Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles, Part 1
THESE words are part of our Saviours laſt words, & farewell to his beleeving diſciples; (as he acknowledgeth, The words are part of Chriſts laſt words.ſaying: Yee beleeve in God) even to the eleven; for Iudas, was ſent away by Chriſt, and hurried away by Satan: Chapt: 13. 26. 30. So that there were left onelyonly the eleven; Now to them, Chriſt ſpeakes theſe words: Chapt: 13. 31. & Chapt: 14: & 15. & 16. as a word of exhortation, and then prayes Chapt: 17. and this was a very little while before his paſſion: as appeares, by that: Chapt: 13. 33. Yet, a little while and I am with you; that is, I am preſently to be taken from you: So that its evident, that theſe words are part of his laſt & farewell words to his beloved and beleeving diſciples, after that Iudas was cut of, and ſeperated from them: For opening whereof we will conſider.
Firſt the occaſion, or ground, and ſo, the coherence of theſe words with the former; which is this; Our Saviour had diſcovered a 1. The occaſion or ground & ſoe the coherence of the words:cloſe hyppocrite; one, who eate bread with him, and was of his neareſt ſociety; not onelyonly one of his followers, but one of the twelve, whome he had called to be Apoſtles: one who was never before diſcovered, or any hint by Chriſt, given of him, to any of them; in ſo much, that none of them ſuſpected him; but rather, every one ſuſpected himſelfe: (as Luke. 22: 22. 23.) Iohn. 13. 21. to 31. Againe; our Saviour had told them that he was preſently to be taken from them; Joh: 13. 33. and now they began to mind it, though heeretofore when he had told them, of it, they conſidered it not.
Alſo, our Saviour added; that they could not come to him, whither he went, John. 13. 33. & made their ſtate, in that point, as the common Jewes: & upon Peters reply, & his anſwer; which had comfort: verſe. 36: that he ſhould come afterward to him; he yet foretells his fall, which might hinder his comming to Chriſt afterwards, John 13. 36. 37. 38.
Yea, and that they all ſhould be offended becauſe of him, (as Mark: 14. 27) Now theſe things began to trouble their hearts, with feare & greife: wherefore Our Saviour ſpeakes to them, theſe words of my text, Let not your hearts be troubled.
Indeed; all of them, knew not as yet, the hipocriſy and treaſon of Iudas, John. 13. 28. 29. but ſome of them, did know it; namely Iohn, the beloved diſciple: verſe 23. to 27; & its likely by him Peter came to know it: however, they all ſhould quickly know it, by the breaking out, and acting of his treaſon againſt Chriſt: Wherefore Chriſt armes their hearts againſt the trouble of it: This is the occaſion, & ground, & coherence of theſe words.2. The patts; 2
Secondly, conſider the parts of them: which are two.
Firſt, the duty charged by Chriſt on his beleeving diſciples (Let not 1. The duty charged.your hearts be troubled.)
Secondly, the meanes by which, he fenceth their hearts againſt this 2. The meanes implied or expreſſed.trouble: partly implied in theſe words; partly expreſt, in the next words, and ſo along unto the 5. verſe.
Firſt, The duty charged by Chriſt; on his beleeving diſciples: [Let 1. The duty charged, is: That their hearts, ſhould not be troubled.not your hearts, be troubled] Trouble in the flesh, he not only allowes but appoints them Iohn. 15. 20: & Chapt: 16. 33. Through many afflictions, we muſt enter heaven (Acts: 14. 22.) but he would not have them be troubled in heart: The heart indeed may be toucht, & feele, when objects of feare or greife, preſent themſelves; Chriſt him ſelfe was ſenſible of ſuch things; and, without it, a beleever ſhould What kind of trouble is ment, & what not.become a Stoicct, or ſtock, & ceaſe to be a Man; nor would it be any exerciſe, or triall of grace, if the matter of feare, and greife, were not perceived, and felt by the heart, for it then, was to them, as if there were no ſuch thing; wherefore he would hauehave them be toucht, and feele the objects of feare and greife; but would not have an inordinacy in thoſe affections; Which aroſe.
