and fully to satisfy our Souls O my Beloved and O my base and faithless Heart it is our base Vnbelief that doth us all the mischief that spoils our Peace that hinders our Comfort and makes us walk so heavily O let us bewail this God-dishonouring Sin this Peace-destroying Sin and let us who have received Jesus for our Lord and Saviour believe that he is ours indeed and that we are his indeed and then act our Faith upon him and our Hearts shall not be troubled Q. But may some say 'T is true if Christ be ours all is ours we believe that But how shall we know that Christ is ours A. Briefly thus If we be Christ's intirely and sincerely Christ's theâ— Christ is ours I am my Beloved's anâ— my Beloved is mine Cant. 2. 16. 6. 3. Her being Christ's was a sure evidence to her that Christ was hers Now it is not very hard to know whose we are whether we be Christ's or our own Christ's or the World's Christ's oâ— the Devil's Let us take a little paiâ—â— in trying and searching our selves the Matter requires it Whose are we Put this Question seriously to our Hearts in the sight of God Whose am I whose Image do I bear by whose Spirit am I acted who hath my Heart my chief Love and Delight Have we unfeignedly given up our selves to Christ Have we actually entred into Covenant with him and taken him for our Head and Husband Have we passed over and surrendred up our whole selves to Christ our Souls Bodies all our Concerns Have we given up our Hearts Heads Tongues Time Talents Estates Libeâ—ties Relations and all to Christ Have we done this sincerely Then we have received Christ upon his Terms If we be Christ's and not our own and live unto Christ and not to our selves Rom. 14. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Gal. 2. 20. and are content that Christ should dispose of us and ours as he pleaseth and are always labouring to be more and more like him and still longing for more and more Communion with him c. Then may we upon good Grounds conclude that Christ is ours If we be his he is ours Again if we truly believe in Christ then he is ours for it is by Faith that we receive him and are united to him and made one with him John 1. 12 13. and are by his Spirit and Word regenerated and made new Creatures and are enabled to walk after the Spirit and not after the Flesh 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 1 2. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. he need not go far to seek Make sure thy believing in Christ and thou hast the Witness in thy self that he is thine and that thou art his Q. But how shall we know that we have true Faith and that we do truly believe in Christ A. Briefly thus If we have been made sensible of our lost Condition by Nature of our misery by Sin of our Unbelief if we have found it an hard Work to believe if we have been made weary and heavy-laden with Sin so as to be truly willing to part with all Sin if we have been convinced of our absolute need of Christ and of his incomparable Excellency of his All-sufficiency and willingness to save us if Christ be most precious to us if these Convictions have been powerful in us to drive us from our Selves and the Creature and Sin if we have hereupon been perswaded and enabled sincerely to come unto Christ upon his Call in the Gospel to accept of him upon his Terms and to receive him as he is offered to us in the Gospel if our whole Hearts have opened to him and closed with him and we have given up our whole selves entirely to him and taken him for our only Lord and Saviour as the only way to God and do most sincerely resign up our selves to his Government trusting in him alone and relying upon him for Life and Righteousness for Grace and Glory then we do believe in him then have we this true Faith which is further to be known thus that it worketh in us true sincere Love to him and to all that is his his Word his People your Hearts will run out after him all your Affections will center in him This true Faith draws Vertue from Christ to purify the Heart and works Sanctification and Holiness it doth crucify your Affections to the World it works true Repentance and enables you to overcome the World and to realize the Glory of Heaven and to bear us up under all the Troubles in our way thither as in that 11th to the Hebrews enabling us to trust and betrust our selves our Souls and Bodies and all our Concernments with Christ by this Faith we shall stand by it we walk by it we live and hold on and hold out in following the Lamb to the end of of our Life Heb. 10. 38 c. Now certainly he that thus believes in Christ hath no cause of Heart-trouble but quietly submits to the good Will of his God in Christ under all the Dispensations of his Providence while he is here in this Vale of Tears until he come home to his Father's House in Peace where he shall meet his dearest Lord and an hearty welcome O this Faith this precious Faith in Christ will conquer all our base Fears moderate all our worldly Sorrows ease our Minds perplexed with earthly Cares and quiet our disturbed and distracted Thoughts about our outward Losses and Troubles By this Faith we shall find all our Losses made up in God and in Christ O then labour for it cry mightily to God for this great Gift cry to Jesus for it he is the Author and Finisher of it and labour to act it upon him continually and your Hearts shall not be troubled I dare affirm That if any thing bring Hearts-Ease in Heart-Trouble this will do it So long as our Faith holds up in Act and Exercise upon Christ we shall be free from Heart-trouble but when our Faith fails our Heart troubles prevail As when Moses lifted up his Hands and his Heart too by Faith Israel prevailed but when his Hands were down Amalek prevailed Faith and Heart-trouble are like a pair of Ballances when one goes up the other goes down Faith is the Counter-poize of Trouble of Heart Believe then in Jesus act Faith on him and that will prevent or cure Heart-trouble Continue in the Faith and your Heart-troubles will cease believe what Christ is and what he is to us Secondly Let us believe in Christ and believe where he is As to his Essential Presence he is in Heaven at the Father's right Hand making continual intercession for us to the Father Heb. 12. 2 3. Heb. 7. 25. He is our Advocate with the Father 1 John 2. 1 2. pleading our Cause presenting all our Services perfumed with his own Righteousness and resenting and feeling our Infirmities Sorrows and Sufferings sympathising with us In all our
Thess 4. 13 14. and such like Now Faith applies such Commands to the Soul I must not be troubled in my Heart God forbids it Why must we not prophane the Sabbath nor Swear nor Lie c. but because God hath forbidden these Evils So here God hath forbidden us to be troubled and commanded us to be quiet patient contented submissive to hiâ— Will in all his dealings thus we should urge God's command on our Souls Yea we are commanded to be so far from troubling our selves when Afflictions befal us as that we must count it all joy when we fall into divers Temptations Jam. 1. 2. And to rejoice in Sufferings for Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation Jam. 1. 12. Secondly Consider the Word of Promise Many exceeding great and precious Promises are in the Word of God which are as a full Feast for Faith to feed upon God promiseth to be our God to be with us in the Fire and in the Water Isa 41. 10. and 43. 2. to support and sustain us to lay no more upon us than he will enable us to bear 1 Cor. 10. 13. That all things shall work together for our good Rom. 8. 28. And what can we desire more The is no trouule that can befal us but â— may find a Promise suitable to it Aâ— faithful is he that hath promised who aâ— will do it 1 Thess 5. 23. And why hâ— the great God so wonderfully condesceded to poor Creatures as to make many sweet Promises which are record in the Holy Scriptures but for this Tâ— the Heirs of Promise might have strong Câ—solation Heb. 6. 17. And that their Heaâ— might not be troubled Thirdly The Word of Threatniâ— Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father Mother Son or Daughter so Husbanâ— Wife more than me is not worthy of â— saith Christ Now by our immodeâ— Sorrow for the loss of these we maniâ— our immoderate Love of these should consider that when these are â— moved that Christ remains ours sâ— and with us still our Relation to hiâ— not broken and Christ will be instead all and better than all to us and â— should keep us from Heart-Trouble Fourthly The Examples of God's Saiâ— in the Word We should consider alâ— what a famous Example is Abraham wâ— was content to part with his Isaac at â— Command of God his only Son the Son of his Old Age the Son of the Promise in whom all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed yea content to lay his own Hands upon him to slay him and burn him but when he was tried God spared him Gen. 22. 12. The way to keep our earthly Comforts is to be willing to part with them when God calls for them So Eli when very sad Tidings was told him It is the Lord said he let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. So Aaron when that heavy stroke fell upon him That both his Sons were struck dead upon the Place for their Sin and it may be in their Sin too it is said Aaron held his peace Levit. 10. 3. So Job stript of all his Friends at once The Breath of his Wife was strange to him And David complained That Lover and Friend was put far from him Now we should consider these Examples and set Faith a-work on them and know That it is our Duty to be followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6. 