beleeve or no for some shall not be saved and if I be one of them if I should beleeve I should be saved by Christ I should beleeve a lye The Gospel declares that whosoever beleeves in Christ shall be saved Joh. 3. 16. therefore those who beleeve cannot be any of them that shall perish and the Word saith be that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. and shall not see life What God saith is truth and truth ought to be beleeved and whatsoever is contrary to truth no man is bound to beleeve therefore no unregenerate man is commanded to beleeve the forgivenesse of his sinnes in any other way then Gods word holds forth forgivenesse of sinnes which is he that beleeves shall be saved and have everlasting life Men are commanded to beleeve they shall have benefit by Christ life and salvation by Christ if they beleeve Joh. 3. 16. And no man is commanded to beleeve he shall be saved by Christ whether he beleeves or no for this is contrary to the Word which saith He that beleeves not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. No man is to beleeve that which is not true yet this hinders not but all that see an absolute necessitie of Christ shall enjoy him they ought not to distrust in him but to cast away all their doubts and feares and beleeve in him and rest upon him for ever as Simon Peter said to Christ Master to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Joh. 6. 67 68. But I have no love to Christ I am an enemie to Christ I am not fit for Christ The reason thou doest not love Christ is because thou seest not thy sinnes to be pardoned by Christ didst thou know he loves thee thou wouldst love him the love of Christ would constraine thee to love him 2 Cor. 5. 14. We love him because he first loved us 1 Joh. 4. 19. Doest thou apprehend thy selfe to be an enemy to God so were all those once that ever did beleeve Ephes 2. 12 13. While we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Enemies cannot discerne Christ yet God gives Christ to such Thou canst not fit thy selfe for Christ if thou seest such a necessity of Christ as without him thou art undone thou desirest Christ and goest to Christ He that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. hearken what Christ saith you shall speed you have the promise of Christ which is security sufficient to satisfie thy soule for Christ is in you and no man can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse viz. Christ but such as are blessed Mat. 5. 6. and the Spirit of God dwels in you and Christ is in you and they that are led by the Spirit of God out of themselves to Christ for light and life and strength are the children of God Rom. 8. 9 10 11 14. Indeed there are many sweet promises in the Word but they are all for beleevers but I am none I grant none may apply a promise of life but onely such as beleeve yet the promises are for all the elect thou knowest not but thou art one of them when God shall please to give thee faith thou shalt know thy interest in them Act. 13. 48. In the meane time stay thy selfe with this that the Lord Jesus gave himselfe for enemies and justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. Whilest wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Therefore be not discouraged God may save thee also The Lord saith I will have mercy upon her that hath not obtained mercy and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God Hos 2. 23. Oh sweet place therefore by no meanes yeeld not to thy feares nourish no jealousies against God but resolve in Christs strength to cleave to his Word as Psal 119. 49. And here hold saying My beloved is mine and I am his Song 2. 16. I would gladly beleeve but I dare not Thou shouldst not admit nor give way to any discouragement to hinder thy going to Christ seeing Christ cryed saying If any man thirst let him come to mee and drinke Joh. 7. 37. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and whosoever will let him come Rev. 22. 17. The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 11. He will not quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 20. From whence is thy feare sure it is occasioned or much increased by them who bid persons beleeve forbid them againe by their saying Take heed what you doe you may be deceived it is not so easie a matter to beleeve you must first be so sensible of sin and so humbled for it c. before you may beleeve Now they conceit they are not so and so qualified therefore they dare not beleeve also they are scared with the many things hypocrites may doe how farre they may goe and so set them short of hypocrites which must needs discourage them yet the word of God requires no such teaching for men to learne before they may beleeve for when the soule seeth it selfe lost by reason of sinne and is at a stand not knowing what to doe the first thing they are to doe is to beleeve in Jesus Christ as appeares Acts 16. 31. The word requires nothing of them before they may beleeve therefore wee may not for none may presume above what is written If thou desirest to beleeve thy will is in part regenerated and thou doest in some measure beleeve though weakly as he did that said Lord I beleeve help my unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. Gods servants are described by a desire to feare his Name Nehe. 1. 11. Psal 145. 19. Psal 147. 11. There can be no desires without faith 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. a man cannot desire that which he beleeves not to be so Heb. 11. 6. Many give God their hearts and doe not know it and so are troubled because they do not know what is meant by the heart nor where it is seated I speak not of the heart of flesh Rom. 8. 5 6 7. there is a carnall minde and a spirituall minde in men I speake of the heart mystically and spiritually which is principally seated in the will so that what it wills or desires there is the heart and to that which the will most wills or desires to that is the bent of the heart unto Now if the soule were to have its choice of every thing that one thing that the soule should chuse would any question whether they loved it and that their hearts were not unto it for as no soule can be sensible of the want of Christ untill the soule be possessed of him Rom. 8. 10 11. so no soule
can desire Christ above all things in the world if they might have their choice unlesse Christ have their hearts and they dearly love him and beleeve in him for Christ is precious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2. 7. and to none else So the seat of faith is in the heart which is in the understanding and will but more principally in the will so that if our wills be renewed our hearts are renewed Rom. 8. 5 6. Paul saith To will is present with me good I would doe so then with my minde I serve the Law of God Rom. 7. 18 19. with 21. 25. it appeares that the will is one with the minde and the heart is one with them these three are one and alwayes goe together and are alike spirituall Christ saith Where your treasure is there will your heart be also Mat. 6. 21. that is the mind and affections and by affections in Eph. 3. 2. is meant the heart for the heart and affections are one thing There be them that beleeve and yet they know not whether they beleeve or no so that it is possible for them to call their faith unbeliefe as the blind man did Mark 9. 24. Lord help my unbeliefe which must not be understood of unbeliefe for it is not a lawfull request to pray that sin may be increased for unbeliefe is a sin and the ground or cause of the soules departing from God as Heb. 3. 12. Many mistake faith some have thought comfort joy or ravishments of soule with God to be faith and so have concluded because they had not them they had no faith It is not mens beleeving but the object of faith that gives faith its denomination or name for there be divers kinds of faith there is a naturall faith as Luk. 8. 13. and a divine faith or the faith of Gods Elect Titus 1. 1. Faith and its object is not to be separated because faith and its object is one and the same it is too strict therefore to give a distinction or definition of faith without its object He that beleeveth that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God shall be saved All is included in this he that beleeves this must 1. Know Christ to be the anointed Luk. 23. the Saviour of his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 21. 2. To beleeve in Christ to rest upon him to live or stay upon the Lord Pro. 3. 5. To beleeve in him Rom. 10. 9. 11. Psal 17. 6. To cleave to God Deut. 30. 20. Joh. 23. 6. Acts 11. 23. Psal 119. 30 31. to hope in him Psal 147. 11. 3. To own and confesse Christ Simon said Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God Mat. 16. 16. Rom. 10. 9. Any man may say that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God yea the Devils confesse this I know thee who thou art Jesus Christ the Sonne of God therefore this cannot be the faith of Gods Elect and so not the faith of the Gospel 1. There are three things to be considered in the nature of faith first illumination secondly for the soule to trust in Christ for pardon and life and the third is the application of him The first is when a man consents to the Word that it is true and this is called faith and this the Devill doth Thou beleevest there is one God thou doest well the Devill doth so James 2. Mark 5. 8. Acts 16. 17. The second is to beleeve that Jesus is the Christ which implies a seeing and knowing all to be in Christ for life and salvation and so to rest upon him for it he that thus beleeves in Christ is brought by Christ over to Christ and so centred upon him that he will never goe from him Joh. 6. 58. My soule wait thou on God for my expectation is from him Psal 62. 5. and this no Devill never did The third is to beleeve with an application of Christ as their own in particular therefore to beleeve in Christ is more then an illumination or a saying so or reformation for where faith comes old things are done away and they are new creatures there is a light set up in that soule now they know all is by Christ and that there is no way or meanes of life but by Christ and close with Christ and rest upon him Secondly the Scriptures cleerly prove that to beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God is the faith of the Gospel for the Word of God is the ground of faith and the soules salvation depends upon the truth of what God saith and faith looks onely to what God saith and rests upon it and sets to its seale that God is true And that so to beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God is the faith of the Gospel I prove by these Reasons 1. Because this is the faith which the Apostles preached and witnessed unto and the faith which is recorded unto us in the Scriptures Acts 18. 28. 1 Joh. 2. 22. 2. Because none can say knowingly that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 3. 3. Because upon the profession of this faith Christ builds his Church Mat. 16. 16. 18. 4. Upon the profession of this faith the Baptisme of Christ is dispensed as Act. 8. 37. 5. They who have this faith dwell in God and God in them 1 Joh. 4. 15. 6. This faith flesh and bloud cannot reveale but God reveales it to the soule Mat. 16. 16 17. 7. Such are borne of God whosoever beleeves that Jesus is the Christ is borne of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. 8. This is the faith that overcommeth the world 1 Joh. 5. 4 5. 9. Because such as have this faith are pronounced blessed Mat. 16. 17. and shall never dye Joh. 11. 25 26. 10. Because he that hath this faith shall be saved If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 9. Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life whosoever beleeveth in me shall never dye beleevest thou this shee said unto him yea Lord I beleeve that thou art the Christ the Sonne of God c. Joh. 11. 25 26 27. To beleeve this Record implies an assent that it is truth with a resting or hoping to have interest in it to be made one with it is faith though it be a lesser degree then a full and certain assurance of life by him for himselfe in particular see Isa 45. 21 22. Those in Mat. 5. 3 4 5. who mourne and hunger and thirst after Christ are blessed and shall be satisfied though they want the application of Christ therefore besides the illumination which wicked men and Devils may have as well as a beleever there is a two-fold act of faith the first is a direct act to beleeve Christ is in whom is life c. this is to beleeve the Record God hath given concerning his Sonne and that he
