be our God and that wee shall be his people to put his Low in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that all his people shall know him from the least to the greatest and that hee will forgive their iniquity and remember their sinnes no more In this Covenant God wraps up all the parts of the salvation of his free grace and doth fully oblige himselfe to them all Now what is the reason that God doth thus oblige himselfe by Covenant is it because of himselfe that he might not goe back from his designe of grace to his people No he is God that changes not an immutable God Numb Num. 23.19 Psal 90.2 23.19 God from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90.2 But God makes this Covenant for our sake that we might beleeve in him as a God of grace and a faithfull God the holy Ghost argues thus he telleth us that a faithfull man will keepe his Covenant much more God as if hee had said The faithfull God hath made his Covenant of grace that you might beleeve he will make good his Covenant as he is a faithfull God God obligeth his owne faithfulnesse in a Covenant of grace that his people might have both his grace and his faithfulnesse for a foundation of their faith God will be beleeved by his people and therefore hee ingageth himselfe as a faithfull gracious God to the faith of his people sayes God I will pardon your sinnes and remember them no more I will put my Law in your hearts the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus and I will be your God and you shall be my people beleeve all this for I will doe it saith God I the faithfull the gracious and omnipotent God I that am omnipotent who can hinder me I that am gracious so that your sinnes can be no barre nay I that am faithfull and cannot lye nor repent I have spoken it and I will make it good what is the meaning of all this but that we should beleeve the faithfull word of our faithfull and gracious God he will oblige his owne faithfulnesse by way of Covenant that wee might beleeve in the free salvation of his owne grace made out in that Covenant Secondly Consider what is Gods end in the promulgation and spreading abroad of the Gospell It is not that his people should beleeve in the salvation of his owne grace why is Christ pleased to be the way of Gods salvation to his people of his owne free grace so that whom ever beleeveth thus on him hath everlasting life John 6.47 But that they might beleeve and bee saved by him 29. verse This is the worke of God that yee beleeve on him that hee hath sent This is the end of the Gospell for it is the effect of it where it workes savingly this is Gods worke or the worke of his spirit in the Gospell to make soules beleeve in Jesus Christ whom hee hath sent when Christ sent forth his Disciples to preach the Gospell he directs them to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and biddeth them to Preach this Mat. 10.6 7. that the Kingdome of Heaven was at hand Mat. 10.6 7. Matth. 10.6 7. That is goe to poore lost soules in themselves and tell them that the Salvation of Gods free grace iâ— at hand it is neere to them it seekes them and saveth them freely but what is the end of this onely that the history of Christ might come to these lost soules no sure that is not enough for lost sheepe but that they might beleeve in the salvation of Gods free grace and bee saved and for this end hath God preserved his Gospell in the World and made it to prosper against all the power and malice of Satan and his instruments that thereby his people might heare the glad tydings of salvation by free grace in Christ and in the beleeving of it be saved and established John 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which sâ—ttâ— the Sonne and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life It is not onely a bare hearing or seeing of Christ in the flesh but beleeving on him that makes Christ to bee everlasting life to the soule and this is the end of God in the Gospell that soules might haw everlasting life through beleeving in Christ it is faith in the soules of his people that God intends both by giving the Gospel to the World and preserving it in the World So that for these two reasons which might have bin exceedingly more inlarged is doth appeare That this is the will of God in keeping his salvation to bee wholy the worke of his grece that the hand which received and applyeth it should be a hand of faith which is the worke of his owne free grace in the soule Thus farre I have held forth matter for faith in the soules of beleevers to rest on for establishment in the poynt of salvation by shewing in some of Gods Attributes what hee is in himselfe and what the designe of his free grace is in the salvation of sinners My intention is to hold out more matter for faith to take in before I give the arguments for Faith or motives to Faith Now I finde this by my selfe and others that feares and doubtings in the soule next to its owne salvation is about the Church and people of God on earth how it will fare with them and therefore I shall in the next place take that into consideration You shall heare poore soules that love Christ and his people bâ—t are weake in faith make these sad complaints O the poore Church and people of Christ what will become of them the multitudes of the World they hate them so that they use all their power and policy to ruine and destroy them Princes off the Earth joyne themselves together and take counsell against them if any in power own them it is but a little number and they but for a little time we finde them men subject to temptations many times when as by faire promises and some sinall beginnings men in power beget a confidence in Gods people concerning them till fairer advantages are offered by Satan in a temptation to their flesh and then they prove false to former promises and undoe all their beginnings of good by setting open the Flood-gates of evill and tyranny upon the Church and people of God Satan sheweth them the World they are taken with the temptation fall downe and worship him and if Gods people will not doe so too then the furnace must bee hear seaven times hotter then before and if they desire to go into the Wildernesse to worship the Lord their God then they are idle the Task-masters must increase their worke so that truly sayes this poore bleeding heart if a man have any thing more then a naked profession of Religion in such a forme that will be turned by every blaft of power from men he is then taken for a
beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life To beleeve in Christ is to beleeve in God as our God and the effects of this is eternall life here is full establishment indeed here is life for ever eternity cannot shake this beleeving soule it is so established by beleeving in God as its God in Christ I intend to take this fundamentall establishing truth into particulars the which will give further light into what I aime at and clearer testimony to the generall truth That Saints are established by beleeving in God as their God I meane an applicatory apropriating faith and beliefe in God By beleeving in God as our God by which we come to bee established I meane this First To beleeve in God in what he is in himselfe Secondly To beleeve God in what he doth namely in all his workes Thirdly To beleeve God in what hee saith in his whole Word And in all these so farre as God is communicable to beleeve him to be our God Beleeving thus in the Lord our God we shall certainely be established First To believe in God in what he is in himselfe God in his Essence is incomprehensible and inexpressible so Exod. 3.14 When Moses asked God what hee should tell the Children of Israel his Name was if they asked him Gods answer to Moses is I am that I am and so tell the children of Israel I am hath sen◠me unto you that is I am so what I am that I cannot be fully expressed I am God Jehovah I am all God and nothing but God but this pure and eternall Essence is pleased so farre as is either fit or needfull for his people to know him to make known himselfe by his Attributes and in his word workes and miracles for the strengthening of his peoples faith and establishing them in himselfe And in this worke I shall take up Gods method and first looke into the Attributes of God for some discoveries of his Essence wherein hee doth make knowne himselfe to his people that they may believe in him in what he is in himselfe you must not expect I should be so large in this as to expresse all the Attributes of God that is a worke too large for a dying life or a dying man the fulnesse of that will fill eternity all that may be attributed to God which can be attributed to none but God and that all is exceeding large I shall onely mention some precious corner-stones for believers to build upon so that they may certainly bee established As first God is the only true and perfect God true Attribute of God so as there is no true God besides him and perfect so that all perfection is in him and nothing but perfection in him so in God as in none but God and therefore onely to be attributed to God I shall in this and all I write of God produce his word for my authority Isa 46.9 I am God and there is none else I am God Isa 46.9 and there is none like me God in this Scripture speaks positively in the verse before this the people worshipped and bowed downe to false Gods to images of God the Lord complaines of this in vers 5. To whom will yee liken me and make me equall Verse 5. and compare me that we may be like As if God had said you can liken me to nothing for there is nothing like me I am God and there is none else the true God your false Gods cannot be like me So in Isa Isa 45.33 45.22 Looke unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Marke the Scripture salvation in in me saith God I am the God of salvation If the ends of the Earth be saved they must looke unto me for I am God and there is none else That is there is no other true God no God that can save but me God proves himselfe to be the only true God by being the only saving God God in truth is the God of salvation That God which can save must needs be the true God and so there is no other God but our God hee is the true God and a God of truth all God and all truth this is a proper attribute of God for it can be attributed to none but God Againe God is perfect he is a perfect God he is all perfection in himselfe and all that is perfect is from him