NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
3 3433 07994804 2
/A"
w^^ ^,*^
^9«NM»->-f
IN
irEARt'S-ElSE
A SOVEREIGN REMEDY
AGA.INST
ALL TROUBLE OF HEART
THAT
Chrises Disciples are subject to,
UNDER ALL KINDS
OF AFFLICTIONS IN THIS LIFE.
PRESCRIBED BY THE GREAT PHYSICIAN THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST, WHICH HATH NEVER FAILED
THOSE THAT HAVE USED IT, OREVER WILL,
TO THE END OF THE WORLD.
BY JOHN BUNYAN,
Author of the " Pilgrim's Progress, Holy War,*] Isfc. Ijfc
O the blessedness of all them that trust in Him!
The full soul loathef h the honey-comb ; but to the
hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Prov. xxvii. 7.
PHILADELPHIA:
PUBLISHED BY GEORGE W. MENTZ,
NO. 71 » RACE- STREET.
» < MM»%^'«^ 4rMC\%
« NEW VJJ5
gQ498H
A^-T-V ^^-D
B 19^0 L
i iiii I I III , ■ ' ■ I ■ I'
•vo^i^MeacsaiBqBvraqCKiMB
J. Rakestravv, printer.
AN EPISTLE
TO THE
TRVLY LOWLY-HEARTED READERS^
Who have learned of their dear Lord so to be, who
himself will not break the bruised reed, nor quench
the smoking flax. r
Charitable Reader*
CHARITY, which is the bonA of per-
fectness, and the greatest rarity now in the
world, and in the church too, (the more is
the pity) thou must put on, who readest this,
the plainest and most unpolished piecfe that
ever thou sawest, (for the author never had
skill in dressing) if thou meanest to profit
any thing by it, which is the only thing, God
JJ knows, is aimed at by the author, who always
Ql prays and studies to speak and write, rather
« to men's hearts than ears.
^ In hope of gaining thy charity, suffer me
■■ to give a short, but true account of the en-
B^ suing treatise, viz. I being about three years
: since, for some reasons, retired from my fa-
mily and place of abode, and by sickness,
and other things, confined ; during which
time, many of my dear friends and relations
IV AN EPiSTLfi •=
in Christ were called home to their Father^*:
house ; whereupon I thought it my duty to
write some lines to their surviving relations,
as I was by them desired to do ; and after
seeking God for counsel and assistance, I
thought on this text spoken to in the follow-
ing discourse ; (for it was not at the least in
my thoughts ev\er to publish this, or any
other, knowing my own inability.) I wrote
in my homely stile what thou wilt here find,
(all except the title-page and the postscript,)
calculating it to the capacities of the plainest
- Christians, to whom I then sent it, and with
whom it lodged, until about six months, when
it pleased the only wise God to bring me to a
trial of my faith and patience. So deep a
stroke it was, that I used all means for my
support ; and it came into my mind, that such
a thing I had written so long before, to help
in such cnses, and that several had found
benefit by it ; I made enquiry after it, and
at. last found it ; and in reading of it, as the
word of God, and begging God's blessing
on it, I found much relief and comfort there-
by, Call praise and thanks to God*) and
thereupon had some small inclination to
communicate the same to others ; and after
many strugglings and reluctancies in myself,
•2 Cor. 1.4, 5.
TO THE READER. V
and with prayers and tears, I besought the
Lord to direct me : at last I coiiiidered,
I must shortly put off this my earthly
tabernacle, and having for many years
been laid aside like a broken vessel of
no use, and compassed with many bodily in-
firmities, I was willing to leave behind me
a little scrap of my labours to my children
and friends, to puc them in mind of what I
had taught them for above thirty years toge-
ther ; that thty might be fortified against all
the troubles of this life, and by faith in God
and Christ, hold fast, and not lose their
crown.
But why so mean a thing as this among
the learned labours of so many eminent wri-
ters on the like subject ?
I answer, that our Lord took special no-
tice of the widow's mite ;* and he will not
despise the day of small things. f
. But what can you aim at ? may be said.
Jinsw. Not applause, to be sure, being
conscious of my own weakness ; nor profit
or gain, ejtpecting but acceptance : but this,
God and my conscience bear me witness,
this is my aim, my most humble and fervent
prayer, that some of Christ's poor little flock,
(my children, and others, whose souls are
* Mark xii. 43. 44. t Zech. iv. lOt
" A 2
VI ^ AN EPISTLE
precious to me, and whom I clearly love in
the Lord) may receive some advantage;
and chiefly, that God may have all the glory,
who hath chosen the weak things of the
world, he, and who accepts the will for the
deed, &c. Such as will not make use of it»
let them do better, and I shall be glad.
None may be afraid to buy or read it, for
there is not a word of the state or church-
matters in it ; I daily pray for th© prosperity
of both, but think it not my duty to meddle
with either, but in subjection.
Two requests I have to thee, loving rea-
der :
1. Pray for a blessing upon as much as
you find to be the express will of God.
2. Pray for me, that I may neore and
more find and feel the life and power of
those, and all the truths of God in mine own
heart, and may express more of the life and
faith in my whole conversation ; and I will
also pray for thee, that thou mayest find as
much (and much nvore) benefit in reading
this, as I have in composing and perusing it;
all praise to the God of all grace. If you find
some passages (in your opinion) too often
repeated, be not offended, till you find them
too powerful on your hearts.
Thus committing this poor essay to the
blessing of him who is the Father of mcr-
TO THE READER. Vll
cies, and can teach us to profit by his word
and rod, and thyself to his love and favour
in Jesus Christ ; in him I remain for thy
soul's good,
Thy humble Servant,
J. B.
From the House of
my Pilgrimage,
March, 1690. • '
/ /
CJH ^ '^^
HEARTSEASE
i>r
HEART-TROUBLE.
Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God,
believe also in me. *yohn xiv. 1, 2, 3.
THESE words are a part of our blessed
Saviour's last sermon upon earth, just before
his passion, which begins (as is probable)
at the 13th verse of the xiiith chapter of this
gospel, and ends at the last verse of the xvith
chapter ; in which verse our Lord tells his
disciples, (how dear soever they were to him,
yet) in the uoorld they should have persecU'
tion, tribulation ; of which he had often told
them before in effect ;^ that they should not
expect their heaven here, but his cross they
must bear if they would wear his crown :
tribulations of all kinds, outward and inward
you must endure : it is your portion here,
you are thereunto appointed.! Man is na-
turally bom to trouble, as the sparks natu-
rally fly upwards ; and new born to trouble
• Matt, xvi, 24.
1 1 Thess. iii. 3. Job xiv. 1. Matt. x. 22, 23.
10
also, and commonly to new and more trou-
bles. All that will live godly in Christ Jc'
sus, shall suffer persecution ;^ of hand, or
tongue, one way or other. Indeed, such as
can be content with a profession of a godli-
ness that may suit with the times ; that can
please themselves with any kind of godli-
ness, or with a form, any form of godliness,
and that can change their forms when they
please, such may avoid persecution : But all
that will live godly in Christ Jesiis, in the
power and spirit of Christ Jesus, and resolve
to live up to the example and rule of Christ
Jesus, they shall have persecution, no avoid-
ing of it. No entering into the kingdom of
God but by tribulation. But notwithstand-
ing this, our Lord lays this positive com-
mand on his disciples ; let not your hearts be
. troubled*
These poor disciples were likely shortly
to sustain an heavy loss of their dearest
Lord ; he was now a going away from them;
u greater loss they could not have : and yet,
saith Christ, Let not your hearts be troubled ;
which command is repeated and explaine'il'
in verse 27, Let not your heart be troubled^
nor let it be afraid.
What ! might they say, must we not be
troubled at all? Must nothing trouble us ?
* Acts xiv. 22. 2 Tim. iii. 18.
11
No, we must not be troubled for any outward
loss, for any outward tribulation, for parting
with the nearest and dearest relation, we must
not be troubled. Yet we are not forbidden
to be troubled for Zion ? It is a grievous sin,'
not to be grieved for the afflictions of Jo-
seph P* Surely, we must be troubled for
God's dishonour, because men break God^s
Commandments.^ Trouble of heart, except
for sin, is sinful trouble. Where sin lies
heavy, affliction lieth light. Thei/ shall not
saz/j I am sick; for their iniquities shall be
forgiven them.\ Sense of pardon to those
souls that felt the burthen of sin, much alle-
viates and lightens the burthen of affliction.
" Strike, Lord, (said Luther) now I am ab- ^
solved from my sin."
We are always too prone to fall into ex-
tremes, to sin either in excess or in defect,
too much, or too little ; we are faulty both
ways. As for sin, which is the worst of
evils, we are apt to be troubled too little.
How few fail here in the Excess, though it is
possible so to do ; and some have, that refuse
to be comforted by all the sweet promises of
Christ in the gospel : but here there are but
few of those ; most of us fail in the defect.
* Amos vi. 6; f Psal. cxfjc. 5o, 135-
I Isa. xxxrii. 24.
12
We are not troubled for sin as much as we
should ; our sins do not lie so hard and hea-
vy upon us as they should ; our hearts do
seldom feel the weight of sin pressing us
down :^ many sins lie light on us ; our vain
thoughts, our omissions, careless perform-
ance of holy duties, mis-spending precious
time, idle talk, &t. and such-like evils, which
should trouble us most, they trQuble us
least.
