Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles

DOCTRINE. [Doct:]

There cannot be weaker Faith, then this of the disciples; who had indeed, some little faith: but so little, as, sometime, it is called none: (Math: 8. 26. with Mark. 4. 40) & therefore Christ, did after wards, upbraid them for their slowness to believe (Luke. 24. 25.) There cannot be a greater affliction; change, or loss; befall any, then this was: For Christ, was to be taken from them by a shameful death; when they had enjoyed him but about three years, and some months; Now, what fears, of falls, & troubles, might they have, when Christ was taken from them, who was to them, more then an hen, to new hatched chickins.

Again they had one of twelve, of them, proved, a vile & rotten hyppocrite, who yet had so lurkt, as that they could never discover him.

Also, they had upon them the guilte of much unfruitfullnes under Christ's ministry, for which he had oft reproved them.

Also, they had either now, or presently after, the breaking forth of a base lust of pride, & ambition, for which, Christ had oft reproved them: Yet at the passover & institution of the Lord's supper; they instantly fell into it again: Luke. 22. 24.

Also, Christ had foretold them of a great, & fowl sin, for the future; which, afterwards, the stoutest of them, should commit: namely Peter, to deny him thrice: Yea, & all of them, to be offended at him (as ye heard before) Behould, a concurrency of all, at once, as can befall any believer: a weak faith, an unparraleld loss, and change: unfruitfullnes under means which were now to be removed, many sins formerly committed, & sharply reproved: a return & relapse into the same sin again, at present; a foresight, of a dangerous fall into a grievous sin, in the future: a discovery at present, of a most close hyppocrite among themselves, of whom none of them had the least suspicion more then of themselves; Yet, Christ chargeth them not to be oppressed, or perplexed in heart, with any fear or grief: Thus: Gen: 45. 5. though their sin, in selling Joseph was very hanious containing profaines, For they hated him for his goodness Gen: 37. 2, and envy, because of his Fathers love, & God's oracle by dreams, of his preferment: which they knew, was a way of God, to reveal himself by: & barbarous murder was in it, toward Joseph: & cruelty to their Father who so loved him: Yet he bids them neither to be grieved, or angry with themselves: that is, so as to perplex themselves, with gteife or indignation.

FIRST REASON.

Because such trouble, ariseth from an evil root, & cause: Namely ignorance, or unbelief: For, either they understand not, or believe not; the work of God for them, in the three persons: The Fathers everlasting decree about them: The Sons union with them, & headship to them, & his merrits, & intercession: The holy Spirrits; inhabitation in them & office towards them to work all their works for them, till he hath made them meet for glory: All which is expresst in the covenant of Grace; in which they be assured; that nothing shall befall them but for their good: that the corruption of their natures shall be so ordered & overruled, both before & after conversion, as that it shall end in, & turn to God's glory & their eternal good; & that Christ hath made atonement for all sin, past, present, & to come, (though it is gradually applied to them) in as much as all believers sins, were laid on him, or met in him as it is read, (on the margent) Isai: 53. & 6.

And that the holy Ghost shall dwell in them forever, & they shall never fall away finally, & totally; but that the things which concern salvation, & are better then the best things in the gloriousest hyppocrits, are wrought in them: Heb: 6. 4. to 10.

I say: these things are not understood or not believed; or else, they never could be oppressed with any fear, or grief: so that, it ariseth from an evil root: and therefore should not be in true believers.

SECOND REASON.

Because such trouble hath evil effects upon believers: Namely.

First, Its trouble some to God's heart; as a friends trouble, is to his friends; for every believer, as he is Abrahams son, so he is God's friend as Abraham was: I am: 2. 23. a friend to God the Father: So to Christ: John. 15. 15. So to the holy Ghost; as appears, by his dealing with them: in that he comes into them (and he only immediately; for Christ, & the Father, dwell in them, only by & through him) I say, he comes into them, to dwell in them: to reveal secrets to them 1. Cor: 2. 9. 10 and is grieved when they do amiss Ephes: 4. 30.

Secondly, It frustrats Christ's works, in a great parte; for Christ • works, tend not only to save believers from hell, when they die, and at the day of judgment; but also for present, to carry them through this world: without all oppressing, or perplexing fears or grief Luke. 1. 74. 75. hence, said to be called to peace, 1. Cor: 7. 15. & Phil: 4. 6. charged to be careful in nothing: for since believers be in good terms with God; and have Christ for their head; & partake of divine nature. 2 Pet: 1. 4. and are clothed with Christ's righteousness, & are God's sons: Christ hath so wrought: that as God & Christ are in heaven, in an vnmixt, and undisturbed state of joy: so should believers be in a measure; so that, though they be touched with troubles, yet they should not be borne down by them, as they be led captive by sin, but no sin reigns in them: & as there is a seed of God in them which sins not 1. John. 3. 9. so their may be a touch of trouble, but not a subduing by any trouble: this hath Christ prepared: now whilst they attain it not, they do frustrate Christ's work for them.

Thirdly, It unfitts them, for their Christian service; which is to eat the holy things, & keep a continual feast, all their life long: 1. Corinth: 5. 7. 8. that is: to feed by faith with joy continually, on the righteousness passion & merrits of Christ: which were tipified by the holy sacrafices & feasts: Now, as none that were sad, were to eat of those things: Deu: 26. 14: wherefore Hanna eat not: 1. Sam: 1. 7. so none do so enjoy Christ, and his good things, as they ought, who are perplexed with any sin or trouble whatsoever; they do not as becomes believers in Christ.

Fourthly, It brings a consumption & weakness upon their spiritual strength, (even as it doth on the natural strength) for, as the joy of the Lord: (that is, joy in the Lord Christ) is our strength: Nehe: 8: 10. and strengthens loins, as a girdle doth: Psal: 30. 11. So, is sorrow and fear, our weakness; & doth disinable to every work; it puts the soul out of joynte, so that it cannot do.

And as joy, is as oil to wheels, or wind to sails, or wings to birds, so sorrow & fear, are as weights, which depress; or as fetters. which manacle, & make weak & unable to do; such oppression contracts & streightneth the heart (as joy doth enlarge it) & makes it listles and unwilling to any work; as weakness of spirit doth the body.

Fifthly, It casts an evil report on God: for its language is; that either God's providence is not in & over every thing, which believers do, or befalls to them; be it sin or sorrow: or elce God overrules and orders it not, the best way for them; for if it were so; how could they be oppressed?

Sixthly, It gives occasion to the corruptions of believers, and to the Devil, to send forth divers filthy fumes of impatiency, and discontent, & pride, & envy, & unbelief; & to hinder our submission to God: for if, the heart be oppressed, it cannot so submit and be quiet, as becometh:

[Use. 1] This is of use by way of Information, to such as are not believers, and are prejudiced against the way of faith & holiness, with this; that its a sad state, and they must forever bid adieu to all mitth, when once they embrace that way:

Now, I confess that many believers, give too great an occasion & confirmation to this cavil, and it is an aggravation of their folly in such perplexityes, that they strengthen the ill opinion of the way of Faith, which the world hath; but let all unbelievers, and unholy ones know; that the way of faith & holiness, is the only state of joy and quietness, and that in it only, is the heart armed against all sorrows & fears; yea, it is contrary to it, and a sin for any in it, to be oppressed, or perplexed, with sin, or sorrow, or fear whatever; where as it is a duty for unbelievers & unholy ones, to mourn & cry, as I am: 5. 1. and it is their madness, and folly to laugh and be merry Eccle: 2. 2.

Indeed faith, at first, sadds the heart, more then anything, because it lets in the Spirrit of bondage, and presents the reality of sins evil and God's wrath; but it heals again the wound, & gives solid & everlasting grounds of peace & joy; and the Spirrit of bondage, never returns again Rom: 8. 15. Sometimes they may fall into trouble by Satan, & their own unbelieving Spirrits, but its a groundless trouble, & but a dream of bondage; in truth by the Spirrit of God, they never are again led into bondage; but now, the unholy unbeliever, is ever a child of sorrow & fear, though he be for a while senceles of it; as a stone which lies up in the bladder, though it be not felt, yet it grows and falls down at last into the neck of the bladder, and torments and kills; Sorrow and fear, is their duty & their due, & they shall have it; yea, though they are elect, yet being unbelievers, they shall be pricked at the heart, and have a spirit of bondage, before they can be saved; but the believer may and ought, never to be oppressed or perplexed:

[Use. 2] This, is especially for Exhortation unto true believers, how weak & little soever, their faith be; that they would not be oppressed, or perplexed what ever sin, or fear, or sorrow, by any change may beset them: not raise false & groundless feaces, & greifes to themselves: I acknowledge; that God may leave believers to greater falls and sins (for the matter of them) then many unbelievers, (though yet there is a great difference; the one, sinning with his whole heart, and the other having a seed in him which sins not 1. John. 3. & serving Christ with his mind; & sin, but with his flesh Rom 7 25.) Yet I say; for the outward bulk of sin, a believer may have as great, and greater then some unbeliever. As David's pride in numbering his people against counsel; & in adultery & murder; were as great and greater then Saul's not staying till Sammuell came; & sparing some Amalekites; for which, God rent the kingdom from him: Yet, believers should not be perplexed with any sins; Godly sorrow and true shame becomes them, & till they have it, God will not own them; but so to be perplexed, as is before described, they ought not to be: So, neither with any change or loss, which God brings upon them, should their hearts be oppressed; For, if not with sin, then much less with losses, should they be troubled.

So neither should they trouble themselves with surmised & imaginary losses; as believers for most part; do in all their troubles, they either think that to be, which is not; or that it is, much greater then it is: this is usually the Spring of all their excess in grief & fear: thus the disciples thought, when Christ should go away in body; that all their hope & help, was gone; whereas indeed, Christ with drawing his bodily presence, made way for all their hope, & help: Thus Jacob thought when Joseph was lost; that he was dead; where as in that his absence God prepared greater good to Jacob by Joseph, then he ever else▪ could have had; & more advantage to Joseph: Believers judge God's dispensation by sense & carnal reason; & not by faith; & God carries things in contraryes; & usually lays foundations of greatest good & comfort, in greatest appearances of the contrary (as we shall see hereafter) therefore they fear what they needed not, & grieve for what is not, & trouble themselves with mistakes; & so cause passions to swell up to inordinacy, & over flowe the heart: Now I exhort believers not to do thus, but to take heed, of perplexing fears and greifes, & of fearing & greiving on their own surmises & dreams, & mistakes, takeing things for that which they are not, or for much worse then they carry with them; this is a dronkonnes: Passions increase your darkness of mind, & your darkness of mind increase your passions: and whilst by these inordinacyes your souls are darkened; Satan, the prince of darkness gets in, & captives you miserably: Wherefore consider that this charge, not to be troubled in heart: was given by Christ's own mouth, & that, not only to the eleven believing disciples, but in them, to all that shall believe through their word (as his prayer was; John. 17. 20.) & it was given to you, when he was near his death: and pressed with large arguments & exhortations, throughout this Chapt: & the next: which argues, both the great consequence of this duty; & Christ's desire that ye should observe it; in that, he spent so much time about it, when he was at point of death, & had so much to do himself; and also the great love of Christ: who would so vehemently mind our quiet, then; when he was entering upon his own horrid Passion: Had Christ, when he was about to die for you, commanded you an heard thing, would you not have done it; how much more, when so earnestly he chargeth you, not to let your hearts be troubled whatever befalls you?

Thus much for the First part of the text. The duty exhorted unto.

FIRST MEANES.

Which is implied, in these words (Let not your hearts be troubled) Is; that believers put themselves under the command, & set it before them. & labor with themselves, to keep from the trouble of heart forbid: So much, Christ implies; when he lays the command before them; saying, be not troubled.

God's words are operative as well as imparative: they carry a power to do that, which they command believers: as in the Creation: let there be light, & there was light; and though it is God which helps, Yet he will have believers bestir themselves; he helps in & by, their putting forth themselves [up & be doing, & the Lord will be with you] For believers have an understanding; & a will; & a principle of grace; which God will have improved, that none of his gifts may be in vain; & in the use of them, he comes in: he is the Creator, & applies himself to every creature according to its nature, so as to improve and not to destroy it.

Wherefore he helps reasonable creatures in & by their use of reason & will; and Grace by the exercise of Grace: Wherefore believers, must bestir themselves to keep of, & get of, trouble of heart: Ye must not, as some in an ague, who when the fit is coming, run to the fire, drink, stretch themselves, & help on the fit; but ye must shake of sloth, & strive against it; trust not to your own indevors, but yet indevor: Consider & provoke yourselves.

Affections of fear & grief, are as winds to a shipe: which a well ordered judgment, should raise, & lay, & manage, as is best: ye must therefore, as Psal: 42. 5. consider the reason why ye are troubled (this is to find out the cause of the disease) and then ye must consider the reasons against the trouble (this is to find out the remedy of the disease) and then ye must provoke your heart, to use the remedy and quitt the passions:

SECOND MEANES.

Which is also implied: (in the latter part of the first verse, & in the following verses;) being indeed, the general scope & sum of them all: is to gather up & present to our judgments, grounds of comfort, which are stronger then the grounds of our present trouble; For it is comfort, that is the only Antidote against trouble, joy may be without trouble, as a well about a city, though there be no enemy: But comfort suppotteth and guards against trouble, as a bulwark doth against an enemy.

Now nothing can comfort the heart but it is either through a sense, by a presence; as when the husband present, comforts the wife who is in some trouble; Now thus to comfort believers, is the immediate work of the holy Ghost, & his presence; it is not any work of the believer:

Or elce the heart is comforted discoursively; when such strong things are presented by the understanding, as weaken, and exceed the causes of trouble: As when the wife is comforted by considering hir husbands love, his promises, faithfulness, ability to right hir &c. though now absent from hir. Now this is partly the holy Ghosts work; whilst he irradiats & enlightens the grounds of comfort, & assists us in acting on them; Yea, & sometimes putts fresh grounds before us; And partly, it is our work, whilst we use our memory & judgment & will, to consider of them: For as in raising, so in suppressing passions, we must use our faculties, to present grounds stronger then those of our passions, & so to comfort the heart, & allay the passion.

Thus Christ, lays before his disciples, diverse grounds of stronger comfort; then they had any of trouble: as Himself, (believe saith he, in me) that is in his person, merrits, &c. verse 1. So the end of his going away which was for their good: verse. 2. 3. So their knowledge of all this, that he put them not on blind hopes, but on what they knew, & knew to be so: verse. 4. Wherefore ye are but miserable comforters, like brooks of water dried up by drought, or frost; to thirsty passengers, If so be, ye present not grounds of comfort; & those stronger then grounds of trouble be; But muster together, the scattered grounds of comfort in Scripture & experience: especially such as are most proper to the trouble ye conflict with: & lay them before you, & consider them: This is a means not to be troubled.

And thus much for those means, which are implied in the text.

THIRD MEANES.

Which is expressed in the text; Is to believe in Jesus Christ, which is illustrated by its antecedent, & preparative: their believing in God; this is express in the text; wherefore we will insist on it more largely: and first explain its meaning: Ye do believe in God: (the indicative mood) & do ye believe in me (for the word may be indicative, or imparative) for, if it were both imparative: he would repeat the word (believe) but once: & so if both were imparative; & it is an hebraisme: in the first part: a particle of similitude is understood: as ye believe in the Father so do it in me, as verse. 19. I live, and ye shall, that is; as I do: ye shall. He directs them to believe in himself, as they did in God; not so much, in respect to himself, as his due, & their duty to him, (though it be so) but in respect to them, as aspecial means & help to them, against trouble: As, if he should say though ye believe in God, & that will help you some what, against trouble: yet proceed to believe in me also, for this will help you much more: Now by believing in God; he means, the Father, not excluding faith in Christ: as by believing in Christ: he excluds not faith in God the Father, & holy Ghost also: but by believing in God: the Father is meant: the faith they had before Christ's incarnation; which is called believing in God the Father.

First because though; they had some knowledge of, & respect to, the Messias, yet it was so dark, & with such want of distinct knowledge of him, as that it may be counted, as if they had not known him, but God only, therefore the disciples hitherto, were said to have asked nothing in his name; they did not understand so much of him; so, their Faith was rather in God, then in him, For how could they believe in him, of whom they had not heard?

Secondly because till Christ, did come, & finish the work: he was but the Fathers promise; & so the faith which looked on him, was footed only on God the Father, inasmuch, as there was nothing of Christ, but God the Fathers promise: and so, it is fitly called, a believing in God.

Now by believing in Christ; is meant the faith, which is since Christ's incarnation; which is called believing in Christ; both because he is now clearly known in his Person, Natures, Offices, Works, Merrits, which all are such as may be believed in; as also, & chiefly, because he is come, whom the Father promised; & so now, we believe not in the Father for him promised, but we believe in him whom the Father promised. Before we believed in God the Father, who promised a Redeemer should come; but now we believe in Christ, who is come, & hath redeemed.

Now these disciples, are directed to believe in Christ; not, because they had not at all, done it yet; for they had faith in Christ before now: but because, as yet; their knowledge of, & saith in Christ; was but dark, & weak: they had but slender & general knowledge and faith of him: Wherefore they are directed to increase their knowledge and saith in Christ; as a means to keep them from trouble of heart:

So that one notable means to fence the heart against trouble; is faith: For though it is reason which by discourse comforts & so cures trouble (as ye heard before) Yet it is Faith which presents to reason, those grounds of comfort; Without faith, reason oft cannot see any grounds so strong, as those of trouble; but Faith shows them: as that which the eye, cannot see, being far of; a prospective glass, shows plainly: Wherefore the comfort which believers had by discourse, it is called the act of faith Heb. 11. 17. 19. 24. 26.

Now saith presents greater things then any of those which trouble us: It presents God's being our God; his eternal love; his ordering all things for the best: his kingdom & glory, as ours, 2. Cor. 4. 16. 17. 18. though these things be absent & far of, yet faith makes them Present, and nigh: (as a prospective glass doth) & it shows them, in their life & glory, by their own proper colors & show: and not as in a picture: For it shows them in a glass: 2. Cor. 3. 18. in which, we see a thing by a presence with & by its own species & colors, though not directly but by reflection; Whereas in a picture; we see not a thing present, nor its life, nor by its own, but by other colors and species; Wherefore, as a thing seen in a glass, affects more, then seen in a picture; So Faith shows the most glorious things, most gloriously: & so exceeds all grounds of trouble.

