Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles, Part 2

Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles · Part 2

p. 9THE SECOND Part of the Text, Is.

The Meanes by which, he fenceth their hearts againſt this trouble; which are partly implyed, in theſe firſt words: Let not your hearts be troubled; And partly expreſt in the following words.

FIRST MEANES.1. Meanes implied, Is that beleevers put themſelves under the Command.

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

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

p. 10Wherfore he helpes reaſonable creatures in & by their uſe of reaſon & will; and Grace by the exerciſe of Grace: Wherefore beleevers, muſt beſtir themſelves to keepe of, & get of, trouble of heart: Ye muſt not, as ſome in an ague, who when the fitt is comming, run to the fire, drinke, ſtretch themſelves, & help on the fitt; but ye muſt ſhake of ſloth, & ſtriue againſt it; truſt not to your owne indevors, but yet indevor: Conſider & provoke your ſelves.

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

SECOND MEANES.2. Meanes implied: Is to gather up grounds▪ of Comfort

Which is alſo implied: (in the latter part of the firſt verſe, & in the following verſes;) being indeed, the general ſcope & ſumme of them all: is to gather up & preſent to our judgments, grounds of comfort, which are ſtronger then the grounds of our preſent trouble; For it is comfort, that is the onelyonly Antidote againſt trouble, joy may be with out trouble, as a well about a citty, though there be noe enemy: But comfort ſuppotteth and guards againſt trouble, as a bulwarke doth againſt an enemy.

Comfort by the holy Ghoſt, immediately WhatNow nothing can comfort the heart but it is either through a ſence, by a preſence; as when the huſband preſent, comforts the wife who is in ſome trouble; Now thus to comfort beleevers, is the immediate worke of the holy Ghoſt, & his preſence; it is not any worke of the beleever:

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

p. 11Thus Chriſt, layes before his diſciples, diverſe grounds of ſtronger comfort; then they had any of trouble: as Himſelfe, (beleeve ſaith he, in me) that is in his perſon, merrits, &c. verſe 1. So the end of his going away which was for their good: verſe. 2. 3. So their knowledg of all this, that he put them not on blind hopes, but on what they knew, & knew to be ſo: verſe. 4. Wherefore ye are but miſerable comforters, like brooks of water dried up by drought, or froſt; to thirſty paſſengers, If ſo be, ye preſent not grounds of comfort; & thoſe ſtronger then grounds of trouble be; But muſter together, the ſcattred grounds of comfort in Scripture & experience: eſpecialy ſuch as are moſt proper to the trouble ye conflict with: & lay them before you, & conſider them: This is a meanes not to be troubled.

And thus much for thoſe meanes, which are implyed in the text.

THIRD MEANES.3. Meanes expreſt: Is to beleeve in Chriſt as, in God.

Which is expreſſed in the text; Is to beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt, which is illuſtrated by its antecedent, & preparative: their beleeving in God; this is expreſſe in the text; wherefore we will inſiſt on it more largly: and firſt explaine its meaning: Ye doe beleeve in God: (the indicative moode) & doe ye beleeve in me (for the word may be indicative, or imparative) for, if it were both imparative: he would repeate To explaine it:the word (beleeve) but once: & ſo if both were imparative; & it is an hebraiſme: in the firſt part: a particle of ſimilitude is underſtood: as ye beleeve in the Father ſo doe it in me, as verſe. 19. I live, and ye ſhall, that is; as I doe: ye ſhall. He directs them to beleeve in himſelfe, as they did in God; not ſo much, in reſpect to himſelfe, as his due, & their duty to him, (though it be ſo) but in reſpect to them, as aſpecial meanes & helpe to them, againſt trouble: As, if he ſhould ſay though ye beleeve in God, & that will helpe you ſome what, againſt trouble: yet proceed to beleeve in me alſo, for this will helpe you much more: Now by beleeving in God; he meanes, the Father, not excluding faith in Chriſt: as by beleeving in Chriſt: he excluds not faith in Beleeving in God, What.God the Father, & holy Ghoſt alſo: but by beleeving in God: the Father is ment: the faith they had before Chriſts incarnation; which is called beleeving in God the Father.

Firſt becauſe though; they had ſome knowledge of, & reſpect to, the Meſſias, yet it was ſo darke, & with ſuch want of diſtinct knowledg why ment of faith, before the incarnationof him, as that it may be counted, as if they had not knowne him, but God onelyonly, therefore the diſciples hitherto, were ſaid to have askt nothing in his name; they did not underſtand ſo much of him; ſo, their Faith was rather in God, then in him, For how could they p. 12beleeve in him, of whome they had not heard?

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

Now by beleeving in Chriſt; is ment the faith, which is ſince Chriſts Beleeving in C…t W…at.incarnation; which is called beleeving in Chriſt; both becauſe he is now clearly knowne in his Perſon, Natures, Offices, Works, Merrits, which all are ſuch as may be beleeved in; as alſo, & cheifly, becauſe he is come, whome the Father promiſed; & ſo now, we beleeve not in the Father for him promiſed, but we beleeve in him whome the Father promiſed. Before we beleeved in God the Father, who promiſed a Redeemer ſhould come; but now we beleeve in Chriſt, who is come, & hath redeemed.

Now theſe diſciples, are directed to beleeve in Chriſt; not, becauſe they had not at all, done it yet; for they had faith in Chriſt before now: but becauſe, as yet; their knowledg of, & ſaith in Chriſt; was but darke, & weake: they had but ſlender & general knowledg and faith of him: Wherefore they are directed to increaſe their knowledg and ſaith in Chriſt; as a meanes to keepe them from trouble of heart:

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

Now ſaith preſents greater things then any of thoſe which trouble us: It preſents Gods being our God; his eternal love; his ordering all greater then any of Troublethings for the beſt: his kingdome & glory, as ours, 2. Cor. 4. 16. 17. 18. though theſe things be abſent & far of, yet faith makes them Preſent, and nigh: (as a proſpective glaſſe doth) & it ſhewes them, in their life & glory, by their owne proper colours & ſhewe: and not as in a picture: For it ſhewes them in a glaſſe: 2. Cor. 3. 18. in which, we ſee a thing by a preſence with & by its owne ſpecies & colours, though With the beſt veiw.not directly but by reflection; Whereas in a picture; wee ſee not a thing preſent, nor its life, nor by its owne, but by other colours and ſpecies; Wherefore, as a thing ſeene in a glaſſe, affects more, then p. 13ſeene in a picture; So Faith ſhewes the moſt glorious things, moſt gloriouſly: & ſo exceeds all grounds of trouble.

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

FIRST, Becauſe it gives more boldnes towards God, Ephe. 1. Becauſe it gives more boldnes towards God.3. 12. the word tranſlated boldnes, ſignifies an appearing in glorious liberty, lifting up the face & having liberty of ſpeech & an undanted or open & uncovered face. as 2. Cor. 3. 18. not onelyonly as oppoſite to Moſes under the Law, whoſe face was covered, to ſhew obſcurity and hiddennes of his Miniſtry: or oppoſite to convicted perſons, whoſe faces are covered for ſhame, but alſo it is oppoſite to that abaſhment which is in holy Angels. Iſa: 6. 2. 3. expreſt by covering their faces, and all this becauſe they have acceſſe or a manuduction by Chriſt, he leades them by the hād to God, & therefore they come with all boldnes, whereas Adam was ſhut out of Paridiſe & Iſraell at Sinai ſtood afarr off, & trembled, but beleevers by Chriſt come nigh with boldnes, & faith in Chriſt gives this boldnes upon theſe Sixe grounds.Upon ſixe grounds.

Firſt, It preſents them nearer to God; in that they by Faith, are 1. By it thers nearnes to God.made one with Chriſt, who is Gods natural Sonne, & ſo they come to a nearer Sonnſhip, then is obtained onelyonly by Adoption or Creation: which the Angels have; & Adam had in innocency; as a woman married to a Kings natural Sonne, is in a nearer relation, then one onelyonly adopted; becauſe ſhe is one with his natural ſonne: thus, John. 1. 12. prerogative to be Gods ſonnes, By faith in Chriſt, may be ment, that they have a nearer ſonnſhip, then any that are created, or barely adopted (though beleevers be alſo adopted, & regenerated) becauſe they be one with him who is Gods natural Sonne: Thus by faith in Chriſt; we are nearer in relation to God, & ſo have more boldnes: For it is nearenes of relation, which gives boldnes: A Sonne is bolder then a Servant, & a lawfull Sonne then a Baſtard.

Secondly, faith in Chriſt, preſents God, nearer to them: For it 2. By it God is beheld in their owne natureſhewes them God in their owne nature; God whome they may ſee, heare, handle, 1 John. 1. 1. 2. And ſo they may be more familiar and bold: For it is likenes, or nearenes of nature which make bold.

p. 14Thirdly, By faith in Chriſt; there is hold layed on Gods Juſtice, 3. By it thers hold laid on Gods Juſtice as well as on his Mercy.aſwell as on his Mercy; God in Chriſt; is juſt, & a juſtifier of the beleever: Rom: 3. 26. that is: he doth not onelyonly declare his mercy in a free pardon of ſinne, but he alſo declares his juſtice, in a full ſatiſfaction for ſinne; Wherefore as by Chriſt, beleevers may plead with his mercy, So they may alſo with his juſtice; in that there is not onelyonly a way opened unto mercy, but, Chriſt hath merited & of juſtice purchaſed divine favor; for he hath ſatiſfied the Covenant of Works, both in ſuffering what was due for its tranſgreſſion, & alſo in fullfilling of its righteouſnes, & all this on their behalfe, & for their uſe, who beleeve in him; So that, whatever boldnes, an Angel that ſtands, can have; or Adam could have had, if he had ſtood righteous, by vertue of Gods Juſtice, & the Covenant of Works; all that boldnes through Chriſt, a beleever hath; becauſe the Covenant of Works, is in Chriſt, kept by him; & ſo, the Lawes righteouſnes, is fullfilled in us, through Chriſt; who beleeve, & ſhew our faith, by walking after the Spirrit, & not after the Flesh: Rom: 8. 3. 4.

Inſomuch that beleevers in Chriſt, may appeale to Gods Juſtice, It holds God by both hands.aſwell as to his Mercy; and hold God by both hands, having as cleare a title to him in juſtice, as in & by mercy; holding their intereſt in him, by vertue of his Juſtice & the Covenant of Works, as well as by vertue of his Mercy and the covenant of Grace; for allthough to beleevers in their owne perſons, its onelyonly grace & mercy, and juſtice with a covenant of works, cannot ſtand with a covenant of grace, & mercy; Yet in a perſon of another, who undertakes for them; both may concurr; he may ſatiſfie juſtice, & merrit mercy: which cannot but give greate boldnes.

Fourthly, By faith in Chriſt, there is an acceſſe with boldnes to Gods 4. By it thers an acceſſ to Gods holynes.holynes: holynes, is the brightnes, & beauty of God, which dazzles the eyes of the braveſt creatures: Iſa: 6. 2. 3. the Seraphims, not onelyonly cover their feete, becauſe they are baſe, being creatures made of nothing but they cover their faces; even their beſt excellency; which is their perfect righteouſnes according to the covenant of works; compared with Gods glorious Holynes; for therefore he is thrice called holy; not onelyonly to ſhew Trinity of Perſons, but gloriouſnes of holynes, as Exod: 15. 11. with which holynes, their perfect righteouſnes, is abaſht; & Iob. 4. 18. with 15. 15 explained.Job 4:18ſo they cover it; Wherefore Iob. 4. 18. repeated againe, Iob. 15. 15. he is ſaid to put no truſt in his Saints, or Servants; that is his holy Angels, as the next words explaine; who are by a figure called the heavens, p. 15becauſe they are the inhabitants, of the heavens: which Angels, or heavens inhabitants, he chargeth with folly, & they are impure in his ſight: Now this cannot be ment, of the Divils, who fell; both becauſe; in Chapt: 15. 15. he ſpeaks of them in the preſent tenſe; that they now are his Saints, & now are, the heavens, that is inhabitants of heaven, which the Divils, now are not; As alſo, becauſe in both texts, mans baſenes, is inferd much more; in the following verſes, which implies that he ſpeakes of ſuch as are better, & leſſe impure then men; which Divels are not: For the conceiving this therefore: Conſider that all-though For the conceiving of which, Conſider.God hath tyed himſelfe by a covenant of works, to accept of, and reward, ſuch a righteouſnes, as ſhall fully anſwer that covenant; which righteouſnes is found in Angels, and they are accepted and rewarded in juſtice, according to the compact twixt God and them; ſo that, not in juſtice, or diſpeaſure, doth God find them impure, or charg them with folly: Yet the Holynes of God: which is an attribute What holynes in God is.by which God, ſeperates himſelfe from every thing elſe, & is devoted to himſelfe, to ſeeke himſelfe, & love himſelfe above all (for holynes is a ſeparation from all other things with a dedication to ſome one thing) this Holynes of God, was not ſatiſfied in the righteouſnes of the covenant of works, which was in Angels, but deſired an higher righteouſnes; even ſuch an one, which might be Gods owne righteouſnes, Which was not ſatiſfied in Angels.a righteouſnes done by one that ſhould be God, aſwell as a creature, that ſo, a meere creature ſhould not boaſt, but God might have the glory, & be the worker of that righteouſnes, & ſo, it might taſt full to his pallet, inaſmuch as himſelfe was in it, the worker of it, in a created nature, joyned to the God-head; which is in Jeſus Chriſt;But is in Chriſt.