But afflictions, which comparatively are
but light,! lie too heavy upon us, and press
us down even to the dust. So in respect of
afflictions themselves, we are apt to run into
extremes, against which the Holy Ghost
gives us a caution as to both extremes. 3Iy
son^ despise not thou the chastening of the
Lord ; neither be xveary of his chastisement ;%
the apostle explains it. Neither faint zvhen
thou art corrected of him : Adding a most
powerful argument against those extremes,
/or whom the Lord loveth he correcteth^ even
as a father the son, in xvhom he delighteth ;
and therefore despise not his chastisements,
and fatherly corrections ; slight them not,
for they come from a loving Father, a wise
leather, and should not be despised by his
• Psal. xxxviii. 5,4. t ^ Cor iv. 1 .
\ Heb. xii. S, 6.
13
chiMren, they are the fruits of his love : al-
so, you must not be weary of them, nor faint
under them, for the same reason, viz. be-
cause they shall not hurt you, they flow from
your Father's love ; from a Father they
come, who delighteth in you, and therefore
ye ought not to faint under them ; or, as it
is in the text, Whatever affictiGii hefals yoUy
let not your hearts be troubled.
It is lieart-trouble you see, that is here
forbidden ; not a filial sense of God's hanJ,
nor a child-like acknowledgment of God's
rod : God's rod hath a voice, and its voice
must be heard."^ When his hand is lifted
upf to strike, to lay on any blows on us, or
any of our relations, or earthly comforts, we
must observe it, and Him, and acknowledge
the same : but, not to acknowledge, and ob-
serve the hand of God ; not to consider in
the day of adversity ,:[; not to humble ourselves
tinder his mighty hand^^ not to stoop and
yield to God, hut to think, or say, of our af-
fliction, that it cannot be helped, there is no
remedy, it is conuuon and ordinary, and the
like ; this is to despise the chastening of ^hc
Lord ; take heed of this. But yet we must
luxe heed too, that under the pretence, of be-
Mich. vi- 9. f Isaiah xxvi. 11, 16.
t.ccles vii. 13, 14. j James iv. 9, 10.
B
\
14
ing sensible of the hand of God, and of his
strokes upon us, that we do not fall into the
other extrenie, of heing weary of his chas-
tisements, and of despondency, and fainting
under his corrections, we must be careful
that we do not let our hearts be troubled,
^lest. But is it possible that we should
be afflicted, deprived of liberty, of estate, of
Io\ ing relations, of the desire of our eyes,*
and of the delight of our hearts,! (for such
in a most eminent manner was Jesus Christ
to his disciples. He was the desire of all
7iatio7iSy\.) and not be troubled at our very
hearts ? Can we behold our Benjamins, our
Sarahs, our Rebeccas, our Josepns, &c,
taken away, our dear husbands, or loving,
faithful, tender wives snatched away from us
with a stroke, with a sudden stroke, to l>e in
a moment deprived of such comforts, and m
such a time too, in an evil time, in a sad and
suffering time, when such helpers would
sweeten our sufferings, and help to bear oar
burthens, would give us sweet counsel, and
uphold us in the way to God ? \V|iat, is it
possible such knots should be untied, and so
suddenly; such flowers cropped off, cut down;
such sweet friends removed from us, as lajr
• Ezek. xxiv. 16. t John vi. 6S.
\ HaggaJ. ii. 7.
lo
once in our bosoms, and sent to the cham-
bers of darkness, sealed up in the dust, made
silent in the grave, to see their sweet faces no
more, till the heavens be no more ? Is it pos-
sible, I sa}', in such cases, not to be trou-
bled ? Or, if it be possible, is it necessary,
or is it attainable ? May we arrive to such
a temper, may we get such a calm, quiet,
tranquil, and submissive frame of spirit I It
is admirable : but is it attainable ?
I answer, we must not despise the chasten-
ing of the Lord, as was noted before ; we
must not be as stocks or stones, altogether
insensible of the hand of God "upon us : No,
we must be sensible ^ve must lav those things
to our hearts, and consider the work of
God :* such losses, and of such are to be la-
mented,! they will be found wanting ; their
relations will find them wanting ; their fami-
lies will find them wanting; the poor will
fmd them wanting; and the church also.
David laments the loss of Jonathan ;^ and
the disciples the loss of Lazarus. Lawful
it is then, to be affected with the deaths and
departures of our dear relations and friends,
and moderately to mourn for them ; but our
care must be, that we suffer not nature to
* Eccles. vli. 2. f Isa Ivii. 1.
t Sam. xix 4.
16
work alone without grace ; for then it will
soon go beyond its hounds : nature must be
restrained and bounded. It is moderate
mourning that is lawful. Mourn we may,
But not as those that have no hope^^ for those
that sleep in Jesus, they being safe and hap-
py: for, If we believe that Jesus d'ted^ and rose
again ; even so theij that sleep in Jesus^ will
God bring with him. Troubled we cannot
chuse but be in such cases, and under such
strokes ; but we must not let our hearts be
troubled, saith our Lord. And what this im-
ports, you shall see by and bv. It is trouble
of heart, that is here forbidden : but, what is
it, that will prevent or cure this heart-trou-
ble ? Our Saviour answers in the next
words ; Te believe in God^ believe also in me :
Jn my Father s house are many mansions^ ^c»
In which v/e may observe these parts, viz.
1. An evil disease, or spiritual distemper
intimated and prohibited, to which the disci-
ples of Christ are incident and prone in limes
of affliction ; and that is, trouble of heart.
This may seize you, but take heed of it, la-
bour against it. As if the Lord had said,
I know it will be a cutting, a killing thing to
you, to part with me, your dear and loving
Lord and Master ; but part with me you
•XThcss.iv. 13, 14.
♦>
must; and talce heed of this indecent distem-
per of heart-trouble : Let not your hearts be
troubled^ saith our Lord Jesus.
2. The best preventive of, or remedy for,
this spiritual distemper proposed and enjoin-
f'fX : T'e believe in God believe also hi me* As
sf our Lord had said, Surely you believe in
Cto(1, v/hy then are your hearts troubled ?
Cannot your faith iii Gid support you, if
you act it upon him ? But if that cannot, theri
act yo-ur faith also on me : Believe also in me.
Set your faith on work on me. Believe, that
I love you, that v/licn I leave you, I v/ill not
leave you comfortless: / zvill send the Com-
Jorter unto you^ and he shall abide xuith yoic
Jot ever.^ Therefore, let not your hearts be
troubled. Believe in me; 1 must leave you,
and I and you must part ; but, believe v/here
1 am going, and let the consideration of that
^uiet you, and comfort you': In ray Father'^ ^j
tons e are many mansions, j There is a bet-
ter, a far better condition lor you above, than
that you are in here ; for, here you are toss,-
cd up and down . from place to place, and
are exposed to many straights. I myself
here on earth, have not an house wherein to
lay my head ; Iku in 7ny Father^s house are
lany mansions. There is an house above,
' John xlv. 16, ir. t Matt, viii.^0.
B 2
18
not made with hands ^ eternal in the heavens.^
When once you come thither, you shall re-
move no more ; there are mawj mansions,
room enough for you all, and for the innu-
merable company of angels and saints :
therefore, Believe in tne ; for, these things
are most true that I tell you. And believe
also, That I go to prepare a place for you :
I go to take possession of those celestial
mansions, of those everlasting habitations
for you, in your name and stead : while you
are here on earth, I shall prepare you for
those mansions ; and when I go from you,
I will prepare them for vou : therefore, to
prevent those heart-troubles which you are
subject to because of my departure fror.i
you, and to fortify you against them, (for C
am solicitous for you;) this is the remedy
that I propose to you, and enjoin you fr>
practise ; that, seeing you believe in God^ be-
lieve also in ??ie. Act your faith on me.
From which words thus explained, I com-
mend to your Christian consideration tins
gospel doctrine, viz.
• 2 Cor, V. 1.
19
DOCTRINE.
iliat the lively acting of true faith upon God and
Christ, or upon God in Christ, is the best preven-
tive of, and remedy against heart-trouble, under the
greatest loss v/hatscever: or, — Faith acted on God
in Christ, is the sovereign cure of heart-trouble.
Our Lord Jesus is very tender over his
poor disciples ; and having foretold them of
the h»rd usage, and bad entertainment they
should meet with in the world, losses and
crosses, tribulations and persecutions ; he
now leaves with them some antidotes against
distempers of mind ; some cordials against
those faintings of spirit, and troubles of
heart, to which he knew thev, being flesh
and blood, were subject : and this in the text,
is rhief and principal : Let not i/oitr hrqrts
hetronhled; ye believe in God^ believe also in
we. This your faith will dc your best reme-
dy, your best cure.
Poor believers are but^princes in disguise
here in this world :^ princes thev are, Christ
hath made them all so; but while here be-
low, they are in a foreign land, under a veil.
It doth not yet appear what they shall be.]
They have a large patrimonv, but it lies in-
deed in a land unknown to the world, it is in
* : P#t. ii, 9. Rev. i. 6. f i J^^-n iii. 2.
20
I
terra incognita, if the expression can be
borne. The holy, the great God himself is
their portion, their heritage ; God is their
sure, their full, their lasting, their everlasting
portion."^' They are heirs of a kingdom.\
Heirs of salvation.^ Heirs of God^ co-heirs
■with Chiist,^ Yea, all things of this xvorld
are thcirs.^"^ All things are blessed and
sanctified to them, and shall conduce tp their
spiritual and eternal wclfare.ff Yet not-
withstanding all this, and although heaven
and earth is the rev/ard of godliness, and
through the merits of Christ (as it were) the
right of those that profess it, in the power
of it ; {Godliness having the promise of this
i>fi\ and of that xvhich is tocome;)\% and,
notwithstanding believers have a true title to
all the good of both worUls ; yet may those
poor (but blessed) saints be exposed to man-
ifold temptations and tribulations in this
world ; they may have a dark, and sad, and
stormy way of it to their Father's house ;
they may be stripped of all their earthly com-
forts, may be deprived of their libertv, es-
tate, nearest Iriends and relaiions, as we read
in Scripture, that such hath been the portion
• Deut, xxxii. 9. t Psal. cxix. 59. Lam. ili. 24.
