Two Sermons 2, Sermon 1

Two Sermons 2 · Sermon 1

TVVO SERMONS VPONUPON THE FIRST words of Christs last Sermon IOHN XIIII. I.

Being also the last Sermons of RICHARDS SIBBS D. D. Preached to the honourable society of Grayes Inne, Iune the 21. and 28. 1635.

Who the next Lords day following, died, and rested from all his labours.

2. Sam. 23. 1. These are the last words of the sweet singer of Israel.

LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper, for Lawrence Chapman, and are to be sold at his shop in Holborne, at Chancery lane end. 1636.

HONORATISSIMO DOMINO, DOMINO ROBERTO COMITI WARVVICENSI, HAS MELLITISSIMI THEOLOGI RICHARDI SIBBS, S. THEOL. DOCTORIS (QUEM Percharum habuit, cuiusque concionantis auditor erat assiduus, unà cum nobilissima Familia) CYGNEAS CONCIONES, IN …ENTISSIMI AVTHORIS AFFECTVS, NEC NON IPSORVM SINGVLARIS OBSEQVII foreign

D. D. D.

THOMAS GOODVVIN.

PHILIPPUS NYE.

Imprimatur,

Tho. Weekes, R. P. EP. Lond. Capel. Domest.

p. 1The first SERMON.

lOHN 14. chap. 1 verse.

Let not your hearts be troubled, ye beleeve in God, beleeve also in me.

HOly men as they be trees os righteousnesse, and desire to be fruitfull at all times, so most especially towards their end, having but a short time to live in the world, they be willing to leave the world with a good savour; so it was with Iacob; so with Moses, as appeares in his excellent Song made before his death; you may see it in King Salomon and David before their deaths, but especially p. 2in our Saviour. The nearer to heaven, the more heavenly minded, when grace and glory are ready to joyne, the one to be swallowed up of the other, then grace is most glorious. All the passages of Christ are comfortable, but none more comfortable then those Sermons of his, that were delivered a little before his death; of all words that come from loving men to those they love, such are most remarkable as be spoken when they be ready to die, because then men are most serious, they being about the most serious businesse: then they bee wisest, and best able to judge: for the consideration of their end makes them wise. And therefore sayth God, Psal. 90.Ps 90Oh that my people were wise to consider their latter end. And, Teach mee to number my dayes, that I may apply my heart to wisedome, sayth Moses. And indeed there is no wisedome to that: for it teacheth men to passe a right judgement upon all things in the world: they be no longer drunke with the prosperity of the world, they be no longer swayed p. 3with opinion, but they passe an estimation of things as they are.

Besides, love at that time is especially set on worke. Therefore our blessed Saviour being now to offer himselfe a sacrifice on the Crosse, he sweetly delivereth these words before his departure, Let not your hearts be troubled: Let us heare them therefore, as the dying words of our Saviour, to his Disciples, and in his Disciples to us all, as in the 17 of Saint Iohn, I pray not for them onelyonly, but for all such as shall beleeve in me, through their word, for his comforts concerne us all, as his prayers did.

This Chapter is sweetly mixt of comforts, counsels, and gratious promises, but especially it affords matter of comfort: mark who it is that gives this comfort, our blessed Saviour; And at what time, when he was to sacrifice himselfe.

What admirable love, and care, and pitie is in this mercifull high Priest of ours, that should so thinke of comforting his disciples, as to forget hemselfe, and his owne p. 2duplicate page p. 3duplicate page p. 4approaching death; It is the nature of love so to do, and we should imitate our blessed Saviour in it: you see how he laboureth to strengthen them; especially towards his end, he knew they would then need it most, and therfore he endeavoureth by all means to strengthen them both by counsell, as here by the Passeover, and by a newly instituted Sacrament.

But what need we wonder at this in our blessed Saviour who so regarded us, as he left heaven, took our nature, became man; put himselfe under the Law, became sinne.

The words containe a disswasion from over-much trouble; and then a direction to beleeve in God, and Christ, comforts must be founded on strong reasons; For we are reasonable and understanding creatures, and God works on us answerably to our principles. He stayes our spirits by reasons stronger then the grievance. For what is comfort, but that which establisheth and upholds the soule against that evill which is feared or felt, from a greater strength of p. 5reason which overmastreth the evill. If the grievance bee but even with the comfort, then the consolation workes not; but Christs comforts are of an higher nature, then any trouble can be, for hee not onelyonly disswades from trouble, but also perswades to confidence, Be of good comfort, I have overcome the world.