hee is that perfection to which there can be no addition hee giveth life and breath to all things Acts 17.25 Acts 17.25 Neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing hee giveth to all life and breath and all things God is perfect hee needeth nothing hee knowes no want hee is the fulnesse of all things and filleth all with himselfe he is the fountaine and giver of all life and breath and all things All that makes up perfection is alwayes in God and goeth forth from God into all things life and breath which comprehends the whole they are in the whole creation the breathings forth of Gods perfection God bounds all but none can bound him Perfection only lives in God he giveth bounds to all things else but can receive bounds from none to the creature God saith what have you that you have not received But as for God himselfe he is simply and absolutely perfect simply purely perfect 1 John 1.5 nothing but perfection altogether perfect 1 John 1.5 God is light and in him is no darkenesse at all So perfectly light that there is not the least shadow of darkenesse in him what is God is perfectly light or the light of God is perfect for God is altogether perfect nothing can be said to be perfect but God and God cannot be said to be any thing but perfection light and to darknesse at all is perfect light and this is God for GOD is perfect Another attribute of GOD Attribute 2 God the first without all cause which proveth the former is this That God is the first being without all cause this is truly an attribute of God which can be attributed to none but God for he is the first the only and without cause and the only cause of all things else not any thing gave God a being but God giveth being to all things Revel 1.8 Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Marke it I am the first you cannot produce any thing as the cause of my being for a cause must be before an effect and if 〈◊〉 be the effect of any cause then I cannot be Alpha the beginning but the proceed of some other first but this I am not for I am Alpha and Omega both first and lust I am first in my selfe without all cause and I am the first of all causes for I cause all to be I am the Almighty which gives
on Jesus Christ as our Lord Jesus Christ so the soule comes to be at peace with God and to finde God to be reconciled to it and is thus justified in its owne bosome by beleeving in Christ that is the soule doth now beleeve all that God hath said concerning Christ and what Christ hath done and suffered for finners 2 Cor. 5. last and doth by faith apply and appropriate this to it selfe my Lord Jesus Christ saith a beleeving soule whom God made to his sinne for mee Isa 53. that I might be the righteousnesse of God in him upon whom God hath layd all my iniquities and the chastisements due to my sinnes Col. 2.19 and by whose stripes my soule is bealed So that now I stand compleate before God in him Thus by beleeving and appropriating Christ to our owne soules wee come to be justified in our owne spirits and to be at peace with God in beleeving God to bee as peace with us we come to be at peace with him that is all hard thoughts of God they are gone with unbeliefe now the soule beleeveth in God through Christ it findeth God to be a gracious loving reconciled Father and is now at peace with God or at peace in God full of peace by beleeving in God through Christ this is the justification that faith giveth the soule it lives upon the peace of God in Jesus Christ and quiets the soule in this that God is at peace with it through Jesus Christ and in this sense through the whole Booke of God wee must understand those Scriptures wherein it is said we are justified by faith Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law Gal. 2.16 but by the faith of Jesus Christ even wee have beleeved in Jesus Christ That is knowing that God doth justifie all through Christ by his free grace in beleeving and not any by workes we doe beleeve in his free grace through Christ and are thereby justified not of workes no not by faith as a grace for then by workes but of his grace through Christ laid hold on and apply by faith the Apostle Paul in Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all that beleeve the righteousnesse of God is the grace of God in Christ or the grace of God making Christ our righteousnesse which righteousnesse of God by Jesus Christ we apply to our selves by beleeving in the grace of God which hath made Christ our righteousnesse and in Christ as hee is made righteousnesse to us righteousnesse is the gift of grace but if faith as an act in us could justifie us then righteousnesse and justification would not be of grace but as faith is onely a hand to lay hold on Christ the righteousnesse of Gods free grace and this faith the gift of God not of our selves Ephes 2.8 So it hath its place and worke in the great designe of God the Salvation of his free grace So in Rom. 10.4 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 The holy Ghost doth not there say that by beleeving which is a worke of grace in the soule the soule doth put an end to the Law that is satisfie it and make it selfe righteous no for then righteousnesse would be of the Law but Christ he hath put an end to the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth that is by beleeving in Christ as our righteousnesse there is an end put to the Law the Law is no righteousnesse but Christ is righteousnesse and the fulfiller of the Law for all that thus beleeve on him faith is only the hand to lay hold of and to appropriate and apply Christ to the soule whom is Gods righteousnesse and the sulfiller of this Law for all that so beleeve on him Beleevers should be exceeding tender of preserving the glory of Gods grace for it is by grace that wee are saved and onely of grace that we are what we are and for this very cause was faith made the hand to lay hold on grace grace in God hath not made a hand to destroy it selfe we must be very watchfull in this thing and make the grace of God to bee the tryall of faith for that faith cannot bee true which doth not advance the free grace of God the highest pitch of faith in which it is very glorious is to apply the grace of God to the soule and to cast the soule upon the free grace of God to unselfe the creature to trample its best workes under feet as drosse and dung and resting full in the grace of God through Christ desiring onely to be found in him Not having our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law Phil. 3.8 9. but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3.8 9. True faith it lifts up free grace in God by seeking his righteousnesse by faith it aimes no higher but to be a hand to receive the gift of grace Gods righteousnesse the Lord Jesus Christ The true worke of faith in the soule is to bring in Christ and cast out the Law as that Schoole-Master which keep◠the soule under feares till Christ came and to acquaint the soule that it is a Childe of God through Christ Jesus Gal. 3.25 26. John 6.40 47 Gal. 3.25 26. and that in Christ it hath everlasting life John 6.40.47 Thus beleeving in Christ the soule is strengthened in the inward man Christ dwelling in the heart by faith Eph. 3.16 17. Ephes 3.16 17. and establishing the soule in its union with Christ that soule which beleeveth in Christ as the gift of Gods free grace in whom God giveth eternall life 1 John 5.10 11. hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 John 5.10 11. Hee is sealed up to the love of God in beleeving the record of God that saith he loveth it freely and hath given Christ for it now the soule beleeves this word of God and rests upon it take Gods word for its eternall salvation this is the true office of faith in the foule to lay hold of the Salvation of Gods free grace in Christ declared by his word and to apply and appropriate 〈◊〉 to it selfe so as to rest and depend wholy upon it for Saivation and herein the soule comes to have the witnesse within its selfe by beleeving thus on the Sonne of God That it might appear◠to be the will of God that all which are saved of his free grace by Christ should be made partakers of this Salvation in themselves by beleeving in him and the salvation of his grace I shall of at two things to consideration First The Covenant of Gods free grace And secondly The promulgation and spreading abroad of the Gospell First Gods Covenant of free grace in Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. and Heb. 8.8 9 10 11 12. In which God doth freely ingage himselfe To
faith these profess Christ for the gaine of an outward reputation but do not live in Christ by faith and in times of suffering the beauty of Christ is lost to such an eye and for want of an eye of faith by which the fulnesse glory and excellency of Christ is discerned these unbeleeving professors deny their profession and their Master too if it comes to suffering with Christ if on him they will sweare with Peter they never knew him and though they sweare yet they doe not lye for such as leave their profession of Christ and holinesse through unbeliefe and become unholy they may truely say they never knew him for whom ever truly knows Christ in the spirit will never leave him an eye of faith sees so much beauty faithfulnesse power grace and goodnesse in God and Christ that though sufferings comes as waves of the Sea yet will not leave God and Christ but cleave closer to him beleeving in his grace and goodnesse for support and deliverance but that soule which beleeves not in God and doth not by an eye of faith see fulnesse in him of power grace and goodnesse to support and deliver will never trust in him but with Deâ—â—â— imbrace the present World such as follow Christ onely for the Loaves will leave him at the appearance of his Crosse That forward Professor in the 18. of Luke 18. so on which justified himselfe in keeping all the Commandements from his youth yet could not part with his worldly riches and make Christ his portion much lesse take up sufferings because of unbeliefe he would leave his good Master as he called Christ rather then his goods which were indeed his Master through the unbeliefe of his heart all his faire profession and offers after Christ comes to nothing because of unbeliefe this Christ knew therefore makes discovery of the man by trying his faith or by manifesting his unbeliefe it is the beleeving soule that followes the Lamb wheresoever he goes it is onely faith by which the soule is able to take up the Crosse of Christ and follow him but unbeliefe leaveth Christ and his Crosse together though it have professed not to leave Christ though it should dye with him yet in the appearance of such a tryall the unbeleever denies his profession to save his outside from suffering this is the constant associate of unbeliefe and therefore God is pleased in his wisedome to let sufferings be the attendance to the profession of his name in truth that thereby he might discover even to the World the precious from the vile who live in him by faith and whom onely by profession thus doth God discover the evill of unbeliefe of which argument this present age hath not been wanting A third evill of unbeliefe Third evill of â—beliefe is this unbeliefe it questions with distrust the very power of God it doubts whether God be God or his power Almighty and Omnipotent can God give bread in the Wildernesse and can God bring water out of the Rock is there fulnesse enough in God to make a barren Wildrnesse fruitfull and to give food where there is no appearance of food nay can God make a hard dry and stony Rock to bring forth water can God worke both without meanes and against meanes is this power in God thus doth unbeliefe question and distrust the power of God So that proude unbeleeving wrâ—tch King Nebuchadnezzar in the 3. Dan. 15. Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands As if he had said is there any God hath power greater then I is there any God or any power in God that can deliver out of my hands when I have heat the Furance seven times hotter then before what power can preserve you from the fire of my fury and my Furnace We may finde unbeliefe in Sarah putting this very question in Gen. 18.12 Therefore Sarah laughed within her selfe saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also If we observe the Scripture it amounts to this What now I and my Lord am old now all hopes in nature is gone can God now make good his word to me in giving me a Childe now we are both old this is the true question that unbelief makes can God doe this great thing Shee laughed in way of sleighting the tydings through unbeliefe concerning the power which should effect it So when Elisha the Prophet did Prophesie of that suddaine and great plenty in Samaria when they were at that time strongly besieged and in great wants 2 Kings 7.1 2. the Text sayes That a Lord on whose hands the King leaned answered the man of God and sayd Behold if the Lord would make windowes in Heaven might this thing be This is the proper language of unbeliefe thou talkest of too great things for God to doe are not we straitly besieged and all our provisions gone and doest thou speake of so great a plenty in so short a time which way should God doe this what shall he make windowes in Heaven and raine downe this plenty it can come no other way thus we see the great evill of unbeliefe how it questions the power of God and as it were ungods him for to make his deficient is to make him no God A fourth evill is this Unbeliefe is the seale of damnation he that beleeveth not is condemned in himselfe we have a full Scripture to this purpose in John 3.18 But hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee hath not believed in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God Unbeliefe it seales up to condemnation because it casts off the salvation of Gods free grace now that which denies the one seales up the other not to beleeve in Christ is to put from us all possibility of salvation and to seale the soule up to a certainty of damnation reade the last verse of that third of John He that beleeveth on the Bon hath everlasting life and hee that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth in him Whom ever beleeveth not in Christ the salvation of God shall never see life shall never live in the beholding of God reconciled to him but hath the wrath of God the seale of damnation abiding on him Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God As unbeliefe keeps the soule from God so it makes the soule unpleasing to God that there is no intercourse betweene God and an unbeleeving soule now what can be a more visible seale of damnation then this Separation of the soule from God which unbeliefe makes unbeliefe biddeth defiance to God and his salvation and so seales up the soule unto condemnation unbeliefe is so truly the seale of damnation that no sinne nor sinnes can damne any soule without for where faith in Christ liveth there Christ is the death of all sinne satisfaction for all sinne and the life of soules though all sinne be damnable yet no sinne nor sinnes can
he useth hsi grand pick-lock unbeliefe to open the doore to let him in and so soon as ever hee gets entrance in at that doore his commands become lawes Unbeliefe is the owner and power of darknesse in the soul by which Satan reignes as supreame This is the strongest hold of Satan in any soule and if once that stronger man the Lord Jesus Christ cast him out of this hold hee loses his whole laterest in and command over the soule but so long as he can keep this Garrison the soule shall surely be kept in a warfare against Christ Want of faith in God must needs make want of love service child-like fear and obedience and where these are not all manner of evill must needs be I hope by these particulers I have given some little light into this Kingdome of darknesse it is a large field the dimensions of it can be taken by no hand but such an one as can compasse the whole earth and all the but it for all the evill of the world will come within this circle of unbeliefe I intend here no farther a travell upon this discovery then I have gone to a spirituall heart I am sure every one of these particulers will appeare to be very great evils then the fountaine of them must needs be exceedingly great in evil All I aim t is this that as unbeliefe is the greatest evill in and the greatest enemie to the soule so that the Readers would thus looke upon unbeliefe and as soules fore-warned to be fore-armed Secret enemies are the worst of enemies I have therefore pointed at this great enemy that it might not be greater then it is in it selfe by its secret lurking undiscovered in the soule I shall in the next place in some particulers as before hold forth the benefits of faith in God in Christ and his word in the soules of believers The benefits of FAITH First Faith in God makes the life of the soule purâ— it is a life only in God it liveth upon nothing else but what God is doth and saith This is properly the life of faith and the true advantage of the soule by that life Faith is that eye by which the soule lookes into and hath a discovery of the goodnesse grace and glory of God to it selfe Now in this knowledge the soule is carryed out of it selfe into God to live purely and singly upon God it now comes to know Gods strength to be exceedingly more then its owne and so forsakes its owne strength to live upon the strength of God By faith the soule sees the full salvation that is in God and so casteth it selfe upon God for salvation and liveth purely upon God and nothing but God for salvation and deliverance out of the hands of all its enemies to serve him in saith above carnall distrustfull feare the life of saith in God Luk. 1.73 74. with this benefit of that life doth very emminently appear in the Prophet David Psal 62. He begins the Psalm thus Truly my soule waiteth upon God This is his faith he believeth in God and therefore waiteth upon him Well but what is the ground or reason of the Prophets thus waiting upon God hee telleth us in the end of the first verse from him commeth my solvation He did by faith live upon God as the God of his salvation that is God was all to him his life of faith was a living purely and singly upon God therefore in verse 5. he layes a charge upon his soule My soule wait thou only upon God Have thy eye no where else live purely upon what God is for my expectation is from him The good I looke for is the good which is in God my waiting and believing is to see the salvation of the Lord. So in 6. and 7. verses He only meaning God is my rocke and my salvation my defence and my glory my strength and my refuge therefore I shall not be moved Observe this life of faith it is purely in God what God is and makes its conclusion according to what God is I shall not be moved Why not Because God is my rocke and salvation hee is my defence and strength What is in God is the ground of his confidence therefore God himselfe is the object of his soule This life of faith in David is purely a life in God such a life as liveth purely upon what God is This life of faith in David puts him in the latter part of that Psalme upon an exhortation to others to trust in God that is to live upon what God is in himselfe In this worke he sets forth the emptinesse of all things out of God hee telleth us in verse 9. That men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity All these are empty things compared to God are lighter then vanity not to be trusted in or lay any weight upon God is onely enough to answer the wants of eternall soules Live upon God this is purely the life and benefit of saith in the souln of believers to live upon the living God that is to live purely upon what is in God So the same Prophet in Psalm 3.3 But thou Lord are a shiâ—lâ— for me my glory and the lifter up of my head In the verse before he telleth us that many say of him There is no helpe for him in God but sayes he I know the contrary and I doe live upon thy selfe as my shield my glory and the lifter up of my head his life is what God is for faith hath pitched upon God for his life Psal 7.10 and he lives in what God is So in Psal 7.10 My defence is of God That is God is his strength and the strength of God is his defence he liveth upon God And puts his trust in God Psalm Psal 16.1 16.1 And in the 23. Psalme The Lord is my Shepheard all he hath it is received from the Lord upon whom he liveth he makes mention of no Name but the Name of God as the fountaine of all the good he injoyes and this makes him in the 42. Psalme last to call upon his soule when as it was cast downe to hope in God for sayes he I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Though my springs at creature are soone drawne dry so that my soule may faint for thirst yet hope my soule For God is thy life I shall praise him because he is my life Thus doth faith live and satisfie the soule in what God is in himselfe Psal 121.2 and in Psalm 121.2 My helpe commeth from the Lord It is what is in God that the believing soule looks upon for helpe and therefore the life of faith liveth when all things below God have no life in them for it liveth in God and upon what God is Give eare to the voice of a believing soule speaking in