\ James ii. 5. \ Hcb. ii. 18. *• Kom. viii. 4.
ft 1 Cor. ili. 28. :jt 1 Tim. iv. 8.
:21
of the best saints : and upon this the people
of Go<:l have been dejected and disquieted,
they have desponded, their hearts have been
troubled, and have thereby displeased their
heavenly Father, who has declared, that all
things shall xvork together for their good.
Now, our Lord, in this text, forbids this
distemper of the mind, and would not have
his disciples, who had God for their Father,
and himself for their Redeemer, and who
had a title to such happiness in the other
world, to despond, and to be disquieted;
therefore he lays this charge on them, Let
not your hearts be tro^i.hled : adding the pro-
per means to prevent this sinful malady of
heart-trouble, that it might not seize on them;
or, if it had, to cure them of it, viz. Te he^
lieve in God^ belie've also in me.
The lively acting of true faith upon God
in Christ, is the best preventive of, and rem-
edy against heart-trouble, under the greatest
loss whatsoever. Which proposition I shall
prosecute, by the assistance of God's spirit,
and according to the measure of light and
grace I have received, after this manner and
method following :
Firsts by way of demonstration.
Secondly^ Of confirmation. And then to
apply, and mak(? an improvement of it for
our use.
22
1. Bif zvay of ch'monstratJGU, Endeavour-
ing to shew,
I. That God's choicest saints are in this
world subject to all kinds of troubles, losses,
and arllictions ; and whence it is, and why
so.
II. That under those losses and afflictions,
they are subject? to despond, to be dejected,
and to be troubled in their hearts.
III. What this heart-trouble is, that Christ
forbids here.
IV. How that believing in^God and Christ,
is the best means to prevent and cure this
heart-trouble. '
I. That God's choicest saints are liable to
all kinds of troubles, losses, and afflictions;
even "the greatest, heaviest, and sorest ; as
we read of Job, David, and others.
God had one Son without sin, hut no Son
without suffering. His only-begotten Son
was a man of sorrows ;'^ and the Holy Ghost
assures us, that if yc he luithout chastening^
ivhereof all art partakers^ then ye arc bas'
tardsy and not sons, Heb. riii. 12.
God's children are liable to s^iflferings,
whether we consider them as men, or as
Christians : as men ; Man that is horn of a
ivoman, is full of trouble] As our relations
*!<;». lill. tJobxiv. 1.
and comforts increase, so do the occasions of
trouble. God never appointed this world to
be the place of man's rest,* but of our ex-
ercise, and only a passage to another world :
and in this our passage we must lo*ok for
storms and tempests : if we can through
niercl' obtain a tolerable passage through
this world, and a comfortable passage out of
it, into that better above, we shall have cause
to bless the Lord to all eternity.
And much more as Christians must we
expect trouliles ; for a man is no sooner
brought home to God, but he must expect
to be hated by the world,f assaulted by Sa-
tan, chastened by the Lord ; our own corrupt
hearts will be often vexing us ; the old man,
the flesh, thwarting all the motions of, the
new nature, lusting- against the spirzt,\ The
lusts of the flesh will be as pricks in our eyes,
and as thorns in our sides : we shall have
enemies in our own houses.
But this truth is so manifest in all the
Scriptures, thai I shall insist no longer on it,
enly shall add this by way of use ; let all
Christians prepare for affliction, by getting
an interest in God through Christ.;, .by get-
ling sin pardoned and purged ; by getting
* Gen. xlvii. 9. f Joha xv. 19. Luke xxii. \2,
\ Gai. V. 17.
24
peace with God and conscience ; by getting
our hearts crucified to the world ; and thtn
when troubles come, let us bear them as
Christians,* not murmur and repine, but in '
patience possess our souls ;f not desponding,
nor fainting ; remembering, that our troubles
are no more, but infinitely less than we have
;;jttleserved4 He wiU not laif upon ttian more
thafi right»^ God perfectly understands our
need, and knows our strength. If need be^
ye are in heaviness »^^ He is faithful -who
"Will not suffer you to be tempted above that
ye are able to bear* It is the wise, just, and
gracious God, and our Father that tempers
our cup for us. Many earthly parents do
not correct their children in measure, being
ignorant of their nature and disposition ;
and therefore their correction doth them no
good. Many physicians mistake the consti-
tutions of their patients, and therefore may
do them more hurt than good : but God
knows our need, and our strength, and so
suits all his remedies accordingly ; therefore
let us be patient, bearing our troubles with an
equal mind, not suffering as per force, but
willingly. It is said, Dan. iii. 28. that they
yielded their bodies ; that is, cheerfully, to the
• 1 Pet. iv. 16. t Luke xxi. 19. \ Ezra ix. l^
f Jobxxxiv. 13. ••ICor. X.13.
25
jire. In our affliction let us search our
hearts, and try our ways \^ let us fly to him
by prayer,! and resign up ourselves to him,
and trust in him, casting our cares and bur-
thens on him.j:
Moreover, it is our wisdom, that while
we are at ease, and have our comforts about
us, let us look for troubles ; afflictions from
God, as well as for God, are part of our cross
which we must take up daily. Sickness,
death of friends, loss of estate, &c. we must
look for them, that we may not be sursprised.
He that buildeth an house, or a ship, doth
not make this his chief work and care, that it
should not rain upon it ; or that it should
have no storms or tempests ; for this cannot
be prevented by any care of ours, but that the
house or ship may be made al>le to endure
all without prejudice. So must it be our
care, to provide for afflictions ; for to pre-
vent them altogether, we cannot ; but pre-
pare for them we may, and must, as was
hinted before ; to treasure up God's promi-
ses, and store our souls with graces, and
spiritual comforts, and firm resolutions in
God's strength, to bear up, and hold on :
• Lam. iii. 40. f 1 James v. 13. :lMaU. xvi.
24. Lxrke ix. 23, Psal. Iv. 2?. 1 Pet. y 7.
26
We had need be well shod xv'ith the prepa'
ration of the gospel ofpeace,^
Most Christians are not mortified and
crucified to the world, not acquainted with
God and the promise, as they ought to be,
nor so resolved to follow God fully as they
ought, and therefore are so dejected and dis-
contented wheu affliction comes : O ! that
we did count the cost, when we first begin
to make profession of Christ ; and that we
had such full persuasion of incomparable
worth and excellency of the Lord Jesas, as
that we could willingly part with all things
for his sake ! O ! that we had such believing
apprehensions of the wisdom, faithfulness,
righteousness, and mercy of God ; such
sights of his reconciled face, and such tastes
oi his fatherly love to us in Christ, as that
we could quietly submit to his holy will, and
be well satisfied with all his dispensations
towards us. So much for this first particu-
lar.
II. The disciples of Christ, under the af-
flictions which they meet with in this world,
are apt to be troubled in their hearts, to be
disquieted in their minds, to be dejected and
discouraged. It was so with holy David,
Psal. xliii. 5. Why art thou cast doivn^
•Eph.vi.l5.
^i
my soul i Why art thou disquieled within me !
He was sensiMc of his afRicttons, and that
disquieted him, and cast him down. God's
people are subject to disquietments, because
they are flesh and blood, subject to the same
passions,* made of the same mould, subject
to the same impressions from without as
other men, and their natures are upheld with-
the same supports and refreshments as
others, the withdrawing and want of which,
affecteth them as well as others. And be-
sides those troubles they suffer in common
with others, by reason of their being called
out of the world the world hates them,f and
are therefore more exposed to tribulation
than others, and are apt to be cast down, and
discouraged : this our Lord foresaw would
befal his disciples after his departure from
them; and therefore he counsels them against
the same, let not your hearts be troubled'
^uest. But it may be demanded, whence
ariseth this heart-trouble, and disquietmtnt
of mind, under afflictions ?
Ansxu, There are many causes of it, which
is necessary for us to know, that so knowing
the causes, we may the better find the curco
There are outward and inward causes.
* James v. \7. t Joh'^ ^v. 19.
28
I'irst, Outward causes. And the fust
may be God himself. He s*;metimes with-
draws the beams of his countenance; with-
holds the sense of his love, hideth his face
from his children,* (which the saints in scrip-
ture so bitterly complain of, and so earnestly
pray against) whereupon the souls, even of
the strongest Christians are disquieted.
This caused trouble to the soul of Jesus
Christ himself.! When a poor child of God,
together with his affliction, apprehends God
to be his enemy, and that his troubles are
mixed with God's displeasure ; and it may
be his conscience tells him, that God hath a
just quarrel against him,:j: because he hath
not walked so holily, so humbly, so evenly,
and so strictly with God as he might, had he
been more watchful, careful, and circum-'
spect ; and that he hath not renewed his
peace with God as he should and might
have done ; and this sense of God's displea-
sure, puts a sting into all his afflictions, and
this causeth trouble of heart, and disquiet-
ment of mind, and justly may such a soul
be troubled, that hath ever felt the joys of
God^a saJvation,<^ the sweet influences of his
• Isa. xlv. 15 Job xxxiv. 29. t John xii. 27. Psal.
xiii. 6. Ibid xxxvii. 9. Ibid xxx. 7. Ibid Ixix. 17, &c,
4 Psal. xxxviii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. J Psal. li. 12.
211
love, that hath tasted that the Lord is gra-
cious,"^ seeing that in his favour is life^ and
his loving' kindness is better than life itself
PsaL XXX. 5. ixiii. 3.