The occasion of this comforting them, and of remooving their discouragements was this: In the former Chapter, hee had told them, that he should leave them, and that they should leave him, the best of them all, even Peter should take offence at him, and denie him, and that all the rest should leave him: From whence they might gather, that the approaching trouble should be great, That should cause Peter to deny him, and them all to forsake him: And thence must needes arise great scandalls. Our Saviour saw by the power of his Godhead, into their hearts, and like enough, in their lookeshee saw a spirit of discouragement seyzing on them, for his departure, p. 6and Peters fall, their forsaking of him, and the persecutions that would follow. And therefore Christ discerning this dejection of their spirits, he rayseth them by this, Let not your hearts be troubled. The heavenly Physition of our soules applieth then the remedy when it is the fittest season.

There was some good in their trouble, something naturally, and something spiritually good. There was ground of naturall trouble at the departure of such a friend, at the hearing of such persecutions: For wee are flesh, not steele, and in that sence, Christ was troubled himselfe to shew the truth of his manhood: nay trouble is the seasoning of all heavenly comforts, so as there were no comforts if there were no trouble: and therefore this naturall trouble was not disallowed by Christ. There was likewise something spiritually good, in this trouble, they loved their Master, who they saw was going away; And they knew it was a shamefull thing for them to forsake him: there was love in them towards him all p. 7this while, Christ could discerne gold in …oare, some good in a great deale of ill; and therefore loved them againe, and manifested it by comforting them, Let not your beares be troubled: They were right in this principle, that all comfort depends on the presence of Christ. And so the maine ground of the sorrow was good. For as all heavenly light, and heat, and influence comes from the Sunne, it being all gathered into that body: so all heavenly comfort is gathered into Christ, and therefore must come to us from Christs presence, bodily or spiritually. Their errour was in tying all comfort to a bodily, a corporall presence. As if it were necessary for the Sun to come downe and abide upon the earth, to bestow its heat and influence; and therefore he tels them, that though he was to goe away, yet he would send another comforter, the holy Ghost.

And then they were overcome by an opinion, that it would go worse with them when Christ was gone: therefore Christ p. 8telleth them that it should bee better for them, and indeed it was better: Christ did not take away his blessed presence for their disadvantage, but for their good, God never takes any thing from his children, but he maketh it up in a better kinde. If Christ takes away his bodily presence, he leaveth his spirituall presence, and more abundantly.

So that though they were led with sensible things and what they saw not, they could hardly beleeve, yet Christ lookes to what is good in them, and accepts it: hee saw what was naught in them, with a purpose to purge it, what was naturally weak in them to strengthen it, and therefore hee counsels them, Let not your hearts bee troubled.

The thing that I will first observe out of the words, is, That the best Christians are subject to be troubled, to be pensive, and dejected more then should be.

Indeed our Saviour Christ himself was troubled, but his trouble was like the shaking p. 9of cleare water in a christall glasse. There was no mudde in the bottome; but our trouble is of another kinde, and apt to be inordinate.

We may carry this truth through the whole Scripture, and shew how Hannah was in bitternesse of spirit which exceeded so, that Eli a good man mistakes her, supposing that she was overcome with drinke.

Hezekiah a good King, was in such bitternesse, that like a crane or swallow he did chatter. And David complained that his spirit was over-whelmed within him; And Ionah cries out, that he was in the bellie of hell.

And God will have it so, partly for conformity to our head; and partly that we may be known to our selves, that we may discerne where our weaknesse lyeth; and so be better instructed to seeke to him in whom our strength lyeth.

He suffers us likewise to be troubled for the preventing of spirituall sinnes, pride, p. 10and security, and the like.

And partly in regard of others, that we may be pittifull; Christ was man for this end that he might be a merciful high Priest, and we have much more need to know and feele the infirmities that are in our selves, that we may be mercifull to others; that we may not be harsh and censorious upon the troubles of others; from want of which consideration proceeded Elies rashnesse in passing that censure upon Hannah.

But how shall we know we know that our hearts are more troubled then they should be? For I lay this for a ground: That we may sinne in being over-much troubled, at things for which it is a sinne not to be troubled; If they had not beene at all affected with the absence of Christ; it had beene a sinne, and no lesse then stupidity; yet it was their sinne to be over much troubled. In a word therefore for answer; a trouble is sinfull, when it hinders us in dutie, or from duty; when it hinders us in duties to God, or to others.

