(Library of €he Cheolo0ical Seminary PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY •3®i> PRESENTED BY John Hamilton SCB /6/3: V# /$. fCa*~^{&> ,' * .'. ... s IT^TXA^, HEART'S-EASE IN AHT-TM01 OR, A SOVEREIGN REMEDY AGAINST ALL TROUBLE OF HEART THAT Chrisfs Disciples are subject to y UNDER ALL KINDS OF AFFLICTIONS IN THIS LIFE. PRESCRIBED BY THE GREAT PHYSICIAN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH HATH NEVER FAILED THOSE THAT HAVE USED IT, OR EVER WILL, TO THE END OF THE WORLD. BY JOHN 'BUNYAN, Author of the "Pilgrim's Progrefs^Ioly War," &c. £?*c O the blessedness of all theWttiat trust in Him! The full soul loatheth the hotvey-comb ; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is svVfcct. Prov. xxvii. 7. PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY GEORGE W. MENTZ. NO. 71, RACE-STREET. 1812, J. Rakestraw, printer. AN EPISTLE TO THE TRULY LOWLY-HEARTED READERS, Who have learned of their dear Lord so to be, who himself will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Charitable Reader. CHARITY, which is the bond of per- fectness, and the greatest rarity now in the world, and in the church too, (the more is the pity) thou must put on, who readestthis, the plainest and most unpolished piece that ever thou sawest, (for the author never had skill in dressing) if thou meanest to profit any thing by it, which is the only thing, God knows, is aimed at by the author, who always prays and studies to speak and write, rather to men's hearts than ears. In hope of gaining thy charity, suffer me to give a short, but true account of the en- suing treatise, viz. I being about three years since, for some reasons, retired from my fa- mily and place of abode, and by sickness, and other things, confined ; during which time, many of my dear friends and relations IV AN EPISTLE in Christ were called home to their Father *s house ; whereupon I thought it my duty to write some lines to their surviving relations, as I was by them desired to do ; and after seeking God for counsel and assistance, I thought on this text spoken to in the follow- ing discourse ; (for it was not at the least in my thoughts ever to publish this, or any other, knowing my own inability.) I wrote; in my homely stile what thou wilt here find, (all except the title-page and the postscript,) calculating it to the capacities of the plainest Christians, to whom I then sent it, and with whom it lodged, until about six months, when it pleased the only wise God to bring me to a trial of my faith and patience. So deep a stroke it was, that I used all means for my support ; and it came into my mind, that such a thing I had written so long before, to help in such cases, and that several had found benefit by it ; I made enquiry after it, and at last found it ; and in reading of it, as the word of God, and begging God's blessing on it, I found much relief and comfort there- by, (all praise and thanks to God*) and thereupon had some small inclination to communicate the same to others ; and after many strugglings and reluctancies in myself* * 2 Cor. i. 4, 5. TO THE READER, V and with prayers and tears, I besought the Lord to direct me : at last I considered, I must shortly put off this my earthly tabernacle, and having for many years been laid aside like a broken vessel of no use, and compassed with many bodily in- firmities, I was willing to leave behind me a little scrap of my labours to my children and friends, to put them in mind of what I had taught them for above thirty years toge- ther ; that they might be fortified against all the troubles of this life, and by faith in God and Christ, hold fast, and not lose their crown. But why so mean a thing as this among the learned labours of so many eminent wri- ters on the like subject? I answer, that our Lord took special no- tice of the widow's mite ;* and he will not despise the day of small things. f But what can you aim at ? may be said. Ansxv. Not applause, to be sure, being conscious of my own weakness ; nor profit or gain, expecting but acceptance : but this, God and my conscience bear me witness, this is my aim, my most humble and fervent prayer, that some of Christ's poor little flock, (my children, and others'," whose souls are * Mark xii. 43, 44, f Zech. iv. 10, A2 VI AN EPISTLE precious to me, and whom I dearly love in the Lord) may receive some advantage ; and chiefly, that God may have all the glory, who hath chosen the weak things of the world, &c. and who accepts the will for the deed, &c. Such as will not make use of it, let them do better, and I shall be glad. None may be afraid to buy or read it, for there is not a word of the state or church- matters in it ; I daily pray for the prosperity of both, but think it not my duty to meddle with either, but in subjection. Two requests I have to thee, loving rea- der : 1. Pray for a blessing upon as much as you find to be the express will of God. 2. Pray for me, that I may more and more find and feel the life and power of those, and all the truths of God in mine own heart, and may express more of the life and faith in my whole conversation ; and I will also pray for thee, that thou mayest find as much (and much more) benefit in reading this, as I have in composing and perusing it; all praise to the God of all grace. If you find some passages (in your opinion) too often repeated, be not offended, till you find them too powerful on your hearts. Thus committing this poor essay to the blessing of him who is the Father of-xner- TO THE READER. Vli cies, and can teach us to profit by his word and rod, and thyself to his love and favour in Jesus Christ; in him I remain for thy soul's good, Thy hurnbk Servant, J, B. From the House of my Pilgrimage, March, 1690. KEJUITSEASE IN HEART-TROUBLE. Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me, fjfobn xiv. 1, 2, 3. THESE words are a part of our blessed Saviour's last sermon upon earth, just before his passion, which begins (as is probable) at the 13th verse of the xiiith chapter of this gospel, and ends at the last verse of the xvith chapter ; in which verse our Lord tells his disciples, (how dear soever they were to him, yet) in the xvorld theij should have persecu- tion^ tribulation ; of which he had often told them before in effect jj* that they should not expect their heaven here, but his cross they must bear if they would wear his crown : tribulations of all kinds, outward and inward you must endure : it is your portion here, you are thereunto appointed.! Man is na- turally born to trouble, as the sparks natu- rally fly upwards ; and new born to trouble * Matt. xvi. 24. 1 1 Thess. iii. 3. Job xiy. 1. Matt. x, 22, 23, 10 also, and commonly to new and more trou- bles. All that will live godly in Christ Je- sus, shall suffer persecution ,•* of hand, or tongue, one way or other. Indeed, such as can be content with a profession of a godli- ness that may suit with the times ; that can please themselves with any kind of godli- ness, or with a form, any form of godliness, and that can change their forms when they please, such may avoid persecution : But all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, in the power and spirit of Christ Jesus, and resolve to live up to the example and rule of Christ Jesus, they shall have persecution, no avoid- ing of it. No entering into the kingdom of God but by tribulation. But notwithstand- ing this, our Lord lays this positive com- mand on his disciples ; let not your hearts be troubled* These poor disciples were likely shortly to sustain an heavy loss of their dearest Lord ; he was now a going away from them; a greater loss they could not have : and yet, saith Christ, Let not your hearts be troubled ; which command is repeated and explained in verse 27, Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. What ! might they say, must we not be troubled at all ? Must nothing trouble us 1 * Acts xiv. 22. 2 Tim. iii. 18. 11 No, we must not be troubled for any outward loss, for any outward tribulation, for parting with the nearest and dearest relation, we must not be troubled. Yet we are not forbidden- to be troubled for Zion ? It is a grievous sin, not to be grieved for the afflictions of Jo- seph ?* Surely, we must be troubled for God's dishonour, because men break God^s commandments.] Trouble of heart, except for sin, is sinful trouble. Where sin lies heavy, affliction lieth light. They shall not ! say, I am sick; for their iniquities shall be \ forgiven them.\ Sense of pardon to those ; souls that felt the burthen of sin, much alle- , viates and lightens the burthen of affliction. " Strike, Lord, (said Luther) now I am ab- i solved from my sin." We are always too prone to fall into ex- | tremes, to sin either in excess or in defect, too much, or too little ; we are faulty both ways. As for sin, which is the worst of evils, we are apt to be troubled too little, How few fail here in the excess, though it is possible so to do ; and some have, that refuse ; to be comforted by ail the sweet promises of > Christ in the gospel : but here there are but few of those ; most of us fail in the defect, * Amos vi. 6. . t p 9aU c'xix. $$, f$6 \ Isa. xxxiii. 24. 12 We are not troubled for sin as much as we should ; our sins do not lie so hard and hea- vy upon us as they should ; our hearts do seldom feel the weight of sin pressing us down ;* many sins lie light on us ; our vain thoughts, .our omissions, careless perform- ance of holy duties, mis-spending precious time, idle talk, &c* and such-like evils, which should trouble us most, they trouble us least. But afflictions, which comparatively are but light,f lie too heavy upon us, and press us down even to the dust. So in respect of afflictions themselves, we are apt to run into extremes, against which the Holy Ghost gives us a caution as to both extremes. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord / neither be weary of fits chastisement ;\ the apostle explains it, Neither faint when, thou art corrected of him: Adding a most powerful argument against those extremes, For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, even os a father the son, in whom he delighteth ; and therefore despise not his chastisements, and fatherly corrections ; slight them not, for they come from a loving Father, a wis3 Father, and should not be despise*! by tt|s * Psal. xxxviii. 3, 4. fS.Cor.b % Heb. xii. 5, 6. 13 children, they are the fruits of his love : al= so, you must not be weary of them, nor faint under them, for the same reason, viz. be- cause they shall not hurt you, they flow from your Fathers love ; from a Father they come, who delighteth in you, and therefore ye ought not to faint under them ; or, as it is in the text, Whatever affliction befals you, let not your hearts be troubled. It is heart-trouble you see, that is here forbidden ; not a filial sense of God's han&!, nor a child-like acknowledgment of God's rod: God's rod hath a voice, and its voice must be heard.* When his hand is lifted upf to strike, to lay on any blows on us, or any of cur relations, or earthly comforts, we must observe it, and Him, and acknowledge the same : but, not to acknowledge, and ob- serve the hand of God ; not to consider in the day of adversity,± not to humble ourselves under his mighty hand$ not to stoop and yield to God, but to think, or say, of our af- fliction, that it cannot be helped, there is no remedy, it is common and ordinary, and the like ; this is to despise the chastening of the Lord ; take heed of this. But yet we must take heed too, that under the pretence of be- •Mich. \\ 9. f Isaiah xxvi. 11, 16. \ Eccles. vii. 13, 14. $ James iv. 9, 10. B 14 ing sensible of the hand of God, and of his strokes upon us, that we do not fall into the other extreme, of being weary of his chas- tisements, and of despondency, and fainting under his corrections, we must be careful that we do not let cur hearts be troubled. ^iiest. But is it possible that we should be afflicted, deprived of liberty, of estate, of loving relations, of the desire of our eyes,* and of the delight of our hearts,f (for such in a most eminent manner was Jesus Christ to his disciples. He was the desire of all nations^) and not be troubled at our very hearts ? Can we behold our Benjamins, our Sarahs, our Rebeccas, our Josephs, &c. taken away, our dear husbands, or loving, faithful, tender wives snatched away from us with a stroke, with a sudden stroke, to be in a moment deprived of such comforts, and in such a time too, in an evil time, in a sad and suffering time, when such helpers' would sweeten our sufferings, and help to bear our burthens, would give us sweet counsel, and uphold us in the way to God ? What, is it possible such knots should be untied, and so suddenly; such flowers cropped oft', cut down; such sweet friends removed from us, as lay * Ezek. xxiv. 16. f John vi. 68. \ Haggai. ii. 7. 1J once in our bosoms, and sent to the cham- bers of dirkness, scaled up in the dust, made silent in the grave, to see their sweet faces no more, till the heavens be no more ? Is it pos- sible, I say, in such cases, not to be trou- bled ? Or, if it be possible, is it necessary, or is it attainable ? May we arrive to such a temper, may we get such a calm, quiet, tranquil, and submissive frame of spirit ? It is admirable : but is it attainable ? I answer, we must not despise the chasten- ing of the Lord, as was noted before ; we muse not be as stocks or stones, altogether insensible of the hand of God upon us : No, we must be sensible we must lay those things to our hearts, and consider the work of God i* such losses, and of such are to be la- mented,! thev will be found wanting ; their relations will find them wanting ; their fami- lies will find them wanting ; the poor will find them wanting ; and the church also. David laments the loss of Jonathan ;\ and the disciples the loss of Lazarus. Lawful it is then, to be affected with the deaths and departures of our dear relations and friends, and moderately to mourn for them ; but our care must be, that we surfer not nature to * Eccles. vii. 2. f La. Ivii. 1, £ Sam. xix. 4. 16 work alone without grace ; for then it will soon go beyond its bounds : nature must be restrained and bounded. It is moderate mourning that is lawful. Mourn we may, But not as those that have no hope,* for those that sleep in Jesus, they being safe and hap- py: for, Ifivc believe that Jesus died, and rose again ; even so they that sleep in Jesus, zvill God bring' with him. Troubled we cannot ehuse but be in such cases, and under such strokes ; but we must not let our hearts be troubled, saith our Lord. And what this im- ports, you shall see by and by. It is trouble of heart, that is here forbidden : but, what is it, that will prevent or cure this heart-trou- ble ? Our Saviour answers in the next words ; Te believe in God, believe also in me ; In my Father's house are many mansions, &c. In which we may observe these parts, viz. 1. An evil disease, or spiritual distemper intimated and prohibited, to which the disci- ples of Christ are incident and prone in times of affliction ; and that is, trouble of heart* This may seize you, but take heed of it, la- bour against it. As if the Lord had said, I know it will be a cutting, a killing thing to you, to part with me, )^our dear and loving Lord and Master ; but part with me you * 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. 17 must; and take heed of this indecent distem per of heart-trouble : Let not your hearts be troubled, saith our Lord Jesus. 2. The best preventive of, or remedy for, .this spiritual distemper proposed and enjoin- ed : Te believe in God believe also in me. As if our Lord had said, Surely you believe in God, why then are your hearts troubled l Cannot your faith in God support you, if you act: it upon him ? But if that cannot, then act your faith also on me : Believe also in me. Set your faith on work on me. Believe, that I iove you, that when I leave you, I will not leave you comfortless : / will send the Com- jorter unto you, end he shall abide zvith you for ever* Therefore, let not your hearts be •troubled. Believe in me; I must leave you, ana I and you must part; but, believe where I am going, and let the consideration of that quiet you, and comfort you : In my Father's house are many mansions,] There is a bet- ter, a far better condition for you above, than that you are in here ; for, here you are toss- ed up and down from place to place, and are txposed to many straights. I myself here on earth, have not an house wherein to lay nay head ; but in my Fathers house are many mansions. There is an house above, * John xiv. 16, 17. t Matt, viii. 20, B 2 18 not made with hands, eternal hi the heavens.* When once you come thither, you shall re- move no more ; there are many mansions, room enough for you all, and for the innu- merable company of angels and saints : therefore, Believe in me ; for, these things are most true that I tell you. And believe also, That I go to prepare a place for you : I go to take possession of those celestial mansions, of those everlasting habitations for you, in your name and stead : while you are here on earth, I shall prepare you for those mansions ; and when I go from you, I will prepare them for you : therefore, to prevent those heart-troubles which you are subject to because of my departure from you, and to fortify you against them, (for £ am solicitous for you ;) this is the remedy- that I propose to you, and enjoin you to practise ; that, seeing you believe in God, be- lieve also in me. Act your faith on me. From which words thus explained, £ com- mend to your Christian consideration this gospel doctrine, viz. * 2. Cor. v. J. 19 DOCTRINE. That the lively acting of true faith upon God and Christ, or upon God in Christ, is the best preven- tive of, and remedy against heart-trouble, under the greatest loss whatsoever: or, — Faith acted on God in Christ, is the sovereign cure of heart-trouble. Our Lord Jesus is very tender over his poor disciples ; and having foretold them ot the hard usage, and bad entertainment they should meet with in the world, losses and crosses, tribulations and persecutions ; he nov. leaves with them some antidotes against distempers of mind ; some cordials against those iaintings of spirit, and troubles of heart, to which he knew they, being flesh and blood, were subject : and this in the text, is chief and principal : Let not your hearts; be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. This your faith will be your best reme- dy, your best cure. Poor believers are but princes in disguise here in this world :# princes they are, Christ hath made them all so ; but while here be- low, they are in a foreign land, under a veil. It doth not yet appear -what they shall be.} They have a large patrimony, but it lies in- deed in a land unknown to the world, it is in Pet. ii. 9. Rev. i. 6. f 1 John iii. % 20 terra incognita, if the expression can be borne. The holy, the great God himself is their portion, their heritage ; God is their sure, their full, their lasting, their everlasting portion.* They are heirs of a kingdom.\ Heirs of salvation. \ Heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ >§ Yea, all things of this world are thcirs.%* All things are blessed and sanctified to them, and shall conduce to their spiritual and eternal welfare. f\ Yet not- withstanding all this, and although heaven and earth is the reward of godliness, and through the merits of Christ (as it were) the right of those that profess it, in the power of it; ( Godliness having the promise of this life, and of that which is to come ;)\\ and, notwithstanding believers have a true title to all the good of both worlds ; yet may those poor (but blessed) saints be exposed to man- ifold temptations and tribulations in this world; they may have a dark, and sad, and stormy way of it to their Father's house ; they may be stripped of all their earthly com- forts, may be deprived of their liberty, es- tate, nearest friends and relations, as we read in Scripture, that such hath been the portion * Deut. xxxii. 9. f Psal. cxix. 59. Lam. iii. 24. % James ii. 5. $ Heb. ii. 18. ** Rom. viii. 4, 7 M Cor. iii. 28. # lTim.fr. & of the best saints : and upon this trie people of God have been dejected and disquieted, they have desponded, their hearts have been troubled, and have thereby displeased their heavenly Father, who has declared, that all things shall work together for their good. Now, our Lord, in this text, forbids this distemper of the mind, and would not have his disciples, who had God for their Father, and himself for their Redeemer, and who had a title to such happiness in the other world, to despond, and to be disquieted ; therefore he lays this charge on them, Let not your hearts be troubled : adding the pro- per means to prevent this sinful malady of heart-trouble, that it might not seize on them; or, if it had, to cure them of it, viz. Te be- lieve in God, believe also in me. The lively acting of true faith upon God in Christ, is the best preventive of, and rem- edy against heart-trouble, under the greatest loss whatsoever. Which proposition I shall prosecute, by the assistance of God's spirit, and according to the measure of light and grace I have received, after this manner and method following : First, by way of demonstration. Secondly, Of confirmation. And then to apply, and make an improvement of it for our use. -22 1. By way of demonstration. Endeavour- ing to shew, I. That God's choicest saints are in this world subject to all kinds of troubles, losses, and afflictions ; and whence it is, and why so. II. That under those losses and afflictions, they are subject to despond, to be dejected, and to be troubled in their hearts. III. What this heart-trouble is, that Christ forbids here. IV. How that believing in God and Christ, is the best means to prevent and cure this heart-trouble. I. That God's choicest saints are liable to« all kinds of troubles, losses, and afflictions ; even the greatest, heaviest, and sorest ; as we read of job, David, and others. God had one Son without sin, but no Son without suffering. His only-begotten Son was a man of sorrows;* and the Holy Ghost assures us, that if ye be without chastening, •whereof all are partakers* then ye are bast tarefs, and not sons, Heb. viii. 12. God's children are liable to sufferings, whether we consider them as men, or as Christians : as men ; Man that is born of a woman, is full of trouble,] As our relations * Isa. liii. f Job xiv. 1. 