Again: faith shows things, with more certainty, then anything elce can; Reason, and Sence may be deceived, because grounded on man; and Satan oft deceives them both: He deceived Eves reason in innocence (for she is said, to be beguild) because she fled not to faith: But faith is grounded on God, & so, is as sure as God is: Wherefore nothing can give such strong grounds of comfort, as Faith: and no faith, like faith in Jesus Christ: And that for these Reasons.

FIRST, Because it gives more boldness towards God, Ephe. 3. 12. the word translated boldness, signifies an appearing in glorious liberty, lifting up the face & having liberty of speech & an undaunted or open & uncovered face. as 2. Cor. 3. 18. not only as opposite to Moses under the Law, whose face was covered, to show obscurity and hiddennes of his Ministry: or opposite to convicted persons, whose faces are covered for shame, but also it is opposite to that abashment which is in holy Angels. Isa: 6. 2. 3. expressed by covering their faces, and all this because they have access or a manuduction by Christ, he leads them by the hand to God, & therefore they come with all boldness, whereas Adam was shut out of Paridise & Israel at Sinai stood afar off, & trembled, but believers by Christ come nigh with boldness, & faith in Christ gives this boldness upon these Six grounds.

First, It presents them nearer to God; in that they by Faith, are made one with Christ, who is God's natural Son, & so they come to a nearer Sonnship, then is obtained only by Adoption or Creation: which the Angels have; & Adam had in innocence; as a woman married to a Kings natural Son, is in a nearer relation, then one only adopted; because she is one with his natural son: thus, John. 1. 12. prerogative to be God's sons, By faith in Christ, may be meant, that they have a nearer sonnship, then any that are created, or barely adopted (though believers be also adopted, & regenerated) because they be one with him who is God's natural Son: Thus by faith in Christ; we are nearer in relation to God, & so have more boldness: For it is nearenes of relation, which gives boldness: A Son is bolder then a Servant, & a lawful Son then a Bastard.

Secondly, faith in Christ, presents God, nearer to them: For it shows them God in their own nature; God whom they may see, hear, handle, 1 John. 1. 1. 2. And so they may be more familiar and bold: For it is likeness, or nearenes of nature which make bold.

Thirdly, By faith in Christ; there is hold laid on God's Justice, as well as on his Mercy; God in Christ; is just, & a justifier of the believer: Rom: 3. 26. that is: he doth not only declare his mercy in a free pardon of sin, but he also declares his justice, in a full satisfaction for sin; Wherefore as by Christ, believers may plead with his mercy, So they may also with his justice; in that there is not only a way opened unto mercy, but, Christ hath merited & of justice purchased divine favor; for he hath satisfied the Covenant of Works, both in suffering what was due for its transgression, & also in fulfilling of its righteousness, & all this on their behalf, & for their use, who believe in him; So that, whatever boldness, an Angel that stands, can have; or Adam could have had, if he had stood righteous, by virtue of God's Justice, & the Covenant of Works; all that boldness through Christ, a believer hath; because the Covenant of Works, is in Christ, kept by him; & so, the Laws righteousness, is fulfilled in us, through Christ; who believe, & show our faith, by walking after the Spirrit, & not after the Flesh: Rom: 8. 3. 4.

Insomuch that believers in Christ, may appeal to God's Justice, as well as to his Mercy; and hold God by both hands, having as clear a title to him in justice, as in & by mercy; holding their interest in him, by virtue of his Justice & the Covenant of Works, as well as by virtue of his Mercy and the covenant of Grace; for although to believers in their own persons, its only grace & mercy, and justice with a covenant of works, cannot stand with a covenant of grace, & mercy; Yet in a person of another, who undertakes for them; both may concur; he may satisfy justice, & merit mercy: which cannot but give great boldness.

Fourthly, By faith in Christ, there is an access with boldness to God's holiness: holiness, is the brightness, & beauty of God, which dazzles the eyes of the bravest creatures: Isa: 6. 2. 3. the Seraphims, not only cover their feet, because they are base, being creatures made of nothing but they cover their faces; even their best excellency; which is their perfect righteousness according to the covenant of works; compared with God's glorious Holynes; for therefore he is thrice called holy; not only to show Trinity of Persons, but gloriousnes of holiness, as Exod: 15. 11. with which holiness, their perfect righteousness, is abashed; & so they cover it; Wherefore Job. 4. 18. repeated again, Job. 15. 15. he is said to put no trust in his Saints, or Servants; that is his holy Angels, as the next words explain; who are by a figure called the heavens, because they are the inhabitants, of the heavens: which Angels, or heavens inhabitants, he chargeth with folly, & they are impure in his sight: Now this cannot be meant, of the Devils, who fell; both because; in Chapt: 15. 15. he speaks of them in the present tense; that they now are his Saints, & now are, the heavens, that is inhabitants of heaven, which the Devils, now are not; As also, because in both texts, man's baseness, is inferd much more; in the following verses, which implies that he speaks of such as are better, & less impure then men; which Devils are not: For the conceiving this therefore: Consider that all-though God hath tied himself by a covenant of works, to accept of, and reward, such a righteousness, as shall fully answer that covenant; which righteousness is found in Angels, and they are accepted and rewarded in justice, according to the compact twixt God and them; so that, not in justice, or dispeasure, doth God find them impure, or charge them with folly: Yet the Holynes of God: which is an attribute by which God, separates himself from everything else, & is devoted to himself, to seek himself, & love himself above all (for holiness is a separation from all other things with a dedication to someone thing) this Holynes of God, was not satisfied in the righteousness of the covenant of works, which was in Angels, but desired an higher righteousness; even such an one, which might be God's own righteousness, a righteousness done by one that should be God, as well as a creature, that so, a mere creature should not boast, but God might have the glory, & be the worker of that righteousness, & so, it might taste full to his pallet, inasmuch as himself was in it, the worker of it, in a created nature, joined to the God-head; which is in Jesus Christ;

Now, compared with this, the righteousness of Angels, is impure, & folly; though, to justice, through a covenant of works, it is satisfactory; insomuch, as they may be justified by it, & yet God, behold it, as a low & poor thing in comparison of what Christ's righteousness is: which Holynes of God, they considering, they also are ashamed of their righteousness, & cover their faces: But now, by faith in Christ, we pertakeing of Christ's righteousness, which is God's, & so, doth fully reach, & answer his holiness, as well as justice: we come into his presence with faces uncovered, or undaunted, as ye had before, the words expounded Ephe: 3. 12. & 2. Cor. 3. 18. not only in regard of a just, but though he be an holy God, open face; not only expressing, the remove of obscurity, & shame, but also of that abashment in Angels; for we have Christ's righteousness which is better then Angels, & gives boldness with God's holiness, as well as with his justice 's The full conformity to the law, & the absence of all sin, gives boldness with God's justice, by virtue of the covenant of works: which Angels have, & believers also have it by Christ his righteousness; but, there must be a righteousness of God's own working▪ in which, he himself only is, which must give boldness with God's Holynes; which the Angels have not, but believers have in & by Christ his righteousness: which cannot but give the greatest boldness.

Fifthly, By faith in Christ; there are raised unlimited expectations from God; For whilst that God is set before us, married to our nature, and in our nature, working righteousness, making atonement for Sin, meriting blessedness for us; what may we not expect? what Sins are to great to be pardoned? what blessedness, or love so high, as may not be conveyed to us?

Lastly, By faith in Christ; there is set up for us, a middle one, or Mediator between God & Us, who equally pertaks of God's nature and ours, & so, is equally interested in both; whence cannot but arise much boldness; for twixt God & us, there is such infinite distanc as that, although there were no breach, yet there could not be such boldness, & free access, as now is by one who is a middle person between both, therefore, it is not a marvel, that popish faith, yields so little settling & comfort, since they make so little use of Christ.

Thus in these six respects, Faith in Christ gives great boldness towards God, & so, the stronger grounds of comfort: which is the first reason.

SECONDLY, Because Faith in Christ; unites & joins the Soul immediately to the spring & fountain of all comfort; For faith emptyes a man of himself, & takes him of from everything in the world, & joins him unto, & makes him one with, Jesus Christ: Faith not so much gives an union with the promises & word of God, as with the Son of God, Jesus Christ: Wherefore believing, is called a receiving him John. 1. 12. & they are said to be rooted & built up in him, stablished in the faith Colos. 2. 7. It is a mistake to think that faith lays hold on, or joins to, the word or promise immediately and first; for there is no promise which pertains to any, until they are one with Christ: as appears by this, that all the promises are Christ's, even his own, & his alone in the first place; all the treasury was on him only bestowed by the Father: Gala. 3. 16. not to many seeds. but to one; & that was Christ only: as to Abraham only, & so to David only were the promises made: therefore, it is said of Abraham, that he had received the promises: Heb. 11. 17. he & he only: and the sure mercies are called David's: even so, are all the promises, Christ's only; who was represented in those men whom God singled out, to make the promises unto: and therefore Christ is the testator, who dies, by his death to ratifye & make good the promises: Heb. 9. 16. 17. which implies that the promises were his proper possession, in which he only was seizd & instated, or else he needed not have died, to confirm the bequeathment of them to others: and therefore also; he is called the Covenant of God with believers: Isa. 49. 8. because, not only his person, was the main of the Covenant, (inasmuch as it is a Covenant of Persons, as well as of Graces) but also because, all the promises of the Covenant; are his and in him, & through him only to be conveyed to believers; even as all the promises were intaild to Isaac; and put in him Heb 11. 18. and therefore it is, that the sum of all promises, even that of eternal life, is said to be made before the world began. Titus. 1. 2. that is before all time, & so from everlasting; for, whatever was before all time; must be eternal & without beginning.

Now, this is not called a purpose, for that, one may take up in himself, without another; but a promise; which ever supposeth another distinct person: which was the second person in Trinitye, to whom the Father promised; that he becoming incarnate, should inherrit such and such things; and though his incarnation through which he was to inherrit all; were not in act, from everlasting; yet in as much as his person was, which was to be incarnate; the promise might be made to him, but could not be made to any creature, inasmuch as it was not a person subsisting from eternitye: but now; though the promises be all his, & made only to him in the first place, and rank; yet, through & by him, they descend also to others; so that, though they be only to him, in the first place; yet they are not only for him: as the promises to Abraham, & David; were not only for them, but for them, & their seed: and the promises which Isaac was endowed with, & were only in him; were not only for him, but for him & his seed; but yet they were their seeds by descent.

And in the Second place; even so, the promises are not only for Christ, but for him, and his; namely all the Elect, whom God chose in him, & gave to him to be his offspring, & spouse; & so through and from him to be endowed with all the riches of the promises: though God loved, & chose them all, to enjoy the promises, yet in Christ, & through, by, & for him, to inherit; Ephes. 1. 4. he did not choose us, with him, but in him: Wherefore, as the Isralits must come to enjoy the promises, not by laying hold first on them, but by being First borne of Isaac, & having that union of flesh, with him: And as a woman hath right to the man's estate, not immediately, but by being first made one with him: even so, must people be first of Christ, married to him, borne of him, drawn out of his loins: which is by believing. (therefore borne of God, & believing, are conjoined John. 1. 12. 13.) before they can lay hold of, or claim title to, any promise.

For, as the Covenant of Works was made with Adam; & in, & through him, with those who came out of him: So the Covenant of Grace, is made with Christ (therefore called the Second Adam) & in, & through him, with all that come out of him, & by faith are borne of him: and it is more necessary to be first made one with Christ's person, before we can have claim to the promises: then it was to be one with, & of Adam, before we could inherit from him; because the promises of Grace, are more confind first to Christ's person, & that without the person of the Elect: then the Covenant of Works, was to Adams person, without respect to his offspring; For Adam & his offspring were only considered in a priority of time and order, differing: Adam before them; but not in different state of dignity, or favor with God; wherefore Adam did no more then they did in, & with him: but Christ's person is more excellent, and more loved of God, then believers; & did more for to enjoy the promises then they: his Person, becoming incarnate, claiming them as due, and meriting them for the Elect: Therefore much more must it be, that we must first lay hold on Christ's person before we can, on any promise; then we need be borne of Adam, before we can have title to any of his estate.

So that, it is a dangerous error: not to pitch by faith, on Christ, first; and then in the second place, on the promises: Christ, in his Person, Natures, Works, Merrits, must be first laid hold on: Indeed, it is true, that faith cannot lay hold on Christ, but in, and through a word, & promise: Therefore my meaning is not to carry ye to Christ, without, or not by the word, & promise; for without this, ye never can come to him, but meet with Satan, as an Angel of light: Ye must first close by faith, with such a word, & promise in Scripture; as carries, & exhibits Christ to you; but you must not first, before, through the word and promise ye have closed with Christ by faith; lay hold on & apply the promises of any good things; as Heaven, pardon of Sin, the Spirrit, or any Grace.

Thus ye see how faith gives immediate union with Christ himself: Now this Christ; I say, is the only, & immediate fountain of all Joy: And that in Two Respects.

First, because, all the promises are in him only, he is that one Sea, out of which do issue all the springs of promises; wherefore in him must be all the springs of joy & comfort: as they are all said to be in the Church, because of his presence there: Psal. 87. 7. Yea, & the promises are better in him, & much more strong to comfort, then they are out of him; not only because he is the chief, & best promise himself: his Person is better then all the promises, but also.

1. Because, the promises in him, are in their root, in him they live, and so are best in him: as the Sun beams in the Sun, & the streams in the spring, are better, & live more then in themselves, having indeed, no being, but in & from him.

2. Because, in him, they are Eternal: as was before shown, & have been promises actually existing from Everlasting, & so they are in no other respect; and so cannot be disanuled by the Law & Sin, which came in, but in time: as the Apostle reasons in a less regard Gal. 3. 17.

3. Because in him, is their efficacye towards us, they being his only, were not sure to us, till he had confirmed the bequeathment of them to us, upon his death; for on that supposition were they bequeathed to us: (as ye heard before.)

4 Because in, & from Christ, they are exhibited, administered, & performed to us: as he is their owner, & testator, who by his death, ratifies them unto us; & makes them surely ours; So he is the executor and administrator of them, who dispenseth them to us: John 14. 14. He doth it: and therefore he saith all power, that is, of administation; and of execution; in heaven and earth; is put into his hands: Therefore the promises; and through him streams forth, the most sweet comforts, In which respects, he is the immediate springe of all joy.

Secondly, he is the immediate springe of all joy, in an higher & greater respect.

Because, Jesus Christ, is the seat & receptacle of that joy which is communicable from God, to the creature; whatever comfort, or joy, God intended to make the creature partaker of; he put it all into Jesus Christ; (as the light of the world, is in the Sun) as in him dwells the fullness of the God-head bodily: Col. 2 9. so, with it dwells in him, all the fullness of joy & comfort: For it being all from God, it must be all in him, in whom dwells the God-heads fullness, & thence, come to us; as, because all our light is from the Sun, who conveys his light to us, through the air; therefore all the light we have, is in the air; as in Christ are hid, all treasures of wisdom & knowledge: Colos. 2. 3. so are, all treasures, of joy & comfort; as he is the light that enlightens everyone, John. 1. 4. 9. so is he the comfort that comforts every man, with any true comfort, God is indeed; the first original whence; but Christ is the immediate fountain in which, is all joy: Colos. 3. 3. our life, is hid in God, but with Christ: So that indeed, Christ, is not only the root of all promises, but of a better comfort then the promises yield; For, Christ is nearer to God, then the promises are, for he is of his nature, and the of springe of his person; Whereas the promises are the issue of his mind, & will: he is the express image of the Fathers person; whereas the promises are but the expression of his purpose: wherefore faith joining the Soul, immediately to Christ: must needs greatly strengthen against trouble, in that it derives the sweetest, strongest, & most pure comforts.

Thus much for the Second Reason.

THIRDLY, Faith in Christ, is such a special antidote against trouble; because it brings the Holy Ghost into the heart; in that it joins the Soul to Christ, as to an head, or root; whose Spirrit the holy Ghost, is; and so conveys him into them; as the ingrasting an imp or science, into a stock, derives the sapp of that stock, into the science: Gala. 3. 14. Now the holy Ghost, gives strength to the Soul; as bancks do to water, which of it self is weak, & yields, & falls asunder; but strenthened with bancks, becomes strong, and mighty: Therefore Eph. 3. 16. he begs, their strengthening by the Spirrit, not only in the natural spirit; but in the Inner man; the regenerate spirit, needs strengthening from the holy Ghost; in that, it also, is a creature; yea, & besides, or over & above; the holy Ghost, sometimes vouchsafes such a presence, & real sense of himself, & of the things of Jesus Christ's; as fills the heart with glorious, and inexpressible joy (as the Sun doth a room with light, when it ariseth) which is a joy, very differing from, and better then that which faith gives (of which, we spake before) being a glimpse; & first fruits of heaven, a presence of God: whereby the heart is lifted up above the reach of any fears, or grief: which so bore up the Apostles, in all their sufferings: as in the Acts.

Thus Faith in Christ; upon these grounds, gives stronger comfort, then anything else, can do: And faith in Christ, doth it more, then faith in God: That is; faith in Christ, as come in the flesh, yields stronger comfort, then faith in God promising Christ: because through Christ come; is that actually done, which is the meritorious cause & ground of conveyance of all communion with God, and comfort from him; Wherefore more must be conveyed, then when, this was but to be done, and in the promise; Therefore now, God dispenseth more of the Spirrit, and gives clearer revelations of Christ; then ever he did before.

So that, as it is said of the Gentiles, that their conversion was an hiden misterye before: though it yet was known, darkly; Even so the misterye of Christ his Person, Righteousness, Merrits: &c. was not known before his coming, in comparison of what, it now is,; nor the privileges by him; wherefore there could not be so much comfort then, as now may be:

Christ in the flesh (come) is called God's arm Isa. 53. 1. because he, thereby, strengethneth himself to give us more grounds of comfort; and strengtheneth our hearts, to take more comfort, then every any, before Christ's coming, could have: Therefore the Ark (which did tipify Christ, is called the Ark of God's strength Psal 78. 61. & 132. 8.

Wherefore, when ever troubles assail you that are believers, fly presently to Christ, even to him in the word, and promise, which holds him forth in his Person, Natures, Works, Offices; and lean thereon; And fly not first, or only to the particular promises, of good things; to these in the second place, go by faith, but to Christ, in the first place.

