the Hand of God and of his stroaks upon us that we do not fall into the other Extream of being weary of his Chastisements and of Despondency and fainting under his Corrections we must be careful that we do not let our Hearts be troubled Quest But is it possible that we should be afflicted deprived of Liberty of Estate of loving Relations of the Desire of our Eyes and of the Delight of our Hearts for such in a most eminent manner was Jesus Christ to his Disciples He was the Desire of all Nations and not be troubled at our very Hearts Can we behold our Benjamin's our Sarah's or Rebekah's our Joseph's c. taken away our dear Husbands or loving faithful tender Wives snatch'd away from us with a Stroak with a sudden Stroke to be in a moment deprived of such Comforts and in such a Time too in an Evil Time in a sad and suffering Time when such Helpers would sweeten our Sufferings and help bear our Burdens would give us sweet Counsel and uphold us in the Way of God What is it possible such Knots should be untied and so suddenly such Flowers cropt off cut down such sweet Friends removed from us as lay once in our Bosoms and sent to the Chambers of Darkness sealed up in the Dust made silent in the Grave to see their sweet Faces no more till the Heavens be no more Is it possible I say in such cases not to be troubled or if it be possible Is it necessary or is it attainable May we arrive to such a Temper may we get such a calm quiet tranquil and submissive frame of Spirit It is Admirable but is it Attainable I answer We must not despise the Chastning of the Lord as was noted before we must not be as Stocks or Stones altogether insensible of the Hand of God upon us No we must be sensible we must lay those things to our Hearts and consider the Work of God Such losses and of Such are to be lamented they will be found wanting their Relations will find them Wanting their Families will find them
might have It is such a disturbance of our Passions such a storm and tempest in our Spirits as causeth inward Motions Emotions and Commotions of Mind putting all things in the Soul out of order and it carries in it several Evil Things as follow First Sinful Sorrow worldly Sorrow When Christ had told his Disciples that he would leave them and that after he was gone they should be exposed to hard and heavy things from the World bitter Persecution for his Name-sake then sorrow filled their Hearts John 16. 1 2 3 4 5 6. God's own Servants Christ's own Disciples may have their Hearts filled with Sorrow against this our Lord commands many Preservatives in this Sermon The ground of this Sorow is from our selves from our own Hearts though Satan will have a hand in it and it comes not from Humility but from Pride because we cannot have our Wills therefore we are discontented We may thank our selves not only for our Troubles but for our over-much troubling of our selves in our Troubles If we ward and guard against this worldly Sorrow our Troubles would not lie so heavy on us as they do for as the Joy of the Lord doth raise and strengthen the Soul so doth Sorrow deject and weaken it Sorrow and Grief doth lie like Lead to the Heart cold and heavy and sinks it downward still Sorrow contracteth and draweth the Soul into it self from that Communion and Comfort it might have with God and Man and it weakneth the execution of the Offices of it because it drinketh up the Spirits it melteth the Soul it causeth it to drop away Yea in this kind of Heart-trouble God's own People are many times more excessive than others 1. Because many times their Burdens are greater their Temptations Desertions Trouble for Sin greater As their Joys are unspeakable and glorious so their Sorrows are sometimes above expression Common natural Courage will carry a Man thorow other single Afflictions But Sin is a heavier burden than Affliction and the Wrath of God than the Wrath of Man 2. They have a greater sense than others their Hearts being made tender by Religion they have also a clearer Judgment than others and see more into the nature of things than others they see a greater Evil in Sin and in the displeasure of God than others They value God's Favour more than others therefore when he hides his Face they cannot but be troubled They observe more of the displeasure of God in afflictive Providences than others do and therefore they have more Sorrow 3. They have more tender Affections than others the new Heart is a soft Heart A Stamp is sooner set upon Wax than upon a Stone A wicked Man hath more cause to be troubled than a godly Man but he is not a Man of that tenderness and sense and therefore is not so affected either with God's dealings with him or with his dealings with God Thus we find often in Scripture good Souls depressed with Sorrow David said he was like a Skin-bottle in the Smoak all wrinkled and dried up Read Psal 38. Psal 39. 