23 and comforts increase, so do the occasions of trouble. God never appointed this world to be the place of man's rest,* but of our ex- ercise, and only a passage to another world : and in this our passage we must look for storms and tempests : if we can through mercy obtain a tolerable passage through this world, and a comfortable passage out of it, into that better above, we shall have cause to bless the Lord to all eternity. And much more as Christians must we expect troubles ; for a man is no sooner brought home to God, but he must expect to be hated bv the world,f assaulted by Sa- tan, chastened by the Lord ; our own corrupt ^earts will tx often vexing us ; the old man, the flesh, thwarting all the motions of the new nature, lusting against the spirit.! The lusts of the flesh will be as pricks in our eyes, and as thorns in our sides : we shall have enemies in uiir own houses. lim tiiis truth is so manifest in all the Scrip;uicb, that I shall insist no longer on it, only siiaii add this by way of use ; let all Christians prepare for aliliction, by getting an interest in God through Christ ; by get- ting sin pardoned and purged ; by getting * Gen. xlvii. 9. -f John xv. 19. Luke xxii. 13. Gal. v. 17. 24 peace with God and conscience ; by getting our hearts crucified to the world ; and then when troubles come, let us bear them as Christians,* not murmur and repine, but in patience possess our souls ;f not desponding* nor fainting ; remembering, that our troubles are no more, but infinitely less than we have deserved. £ He will not lay upon man more than right.§ God perfectly understands our need, and knows our strength. If need be, ye are in heaviness.** He is faithful who will not suffer you to be templed above that ye are able to bear. It is the wise, just, and gracious God, and our Father that tempers our cup for us. Many earthly parents do not correct their children in measure, being ignorant of their nature and disposition ; and therefore their correction doth them no good. Many physicians mistake the consti- tutions of their patients, and therefore may do them more hurt than good : but God knows our need, and our strength, and so suits all his remedies accordingly ; therefore let us be patient, bearing our troubles with an equal mind, not suffering as per force, but willingly. It is said, Dan. iii. 28. that they yielded their bodies ; that is, cheerfully, to the * 1 Pet. iv. 16. f Luke xxi. 19. | Ezra ix. 13. $ Job xxxiv. 13. ** 1 Cor. x. 13. 25 Jire. In our affliction let us search our hearts, and try our ways ;* let us fly to him by prayer,f and resign up ourselves to him, and trust in him, casting our cares and bur- thens on him4 Moreover, it is our wisdom, that while we are at ease, and have our comforts about us, let us look for troubles ; afflictions from God, as well as for God, are part of our cross which we must take up daily. Sickness, death of friends, loss of estate, &c. we must look for them, that we may not be sursprised. He that buildeth an house, or a ship, doth not make this his chief work and care, that it should not rain upon it ; or that it should have no storms or tempests ; for this cannot be prevented by any care of ours, but that the house or ship may be made able to endure all without prejudice. So must it be our care, to provide for afflictions ; for to pre- vent them altogether, we cannot ; but pre- pare for them we may, and must, as was hinted before ; to treasure up God's promi- ses, and store our souls with graces, and spiritual comforts, and firm resolutions in God's strength, to bear up, and hold on : * Lam. iii. 40. f 1 James v. 13. J Matt xvi 24, Luke ix. 23. Psai. lv. 22. 1 Pet v. 7, c 26 We had need be well shod with the prepa- ration of the gospel of peace.* Most Christians are not mortified and crucified to the world, not acquainted with God and the promise, as they ought to be, nor so resolved to follow God fully as they ought, and therefore are so dejected and dis- contented when affliction comes: O! that we did count the cost, when we first begin to make profession of Christ ; and that we had such full persuasion of incomparable worth and excellency of the Lord Jesus, as that we could willingly part with all things for his sake ! O ! that we had such believing apprehensions of the wisdom, faithfulness, righteousness, and mercy of God ; such sights of his reconciled face, and such tastes oi his fatherly love to us in Christ, as that we eoulcl quietly submit to his holy will, and be well satisfied with all his dispensations towards us. So much for this first particu- lar. II. The disciples of Christ, under the af- flictions which they meet with in this world, are apt to be troubled in their hearts, to be disquieted in their minds, to be dejected and discouraged. It was so with holy David, Psal. xliii. 5. Why art thou cast dowrij *Eph.vU5. 27 mi) soul I Why art thou disquieted within me i He was sensible of his afflictions, and that disquieted him, and cast him down. God's people are subject to disquietments, because they are flesh and blood, subject to the same passions,* made of the same mould, subject to the same impressions from without as other men, and their natures are upheld with- the same supports and refreshments as others, the withdrawing and want of which, affecteth them as well as others. And be- sides those troubles they suffer in common with others, by reason of their being called out of the world the world hates them,f and are therefore more exposed to tribulation than others, and are apt to be cast down, and discouraged : "this our Lord foresaw would befal his disciples after his departure from them; and therefore he counsels them against the same, let not your hearts be troubled. ®iiest. But it may be demanded, whence ariseth this heart-trouble, and disquietment of mind, under afflictions ? Ansxv. There are many causes of it, which is necessary for us to know, that so knowing the causes, we may the better find the cure. There are outward and inward causes. * James v. IT. t John xv, 19, 28 First, Outward causes. And the first may be God himself. He sometimes with- draws the beams of his countenance; with- holds the sense of his love, hideth his face from his children, # (which the saints in scrip,- ture so bitterly complain of, and so earnestly pray against) whereupon the souls, even of the strongest Christians are disquieted. This caused trouble to the soul of Jesus Christ himself. f When a poor child of God, together with his affliction, apprehends God to be his enemy, and that his troubles are mixed with God's displeasure ; and it may be his conscience tells him, that God hath a just quarrel against him,:): because he hath not walked so holilv, so humbly, so evenly, and so strictly with God as he might, had he been more watchful, careful, and circum- spect ; and that he hath not renewed his peace with God as he should and might have done ; and this sense of God's displea- sure, puts a sting into all his afflictions, and this causeth trouble of heart, and disquiet- ment of mind, and justly may such a soul be troubled, that hath ever felt the joys of God's salvation $ the sweet influences of his * Isa. xlv. 15. Job xxxiv. 29. | J ohn x »- 2 ^. Psal . xiii. 6. Ibid xxxvii. 9. Ibid xxx. 7. Ibid lxix. 17, ^u | Psal. xxxviii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. § Psal. li. 12. 2i> io\e 7 that hath tasted that the Lord is gra- cious,^ seeing" that in his favour is life, and his loving-kindness is better than life itself, Psal. xxx. 5. lxiii. 3. Secondli/, The devil is the cause sometimes of the heart-trouble of God's children. For he being a cursed spirit, cast out of heaven, full of disquietment himself, labours all he can to trouble and disquiet others ; to bring others (as much as in him lies) into the same cursed condition with himself: He being cast out of paradise himself, envies us the paradise of a good and quiet conscience ; for that is our paradise until we come to hea- ven: And this paradise a poor child of God may possess in a prison, in a dungeon, on a dunghill. Two main designs the devil hath upon men ; the one is, if possibly, by all imagina- ble sleights, temptations and inticements, he may keep men in a course of ungodliness, to hinder them from coming to Christ by faith and repentance, to deter them from his holy ways. And when he cannot prosper in this, but that unsearchable rich and free-grace takes hold of some poor souls, and they are snatched out of his hands, their captivity led captive by that mighty Redeemer ; then all * Psal. xxxiv. 8. c :; 30 the devil's is, to hinder their comfort, and to interrupt their peace, and to make their way to heaven as hard and uncomfortable to them as possible, pursuing them with all dejecting and heart-troubling temptations. Thirdly, Wicked men are also active in the troubling of God's people ; they are, in- deed the true troublers of God's Israel. They load God's people with reproaches : and there is nothing that the nature of man is more impatient of, than reproaches ; for there is no man so mean, but thinks himself worthy of some respect : now a reproachful scorn shews an utter disrespect of a man, which flows from the very superfluity of malice. Reproach hath broken my hearty saith David, Psal. xcvi. 20. And nothing more doth he complain of than reproach ; and nothing more are God's people liable to than this. These are the causes from with- out. Secondly, There are also inward causes of heart-trouble and despondency : When God's people are in affliction, most times that black cloud of melancholy also surrounds them, and darkness makes men fearful and dejected. There are many causes within ourselves ; as, ignorance of God and of Christ, of the 31 covenant of grace, of the name of God ;* They that know God's name, will trust in him, and not he dejected.f Also, forgetful- ness of God, and of what he hath done for us. We forget God, when we are afraid of men4 Our over-looking, and passing hy the many comforts we enjoy, even while we are under affliction ; taking little notice of our mercies, but let them be all swallowed up in our miseries ; as Abraham, because he had no heir ;§ and Rachel, who said, give me children, or I die:** though she had all other earthly comforts, yet the want of this one so troubled her, that all the rest seemed noth- ing. It is an evil thing for us to be wedded to our own wills. None more subject to dis- content, than those who would have all things- after their own way, and are mere strangers to self-denial. Likewise false apprehensions of things, cause heart-trouble ; to think God hates us, because he corrects us ; and when he takes from us, that it is all in wrath. Another common cause is our own watch- lessness and carelessness, our neglect of keep- ing our heartsff and consciences pure and clean ; and in time of affliction, these former neglects of duty come to our minds ; then •Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. f Psal. ix. 10. } Isaiahli. 12, 13. » Gen. xv. 2. *• Ibid xx. 1. ft Prov. i v-23. 32 conscience awakes, and tells us our former faults, and this brings trouble of heart.* Moreover, unnecessary scruples cause dis- qv tness, solitariness, idleness: when per- se will not do what is ntedful, they are troubled with that which is needless ; and idkness tempts the devil to tempt us and trouble us : if we cannot find work for our- selves, th^ devil will make work for us. Also when we are guilty of neglecting do- ing good to others, as to our relations, not reproving, admonishing, or encouraging them as we ought, or have neglected to re- ceive that good from them that we might ; but now they are dead and gone, and we can no more do any good to them, nor receive any from them ; this hath troubled many on their sick and death-beds. j: Inconstancy, wavering in the ways of God, will also breed disquiet. And our inordi- nate love of crtature-comforts, our setting our hearts on friends, estates, and the like, letting out our hearts on husbands, wives, children, &c. This is to build castles in the air, expecting contentment in and from those things than cannot yield it. Also, multitude of worldly business, and too much poring on our afflictions, and fore- * 1 Kings xvii. IS, | Gal. vi. ty>. 33 casting the events of things. You see what a crowd of causes here be within ourselves of disquiet and heart-trouble. The third particular proposed, is, what is this heart-trouble which Christ here forbids his people, and that he would fortify them. against ? Anszu. This heart-trouble is such a sense of evils felt or feared, as creates to us heart- disquietment, dejection, despondency, de- priving us of that tranquillity, peace and com- fort which we had in ourselves, or otherwise might have. It is such a disturbance of our passions, such a storm and tempest in our spirits, as causeth inward motions, emotions and commotions of mind, putting all things in the soul out of order ; and it carries in it several evil things, as follow : First, Sinful sorrow, worldly sorrow. When Christ had told his disciples that he would leave them ; and that alter he was gone they should be exposed to hard and heavy things from the world, bitter persecu- tion for his name-sake ; then sorrow filled their hearts, John xvi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. God's own servants, Christ's own disci- ples may have their hearts filled with sorrow ; against this our Lord commands many pre- servatives in this sermon. The ground of this sorrow is from ourselves, from our own 34 hearts, though Satan will have a hand in it, and it comes not from humility, but from pride ; because we cannot have our wills, tht refore wc are discontented. We may- thank ourselves not only for our troubles, but for our over much troubling of ourselves in our troubles. If we ward and guard against this worldly sorrow, our troubles would not lie so heavy on us as they do ;* for as the joy of the Lord doth raise and strengthen the soul, so doth sorrow deject and weaken it ; sorrow and grief doth lie like lead to the heart, cold and heavy, and sinks it downward still: sorrow contracteth and draweth the* soul into itself, from that communion and comfort it might have with God and man \ and it weakeneth the execution of the offices of it, because it drinketh up the spirits, it melteth the soul,f it causeth it to drop away. Yea, in this kind of heart-trouble, God's own people are many times more excessive than others. 1. Because many times their burthens are greater, their temptations, desertions, trou- ble for sin greater; as their joys are unspeak- able and glorious, so their sorrows are some- times above expression. Common natural courage will carry a man through other * Nehem. y'in. 10. f Fsal. cvii. 26. J5 single afflictions : but sin is a heavier burth- en than affliction, and the wrath of God, than the wrath of man. 2. They have a greater sense than others, their hearts being made tender by religion; they have also a clearer judgment than others and see more into the nature of things than others : they see a greater evil in sin, and in the displeasure of God than others : they va- lue God's favour more than others ; there- fore when he hides his face, they cannot but be troubled. They observe more of the dis- pleasure of God in afflictive providences than others do, and therefore they have more sor- row. 3. They have more tender affections than others, the new heart is a soft heart : A. stamp is sooner set upon wax than upon a stone. * A wicked man hath more cause to be troubled than a godlv man ; but he is not a man of that tenderness and sens--, and therefore is not so affcted, either with God's dealings with him, or with his dealings with God. Thus we find often in scripture good souls depressed with sorrow. David said, he was like a skin bottle in the smoke, all wrinkled and dried up. Read PsaL xxxviii. and *PsaJ. cii. 3. Ibid xxxii. 4. Job xxx, 30, Lam. v. xxxix. 11. When thou xvlth rebukes dost correct man for sin, (that is, by sickness, death of relations, and other losses) thou makest his beauty (that is of his outward man) to consume away like a moth ; where- as the beauty of the soul grows fair by af- fliction, but that of the body is blasted. Age, sickness, losses will make the beauty of the body to fade, but that of the soul to shine, 2 Cor. iv. 14. Though our ouiward man doth decay and perish, our inward man is renexved day by day. But for world- ly sorrow ; that, too often, not only weaken- eth the body, but also causeth heart-trouble. A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones, Prov. xvii. 22. Quest. But is this worldly sorrow lawful and commendable ? Answ. No surely; for there are many evils in it, which we should avoid. As, First, Impatience and murmuring against God ; that is an effect of immoderate sor- row ; when our wills are crossed, we can- not bear it, for want of self-denial. Secondly, Quarrelling at instruments. Thirdly, Usingi ndirect means for our re- lief. It is better to pine awav in our afflic- tions than to be freed from them by signing* Fourthly, Desponding and distrustful thoughts of God. Is his mercy clean gone ? Will he he favourable no more $ Psal. lxxvii. Fifthly, Questioning our interest in God, merely because of the affliction upon us.* Judges vi. 15. If God be with as, why is all this befallen us f Not considering, how hard soever God dealeth with his people, yet he loveth them, Heb. xii. 6. Sixthly, Sometimes atheistical thoughts do arise, as if there were no God, no provi- dence; as if it were in vain to serve the Lord.f Seventhly, This worldly sorrow indispo- seth to all good duties ; it makes a man like an instrument out of tune, or a bone out of joint ; which makes the body move both un- comely and painfully : It unfits for duty to God and man. Eighthly, It makes a man forget former mercies, and overlook present mercies ; all is nothing under present sufferings. Give me children, or else I die. Ninthly, It makes us unfit to receive mer- cies, and to embrace the best counsels ; such plaisters will not stick, they refuse to be comforted, Psal, lxxvii. 2. * Rev. iit. 19, t Psal. 1'xxiii. T3. 38 Tenthiif) It disposeth us to receive any temptation : Satan hath never more advan- tage than upon discontent. Eleventhly, It hinders beginners from coming into the ways of God. Twelfthly, It rejoiceth and hardeneth the wicked, and it grieves and damps the spirits of our friends. All these and many more evils, are in worldly sorrow. Therefore, this evil tempter we must labour against, and not suffer ourselves to be dejected in sickness, contempt in the world, loss of friends and relations, loss of honour, and earthly interest : may we only think to be exempted from chastisements, whereof all God's children are partakers?* And must God make a new way to heaven for us ? Or do we think it best for us to live here for ever, in ease and plenty, and honour, and never see a change ? No surely, it is in vain to think so: it becometh us betimes, to prepare for crosses. None so strong, lively and brisk now, but they shall shortly wither and decay. None hold their heads so high now, but they must shortly lay them down in the dust. We, and our dearest relations must part. It would be our wisdom, to turn the stream of our sorrow for losses and crosses, • Heb. xii. 10. 39 into Godly sorrow for sin, then it will run in its right channel. Let our sins lie heavy upon us, and then our afflictions will lie light : let us grow weary of our sins, not of our sufferings.* God doth not afflict wil- lingly, nor grieve the children of men,] Let us consider also, the real spiritual benefit of afflictions : God aims at our profit \\ and in good time, in the best time he will send de- liverance. And be sure, those that are not unmindful of their duty, God will not be un- mindful of their safety. But that which should mostly affect us, and make us take heed of immoderate world- ly sorrow, is, to consider, that this kind of sorrow of heart, is God's curse, imprecated on God's enemies ; Lam. iii. 65. Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse. As Godly sorrow is God's blessing, a grace of God's spirit, a fruit of the covenant of grace, and a fruit of faith ;§ so worldly sorrow is God's curse, and a bitter fruit of unbelief. They that sorrow for sin shall be comforted :** but they that mourn immoderately for outward losses, there shall be none to comfort them. This is the first piece of heart-trouble which * Matt. xi. 28. f Prov. »»• U. Lam - »"• 53 - \ Heb. xii. 10. i Ezek. xxxvi 31. Zech. xii. 10. •• Matt. v. 4. 40 Jesus Christ hath forbidden. Let not your hearts be troubled; that is, not filled, and overcome with worldly sorrow : whatever your losses and crosses be, let not your sor- row go beyond its lawful bounds j take heed, let not your hearts be troubled. Secondly, Another piece of heart-trouble, is, sinful fear* And against this distemper also Christ counselleth his disciples ; Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid^ yer. 27. As if he had said, let not that dis- temper of base slavish fear, seize your hearts. This fear is a passion, or rather a perturba- tion of mind, whereby, upon the sense of ap- proaching evils, the mind is discomposed and disordered, and the heart troubled and dejected. This fear is a tyrant where it comes, and it tyrannizes where it prevails : as Job iv. 14, 15. We read how it prevailed over that famous believer, the father of believers, Abraham, to his prejudice, and to the dis- credit of his religion ; who, through fear de- nied his wife once and again, Gen. xii. and Gen. xx. And good Isaac was taken in the same fault, Gen. xxvi. This fear troubles mens' peace, and disquiets their minds, that they are said sometimes to be like the leaves of the forest ; and this fear is often forbidden 41 to Abraham, Gen. xv. 1. and to Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 24. And when Israel was in the great- est dangers that ever men were, they were forbid to fear, Exod. xiv. 13. Is a. viii. 12. chap. xli. 10. And in the New Testament, our Lord strongly cautions against this fear, Lake xii. 4, 32. Rev. ii. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Slavish fear troubles the heart more than any thing. Object. But may we not fear God's judg- ments ? Did not good Josiah tremble at them ? And did not holy David say, in Psak cxix. 120, I am afraid of thy judgments. Anszv. Doubtless, it is our dutv so to do : when we see the same sins abound, for which God hath executed his judgments in former times, we ought to lay them to heart, and to be afFected, Jer. vii. 12. chap. iii. 7, 8, 9, 10. Luke xv'ri. 26, &c. Remember Lot's rvife, said our Lord. So, 1 Cor. x. 2 Pet. ii. 9. Rom. i. 18. Dan. ix. 5. Zeph. iii. 6, 7, a re- markable Scripture. Although it went well with Nehemiah himself, yet he had a sad resentment of the state of Jerusalem, Nefu i- God's people have tender hearts. Wick- ed men have hearts of stone ; when God smites them, they are not grieved, Jer. v. 3* But we must distinguish of fear. 1)2 4a First, There is a natural lawful fear, when evils are approaching to our bodies, or names, or friends, or the like, dangers are apparent, it is natural to fear. This was in the best men in the world ; it was in Christ himself, Mark xii. 14, 15. Also it is said, He feared, and xvas sore amazed, Mark xiv. 33, vet without sin. Secondly, There is a lawful, filial fear of God's judgments, which ariseth from the con- sideration of the evil of sin, and of God's right- eousness ; of his hatred of sin, and his wrath against it ; which fear produceth repentance, self-examination, a turning to God with our whole hearts, through reformation, and an endeavour to secure ourselves in God's cov- enant, and to hide ourselves, Prov. xxii. 3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself. A striving to get into Christ, and to get clear evidences of God's love to us in Christ : I say, such a fear, that worketh these effects, is a grea* duty. Thirdly, There is a base slavish fear of approaching evils, arising fro-m our misap- prehensions of God ; producing in us unwor- thy thoughts, sinking into despondency, and inciting to murmuring and impatience, and putting us upon sinful shifts, the use of un- lawful means to prevent or escape dangers ; a fear of despondency, a vexatious, distract- ing fear, that drives from God, and unfits A.