Partly from the exceſſe; in that they were to much toucht & ſenſible, ſo that their hearts were perplext and diſturbed, which appeared, both by the interruption of the exerciſe of their faith, hope, & peace; in that they did not ſo quietly and confidently cleave to him, when he was in his paſſion: but doubted; as: Luke. 24. 20. 21. As allſo it appeared by their being diſinabled to duty, for their hearts were ſo oppreſt with heavines, that they were ſo ſleepy, as that they could not watch with him one houre: Luke. 22. 45. Now, its an exceſſe of affection, and an in ordinacy, a ſurfet, or drunkonnes of heart; when the heart is ſo taken with a feare or greife, as that it cannot give its due to every one; and doe its duty in every kind to God & man, in the calling generall, and perticular.
This was an inordinacy, Jn exceſſe.
Partly there was an inordinacy in the Object; in that they feared, & greived about what they needed not: For though they might be troubled, at Chriſts departure, as he was a man, and their friend, companion, maiſter; &c: [a good ground for a morrall greife] & as he was their Jeſus: [a good ground for a Spirituall greife; in that they loved him, and ſo, his preſence] Yet there was no ground, or cauſe to feare a loſſe, by his departure, or that they ſhould be now totally left to the wide world; as if, all their ſafety, and comfort had bin entailed to his bodily preſence; this trouble on wronge grounds and cauſes, he forbids: (as we ſhall ſee more fully heere after.)
So that, the meaning of this charge of Chriſt; is: that they ſhould not be troubled with more feares, or greifes, then there was true ground, and cauſe for,; nor yet be ſo troubled with what was truely, as to hinder the exerciſe of their peace, hope, and faith; or to be ſo oppreſt, as unfitted to every duty to God; and man, in their callings gennerall; and perticular: All which: we may expreſſe in this: An oppreſſing or perplexing trouble: Hence: Learne:
DOCTRINE. Doct:True beleevers ſhould not be perplext in any thing.
True beleevers, how weake ſoe ever in Faith, ſhould not be oppreſt, or perplext in heart, by any thinge whatever befalls them, either in ſinne, or affliction.
There cannot be weaker Faith, then this of the diſciples; who had indeed, ſome little faith: but ſo little, as, ſometime, it is called none: (Math: 8. 26. with Marke. 4. 40) & therefore Chriſt, did after wards, upbraid them for their ſlownes to beleeve (Luke. 24. 25.) There cannot be a greater affliction; change, or loſſe; befall any, then this was: For Chriſt, was to be taken from them by a ſhamefull death; when they had enjoyed him but about three yeares, and ſome months; Now, what feares, of falls, & troubles, might they have, when Chriſt was taken from them, who was to them, more then an hen, to new hatcht chickins.
Againe they had one of twelve, of them, proved, a vile & rotten hyppocrite, who yet had ſo lurkt, as that they could never diſcover him.
Alſo, they had uppon them the guilte of much unfruitfullnes under Chriſts miniſtry, for which he had oft reproved them.
Alſo, they had either now, or preſently after, the breaking forth of a baſe luſt of pride, & ambition, for which, Chriſt had oft reproved them: Yet at the paſſeover & inſtitution of the Lords ſupper; they inſtantly fell into it againe: Luke. 22. 24.
Alſo, Chriſt had foretold them of a great, & fowle ſinne, for the future; which, afterwards, the ſtouteſt of them, ſhould commit: namely Peter, to deny him thrice: Yea, & all of them, to be offended at him (as ye heard before) Behould, a concurrency of all, at once, as can befall any beleever: a weake faith, an unparraleld loſſe, and change: unfruitfullnes under meanes which were now to be removed, many ſinnes formerly committed, & ſharpely reproved: a returne & relapſe into the ſame ſinne againe, at preſent; a foreſight, of a dangerous fall into a greivous ſinne, in the future: a diſcovery at preſent, of a moſt cloſe hyppocrite among themſelves, of whome none of them had the leaſt ſuſpition more then of themſelves; Yet, Chriſt chargeth them not to be oppreſt, or perplext in heart, with any feare or greife: Thus: Gen: 45. 5. though their ſinne, in ſelling Ioſeph was very hanious conteining profaines, For they hated him for his goodnes Gen: 37. 2, and envy, becauſe of his Fathers love, & Gods oracle by dreames, of his preferment: which they knew, was a way of God, to reveale himſelfe by: & barbarous murder was in it, toward Ioſeph: & cruelty to their Father who ſo loved him: Yet he bids them neither to be greived, or angry with themſelves: that is, ſo as to perplexe themſelves, with gteife or indignation.