Secondly^ The devil is the cause sometimes
of the heart-trouble of God's children. For
he being a cursed spirit, cast out of heaven,
full of disquietment himseli, labours all he
can to trouble and disquiet others ; to bring
others (as much as in him lies) into the same
cursed condition with himself: He being
cast out of paradise himself, envies us the
paradise of a good and quiet conscience ;
lor that is our pai adise until we come to hea-
ven: And this paradise a poor child of God
may possess in a prison, in a dungeon, on a
dunghill.
Two main designs the devil hath upon
men ; the one is, if possibly, by all imagina-
ble sleights, temptations and inticements, he
may keep men in a coiuse of nn^dlin'. ss, to
binder them from coming- to Christ by faith
and repentance, to deter them from his holy
ways. And when he cannot prosper in this,
but that unsearchable rich and free-grace
takes hold of some poor souls, and thcv are
snatched out of his hands, their captivity led
captive by that mighty Redeemer ; then all
* Psal. xxxiv. 8,
C 2
50
the devil's is, to hinder their comfort, and to
irterrupt their peace, and to make their way
to heaven as hard and uncomfortable to them
as possil)le, pursuing them with all dejecting
and heart-troubling temptations.
Th'irdhj^ Wicked men are also active in
the troubling of ^ God's people ; they are, in-
deed the true troubkrs of God's Israel. They
load God's people with reproaches : and
there is nothing that the nature of man is
more impatient of, than reproaches ; for
there is no man so mean, but thinks himself
M'orthy of some respect : now a reproachful
scorn shews an utter disrespect of a man,
■which flov.'s from the very superfluity of
malice. Reprom:h hath broken my hearty
saith Dcroid^ Psal. xcvi. 20. And nothing
more doth he complain of than r^roach ;
and nothing more are (jod's people Tval.>le to
tb.an this. These are the causes from v;ith-
out.
Secondhj^ There are also inward causes
of heart-trouble and despondency : When
God's people are in affliction, most times
tl.at black cloud of melancholv also surrounds
ibem, and darkness makes men feartul and
^Uj'-cted.
There are manv causes within ourselves;
as, ig:iora:ice of Ciod and of Christ, of the
31
covenant of grace, of the name of God ;'^
They that know God's name, will trust in
him, and not he dejected. f Also, forgetful-
ness of God, and of what he hath done for
us. We forget God, when we are afraid of
men.:j: Our over-looking, and passing by
the manv comforts we enjov, even while we
are under affliction ; taking little notice of
our mercies, but let them be all swallowed
up in our miseries ; as Abraham, because he
had no heir ;^ and Rachel, who said, give me
children, or I die:"^* though she had all other
earthly comforts, yet the want of this one so
troubled her, that all the rest seemed noth-
ing- ...
It is an evil thing for us to be wedded to
our own wills. None more subject to dis-
content^han those who would have all things
after their own way, and are mere stranger?
to self-denial. Likewise false apprehensions
of things, cause heart-trouble ; to think God
hates us, because he eorretts us ; and when
he takes from us, that it is all in wrath.
Another common cause is our own watch-
lessness and carelessness, our neglect of keep-
ing our heartsjt and consciences pure and
clean ; and in time of affliction, tbese former
neglects of duty come to our minds ; then
•Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. f Psal. ix. 10 f Tsaia li. 12,
13. »Gen. XV. 2. *• Ibid xx. 1, ft Prov. i .23.
32
conscience awakes, and tells us our fornner
faults, and this brings trouble of heart.*
Moreover, unnecessary scruples cause dis-
quietness, solitariness, idleness : when per-
sons will not do what is needful, they are
troubled with that which is needless ; and
idleness tempts the devil to tempt us and
trouble us : if we cannot find work for our-
selves, the devil will make work for us.
Also when we are guilty of neglecting do-
ing good to others, as to our relations, not
reproving, admonishing, or encouraging
them as we ought, or have neglected to re-
ceive that good from them that we might ;
but now they are dead and gone, and we can
no more do any good to them, nor receive
anv from them ; this hath troubled many on
their sick and death-beds. |
Inconstancy, wavering in the ways of God,
will also breed disquiet. And our inordi-
nate love of creature-comforts, our setting
our hearts on friends, estates, and the like,
letting out our hearts en husbands, v/ives,
children, &c. This is to build castles in the
air, expecting contentment in and from those
things than cannot yield it.
Also, multitude of worldly business, and
too much poring on our afflictions, and fore-
• I Kings xvii. 18. ^ Gal. vi. 10.
33
casting the events of things. You see wftat
a crowd of causes here be within ourselves
of disquiet and heart-trouble.
The third particular proposed, is, what is
this heart-trouble which Christ here forbids
his people, and that he would fortify them
against I
Answ, This heart-trouble ' is such a sense
of evils felt or feared, as creates to us heart-
disquietment, dejection, despondency, de-
priving us of that tranquillity, peace and com-
fort which we had in ourselves, or otherwise
might have. It is such a disturbance of our
passions, such a storm aed tempest in our
spirits, as causeth inward motions, emotions
and commotions of mind, putting all things
in the soul out of order ; and it carries in it
several evil things, as follow ;
Firsts Sinful sorrow, worldly sorrow.
When Christ had told his disciples that he
would leave them ; and that after he was
gone they should be exposed to hard and
heavy things from the world, bitter persecu-
tion for his name-sake ; then sorrow filled
their hearts, John xvi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
God's own servants, Christ's own disci-
ples may have their hearts filled with sorrow ;
against this our Lord commands many pre-
servatives in this sermon. The ground of
this sorrow is from ourselves, from our own
a-i.
hearts, though Satan will have a hand in it,
and it comes not from humility, but from
pride ; because we cannot have our wills,
therefore we are discontented. We may
thank ourselves not only for our troubles, but
for our over much troubling of ourselves in
our troubles. If we ward and guard against
this worldly sorrow, our troubles would not
lie so heavy on us as they do ;^ for as the
joy of the Lord doth raise and strengthen the
soul, so doth sorrow deject and weaken it :
sorrow and grief doth lie like lead to the
heart, cold and heavy, and sinks it downward
still : sorrow contracteth and draweth the
soul into itself, from that communion and
comfort it might have with God and man ;
and it weakeneih the execution of the offices
of it, because it drinktrth up the spirits, it
melteth the soul,f it causeth it to drop away.
Yea, in this kind of heart-trouble, God's own
people are many limes more excessive than
others.
1. Because many times their burthens are
greater, their temptations, desertions, trou-
ble for sin greater; as their joys are unspeak-
able and glorious, so their sorrows are some-
times above expression. Common natural
courygc will carry a man through other
• Nchem, viii. 10. f Psal. cvii. 26.
23
single afflictions : but sin is a heavier burth-
en than affliction, and the wrath of God, than
the wrath of man.
2. They have a greater sense than others,
their hearts being made tender by rehgion;
they have also a clearer judgment than others
and see more into the nature of things than
others : they see a greater eyil in sin, and in
the displeasure of God than others : they va-
lue God's favour more than others j there-
fore when he hides his face, they cannot but
be troubled. They observe more of the dis-
pleasure of God in afflictive providences than
others do, and therefore they have more sor-
row.
3'. They have more tender affections than
others, the new heart is a soft heart : A
stamp is sooner set upon wax than upon a
stone.* A wicked man hath more cause to
be troubled than a godly man ; but he is not
a man of that tenderness and sense, and
therefore is not so affected, either with God's
dealings with him, or with his deaUngs with.
God.
Thus we find often in scripture good souls
depressed with sorrow. David said, he was
like a skin bottle in the smoke^ all wrinkled
and dried up. Read FsaL xxxviii. and
* PSJil. cii. 3. Ibid xxxii. 4, Job xxx, 30. Lam. v.
^6
xxxix. 11. IV/ien thou xvith rebukes dost
correct man for sin, (that is, by sickness,
death of relations, and other losses) thou
makest his beauty (that is of his outward
man) to consume away like a moth ; where-
as the beauty of the soul grows fair by af-
fliction, but that of the body is blasted.
Age, sickness, losses will make the beauty
of the body to^ fade, but that of the soul to
shine, 2 Cor. iv. 14. Though our ouixvard
man doth decay and perish, our inward
man is retierved day by day. But for world-
ly sorrow ; that, too often, not only weaken-
eth the body, but also causeth heart-trouble.
A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but
a broken spirit drieth the bp.nes, Prov. xvii.
22.
^est. But is this worldly sorrow lawful
and commendable ?
Anszu. No surely j for there are many
evils in it, which we should avoid. As,
First, Impatience and murmuring against
God ; that is an effect of immoderate sor-
row ; when our wills are crossed, we can-
not bear it, for want of self-denial.
Secondly, Quarrelling at instruments.
Thirdly, U>^ing ndirect means for our re-
lict. It 15 better to pine awa\' in our afflic-
tions than to be freed from them by sUining.
37
Fourthly^ Desponding and distrustful
thoughts of God. Is his mercy clean gone ?
Will he be favourable no more P Psal. Ixxvii.
r, 8.
Fifthly^ Questioning our interest in God,
merely because of the affliction upon us.*
Judges vi. 15. If God be with us^ why is
all this befallen us f Not considering, how
hard soever God dealeth with his people,
yet he loveth them, Heb> xii. 6.