To pitch faith on God, & the promises, is so to do, as they did that were Jews, before Christ's coming: but to pitch your faith on Christ: is the Christian way: It is folly & unkindness, since God hath given us his Son, to lean first on; & his word in the second place: which they had not of old: that yet we do it not, ye do slite him, & God's mercy in giving him: if you do not pitch your faith on him, Indeed before Christ came; faith was to be pitched on God & his promise of Christ; but now Christ is come; ye must pitch your faith on Christ himself, & then on particular promises; wherefore the New Testament makes Christ the object of our faith: and this indeed is to honor the Son, as ye did the Father John. 5. 23. that whereas before Christ his coming; the Father was believed in; Now, the Son should be believed in: and therefore it is, that believers are so heart-eaten & heart-broken with troubles, because they fly not presently by faith to Christ; and why, though they put forth in particular promises, they oft, get no stay, because they trust not in the promises in the second place, in, from, and through Christ: Now because faith in Christ, is so prime a means of help against all troubles; I will give you some directions how to use & improve your faith in Christ, so as it may preserve your hearts from trouble.

First, Set before you the objects of your faith, namely Christ, & the promises; rest not content with your knowledge of them, or that you have looked on them heretofore: but when ye are freshly assaulted with trouble: set them afresh before you again; Christ, in his Person, Natures, Offices, & Works; and if you can find out particular promises for your present particular case; for particulars best help, and come most home; and since God hath condescended to speak to particulars, we should also look into them, & find them out; but if you cannot find out particular promises for your case, then set the general promises before you: as Heb. 11. 13. see them, look on them; and gain your hearts to be persuaded of them; that is of the reality, and truth of them; & then embrace them, that is, rely on them as yours: I say, put forth all these acts afresh, as ye have fresh occasions: for faith is to be from faith to faith. Rom. 1. 17 and believing in Christ; is called eating & drinking; John. 6. because, it is to be renewed, as strength decays, or now strength is required: new & fresh veiwings and acting upon those objects, gives new & fresh vigor.

Secondly, make your reason, & discourse, work upon those objects which your faith sets before you: even as when an object is before the eye, the Soul rests not in viewing it, but the fancy, and understanding work upon it, & about it, & deduceth & draws divers conclusions from it; even so when Christ, & the promises are by faith, set before you: ye must use reason, & discourse, to infer and draw thence such forces of conclusions, as may arm the heart, against the assaults of troubles; or else ye are like a Citty which hath armies in hir, & looks on them, but not drawing them forth, & marshalling of them, they do not defend hir against the enemies assaults; there is a fight by faith, & of faith, which we must make, through our own reasonings, & discourse, whereby to withstand fears, & greifes; which believers not doing, they are foild, though they have faith: this is an hard work to our slothful hearts, we are loath to take pains by discoursing & inferring from the principles which faith lays before us; it is, as the digging for the gold, after the mine is shown to us; and we are abused by Satan, who perswads us, that our faith is to work, without labor of reason & discourse, which it is not, for then it should not work suitable to a reasonable creature: indeed the work is attributed to faith Heb. 11. 17. 19. because faith lays down the principles, & guides reason in discourse: yet faith works and improves its work by reason, & discourse: yea, much of the Scripture; especially the argumentative part, is deductions, & conclusions drawn from other Scripture: as Heb. 12. 27. & oft in that Epistle. So that, ye can never make use of your faith in Christ, & the promises to comfort you against troubles, except by reason & discourse, ye draw conclusions from it: as water cannot serve you, except by buckets ye draw it out of the deep wells. Isa. 1. 2. 3.

Ye must use your reason by way of Syllogism; as Rom. 6. 11. If we be united to Christ, and have communion with him in his death, and resurrection; then are we dead to Sin, & alive to God, But we have union with Christ, & partake with him in his death & resurrection; Therefore we are dead to Sin, & alive to God, through him: This reasoning by Syllogism, & drawing out a conclusion: is that which the Apostle means; by reckoning themselves: and so: Rom. 8. 18

Thus did Abraham: Rom. 4. 19. to 22. compared with Heb. 11. 17. 18. 19. his trial was not only in this: that he must kill his own, only Son whom he loved; but his Isaac: that is, him in whom, and to whom, all the promises were entailed; and so he must cut of his hope: wherefore he is said to hope against hope, Rom: 4. 18. & Heb. 11. 17. 18. he that received the promises offered up him of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed: so that, it was not so much, the loosing an only Son: for he might have more Sons: but the straight was this: That if he killed this Son: he cut of all his hopes & promises, in that they were all intaild to that Son: So that, that Son must be; or else the promises could not be: For Abraham's faith, did not conflict so much with his natural affection; for then he had no word to foot his faith on, for the raising him up again: but he should have set his faith on this only; that God was able to give him another Son: But he conflicted with the ground of his faith & hope, shaken now in this trial: His faith was tried, & his hope of all the promises, & of eternal life; and not so much his love to an only son; In that he must be killed, in whom living & begetting children, all the promises were to be fulfilled; and therefore he by reason considers God's power, that he could raise that very Son Isaac up again; and this helped him: For he thus reasoned: Isaac must live, or I can have no promise performed; Now, if I slay him, God can raise him up again, and so I shall not loose my hopes, though I kill him.

This is the wisdom of a believer, to draw forth out of God, Christ, & the promises such particular conclusions as overthrows that particular reasoning which causeth fear, or grief: or else ye cure not the heart: It was this fear of loosing the promises, which assaulted Abraham; Wherefore he did not draw conclusions of God's giving him another son, but the same son: and so overthrew the assault: Thus then reason by faith, and use discourse: ye are ready, to consider & use reason, to make ye waver, by considring what flesh, & blood, suggest; but that ye should not Rom. 4. 19. but consider Christ, & the promises, & draw thence, what particularly opposeth your present trouble.

Thus Martha did not, about Lazarus his resurrection; she by faith considered that he should be raised at the last day: but considered not: that Christ, who was the resurrection could raise him then: Wherefore she was not comforted.

But let us learn, wisely to improve our reason, to draw from Christ, & the promises, such conclusions, as are directly opposit to the grounds of our present trouble: and take pains to draw in comfort: and not sit still, or lie, as the sluggerd, & say: A Lyon is in the way: This is indeed a labor, but it quitts cost; and how can we better use our reason?

It is brutish to sink under a presence or appearance; A reasonable creature, should consider, & infer, and draw in conclusions which may support: Yea, and we may use our wit, in deducing things to encourage us: As that woman did, Mark. 7. 27. 28. From Christ's calling hir a dog: wittily drew an argument to enforce him to regard hir. Now because, this is a work of our own; we must be advised with these two Cautions.

First, that it must not be a sudden, transient work; when ye set the objects of faith before you (as the first direction was) ye must not glance on them & away; but stay & dwell on them for some while; As a plaster must abide on; and a potion abide in, awhile; or it will not work: And when ye discourse, and draw conclusions, it must not be sudden & away, but ye must stay on these things; till they be soaked down into your heart, and strengthen it, as the passions of fear & grief, be in the heart, as the Be abides on that flower whence it sucks honey: Wherefore ye must dwell on the things, till ye find your hearts warmed with them; or bubbling as the word signifies, which is translated; inditing: Psal. 45. 1. alluding to the frying-pan offering; which bubled up with the heat of the fire: which fire indeed, is the holy Ghost: who will not rise up into your heart, if ye stay not for him a while; as the fire doth not into the frying pan, if it be not held some time, over it: This therefore is one Caution; that ye stay so long on these things, till ye find fire come into your heart.

Second Caution is this; that though ye use yourselves, & put forth your own reason; Yet that ye trust not in yourselves, & reason; but that, in the whole work, ye expect nothing from your own work; but being emptied of all sufficiency or fitness in yourselves; ye do wholly & only expect the fruit from the holy Ghost his assistance, as he is the Spirit of Christ; pertaining to you, as united to Christ, by faith: The failing in some of this, is the reason why believers do consider, & discourse on the objects of faith: and yet have no help, or strength, come thence: Wherefore be careful.

1. Not to lean on your own spirit, memory, wit, no nor on your grace; but know that ye must have a fresh influence from the Spirit, and his assistance: As your faith cannot act it self; for natural things cannot work without a fresh concurrence of God (in him we move) Wherefore his suspending, and not assisting the fire caused it not to burn the three children, though he put no impediment, in its way.

And though grace be stronger then nature, yet it cannot act, or move it self, without the concurrence & assistance of the holy Ghost; for, it comes from Christ, as light from the Sun, by an effluxe Mal. 4. 2. which ever supposeth a fresh act to every shining: The grace, is in Christ, though it work in us, as the light is in the Sun, though it shines on us; 2. Tim, 2. 1. Wherefore Christ must by a fresh act, put it forth, if it work in us. Wherefore all things are said to be done, by Jesus strengthening: Philip. 4. 13. not only by strength which he had given, but which he is at the present, in a continual giving; Every act of faith requiers the power of God, afresh administered; 2. Thes. 1. 11. fulfill the work of faith, with power: that is, God's power: for one act of faith, is to evidence things, which to do, he begs strengthening by might from the Spirit Eph. 3. 16. 17.

And as the holy Ghost, must assist the grace of faith, before it can act; so must he do some what to the objects of faith, before they can work upon faith: as the light must shine on colors, before they can move the eye; that is, the Spirit must show them to the Soul, which is called a revealing of them, 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. not only at the first, but every time that they draw forth faith: he must reveal them; which is done, by giving in convincingly, his own testimony of those things; which presents them to the Soul, as light doth colors to the eye: Wherefore he so prays Ephes. 1. 17. 18. that by the Spirit they may have revelation to know the things they believed, & hoped for: So that, without the Spirits aid; nothing can be done in believing; as in praying; it must be in the holy Ghost: Jude. 20. that is, in his strength & assistance: So also must it be, in believing; therefore he joins building up, in faith, & praying, because, without praying, we cannot make progress in our believing.

2. Consider, That the holy Ghost, assists, only as he is Christ's spirit; that is sent from him, & merited by him; as he is God, and man, & the head of the Church; For, in no other way, or respect, doth the holy Ghost, assist: Wherefore, all that he doth, is said to be of Christ's: John. 16. 14. and it is called Christ's strengthening, Phil. 4. 13. 19. whereas it is the Spirit which doth it, Eph. 1. 17. & 3. 16. & if thus he be not considered: he is taken under a wrong notion, and Christ is wronged; for he glorifies not Christ: John. 16 14. and he will not assist.

3. Ye must be careful to consider that the holy Ghost assists you, as members of Christ, by virtue of your union with Christ by faith; for how can the spirit of the head, come into one, but by its union with the head? and how comes the sapp to flow from the root, into the branch, but as it is joined to the root? Eph. 4. 15. 16. from the head, being joined to it, is edified.

4. And lastly: Ye must be careful, to look up unto the holy Ghost, to assist you; cast an eye on him, as ye do on that, whose help you expect: and in the expectation thus of him, must ye set upon the work of acting your faith; This is the second direction, how to improve Faith.

Thirdly get your Faith to be evident, add a reflect act to the direct act of faith: That is, labor to know that ye do believe: as well as to believe: For Election being evidenced by Faith: and a title to Christ and all promises, depending on believing: the soul cannot be persuaded of its propriety, & interest in God, & Christ, & the Promises, and so, cannot be comforted against troubles, till it knows, it believes: Faith may save, but it is evidence of faith, which only comforts: Wherefore this is one main end of rhe first Epistle of John, as is expressed Chapt. 5. 13. these things I have writ to you that believe; that ye may know ye have eternal life, & believe; (that is, and believe) that ye believe.

This reflecting act whereby we can look on what we do, & consider it, & take comfort in it, is a main excellency of a reasonable creature, by which we excel brute beasts; & should be exercised by us: Unto the doing whereof, we must labor.

1. To know the act of faith, what it is, and to know that it is not the strength, but the truth of faith, which evidenceth election: Acts. 13. 48. those ordained to life believed; some with more, some with less faith, but every degree of it, betokened life eternal, and gives title to Christ & happiness; for faith is but an hand or eye, which toucheth, or looks to Christ, that he may work all its works; which a small faith doth as truly, as a strong; wherefore we never find in Scripture, that Christ rejected any for the smallnes of their faith.

2. Labor to view your own hearts, and see if you have not put forth that small act of faith, faith may be seen, in its self, & its own act, as well as in its fruits & effects, (though these also may, & must be considered;) Wherefore John, putts believers much upon signs, & fruits of faith; in his first Epistle, which was writ to help to the evidence of faith; and sometimes, faith is best perceived by its fruits;

Yet sometimes it is best seen, by its self, & its own act, of relying on Christ; and a careful search into the heart, whither such an act, be put forth, or no; would oft, discover it; but neither by it self, nor by its fruits, can it be discerned, except the holy Ghost; assist & help us to perceive it. Therefore:

3. Ye must labor for the help of the Spirit: Who, as he only, reveals these things to us, 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. So he, only can reveal them, or show them to be, in us: He is the Lord's candle in the innermost parts, or chambers of the belly: Pro. 20. 27. he in this sense, as well as ours in that, because he only can show to us, the grace that is in us: As light only can discover to a man, the things that are in his house: He must shine on our faith, & its fruits; before we can have evidence of them; he must give his divine testimony to us, of them, that they are right, before we can believe it, as he must of God, & Christ, & the Promises, before we can believe them; our own spirit, though renewed by grace, cannot witness alone to us, except the Spirit of God, do join with it in witness Rom. 8. 16. which is the ground of those sayings Rom. 9. 1. when he was to witness.

But here, the Question is; Whither in this coeworking of the holy Ghost; with our spirits, to make evident our grace: It is requisite, that he should be, as clearly known to be the holy Ghost, who warrants our grace, as we know it to be the Sun, when it shines?

Indeed in the immediate assurance; which is grounded on his divine testimony alone; it is certain, it must be so: or else, it cannot give full assurance, & put out of all doubt: But that in this assurance; which is mediate, and only witnesseth with our grace, & shows that to us; That it should be so evident, that it is the holy Ghost; that is the question; if it be not enough; that the grace be made so evident, as that according to the Scriptures, the heart is confident it is true: though it be not most sure that it is the holy Ghost who saith, it is true: Now that ye may have this witness of the Spirit; ye must.

4. Labor unto all obedience; to shune every sin, and do every duty, and that out of love to Christ; John. 14. 21. then will he, manefest himself to you, that is; by his Spirit, he will then give you evidence of himself, & of his love to you, & of your interest in him, & happiness by him: General obedience, & fruitfullnes, accompanied with growth & increase, carries with it, much evidence, & much comfort; John. 15. 8. 9. 10. And besides, it brings in, by way of a meetenes & preparation, more of the witness, & evidence of the holy Ghost; for though the holy Ghost, be given to believers absolutely, and not with respect to their obeydience (on which condition he abode in Adam in innocence) yet his manifestations, in comfortable evidences, are dispensed according to their obeydience, growth & fruitfullnes; for such comforts are wages, & respect working; As.

The Apostle. 2. Peter. 1. 5. to 12. exhorts them to a constant diligence, to increase graces (therefore he saith giving all diligence) because, it will make them fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; verse. 8.

That is, in the comfort, & evidence of their interest in Christ, & happiness by Christ; whereas, the want of these things; verse. 9. deprives of assurance, & comfortable evidence; He that lacks these things, is blind; &c. that is, he cannot behold his evidence, & assurance; nor can he see a far of; that is he cannot comfort himself in thoughts of his happiness to come; So neither can he be comforted, by that, that is past, He forgets that he was purged: that is, he looseth the assurance of Justification; (Therefore, 1. John. 1. 7. we must walk in light, & then Christ's blood, sensibly cleanseth from guilt;) Whereas, else (though he remembers that there was such a thing, and so, in that sense, forgets it not, yet) he cannot be comforted by the remembrance of it; and therefore is said to forget it; as they are said in Scripture; to forget God's Commands, who (though they remember that there are such, yet) are not ordered by them:

And this Exhortation to provide for their comfort, by this means; the Apostle Peter, yet enforceth farther: verse. 10.

By expressing what it is, in its effect: It is a making sure their Calling & Election, He that gives all diligence to add to Faith, Virtue; and to Virtue, Knowledge: &c. as was before exhorted to; doth but diligently make sure his Calling and Election; whence will follow, that they shall never fall; namely into despairing doubts and questions about their estate; nor into a state of darkness, and loss of comfort; because as he adds verse. 11.

By this means they shall have an abundant entrance ministered to them; into the everlasting kingdom of Christ; that is (not meant of a local entrance into heaven: For heaven is nowhere called, the Kingdom of Christ; but the Fathers Kingdom; Christ resigns his Kingdom at the last day of this World, 1. Corrinth. 15. 24.) and the opposition, verse. 9. shows that, it is meant of assurance, and a making sure our Calling & Election:

Wherefore it is thus meant; that by thus doing; ye shall have a filling measure of the joy of assurance of your eternal salvation; which Joy, is so vast, as ye must enter it; it cannot enter into you, but yet ye shall have an abundant entrance into it; wheread if you do not thus, ye shall be debared entrance into it; which joy of assurance, is the kingdom of Christ; as Rom. 14. 17. called indeed, God's kingdom; that is Christ's (as the next verse shows) given him by God the Father; who is also God, as well as his Father.

And this Kingdom of Christ, though in this world, and resigned at the last day, is yet, as here, so oft else where, called everlasting, in many respects, and here especially in this, because, its joy & happiness, shall be perfected, & swallowed up, in the everlasting happiness of heaven: Wherefore, though ye cannot ever grow sensibly yet persue after growth & fruitfullnes; humble your souls under the want of it; give not over, but make it your business, to press to it; renew upon a failing, your purposes & indevors after it; (this is evangelically to do it) and you shall obtain the evidence, & seal of the holy Ghost, the joy whereof, will abundantly strengthen your hearts, against all trouble.

Thus I have enlarged myself unto the helping of you, to improve your faith in Christ, so as to keep you from trouble of heart; on which, I have been the larger; because Christ in the text, makes it a prime remedy: And (to conclude) indeed this remedy against heart-akeing; is Christ's choicest medicine: (he himself being the matter of it) and therefore, not to prize, & practice it, is greatly to slight Christ himself.

Thus much, for the Third Means, to prevent heart trouble.

FOURTH MEANES.