FIRST REASON.1. Reaſon. B…c: ſuch trouble ariſeth from an evill roote.
Becauſe ſuch trouble, ariſeth from an evill roote, & cauſe: Namely ignorance, or unbeleefe: For, either they underſtand not, or beleeve not; the worke of God for them, in the three perſons: The Fathers everlaſting decree about them: The Sonnes union with them, & headſhip to them, & his merrits, & interceſſion: The holy Spirrits; inhabitation in them & office towards them to worke all their works for them, till he hath made them meete for glory: All which is expreſſt in the covenant of Grace; in which they be aſſured; that nothing ſhall befall them but for their good: that the corruption of their natures ſhall be ſo ordered & overruled, both before & after converſion, as that it ſhall end in, & turne to Gods glory & their eternall good; & that Chriſt hath made atonement for all ſinne, paſt, preſent, & to come, (though it is gradually applied to them) in as much as all beleevers ſinnes, were laid on him, or met in him as it is read, (on the margent) Iſai: 53. & 6.
And that the holy Ghoſt ſhall dwell in them for ever, & they ſhall never fall away finally, & totally; but that the things which concerne ſalvation, & are better then the beſt things in the gloriouſeſt hyppocrits, are wrought in them: Heb: 6. 4. to 10.
I ſay: theſe things are not underſtood or not beleeved; or elſe, they never could be oppreſt with any feare, or greife: ſo that, it ariſeth from an evill roote: and therefore ſhould not be in true beleevers.
SECOND REASON.2. Reaſon Bec: ſuch trouble hath evill effects as: 1. It troubles Gods heart.
Becauſe ſuch trouble hath evill effects uppon beleevers: Namely.
Firſt, Its trouble ſome to Gods heart; as a friends trouble, is to his friends; for every beleever, as he is Abrahās ſonne, ſo he is Gods friend as Abraham was: Iam: 2. 23. a friend to God the Father: So to Chriſt: John. 15. 15. So to the holy Ghoſt; as appeares, by his dealing with them: in that he comes into them (and he onelyonly immediatly; for Chriſt, & the Father, dwell in them, onelyonly by & through him) I ſay, he comes into them, to dwell in them: to reveale ſecrets to them 1. Cor: 2. 9. 10 and is greived when they doe amiſſe Epheſ: 4. 30.
Secondly, It fruſtrats Chriſts works, in a great parte; for Chriſt… 2. It truſtrates Chriſts worke in a greate part.works, tend not onelyonly to ſave beleevers from hell, when they dye, and at the day of judgment; but alſo for preſent, to carry them through this world: with out all oppreſſing, or perplexing feares or greife Luke. 1. 74. 75. hence, ſaid to be called to peace, 1. Cor: 7. 15. & Phil: 4. 6. charged to be carefull in nothing: for ſince beleevers be in good tearmes with God; and have Chriſt for their head; & pertake of divine nature. 2 Pet: 1. 4. and are clothed with Chriſts righteouſnes, & are Gods ſonnes: Chriſt hath ſo wrought: that as God & Chriſt are in heaven, in an vnmixt, and undiſturbed ſtate of ioy: ſo ſhould beleevers be in a meaſure; ſo that, though they be toucht with troubles, yet they ſhould not be borne downe by them, as they be led captive by ſinne, but no ſinne raignes in them: & as there is a ſeede of God in them which ſinnes not 1. Iohn. 3. 9. ſo their may be a touch of trouble, but not a ſubduing by any trouble: this hath Chriſt prepared: now whilſt they attaine it not, they doe fruſtrate Chriſts worke for them.