12. Fifthly The Word of Experience David tells us his Experience and saith It was good for him that he had been afflicted And many Christians living can and do bless God for their Affliction and thaâ— God by taking away of their Relationâ— from them he made more room in theiâ— Hearts for himself and communicateâ— more of himself to their Souls Thus bâ— acting of Faith upon the Word of God we may gain support and be preserve from Heart-Trouble Fifthly Faith acted upon the Work â— God will support under Heart-Trouble Eccles 7. 13. Consider the Work of Goâ— Faith looks to the Work of God whâ— it is that killeth who it is that taketh â— way who can stop or mend or hind his Work This quieted David's Hearâ— when the stroke of God was heavy upoâ— him I opened not my Mouth because thâ— didst it Psal 39. 9. It is the Lord â— hath done it It is he that doth whatsâ—ever he pleaseth Sixthly Faith acted on the Will â— God Faith resigns up all to the goâ— and holy Will of God So did our Loâ— himself Not my will but thine be doâ— Luk. 22. 42. and so we pray continuall Thy will be done and therefore when it â— done our Hearts must not be troubled Lastly Faith acted on the gracious Ends and Designs of God in afflicting us and removing our earthly Comforts from us will prevent Heart-trouble God hath holy and good Ends which Faith looks unto God aims at our Profit as Heb. 12. 10. Such Ends as these 1. God's End is to discover and purge away our Sins Isa 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged this is all the fruit to take away his Sin 2. To try and exercise our Graces Job 23. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. 3. To crucify our Hearts unto and to estrange our Affections from the things of this World 4. To draw our Hearts nearer to himself Therefore many times God takes away our earthly Comforts from us because they had too much of our Hearts and because they lay between God and our Hearts and kept us at a distance from him 5. To bestow greater and better Mercies upon us God never takes away any Darling-Comfort from his People but his Design is to give a better in the room oâ— it as in the Text Christ leaves his Diâ—ciples in regard of his Bodily Presence because he would send the Comforter â—â— them which should abide with them for ever John 14. 16. 6. To make them partakers of his Hâ—liness Heb. 12. 10. 7. To fit and prepare them for that fâ— more exceeding and eternal weight â— Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. These are God's hâ—ly and good Ends in afflicting his Peoplâ— unto which Faith looks and so supporâ— the Heart Thus you see how Faith acted on Gâ— in these Particulars will prevent or câ— all our Heart-troubles Faith acted on tâ— sweet and gracious Nature of God He Love all Love on his glorious Attributâ— his All-sufficiency his Omnipotency his asolute Soveraignty his Vnchangeablenâ— his Wisdom his Righteousness his Faithfâ—ness Faith acted on God's gracious evelasting Covenant on the Word of God â— the Word of Precept of Promise of Threâ—ning of Example of Experience Aâ— Faith acted on the Work of God on tâ— Will of God and on his holy Ends in â— his Chastisements I say Faith thus actâ— on God will exceedingly support under all Trouble Let not your Hearts be troubled ye believe in God So much of this first Particular And before I enter upon the second I shall make some short
Application of this First It follows hence that Heart-trouble under the afflicting Hand of God argues the weakness if not the want of Faith All those sorts of Heart-trouble and the parts of it which I have mentioned as Heart-Sorrow worldly Sorrow immoderate Mourning sinful Fear vexatious Care despondency of Spirit being offended disturbance of Mind Distraction Dejection Discouragement and the like all these slow from the want of Faith or at least from the weakness of Faith in God We do not believe in God we see the Causes of our Troubles they are mostly in our selves even our Vnbelief Whatever we profess we do not believe in God If we could but believe in God our Hearts would not be troubled O our want of Faith let us heartily lament it and cry to God for Pardon through the Blood of Christ If our Hearts be troubled where is our Faith in God What doth God and all that is in God signifâ— to us What are we the better for a that infinite All sufficiency and Goodneâ— that is in God if we do not act Faith uâ—on it Our Heart-troubles would be â—red could we act Faith on God as â— ought to do Immoderate Sorrow then is very uâ— becoming Believers in God If we wiâ— prove our selves Believers in God let â— discharge our selves from Heart-troublâ— and let us draw out Consolation for oâ— Hearts by Faith from all those comfortâ—ble Considerations of God and from â— those abundant Excellencies that are â— God O let us labour for Faith and aâ— it let us live in the exercise of it at then surely we shall find comfort Secondly Let us all labour to get an Iâ—terest in God by Faith in Jesus Chriâ— that so we may be able to look upoâ— God as our God and then we may claiâ— an Interest in All that God is and in â— that God hath and so shall we have â— cause of Heart-trouble in any Conditioâ— For if God be ours All his Attributes aâ— ours his gracious Covenant is ours hâ— Word and Promises are ours All is ours Therefore should we labour in this aboâ— all things spending all our Thoughts Affections and Spirits upon this O let us lay hold on God and his Covenant let us chuse him for our Portion and resign up our whole selves unfeignedly to him terminating and centring all our Desires Hope Love Delight in him alone placing all our Happiness in him and then commit all to him Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73. 23. The Second Question Secondly What is it to believe in Christ For saith he in the Text Believe also in me It is God in Christ that we must believe in not in God without Christ not in God out of Christ but believe in God in Christ Now what this believing in Christ is I shall endeavour to show looking up to the Father of Lights and to the Author and Finisher of our Faith for Light and Assistance In general It is to believe all that which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures concerning Christ to believe the Record that God hath given of him in his Word as 1 John 5. 10 11 12 13. Tâ— believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Sâ— of God Joh. 1. 18. That he came oâ— from the Father was made Flesh toâ— upon him our Nature was born of Virgin lived on Earth in the form of Servant a poor despicable Life preacâ—ed the Gospel working Miracles That he suffered upon the Cross with â— the Sins of his People upon his Soul at Body that he bore the Curse of the Laâ— the Wrath of God which was due to Maâ— for Sin That he died a most painfâ— shameful and cruel Death dying as Sacrifice to satisfy God's Justice to atâ— and pacify his Wrath to make our Peaâ— and to reconcile us to God That he roâ— again from the Dead ascended into Heâ—ven to prepare a Place there for â— People That he sitteth at the right Haâ— of God everlasting to make continuâ— Intercession for us And that he shall coâ— to judg the World at the last Day Aâ— while he is absent from us in Person heâ— on Earth he promised to send his Spirâ— the Comforter into the World to coâ—vince and convert all those which hâ— Father hath given him to call them bâ— his Word to quicken strengthen staâ—lish comfort and confirm them until he come again to take them to himself that where he is there they may be also John 16. 1 2. This is the Record that God hath given of his Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3. 16 36. Now to believe in Christ is to believe all this Testimony of him And also out of a deep sense of our Sin and Misery and sight of Christ's infinite Excellency All-sufficiency and Willingness to save Sinners and upon his Call to us in the Gospel to come unto him weary and heavy laden with our Sins heartily willing to accept of the Lord Jesus upon his own Terms to take him for our only Lord to give up our whole Selves Souls and Bodies to his blessed Government by his Word and Spirit in all things and unfeignedly and unreservedly to enter into Covenant with him to become his and his alone and his for ever and to relie upon him for Life for Grace and Salvation this is to believe in Christ Thus believe in Christ and let not your Hearts be troubled The acting of this Faith on blessed Jesus is a singular means to prevent and cure all Heart-Trouble all Heart-Sorrows Cares Fears Vexations Despondencies Dejections and Distractions whatsoever thâ— may arise in our Hearts by reason of aâ— Loss Cross Disappointment Distress â— Affliction that may befal us If we â—â— but thus believe in Christ and rest aâ— rely upon him and trust in him â— Hearts shall not be troubled Q. But what is that in Christ whiâ— Faith must act upon to effect this Cuâ— of Heart-Trouble when Afflictions coâ— upon us A. Such-like things as I shewed beforâ— as are in God for Faith to act upon whiâ— are these that follow First Faith must be acted upon â—â— loving gracious sweet Nature of Jesâ— Christ Our Lord Jesus is of a most lâ—ving and sweet Nature he is Love indeeâ— the Son of his Father's Love and altâ—gether lovely His Thoughts of us wâ— believe in him were Thoughts of Loâ— from Everlasting All his Words aâ— sweet his Mouth is most sweet O whâ— sweet Language doth he give his Church My Dove my Love my fair One my Sâ—ster my Spouse c. Cant. 5. 16. Hâ— loved us and gave himself for us Lovâ— us and washed us in his Blood Rev. 1. 6 He is one of our Nature our Kinsman our Husband our Father our Elder Brother c. So that if there be any Love in the Head to the Members if any in the Father to the Child if any in the Husband to the Wife