be no want and thou art our Father therefore wee pray thee answer all our wants according to thy wisdome and thy glory these are the breathings and motions of true and lively faith in the soule it carryes Saints thus to God as to a Father in all their wants and makes them much with God in the opening their wants to him because God is their Father Now what ever keeps the soul much with God must needs be a great benefit to the soule and this is faith that which carries the soule in all its wants to God and keepes the eye of the soule steady on God as a Father therefore a great benefit to the soule A fifth benefit of faith in the soule is this By faith Saints doe chearfully undergoe sufferings for Christ and choose them though grievous to the flesh rather then finne This is so truly the benefit of faith in the soule that none but such soules as believe in God can doe thus Saints doe this by a strength out of themselves even in God which they have in God by believing By faith in God Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. chose Nebuchadnezar's firy furnace rather then to worship his golden Image which hee had set up Faith made it easier to them to suffer for God then to sinne against him though the Furnace was heat seven times hotter then before Nebuchadnezzar gave them their choise saith taught them what to choose These believing soules counts the flames of sin to be more dreadfull and fuller of smart then any flames which the Tyrant could cast them into they had faith to trust in God and that carryed them above the commands of sinne or the feare of punishment in the disobeying of man The same effect of faith we find in Daniel in the sixth Chapter of his Booke vers 10. Dan. 6.10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his Chamber and prayed three times a day Hee knew what snare was laid to catch him in yet he omitted not his duty he chose rather to be cast into the Lyons mouths then to keepe his mouth shut from making Petitions to God Thus faith in God kept him close to his duty though it led him into the snares of death Faith leept up the Apostle Paul's soule to this pitch in Acts 21.13 Acts 21.13 when â—s fleshly relations would by teares have perswaded him to omit duty that hee might wave bonds hee answers their solicitations thus What meane yee to weepe and to breake my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ As if he had said your weeping is my greatest burthen you break my heart with that as for bonds and death for the Name of Christ faith in God will carry me through all that and I had father choose to dye at Hierusalem then to omit my duty and not to goe for feare of bonds Thus we see the choise of soules believing in God when sinne and sufferings are before them one to be chosen and the other left now none but a believing soule can doe thus for it is faith in God which keeps the soule close to God the pleasure of sinne though but for a season will leave such soules as have not their pleasure in God Now none can live in God with delight that doth not believe in God so that it is only the believing soule that chooses God for its delight and will rather choose sufferings then leave Godâ— Christ hath many which professe to follow him and to be in him but when hee tryes them by sufferings for his Name and his Truths they leave him and with Demas embrace the present world by which hee discovers them that they were onely of him by bare profession not truly in him by faith for then they would abide with him and accounted of Christ to be as worthy and as lovely with his Crosse as with his Crowne and would have chosen in all conditions to abide with Christ I as Moses to choose afflictions with the children of God rather then the pleasures and honours of Pharoah's Court to a believing eye Christ puts a beauty upon sufferings and a blackenesse upon sin so that the soule for beauty-sake chooseth sufferings rather then sinnes this is a precious advantage in the soule but the truth of it speaks this that there is very little true faith in the world this faith is accompanied with much love to God and Christ and that makes it the more rare and scarce to be sound but where iâ— is it makes a glorious soule and conversation Wee may finde many that doe choose sinne in love to sinne though sufferings be visible to the eye and shame at the heels of such courses but it is only the believing soule that to shun sin will choose sufferings and that out of love to God and faith in him This is a rare advantage for it makes the soule a rare soule such a one as is no where to be found but amongst Gods Jewels his little flock and peculiar ones this faith is always leading the soul of sin to take in Christ though sufferings comes with him nay chooseth to embarque in a storm with Christ rather then to goe with sinne in the most pleasantest calme that the world affords It feares not to be with Christ in troubled Seas because it believes he can rebuke them at his pleasure so that both wind and Seas shal obey him Faith knows nothing can bound God but God can bound the creature when he pleaseth Faith knowes if God say the word though the ship be split in the midst of raging Seas yet not the life of one man shall perish whom God hath promised to bring safe to shore and hereby faith perswades the soule to choose sufferings in communion with God thereby to avoid sinne which leades the soule from God the believing soule can see no happinesse out of God therefore refuseth to embrace any seeming pleasure which leads from God and this soule sees such full happinesse in God that it believes what ever sufferings it meets withall in communion with God that God in such communion will swallow up the soule in himselfe above all sufferings and in this saith doth the soule cheerfully undergoe sufferings for God and choose them rather then sin which is a greater advantage to a child of God in this world then if all the world were at his disposing A sixth benefit and advantage of true Faith in the soule is this Faith makes the soule steady in its worship and service of God when as a soule believes that it doth worship God according to his owne mind and will then it in not easily removed or shaken in its worship and service of God therefore sayes the Apostle let every one be fully perswaded in his owne minde that is what ever men doe in the service and worship of God let him fully believe
make so which hast in their owne wayes that they breake their necks destroy themselses and their designes because they have not faith to waite on God it is the property of faith to keepe the souls close to God as neare God as can be that the beleeving soule presseth after now this nearnesse is to waite on him to follow him 〈◊〉 noâ— to goâ— before him this is a true and great benefit of sake in the soules of belâ—â—vâ—â—â— The Ninth benefit of faith in the soule is this By faith all Mountaines of difficulties are removed from the soule if thou beleevest sayes the Text all things are possiblâ— there is nothing too heavy for faith to remove because faith in the strength of God in the soule for it is the soule going out of it selfe into God out of its owne strength into Gods therefore to him that beleeveth all things are possible consider this operation of faith in Queen Esther Esther 4 16. Esther 4.16 There shee directs Mordechai and all the Jewes to seek God and her selfe and her Maidens doth the same shee had a great businesse in hand in which very great difficulties to the flesh lay before her shee seeks God to be with her and then shee castern her selfe and businesse on God by faith shee gets above all the Mountaines of opposition into this resolution to doe her duty and leave the issue to God and in to the King shee goes with this resolution If Iperish I perish Shee was upon the wings of faith carryed above all those Mountaines which did threaten perishing shee now did not feare to perish faith in God carryed her above those feares removed those Mountains and made her way plaine faith wrought to this height in Shadrach Meshach and Abedingo Dan. 3.17 Dan. 3.17 If it be so our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us from the burning firy Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hands O King How bravely doth faith here mount them above all Mountaines of opposition our God is able to deliver us and wee will trust him heate thy Furnace as hot as thou wilâ— it shall be no Mountaine in our way for our trust is in our God and thâ—â— faith carryes us above all that thou canst either say or doe but for the clearing up of this truth take that one Scripture for all in Marke 11.22 23. 