Is contained in the following Uerses. 2. 3. 4. in the scope & drift of them; Namely an unfolding to them, the true grounds; & reasons (and so the issue & effect) of that change, & trouble which was upon them, in his departure; whereby he overthrows, all the causeless fears & troubles, which thence, or from ought else, arose in their hearts.

The force, & aptness of which means, will be best manifested, in a paraphrase upon the words: Thus.

My departure from you, need not trouble you on my behalf; For I go away from you to my Father: Neither am I lost, nor forst away, by the will, power, or malice, of mine enemies; but of my own accord I go; and for my advantage, so that on my behalf, ye have cause to joy rather, because I go to my Father, as John. 14. 28.

Neither need ye be troubled on your own behalfes; For on your business, and for your good, do I with-draw myself; For, there are in my Fathers house, divers receptacles, for many such as you are; which, if it were not so I would have told you ere now, in as much as my Office (the faithful Witnes) and my friendship to you, binds me not only to speak nothing but truth, but also to reveal to you all needful truth, & not to suffer you to be misled with false hopes; Yet, though there are many rooms in my fathers house, in which ye may inhabit; ye cannot yet possibly get in there, till I have made way; wherefore I said even now to you, that as the Jews so ye, cannot come, whither I go: John. 13. 33. But the end of my going away from you now; is to make way for you to come into, & have a place in, my Fathers house: Ye think that my departure is for your loss, and ye shall be, as young chicks without the henn, a prey to your enemies; and that your hope in me, shall be frustrated; and that for your unfruitfullnes under me, God removes me, to punish you; but it is not so:

The ground of my departure, is for your great gain; For if I go away to prepare a place for you; then surely I will come again to you to fetch you to that place; If I go, much more will I come, for your sakes; ye fear that your sins foredone, & foreseen by me to be done, may keep you from heaven, or my heart from you; & that I show it by thus leaving you; and that we shall be ever parted; but it is otherwise, I do go, and I will come, in love to you, that ye & I may be together; and my departure makes way for it, without which, (and therefore for present) ye cannot go, whither I go:

Nor, is this which I say to you, altogether unknown to you (for, it were a slender ground of comfort, to discourse wholly, on things unknown) but ye know the place & way I go to: Indeed, they did not distinctly know (as they object in the next words) but seminally and virtually, they knew it, in that they knew Christ; Who was the Way, the Truth, the Life; and had the seeds of the knowledge in them, and wanted not many days to the punctual knowledge thereof by the holy Ghosts coming on them: Thus our Savior applied himself to prevent their heart trouble, by setting before them the true grounds, & ends of those things which troubled them; which all were good, and for their profit, & so necessarily must dispel the false, & supposed grounds, & ends, which raised trouble in their hearts.

And this means is as helpful in all troubles; for there ever are such grounds of all trouble, as may quiet, & comfort the heart, of believers; or else this command, (not to be troubled in heart) were unjust: Wherefore the finding out the grounds which may quiet & comfort, is but the finding out the true real grounds, and so, dispelling, & over throwing all the grounds that trouble; which must be false, if the other be true.

This means, Joseph useth with his brethren; who had only viewed the less, & inferior grounds & ends of their sin against Joseph, in selling him: Namely their pride, revenge, envy; &c. whence arose perplexing troubles: which he cries down; Gene. 45. 5. to 9. be not grieved, or angry; that is, perplexingly for other grief he allowed them) which, to help them to, he shows them other & more chief, ends, grounds, authors, effects, of that their act; then they considered: Namely, God, for good ends, who was in the business, more then they, So that, in comparison, he and not they, may be said to do it; whereas, they only looking on themselves, as authors, and Josephs hurt, as the end, & effect of it, were inordinately troubled.

Every Change or Trouble which befalls Believers, either by Sin, or Afflictions, is like the cloud twixt the Isralits & Egyptians; It hath a black, & a bright side; God & themselves or the creature, in it; now they should not only behold the black, but also the bright side; Which that ye may do; Ye must search out the promises, & experiences, In the one God saith, and in the other God, doth, that which opens the true grounds, ends, & effects, of all that befalls believers by any Sin, or Sorrow:

Take one Promise instead of many: (which also contains, an experiment, and so hath both:) 1. Cor. 10. 13. No temptation: that is, either by a sin, or an affliction, and rather by sin, is here meant; for both the verse before & after, speaks of sin; and the whole discourse, is of sin, & afflictions for sin; and so, surely is that meant: James. 1. 12. Blessed is he that endures temptations; that is, by afflictions, or sins; as appears by the next verses, which prevent an abuse, which might arise from that saying; Viz. Since it is blessed to endure temptation, though by sin, therefore surely it is God who tempts to sin: which inference, shows, that the Apostle meant temptation by sin; as well as otherwise; and surely so he means James. 1. 2. 3. 4. For, there is no temptation, doth so deject, & exercise every grace, as those of sin do in believers: Wherefore, to proceed; Noah temptation (saith Paul in the 1. Cor. 10. 13.) hath taken you, but what is common to man (or moderate as the margent reads it, but) the word in Greek, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 human, or after man's manner: By man, meaning not all men, but believing man; No believer shall be tried with any sin, or sorrow, but is incident to believers, and so, is that which may stand with their Grace, & Salvation; For it were no consolation to a believer, to tell him he should not be tried as a Devil is; but only as a Man may be tried: And, the scope being to encourage them; for as he warned them; in the former verse, (to the end, they might not presume) So he doth here, encourage, that they might not, despair; And this they needed; For they had been far tempted, and fallen to Idolatry, whose dreadful plagues, he had set before them; yet, to keep them from despair, he shows them, how that, they should not be tempted, but as believers; and this would encourage; but to be tempted as a man in general, may be, that is so, as to be ruind; doth not encourage, therefore he intends it not so general; as also appears by what follows; that it should be so as to bear it, & escape: which is only the portion of believers; and this shall but take them, as a temptation; that is, to try them, & do them good; & bless them with a reward; as it is more fully, James. 1. 12. the chief ground, & end of it, is their benefit.

But they may be over borne, & ruind by it? No, for there is none shall befall them, but what is fitted for believers, to do them good, & not hurt, (as the temptations do, which take unbelievers; as Saul & others) and God is engaged to it in his faithfulness; and therefore, will not permit a stronger temptation, then ye can bear up under: and will, as certainly order a way for you to escape ruin by it, as he will order to you the temptation: with the one, he will do the other: That is, he will so lay in the temptation, as that, it shall carry with it, something where by you may escape, (not the temptation, but ruin, by the temptation) and so get good by it: For the greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , may as well imply an escape with a success (as barely an escape) an issue successful: Heb. 13. 7. God, gives in with the temptation, that which shall bring about a good issue, & fruit of it; as the phisitian, when he means good by his poison, gives in with it, that which shall do the party good: Therefore, it is added, that ye may be able to bear it: Why, is not this, a needles repetition? Had he not said before, that they should not be tempted, above that they were able, able to bear up under, & endure? Yes, but this is added, as a more full explication of his mind; in that he would have it taken notice of; that they should not be pressed above strength: and so saith it again: or else in that the knowledge & sense of God's making way for an escape, doth strengthen the heart of them who are temped, to bear it, and not sink under it.

This, ye see is a full Promise, showing that good only is intended, by all: Wherefore, I will set before you, no more promises: But show you a few Instances among many that are in Scripture:

For the right judging whereof, observe this Rule; That whatever is the issue of a trouble, & upon it, brought about by God, as the end thereof; That was the chief ground & reason of God's bringing on that trouble; For the end of a thing, is the ground & moving cause of that whereby it is brought about: Now the Scripture is full of Instances of Sins & Sorrowes, which befell Believers, the end & issue of all which, was their good & gain; Therefore, in all those Changes both by Sins & Sorrowes, God's chief ground & end of bringing them on, was that good & benefit of theirs.

See it First, in some Trials by Afflictions: Abraham was sorely tried, by God's calling him to offer up Isacc; but the end of it was, not the stripping him of him in whom was all his hope of the promise, but the ratifying twice, & by an oath, the promises to him: So that, instead of loosing (as appeared) the promises, he had them thereby, more surely then ever, settled on him:

Jacob was oft & sorely tried, but the issue of everyone, was a farther revelation of God, and ratification of the Covenant to him:

Joseph was cast into desperate hazards, when sold by his brethren, but the issue of all, was his great glory, & happiness:

Job had sharp losses & troubles, but the end, was, the doubling his estate, honor, children, with a length of days, and seeing God with the eye, who had before, but heard of him by the ear:

The Elect in Adam had a great change, from incomparable happiness, to as great a misery, but it brought forth a greater happiness instantly in the seed of the woman, then they ever had in Adam:

The Church had a great loss, in Elijah his untimely taking away, who might have lived much longer; but it brought forth an Elisha on whom his spirit was doubled, who did twice as great, & many things for Israel:

Galilee, & those parts, had a great loss in the sudden imprisonment of John the Baptist, whose ministry was eclipst, yea extinguished, before he had preached a year; (for he was but six months elder, and so began to preach but six months before Christ, and was quickly after Christ's preaching, imprisonned) But Christ, instantly came upon his imprisonment, & dwelt & preached in all those places, where John had; Johns going, made way for Christ's coming, as the setting of the day Star, doth for, the Sunns rising: Math. 4. 12. 13. Zebulon, Naphtali, and those Sea Coasts, had the first captivity of all Israel: 2. Kings. 15. 29. and this paved a way for their having first the Gospel preached to them, by John & Christ: Math. 4. 12. to 17:

Again, Christ was taken away in his bodily presence from his Disciples, and that made way for his spiritual presence, which was much better to them:

The Witnesses slain, shall be raised again to more glory & power to the Churches, then ever: Reve. 11. 7. 11. 12. Sometime God takes away, and gives again, as Joseph to Jacob: David's Wives & Goods at Ziklag; and so they are enjoyed more sweetly then ever: Sometime God stripps of all comforts to be a comfort himself; 2. Tim. 4. 16. 17. For he will never leave his people orphans (as the word, in Greek, is) John. 14. 18. he will come to them.

And as the Changes by Afflictions; So they which come on believers in Sins, are for their good.

The Elect committed a great Sin in Adam; And that brought in Christ's Righteousness & Life Eternal, of which Adam in sinning was a tipe or figure: Rom. 5. 12. 14. 15. 16. &c.

Josephs Brethren's Sin, in selling Joseph, broughts about the saving them, & all their families from famine:

David's great Sin of killing Uriah (because he had defiled his wife) and marring hir; brought him that Solomon; whom God had, long before promised by name, to succeed him, and build the Temple: 1. Chron 21. 7. to the 11. verse. And that great Sin of numbering the People, gave him to know the very place where the Temple should be built, which he so longed after; as appears by comparing together. 1. Chron. 21. 18. to the Chapters end. & Chap. 22. 1. 2. with the 2. of Chron. 3. 1.

Hezekiah came by his Sin, to be humbled, and to know all that was in his heart: 2. Chron. 32. 31:

And the Jews were saved by their killing Christ.

I Confess, that Sins make way, for Afflictions, (as all the former instances show) but the Afflictions are but subordinate, and means to those great ends of good, which God by their sins, aims at, & brings about: And the greater the Changes have been, the greater good hath been brought to them, as all the former instances, do show; Therefore the general & chief end of all that discipline of Israel, for forty years by afflictions, & sins; is said to be to try, and humble, and do them good at last: as Deut. 8. 2. 3. 4. 14. 15. 16. Yea the sins of damned ones, who have been near believers, and so may seem to hurt them; do tend to their good; as Judas his treason against Christ, served to prove to the disciples that Christ was he, who was promised, & so might confirm their faith in him: John. 13. 18.

Now, the Reason of all this, is the Rice & Roote, whence all Changes by Sins, or Sorrowes, arise upon Believers: Which is Four fold.

First, It is from God: Secondly, It is from God through a Powerful Decree: Thirdly, It is from God, through a Decree Everlasting: Fourthly, It is from God, through a Covenant of Grace: Wherefore it all must tend only to Their good.

FIRST, All Changes, by Sins, or Sorrowes, comes upon Believers from God, and his hand, I say all Afflictions come upon them from God; This is easily and generally granted, according to the drift of Scripture, to raise us up to see, & acknowleg God's hand in every Affliction; as Amos. 3. 6. Job. 5. 6. whatever instruments thereof have been, it comes from God: And it is, as evident by Scripture. & reason; that all sins come also from God, & his hand, and yet he is no way defiled, or dishonored their by, neither is Sin extenuated, or the Sinner excused by it, in the least:

The fear of some of these inconveniences, hath made Divines, not acknowledge so much of God in sin, as is in sin, and out of a fear of falling into that error, dissuaded from, James. 1. 13. 16. They have erred on the other hand, and made Sin, more of the Creature, & its self, and less from God, then it is: They grant that God is willing Sin should be, and that he permits it, and orders circumstances about its production, and overrules it, and hath an hand in, & is the author of the phisical, or morral act, in, and with, which, sin is; But in the essence of Sin; that is, the pravity, & atazy, the anomye, or irregularity of the act, which is the sinnfullnes of it, God hath no hand, neither is he any author at all thereof; Which opinion, is safe enough from the error it shunns, and to avoid danger it keeps so far of, that it goes wrong another way, and because it would not give to God to much, it gives him not enough in this, not so much as he takes to himself in Scripture: and tends, yea, is necessary, to his glory, and the comfort of his people:

And what though Pelagians, Arminians, and carnal hearts, will abuse this Doctrine, & bark against it, with pretence that it dishonors God; whereas they do not hate it therefore, if it did so; but because, it undermines their carnal buildings: Yet let us embraco, & profess the truth which is after Godlines; and not fear to say that of God, which he in his holy Book, saith of himself; Namely, that of him, and from his hand, is not only the thing, that is sinnfull, but the pravatye, and sinnfullnes of it: Gene. 45. 5. 8. Be not grieved, or angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither, for God sent me; & it was not you, but God; This is not meant, of some good thing besides, or diverse from their Sin; or only of the overruling of their Sin; but, of their Sin it self, the pravitye & wickedness, of that their act, in selling Joseph.

For though indeed, their selling him, is called God's sending him; yet it is made one, & the same thing; that which in them was selling, that is, was sin, that in & of God, was sending him: and that which grieved them, and made them angry with themselves; which was their sinnfullnes in doing it, that he saith was God's sending him, and so was it not they, but God; That is, God had more hand, then they, in that their sinnfullnes; or else it had not been reason enough to take them of from being grieved and angry with themselves, if they had been the sole authors of the evil, and God only of the good.

So 2. Sam. 24. 1. God was angry with Israel, and moved David against them to say, go number the people: It must be the sinnfullnes of David's act, which God had the hand in, because he had the hand in that, which was against Israel, (that is brought misery on Israel, and that was only the sinnfullnes of that act) and it was that which God moved to, out of anger against Israel, to bring on them an Affliction, and that could only be the Sin: Nor is it more expressly said, that Satan did it, 1. Chron. 21. 1. Because in some respects, he only, and not God, was the author of it; then here, it is said that God did it, because in some respects, God was the only Author of it, and not Satan.

So that we may safely say; That God is, and hath an hand, in, and is the Author of, the sinnfullnesses of his people.

For the evencing whereof; Consider these Arguments. (besides the Uoice of God, in Scripture:)

First, God's Will & Pleasure, is the Wombe that conceived, and whence springs, every work of the Creature, whatever it be, whither it be good, or bad; as they are (that is, continue) for his pleasure, Reve. 4. last. So they so do & work, because it is his pleasure, they so should do; the first reason (and that which determines all,) why the Creature Sins, must be, because God's will was, that it should sin: For who hinted to God, or gave advice by counsel to him, to let the Creature sin? was it not his own device, counsel, & will, that it should so be? did any necessity arising upon the creatures being, enforce it that sin must be? could not God have hindered sin if he would? might he not have kept man from sinning, as he did some of the Angels? Therefore it was his device, & plott, before the creature was; that there should be sin; And what incongruitye is it, that God's Will & Pleasure should first lay a ground work to bring forth sin? For what is Sin but an effect & discovery of the weakness & mutability of the reasonable creature? Wherefore, God's Unchangablenes, is alleged in oppsition to the creatures sinning, & sinnfull tempting to sin, James. 1. 13. 17. (as we shall more fully show anon) because Sin, as it is sin, ariseth from mutability & weakness: Now what incongruity is it, for the Creator to will, and order it, that the Creature shall show its self, and its own shame? Yea, is it not necessary thus to give to God the first hand in contriving, & willing the Creatures sin; Because, most of God's greatest works in this World, and the everlasting World, to come, depend on the Creatures Sin; and it is by Sin, that most of God's glory, in the discovery of his Attributes. doth arise; wherefore must it not be said & thought, that his Will first and chief, was in the providing this means & way for all those his ends? Is there anything by which, God so serves himself, (except Christ) as by Sin? Therefore certainly it limits him much, to bring in Sin by a contingent accedent, merely from the Creature, and to deny God an hand & will, in its being, & bringing forth.

Secondly; there is much good comes by Sin; yea, the greatest good; either in God's glory (the manefestations of God) or the Creatures happiness (in all that eternal glory through Christ▪ in heaven) it is all, only brought about by Sin: Which good effects, however they exceed their next cause, namely Sin, & the Creature, they are no thank to them; Yet they are level with, their chief & first cause, God, & his Wisdom, Power, Love; and do show, that he, with those his Attributes, had an head, will, & hand, in Sin; or else they could never have wrought such good effects: Thus Joseph, seems to reason; in the place forenamed: Gen. 45. 5. 8. because good came of their sin, therefore it was God, that was the author of it; The Creature separate from God (as it is in sinning) can produce no good; yet the Creatures Sin doth produce good, therefore God hath also an hand in the sin of the creature, as well as the creature:

And however, God may be thought, to take up the Creatures Sin, after it is committed, or foreseen to be committed, or bring about, or decree to bring about good by it, without having a Will afore hand unto the being of it; Yet, (if we well consider) this cannot be in God, who so is in his Will, the ground of everything, in the Creature, both its standing, & falling; as that he must first will, the Creature shall stand, or fall, before the Creature can do either; and the Creature therefore falls & sins, because his Will before was, it should so do; and this he willed, as a means to all those great, & good ends, which thereby he did bring about; and what is it but the pravity, & sinfulness of the act, and not the act it self, as it is good, naturally, or morally, whereby God brings about those his many, great, & good ends? therefore he must will the sinfulness itself, and be its author, as a wise man, is of the choicest means, by which he brings about his chiefest ends.