pardon all our Sins to give us his Spirit and all Grace here and Glory hereafter Now Christ our blessed Mediator hath perfectly fulfilled all that God required for us and in our room and stead that is most certain for he finished the work that his Father gave him to do and he hath made many sweet Promises to us That he will send the Spirit into our Hearts to work Faith in us to receive him and to apply the Merit of his Blood to us to sanctify and renew us thereby and hath promised That whosoever comes unto him he will in no wise cast out Matth. 11. 28. And all that come unto him shall find rest to their Souls That whosoever believeth in him shall be saved that he will keep them and nonâ— shall pluck them out of his Hand Thaâ— he will raise them up at the last Day John 10. 28. Assuring us That he iâ— gone to Heaven as our Fore-runner tâ— prepare a place for us there and that hâ— will come again and take us to himself that where he is we may be also Now if we can but act Faith on this Jesus and on the Covenant whereof he is the Mediator and on his Promises applying them and relying on them our Hearts shall not be troubled Besides Let us consider there is not a passage of Providence from God to us but it comes through the Hand of this Mediator 1 Cor. 8. 6. All things are by him Put what you will in the Hand of a Mediator and in his Power it must needs turn to the good of him for whom he is a Mediator Now to support and comfort us in all our Troubles let us consider two things 1. This Mediator steps in between God's Wrath and us in all our Afflictions that no Fury or Effects of it may break forth from God on his People for whom he is the Mediator that nothing but Fatherly Love may be in the Chastisement and if Love send the Affliction whatever it be to try and purge c. there can be no hurt in that Affliction Again our Mediator interposeth either to hold off the Smart or to allay and mitigate it that it shall not distract Dan. 3. 25. no nor hurt 2. He steps in to uphold us and to strengthen our Weakness enabling us to endure Phil. 4. 4 12 13. It was the Mediator that did strengthen Paul The Lord stood by me and strengthned me said he Faith acted on this Blessed Mediator eying him and believing that our Afflictions come through his Hands even his who loved us and died for us our dearest Friend and who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth must be a mighty support to us in all our Troubles Fourthly Let Faith be acted as the Word of Christ also Ye believe the Word of God believe the Word of Christ also His Mouth is most sweet None but gracious Words proceed out of his Mouth Grace was poured into his Lips Psal 45. 2. and he poured out Grace in all his Words His whole Gospel is a Gospel of Grace Words of Peace and Salvation Hear him speaking most sweetly Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavyladen and I will give you rest O what sweet Words are these Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and drink without Money and without Price Isa 55. 1 2. I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14. 6. Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 18. This is but a taste of those sweet Clusters of most refreshing Grapes which hang upon the Boughs of the Gospel let us take frequent view of what lies upon Record in the Evangelists and often read over the manifold Promises of Grace that fell from the sweet Mouth of our Blessed Lord and meditate and ponder and consider of them and act our Faith upon them and we shall find comfort in them his Words drop as an Honey-comb his Words are Spirit and Life More particularly First Our Faith must be acted upon Christ's Word of Precept his Word of Command in time of Trouble Fear not hâ—m that can kill the Body but 〈◊〉 that can cast both Soul and Body into â—â—â—ll Luke 12. 4 32. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Let not your Heart be troubled nor let it be afraid Rejoice when Men shall persecute you c. Luke 21. 19. In patience posses ye your Souls with many such Now Christians must yeild up the Obedience of Faith to such Commands and urge them upon their Hearts charging themselves to obey theâ— saying O my Soul my Lord hath forbidden me to fear to be troubled tâ— be thoughtful to be dejected c. â—â— hath commanded me to be patienâ— yea to rejoice in my Suffering Heâ— my Lord and I must obey him I muâ—â— keep his Commandments else I cannoâ— love him I must keep his Sayings or else I cannot be his Disciple â—â— I keep his Commandments he wiâ— manifest himself to my Soul his Father will love me and he will love me and they both will make theiâ— abode with me for it is his Promise John 14. 21 23. Say thus â— my Soul Jesus Christ is my King anâ— my Law-giver I must obey him hâ— is my Prophet also and I must heâ—â— him in all things whatsoever he shaâ— say unto me I have taken him for my Lord as well as for my Saviour for my King to rule me as well as for my Jesus to save me for my Prophet to teach me as well as for my Priest to satisfy for me O my Soul consider He is the Author of Eternal Salvation only to those that obey him Thus applying the Commands of Christ to our selves and urging his Authority upon our Hearts it will help us to bear up under our Troubles 2dly Act Faith upon the Promises of Christ of which somewhat was said before He hath promised to be always with us to send the Comforter to manifest himself unto us that he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax Mat. 19. 29. That he will give us an hundred-fold for all our Losses for his sake That he will gather us with his Arm carry us in his Bosom that he will hear our Prayers that he will give us a Crown a Kingdom Everlasting Life with many more O could we act our Faith upon his precious Promises and lie sucking by Faith on those full Breasts of Consolation and draw by Faith Prayer and Meditation from these Wells of Salvation we shouâ—d find sweet support under all our Troubles 3dly Faith acted on the Word â— Threatning may put a stop to Hear Trouble Jesus Christ hath dreaâ— fully threatned those that love Fatheâ— or Mother Son or Daughter moâ— than him or their own Lives aâ— those that are ashamed of him â— his Word and those that fall froâ— him and those that
his Heart and who will in his due time make all the World know that his People are as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye Trust then depend and rely upon God in Christ and by an holy Confidence resign up your Wills to his Will to do what he would have us do to be what he would have us be to suffer what he would have us suffer and then Heart-trouble will cease and sweet Peace cometh when having trusted all with God we can in heart say Lord if thou wilt have me poor disgraced imprisoned diseased deprived of my dearest Friends I am content to be so I trust all my Concerns with Thee O the sweet peace and quiet that will be in that Soul There is the Almightiness the Wisdom Goodness Love Mercy and Faithfulness of God in Christ for us to trust in and to rely upon a Bottom and Foundation strong enough to build our Confidence upon in all Storms and Streights God hath also made many exceeding great and precious Promises in his Word and not a naked Promise but he hath entred into Covenant with us founded upon full satisfaction by the Blood of Jesus and confirmed it with an Oath Heb. 6. 17. and to this Covenant sealed by the Blood of his Son he hath added the Seals of the Sacraments and all this that the Heirs of the Promises namely All true Believers night have strong Consolation and be cured of all their Heart-troubles Upon this sure Foundation then must our Faith act in an holy Confidence in God and in Christ the Soul being taken off from all other Objects carried out of Self unto God and Christ who presently as soon as trusted in communicate themselves and their love and goodness to the Soul filling it with peace strength and settlement By this trusting in God we honour God most and best provide for our own safety The way then whereby Faith quieteth the Soul and cures it of its Troubles is by raising it above all Disquietments and pitching it solely upon God in Christ and thereby uniting it to God in Christ from whence it draws Vertue and Strength to subdue what ever troubleth its Peace For the Soul is made for God and never finds Rest till it return unto and settle and center it self upon him again And that we may thus place our Confidence in God and Christ for all supplies we must most earnestly beg cry and seek to God for Grace and Strength so to do we must trust in God aloneâ— for all things and at all times and thus by appropriating God to us and Christ to us and placing our Confidence in them we may be cured of alâ— our Heart-troubles The Application 1. For Information These Inferences follow First If Faith acted upon God in Christ be such a Remedy against Heart-trouble then surely Faith is a very precious a very excellent thing a Grace of very great worth and value and of great use and efficacy It is precious Faith indeed the very Trial of it is more precious than Gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. Precious for its Author the Lord Jesus for its Object precious Jesus and all the exceeding great and precious Promises the purchased Inheritance For its Offices it unites to us Christ gives us Title to eternal Life it supports under all Afflictions prevents or cures all Heart-troubles and precious for its End which is the Salvation of our Souls Eph. 3. 17. Heb. 11. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 9. This Grace of Faith is of a transforming spiritual Nature and the Soul of a Believer by acting it on God and Christ and on Divine Heavenly and Spiritual things becomes Divine Heavenly and Spiritual Faith unfastneth the Heart from the Creature shewing the Soul the Vanity of it and carries the Soul unto God and Christ shewing it God's All-sufficiency and Christ's All-fulness for Faith believes what God in his Word hath revealed of both It is the great Design of God in all the Troubles he sends upon his People effectually to teach them the exceeding Vanity of the Creature to imbitter the things of this World to them to wean their Hearts from them to bring earthly things out of Request with them to make them see that there is no true Contentment nor solid Satisfaction for the Soul to be found in them and to make them see where true Happiness and Contentment is to be had even in God and in Christ alone for whom their Souls were Created Redeemed and Sanctified Now the great Work of Faith is to take off the Soul from the Creature and fix and settle it upon God and Christ the true Foundation Naturally our Hearts hang loose from God and cleave to the Creature and when the Creature fails our Hearts are troubled but Faith takes off the Heart from the Creature and settles it upon God in Christ where it finds Rest and this is the great Service it doth us All the great and famous things which those Worthies did and all the hard and heavy things they suffered mentioned in Heb. 11. were all done and suffered by the Power of Faith ver 37 c. The setling of our Hearts upon God in Christ trusting all there is the best means to cure our Heart-trouble and this Faith doth and therefore it is precious Secondly It follows from the Premisses That the want of Faith in God and in Christ is the Great Cause of all our Heart-Troubles Despondencies and Disquietness Could we but act our Faith strongly on God and Christ as our God in Christ our Troubles would be prevented or cured For by Faith the Soul looks up to God in Christ through the Promises looking off from all other Supports unto God for all Supplies for the removing of all Evil felt or feared and for the obtaining of all Good promised and needed and by this exercise of Faith the Soul is raised up above all Discouragements and Disquietments but where this Faith is wanting or the lively exercise of it suspended there the Soul sinks under Heart-Troubles But of this some-what was said before Thirdly Hence also we may clearly see the absolute Necessity of getting Faith in God and in Christ and of acting it and living by it There is no living quietly and comfortably without it no standing under our Burdens no bearing with Patience and Chearfulness our Losses and Crosses without this Faith no Joy and Peace but by believing by Faith we stand Fourthly Then the Things of the World are not to be trusted to nor trusted in for Comfort in time of Trouble Nothing but God and Christ to be trusted in and trusted to and there is enough in them to support and comfort us as hath been shewed but no confidence to be put in the Creature there is a Curse upon such Confidence but a Blessing on them that trust in God No trusting in Friends Riches Gifts or any thing for so to do is Idolatry to give that to the Creature which is due to God alone Fifthly Hence we see
22 usually our Success is according to ouâ— preparation as in Prayer Psal 10 17. compare 2 Chron. 12. 14. with 2 Chron. 19. 3. make Conscience theâ— of preparation 2. Prayer Pour out your Hearâ— to God in Prayer for a Blessing oâ— the Word that you read or heaâ— O lift up a Cry to God and say Lord make this Word effectual to worâ— Faith in my Soul c. 3. Earnest Desire and Expectatis of meeting God in the Word and oâ— his blessing on it if we expect nothing from it no wonder if we receive nothing there is a fulness of Blessing in the Gospel Rom. 15. 29. We should bring hungry and thirsty Souls after God the Living God as Psal 63. 1 2 3. and 84. 1 2. God filleth the Hungry with good things Luke 1. 53. Secondly Some things are Concomitant As 1. We must read and hear it as the Word of God and not as the Word of Man 1 Thess 2. 13. Acts 10. 33. and we must acknowledg God's Authority in it 2. Receive it with Meekness opening our Hearts to it and give it the most tender entertainment Jam. 1. 21. 3. With Love readiness of Mind and gladness of Heart 2 Thess 2. 10. Acts 2. 41. 4. With Faith giving credit to it believing it to be the Word of God Heb. 4. 2. 5. We must be careful to remember it See what great stress is laid upon our remembring 1 Cor. 15. 2. Our Salvation lies upon it Psal 119. 11. Love the Word for Love is the Act of Memory 6. Prayer must be added again for a Blessing Thirdly Some things must be done afterward also As 1. Meditation upon what you have heard and read for want of this usually all is lost I am perswaded this is one great Reason why most profit so little by the Word because they make no Conscience of Meditation they hear and read but never think more on it afterwards So Preaching Hearing Reading and all lost and Souls and Heaven and all lost For God's sake then whose Word you read and hear and for your own Souls sake if you are not willing they should perish for want of Faith make Conscience of Meditation on the Word Psal 1. 2. and 119. 97. if ever you get good by the Word meditate upon it 2. Application of it take it home to your selves Job 5. 27. Let it sink down into your Hearts saith Christ it must be an ingrafted Word you must receive it into your Hearts and not into your Heads only 2. Cor. 4. 6. your Hearts must be joined to it and mix'd with it 3. Practice Yielding up our selves to the Government of it making it the Standard and Rule of your whole Conversation We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only lest we deceive our own Souls Jam. 1. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Mat. 7. 22 24. And in observing these Scripture-Rules here laid down in the careful and conscientious use of God's Word after this manner you may not doubt but the Holy Spirit of God will work with the Word of God to make it effectual to work this most precious Grace of Faith in us whereby to believe in God and in Christ to the Consolation and eternal Salvation of our Souls But if we neglect the Means God hath ordained to get Faith and for want of it die in our Sins and perish eternally our Destruction will be of our selves Direct III. Thirdly Would we have Faith Let us engage our whole Souls in the deep and serious consideration of the infinite unspeakable unconceivable Love of God the Father in this the highest and fullest demonstration of it in giving his Son his only begotten Son to be a Sin-Offering a Sacrifice a Ransom for poor Sinners and that for this very end and purpose that we poor Sinners might believe in him and by believing might not perish but might have Eternal Life I pray read and ponder upon the following Texts and let your most serious Thoughts fix on them and meditate on them Isa 53. throughout John 3. 16 17. Rom. 3. 25. Rom. 5. 8. 10. Prov. 8. 30. Col. 1. 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. Rom. 8. 3. 8. 32. with many other which for brevity sake I cannot transcribe If we can but believe this wonderful Love of God the Father in giving his dear Son to be a Surety a Sin-Offering to lay all our Iniquities on him that he was pleased to bruise him and put him to Grief for us and consider and meditate upon the Heighth and Depth the Breadth and Length of this immense imcomprehensible Love of God in giving his Son and that on purpose that we might believe in him and by beleiving might have Eternal Life I say it will greatly help us to believe in his Son to accept of this his unspeakable Gift and to receive him as he is offered to us in the Gospel Moreover let us also consider of and deeply meditate upon the transcendent Love of the Son of God himself who though he were the Delight of his Father and lay in the Bosom of his Father even then his Delights were with the Sons of Men then was his Heart full of Love to poor Sinners and his Love brought him down from Heaven to Earth to assume Humane Nature to take upon him all the Sins of his People to bear them on his Soul and Body in the Garden there sweating great drops of Blood and on the Cross there pouring out his Heart-Blood made a Curse endured the full measure of the Wrath of God due for Sin and became the Ransom of Souls Philip. 2. 6 7 8. Luke 22. 44. Gal. 2. 20. He loved us and gave himself for us Loved us and washed us from our Sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Gal. 3. 13. Tit. 2. 14. But while I am writing these things I cannot but conceive an Indignation against my self and heartily wish I were filled with Shame Sorrow and Grief of Spirit that having read and heard so often of the surpassing Love of God the Father in giving his Son and so often of the unspeakable Love of Jesus and to be no more affected with it no more sensible of it to have my Affections no more stirred and moved no more quickned and warmed Alas my dead Heart my Adamantine Heart Lord sprinkle it with that Blood Lord shed abroad that Love of thine upon my Heart abundantly by the holy Ghost Lord Jesus manifest thy Love to me that I may love thee I am ashamed and pained for want of Love to God to Jesus O that I could believe thy Love to my Soul then I should not chuse but love thee Lord I believe help my Unbelief The consideration of this Love of God and of Christ is a means to work Faith try it I pray you and you will find it so Direct IV. Fourthly Improve and act the Historical Faith you have on the Doctrines Promises and Threatnings in the