Thirdly, It unfitts them, for their Chriſtian ſervice; which is to eate 3. It unfitts for their Chriſti an ſervice.the holy things, & keepe a continuall feaſte, all their life long: 1. Corinth: 5. 7. 8. that is: to feede by faith with ioy continually, on the righteouſnes paſſion & merrits of Chriſt: which were tipified by the holy ſacrafices & feaſts: Now, as none that were ſad, were to eate of thoſe things: Deu: 26. 14: wherefore Hanna eate not: 1. Sam: 1. 7. ſo none doe ſo enjoy Chriſt, and his good things, as they ought, who are perplext with any ſinne or trouble whatſoever; they doe not as becomes beleevers in Chriſt.
Fourthly, It brings a conſumption & weakenes upon their ſpiritual 4. It brings a Conſumption upon the ſpirrituall ſtrength:ſtrength, (even as it doth on the natural ſtrength) for, as the joy of the Lord: (that is, ioy in the Lord Chriſt) is our ſtrength: Nehe: 8: 10. and ſtrengthens loynes, as a girdle doth: Pſal: 30. 11. So, is ſorrow and feare, our weakenes; & doth diſinable to every worke; it puts the ſoule out of joynte, ſo that it cannot doe.
And as joy, is as oyle to wheeles, or wind to ſayles, or wings to birds, ſo ſorrow & feare, are as waights, which depreſſe; or as fetters. which manacle, & make weake & unable to doe; ſuch oppreſſion contracts & ſtreightneth the heart (as joy doth enlarge it) & maks it liſtles and unwilling to any worke; as weakenes of ſpirrit doth the body.5. It caſts an evill report on God.
Fiftly, It caſts an evill report on God: for its language is; that either Gods providence is not in & over every thinge, which beleevers doe, or befalls to them; be it ſinne or ſorrow: or elce God overrules and orders it not, the beſt way for them; for if it were ſo; how could they be oppreſt?6. It gives occaſion to corruption and the Divell,
Sixtly, It gives occaſion to the corruptions of beleevers, and to the Divell, to ſend forth divers filthy fumes of impatiency, and diſcontent, & pride, & envy, & unbeleefe; & to hinder our ſubmiſſion to God: for if, the heart be oppreſt, it cannot ſo ſubmit and be quiet, as becommeth:
Ʋſe. 1 This is of uſe by way of Information, to ſuch as are not beleevers, and are prejudiced againſt the way of faith & holines, with this; that Of Information to them that judge the way of faith a ſad ſtate.its a ſad ſtate, and they muſt for ever bid adieu to all mitth, when once they embrace that way:
Now, I confeſſe that many beleevers, give too great an occaſion & confirmation to this cavill, and it is an aggravation of their folly in ſuch perplexityes, that they ſtrengthen the ill opinion of the way of Faith, which the world hath; but let all unbeleevers, and unholy ones know; that the way of faith & holynes, is the onelyonly ſtate of joy and quietnes, and that in it onelyonly, is the heart armd againſt all ſorrowes & feares; yea, it is contrary to it, and a ſinne for any in it, to be oppreſt, or perplext, with ſinne, or ſorrow, or feare whatever; where as it is a duty for unbeleevers & unholy ones, to mourne & cry, as Iam: 5. 1. and it is their madnes, and folly to laugh and be merry Eccle: 2. 2.