- for service : A tormenting, disquieting fear, that unsettles and discomposeth our minds, disturbs our peace, suspends our acts of faith, and disposeth us to diffidence, distrust, and impatience: this is the fear that Christ would not have his peoples' hearts troubled with. Fourthly, Another piece of heart-trouble, is care, vexatious, distracting care, which our Lord would not have his disciples trou- ble themselves with ; and therefore he useth so many powerful arguments to dissuade them from it, Matt. vi. from verse 25, on- ward.* 1st, He assures us, it is God that takes care for our bodily life, we trust him with that j how much more should we for food and raiment. 2d/y, Saith he, your Father takes care for the fowls, and provides for them, Are ye net muck better than they '' 3c////, He clotheth the lilies, and will he not clothe you ? Athly, You cannot, by all your care, make yoi*r condition better than God hath appoint- ed it shall be- ver. 27. 5thly, Your heavenly Father knows you want all these things. bthly, They that are ignorant of God, and of his fatherly care and good providence, that *Psal.civ.21,27,2 ? , 44 have no God to care for them, they trouble themselves with those cares ; therefore you should not do so, who have an heavenly Fa- ther that dearly loves you, and looks after you. 7thh/y You have the promise of the faith- ful God, to have all necessaries provided for you, while you make it your care to serve, please, arid trust in him. Ver. 23. All these things shall be added unto you. St/ily, We have no cause to be thought- ful for time to come, because every day brings evil enough with it ; and therefore it is no wisdom to perplex ourselves with cares, ver. last. So again, Luke xxi. 34. Phil, iv, 6. Be careful for nothing:* Our Lord also shews us how prejudicial such cares are to our pro- fiting by tht; word.f And expressly com- mands us, to cast our cares upon him, for he carethfor us.\ Fifthly, Despondency of spirit, dejected- ness, distrust, discouragement, are other pieces of heart-trouble. Such as was in Da- vid, PsaL cxii. 3, 4, 5. cxliii. 4. xlii. 5. Cast- ing-down breeds di^uietment, because it- springs from pride, which is a turbulent pas- * Mark iv. 19. + Luke vii. 12. Tsal. Iv. 22. \ 1 Pet. v. 7 4o sion ; and every thing that crosselh and dis- appoints it, causeth a combustion in the mind : when a man cannot come down, and stoop to that condition that God casts him into, then he is discontented ; and this comes from his pride,. A Christian should be very careful to keep up his spirits, when his condition in the world falls down. Could we but bring our minds to our conditions, to like and be pleas- ed with our conditions ; as being certainly persuaded, that our present condition is best for us ; it would be all as good, all as well, all as comfortable to us, as if we could bring our condition to our minds ; for one of these must be done, or else we shall never be free from heart-trouble while we live. Either our minds must be brought just even to, and suited and compliant to our conditions, be it sickness, poverty, shame, prison, &c. or, our conditions must be suited just even to our minds. We have a mind to health, to liberty, &c. we must have them, or we are troubled. Now this latter is wholly and altogether out of our power, we cannot add one cubit to our stature. It is the Lord that appoints all our conditions for us ; we can- not make our conditions happy, honourable, &c. of ourselves, and without God : but the former is in our power : by the help of God's 46 spirit of grace, we may bring our minds to our conditions :# it is an holy art, attain- able in the use of God's means. Content- ment m, and with our condition, is the bring- ing of our minds to our conditions, to he even, and suitable, and square one with the other; and this is, as I said, an holy art, attainable by Christians, PAz7.iv.il. St. Paul had learned it,f and so may other Christians. It is the suitableness between our minds and our conditions, that breeds quiet and content : and if we have not quiet in our own minds, all outward comforts will do no more good, than a silken stocking to foot kS ■ ° r a g ° lden Slipper t0 a S° ut y Now, it is only God that can, but never will (except in wrath) bring any man's con- u 1 °? J t ? hlS 1 mind; for thcn his condition should be changed almost every moment ; so mutable is man's mind : God will not bring the condition of the wicked to their mind (except in wrath, as was said ;) for, as their outward prosperity doth increase, so do their desires after more : and the wise man tells us, The eye is never satisfied with see- ing.\ And the more they have, the more * 1 Tim. vi. 8. Heb. xiii. 5. +1 Tim vi 6 \ Eaclcs. iv. 8. Ibid. v. 10. they crave, They can never have enoug And for the godly themselves, they are not so free from covetousness as they should be ; but still need to learn this lesson of content- ment, and to be learning of it all their days. And most commonly, if not always, God, by his grace, brings their minds to their condi- tions ; and not their conditions to their minds. And for this wise Agur prays, Prov. xxx. 9. Two dangerous extremes he prays against ; the one is poverty, that would breed discontent, in that his mind would be below his condition, debased to vile and sin- ful practices, as stealing, &c. The other is riches ; that would breed discontent, in that his mind would be above his condition, and that would lift him up to base pride, and for- getfulness of God: therefore he begs a suit- ableness and conveniency between his mind and condition : Feed me with food conveni- ent. Certainly, we shall never be free from heart-trouble, till our mind be brought suit- able to our conditions, and such a frame would prevent casting-down in time of afflic- tion. To like our condition, to be pleased and satisfied with it, and with the holy will of God in it ; that is, to be content, content * ft*. Will. 48 with sickness, poverty, shame, prison, loss of relations and friends, &c. In a word, when our wills lie even with God's will, (as in all reason they should) and our minds lie even with our conditions, then have we inward peace and tranquillity, quietness and content- ment, and never till then : then sickness is as good as health ; and poverty as good as riches ; and a prison, &c. And this is that blessed frame of spirit we must labour for, and we ourselves shall have the sweetness of it : otherwise, it is in a man's mind, as it is ^vith the body, when bones are out of joint,* there is nothing but pain and trouble; but this bringing of our minds to our condi- tions, is the setting of the bone again. Cast- ing down ourselves, despondency, discour- agement, which arise from discontent, are great pieces of heart-trouble. This distrust of God's providence is Jk grand evil, when we think we cannot live, I unless we have a greater portion of earthly things ; and this sets us upon carking cares ; we know not how we and ours shall be pro- vided for, &c. Now this we may cure, by casting ourselves upon God's promises. f 1 Pet. v. 7. Psalm xxxiv. lxxxiv. 11. Ileb. xiii. 5. Let us cast ourselves on God's pro- * Psal. xliii. 5. f IBiU lv I 49 violence : will he provide for ravens, and clothe lilies, and neglect his own children ? It cannot be imagined. Earthly things are but a vain shew ; they can give us no joy of heart, nor peace of con- science ; they cannot add one cubit to our stature, nor one moment to our lives. Moreover, this happy state of mind is at- tainable.* Eli had it, 1 Sa?n. iii. 18, and David, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26. It is the Lora\ let him do what seemetk him good. There- fore let us labour for such a spirit ; such a contented frame of mind is worth a king- dom : without it godliness itself is not great gain : it must be laboured for ; Paul said, he had learned it ; it was a hard lesson, but sweet when learned. Fifthly, Persecution may cause heart-trou- ble ; when men are offended. Matt. xiii. 21. When Peter was an offence to Christ, he was a trouble to him. Our Lord did on purpose foretell his disciples what persecu- tions they should undergo, that they might not be offended ;f forewarned, fore-armed. It is a blessed thing not to be offended at per- secution for Christ. He foretold his disci- ples, the night before his passion, that all of • Psal. xxxix. 9. Phil iv. 12, 13. f Matt. JSff, 31, 56, E jQ them should be offended at him that night:* which came to pass ; for one of them openly denied him, and the rest forsook him and fled. To be troubled at persecution for Christ's sake, is to be the cross of Christ ; and that he would not have his disciples to be by any means, Mark viii. 38. Object. But is it not said, Psal. cxix. 165, Great peace have they that love thy Iazv y and nothing shall offend them ? How then came the people of God to be offended ? 1 answer. They that truly love God's law, because they love God, such shall have peace with God, and with their own consciences ; and that is great peace, and nothing shall of- fend them ; that is, much trouble them, sines they have peace with God, and with their own consciences : outward losses and crosses are easily borne, they shall make no breach upon their inward peace. They that have fchis character of God's children, will not be stumbled at God's dispensations, let them be never so cross to their desires ;f because thej have a God to fly unto in all their troubles., and a sure covenant to rest upon : therefore the reproaches cast on them, and on the ways of God, do not scandalize them, for they have found God in that very way which * John xvi. 1. t Sam. xxiii. 5. others speak evil of ; they are not so offend- ed by any thing that attends the way of God, as to dislike or forsake that way. Neverthe- less, rue must take heed that we be not offend- ed. Sixthly, Temptations from Satan may causs heart-trouble and vexation : Satan's suggestions, his fiery darts, these tormenting thoughts which he casts into the minds of Christ's disciples, create to them much dis- turbance and heart-trouble. So soon as any man is plucked out of the devil's hands, by the mighty power of Christ's spirit, he falls upon him speedily with all his force, to trou- ble such a soul and vex it ; so that he shall enjoy little peace if Satan can hinder it. So long as the devil keeps possession in the soul,* he keeps all in peace, (a sad peace !) But when a stronger than he comes, and casteth out this strong man armed, then Sa- tan rageth to recover his lost captive soul, and vexeth that soul with all his temptations: but let not this break your peace, nor cause heart-trouble. As Christ hath overcome the world, and therefore bids his disciples to be of good cheer, John xvi. 20, so hath he also overcome the devil ; he hath trodden this serpent under his feet already, and this Prince of Peace will tread him under your • Luke xi. 21, 22. 52 feet also shortly: therefore, Let not your hearts be troubled. Seventhly, Desertion ; another, (and not the least) piece of heart-trouble ; this may he the case of Christ's disciples. We read of the saints complaining that God had for- saken them ; and when he hideth his face, they cannot but be troubled. Sometimes God doth but seem to hide his face, Isaiah xlix. 14, 15. When God takes their earthly comforts from them, and suf- fereth sharp and bitter afflictions to befall them ; and though they cry unto him, he doth not remove them, then they think that God hath forsaken them. Sometimes God doth really forsake his people, as to the sense of his favour, Isaiah liv. 7, 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment. And this is either by withholding comfort from them, which they cry for, or by withdrawing that comfortfrom them which they had. Compare PsaU li. 11, and Ixxvii. 1, 2, 3,23.. Yet here God sup- ported and sustained his servant's soul with grace : many times, when God's people have least comfort, they have most grace, most humility, patience, self-denial, thirstings af- ter God, heavenly-mindedness, &c* God's * Psal. Ixxx. 3, 7, 19. Ibid Ixxxiii. 3. people may lose the sense of his love, but never lose his love, for that is everlasting. But to lose the sense of his love, is a griev- ous trouble to a gracious soul, that hath tast- ed and felt the love of God and his favour ; for their great happiness is to have the favour of God: In his favour is life, and /lis loving- kindness is better than life : this is the joy of their lives [Psal. cxix 135,] which David so earnestly prayed God for. Now such as found this, must needs be troubled when they lose it. Two things chiefly cause God to hide his face from his people. 1. When their hearts are too much set upon, and carried out after earthly comforts ; ■fleshly delight, and confidence in earthly things, provokes God to hide his face : when a man smiles so much on the world, and gives it so much room in his heart, God frowns, and is offended that the gift should be so much loved, and the giver so neglect- ed and forgotten. 2. When their hearts are let out too little after God, and there grows a strangeness be- tween God and them, and they begin to grow cold, dull and dead in duty, then God with- draws and hides himself,* compared. But • Cant. 2, 3, 5, 6. e2 54 no affliction like this ; this disquieteth and dejecteth the people of God indeed. And as all the candles in the world cannot make it day when the sun is set : so all the com- forts in the world cannot rejoice such a soul, • nor can there be any day in such a soul, un- til the sun of righteousness arise there with healing in his wings.* So much for this third particular, shew- ing what this heart-trouble is, which our Lord here forbids his disciples ; namely, worldly sorrow, sinful slavish fear, distract- ing care, despondency, dejectedness of spirit, distrust, offence at persecution for Christ's sake, Satan's temptations, and spiritual de- sertions ; all which may either be the causes, or the parts and pieces of heart-trouble, which must be avoided. The fourth particular to be opened, is to shew, that believing in God and in Christ, is the best antidote against this sinful heart- trouble : Christ proposeth it as a special remedy. Quest. But how is it so ? Anszv. To answer this, I shall endeavour to shew these three things. 1. What this believing in God is which our Saviour here grants that they had ; Ye believe in God. *Mal.iv.2 c 2. What it is to believe in Christ : believe also in me. 3. How that this faith acted on God and Christ, is the best remedy to prevent and cure heart trouble, in all those several parts of it I have mentioned. 1. What this faith in God is ? Briefly, the apostle tell us, Heb. xi. 6. It is to believe that God is, that there is a God, an infinite, first, and best being ; to believe that God is that all that, which he hath revealed himself in his wgrd to be, viz, that he is an all-suffici- ent, almighty, only wise God ; a righteous, gracious, merciful God: an holy God, a loving- God. He proclaims his name himself, Exod, xxxiv. 6, 7. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering*, and abundant in goodness and truth, &c. To believe that he is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in work- ing :* that he is die Father of all mercies, the true and faithful God, the God of all grace, and of all consolation :f with many more ad- mirable attributes of God doth the scripture furnish us, that we may build our faith, and place our trust in him, to prevent heart- trouble, and to cure it when it hath seized on us. Whatsoever is revealed of God in his word, that true faith believes. * Isa. xxviii. 29. f 1 John iy. 16, 2 Cor, I 3. Heb. xii. 9. James i. 17. 56 Also, this faith in God, is, to believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. That he being God all-sufficient, he is able to support, to supply, to deliver his people out of all their troubles ; and that he is wil- ling so to do, as well as able, for he hath promised: and he is a rewarder,* a God that will abundantly, plentifully reward all his suffering ones : Great shall be their re- ward in heaven, Matt. v. 12. And to be- lieve God to be a rewarder, is to lay hold on his covenant, wherein he promiseth so to be : I will be thy God, thy shield and thy exceeding great reward, Gen, xv. 1. The sum of the covenant is, I will be thy God : What is that but this, I will do all that to thee, and for thee. I will be a sun and shield to thee ;] I will give thee grace and glory, and will withhold no good thing from thee. I that am the infinite, first, and best being of all things, the living fountain of all mercy, the original of all power and goodness ; I will be a God to thee, thy God, thy Father, if thou wilt take me for thy God, and place all thy happiness in me, and wilt become my servant, and give up thyself sincerely to me, * 1 Cor. xv. 58. Rom. ii. 6, 7,1% t 2 Cor. vi. 17. Paal. Ixxxiv. 12. to serve and od y, to love, fear, and trust me only. This is to believe in God, to ac- cept of God for our God, and to yield up ourselves to him to be his people, Isa* lvi. 46, to choose the things that please him : to give our hearts and become his servants* as Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. And so God propo- sed himself to Abraham when he called him, Gen. xii. 1, 2, 3, as a rewarder ; and more fully, Gen. xv. 1, I am thu shield, and thy exceeding great reward ; and so Abraham's faith was to act on God, so manifested ; and, Gen. xvii. 1,7 am God all-sufficient ; all-suffi- cient to support thee in thy way and work, and all-sufficient to reward thee in the end, there- fore be thou upright and faithful ;* let not thy heart be troubled, whatever dangers and dif- ficulties thou meetest with in my way and work, and what losses soever thou sustainest for my sake, believe, Abraham, lam God all- sufficient ; I will sufficiently reward thee, thou shait be no loser by following and serving me. Also Moses's faith had an eye to the recom- pense of reward, Heb. xi. 26. And that you may see that this is not legal and mercenary, our Lord Jesus proposeth this as an encou- ragement to his people, Matt. v. 12. Great in your reward in heaven. And he himseli ♦ Prov. xi. 18. Psal. Iviii. U. 58 took encouragement from it, as Heb. xii. 1, 2. For the joy that was set before hiniy &c. So that this is to believe in God, to be- lieve that God is really and truly, he is all that which he revealed himself to he, and to believe that he is a rewarder, &c, This faith in God, Christ took for granted that his dis- ciples had; Te believe in God: Ye believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. And if ye believe this, let not your hearts be troubled ; be not afraid nor dejected, but act your faith in God, and seriously consider what God that is in whom you believe ; and believing also your interest in that God, that he is your God ; this God all-sufficient is your God, you will have no cause to be troubled : Your acting of faith on God, your God : will prevent and cure your heart-trouble, and that these several ways. First more generally. He that believes in God as his God, be^ lieves God is always present with him, ac- cording to his promises.'^ In the worst times God is present with his people. And can there be any cause of heart-trouble to such souls as have always the presence of God with * Isa. xji. 10. Ibid xliii. 2. Heb. xiii. 5. 59 them, whose presence makes Heaven, and in whose presence is fulness of joy, and at tvhose right hand are pleasures for ever- mere ?* Surely, beloved, this will prevent heart-trouble, when a soul can act his faith, and firmly believe it. God is always pre- sent with his people, and that for gracious purposes, (and not as a bare spectator ;) to proportion and measure out their afflictions to them, that they may not be above their strength, nor more than need.f Ail the af- flictions of God's people are measured by the hand of a most wise, most merciful, and gracious God : all the malice of men and devils cannot add a drachm to the weight, nor a drop to the measure, beyond God's ap- pointment. He is present to order and fix the time of our sufferings,.]: it is an hour of temptation : it is our loving Father that sets up the glass of the time of our troubles: he appoints their beginning, their duration, their end ; he holds the glass in his own hand. All the powers on earth cannot bring trouble cm us, 'till the hour come, 'till the appointed time, nor continue our troubles longer than his lime : The rod of the wicked shall not test on the lot :f the ritest. But how shall I know that God loves me, when he afflicts me? I anszver, When we. can discern that we have received any spiritual benefit by any af- fliction, we may certainly conclude, that the love of God was in that affliction.*^' Fury is not in God towards his people,! and he in- tends nothing but our profit ; all his designs are for our good, to purge away our sins,! to wean us from the world, to draw us near- er to himself, to humble us, to try us, and to conform us to Christ,^ to prepare us for glory, &c. Now seeing God's designs are so mvti h for our good, we must conclude, that ail our afflictions proceed from his love ; and when we find any of those designs ac- complished in us, and on us, and that we have received real spiritual good by them, we ought to be strengthened in our belief, that God hath corrected us in love ; so that faith acted on the love of God in our afflic- tions, will prevent or cure our heart-trouble. Our Lord told his disciples, that the Father had loved them, John xvi. 27. * Heb. xii. 6, 10. f Isaiah xxvi. 4. Deut, viii. 2. J Job xxiii - 10 - J 2 Cor. iv. 17. &o Secondly, Faith acted upon God's glori- ous attributes, will fortify against heart- trouble. First, Upon his all-sufficiency. Ye be- lieve that God is all-sufficient,* in and of himself alone ; every way able to supply all wants, to make up, and repair all losses, to satisfy all desires, to sustain under all bur- thens, and that without all earthly comforts : for, how else are the saints in heaven happy, who have none of these earthly enjoyments? Ye believe this, act your faith on it : he must needs be all-sufficient who made the world, and all things in it, and upholds it to this day : he that owns all things, and is posses- sor of heaven and earth, he it is, that is your God, your Father ; act your faith on him, and be comforted. Secondly, He is almighty ; you believe this. So Christ hath told his disciples, All things are possible to God. He can break the hardest heart, and can bind up the most broken spirit : he can make up the great- est loss. We are kept by the mighty power of God.