do for thee I will be a Sun and a Shield to thee Psal 84. last I will give thee Grace and Glory and will withhold no good thing from thee I that am the infinite first and best Being of all Things the living Fountain of all Mercy the Original of all Power and Goodness I will be a God to thee thy God thy Father if thou wilt take me for thy God and place all thy Happiness in me and wilt become my Servant and give up thy self sincerely to me to serve and obey to love and fear and trust me only This is to believe in God to accept of God for our God and to yield up our selves to him to be his People Isa 56. 46. to chuse the things that please him to give him our Hearts and become his Servants aâ— Deut. 26. 17 18. And so God proposed himself to Abraham when he called him Gen. 12. 1 2 3. as a Rewarder and more fully Gen. 15. 1. I am thy Shield and they exceeding great Reward and so Abraham's Faith was to act on God so manifested And Gen. 17. 1. I am God All-sufficient all-sufficient to support thee in thy Way and Work and All-sufficient to reward thee in the end therefore be thou upright and faithful let not thy Heart be troubled what-ever Dangers and Difficulties thou meetest with in my Way and Work and what Losses soever thou sustainest for my sake believe I am God All-sufficient I will sufficiently reward thee thou shalt be no loser by following and serving me Also Moses his Faith had an eye to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 11. 26. And that you may see that this is not legal and mercinary our Lord Jesus proposeth this as an incouragement to his People Matth. 5. 12. Great is your Reward in Heaven And he himself took incouragement from it as Heb. 12. 1 2. for the Joy that was set before him c. So that this is to believe in God to believe that God is really and truly He is All that which he hath revealed himself to be and to believe that He is a Rewarder c. This Faith in God Christ took for granted that his Disciples had Ye believe in God Ye believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And if ye believe this let not your Hearts be troubled be not afraid nor dejected but act your Faith in God and seriously consider what God that is in whom you believe and believing also your Interest in that God that He is your God this God All-sufficient is your God you will have no cause to be troubled Your acting of Faith on God your God will prevent and cure your Heart-trouble and that these several ways First more generally He that believes in God as his God believes God is always present with him according to his Promises In the worst Times God is present with his People And can there be any cause of Heart-trouble to such Souls as have always the presence of God with them whose Presence makes Heaven and in whose Presence is fulness of Joy and at whose right Hand are Pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Surely Beloved this will prevent Heart-trouble when a Soul can act his Faith and firmly believe it God is always present with his People and that for gracious Purposes and not as a baâ— Spectator as to proportion and measurâ— out their Afflictions to them that theâ— may not be above their strength nor moâ— than need 1 Cor. 10. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Aâ— the Afflictions of God's People are mesured by the Hand of a most wise moâ— merciful and gracious God all the Mâ—lice of Men and Devils cannot add a dracâ— to the Weight nor a drop to the Measurâ— beyond God's appointment He is prâ—sent to order and fix the Time of our Suâ—ferings it is an Hour of Temptation Reâ— 2. 10. It is our loving Father that sets tâ— the Glass of the Time of our Troubleâ— he appoints their Beginning their Lration their End he holds the Glass his own Hand All the Powers on Earâ— cannot bring trouble on us till the Hâ—â— come till the appointed Time nor coâ—tinue our Troubles longer than his Timâ— The Rod of the Wâ—cked shall not rest on tâ— Lot of the Righteous Psal 125. 3. Gâ—â— is present to mix some Comforts with tâ— Cross thereby to allay the bitterness â—â— it present to support the Soul with iâ—ward strength Psal 138. 3. Thou strengtâ— nest me with strength in my Soul present â—â— sanctify Afflictions for Good and at lengtâ— in his good Time which is the best Time when he hath perfected his own Work in his People he is present for their full Deliverance A true Believer in God hath always a God to go unto O what a Comfort what an happiness is that He dwells in the Love of God as well in Affliction as out of it he may be cast out of his happy Condition in the World but never out of the favour of his God This believed by us will cure Heart-sorrow Heart-fear Heart-care all Despondency Dejectedness Disquietments and Distractions whatever Faith acted on God the Almighty All-sufficient God and our God always present with us is the Soveraign Antidote against and the best Cure of all Heart-trouble Psal 142. 1 2 3 4. there are the Psalmist's Troubles and Ver. 5. there is his Cure I cried unto thee O Lord Thou art my Refuge and my Portion in the Land of the Living So Psal 143. 4 6 8. his Spirit was overwhelm'd with trouble but he cried to God and trusted in him and that was his Relief His trusting in God was an high exercise of his Faith This kept David from sinking under his great distress 1 Sam. 30. 6. He encouraged himself in the Lord his God Thus in general More particularly I shall endeavour â— shew what there is in God that a Beliâ—ver's Faith fetcheth virtue from to cuâ— his Heart-trouble in his greatest distresâ— even under the loss of the personal Prâ—sence of his best and dearest Friends oâ— Earth for such was like to be the Caâ— of the Disciples in the Text. First That in God which Faith looâ— unto and fetcheth Comfort from is hâ— sweet and gracious Nature God is Lovâ— the very Element of Love 1 John 4. 1â— and his gracious Name which discoveâ— his Nature Exod. 34. 6. The Lord grâ—cious and merciful When he gives to hâ— People he gives in love when he takeâ— he takes in love Now when a Soul bâ—lieves that all is from Love and all iâ— Love he is supported When a Man caâ— believe that all his Troubles come to hiâ— from the Father of Mercies and his Father in Christ he cannot but bear theâ— patiently Ye believe in God saith Christâ— ye believe that God loves you thereforâ— let not your Hearts be troubled Q. But how shall I know that God loves me when he afflicts me I answer When we can discern that we have received
any Spiritual Benefit by any Affliction we may certainly conclude that the Love of God was in that Affliction Fury is not in God towards his People Isa 27. 4. And he intends nothing â—ut our profit all his ends are for our good to purge away our Sins to wean us from the World to draw us nearer to himself to humble us to try us to conform us to Christ to prepare us for Gloâ—y c. Now seeing God's Ends are â—o much for our good we must conclude That all our Afflictions proceed from his Love and when we find any of those Ends accomplished in us and on us and that we have received real spiritual good by them we ought to be strengthned in â—ur Belief that God hath corrected us in Love so that Faith acted on the love of God in our Affliction will prevent or â—ure our Heart-trouble Our Lord told â—is Disciples That the Father had loved â—hem John 16. 27. Secondly Faith acted upon God's Gloriâ—us Attributes will fortify against Heartâ—rouble First upon his All sufficiency Ye bâ—lieve that God is All-sufficient in aâ— of himself alone every way able to sâ—ply all Wants to make up and repair â— Losses to satisfy all Desires to sustaâ— under all Burdens and that without â— earthly Comforts for how else are tâ— Saints in Heaven happy who have noâ— of these Earthly Enjoyments Ye belieâ— this act your Faith on it He must neeâ— be All-sufficient who made the Worlâ— and all things in it and upholds it to tâ— day He that owns all things and Possessor of Heaven and Earth He iâ— that is your God your Father act yâ— Faith on him and be comforted Secondly He is All-mighty you belieâ— this So Christ hath told his Disciplâ— All things are possible to God He can breâ— the hardest Heart and can bind up â— most broken Spirit He can make up â— greatest Loss We are kept by the migâ— Power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. Oh how sâ— is that Man that is in the Love and Câ—venant and that lies in the Arms aâ— Bosom of the Almighty God Deut. 33. â— He can bring Light out of Darkness aâ— make the greatest Loss to prove tâ— greatest Gain He hath the Keys of tâ— Grave to him belong the issues from Death All Power belongeth to him nothing is too hard for him Thirdly His absolute Soveraignty and Supremacy All Souls are his Ezek. 18. 4. He gives he takes who can hinder him May he not do with his own what pleaseth him Ye believe this Hath he not a Right in all the Works of his hands and may he not dispose of all as he will Fourthly His Vnchangeableness God is in one mind Job 23. 13 14. The thoughts of his Heart stand to all Generations He sets bounds to the Sea to the Life of Man and to all the Comforts of Life the number of his Months is with God Job 14. 5. Believe this Fifthly His Wisdom God is only wise the Fountain of Wisdom he doth all he doth in infinite Wisdom He is wise in Heart and worketh all things according to the counsel of his Will He knows what is best for us when to give when to take and what will do us most good Believe this And let not your Hearts be troubled Sixthly His Righteousness All his Ways are just and equal Yea when Clouds and Darkness are round about him his Providences towards us dark yet theâ— Righteousness and Judgment are the habitâ—tion of his Throne God the Judge of tâ—â— World can do no wrong believe this â— God and it will quiet your minds Lastly His Faithfulness In faithfulnâ— thou hast afflicted me saith holy Daviâ— Psal 119. 