24. Sight is higher then presence To be transformed into glory We are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. This shall be more full in glory Then shall wee appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. To have full communion with God Wee shall be filled with the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. Union is higher then sight communion is higher then union as it flowes from it full communion is more we shall have as much as we shall desire wee shall be filled with it wee shall injoy the quintessence of all sweetnesse fulnesse goodnesse in God and shall be raised inflamed and ravished with him and be wholly taken up with admiring and praising him without any intermission or wearinesse this is our greatest good and blessednesse and the end of our being To be for ever with the Lord So shall wee be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. Eternall communion with God As it is written Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It transcends the utmost expectation of the most inlarged heart Wherefore comfort one another with these words vers 18. Faith beleeves the promises of glory and so lives comfortably in expectation of fruition when faith shall end in vision our eternall joyes draws on apace in the meane time lay hold on eternall life let faith beleeve it and hope expect it and patience waite for it to make this life tolerable bepatient indure all it will not be long ere glory come and continue for ever for this cause wee faint not 2 Cor. 4. He that lives by faith in glorification lives a sweet comfortable life in Christ his righteousnesse and is fruitfull sincere and content Lastly To dye by faith Which is to resigne up our soules to God beleeving death shall be a passage to glory When Christ who is my life shall appeare then shall I appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. These all dyed in faith Heb. 11. 13. The righteous hath hope in his death Pro. 14. 32. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Rev. 14. 13. When I awake I shall be satisfied in thy likenesse Psal 17. 15. Why should I feare that I would not escape what hurt will it be to me to enter into glory I cannot have my happinesse unlesse I goe unto it THE SAINTS DAILY DUTY AND DESIRE The severall Branches of the Saints daily duty and desire to walke with God every day 1. WHen I awake to thinke on GOD and to be thankfull to him for rest and sleepe and preservation from sin Satan and dangers satisfying my soule with the Lord craving his strength to walke with him all the day long reverently and seriously to minde him and obey him When I awake I am still with thee Ps 139. 18. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse Psal 17. 15. see Act. 11. 23. Commune with your heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4. 4. It is good to season strengthen and perfume our spirits if time will permit with some sweet thoughts of God as that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He is not changed Here is strong consolation in this sweet meditation My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. It is good for me to draw neere to God Psal 73. 28. To make him the object and end of all my actions O that my understanding had a more full cleare and glorious sight of him and a more perfect inward eternall and full communion with him then should my will and affections be more satisfied and more inflamed with unwearied desires high and restlesse aspirations after fresh additions of intercourses and communion with him The sight of God to a Saint is glorious and the knowledge and often meditation of him will raise and inlarge the soule Every childe of God hath in him an earnest desire to have communion with him to injoy his blessed presence and to see his glory As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God when shall I come and appeare before him Psal 42. 1 2. Nor will a seldome communion satisfie them it must be frequent and full it is a contempt of God to be willing to live without him and so much he injoys God as he seriously minds him and so much as wee desire God we follow after God for desire is the soules following of God and as God draweth we follow Song 1. 4. Unlesse the Lord fix and fasten the heart upon himselfe it will be fixed on things below and wander after vanities and fill both head and heart with them he that knoweth what it is to injoy God is sensible of the want of him and thinkes he can never have enough of him his soule will faint for him because nothing lesse then God can content him Psal 119. 81 82. Jer. 14. 8. Psal 13. 1. Exod. 33. 13 14 15. 18. So the soule lives where it loves and where it loves it lives and there is nothing more active and stronger then love for love is as strong as death the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame Song 8. 6 7. 2. Live by faith Every day to live by faith in all estates and conditions the communion the soule hath with God is by faith in justification in sanctification in infirmities in graces in meanes using in duties and for a supply of all wants every day to live the life of faith in glorification 3. Watch heart That every day I watch my heart to keepe it continually still cleane spirituall content and that I observe warily the first and secret motions of my heart least I be unawares catched and insnared in sinne and that I doe not receive any thing without it be warranted in the word of God Keepe thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Pro. 23. 17. Thy heart is deceitfull take heed of it consider Jer. 17. 9. Heb. 3. 12. Luk. 6. 45. If wee cease to watch our hearts they quickly become vaine Consider how it was with David 2 Sam. 12. 9. and Peter Mat. 26. 72. our experience might teach us that our hearts are worse then wee tooke them to be when wee are crossed or tempted wee shew what metall wee are made of the best have cause enough to looke to themselves if one sinfull thought be admitted concerning the sweetnesse and pleasure of sinne the will is ready enough to accept the motion consent forecast the accomplishment the affections adde heat and strength the heart travels with iniquitie and in time by opportunitie sin is brought forth and delight and custome wraps a man up in sinne that he cannot get out such carelesnesse may cost
him that our spirits may be composed and our whole man rightly disposed craving his strength to inable us to a right performing of this holy dutie In particular 1. For the person he must be accepted must be a Sonne Rom. 8. 15. Also all that pray ought to put away all wrath strife envie c. God esteems so highly of peace that he will have his service stay till it be accomplished Mark 11. 25. Mat. 5. 24. Therefore we should take heed that there be no such distempers found in us by him who knows our hearts for it will choake conscience and weaken our boldnesse with God If we regard iniquitie God will not heare our prayers Psal 66. 18. Such as love their sins God loatheth their prayers The prayer of the wicked is abomination to God God looks at the heart Christ saith When thou prayest forgive Such a forgive not others pray without life 2. Prize prayer have it in that esteeme which God puts upon it God hath honoured prayer so that every one that useth it is the better for it for every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7. 8. 3. Set times apart for to pray and separate thy selfe to some place where thou maist be alone and out of the hearing of others if thou canst that so thou maist freely powre out thy soule to God without hypocrisie for a mans desire he will separate himselfe Pro. 18. 1. Christ chose a time before day early in the morning and one of the places he chose was a Wildernesse Mark 1. 35. Sometimes a mountaine and a garden and when that cannot be had he faith When thou prayest enter into thy Closet c. Wee should so pray and worship God as men set free from all other things So we need avoyd all occasions of hypocrisie Hypocrites stand in corners of the streets because they love to be seene of men 4. Before thou prayest spend a little time some thoughts concerning what God is and what may raise thy heart and incourage thee to draw neere to God Consider what be thy chiefe wants lets temptations corruptions also to consider the sutable promises of a supply fits the soule to pray also to consider what mercies we have received above others and what cause wee have to be thankfull to God 5. Prayer requires our ends to be holy and right placed as to injoy God and for grace to obey him and last and least of all for such things as chiefly concerne our selves as peace c. If the end be nought or good and not right placed we aske amisse Jam. 4. 6. Deny thy selfe and come empty headed hearted handed of all that is thy own that God and his grace may be all in all emptinesse raiseth our hearts in prayer 7. Mind thy own inabilitie to doe any thing that is spirituall and looke up to Christ by faith for strength eying his promise we are no more able to pray or doe any spirituall worke of our selves then to remove a mountaine at once 8. Consider God in his attributes that he is great gracious mercifull slow to anger c. and that he is so to thee and that he is neere thee yea present with thee all in God is ready to helpe his his ocean of grace cannot be exhausted spent his fountaine doth nothing decay though multitudes draw from it 9. When thou comest to God thinke thou canst not have too high thoughts of God nor too low ones of thy selfe Dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. a worme corruption so Job Thou canst not set God high enough nor thy selfe low enough if we could see our own filth we should stinke worse then the filthiest carrion in our own nostrils 10. Come to God with a heart that is large chearfull by faith in assurance of person and prayer accepted hate suspitions and jealousies of God see Ps 65. 2. 7. 7. 4. 7. aske chearfully such as goe not chearfully to God know not what a God they go to say to thy soule Come O soule rejoyce be chearfull for thou art a going to thy God 11. Be abased under thy pride formalitie coldnesse dulnesse deadnesse and breake through all impediments to goe to God in prayer 12. Empty thy selfe of all distractions cares and clogs of spirit that thou maist be free when thou comest to God hold thy heart close to God in love zeale meeknesse c. 13. Observe fit times and seasons to goe to God in yet prefer that season wherein God and thy own heart sends thee to prayer before a set time imbrace it gladly and quickly so sweet a motion of the Spirit put it not by till another time I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed Psal 119. 147. with Mark 1. 35. 14. Be sensible of others wants especially for such as are the Lords that you may pray with a feeling of their necessities 15. Pray for grace to stirre thee up to pray and fit thee with sutable matter sutable to the occasion either for the Church thy selfe or others and to enliven us in all abhorre forme and fashion pray not in print they are deadly enemies to spiritualnesse pray from an inward feeling and sensiblenesse of thy wants book-prayers is such a crutch as it makes them that use it quite lame we are not so much to looke to a set order of words as to a well ordered heart weak expressions in uprightnesse of heart the Lord likes well but if there be nothing but well framed sentences God abhorres them 16. Above all come to God in faith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him on whom they have not beleeved see Heb. 11. 6. Jam. 1. 6. Mark 11. 24. This is the most spirituall grace to come to God with above all other no other save this can fasten upon a promise thou canst not see God without faith whatsoever thou needst beleeve that promise Every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7. 8. Christs incense and odors of his sacrifice Rev. 8. 4. is for him that beleeves Faith gives force and life to prayer it troubles not Satan to make a thousand prayers full of teares if they be without faith according to our faith so is our prayer Rom. 8. 38. Faint faith faith prayers prayer without faith is but beating the ayre according to thy faith be it unto thee Consider Mat. 21. 22. All things are possible to him that beleeves Mark 9. 22. Let him aske in faith saith James nothing wavering that is in a certain assurance to be heard and that his request shall be granted Jam. 1. 6. 17. Read and meditate before prayer if time will permit for the better preparing our hearts thereunto The graces of the Spirit uprightnesse purenesse thankfulnesse integritie soundnesse of heart and the like these will inable inliven and fit thee to pray These well observed and God blessing them will fill thee with heavenly affection and rid thee of thy own inventions manner and ends c. Oh all yee sonnes and daughters of the