Thirdly, its as incongruous, and inconvenient, to make God have an hand, & will, and be the author of, the afflictions of the Creatures, as of the sins, only there is a gradual difference: Sin is indeed worse infinitely, then Afflictions; yet both, are truly alike inconvenient to be fathered on God:

For, what are Afflictions in respect of the Creature? They are disorders of the Creatures second well being, which stands in peace & happiness, and an eclipse of that his glory, And what are Sins, in respect of the Creature? but a disorder of the Creatures first & chief well being, which stands in righteousness, and an eclipse of that his glory; both of them, a sickness, & a disturbance of pure nature; the one in morrals the other in naturals; the one hurts more (namely Sin) in that, it cutts of from God; the other hurts less (namely Afflictions) in that, they cut of from some particular good, yet they both hurt the Creature.

Again, Consider what are Afflictions in regard of God? they reach him not, they impeach not his eternal blessedness which from himself, ariseth to himself, though the creature be ever so miserable; God is as happy, as he ever was; as the Sun is as glorious as ever, though the Earth, it shines on, be ever so distressed) yea, & God getts glory by the creatures misery, for thereby, as by a foil, his Immutable Blessedness, is better set of, as also his Holynes, Justice, Truth in threats &c. But yet, all Afflictions are against God's heart, because against the Creatures good, and their disorder is in it: It is a disturbance of his work, and it is against, & unsuitable to, that mercifullnes which is in, a Creator to his Creatures, so that, there is an eclipse of God's luster & glory though, not he, but the Creature, loose thereby (as not the Sun, but the Earth, looseth by the eclipse of the Sun) his goodness, and his Creators parentlike (even Father & Mothers) bowels are obscured, and not manefested; so that his manefestative glory; the Glory which he should have by a manefestation from the Creature, is obscured; Wherefore, the Lord in Scripture professeth, even of Afflictions (as well, as of Sins) that they are not with his will, or from his heart as the word is interpreted after the original; on the margent, Lam. 3. 33. so else where: He wills not the death of a Sinner: and he confirms it with an oath: to show that he is serious, real, & deep in it: and that his heart, is in very deed, not for, or with the Afflictions, of his Creature; and yet, the Scripture, making God, to have an hand, & will, in Afflictions, and to be the author of them; It is readily granted of all hands, that he is so; And why may it not be so granted, that he is of Sin?

For Consider now also, what are Sins in respect of God? Let me now, nullify Sin, and make it nothing, but triumph over it, as a shadow of great appearance, whilst I discourse of it in reference to believers, and in compare with God; as he is in, & of himself, without the Creature; though else, in other respects; it is as real as anything, & as infinitely monstrous, in fowlenes & misery, as God, so as he stands in reference to Creatures, is in beauty, & goodness, so far, as an offspring of a Creature, can come in a parallel with a Creator (as the abasement, & torment, which Christ, who is God man, endured, plainly shows) yet may Sin be triumphed over, as nothing: both as compared with the Works of the Three Persons in Trinity, about it (as we shall hear hereafter▪ as also compared, in its own being, with God's being in, & of himself: whom sin cannot hurt, as Job. 3 5. 6. For Sin, is but the weakness of God's creature, its mutability; by which his strength & unchangablenes, is as by a foil, better set of; Can it be anything to God, his impeachment, that his Creature is frail? Can he be a God, and impeacht by anything? Yea, doth not Sin occasion the manefestation of many, yea most, of his Attributes? Indeed Sin doth eclipse God's manefestative glory: That Glory, which he should have from the Creature rise up to him, upon his manefestation of himself, that is much lost by sin; It buryes, & hides that glory of God; it fights against it; sins against God's heart; as contrary to his own image; and the disorder of his whole work-manship; and the ruin of his creature; and the thief which steals away his glory: And in this is Sins vileness, and herein, it is incomperably worse, then Afflictions; But yet, it hurts God no more, then an eclipse of the Sun, hurts the Sun; which is nothing: The Sun shines as gloriously, but the Earth beholds it not, and so hath not the comfort and benefit of its influence: So that, all the evil of Sin towards God, is not at all to him, in his own Essentiall Blessedness, but in his Glory which should arise to him from the Creature, for the good of the Creature: Which Glory, as he is Creator, is his end, and most dear to him (as a wise man's end is, because else, his work is in vain) Wherefore he professeth his hatred against all sin; and that he hath no Will to it, Hand in it, nor is the Author of it; And yet, he may, as truly & safely have a Will, & Hand in, & be the Author of, Sins, as of Afflictions.

And it may be readily granted: Namely in a diverse respect, & different consideration: Even as they say, to distinguish Justice, from Revenge, in one & the same punishment, inflicted: Justice doth it, as it is good (Sub ration Boni) and is moved to will it, as it is good; hath good effects: But Revenge doth it as it is evil (Sub ration Mali) and is moved to will it, as it is bad, and hath ill effects, namely hurts the person; Justice also respects a public good; but Revenge looks only to the particular hurt of that person; So God wills, and is the Author of Afflictions, and wills not, nor is the Author of Afflictions: He wills not Afflictions, simply, and absolutely, as they be the Creatures hurt: For that is against his Nature (which is Mercy) and his Relation; who is their Creator and Patent, both Father & Mother.

Neither doth he inflict them, till he is moved by some end, and consideration, which presents greater good, both in regard of his own Glory, and his people's good, then there is hurt, by the Affliction: Therefore, (as was said before) He swears he desires not the Sinners death; That is, only as, and because, it is his death; having no other or greater moving cause, then the Sinners ruin; (As the cruel Tirant, who desired the death of the Vestal Virgins, only as a death, and their misery, and for that end, appointed them to be ravished, & then put to death, because he could not put them to death, unless they were deflowered) Wherefore the destruction of Sinners, considered thus; as it is evil to them, is of themselves: That is; their weakness, & mutability working them to sin; they expose themselves to ruin; Which ruin God wills & works, as it is good, for his glory, and his people's good: Yea, better then if the Sinners were not ruind: And thus God, is brought on to Afflict, by a further end then the misery it self: Wherefore as to Christ in a more transcendent way: as he was his Fellow, and no sinner in himself, he would not, nor could, afflict him; wherefore his Sword flept: Yet, on other considerations, as he was the representation of all his Elect; and a Sinner by imputation: he willd to stricke him, and therefore awakt his Sword: Zach: 13. 7. So, is it, in regard of all Afflictions; He wills and works them; And he wills & works them not; in several respects: As Evils simply, and on no other considerations, he wills them not, nor works them, but it is the Creatures own harvest which he sowed; But as they tend to, & produce high & great good effects: There is no evil of misery, but God doth it.

Even thus, is it in regard of Sins: In some Respects, & Considerations, God neither doth, nor can, will Sin, or have any hand in it, or be any author of it: Namely as it is evil, or a good only in appearance, answering only the humor of a weak, & mutable Creature; Thus, & in these respects only, God wills not, works not Sin; but abhors it infinitely, for it defiles & is most contrary to his Nature; And thus the Creature wills it, & works, and on no other respects: Or (to express the thing, more fully & plainly) God neither hath a Will, or Hand in Sin.

1. As it only springs from an evil Roote, & riseth up on a weak or evil Ground; That is, as the mind is moved to sin, out of an evil inbred principle of inherent Lust, or from a concomitant weakness, & mutability of Nature; So God, is not moved to will, or work Sin, for that argues an imperfect, & polluted Nature; But thus, the Devil & Man, wills & works Sin: And this is the true scope & sense of that; James. 1. 13. to 18. God doth not so, or on such grounds & respects, tempt or move any man to sin, as to be moved thereto from an inward principle of sin, or of weakness, and mutability; therefore he saith; Verse. 13. God cannot be tempted with evil, nor tempt any man: That is, as it is evil, and suites an evil principle within him; so God is not tempted, nor tempts; But thus; man tempts himself Verse. 14. 15. being moved from an evil principle of lust, within him; which shows that this is the Apostles scope, to show that on these grounds, & respects, God is not moved to will and work Sin; So that he denies it not to God absolutely, but on these grounds; which farther appears; Because, Verse. 16. 17. the error he confutes is, That God should tempt to Sin, as it is Sin, an evil & foolish thing, pleasing out of an inherent weakness, & mutability; For thus to will & work Sin only; he proves God cannot, because all good is of him, as a Father, therefore he cannot send forth evil: and he hath no Variablenes, whereas all Sin, as Sin, riseth from the mutability of the Creature: Hence our Savior refers Sin as it is an evil, to an evil rice, & ground, & root: Mat. 5. 37. all that is of Evil, & so Evil: But now if there be a Ground on which Sin may be willd & wrought, that is not from Evil, or a Weakness, & Mutability, moving God to Will & Work it; God may Will, and Work it, notwithstanding this saying of James.

2. God neither hath a Will, or Hand in Sin; As Sin is moved to, or effected by a Means that is Naught, namely by telling a Lye, or any such way; for this is evil in the doer: Therefore; when God willd that Ahab should sin, in going to Ramoth Gilead; he would not by lying persuade him to it; but asked who of his evil ministers would do it, and one of the Devils undertook to do it, by filling his Prophets with lies, so as to be a Lyar in them (I will be a lying Spirit;) Thus God neither doth, nor can act any ill means to bring about sin; As the Devil did to draw Eve to sin by beguiling her with lies: Though God may will it shall be done by them that are evil.

3. As Sin only respects some appearing Good, but real Evil Ends; Namely God's dishonor & the Creatures hurt: So God neither can, nor will, either Will, or Work it, for then he should be Evil; For the end of an action, in moral things gives the name: Thus in these Respects; God Wills not, Works not, is not the Author in the least degree of any Sin; But it is of Satan; as 1. Chron. 21. 1. Satan stood up against Israel, & provoked David to number the People: That is; Satan from an evil mind; by evil means, to an evil end, namely to hurt Israel, as they were God's People, provoked David to that Sin: In these respects, it was Satan; & not God.

And so also, it is of our own hearts (wherefore David chargeth the Sin wholly on himself, & not on God: 1. Chron. 21. 17.) as was before shown, James. 1. 13. 14. 15. But now; all this notwithstanding, as there are good Respects on which, Sin may be willd & wrought, so God may be, the Author thereof, As.

1. Sin may be willd & wrought, from good Principles, & Grounds, of Wisdom, Power, Sovereignty, Holynes, to set up only himself: &c.

2. Sin may be willd & wrought by good Means, namely, a wise & holy ordering things so as shall draw forth & discover the Creatures mutability & weakness, and a leaving the Creature to it, being no way tied to superadd an assistance, & strength against it, as Sin was brought about in Adam & Eve; and after Sin is in; then by leaving the heart to its own lust, and by wise & holy dispensations & providences, to stir up those lusts, not by anything in the providence, but through the lust it self abusing such providences; as Sin is brought about now, since the Fall.

3. Sin may be willd & wrought, for good Ends: Viz. The showing the Creatures weakness, as by a foil to set of the Creators glory; and the gaining more glory to God, and good to his People: Thus God is said to move David to number the people, 2. Sam. 24. 1. in these respects, as in the other; the Devil is said to do it: and under these considerations, Sin is good (as poison may be for physic, and as the killing a malefactor by a law) and as good as other things; & may as comelily be willd, and be brought about by God, and have him for its Author; as anything else:

Yea, in truth, it is most Congruous that He should be its Author; For whom becomes it so well, as the Cheifest Good, to bring about the Greatest Good, by the Greatest Evil; and who so fitly, as the Immutable, Strong God, can bring out, the Weakness & Mutability of the Creature? Thus ye see, that true Reason, & the Scripture; exclude not God from being in any respects, the Willer & Author of Sin; But from being it in Evil Respects; And as it hath Good Respects, it is fathered on him, the Father of all Good: Therefore when Joseph carried his Brethren's Sin to God; he instanceth only in the good ends & effects, which their Sin had: For so, & only so, it belongs to God: And God may glory as much, in this his plot, & handy work of Sin, as in anything that is from him (except Jesus-Christ) it doth so become him, & advance him, & his people.

And thus, I have shown the First Ground of every Change, which befalls God's People, either by Sins, or Sorrowes, It is God, his Hand, and Will, are in it: Yea, let me add this, before I end this Consideration.

God is more in their Sins & Sorrowes, then they themselves are; So much that implies Gene. 45. 5. 8. Not you, but God; That is, not so much You, as God: God, on good considerations, had a greater will, & hand in it, then you: Therefore in David's numbering the people, God, and not He, is made the ground of it, 2. Sam. 24. 1. God on good Grounds, though he also, in evil Respects was in it as he confesseth: Yet God was so much more, that he drowned him in comparison: For.

[Arguments 1] 1. God first willd, and brought it about.

[ 2] 2. He might have prevented it, but they could not, though yet, as it was evil, they did it freely, and of their own accord, and against his revealed will.

[ 3] 3. God had more, & greater, and more general ends of their Sin, then they, who only aimed at a particular satisfying a lust of Envy & Revenge: But God aimed at much Good, for them, and many: and moved more stones to effect the work, then they who wrought in a small compass.

[ 4] 4. And lastly, God's good end, swallowed up their little evil end; more good, then bad came of it to Joseph, themselves, and others: Therefore, it was God more then they; for of him is all good: Wherefore let Believers, be humbled godlily for their Sins; and then be quiet without perplexing grief, or anger with themselves, For God's hand, & good ends, are in their Sins, & Sorrowes, more then their evil hearts, and shall prevail To God's glory, and their good.

Thus much for the First Rice & Ground of all Changes, which befall Believers through Sin or Sorrow; They all are of God, and his hand.

SECONDLY, All Changes by Sin or Sorrow which befall Believers, come from God by a Decree Powerful; That is, a working Decree; he hath so resolved and decreed it as that his hand and power concurs, to effect it.

In regard of Troubles & Afflictions, this is said expressly Zeph. 2. 2. There was a Decree pregnant; which conceived, & bred Trouble for them; and was strong and able, to bring it forth, and not miscarry.

So also; For Sins; Acts. 4. 27. 28. That sin of theirs in crucifiing Christ: All that which they did sinnfully against Christ; is said to be determined before, by God's counsel & hand; That is, a Decree that was concurring in Power to effect what it determined: Yet is not this any excuse to the Sinner or extenuation of the Sin; For, as it is said of Assyria Isa. 10. 7. he thinks not so: he eyes not this Decree of God in his sinning, nor is he moved by a respect to it; but he doth it out of his own evil heart.

THIRDLY, All Changes upon Believers, by Sins, or Sorrowes, come to them from God, by an Everlasting Decree; Even by that Eternal Love, & Counsel, in & by which they were ordained to Life Eternal: Therefore, Habac. 1. 12. the Prophet encourageth himself against the great Affliction of the Babylonian Captivity, by this, that God's Decree had ordained them for that end; and therefore the issue should be their good; and not their ruin (we shall not die) and sets God before him, as a God from Everlasting; and his God; that is, His God from Everlasting; And why doth he instance in this Attribute of Everlasting? But to intimate; that God being from Everlasting, & so all His Decrees being from Everlasting; among which, this was one, of that their great Affliction by the Babylonians; therefore they should not be hurt, or ruind by it: And when Christ, is called the Everlasting Father: Isa. 9. 6. It seems to be meant, not only that from Everlasting Decree had desingd the Second Person, as incarnate, to make all things; & as it were beget them; but more specially, to be a Father to the Elect; and so as a Father to chastise them with afflictions; Heb. 12. 5. 6. 9. which Afflictions also must be by the same Everlasting Decree appointed out to them: Wherefore, Christ; Isa. 63. 16. is called their Father, who from Everlasting had this Name; their Redeemer: For so it is read on the Margent, & seems to be meant; Now, as their redemption; so their miseries must be Decreed from Everlasting: for so surely, Christ as a Redeemer, hath been in God's account; from Everlasting: Even those goings forth, Mica. 5. 2. & not only, his Godheads; but those Works of his, as Incarnate, towards the Creature: Works without; as the phrase of goings forth; implies.

And as all Sorrowes, So all Sins of Believers, are determined by God's Eternal Decree; How oft, How many, How great; For, if Christ from Everlasting be their Redeemer; and went forth to Save them; It was first, & chiefly from Sins; then must from Everlasting the Sins be set down from whence he should save them; as it is certain they were, because when he accomplisht the Decree, and by dying on the Cross, actually redeemed them; then All their Sins met on him, as it is Isa. 53. 6. read on the Margent; Now none met on him there, but what were Decreed for him to remove, when he was destinated to that work; which was from Everlasting: For Adam in his fall, & sinning, was a Figure, or Tipe of Christ, taking away Sins Rom. 5. 14. to the Chapt. end: Therefore Christ's taking away Sins, was decreed before Adam, or the World was, (and so from Everlasting) or how could Adam tipifie him, if he were not before intended to that work? And if Christ were from Everlasting; Decreed to take away Sins, then were the Sins he should take away, Decreed from Everlasting: This also appears by Deut. 32. 32. to 37. where it is said; that both the Sins of God's people: Vers. 32. 33. 34. And their Afflictions Vers. 35. And their Deliverance: Vers. 36. are all afore hand, laid up in store with God, and sealed among his treasures: That is, in the Eternal Decrees, of his Wisdom, & Knowledge, in the deepest secresy, & hiddennes, hath God set down his people's sins & punnishments; which in a set time he will avenge, and at the end, do his people good.

And the Reason, and Ground, and further Evidence of all this, is: Because, by the same Decree that sets down the End, are all the Means thereto set down; Wherefore that Eternal Good-Will & Wisdom of God, which Decreed Believers to Eternal Happines, Decreed all the Afflictions, & Sins, how much, & long, God would leave them to weakness, and let loose corruptions; as the ways & means by which, he would bring them to that Glory appointed them: For everything which befalls Believers in this World, is a Means to that great End of Eternal Glory to which God hath ordained them; and therefore was fore-ordered for them, in & by that Great, & Eternal Love, and so cannot but be in Love, and for their Good.

FOURTHLY, All Changes upon Believers by Sins, or Sorrowes, come on them, by & through A Covenant of Grace made with them; This follows from the former; For the Covenant of Grace, is nothing else, but the gathering together, & revealing with an obligation to them, to perform, what ever were his Eternal Purposes in Himself, concerning Believers; Wherefore, all that is Decreed concerning them, is exhibited to them, through A Covenant of Grace; which cannot but season it, & make it wholesome to them; however pernicious it be to others.