Or from duty, that is, when the soule is p. 11disturbed by it, and like an Instrument out of tune, made fit for nothing, or like a limbe out of joynt, that moves, not onelyonly uncomelily, but painfully, & becomes unfit for action: when we finde this in our trouble. we may know it is not as it should be.

There be some affections especially that are causes of over much trouble, feare of evils to come, sorrow for evils that are present seize on us. Now when these do hinder us from duty, or trouble us in dutie, they be exorbitant and irregular.

Naturally affections should be helps to duty, they being the winde that carry the soule on, and the spirituall wings of the soule: so that a man without affections is like the dead sea, that moves not at all. But then they must be regulated, and ordered, they must be raised up, and laid downe, at the command of a spirituall understanding: when they be raised up of themselves, by shallow and false conceits, and opinions, they be irregular, when they be p. 12raised up by a right judgement of things, and laid downe againe when they ought to be, then they are right and orderly.

Now besides the hurt that is in such affections themselves, Sathan loves to fish in these troubled waters. The affections are never stirred and raised up irregularly, and exorbitantly, but Sathan joynes with them. And therefore we have need keep our affections of griefe and feare within their due bounds: Sathan is a curious observer of any excesse in our passions, and in just correction (to speake the mildest of it) God lets loose Sathan to ioyne with that excesse. And therefore the Apostle saith wisely, Let not the Sunne go downe upon your wrath, neither give place to the Devill, because as soone as ever we give way to any excesse of affection, Sathan fishes in these waters, and ioynes with that excesse. He being a spirit of darknesse, loves to dwell in the soule when it is in darknesse. And therefore when it is clouded by passion (as all passions beyond their p. 13due measure are as clouds that darken the soule) Sathan that works in darknesse, then seizes on the soule presently.

That was Sauls case, he was envious at David being of a proud and haughty spirit, that could not endure competition: and Sathan took his time to work on him, And therefore it is said he was troubled with an evill spirit.

But trouble of Spirit is too large an Argument, I will not now stand upon it, onelyonly I will shew that we should not yeeld to excesse of trouble any way. And the reasons are:

First, we wrong our owne selves when we give way to griefe and sorrow that is immoderate and inordinate: The soule is as it were put out of joynt by it; we make actions difficult unto us, the wheeles of the soule are thereby taken off; joy and comfort are as it were oyle to the soule. And therefore Nehemiah saith,Chap. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is your strength; when therefore we give way to feare, and griefe, and such passions, p. 14it weakeneth the soule in action. And then againe they are as it were a cloud betwixt Gods love, and us, and so the soule is hindered of much comfort and enlargement: ioy enlargeth the soule, but griefe strengtheneth it: comfort raiseth up the soule, griefe and sorrow weigh downe the soule. A Christian should be of a straight, upright. and enlarged spirit. When therefore the spirit is streightened. when it is prest downe and deiected, a Christian is not in his right minde, in his due and proper frame.

Besides, if we regard God himselfe, we should take heed that the soule be not thus distempered: for by over much sorrow and griefe what a great deale of dishonour do we to God, it proceeding from a mistake of his goodnesse and providence? And with over much feare and sorrow, there is alwayes ioyned murmuring and discontent, and a spirit unsubdued to God, and his Spirit. There is a wronging as of his care in providence, so of his gratiousnesse p. 15in his promises. There is a grieving of his good Spirit, a questioning of his government, as if he did not dispose of things as he should, when we will have it one way, and God will have it another way. There is likewise a great deale of pride in dejections and discontent. The most discontented spirit in the world is the Devill, and none prouder. It argues a great deale of pride, and sullennesse to be affectedly sad, and deiected, as if such worthy and excellent persons as we should not be so afflicted: Or there were greater cause for us to be deiected then raised up. Whereas if we ballance our grounds of comfort (being Christians) as we should do, they would appeare incomparably above the grounds of our discouragements: so it is a wrong to God, and his truth, and his gracious sweet government to yeeld to a dejected sullen disposition.

It is likewise a wrong to others: for it maketh us unfit for any office of love to them, when we plodde and pore so much p. 16upon our discontentments, and drink up our spirits, and eate up our hearts, it disables the soule, taking away not onelyonly the strength, but also the willingnesse of the soule.

