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
beleeving is that in our power is it not the gift of God is it not above the reach of humane reason and understanding is it a worke of nature or grace To this I answer Answer and acknowledge that Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 But take this with it this God is a God of free grace which giveth Salvation to his people and the hand of faith to lay hold on his salvation all in his owne grace and therefore I tell my owne soule and others of beleeving in God because he is a God of free grace I know faith is the worke of Divine power it is not of our selves therefore I say againe God is a God of free grace stay not in selfe lye at the throne of grace as that poore man in the Gospell Lord I beleeve helpe thou my unbeliefe Me-thinkes he speakes thus Lord I beleeve that thou canst helpe me against my unbeliefe that thou canst destroy the unbeliefe that is in me and make me to beleeve upon thee to establishment and I thinke this is the language of the Objection which saith Faith is the gift of God is it not the same with this Lord thou canst make me beleeve in thee it is thy worke to destroy my unbeliefe and to helpe my soule against it This is all I say God is a God of free grace and faith is the gift of his grace he waites to be gracious to give his free grace and all the gifts of it freely to those that need it nothing in creature but want makes it an object for Gods grace for he gives all freely without price and without money Now if faith be the gift of God as thou doest acknowledge then lye at the throne of his grace if thou wantest know all he hath is for those that want waite on him and tell him he can helpe thee against thy unbeliefe But you demand whether faith were not above the reach of humane reason and understanding I acknowledge Yes when it is under its naturall darknesse so that the soule it lives in nothing but nature as it fell from the first Adam So The naturall Man descernes not the things of God neither can be because they are spiritually discerned But when God comes to worke the worke of his grace in any soule he doth not destroy his owne first and pure worke of nature in the man the fall from grace corrupted the reason and understanding of man as it did the whole man so the restoration to grace doth restore the first image of God in the reason and understanding of men though faith as it leads to God and pitcheth the soule upon God be above the light or reach of reason in it selfe yet when God workes faith in the soule and so takes the soule up to himselfe to live in him and to rest on him God doth not thereby destroy reason and understanding in the man that were to make him a Beast No God doth inlighten and convince the soul in its reason and judgement though when it was in its corrupted nature it could not discerne the things of God nor understand the worke of his salvation of free grace in Christ through beleeving so as to choose God for a portion and to rest on the salvation of his free grace yet when God shall inlighten the reason and judgement of a man by his owne spirit so that now it is spirituall reason and judgement then by the spirit of God in it it comes to apprehend and to close with the salvation of Gods free grace in Christ through beleeving it is now reason and judgement sanctified and made light in the Lord so that now it seeth a beauty in the grace of God and Christ the gift of his grace now it is no more its owne under its corruption but Gods in his renuing grace by which in Christ he hath redeemed it out of the power of Satan and the region of darknesse into his owne marvelous light though â—t first it may onely fee men walke as trees yet God will not leave it till he makes it see plainely God is light and in him is no darknesse at all So that as God commeth into the reason and judgements of his people they have light in the Lord the worke is neverthelesse but the more a worke of grace in God that he doth thus sanctifie and inlighten the reason and judgements of his people carrying on the worke of his salvation in the soule God is not bound to worke thus for the whole worke of his salvation is free but that hee chooseth to worke thus I thinke is the experience of all Saints that ever had reason and judgement in which Saints have much joy and by which doubtlesse the glory of Gods free grace is much manifested and declared and therefore I shall in the next place hold forth some grounds and reasons to the sanctified reason and judgements of Saints why to beleeve in God why to take his word and to rest upon the salvation of his free grace Grounds for faith from reason First Because there is truth in none but God and his Word by God here I meane Father Sonne and Spirit all truth is in this Fountaine and what ever truth is in the creature it is a streame from this fountaine so much of truth so much a beama of God in any soule It is one of Gods Attributes which we have mentioned to be a God of truth which is the true God I shall adde little to the proofe of it only a Scripture or two Psal 18.30 As for God Psalm 18.30 his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tryed be is a buckler to all those that trust in him As if the Prophet had said I have tryed God by trusting him and I find him true and