75. He hath promised he wâ— withhold no good thing from his Peopâ— Now he sees and knows that Afflictioâ— are good for them good for their Soulâ— his daily Rod as good for their Souls his daily Bread is for their Bodies Therâ—fore he brings Afflictions on them and makes good his Promise to them O â—lieve this and let not your Hearts be trâ—bled Certainly Faith acted on Goâ— Attributes will support under the greatâ— Stroaks and most grievous Losses Thirdly Faith acted on the Covenanâ— Grace God's everlasting Covenant â—â— help to support under Trouble Ye bâ—lieve in God that God hath made a Câ—venant with you to become your Goâ— Jerem. 31. 33. I will be your God and shall be my People This is infinitely moâ—â— for God to become our God to give hiâ— self to us than if he had said I will giâ— you Crowns and Kingdoms Sons and Daughters when God saith I will be your God he saith I will be All that to you and I will do All that for you and bestow All that upon you which a God can be or do and which shall make you most happy for ever I will pardon your Sins I will give you new Hearts give you my Spirit I will give you Grace here and Glory hereafter This Acting of Faith in God's Covenant supported David in his greatest Troubles 2 Sam. 23. 5. a notaâ—le Text When the Lord had made â—reach upon breach in his Family this Comforted him that God had made with him an everlasting Covenant That he was in Covenant with God that God was his God in Covenant this ballanced all his Losses and repaired all the Breaches made in his Relations tho his Family was wasted and blasted this answered all that he was in Covenant with God This is the Language of Faith If God be my God if I be his Child born of him reconciled to him pardoned justified sanctified in Covenant with him Why am I troubled though he give me neither Health nor Wealth nor Friends nor Relations Have I not enough in having God to be my God Is not God moâ— than All But if God be not my God â— have cause enough to be troubled theâ— considering the Danger I am in and â— Trouble for this should swallow up all ther Trouble For surely either God mine in Covenant or he is not if he mine in Covenant then tho he break â— Family make breaches upon all my earâ—ly Comforts yet he will not break â— Covenant Psal 89. 32. and so long I â— well enough If he leave me neither Sâ— nor Daughter if he strip me of Frienâ— Estate Liberty Health c. yet he â— mains my God still and so long it is â— enough it cannot be ill with a Maâ— long as God is his ye believe this Fourthly Faith acted upon the Worâ— God will support the Soul Ye beliâ— God's Word the Word of Truth Psâ— 119. 50. This is my Comfort in my Afflictiâ— thy Word hath quickned me So ver 92. â— not thy Law been my Delight I had perisâ— in my Affliction First Consider the Word of Preceâ— as in the Text it is Christ's Commaâ— Let not your Hearts be troubled Maâ— such Commands we have in Scripture â— not to fear not to be cast down sorrow not as those that have no hope 1
Comfort and draw from this Spring by Prayer Faith and Meditation all supplies of Comfort and let not your Hearts be troubled Sixthly Jesus Christ is called a Counsellor Isa 9. 6. He is most wise he is the Wisdom of the Father In him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2. 3. Yea he is made of God our Wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sâ— that when we are in Doubts and Darkness perplexed with Temptations anâ— know not what to do when we aâ— under sad and dark Providences aâ— know not how to interpret them wheâ— we are under various Exercises anâ— know not how to answer God's Enâ— in them nor how to improve them when we are in the Dark and knoâ— not the meaning of God's Dispensatons nor the Design of God in them Now are our Hearts troubled in aâ— such Cases but here is our Remedâ— this is the Course we must take Aâ— Faith now upon Jesus he is Wisdom he is a most wise and faithful Counsellor we may freely open all our Cases and Conditions to him he will nâ—â— betray us nor bewray us we may safely trust him with all the Secrets of oâ— Hearts and let us labour by Faith tâ— trust him for Counsel in all Cases lâ—â— us wait for his Counsel trust to it aâ— let not our Hearts be troubled Seventhly Jesus is a Redeemer thâ— is his Name he came into the Worâ— on this very Business to redeem his People to redeem them from all Iniquitâ— Tit. 2. 14. from this present evil World from our vain Conversations He hath shed his precious Blood to purchase us we are bought with a Price 1 Cor. 6. 20. We are none of our own we are his the purchase of his Blood and we may be confident that he dearly loves us for he dearly bought us and if he had not dearly loved us he would never have given himself for us Gal. 2. 20. That was the highest Testimony of his Love He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his Blood Rev. 1. 6. He will redeem us from the Wrath to come O then let us act Faith on our sweet Redeemer as Job did in the midst of all his Troubles I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth c. So may every Believer say Although my Friends and dearest Relations die my Credit and Estate dies though my outward Comforts all die this supports me that my Redeemer liveth and this our Redeemer is mighty mighty to save able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Therefore let us act Faith on our dear Redeemer and upon his Redemption and let us believe that shortly the day of our full Redemption will come when we shall be delivered fully and for ever from Sin Satan the World from all our Burdens Fears and Sorrows Temptations and Tribulations I might mention many other sweeâ— Names and Titles of Jesus Christ which would be Food for Faith tâ— feed upon as that He is the Everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. he hath pitâ— and compassion for all his poor Children and Power to help them being the Father Almighty and hath a Portion for them too He is their Portion and hath provided for them an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4 He is the Prince of Peace he giveth his Peace to his People even thaâ— Peace that the World can neitheâ— give to them nor take from them When he speaks Peace none caâ— cause Trouble He is our Peace anâ— hath made our Peace with God anâ— it is he alone that speaketh Peace and creates the Fruit of the Lips Peace Isa 57. 19. He is also our Shepherâ— therefore said David I shall want nothing Psal 23. 1. He is a Fountain opened a Fountain of Light Life Love Grace and Truth He is the Head of his Body the Church The Husband the Bridegroom his People are his Members his Spouse He is the Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. In him dwelleth all Fulness He is the King of Saints the Rock of Ages Yea He is All and in All. O Beloved had we but Faith to act on this Blessed Jesus and on these his most sweet Names and gracious Attributes our Hearts would not be troubled into what Condition soever we were brought Could we act Faith on Jesus as our Head Husband and Father who is All Fulness All in All could we doubt of having all seasonable Supplies from him Let our Faith but apprehend apply and appropriate Jesus as our blessed Head our most dear Husband and then consider in earnest who he is and what he is how mighty how full how loving pittiful compassionate tender-hearted and kind how ready to help how engaged to us by many Promises and can we then take up such unworthy thoughts of him as to think he hath forgotten us Will he not timely support and supply us Hath he shed his Blood for us and will he forget us caâ— he forget us Are not all his People as dear to him as the Apple of his Eyâ—â— Zech. 2. 8. Surely it is our want oâ— the weakness of our Faith that causeth all our Heart-Trouble O my poor Soul how comfortably mightest thou live if thou couldest live by Faith Lord believe help strengthen my Faith Coulâ— we but apply and appropriate Chrisâ— to our Souls and act Faith upon those precious Names of Christ which aâ— not as so many empty Titles whicâ— are sometimes given to Men but theâ— are real Representations of that mosâ— dear Love and tender Affection of thaâ— special Care Mercy and Loving-kindness that is in Jesus towards aâ— his poor Children that they mighâ— draw out the same for their stronâ— Consolation and that they might truâ— in him and not despond nor be dejected Thus if we can believe in Jesus our Hearts shall not be troubled Thirdly Faith acted on the Covenant of Grace whereof Christ is the Mediator and upon all his exceeding great and precious Promises will prevent and cure all Heart-Trouble Believe in the blessed Mediator of the New Covenant who hath undertaken not only on God's part to see that his Part be performed to us but also is become our Surety undertaking for us and by himself to fulfil the whole Law of God both actively and passively to fulfil all Righteousness for us and by his Spirit to enable us to fulfil the Conditions of the Covenant working in us Faith Love Obedience and all Grace In this Sense God hath given Christ to be a Covenant to us Isa 42. 6. and his Blood is the Blood of the Covenant by which he rescueth poor Souls that were Prisoners to Sin and Satan out of the Pit of Destruction Zech. 9. 11. By this Covenant upon Christ's shedding of his Blood as a Sacrifice for Sin and his performing all the work of Mediation and upon our receiving of him and believing in him as he is offered to us in the Gospel God is pleased to promise to become our God our Reconciled Father to