Sixthly^ Sometimes atheistical thoughts do
arise, as if there were no God, no provi-
dence; as if it were in vain to serve the
Lord.f
Seventhly^ This worldly sorrow indispo-
seth to all good duties ; it makes a man like
an instrument out of tune, or a bone out of
joint ; which makes the body mxjve both un-
comely and painfully : It unfits for duty to
God and man.
Eighthly^ It makes a man forget former
mercies, and overlook present mercies ; all is
nothing under present sufferings. Give me
children, or else I die.
Ninthly^ It makes us unfit to receive mer-
cies, and to embrace the best counsels ; such
plaisters will not stick, they refuse to be
comforted, Psah Ixxvii. 2.
• Rev. iU. 19. t Psal. bcxui. 13.
D
;38
Tenthly^ It disposeth us to receive any
temptation : Satan hath never more advan-
tage than upon discontent.
Eit'-jentfilyy It hinders beginners from
coming into the ways of God.
Tuuelfthiy^ It rcjoiceth and hardeneth the
wickeci, ana ii grieves and damps the spirits
ot our friends'. All these and many more
evils, are in worldly sorrow.
There tore, this evil tempter we must
labour against, and not suffer ourselves to be
dtjtcted in sickness, contempt in the world,
loss of friends and relations, loss of honour,
and earthly interest : may we only think to
be exempted from chastisements, whereof all
God's children are partakers?* And. must
pod make a new way to heaven for us ? Or
do we think it best for us to live here for ever,
in ease and plenty, and honour, and never see
a change ? No surely, it is in vain to think so:
it becometh us betimes, to prepare ior crosses.
None so strong, lively and brisk now, but
they shall shordy wither and decay. None
hold their heads so high now, but they must
shortly lay them down in the dust. We, and
our dearest relations must part.
It would be our wisdom, to turn the
stream of our sorrow for losses and crosses,
•Heb.xii.lO.
39
into Godly sorrow for sin, then it will run in
its right channel. Let our sins lie heavy
upon us, and then our afflictions will lie
light : let us grow weary of our sins, not of
our sufferings.* God doth not afflict -uoU-
lingly^ nor grieve the chiidrefi of men.] Let
us consider also, the real spiritual benefit of
afflictions : God aims at our profit 4 and in
good time, in the best time he will send de-
liverance. And be sure, those that are not
unmindful of their duty, Ged will not be un-
mindful of their safety.
But that which should mostly affect us,
and make us take heed of immoderate world-
ly sorrow, is, to consider, that this kind of
sorrow of heart, is God's curse-, imprecated
on God's enemies ; Lam, iii. 65. Give them
sorrow of hearty thy curse. As Godly
sorrow is God's blessing, a grace of God's
spirit, a fruit of the covenant of grace, and a
fruit of faith ;§ so worldly sorrow is God's
curse, and a bitter fruit of unbelief. They
that sorrow for sin shall be comforted :'^* but
they that mourn immoderately for outward
losses, there shall be none to comfort them.
This is the first piece of heart-trouble which
• Matt. xi. 28. f Prov. iii. 11. Lam. iii. 53.
X Heb. xiL 10. J Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Zech. xii. 10.
•• Matt. V. 4.
40
Jesus Christ hath forbidden. Let not your
hearts be troubled ; that is, not filled, and
overcome with worldly sorrow : whatever
your losses and crosses I:)e, let not your sor-
row go beyond its lawful bounds ; take heed,
let not your hearts be troubled.
Stcondly^ Another piece of heart-trouble,
is, sinful fear. And against this distemper
iilso Christ counselleth his disciples ; Let not
your heart be troubled^ nor let it be afraid^
ver. 27. As if he had said, let not that dis-
temper of base slavish fear, seize your
hearts.
This fear is a passion, or rather a perturba-
. tion of mind, whereby, upon the sense of ap-
proaching evils, the mind is discomposed
and disordered, and the heart troubled and
dejected.
This fear is a tyrant where it comes, and
it tyrannizes where it prevails : as Job iv.
14, 15. We read how it prevailed over that
famous believer, the father of believers,
Abraham, to his prejudice, and to the dis-
credit of his religion ; who, through fear de-
nied his wife once and again. Gen. xii. and
Gen. XX. And good Laac was taken in the
same fault. Gen. xxvi. This fear troubles
mens' peace, and disquiets their minds, that
they are said sometimes to be like the leaves
of the forest ; and this fe^r is often fprbiddei^ ,
41
to Abraham, GeJi. xv. 1. and to Isaac, Gen/
XXVI' 24. And when Israel was in the great-
est dangers that ever men were, they were
forbid to fear, Exod. xiv. 13. ha, viii. 12.
chap. xli. 10. And in the New Testament,
our Lord strongly cautions against this fear,
Luke xii. 4, 32. Rei), ii. 10. Fear none of
those things which thou shalt suffer. Slavish
iear troubles the heart more than any thing.
Object. But may we not fear God's judg-
ments ? Did not good Josiah tremble at
them ? And did not holy David say, in Fsal,
cxix. 120, I am afraid of thy judgments,
Answ, Doubtless, it is our duty so to do *.
when we see the same sins abound, for wbiich
God hath executed his judgments in former
times, we ought to lay them to heart, and to
be affected, Jer. vii. 12. chap. iii. 7, 8, 9,
10. LiikeTLwW, 26, &c. Remember Lot's ivife^
said our Lord. So, 1 Cor, x. 2 Pet, ii. 9.
Rom. i. 18. Dan, ix. 5. Zeph, iii. 6, T, a re-
markable Scripture.
Although it went well with Nehemiah
himself, yet he had a sad resentment of the
state of Jerusalem, Neh, i.
God's people have tender hearts. Wick-
ed men have hearts of stone ; when God
smites them, they are not gi*ieved, fer, v. 3,
But we must distinguish of feare
d2.
42
Firsty There is a natural lav/ful fear, when
evUs are approaching to our bodies, or
names, or friends, or the like, dangers are
apparent, it is natural to fear. This was in
the best men in the world ; it was in Christ
himself, Mark xii. 14, 15. Also it is said,
He feared, and was sore a?7iazed, Mark xiv,
33, yet without sin,
SecQudlij^ There is a lawful, filial fear of
God's judgments, which arjseth from the con-
sideration of the evil of sin, and of God's right-
eousness ; of his hatred of sin, and his wrath
against it ; which fear produceth repentance,
self-examination, a turning to God with our
whgle hearts, through reformation, and an
endeavour to secure ourselves in God's '•ov-
enant, and to hide ourselves, Prov. xxii. 3.
A prudent vian foreseeth the evii^ and hideth
himself. A striving to get into Christ, and
to get clear evidences of God's love to us in
Christ : I say, such a fear, that worketh
these effects, is a great duty.
Thirdly^ There is a base 3lav7.sh fear of
approaching evils, arising fro.m our misap-
prehensions of God ; producing in us unworr
thy thoughts, sinking into despondency, and
inciting to murm-iring and impatience, and
putting ug upon sinful shifts, the use of un-
lawful means to prevent or escape dangers j
a fear of despondency, a vexatious, distract-
ing fear, that drives from God, and unfits
43
for service : A tormenting, disquieting fear,
that unsettles and discomposeth our minds,
disturbs our peace, suspends our acts of faith,
and disposeth us to diffidence, distrust, and
impatience : this is the fear that Christ would
not have his peoples' hearts troubled with.
Foitrthhj^ Another piece of heart-trouble,
is care, vexatious, distracting care, which
our Lord would not have his disciples trou-
ble themselves with ; and therefore he useth
so many powerful arguments to dissuade
them from it, Matt, vi. from verse 25, on-
ward."^
\st^ He assures us, it is God that takes
care for our bodily life, we trust him with
that ; how much more should we for food
and raiment.
2dly^ Saith he, your Father takes care for
the fowls, and provides for them, Are ye not
much better than they ?
Zdly^ He clotheth the lilies, and will he
not clothe you ? ,
4th!yy^ You cannot, by all your care, make
your condition better than God hath appoint-
ed it shall be, ver. 27.
Sthly, Your heavenly Father knows you
want all these things.
6thiy^ They that are ignorant of God, and
of hi^ fatherly care and good providence, that
• Psal. civ. 21, 27, 28.
44
have no God to care for them, they trouble
themselves with those cares ; therefore you
should not do so, who have an heavenly Fa-
ther that dearly loves you, and looks after
you.
r//////, You have the promise of the faith-
ful (iod, to have all necessaries provided for
you, while you make it your care to serve,
please, and trust in him. Ver. 23. All theae
thitiq's shall be added unto ijoii.
Si/ill/^ We have no cause to be thought-
ful for time to come, because every day
brings evil enough with it ; ^nd therefore it
is no wisdom to perplex ourselves with
cares, ver. last.
So again, Luke xxi. 34. Phil. iv. 6. Be
careful Jor noth/m;^ :^ Our Lord also shews
us how prejudicial such cares are to our pro-
fiting by the word.j And expressly com-
mands us, to cast our cares vpon him^for he
carethfor us,\
Fifthly^ Despondency of spirit, dejected-
ness, distrust, discouragement, are other
pieces of heart-trouble. Such as was in Da-
vid, Psal. cxii. 3, 4, 5. cxliii. 4. xlii. 5. Cast-
ing-down breeds disquietment, because it
springs from pride, which is a turbulent pas-
• Mark iv. 19. f I-u^e vii. 12. P»al. Iv. 22.
\ 1 l»et. V. 7
45
sion ; and every thing that crosseth and dis-
appoints it, causeth a combustion in the
mind : when a man cannot come down, and
stoop to that condition that God casts him
into, then he is discontented ; and this comes
from his pride.