Now, compared with this, the righteouſnes of Angels, is impure, & folly; though, to juſtice, through a covenant of works, it is ſatiſfactory; inſomuch, as they may be juſtified by it, & yet God, behold it, as a lowe & poore thing in compariſon of what Chriſts righteouſnes is: which Holynes of God, they conſidering, they alſo are aſhamed of their righteouſnes, & cover their faces: But now, by faith in Chriſt, wee pertakeing of Chriſts righteouſnes, which is Gods, & ſo, doth fully reach, & anſwer his holynes, aſwell as juſtice: we come into his preſence with faces uncovered, or undanted, as ye had before, the words expounded Ephe: 3. 12. & 2. Cor. 3. 18. not onelyonly in regard of a juſt, but though he be an holy God, open face; not onelyonly expreſſing, the remove of obſcurity, & ſhame, but alſo of that abaſhment in Angels; for wee have Chriſts righteouſnes which is better then p. 16Angels, & gives boldnes with Gods holynes, aſwell as with his juſtice's The full conformity to the law, & the abſence of all ſinne, gives boldnes with Gods juſtice, by vertue of the covenant of works: which Angels have, & beleevers alſo have it by Chriſt his righteouſnes; but, there muſt be a righteouſnes of Gods owne working▪ in which, he himſelfe onelyonly is, which muſt give boldnes with Gods Holynes; which the Angels have not, but beleevers have in & by Chriſt his righteouſnes: which cannot but give the greateſt boldnes.

Fiftly, By faith in Chriſt; there are raiſed unlimited expectations 5. By … thers unlimited expectation from God.from God; For whilſt that God is ſet before us, married to our nature, and in our nature, working righteouſnes, makeing attonement for Sinne, merriting bleſſednes for us; what may we not expect? what Sinnes are to great to be pardoned? what bleſſednes, or love ſo high, as may not be conveied to us?

Laſtly, By faith in Chriſt; there is ſet up for us, a middle one, or 6. By … thers ſet up a mediator.Mediator betweene God & Ʋs, who equally pertaks of Gods nature and ours, & ſo, is equally intereſſed in both; whence cannot but ariſe much boldnes; for twixt God & us, there is ſuch infinite diſtanc as that, allthough there were no breach, yet there could not be ſuch boldnes, & free acceſſe, as now is by one who is a middle perſon betweene both, therefore, it is not a mervaile, that popiſh faith, yeilds ſo little ſetling & comfort, ſince they make ſo little uſe of Chriſt.

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

SECONDLY, Becauſe Faith in Chriſt; unites & joynes the 2. Reaſon Bec. Faith in Chriſt, joynes the Soule to Chriſt, the fountaine of all ComfortSoule immediately to the ſpring & fountaine of all comfort; For faith emptyes a man of himſelfe, & takes him of from every thing in the world, & joynes him unto, & makes him one with, Jeſus Chriſt: Faith not ſo much gives an union with the promiſes & word of God, as with the Sonne of God, Jeſus Chriſt: Wherefore beleeving, is called a receiving him John. 1. 12. & they are ſaid to be rooted & built up in him, ſtablished in the faith Coloſ. 2. 7. It is a miſtake to thinke that faith layes hold on, or joynes to, the word or promiſe immediately and Not firſt on the promiſesfirſt; for there is no promiſe which pertaines to any, untill they are one with Chriſt: as appeares by this, that all the promiſes are Chriſts, All promiſes made in Chriſt.even his owne, & his alone in the firſt place; all the treaſury was on him onelyonly beſtowed by the Father: Gala. 3. 16. not to many ſeeds. but to one; & that was Chriſt onelyonly: as to Abraham onelyonly, & ſo to David p. 17onelyonly were the promiſes made: therefore, it is ſaid of Abraham, that he had received the promiſes: Heb. 11. 17. he & he onelyonly: and the ſure mercyes are called Davids: even ſo, are all the promiſes, Chriſts onelyonly; who was repreſented in thoſe men whome God ſingled out, to make the promiſes unto: and therefore Chriſt is the teſtator, who dyes, by his death to ratifye & make good the promiſes: Heb. 9. 16. 17. which implies that the promiſes were his proper poſſeſſion, in which he onelyonly was ſeizd & inſtated, or elſe he needed not have died, to confirme the bequeathment of them to others: and therefore alſo; he is called the Covenant of God with beleevers: Iſa. 49. 8. becauſe, not onelyonly his perſon, was the maine of the Covenant, (inaſmuch as it is a Covenant of Perſons, as well as of Graces) but alſo becauſe, all the promiſes of the Covenant; are his and in him, & through him onelyonly to be conveied to beleevers; even as all the promiſes were intaild to Iſaac; and put in him Heb 11. 18. and therefore it is, that the ſumme of all promiſes, even that of eternall life, is ſaid to be made before the Before the world begāworld began. Titus. 1. 2. that is before all time, & ſo from everlaſting; for, whatever was before all time; muſt be eternall & without begining.

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

And in the Second place; even ſo, the promiſes are not onelyonly for Chriſt, but for him, and his; namely all the Elect, whome God p. 18choſe in him, & gave to him to be his ofſpring, & ſpowſe; & ſo through and from him to be indowed with all the riches of the promiſes: though God loved, & choſe them all, to injoy the promiſes, yet in Chriſt, & through, by, & for him, to inherit; Epheſ. 1. 4. he did not chooſe us, with him, but in him: Wherefore, as the Iſralits muſt come to enjoy the promiſes, not by laying hold firſt on them, but by being Firſt borne of Iſaac, & having that union of fleſh, with him: And as a woman hath right to the mans eſtate, not immediately, but by being firſt made one with him: even ſo, muſt people be firſt of Chriſt, married to him, borne of him, drawne out of his loynes: which is by beleeving. (therefore borne of God, & beleeving, are conjoyned John. 1. 12. 13.) before they can lay hold of, or claime title to, any promiſe.

For, as the Covenant of Works was made with Adam; & in, & The Covenāt of grace made with Chriſt, and in him, to his leede.through him, with thoſe who came out of him: So the Covenant of Grace, is made with Chriſt (therefore called the Second Adam) & in, & through him, with all that come out of him, & by faith are borne of him: and it is more neceſſary to be firſt made one with Chriſts perſon, before we can have claime to the promiſes: then it was to be one with, & of Adam, before we could inherite from him; becauſe the promiſes of Grace, are more confind firſt to Chriſts perſon, & that without the perſon of the Elect: then the Covenant of Works, was to Adams perſon, without reſpect to his ofſpring; For Adam & his ofſpring were onelyonly conſidered in a priority of time and order, differing: Adam before them; but not in different ſtate of dignity, or favor with God; wherefore Adam did noe more then they did in, & with him: but Chriſts perſon is more excellent, and more loved of God, then beleevers; & did more for to injoy the promiſes then they: his Perſon, becomming incarnate, clayming them as due, and merriting them for the Elect: Therefore much more muſt it be, that we muſt firſt lay hold on Chriſts perſon before we can, on any promiſe; then we need be borne of Adam, before we can have title to any of his eſtate.

So that, it is a dangerous error: not to pitch by faith, on Chriſt, firſt; and then in the ſecond place, on the promiſes: Chriſt, in his Pitch faith on Chriſt firſt, then on the promiſes.Perſon, Natures, Works, Merrits, muſt be firſt layed hold on: Indeed, it is true, that faith cannot lay hold on Chriſt, but in, and through a word, & promiſe: Therefore my meaning is not to carry ye to Chriſt, without, or not by the word, & promiſe; for without p. 19this, ye never can come to him, but meete with Satan, as an Angel of light: Ye muſt firſt cloſe by faith, with ſuch a word, & promiſe in Scripture; as carries, & exhibits Chriſt to you; but you muſt not firſt, before, through the word and promiſe ye have cloſed with Chriſt by faith; lay hold on & apply the promiſes of any good things; as Heaven, pardon of Sinne, the Spirrit, or any Grace.

Thus ye ſee how faith gives immediate union with Chriſt himſelfe: Chriſt the fountaine of Joy in 2 Reſpects.Now this Chriſt; I ſay, is the onelyonly, & immediate fountaine of all Joy: And that in Two Reſpects.

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

1. Becauſe, the promiſes in him, are in their roote, in him they live, 1. In the Roote.and ſo are beſt in him: as the Sunne beames in the Sunne, & the ſtreames in the ſpring, are better, & live more then in themſelves, having indeed, no being, but in & from him.

2. Becauſe, in him, they are Eternall: as was before ſhewed, & have 2. Eternal.bin promiſes actually exiſting from Everlaſting, & ſo they are in no other reſpect; and ſo cannot be diſanuled by the Law & Sinne, which came in, but in tyme: as the Apoſtle reaſons in a leſſe regard Gal. 3. 17.

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

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

p. 20Secondly, he is the immediate ſpringe of all joy, in an higher & greater reſpect.Secondly in reſpect that Chriſt is the Seate of that Joy which is communicable.

Becauſe, Jeſus Chriſt, is the ſeate & receptacle of that joy which is communicable from God, to the creature; whatever comfort, or joy, God intended to make the creature pertaker of; he put it all into Jeſus Chriſt; (as the light of the world, is in the Sunne) as in him dwells the fullnes of the God-head bodily: Col. 2 9. ſo, with it dwells in him, all the fullnes of joy & comfort: For it being all from God, it muſt be all in him, in whome dwells the God-heads fullnes, & thence, come to us; as, becauſe all our light is from the Sunne, who conveyes his light to us, through the aire; therefore all the light we have, is in the aire; as in Chriſt are hid, all treaſures of wiſdome & knowledge: Coloſ. 2. 3. ſo are, all treaſures, of joy & comfort; as he is the light that inlightens every one, John. 1. 4. 9. ſo is he the comfort that comforts every man, with any true comfort, God is indeed; the firſt original whence; but Chriſt is the immediate fountaine in which, is Chriſt the immediate fountaine of all Joy.all joy: Coloſ. 3. 3. our life, is hid in God, but with Chriſt: So that indeed, Chriſt, is not onelyonly the roote of all promiſes, but of a better comfort then the promiſes yeild; For, Chriſt is nearer to God, then the promiſes are, for he is of his nature, and the of ſpringe of his perſon; Whereas the promiſes are the iſſue of his mind, & will: he is the expreſſe image of the Fathers perſon; whereas the promiſes are but the expreſſion of his purpoſe: wherefore faith joyning the Soule, immediately to Chriſt: muſt needs greatly ſtrengthen againſt trouble, in that it derives the ſweeteſt, ſtrongeſt, & moſt pure comforts.

Thus much for the Second Reaſon.

THIRDLY, Faith in Chriſt, is ſuch a ſpeciall antidote againſt 3. Reaſon. Bec. Faith in Chriſt, brings the holy Ghoſt.trouble; becauſe it brings the Holy Ghoſt into the heart; in that it joynes the Soule to Chriſt, as to an head, or roote; whoſe Spirrit the holy Ghoſt, is; and ſo conveyes him into them; as the ingraſting an impe or ſcience, into a ſtock, derives the ſapp of that ſtock, into the ſcience: Gala. 3. 14. Now the holy Ghoſt, gives ſtrength to the Soule; as bancks doe to water, which of it ſelfe is weake, & Which ſtrengthens the Soule.yeilds, & falls aſunder; but ſtrenthened with bancks, becomes ſtrong, and mighty: Therefore Eph. 3. 16. he beggs, their ſtrengthning by the Spirrit, not onelyonly in the naturall ſpirrit; but in the Inner man; the regenerate ſpirrit, needs ſtrengthening from the holy Ghoſt; in that, p. 21it alſo, is a creature; yea, & beſids, or over & above; the holy Ghoſt, ſometimes vouchſafes ſuch a preſence, & reall ſence of himſelfe, & of the things of Jeſus Chriſts; as fills the heart with glorious, and inexpreſſible joy (as the Sunne doth a roome with light, when it ariſeth) which is a joy, very differing from, and better then that which faith gives (of which, we ſpake before) being a glimpſe; & firſt fruites of heaven, a preſence of God: whereby the heart is lifted up aboue the reach of any feares, or greife: which ſo bore up the Apoſtles, in all their ſuffrings: as in the Acts.