〈◊〉 11.22 23 they are the words of our Saviour to his Disciples by way of exhortation to stedfastnesse of faith And Jesus saith unto them have faith in God for verily I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto this Mountaine be thou removed and bee thou cast into the Sea and shall not double in his heart hâ—â— shall beleeve that those things which hee hath said shall come to passe he shall have whatsoever hee faith This is an exceeding full Scripture to the thing in hand which is the efficacy of faith in the soule to remove Mountaines it comes with the authority of Christ himselfe Verily I say unto you Well what is it that Christ sayes why this that whomsoever in faith stedfastly believing shall say to any Mountaine be thou removed and cast into the Sea it shall bee done I conceive none understandingly can lay up our Saviours meaning here by that tearm Mountain to a Mountain or heape of earth for that would be little advantage to faith or incouragement to lay out faith upon but that by Mountaine our Saviour largely meanes all Mountaines of difficulties that are in our way to Heaven and by Sea is meant a place of devouring of obscurity to what is cast into it so that our Saviours meaning is this steady faith the soule that doubts not removes all Mountaines that it meets withal in its way to Heaven so that they are devoured in obscurity that the soule shall never see them more our Saviours exhortation is this Have faith in God doubt not in thy heart but beleeve in God and Verily I say it take my word for it this faith shall remove all Mountaines That is the soule which thus undoubtingly liveth in God shall in that life be above all Mountaines of opposition that are below God and shall be able to nihilate them through faith in God as though they never had been Have faith in God doubt not What doth this meane but an undoubted beliefe that God can and will destroy all Mountaines in our way to Heaven thus it was with Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they undoubtingly beleeved our God can and our God will deliver us and verily God did destroy those mountaines that were in their way God is the same in every soule that hath faith in him and beleeves undoubtingly he throwes downe all Mountaines into the Sea of destruction and mounts up such souls into himself above all that might hinder them in their way to Heaven unbeliefe is that great Mountaine in the soule which brings forth all those lesser Mountaines of feare which the soule meets withall in its way to Heaven Now faith in God it lives in the death of unbeliefe and so destroyes that teeming Mountaine which brings forth all other reall or imaginary Mountaines of feare in the soule thus faith in God plucks up the Mountaines of feare which flowes from on beliefe by the roots and in this is a very great benefit to the soules of beleevers A tenth benefit of faith in the soules of Beleevers is this Faith soules up the soule to the redemption of Gods free grace faith is that worke of God in the soule which in man is the soule to Gods Covenant of free grace He that beleeves in God puts to his seale that God is true That soule which doth beleeve in God and in his Covenant of free grace so as to cast it selfe for salvation and all good upon God and his grace doth therein put to his seale that God is a God of grace and will make good his Covenant of grace to his soule otherwise he would never venture his soule upon it and our Saviour speaking of faith in the soul in John 6.47 sayes Verily verily I say unto you John 6.47 he that beleeveth on me hath everlasting life Christ delivers it as a most emminent truth with a Verily verily I say it And what is it that Christ sayes but this that faith is the seale of life to the soule He that beleeveth he hath everlasting life That is by faith the soule hath the seale of salvation in it selfe all the elect have salvation in God and Christ according to the eternall purpose of God in himselfe but when God makes soules to beleeve then they have the salvation of God sealed in their owne bosomes so sayes the Apostle Paul in Rom. 5.1 Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith wee have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ That is faith in Gods grace doth seale up the soule to a justified state through Christ Jesus and the soule having this seale
The Rest of Faith THAT IS Souls fixed and established in God by believing on him through the Lord JESUS CHRIST With the grounds of this Faith from sanctified Reason the benefits of Faith and the evils of unbeliefe Proved by Gods Word and presented to open view By Coll. ROBERT TICHBORNE Psalm 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on mee hath everlasting life Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God LONDON Printed by M. Simmons at the gilded Lyon in Aldersgate-streete 1649. TO THE HONOURABLE Lieftenant Generall CROMWELL Honourable Sir GOD having first pitched my meditations upon the study after an establishment in this perishing World and shaking times in which we live and in this study more emminently then before made knowne himselfe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be that Rocke of Ages which never failes such as trust in him he did then draw forth my heart upon a principle of common good 〈◊〉 hold that forth to the World which he had made known to me that so if God would blesse it to the end I intended it every soule might be as happy in a fixed state as my selfe this is truly my end in publishing that to others which God did in secret imprint upon my heart Now in the publishing of this I take boldnes to Dedicate it to your self but if any aske why I doe so I shall render them these two Reasons First it is proper for me to tender respects to one from whom I have received so many I shall be short in this and say no more but that I remaine your Debtor My second reason is this Though the subject be of generall tendency to the wants of all Gods people yet such as God puts most worke upon have most need of this support such as fight and contend with the enemies of God either within them or without them will finde faith in God to be their best weapon that God hath emminently called and used you in such a weighty work I need produce no proofes to the World God himselfe hath done it what God hath further for you to doe I know not but this I know that faith in him will be your greatest strength in doing and a certaine rest what ever your worke maybe for this reason also I present this to your hands the scope and substance of which I believe hath strengthened your heart and hand in all that concernes you here and for ever Your enemies say you have done much but I beleeve the voyce of your owne heart is that God hath done all himselfe wherein he hath used you as an instrument What is yet behind for you to doe or suffer God only knows This I dare boldly affirme faith in God will be your best companion and your surest rest in all conditions therefore Sir in sincere love I present my service and this Treatise of the rest of Faith to your hands the Lord goe with it to your heart and make himselfe your rest here and forever which is the reall desire of him that truely loves you and in love will be ready to serve you in the worke of the Lord whilst I remaine ROBERT TICHBORNE To the READER READER I Observe in nature that the strongest liquors are of most use when the spirits are weakest as strong waters to a fainting man and when the seas are most boisterous then doth the Marriner cast forth his Anchor The dispensations of God in these latter dayes of the world in which we live hath made both Sea â—and full of troubles by reason whereof much fainting of spirit and trembling of heart hath overspread the Nation These out goings of God hath drawn forth my heart to follow that tracke of his Word in the light and strength of his spirit which leads to himselfe that so I might find in him reviving to my fainting spirit and a rest for my weary soule God having been so gracious in manifesting himselfe to be my all here and for ever and given me a heart to rest upon him by which I am in full and lasting rest It was set upon my heart that I should not be unthankfull to him and unchristian to others If I should have onely sed upon this bread of life in spirit and not tel forth to the glory of his grace and the good of others how sure a resting place his bosome of love is and how firmly all such shal be established that believe on him one drop of his love wll raise the lowest spirit that soule which stays it selfe upon God by faith will be at rest though the storms of the world be never so great If this be true which I am confident many thousand souls besides my own can bear the witness of to God then I am apt to believe the following Treatise will have acceptance with such as God hath made sensible that he is now shaking not onely the earth but the heavens also Most complaine of the earth-quakes which the Land and world is ful of but some complain of heart-quakes to these complaints give me leave to speak in the Prophets language Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established Believe in God as your God so will your hearts be fixed when as God shal write vanity upon al the world God is now staining all glories besides his own but such as live and glory in God through believing wil have a living glory in a dying world a bed of rest what ever troubles the world beâ— ful of Therefore Reader if you would faine rest you must live on God by faith and if in this worke God shall use the following Treatise for your good I shal blesse him for your soule as for my owne truly this is the highest end of your servant in the Lord Robert Tichborne Beleeving in God doth advantage a Saint with an established heart 2 CHRO 20. later part 20. Verse Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established THE Lord telleth us in his Word Heb. 12.26 of a time when as he will not onely shalâ—e the Earth but the Heavens also Shake all that may be shaken so as that which cannot be shaken may remaine and appeare this is his faithfull Word and truly his great and glorious workinge in these our dayes doth seem to point out that time to be neere at hand when God himselfe doth shake the whole Earth and heavens though they be vast bodies yet they must fall before the breath of the Almighty power which made them by a word this shaking truth and times hath with more solicitousnesse drawne forth my heart to seeke after establishment I found incouragement to this worke in that very text which