A Christian should be very careful to keep
up his spirits, when his condition in the
world falls down. Could we but bring our
minds to our conditions, to like and be pleas-
ed with our conditions ; as being certainly
persuaded, that our present condition is best
for us ; it would be all as good, all as well,
all as comfortable to us, as if we could bring
our condition to our minds ; for one of the&e
must be done, or else Ve shall never be free
from heart-trouble while we live. Either
our minds must be brought just even to,
and suited and compliant to our conditions,
be it sickness, poverty, shame, prison, &c.
or, our conditions must be suited just evea
to our minds. We have a mind to health,
to liberty, &c. we must have them, or we
are troubled. Now this latter is wholly and
altogether out of our power, we cannot add
one cubit to our stature. It is the Lord that
appoints all our conditions for us ; we can-
not make our conditions happy, honourable,
&c., of ourselves, and without God : but the
former is in our power : by the help of God's
46
spirit of grace, we may bring our minds to
our conditions :* it is an holy art, attain-
able in the use of God's means. Content-
ment in, and with our condition, is the i)ring-
ing of our minds to our conditions, tq
lie even, and suitable, and square one with
the other ; and this is, as I said, an holy
art, attainable 'by Christians, Ph'iL iv. 11.
St. Paul had learned it,f and so may other
Christians. It is the suitableness between
our minds and our conditions, that breeds
quiet and content : and if we have not quiet
in our own minds, all outward comforts will
do no more good, than a silken stocking to
a scabbed leg ; or a golden slipper to a goaty
foot.
Now, it is only God that can, but never
will (except in wrath) bring any man's con-
dition to his mind ; for then his condition
sRould be changed almost every moment ;
so mutable is man's mind : God will not
bring the condition of the wicked to their
mind (except in wrath, as was said ;) for, as
their outward prosperity doth increase, so do
their desires after more : and the wise man
tells us. The eye is Jiever satisfied with see-
in^.jj. And the more they have, the more
• 1 Tim. vi. 8. Heb. xiii. 5. | 1 Tim. v5. 6,
I Eccles. iv. 8. Ibid. v. 10.
^/
they crave, They can never have enough,*-
And for the godly themselves, they are not
so free from covetousness as they should be ;
but still need to learn this lesson of content-
ment, and to be learning of it all their days.
And most commonly, if not always, God, by
his grace, brings their minds to their condi-
tions ; and not their conditions to their
minds. And for this wise Agur prays,
Prov, XXX. 9. Two dangerous extremes he
prays against ; the one is poverty, that would
breed discontent, in that his mind would be
below his condition, debased to vile and sin-
ful practices, as stealing, &c. The other is
riches ; that would breed discontent, in that
his mind would be above his condition, and
that would lift him up to base pride, and for- "
getfulness of God : therefore he begs a suit-
ableness and conveniency between his mind
and condition : Feed me with food conveni-
ent.
Certainly, we shall never be free from
heart-trouble, till our mind be brought suit-
able to pur conditions, and such a frame
would prevent casting-down in time of afflic-
tion. To like our condition, to be pleased
and satisfied with it, and with the holy will
of God in it; that is, to be content, content
*Isa,Ivi. 11.
48
with sickness, poverty, shame, prison, loss of
relations and friends, &c. In a word, when
our wills lie even with God's will, (as in all
reason they should) and our minds lie even
with our conditions, then have we inward
peace and tranquillity, quietness and content-
ment, and never till then : then sickness is as
good as health ; and poverty as good as
riches ; and a prison, &:c. And this is that
blessed frame of spirit we must labour for,
and we ourselves shall have the sweetness
of it : otherwise, it is in a man's mind, as it
is with the body, when bones are out of
joint, "^ there is nothing but pain and trouble;
but this bringing of our minds to our condi-
tions, is the setting of the bone again. Cast-
ing down ourselves, despondency, discour-
agement, which arise from discontent, are
great pieces of heart-trouble.
This distrust of God's providence is a
grand, evil, when we think we cannot live,
\mless we have a greater portion of earthly
things ; and this sets us upon carking cares ;
we know not how we and ours shall be pro-
vided for, Svc. Now this we may cure, by
casting ourselves upon God's promises.f 1
I^tt, V. 7. psalm xxxiv. Ixxxiv. 11. Heb.
xiii. b. Let us cast ourselves on God's pro-
♦ Psal. xliii. 5. t Ibid Iv. 22.
49
videncft : will he provide ^or ravens, and
clothe lilies, and neglect his own children?
It cannot be imagined.
Earthly things are but a vain shew ; they
can give us no joy of heart, nor peace of con-
science ; they cannot add one cubit to our
stature, nor one moment to our lives.
Moreover, this happy state of mind is at-
tainable. =^ Eli had it, 1 Sam, iii. 18, and
David, 2 Sam, xv. 25, 26. It is the Lord^
let him do xvhat aeemeth him good. There-
fore let us labour for such a spirit ; such a
contented frame of mind is worth a king-
dom : without it godliness itself is not great
gain : it must be laboured for ; Paul said, he
had learned it ; it was a hard lesson, but
swert when learned.
Fifthly^ Persecution may cause heart-trou-
ble ; when men are offended. Matt. xiii. 21.
When Peter was an offence to Christ, he
was a trouble to him. Our Lord did on
purpose foretell his disciples what persecu-
tions they should undergo, that they might
not be offended ;f forewarned, fore-armed.
It is a blessed thing not to be offended at per-
secution for Christ. He foretold his disci-
ples, the night before his passion, that all of
* Psal. xxxix. 9. Phil. iv. 12, 13. + Matt. xxvi.
.'^1, 56.
.70
Iflem shouid be- oITended at him that night:*
which came to pass ; for one of them openly-
denied him, and the rest forsook him and
fled. To be troubled at persecution for
Christ's sake, is to be the cross of Christ ;
and that he would not have his disciples to
be by any means, Mark viii. 38.
Object, But is it not said, PsuL cxix. 165,
Great peace have they that love thij law^ and
nothing shall offend them ? How then came
the people of God to be offended I
1 a?i6wer. They that truly love God's law,
because they love God, such shall have peace
with God, and with their own consciences ;
and that is great peace, and nothing shall c»f-
fend them ; that is, much trouble them, since
they have peace wifh God, and with their
own consciences : outward lossc s and crosses
are easily borne, they shall make no breach
upon their inward peace. They that have
this character ot God's chilchen, will not b^;
stumbled at God's dispensations, let them h t
never so cross to their desires ;|. because the
have a God to fly unto in all their trouble: »
and a S4ire covenant to rest upon : thercfori:
the reproaches cast on thein, and on th
ways of God, do not scandalize them, fr-r
tht:y have found God in that very wav whi/'i
• John xvi. 1. ■)• Sam. xxiii. -5.
.11
others speak evil of; they are notso offend-
ed by anv thing that attends the way ot God^
as to dislike or forsake that way. Nev( rthe- "
less, zve jnust take heed that xve be not offend-
td.
Sixthly^ Temptations from Satan may
cause heart-trouble and vexation : Satan's-
suggestions, his fiery darts, these tormenting
thoughts which he casts into the minds of
Christ's disciples, create to them much dis-
turbance and heart-trouble. So soon as any
man is plucked out of the devil's hands, by
the mighty power of Christ's spirit, he tails
upon him speedily with all his force, to trou-
ble such a soul and vex it ; so that he shall
enjov little peace if Satan can hinder it. So
long as the devil keeps possession in the
soul,* he keeps all in peace, (a sad peace !)
But when a stronger than he comes, and
casteth out this strong man armed, then Sa-
tan rageth to recover his lost captive soul,
and vexeth that soul with all his temptations:
hut let not this break your peace, nor cause
heart-trouble. As Christ hath overcome the
world, and therefore bids his discipU s to be
of good cheer ^ John xvi. 20, so hath he also
overcome the devil ; he hath trodden this
serpenf* under his feet already, and this
Prince of Peace will tread him under your
• Luke xi. 21, 22.
5*2
feet also shortly: therefore, Let not you?
hearts be troubled.
Seventhly^ Desertion ; another, (and not
the least) piece of heart-trouble ; this may
be the case of Christ's disciples. We read
of the saints complaining that God had for-
saken them J and when he hideth his face,
they cannot but' be troubled.
Sometimes God doth but seem to hide his
face, Isaiah xlix. 14, 15. When God takes
their earthly comforts from them, and suf-
fereth sharp and hitter afflictions to befall
them ; and though they cry unto him, he doth
not remove them, then they think that God
hath forsaken therri.
Sometimes God doth really forsake his
people, as to the sense of his favour, Isaiah
liv. 7, 8. For a small moment have I forsaken
thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from
thee for a 7noment. And this is cither by
withholding comfort from them, which thev
cry for, or by withdrawing that comfort from
them which they had. Compare Fsal, li. 11,
and Ixxvii. 1, 2, 3, 23. Yet hf re God sup-
ported and sustained his servant's soul with
grace : many times, when God's'people have
least comfort, they have most grace, most
humility, patience, self-denial, thirstings af-
ter God, heavenly-mindedness, Sic* God's
• Psal. Ixxx. 3, 7, 19. Ibid Ixxxiii. 3.
people may lose the sense of his love, but
never lose his love, for that is everlasting.
But to lose the sense of his love, is a griev-
ous trouble to a gracious soul, that hath tast-
ed and felt the love of God and his favour ;
for their great happiness is to have the favour
of God: In k'ls favour is life^ and his loving-
kindness is better than life : this is the joy
of their lives \_PsaI, cxix 135,] which David
so earnestly prayed God for. Now such as
found this, must needs be troubled when
they lose it.
Two things chiefly cause God to hide his
face from his people.