\ Oh ! how safe is that man, that is in the love and covenant, and that lies in the arms and bosom of the Almighty God4 He * Gen. xvii. 1. f 1 Pet. i. 5. \ Deut. xxxiii. 37. Job ix. 12. 64 can bring light out of darkness, and make the greatest loss to prove the greatest gain.* He hath the keys of the grave. To him be- long the issues from death,] All power be- longeth to him ; nothing is too hard for him. Thirdly, His absolute sovereignty and supremacy : all souls are his, Ezek. xviii. 4. He gives, he takes, who can hinder him P May he not do with his own what pleaseth him . ? Ye believe this. Hath he not a right in all the works of his hands ? May he not dispose of all as he will ? Fourthly, His unchangeableness. God is in one ?7iind,\ the thoughts of his heart stand to all generations. He sets bounds to the sea, to the life of man, and to all the comforts of life ; the number of his months is with God.§ Believe this. Fifthly, His wisdom. God is only wise y the fountain of wisdom. He doeth all he do- eth in infinite wisdom. He is wise in heart, and worketh all things according to the counsel of his will. He knows what is best for us ; when to give, when to take, and what will do us most good. Believe this, and let not your hearts be troubled. * Matt. xix. 26. f Gen. xviii. 14. J Job xiv. 5. § Ibid xxiii. 13. 14. f God, we may gain support, and be pre- served from he art- trouble. Sixthly, Faith acted upon the work of ^od, will support under heart-trouble, Ec- :les. vii. 13. Consider the work of God. Faith looks to the work of God ; who it is :hat killeth ; who it is that taketh away : who can stop, or mend, or hinder his work ? This quieted David's heart, wh-n the stroke of God was heavy upon hi.n ; / open- id not my mouth because thou didst it.* It is the Lord, he hath done it. It is he that doth whatsoever he pleaseth. Seventhly, Faith acted on the will of God. iFaith resigns up all to the good and holy will of God: so did our Lord himself; Not my will but thine be done;\ and so we pray continually, thy will be done ;\ and therefore when it is done, our hearts must not be trou- bled. Lastly, Faith acted on the gracious ends and designs of God in afflicting us, and re- moving our earthly comforts from us, will prevent heart trouble. God hath holy and good ends, which faith looks unto: God aims at our profit, as Heb. xii. 10. Such ends as these : * Psal. xxxix. 9. 2 Sam. xii. 23. t L*ke xxii. 42. 1 Man. vi. 10. 72 1. God's end is to discover and purge away our sins, Isa. xxvii. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; this is all the fruit to take away his sin. 2. To try and exercise our graces, Job. xxiii. 10. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. Rev. ii. 10. 3. To crucify our hearts unto, and to estrange our affections from the things of this world.* 4. To draw our hearts nearer to himself ; therefore many times God takes away our earthly comforts from us, because they had too much of our hearts ; and because they lay between God and our hearts, and kept us at a distance from him. 5. To bestow greater, and better mercies upon us. God never takes away any darling comfort from his people, but his design is, to give them a better in the room of it ; as in the text, Christ leaves his disciples, in regard of his bodily presence, because he would send the Comforter to them, which should abide with them forever, John xiv. 16. 6. To make them partakers of his holiness. Heb. xii. 10. 7. To fit and prepare them for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. These are God's holy and * Gal. ii. 20, 73 good ends in afflicting his people, unto which faith looks, and so supports the heart. Thus you see, how faith acted on God in these particulars, will prevent or cure all our heart-troubles : faith acted on the sweet and gracious nature of God ; he is love, all love ; on his glorious attributes, his all-sufficiency, his omnipotency, his absolute sovereignty, his unchangeableness, his wisdom, his right- eousness, his faithfulness; faith acted on God's gracious everlasting covenant, on the word of God, on the word of precept, of promise, of threatening, of example, of expe- rience ; and faith acted on the work of God, on the will of God, and on his holy ends in, all his chastisements. I say, faith acted on God will exceedingly support under all trou- ble. Let not your hearts be troubled ; ye be- lieve in God. So much for this first particu- lar: And before I enter upon the second, I shall make some short application of this. APPLICATION. First , It follows hence, that heart-trouble under the afflicting hand of God, argues the weakness, if not the want of faith. All those sorts of heart-trouble, and the parts of it which I have mentioned, as heart sorrow, worldly sorrow, immoderate mourning, sinful fear, vexatious care, despondency of spirit-. 74 being offended, disturbance of mind, distrac- tion, dejection, discouragement, and the like ; all these flow from the want of faith, or at least, from the weakness of faith in God. We do not believe in God : we see the causes of our troubles ; they are mostly in ourselves, even our unbelief. Whatever we profess, we do not believe in God: if we could but believe in God, our hearts would not be troubled. O ! our want of faith; let us heartly lament it, and cry to God for pardon through the blood of Christ. If our hearts be troubled, where is our faith in God? What doth God, and all that is in God, signify to us ? What are we the better for all that Infinite all sufficiency and goodness, that is in God, if we do not act faith upon it ? Our heart-troubles would be cured, could we act faith on God as we ought to do. Immoderate sorrow then is very unbecom- ing believers in God. If we will prove our- selves believers in God, let us discharge our- selves from heart-trouble and let us draw our consolation from our hearts by faith, from all those comfortable considerations of God, and from all those abundant excellencies that are in God : O let us labour for faith, and act it ; let us live in the exercise of it ? and then surely we shall find comfort. 75 Secondly, Let us all labour to get an interest in God by faith in Jesus Christ,* that so we may be able to look upon God as our God ; and then we may claim an interest in all that God is, and all that God hath,f and so shall we have no cause of heart-trouble in any condition. For if God be ours, all his attri- butes are ours, his gracious covenant is ours, his word and promises are ours4 All is ours; therefore should we labour in this above all things, spending all our thoughts, affections and spirits upon this. O let us lay hold on God and his covenant ; let us choose him for our portion, and resign up ourselves unfeignedly to him, terminating and centring all our desires, hope, love, delight in him alone, placing all our happiness in him, and then commit all to him. Whom have I in heaven but thee P and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee, -fW.lxxiii. 23. The second question. Secondly, What is it to believe in Christ ? For saith he in the text, Believe also in me : it is God in Christ that we must believe in ; not in God without Christ, not in God out Christ, but believe in God in Christ. Now, what this believing in Christ is, I shall endeavour to shew ; looking up to the • Gal. ill. 26. f 1 Sam. xxx. 6. J Psal. xxxi. 1*. 7£ Father of, and to the Author and Finisher of our faith, for light and assistance. In general: it is to believe all that which is revealed in the holy Scriptures concerning Christ ; to believe the record that God hath given of him in his word, as 1 John v. 10, 11, 12, 13. To believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God ; that he came out from the Father ; was made flesh ;* was born of a virgin ; lived on earth in the form of a servant,! a poor despicable life ; preach- ed the gospel, working miracles, &c. that he suffered upon the cross,! w * tn a ^ tne sms °f his people upon his soul and body ; that he bore the curse of the law, the wrath of God, which was due to man for sin ;§ that he died a most painful, shameful, and cruel death, dying as a sacrifice, to satisfy God's justice, to atone and pacify his wrath, to make our peace, and to reconcile us to God :** that he rose again from the dead, ascended into hea- ven, to prepare a place there for his people ; that he sitteth at the right hand of God ever- lasting, to make continual intercession for us ;ff and that he shall come to judge the world at the last day : and while he is absent from us in person here on earth, he promis- * John i. 18. f Heb ii. 14 JlPet.ii.21. % Isa. liii. ** Col. i 21, 22, 23. ft Acts i. Johi} xiv. 2, 3. Phil. ii. 7, 8. Heb. vii. 25. 77 ed to send his spirit, the Comforter, into the world, to convince and convert all those which his Father hath given him ; to call them by his word, to quicken, strengthen, stablish, comfort and confirm them until he come again, to take them to himself, that where lie is, there they may be also.* This is the record that God hath given of his Son ; that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting' life.] Now, to believe in Christ, is to believe all this testi- mony of him. And also out of a deep sense of our sin and misery, and sight of Christ's infinite excellency, all-sufficiency, and wil- lingness to save sinners ; and upon his call to us in the gospel, to come unto him weary and heavy laden with our sins,\ heartily wil- ling to accept of the Lord Jesus upon his own terms ; to take him for our only Lord ; to give up our whole selves, souls and bodies, to his blessed government by his word and spirit in all things j and unfc ignedly and un- reservedly to enter into covenant with him, to become his, and his alone, and his for ever ; and to rely upon him for life, for grace and salvation ; this is to believe in Christ.^ Thus believe in Christ, and let not your * John xvi. 1, 2. Ibid xiv. a. flbid iii. 16, 35. JJohnvi. 37. Matt. xi. 29. $ John i. 12. Cci. iU 6. Cant, iv. 16. Tsal. ii. 12. G2 78 hearts be troubled. The acting of this faith i on the blessed J^sus, is a singular means to | prevent and cure all heart-trouble, all heart- sorrows, cares, fears, vexations, desponden- cies, dejections and distractions whatsoever, that may arise in our hearts, by reason of any loss, cross, disappointment, distress or afflic- tion that may befall us. If we can but thus believe in Christ, and rest and rely upon him, and trust in him, our hearts shall not be troubled. §>uest. But what is that in Christ which faith must act upon, to effect this cure of heart-trouble when afflictions come upon us ? Answ. Such-like things (as I shewed be- fore) as are in God for faith to act upon, which are these that follow : First, Faith must be acted upon the loving, gracious, sweet nature of Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus is of a most loving and sweet nature ; he is love indeed ; the Son of his Father's love, and altogether lovely.* His thoughts of us who believe in him, were thoughts of love from everlasting. f All his words are sweet, his mouth is most sweet. O what sweet language doth he give his church ! My dove, my love, my fair one, my sister , my spouse, &c. He loved us, and gave • Cant, v, 1C>, { Jcr. xxxi. 3, himself for us :* loved us, and washed us in his blood.] He is one of our nature, our kinsman, our husband, our Father, our elder brother, &c. So that, if there be any love in the head to the members, if any in the father to the child, if any in the husband to the wife, or in any near and dear relation, then sure there is love, strong love in Jesus Christ to all believers ; for in him is the love of all relations, and therefore he txpresseth it under all these relations. He calls us his friends :\ he is of a most merciful nature, full of bowels of compassion, and offender mercies. § It would be endless to express the loving nature of Jesus Christ to poor be- lievers ; which, when a believer duly co ders and ponders upon, it cannot but sup- port him under all heart-trouble. Act your faith on Christ as yours,** your Jesus, he that died for you, he that sweat- ed great drops of blood for you in the gar- den, wrestling and grapbng with his Fa- ther's wrath for you, in your name and stead, there, and upon the cross. |f Con- sider, that this your dearest Jesus, now in glory, knows your souls in adversity :}; he seeth all the troubles of your hearts ; he •GaLii. 20. fRev.i.6. J Ibid. I Luke :-.ii. 4. ** John xv. ft Gal. ii. 20. Luke xxui it Fid. xxv. 16. Isa. Ixiii. 9. 80 sympathized with you in all your afflic- tions ; his heart now in heaven, is touched ivilh the feeling of your infirmities on earth, Heb. iv. He hath human nature still, though glorified. He feels our losses, crosses, pains, sorrows ; his heart, his most tender heart is affected ; O that we could but believe this ! and thus consider with ourselves : here I sit solitary as a widow, or widower, or child- less, or fatherless, or friendless ; my family is broken, I feel pains and sicknesses ; I am deprived of my liberty ; my sweet relations and comfortable friends are laid in the dust ; I have none about me to counsel or comfort me ; I am brought low in the world, my es- tate is diminished, my honour and reputa- tion lost, my pleasure gone, my flesh fail- eth me, my strength faileth, lovers and friends fail me, &c. Such complaints we are apt enough to make, and it may be, worse than these : my God hath forsaken me, he hides his face from me ; I am compassed about with temptations, sad, dejecting, and distracting thoughts ; I am persecuted, ban- ished from house and home, all my outward and inward comforts fail me. These have been the cases and conditions of God's dear- est servants, as Job, David, &c. But yet let not your hearts be troubled for all this ; Te believe in God ; act your faith on God, yea^ 81 and act it on Christ also : believe in Jesus, look up by faith unto Jesus, your dear Lord; whatsoever, whomsoever you have lost, you have not lost your Jesus, your best friend, your heavenly husband ; you have his heart, his bowels towards you ^till ;* you have his eye, his tender watchful provident eye upon you still ; you have his ear open to your cries still ; yea, you have his everlasting- arms underneath you, to sustain you still,f or else you would sink. Oh then, act your faith upon the sweet nature of Christ, as your head and husband. Can a mother for- get her sacking child, that she should not have co?n/?assion on the son of her womb P Possibly she may : but can Jesus forget those whom he died for, and travailed for ? No, no, he will not hide his face for ever ; he will never forget his people. Tonr Maker is your hus- band ; and he is the Father of mercies. If we read these things, or hear them read, and do not apply them to our own souls by faith ; if we do not meditate on them, and let them sink down into our hearts ; if we do not pray earnestly that the holy spirit would bring them home, and lay them close to, and fix them upon our hearts, they will do us no good, yield us no comfort ; therefore me- * Job vii 17. Psal. xxxiv. 15. t Isa. xl. H. 82 ditate on them, apply them, and act faith up- on them. Secondly, We must act faith upon the ma- ny precious attributes of Jesus Christ ; all which will afford to faith much matter of support under all our heart troubles what- ever. And these are exceeding many ; I shall mention only some. First, Jesus Christ \*s our advocate with the Father, 1 John ii. 1, 2. One that under- taketh for us to plead our cause in that high- est court of heaven : If a man be sued in law, or be accused of .any crime in any court, it is a great privilege to have a solicitor there for him, that is skilful and faithful, and pow- erful with the judge in that court : Jesus Christ is such an Advocate or Solicitor, for us in heaven ;* he will plead our cause, and he is wise ; he is the wisdom of the Father yf he is a great counsellor, and the only coun- sellor ; none else can plead in that high court; and he is most faithful, he is a merciful and faithful high-priest in all things pertaining to God.\ He appears for us in heaven, Heb* i'x. 24. When a man is indicted in a court, and hath none to appear for him there, he is in a bad case : but all poor believers are in * Heb. vii. 25. f Prov. xxiii. 11. 1 Cor. i. 14. Isa. vi. 9. \ Heb. ii. 17, 83 a better case ; they have a blessed advocate to appear in the presence of God for them : he continually presents his blood, his sacri- fice to the Father for them ; and it is his will, to have that sacrifice accepted for our justi- fication and sanctification.* Christ prevails so with his Father, that he always heareth him, John xi. 40. Now, if we can act faith on this blessed advocate in heaven, who is there always pleading for us, ever living to make intercession for us,f presenting himself before God as our sacrifice and propitiation ; when men accuse us, and our own consci- ences, when we are deprived of our near and dear relations, distressed with pains and sicknesses, pinched with wants and necessi- ties ; I say, then for us to act our faith on this precious Advocate at the right hand of God for us, interceding there for us, one who knows and feels all our misery, it must needs be a great support and relief to us, and the best remedy against our heart-trouble : O that we could act faith strongly on this our Advocate ! To have a friend in heaven, and such a friend, so wise, so powerful, so faithful, so merciful, so sensibly affected with all our miseries, so tender, so able, so willing to • Heb. x. 10. t Rom - i' li ' 25 - 84 hear and help us ; I say, this is infinitely better than all the friends that ever we had, or could have on earth : and this friend ever liveth, and maketh continual intercession for us. And as this is matter of comfort in case of suffering, so in case of sin too. If any man sin, zve have an Advocate with the Father, fesus Christ the righteous ; and he is the propitiation for our sins, 1 Johnn, 1,2. Faith acted on this blessed Advocate, is the best remedy against heart-trouble, in case both of sin and suffering. Secondly, Jesus Christ is bread from hea- ven ; the true bread for souls, the bread of life, the zvater of life, John vi. 35, 48, 51. Now, when poor saints are fed with the bread of affliction, and with the water of adversity, let them look up to Christ, and act faith upon him ; he will be living bread, life-giving bread, living waters to their souls, to revive their drooping, and to refresh their fainting spirits. By acting faith on this blessed Jesus, the fountain of living waters, their souls shall be so satisfied, as that they shall never hunger more, never thirst more,* (that is, inordinately) after the things of this world. When your souls want strength to bear your burthens, want comfort in your * John iv, 14. Ibid vi.3&. 85 distresses, act faith on this Jesus, this bread of life, this water of life, and you shall be refreshed ; you shall have joy ana peace in Relieving, R ?m. xv. 13. Thirdly, Jesus Christ is called the Sun of Righteousness, and the bright Morning Star, Mc patient, yea, * Lukexii.4 f 32. f Rev. ii. 10. \ Matt. v. 7. § Luke -xxi. 19. 100 to rejoice in my suffering :* he is my Lord, and I must obey him. I must keep his sayings, or else I cannot be his disciple :f if I keep his commandments, he will manifest himself to my soul, his Father will love me, and he will love me, and they both will make their abode with me ; for it is his promise, John xiv. 21, 22. Say thus, O my soul ! Je- sus Christ is my King and my Lawgiver, I must obey him ; he is my prophet also, and I must hear him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto me.\ I have taken him for my Lord as well as my Saviour ; for my King to rule me, as well as for my Jesus to save me, for my Prophet to teach me, as well as for my Priest to satisfy for me. O my soul ! consider, he is the author of eternal salva- tion only to those that obey him. Thus ap- plying the commands of Christ to ourselves, and urging his authority upon our hearts, it will help us to bear up under our troubles. Secondly, Act faith upon the promises of Christ, of which somewhat was said before. He hath promised to be always with us, to send the Comforter, to manifest himself unto us ; that he will not break the bruised reed y nor quench the smoking- Jlax :§ that he will * John xiv. 15. xv. 12. f Matt. vii. 24. \ Acts 111 22. $ Matt. six. 29, Isa. xl. 11. 101 give us an hundred-fold for all our losses for his sake. That he will gather us with his arm, carry us in his bosom ; that he will hear our prayers ; that he will give us a crown, a kingdom, everlasting life, with many more. O ! could we act our faith upon his precious promises, and lie sucking by faith on those full breasts of consolation, and draw by faith, prayer, and meditation, from these wells of salvation, we should find sweet support under all our troubles. Thirdly, Faith acted on the word of threat- ening, may put a stop to heart-trouble : Je- sus Christ hath dreadfully threatened those that love father or mother, son or daughter, more than him, or their own lives ; and those that are ashamed of him, or his word ; and those that fall from him, and hear his sayings, and do them not ; and those that are fruit- less branches, &c.^ Fourthly, Faith acted on the examples in the word of Christ, especially his own ex- ample, learn of me, saith he, for I am meek and lozvly in heart.] He was a lamb dumb before the shearers ;\ and we must follow his steps. We have also a cloud of witnesses, the examples of the primitive Christians, who • Matt. x. 37. Luke xiv. 26. Mark viii. 38. John xv. 3. t Matt. xi. 29. 4 1 Pet. i. 21. I 2 102 bore all their troubles with patience and holy courage ; and we are expressly commanded to be followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promise.* Thus faith acted on the word of Christ, will help against all heart-trouble. Fifthly, Faith acted on the work of Christ, will either prevent or cure heart-trouble. And that again, if faith be acted upon the work he hath done for us already, and upon the work he is now doing for us in heaven, and upon the work he is now doing in us on earth, and upon the work he will do for us, and in us, and upon us at the last day : all which works of Christ, if we act our faith on them, we shall not be much troubled in our hearts. Believe me, saith he, for the zvorks sake, Jphrixiv* 11. 