Besides the scandal that it brings on Religion, and the best wayes, as if there were not enough in Religion to comfort the soule.

But you will say, Religion breeds a great deale of trouble, and pensivenesse. It is indeed the speech of the shallow people of the world, Religion makes men sad.

And it is true that as our Saviour Christ here had made his Disciples sad, by telling them that they would leave him, and that a great scandall would be taken at his Crosse, and shamefull suffering; but yet withall bids them not be troubled, and gives you grounds of comfort; so Religion will make men sadde; For it discovers truths, and sad truths. I but the same Religion will cheare them up againe, yea it casts them down, that it may raise them up. The p. 17uSnne in the morning raiseth clouds, but when it hath strength it scatters them. God intending solid. and substantiall comfort. doth first beget troubles, and discovers true grounds of trouble: he lets us see that all is not well, but still as Religion brings any trouble, so it brings with it greater remedies against thse troubles: and that God that raiseth a soule to see just matter of griefe, will by his spirit shew its due, and right portion in comfort. Thus to be sorrowfull and sad in some measure is from Religion, but that which will prevent the excesse and over measure of it, is from Religion likewise.

So that it is a scandall to Religion to be over much dejected.

Besides, though we should be troubled for sinne, yet to be over much troubled for sinne is a dishonour to Christ, and to the love of God, in Christ: for it is as if we had not in him a sufficient remedy for that great maladie. As be it griefe for the troubles of the Church: as not to be troubled p. 18at the affliction of Ioseph is branded for a sinne. So to be too much cast downe, as if Christ had cast off the government from his shoulders, or had not the name of the Church on his breast in heaven (as the high Priest had the names of the 12 Tribes) in his breast plate, to be so cast downe as to be taken off from prayer, and from the use of all good meanes to helpe the Church, this is sinfull. So also when griefe for sinne makes us forget the mercies of God in Christ, to forget the healing vertue of him our brazen Serpent, to neglect to search our grounds of comforts, and to yeeld to Sathan, to temptation. Even over much sadnesse, though it be for sinne, or for the Church, it is hurtfull and scandalous.

Iosuah was much cast downe when he saw it went not well with Israel: but get thee up Iosuah, saith God, what doest thou lying here? up and do thy duty; consider what is amisse: There is an Achan in the Campe: and so when things go not well, let not your thoughts be conversant about p. 19the matters of trouble, so much as about your duty. So we see it is incident to Gods people to be over much troubled, and we see also the reasons why it should not be so, because it is injurious to God, to our selves, and others every way.

And after all this there is much reason in this that Christ hath forbidden it, let not your hearts be troubled.

But Christ could as well have cured it being God,Ob. as easily as forbidden it.

It is true, but he cures it by forbidding it:Ans. with the words, there went forth a spirit of comfort into their hearts, an influence of grace, accompanied his commands, for the word, and Spirit God, together, Christ deales with men by men. The spirit of comfort is a spirit of truth, and therefore God comforts by truths. He gives us sanctified understandings, and affections, and then works on them by sanctified truths.

And sometimes Christ cures it by reall comforts, for comforts are either rationall, which are fetched frō grounds, which faith p. 20ministers, or reall from the presence of any thing which comforts; as the sight of friends, or the accommodating of us in any thing wherein we see the love of God conveighed: how many reall comforts doth God bestow, when he fitteth us with conveniencies in our way to heaven, so that we may teade the love of God in them? God doth not onelyonly comfort us by his gracious promise, by his Word and Sacraments, administring heavenly comforts by them, but also by the conveighing of himselfe, and his love by outward comforts that we enjoy in the world: howsoever carnall men abuse them, making all things to work for the worst: yet that love that intends heaven, sweetens all things in the passage to heaven to his children, because they see the love of God in the least comfort.

Againe, observe from this here, let not your hearts be troubled, what is the seat of comfort, the heart, the seat of comfort is the fear of griese: There must be an application p. 21of comfort suitable to the griefe, and the heart must be comforted.

And therefore in Isa. 40. 1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, speake to the heart. As the griefe sinks and soakes to the root of the heart: so do Christs comforts, like true cordials indeed, that go as deepe as the grievance. If the griefe goes to the heart, the comfort must go as deepe. Now God the Father of spirits, and the holy Ghost the Comforter, knows and searches our spirits; they know all the corners of the heart, they can banish feare, and sorrow, out of every cranny; and bring light, heat, and influence into every part of the soule. And therefore Christ saith, Let not your hearts be troubled.