Thus all Afflictions come through A Covenant of Grace; and are expressed in it, Psal. 89. 32. 33. 34. For they be fatherly chastisements for good, and tokens of Love, to which the Covenant binds God Heb. 12. 7. 10. Whence it is that God is called the terrible God, keeping Covenant & Mercy, Nehe. 1. 5. Because his Covenant for Mercy, is to Afflict.

And so, all the Sins which Believers are left to, they are through & because of the Covenant of Grace, left to them; and the Covenant implies a dispensation of sinning to them, as well as other things: For though the Covenant, express not their being left to Sin: Yet, it imples their sinning; for its scope is; that God as a Father will Educate & Nurture them up so, as shall fit them for his Inheritance of Glory: Now by Sins are they as much nurtured, & fitted for Heaven; as by anything else: Wherefore, by virtue of, and through his Covenant of Grace, doth he leave them to, more, or fewer, less, or greater, Sins, as may best nurture them up, even as he fits them for service in this World, by leading them into Sins; as he did Peter to confirm the weak; by leaving him to that Sin, Luke. 22. 32. with 34. 57. And David to bear out to the World, his sure mercies in Christ: Isa. 55. 3. by leaving him & his house, to many & great Sins: as 2. Sam. 11. because else the surenes of the Mercy, had not appeared; had they not sinned extraordinarily:

So he fits also for the Glory in Heaven; by their various sinning here: Not only as Sins make way for Afflictions, but also as they make way for God's free Grace, Christ's Mercy, and the exercise of diverse Graces; As that Sin of the Church of Corrinth did 2. Cor. 7. 10. 11. And whoever observes God's manner in nurturing up his Children for Heaven, he will find that the most usual ways of his Art, therein lie in leaving them to Sins or Afflictions, or both; For,

First, Sins & Afflictions, are a trial of Faith; Afflictions try our Faith in God's Love, that he should Afflict and Love; as Jobs Faith was tried; Though he Kill me, yet I will trust in him: And they try our Faith in his Mercy, when he so takes vengeance on our iniquities, to believe him merciful, and that he hath forgiven: Psal. 99. 8. And they try our Faith in his Justice; whilst he so afflicts the good, and lets the wicked prosper; as it is in the Psalms.

And as Afflictions are a trial of our Faith; So are our Sins; and that much more then Afflictions: They try our Faith in Christ's Blood, for an Atonement, Psal. 51. 2. 7. They try our Faith in God's Unchangablenes that he will not cast us of though we sin; according as the Covenant runes, Psal. 89. 31. 32. 33. They try our Faith in the Promises of Perseverance, & Victory, over Sin, when yet we find it captive us; as Paul's faith shown it self, Rom. 7. 23. 24, 25.

Now this Trial of Faith, by manifold temptations; as 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7. that is both by Tentations through Sins, & Sorrowes; is for a season needful: Even, whilst we are in nurture; in as much as it tries Faith; As the fire doth the gold, that is to be used in special things: Which trial of Faith over, & above besides the Faith it self; will be profitable, at the last day; and therefore, is at the present of more price & virtue to us, then gold, which perisheth in this World.

Secondly, Sins & Afflictions, are as seeds of an harvest of Joy at the last day: Afflictions are the ground work of Joy, Psal. 126. 5. 6. as the Babilonion Captivity (their spoke of) was of that great joy: and so Heb. 12 11. even though they be inflicted for Sins, as the forementioned were; For God forgives & removes the Affliction: Psal. 103. 3. Isa. 38. 17. Yea, and they Comfort, at the last day, as the hardness of the Sea voyage, doth in the haven; and the danger of the fight, doth in the triumph: Reve. 7. 13. 14. And Sins, however, for the most part, they first occasion trouble, yet they tend to, and in the end, bring forth the more Joy,; both here, whilst God forgives them, and sheds abroad his Joy with his Forgivnes; giving not only ease, by setting again the bones he broke, but also making them to rejoice Psal. 5 • . 7. 8. David never joyed more, then after his reconsilement to God. upon those horrid Sins of Adultry & Murder; and that of numbering the People: For after the former he had Solomon given him (whom the Lord sent, & called beloved of the Lord 2. Sā. 12. 25. & was he whom God had named to build the Temple as ye heard before; and after the other sin he had the place of the temple; shown him; & liberty to prepare for its building which greatly joyed his soul; there being nothing to which his heart went forth in so much desire as to God's house.

And indeed God's people need more Joyes after Sins, then after Afflictions, because they are more cast down by them; and therefore God useth Sins, as means by which he leads in his Joyes unto them in this World: And also in the World to come; their Sins yield them great Joyes; Indeed, in some respects, they shall joy most at the last day, who have least sinned; But in other respects, they have most joy who have most sinned, (For sin they little or much, they all shall enter into Joy, at last) whilst the free Grace, and rich Mercy, of God the Father; the Merrit, & Love of God the Son; the Power of the indwelling holy Ghost in them; shall the more shine forth, how much the more Sins have bine within them; and Faith will the more Tryūph in & with the Trophes of so many the more Victoryes over the guilts of Sins, and keeping up under the more continued assaults of powerful Sins.

3. By Sins & Afflictions, God is the more made manifest to them; Even, all his Goodness is made to pass before them Exo. 33. 19. That is, all his Attributes: as Exodus. 34. 6. his Sovereignty to do what he will, with whom he will; whilst he leaves them to any Sorrowes, or Sins, 1. Sam. 3. 18. Exod. 33. 19. alleged, Rom 9. 15. He hardens whom he will: So his Justice & Mercy: more Justice, in that the more they sin, the more he takes of Christ: Rom. 3. 26. he is Just, as well as a Justifier: And more Mercy, in pardoning more to them. And so his Truth is manifest; in a more full making good his threats in punishing them for Sins; or his Promises, in pardoning more Sins.

Now this seeing God's back parts, doth greatly nurture, and fit for heaven, many ways, which I need not mention, they are so obvious: Thus then, the Changes through Sins & Afflictions, serving for a nurture & education of Believers unto heaven, it is, matter of Joy to them, when They fall into divers temptations, James. 1. 2. Yea, all Joy; Its a phraise, I find not again used in Scripture; It is more then to say; much, or great joy; for it implies that what ever kind, or degree of joy there is, we should take it up to joy in this thing; (as the like phrase, is used in the like sense, for Prayer: Eph. 6. 18.) which shows that there is more then ordinary cause of Joy, in these Trials of Believers, some of which, he instanceth in: Verse. 3, to 6. For these Trials, are of their Faith (as ye heard before) which yields a future gain, and a present profit also: for Faith tried, brings forth Patience; and do but let Patience have hir perfect work, & ye shall be entire, & lack nothing: Entire; the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I find not else where used in Scripture; but 1. Thes. 5. 23. that which is intregal with all its parts, which hath all that is allotted it which is possessed of your whole lot, portion, or inheritance; Yet there is added another word (as if this were not full enough) and lack nothing; or rather lacking in nothing: As if by the Trial of Faith through several Tentations, Patience may be wrought up to such a perfection; as that they should have their full portion of Grace & Glory given them into their hand:

And whereas, they may say, but who is wise enough so to improve patience; he prevents it; saying to this effect: Thus to do is indeed wisdom, which any man may lack, but if he ask it; he shall have it, and so may do the things, and become fully possessed of all his portion, and inheritance; and therefore may well joy with all Joy, when he is fallen into diverse temptations; This indeed is not a matter of sense; therefore saith the Apostle count it; or suppose, and think it so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let this be your leading thought of all other thoughts, and let this thought lead your affections; so much the word may imply 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Wherefore, Verse. 12. he saith, They are blessed that endure, that is endure so as to stay it out, and not give over; For he when he is tried (or as the words in Greek are) being become one tried, as metal in the furnace, shall receive the Crown of Life; which implies that till he is thus tried, he is not meet; and this trial makes & discovers him to be meet to receive the Crown; which Crown though it be the same for substance: Yet it is divers in degrees, & circumstances, unto which severals, they are fitted by several trials; God being served on them, in pardoning more to them; or in their being more sanctified, or afflicted.

And thus ye see, how God the Father hath made us able to triumph over sin, as nothing: Even as the other Two Persons also in able us to do, in a several way; For compare we Sin, in its working, & indwelling in us, in which respect, it is nearest us; Yet compare it with the power & purpose of the Holy-Ghost, who dwells also in us, to subdue it all; and compared with him; It is less then the force of a Flye, to a Giant; it is nothing: So compare we Sin in its guilt, with Jesus Christ, his Righteousness, Blood, &c. It is not so much as a Cloud compared with the Sun, in his strength; it is nothing: So also compare we Sin, in its being, with the Counsel, Decree, & Intent of God the Father; and it is nothing: Yea more; there is all good, and much good comes of it, to Believers, and to God: Thus the Three Persons in Trynity; have each of them, severally put forth their power, to nullify Sin, on the behalf of Believers, that it should not dismay them: And God the Father; hath taken it up, and ordered, it for much good, unto Believers: In that He, and his Decree, and Covenant of Grace; is the Channel by which all Sins befall them.

Now then, to sum up all; Since all Changes by Sins, or Sorrowes which befalls Believers, come frō God, & frō his Decree Everlasting, & are dispensed to them, as a nurture through A Covenant of Grace; It must needs be that they must all work together, to their good, Rom. 8. 28. It may be, to them that view but particulars, & asunder, their general good end, and their conducement to it, may not be perceived; But put them all together, and ye shall see, in their utmost main end, they all work together for good, to all Believers; And by the Coherence, the Apostle there seems to mean, sinnfull Infirmityes against which the Spirit helps, as well as other more outward Troubles: Wherefore, there cannot be any true reason or ground, why anything should perplex them.

Troubles either by Sin or Affliction, are to be looked on two ways; Both as Sins are our own, and come from our cursed nature, and dishonors God, crucified Christ, grieve the Spirit, transgress the Command &c. And so Afflictions may be considered, either as coming from our Sin; or at the least; our sinnfullnes exposing to them: And thus, with hope in Christ, for pardon; Believers are to grieve and humble themselves, for Sins & Afflictions: And from this, anger & grief, Joseph did not take off, his Brethren; Nor Christ his Disciples in my text; This is a Trouble, that is good & profitable for them; But as Sins or Afflictions are beheld, only as our own, in their bad effects, & roots, and God, & his Will, & Hand in them, and their good effects, through him, are not considered; hence comes sinnfull & pernicious troubles; which Joseph to his Brethren; and Christ to his Disciples diswads from; And no course is so full to remove or prevent it, as this looking on God the Author of it, and the good which he brings about by it: Which is rarely done by believers, yea, hardly known, & therefore I have enlarged it:

Yet, let me close this Means against all Troubles, as our Savior doth; Namely that ye know (who are Believers) all this: Ye know these true grounds of Consolations, though not so distinctly, or particularly; yet there is that in you, which contains all these consolating Grounds, if ye would stir it up, and gather it together; and not brutishly give way to sense & present things, and to the passions of your own supposed false grounds of God's hand on you in leaving you, to Sins, or Sorrowes: Wherefore stir up the knowledge that is in you, and use it that so whatever Changes befall you by Sins or Sorrowes, your hearts may not be troubled.

And thus much for the Fourth Means against perplexing trouble of heart; included in the 2. 3. & 4. Verses; and for those Verses as they stand in reference to the former, and their scope, to Comfort the Disciples against Christ's with drawing his Corporal presence: And so we have handled these Verses as they are a Dehortation from Trouble of heart, and Directions of Means to help against it.

Now let us Consider them again; and observe what may be deduced & drawn by Consequence from them, or found positively, and absolutely in them: And thus, these Verses Conteine many rich, & pleasant Truthes.

REASON.

The Reason or Ground of all which tenderness of bowels towards them; Is, from his Nature; For, he hath the fullness of the God-head (all the divine Nature) bodily; working in an human Nature, and so as a man; Now the divine Nature, is Mercy & Love 1. John. 4. 8. and all mercy, is but some dropps of that Nature; which being put forth in him, a Man; enlargeth after man's manner, his bowels infinitely; So that he hath more bowels, then all Angels, which yet work in an human way, to move & touch him as a Man: Heb. 4. 15. with feeling as a man may have, though not in an infirm way as it is with us; but as is cōpetible to a glorified nature: Now this his Nature, is drawn forth towards believers; partly by his Fathers love to them, He knows how greatly his Father loves them, and loves to have them loved, and therefore in obedience & love to his Father; He gives vent to the whole ocean of Compassion that is in his Nature, to flow out upon them: John. 14. last. and that seems to be the connection John 10. 15. I know the Father; and lay down my life for the sheep, because I know it is his mind, I so should do; for the original motive of Christ's love to Believers, is becavse the Father so loved them; they were his John. 17. 6. yea, & continue to be his, though given to Christ: Verse. 9. And partly his Office & Relation to them, draws his bowels towards them: He is a Brother, Head, Husband, Father, (all that may endear, he is made to them) he is their Savior, their Guardian &c. they are given him (as the former places show) he hath a propriety in them also; they are his own, John. 13. 1. Yea, he is made one with them, in a stricter nearenes, then one flesh & bone, one spirit they are with him 1. Cor. 6. 17. therefore he cannot but so love; even self-love begetts love to them; near relations among men, beget affections.

FIRST USE. [Use. 1]

For Instruction; First, That God is most tender to Believers in all their Troubles: For what Christ is, that very same God is, inasmuch as he is his express image Heb. 1. 3. The Character, and so carrying a full express of him: Which Christ is; not as the Second Person barely, for so he is as invisible as the Father, but as the Second Person incarnate; & though his incarnation fit him to express after our manner; God the clearer to us; yet it adds nothing to him beyond what is in God: In God is the same degree of Love; which is in Christ; but it is made evident to us in & by Christ: Yea, it was in God, before it was in Christ: For, he raised up Christ, and filled him with it, that he might convey those Compassions to us; and him he charged to do it in all their afflictions: He whose Angel of presence (which is Christ) saves; He is with them afflicted; and that is God the Father: Isa. 63. 7. 9. Therefore by all the evidences of Christ's infinite Compassions, assure your hearts, that God is so, every whitt so (though He be Great, High, Holy, Just, Independent) and go to him in your miseries & infirmities, with boldness: For assurance of great mercifullnes, makes bold to come, though it be a desperate venture:

Not only, Christ's mercifullnes, & mediation, should bring us boldly to God, as Heb. 4. two last verses. But Christ's mercifullnes, should so convince us of God's, as that upon God's mercifullnes, we should bear up, & embolden ourselves, though it is to flow to us, only through and for Christ; or else we do not enough honor God: In which way, I fear many Believers wrong God; forgetting his mercifullnes, & looking on Christ, not only as meriting & moving God's mercy, but as only having mercy.

Second Instructiō, That all Believers (but especially Church members & of them most especially Church Officers) should show forth abundant cōpassions in being moved with the troubles of others, even more then with their own; For else they show not forth Jesus Christ: All Christians are anointed with the same spirit: Therefore should have the same bowels, that Christ hath: And Church-members are not only; one Body, in aspeciall respect; But they are Christ's in a special relation; a new, and superadded relation, by virtue of their particular Church fellowshipe; and therefore they should more especially resemble Christ: Hence that Exhortation, Col. 3. 12. Therefore; Because Vers. 10. 11. ye have put on the new man, after Christ &c. Therefore, put on bowels of mercies, & kindness; Mercyes, that is the most mercifullnes, as can be; and take in kindness also; and not some acts, but the very roots, the bowels of these; and content not yourselves of getting such habits in your hearts; but put them on, as a garment; be seen in them: Thus was also Paul, as a Church Officer, 2. Cor. • . 2. their sorrow, so took up his heart, that he could not be eased, till they were: And Chap. 11. 29. if any Believer (and not only some of his choicest) were weak, as being pressed with any burden; he also, for their sakes became weak also: And if they were hurt, by any fall into Sin (for that is meant in Scripture phrase, by being scandelized or offended) though he could not in this become like them, to be so also; yet he was tortured with trouble of it: as if he were in the fire, & burnt; which is a very sensible pain: For therefore Church Officers should thus resemble Christ, because in a special manner they represent Christ; who is the great Officer & Minister under God, especially whē he was on earth; Rom. 15. 8. But alas! where is this conformit to Christ, to be found? I am, (now I compare others with it) ashamed, and amazed; self-love, so prevails in us, that we have not any compassions to be troubled with the troubles of others, as if our own; as their duty is: But I say the merciful shall find mercy; and this drought of Compassion to others, will restrain though it cannot dry up, Christ's springs of pity to you.

SECOND USE. [Use. 2]

For Exhortation, to all Believers, to tell their hearts in every trouble; that Christ is more troubled then ye are: As sometimes ye see a Mother more touched with the Childs illnes, then the Child is: Though ye see him not troubled, yet by Faith be assured it is so; and as he was at this time, in his Disciples troubles, so is he, & ever will he be, in every Believers trouble; Nor hath he left his sensiblenes of our troubles, by his being glorified, for, since that, the Apostle saith of him He is not one that cannot be touched with feeling: That is, He is touched with feeling of our infirmities; in as much as he was once tempted as we are; and those impressions by his experience, remain so that he is now touched with feeling; though ye cannot conceive how, yet know it is so, for the Apo. saith it; he feels more then you; and is eased by your ease, more then you (the head feels most, in it is the seat of sense, more then in the members that are touched) Therefore, if it comfort you to have one suffer with you, though no member do it; yet know, that Christ your Head doth it, and cannot but be as ready to ease you, as you are to be eased, so soon as it is fit.

Again from the manner of Christ's speaking we may observe:

REASON. [Reason.]

The Reason is; Because, though God put the Promises into Christ, and gave him them, yet he reserved them also in his own hands & power; For God the Father did not only promise Christ, and that Christ should do everything; But He promised Christ, and promised that He by, & through Christ, & for Christ, would do such, and such things: As that he would justify them that believe; Rom. 3. 26. It is the Father that is just, in taking satisfaction from Christ; and yet is the justifier of them that believe in Jesus; So Rom. 4, 5. Our Faith now, since Christ, is made, (in this respect) the same with Abraham's, even as he, to believe on him, who Justifies the ungodly, not materially meritoriously, as Christ doth; but judicially, to acquit in judgment; which is the Fathers work: For it was on the Father promising this, in Isaac: That Abraham believed: Verse. 3. And this is the same Person who is meant Verse. 5. for that, it is a continued speech; which is more plain, Tit. 3. 6. 7. He that shed Mercy on us, through Christ; justifies us by his Grace, through Christ; and this must be the Father; Also the Father promised by Christ, to give the Spirit, who is therefore called the promise of the Father: Acts. 1. 4. and the progress, yea, & whole work of Sanctificatiō, is given to the Father: John. 15. 1. 2. & Jude. 1. Not because he works it immediately (for it is more specially appropriated to the holy Gbost) but because he hath purposed and promised it: as Eph. 1. 3.