1. When their hearts are fco much set
upon, and carried out after earthly comforts ;
fleshly delight, and confidence in earthly
things, provokes God to hide his face : when
a man smiles so much on the world, and
gives it so much room in his heart, God
Srowns, and is offended that the gift should
be so much loved, and the giver so neglect-
ed and forgotten.
2. When their hearts are let out too little
after God, and there grows a strangenCrS be-
tween God and them, and they begin' to grow
ttold, dull and dead in duty, then God with-
draws and hides himself,* compared. But
• Cant. 2i 3, 5, 6.
E 2
54
no affliction like this ; this disquieteth and
dejecteth the people of God indeed. And
as all the candles in the world cannot make
it day when the sun is set : so all the coin-
forts in the world cannot rejoice such a soul,
nor can there be any day in stich a soul, un-
til the sun of rigliteousncss arise there with
healing in his rvings.^-
So much for this third particular, shew-
ing what this heart-troul)le is, which our
Lord here forbids his disciples ; namely,
worldly sorrow, sinful slavish fc;ar, distraat*
ing care, desponde»ncy, dejectedness of spirit,
distrust, offence at persecution for Christ's
sake, Satan's temptati-ons, and spiritual de-
sertions ; all which may either be the causes,
or the parts and pieces of heart-trouble^
fvhich must he avoided.
The fourth particular to be opened, is to
shew, that believing in G(*d and in Christ, is
the best antidote against this sinful heart-
trouble : Christ pruposcth it as a special
remedy.
^uest. But how is it so ?
Ji\ szo. To answer this, I shall endeavour
to shew these three things.
1. What this believing in God is which
uur Saviour here grants that they hud ; 2c
bcUevj in God,
• MaU iv. p*
55
2. What it is to believe in Christ : believe
also in me.
3. How that this faith acted on God and
Christ, is the best remedy to prevent and
cure heart trouble, in all those several parts
of it I have mentioned,
1. What this faith in God is ? Briefly, the
apostle tell us, Heb. xi. 6. It is to believe
that God is, that there is a God, an infinite,
first, and best being j to believe that God is
that all that, which he hath revealed himself
in his word to be, viz. that he is an all-suffici-
ent, almighty, only wise God ; a righteous,
gracious, merciful God: an holy God, a loving
God. He proclaims his name himself, Exod,
xxxiv. 6, 7. The Lord, tiie LordGod^ merciful
and gracious^ long-sirfering^ and abundant in
goodness and truths &c. To believe that he is
wonderful in counsel, and excellent in work-
ing :* that he is the Father of all mercies, the
true and faithful God, the God of all grace,
and of all consolation :f with many more ad-
n)ira!>le attributes of God doth the scripture
furnish us, that we may build our faith, and
place our trust in him, to prevent heart-
trouble, and to cure it when it hath seized on
lis. Whatsoever is revealed of God in his
word, that true faith believes.
• Isa. xxviii. 29. f 1 John iv. i6. 3 Cor. 1 3.
llel). :iU. 9. James J. 17.
56
Also, this faith in Qod, is, to believe ^at
he is a rewarder of them that diligently ^ek.
him.
That he being God all-sufficient, he is able
to support, to supply, to deliver his people
out of all their troubles ; and that he is wil-
ling so to do, as well as able, for he hath
promised : and he is a rewarder,* a God
that will abundantly, plentifully reward all
his suffering ones : Grrat shall he their re-
ivard in heaven^ Matt. v. 12. And to be-
lieve God to be a rewarder, is to lay hold on
his covenant, wherein he promiseth so to be :
I will be thy Gody thy shield and thy exceedinp^
great reward^ Gen, xv. 1. The sum of the
covenant is, I will be thy God : What is
that but this, I will do all that to diee, and
for thee. I will be a sun and shield to
thee ;\ I will give thee grace and glory, and
will withhold no good thing from thee, f
that am the infinite, first, and best being of
all things, the living fountain of all mercy,
the original of all power and goodness ; I
will be a God to thee, thy God, thy Father, if
thou wilt take me for thy God, and place all
thy happiness in me, and wilt become mv
servant, and give up thyself sincerely to me,
* 1 Cor. XV. 58. Rom. ii. 6, 7, 10. f 3 Cor. vi.
17, Psal. Ixxxiv. \%
to" serve and obey, to love, fe'ar, and trust
me onlv. This is to believe in God, to ac-
cept of God for our God, and to yield up
ourselves to him to be his people, Isa* Ivi.
46, to choose the things that please him :
to give our hearts and become his servants,
as Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. And so God propo-
sed himself to Abraham when he called him,
Gen. xii. 1, 2, 3, as a rewarder ; and more
fully. Gen* xv. 1, / am thu shield, and thy
exceeding great reuoard ; and so Abraham's
faith was to acton God, so manifested ; and,
Gen. xvii. 1,/ am God all-sufficient ; all-suffi-
cient to support thee in thy way and work, and
all-sufficient to reward thee in the end, there-
fore be thou upright and faithful ;* let not thy
heart be troubled, whatever dangers and dif-
ficulties thou mtetest with in my way and
work, and what losses soever thou sustainest
for my sake, believe, Abraham^ lam God all-
sufficient ; I will sufficiently reward thee, thou
shalt ije no loser by following and serving me.
Also INIoses's faith had an eije to the recom-
pense ofrexvardy Heb. xi. 26. And that you
mav see that this is not legal and mercenary,
our Lord Jesus proposeth this as an encou-
ragement to his people, 3Iatt. v. 12. Great
in your reivard in hea'jen. And he himself
* Prov. xi. 18, Psal. Iviii. II.
58
took encouragement from it, iis IIvb» xii. 1,
2. Fcr the joy tliativas set before him, Sec.
So that this is to btlieve in God, to bt-
lieve that God is really and truly, he is all
that which ht revealed hinjself to be, and to
believe that he is a rewarder, &:c. This faith
in Ciod, Christ took for granted that his dis-
ciples had; Te believe hi God: Ye believe
that God is, and that he is a revvarder of
them that diligently seek him. And if ye
believe this, let not your hearts be troubled ;
be not afraid nor dejected, but act your faith
in God, and seriously consider what God
that is in whom you believe ; and believing
also your interest in that God, that he is
your God ; this God all-sufticient is your
God, you will have no cause to be troui:)kd :
Your acting of faith on God, your God :
will prevent and cure your heart-trouble, and
that these several ways. •
First more generally.
He that believes in God as his God, be-
lieves God is always present with him, ac-
cording to his promises.* In the worst times
God is present with his people. And can
there be any cause of heart-trou!>le to such
souls as have always the presence oi God with
• Isa. »li. 10. Ibid xliii. 2. Heb. xiii, 5.
59
them, whose presence makes Jtleaven, and in
whose presence is fulness of joyy and at
'whose rig-kt hand are pleasures for ever-
more P'* Surely, beloved, this will prevent
ht art- trouble, when a soul can act his faith,
and firmly believe it. God is always pre-
s<;nt with his people, and that for gracious
purposes, (and not as a bare spectator ;) to
proportion and measure out iheir alflictions
to them, that they may not be above their
strength, nor more than need.f Ail the at-
flictions of God's people are measured by
the hand of a most wise, most merciful, and
gracious God : all the malice of men and
devils cannot add a drachm to the v/eight,
nor a drop to the measure, beyond God's ap-
pointment. He is present to order and iix
the time of our sufferings,:): it is an hour ot
temptation: it is our loving Father that sets
up the glnss of the time of our troubles: he
appoints their beginning, their duration, their
^■nd ; he holds the glass in his own hand.
All the powers on earth caimot bring troubles
on us, 'till the hour come, 'till the appointed
time, nor continue our troubles longer than
i^is time : T^e rod of the ivicked shall not
rest on the lot of the riifhteoiis.'^ God is
* Psal. xvi. 11. t 1 ^or- x- 15. ^ 1 Pet. i. G.
It;^ XX.V11 o. ; Psal.c-txv. S.
60
present to mix some comforts* with the
cross, thereby to allay the bitterness of it ;
present to support the soul with inward
strength, Psal. cxxxviii. 3. Thou strength-
e.nest me with strength in my soul : Present
to sanctify afflictions for good, and at length,
in his good time, which is the best time,
when he hath perfected his own work in his
people, he is present for their full delive-
rance.
A true believer in God hath always a God
to go unto. O what a comfort, what an hap-
piness is that ! he dwells in the love of God,
as well in affliction, as out of it ; he may be
cast out of his happy condition in the world,
but never out of the favour of his God : this,
believed by us will cure heart-sorrow, heart-
fear, heart-care, all despondency, dtjected-
ness, disquietments, and destractions what-
ever. Faith acted on God, the almight)^
all sufficient God, and our God, always
present with us, is the sovereign antidote
against, and the best cure of all heart-trouble,
Psal. cxlii. 1, 2, 3, 4, there are the Fsalni-
isfs troubles ; and verse 5, there is his cure ;
/ cried unto thee^ Lord ; thou art viy re-
fuge and my portion in the land of the iivifig.
So Psal. cxiiii. 4, 6, 8, his spirits was over-
• Rev. lit. 10.
61
whelmed with trouble ; but he cried to God,
and trusted in him, and that was his relief.
His trusting in God was an high exercise of
his faith.* This kept David from sinking
under his great distress, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. He
encouraged himself 171 the Lord his God.
Thus in general.
More particularly, I shall endeavour to
shew what there is in God that a believer's
faith fetcheth virtue from to cure his heart-
trouble in his greatest distress, even under
the loss of the personal presence of his best
and dearest friends on earth ; for such was
like to be the case of the disciples in the
text.