perfect in all his words and wayes his word is perfectly true if her say he will be a buckler to you you may trust him he is a tryed God of truth he never deceived any foule that trusted in him his truth reacheth to the clouds Psalm 57.10 sayes the Prophet Psalm 57.10 It is boundlesse truth it is the truth of God whom is all truth So Psalm 117.2 The truth of the Lord endureth for ever That is God is for ever a God of truth hee is nothing but truth not doth he speake any thing but truth not any soule can be decalved by believing what he sayes he meanes what hee sayes for he is the God of truth Now I would argue with reason and aske it whether it would choose truth or untruth to believe in Doubtlesse this will be the answer of a rationall man I doe choose truth for this it my misery I know not what to believe there is so much untruth is the world nor can I finde any man or sort of men to trust all men are so false If mens words promises or engagements were any safety wee have had enough of them but men forget their words
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
first being and all beings to all things saith the Lord. The Apostle Paul doth acknowledge this truth in Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him Rom. 11.36 and to him are all things All things are of God as God is the first cause of all all things are through God as they proceed of his will power and Majestie all things are to him to the glory of God that is in himselfe without cause Isa 41.4 and the cause of all as hee is God Isa 41.4 Who hath wrought and done it calling the generations from the beginning I the Lord the first and with the last I am he It is frequent in Scripture with God when he mentions any workes or beings and the beginning of any thing to declare himselfe to be the first that hee might be knowne to be in himselfe without all cause and the cause of all things else Isa 43.10 I the Lord am he that is the first So in Isa 43.10 Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me I am so the first in my selfe that I am the first of all and nothing shall be after mee God in himselfe is without cause and end Isa 44.6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts Isa 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God I am the first and besides me there is no God that is there is no God besides mee for I am the onely one that is first without all cause of being For were there a first cause of my being then I could not be God but I am God and therefore there can be no first cause of my being So the Lord Christ according to his God-head is said to be the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 Rev. 3.14 The faithfull and true witnesses the beginning of the Creation of God The God-head is the first of all beings and the beginning of the whole Creation Many more Scriptures joyne in this truth as Isa 48.12 Rev. 1.17 Rev. 22.13 But I leave them to the Reader A third Attribute of God is his immutability Attribute 3 this is an attribute of God that he is an immutable unchangeable God for this can be said of none but God God hath made the whole Creation mutable and changeable which doth demonstrate that himselfe is only God Num. 23.19 who is unchangeable Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should lye neither the sonne of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good What God saith that he will doe and what he hath spoken he will make good for he is an unchangeable God hee is not like man to lye or repent as the sonnes of men but he is God immutable and unchangeable in all hee is not one tittle shall faile of all that the Lord hath spoken For I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 God makes this an argument to prove himselfe God that he changeth not As if hee had said there is change and alteration in all but my selfe and I am the unchangeable God I am the Lord I change not As if hee should say if I were changeable I were not God but being God I am unchangeable If mutability dwelt in me I could not be the foundation and fulnesse of all things both in Heaven and Earth James 1.17 but so I am therefore I am the unchangeable immutable God This is fully proved in James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning This is a full description of and testimony to an immutable God in him sayes the Text there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Not the least shadow of change in God the perfect God is an immutable God and his immutability is perfect for he is God in both there can be no change in God because there is no imperfection in him where there is change and mutability there must be the annihilating of something Now it is impossible this should be in God for hee is an entire Essence which can admit of no annihilating therefore not any shadow of change God is purely and simply what hee is without all compounds he is one most pure and intire Essence nothing in him but God God is a Spirit John 4.24 A fourth Attribute of God is this Attribute 4 God is infinitely great in Majesty and works or the infinite greatnesse of our God doth appeare in the greatnesse of his Majestie and workes God is so infinitely God Isa 465. that nothing can be like him Isa 46.5 To whom will yee liken me and make me equall and compare me that we may bee like As if God had said doe you creatures thinke you have any thing amongst you that is infinite that you goe about to make the likenesse of me I am an infinite God finite creatures cannot be compared to me or if you doe there will be no more likenesse and similitude then between finite infinite So Isa 40.15 16 17. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a bucket Isa 40.15 16 17. and are counted as the small dust of the ballance Lebanon and the beasts thereof are not sufficient for a burnt-offering All Nations before God are nothing compared to him lesse then nothing and vanity This proveth the infinitenesse of God that all besides him cannot be compared to him because God is infinite and so is none but God and it is the infinitenesse of God that makes all things before him and compared to him to be so empty a vanity This infinitenesse of God doth further appeare in the greatnesse and Majestie of his workes The Prophet David had great experience of God in his great and glorious workings and we shall see what ample testimony he gives to it in Psalm 86.8 Psalm 86.8 Among the Gods there is none like unto thee O Lord neither are there any workes like unto thy workes As if the Prophet had said there is no infinite God besides thy selfe and it appeares in thy workings for there is no workes full of Majesty and power like thine Psalm 135.5 So in Psalm 135.5 For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all Gods The Prophet makes this an argument to stir them up to praise God the declaring of his greatnesse hee is great above all Gods He is infinite in power and Majestie and this makes him in his workes great above all Gods The Prophet is in the same frame of spirit in Psalm 145.3 Great is the Lord Psalm 145.3 and greatly to be praised his greatnesse is unsearchable Mark the Scripture his greatnesse is unsearchable As if hee had said God is infinitely great and none is infinite but God so that his greatnesse
as winde there is no truth in them so that as a reasonable creature I am at a losse what to believe of when to believe any thing that man shall say Is it so Reason Would you believe truth if you could find it why then looke up to God ponder his word if you find any promise that answers your wants believe in him he will make all good that he hath said you dare not trust men because they have so often deceived you let me returne the argument backe upon you therefore trust God because he never deceived you nor any that ever trusted in him take his word into thy armes of faith as fulfilled already for not a tittle of all that he hath spoken shall fail what God promiseth to give his people is as really theirs as though they had it in possession and they may build upon it he will not deceive them nay he cannot for he is God and cannot lye this is one argument to reason the truth of God because it is an act of reason to put trust in truth and to choose truth to trust in A second argument to reason is the Almighty omnipotent and infinite power of God and me thinks this should be a strong argument with reason because reason is so apt and prone to trust in power Darke and corrupted reason makes the powers of the world to be an argument against faith when faith would have the soule trust upon God and to walke in the wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse Why sayes this sinfull reason all the powers of the earth will be against us and come as a flood upon us and devoure us if we should doe so Well if power bear so much sway in reason then to sanctified reason it will be a good argument to beget trust in God to plead the power of God Isa 40.15 and so on Isa 40.15 so on there you may read of the power of God That it is so full and great that all the Nations of the earth are but as the drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance all power compared to God is vanity and lesse then nothing Now sanctified reason here is power for thee to trust in that power which is all power and commande all powers that fountaine which giveth forth all power and can draw all into himselfe againe when hee pleaseth that power that doth in heaven and earth what ever pleaseth him That power with whom all things are possible Matth. 19.26 It is not possible for thee to trust in this power for any thing which is or can be impossible to him could corrupted reason but find a glimpse of this amongst men it would adore it and make a god of it Oh then let sanctified reason admire this God and rest upon him who is really that power with whom all things are possible God hath an infinite power he can doe for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke Ephes 3.20 What thinke you of this Ephes 3.20 Reason you thinke your thoughts are very vast and that you can aske very much yet in all this you are exceeding abundantly below what the Almighty Omnipotent and Infinite power of God can doe We can want but as finite creatures but hee can give as an infinite God the flesh we feare is finite flesh the God we trust is an infinite God If power can sinckâ— the scale with reason then when God appeares to it all flesh will prove lighter then vanity lesse then nothing Job mentions some of the acts of Gods power in Job 12.7 so on and 26.5 so on Job 12.7 so on Job 26.5 so on How he rules in his whole creation the