Now for the wayes whereby we must labour to comfort our hearts (amongst many that I might speak of) I will name a few.

First of all, there must be a due search into the heart, of the grounds of our trouble; for oftentimes Christians are troubled, p. 22they cannot tell wherefore: As children that Will complaine they know not why. I speake not of hypocrites that will complaine of that which is not a true griefe to them; like some Birds that make greatest noyse, when they be furthest from their nests: But of some poore Christians that are troubled, but distinctly know not the ground of it. But search the heart ingenuously, and truly to the bottome of it, and see if there be not some Achan in the Camp, some sinne in the heart (for sinne is like winde when it gets into the veines, it will have vent, and a troublesome one: and so will sinne. if it get into the soule) it is that indeed which causeth all trouble. And therefore search your hearts throughly, what sinne lyeth there unrepented of, and for which you have not beene humbled.

And when you have found out your sinne, give it vent by confession of it to God, and in some cases to others.

And when we have done so, consider what promises, and comforts, in the word p. 23of God are fitted to that condition; for we can be in no condition, but there are comforts for it, and promises fitted to yeeld comforts for every malady. And it will be the wisedome of a Christian to accommodate the remedy to the sore of his heart. And therefore we ought to be skilfull and well seene, in the word of God, that we may sore up comforts before-hand. Our Saviour Christ tels them before-hand of the scandall of the Crosse, and of Peters deniall, that they might lay up strength and spirituall armour against the day of tryall. Those comforts do not (for the most part) hold out in the day of adversity,Non durant in adversis quae non in pace quaesita. which were not procured in the day of prosperitie. It is not wisedome to be to learne Religion when we should use it: and therefore let us be spirituall good husbands for our soules, by storing up comforts out of the Word of God, and then we shall have no more to do, then to remember the comforts that we did before-hand know.

And there be some promise of more p. 24generall use, that are Catholica, fitted for all sorts of grievances: and of these wee must make use, when we cannot think of particular ones. As the promises that concerne forgivenesse of sinnes. Thinke of Gods mercy in pardoning sinne with admiration; because sinne will be presented us in such terrible colours, that if God be not presented in as gracious colours, wee shall sinke: and therefore set out Christ in his mercies, and all sufficiencie, when sinne is aggravated to be in its hainousnesse, and out of measure sinfulnesse: as the Prophet Michah doth, Who is a God like our God, that pardoneth iniquitie, transgression, and sinne, &c. Likewise how many promises and comforts are there in that one promise, Luk. 11. He will give his spirit to them that aske him. And here our Saviour promiseth to send the Comforter: all graces and all comforts are included in the Spirit of grace, and comfort; his Spirit is a Spirit of all grace: and therefore our Saviour thought that the promised enough when p. 25be said he would send them the Comforter: And so what a world of comfort is in that promise. All things shall worke together for the best to them that love God: yea those things that are worst shall work together; though they be hostile, and opposite one to another: yet they joyne issue in this, they be all for the good of Gods people. As in a clocke the wheels go severall wayes, but all joyne to make the Clocke strike: And so in the carriage, and ordering of things, one passage crosses another, but in the issue, we shall be able to say, all things worke together for the best, I found God turning all things for my good. And I could not have beene without such a crosse, such an affliction. And so for present assistance in your callings or straits, remember that promise made to Iosuab, which is repeated in the 13 of the Hebrews, I will not faile thee, nor for sake thee: a promise which is five times renewed in Scripture; and how much comfort is in that, that he will vouchsafe by his spirit a gracious presence in all conditions p. 26whatsoever. And likewise that of David, Psalme 23. Though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I feare no ill, for thou art with me. It was a terrible supposition made, that though he should walke in the valley of the shadow of death, yet he would feare no evill, These promises well digested, will arme the soule with confidence, that it shall be able to put any case of trouble: As in the 27. Psalme, David puts cases, The Lord is my strength, the Lord is the light of my countenance, of whom shall I be afraid? Though thousands shall rise against me, yet in this I will be confident. If our hearts be established by the word of God setled in the truth of such promises, by the Spirit of God, we may set God, and his truth, against all troubles that can arise from Sathan, and hell, and the instruments of Sathan, or our owne hearts. And therefore it is a great wrong to God, and his truth, if we know not our portion of comfort, and use it, as occasion serves. More particulars I omit, p. 27leaving them to your owne industry, the Scripture being full of them.