Indeed faith, at firſt, ſadds the heart, more then any thing, becauſe Faith at firſt ſadds more then any thing.it letts in the Spirrit of bondage, and preſents the reallity of ſinnes evill and Gods wrath; but it heales againe the wound, & gives ſollid & everlaſting grounds of peace & joy; and the Spirrit of bondage, never returnes againe Rom: 8. 15. Sometimes they may fall into trouble by Satan, & their owne unbeleeving Spirrits, but its a groundles trouble, & but a dreame of bondage; in truth by the Spirrit of God, they never are againe led into bondage; but now, the unholy unbeleever, is ever a child of ſorrow & feare, though he be for a while ſenceles of it; as a ſtone which lyes up in the bladder, though it be not felt, yet it growes and falls downe at laſt into the neck of the bladder, and torments and kills; Sorrow and feare, is their duty & their due, & they ſhall have it; yea, though they are elect, yet being unbeleevers, they ſhall be prickt at the heart, and have a ſpirrit of bondage, before they can be ſaved; but the beleever may and ought, never to be oppreſt or perplext:
Ʋſe. 2 This, is eſpecially for Exhortation unto true beleevers, how weake & little ſoever, their faith be; that they would not be oppreſt, or For exhortat…on, not to be perplext with ſinne or ſorrow.perplext what ever ſinne, or feare, or ſorrow, by any change may beſet them: not raiſe falſe & groundles feaces, & greifes to themſelves: I acknowledge; that God may leave beleevers to greater falls and ſinnes (for the matter of them) then many unbeleevers, (though yet God may leave beleevers, to greater falls and ſinnes (for the matter of them▪ then many unbeleevers: Yet with greate difference.there is a greate difference; the one, ſinning with his whole heart, and the other having a ſeede in him which ſinns not 1. Iohn. 3. & ſerving Chriſt with his mind; & ſinne, but with his flesh Rom 7 25.) Yet I ſay; for the outward bulke of ſinne, a beleever may have as greate, and greater then ſome unbeleever. As Davids pride in numbring his people againſt counſell; & in adultery & murder; were as great and greater then Saules not ſtaying till Sammuell came; & ſparing ſome Amalekites; for which, God rent the kingdom from him: Yet, beleevers ſhould not be perplext with any ſinnes; Godly ſorrow and true Godly ſorrow becommeth beleevers: Yet they are not to be perplext or troubled, with any Sinne, change or loſſe, not immaginary loſſes.ſhame becomes them, & till they have it, God will not owne them; but ſo to be perplext, as is before diſcribed, they ought not to be: So, neither with any change or loſſe, which God brings uppon them, ſhould their hearts be oppreſt; For, if not with ſinne, then much leſſe with loſſes, ſhould they be troubled.
So neither ſhould they trouble themſelves with ſurmiſed & imaginary loſſes; as beleevers for moſt part; doe in all their troubles, they either thinke that to be, which is not; or that it is, much greater then it is: this is uſually the Spring of all their exceſſe in greife & feare: thus the diſciples thought, when Chriſt ſhould goe away in body; that all their hope & helpe, was gon; whereas indeed, Chriſt with drawing his bodily preſence, made way for all their hope, & helpe: Thus Iacob thought when Ioſeph was loſt; that he was dead; where as in that his abſence God prepared greater good to Jacob by Joſeph, then he ever elſe▪ could have had; & more advantage to Joſeph: Beleevers judg Gods diſpenſation by ſence & carnall reaſon; & not by faith; & God carries things in contraryes; & uſually layes foundations of greateſt good & comfort, in greateſt appearances of the contrary (as we ſhall ſee heereafter) therefore they feare what they needed not, & greive for what is not, & trouble themſelves with miſtakes; & ſo cauſe paſſions to ſwell up to inordinacy, & over flowe the heart: Now I exhort An in… ing … exhortationbeleevers not to doe thus, but to take heede, of perplexing feares and greifes, & of fearing & greiving on their owne ſurmiſes & dreames, & miſtakes, takeing things for that which they are not, or for much worſe then they carry with them; this is a dronkonnes: Paſſions increaſe your darknes of mind, & your darknes of mind increaſe your paſſions: and whilſt by theſe inordinacyes your ſoules are darkned; Satan, the prince of darknes gets in, & captives you miſerably: Wherefore conſider that this charge, not to be troubled in heart: was given by Chriſts owne mouth, & that, not only to the eleven beleeving diſciples, but in them, to all that ſhall beleeve through their word (as his prayer was; John. 17. 20.) & it was given to you, when he was neare his death: and preſſed with large arguments & exhortations, throughout this Chapt: & the next: which argues, both the great conſequence of this duty; & Chriſts deſire that ye ſhould obſerve it; in that, he ſpent ſo much tyme about it, when he was at point of death, & had ſo much to doe himſelfe; and alſo the great love of Chriſt: who would ſo vehemently mind our quiet, then; when he was entring uppon his owne horrid Paſſion: Had Chriſt, when he was about to The Second Part of the Text is: The meanes to ſence Beleevers hearts agt. Trouble. Which are partly implied, and partly expreſſed.dye for you, commanded you an heard thing, would you not have done it; how much more, when ſo earneſtly he chargeth you, not to let your hearts be troubled whatever befalls you?
Thus much for the Firſt part of the text. The duty exhorted unto.