came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Look unto me and be saved Isai 45. 22. and so trust in Christ for life from a hope of mercy but this hope is without a certainty these are blessed as appeares Mat. 16. 17. Turne ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope Zach. 9. 12. Secondly the reflect act of faith which is to beleeve Christ came to save them from their sinnes as Mat. 1. 23. to know I beleeve he that hath this measure or degree of faith trusts in Christ from a knowledge of an interest in him we beleeve and are sure Joh. 6. 69. He that hath this act of faith hath the former but there be some which have the first act of faith but have not attained the second yet their hearts are turned unto Christ and fixed upon him and they long for him hope in him and rest upon him alone for life and salvation these have faith which causeth them to depend on Christ which none can doe but such as are possessed with Christ though at present they may not know it yet are they blessed Mat. 5. 6. and in his Name they doe trust Mat. 12. 21. The Apostle saith These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life and that yee may beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God 1 Joh. 5. 13. So that these words declare they did but weakly beleeve and that they did not know that they were possessed with eternall life yet they were therefore they had not that particular knowledge or assurance of the love of God yet did beleeve in Christ Some conceive they have no grace because they never had so deep a measure of sorrow for sin as some others have c. The word of God declares that those that beleeved had not one and the same measure of sorrow the Scripture declares no sorrow in Lydia receiving the Word Act. 16. 14. but it is said that the Jaylor trembled being in feare Act. 16. 29. The word of God is to be our Rule Isa 8. 20. and not mens conceits The greatest measure of sorrow griefe feare terror for sinne that ever any had made them not to be loved of God nor to obtain mercy from God nor did sensiblenesse of sin ever drive the soule to Christ but ever from Christ as Peters sensiblenesse of his sin caused him to bid Christ to depart from him Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man Luk. 5. 8. therefore a deep sensiblenesse of sin hinders the soule in beleeving of Christ and drives it further from Christ Thou hast no cause to complain if God deales more gently with thee then he doth with some others it's a great mistake to thinke that God delights in slavish feares or teares What is the greatest sensiblenesse of sin worth that proceeds not from faith and floweth not from the apprehension of pardon love in so evill requiting God look not to sensiblenesse of sinne but to Christ thy very sensiblenesse of sin is not free from sin and it deserves nothing but death but in Christ is life If thou wert ever fatherlesse which is for the soule to be stripped of all that none of thy workes nor means nor men nor Angels nor nothing besides Jesus Christ can stand thee in any stead nor satisfie thee being resolved to wait upon Christ untill he please to manifest his free love in pardoning thy sinnes this is the worke of God in thee yea this is a great and sweet work of the Gospel and such a work as never was in any but such as shall be saved If thou renouncest all thy own sufficiency so as thy best duties cannot satisfie thee certain it is there is a better sufficiency come in place I feare my faith is not the faith of Gods Elect because it is attended with so many doubtings Feares and doubtings are no fruits of faith but of unbeliefe and as feares and doubts increase the stronger is unbeliefe in the soule so the soule is ready to judge that where so great unbeliefe is there is no faith yet the Scriptures declare that in those who had true faith the faith of Gods Elect yet at the same time have had much unbeliefe also in them so as they have been filled with doubts and feares Joh. 13. 1. And from hence it was that he in Mark 9. 24. called his faith unbeliefe because he was sensible of his great unbeliefe and was not unbeliefe strong in Thomas when he said he would not beleeve Joh. 20. 24 25. And seeing that a child of God may have true faith notwithstanding they may also have many feares and doubtings thou knowest not but the cause may be so with thee therefore take heed that yee deny not your selves to have faith lest yee call weak faith no faith and light darknesse and grace sin for to doe so is very evill Woe unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Isa 5. 20. those that put faith for unbeliefe doe so pray to God to strengthen thy faith as he did Mark 9. 24. and use meanes to remove such things as strengthen unbeliefe and hinder the sight of thy faith as ignorance is one cause of doubting also an over-sensiblenesse of infirmities sleighting Gods meanes neglect of duty or a formall performance or nourishing sinne more or lesse pronenesse to sin harkening to Satan to sense to carnall reasonings nourishing feare and unbeliefe c. Also endeavour to doe that which is a means to strengthen thy faith know the perfection of the state of a beleever in Christ in which the weakest and most imperfect beleever is as perfect as much justified accepted and as happy as the best live upon Christ alone make choice of and mind the sutablest promises for thee to feed and strengthen thy faith walk with God pray in faith aske his Spirit and thou shalt have it Luk. 11. 23. this Spirit will revive and fill thy soule with joy and peace in beleeving and make thee so wise and strong in his time that thou shalt not cast away thy confidence any more Heb. 10. 34. And as Gods love which is perfect full free is discovered to thy soule in the same measure thy doubts and feares are cast out for perfect love casts out feare And although you are to use meanes yet meanes are but means not causes of increase of grace it 's the operation of the Spirit of God in the soule which is as God pleaseth therefore looke up to God for faith I feare my faith is but presumption I feare the ground of this is thy not knowing or not minding what faith is and what presumption is What faith is see objection 15. and concerning presumption this word may
3. 28. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. The bloud of Jesus Christ makes us cleane from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. To despaire of the mercy of God because our sinnes are great were to limit God in his mercy which is a greater sin and an adding sin to sin therefore for the greatest sinne a beleever can commit he ought not to moane without hope for no sin he can commit can never put him into a state of condemnation or under the curse Rom. 8. 1 2 3. And whilst we live in this world God healeth not our sinfull natures wholly nor takes it away quite the flesh lusteth Rom. 7. yet God ever esteemes his as they are in Christ and not simply as they are in themselves Eph. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Paul saith I my selfe keep the law of God but with my flesh the law of sin Sin doth the evill that beleevers doe see Rom. 7. 15. 17. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Consider Nehe. 9. 16 17 c. He knoweth our frame and remembreth that wee are but dust Psal 103. 14. God is never an enemy to his though they greatly sinne against him Psal 51. We are not beloved for our own sakes nor any thing in our selves but for Christ in whom God is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. Therefore nothing in us or that we doe can make us to be loved more or lesse God may well say of himselfe I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. His love is as himselfe ever the same and Christ in whom we are beloved ever the same Heb. 13. 8. therefore a beleevers hope joy and coÌ„fidence is to be ever the same in Christ Ps 23. 1. So we are commanded to Rejoyce alwayes Psal 5. 11. 32. 11. Let them exceedingly rejoyce Psal 40. 16. Psal 68. 3. and to rejoyce evermore Againe I say rejoyce 1 Thes 1. 5. 16. Phil. 4. 4. The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8. 16. Oh there is enough in the Lord Jesus to satisfie thee at all times he is an unchangeable object of true joy in him onely is all our hope and happinesse whose bloud hath payd all the debt of all thy sinnes It 's Christ that died who now shall condemn surely none Rom. 8. 33. Therefore let not thy fall cause thee to question the love of God seeing thy salvation depends not upon thy repentance or holinesse but from Gods free grace Rom. 9. 15 16. Isa 43. 24 25. 57. 17. Ezek. 16. 1. to 9. My little children these things I write unto you that yee sin not 1 Joh. 2. 1. And for any to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse that is the sweet mercy and consolations of God to incourage them in their sinning they are led by the Spirit of the Devill he is their father and his works they do Joh. 8. I speak to you that regard iniquitie Psal 66. 18. that love sin and delight in it and are bold and venturous upon it and can drinke downe iniquitie like water Job 15. 16. You at present are in the gall of bitternesse and whiles it is so with them here is no consolation for them thâ—â—e may not be numbred with them who through weaknesse and temptation or want of watchfulnesse are overtaken and fall into sinne which they hate by not shunning the occasions of sinne c. Surely all the Lords have need to pray as David did to God Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 17. 5. Howsoever it be be not out of hope although thou didst persecute the truth as Paul did and them that professed it Act. 9. 1 2. yet afterwards he preached the faith Gal. 1. 23. thou knowest not but God may convert thee also The servant of God having fallen into sinne is to rise by faith for shall a man fall and not rise Jer. 8. 4. When I fall I shall arise Micah 7. 7. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth the iniquitie and passeth by the transgressions of the Remnant of his people Micah 7. 