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

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

Chriſt in the flesh (come) is called Gods arme Iſa. 53. 1. becauſe he, thereby, ſtrengethneth himſelfe to give us more grounds of comfort; and ſtrengthneth our hearts, to take more comfort, then every any, before Chriſts comming, could have: Therefore the Arke (which did tipify Chriſt, is called the Arke of Gods ſtrength Pſal 78. 61. & 132. 8.

Wherefore, when ever troubles aſſaile you that are beleevers, fly preſently to Chriſt, even to him in the word, and promiſe, In troubles. fly to Chriſtwhich holds him forth in his Perſon, Natures, Workes, Offices; and leane thereon; And fly not firſt, or onelyonly to the particular promiſes, of good things; to theſe in the ſecond place, goe by faith, but to Chriſt, in the firſt place.

p. 22To pitch faith on God, & the promiſes, is ſo to doe, as they did that were Jewes, before Chriſts comming: but to pitch your faith on Chriſt: is the Chriſtian way: It is folly & unkindnes, ſince God hath given us his Sonne, to leane firſt on; & his word in the ſecond place: which they had not of old: that yet wee doe it not, ye doe Elſe you ſlight him, and Gods mercy in g…ving him.ſlite him, & Gods mercy in giving him: if you doe not pitch your faith on him, Indeed before Chriſt came; faith was to be pitcht on God & his promiſe of Chriſt; but now Chriſt is come; ye muſt pitch your faith on Chriſt himſelfe, & then on particular promiſes; wherefore the New Teſtament makes Chriſt the object of our faith: and this indeed is to honor the Sonne, as ye did the Father John. 5. 23. that whereas before Chriſt his comming; the Father was beleeved in; Now, the Sonne ſhould be beleeved in: and therefore it is, that beleevers are ſo heart-eaten & heart-broken with troubles, becauſe they fly not preſently by faith to Chriſt; and why, though they put forth in particular promiſes, they oft, get noe ſtay, becauſe they truſt not in the promiſes in the ſecond place, in, from, and through Chriſt: Now becauſe Directions how to uſe, & improve faith.faith in Chriſt, is ſo prime a meanes of helpe againſt all troubles; I will give you ſome directions how to uſe & improve your faith in Chriſt, ſo as it may preſerve your hearts from trouble.

Firſt, Set before you the objects of your faith, namely Chriſt, & the 1 Sett before you the objects of faithpromiſes; reſt not content with your knowledge of them, or that you have lookt on them heeretofore: but when ye are freſhly aſſaulted with trouble: ſet them afreſh before you againe; Chriſt, in his Perſon, Natures, Offices, & Workes; and if you can find out particular promiſes for your preſent particular caſe; for particulars beſt helpe, and come moſt home; and ſince God hath condeſcended to ſpeake to particulars, wee ſhould alſo looke into them, & find them out; but if you cannot find out particular promiſes for your caſe, then ſet the general promiſes before you: as Heb. 11. 13. ſee them, looke on them; and gaine your hearts to be perſwaded of them; that is of the reality, and truth of them; & then imbrace them, that is, relye on them as yours: I ſay, put forth all theſe acts afreſh, as ye have freſh occaſions: for faith is to be from faith to faith. Rom. 1. 17 and beleeving in Chriſt; is called eating & drinking; John. 6. becauſe, it is to be renewed, as ſtrength decayes, or now ſtrength is required: new & freſh veiwings This gives fresh vigor.and acting uppon thoſe objects, gives new & freſh vigor.

Secondly, make your reaſon, & diſcourſe, worke uppon thoſe 2 Make reaſon worke on thoſe objects.objects which your faith ſetts before you: even as when an object is p. 23before the eye, the Soule reſts not in viewing it, but the phanſy, and underſtanding worke uppon it, & about it, & deduceth & drawes divers concluſions from it; even ſo when Chriſt, & the promiſes are by faith, ſet before you: ye muſt uſe reaſon, & diſcourſe, to inferr and draw thence ſuch forces of cōcluſions, as may arme the heart, againſt the aſſaults of troubles; or elſe ye are like a Citty which hath armies in hir, & looks on them, but not drawing them forth, & marſhalling of them, they doe not defend hir againſt the enemyes aſſaults; there is a fight by faith, & of faith, which we muſt make, through our owne reaſonings, & diſcourſe, whereby to withſtand feares, & greifes; which beleevers not doing, they are foild, though they have faith: want of it a cauſe of being foild.this is an hard worke to our ſlothfull hearts, we are loth to take paines by diſcourſing & inferring from the principles which faith layes before us; it is, as the digging for the gold, after the mine is ſhewed to us; and we are abuſed by Satan, who perſwads us, that our faith is to worke, without labor of reaſon & diſcourſe, which it is not, for then it ſhould not worke ſuiteable to a reaſonable creature: indeed the worke is attributed to faith Heb. 11. 17. 19. becauſe faith layes downe the principles, & guides reaſon in diſcourſe: yet faith works and improves its worke by reaſon, & diſcourſe: yea, much of the Scripture; eſpecially the argumentative part, is deductions, & concluſions drawne from other Scripture: as Heb. 12. 27. & oft in that Epiſtle. So that, ye can never make uſe of your faith in Chriſt, & the promiſes to comfort you againſt troubles, except by reaſon & diſcourſe, Faith works diſcourſively.ye draw concluſions from it: as water cannot ſerve you, except by buckets ye drawe it out of the deepe wells. Iſa. 1. 2. 3.

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

Thus did Abraham: Rom. 4. 19. to 22. compared with Heb. 11. 17. 18. 19. his triall was not onelyonly in this: that he muſt kill his owne, Inſtances.onelyonly Sonne whome he loved; but his Iſaac: that is, him in whome, and to whome, all the promiſes were intailed; and ſo he muſt cut of his hope: wherefore he is ſaid to hope againſt hope, Rom: 4. 18. & Heb. 11. 17. 18. he that received the promiſes offred up him of whome it was p. 24ſaid, that in Iſaac shall thy ſeede be bleſſed: ſo that, it was not ſo much, the looſing an onelyonly Sonne: for he might have more Sonnes: but the ſtreight was this: That if he killed this Sonne: he cut of all his hopes & promiſes, in that they were all intaild to that Sonne: So that, that Sonne muſt be; or elſe the promiſes could not be: For Abrahams faith, did not conflict ſo much with his natural affection; for then he had noe word to foote his faith on, for the rayſing him up againe: but he ſhould have ſet his faith on this onelyonly; that God was able to give him another Sonne: But he conflicted with the ground of his faith & hope, ſhaken now in this triall: His faith was tried, & his hope of all the promiſes, & of eternall life; and not ſo much his love to an onelyonly ſonne; In that he muſt be killed, in whome living & begetting children, all the promiſes were to be fullfilled; and therefore he by reaſon conſiders Gods power, that he could raiſe that very Sonne Iſaac up againe; and this helpt him: For he thus reaſoned: Iſaac muſt live, or I can have no promiſe performed; Now, if I ſlay him, God can raiſe him up againe, and ſo I ſhall not looſe my hopes, though I kill him.

This is the wiſedome of a beleever, to draw forth out of God, Chriſt, & the promiſes ſuch particular concluſions as overthrows This is wi…edome.that particular reaſoning which cauſeth feare, or greife: or elſe ye cure not the heart: It was this feare of looſing the promiſes, which aſſaulted Abraham; Wherefore he did not draw concluſions of Gods giving him another ſonne, but the ſame ſonne: and ſo overthrew the aſſault: Thus then reaſon by faith, and uſe diſcourſe: ye The contrary is folly.are ready, to conſider & uſe reaſon, to make ye waver, by conſidring what fleſh, & bloud, ſuggeſt; but that ye ſhould not Rom. 4. 19. but conſider Chriſt, & the promiſes, & draw thence, what particularly oppoſeth your preſent trouble.

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

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

p. 25It is brutiſh to ſincke under a preſence or appearance; A reaſonable creature, ſhould conſider, & inferr, and draw in concluſions which may ſupport: Yea, and we may uſe our wit, in deducing things to incourage us: As that woman did, Marke. 7. 27. 28. From Chriſts calling hir a dogg: wittily drew an argument to inforce him to regard hir. Now becauſe, this is a worke of our owne; we muſt be adviſed with theſe two Cautions.

Firſt, that it muſt not be a ſudden, tranſient worke; when ye ſett Cauſions. 1. Dwell on it.the objects of faith before you (as the firſt direction was) ye muſt not glance on them & away; but ſtay & dwell on them for ſome while; As a plaiſter muſt abide on; and a potion abide in, awhile; or it will not worke: And when ye diſcourſe, and draw concluſions, it muſt not be ſudden & away, but ye muſt ſtay on theſe things; till they be ſoaked downe into your heart, and ſtrengthen it, as the paſſions of feare & greife, be in the heart, as the Bee abides on that flowre whence it ſucks hony: Wherefore ye muſt dwell on the things, till ye find your hearts warmed with them; or bubling as the word ſignifies, which is tranſlated; inditing: Pſal. 45. 1. alluding to the frying-pan offring; which bubled up with the heate of the fire: which fire indeed, is the holy Ghoſt: who will not riſe up into your heart, if ye ſtay not for him a while; as the fire doth not into the frying pan, if it be not held ſome time, over it: This therefore is one Caution; that ye ſtay ſo long on theſe things, till ye find fire come into your heart.

Second Caution is this; that though ye uſe your ſelves, & put forth 2. Truſt not in your ſelves.your owne reaſon; Yet that ye truſt not in your ſelves, & reaſon; but that, in the whole worke, ye expect nothing from your owne worke; but being emptied of all ſufficiency or fitnes in your ſelves; ye doe wholy & onelyonly expect the fruite from the holy Ghoſt his aſſiſtance, as Fayling in ſome of this, a cauſe of not having helphe is the Spirit of Chriſt; pertaining to you, as united to Chriſt, by faith: The fayling in ſome of this, is the reaſon why beleevers doe conſider, & diſcourſe on the objects of faith: and yet have no helpe, or ſtrength, come thence: Wherefore be carefull.Wherefore

1. Not to leane on your owne ſpirit, memory, wit, no nor on your grace; but know that ye muſt have a fresh influence from the Spirit, 1. Knowe the Spirit muſt aſſiſt.and his aſſiſtance: As your faith cannot act it ſelfe; for naturall things cannot worke with out a freſh concurrence of God (in him we move) Wherefore his ſuſpending, and not aſſiſting the fire cauſed it not to burne the three children, though he put no impediment, in its way.

p. 26And though grace be ſtronger then nature, yet it cannot act, or move it ſelfe, without the concurrence & aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt; for, it comes from Chriſt, as light from the Sunne, by an effluxe Mal. 4. 2. which ever ſuppoſeth a freſh act to every ſhining: The grace, is in Chriſt, though it worke in us, as the light is in the Sunne, though it ſhines on us; 2. Tim, 2. 1. Wherefore Chriſt muſt by a freſh act, put it forth, if it worke in us. Wherefore all things are ſaid to be done, by Jeſus ſtrengthning: Philip. 4. 13. not onelyonly by ſtrength which he had given, but which he is at the preſent, in a continuall giving; Every act of faith requiers the power of God, afreſh adminiſtred; 2. Theſ. 1. 11. fullfill the worke of faith, with power: that is, Gods power: for one act of faith, is to evidence things, which to doe, he begs ſtrengthning by might from the Spirit Eph. 3. 16. 17.

And as the holy Ghoſt, muſt aſſiſt the grace of faith, before it can act; ſo muſt he doe ſome what to the objects of faith, before they can worke upon faith: as the light muſt ſhine on colours, before they can move the eye; that is, the Spirit muſt ſhew them to the Soule, which is called a revealing of them, 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. not onelyonly at the firſt, but every time that they draw forth faith: he muſt reveale them; which is done, by giving in convincingly, his owne teſtimony of thoſe things; which preſents them to the Soule, as light doth colours to the eye: Wherefore he ſo prayes Epheſ. 1. 17. 18. that by the Spirit they may have revelation to know the things they beleeved, & hoped for: So that, without the Spirits ayde; nothing can be done in beleeving; as in praying; it muſt be in the holy Ghoſt: Jude. 20. that is, in his ſtrength & aſſiſtance: So alſo muſt it be, in beleeving; therefore he joynes building up, in faith, & praying, becauſe, without praying, we cannot make progreſſe in our beleeving.