Beasts the Earth the Foules that in his hands is the soule of every living thing and the breath of all mankinde That with him is strength and wisdome that hee looseth the bond of Kings he leadeth Princes away spoyled Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering The pillars of heaven trouble and are astonished at his reproofe So goes on to set forth Gods power and greatnesse and in the last verse of Chap. 26. Lâ—â— these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand When he had spoken all what he said before these sayes he are but part of the ways of the insinite great God and a very little part of that omnipotent power that is in him it is but a very little that wee can conceive of God the great thunder of his power cannot be understood by us it is too great for us hee is the great God and infinitely great in power Psal 24.8 10. So the Prophet David in Psalm 24.8 10. Who iâ— the King of glory the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battle The Lord of Hosts is the King of glory This is his glory he is Lord of Host the strong and mighty God infinite in power And in Psalm 29.4 8 Psal 29.4 8 9 10. 9 10. He shewes what power God hath in his voyce how full of Majesty it is That it shakes the Wildernesse that is the Whole world and that he is King for ever This is the King of glory this is our God of power Now here is power for sanctified reason to live upon and it is the power of the God of truth which will for ever be as truly power as hee is truly God so that if either truth or power may be arguments with Reason here is both in God which if believed on will for ever prove powerfull truth and truth in power because it is God in both The third argument for faith which I shall offer to sanctified Reason is the eternity and immutability of God That his truth is eternall truth and his power is unchangeable and immutable power you shall never finde him lesse then God and that is insinite all more then can be conceived or expressed Reason will choose a tocke to build upon because it is a sure foundation and will abide why now let me tel the best of reason that this is God he is the eternall Rocke of Ages from everlasting and will abide to everlasting there is no shaking this foundation nor destroying what is built upon it time did not make it nor can time make it lesse then it is Reason what can you aske for perpetuity that is beyond eternity Eternity is God and what God is is eternall every thing besides God changes but nothing can change God Psal 41.13 he is the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting Psalm 41.13 Israel's God is an eternall God alwayes God Psalm 48.14 Psal 48.14 For this God is our God for ever and ever There it no end of 〈◊〉 being God and that his people sindes and confesseth Psal 93.1 2. Psal 102.12 and so shall every soule that trusteth in him The Prophet Isaiah in his 26. Chap. ver 4.
him he makes this declaration of his faith in the first verse I shall not want this is strong faith What is the reasen of this 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 why hee telleth us it is his interestion 〈…〉 that he had of him my reason say 〈…〉 is this 〈…〉 my Shepheard therefore I shall not want But why are 〈…〉 fident may not you want though the Lord be 〈…〉 why sayes the Prophet I am confident up 〈…〉 maketh me to lye downe in greene pastures hee leadeth me bâ—side the stil waters he restoreth my soule he leadeth me in the paths of rightâ—â—â—snesse for his Names sake These are the experiences that I have had of God and doe you aske mee now why I am so confideâ—t Why sayes he I have not only received all this mercy and grâ—ce from God but God hee is the fountaine of all the mercies I receive and it is his owne bowels that moves him he doth a this to me for his owne Name sake not because of any worthinesse in me I could not then be confident but he leadeth me into and cloatheth me with his owne righeousnesse and all for his name sake to the glory of his grace This is the experience that I have of the Lord who is my Shepheard and upon this I am so established iâ— God that though I walk through the valley of the shadâ—â— of death I will feare no evill for thou art with me And I have had such often and ample experiences of thy mercy power faithfulnesse and goodnesse that though the way I walke in be as dark as death that my flesh can see no way out of it yet I will trust in thy power and mercy to deliver me upon the former experiences I have had of thee This I know it is thy free grace that hath chosen me to be an heire of glory from all eternity and all the experiences I have had of thee hath proved thee to be a God of free grace and that this love and grace shall as it is thy selfe abide for ever so that this is a ground of assurance to me my experience of thee that I shall be for ever with thee for so he sayes that hee shall dwell with the Lord for ever This Prophet had a great stocke of experience in God and in this place he makes the right use of them that for which I shall here gather them up together the Prophet David he acts for his owne soule and doth counsell other souls upon the experiences he had of God in Psalm 31.5 He commits his spirit into Gods hand That is casts himselfe wholly upon God and in vers 7. giveth the reason of it because