18 19 20. God subdues the corruption that is in his not all at once but by degrees therefore he saith I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. God hath nothing against those who are in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yee are in Christ But alas I feele my heart is hardened There is much hardnesse of heart in a childe of God and they feele it and complaine of it and mourne under it which is from the new heart in them To feele hardnesse is from softnesse and the condition of an experienced childe of God O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare doubtlesse thou art our father thou O Lord art our father Isa 63. 16 17. Their hearts were hardened yet they were the children of God Motives or incouragements to beleeve NOtwithstanding faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. it floweth from the Spirits operation in the heart therefore our beleeving is said to be the worke of God Joh. 6. 28. the operation of God Col. 2. 12. the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. The Spirit inlighteneth our understandings and boweth our hearts to beleeve So that without the Spirit of Christ we can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. Ephes 1. 19. It is through grace that men beleeve Act. 18. 27. yet men are to use the meanes for when in the preaching of the Word we bid persons to doe so and so we expect the holy Spirit of God to put power to the words spoken to make them effectuall to enable the creature to obey as He said unto me Sonne of man stand up upon thy feet and the Spirit entred into me when he had spoken unto me and set me upon my feet Ezek. 2. 1 2. And the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Joh. 5. 25. Else it were in vaine to speak to dead men 1 Pet. 4. 6. To beleeve c. is a spirituall worke and all men by nature are spiritually dead Eph. 2. 1. 5. 14. onely they beleeve whose hearts God opens as Acts 16. 14. None can beleeve but they to whom it is given Phil. 1. 29. Therefore such words as these Beleeve in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 30 31. in this sense are to be understood for it is not in him that willeth and him that runneth c. Rom. 9. 16. it is God that worketh both to will and to doe Incouragements to beleeve 1. Because the Gospel is to be preached to every creature he that beleeves shall be saved Act. 16. 16. There is no precept or command for any to doubt none are exempted or forbidden to beleeve see Act. 16. 30 31. 1 Joh. 3. 23. but men are commanded
the contrary and to follow after faith and to lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 11. 2. By beleeving we come to know our interest in Christ and of our salvation by him Whosoever beleeves in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 15 16. He that beleeves in the Sonne hath everlasting life vers 36. see Joh. 6. 40. 3. By beleeving we honour God He that receives his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true Joh. 3. 33. Joh. 5. 10. therefore none can beleeve too soone or too confidently or too constantly 4. If yee beleeve not surely yee shall not be established Isa 7. 9. There is no true quietnesse and settlement of soule without beleeving also thou standst by faith thou fallest into sinne by unbeliefe Rom. 11. 20. Heb. 9. 12. The word preached is precious and powerfull yet it profited them not because it was not mixed with faith Heb. 4. 2. 5. It 's faith that rids the soule of all its distempers doubts feares discouragements Rom. 5. 1. we may not separate the Spirit from faith nor faith from the Spirit 6. By faith in Christ thou shalt be kept in perfect peace it will sweetly transcendently refresh thy soule Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3 4. Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. By faith we apprehend Christ our justification the fruit of which is joy and peace 7. By unbeliefe we adde sin to sin in the highest nature if we beleeve not what God saith our act of unbeliefe accuseth God to speake falsly He that beleeveth not hath made God a lyer 1 Joh. 5. 10. It is impossible for God to lye The strength of Israel cannot lye 1 Sam. 15. 29. Nor can it be any dishonour to God nor hurt to thy selfe to hope in his mercy and to beleeve in him therefore when thou art tempted to unbeliefe set before thee the evill of unbeliefe 8. As bad as thou canst be have been received to mercy Jesus Christ came to save sinners This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. When thou layst in thy bloud behold it was a time of love Ezek. 16. 8. He justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 5. 8. 10. therefore have hope Feare not but beleeve Luk. 8. 50. The Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night Psal 42. 8. Hope thou in God vers 5. Be not afraid onely beleeve Mark 5. 36. 9. Unbeliefe straitens thy heart and stoppeth thy mouth hinders thy thankfulnesse and praising of God thou shalt be dumb because thou beleevest not Luk. 1. 20. 10. Unlesse we beleeve we can never glorifie God He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving God the glory Rom. 4. 20. Quest From whence is it that many of the Lords children have so many doubts and feares Answ It ariseth from many severall causes as 1. From ignorance of the fulnesse and freenesse of the promise Isa 55. 2. or mindlesnesse and heedlesnesse of the promise Heb. 2. 1. 3. And from corruption in the heart opposing grace Rom. 7. 4. And from the bodies distemper with melancholy 5. or from the conscience being inlightened which sides with the Law against it selfe Rom. 7. 24. 6. or from unskilfulnesse in the Word of righteousnesse Heb. 5. 13. 7. And from unbeliefe which takes the Law and applies it to it selfe which occasioneth feares and feares doubts 8. And from loose walking with God 9. Or from the Spirits not operating in the soule the Spirit when it acts speakes peace and causeth faith to act more strongly Rom. 8. 16. Meanes to quiet and settle a troubled soule in assurance of the love of God God gives peace to his by meanes as appeares 2 Thes 3. 16. Commune with thy heart and make diligent search to find out what it is that troubleth thee Psal 77. 6. Aske a reason of thy soule why it is disquieted why it is cast downe Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule why art thou disquieted Psal 42. 5 6. Examine from whence all thy discouragements come they come not from God for his voyce is onely comfort unto his people he hath declared himselfe to be mercifull and gracious and slow to anger and plenteous in mercy He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according unto our iniquities Psa 103. 3 4. 8. 10. c. His voyce is comfort Comfort yee my people speak yee comfortably to Jerusalem cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned Isa 4. 1 2. I know the thoughts that I thinke towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill Jer. 29. 11. Nor come they from Christ he doth not trouble nor discourage any He binds up the broken-hearted he proclaimes peace liberty he comforts all that mourne he gives beautie for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning and garments of praise for the Spirit of heavinesse c. Isa 61. 1 2 3. Luk. 4. 18. He is gracious and pitiâ—ull He will not quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reed Isai 42. 3. His voyce is full of love tendernesse all his words are sweet words as Let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Feare not it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Cast youâ— care upon me I will care for you Phil. 4. 6. Christs voyce is open to me My sister my love my dove my undefiled Song 5. 2. On sweet words of Christ to his Nor come they from the holy Spirit of God he is the greatest and most sweetest comforter he causeth no discouragements but removes them all by revealing and applying to the soule the love of God and carrieth the soule by faith from all discouragements to God who is love peace where the soule is to rest Psal 116. 7. and to be filled with his sweet peace Therefore all our discouragements do proceed 1. From the Devill who is an enemy to faith He taketh the word out of mens hearts lest they should beleeve Luk. 8. 12. 1 Thes 3. 5. 2. Our own hearts Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart in departing from the living God Heb. 3. 12. 3. Or the lying vanities we have chosen but they that harken unto lying vanities forsake their own mercy Jonah 2. 8. Give no way to any discouragement at all though it doe seeme never so just and reasonable c. This was Davids sin to admit of a parley with that which might tend to discourage him saying Will the Lord cast off for ever doth his promise fayle for evermore I said this is my infirmitie Psal 77. 7 8 9 10. As soone as he saw his infirmitie he had other thoughts of God saying Who is so
us any good 1 Cor. 1. 21. Doe not sleight nor refuse Gods consolations let them not seeme small unto thee are the consolations of God small with thee Job 15. 11. O soule own that comfort God gives thee if it seeme small to thee it s thy own own it lest yee live to complaine saying as David did My soule refused to be comforted Psal 77. 2. and to wish yee had that yee despised be thankfull to God for what thou hast received and hold that fast and let nothing goe that may tend to thy peace rest satisfied in Christs righteousnesse and adde nothing unto it I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal 71. 15 16. 19. 24. Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse Psal 119. 142. see Psal 22. 31. 35. 28. 50. 6. 51. 14. Jer. 33. 16. The perfection of Christs righteousnesse is held forth unto us and doth alwayes lie before us for us that we might ever be comforted with it and rejoyce in it with thankfulnesse for it seeing it so perfect and full of divine consolation Oh here is enough to refresh and satisfie all the Lords to all eternitie so that we have enough we need no other nor no more righteousnesse Meditate on Gods goodnesse unto thee let his loving kindnesse be ever before thy eyes Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O God Psal 48. 9. Beleeve in God I in Christ want of faith or want in faith is the cause of trouble in the soule Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me and let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Faith in Christ quiets and settles a troubled soule Thou canst not be too confident in resting upon Christ in his free grace Psal 30. 5. therefore come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Those who know God will trust him with their bodies and soules and that upon his word All that know thy Name will trust in thee Psal 9. 9 10. but a foole neither will nor can doe so O foole and slow of heart to beleeve Luk. 24. 25. But those who are made wise by God will trust in the word of the Lord Isa 26. 3 4. and say in his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. When the Lord pleases to settle a soule in the assurance of his love he causeth the soule to trust in his word Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119. 49. God by his word conveys that to the soule which is sutable to its wants and by his power and authoritie settles it upon the soule Above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Feare not beleeve Luk. 8. 50. Yea cleave to God in his promise even then when thou art in thy greatest feares and most sensible of thy unworthinesse trust in him at all times God is a refuge for us Selah Psal 62. 8. If at all times then at the worst times also yea even then beleeve and heare nothing against thy beleeving God in his promise Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. So should wee doe oh beleeve God intends thy good Christ came to seeke and to save the lost Luk. 19. 10. Lost viz. in the sight and sense of thy own sin and misery and in thy own sufficiency Improve thy doubts feares temptations against beleeving to incourage thee in beleeving for hast thou not by experience found that it is but in vaine to hearken unto any of them Consider often and well these places Rom. 16. 