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

3. Ye muſt be carefull to conſider that the holy Ghoſt aſſiſts 3. As members of Chriſt.you, as members of Chriſt, by vertue of your union with Chriſt p. 27by faith; for how can the ſpirite of the head, come into one, but by its union with the head? and how comes the ſapp to flow from the roote, into the branch, but as it is joyned to the roote? Eph. 4. 15. 16. from the head, being joyned to it, is edified.

4. And laſtly: Ye muſt be carefull, to looke up unto the holy 4. Looke up to the holy Ghoſt.Ghoſt, to aſſiſt you; caſt an eye on him, as ye doe on that, whoſe helpe you expect: and in the expectation thus of him, muſt ye ſett upon the worke of acting your faith; This is the ſecond direction, how to improve Faith.

Thirdly get your Faith to be evident, add a reflect act to the 3. Direction Get ſaith to to be evident.direct act of faith: That is, labour to know that ye doe beleeve: as well as to beleeve: For Election being evidenced by Faith: and a title to Chriſt and all promiſes, depending on beleeving: the ſoule cannot be perſwaded of its propriety, & intereſt in God, & Chriſt, & the Promiſes, and ſo, cannot be comforted againſt troubles, till it knowes, it beleeves: Faith may ſave, but it is evidence of faith, which onelyonly comforts: Wherefore this is one maine end of rhe evidence of faith comforts.firſt Epiſtle of John, as is expreſt Chapt. 5. 13. theſe things I have writt to you that beleeve; that ye may knowe ye have eternal life, & beleeve; (that is, and beleeve) that ye beleeve.

This reflecting act whereby we can looke on what we doe, & conſider it, & take comfort in it, is a maine excellency of a reaſonable creature, by which we excell bruite beaſts; & ſhould be exerciſed by us: Unto the doing whereof, we muſt labour.For which

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

2. Labour to view your owne hearts, and ſee if you have not put 2. See if you have done it.forth that ſmall act of faith, faith may be ſeene, in its ſelfe, & its owne act, aſwell as in its fruits & effects, (though theſe alſo may, & muſt be conſidred;) Wherefore John, putts beleevers much upon ſignes, & By its ſelfe:fruites of faith; in his firſt Epiſtle, which was writt to helpe to the evidence of faith; and ſometimes, faith is beſt perceived by its fruites;By its fruits

p. 28Yet ſome times it is beſt ſeene, by its ſelfe, & its owne act, of relying on Chriſt; and a carefull ſearch into the heart, whither ſuch an act, be put forth, or no; would oft, diſcover it; but neither by it ſelfe, nor by its fruites, can it be diſcerned, except the holy Ghoſt; aſſiſt & helpe us to perceive it. Therefore:

3. Ye muſt labour for the helpe of the Spirit: Who, as he onelyonly, 3. Labour for the help of the ſpiritreveales theſe things to us, 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. So he, onelyonly can reveale them, or ſhew them to be, in us: He is the Lords candle in the innermoſt parts, or chambers of the belly: Pro. 20. 27. he in this ſence, aſwell as ours in that, becauſe he onelyonly can ſhew to us, the grace that is in us: As light onelyonly can diſcover to a man, the things that are in his houſe: Who onelyonly shewes us the grace, thats in us:He muſt ſhine on our faith, & its fruites; before we can have evidence of them; he muſt give his divine teſtimony to us, of them, that they are right, before we can beleeve it, as he muſt of God, & Chriſt, & the Promiſes, before we can beleeve them; our owne ſpirit, though renewed by grace, cannot witnes alone to us, except the Spirit of God, Not our owne ſpirits alone.doe joyne with it in witnes Rom. 8. 16. which is the ground of thoſe ſayings Rom. 9. 1. when he was to witnes.

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

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

4. Labour unto all obedience; to ſhune every ſinne, and doe every 4. Labour unto all obedience, out of love to Chriſt.duty, and that out of love to Chriſt; John. 14. 21. then will he, manefeſt himſelfe to you, that is; by his Spirit, he will then give you evidence of himſelfe, & of his love to you, & of your intereſt in him, & happynes by him: General obedience, & fruitfullnes, accompanied which carries with it much evidence and comfort.with growth & increaſe, carryes with it, much evidence, & much comfort; John. 15. 8. 9. 10. And beſids, it brings in, by way of a meetenes & preparation, more of the witnes, & evidence of the holy p. 29Ghoſt; for though the holy Ghoſt, be given to beleevers abſolutely, and not with reſpect to their obeydience (on which condition he abode in Adam in innocency) yet his manifeſtations, in comfortable evidences, are diſpenced according to their obeydience, growth & fruitfullnes; for ſuch comforts are wages, & reſpect working; As.

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

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

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

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

By this meanes they ſhall have an aboundant entrance miniſtred to them; into the everlaſting kingdome of Chriſt; that is (not ment of a locall enterance into heaven: For heaven is no where called, the Kingdome of Chriſt; but the Fathers Kingdome; Chriſt reſignes his Kingdome at the laſt day of this World, 1. Corrinth. 15. 24.) and the oppoſition, verſe. 9. ſhewes that, it is ment of aſſurance, and a making ſure our Calling & Election:

p. 30Wherefore it is thus ment; that by thus doing; ye ſhall have a filling meaſure of the joy of aſſurance of your eternal ſalvation; which Joy, is ſo vaſte, as ye muſt enter it; it cannot enter into you, but yet ye ſhall have an abundant entrance into it; wheread if you doe not thus, ye ſhall be debared enterance into it; which joy of aſſurance, is the kingdome of Chriſt; as Rom. 14. 17. called indeed, Gods kingdome; that is Chriſts (as the next verſe ſhewes) given him by God the Father; who is alſo God, as well as his Father.

And this Kingdome of Chriſt, though in this world, and reſigned at the laſt day, is yet, as heere, ſo oft elſe where, called everlaſting, in Why Chriſts Kingdome called everlaſting.many reſpects, and heere eſpecially in this, becauſe, its joy & happines, ſhall be perfected, & ſwallowed up, in the everlaſting happynes of heaven: Wherefore, though ye cannot ever growe ſenſibly yet perſue after growth & fruitfullnes; humble your ſoules under the want of it; give not over, but make it your buſines, to preſſe to it; renew upon a failing, your purpoſes & indevors after it; (this is evangelically to doe it) and you ſhall obtaine the evidence, & ſeale Evangelicall obevdience, what.of the holy Ghoſt, the joy whereof, will abundantly ſtrengthen your hearts, againſt all trouble.

Thus I have inlarged my ſelfe unto the helping of you, to improve Faith In Chriſt his choiceſt medicine agt. heartakeing himſelfe being the matter of it: Therefore ſlight it notyour faith in Chriſt, ſo as to keepe you from trouble of heart; on which, I have bin the larger; becauſe Chriſt in the text, makes it a prime remedy: And (to conclude) indeed this remedy againſt heart-akeing; is Chriſts choiceſt medicine: (he himſelfe being the matter of it) and therefore, not to prize, & practiſe it, is greatly to ſlight Chriſt himſelfe.

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

FOURTH MEANES.4. Meanes Is conteined in the 2. 3. 4. Verſes. An unfolding the true grounds of Chriſts departure.

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

The force, & aptnes of which meanes, will be beſt manifeſted, in a paraphraſe upon the words: Thus.The words Paraphraſed

My departure from you, neede not trouble you on my behalfe; For I goe away from you to my Father: Neither am I loſt, nor forſt Chriſt goes to his Father:away, by the will, power, or mallice, of mine enemyes; but of my p. 31owne accord I goe; and for my advantage, ſo that on my behalfe, ye So its no ground of trouble on his behalfe.have cauſe to joy rather, becauſe I goe to my Father, as John. 14. 28.

Neither need ye be troubled on your owne behalfes; For on your buſines, and for your good, doe I with-draw my ſelfe; For, there Neither on his diſciples behalfe, For he goes about their buſines.are in my Fathers houſe, divers receptacles, for many ſuch as you are; which, if it were not ſo I would have tould you ere now, in as much as my Office (the faithfull Witnes) and my friendship to you, binds me not onelyonly to ſpeake nothing but truth, but alſo to reveale to you all needfull truth, & not to ſuffer you to be miſled with falſe hopes; Yet, though To prepare a place for them.there are many roomes in my fathers houſe, in which ye may inhabite; ye cannot yet poſſibly get in there, till I have made way; wherefore I ſaid even now to you, that as the Jewes ſo ye, cannot come, whither I goe: John. 13. 33. But the end of my going away from you now; is to make way for you to come into, & have a place in, my Fathers houſe: Ye thinke that my departure is for your loſſe, and ye ſhall be, as young chicks without the henn, a prey to your enemyes; and that your hope in me, ſhall be fruſtrated; and that for your unfruitfullnes under me, God removes me, to puniſh you; but it is not ſo:

The ground of my departure, is for your great gaine; For if I goe away to prepare a place for you; then ſurely I will come againe to you to he will come againe and fetch them. to that placefetch you to that place; If I goe, much more will I come, for your ſakes; ye feare that your ſinnes foredone, & foreſeene by me to be done, may keepe you from heaven, or my heart from you; & that I ſhew it by thus leaving you; and that we ſhall be ever parted; but it is otherwiſe, I doe goe, and I will come, in love to you, that ye & I may be together; and my departure makes way for it, with out which, (and therefore for preſent) ye cannot goe, whither I goe:

Nor, is this which I ſay to you, alltogether unknowne to you (for, it were a ſlender ground of comfort, to diſcourſe wholy, on things Which place and us way they knew, So the more Comfort.unknowne) but ye know the place & way I goe to: Indeed, they did not diſtinctly know (as they object in the next words) but ſeminally and vertually, they knew it, in that they knew Chriſt; Who was the Way, the Truth, the Life; and had the ſeeds of the knowledg in them, and wanted not many dayes to the punctuall knowledg thereof by the holy Ghoſts comming on them: Thus our Saviour applied himſelfe to prevent their heart trouble, by ſetting before them the true grounds, & ends of thoſe things which troubled them; which all were good, and for their profit, & ſo neceſſarily muſt diſpell the falſe, & ſuppoſed grounds, & ends, which raiſed trouble in their hearts.

p. 32And this meanes is as helpfull in all troubles; for there ever are ſuch This means helpes in all troubles: For in all troubles▪ there is ground of comfort, if found out.grounds of all trouble, as may quiet, & comfort the heart, of beleevers; or elſe this command, (not to be troubled in heart) were unjuſt: Wherefore the finding out the grounds which may quiet & comfort, is but the finding out the true reall grounds, and ſo, diſpelling, & over throwing all the grounds that trouble; which muſt be falſe, if the other be true.

This meanes, Joſeph uſeth with his brethren; who had onelyonly veiwed Cleared by Ioſeph to his brethrenthe leſſe, & inferior grounds & ends of their ſinne againſt Joſeph, in ſelling him: Namely their pride, revenge, envy; &c. whence aroſe perplexing troubles: which he cries downe; Gene. 45. 5. to 9. be not greived, or angry; that is, perplexingly for other greife he allowed them) which, to helpe them to, he ſhewes them other & more cheife, ends, grounds, authors, effects, of that their act; then they conſidered: Namely, God, for good ends, who was in the buſines, more then they, So that, in compariſon, he and not they, may be ſaid to doe it; whereas, they onelyonly looking on themſelves, as authors, and Joſephs hurt, as the end, & effect of it, were inordinately troubled.