11. When thou with Rebukes dost correct Man for Sin that is by Sicknesses death of Relations and other Losses thou makest his Beauty that is of his outward Man to consume away like a Moth. Whereas the Beauty of the Soul grows fair by Affliction but that of the Body is blasted Age Sickness Losses will make the Beauty of the Body to fade but of the Soul to shine 2 Cor. 4. 14. Though our outward Man doth decay and perish our inward Man is renewed day by day But for worldly Sorrow that too often not only weakneth the Body but also causeth Heart-trouble A merry Heart doth goeâ— like a Medicine but a broken Spirit drieth thâ— bones Prov. 17. 22. Quest But is this worldly Sorrow lawful and commendable Answ No surely for there are many Evils in it which we should avoid As 1st Impatience and Murmuring againsâ— God that is an effect of immoderate Sorrow when our Wills are crossed we cannot bear it for want of Self-denial 2ly Quarrelling at Instruments 3ly Using indirect means for our Relief It is better to pine away in our Afflictions than to be freed from them bâ— sinning 4ly Desponding and distrustful thoughâ— of God Is his Mercy clean gone wiâ— he be favourable no more Psal 77. 7 8. 5ly Questioning our Interest in God meerly because of the Affliction upon us Judg. 6. 13. If God be with us why is aâ— this befallen us Not considering how harâ— soever God dealeth with his People yeâ— he loveth them Heb. 12. 6. 6ly Sometimes Atheistical Thoughts do arise as if there were no God no Providence Psal 73. 13. as if it were in vain to serve the Lord. 7ly This worldly Sorrow indisposeth to all good Duties it makes a Man like an Instrument out of Tune or a Bone out of Joint which makes the Body move both uncomely and painfully it unfits for Duty to God and Man 8ly It makes a Man forget former Mercies and overlook present Mercies all is nothing under present Sufferings Give me Children or else I dye 9ly It makes us unfit to receive Mercies and to embrace the best Counsels such Plaisters will not stick they refuse to be comforted Psal 77. 2. 10ly It disposeth us to receive any Temptation Satan hath never more advantage than upon Discontent 11ly It hinders Beginners from coming into the Ways of God 12ly It rejoiceth and hardneth the Wicked and it grieves and damps the Spirits of our Friends All these and many more Evils are in worldly Sorrow Therefore this Evil Temper we must labour against and not suffer our selves to be dejâ—cted in Sickness contempt in the World loss of Friends and Relations loss of Honour and Earthly Interest May we only think to be exempted from Chastisements whereof all God's Children are partakers Heb. 12. 8. And must God make a new way to Heaven for us Or do we think it best for us to live here for ever in Ease and Plenty and Honour and never see a Change No surely it is in vain to think so It becometh us betimes to prepare for Crosses None so strong lively and brisk now but they shall shortly wither and decay None hold their Heads so high now but they must shortly lay them down in the Dust We and our dearest Relations must part It would be our wisdom to turn the stream of our Sorrow for Losses and Crosses into godly Sorrow for Sin then it will run in its right Channel Let our Sins lie heavy upon us and then our Afflictions will lie light Let us grow weary of our Sins not of our Sufferings God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men Lam. 3. 33. Let us consider also the real spiritual benefit of Afflictions God aims at our Profit and in good time in the best time he will send Deliverance And be sure those that are not unmindful of their Duty God will not be
Thess 4. 13 14. and such like Now Faith applies such Commands to the Soul I must not be troubled in my Heart God forbids it Why must we not prophane the Sabbath nor Swear nor Lie c. but because God hath forbidden these Evils So here God hath forbidden us to be troubled and commanded us to be quiet patient contented submissive to hiâ— Will in all his dealings thus we should urge God's command on our Souls Yea we are commanded to be so far from troubling our selves when Afflictions befal us as that we must count it all joy when we fall into divers Temptations Jam. 1. 2. And to rejoice in Sufferings for Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation Jam. 1. 12. Secondly Consider the Word of Promise Many exceeding great and precious Promises are in the Word of God which are as a full Feast for Faith to feed upon God promiseth to be our God to be with us in the Fire and in the Water Isa 41. 10. and 43. 2. to support and sustain us to lay no more upon us than he will enable us to bear 1 Cor. 10. 13. That all things shall work together for our good Rom. 8. 28. And what can we desire more The is no trouule that can befal us but â— may find a Promise suitable to it Aâ— faithful is he that hath promised who aâ— will do it 1 Thess 5. 23. And why hâ— the great God so wonderfully condesceded to poor Creatures as to make many sweet Promises which are record in the Holy Scriptures but for this Tâ— the Heirs of Promise might have strong Câ—solation Heb. 6. 