20. Heb. 10. 35 36 37. Rev. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 5. 7. And search the Scriptures Reading helpeth mens judgements memories affections confirmes our faith and fits us to answer the temptations of Satan Renounce all lying vanities hearken unto none of them First hearken not to the voyce of thy heart it is a lying vanitie it will deceive thee Pro. 3. 5 6 7. Isa 44. 20. Secondly hearken not to Satan Thirdly hearken not to sense Thomas said he would not beleeve unlesse he might see and thrust his hand into his side Joh. 20. 24 25. But this sensuall practise is to be abhorred by us for this is to consult with flesh and bloud which cannot discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 14. and is condemned by God Gal. 1. 16. So some persons will see such a holy frame of spirit in themselves and feele such a sin subdued c. before they will beleeve yet faith looks not to such things as these but onely to God in his word therefore wee must not live by sight but by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. and blessed are they that have not seene yet have beleeved Joh. 20. 29. Fourthly hearken not to carnall reason if it be hearkened unto thou canst not beleeve nor submit to God nor be setled for doth not reason say that a Virgin cannot bring forth a childe and a woman of ninetie yeares is past conceiving a childe therefore reason saith it cannot be and so contradicteth God himselfe Gen. 17. 16 17. Mat. 1. Also can reason beleeve that by faith the walls of Jericho fell downe and that the Saints stopped the mouths of Lyons and quenched the violence of fire by faith yet faith did it Heb. 11. 30. 33 34. Or is it likely or possible to reason for a man to walke upon the Sea as Peâ—er did Mat. 14. 29. And did not Christs command seeme vaine to Peters reason that he should cast in his net into the Sea seeing he had cast it in so often and fished all night and catched nothing Luk. 5. 8. Can reason conceive how the dead who are eaten with beasts or fishes or turned into dust can be raised to life or that the Sea can be divided the Sunne goe backward or the Rockes yeeld water in abundance surely there cannot be any reason given for them And seeing sense and corrupt reason is so contrary to God in his word why should we hearken unto them when they say the soule hath no grace because sense seeth none and that God will not pardon their sinnes because there is no reason to reason why he should nor no way to reason which way it can be yet it may be for with God all things are possible Mat. 19. 26. They that hearken unto lying vanities forsake their own mercies Jonah 2. 8. 5. Live not upon duties 6. nor upon good report 7. nor upon groundlesse hopes 8. nor upon peace 9. comfort 10. joy 11. raptures 12. ravishments though they all be true or false live upon God alone and upon nothing else besides God in Christ if thou doest live upon any thing else as thy foundation is unsound so it will deceive thee and whatsoever their sparkes may be they must and shall lye downe in sorrow Isa 50. 10. Let not thy comfort depend upon Gods actings or dispensation to the inward or outward man if thou doest thou canst not be setled for they are oft changeable and coÌ„trary one to another one day
to wound thy faith and confidence in God not onely for an answer of thy prayer but of thy persons acceptance Nay rather charge all upon thy corruption and want of preparation exercise of grace and be the more carefull and watchfull for time to come and learne to distinguish between a nullity and a defect and in a word if thou art sensible of thy sin in praying and art sorry for it thy imperfection is passed by and thou doest not pray in fashion The Spirit of God discovers deadnesse indisposition and unbeliefe and the like in prayer flesh and bloud cannot discover these and the Spirit of God onely makes the conscience tender and pliable 4. Let the frame of thy Spirit be alwayes thankfull and chearfull after prayer whether thou beest inlarged or straitned inwardly or outwardly alone or with others for when thou art at the best thou standst in need of a Jesus looke upward then by faith upon thy Advocate and when thy defects are most and thou art at the worst will not the same Jesus save thee yea surely and if thou groundest thy comfort upon a right bottome rightly thy comfort and the cause of it is the same because Christ is the same Heb. 13. 8. And if Christ be thine shall not he disanull all thy sinnes as well as one seeing he is able and willing But this is the childrens bread this pearle is not to be cast to swine 5. If in prayer thy heart have been opened and inlarged thy faith strengthned and thy conscience eased c. count it a sweet mercy be thankfull to God for all for want of taking notice of Gods goodnesse and thankfulnesse for it it is just in stead of light to possesse darknesse and for feeling to finde deadnesse c. 6. Presse after what thou hast prayed for in the use of meanes Pro. 2. 3 4 5. there is the prayer indeavour and blessing As he that makes prayer the end of his prayer rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose So he that doth not in good earnest pursue with zeale and conscience the grace good things he prays for Ioseth his prayer The Saints pray to put their prayers in practise we tempt God to aske that wee use not meanes to attaine our indeavours must second our prayers Pro. 20. 4. It is for hypocrites to pray and returne to their lusts with more freedome as if they intended to have libertie to sinne Such prayers are odious to God take we heed that what we build up with prayer wee pull not downe by our practice by remisnesse sleightnesse frothinesse of Spirit it had been well if this knowledge had not been experimentall but a word is sufficient to the wise 7. Expect and wait patiently for a full answer of thy prayers in Gods time and way consider Psal 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2 3. Wee should be loth to lose any part of the answer of our prayers and that we may wait wee must first be sure we have a promise that wee shall speed that wee may feed our minds with the meditation of it this is necessary for the time of fulfilling may be long lest wee faint Psal 147. 11. Psal 135. 6 7. Have patience and tary that comes hardly is oft most prized but lightly come lightly goe God knows the fittest season to doe us good take not a delay for a deniall many things God hath promised he hath not set down the time or yeare but when it 's best for us let God alone for the time and ye shall see what God will do Watch we what event our prayers have and observe Gods dealings with our selves and others both with his and his enemies and be thankfull for any answer of prayers The Saints are often afflicted that they may often pray and that often praying they might pull downe many benefits from the Lord and returne many praises unto him wee sinne against God and hurt our selves for want of thankfulnesse For hearing the Word 1. Labour to be informed of the excellency and preciousnesse of the mercy to heare the Word and that no treasure of this world is like it for goodnesse beautie and truth there is nothing like the Word it informes convinces comforts what comfort is like to this if the heart be not lost in profits pleasures forth and ease 2. Prize the Word 1 Pet. 2. 3. Above all things we prize precious things and for such as love their lusts let them consider Ezek. 14. 7 8. 3. Heare not for noveltie c. but let your ends be good in obedience to God to know and practise 4. Deny thy selfe thy own wisdome see the Lord in all be a foole that thou maist be wise set God above all and say Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 5. Come in faith beleeve God can speake in particular to thee whether weake or strong and supply thy wants Micah 2. 7. to the end Isa 48. 17. eye the promise If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no Joh. 7. 17. Heare and your soules shall live Isa 55. 3. Beleeve the promises meditate on them plead them apply them as thy own portion and rest satisfied and contented with them they that have the promise are sure enough 6. Come with a resolution to learne and a heart resolved to practise what God saith say as David Psal 119. 33 34. Psal 86. 11. And covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. Consider 1 Cor. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 4. 22. 7. Come emptie in the sense of want he filleth the hungry but the full are sent emptie away Luk. 1. 51. Pro. 27. 7. Emptie of distractions and worldly thoughts and affections Exod. 3. 5. Emptie of prejudice of man gifts or meanes be humble the humble he will teach Psal 25. 9. 8. Pray to God to prepare thy heart and to open thy eyes Psal 119. 18. Shew me thy truth and blesse it to me pray that he that speakes may not seeke himselfe and so rob God and that he may speake as he ought to speake Col. 4. 4. In hearing take heed to your eyes eares hearts Luk. 8. 18. Ezek. 40. 4. 1. Consider thou art in the presence of God and consider Job 21. 6. Psal 16. 8. Acts 10. 33. 2. Attend diligently Isa 55. 23. Watch that nothing come between thee and it sleepe not wander not gaze not Luk. 8. 18. Consider Act. 8. 6. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things that Philip spake 3. Heare for thy selfe and mind especially that which most concernes thee 4. Heare with understanding and judgement Mat. 13. 13. Mat. 15. 10. Joh 21. 11. Put a difference between truth and error The simple beleeveth every word Prov. 14. 15. Take heed what yee heare Mark 4. 24. and whom yee heare and how yee heare 5. If thou canst observe the methode and scope of the speaker to helpe memorie 6. Heare with thy
heart and affection as one that longeth for it 7. Mixe the Word with faith beleeve it obey it beleeve it 's true and thine â— Pet. 2. 3. if tasted 8. Heare it as the word of God or else it can doe thee no good see 1 Thes 2. 13. apprehend and digest well what Gods soveraigntie of God is in a command and the tie of obedience of the creature to God meanes consider the insolency of the creatures that dare reject the Word of the Lord. Come buy and eate Isai 55. 1. buy gold c. Rev. 3. 18 Forsake all Mat. 19. 27. If thou seekest her as silver Pro. 2. 4 5. Hearken and eate Isa 55. 2. In eating is required appetite chewing taste relish pleasure and delight Nehe. 9. 25. Let the Word sinke downe Luk. 9. 44. Hide it in your hearts Psal 119. 11. After hearing 1. If God hath manifested himselfe any way in his Word be thankfull oh that the Lord should reveale himselfe to me and not unto the world Joh. 14. 22. Consider Mat. 13. 17. Psal 147. 20. 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2. Hold fast that thou hast lose it not in the ayre of the world let nothing rob thee of it let memory call upon consciscience and conscience upon thee 3. Examine and prove what yee have heard as 1 Thes 5. 21. Acts 17. 11. and consider Acts 8. 34. Rom. 3. 8. 4. What good soever thou receivest give glory to God not to man for he is but as an instrument in the hand of God He that planteth and watereth is nothing but God it is that gives the increase 1 Cor. 3. 7. It is not in the graces of men Also consider Acts 8. 1. with Acts 11. 19. 21. nor learning for Acts 4. 13. So then God doth all 5. Muse and meditate on what thou hast heard Thinke on these things Phil. 4. 8. Deut. 3. 39. Shee pondered Luk. 2. 19. Meditation helps memory and affection and works an inward feeling of it if God blesse it but if we meditate not on it it doth us no good 6. Apply what thou hast heard to thy occasions which are many 7. Practice what thou hast heard this is the end of hearing Deut. 5. 1. Mat. 7. 26 27. Wee have no benefit by it if wee practise it not Jam. 1. 25. God lookes for fruit if we injoy meanes Isa 5. 