1. Faith must be acted upon that great and glorious work of Christ for us when he was upon earth, that work which his Father gave him to do, in the days of his flesh,f as our Redeemer, and that in doing, and in suf- fering ; for he came to do the will of God by his obedience, as well as to suffer it by his satisfaction,^: and this in his state of humilia- tion. He assumed human nature, entered the virgin's womb, and was born of her, yet * Heb. vi. 12. f Vrk £ 9 | Heb.il U , 15, ! shall we think to fare better than him ? His sufferings were to teach us to bear ours with christian patience, and to sanctify ours to us ; yea, in all our sufferings he sympa- thized with us. Let us then act our faith upon Christ's suf- ferings on earth ; his whole life being a life of suffering, he knew what trouble meant ; he was acquainted with grief: he knew what it was to lose a friend ; for in his greatest trouble, all his disciples (whom he calls his friends) forsook him and fled : and being ttmpted himself \ he knoivs how to succour them that are tempted.* He hath a feeling of all our infirmities. Let us labour to act faith on Jesus, and our hearts xvill not be troubled. 2. But his great suffering- work for us was his work of satifaction. All our sins being laid on him, it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief and to make his soul an offering for sin :f he poured cut his soul unto death, and ruas numbered among transgressors, was made sin for us: he bare our sins on his own body on the tree; ivas made a curse for us ;\ suffered the wrath of God for us, to deliver us from the wrath • Heb. ii. 18. iv. 15. f Isa. liii. 6, 10, 22. \ 2 Cor. v, 20. Gal. iii. 10. 1 Pet. ii. 24. 1 Thess. i. 10, 107 to come. The blessed Jesus, when our sins were upon him, he was sore amazed, groaned, ivas exceeding sorrowful even unto death;* he was in a bloody sweat, in a bitter agony in the garden : he was falsely accused, un- justly condemned, and then barbarously cru- cified, suffering that cursed and cruel, shame- ful and painful death of the cross : and all as our surety, and as a sacrifice to God for our sins.f Clinst our passover was sacrificed for us,\ to make atonement and satisfaction to the law and justice of God for us, Rom, iii. 25. This was the great work of the transcend- ent love of Jesus Christ when he was upon earth, when he travailed in soul, drank of the brook in the wai/,§ that black torrent of wrath and curses that lay in the way between out- souls and heaven, which stopped up our passage thitherward, and made it utterly im- passible for us : but Jesus made a passage by his blood, that his redeemed might pass thither.** So great were his sufferings in this world for us, that they made him cry out, mi) God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mePf\ Offering up strong cries with tears. \\ * Matt. xxvi. 37, 38. Luke xxii. 44. f Rom. iv. 25. \ 1 Cor. v. 7. $ Gal ii. 20. Rev. i. 6. Psal. ex. 7. ** Heb. ix. 12. ft Matt, xxvii. 46. || Heb, v. 7. 108 Now then let us act our faith on the sui* serings of Christ here on earth, and believe that he suffered all those hard and heavy, those bitter and grievous things for us, and in our names ; that he bore our sins to satisfy God's justice for them, to purchase and pro- cure our pardon. O ! that we could but be- lieve in this Jesus, that he sweated great drops of blood for us, and that he shed his very heart blood upon the cross for us, and by faith apply and appropriate all this to our own souls, believing that he was wounded for our transgressions, artd smitten for our sins ; that the chastisement of our peace zvas upon him;* that by the blood of his cross he hath made our peace, and hath purchased for us eternal life. Believe this, and then see what little cause you have to have your hearts troubled for any loss or cross whatsoever. The consideration, in a way of believing of what Christ hath done for us, and what he hath suffered for us, should make us patient- ly do or suffer any thing for him and from him. Believe also in me. Secondly. Our faith must be acted upon the work of Christ, which is now doing for us in heaven. He is not idle there, although he be setdovjn on ihe right hand of the majes- * Isa. liii. 5. Eph. ii. 14. 109 ty on high;* but he is at work for his people there: he makcth continual intercession for us.] He is there as our advocate to plead our cause, and manage all our business there ; presenting his blood in the virtue of it to his father for our pardon : presenting our persons and services perfumed with the incense of his own righteousness, and by his spirit applying the virtue of it to all our souls. He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, seeing" he ever iiveth to make intercession for us.\ Of this I have spoken before. Now if we can act our faith upon the intercession of Christ, who knows all our wants, burthens, cares, and fears, and whose office it is to plead and intercede for us in heaven,§ (though we may scarce have any to plead or speak a word for us on earth, yet) we should have no cause to have our hearts troubled : we have a faithful friend, to whom we may commit our cause. Thirdly, Christ is doing a work in us on earth, while he himself is in heaven : he is humbling us, purging us, teaching us, morti- fying our corruptions, crucifying our inor- dinate affections, sanctifying us, and so pre- paring us for heaven : he is making us mete * Heb. viii. f Isa. liii. 12. Rom. viii. 34r \ Heb vn.25 |Psal.x. 14. K 110 for the kingdom : he is fitting us for his Father's house, by all his ordinances, by all his providences, by every loss and cross ; by all our afflictions, as 2 Cor. iv. 17. Our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us (that is, by way of preparation) afar more exceeding and eternal xvcight of glory. Jesus Christ is in the word, and in the rod; he is All in all : he is still forming, squar- ing, fashioning and working by his spirit,* word and rod, upon his people, to make them more and more conformable to himself, to square them as stones for his building, to make them habitations for himself,] temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in, and that he himself may delight to dwell in them here* and to make them fit to dwell with him for ever in glory. Now, let us labour to act our faith on those blessed works of Christ in us, and believe that he is thus working in us, even in and by all our afflictions, and labour to feel and find these gracious works carry- ing on in us, and we shall have no cause to be troubled. Moreover, our faith should be acted upon the work that Christ is now doing for us in heaven : besides his intercession for us there, he is preparing a place for us in keaven as he told his disciples, to comfort » Rom. viii 28. Eph. ii. 20,22. f H eb> xiii. 21. Ill them : In my Fathers house arc many man- sions : I go to prepare a place for you. A place in heaven is infinitely better, and more to be desired than the best place on earth. A place in the Father's house, in the highest heavens, in that glorious paradise above, that is the place of all places, where the great and glorious God dwells ; there blessed Je- sus dwells : O that New Jerusalem ! the city of the living God, that is the place indeed : that house not made with hands, eternal in the heaven*.* Some think that Jesus went lo- cally into hell, but we are sure he went locally into heaven ; and we know for what he went there ; for he hath told us, it was to prepare a place for us there, ^ere below, all places are full of darkness, snares, temp- tations, fears, dangers, persecutions, but that is a place of perfect peace, perfect rest, of light, comfort, joy and consolation. Here we are pilgrims and strangers, there is our home, our Father's house. Here we have no continuing city, no a'oiding place. f Christ's people here in this world, many times, have no certain dwelling-place, but are driven from house and home, are forced to fly from one city to another, from town to country, from one kingdom to another ; constrained to wander from place to place ; while others * 2 Cor. v. 1, 2. Acts i. 9, 10, 11, l 1 Cor iv, 11, 112 abide in their habitations, they must seek their quarters where they can find them, awhile under one friend's roof, awhile un- der another ; which is no small affliction to them that feel it, though others lay it not to heart. Now, what should comfort us in this our pilgrimage and wilderness condition ? What should support us in this our wandering state, but that it was even thus with our blessed Lord himself upon earth, who had not an house to put his head in P And so it was with his disciples, and with many choice saints, as Heb. xi. 37, 38. What should bear up our spirits, but this comfortable consideration, that our Lord went to heaven on purpose to prepare a place for us there . ? If the earth cast us out, hea- ven will receive us :* if men say to us, re- move, be gone hence, depart away, here is no place, no abiding for you ; our dear Lord will call out of heaven, and say, Come up hi- ther,] come up to me, I have prepared a place for you here. There is room enough, In my Father's house there are many mansions, and from thence there shall be no remove for ever, no more any changing houses for ever, when once we are lodged in our Father's house, there is our fore-runner for its enter- * 2 Cor. vi. 11. t Rev. xi. 12. 113 eel.*- The hope we have through grace of getting into that blessed place, by that new and living' way, to rest there after all oar weary wanderings here, and never to remove more, is that which comforts us in these our troublesome removes here : O that place, and that blessed state in that place ! To see God, and to be ever with the Lord, to see our lovely Lord Jesus as he is, and to be made like unto him.] Could we fix our hearts and eyes more steadfastly upon these invisible and eternal things, we should more quietly and comfortably bear our present troubles, yea, and r j joice in them. And when we can act our iai :h upon that place and state above, and conclude our title to it, by our interest in Christ, then our hearts will not be trou- bled. Also this consideration should preserve us from heart-trouble, and sorrow for the loss of dear relations which died in Jesus, for that they are gone home to their Father's house, they are safely arrived at their har- bour, they are safely housed, they are where they would be, they are gone to the place that their beloved Lord went to prepare for them, to that city of God, to the general as- * Heb. vi. 20. f Matt. v. 8. 1 Thess. iv. X John Ui. 2, 3. K 2 114 sembly of the first-born whose names are tvrit- ten in heaven, he* Thty would not ex- change their place now, for the most stately and most magnificent place in all the world. O ! could w T e but realize by faith that most happy state and place where our deceased pious friends are gone, our hearts would not be troubled for them. And this may comfort us also under all our present sufferings and sadnesses, that ere long we also shall go to that place, to that city above, which God hath prepared for us. Our Lord assures us, that he ivill *_'o?ne again, and take us to himself that where he is, we may be also.] O ! could we believe this, we should say, Come, Lord jesus, come quickly ! Fourthly, Our faith must be acted upon the work that Christ will do for us, and in as, and upon lis in heaven at the last. It is above all our understandings to conceive what glorious works Christ will do for us, and in us at the last day. It doth not yet ap- pear what we shall be.;|~ There shall be a day of the manifestation of the sons of God.§ The poor despised saints, all black and clou- dy here, covered with shame and reproach * Hcb. xii. 23. t H ^« xi - * 6 * $ J° hn ;ii - 2 « § Horn. viii. 22, 23. 115 now, shall then be manifested to be the Lord's jewels :'# that will be a day of their full re- demption, both of soul and body, their wed- ding, and their solemn coronation day. f Then their blessed Redeemer shall publicly own them,' and bid them welcome to his Father's house, saying, Come ye blessed of my Father, \ ike. Then will Jesus put on the crown of glo- ry, of righteousness, and of life, upon their heads. Then will Jesus present them. to his Father without spot or wrinkle, or any such tiling.^ Then will he make their now vile bodies, (subject now to vile corruptions, to vile diseases, to vile abuses, and to a vile dissolution at death) like unto his own glori- ous body ;** and their souls shall be like to his, to their full satisfaction. ff Then the poor disciples of Christ shall have a full end put to all tneir heart-troubles, sorrows, fears, and cares. Then their hearts shall rejoice, and their joy no man (nor devil) shall take from them.\\ Sorrow and sighing' shall fee away, and they shall enter into everlasting rest ; and into that unspeakable blessed state which was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, and by him prepared and possess- * Mai. iii. 17. f 2 Tim. iv. 8. \ Matt. xxv. 34. $Eph. v. 27. ** Phil. iii. 31. || Psal. xvii. 15. jt Johnxvi. 22. 116 ed, in our names and steads. All our dear relations that died in Jesus, are already en- tered ; Christ, their dearest Lord, hath wrought this glorious work on their souls already ; they are triumphing, singing halle- lujahs in the highest heavens, while we are fighting, sighing and sobbing here below. They are with blessed Jesus above, accord- ing to his prayer for them, seeing his glory, and participating of it.^ Thus much for the work of Christ, upon which our faith must act, that our hearts may not be troubled. Fifthly, Our faith must act upon the will of Christ, in order to the preventing, and curing our heart-troubles, fears and sorrows. What is the will of Christ? It is his will that his peoples' hearts should not be troubled nor afraid, as in the text : it is his will, that in the world they should have tribulation, but yet, that they should be of good cheer,] It is his will, that in their patience they should possess their souls, and not faint nor be dis- couraged. It is his will they should be sanc- tified, and- that all their afflictions should promote their sanctification. It is his wilt, that although he love them, yet to rebuke and chasten them ; and when he doth so, that * John xvi. 22, 24, f John xvi. 33. nr they should be zealous and repent.* It is his will, that they should deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow hirru\ That they should fear none of those things that they should sujfer.i That they should walk in his steps, hold fast to the end, be faithful unto death.§ That they should overcome. It is his will, that they should not love father or mother, son or daughter, more than himself; no, nor their lives, but be willing to part with all for his sake.** Yea, it is his will, his last will, that all his poor disciples, after they have suffered awhile, may be with him zvhere he is, to be- hold his glory. \\ Thus if we act faith upon the will of Christ, and labour to yield to it, and acquiesce in it, we shall procure much freedom from he art- trouble. Lastly, Our faith must be acted upon the ends and designs of Christ in all his afflic- tive providences towards us ; and these his ends are all very good and gracious. This argument he himself used, to cure the heart- troubles of his disciples for his departure from them, viz. That he had good ends in his going away from them ; his end was, to • 1 Thess. iv. 3. Heb. xii. 10. Rev. in. 19. f Matt. xxi. 24. \ Rev. ii. 10. $ Matt. x. 34. *• Luke xiv. 26. ff John xvii. 24. 118 prepare a better place for them, a better place than any to be found here ; a place in hea- ven, in the Father's house : and his end was to send the Spirit, the Comforter unto them, which would not come, if he did not go away, John xvi. 6, 7. He had told them of his going away from them, upon which sorrow had filled their hearts, (and it is even so with us, when our earthly comforts leave us, sorrow fills our hearts ;) but to cure this, our Lord answers them, that it was expedi- ent for them, (good and necessary for them) that he should go away, shewing them his end in going away, to wit, that he might send to them the Comforter ; he would remove from them a great mercy, the greatest earth- ly mercy that ever they enjoyed, which was his personal presence ; they must part with so dear, so near, so sweet, so loving, so faith- ful a friend, as himself was to them : and could there be a greater loss ? For this, sor- row had filled their hearts : But he tells them, it was to make way for a greater mercy, which was, to send them the Comforter, in all the saving and miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, by which they should be able to do greater works than himself did, John xiv. 12, which was a greater mercy than his bodi- ly presence with them, and with this he calms and quiets their minds. Now, if we can 119 act faith upon the blessed ends of Christ in removing our earthly comforts from us, which are, to bestow upon us better mercies, to give us more of his spirit, and of the graces and comforts of it, our hearts would not be troubled : could we believe, that Christ's end in all his chastisements, is, to prepare us for that place in his Father's house, it would comfort and support us. His ends are very good, and that should quiet us. So long as the people of Christ enjoy most of the comforts of this world, (I speak it by sad experience) commonly they enjoy least of God, and of his spirit ; and usually, when Christ takes awav their earthly comforts, then he manifests most of himself, and of his tender love to them : he brings them into the wilderness, and then speaks comfortably to them ; then he speaks to their hearts, and not to their ears only, as in time of pros- perity ; then he gives out most of the graces and comforts of his spirit. Christ nevei takes away these outward mercies from his people, but with design to bestow better, if our discontent and unbelief do not hinder. When the Lord took away from his servant David the young child begotten in adultery, it was to give him a Solomon. Thus I have endeavoured to shew what it is also to believe in Christ, that thereby we may prevent and cure our heart-trouble. 120 The last thing I have to do is, to shew- how faith acted thus on God and Christ, or on God in Christ, is the best preventive of, and remedy to cure all our heart-troubles, which hath indeed been shewn, partly in the two former particulars, and will serve for the confirmation of the point also. Two ways principally faith acted on God and Christ, doth effect this great cure of heart-trouble, and procure heart's-ease. First, By way of application and appro- bation. Secondly, By way of holy confidence and reliance. First, By applying and appropriating God and Christ to the soul, and all that God is, and all that Christ is, and all that God hath, and all that Christ hath, and all that God and Christ hath promised : faith applieth and appropriates all this to the soul ; faith gives the soul right, title, claim, propriety and in- terest to, and in God and Christ; faith makes all the believer's own. Believe, and all is thine. This is the language of faith, my God, my Lord, my Christ, my Saviour, my Redeemer ;* and this quiets and satisfies the soul fully, or nothing in heaven or earth can do it ; when it can thus act its faith on * Psal. xix. 14. 121 God and Christ. So was David cured of his great troubles, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. He encoura- ged himself in the Lord his God, his God in Christ ; so in that pregnant text, 2 Sam, xxiii. 5. His interest in God's everlasting cove- nant, (whereby God was become his God in Christ) he acted his faith upon, and that sa- tisfied him.* So Mich. vii. 7. Psal. Ixxiii. 25, 2G. Either God is ours, or he is not ; either Christ is ours, or he is not: if God and Christ be not ours, we have cause enough to mind our danger, and to be troubled at our very hearts, that we are in such a case ; and should now above all things labour after an interest in God and in Christ ; whatever our losses in the world be, this dangerous state of souls should be most minded, and speedily looked after above all things. But if God be ours ; and if Christ be ours ; if we have chosen God for our portion in Christ ; and if we have rightly and truly re- ceived Jesus Christ the Lord, for our only Lord and Saviour, and have unfeignedly given up our whole selves to him ; then may we act our taith upon God, as our God, and upon * Psal. xxxi. 14. L 122 Jesus Christ as ours/* and may claim our right in God and in Christ, and in all that God and Christ is, and hath, as our own ; and then, what cause of any heart-trouble ? If God be ours, if Christ be ours, all is ours, life is ours, death is ours : what if we want relations and friends, honour, wealth and health ; is not the all-sufficient God enough ? Is not Jesus, in whom dwells all fulness^ enough to supply the want of all ? This God proposed to Abraham, lam thy God; and to Israel, Isa. xli. 10. Jesus Christ is all, and in all ; and if Christ be yours, all is yours ; God is yours ; and all the good of both worlds are yours ; and what can you desire more ? Secondly, Faith exercised in holy confi- dence in, and reliance upon God, and Christ, and the promise, will prevent or cure all our heart- trouble. David was cured both these ways, PsaL xxxi. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, viz. by appropriating God to himself, and by trusting in him, I trusted in thee, Lord, I said, thou art my God;] for God is pleas- ed to engage himself to discharge those souls from heart-trouble and sinful fear, who trust * Psal. cxix. 57. Lam. iii. 24. John i. 12. Col. ii . 6. Gen. xvii. 1. Col. Ui. 11. 1 Cor. m 22, 23. f Psal, xliii. 5. 12; in him, PsaL xxxvii. 40. Trouble doth dis- order the heart, and discompose the mind ; but faith in this exercise of it, trusting in the Lord, doth fix and settle the heart ; so that then no evil tidings shall make such a person afraid, for his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.* God hath promised to keep them in perfect peace, whose minds are stay- ed on him, because they trust in him, Lsa. xxvi. 3. Diffidence is the cause of all disquiet ; no true rest can be had, nor quiet to our minds, but by confidence in God, PsaL ii. 12. O the blessedness of those that trust in Christ ! God in Christ is the only fit object of our confidence, in all our extremities. A believ- ' er hath a God to go to in all his troubles, an \ Almighty and loving Father in Christ ; and I this should be our comfort, that we are in I covenant with him that rules the world, and hath committed the government of all things to his Son, our dear Redeemer^ who hath bought us with his blood ; and we may be sure no hurt shall befall us that he can hinder; and what cannot he hinder, who hath all power in heaven and earth ?f and that hath the keys of hell and death, unto whom we arc so near, that he carries our names on * Psal. cxii. 7. f Matt, xxviii. 