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

Take one Promiſe in ſtead of many: (which alſo conteines, an experiment, and ſo hath both:) 1. Cor. 10. 13. No tentation: that is, 1. Cor. 10. 13. expounded.1 Cor 10:13either by a ſinne, or an affliction, and rather by ſinne, is heere ment; for both the verſe before & after, ſpeaks of ſinne; and the whole diſcourſe, is of ſinne, & afflictions for ſinne; and ſo, ſurely is that ment: James. 1. 12. Bleſſed is he that indures tentations; that is, by afflictions, or ſinnes; as appeares by the next verſes, which prevent an abuſe, which might ariſe from that ſaying; Viz. Since it is bleſſed to indure tentation, though by ſinne, therefore ſurely it is God who tempts to ſinne: which inference, ſhewes, that the Apoſtle ment tentation by ſinne; as well as otherwiſe; and ſurely ſo he meanes James. 1. 2. 3. 4. For, there is no tentation, doth ſo deject, & exerciſe every grace, as thoſe of ſinne doe in beleevers: Wherefore, to proceede; Noe p. 33tentation (ſaith Paule in the 1. Cor. 10. 13.) hath taken you, but what is 1. Cor. 10. 13. expounded.1 Cor 10:13common to man (or moderate as the margent reads it, but) the word in greeke, is foreign humane, or after mans manner: By man, meaning not all men, but beleeving man; No beleever ſhall be tried with any ſinne, or ſorrow, but is incident to beleevers, and ſo, is that which may ſtand with their Grace, & Salvation; For it were no conſolation to a beleever, to tell him he ſhould not be tried as a Divell is; but onelyonly as a Man may be tried: And, the ſcope being to incourage them; for as he warned them; in the former verſe, (to the end, they might not preſume) So he doth heere, incourage, that they might not, diſpaire; And this they needed; For they had bin farr tempted, and fallen to Idolatry, whoſe dreadfull plagues, he had ſett before them; yet, to keepe them from diſpaire, he ſhewes them, how that, they ſhould not be tempted, but as beleevers; and this would incourage; but to be tempted as a man in general, may be, that is ſo, as to be ruind; doth not incourage, therefore he intends it not ſo general; as alſo appeares by what followes; that it ſhould be ſo as to beare it, & eſcape: which is onelyonly the portion of beleevers; and this ſhall but take them, as a tentation; that is, to try them, & doe them good; & bleſſe them with a reward; as it is more fully, James. 1. 12. the cheife ground, & end of it, is their benefite.

But they may be over borne, & ruind by it? No, for there is none ſhall befall them, but what is fitted for beleevers, to doe them good, & not hurt, (as the tentations doe, which take unbeleevers; as Saule & others) and God is ingaged to it in his faithfullnes; and therefore, will not permit a ſtronger tentation, then ye can beare up under: and will, as certainely order a way for you to eſcape ruine by it, as he will order to you the tentation: with the one, he will doe the other: That is, he will ſo lay in the tentation, as that, it ſhall carry with it, ſomething where by you may eſcape, (not the tentation, but ruine, by the tentation) and ſo get good by it: For the greek word foreign, may aſwell imply an eſcape with a ſucceſſe (as barely an eſcape) an iſſue ſucceſfull: Heb. 13. 7. God, gives in with the tentation, that which ſhall bring about a good iſſue, & fruite of it; as the phiſitian, when he meanes good by his poyſon, gives in with it, that which ſhall doe the party good: Therefore, it is added, that ye may be able to beare it: Why, is not this, a needles repetition? Had he not ſaid before, that they ſhould not be tempted, above that they p. 34were able, able to beare up under, & indure? Yes, but this is added, as a more full explication of his mind; in that he would have it taken notice of; that they ſhould not be preſt above ſtrength: and ſo ſaith it againe: or elſe in that the knowledge & ſence of Gods making way for an eſcape, doth ſtrengthen the heart of them who are temped, to beare it, and not ſincke under it.

This, ye ſee is a full Promiſe, ſhewing that good onelyonly is intended, by all: Wherefore, I will ſet before you, no more promiſes: But Cleared by Inſtances.ſhewe you a few Inſtances among many that are in Scripture:

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

See it Firſt, in ſome Tryals by Afflictions: Abraham was ſorely tryed, by Gods calling him to offer up Iſacc; but the end of it was, not the In caſe of Affliction.ſtripping him of him in whome was all his hope of the promiſe, but the ratifying twice, & by an oath, the promiſes to him: So that, in ſtead of Inſtances.looſing (as appeared) the promiſes, he had them thereby, more ſurely Abraham:then ever, ſetled on him:

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

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

Job had ſharpe loſſes & troubles, but the end, was, the doubling his Job:eſtate, honour, children, with a length of dayes, and ſeeing God with the eye, who had before, but heard of him by the eare:

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

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

Galile, & thoſe parts, had a great loſſe in the ſudden impriſonment p. 35The impriſonment of Iohn Baptiſt:of John Baptist, whoſe miniſtry was eclipſt, yea extinguiſht, before he had preacht a yeare; (for he was but ſixe months elder, and ſo began to preach but ſixe months before Chriſt, and was quickly after Chriſts preaching, impriſonned) But Chriſt, inſtantly came upon his impriſonment, & dwelt & preacht in all thoſe places, where John had; Johns going, made way for Chriſts comming, as the ſetting of the day Star, doth for, the Sunns riſing: Math. 4. 12. 13. Zabulon, Naphtaly, and thoſe Sea Coaſts, had the firſt captivity of all Iſrael: 2. Kings. 15. 29. and this paved a way for their having firſt the Goſpel preacht to them, by John & Chriſt: Math. 4. 12. to 17:

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

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

And as the Changes by Afflictions; So they which come on beleevers In caſe of Sinne:in Sinnes, are for their good.

The Elect committed a great Sinne in Adam; And that brought in Inſtances. In Adam:Chriſts Righteouſnes & Life Eternal, of which Adam in ſinning was a tipe or figure: Rom. 5. 12. 14. 15. 16. &c.

Joſephs Brethrens Sinne, in ſelling Joſeph, broughts about the ſaving Joſephs Brethren:them, & all their familyes from famine:

Davids great Sinne of killing Ʋriah (becauſe he had defiled his David:wife) and marring hir; brought him that Salomon; whome God had, long before promiſed by name, to ſucceed him, and build the Temple: 1. Cron 21. 7. to the 11. verſe. And that great Sinne of numbring the People, gave him to know the very place where the Temple ſhould be built, which he ſo longed after; as appeares by comparing together. 1. Cron. 21. 18. to the Chapters end. & Chap. 22. 1. 2. with the 2. of Cron. 3. 1.

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

And the Jewes were ſaved by their killing Chriſt.Chriſts murder.

I Confeſſe, that Sinnes make way, for Afflictions, (as all the former p. 36inſtances ſhew) but the Afflictions are but ſubordinate, and meanes to thoſe great ends of good, which God by their ſinnes, aimes at, & brings about: And the greater the Changes have bin, the greater good hath bin brought to them, as all the former inſtances, doe ſhew; Therefore the generall & cheife end of all that diſcipline of Iſrael, for forty yeares by afflictions, & ſinnes; is ſaid to be to try, and humble, and doe them good at laſt: as Deut. 8. 2. 3. 4. 14. 15. 16. Yea the ſinnes of damned ones, who have bin neare beleevers, and ſo may ſeeme to hurt them; doe tend to their good; as Judas his treaſon againſt Chriſt, ſerved to prove to the diſciples that Christ was he, who was promiſed, & ſo might confirme their faith in him: John. 13. 18.

Now, the Reaſon of all this, is the Rice & Roote, whence all Changes The Reaſon whence all Sinnes, and Afflictions, tends to Beleevers good, Is frō their Rice being 4 foldby Sinnes, or Sorrowes, ariſe upon Beleevers: Which is Foure fould.

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

FIRST, All Changes, by Sinnes, or Sorrowes, comes upon Beleevers 1. They all come from God.from God, and his hand, I ſay all Afflictions come upon them from God; This is eaſily and generally granted, according to the drift of Scripture, to raiſe us up to ſee, & acknowleg Gods hand in every Affliction; as Amos. 3. 6. Job. 5. 6. whatever inſtruments thereof Afflictions.have bin, it comes from God: And it is, as evident by Scripture. And Sinnes.& reaſon; that all ſinnes come alſo from God, & his hand, and yet he is no way defiled, or diſhonoured their by, neither is Sinne extenuated, Yet …e not defiled, or diſhonored.or the Sinner excuſed by it, in the leaſt:

The feare of ſome of theſe inconveniences, hath made Divines, not acknowledg ſo much of God in ſinne, as is in ſinne, and out of a An error of ſome, about Sinne confuted.feare of falling into that error, diſſwaded from, James. 1. 13. 16. They have erred on the other hand, and made Sinne, more of the Creature, & its ſelfe, and leſſe from God, then it is: They grant that God is willing Sinne ſhould be, and that he permits it, and orders circumſtances about its production, and overrules it, and hath an hand in, & is the author of the phiſical, or morral act, in, and with, which, ſinne is; But in the eſſence of Sinne; that is, the pravity, & atazy, the anomye, or irregularity of the act, which is the ſinnfullnes of it, God hath no hand, neither is he any author at all thereof; Which opinion, is ſafe enough from the error it ſhunns, and to avoyd danger it keeps ſo farr of, that it goes wrong another way, and becauſe it would not p. 37give to God to much, it gives him not enough in this, not ſo much as he takes to himſelfe in Scripture: and tends, yea, is neceſſary, to his glory, and the comfort of his people:

And what though Pelagians, Arminians, and carnal hearts, will abuſe this Doctrine, & barke againſt it, with pretence that it diſhonours God; whereas they doe not hate it therefore, if it did ſo; but becauſe, it undermines their carnal buildings: Yet let us embraco, & profeſſe Beleevers are to profeſſe the truth which is after Godlines:the truth which is after Godlines; and not feare to ſay that of God, which he in his holy Booke, ſaith of himſelfe; Namely, that of him, and from his hand, is not onelyonly the thing, that is ſinnfull, but the pravatye, and ſinnfullnes of it: Gene. 45. 5. 8. Be not greived, or angry with your ſelves, that ye ſould me hither, for God ſent me; & it was not you, but God; This is not ment, of ſome good thing beſids, or diverſe from their Sinne; or onelyonly of the overruling of their Sinne; but, of their Sinne it ſelfe, the pravitye & wickednes, of that their act, in ſelling Joſeph.

For though indeed, their ſelling him, is called Gods ſending him; yet That caſe of Joſephs Brethrens ſelling him, explained.it is made one, & the ſame thing; that which in them was ſelling, that is, was ſinne, that in & of God, was ſending him: and that which greived them, and made them angry with themſelves; which was their ſinnfullnes in doing it, that he ſaith was Gods ſending him, and ſo was it not they, but God; That is, God had more hand, then they, in that their ſinnfullnes; or elſe it had not bin reaſon enough to take them of from being greived and angry with themſelves, if they had bin the ſole authors of the evill, and God onelyonly of the good.

So 2. Sam. 24. 1. God was angry with Iſrael, and moved David 2. Sam 24. 1. explained2 Sam 24:1againſt them to ſay, goe number the people: It muſt be the ſinnfullnes of Davids act, which God had the hand in, becauſe he had the hand in that, which was againſt Iſrael, (that is brought miſery on Iſrael, and that was onelyonly the ſinnfullnes of that act) and it was that which God moved to, out of anger againſt Iſrael, to bring on them an Affliction, and that could onelyonly be the Sinne: Nor is it more expreſſly ſaid, that Satan did it, 1. Cron. 21. 1. Becauſe in ſome reſpects, he onelyonly, and not God, was the author of it; then heere, it is ſaid that God did it, becauſe in ſome reſpects, God was the onelyonly Author of it, and not Satan.

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

p. 38For the evencing whereof; Conſider theſe Arguments. (beſids the Arguments to prove it.Ʋoice of God, in Scripture:)

Firſt, Gods Will & Pleaſure, is the Wombe that conceived, and I. Gods will is the wōbe that conceived every worke of the creaturewhence ſprings, every worke of the Creature, whatever it be, whither it be good, or bad; as they are (that is, continue) for his pleaſure, Reve. 4. laſt. So they ſo doe & worke, becauſe it is his pleaſure, they ſo ſhould doe; the firſt reaſon (and that which determines all,) why the Creature Sinnes, muſt be, becauſe Gods will was, that it ſhould ſinne: That willed the creature ſhould ſinneFor who hinted to God, or gave advice by counſell to him, to let the Creature ſinne? was it not his owne device, counſell, & will, that it ſhould ſo be? did any neceſſity ariſing upon the creatures being, enforce it that ſinne muſt be? could not God have hindred ſinne if he That ploted it, before▪ the creature was.would? might he not have kept man from ſinning, as he did ſome of the Angels? Therefore it was his device, & plott, before the creature was; that there ſhould be ſinne; And what incongruitye is it, that Ye… without incongruityGods Will & Pleaſure ſhould firſt lay a ground worke to bring forth ſinne? For what is Sinne but an effect & diſcovery of the weakenes & mutability of the reaſonable creature? Wherefore, Gods Ʋnchangablenes, is alledged in oppſition to the creatures ſinning, & ſinnfull tempting to ſinne, James. 1. 13. 17. (as we ſhall more fully ſhew anon) becauſe Sinne, as it is ſinne, ariſeth from mutability & weaknes: Now what incongruity is it, for the Creator to will, and order it, that the Creature Its neceſſary, to give God the firſt hand in contriving.ſhall ſhew its ſelfe, and its owne ſhame? Yea, is it not neceſſary thus to give to God the firſt hand in contriving, & willing the Creatures ſinne; Becauſe, moſt of Gods greateſt workes in this World, and the everlaſting World, to come, depend on the Creatures Sinne; and it is by Sinne, that moſt of Gods glory, in the diſcovery of his Attributes. doth ariſe; wherefore muſt it not be ſaid & thought, that his Will firſt and cheife, was in the providing this meanes & way for all thoſe his ends? Is there any thing by which, God ſo ſerves himſelfe, (except Chriſt) as by Sinne? Therefore certainely it limits him much, to bring in Sinne by a contingent accedent, meerly from the Creature, and to deny God an hand & will, in its being, & bringing forth.