Nor by this believing in the Father; do I only mean, in general to believe in him: For so, Believing being a duty of the first Commād, and a natural Worship, it is a due of all the Three persons in common, as God; and we are to believe in the Father, Son, & holy Ghost: But, the Three Persons have pleased to select, and more especially, to appropriate to each of them (yet in the name, and for the honor of all three) some particular Works about Man; even such as more specially suites with, their distinct & Personal opperations:

Thus the Holy Ghost; hath more specially appropriated to him, the Work of Revelation, Sanctification, Inhabitation, & Comfort: In as much, as these Works are lowest in Order, and nearest to the Creature; as He is lowest in Order of the Persons Divine, and so nearest to the Creature: Though yet, as He is one God, equal with the other; So, those his Works, are as infinite, & glorious, as any of the other.

And the Father, & Son, have more specially appropriated to them; The promising the good things which the holy Ghost reveals, & works: Because in Free-Grace; a Purpose & Promise, must go before the revelation, & exhibition of them; As the Fathers Person, & the Sons, are in Order of Subsistance, though not in Time, before the Person of the holy Ghost: Therefore, I say, Promising is more specially appropriated in Scripture, to the Father & Son; And as Promising, on their parts; So Believing, on our part; is more specially appropriated in Scripture to them Two: To the Father; because, the Promises, are but expressions, and obligations of himself, to perform, his Purposes: In as much therefore, as He, who is the First Person of the Three; assumes to himself, the Purposing or Decreeing of all; which is the First root and rise of everything; there is a fittnes, that He also should assume to Himself; the promising of them; in as much, as they are his own; the issue & of springe of his own good will.

And the Son, being Heir to all his Fathers; Is also Heir to His purposes & promises, and had them all first made over to him (as ye heard before) and was appointed to purchase them for us; and so they also are his own; and He, with the Father, appropriate more specially to themselves our believing in them, unto the performances of the Promises: And the Father, though he made over all Promises to the Son, & appointed him also, to purchase them; Yet he put not him self, out of possession, though he put his Son also in, with Himself, and gave his Son another proper title, by purchase; Yet the Father kept his own title to the Promises, and so to our believing in Him, as well as in the Son: Which, is intimated in this; that he retains in his own hands that Promise of making Christ's ennimyes his footstool; Psal. 110. 1 Which contains in it also, the consummation of all Promises to Believers, both of Justification, & Sanstification, & Resurrection from Death: 1. Cor. 15. 25. 26. which God the Father assumes to Himself though yet he executes, & performs it, by Christ, (as ye heard before) Therefore Christ himself (though he is at God's right hand) trusts in God: Heb. 10. 12. 13. and so must all Believers.

[Question:] But it may be asked; What difference is there, twixt our believing in the Father, & in the Son? I answer in Four Things.

[Answer.] First, our Believing is in the Father, as in the original Author, and undertaker, for our good, who sent, and gave Christ for us; & raised him up from the dead; and therefore Rom. 4. 24. our Faith is so placed on him; But our believing is on the Son as the Person appointed by the Father, to convey all good to us; John. 6. 27. 29. so Math. 12. 18. to 22. He is believed in. as God's Servant, fitted to the work; as the meritorious and working Means, of all our good; as the bread of Life, John. 6. 35. therefore the proving him to be the Christ, helped them to believe; Acts. 18. 27. 28. because they believed in him, as the Means or Instrument anointed, & fitted by God, to Save: Hence it follows.

Secondly, Our believing in God the Father, is more mediate, & remote; it is through & because of Christ: 1. Pet. 1. 21. By Christ we believe in God: That is not only by Christ, as the Efficient working Faith: But as the Means through whom, we come to believe in the Father: For so, the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as well signifies the Instrument by which, as the Efficient; The Efficient 1. Cor. 1. 9. And the Instrument Acts 2. 22. so 1. Cor. 8. 6. Eph. 2. 18. For, when God (that is the Father) is opposed to him; He then is taken as the Instrument of God: For as God chose us in Christ; and adopts us by Christ Eph. 1. 4. 5. So he brings us to believe in Him through Christ: The distance is so great twixt God & us, that we cannot immediately trust in God; but now our Faith in Christ, is immediately in Him: And therefore our clossing is closser, & more immediate with Christ's Person by Faith, then it is with the Fathers Person: We by Faith, close with the Fathers Person as with a Father by marriage: But with the Sons Person, as with an husband with whom we join immediately; and therefore we believe in the Son, as in a Gift given to us able to help us; John. 4. 10. and in the Father as the giver of it: In the Son, as in the Mediator twixt God & us 1. Tim. 2. 5. And in the Father, as he that is made one with us, through the Son; Therefore the Son is called Emmanuell Math. 1. 23. not in respect of the Union of his Natures: But because, God the Father, in him, is at one with us, & on our side, who else is not one with us; Neither, as we once were Righteous by the Covenant of Works, in that He is to much above us in Holynes, nor much less, now we are sinnfull; & as a Ground of this.

Thirdly, We believe in the Father only, as a Divine Person; But in the Son; as the Son of God & Man: Therefore Faith in Christ, is given to him, as God's Son, John. 3. 18. And as Man, to his Blood: Rom. 3. 25. And thus is Faith on him to be pitched as God-Man, for thus only he doth the Works we trust in Him for, to Merrit, Mediate &c. Hence.

Fourthly, He being believed in, as lesser then God, being God-Man; Faith rests not in him, but riseth up to the Father, as its utmost propp: John. 12. 44. Not in Me; that is Not only in Me; but riseth up to My Father also: That so, as the Father is the Original of all Good promised; So He should be the bottom of our Faith; in which it is terminated; And to Whose Glory, it shall lastly Work: Eph. 1. 12. & 1. Pet. 1. 21.

USE. [Use.]

For Exhortation to shun an Error in the Object of your faith: one Error we have before discovered: Namely, the not taking in the Person of Christ, but pitching only on God & his Promises: Now I show you another to shun: Namely, when ye pitch your faith only on Christ; and not also with him, on God the Father: Many are so ignorant in this that they think, God the Father is not the Object of our Faith now: But ye see it is otherwise: Wherefore give the Father also, with the Son his due of Believing in him: The difference twixt Jews and Us, lies not in this that they had the Father, and we have the Son Incarnate, to trust in; But in this, that they had only the Father; and the Son but in a Promise; whereas we, have the Son actually come, and the Father also, to believe in: So that we have a double propp for our Faith, and therefore should have a double strength in believing: It is true; that implicitly, we believe in the Father whilst we do it in the Son as he that sees the Son, sees the Father, though he know it not; because They are one: John. 14. 9. Yet, till it is done explicitly▪ distinctly, and knowingly, it is not so honorable to the Father, nor so comfortable to the Believer; Its not so honorable to the Father, because professedly & knowingly, ye give him not this his due of believing in him, which he challengeth: An unwilled respect, is not counted an honoring a Man: Nor is it, so comfortable to us; for the knowing & using Two, must needs yield more Comfort of Faith, then the knowing, & using One only; God hath therefore, as by giving Two; His Word, & Oath: Heb. 6. 17. 18. So by giving Two; His Son & Himself: abundantly provided for our securitye, & comfort: And indeed; as in some respects; we are much helped in our faith; by Christ being its Object (as ye have heard) So in some respects, are we much helped, by the Fathers being the Object of our faith: For in Him, we have the Roote of all: our faith goes to the bottom, and in this, the deeper, the sweeter, & the stronger: For we trust on Electing Love, Free Grace, Everlasting Mercy; that which, disposeth of Christ, and his Riches to whom it will, & in what measures it will: Math. 20. 23. And so that Objection is prevented, which may arise from their being one before Christ, who in his Sovereignty orders Christ, and his Merrits as he will: But ye have his Promises, Him fast, to trust in, as well as the Son: Yea, and ye should be stronger in the Faith in the Father, then the Jews were (who only believed in him) because by Christ, ye have not the Father, more obscured, but much more revealed then he ever was before.

USE. [Use.]

For Information to true Believers; Not only to care, that their affections be set on right, & lawful things, but to care that they exceed not in thē; Which, we are the proner to, & more hardly sensible of, because the substance of the thing is lawful: Jonah was right in his desire to be found true in his sayings, to Nineveh, because he was a Prophet of God to Israel 2. Kings. 14. 25. But this little rightnes in him, in the main; advantaged the flesh in him, to much sin against God, in running away; (thinking God's Mercy would prevail against that peremptorye Message of Ruin to Nineveh) and against Man-kind; in wishing rather the Ruin of so many Thousands, then His words shall seem to fail.

So David's error, in his strong affections to God's house, having some good in it: As Solomon saith of it; 2. Chron. 6. 8. made him err, in attempting a part of God's worship without a warrant, for which God reproves him, 2. Sam. 7. 5. 6. 7. yea, and Nathan also the Prophet; not being infallibly assisted, was also misled in jugdment verse. 3. Wherefore the better the thing is in it self; the more circumspect ye must be, that ye err not about it: Surely the Disciples thought they could not err in being troubled about these things, Christ's death, their own Sins, Judas treason, &c. The Poet observed licitis perimus omnes▪ that in things lawful, lay our most dangerous snares; let us therefore look to ourselves, that we exceed not, unto sin; in such love, grief, fear, pleasure; as in a degree, and some kind, are lawful & necessary.

FIRST REASON. [Reasons. 1]

Because Troubles, do so exceedingly cross the workings & will of our sinnfull self-Love; which is all for Ease, Pleasure, Life &c. Therefore denying our Selves; is put before the taking up our Cross.

SECOND REASON.

Because Troubles, do so much cut off, & estrange us from this present World: The delicacyes of this World; are banished from us, by troubles: Therefore Christ, discribes Troubles; By hateing Father; Brother; despising Houses, Lands &c. And other Troubles by Sickness, Paines &c. is expressed by being dead; and so also, Persecutions, for he means both; Psal. 31. 12. Now the Love of this World, is much in our hearts; in that, the things of it are sensible, and suite our appetites.

THIRD REASON.

Because Troubles, are contrary to a good Principle of Nature; that is left in us (as well as to the fore mentioned bad ones) viz. That desire to preserve ourselves, and so to avoid all evil; which was in Christ, and made him be afraid, & pray against his passion; professing that his Will, as Man, was against his Sufferings, considered in themselves, though He subjected that his Will, to God's; and so sinned not: But our Corruption getts strength from this good Principle, to oppose Troubles sinnfully; and so Christ's troubles at Afflictions, is distinguished from ours.

FOURTH REASON.

Because Self flattery, makes us promise ourselves, the contrary; Luke. 12. 19. and carnal confidence with Atheism; makes us build our rest on the present good; as Psal. 30. 6. by which inexpectency of Evils, when they appear, our Spirits are the more dismayed, & being unprepared, are the weaker, to bear.

FIRST USE. [Use. 1]

For Exhortation to Believers, To fore-think & take more pains about fitting yourselves for Troubles: Even Believers do to much put of the evil Day; and do not let the Words fore showing Troubles, and preparing for Troubles, do as Luke. 9. 44. Which either respects troubles fore told verse. 22. or the things which might fit to bear Troubles, as that miracle verse. 43. But Believers do so dream of prosperity, and are so unapt to suffer; that they shun to fore-think it seriously; as the Apostles did these Troubles, by Christ's Passion, or else they had bine fore warned, & armed. But Job did otherwise Job 3. 25. 26. he feared afore; Therefore he so well endured Job. 1. 22. till it grew inexpressible: It confirms your hearts in well doing; whilst ye fore-think Troubles; Acts. 14. 22. and they come never the sooner, but the easier, for your fore-thinking, and preparing; Nor need they bitter, but only temper from surfeiting on your present sweet: So only is that meant Job. 3. 25. 26. and implies that it is an Argument why Evil should not come when it is fore-feared: And they keep away never the longer, nor fall on, the less, for your not expecting them; but hasten, and seize more heavily: It is a shame for Believers to be touched with that trouble, they before feared not; since the Scripture gives them such warning; and it is made the Lot of the Wicked, to have Calamityes suddenly & unlookt for.

Secondly, To exhort Believers, when Troubles come, to look out for help to bear, fearing & watching against their own weakness: To suffer; is a gift; not only carrying favor, but new superadded strength; and a Gift superadded to Faith; Phil. 1. last. though in it self, not better then Faith, yet that which Faith helps not to; except assisted with fresh supply: Sufferings, are Christ's baptism Math. 20. 23. and must have his presence: It is Christ's Life, to bear them, and come out of them 2. Cor. 4. 10. 11. As it is Christ's Death, to be under them; Wherefore, ye must have help from Him: Even the small sufferings by fastings & mourning; was to much for the Disciples at first; as new wine is for old bottles, or new cloth is for old Math. 9. 16. 17. Any denying Nature, is a strong work: The Disciples could not bear Troubles, till the holy-Ghost came on them: Therefore Christ, preserved them from all; & God gave them to Him, to be saved from Troubles (which would have lost them) as well, as from Sins; so long as He was with them and the holy Ghost, not yet come on them; which is meant in part, by that John. 17. 12, compared with 18. 9.

USE. [Use.]

For Exhortatiō to Believers, Not to rest in having faith; But keep this sound in your ears; Believe in God; Believe in Christ; use, and renew your Faith, exercise it; else Christ will count ye to have no Faith, Mark. 4. 40. It is the same, not to have, and not to use; And it is a sign your faith is little, if it work not, as it is clear by comparing Math. 8. 26. with Mark. 4. 40. Also increase your faith; by every Revealation, of God's Righteousness (as Christ, and His Righteousness, are more clearly made known) our Faith unto Comfort, and Boldness should Increase: Rom. 1. 17. By that clearer Revealation of Righteousness; should their Faith go on from degree to degrees higher; Heb. 10 19. to 24. So, by every Sealing Ordinance; and Token of Favor; our Faith should Increase; unto Assurance; Judges. 13. 23. 2. Chron. 30. 21. 23. 26. And so by every Trial, and Affliction, our Faith should grow; in that it is tried; I am. 1. 3. and Increaseth other Graces; Therefore it Self First Increaseth.

And we should Labor to Increase it; Because, when ever Troubles assayle us; our First Work should be, to Increase our Faith; As they do their Fortifications, when the Enemye approacheth: More strength is required, when Troubles assault, and all our strength is in Believing; Isa. 30. 15. a quiet waiting on God; which, therefore must be increased: Therefore, the Afflictions & Growth of their Faith are conjoined; 2. Thes. 1 3. 4. Therefore the Disciples, being told what offenses they must meet with, and forgive injuries to their Brethren; they pray for Increase of Faith, Luke. 17. 1. to 6. Because Faith, is to be Increased, when ever we enter Trials, & Troubles: Yea, and usually the latter Troubles, are strongest, as supposing more strength, (as David's were, by his Sin of Adultry & Murder, & Numbering the People, and the Punnishments thereof, which were his last, & greatest:) Therefore Faith had need be Increased, which only bears them.

This Exhortation, I will only press in the Apostles Words: Jude. 20. 21. Beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost; keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Christ, to Eternal Life: The Apostle having provoked them to contend for the Faith against base opposites: whom he discribes, from Verse. 2. to 17. and exhorts them not to be discouraged or turned out of the way, by all their base courses Vers. 17. 18. whom he again sets forth in their ugly colors; as a means to help Believers to do this duty, in withstanding: He exhorts them to proceed in the Work of their Faith; and saith that their Faith is their Foundation (for that on which we build up is the Foundation) Christ is called the Foundation, 1. Cor. 3. 11. and so are the Prophets, & Apostles, Eph 2. 20. and here Faith, is also so called; and nothing else that I can find, is so dignified: Christ, is the Original, & Principal Foundation of us; Yea, the only Foundation, Properly, & Striktly; as the Apostle saith, none other then He, can be: But the Apostles & Prophets, are remotely, and ministerially outwardly called the Foundation: Because they first and only revealed Christ; And Faith is the Foundation, but Instrumentally also, yet much more nearly, & intimately, then the Apostles, & Prophets, in that Faith, is the immediate bond & union of us, unto Christ, the Foundation; Col. 2. 7. stablished in the Faith, is a being rooted, and built up in him: So that all our Strength is in our Faith, Instrumentally, as in Christ, Originally; yet not conveyed from Christ, to Us, but through our Faith: Therefore, if we would have any Progress. it must be by our Faith, and as that goes forward the whole building goes forward.

Not only at first, do we build on our Faith, but all the while (as not only do we at first, but all the while build on Christ) Therefore, of all things, our Faith is of greatest Consequence, there is neither Beginning, nor Progress, can be without it: And this Faith is holy, yea, & most holy, no Grace is like it, not only in that, beyond all others, it emptyes a man of himself, and sets up God (which is to be holy) but also because it only, of all Graces, gives Union, & Communiō with Christ, as an Head; in whom, & from him only, is had full Holynes (as ye have heard before) in that his Persō is God. Therefore there is nothing so good, as Faith to labor about: which Labor upon our Faith, must be constant, and continued: Therefore he speaks in the present tense: (building up) And a Progress in this Faith; will help us on to everything else.

We shall be still able to pray in the holy Ghost, for so much the cōnection may imply (as well as that Prayer helps Faith as was before observed) and this Praying, strēgthneth against Troubles; therefore it is annexed, as that which gives use & efficacy to the whole armor, Ep. 6. 1. 3. 18.

Also it will enable us, to keep ourselves in the Love of God; for it is Believers duty to keep themselves in it; they may loose, though not the Everlasting Love of God; yet that actual manefestative delight of God in them, which ariseth from their obedience, as it did from Christ Joh. 10. 17. (who yet was loved with another love, on another ground) and so, John. 15. 10. out of which they may depart; But Progress in Faith, helps them to keep in this Love, because it keeps up the influence of Christ's strength into them.