2. Mat. 21. 34. Luk. 13. 7. Where much is given much is required Luk. 12. 48. see Joh. 8. 47. Job 12. 40. Practice presently I made haste and delayed not Psal 1. 19. 60. Gen. 7. 23. with 22. 3. Abraham went presently that which we put off till hereafter is seldome done Consider Pro. 24. 33 34. Many motions through delay have come to nothing they were not to stay but to step in presently as soone as the Angel stirred the water Joh. 5. 4. 8. Omit not opportunities for thou knowest not whether God will blesse this or that Eccl. 11. 6. Concerning Reading To read with profit requires diligence wisdome preparation meditation conference faith practise prayer For the first consider Pro. 2. 12. Mat. 13. 54. 2. Wisdome is necessary for the choice of matter order time for the matter it must be sutable to our necessities and capacities for order first that which concerns the foundation and after the building also order is a helpe to memory and understanding and for want of order some read much but profit little also wisdome must difference the fittest time to read in respect of other businesse God hath made every thing beautiful in its time Eccle. 3. 11. 3. Preparation requires first humilitie and a sensiblenesse of our own insufficiency to teach our selves and prayer to God to teach us and to give us sound judgements and good affections Secondly Faith in Christ for him to open the booke that is sealed and the heart also beleeving he will blesse his meanes unto us Thirdly a heart prepared to learne Pro. 17. 16. Such as received the Word with a good an honest heart brought forth fruit Luk. 8. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisdome seeing he hath no heart to it After wee have reade meditate Meditation makes that we have read to be our own Blessed is he that meditateth in the Law day and night Psal 1. 2. And unlesse by meditation the judgement be refined and setled and worke it upon our affections and lay up what we reade in our minds all our reading and hearing will come to nothing Conference with others who are able to direct us is necessary to informe us in what we understand not The Word must be mixed with faith else it profiteth us nothing Heb. 4. 2. Luk. 18. 18. The end of reading is to practise and the best way to know is practise He that will doe his will he shall know it Without prayer we cannot well use the meanes nor expect a blessing by them 1 Cor. 2. David prayed and praised God Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes Psal 119. He that profits by hearing and reading 1. He must have his mind turned to Christ and fixed upon him in his Word as Psal 119. 15. Mark 7. 14. He must beleeve and he shall know 2. He must not be wise in his own eyes The humble he will teach Psal 34. Psal 119. 3. Pray continually 1 Thes 5. 4. Search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. 5. His end must be good 1 Cor. 10. 31. 6. He must love the Word Psal 119. 7. He must resolve to obey John 7. 17. Of Meditation MEditation is a serious reviving of those truths we have heard or the administrations of God towards us or others of that which we know wee further debate upon it that both mind and heart being seasoned with the savour thereof in applying it to our selves that wee may have some use of it in our practise and be furthered thereby to dutie In which the memory is exercised to remember some things past also the understanding gathering some other things as namely in finding out the causes fruits properties as when a man meditateth on the Word remembreth and museth on it so going from point to point applying generally some things unto himselfe and wisely examining how the case stands between the Lord and himselfe in those things whereby he hath his heart thereby stirred up to put some things in practise The worke wrought in the affections is that they are framed either to love or hatred joy or sorrow love feare according to the diversitie of the thing with the reasonable part hath seriously considered of Of the excellency of Meditation MEditation is a pondering in the heart a considering a weighing with our selves by meditation we retaine truths and are inriched by them and it makes them sweet unto us by it we ascend up to heaven it 's the life of all meanes the way to knowledge the mother of wisdome it refines the judgement and cuts off errors within
THE SAINTS DESIRE OR A Cordiall for a fainting soule Declaring that in Christs righteousnesse onely and in nothing else there is life happinesse peace strength comfort joy and all fulnesse of perfection Also the happy estate of a man in Christ the life he lives wherein he is exercised his experiences and his desires to enjoy God c. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength even to him shall men come Isa 45. 24. I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal 71. 16. And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full 1 Joh. 1. 4. By SAMUEL RICHARDSON I heard sweet Jesus Christ unto me say Rise my love my faire one and come away London Printed by M. Simmons and are to be sold by Hannah Allen at the Crowne in Popes-head-Alley 1647. To the Right Honorable Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX Captain generall of all the Parliaments Forces in ENGLAND and Oliver Cromwell Esquire Lievtenant generall to the said Forces such honour as is promised to all that honour the Lord Christ Right Honourable YOu two are so joyned as it were in one that it may be said of you which was said of Jonathan and David two mighty warriours that their hearts were so knit that they loved each other as their own soules they had such sweet experience of each others faithfulnesse that it was not in the power of Saul though a King to break it or cut it asunder and although many have attempted to doe the like to you yet their labour hath been fruitlesse it hath bin a joy to many to see the effects of love so freely flow forth from each to other interchangeably which is amiable sweet and lovely Moreover God hath raised you up and set you in high places where opportunities flow of doing good and which is more God hath given you hearts to improve these opportunities to his glory and the good of his people You have also had many and great experiences of his protection presence blessing even to admiration it is the Lord alone who hath wrought all your works for you surely you may well stand astonished at his dealings with you all you can doe is too little for him who hath done so much for you you know the sorrows sufferings and sighings of the people of God in this Kingdome have been many and great by reason of the Prelates Lording it over them in matters of Religion and their sorrows and sufferings are like to be greater if the plots and snares laid against them take place therefore now is the time for the righteous in authoritie to shew themselves for the people of God and such as sleepe and slumber had need quickly to be awaked that they might rowse up themselves shake off that feare and faintnesse which possesseth their hearts arme themselves with resolution courage to hazard all even life it selfe upon a possibility of doing the least good for to do good we live we rejoyce that God hath chosen you with many others whom God hath kept waking for such a time as this Next under God our eies are upon the house of Commons of England to deliver us from temporall slavery to free us from the oppression of men in matters of Religion we trust they will effect this work fully and God shall give them a full reward as good Job who was a father to the poore and the cause he knew not he searched out and brake the jawes of the wicked and plucked the spoile out of his teeth It is a great honour unto you that you have done valiantly so have been speciall instruments to save this Kingdome from destruction that God hath made you and your Armies so victorious but it is a greater honour unto you that you are of the number of those that love the truth and people of God and endeavour to rescue them from the hands of cruell and unreasonable men the people of God are in the love of God and which is more they are one with God therefore God takes the good done to them as done to himselfe abide by them and you shall be in safety hold together for they that seek their lives seek yoâ—â—â— also And as you have pleaded their cause with many other Worthies with you so still goe on prosper the Lord is with you you valiant men the Saints love you they pray praise God for you England fareth the better for you childreÌ„ unborn shall praise you blesse God for you the memorial of your names shal be for ever precious Most noble Worthies I may seeme to passe the bounds of modesty so to presse into your presence but such is your humility and love that you can passe by any defect in that kinde and accept of that which is presented in love And seeing God doth not despise the day of small things I trust you will not the great respect you have shewed to the truth and people of God hath imboldened me to present you with the best I have in love out of a deep respect unto you the perusall and acceptance of which I submit to your wisdomes and humbly take my leave and remaine Your Honours much oblieged SAMUEL RICHARDSON To all fainting and discouraged soules who are lost and fatherlesse BEhold I bring you tydings of great joy that Jesus Christ came from Heaven to seeke and save you Luk. 19. 10. You shall enjoy mercy life and glory by him for in him the fatherlesse finde mercy Hos 14. 3. You are they who hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse this desire is from the in-being of the light and life of Christ in you therefore thou art for the present blessed and shalt be satisfied Mat. 5. 6. Therefore you may be sure God is at peace with you he hath loving kindnesse for you which is better then life yea all is yours for God is yours and that for ever Is not this as good news from a farre Countrey welcome and savoury Oh what can be more sutable pleasant profitable or delightfull better or more desireable Christ will give you that peace which cannot be taken from you Oh the fulnesse sweetnesse gloriousnesse and infinitenesse of this peace it passeth our understandings we cannot fully impart it because we doe not fully know it for we know but in part yet a part wee know through grace though many see not this peace nor know not the way of it to whom I have endeavoured to declare that mystery of love and grace revealed to me desiring to obey Christs command When thou art converted to strengthen thy brethren And diddest thou know the freenesse fulnesse sutablenesse sweetnesse and durablenesse of Gods rich grace to a creature who is nothing in his own eyes who hath interest in it and therefore may apply it thou couldst not but be ravished with it Consider what God hath given