Secondly; there is much good comes by Sinne; yea, the greateſt good; 2. The greateſt good comes by Sinne.either in Gods glory (the manefeſtations of God) or the Creatures happynes (in all that eternall glory through Chriſt▪ in heaven) it is all, onelyonly brought about by Sinne: Which good effects, however Either in Gods glory, Or the Creatuers happines.they excede their next cauſe, namely Sinne, & the Creature, they are no thanke to them; Yet they are level with, their cheife & firſt p. 39cauſe, God, & his Wiſdome, Power, Love; and doe ſhew, that he, Gods Attributes ſhews his will in Sinne.with thoſe his Attributes, had an head, will, & hand, in Sinne; or elſe they could never have wrought ſuch good effects: Thus Joſeph, ſeemes to reaſon; in the place forenamed: Gen. 45. 5. 8. becauſe good came of their ſinne, therefore it was God, that was the author of it; The Creature ſeperate from God (as it is in ſinning) can produce no good; yet the Creatures Sinne doth produce good, therefore God hath alſo an hand in the ſinne of the creature, aſwell as the creature:

And however, God may be thought, to take up the Creatures Sinne, after it is committed, or foreſeene to be cōmitted, or bring about, or decree to bring about good by it, without having a Will afore hand unto the being of it; Yet, (if wee well conſider) this cannot be in God, who ſo is in his Will, the ground of every thing, in the Creature, both its ſtanding, & falling; as that he muſt firſt will, the Creature ſhall Gods will, is the groūd of the Creatures ſtanding or falling.ſtand, or fall, before the Creature can doe either; and the Creature therefore falls & ſinns, becauſe his Will before was, it ſhould ſo doe; and this he willed, as a meanes to all thoſe great, & good ends, which thereby he did bring about; and what is it but the pravity, & ſinfullnes of the act, and not the act it ſelfe, as it is good, naturally, or morally, whereby God brings about thoſe his many, great, & good ends? therefore he muſt will the ſinfullnes itſelfe, and be its author, as a wiſe man, is of the choyceſt meanes, by which he brings about his cheifeſt ends.

Thirdly, its as incongruous, and inconvenient, to make God have an 3. Its as incongruous, to make God have a hand in afflictions as in ſinne.hand, & will, and be the author of, the afflictions of the Creatures, as of the ſinnes, onelyonly there is a gradual difference: Sinne is indeede worſe infinitly, then Afflictions; yet both, are truely alike inconvenient to be fathered on God:

For, what are Afflictions in reſpect of the Creature? They are diſorders of the Creatures ſecond well being, which ſtands in peace & happynes, and an eclipſe of that his glory, And what are Sinnes, in reſpect of the Creature? but a diſorder of the Creatures firſt & cheife well being, which ſtands in righteouſnes, and an eclipſe of that his glory; both of them, a ſicknes, & a diſturbance of pure nature; the one in Both a di… ſturbance, to pure nature.morrals the other in naturals; the one hurts more (namely Sinne) in that, it cutts of from God; the other hurts leſſe (namely Afflictions) in that, they cutt of from ſome perticular good, yet they both hurt the Creature.

Againe, Conſider what are Afflictions in regard of God? they reach him not, they impeach not his eternal bleſſednes which from himſelfe, ariſeth to himſelfe, though the creature be ever ſo miſerable; God is as p. 40happy, as he ever was; as the Sunne is as glorious as ever, though the Earth, it ſhines on, be ever ſo diſtreſſed) yea, & God getts glory by the creatures miſery, for thereby, as by a foyle, his Immutable Bleſſednes, is better ſet of, as alſo his Holynes, Juſtice, Truth in threats &c. But yet, all Afflictions are againſt Gods heart, becauſe againſt the Creatures Afflictions are againſt Gods heart.good, and their diſorder is in it: It is a diſturbance of his worke, and it is againſt, & unſuitable to, that mercifullnes which is in, a Creator to his Creatures, ſo that, there is an eclipſe of Gods luſtre & glory though, not he, but the Creature, looſe thereby (as not the Sunne, but the Earth, looſeth by the eclipſe of the Sunne) his goodnes, and his Creators parentlike (even Father & Mothers) bowels are obſcured, and not manefeſted; ſo that his manefeſtative glory; the Glory which he ſhould have by a manefeſtation from the Creature, is obſcured; Wherefore, the Lord in Scripture profeſſeth, even of Afflictions (aſwell, as of Sinnes) that they are not with his will, or from his heart as the word is interpreted after the original; on the margent, Lam. 3. 33. ſo elſe where: He wills not the death of a Sinner: and he confirmes it with an oath: to ſhew that he is ſerious, reall, & deepe in it: and that his heart, is in very deed, not for, or with the Afflictions, of his Creature; and yet, the Scripture, making God, to have an hand, & Yet he the author of them. Then why not of ſinne.will, in Afflictions, and to be the author of them; It is readily granted of all hands, that he is ſo; And why may it not be ſo granted, that he is of Sinne?

For Conſider now alſo, what are Sinnes in reſpect of God? Let me What ſinnes are in reſpect of God.now, nullifie Sinne, and make it nothing, but triumph over it, as a ſhadow of great appearance, whilſt I diſcourſe of it in reference to beleevers, and in compare with God; as he is in, & of himſelfe, without the Creature; though elſe, in other reſpects; it is as reall as any thing, & as infinitly monſtrous, in fowlenes & miſery, as God, ſo as he ſtands in reference to Creatures, is in beauty, & goodnes, ſo farr, as an ofſpring of a Creature, can come in a parallel with a Creator (as the abaſement, & torment, which Chriſt, who is God man, indured, plainly ſhewes) yet may Sinne be triumpht over, as nothing: both as compared with the Workes of the Three Perſons in Trinity, about it (as we ſhall heare heereafter▪ as alſo compared, in its owne being, with Gods being in, & of himſelfe: whome ſinne cannot hurt, as Job. 3 5. 6. For Hurt him not, but he is better (as by a foyle) …e… o….Sinne, is but the weaknes of Gods creature, its mutability; by which his ſtrength & unchangablenes, is as by a foyle, better ſet of; Can it be any thing to God, his impeachment, that his Creature is frayle? Can p. 41he be a God, and impeacht by any thing? Yea, doth not Sinne occaſion the manefeſtation of many, yea moſt, of his Attributes? Indeed Sinne doth eclipſe Gods manefeſtative glory: That Glory, which he Sinne doth eclipſe Gods manefeſtative Glory, that ſhould ariſe from the Creature.ſhould have from the Creature riſe up to him, upon his manefeſtation of himſelfe, that is much loſt by ſinne; It buryes, & hides that glory of God; it fights againſt it; ſinnes againſt Gods heart; as contrary to his owne image; and the diſorder of his whole worke-manſhip; and the ruine of his creature; and the theefe which ſteales away his glory: And in this is Sinnes vilenes, and heerein, it is incomperably worſe, then Afflictions; But yet, it hurts God no more, then an eclipſe of the Sunne, hurts the Sunne; which is nothing: The Sunne ſhines as gloriouſly, but the Earth beholds it not, and ſo hath not the comfort and benefit of its influence: So that, all the evill of Sinne towards God, is not at all to him, in his owne Eſſentiall Bleſſednes, but in his Yet not his Eſſentiall Bleſſednes.Glory which ſhould ariſe to him from the Creature, for the good of the Creature: Which Glory, as he is Creator, is his end, and moſt deare to him (as a wiſe mans end is, becauſe elſe, his worke is in vaine) Wherefore he profeſſeth his hatred againſt all ſinne; and that he hath no Will to it, Hand in it, nor is the Author of it; And yet, he may, as truely & ſafely have a Will, & Hand in, & be the Author of, Sinnes, as of Afflictions.

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

Neither doth he inflict them, till he is moved by ſome end, and conſideration, which preſents greater good, both in regard of his owne Glory, and his peoples good, then there is hurt, by the Affliction: Therefore, (as was ſaid before) He ſweares he deſires not the Sinners death; That is, onelyonly as, and becauſe, it is his death; having no other or greater moving cauſe, then the Sinners ruine; (As the cruel p. 42Tirant, who deſired the death of the Veſtal Virgins, onelyonly as a death, and their miſery, and for that end, appointed them to be raviſht, & then put to death, becauſe he could not put them to death, unles they were deflowred) Wherefore the deſtruction of Sinners, conſidered thus; as it is evill to them, is of themſelves: That is; their weakenes, & mutability working them to ſinne; they expoſe themſelves to ruine; Which ruine God wills & works, as it is good, for his glory, and his peoples good: Yea, better then if the Sinners were not ruind: And thus God, is brought on to Afflict, by a further end then the miſery it ſelfe: Wherefore as to Chriſt in a more tranſcendent way: as he was his Fellow, and no ſinner in himſelfe, he would not, nor could, afflict him; wherefore his Sword flept: Yet, on other conſiderations, as he was the repreſentation of all his Elect; and a Sinner by imputation: he willd to ſtricke him, and therefore awakt his Sword: Zach: 13. 7. So, is it, in regard of all Afflictions; He wills and works them; And he wills & works them not; in ſeveral reſpects: As Evills ſimply, and on no other conſiderations, he wills them not, nor works them, but it is the Creatures owne harveſt which he ſowed; But as they tend to, & produce high & great good effects: There is no evill of miſery, but God doth it.

Even thus, is it in regard of Sinnes: In ſome Reſpects, & Conſiderations, In what Reſpects, God wills not, not is the Author of Sinne.God neither doth, nor can, will Sinne, or have any hād in it, or be any author of it: Namely as it is evill, or a good onelyonly in appearance, anſwering onelyonly the humor of a weake, & mutable Creature; Thus, & in theſe reſpects onelyonly, God wills not, works not Sinne; but abhors it infinitly, for it defiles & is moſt contrary to his Nature; And thus the Creature wills it, & works, and on no other reſpects: Or (to expreſſe the thing, more fully & plainely) God neither hath a Will, or Hand in Sinne.

1. As it onelyonly ſprings from an evill Roote, & riſeth up on a weake 1. Not, as it comes from an evill roote.or evill Ground; That is, as the mind is moved to ſinne, out of an evill inbred principle of inhaerent Luſt, or from a concomitant weakenes, & mutability of Nature; So God, is not moved to will, or worke Sinne, for that argues an imperfect, & polluted Nature; But thus, the Divell & Man, wills & works Sinne: And this is the true ſcope & ſence of that; James. 1. 13. to 18. God doth not ſo, or Jam 1. 13. to 18. explained.Jas 1:13–18on ſuch grounds & reſpects, tempt or move any man to ſinne, as to be moved thereto from an inward principle of ſinne, or of weaknes, and mutability; therefore he ſaith; Verſe. 13. God cannot be tempted p. 43with evill, nor tempt any man: That is, as it is evill, and ſuites an evill principle within him; ſo God is not tempted, nor tempts; But thus; man tempts himſelfe Verſe. 14. 15. being moved from an evill principle of luſt, within him; which ſhewes that this is the Apoſtles ſcope, to ſhew that on theſe grounds, & reſpects, God is not moved to will and worke Sinne; So that he denyes it not to God abſolutely, but on theſe grounds; which farther appeares; Becauſe, Verſe. 16. 17. the error he confutes is, That God ſhould tempt to Sinne, as it is Sinne, an evill & fooliſh thing, pleaſing out of an inhaerent weaknes, & mutability; For thus to will & worke Sinne onelyonly; he prooves God cānot, becauſe all good is of him, as a Father, therefore he cannot ſend forth evill: and he hath no Variablenes, whereas all Sinne, as Sinne, riſeth from the mutability of the Creature: Hence our Saviour refers Sinne as it is an evill, to an evill rice, & ground, & roote: Mat. 5. 37. all that is of Evill, & ſo Evill: But now if there be a Ground on which Sinne may be willd & wrought, that is not from Evill, or a Weakenes, & Mutability, moving God to Will & Worke it; God may Will, and Worke it, notwithſtanding this ſaying of James.