18. 124 his heart, and who will in his due time make all the world know, that his people are as dear to him as the apple of his eye. Trust then, depend and rely upon God in Christ, and by an holy confidence resign up your wills to his will, to do, what he would have us do ; to be, what he would have us be ; to suffer, what he would have us suffer ; and then heart- trouble will cease, and sweet peace cometh : when having trust- ed all with God, we can in heart say, Lord, if thou wilt have me poor, disgraced, impri- soned, diseased, deprived of my dearest friends, I am content to be so ; I trust all my concerns with thee : O the sweet peace and quiet that will be in that soul ! There is the all-mightiness, the wisdom, goodness, love, mercy, and faithfulness of God in Christ for us, to trust in, and to rely upon, a bottom and foundation strong enough to build our confidence upon, in all storms and streights ; God hath also made many exceeding great and precious promises^ and not a naked promise, but he hath enter- ed into covenant with us, founded upon full satisfaction by the blood of Jesus, and con- firmed it with an oath : # and to this cove- * Heb, vi. 1?. 12J rant, sealed by the blood of his Son, he hath added the seals of the sacraments ; and all this, that the heirs of the promises, namely, all true believers, might have strong conso- rt, and be cured of all their heart- troubles. Upon this sure foundation then must our faith act in an holy confidence in God, and in Christ ; the soul being taken off from all other objects, carried out of self, unto God and Christ ; who presently (as soon as trust- ed in) communicate themselves, and their love, and ooodness to the soul, filling it with peace, strength, and settlement. By this trusting in God, we honour God most, and best provide for our own safety. This way then, whereby faith quieteth the soul, and cures it of its troubles, is by raising it above all disquietments, and settling it solelv upon God in Christ, and thereby uniting it to God in Christ ; from whence it draws virtue and strength, to subdue what- ever troubleth its peace. For the soul is made for God, and never finds rest, till it return unto, and settle and centre itself up- on him again. And that we may thus place our confidence in God and Christ for all sup- . . e must most certainly, earnestly beg, cry, i I to God for grace and strength so' to do ; we must trust in God alone for all l 2 126 things, and at all times ; and thus by appro- priating God to us, and Christ to us, and placing our confidence in them, we may be cured of all our heart-troubles. APPLICATION. I. For information. These inferences fol- low. First, If faith acted upon God in Christ be such a remedy against heart-trouble, then surely, faith is a very precious, a very excel- lent thing ; a grace of very great worth and value, and of great use and efficacy : it is pre- cious faith indeed, the very trial of it is more precious than gold.* Precious for its author, the. Lord Jesus ;f for its object, precious Je- sus, and all the exceeding great and precious promises, the purchased inheritance :$ for Its offices, it unites us to Christ, gives us title eternal life ;§ it supports under all afflictions ; prevents or cures all heart-trou- bles ; and precious for its end, which is the salvation of our souls. ^* This grace of faith is of a transforming, spiritual nature : and the soul of a believer, by acting it on God and Christ, and on divine, heavenly and spiritual things, becomes di- * 2 Pet. i. 1. 1 Pet. i. 7. t Heb. xii. 1. \ John, i. 12. Eph. iii. 17. ** Heb. xi. 1 Pet. i. 9. V2Y vine, heavenly and spiritual. Faith unfast- eneth the heart frotn the creature, shewing soul the vanity of it, and carries the soul unto God and Christ, shewing it God's all- sufficiency, and Christ's all-fullness : for faith believes what God in his word hath re- vealed of both. It is the great design of God, in all the troubles he sends upon his people, effectually to teach them the exceeding vanity of the creature, to embitter the things of this world to them, to wean their hearts from them, to bring earthly things out of request with them, to make them see, that there is no true contentment, nor solid satisfaction for* the soul, to be found in them, and to make them see where true happiness and content- ment is to be had ; even in God and in Christ alont, for whom their souls Mere created, redeemed and sanctified.* Now the great work of faith, is to take off the soul from the creature, and fix and settle it upon God and Christ, the true foundation. Naturally our hearts hang loose from God, and cleave to the creature, and when the creature fails, our hearts are troubled : but faith takes oft the heart from the creature, and settles it up- on God in Christ, where it finds rest ; and this is the great service it doth us. All the • Psal. iv. 5. Isa. xiiii. 21. Tit. ii. 14. 128 great and famous things which those wor- thies did, and all the hard and heavy things they suffered, mentioned in Heb. xi. were all done and suffered by the power of faith, ver. 37, &c. The settling of our hearts up- on God in Christ, trusting all there, is the best means to cure our heart-trouble : and this faith doth, and therefore it is precious. Secondly, It follows from the premises, that the want of faith in God, and in Christ, is the great cause of all our heart-troubles, despondencies and disquietness. Could we but act our faith strongly on God and Christ, as our God in Christ, our troubles would be prevented or cured : for by faith the soul looks up to God in Christ, through the promises, looking off from all other supports, unto God for all supplies, for the removing of all evil felt or feared, and for the obtaining of all good promised and needed ; and by this exercise of faith, the soul is raised up above all discouragements and disquiet- menta: but where this faith is wanting or the lively exercise of it suspended, there the soul sinks under heart-troubles. But of this something was said before. Thirdly, Hence also we may clearly see the absolute necessity of getting faith in God, and in Christ ; and of acting it, and living 129 by it : there is no living quietly and com- fortably without it, no standing under our burthens, no bearing with patience and cheer- fulness our losses and crosses without this faith : no joy and peace, but by believing : by faith we stand. # Fourthly, Then the things of the world are- notto be trusted to, nor trusted in, for com- fort in time of trouble. Nothing but God and Christ to be trusted in, and trusted to ; and there is enough in them to support and com- fort us, as hath been shewn : but no confi- dence to be put in the creature ;f there is a curse upon such confidence, but a blessing upon them that trust in God : no trusting in friends 4 riches, gifts, or any thing: for so to do, is idolatry, to give that to the crea- ture, which is due to God alone. Fifthly, Hence we see the reason why so many faint in the day of adversity, and sink under trouble: and others use unlawful means to prevent trouble, or to get out of it : it is, because they want this faith in God and Christ : and for want of it, too many miscarry under affliction. The second use is by way of exhortion to all the disciples of Christ, in the words of the • Rom. xv. 13. f Jer. ix. 4. \ Mich. vii. 4, 5. 13.0 text ; Let not your hearts be troubled, but believe in God, and believe in Christ : You must get and act faith in God and Christ, this is the only preventative, the only remedy against heart-trouble. Our Lord in this text commands and commends it :* we must needs get faith, for we cannot have Christ without faith :f go to God for it, is his work, his gift, yea, it is his opera- tion ; yea, the same power that raised up Jesus from the dead must be put forth upon a soul to work faith, Eplu i. 19, 20. The exceeding great and mighty working of the power of God, to raise up the soul to Christ, and to enable it to lay hold on God and Christ : For such is our natural pronenees to live by sense and carnal reason, and such is the most transcendent excellency of God and Christ, and of divine things, which faith looks unto : and so great an inclination have we to self-sufficiency, and so much rooted in self-love, and inordinate love of the creature, and so hard to take off the soul from false bottoms; and because we are such strangers to God naturally ; and because there is so much guilt of sin still remaining on us, by our renewed provocations, that we are afraid *Johnvi.29. JEph. ii. 8. Col ii. 21, 131 to entertain serious thoughts of God: and because of that infinite distance between God and us, we can never come to behe\ o in him, and rely upon him, until our hearts be renew- ed by the power of grace, and this divine grace of faith infused into them: therefore we must go to God and Christ, and put up strong- cries and prayers to God to work faith in us, and never give over, until it be wrought in us. And having got faith, we must act and ex- ercise it upon God in Christ; upon God, I say : he only is the object of faith, and is worthy of it: for a man can be in no condi- tion in which God is at a loss, and cannot help him : if comforts and means of delive- rance be wanting, God can create comforts, and command deliverance, Isa. Ivii. 19. He can bring light out of darkness, PsaL cxii. to him all things are possible. 1. Then faith assents to, and is persuaded that there is a God, the infinite, first and best being of all things, and who giveth being to ail things, IJtb. xi. 6. 2. That in this blessed being are three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and all the object of our faith. 3. I : it always act on God in Christ, vise ,• tor in Christ, God recon- 132 dies the world.* In Christ, God becomes our friend, at peace with us ; by Christ, the enmity between God and us, is taken away ; in Christ, God becomes our Father, John i. 12. Gal. iii. 26. 4. Faith is acted by meditating on, con- sidering of, and applying, and appropriating of God in Christ to the soul, laying claim to all that Cod hath, as its own. 5. It must also act upon the promises of God in his word, and Christ in them : God hath opened all his heart to us in his word, making many sweet promises, exceeding great and precious promises :] and also he hath made a covenant of grace with us, to bestow himself, and all good things upon us, upon which we must live, until promises end in performances.:): These promises are our spiritual treasury : promises of pardon of sin, upon repentance and faith ; promises of renewing, sanctifying grace ; promises of the spirit, of heaven, of eternal life and glory, of mansions in the Father's house, and of all things needful in the way to the kingdom, that we shall want no good thing, and that all things shall work together for our good, &c. *2Cor. v. 19. Col. i. 21. f2Pet.i. 4. $Jar. xxxi. Heb. viii. IO (J Lastly, That our hearts may not be trou- bled, but fully satisfied and comforted, we must by faith lay hold on God,* take hold of God's strength, which is his mercy in Christ ; and most solemnly, most considerately, and most sincerely take God for God in Christ, and actually enter into covenant with him :f this covenant is founded upon Jesus Christ, his satisfaction and righteousness: and there- fore we must also believe in Christ, taking him for our only Lord and Saviour, receiv- ing him by faith as he is offered to us in the gospel, to be all in all to us. As God offers, so faith receives ; God re- ceives him : God doth, as it were, say io the gospel, O poor lost sinner ! come to my son Jesus, lake him for thy only Lord and Saviour, and by him come to me, and take me for thy God and Father: and by faith the poor believer echoeth back, Mij Lord and mij God, I humbly and heartily come to thee, accept of thee, close with thee, and so by faith ttir believing soul becomes one with God and Christ ; and hereupon the soul by faith cleaves to God and Christ, and tmfeign- edly, and unreservedly gives up its who!.- self to God in Christ, taking God in Christ * Isa. Ivi.5. f Isa.xxvii. 4. Jer, xxxi.32. 2 Cor. vi. 18. M 134 for his, and entirely surrenders up itself to be the Lord's. My beloved is mine, and I am his. Now faith thus acted, will certainly cure all our heart-troubles. In order then to obtain solid comfort in all our distresses, let us carefully look whether these acts of faith have really passed upon our souls : have we thus actually, under- standingly, and sincerely believed in God, and in Christ . ? Have we unfeignediy enter- ed into covenant with God in Christ, by our being his ? If we be entirely his, he is ours for certain, 1 John iv. 19. Cant. ii. 16. If we place all our happiness in him, Psal. lxx. ii. 25. If we give him the throne in our hearts, subjecting our whole selves to his government, making God in Christ all our love, our trust, joy, delight, fear, our all ; cleaving to him alone and above all, depend- ing upon him as our chief good: contenting ourselves with him as all-sutiicient for us, re- signing up ourselves to his good will, to be, to do, and suffer what he will : if we can and do engage ourselves to sincere obedience, that none of his commandments be grievous to us : if in all things we give Christ the pre-eminence ; if we have received the spirit of Christ, as Rom. viii. 9. Gal. iv. 6. 1 Cor. vi. 17, which joins us to him, and makes us one spirit with him, and which is the spirit Oi adoption, whereby the soul seeing his in- terest in God as his Father, can freely go to God in all its straights. If we have the graces of the spirit, as iovCj meekness, pati- ence, humility, he, If we have a resem- blance of our Father in us, a likeness of dis- position to God in Christ, the image of God, the life of Christ manifest in us :* If we do own God and his cause, in evil times, so that we are willing to part with any thing, with all things for Christ's sake, and at his call: if it be thus with us in the main bent and constant frame of our hearts, and in the sin- cerity and integrity of our souls, our con- sciences in the sight of God bearing us wit- ness,! that thus it is with us, then may we upon good grounds conclude, that God the all-sufficient God is ours, and that our hearts should not be troubled ; and to prevent and cure all our heart-trouble we must act faith on all those things, in God and in Christ, which I mentioned before, and which would be too long to repeat again here ; therefore I earnestly desire you to look back, and view over those several particular things consid- erable in God and in Chrisr, and believe in God and in Christ, applying and ap- * 2 Cor. iv. 10, 11. Gal. ii. 20. fljohniii. 2L 136 propriating them to ourselves, and we shall see we have no cause of heart-trouble. If the great God be ours, if we have no hus- bands nor wives, nor sons or daughters, nor health, nor wealth, we have enough to con- tent and satisfy our souls for ever. But to draw to a conclusion : that there may be an effectual cure of all our heart- trouble, whatever our distress may be, let us labour to act faith on Christ, in consider- ing and believing 1. What he is. 2. Where he is. 3. What he h'ath declared. 4. W r hat he hath promised ; and all with- in the confines of this text, Ver. 2, 3. Firsts Let Christ's disciples labour to be- lieve what Christ is, and who he is. He himself asked his disciples this question, Matt. xvi. 16. Whom say ye that I am? Peter answered, thou art Christ the son of the living God: I knoiv in whom J have be- lieved, saith the apostle. * and that support- ed him: and for this knowledge of Jesus Christ his Lord, he counted all things but dungj and dross. To believe all things that are written of Christ, is not enough ; but to believe in him, is by faith to receive him for * 2 Tim. i. 12. f P^il. iii. 9. 137 our only Lord and Saviour, John i. 12. Col. ii. 6, and actually, unreservedly, unfeign- edly, and heartily to give up our whole selves unto him, taking him for our absolute Lord, our head, our treasure, and our all ; and be- lieving, He is all that to us that he is. That he was made sin for us, made ivisdom, righte- ousness, sanctif cation and redemption to us* That he is indeed our husband, our head, our high-priest, our surety, our ransom, our Redeemer. That he hath loved us, and wash- ed us in his blood. That he was delivered up to death for our offences, and rose again for our justification. That he hath made our peace with God by the blood of his cross ; and purchased our pardon, and an inheritance for us with the saints in light ; and that by believing in him, we shall have everlasting life, John iii. 16, 36. I say, this is to believe in Christ ; and such as thus believe in him, have no cause of heart-trouble. And thus we must believe in him, 1 John iii. 22, and the positive command of Christ him- self in the text, Believe also in me. And he that hath this faith, hath Christ, 1 John v. 10, 12, and hath life, eternal life. John vi. 47. Verily, I say unto you, (saith Christ, the eternal truth himself) he that believeth in ?nc, hath everlasting h ; . He M M 138 hath it in the price of it, that was punc- tually paid down upon the cno >re called the pure .. : . he hath eter- nal life in the promises of it ; it is promised to every one that believeth ; God that can- not lie, hath promised it. Tit. i. 1, 2, and he hath it in the first-fruits of it, the saving graces of the spirit, which in some measure every true believer hath, 2 Cor. v. 5. Eph, i. 13, 14. Now, he that thus believes in Christ, Christ is his ; and all that Christ hath done, and suffered, and merited, is his ; he hath right and title to it ; for by faith he is be- come the child of God, Gal. iih 26. We are all tlie children of God by faith in fesus Christ, And if we be Chris fs, then are zve heirs of the promise, Gal. iii. 2,9. Yea, heirs of God, and joint heirs with C'irist, Rom. viii. 1 7. Yea, then, all things are oars, 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23. All is ours, if we be Christ's, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. All the gifts, graces, labours, pray- ers, qt all gospel ministers, all gospel ordi- nances are designed for our good, Eph: iv. 11, 12, 13, for the gathering of us in, and for the perfecting and building of us up in Christ Jesus, until we all come to heaven. The world is ours ; the good and evil of it, the bitter and the sweet of it, the comforts 139 and the crosses of it, the gains and the losses of it, the love and the hatred of it, the smiles and the frowns, the friends and foes in it; all is designed for, and shall further and pro- mote our spiritual and eternal welfare. Life is ours. All the troubles, sicknesses, pains, evil tidings, persecutions, disappointments, losses of relations, shame, reproach, or what- ever attends this mortal life, shall be sancti- fied and blessed to us for our good. Yea, death is ours, that shall be our advantage, our gain, that shall put a full end and period to all our sin and suffering, and be a door of entrance for us into glory in oar Father's house : or things present : our present fears. sorrows, miseries, infirmities, &c. shall be so ordered and over-ruled bv the wisdom and love of our Father, that they shail all help us onward to heaven : and things to come are ours: all that glorv to be revealed, that saints everlasting rest that is prepared for the people of God, that crown of righteous- ness, of glory, and of life: that kingdom of £lory, that unspeakable, that inconceivable state of happiness and blessedness which Christ our Lord hath purchased by his-bluod, ul this is ours also* But how come we to rave a right and title to all this ? Why saith he apostle thus ; Te arc Christ's, and Qhrtst GhcPs. As sure as Christ is God's, 140 sure, if you be Christ's, all is yours : and as I havt proved, if we be true believers in Christ, then we are Christ's, we are his members, his spouse, his children, and then, what cause have we to be troubled at any thing, or in any condition ? What cause hath such a soul to be dejected, what ever crosses or losses do befall him ? Is there not enough in Christ, in the promises, in the purchase of Christ? Is there not enough in heaven, in all that glory to quiet, content, and fully sat- isfy our souls ? O my beloved, (and O my base and faithless heart !) It is our base un- belief that does all the mischief, that spoils our peace, that hinders our comfort, and makes us walk so heavily. O let us bewail this God-dishonouring sin, this peace-destroying sin : and let us, who have received Jesus for our Lord and Saviour,* believe that he is ours indeed, and then act our faith upon him, and our hearts shall not be troubled. ^uest. But may some say, it is true if Christ be ours, all is ours, we believe that ; but how shall we know that Christ is ours ? Ansxu. Briefly thus : if we be Christ's en- tirely, and sincerely Christ's, then Christ is ours : lam my beloved's and my beloved is mine^ Cant, ii. 16. chap, vi. 3. Her being * coi. ii. 6, r. 141 Christ's, was a sure evidence to her that Christ was hers. Now, it is not very hard to know whose we are, whether we be Christ's or our own, Christ's or the world's, Christ's or the devil's : let us take a little pains in trying and searching ourselves, the matter requires it : whose we are ? Put this question seriously to our heart, in the sight of God : whose am I ? whose image do I bear I By whose spirit am I acted i Who hath my heart, my chief love and delight ? Have we unfeignedly given up ourselves to Christ I Have we actually entered into cov- anant with him, and taken him for our head and husband ? Have we passed over and surrendered up our whole selves to Christ, our souls, bodies, all our concerns ? Have we given up our hearts, heads, tongues, time, talents, estates, liberties, relations, and all to Cnrist i Have we done this sincerely ? i Then we have received Christ upon his | terms. If we be Christ's and not our own, and live unto Christ, and not to ourselves, Rom. xiv. y. 1 Cor. vi. 20. Gal. ii. 20, and are content that Christ should dispose of us and ours as he pleaseth ; and are al- ways labouring to be more and more like him, and still longing for more and more communion with him, Stc. then may we up- 142 on good grounds, conclude Christ is ours J .Tfwe be his, he is ours. Again, if we truly believe in Christ, then he is ours ; for it is by faith that we receive him, and are united to him, and made one with him, John i. 12, 13, and are by his spirit and word regent rated, and made new creatures : and are enabled to walk after the spirit, and not after the flesh, 2 Cor. v. 17. Rom. viii. I, 2. He that believeth, hath the witness in himself, 1 John v. 10, he need not go far to seek : make sure thy believing in Christ, and thou hast the witness in thy- self that he is thine, and thou art his. truest* But how shall we kno^that we have true faith, and that we do truly believe in Christ ? Answ. Briefly thus : if we have been made sensible of our lost condition by nature, of our misery by sin, of our unbelief; if we have found it an hard work to believe ; if we have been made weary and heavy laden with sin, so as to be truly willing to part with all sin ; if we have been convinced of our abso- lute need of Christ, and of his incomparable excellency, of his all-sufficiency, and willing- ness to save us ;* if these convictions have * John xvi. 8. Eph. i. 17, IB. Rev. iii. 17. Matt. xi. 28. 