purified a body for himselfe will never be a head without a body for he is 〈◊〉 head as can both purifie and preserve his body yea he is such a head as is sensible of the sufferings of his body as Christ hath taken his people into all the relations of love so they shall surely finde the fulnesse of his love in all those relations Christ will be a King of love to his Kingdome a Husband of love to his Spouse a loving head to his body and all his Brethren and Sisters shall finde him a Brother of love Nay he is a loving Redeemer so full of love that he became sinne for us to make us righteous so full of love that he would beare all the stripes due to our sinnes so that we might be healed in his stripes What doe you argue from hence Why that he will never cease to love his people nor will he ever lose his interest in them or be failing of his love in any relation to them he will certainely preserve them alive for whom he hath dyed to give live Because I live sayes Christ you live also John 14.19 John 14.19 You are my body I am your head I have life in my selfe and give life to my body for I cannot be a head to a dead body what life is in me is your life for that is your interest in me and this is my glory and the glory of my Fathers grace through me That whom ever beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life John 6.47 John 6.47 John 14.1 Now sayes Christ let not your hearts bee troubled you beleeve in God beleeve also in mee John 14.1 Beleeve in God through me I have an interest in you as God hath and I will be very tender of it for I dyed to purchase it and I live to maintaine and preserve it and assure your selves as certaine as I live you live I live that in me you might have eternall life and that God in me may fulfill all those promises which he hath made unto you of my peacefull Kingdome and of the righteousnesse of my reigne in you and over you therefore consider them they are Gods promises made in me not one tittle of them shall faile they are your portion your peculiar interest take them and live upon God in them for he will make them all good in me you are Gods interest and mine and these are your interest in God through me Feare not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome the Kingdome of grace and of glory of righteousnesse and peace where none shall be able to disturbe or distroy you I intend here to gather up some Scriptures together which holdeth forth this righteous and peacefull Kingdome of Christ in the Earth Aâ— first Jer. 23.5 6. Jer. 23.5 6. Behold the day is come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the Earth In his dayes Judah shall bee saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE This is a promise of the righteous and peaceable Kingdome of Christ this righteous branch and King in the Text is meant of Christ for this is his Name The Lord our Righteousnesse which is Christ whom is a God made righteousnesse to us now behold Christ our King and righteousnesse his day is come saith the Lord when he shall reigne in righteousnesse amongst his people and shall execute judgement and justice in the Earth and in his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely it shall be a Kingdome of peace and safety for the Lord our righteousnesse shall reigne a righteous reigne must needs produce a peacefull Kingdome therefore Christ the righteous is called the Prince of peace when he shall execute his judgement then will justice be done in the Earth then Judah shall be saved from the hands of the spoyler and Israel shall be kept in safety I this will make a Kingdome of peace indeed and this is the peace that Christ our righteousnesse will bring in the dayes of his glorious reigne amongst his people in the Earth so in the 11. of Isaiah Isa 11.1 to the 10. from the 1. to the 10. verse There is a Prophesie of the peaceable Kingdome of the Branch out of the Root of Jesse which branch is Christ it is said the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and it shall be a spirit of Counsell and might and knowledge and the feare of the Lord so that he shall judge the poore with righteousnesse and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth That righteousnesse shall be his girdle and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reynes Now observe what is the fruite of the reigne of this righteous King why it is peace in all the holy Mountaine neither Wolfe nor Leopard Lyon or Beare Aspe nor Cockatrice shall hurt or destroy in any part of it but this King of righteousnesse will make the Wolfe and the Lambe dwell together the Leopard to lye downe with the Kid and the Calfe and young Lyon together and a little child to lead them the Cow and the Beare with their young ones to feed and lye downs together and the sucking child to play at the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child to put his hand into the Cockatrices Den. What is the meaning of all this Why it is a description of that glorious change which the righteousnesse of Christ in his reigne over the Earth shall have upon the natures of his and his peoples Enemies those Beasts of prey though they remaine Wolfeâ— and Leopards Lyons and Beares Aspeâ— and Cockatrices yet the righteousnesse of his reigne shall be so glorious that it shall chiane up their devouring nature and take off their strength to mischief his righteous government shall over awe them and be as a hooke in their nostrills so that a young childe a little strength shall lead them for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea God shall be knowns to reigne over all the Earth it shall be covered with the brightnesse of his glory his enemies shall know and tremble and his people shall know and rejoyce Isa 42. beg So the same Prophet in the 42. Isa beginning speaking of Christ sayes of him A bruised reede shall be not breake and smoaking Flax shall he not quench for hee shall bring forth judgement unto truth he shall judge and give judgement in truth hee shall set judgement in the Earth and the Isles shall waite for his Law He shall reigne and command the whole earth they shall all waite for his Law and then shall the whole Earth be filled with judgement when the righteous childe Jesus shall reigne So the Prophet David speaking of the reigne of Christ under Solomâ—n his Type in
damne without unbeliefe John 3.15 Whosoever beleeveth in him which is Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life Observe the Text and you shall finde this in it that nothing but unbeliefe can hinder the soule of eternall life for whosoever the greatest and vilest of sinners that shall beleeve in Christ shall certainely be saved whosoever sinnes and beleeves not in Christ hath damnation in every sinne and his unbeliefe is the seale of his damnation but whosoever beleeveth in Christ though the greatest of sinners shall not perish but have everlasting life damnation is sealed in unbeliefe and unbeliefe seales up damnation the Devill delights in all sinne but he lives in no sinne so contented and secure as in unbeliefe it is the great seale of his Kingdome that which holds fast all his interest in the soule unbeliefe it maintaines the Devils interest most of all sinnes in the soule therefore his indeavour most of all is to maintaine unbeliefe in the soule it was want of faith in the Apostles when at they could not cast out Devils Satan is never deposed of his interest in any soule or body but by faith if he maintaines unbeliefe he maintaines his interest the seale of his Kingdome of darknesse A fifth evill of unbeliefe is this It makes men vile in secret though openly they make a profession of godlinesse he that professeth holinesse with his outside and indeavours onely to keep that faire which comes to the view of the World but imbraceth secret opportunities to be evill and to doe evill must needs doe it from a principle of unbeliefe for did they beleeve the al-seeing eye of God and see God with an eye of faith they would be more carefull of committing evill in his sight then in the sight of men an unbelieving soule may upon some considerations of repute and esteeme with the World endeavour to avoide open sinnes which makes open scandall and so brings open shame but for secret sinnes it is ready to serve Satan when he pleaseth because it seeth not God nor doth indeed beleeve that God seeth him and therefore Satan doth never disturb nor discourage that outward profession of holinesse which giveth obedience to his commands in secret he is content the outside should seeme to be Gods so that the inside be his his chiefe businesse and endeavour is to hinder true faith in the soul he cares not let profession be at what height it will if he can but keep a foot unbeliefe in the soule he knowes in secret that soule will obey him what ever profession it makes of God and godlinesse to the World the Devill loves to be in Gods room in the heart and if he can but by unbeliefe maintaine his interest there he hath his ends and a profession of holinesse in hypocrisie makes the soule seven times more his then before and this advantage he makes to himselfe and his Kingdome by keeping unbeliefe alive in the heart for thereby he keeps the heart intire to himselfe and can make such a soule sinne in secret at his pleasure Sixtly Men will through unbeliefe be false to their vowes promises and ingagements both to God and his people when as their corrupted reason telleth them that they may be gainers by it or their carnall hearts conceive a necessity of it Such as live not truely on God by faith they never ingage to God or his people but for their owne ends it is selfe-love that ingageth them they neither love nor would they trust either God or his people could they effect their owne ends but many times God casteth them into such streights that their fleshly reason teleth them there is no way out but by the assistance of Gods people at such a time these unbelieving hearts will not stick at the making of any vow to God or promises to his people but if once they come as it were to see shoare againe or but to have one foote upon the Land that the danger and bitternesse of dâ—th is over then they thinke there is no such need of the assistance either of God or his people and then all former vowes and promises are forgotten and it may be in this very nicke of time fleshly powers presse upon them to be faithlesse to God and his people declaring themselves to be enemies to all that shall be friends to God and his people Now the unbelieving soule calls this a necessity to him of being false to God and his people in all its former vowes and promises such soules will argue thus what should we doe the multitude call vpon us and are restlesse with us so that they will give us no rest till we satisfie them in that which makes us false to God and man in our former vowes and promises If we were not so pressed we should not doe as we doe we should in some measure make good what wee have formerly said This answer is made upon a mistake It is not the pressing of the multitude but the unbeliefe of the heart that makes such prove false in their engagements and promises to God and his people were there faith to trust God that would keep the soul close to God believing soules make God their refuge in all streights and counteth nothing to be so great an evill as to be false to God or to distrust his faithfulnesse but unbelieving souls they owne and deny God they promise and prove false to God as their fleshly reason presents God to them and their owne advantage in what they doe this pretending to truth and reality in falsenesse is the naturall proceed of unbeliefe in the heart Gen. 40.23 We may read a discovery of this in Gen. 40.23 The chiefe Butler forgot both Joseph and his promises to him in the prison when as himselfe was in those enjoyments that his heart thirsted after when soules live upon God by faith such faith maketh them faithfull to God and his people but where selfe is the highest life there it is the highest end and thus it is with unbelieving soules they prize nothing above selfe therefore can be false to all when as their fleshly reason telleth them that thereby they may preserve and advance selfe This is another great and certain evill of unbeliefe Seventhly Unbeliefe it damps the glory of God and lessens the grace of God to the soule A distrust of the truth and reality of any thing takes away from such an eye all the beauty and glory of it so puts a damp both upon the beauty of the thing and the affection of the soule If a man be shewed a rich Diamond and he believeth it to be but some piece of glasse or at best but a crystall this his beliefe doth to himselfe much take off the beauty and value of the Diamond so that the affections are little or nothing answerable to the esteeme and this ariseth from his unbeliefe So is it with the unbelieving soule say what you can of the riches the glory