And it also enables them unto a continual Looking for the Mercy of Christ unto eternal Life: which is a duty most profitable & comely for Believers: And Faith growing up, enables to, because it makes those things which cannot be seen, to be more, & more real, & evident, and so to draw in the mind to a continued fixtnes on them, and expectation of them; as the clearer manefestations of glorious Objects doth; especially when it is with an assurance of interest, & propriety therein: Now then, Faith thus being, & working, it must needs, greatly help to strengthen against assaults; For the more we are built up on the Foūdation, the stronger we are: And the more we keep ourselves in the Love of God, looking for the Mercy of Eternal Life frō Christ: The much more able shall we be to endure Trouble: Therefore, be we persuaded, as Troubles come, to exercise, and renew our Faith.

FIRST REASON. [Reasons. 1]

Because, Now is the season of these Comforts; former ages were not the season, wherefore though they were seen in the blossom, & bud, and much desired; yet they might not be gathered, 1. Pet. 1. 11. 12. Wherefore, though they had some hints now and then, of them; Yet they were not so generally, nor so fully revealed, as now they be:

The Revealation of the Glory, is that which was reserved to our age; as the text saith: The things reported to you, as well as the Glory it self Ep. 3. 5. 9. 10. For now Christ is come, and hath made known his Fathers bosom, & heart, and ascended heaven, and opened it to us, John. 3. 12. 13. He first preached the Gospel, in his own flesh Heb. 2. 3. it was never before revealed: some shadows or hints of it, were before, but it self, in Its Clearnes & Glory never was preached till He began it, & since: Rather Promises of the Gospel: then the Gospel, was it which was before Christ: Rom. 1. 1. 2. For the Gospel implies tidings of things done, and not to be done, and this was only begun to be in act, when Christ came and preached:

Therefore Mark. 1. 14. 15. he preached the Gospel: and said the time is fulfilled: and because in Christ's Life, all was not actually done; there fore he is said but to begin it; & the Apostles perfected the Gospel, for they reported all to be actually done: So that this is the season of its revealatiō. and so the time of the fruition & vision of these heavenly things Mar. 1. 15. is at hand; This therefore is their season; as former Ages were the season of the Tipes & Promises of them: These are the better things, reserved for us of this last age of the World, Heb. 11. 39. 40. Now everything is most fitly used, in its season, it is most comely, and most effectual then: There is a kind of absurditye in unseasonablenes.

SECOND REASON.

Because, The life of Christianity is in these: Not only as it is distinguished from that Life which was in Innocency, through the Covenant of Works, from which, this differs specifically, and more then the Sun from a Candle, both which though light and fire, yet greatly differs:

But also, as it is distingusht from that Life by Faith, which was before Christ; From which, this differs gradually, as Infancy, and Child-hood from Full age: Gal. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. Wherefore it obtains another Name, (as a Child is called a Man) and is called Christianity, which it never was before Christ: Acts. 11. 26. And its Name shows its Nature: It consists in such Revealations of Christ by Faith apprehended: As were not at all, in Innocency, nor in any such measures, before Christ came: Gall. 3. 23.

The sight of Christ's Glory, and our Union, & Communion with him: This is the Christian Life: By Faith to see the Things that are Invisible; Is the Life: Heb. 10. 38. Live by Faith: Which Faith is described Heb. 11. 1. Which though it also reveal things which once by reason might be seen; as the Creation Verse. 3. Yet, it also (and that which it chiefly aims at;) reveals what never was or could be seen in Innocency, by Reason: As God's Electing Love in Christ, Heavens Glory, Our Perticipation of all Grace, & Glory from Christ, by Union with him: And on these Considerations to Love, Obey, be Patient &c. This is the Life of a Christian; 2. Corrinth. 3. 18. Seeing by Faith & a Divine Revealation, Christ's Glory, and be turned into it, is made the Sum of all Christianity: Gal. 2. 20. Christ lives in him; And he lives by Faith in Him: So, Ephes. 1. 17. 18. 19. Increase of Life is all put in the apprehensions by Faith of Revealations of Christ, & the Glory with him: and so Eph. 3. 16. 20.

Now the Life of Christianity, lying in this: The Consolations fetched hence, must needs be most effectual, and most lively, and most proper, as human Consolations are most proper to a Man: These breed the best Spirits, in that they carry the best Spirits with them; even the Life it Self.

USE. [Use.]

Wherefore Believers, are to be Blamed, for not Using; And to be Exhorted to Use more, These kind of Antidotes, and Cordials:

These are the proper Phisick of this State of the Gospel; Christ hath come, and opened to us His Fathers Bosom, and shall not we study and bear up ourselves by them?

The Prophets who did but fore see, & fore hear them, were so much taken with them, as that they exceedingly labored to prye into them 1. Pet. 1. 10. 11. The Words are significant; inquired, scearcht; intimating both great desire, and labor to find out; the one Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : signifing a seeking out by inquirye or question, pursuing by Questions, till it is fully found out: And the other Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , implying an exact seeking, as for hid things, until one hath every hinte, or doite; 1. Cor. 2 10. both which imply the utmost exactness in seeking: And the Glory they sought to find; is in the Greek Vers. 11. latter end, expressed in the plural number, emphatically showing its transcendency; Yea, & the Angels desire to look into these things Vers. 12. latter end 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by bowing down to prye in, an industrious, and most heedful pryeing alludeing as it is thought to the Cherubs about the Ark; who bowed or turned their Heads & Faces to the Ark, which signified Christ: Now we have them spread open before us, Can. 5. 1. and seldom cast our eyes on them, to comfort us by them: I appeal, In God's Name before Whome we now are, Who knows all your course; When did you, fetch in Comforts againsts Your Feares, & Troubles, by revolving these heavenly & spiritual Treasures of Yours? But have ye not still, by some other way sought to bear up your Spirits? What ingratitude? yea what folly, is this? These Heavenly Consolati • ns, are more General, & more Strong, Comforts then any, ye can take in.

First, They are more General; For they contain All Comforts, whereas as other Consolations, carry in them but some particular Comfort; and serve against but some particular Affliction; But These equally help against All Troubles; and so are much better; as the Paraselsian Phisick, or that which repairs & strengthens whole Nature; and repells all Weakness, is beyond your other Phisick, which topically is applied only to some particular part, for some particular disease: And as They are more General; So.

Secondly, They are more Strong Comforts, then any: though they serve all turns, yet they do comfort in every particular, much more full & through, then others, which reach only to the particular: As the Light & Heate of the Sun; though it serve every Creature in the World, yet it better serves any particular, then a Candle doth; Psal. 4. 7. The Light of God's Countenance, putts more Gladnes in; then abundance of any worldly thing; For these Comforts are Spiritual & Immortal, and so reach the Spirit, as it is in it self; other Comforts, only refresh in such a case, and as the Spirit is in & by the Body subjected to such or such a state, & indeed therefore never soake into the intimacy of the Spirit, solidly to comfort that; they sprinckle Comforts about the Heart, but never put Gladnes into the Heart; there is no suiteablenes twixt them & the Soul: But These heavenly spiritual Comforts, are suited to the Spirit reach it to the full; therefore do most strongly refreshit. Also these spiritual Comforts, are so vast, & great, that they take up & fill the Soul; all other Comforts are to small for the Souls great Capacity; but these fill every corner of the Heart: Also these Cōforts, do present to the Soul such great Gloryes & Happynesses, as hir own; as that they greaten the Soul: For, such as are the Objects with which the Spirit converseth, such is the Spirit: Therefore Kings have high & great Spirits, because they look on great & singular things, as their own, Wherefore the Soul looking on these heavenly Things, it raiseth the Spirit, so that it becomes to bigg & high, for troubles from below, to bring under; whereas all other Cōforts being but from things of the Earth, are below the Spirit, and may enfeeble & abase it, but cannot greaten or strengthen it: Yea, and these heavenly, spiritual Comforts, are the Comforts which spring from the chiefest Good; from the Perfection, End, Issue of all: Therefore are much Stronger then other Comforts, which are but the refreshment of the Way to our End.

And as These heavenly Comforts are more strong: So they are more strengthening, & nourishing to the new Creature in us, then any other Cōsolations; These, (as ye have heard) carry the very Life of Christianity in them; and therefore must most of all revive & cherrish the Inner Man; These at first bred, therefore do best feed & nourish, the new Creature; as was said before in another case; ordinary physic, removes the cause of a disease, and so the sickness; but no way repairs or strengthens Nature, but the Paraselsian Phisick, cures by reparing and strengthening Nature: And so do these Consolations, help the Soul against Troubles, by strengthening the Inner Man: The best Christian may observe, that the new Creature in them, is never so much renewed, as by the meditation on these heavenly & spiritual Considerations.

Wherefore I beseech you resolve it, and hold to it, to use more these kinds of Cordials when your Spirits droop in any Trouble: Why should ye rather choose to drink down the extracts of Farth, then of Heaven? of the Creature, then of God & Christ? Oh do not so; but labor to know, & understand these kinds of Consolations, and to acquaint yourselves better with them, and to make them more familiar with your spirits; and to grow into more assured perswasiō of your interst in them; Which that ye may do, ye must both obtain the holy Ghost, to reveal them to you (for he only knows them, as a man's spirit, doth the things of a man: 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. and ye must use that Faith, which is the evidence of things not seen: Heb. 11. 1. which Faith helps your Soul, as the prospective glass helps the eye, to see these heavenly things, which else are so far off, that the Soul cannot perceive them; and this act of Faith, which makes these heavenly things evident to you, will draw in your Soul unto an appropriation, and application of them.

It is a mistake to think, we may see them by true Faith, and not apply them to ourselves; or that we first apply them, and after that see them; No, No, the evidencing of them by true faith spiritually, will draw in the Soul to apply them; Every Man, & Creature on whom the Sun shines, takes in the blessing of his influence, for his share, as pertaining to him; The Apostle discribes that Faith which applies, & justifies, of which, he gives many instances, throughout the 11. Chap. to the Hebrews; he discribes that very Faith, to be an evidence of these things; Because, where there is such a seeing these things, the Heart is brought to embrace, and apply them; therefore he joins, the evidencing these things, & hope together; because this evidencing them will bring forth hope: and Vers. 13. the seeing them, and the being persuaded of them, and embracing, or saluteing them as their own; are conjoined, for they ever go together: because indeed; the holy Ghost never reveals them spiritually, and as they are, to any, but to them, who have bine chosen to them, and shall have a propriety in them: Yea, it is the same Grace, of true holy Faith, that makes them evident, and shows them to us; and that applies them to Justification; though it be a diverse act of the same Grace of Faith: yet it is the same Grace; For, what Faith can the Apostle describe Heb. 11. 1. but that Faith of which he speaks before Chap 10. 38. by which the Just live; and that which he exemplifies throughout the 11. Chap. both which are Justifiing Faith; Therefore it must be; that the Faith which Justifies, & Sanctifies; doth show evidently spiritual things to us, though by a several & distinct act from that by which it Justifies: Therefore, being the same Grace; when it hath shown us spiritual things, it will go on to draw us to apply them to ourselves; Wherefore, get, & exercise that act of Faith which makes ye see evidently heavenly Things; and this will make ye apply them, and draw Comfort from them.

Now in this Work; it is the Gospel; which sets the Objects, or the heavenly Things before us: Then the holy Ghost his Work; in convincing, or persuading of the reality of those Things to our Understandings; Is as the Light which shines on those Objects, and makes them visible: And Faith; by His Conviction or Perswasion, is as the prospective glass, which enables our understandings, to perceive the reality of them, which else it could not: Wherefore with this Light of the holy Ghost, and this prospective Glass of Faith; with your Spirits & Understandings; view in the Gospel again & again, the Things of Heaven, & of Christ; and thence fetch Comfort in every Distress.

Now to the end, ye may be helped to do thus: I shall in the following Observations open to you divers Things about Heaven, and our Glory there; which Christ revealed to His Disciples, in this Text: By doing of which: I shall set the Things before you: Which are able abundantly to Comfort your Hearts; But they will be as glorious sights in darkness, to them that cannot see; except ye obtain the holy Ghost, to shine on them, as the Sun, on Colours: And get that Act of Faith, which is the Evidence of Things not seen, to lift up, or enable your Souls Eye, the Understanding, to look on them: Which Favor I desire the Lord to afford you: And so I proceed.

THE Discription of HEAVEN, And the heavenly Condition of true BELEEVERS at the last: CHRIST Revealeth in this TEXT: Thus.

FIRST, It is Discribed by the Place it self; Heaven, is an House, so called in opposition to a Tent or Tabernacle, to show its Stability, and the Stability of their State who live in it: Wherefore, it is said to have Foundations Heb. 11. 9. more then one, many, and yet one gives Stability: And, 1. Pet. 1. 4. It is said to be Incorruptible, Undefiled, that fadeth not away: This Stability is for Ever, and without all Change: As appears both by the Time in which it was Created; In the Beginning: Gen. 1. 1. That is, in the First of all Time, and of all Creatures: Now all that God first made, He made Immortal, as the Angels, & Chaos & these Heavens: As also, by the Manner of God's making it, for he did not extract it out of other things, as he did all visible things, in this World, he made & drew them out of the Chaos: But he put them forth Immediately from himself, as he did the Chaos, the Angels, & Mans Soul: Now all that God Immediately puts forth, & makes of Nothing, is Immortal: Whereas, all other things return unto their first Principles.

SECONDLY, It is Described by Its Relation to God; It is God's House so called, Both because He made it: Heb. 11. 16. As also, because, He dwells in it; That is, in it, he puts forth His chiefest Glory, (as a Prince doth in his Palace, where he dwells, much more then in a Tent, or other part of his Kingdom) So that Its Glory, must be as much above any of this Worldly kingdoms; As God's utmost Power, Majesty, Wisdom, Riches, which he can put forth, are above man's.

THIRDLY. It is Discribed, by Its special Appropriation, to the First Person in Trinity, the Father: It is God the Fathers House; Both because he made it; For Creation being the first Work done on the Creature, is specially appropriated to the First Person the Father; Also, because it is to be His: The Sons and holy Ghosts being in this World and resigned at the last day, that God the Father may be All in All; (as He is First in the Motions about the Creature) 1. Cor. 15. 28. The Fathers People; That is, the Elect are to dwell there, and His Love in Election to be shown forth there: Therefore it is called The Fathers; Math. 13. 43. though yet the Son & holy Ghost are included in it.

FOURTHLY, It is Discribed, by Its special Relation to Christ, though it be God the Fathers House, yet He is Christ's Father, and so it is Christ his Inheritance, and Believers Inheritance; As 1. Pet. 1. 4. in that, They be One with Christ, Sons, & Heirs; Insomuch that these Disciples, had they loved him as they should, would be glad of his departure, since he went but to his Father; John. 14. 28.

FIFTLY, It is Discribed, by Its Capeablenes of Them, and so of All Believers (for He speaks to these Eleaven in the Names of All, as ye heard before) there are in it many Mansions: It were no Comfort, to hear of its Excellency, if it could not receive us, though God dwell there, yet the Creature also may; For He is now Emmanuel, God with Us: And many, not a few, (though Comparatively they be a Little Flock Luke. 12. 32.) and many for some, not for all, and that a set number, for it is Prepared for Believers, Heb. 11. 16. Therefore for so many as shall believe, and for no more: Now these their dwelling places are called Mansions, to express their abode in them, they be Sons with Christ, and shall abide in that House for Ever:

Now the Truth of all this Description of Heaven, is ratified by an Argument taken from Himself (If it were not so I would have told you) He was their Freind, came from Heaven to Reveale its Secrets, He is the faithful & true Witnes, therefore could not, but deal truly with thē.

Further, Heaven is Discribed in referrence to Believers; By the Means of their access & entrance into it, which is Christ: Who

First, Prepares a Place for them their; The Father prepares it: Math. 25. 34. Both by a Free choosing them to it, and their particular Portion or Place in it, before the World began: As also, by Creating it for them from the Foundation of the World: But Christ prepares it; By Meriting, & Bringing about their Fruition of it: Both by Removing Impediments: And Purchasing the Fathers Favor.

Now, Christ prepares a Place; By Going; (I go to prepare a Place) He came from Heaven to prepare a Place in Heaven; by His humiliation And then He went from Earth; To prepare a Place: Both by His dying To satisfy Justice for Sin; and to ratify the Promises: (Heb. 9. 15. to the end) And by His rising from Death, in that if He had been held under Death, He had not been quitt from our imputed guilt, nor could we have been, nor had he lived to bring us to Heaven; 1. Cor. 15. 14. 17. Rom. 4. 25. & 5. 10. Heb. 7. 25. Also by his Ascension, in that he thereby opened heaven door, which was before shut Heb. 9. 8. 12. & dispensed gifts to gather the Elect. Eph. 4. 8. 11. 12. Also by his Session at God's right Hand; where he pleads his Merits, which is called his making Intercession for us; Rom. 8. 34. and thence sends down the holy Ghost to do all in us, that is requisite to our meetenes for that place: And administers the World for our good: And possesseth the Heaven in our Name, and as our Head & Roote: So that Christ as a Meritorious cause, an Exemplary cause, and an Efficient cause, prepares a Place in Heaven for Believers by his going: And this is further.

Secondly, Amplified by his Consumation of this his Preparation: As he prepares a Place for them; So he will bring them into that Place: Which that he may do, being now gone, he must come again: Christ will come from Heaven, to fetch Believers unto Heaven; he will not send for them, but come for them; which makes their access to Heaven the more glorious, in that they shall be fetched thither by Christ; Which is done, both in regard of Himself, that he may have the Glory of judging the World, both Believers, and Unbeleevers; And in regard of them, because they are his body & spouse; and he will come to them therefore to marry them, and join them to Himself; this is another description of Heaven, by the manner of their Enterance into it, Even by Christ his glorious Comming from Heaven, to fetch them thither.

LASTLY, He further Amplifies it, by a Discription of the heavenly Place, by Its Communion with Him; They shall be taken to him, to be one with him, as the Body with the Head, the Spouse with the Husband, and they shall be where he is; That is, in the same Place, State, & Condition; Heavenly happiness, is a being one with Christ, and in his place, & state; John. 12. 26. Thus these Words are a Discription of Heaven, and the heavenly Condition of true Believers: And show us, That Christ is the Way, Truth, & Life, as John. 14. 6. [The Way,] For by Him they come, [The Truth,] For if every thing were not so, He would tell it; [The Life,] Not only as a Meritorious Cause; But as the Roote: Heavens Life, is in Him: Col. 3. 3. 4. A being taken to Him, and with Him.