hee had experimented God in his adversities that God had not shut him up in the hands of his enemies but set his feete in a large roome This experience of God makeâ— him commit his spirit to God thus hee acts for his owne soule upon experiences of God and in the 2. last verses of that Psalm he counsels Saints to love God and to trust in him upon this consideration the experiences that hee had of him as a faithfull God who preserveth his faithfull ones and plentifully rewardeth the proud doâ—r Therefore sayes he be of good courage fear not trust in God he shall strengthen your hearts all ye that hope in him as if he should say I have had such experience of God that I dare assure you if you trust in him he will not faile you So in Psalm 32.10 Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked Psal 32.10 but be that trusteth in the Lord mercyshall compasse him about I speake this sayes the Prophet upon experience that I have of God and when you know God experimentally as I doe you will say as I say Therefore in the 34. Psal 8. he cals upon Saints to taste and then they should experimentally know that God is good so good so kinde so gracious so faithfull and so omnipotent that the man is certainely blessed that trusteth in him he cannot but be a blessed man for he trusteth in God whom can never faile him God iâ— an experimented God for truth and faithfulnesse by all his people as in the 19. verse Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all and so goes on shewing the goodnesse and faithfulnesse of God to his people I sayes he upon the experiences that I have had of God I can boldly affirme that they are blessed that trust in him Therefore he giveth this counsell in Psalme 55.22 Psal 55.22 Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and be shall sustaine thee be shall never suffer the righteous to be moved The Prophet giveth this counsell to his owne soule and to other soules why sayes he we have had expecience of God how faithfull he is in preserving his righteous one those that put their trust in him they shall never bee moved Therefore why should we distrust and through unbeliefe take the burthen upon our selves as we have experimented God so let us trust him and he doth so indeed for in Psalm 61.3 he flyeth to God upon his former experience that he had of him For thou hast beene a shelter for me and a strang towre from the enemy I have had this experience of thee therefore in all streights and in all conditions I will trust in the covert of thy wings and in the next Psalm 7 8. verses he professeth that all the resuge he had was in God and saith he I have experimented God he is a sure resuge to his people He is my salvation my glory and the reck of my strength the Prophet tells us what God is from the experience that he had of him Psalm 145.17 18. The Lord is righteout in all his wayes and holy in all his workes The Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth This is God upon experience and abundantly more then this dâ—th that Man of much experience in God set him forth to be Againe consider the most glorious experiences of God thâ—â— those three emminent servants of his Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had which is recorded in the third of Daniel wee may read in that Scripture upon what consideration the Funâ—acâ— was heat seaven times hotter then before for these three faithfull ones to be cast into it and in the 17. verse how they cast themselves upon God for their deliverance Our God say they is able to deliver us from thy burning firy Furnace and hee will deliver us out of thy hands O King Well marke the issue they deny Nehuchadnezâ—ar and trust in God this inrages the Kings fury and into the sire they are cast bound hand and foot Now God giveth them to know by experience what it is to trust in him for deliverance Hee maketh them to walke in the fire loosed from their bonds without the least harme and a fourth to bee with them whose forme wat like the Sonne of God This presence and
Gods shaking worke makes shaking hearts and trembling soules but had they faith in God concerning these promises they would stand still and be quiet waiting believingly for the salvation of God in the peacefull reigne and righteous government of Jesus Christ were God but believed in what he sayes all the temptations of Satan and the doubtings of our unbelieving hearts would be silenced and brought to nothing what exceeding folly is it in our hearts that GOD whom never deceived any that trusted on him should be distrusted by any and not believed by all he is the God of truth so is his word the word of truth and not any soule that ever tryed God by trusting him upon his word but found him so The Apostle Paul Rom. 8.28 tels us that all things workes together for good to them that love God This takes in all things as the other generall did all times so that put them together and it amounts to this that all things and all times are filled with Gods love to his people and so worke all together for the good of all his God loves his children as dearely upon their beds of sicknesse as in their most perfect health and his love in both makes both worke together for good to his people upon this account the Apostle knew both how to want and to abound and in all estates to be content