be understood in a twofold consideration first for such a confidence as is without a ground or secondly against a ground For the first he that presumes he hath a confidence of pardon but it is without any ground he hath no word of God for his confidence and it may be he can give no reason at all for his confidence much lesse a good reason that this discouragement may be answered and removed consider wherein faith and presumption differs He that presumes he hath no ground no word of God for his confidence here confidence is fetched from their own conceits they seek no life in Christ his word and promise 1. But he that truly beleeves in Christ his confidence is from the Word Wee through the Scriptures have hope Rom. 15. 4. In his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. But I hope in thy word Psal 119. 81. 2. He that truly beleeves in Christ doth not receive any promise of life but in and through Christ in the riches of his grace But he that presumes if he receives a promise he receives it upon his qualifications without respect to Christ and he gathers conclusions of life from what they are and can doe their own righteousnesse was never to them as drosse and dung as Phil. 3. 8. So they depend upon their faith and not upon Christ by faith the ground of their confidence is because they are so good or not so bad as others as the proud Pharisee but he was never fatherlesse Hos 14. 3. nor did they ever receive the sentence of death in themselves 2 Cor. 1. 9. So they were ever confident and it was ever very easie for them to beleeve 3. He that beleeves his hope and trust is onely in God and they hope in his mercy The eyes of the Lord are upon them that hope in his mercy Psal 33. 18. 21. 22. And this is the work of God to perswade the heart to rest upon the free mercy of God in Christ Psal 13. 5. Psal 33. 18. I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52. 8. With the Lord there is mercy Psal 130. 7. God is rich in mercy Eph. 2. 4. Presumption cannot doe so Joh. 12. 37. 1 Pet. 19. 20. Joh. 6. 28 29. For the second so the confidence of the presumer is contrary to the word of God the word approves of no such confidence but protests against them and their confidence as appeares Jer. 7. 9. 15. So their presumption hardens them and makes them bold to venture upon sinful practises as lying stealing drunkennesse uncleannesse cheating and the like as theirs was Jer. 7. 9. c. 4. He that truly beleeves abhorres that which is evill and cleaves to that which is good Rom. 12. 9. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as he is pure 1 â—oh 3. 3. Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. 9. The grace of God teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. Christ is precious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2. 7. They count all things but losse for Christ and for him they will suffer the losse of all things as Phil. 3. 8. Yet many there be who say they are confident c. and yet they dare not speak for Jesus Christ his truth his servants c. these are far from suffering the losse of all things for him So others can hold Arminianisme and free-will setting themselves and their endeavours above God and his grace in affirming that notwithstanding all the grace God affords to any man yet unlesse man shall please to will and improve it well for as they say he may choose whether he will or no it shall never be effectuall to him if it be so they may thank God for his grace without which they can doe nothing but much more themselves for saving themselves for others had as much grace as they as they say Judas had shall be damned and they had been damned also if they had not willed well c. and it was in their power and choice whether they would will well or no which is so contrary to the Scriptures so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. Surely all those who have tasted of Gods free grace cannot but admire it and be thankfull for it and loath with the greatest indignation whatsoever shall intrench upon it although it were but in the least degree I have no grace because I grow not in grace my life is not holy nor am I like unto others who are the Lords Doest thou know thy age or degree in grace what art thou a child or a yong man or a father 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. there is a great difference between a childe and a man in nature so great is the difference between a babe in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1. and a man in Christ 1 Joh. 2. 13. Also confider if thou canst whether if thou beest a babe in the wombe or borne Heb. 5. 13. He is a babe as a childe is begotten and alive while it is in the wombe before it be borne so thou maist be begotten from above and alive before thou canst be borne Christ must first be formed in us before we can be new borne babes Gal. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. And when thou art delivered out of the state of bondage which is a place of darknesse of feares concerning thy soule thou art not borne and brought forth and as the wombe is a place of bondage so here and therefore canst not doe that service others doe if thou beest but new borne there cannot that be expected from thee as there is from a man in Christ as there is a difference between a childe and a man in nature so there is here learne to distinguish between the grace it selfe and the exercise of it it 's not the having of grace but the exercise of it which attaines to a holy conversation by the operation of the Spirit and when a soule is delivered from its enemies as Satan terrors wrath curse it 's borne being delivered we serve Luk. 1. 47. Deliverance is before working the time of doubting is a barren time men cannot fight and worke at the same time Regeneration consists in being begotten to the Lord to have union with him Joh. 17. 22. 23. 19. And for God to convey his power into the soule by which it is made conformable to the will of Christ and lives by faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. is another thing in some of the Lords the first is where the latter is not at least in the degrees of it beleevers are of severall growths and states as first babes children secondly young men thirdly fathers 1 Joh. 2.
eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for your body what yee shall put on is not the life more then meate and the body then rayment Behold the fowles of the ayre they neither sow nor reape nor gather into barnes yet God feedeth them are yee not much better then they O yee of little faith Which of you by taking thought can adde one oubit unto his stature Take no thought for after these things seek the Gentiles you heavenly Father knoweth that yee have need of these things Mat. 6. 25. to the end see Rom. 8. 32. Luk. 12. 15. Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you be carefull for nothing but in every thing let your requests he made known to God with thankesgiving Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as yee have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. In thy ignorance consider Wee have such an high Priest as can have compassion on the ignorant Heb. 5. 2. If any want wisdome let him aske it of God who gives liberally and it shall be given him but let him aske in faith without wavering Jam. 1. 5. Having fallen into passion to keepe thee from sinking under it consider what the Apostles said Wee are also men of like passions with you Acts 14. 15. Elias was a man subject to the like passions as we are c. Jam. 5. 17. And so of all other infirmities He will heale all thy diseases c. Psal 103. 8. If wee did live in Christ by faith more our infirmities would be lesse For a supply of all wants My God shall supply all you need according to his riches by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 6. 19. Christ is able and will supply all our wants 5. The life of faith for graces and in the exercise of them To beleeve They shall trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. This is his Commandment that yee should beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3. 23. To increase in faith They shall grow from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. To live by faith The just shall live by faith Rom. 1. 17. To continue in the faith He that beleeves in me though he were dead yet shall be live c. Luk. 22. 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. In exercise of faith Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3. Joh. 11. 25. 7. 38 39. He is a buckler to all them that trust in him Psal 18. 30. He that puts his trust in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about Psal 32. 10. To know God Thou shalt know the Lord Pro. 1. 23. They shall all know mee Jer. 31. 33 34. To love God Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Mat. 22. 17. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart that thou maist love him with all thy heart and soule Deut. 30. 6. I have declared thy Name that thy love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them Joh. 17. 26. In loving God He that loves me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe unto him and dwell with him Joh. 14. 21. 23. To seeke God That they should seeke the Lord Act. 17. 27. Seeke yee the Lord. In seeking God Blessed are all they that seeke him with their whole heart Psal 119. 2. The Lord hath not forsaken them that seeke him Psal 9. 10. Your hearts shall live that seeke him Psal 69. 32. They shall praise the Lord that seeke him Psal 22. 26. They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing To feare God I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 39 40. They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Hosea 3. 5. In fearing God The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him Psal 147. 11. He that feares the Lord him shall he teach the way that he shall choose Psal 25. 12. There is no want to them that feare him viz. feare lest they sinne against him Psal 34. 9. He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Psal 115. 13. To hope in God In hoping in God The Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy Ps 147. 11. Wee are saved by hope Rom. 8. 24. Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord Ps 146. 5. Be of good courage he shall strengthen your hearts all yee that hope in the Lord Ps 31. 24. To waite on God Waite I say on the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart Psal 27. 14. In waiting on God They shall not be ashamed that waite for me Blessed are they that waite for him Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for them that waite for him Isa 49. 23. Isa 30. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 9. To delight and rejoyce in God Thou shalt have thy delight in the Almightie thou shalt rejoyce in God in thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day our hearts shall rejoyce in him Isa 41. 16. Psal 89. 16. Psal 33. 21. To praise God The living he shall praise thee daily shall he be praised they shall praise the Lord who so offereth mee praise glorifieth me Isa 38. 19. Psal 72. 15. Psal 63. 3. Psal 22. 26. Psal 50. 23. To injoy peace with God Let him take hold on my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Isa 27. 5. To love the Saints This is his Commandement that we should love one another 1 Joh. 3. 23. Little children love one another see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently 1 Joh. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 22. By this shall all men know that yee be my Disciples if yee love one another Joh. 13. 35. 1 Joh. 3. 14. To love enemies Love your enemies doe good lend hoping for nothing againe and your reward shall be great c. Mat. 5. 43 44. Luk. 6. 35. To judge our selves They shall judge themselves worthy to be destroyed Judge your selves and yee shall not be judged Ezek. 36. 31. 2 Cor. 11. 31. To mourne for sinning against God I will powre upon them the Spirit of grace and they shall mourne Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Blessed are they that mourn in faith for they shall be comforted Zech. 12. 10. Joh. 16. 20. Mat. 5. 4. In poverty of spirit To him will I look saith God that is poore and of a contrite spirit c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven Isa 66. 2. Mat. 5. 3. In desires after Christ c. Hoe every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and drinke if any man thirst let him come to me and drinke