2. God neither hath a Will, or Hand in Sinne; As Sinne is moved 2. Nor as it is effected, by naughty meanes.to, or effected by a Meanes that is Naught, namely by telling a Lye, or any ſuch way; for this is evill in the doer: Therefore; when God willd that Ahab ſhould ſinne, in going to Ramoth Gilead; he would not by lying perſwade him to it; but askt who of his evill miniſters would doe it, and one of the Divels undertooke to doe it, by filling his Prophets with lyes, ſo as to be a Lyar in them (I will be a lying Spirit;) Thus God neither doth, nor can act any ill meanes to bring about ſinne; As the Divel did to draw Eue to ſinne by beguiling her with lyes: Though God may will it ſhall be done by them that are evill.

3. As Sinne onelyonly reſpects ſome appearing Good, but reall Evill 3. Neither as it hath evill ends.Ends; Namely Gods diſhonour & the Creatures hurt: So God neither can, nor will, either Will, or Worke it, for then he ſhould be Evill; For the end of an action, in morrall things gives the name: Thus in theſe Reſpects; God Wills not, Works not, is not the Author in the leaſt degree of any Sinne; But it is of Satan; as 1. Cron. In theſe reſpects. Satan is:21. 1. Satan ſtood up againſt Iſrael, & provoked David to number the People: That is; Satan from an evill mind; by evill meanes, to an evill end, namely to hurt Iſrael, as they were Gods People, provokt David to that Sinne: In theſe reſpects, it was Satan; & not God.

p. 44And ſo alſo, it is of our owne hearts (wherefore David chargeth the And our owne heartsSinne wholy on himſelfe, & not on God: 1. Cron. 21. 17.) as was before ſhewed, James. 1. 13. 14. 15. But now; all this notwithſtanding, In what Reſpects God Wills, & is the Author of Sinne.as there are good Reſpects on which, Sinne may be willd & wrought, ſo God may be, the Author thereof, As.

1. Sinne may be willd & wrought, from good Principles, & Grounds, 1. Frō good Principles.of Wiſedome, Power, Soveraignty, Holynes, to ſett up onelyonly himſelfe: &c.

2. Sinne may be willd & wrought by good Meanes, namely, a wiſe & 2. By good Meanes.holy ordering things ſo as ſhall draw forth & diſcover the Creatures mutability & weakenes, and a leaving the Creature to it, being no way tyed to ſuperadd an aſſiſtance, & ſtrength againſt it, as Sinne was brought about in Adam & Eve; and after Sinne is in; then by leaving the heart to its owne luſt, and by wiſe & holy diſpenſations & providences, to ſtur up thoſe luſts, not by any thing in the providence, but through the luſt it ſelfe abuſing ſuch providences; as Sinne is brought about now, ſince the Fall.

3. Sinne may be willd & wrought, for good Ends: Viz. The ſhewing …. By good Ends.the Creatures weakenes, as by a foyle to ſet of the Creators glory; and the gaining more glory to God, and good to his People: Thus God is ſaid to move David to number the people, 2. Sam. 24. 1. in theſe reſpects, as in the other; the Divel is ſaid to doe it: and under theſe conſiderations, Sinne is good (as poyſon may be for phiſick, and as the killing a malefactor by a law) and as good as other things; & may as comelily be willd, and be brought about by God, and have him for its Author; as any thing elſe:

Yea, in truth, it is moſt Congruous that He ſhould be its Author; And thus it is moſt Cō gruous for God to be its AuthorFor whome becomes it ſo well, as the Cheifeſt Good, to bring about the Greatest Good, by the Greateſt Evill; and who ſo fitly, as the Immutable, Strong God, can bring out, the Weakenes & Mutability of the Creature? Thus ye ſee, that true Reaſon, & the Scripture; exclude not God from being in any reſpects, the Willer & Author of Sinne; But from being it in Evill Reſpects; And as it hath Good Reſpects, it is fathered on him, the Father of all Good: Therefore when Joſeph carried his Brethrens Sinne to God; he inſtanceth onelyonly in the good ends & effects, which their Sinne had: For ſo, & onelyonly ſo, it belongs to God: And God may glory aſmuch, in this his plot, & handy worke of Sinne, as in any thing that is from him (except Jeſus-Chriſt) it doth ſo become him, & advance him, & his people.

And thus, I have ſhewed the Firſt Ground of every Change, which p. 45befalls Gods People, either by Sinnes, or Sorrowes, It is God, his Hand, and Will, are in it: Yea, let me add this, before I end this Conſideration.

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

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

22. He might have prevented it, but they could not, though yet, as it was evill, they did it freely, and of their owne accord, and againſt his revealed will.

33. God had more, & greater, and more generall ends of their Sinne, then they, who onelyonly aimed at a perticular ſatisfying a luſt of Envy & Revenge: But God aimed at much Good, for them, and many: and moved more ſtones to effect the worke, then they who wrought in a ſmall compaſſe.

44. And laſtly, Gods good end, ſwallowed up their little evill end; more good, then bad came of it to Joſeph, themſelves, and others: Therefore, it was God more then they; for of him is all good: Wherefore let Beleevers, be humbled godlily for their Sinnes; and then be quiet without perplexing greife, or anger with themſelves, For Gods hand, & good ends, are in their Sinnes, & Sorrowes, more then their evill hearts, and ſhall prevaile To Gods glory, and their good.

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

2. Ries.SECONDLY, All Changes by Sinne or Sorrow which befall Beleevers, come from God by a Decree Powerfull; That is, a working They all come from God on thē by a Decree Powerfull.Decree; he hath ſo reſolved and decreed it as that his hand and power concurs, to effect it.

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

p. 46So alſo; For Sinnes; Acts. 4. 27. 28. That ſinne of theirs in crucifiing So SinnesChriſt: All that which they did ſinnfully againſt Chriſt; is ſaid to be determined before, by Gods counſell & hand; That is, a Decree that was concurring in Power to effect what it determined: Yet is not this any excuſe to the Sinner or extenuation of the Sinne; For, as it is ſaid of Aſſyria Iſa. 10. 7. he thinks not ſo: he eyes not this Decree of God in his ſinning, nor is he moved by a reſpect to it; but he doth it out of his owne evill heart.

3. Ries.THIRDLY, All Changes upon Beleevers, by Sinnes, or Sorrowes, come to them from God, by an Everlaſting Decree; Even by that Eternal Love, & Counſell, in & by which they were ordained to Life Eternall: They all some from God on thē, by an Everlasting Decree.Therefore, Habac. 1. 12. the Prophet incourageth himſelfe againſt the great Affliction of the Babilonian Captivity, by this, that Gods Decree had ordained them for that end; and therefore the iſſue ſhould be their good; and not their ruine (we ſhall not dye) and ſetts God before him, as a God from Everlaſting; and his God; that is, His God from Everlaſting; And why doth he inſtance in this Attribute Afflictions:of Everlaſting? But to intimate; that God being from Everlaſting, & ſo all His Decrees being from Everlaſting; among which, this was one, of that their great Affliction by the Babilonians; therefore they ſhould not be hurt, or ruind by it: And when Chriſt, is called the Everlaſting Father: Iſa. 9. 6. It ſeemes to be ment, not onelyonly that from Everlaſting Decree had deſingd the Second Perſon, as incarnate, to make all things; & as it were begett them; but more ſpecially, to be a Father to the Elect; and ſo as a Father to chaſtiſe them with afflictions; Heb. 12. 5. 6. 9. which Afflictions alſo muſt be by the ſame Everlaſting Decree appointed out to them: Wherefore, Chriſt; Iſa. 63. 16. is called their Father, who from Everlaſting had this Name; their Redeemer: For ſo it is read on the Margent, & ſeemes to be ment; Now, as their redemption; ſo their miſeryes muſt be Decreed from Everlaſting: for ſo ſurely, Chriſt as a Redeemer, hath bin in Gods account; from Everlaſting: Even thoſe goings forth, Mica. 5. 2. & not onelyonly, his Godheads; but thoſe Workes of his, as Incarnate, towards the Creature: Workes without; as the phraſe of goings forth; implies.

And as all Sorrowes, So all Sinnes of Beleevers, are determined by Gods Eternal Decree; How oft, How many, How great; For, if Christ So all Sin̄es How oft, How many, How great.from Everlaſting be their Redeemer; and went forth to Save them; It was firſt, & cheifely from Sinnes; then muſt from Everlaſting the Sinnes be ſett downe from whence he ſhould ſave them; as it is certaine p. 47they were, becauſe when he accompliſht the Decree, and by dying on the Croſſe, actually redeemed them; then All their Sinnes mett on him, as For all mett on Chriſt, upon the Croſſe. Therefore were before decreed for him to remove.it is Iſa. 53. 6. read on the Margent; Now none mett on him there, but what were Decreed for him to remove, when he was deſtinated to that worke; which was from Everlaſting: For Adam in his fall, & ſinning, was a Figure, or Tipe of Chriſt, taking away Sinnes Rom. 5. 14. to the Chapt. end: Therefore Chriſts taking away Sinnes, was decreed before Adam, or the World was, (and ſo from Everlaſting) or how could Adam tipifie him, if he were not before intēded to that worke? And if Chriſt were from Everlaſting; Decreed to take away Sinnes, then were the Sinnes he ſhould take away, Decreed from Everlaſting: This alſo appeares by Deut. 32. 32. to 37. where it is ſaid; that both the Sinnes of Gods people: Verſ. 32. 33. 34. And their Afflictions Verſ. 35. And their Deliverance: Verſ. 36. are all afore hand, laid up in ſtore with God, and ſealed among his treaſures: That is, in the Eternall Decrees, of his Wiſedome, & Knowledg, in the deepeſt ſecreſy, & hiddennes, hath God ſet downe his peoples ſinnes & punniſhments; which in a ſett time he will avenge, and at the end, doe his people good.

And the Reaſon, and Ground, and further Evidence of all this, is: A further▪ Ground.Becauſe, by the ſame Decree that ſetts downe the End, are all the Meanes thereto ſet downe; Wherefore that Eternall Good-Will & Wiſedome of God, which Decreed Beleevers to Eternall Happines, Decreed all the Afflictions, & Sinnes, how much, & long, God would leave them to weakenes, and let looſe corruptions; as the wayes & meanes by which, he would bring them to that Glory appointed them: For every thing which befalls Beleevers in this World, is a Meanes to that great End of Eternall Glory to which God hath ordained them; and therefore was fore-ordered for them, in & by that Great, & Eternall Love, and ſo cannot but be in Love, and for their Good.

FOURTHLY, All Changes upon Beleevers by Sinnes, or Sorrowes, 4. Rice. They all come from God, on thē through A Covenant of Grace.come on them, by & through A Covenant of Grace made with them; This followes from the former; For the Covenant of Grace, is nothing elſe, but the gathering togeather, & revealing with an obligation to them, to performe, what ever were his Eternal Purpoſes in Himſelfe, concerning Beleevers; Wherefore, all that is Decreed concerning them, is exhibited to them, through A Covenant of Grace; which cannot but ſeaſon it, & make it wholſome to them; however pernicious it be to others.

p. 48Thus all Afflictions come through A Covenant of Grace; and are Afflictions.expreſt in it, Pſal. 89. 32. 33. 34. For they be fatherly chaſtiſements for good, and tokens of Love, to which the Covenant binds God Heb. 12. 7. 10. Whence it is that God is called the terrible God, keeping Covenant & Mercy, Nehe. 1. 5. Becauſe his Covenant for Mercy, is to Afflict.