When we have these promises, let us 4labour to understand them throughly, to understand the grounds of our comfort in them, and to beleeve the truth of them, which are as true as God, who is truth it selfe. And then to love them, and digest them in our affections, and so make them our owne, and then to walk in the strength and comfort of them.

Labour likewise to have them fresh in memory: it is a great defect of Christians, 5they forget their consolation, as it is in the Hebrews: Heb. 12. 5.Heb 12:5though we know many things, yet we have the benefit of our comfort from no more then we remember.

But above all, if we will keep our hearts 6from trouble, let us labour to keepe unspotred consciences. Innocencie and diligence are marvellous preservers of comfort. And therefore if the conscience be sported, and uncleane, wash it in the bloud of Christ, which is first purging, and then p. 28purifying. It first purgeth the soule being set aworke to search our sinnes, and confesse them, which maketh us see our need of Christ, who dyed to satisfie divine justice. Then God sprinkles our heart with this bloud, which was shed for all penitent sinners: by which when the heart is purged, the conscience will be soone satisfied also, by Christs bloud. And when it is purged, and pacified, then keep it cleane, for a foule soule is alwayes a troubled soule; and though it may be quiet, yet it is sure to break out afterwards.

7And because there can be no more comfort, then there is care of duty: therefore together with innocencie, let us be carefull of all duties, in all our severall relations: let us consider in what relations we stand, and what duties we owe, and be carefull to satisfie them all. Neglect of duty is a debt, and debts are troublesome, when the soule reflects upon the omission of a necessarie duty. I owe such a duty to such a person, I should have done such a thing, p. 29in such a relation, but I have omitted it, it is a disquietment, and that upon good grounds, and if you have beene negligent, there must be an actuall renewing of the Covenant, and a setting upon the duty with fresh endeavours to make amends for former negligences, or else the soule shall have no comfort. nor will God suffer it to admit of comfort. And therefore work out your salvation with feare, and trembling. The reason that men do still tremble, and are troubled with this doubt, and that feare, is, because their salvation is not wrought out, something is left undone, and their consciences tels them so.

But above all, that we may receive comfort, 8let us labour for a spirit of faith. Therefore here it is said, You beleeve in God, beleeve also in me. Christ brings them to faith for comfort. And he sets downe a a double object of faith, God, that is, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost: and Christ, considered as Mediator; and Christ brings them to himselfe, (Beleeve also in me) because p. 30he would fense them against the future scandal of his suffering. As if he should say, You will hereafter when you see me so handled, and upon the Crosse, doubt, and call in question, whether I am God, and the Messiah of the world, or no. But if you beleeve in God, beleeve in me. For howsoever in love to you, and mankinde, I tooke mans nature on me, and am abased, yet in my greatest abasement, remember this, that I am God. And surely there is nothing can stay the soule more, especially when it is deeply humbled, then to consider God in the second person incarnate, and abased, and crucified, and made a curse, and sinne for us, to see the great God of heaven, and earth, whose excellencies we cannot comprehend, to take our nature, and in our nature to suffer for us those things which he did endure. This will establish the soule indeed. Can the the soule thinke that this was done for any small, or to little purpose? Or can there be any griefe, or sinne, that should hinder comfort, or perswasion p. 31of the possibilitie of pardon, when the great God became man, on purpose to dye for sinne? We may set this against all discouragements whatsoever. And therefore, beleeve in God, beleeve also in me. Howsoever you see me abased, yet you may have comfort in my abasement, for it is for you. And therefore saith Paul, Irejoyce to know nothing, but Iesus Christ, and him crucified. That which proud, and Atheisticall Heathens tooke scandall at, that he rejoyceth in, God forbid that I should glory in anything but in the Crosse of Christ, Peace of conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, reconciliation, and title to happinesse is all founded upon Christ crucified.