1 Pet. ii.7. Acts xx. 21. John vi. 57. John vii, 37. Matt. xvi. 34. Col. ii. 6. 143 been powerful in us to drive us from our-» seives, and the creature, and sin ; it we have hereupon been persuaded and enabled sin- cerely to come unto Christ upon his call in the gospel, to accept of him upon his terms, and to receive him, as he is offered in the gospel ; if our whole hearts have opened to him, and closed with him, and we have given up ourselves entirely to him, and taken him ior our only Lord and Saviour, as the only way to God, and do most sincerely resign up ourselves to his government, trusting in him alone, and relying upon him for life and righteousness, lor grace and glory , # then we do believe in him, then have we this true faith, which is farther to be known thus : that it worketh in us true sincere love to him, and to all that is his, his word, his people ; your hearts will run out after him, all your affections will centre in him. This true faith draws virtue from Cnrist to purify the heart, and work sanctiticatioii and holiness; it doth crucify your affections to the world, it works true repentance, and enables you to overcome the world,f and to realize the *Johnxiv. 6. Matt, xi 29. John i. 14, 16. John iii. 16, 36. Gal.v. 6. 1 John v. 1. Psal. cxix. 97. Acts xv. 9. xxvi. 18. Gal. li. 20. f J onn v - 4 - Heb * xi, 1, Eph.i. 13. Ps. 16. Rem xi. 20. 2 Cor. v. 7- 144 glory of heaven, and to bear us up under all the troubles in our way thither, as in the xiith chapter to the Hebrews, enabling us to trust and betrust our souls and bodies, and all our concernments with Christ : by this faith we shall stand, by it we walk, by it we live, and hold on, and hold out in following the lamb to the end of our life.^ Now certainly, he that thus believes in j Christ, hath no cause of heart-trouble, but quietly submits to the good will and pleasure of his God in Christ, under all the dispensa- tions of his providence, while he is under this vale of tears, until he come to his Fa- ther's house in peace, where he shall meet his dearest Lord, and an hearty welcome. O ! this faith, this precious faith in Christ will conquer all our base fears, moderate all our worldly sorrows, ease our minds per- plexed with earthly cares, and quiet our dis- turbed and distracted thoughts about out- ward losses and troubles : by this faith we shall find all our losses made up in God and in Christ : then labour for it, cry mightily to God for this great gift ; cry to Jesus for it, he is the Author and Finisher of it ;f arid labour to act it upon him continually, and your hearts shall not be troubled. 9 Heb x. 38, f Heb. xi. h 145 I dare affirm, that if any thing brings heart's ease in heart-trouble, this will do it. So long as our faith holds up in act and ex- ercise upon Christ, we shall be free from heart-trouble ; but when our faith fails, our heart-troubles prevail : as when Moses lift— ed up his hands, (and his heart too by faith) Israel prevailed ; but when his hands were down Amaleck prevailed. Faith and heart- trouble are like a pair of balances, when one goes up, the other goes down : faith is the counterpoise of trouble of heart: Believe then in Jesus, act faith on him, and that will prevent or cure heart-trouble. Continue in the faith, and your heart-troubles will cease; believe what Christ is, and what he is to us. Secondly, Let us believe in Christ, and be- lieve where he is. As to his essential pre- sence, he is in heaven at the Father's right- hand, making continual intercession for us to the Father.* He is our advocate zvith the Father^ pleading our cause, presenting all our services, perfumed with his own righte- : ousness, and relenting and feeling our infir- mities,! sorrows and sufferings, sympathi- zing with us; In all our ajjlictions he is af- fi'wted.^ He knows all our troubles, trials, • Heb. xii. 2, 3. vii. 25. f 1 John ii. 1, 2. \ Heb. iv. 14, 15. U*a. lxiii.9. 146 temptations, sicknesses, losses and miseries^ Jesus himself knew, when he was on earthy what it was to lose a friend : he wept when his friend Lazarus was dead. lie is a most tender-hearted Saviour, a most merciful high- priest ; he sees and feels now in heaven all the miseries of his people upon earth, and pleads for them there : believe this, and let not your hearts be troubled. And as to his spiritual and providential! presence, he is always with his people on: earth : he is in his people ; Christ in 4 you, the hope of glory.* He is in his word and: ordinances by his spirit, to bless them to his people* Christ is all, CoL iii. 11, and in all. He is all, that is instead of all, of father, mother, husband, wife : of son and daugh- ter ; instead of health, wealth, liberty, and all to his people ; in him drvelleth all fulness.] And he is also in all ; He filleth all in all. In all his people, he dzvells in their hearts hi/ faith. All our fresh springs are in him : all the strength, support, and comfort we have, comes from him ; he is in all provi- dences, be they never so bitter, so afflictive, never so smarting, destructive to our earthly comforts, Christ is in them all ; every cup is of his preparing ; it is Jesus, your best friend, * Col. i. 27. t E£h. i- 23. iii. 17. 147 (O ye poor believers !) who most clearly loves you ; it is he that died for you ; that appoints all riiose providences, orders them all, over- rules them all, and will sweeten them all ; and in his due time will make them all pro- fitable unto you, that you shall have cause one day to praise and bless his name for them all. Oh ! that we could but believe all this, and could by faith look unto our Jesus in all dark providences, and by faith behold this blessed Jesus managing of them, and believe his love, wisdom, tenderness, and faithfulness in all ; in our sicknesses, losses, prisons, restraints, &c. then surely our hearts should not be troubled. Thirdly, Believe in Christ, believe what I he hath told us ; In my Father's house are many mansions ; if it were not so, I would have told you : I go to prepare a place for you.* Let us act faith upon these true sweet sayings of our dear Lord, who is truth itself ; In my Father's house are many mansions. In my Father's house, my Fa- ther's, and your Father's house, one house, fohn xx. 7. I ascend to my Father , and your Father ; to my God, and your God ; and it is in that house which is far above all heavens, all visible elementary heavens, the third hea- ven i that is the Father's house, that house * 1 John xiv. 3. 2 Cor. v. 1, % 148 not made with hands, whose Builder and Ma* ker is God, and is eternal. This city of the living God, The New Jerusalem ; there, saith Christ, are many mansions, many dwel- lings, many fixed, abiding, lasting, everlast- ing habitations ;* not tents and tabernacles^ such as we live in here on earth, but man- sions, abiding places. Is not this a most comfortable consideration to such poor saints, as have here on earth no certain dwelling-places, not an house of their own •wherein to lay their heads, but are forced to yemove from place to place, still seeking an habitation, banished from family and friends, from relations and acquaintance ; some cast into prisons, (while others dwell safely in their houses, and none to make them afraid,) and others exposed to much hardship and danger ? I say, this is good xiews to them, that in their Fathers house are ?nany mansions ; there are everlasting- habitations ready to receive them, made ready for them ; from which, when once they are entered, they shall never be cast out more ; from whence there shall be no more any remove for ever. When once their earthly house of this tabernacle is broken down, they shall possess that house not made • Luke xvi. 6. 149 with hands, eternal in the heavens * Let i us then by faith often look into the Father's i house, and view, and review those many mansions that are there ; and let us act hope ! also, that shortly we shall possess that place, : and enjoy that blessed state : the believing frequent prospects of that place, will prevent our heart-trouble, or cure it. If it ivere not so, I would have told you, saith our Lord : if there were not such a blessed state, and glorious place for you, my disciples, in the other word, after all your sufferings in this, I would have told vou so : for I have told you of the many troubles you must endure in this world ; and for your support and comfort, I am now telling you, what good things you shall shortly enjoy above in my Father's house, where is all joy, peace, rest, and consolation : there are ma- ny mansions, no prisons, chains, nor fetters, but glorious dwellings, enough to hold all the saints that ever were, and that ever shall be in the world, where they shall enjoy full and free communion with the blessed trinity, and with one another ; perfect liberty, with- out any restraint or remove for ever. Be- lieve this, and let not your hearts be trou- bled. • Rom. v. 2, 3. N 2 150 I go to prepare a place for you. I have purchased this most glorious place for you by my blood ; I have promised it to you ; now I go away to take possession of it for you, in your name and stead : Oh what an heart-comforting, an heart-easing considera- tion should this be to us poor believers ! that our Lord went from earth to heaven, on purpose to prepare a place in heaven for us, to possess it in our name and stead ; and in the mean time, he is preparing us by his word and spirit, by afflictions and deliver- ances for that glorious place : hence he is called our fore-runner, zvho is for us entered into that within the veil:* so that, as sure as Christ himself ascended, and went into the highest heavens, so sure shall all his disci- ples, all true believers ascend, and enter in- to heaven also ; because he went thither himself, to prepare heaven for them, by tak- ing possession of it in his human nature for us, as our head and Saviour. God hath pre- pared for them a city.j Heaven and heaven- ly glory is said to be prepared : A kingdom prepared from the foundation of the ivorld.\ If we could believe that Christ hath prepar- ed a place in heaven for us, and that heaven will make amends for all our sufferings in the • Heb. vi. 19, 20. \ Heb. xi. 10. \ Matt. xxv. 34>. 151 Way thither ;* and if we could keep the eye of faith upon that recompense of reward, that far more exceeding and eternal weight ofglo- rij^\ we should bear up bravely under all our sufferings, and not have our hearts troubled. Let us then look more heavenward, more to our Father's house : let us have our con- versations more in heaven, and set oar affec- tions more upon things above ; upon that bles- sed place and state above ; and know, that when Christ, zvho is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory.\ Believe this, and be comforted. Certainly, we are too much taken up with, and too solicitous about our earthly taberna- cles, these houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, crushed before the moth : we are always minding the diseases, distempers and dangers of our bodies, those old crazy, tottering houses, the prisons of our souls : we mind earthly places too much, but too little those heavenly places in Christ Jesus,\ where we shall shortly sit with him. Were we more heavenlv-minded, we should be more free from heart-trouble, and disquiet- ness of mind. * Heb. xi. 26. f 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, 18. \ Phil, iii. 20. Col. iii. 1,2, 3. jEph.ii. 6. 152 Fourthly, and lastly, to prevent and cure all our heart-trouble : let us labour to believe what Christ hath promised here in the text, ver. 3. I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. Most sweet and comfortable pro- mises ! / will come again. So ver. 18. / will come again ; I will not leave i/ou comfortless : ior when I am absent from you in respect of my bodily presence, I will send the Comforter to you, that shall abide with you for ever* And I myself will come again unto you ; you shall not long be without my company. Though Christ seems to withdraw and hide his face from his people, it shall be but a lit- tle moment, Isa. liv. 7, 8. He will return again, and have mercy, yea, with everlasting kindness will he return. I will come again : I will not stay long from you ; my heart is still toward you, while I am absent ; there- fore I will come quickly, Rev. iii. 11. I will come to you with my messenger, death : though it he the king of terrors in itself, and a grim porter, yet by my coming with it, it shall be to you the king of comforts : I will come with it, by my spirit, to strengthen you to look it in the face, to apply to you the virtue of my death, and thereby to take out the sting of it \ and I will come to you by 153 fi my angels, to secure your souls through the region of devils, into my Father's house. If death did come alone to us, it would be terri- ble to us indeed ; its ghastly countenance would affright us ; but here is the comfort, that Christ our dearest Lord, will come with, death, to sweeten it to us, and support us under it. This prevented David's fear, Psal. xxiii. 4. When I walk through the val- ley oj the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, or thou art With me. O welcome death, when Christ comes with it ! This bitter cup, of which we must all drink, is brought to us by the hand ot our dearest Lord : this last stroke is given by the hand of love ; it is tak- ing us home to our Father's house ; this last enemy hath Christ conquered for us, hecause his children are partakers of flesh and bloody he likewise took part of the same, that through death, (that is, his own death) he might de- stroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage.* Jesus knew what death was ; he himself had the pangs of death upon him :f sin, the sting of death, was laid upon him ; and the law, which is the strength of sin, the curse of the law was upon him :\ but * Heb. ii. 14. f Isa. liii. 6. % Gal. lit 1& 154 now, for us, who believe in Jesus, the sting and strength of death is taken out, and when we die, we shall die in the Lord, sleep in Je- sus ; in union and communion with Jesus; we shall fall asleep in the blessed arms of our dear Redeemer. He will then come to keep us company through that dark entry death, into the Father's house : his angels shall car- ry our souls into Abraham's bosom, yea, in- to the Father's bosom. O ! that we would make sure of our union with Christ j and then let us believe, that he will come with death, to translate our souls out of these earthly tabernacles, these prison-houses, these houses of bondage wherein our poor soujs have been fettered and chained, cloyed and clogged with corruptions and tempta- tions, kept at a distance, and absent from the Lord, and in which they have been groaning for deliverance, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, in their Father's house, and shall ever be with the Lord.% Secondly, Izvill receive you to myself: O sweet promise ! This is all the hope, all the desire, all the longing, thirsting, breathing of poor believers, viz. that Christ would take them to himself. This is the sum of all * Rom. viii. 23. 2 Cor. v» 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 1 Thess. iv. 17. 155 their prayers and labours, that they may be fitted for Christ, and then that Christ would take them to himself. Weil, saith Christ, work and wait a little longer ; do and suffer a little more ; act your faith and patience a little longer, and I will come to you, and take you home to myself, where your souls shall be at rest for ever. The saints while they are here, at home, in the body, they are absent from the Lord ; they see but in part, darkly, and know but in part, very imper- fectly, and enjoy but a little, a very little of God and Christ. O how sweet are a few drops, a few glimpses and glances of divine love to a poor soul ! The least cast of Christ's eve, the least beam of his loving-kindness, the least intimation of his favour, the least hint of his goodness, how refreshing to a poor believer ! But when Christ shall receive them to himself, they shall then see him as he is, and be like him,* and shall be satisfied with his likeness.] Then shall they see him, whom their souls love, face to face : and then will Jesus open to them all the treasures of his love and grace, to their everlasting consolation : they shall then be admitted into the glorious presence of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose pre- * 1 John iii.2, 3. f Psal. i. 23. 156 eeiiee is fulness of joy y and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore** When the world shall cast them out, and their habita- tions shall cast them out, and shall know them no more ; yea, when their houses of clay shall be broken down and dissolved, and can hold them no longer, then will Jesus, blessed Jesus, receive them to himself: then shall they be solemnly married to their glo- rious Bridegroom, the King of heaven's Son, the Prince of the kings of the earth ; he will receive them to himself, he will take them for his bride, embrace them in his everlasting arms, and lay them in his blessed bosom for ever and ever. I will receive you to musef into the nearest union and com- munion with myself; and therefore be not unwilling to part with your dear relations ; be not afraid to be separated from your bodies, your old friends ; for when these earthly ta- bernacles are dissolved, immediately I will receive you to myself, which is best of alL\ You shall then enjoy the fruits of all my sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession, and the fruits of all your own labours, prayers, tears, and sufferings ; and shall find that I am faithful in making good all my promises, and that your labour •Psal.xvi. M. f Phil. i. 23. 157 was not in vain in the Lord ; then shall there be no more any distance between you and me for ever. Comfort yourselves, and com- fort one another with these words : Believe ■ . and kt not your hearts be troubled. Thirdly* That where I am, ye may be al- so. And what more can be desired ? Where is Christ, but at the right hand of the Majes- ty on high, far above all principalities and poivrrs, iar above all heavens ? There shall you be also. O admirable, astonishing dig- nity, that blessed Jesus will advance his poor saints to in that dav ! This high and wonderful honour shall all his saints have ; they shall now receive the kingdom prepar- ed for them, and that crown of glory, of righteousness, and of life, which Christ has purchased for them, perfectly freed now from all sin and sorrow, and stated in an unchange- able state of happiness and blessedness. What cause have we then to grieve for our esf. It may be demanded, that having heard the excellency and usefulness of this sovereign medicine to cure heart-trouble, namely, faith in God and in Christ ; can you tell us how we may get this faith ? And what means we shall use to obtain it ? Ansiv. I shall endeavour, by the help of God's spirit, and Scripture-light, to direct you herein, and as briefly as I may. DIRECTION I. First, Yon must be convinced of your unbelief, of the greatness of the sin of unbe- lief, and of vour absolute ix:ed of faith : of these three things you must be fully con- vinced. 1. Of your unbelief: for most people think thev have faith, and that they never were without it, and therefore labour not for it. Pray earnestly therefore, that the Holy Spirit may be sent into your hearts, to work this conviction in you, for it is his proper work, John xyi. 8, to convince the world of inn, because they believe not on me, saith our I : this is the great sin, the damning sin ot the world, their not believing on €hruU 160 Now that we may be convinced, that by na- ture we have no faith, let us consider these Scriptures, Eph» ii. 1, 2, 12, and that until we are regenerate and born again, we have no faith, is evident from John i. 12, 13. There, believing in Christ, and regeneration, are inseparably joined together, Acts xv. 9, and xxv i. 18, and xx. 21. From which Scriptures it is most evident, that such as are strangers to the heart- purifying, the heart-sanctifying work of faitn, have no faith : if we have not truly repented, nor know any saving change wrought in us, and upon us, by the spirit of God ; for certain, whatever we think, we have no true saving faith, it is but a fancy : of this then we must be fully convinced, and must most heartily beg the help of the spirit to convince us. 2. Of the greatness of the sin of unbelief: it binds the guilt of all other sins upon us ; it is disobedience and rebellion against the great God, for he commands us to believe, 1 John iii. 21, and by our unbelief, we make God a liar, 1 John v. 10. Q horrible wick- edness ! And, 3. We must be convinced also of our ab- solute need of faith ; we must needs have it, or we must perish. Without faith, it is im- possible to please God, Heb. xi. 6. Without it we cannot be the children of God, John 161 i. 12. Gal. iii. 26. Without it we can have 7?9 pardon of sin, Acts x. 43. Rom. iii. 25. John viii. 24. And in what a dangerous case are we, so long as we lie under the guitr of all our sins ? Without faith we are wo? reconciled to God, nor justified, Rom. iii. 22, and Rom. vi. 1.1 ' mnciU fed, Acts xxvi. 18. ' . . ii. 13. No "access to God but b.) faith, i?ow. v. 2. Ephes. ii. 18. No living the life of religion, nor bearing up under affliction, nor holding out to the end without faith, Heb. xi. No salvation, nor eternal life, without it, Eph. ii. 18. John iii. 16, 36. Heb. x. 39. Of all these things we must be convinced, if ever we will have faith. DIRECTION II. Secondly, if we would have faith, we must diligently search the scriptures, read the gospel, attend on the reading and preaching of the gospel, for this very end, that we may get faith by it : I say, for this very end; cer- tainly, that it should be our end in reading and in hearing the word, which was God's etid in publishing of it: now, this was his end in publishing ot it, John xx. 21. Rom. xvi. 25, ^6. Rom. x. 17. Acts x. iii. 48. Eph. i. 3 3. This is the ordinary means appointed by God to work faith in the souls oi men, as ap- o 2 162 pears by Acts ii. 42. chap. iv. 4, and chap, xi. 21, and many mare. There are few that read, and hear the word for this end, and therefore get no faith by it. Now, that the word read, and heard, may be effectual to work this precious, this most necessary grace of faith in us, there are some things antecedent, some concomitant, and some consequent upon our attendance on the word, and our use of it. First, Some things antecedent, are neces- sary : 1. Preparation: For want of this the word most times proves ineffectual. It is the empty, hungry soul that relisheth and taketh in this food, James i. 21. 