such a presence of God is in the word of God promised to his people and God thâ—â— believed on doth quiet and establish the heart in all conditions all carnal feares are the fruits of our owne darknesses 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of faith open to see the loving kindnesse of God at he haâ—â—â—â—nifested it in the flesh of his Sonne and in his written 〈◊〉 these seares would vanish and our hearts would be fully 〈◊〉 â—â—ed by living on the fulnesse of God I have mentioned bâ—â—â—â—â—â—ety Teâ—ts of Scripture but I beseech you receive them and 〈◊〉 whole into the armes of faith they will prove cordials to 〈◊〉 hearte and establishment to your soules beleeve it GOD is worth the trust if faith open the everlasting gates and let this King of glory in his presence will make all such to be gloriâ—â—â— soules he dispels all darknesse and so all feares he fixes 〈◊〉 soules aâ— believe on him in the Lord Jesus Christ and layes them to rest in his owne bosome so as no thing or time no not Hâ—â—rulty iâ— selfe can either shake or disquiet them My whole design in this is to be an Advocate for faith in God therefore give me leave to mention one 〈◊〉 and two Rules which are subservant to this glorious end The caution is this He wary that you check not the spirit of God when it comes â—â—om God about this worke The Rules are these First Nourish all your experiences of God Secondly Be diligent in observing the workings of GODS Proâ—idence But first a little of the Caution Be wary that you cheek not the spirit of God when it comes from God to worke over and to seale up your soules in the beliefe of himselfe GOD and Christ hath promised that the spirit of God shall beare witnesse with our spirit that we are the Children of God now this promise is fulfilled many times in the hearing of the Gospel in reading of his Word or it may be in the immediate workings of himselfe upon our soules O be careful to entertaine this spirit wel a wound here may danger eternal life But it may be you wil say how shal I know the spirit of God from the dâ—ltisiâ—ns of my owne heart and the temptations of Satan I answer Try Gods Spirit by his Word and you shal finde them both centre in the manifesting Gods free graâ—e in the salvation of the worst of sinners through Christ in believing Now the delusions of our owne hearts wil lift up selfe not God and Christ and the motions of Satan wil be to distrust God as it was to our first Parents Does God say the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye sayes he It is not so God doth but delude thee â—â—te and thou shalt bee as God knowing Good and Evilâ— By this we may distinguish what spirit speakes in us and as the word and spirit of God beares witnesse each to other so doth Satans contradicting what God sayes confirme the truthes of God for were it not truth he could not oppose himselfe being the Father of lyes so that when I would lay hold of truth I would observe what Satan sayes to choose the contrary wel then if God by his spirit make knownâ— a Christ crucified toâ—â— and bid us believe on him through this Christ for everlasting salvation have a care of checking this spirit if the Dâ—vil and our owne darke hearts in which by nature the Prince of darknesse rules doth contradict the testimony of Gods spirit in this truth that is the fuller confirmation of the truth if in any streight or condition whatsoever God shall by his spirit bring to your hearts any suitable promâ—se or place of Scripture be exceeding watchful that you check not that spirit this spirit is a free spirit it is as the winde blowes where it pleaseth this iâ— Scripture advice try all spirits if they be of God that which comes from God wil leade thee to God quench not the spirit which leades thee to God in himselfe in his Sonne in his word and in his workes for that spirit which thus leadeâ— thee wil bring thee to God whom wil establish thee Oh prize that spirit that prizes God and tels thee his grace is free and rich his râ—demption ful and compleate his word true and faithful his workes great and glorious and the injoyment of him to be eternally with him if this spirit be deare to thee it wil seale thee up in this beliefe that thou art deare and neare to God in Christ and so establish thy soule by believing in the Lord thy God Now a little of the Rules First Nourish all thy experiences of God this wil much advantage faith in the soule we are apt to trust experimented creatures much more if spiritually wise shal we trust an â—â—â—â—â—mented God I have been large in the particulers of this beâ—on I onely mention it here by way of Rule for doubtlesse such souls as nourish their experiences of God doe thereby nourish and increase faith in God if such as have fought Gods battles doe preserve and nourish the experiences they have had of the powerful presence and loving kindnesses of God in those dying and difficult workes surely it wil nourish faith in their soule to trust God if ever hee shal bring to any more such workes againâ— Surely Shadrach Meshach and Abednego did never feare to follow GOD through the fire after they had experimented the power of his presence with them in the fire nor Daniel the Lyons Experiences are to faith as oyle to the fire it increaseth the flames where they meet in any soule