the Reason why so many faint in the Day of Adversity and sink under Trouble and others use unlawful means to prevent Trouble or to get out of it It is because they want this Faith in God and Christ and for want of it too many miscarry under Affliction The Second Use is by way of Exhortation to all the Disciples of Christ in the Words of the Text Let not your Hearts be troubled but Believe in God and Believe in Christ You must get and act Faith in God and Christ this is the only Preventive the only Remedy against Heart-Trouble Our Lord in this Text commands it and commends it we must needs get Faith above all gettings next to Christ we must get Faith for we cannot have Christ without Faith Go to God for it it is his Work his Gift yea it is his Operation yea the same Power that raised up Jesus from the Dead must be put forth upon a Soul to work Faith Eph. 1. 19 20. The exceeding great and mighty working of the Power of God to raise up the Soul to God and Christ and to enable it to lay hold on God and Christ for such is our natural proneness to live by Sense and Carnal Reason and such is the most transcendent Excellency of God and Christ and of Divine Things which Faith looks unto and so great an Inclination we have to Self-sufficiency and so much rooted in self-Self-Love and inordinate Love of the Creature and so hard to take off the Soul from false bottoms and because we are such Strangers to God naturally and because there is so much Guilt of Sin still remaining on us by our renewed Provocations that we are afraid to entertain serious Thoughts of God and because of that infinite Distance between God and us we can never come to believe in him and rely upon him until our Hearts be renewed by the Power of Grace and this Divine Grace of Faith infused into them Therefore must we go to God and Christ and put up strong Cries and Prayers to God to work Faith in us and never give over until it be wrought in us And having got Faith we must act and exercise it upon God in Christ upon God I say He only is the Object of Faith and is worthy of it for a Man can be in no condition in which God is at a loss and cannot help him If Comforts and means of Deliverance be wanting God can create Comforts and command Deliverance Isa 57. 19. He can bring Light out of Darkness to him all things are possible 1. Then Faith assents to and is perswaded that there is a God the Infinite First and Best Being of all things and who giveth Being to all Things Hebr. 11. 6. 2. That in this Blessed Being are Three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost and all the Object of our Faith 3. Faith must always act on God in Christ and not otherwise for in Christ God reconciles the World In Christ God becomes our Friend is at peace with us by Christ the Enmity between God and us is taken away in Christ God becomes our Father John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. 4. Faith is acted by Meditating on Considering of and Applying and Appropriating of God in Christ to the Soul laying claim to all that God is and to all that God hath as its own 5. It must also act upon the Promises of God in his Word and upon God and Christ in them God hath opened all his Heart to us in his Word making many sweet Promises exceeding great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. and also He hath made a Covenant of Grace with us to bestow himself and all good things upon us upon which we must live until Promises eâ—â— in Performances These Promises aâ—â— our Spiritual Treasury Promises 〈◊〉 Pardon of Sin upon Repentance and Faith Promises of renewing sanctifying Grace Promises of the Spirit of Heaven of Eternal Life and Glory of Mansions in the Father's House and of all things needful it the way to the Kingdom that we shall want no good thing and that all things shall work together for our good c. Lastly That our Hearts may not be troubled but fully satisfied and comforted we must by Faith lay hold on God take hold of God's Strength which is his Mercy in Christ and most solemnly most considerately and most sincerely take God for our God in Christ and actually enter into Covenant with him This Covenant is founded upon Jesus Christ his Satisfaction and Righteousness and therefore we must also believe in Christ taking him for our only Lord and Saviour receiving him by Faith as he is offered to us in the Gospel to be All in All to us As God offers so Faith receives God offers himself in Christ and so Faith receives him God doth as it were say in the Gospel O poor lost Sinner come to my Son Jesus take him for thy only Lord and Saviour and by him come to me and take me for thy God and Father and by Faith the poor Believer ecchoeth back My Lord and my God I humbly and heartily come to thee accept of thee close with thee and so by Faith the believing Soul becomes one with God and Christ and hereupon the Soul by Faith cleaves to God and Christ and unfeignedly and unreservedly resigns and gives up its whole self to God in Christ taking God in Christ for his and intirely surrenders up it self to be the Lord's My Beloved is mine and I am his Now Faith thus acted will certainly cure all our Heart-Troubles In order then to obtain solid Comfort in all our Distresses let us carefully look whether these Acts of Faith have really passed upon our Souls Have we thus actually understandingly and sincerely believed in God aâ—â— in Christ Have we unfeignedly eâ—tred into Covenant with God â—â— Christ Can we conclude that Gâ—â— is our God in Christ by our beiâ—â— his If we be intirely his he is 〈◊〉 for certein 1 John 4. 19. Cant. 2. 1â— If we place all our Happiness in hiâ— Psal 73. 25. If we give him tâ—â— Throne in our Hearts subjecting oâ— whole selves to his Government making God in Christ all our Love â—â— Trust Joy Desire Delight Feaâ— our All cleaving to him alone and above all depending upon him as oâ—â— chief Good contenting our selâ—â— with him as All-sufficient for us â—signing up our selves to his goâ—â— Will to be to do and suffer whâ—â— he will If we can and do engagâ— our selves to sincere Obedience thâ—â— none of his Commandments be griâ—vous to us If in all things we giâ—â— Christ the preheminence if we haâ—â— received the Spirit of Christ as Râ—â— 8. 9. Gal. 4. 6. which joins us him and makes us one Spirit with hiâ— and which is a Spirit of Adoption whereby the Soul seeing his Interest in God as his Father can freely go to God in all its straits If we have the Graces of the Spirit as Love Meekness Patience Humility
Afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63. 9. He knows all our Troubles Trials Temptations Sicknesses Losses and Miseries Jesus himself knew when he was on Earth what it was to lose a Friend He wept when his Friend Lazarus was dead He is a most tender-hearted Saviour a most merciful High Priest He sees and feels now in Heaven all the Miseries of his People upon Earth and pleads for them there believe this and let not your Hearts be troubled And as to his Spiritual and Providential Presence he is always with his People on Earth He is in his People Christ in you the Hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. He is in his Word and Ordinances by his Spirit to bless them to his People Christ is All Col. 3. 11. and in All. He is All that is instead of All of Father Mother Husband Wife of Son and Daughter instead of Health Wealth Liberty and All to his People In him dwelleth all Fulness Eph. 1. 23. and 3. 17. And he is also in All he filleth all in all In all his People he dwells in their Hearts by Faith All our fresh Springs are in him All the Strength Support and Comfort we have comes from him He is in all Providences be they never so bitter so afflictive never so smarting so destructive to our Earthly Comforts Christ is in them all his Love his Wisdom his Mercy his Pity and Compassion is in them all every Cup is of his preparing it is Jesus your best Friend O ye poor Believers who most dearly loves you It is he that died for you that appoints all those Providences orders them all over-rules moderates and sanctifies them all and will sweeten them all and in his due time will make them All profitable unto you that you shall have cause one day to praise and bless his Name for them all O that we could but believe all this and could by Faith look unto our Jesus in all dark Providences and by Faith behold this Jesus managing of them and believe his Love Wisdom Tenderness and Faithfulness in all in our Sicknesses Losses Prisons Restraints c. then surely our Hearts should not be troubled Thirdly Believe in Christ Believe what he hath told us In my Father's House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you John 14. 3. Let us act Faith upon these true sweet sayings of our dear Lord who is Truth it self In my Father's House are many Mansions In my Father's House my Father's and your Father's House one House must hold us all John 20. 