Redeemer but I wel knew that the price of my precious blood was a full satisfaction to my Fathers justice for all the finnes of all those that should believe in him through me John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you bee that beleeveth an mee hath everlasting life What soule soever believeth in the salvation of Gods free grace wrought by mee shall certainely nay hath eternall lifeâ— and if eternall life then doubtlesse sure establishment Sayes Christ I came from heaven and tooke flesh for your sakes that shall believe on God through me and I staid on earth till I finished the work of redemption purely for your sakes so now I am ascended and at my Father and your Fathers right hand in glory I am here for you as your head to draw all my members after me as your Mediator I live for ever to make intercession for you to prepare your Mansions and to preserâ—e your glory where you shall be fellow-heirs with me and when I come againe to judge the World it will be to pronounce you the blessed of my Father to change your mortality into in mortality and then to give my Kingdome up to my Father where you shall be for ever with the Lord and in all this my Father and I am one therefore believe in God through me so shall you be established In the next place believe the word and promises of God or God in them and you shall find them full of establishment And now once more let me defire you to turne backe and consider those glorious and gracious promises which God hath made to his Saints his Church and people on earth how hee hath â—â—gaged himselfe to take care of them and to preserve them as his peculiar interest so deare to him as the apple of his eye for whom he hath given Christ and to whom with Christ he hath given all things Remember that generall promise of God and believe it that he will never leave nor forsake his people So in Isa 4â— bâ—g There God makes promises to particular cases When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not over flow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Now how exceedingly will the heart be established if God be believed in this the promise contains great things but remember it is the promise of an infinite and Almighty God it is I that make this great promise sayâ—â— God I that cannot lye I that can doe what I will and will be sure to make good every tittle of my promise to all that trust and believe in me Now to believe God in this how will it spirit a soule and carry it above all feare above deepe waters and slanting fires above all dangers and difficulties what an heroicke spirit will this make this man will be acted above himselfe because he lives believing in God so above the feares and doubtings of his owne flesh This faith will make soules speake in the language of the Church in Psalm 46. God is our resuge and strength a very prosent help in time of trouble in fire and water in all difficulties and streights therefore will we not feare though the earth be removed and the mountaines carryed into the middest of the Sea This is a soule that takes Gods word and believes that he will deliver it from all sâ—â—eights and therefore is not affraid what â—ver it â—â—ken or removed so aâ— God remaines having trusted in him for refuge and helpâ— in all times of trouble So in Isa 51.3 Isa 51.3 There God by the Prophet promiseth to comfort Zion yea to coâ—fort her in all her wast places to make her Wildernesse like â—den and her Desart like the garden of the Lord. This 〈◊〉 wraped up in the armes of faith will much establish the hearâ— for it doth beget great thoughts of heart how shal it fare wiâ—â— the Church of God and how shal it be with me that am a member of that Church Now believing on God in this promise answers those doubtful questions and so establisheth the hearâ— iâ— believing Isa 27.3 So in Isa 27.3 We may read Gods care of his vinâ—yard I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it every moment lift my hurt it I will keepe it day and night That is safe which God keepes and doubtlesse such soules as believe God in this promise will believe themselves to be safe in the care and keeping of God and so will be established soules God doth both promise and professe his care of his Church and people Isa 49.15 16. in Isa 49. He tels us there though a Mother may forget the soune of her womb yet that he would never forget his Church and people Nay sayes God I cannot forget you for you are graven upon the palmes of my hands Now believe God in this and try if it will not make an established soule againe in any or the greatest opposition remember that promise of God That no weapon formed against his Church and chosen ones shall prosper He will blast tongue and hands head and heart and all that 〈◊〉 themselves against him in his people though in their setting forth they may promise themselves victory yet they shall finde God will make good his word to his people such instruments and weapons shall not prosper Oh then take Gods Word and our hearts will be quiet though the Heathens doe rage yet they imagine but a vaine thing God hath said it and hee will make it good heaven and earth shall passe away but not one tittle of his word shall faile Read with an eye of faith that great and glorious promise of God to his people in Isa 41.10 and so forward Though Jacob be a worme yet hee should not feare when the Almighty is his God It is too large to recite but not too great for the armes of faith to containe and if believed I am sure it will make great establishment And now give me leave to begge saith in God for the fulfilling of al those promises which God hath made concerning the glorious and peacefull Reigne of Christ amongst his Saints in the latter dayes I dare say such soules as beleeves God in them wil finde much establishment in that faith those lattâ—r dayes must needs be hard by Now the World is so near aâ—end and to believe that glorious Reigne of Christ at hand wil make much joy and settlement in the heart though the present workings of God be to turne and overturne things yet all this serves to accomplish these glorious promises of his in bringing forth this Righteous and peacefull Kingdome of Christ God is now a shaking and overturning all unrighteous powers and governments now such soules as doe not believe these promises of God are ignorant of Gods end and so full of unsettlement in their spirits concerning the issue of his present dispâ—nsations and hereupon
to all that believe in me through him the pourings forth of my holy spirit and those mantions prepared in Heaven from all eternity for all that shall thus believe on my Nature through Christ I tell you poore doubting trembling soules it is my chiefe delight as God to glorifie my free grace in the salvation of sinners and to shew forth the riches of my eternall and unchangable love to poore soules lost in themselves doe not feare to draw neare to me to call me Father and to trust in my free grace for you cannot please me better if your hearts say you are unworthy to be beloved yet heare what I say I love purely from my selfe and I save onely of my grace so that your unworthinesse may heighten my grace but it cannot hinder your salvation that believe in my grace argue not that against your selves which I will never aggrevate against you beleeve in my grace I will never charge you with your own◠〈◊〉 for I have laid them upon Christ and he hath 〈…〉 my Justice fully for them all I tell you so and he is your righteousnesse made so of me that now you are righteous before me in him to all eternity If I that can onely charge you will acquit you why doe you feare if I acknowledge my selfe satisfied for all your sinnes in Christ why doâ— you so injure my justice and my grace to thinke I will ever charge them upon you againe nay me-thinkes Christ speake to our soules in this as hee did to Thomas put your hands into my wounds be no longer faithlesse but faithfull by this hand of faith in my wounds you may feele my Fathers justice satisfied he loved me so dearly that he would never have wounded me upon any consideration whatsoever but to save you Oh sayes God distrust not my saving grace Christ he sayes Oh distrust not my bleeding wounds for your salvation is the end of both these and the eternall salvation of your soules lyes in believing this Gods grace sayes Christ is so full and the redemption of my blood so compleate that no sinne or sinnes without unbeliefe in these can damne you Now why will you dye O house of Israel sayes God here is my free grace and the blood of my Son for your lives believe and you have eternall life nay I have promised my spirit to them that aske it aâ—ke me and trust me see if I deny For your own sakes sayes Christ I beseech you believe in God through me your salvation doth not advantage my Father for hee is in himselfe that perfection to which there can be no addition it is for your sakes that I tooke flesh and dyed methinkes you should believe this love And now for your owne sakes I beseech you cast your eternall soules upon the eternall love and free grace of God in his redemption through my blood stronger arguments of love cannot be given but if refused they will be the stronger aggravations against your unbeliefe