my words unto you 1 Tim. 4. 13. Rev. 1. 3. Pro. 1. 23. To meditate Thou shalt meditate therein day and night Blessed is the man that meditateth on thy Law day and night My meditation of him shall be sweet the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding Josh 1. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 15. Psal 1. 1 2. Psal 104. 34. Psal 49. 3. To holy conference The mouth of the righteous speakes wisdome the lips of the wise disperse knowledge my words shall not depart out of thy mouth they that feared the Lord spake oft one to another c. They that love it shall eate the fruit thereof Prov. 15. 17. Pro. 18. 21. Maâ—a 3. 16. Psal 37. 30. Psal 71. 24. Isa 59. 21. To heare Christ and his Ministers Blessed is the man that heares me watching daily at my gates Heare and your soules shall live Pro. 8. 34. Isai 55. 3. To be baptized See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized and Philip said If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou maiest and they went both downe into the water and he baptized him Acts 8. 36 37 38. He that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. For Saints to receive the Lords Supper Doe this in remembrance of me it was given for you Take eate this is my body Luk. 22. 19. Joh. 6. 58. To be prepared for duties Thou wilt prepare their hearts If thou prepare thy heart c. Psal 10. 17. Job 11. 13 14 15. To obey God As soone as they heare of me they shall obey me Ezek. 36. 27. To be fruitfull in season His leafe shall be greene and he shall not cease from yeelding fruit he shall bring forth his fruit in season his leafe shall not wither Jer. 17. 8. Psal 1. 2 3. For abilitie to obey God The righteous also shall hold on his way and he shall be stronger and stronger they goe from strength to strength every one of them Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength my God shall be my strength I will goe in the strength of the Lord he gives power to the faint and to them that have no might be increaseth strength They that wait upon the Lord shall renue their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and shall walke and not be faint I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me God gives strength and power to his people blessed be God Job 17. 9. Psal 84. 7. Isa 45. 24. Isa 49. 5. Isa 40. 29 30 31. Phil. 4. 13. Psal 68. 35. In all temptations That it shall not be above that wee are able to beare and for a good issue out of all temptations There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that yee are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that yee may be able to beare it 1 Cor. 10. 13. Jam. 1. 12. Rom. 6. 20. To know the truth He that will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth The meeke will he teach his way He that feareth the Lord will he teach in the way he shall choose Joh. 7. 17. Joh. 16. 13. Psal 25. 9. 12. For direction in all our wayes I will direct all his wayes I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe I will guide thee with my eye For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even untill death Isa 45. 13. Ps 32. 8. Psal 48. 14. To reprove others Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour then he that flattereth with his tongue The feare of man bringeth a snare but to them that rebuke him shall be delight and a good blessing shall come upon them Levit. 19. 17. Pro. 28. 23. Pro. 29. 25. Pro. 24. 25. To correct children c. The rod and reproofe give wisdome but a childe left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame but if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye thou shalt beat him with the rod Pro. 25. 15. Pro. 29. 15. Pro. 23. 13 14. For husbands to love their wives Husbands love your wives Ephes 5. 25. 28. 33. For wives to obey their husbands Wives obey your husbands in every thing lawfull Ephes 5. 24. For children to obey their parents Children obey your parents in the Lord Ephes 6. 1 2. For servants to obey their Masters Servants be obedient to those that are your Masters Ephes 6. 5 6 7. To obey Gods commands In keeping them there is great reward Psal 19. 11. Blessed are they that do his commandements Psal 19. 11. Prov. 37. 27. Rev. 20. 6. Rev. 22. 14. To leave false worship See 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. To dwell in Sion and to injoy the priviledges thereof The ransomed of the Lord shall come to Sion with joy I will take one of a Citie and two of a family and bring them to Sion They that love his Name shall dwell therein Isa 35. 10. Jer. 3. 14. Psal 69. 36. To be fruitfull there Those that are planted in the house of God shall flourish in the Courts of our God and bring forth fruit in old age and be fat and flourishing All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed of them which the Lord hath blessed They goe from strength to strength every one of them in Sion c. Ps 92. 13 14. Isa 61. 9. 62. 12. Psal 84. 7. That God is present there He dwels in his Church He walkes in the middest of the seven golden Candlestickes Thou that dwellest in the gardens Rev. 2. 1. with Rev. 1. 10. Song 5. 1. 6. 2. 8. 13. For the acceptation of their services there see Song 5. 1. with Deut. 12. 5 6 7. For his blessing there The Lord shall blesse thee out of Sion I will abundantly blesse her provision they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house blessed are they that dwell in thy house for they shall he still praising thee Psal 132. 15. Psal 36. 8. Psal 84. 4. For protection there Thou shalt hide me in the time of trouble in the secrets of thy Tabernacle Psal 27. 4 5. For Saints to agree in the truth I will give them one heart and one way Jer. 32. 39. To have joy and gladnesse there The Lord shall comfort Sion and joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thankesgiving and the noyse of melody Isai 51. 3. In reproaches for Christ Blessed are yee when men revile you for my sake falsly rejoyce and be glad and leape for joy for behold great is your reward in heaven
for it is bound by Gods decree so as not any thing can be done but what he hath determined yet nothing can satisfie some unlesse it be granted that they have power of will to crosse Gods decree 3. If the cause why God chooseth me and not another is because I will c. then it is not meerly from his will and then you deny the freedome of Gods will Also if a man hath libertie of will to resist Gods will and worke so as God shall not convert him it will follow that when we are converted we convert our selves which is contrary to the Scriptures as Psal 51. And doe not they give the Scriptures the lye that say the will of an unregenerate man may be free to righteousnesse will it and imbrace it when it is proposed But if a seeing eye were in darknesse it could not discern any thing how much lesse shall the blind see By nature we are blind Rev. 3. 17 18. Wee are darknesse till we be made light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Darknesse cannot comprehend the light Joh. 1. 5. The naturall man cannot receive the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Therefore the Saints pray to God to reveale to them the knowledge of Christ and to inlighten their eyes by the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Eph. 1. 17 18 Mans will being wholly inthralled into sinne as appeares Rom. 6. 20. 8. 6. The carnall mind is enmitie to God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be how then can it will desire and receive grace by nature As God commanded Pharaob to let Israel goe yet he could not for God hardened his heart that he could not be willing Joh. 12. 39. with Rom. 11. 32. they confesse that unlesse God give faith it 's impossible for men to beleeve so then the reason men doe not beleeve is because God doth not give them faith Phil. 1. 29. But to what purpose is it for God to give Christ to dye for mens sinnes seeing as they confesse they shall have no benefit by him unlesse they beleeve and that they cannot doe without God and God doth not give them faith if he did they could not but beleeve what great love is this which is shewed to them The substance of those famous or rather infamous opinions of ours of such as hold free will and that Christ dyed for the sinnes of all Adams posteritie is that God wills the salvation of all men but he is disappointed of his will Those whom God will save by his antecedent will he will destroy by his consequent will that God doth seriously intend the salvation of all persons yet neverthelesse he calls men by a meanes and time that is not apt nor fit by reason whereof those who are so called doe not follow Gods calling That faith is partly from grace and partly from free will that God is bound to give all men power to beleeve They distinguish between the obtaining of salvation and the application of salvation The first they say is for all The second is onely for them that beleeve but the application of salvation is neither willed nor nilled to men That man may determine and open his own heart and receive the word of God That the reprobate may be saved That the number of the Elect is not certain That the decree of Reprobation is not peremptory And that a Reprobate may convert himselfe And that faith is not of-meere grace They bring in God speaking thus I decree to send my Sonne to save all who shall beleeve but who and how many they shall be I have not determined onely I will give to all men sufficient power to beleeve but he shall beleeve who will himselfe I will send Christ to dye for the sinnes of many whom I know it shall not be effectuall at all unto to whom I will never give faith and notwithstanding Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes yet they shall suffer my wrath for them for ever That God did not elect for foreseene Faith VVEE grant God knew all that ever was is or shall be but we deny that God did elect to life any for any thing he did foresee in them for if God should looke out of himselfe to any thing in the creature upon which his will may be determined to elect were against his al sufficiency as if he should get knowledge from things we doe implies an imperfection of knowledge and of will if he should see some thing in us before he can determine as if God were in suspence saying I will choose this man if he will I will upon foresight of my condition absolutely choose him To say I will elect 〈◊〉 if they beleeve is a conditionall election and if they can doe this without God then God is not omnipotent if they say he will give them faith to beleeve then it is all one with an absolute will as I elect to life and I will give these faith Far whom he predestinateth them he calleth c. Rom. 8. It seemes God wills our salvation if we beleeve that is he wils the having a thing on a condition that he will not worke and then it is impossible unlesse the creature can doe something that is good which he will not doe in him or on a condition which he will worke and then he worketh all he willeth or on such a condition as he seeth the creature cannot performe nor himselfe will not make him performe and this were frivolous Also to say God decreed to send Christ to save all if they will beleeve I see they neither will nor can therefore I will condemne them Joh. 12. 39. God hath shut up all in unbeliefe as Rom. 11. 32. therefore they could not beleeve because he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted Joh. 12. 39 40. Concerning Infants Baptisme SOme reasons why we dissent from it 1. Because we finde no command nor example in the word of God that any infants were baptized and wee are forbidden to presume above what is written And if we should admit of any one thing in the worship of God which we finde no warrant for in the Word we should be forced by the same reason to admit of many yea any invention of men 2. Because God requires that such as are baptized should first be made Disciples Beleeve and repent c. Mat. 28. 19. Acts 8. 12 13. 36 37 38. Acts 2. 38. 41. Mat. 3. 6. Mark 1. 4 5. Acts 10. 44. 47 48. 3. Because Christ in his Testament which is his last will the Legacies therein contained are given to such as beleeve and to none else Gal. 3. 6 7. 14. 23. 29. Rom. 8. 17. 14. 11 12. These are the heires of the kingdome of Christ with the priviledges thereof Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Joh. 1. 12 13. 1