And then againe you see he joynes both together (Ye beleeve in God, beleeve also in me) to shew the distinction of persons in the Trinitie, God the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; all our faith is resolved at length into one God, but yet withall into three persons in that Divine nature, because as there is God the Father offended, so there must p. 32be a God to satisfie that God, and there must be a God to reveale, and apply that satisfaction. The soule is so full of doubtings, that nothing can set it downe, but that which is above the soule, and above the devill. And therefore for our salvation, and to give us comfort, there is a necessitie of three persons in the Godhead. The Father is offended, God in the second person must satisfie offended justice; and God in the third person must reveale, and apply the Sonne for comfort. And therefore he names them distinctly (Ye beleeve in God, &c.) And because we cannot beleeve in God the Father, but by beleeving in Christ, therefore he joynes them together (ye beleeve in God, ye beleeve also in me,) No man comes to the Father, but by the Sonne. God the Father dwels in the light that no mortall eye can approach unto, onelyonly he hath manifested himselfe in his Sonne, who is the ingraven Image of his person; God shines in the face of Christ, and as he comes down, and makes himselfe knowne p. 33to us in his Sonne, so we must go up to him in his Sonne, as he saith afterwards: I am the way, the truth, and the life. There is no going to the Father but by me: nothing is more terrible then to conceive of God, out of Christ, for so he is a consuming fire: therefore thinke of God as ours in Christ, carry Christ our elder Brother with us, and desire God to looke upon us in his Sonne.

Now now doth faith in Christ ease the soule in trouble?Quest.

Many wayes:Answ. I will name a few. Faith in Christ banisheth troubles, and bringeth in comfort.

Because it is an emptying grace; it emptieth us of our selves, and so makes us cleane to another, and thereby becomes a grace of union. It is such a grace as brings the soule, and Christ together. Now Christ being the fountaine of comfort, God having treasured all comfort in him; for the fulnesse of the Godhead dwels in Christ, and faith causeth Christ to dwell in us, brings the soule and Christ together, and p. 34so must needs make way for comfort, for it makes us one with the fountain of comfort. And by its repeated acts derives fresh comfort.

Again, faith establisheth the heart. Now to establish the soule, there must be a solid Basis, as in building there must be a foundation, and a planting upon that foundation. Now here is a foundation, God and Christ, and there must be a grace to found, and bottome the soule thereupon, and that is faith, and so the soule is established. The chaine and connexion of causes herein is this. God the Father in Christ, and by the holy Ghost conveighs comforts, through the word laid hold upon by faith. It is not the word alone, for that is but as the veins and atteries, that conveigh the bloud, and spirits. So the Spirit being conveighed by the promises, helpeth the soule to lay it selfe upon Christ by faith, which is a grace of union, by which union with him the foule is established.

And then againe faith stirreth up such p. 35graces, as do comfort the soule, as hope in all good things promised. And therefore in the next Verse he addes to comfort them, In my Fathers house are many mansions; and faith is the grace that apprehends the joyes thereof, and hope expects that which faith beleeves, and that hope becomes an anchor to the soule, that stayeth the soule in all the waves and troubels of the world; and what is the ground of that hope but faith? Faith stirreth up hope, and hope pitcheth on the promise, especially of life everlasting. And thus faith becomes a quieting and a stilling grace, because it raiseth the soule by representing and making reall to it, better things then the world can give or take, as it doth also at other times present 6heavier things then the world can threaten: faith makes things present to the soule; and because it layes hold on divine things, greater then any thing here below, therefore it overcomes the world, and all things in the world, yea hell it self, because it layes hold on heaven and happinesse; p. 36upon the power of God, and the mercy of God in Christ, and upon those rich promises: What is in the world, or in the rank of good things, but faith out-bids it by setting heaven against it: and what evill is there but faith overcomes the feare of it by setting hell against it. I shall have such a good, if I yeeld to such a lust: I, but what is that to heaven, saith Faith? For faith being the Hypostasis the substance of things to come, makes them substantiall, and evident to the soule, as if they were alreadie subsistent, being looked upon in the certaintie of the word; and so it affects the soul deeply, and upholds it strongly, even as if the things themselves were present and so it banisheth and dispels all discomforts, the 11. Chapter to the Hebrews is a Comment upon this truth in the example of Moses, and many others. What greater object of feare might be presented to a man then the angry face and countenance of a terrible Tyrant? Yet when by the eye of faith, he saw him that was invisible, and then looked p. 37upon Pharaoh, what was Pharaoh, to God? When Micaiah had seene God sitting on his Throne, what was Ahab to him? And when the soule hath entred into the vaile, and sees the glorious things of heaven, and happinesse, what are all things below? Faith sets the Soule on a Rocke, above the reach of waves, upon the love of God in Christ. And therefore set the grace of Faith on worke, keepe it on the wing, preserve it on exercise, and faith exercised will be able to comfort the most dejected soule in the world, and to raise it above all the troubels that can be imagined, or befall us.