17. And that their Heaâ— might not be troubled Thirdly The Word of Threatniâ— Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father Mother Son or Daughter so Husbanâ— Wife more than me is not worthy of â— saith Christ Now by our immodeâ— Sorrow for the loss of these we maniâ— our immoderate Love of these should consider that when these are â— moved that Christ remains ours sâ— and with us still our Relation to hiâ— not broken and Christ will be instead all and better than all to us and â— should keep us from Heart-Trouble Fourthly The Examples of God's Saiâ— in the Word We should consider alâ— what a famous Example is Abraham wâ— was content to part with his Isaac at â— Command of God his only Son the Son of his Old Age the Son of the Promise in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed yea content to lay his own Hands upon him to slay him and burn him but when he was tried God spared him Gen. 22. 12. The way to keep our earthly Comforts is to be willing to part with them when God calls for them So Eli when very sad Tidings was told him It is the Lord said he let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. So Aaron when that heavy stroke fell upon him That both his Sons were struck dead upon the Place for their Sin and it may be in their Sin too it is said Aaron held his peace Levit. 10. 3. So Job stript of all his Friends at once The Breath of his Wife was strange to him And David complained That Lover and Friend was put far from him Now we should consider these Examples and set Faith a-work on them and know That it is our Duty to be followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6. 12. Fifthly The Word of Experience David tells us his Experience and saith It was good for him that he had been afflicted And many Christians living can and do bless God for their Affliction and thaâ— God by taking away of their Relationâ— from them he made more room in theiâ— Hearts for himself and communicateâ— more of himself to their Souls Thus bâ— acting of Faith upon the Word of God we may gain support and be preserve from Heart-Trouble Fifthly Faith acted upon the Work â— God will support under Heart-Trouble Eccles 7. 13. Consider the Work of Goâ— Faith looks to the Work of God whâ— it is that killeth who it is that taketh â— way who can stop or mend or hind his Work This quieted David's Hearâ— when the stroke of God was heavy upoâ— him I opened not my Mouth because thâ— didst it Psal 39. 9. It is the Lord â— hath done it It is he that doth whatsâ—ever he pleaseth Sixthly Faith acted on the Will â— God Faith resigns up all to the goâ— and holy Will of God So did our Loâ— himself Not my will but thine be doâ— Luk. 22. 42. and so we pray continuall Thy will be done and therefore when it â— done our Hearts must not be troubled Lastly Faith acted on the gracious Ends and Designs of God in afflicting us and removing our earthly Comforts from us will prevent Heart-trouble God hath holy and good Ends which Faith looks unto God aims at our Profit as Heb. 12. 10. Such Ends as these 1. God's End is to discover and purge away our Sins Isa 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged this is all the fruit to take away his Sin 2. To try and exercise our Graces Job 23. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. 3. To crucify our Hearts unto and to estrange our Affections from the things of this World 4. To draw our Hearts nearer to himself Therefore many times God takes away our earthly Comforts from us because they had too much of our Hearts and because they lay between God and our Hearts and kept us at a distance from him 5. To bestow greater and better Mercies upon us God never takes away any Darling-Comfort from his People but his Design is to give a better in the room oâ— it as in the Text Christ leaves his Diâ—ciples in regard of his Bodily Presence because he would send the Comforter â—â— them which should abide with them for ever John 14. 16. 6. To make them partakers of his Hâ—liness Heb. 12. 10. 7. To fit and prepare them for that fâ— more exceeding and eternal weight â— Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. These are God's hâ—ly and good Ends in afflicting his Peoplâ— unto which Faith looks and so supporâ— the Heart Thus you see how Faith acted on Gâ— in these Particulars will prevent or câ— all our Heart-troubles Faith acted on tâ— sweet and gracious Nature of God He Love all Love on his glorious Attributâ— his All-sufficiency his Omnipotency his asolute Soveraignty his Vnchangeablenâ— his Wisdom his Righteousness his Faithfâ—ness Faith acted on God's gracious evelasting Covenant on the Word of God â— the Word of Precept of Promise of Threâ—ning of Example of Experience Aâ— Faith acted on the Work of God on tâ— Will of God and on his holy Ends in â— his Chastisements I say Faith thus actâ— on God will exceedingly support under all Trouble Let not your Hearts be troubled ye believe in God So much of this first Particular And before I enter upon the second I shall make some short