And ſo, all the Sinnes which Beleevers are left to, they are through So all their Sinnes.& becauſe of the Covenant of Grace, left to them; and the Covenant implies a diſpenſation of ſinning to them, as well as other things: For though the Covenant, expreſſe not their being left to Sinne: Yet, it imples their ſinning; for its ſcope is; that God as a Father will Educate & Nurture them up ſo, as ſhall fit them for his Inheritance of Glory: Now by Sinnes are they as much nurtured, & fitted for Heaven; as by any thing elſe: Wherefore, by vertue of, and through his Covenant By which he nurtures & fitts them:of Grace, doth he leave them to, more, or fewer, leſſe, or greater, Sinnes, as may beſt nurture them up, even as he fitts them for ſervice in this World, by leading them into Sinnes; as he did Peter to confirme For Servicethe weake; by leaving him to that Sinne, Luke. 22. 32. with 34. 57. And David to beare out to the World, his ſure mercyes in Chriſt: Iſa. 55. 3. by leaving him & his houſe, to many & great Sinnes: as 2. Sam. 11. becauſe elſe the ſurenes of the Mercy, had not appeared; had they not ſinned extraordinarily:

So he fitts alſo for the Glory in Heaven; by their various ſinning For Heavē.heere: Not onelyonly as Sinnes make way for Afflictions, but alſo as they make way for Gods free Grace, Chriſts Mercy, and the exerciſe of diverſe Graces; As that Sinne of the Church of Corrinth did 2. Cor. 7. 10. 11. And who ever obſerves Gods manner in nurturing up his Children for Heaven, he will find that the moſt uſuall wayes of his Art, therein lye in leaving them to Sinnes or Afflictions, or both; For,

Firſt, Sinnes & Afflictions, are a tryall of Faith; Afflictions try our 1. They try their Faith:Faith in Gods Love, that he ſhould Afflict and Love; as Jobs Faith was tryed; Though he Kill me, yet I will truſt in him: And they try our Faith in Afflictions doth, in, Gods Love. Mercy. Juſtice.his Mercy, when he ſo takes vengance on our iniquities, to beleeve him mercifull, and that he hath forgiven: Pſal. 99. 8. And they try our Faith in his Juſtice; whilſt he ſo afflicts the good, and letts the wicked proſper; as it is in the Pſalmes.So Sinnes much more In Chriſts Blood. In Gods Unchangeablenes

And as Afflictions are a tryall of our Faith; So are our Sinnes; and that much more then Afflictions: They try our Faith in Chriſts Blood, for an Atonement, Pſal. 51. 2. 7. They try our Faith in Gods Ʋnchangablenes that he will not caſt us of though we ſinne; according as the p. 49Covenant runes, Pſal. 89. 31. 32. 33. They try our Faith in the Promiſes In the Promiſes.of Perſeverance, & Victory, over Sinne, when yet we find it captive us; as Paules faith ſhewed it ſelfe, Rom. 7. 23. 24, 25.

Now this Tryall of Faith, by manifold tentations; as 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7. that is both by Tentations through Sinnes, & Sorrowes; is for a ſeaſon needfull: Even, whilſt we are in nurture; in as much as it tryes Faith; As the fire doth the gold, that is to be uſed in ſpeciall things: Which tryall of Faith over, & above beſids the Faith it ſelfe; will be profitable, at the laſt day; and therefore, is at the preſent of more price & vertue to us, then gold, which periſheth in this World.

Secondly, Sinnes & Afflictions, are as ſeeds of an harveſt of Joy at the 2. They tend to a harveſt of Joy to come.laſt day: Afflictions are the ground worke of Joy, Pſal. 126. 5. 6. as the Babilonion Captivity (their ſpoke of) was of that great ioy: and ſo Heb. 12 11. even though they be inflicted for Sinnes, as the forementioned were; For God forgives & removes the Affliction: Pſal. 103. 3. Iſa. 38. 17. Yea, and they Comfort, at the laſt day, as the hardnes of the Sea voyage, doth in the haven; and the danger of the fight, doth in the triumph: Reve. 7. 13. 14. And Sinnes, however, for the moſt part, they firſt occaſion trouble, yet they tend to, and in the end, bring forth the more Joy,; both heere, whilſt God forgives them, and ſheds abroad his Joy with his Forgivnes; giving not onelyonly eaſe, by ſetting againe the bones he broke, but alſo making them to rejoyce Pſal. 5 …. 7. 8. David never joyed more, then after his reconſilement to God. upon thoſe horrid Sinnes of Adultry & Murder; and that of numbring the People: For after the former he had Salomon given him (whome the Lord ſent, & called beloved of the Lord 2. Sā. 12. 25. & was he whome God had named to build the Temple as ye heard before; and after the other ſinne he had the place of the temple; ſhewed him; & liberty to prepare for its building which greatly joyed his ſoule; there being nothing to which his heart wēt forth in ſo much deſire as to Gods houſe.

And indeed Gods people need more Joyes after Sinnes, then after Gods people needs more Joy, after ſinning, then after afflictions.Afflictions, becauſe they are more caſt downe by them; and therefore God uſeth Sinnes, as meanes by which he leades in his Joyes unto them in this World: And alſo in the World to come; their Sinnes yeild them great Joyes; Indeed, in ſome reſpects, they ſhall joy moſt at the laſt day, who have leaſt ſinned; But in other reſpects, they have Which they have heere, and more heereaftor.moſt joy who have moſt ſinned, (For ſinne they little or much, they all ſhall enter into Joy, at laſt) whilſt the free Grace, and rich Mercy, of God the Father; the Merrit, & Love of God the Sonne; the Power p. 50of the indwelling holy Ghoſt in them; ſhall the more ſhine forth, how much the more Sinnes have bine within them; and Faith will the more Tryūph in & with the Trophes of ſo many the more Victoryes over the guilts of Sinnes, and keeping up under the more continued aſſaults of powerfull Sinnes.

3. By Sinnes & Afflictions, God is the more made manifeſt to them; 3. God is thereby, made more manifeſt to them. In all his Attributes.Even, all his Goodnes is made to paſſe before them Exo. 33. 19. That is, all his Attributes: as Exodus. 34. 6. his Soveraignity to doe what he will, with whome he will; whilſt he leaves them to any Sorrowes, or Sinnes, 1. Sam. 3. 18. Exod. 33. 19. alledged, Rom 9. 15. He hardens whome he will: So his Juſtice & Mercy: more Juſtice, in that the more they ſinne, the more he takes of Chriſt: Rom. 3. 26. he is Juſt, aſwell as a Juſtifier: And more Mercy, in pardoning more to them. And ſo his Truth is manifeſt; in a more full making good his threats in puniſhing them for Sinnes; or his Promiſes, in pardoning more Sinnes.

Now this ſeing Gods backe parts, doth greatly nurture, and fitt for heaven, many wayes, which I need not mention, they are ſo obvious: Which doth greatly nurture them for heaven.Thus then, the Changes through Sinnes & Afflictions, ſerving for a nurture & education of Beleevers unto heaven, it is, matter of Joy to them, when They fall into divers temptations, James. 1. 2. Yea, all Joy; Its a phraiſe, I find not againe uſed in Scripture; It is more then So that tentations, is matter of all Joy, as: James. 1. 2. explained.Jas 1:2to ſay; much, or great joy; for it implyes that what ever kind, or degree of joy there is, we ſhould take it up to joy in this thing; (as the like phraſe, is uſed in the like ſence, for Prayer: Eph. 6. 18.) which ſhewes that there is more then ordinary cauſe of Joy, in theſe Tryalls of Beleevers, ſome of which, he inſtanceth in: Verſe. 3, to 6. For theſe Tryalls, are of their Faith (as ye heard before) which yeilds a future gaine, and a preſent proffit alſo: for Faith tryed, brings forth Patience; and doe but let Patience have hir perfect worke, & ye ſhall be intire, & lack nothing: Entire; the greeke word foreign. I find not elſe where uſed in Scripture; but 1. Theſ. 5. 23. that which is intregal with all its parts, which hath all that is allotted it which is poſſeſt of your whole lot, portion, or inheritance; Yet there is added another word (as if this were not full enough) and lack nothing; or rather lacking in nothing: As if by the Tryall of Faith through ſeveral Tentations, Patience may be wrought up to ſuch a perfection; as that they ſhould have their full portion of Grace & Glory given them into their hand:

And whereas, they may ſay, but who is wiſe enough ſo to improve patience; he prevents it; ſaying to this effect: Thus to doe is indeed p. 51wiſedome, which any man may lacke, but if he aske it; he ſhall have it, and ſo may doe the things, and become fully poſſeſt of all his portion, and inheritance; and therefore may well joy with all Joy, when he is fallen into diverſe tentations; This indeed is not a matter of ſence; therefore ſaith the Apoſtle count it; or ſuppoſe, and thinke it ſo foreign, Let this be your leading thought of all other thoughts, and let this thought leade your affections; ſo much the word may implye foreign Wherefore, Verſe. 12. he ſayth, They are bleſſed that indure, that is indure Verſe, 12.ſo as to ſtay it out, and not give over; For he when he is tryed (or as the words in greeke are) being become one tryed, as mettall in the furnace, ſhall receive the Crowne of Life; which implyes that till he is thus tryed, he is not meete; and this tryall makes & diſcovers him to be meete to receive the Crowne; which Crowne though it be the ſame for ſubſtance: Yet it is divers in degrees, & circumſtances, unto which ſeverals, they are fitted by ſeveral tryals; God being ſerved on them, in pardoning more to them; or in their being more ſanctified, or afflicted.

And thus ye ſee, how God the Father hath made us able to tryumph The three Perſons in Trinity, ſeverally, inables Beleevers to tryumph over Sinne.over ſinne, as nothing: Even as the other Two Perſons alſo in able us to doe, in a ſeveral way; For compare we Sinne, in its working, & indwelling in us, in which reſpect, it is neareſt us; Yet compare it with the power & purpoſe of the Holy-Ghoſt, who dwells alſo in us, to ſubdue it all; and compared with him; It is leſſe then the force of a Flye, to a Giant; it is nothing: So compare we Sinne in its guilt, with Jeſus Chriſt, his Righteouſnes, Blood, &c. It is not ſo much as a Cloud compared with the Sunne, in his ſtrength; it is nothing: So alſo compare we Sinne, in its being, with the Counſell, Decree, & Intent of God the Father; and it is nothing: Yea more; there is all good, and much good comes of it, to Beleevers, and to God: Thus the Three Perſons in Trynity; have each of them, ſeverally put forth their power, to nullifie Sinne, on the behalfe of Beleevers, that it ſhould not diſmay them: And God the Father; hath taken it up, and ordered, it for much good, unto Beleevers: In that He, and his Decree, and Covenant of Grace; is the Channel by which all Sinnes befall them.

Now then, to ſumme up all; Since all Changes by Sinnes, or Sorrowes The Sūme of this laſt Meanes.which befalls Beleevers, come frō God, & frō his Decree Everlaſting, & are diſpenced to them, as a nurture through A Covenant of Grace; It muſt needs be that they muſt all worke togeather, to their good, Rom. 8. 28. It may be, to them that view but particulars, & aſunder, p. 52their general good end, and their conducement to it, may not be perceived; But put them all together, and ye ſhall ſee, in their utmoſt maine end, they all worke together for good, to all Beleevers; And by the Coherence, the Apoſtle there ſeemes to meane, ſinnfull Infirmityes againſt which the Spirit helpes, as well as other more outward Troubles: Wherefore, there cannot be any true reaſon or ground, why any thing ſhould perplexe them.

Troubles either by Sinne or Affliction, are to be looked on two wayes; Both as Sinnes are our owne, and come from our curſed nature, and diſhonours God, crucified Chriſt, greive the Spirit, tranſgreſſe the Command &c. And ſo Afflictions may be conſidered, either as comming from our Sinne; or at the leaſt; our ſinnfullnes expoſing to them: And thus, with hope in Chriſt, for pardon; Beleevers are to greive and humble themſelves, for Sinnes & Afflictions: And from this, anger & greife, Joſeph did not take off, his Brethren; Nor Chriſt his Diſciples in my text; This is a Trouble, that is good & profitable for them; But as Sinnes or Afflictions are beheld, onelyonly as our owne, in their bad effects, & rootes, and God, & his Will, & Hand in them, and their good effects, through him, are not conſidered; hence comes ſinnfull & pernicious troubles; which Joſeph to his Brethren; and Chriſt to his Diſciples diſwads from; And noe courſe is ſo full to remove or prevent it, as this looking on God the Author of it, and the good which he brings about by it: Which is rarely done by beleevers, yea, hardly knowne, & therefore I have inlarged it:

Yet, let me cloſe this Meanes againſt all Troubles, as our Saviour doth; Namely that yee know (who are Beleevers) all this: Ye know theſe true grounds of Conſolations, though not ſo diſtinctly, or perticularly; yet there is that in you, which conteines all theſe conſolating Grounds, if ye would ſtirr it up, and gather it together; and not brutiſhly give way to ſence & preſent things, and to the paſſions of your owne ſuppoſed falſe grounds of Gods hand on you in leaving you, to Sinnes, or Sorrowes: Wherefore ſtirr up the knowledg that is in you, and uſe it that ſo whatever Changes befall you by Sinnes or Sorrowes, your hearts may not be troubled.

And thus much for the Fourth Meanes againſt perplexing trouble of Thus much, for theſe Words, as a Dehortatiō, & Meanes, againſt Trouble.heart; included in the 2. 3. & 4. Verſes; and for thoſe Verſes as they ſtand in reference to the former, and their ſcope, to Comfort the Diſciples againſt Chriſts with drawing his Corporall preſence: And ſo we have handled theſe Verſes as they are a Dehortation from Trouble of heart, and Directions of Meanes to helpe againſt it.

p. 53Now let vsus Conſider them againe; and obſerve what may be deduced The Words conſidered abſolutely. And ſo they …eild many …ch Truths& drawne by Conſequence from them, or found poſitively, and abſolutely in them: And thus, theſe Verſes Conteine many rich, & pleaſant Truthes.