17. I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God and it is in that House which is far above all Heavens all visible Elementary Heavens the third Heaven that is the Father's House That House not made with hands whose builder and maker is God and is Eternal 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. This City of the living God this New Jerusalem there saith Christ are many Mansions many Dwellings many fixed abiding lasting everlasting Habitations Not Tents and Tabernacles such as we live in here on Earth but Mansions abiding-places Is not this a most comfortable Consideration to such poor Saints as have here on Earth no certain dwelling-places not an House of their own wherein to lay their Heads but are forc'd to remove from place to place still seeking an Habitation banished from Family and Friends from Relations and Acquaintance some cast into Prisons while others dwell safely in their own Houses and none to make them afraid and others exposed to much hardship and danger I say this is good news to them That in their Father's House are many Mansions there are everlasting Habitations ready to receive them made ready for them from which when once they are entred they shall never be cast out more from whence there shall be no more any remove for ever When once their earthly House of this Tabernacle is broken down they shall possess that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Let us then by Faith often look into the Father's House and view and review those many Mansions that are there and let us act Hope also that shortly we shall possess that Place and enjoy that blessed State The believing frequent Prospects of that place will prevent our Heart-trouble or cure it If it were not so I would have told you saith our Lord If there were not such a blessed State and glorious Place for you my Disciples in the other World after all your Sufferings in this I would have told you so For I have told of the many Troubles you must endure in this World and for your support and comfort I am now telling you what good things you shall shortly enjoy above in my Father's House where is all Joy Peace Reâ— and Consolation There are many Mansions no Prisons Chains nor Fetters but glorious Dwellings enough to hold all the Saints that ever were and that ever shall be in the World where they shall enjoy full and free Communion with the Blessed Trinity and with one another perfect Liberty without any Restraint or remove for ever Believe this and let not your Hearts be troubled I go to prepare a Place for you I have purchased this most glorious Place for you by my Blood I have promised it to you now I go away to take Possession of it for you in your Name and Stead O what an Heart-comforting and Heart-easing Consideration should this be to us poor Believers That our Lord went from Earth to Heaven oâ— purpose to prepare a Place in Heaven for us to possess it in our Name and stead and in the mean time he is preparing us by his Word and Spirit by Afflictions and Deliverances for that glorious Place Hence he is called ouâ— Forerunner who is for us entred into that within the Vail Heb. 6. 20. So that as sure as Christ himself ascended and went into the Highest Heavens so sure shall all his Disciples all true Believers ascend and enter into Heaven also because he went thither himself to prepare Heaven for them by taking Possession of it in his Humane Nature for us as our Head and Saviour God hath prepared for them a City Heb. 11. Heaven and heavenly Glory is said to be prepared A Kingdom prepared from the Foundation of the World Matth. 25. 34. If we could believe that Christ hath prepared a Place in Heaven for us and that Heaven will make amends for all our Sufferings in the way thither and if we could keep the Eye of our Faith upon that Recompence of Reward that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. we should bear up bravely under all our Sufferings and not have our Hearts troubled Let us then look more Heaven-ward more to our Father's House Let us have our Conversations more in Heaven and set our Affections more upon things above upon that blessed State and Place above and
Resurrection Ascension aâ—â— Intercession and the Fruits of â—â— your own Labours Prayers Tearâ— and Sufferings and shall find that am faithful in making good all mâ— Promises and that your Labouâ— was not in vain in the Lord theâ— shall there be no more any distancâ— between you and me for ever Comfort your selves and comfort oâ—â— another with these words Belieâ—â— this and let not your Hearts be trâ—â—bled Thirdly That where I am ye may be also And what more can be deâ—â—red Where is Christ but at the rigâ—â— Hand of the Majesty on high far aboâ—â— all Principalities and Powers far abâ—â— al Heavens Heb. 12. 2. there shall you be also O admirable astonishing Dignity that blessed Jesus will advance his poor Saints unto at that Day This high and wonderful Honour shall all his Saints have they shall now receive the Kingdom prepared for them and that Crown of Glory of Righteousness and of Life which Christ hath purchased for them perfectly freed now from all Sin and Sorrow and stated in an unchangeable state of Happiness and Blessedness What cause have we then to grieve for our dear Relations whom Christ hath taken to himself and placed in the Father's House who are now sitting at his right Hand in Glory and singing Hallelujahs And could we but firmly believe these Promises of our Lord and act our Faith in meditating â—â—xedly on them and on Jesus in them applying and appropriating them and Christ in them to our own Souls considering and pondering on them until our Hearts be warmed and our Affections stirred and kindled with them acting also Hope Love Joy Desire Delight Hunger Thirst Panting Breathing pouring out our Heart in Prayer to God for his Spirit â—â— bring home these Promises to oâ— Souls in Power fixing them upon oâ— Hearts and helping us to lay hold oâ— them and upon Christ in them aâ— resigning up our whole Souls to Chriâ—â— in them stedfastly relying on â—â— Goodness and Faithfulness and truâ—â—ing in him I say could we but do sâ— and in the strength of God betrust oâ—â— whole selves and all our Concerns thus with Christ and live in the lively Exercises of Faith thus on God and on Christ we should find this to be Hearts-Ease to us in all our Heart-Trouble Behold I lay in Sion a chieâ— Corner-Stone Elect Precious and â—â— that believeth in him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. Let all Heart-Trouble cease Let nought disturb your Peace Who Faith in God profess And in his Son no less For in the Father's House Are many Mansions sweet Christ hath prepar'd for us When we 're for them made meet THE END Appendix Quest IT may be demanded That having heard the Excellency aâ—â— usefulness of this Soveraign Medicine â—â— cure Heart-Trouble namely Faith iâ— God and in Christ Can you tell us hoâ— we may get this Faith and what meaâ— we shall use to obtain it Answ I shall endeavour by the help of God's Spirit and Scripture-Light to direct you herein and aâ— briefly as I may Direct I. First You must be convinced of your Vnbelief of the greatness of the Sin of Vnbelief and of your absolute need of Faith Of these three things you must be fully convinced 1. Of your Vnbelief for most People think they have Faith and thaâ— they never were without it and therefore labour not for it Pray earnestly therefore that the Holy Spirit may be sent into your Hearts to work this Conviction in you for it 's his proper Work John 16. 8. to convince the World of Sin because they believe not on me saith our Lord this is the great Sin the damning Sin of the World their not believing on Christ Now that we may be convinced that by Nature we have no Faith let us consider these Scriptures Ephes 2. 1 2 12. and that until we are regenerate and born again we have no Faith is evident from John 1. 12 13. there believing in Christ and Regeneration are inseparably joined together Acts 15. 9. 26. 18. 20 21. From which Scriptures it is most evident that such as are Strangers to the Heart-purifying the Heart-sanctifying Work of Faith have no Faith if we have not truly repented nor know any saving Châ—nge wrought â—n us and upon us by the Spirit of God for certain what-ever we think we have no true Saving-Faith it is but a Fancy of this then we must be fully convinced and must most heartily beg the help of the Spirit to convince us 2. Of the greatness of the Sin of Unbelief it binds the Guilt of all other Sins upon us it is Disobedience and Rebellion against the great God for he commands us to believe 1 John 3. 21. and by our Unbelief we make God a Liar 1 John 5. 10. O horrible Wickedness And 3. We must be convinced also of our absolute need of Faith we must needs have it or we must perish Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. without it we cannot be the Children of God John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. without it we can have no pardon of Sin Acts 10. 43 Rom. 3. 25. John 8. 24. And in what a dangerous Case are we so long as we lie under the guilt of all our Sins Without Faith we are not reconciled to God nor justified Rom. 3. 22. 5. 1. Nor can we be sanctified Acts 26. 18. 2 Thess 2. 13. No access to God but by Faith Rom. 5. 2 Ephes 2. 18. No living the Life of Religion nor bearing up under Affliction nor holding out to the End without Faith Heb. 11. No Salvation nor Eternal Life without it Ephes 2. 18. Joh. 3. 16 36. Heb. 10. last Of all these things we must be convinced if ever we will have Faith Direct II. Secondly If we would have Faith we must diligently search the Scriptures read the Gospel attend on the reading and preaching of the Gospel for this very end that we may get Faith by it I say for this very end certainly that should be our End in reading and in hearing the Word which was God's End in publishing of it now this was his End in publishing of it John 20. 21. Rom. 16. 25 26. Rom. 10. 17. Acts 13. 48. Ephes 1. 13. This is the ordinary Means appointed by God to work Faith in the Souls of Men as appears by Acts 2. 42. and 4. 4. and 11. 20 21. and many more There are few that read and hear the Word for this End and therefore get no Faith by it Now that the Word read and heard may be effectual to work this precious this most necessary Grace of Faith in us there are some thingâ— Antecedent some Concomitant and some Consequent upon our attendance on the Word and our use of it First Some things Antecedent aâ—â— necessary 1. Preparation For want of thâ—â— the Word most times proves ineffectâ—al It is the empty hungry-Soul thaâ— relisheth and taketh in this Food Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Mat. 13.