Nay sayes Christ there is mansions above prepared for them that love the Lord and believe in him God loves you so dearly that he will have you for ever with himselfe Oh let there never more be a hard thought of this love of God and this God of love trust him love him admire him rejoyce in him and speake good of his Name the longest day of your lives His free grace sayes Christ hath plucked you our of the power of the Prince of darknesse and made you heirs of glory Oh glory in this inheritance be you filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory in believing Nothing can hurt you but unbeliefe Oh begge heartily and watch carefully against those wounds of Satan Nothing but unbeliefe can shake our soules in the rest and joyes of them through this shaking World therefore such as love and seeke establishment must take this way to attaine it for it will be found in nothing else but by beleeving in the Lord your God and so shall you be established To winde up all let this faith live in our bosomes in all Gods wayes to us and our walkings with God in the World it hath pleased God to make our beings in those latter dayes in which the Scripture tels us shal be perillous times and that because of this men shall be lovers of themselves more then lovers of God We see that Scripture fulfilled in our dayeâ— most exactly why what shal wee doe now for establishment in these perillous times why believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established Search his word and what ever Scripture you finde which administeâ—â— comfort believe in him he wil make that good as wel as this let not this be our reliefe that a little time may settle the worlds shakings and give us a more fixed being here but let this be our rest to live in God himselfe let him be our all here then though the whole world be not only shaken but overturned also yet we shal have rest in him on these troubled Seas and fulnesse of glory when we come into that safe harbour of Heaven to live believing on him wil make us all the wildernesse along â—â—â—dy in our way and worke we shal doe Gods worke in the world faithfully and live by faith in himselfe above the World though Devils men rage yet such soules as live by faith in God wil be fixed so that they as David will in their soules sing and give praise If the earth tremble yet this soule is established because it liven upon that rocke which is higher then it selfe yea as high as heaven even God himselfe Oh then wee cannot complaine of God when as we complaine of shakings but of our selves for if we live in God through Christ by faith we shal finde he will establish our hearts above the feares of Devils World or â—e Though thousands encamp against me sayes David and 〈…〉 sands make warre with me yet will I not be affraid for my 〈…〉 in thee Thou art my shield my buckler my defence 〈…〉 all and therefore was his soule so full of joy rest and holy confidence because he knew whom he had trusted so shall all sucle as trust in God be established upon his fulnesse such soules will by faith be able to bring the whole Nations of the earth before God and to see them as the drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance when as they contend with God and herein keeping close to God he knowes nothing can hurt him hee can with God goe through fire and water and believe that God will bring him safely out of all Base feare can finde no corner to creepe into when as by faith the soule is imbosomed in God and bathed in the blood of Christ This is not only the counsâ—ll of King Jehoshaphat but of our King Jesus to believe in the Lord our God for establishment This I will end withall Believe in the Lord your God through Jesus Christ so shall your hearts be established though in a shaking World even for this life and to eternity FINIS
holdeth forth the shaking both of Earth and Heavens also for it seemeth to hold out thus much that the end of Gods so shaking is to manifest that which cannot be shaken by its remaining in which God taught me this truth that the establishment of his people lay in that which should remaine stedfast to eternity even when himselfe should shake not onely the earth but the heavens also by Earth here I understand the whole Earth in its frame and fashion beauty and glory power and government the time is comming when God will shake all this into its first nothing so that the establishment of an eternall being lyeth not in this By Heavens I understand not onely the materiall Heavens as Sonne Moone Starres and Firmament but also the Law of Heaven and earth namely the Ordinances and worship of God here the Churches and government of Christ on earth truly these are very glorious as they are in God and God in them so that they may well bee called the heavens but even these as they come from God have their time and their end these are the top and exceeding glory of all one wildernesse mercies but all these are to be shaken their end will cease and so must they too these are as the pillars of cloude by day and of fire by night to the body of Christ whilst it or any member of it remaines in the Wildernesse but Christ our head is ascended whom will draw his whole body after him and then the end of this will cease and their shaking time will be accomplished to the full so that though this be the glory of the World yet they cannot make up establishment to eternall soules because they are to be shaken Now by this I am further taught where to begin in seeking establishment namely not in the whole Earth no not in any part or appearance of Heaven that may be shaken not in the ordinances or worship of God but in God himselfe not in the Churches or government of Christ but in Christ himselfe So that good King Jehoshaphats counsell to his people in their day of straights and shakings will leade mee and all the people of God to a sure center of establishment Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established These are the words of Jehoshaphat the King to Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem at that time when they were under much feare and doubts concerning their condition by reason of a numerous and potent enemy which was come up against them to an eye of fleshly reason they were a lost people and nation but this good man had a better and more seeing eye to behold withall namely the eye of faith for in the 14 15 16 17 verses of this Chapter we shall finde that Jahaziel the Prophet having the spirit of the Lord come upon him in the middest of the Congregation when all the people were gathered together to seeke the Lord did Prophecy and told the King and all Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem that they should not bee afraid nor dismayed by reason of the great a multitude which come against them for the battell saith he is not yours but Gods He gives further direction when to goe downe against them and what to doe he tels them they shall not needs to fight onely to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord he bids them againe not to feare for the Lord would be with them Now upon this was Jehoshaphats eye of faith he did beleeve in the Lord and his word declared by his Prophet and in this twentieth verse telleth the people where his establishment was namely in God and if they also should beleeve in God as their God and in his Word declared by his Prophet that they should thereby be established Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you be established My intentions are to take this Scripture in the largest sense and to make use of it in the carrying on a Treatise of Faith as faith and beliefe in God doth settle and establish beleevers The plaine and visible truth which lyes in this Scripture and upon which I shall carry on what followeth is this That Saints are established by beleeving in God as their God This is the sense and almost the very words of the Scripture and for its proofe it hath the concurrance of the scope if not the letter of the whole Word of God the Prophet Isaiah in his seaventh Chapter and ninth verse prooves this by its contrary when in the former verses he had told them what God would doe for them he telleth them in this verse If you will not beleeve surely yee shall not bee established As if hee had sayd it is not my bare narrative or the history of God in his power greatnesse and goodnesse that will establish you if you doe not beleeve it is faith trust and beliefe in God as your God which is onely able to establish you if you beleeve not your foundation will alwayes bee tottering so that surely you will not bee established where beliefe is not establishment cannot be the reason is obvious and plaine for it is God alone that can and doth establish the hearts of his people now faith and beleeving in God is the onely discovery of union with God in which soules come to be established the soule by faith receiveth in God to it selfe and involveth it selfe into God and God in the soule makes it an established soule 2 Ephes 17. Christ dwels in the heart of beleevers by faith This was Abrahams condition who is called the Father of the faithfull the Text saies Rom. 3.19 20. when God made him the promise of an heire out of his owne loyner that he was not weake in faith nor did he stagger at the promise through unbeliefe notwithstanding his owne great age and the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe yet he beleeved the word and promise of the Lord and was established by beleeving this Father of the faithfull gave himselfe up to God he lost his owne fleshly reasoning in beleeving the faithfull word of God God had said that he should have a Childe of Sarahs wombe he giveth himselfe over to God by beleeving so that there is no staggering saith takes in the promise and the soule is established but where there is not faith to take in the promise of God or rather God in the promise there the soule is not nor cannot be established staggering is as properly the fruit of unbeliefe as stability is of faith and they demonstrate each other as white doth black and black white that Scripture which sayeth If you beleeve not you shall not be established doth give proofe to that Text which sayes Beleeve in the Lord your God so shall you bee established So likewise on the contrary our Saviour gives in ample proofe to this truth that Saints are established by beleeving in God as their God in that John 6.47 Verily verily I say unto you hee that