1 Pet. ii. 1. Matt. xiii. 22. Usually our success is according to our preparation ; as in prayer, PsaL x. 17. Compare 2 Chron. xii. 14, with 2 Chron. xix. 3. Make conscience then of preparation. 2. Prayer : Pour out your hearts to God in prayer for a blessing on the word, that you may read or hear. O ! lift up a cry to God, and say, O, Lord make this word ef- fectual to work faith in my soul, &c. 3. Earnest desire and expectation of meet- ing God in the word, and of his blessing hi it : If we expect nothing from it, no wonder if we receive nothing. There is a fultiea* 163 of blessing in the gospel, Rom. xv. 29. We should bring hungry and thirsty souls after God, the living God, as Psal. lxiii. 1, 2, 3, and Ixxxiv. 2. GodfdJeth the hungry with I things, Luke i. 53. Secondly y Some things are concomitant : 1. We must read and hear it as the word of God, and not as the word of man, 1 Tfiess. ii. 13. Acts x. 33, and we must acknow- ledge God's authority in it. z. Receive it with meekness, opening our hearts to it, and giving it the most tender entertainment, James i. 21. 3. With love, readiness of mind, and gladness of heart, 2 Thess* ii. 10. 4. With fuith, giving credit to it, believ- ing it to be the word of God, Neb. iv. 2. 5. We must be careful to remember it : see what great stress is laid upon our re- membering, 1 Cor. xv. 2. Our salvation lies upon it, Pml. cxix. 11. Love the word, for love is the act of memory. 6. Prayer must be added again for a bless- ing. Thirdly, Some things must be done after- ward also. As, 1. Meditation upon what you have heard and read ; for want of this usually all is lost, I am persuaded, this h one great reason 164 why most profit so little by the word, he- cause they make no conscience of medita- tion ; they hear and read, but never think more on it afterwards : so preaching, hear- ing, reading, and all lost ; and souls, and heaven, and all lost. For God's sake then, whose word you read and hear, and for your own soul's sake, if you are not willing they should perish for want of faith, make con- science of meditation on the word, PsaU i. 2, and cxix. 97. If ever you would get good by the word, mediate upon it. 2. Application of it ; take it home to your- selves, Job v. 27. Let it sink doxvn into your hearts^ saith Christ: It must be an in- grafted word, you must receive it into your hearts, and not into your heads only, 2 Cor, iv. 6, your hearts must be joined to it, and mixed with it. 3. Practice : Yielding up ourselves to the government of it, making it the standard avK4 rule of our whole conversation. We mitst he doers of the word, and not hearers only, lest ive deceive our own souls, James i. £52. Matt, vii. 22, 24. And in observing these scripture- rules here laid down, in the careful and con- scientious use of God's word after this man- ner, you may not doubt but the spirit of God will work with the word of God, to make it effectual to work this most precious grace of faith in us, whereby to believe in God and in Christ, to the consolation and eternal salva- tion of our souls : but if We neglect the means God hath ordained to get faith, and for want of it, die in our sins, and perish eternally, our destruction will be ot our- selves. DIRECTION III. Thirdly^ Would we have faith, let us en- gage our whole souls in the deep and serious consideration oi the infinite, unspeakable, unconceivable love of God the Father in this, the highest and fullest demonstration ot it, in giving his son, his only begotten son, to be a. sin-offering, a sacrifice, a ransom for poor sinners, and that for this very end and purpose, that we poor sinners might believe in him, and by believing might not perish, but have eternal life, I pray read and pon- der upon the following texts, and let your most serious thoughts fix on them, and med- itate on them, Isu. liii. throughout, John iii. 16, 17. Rom. iii. 25, and v. 8, 10. ffov. 30. Cot. i. 12, 13. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, 21. Rom.vm, 3, 32, with many others, which lor brevity sake I cannot transcribe : If we can but believe this wonderful love of God the Father, in giving his dear son to be a i sin-ojfermg, to lay all our infinities 166 on him; that he was pleased to bruise h?m t and put him to grief for us: and consider and meditate upon th^ heighth and depth, the breadth and length, of this immense, in- comprehensible love of God, in giving his son, and that on purpose, that we might be- lieve in him, and by believing might have eternal life ; I say, it will greatly help us to believe in his son, to accept of this his un- speakable gift, and to receive him as he is offered to us in the gospel. Moreover, let us also consider of, and deeply meditate upon the transcendent love of the son of God himself; who though he were the delight of his Father, and lay in the bosom of his Father, even then his delights were with the sons of men* then was his heart full of love to poor sinners ; and his love brought him down from heaven to as- sume human nature, and to take upon him all the sins of his people, to bear them on his soul and body, in the garden, there sweating great drops of blood, and on the cross there pouring out his heart-blood, made a curse, enduring the full measure of the wrath of God due for sin, and became the ransom of souls, Phil, ii. 6, 7, 8. Luke xxii. 44. Gal. ii. 20. He loved, us, and • Prov. viil 30, 31. 167 gave himself for us : Loved us, and washed usjrdm our sins in his blood, Rev. i. 6. 1 PeU i. 18. ii. 24. Gal. iii. 13. Tit. ii. 14. But while I am writing these things, I cannot but conceive an indignation against myself, and heartily wish I were tilled with shame, sorrow and grief of spirit, that having read and heard so often of the sur- passing love of God the Father, in giving his son ; and so often of the unspeakable love of Jesus, and to be no more affected with it, no more sensible of it ; to have my affections no more stirred and moved, no more quickened and warmed : alas, my dead heart, my adamantine heart ! Lord, sprinkle it with that blood ; Lord, shed abroad that love of thine upon my heart abundantly by the Holy Ghost ; Lord Jesus, manifest tny love to me, that I may love thee. I am ashamed and pained for want of love to God, to Jesus : O ! that I could believe thy love to my soul, then I could not chuse but love thee. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. The consideration ol this love or God, and of Christ, is a means to work faith i try it, i pray you, and you will &nd it so. DIRECTION. IV. Fourthly, Improve and act the historical faith you havw, on the doctrines, promises 3 158 and ihreatenings fa the gospel, which } T ou profess you do believe. Act the faith you have on the doctrines of the gospel, the pro- mises of rest for your souls, pardon for your sins, life and righteousness, grace and glory made to those that believe in Christ, and to none else.* Believe and think what heaven is, that state of infinite blessedness, in th^ seeing and enjoying the blessed God to all eternity :f believe what eternal life is, eter- nal glory ; and believe also what hell is, se- paration from God ; Go, ye cursed into ever- lasting jire ; lakes of fire and brimstone, everlasting death, the wrath of God, damna- tion ; and see you profess that believe all this ; then believe also and consider it wet!, that neither is heaven's infinite happiness to be attained, nor hell's unspeakable misery ti* be avoided, but only by believing the Lopd Jesus Christ, John in. 16, 17. viii. 24. - DIRECTION V. Fifthly, Would you have faith? Then j seek it diligently : pray, O pray for it as for your lives, cry mightily to God for it ; pour out your hearts to God" in prayer for it ; ptiy continually for faith, pray without eeasiag, be importunate with God for it ; go all day and night panting and breathing alter* it. O * John vi. 3T. v\\ t 37. M»tt. xt, 23, 29. f 2Th 9, 10. 169 that God would give me faith ! Co to Jesus also for it ; cry to him, for he is the Author as well as the Object of it, Heb. xii. 1, 2. It is the gift of God ; O pray for it. DIRECTION VI. Lastly, Consider seriously, and often, how- wonderful willing God is that you should believe in Christ, as you have heard ; and how much he is displeased with those that will not believe in him ; and how dreadfully he hath threatened them, as Rev. xxi. 8. Also consider how exceeding willing Jesu? Christ himself is, that poor sinners should come to him, and believe in him: how sweet- ly he calls them, how freely he offers him- self, and all he is, to them, be they never so bad, never so vile and wicked : Ho I every one that thirsteth, ha» lv. 1. They that have no worthiness in them, nothing but sin and misery.* O ! set your hearts to the consi- deration of the incomparable, unparalleled love of Jesus, in dying that cursed death of the cross for sinners : consider and medi- tate, hold your hearts to it, until your hearts be aftected with his love, his love that pass- eth the love of women, love passing under- * John vi. 37. chap. vii. 37. Rev. ill. 18. char . xxi. II. 170 standing ; and consider how well he de- serves, and how much he challengeth your love ! Consider once again, what a most lovely person Jesus is, who is altogether lovely, the brightness of his Father's glory, in whom dwells all fulness,* and in whom is all power in heaven and earth,f and labour to affect your hearts with his most admirable excellencies, and then come unto him weary and heavy laden with your sins, willing to part with them all : give up your whole selves to him, give him your whole hearts, and take him for head and husband, for your only Lord and Saviour ; enter actually into covenant with him, to become his, and his alone, and his for ever. Thus work out your salvation and conso- lation, by believing in Jesus, in blessed, all- sufficient Jesus, trusting to him, and betrust- ing all with him, and the Lord will work in you both to will and to do y Phil. ii. 12, 13. Use these means in the strength of the Lord, and doubt not,' but in the use of them, you shall obtain this precious faith ; which hav- ing, and acting, you shall find it to be your heart's ease in all your heart-trouble, PRAISE BE TO GOB ALONE. * Heb. i. 3. \ Matt, xxviii, 18. MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS MEDITATION. MEDITATION is an act by which we consider any thing closely, or wherein the soul is employed in the search or considera- tion of any truth. In religion it is used to signify the serious exercise of the under- standing, whereby our thoughts are fixed on the observation of spiritual things, in order to practice. Mystic divines make a great difference between meditation and contem- plation : the former consists in discursive acts of the soul, considering methodically and with attention the mysteries of faith, and the precepts of morality ; and is performed by reflections and reasonings which leave behind them manifest impressions on the brain. The pure contemplative, they say, have no need of meditation, as seeing all things in God at a glance, and without any reflection. I. Meditation is a duty which ought to be attended to by all who wish well to their spiritual interests. It ought to be deliberate,, close , and perpetual, Psal. cxix. 97. Psal. i. 2. — 2. The subjects which ought more es- 172 peciallv to engage the Christian mind, are the works of creation, PsaL xix. the perfec- tions of God, Deut. xxxii. 4. the excellen- cies, offices, characters, and works of Christ, Heb. xii. 2, 3. the offices and operations of the Holy Spirit, 15th and 16th ch. of John ; the various dispensations of Providence, PsaL xcvii. 1,2; the precepts, declarations, promises, &c. of God's word, PsaL cxix. the .value, powers, and immortality of the soul, Mark viii. 36 ; the noble, beautiful, and benevolent plan of the gospel, I Tim* i. 1 1 ; the necessity of our personal interest in, and experience of its power, John iii. 3 ; the de- pravit)' of our nature, and the freedom of divine grace in choosing, adopting, justify- ing, and sanctifying us, 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; the shortness, worth, and swiftness of time, James iv. 14 ; the certainty of death, Heb. ix. 27 ; the resurrection and judgment to come, 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c. and the future state of eternal rewards and punishments, Matt. xxv. These are some of the most important subjects on which we should meditate. — 3. To perform this duty aright^ we should be much in prayer, Luke xviii. 1 ; avoid a worldly spirit, 1 John ii. 15; beware of sloth, Heb. vi. 1 1 ; take heed of sensual plea- sures, James iv. 4 ; watch against tbce de- vices of Satan, 1 Petp v. 8 ; be often in re- 173 tirement, PsaL iv. 4 ; embrace the most favourable opportunities, the calmness of the morning, PsaL v. 1, 3 ; the solemnity of the evening, Gen. xxiv. 63 ; sabbath days, PsaL cxviii. 24 ; sacramental occasions, &c. 1 Cor. xi. 28. — 4. The advantages resulting frotp this are, improvement of the faculties of the soul, Prov. xvi. 22 ; the affections are raised to God, PsaL xxxix. 1, 4 ; an enjoyment of divine peace and felicity, Phil. iv. 6, 7 ; holi- ness of life is promoted, PsaL cxix. 59, 60 ; and we thereby experience a foretaste of eternal glory, PsaL lxxiii. 25, 26. 2 Cor* v, 1, kc REVELATIOX. Revelation^ the act of revealing or mak- ing a thing public that was before un- known ; it is also used for the discoveries made by God to his prophets, and by them to the world; and more particularly tor the books of the Old and New Testaments. A revelation is, in the first place, possible. God may, for any thing we can certainly tell, think proper to make some discovery to his creatures which they knew not before. As he is a Being of infinite power, we may be red he cannot be at a loss for means to i> 2 174 communicate his will, and that in such a manner as will sufficiently mark his own.— 2. It is desirable. For, whatever the light of nature could do for man before reason, was depraved, it is evident that it has done little for man since. Though reason be ne- cessary to examine the authority of divine revelation, yet, in the present state, it is in- capable of giving us proper discoveries of God, the way of salvation, or of bringing us into a state of communion with God. It therefore follows, — 3. That it is necessary. Without it we can attain to no certain know- ledge of God, of Christ, of the Holy Ghost, of pardon, of justification, of sanctification, of happiness, of a future state, of rewards and punishments. — 4. No revelation, as Mr. Brown observes, relative to the redemption of mankind could answer its respective ends, unless it were sufficiently marked with in- ternal and external evidences. That the Bi- ble hath internal evidence, is evident from the ideas it gives us of God's perfections, of the law of nature, of redemption, of the state of man, &c. As to its external evidence, it is easily seen by the characters of the men who composed it, the miracles wrought, its success, the fulfilment of its predictions, &c. — 5. The contents of revelation are agreeable to reason. It is true there are some things 175 above the reach of reason ; but a revelation containing such things is no contradiction, as long as it is not against reason ; for if every thing be rejected which cannot be exactly comprehended, we must become unbelievers at once of almost every thing around us. The doctrines, the institutions, the threat- enings, the precepts, the promises, of the Bible, are every way reasonable. The mat- ter, form, and exhibition of revelation are consonant with reason. — 6. The revelation contained in our Bible is perfectly credible. It is an address to the reason, judgment, and affections of men. The Old Testament abounds with the finest specimens of history., sublimity, and interesting scenes of Provi- dence. The facts of the New Testament are supported by undoubted evidence from enemies and friends. The attestations to the early existence of Christianity are nume- rous from Ignatius, Polycarp, Iremeus, Ju<^ tin Martyr, and Tatian, who were Chris- tians ; and by Tacitus, Sueton, Serenus, Plinv, &c. who were Heathens. — 7. The revelations contained in our Bible are divine- ly inspired. The matter, the manner, the scope, the predictions, miracles, preserva- tion, &c. &c. all prove this. — 8. Revelation is intended for universal benefit. It is a common objection to it, that hitherto it has been confined to few, and therefore could not come from God, who is so benevolent ; but this mode of arguing will equally hold against the permission of sin, the inequali- ties of Providence, the dreadful evils and miseries of mankind which God could have prevented. It must be farther observed, that none deserve a revelation ; that men have despised and abused the early revela- tions he gave to his people. This revela- tion, we have reason to believe, shall be made known to mankind. Already it is spreading its genuine influence. In the cold regions of the North, in the burning regions oi the South, the Bible begins to be known ; and, from predictions it contains, we believe the glorious sun of revelation shall shine and illuminate the whole globe — -9. The effects of revelation which have already taken place in the world, have been astonishing. In pro- portion as the Bible has been known, arts and sciences have been cultivated, peace and liberty have been diffused, civil and moral obligations have been attended to. Nations have emerged from ignorance and barbarity, whole communities have been morally re- formed, unnatural practices abolished, and wise laws instituted. Its spiritual effects have been wonderful. Kings and peasants, conquerors and philosophers, the wise and 177 the ignorant, the rich and the poor, have been brought to the foot of the cross ; yea, millions have been enlightened, improved, reformed, and made happy by its influences. Let any one deny this, and he must be an hardened, ignorant infidel, indeed. Great is the truth, and must prevail. SABBATH. Sabbath, in the Hebrew language, signifies rest, and is the seventh day of the week : a day appointed for religious duties, and a total cessation from work, in commemora- tion of God's resting on the seventh day ; and likewise in memorial of the redemption of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Concerning the time when the sabbath was first instituted there have been different opinions. Some have maintained that the sanctification of the sevemh day mentioned in Gen. ii. is only there spoken of by antici- pation ; and is to be understood of the sab- bath afterwards enjoined in the wilderness ; and that the historian, writing after it was instituted, there r: ( es the reason of its insti- tution ; and this is supposed to be the case, as it is never mentioned during the patri- archal age. But against this sentiment it is 178 urged, 1. That it cannot be easily supposed that the inspired penman would have men- tioned the sanctification of the seventh day amongst the primaeval transactions, if such sanctification had not taken place until 2500 years afterwards.— 2. That, considering Adam was restored to favour through a Me- diator, and a religious service instituted, which man was required to observe, in tes- timony not only of his dependence on the Creator, but also of his faith and hope in the promise, it seems reasonable that an institu- tion so grand and solemn, and so necessary to the observance of this service, should be then existent.—- 3. That it is no proof against its existence because it is not mentioned in the patriarchal age, no more than it is against its existence from Moses to the end of Da- vid's reign, which was near 440 years. — 4. That the sabbath was mentioned as a well known solemnity before the promulgation of the law, Exod. xvi. 23. For the manner in which the Jews kept it, and the awful conse- quences of neglecting it, we refer the reader to the Old Testament, Lev, xxvi. 34, 35. Neh. xiii. 16, 1$. Jer. xvii. 21. Ezek. xx. 16, 17. Numb. xv. 32 to 36. Under the Christian dispensation the sab- bath is altered from the seventh to the first day of the week. The arguments for the 179 change are these : 1. As the seventh day was observed by the Jewish church in me- mory of the rest of God after the works of the creation, and their deliverance from Pharaoh's tyranny, so the first day of the week has always been observed by the Chris- tian church, in memory of Christ's resurrec- tion. — 2. Christ made repeated visits to his disciples on that day. — 3. It is called the Lord's day, Rev, i. 10. — 4. On this day the apostles were assembled, when the Holy Ghost came down so visibly upon them, to qualify them for the conversion of the world. — 5. On this day we find St. Paul preaching at Troas, when the disciples came to break bread. — 6. The directions the apos- tle gives to the Christians plainly allude to their religious assemblies on the first day.— "9. — Pliny bears witness of the first day of the week being kept as a festival, in honour of the resurrection of Christ ; and the primi- tive Christians kept it in the most solemn manner. These arguments, however, are not satis- factory to some, and it must be confessed that there is no law in the New Testament concerning the first day. However, I look upon it as not so much the precise time that is universally binding, as that one day out of en is to be regard 180 As the sabbath is of Divine institution, so it is to be kept holy unto the Lord. Nume- rous have been the days appointed by men for religious services , ?jul these pre not binding because of human institution. Not so the sal bath: Hence the fourth command- men t is ushered in with a peeuliarjemphasis — " Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day," This institution is wise as to its ends: That God may be worshipped ; man instruct- ed ; nations benefited ; and families devoted to the service of God. It is lasting as to its duration. The abolition of it would be un- reasonable ; unscraptural, Exod. xxxi. 13 ; and every way disadvantageous to the body, to society, to the soul, and even to the brute creatioii. It is, however, awfully violated by visiting, feasting, indolence, buying and selling, working, worldly amusements, and travelling.