First, That in God which faith looks unto
and fetcheth comfort from, is, his sweet and
gracious nature. God is love, the very ele-
ment of love, 1 John iv. 16, and his gra-
cious name, which discovers his nature,
JExod. xxxiv. 6. The Lord gracious and men'
cifuL When he gives to his people, he gives
in love ; when he takes he takes in love.
Now when a soul believes that all is from
love, and all in love, he is supported. When
a man can believe that all his troubles come
to him from the Father of mercies, and his
father in Christ, he cannot but bear them
* Ps^l. XXV. 15, 16, 17. Ibid xxxK 12, 13.
62
patiently. Ye believe in God, saitli Christ.
Ye bcicive that God loves you, therefore let
not your hearts be troubled.
l^est. But how shall I know that God
loves me, v/hen he afflicts me.''
I answer^ When we can discern that we
have received any spiritual benefit by any af-
fliction, we may certainly conclude, that the
love of God was in that affliction.'* Fury is
nv'jt in God towards his people,! and he in-
tends nodiing but our profit i all his designs
are for our good, to purge away our sins4
to wean us from the world, to draw us near-
er to himself, to humble us, to try us, and to
conform us to Christ,^ to prepare us ior
glory, &c. Now seeing God's designs are
so mu'-h for our good, we must conclude,
that all our aftiictions proceed from his love ;
and when we And any of those designs ac-
complished in us, and on us, and that we
have received real spiritual good by them,
we ought to be strengthened in our belief,
that God hath corrected us in love ; so that
failii ycted on the love of God in our afflic-
tions, will prevent or cure our heart-trouble.
Our Lord told his disciples, that the Father
had loved iliem^ J'-^hii xvi. 27.
• Heb. xii. 6, 10. f Isaiah xxvi. 4. Dea^
\ Job xxiii. lU. \ 2 Cor. iv. 17.
63.
Sccondlij^ Faith acted upon God's glori-
ous attributes, will fortify against heart-
trouble.
Firsts Upon his all-sufficiency. Ye be-
lieve that God i£ all-sufficient,'^ in and of
himself alone ; every way able to supply all
wants, to make up, and repair all losses, to
satisfy all desires, to sustain under all bur-
thens, and that without all earthly comforts :
for, how else are the saints in heaven happy,
who have none of these earthly enjoyments ?
Ye believe this, act your faith on it : he must
needs be all-sufficient who made the world,
and all things in it, and upholds it to this
day : he that owns all things, and is posses-
sor of heaven and earth, he it is, that is your
God, your Father; act your faith on him,
anri be comforted.
Setondly^ He is almighty ; you believe
this. So Christ hath told his disciples, All
things are possible to God, He can break
the hardest heart, and can bind up the most
broken spirit : he can mrike up the great-
est loss, We are kept by the mighty power
of God.\ Oh ! how safe is that man, that is
in the love and covenant, and that lies in the
arms and bosom of the Almighty God4 He
* Gen. xvii. 1. f 1 Pet. i 5. % Deut. xxxiii. ^T,
Job ix. 1^.
64
can bring light out of darkness,, and make
the greatest loss to prove the greatest gain.*
He hath the keys of the grave. To him be-
long the issues from death,] All power be-
longeth to him ; nothing is too hard for him.
Thirdly^ His absolute sovereignty and
supremacy : all souls are his, Ezek, xviii. 4.
He gives, he takes, who can hinder him P
May he not do with his own what pleaseth
him ? Ye helieve this. Hath he not a right
in all the works of his hands ? May he not
dispose of all as he will ?
f'ourthly^ His unchangeableness. God is
in one mind^\ the thoughts of his heart stand
to all generations. He sets bounds to the
sea, to the life of man, and to all the comforts
of life ; the number of his months is with
God.<5 Believe this.
Fifthlu^ His wisdom. God is only xvise^
the fountain ofivisdom. He doeth all he do-
eth in infinite wisdom. He is wise in heart,
and worketh all things according to the
counsel of his will. He knows what is best
for us ; when to give, when to take, and what
will do us most good. Believe this, and 7^^
not your hearts be troubled.
• Matt. xix. 26. f Gen. xviii. 14. \ Job xiv. 5.
$ Ibid xxiii. 13. 14.
\}o
Sixthly^ His righteousness. All his way3
are just and equal: yea, when clouds and
darkness are round about him, (his provi-
dences towards us dark) yet then righteons-
?iess and judgment are the habitaiion of hv>
throne* God, the Judge of the world, can
do no wrong : believe this of God, and it
v/ill quiet your minds.
Lastly^ His faithfulness. In very faith-
fulness thou hast afflicted me.^ saith holy Da-
vid, PsaL cxix. 75. lie hath promised, he
will withhold no good thing from his peo-
ple :* Now he*- sees and knows that afflic-
tions arc good for them, good for their souls;
his daily rod is good for their souls, as his
daily bread is good for their bodies. There-
fore he brings afflictions on them, and so
makes good his promise to them. O ! be-
lieve this, and let not your hearts be troubled.
Certainly, faith acted on God's attributes will
support under the greatest strokes, and most
grievous losses.
Thirdly^ Faith acted on the covenant of
grace. God's everlasting covenant will help
lo support under trouble. 7^e believe in God;
that God hath made a covenant with you, to
become your God, fer. xxxi. 33. J rvill be
uoifv God^ and ye shall be my people. This is
* Psal. Ixxxiv. 11.
r 2
66
infinitely more, for God to become our God,
to give himself to us, than if he had said, I
will give you crowns and kingdoms, sons and
daughters: when God saith, I will be your
God,, he saith, I will be all that to you, and I
will flo all that for you, and bestow all that up-
on vou, which a God can be, or do, and which
shall make you most happy for ever. I will
give you new hearts, give you my spirit ; I
will give you grace here, and glory hereafter.
This acting of faith in God's covenant, sup-
ported David in his greatest troubles ; 2 Sam.
xxiii. 5, a notable text: when the Lord had
made breach upon breach in his family, this
comforted him, that God had made ivith him
an everlasting' covenant. That he was in
covenant with God ; that God was his God
in covenant : this balanced all his losses,
and re])aired all the breaches made in his
relations : though his family was wasted and
!)h'sted, this answered all, that he was in coV'
enant with God.
This is the language of faith : if God be
my God, if I be his child, born of him, re-
concilt'd to him, pardonf^d, justified, sancti-
fied, in covenant with him, whv am I trou-
bled, thougli he give me neither health, nor
wealth, nor friends, nor relations ? Have I
not enough, in having God to be my God I
Is not God more than all ? But if God b^
67
not my God, I have cause enough to be trou-;
bled then, considering the danger I am in ;
and my trouble for this, should swallow up
all other trouble. For surely, either God is
mine in covenant, or he is not : if he be mine
in covenant, then, though he break my fami-
ly, make breaches upon all my earthly com-
forts, yet he will not break his covenant,
Psalm Ixxxix. 32, and so long I am well
enough. If he leave me neither son nor
daughter, if he strip me of friends, estate,
liberty, healtli. Sec. yet he remains my God
still ; and so long it is well enough : it can-
not be ill with a man so long as God is his :
ye believe this.
Fourthly J Faith acted upon the word of
God, will support the soul : ye believe God's
word, the word of truth. Psalm cxix, 50.
This is my comfort in my affiction^ thy word
hath quickened me. So verse 93. Had not
thy law been my delight.^ I had perished in my
affiction.
Firsts Consider the word of precept : as,
in the text, it is Christ's command, Let not
your hearts be troubled ; many such com-
mands we have in Scripture, as, Not to fear ^
nor be cast doixxn : sorrow not as those wha
have no hope ;* and such-like : now, faith
* 1 Thess. iv. 12, 14,
6a.
applioB such commands to the soul ; I must
not be troubled in my heart, God forbids it.
AVhy, must we not profane the sabbath, nor
swear, nor lie, &c. but because God hath for-
bidden these evils I So here, God hath for-
bidden us to be troubled, and hath com-
manded us to be quiet, patient, contented,
submissive to his will in all his dealings ;
thus we should urge God^s command on
our souls : yea, we are commanded to be
so far from trou'?ling ouVselves, when afflic-
tions befall us, as that we must count it all joy
7vhen rue fall into divers temptations ;* and
to rejoice in sufferings ; for. Blessed is the
7nan that endiireth temptation^ James i. 12.
Secondly^ Consider the word of promise :
many exceeding great and precious promises
are in the word of God, which are as a full
least for faith to feed upon. God promis-
eth to be our God ; to be with us in the fire,
and in the water ; to support and sustain us ;t
to lay no more upon us, than he will enable
us to bear ::j: That all things shall work toge-
ther for our good^ Rom. viii. 28, and what
can we desire more ? There is no trouble
that can befall us, but we mav find a promise
suitable to it : and faithful is he that hath
* I Pet. iv. 13. t Isa. xli. 10. xlin. 2. 11 Cor.
X. 13.
69
promised^ who also zvill do it/^ And why
hath the great God so wonderfully conde-
scended to poor creatures, as to make st>
many sweet promises, which are recorded in
the holy Scriptures, but for this ; that the
heirs of promise might have strong consola-
tion ;f and that their hearts might not be
troubled ?
Thirdly^ The word of threatning, Matt.
X. 37. He that loveth father or mother^ son
or daughter^ (so husband or wife) more than
7ne, is not worthy of7ne^ saith Christ. Now,
by our immoderate sorrow for the loss of
these, we manifest our immoderate love of
these: we should consider, that when these
are removed, that Christ remains ours still,
and with us still : our relation to him is not
broken ; and Christ will be instead of all,
and better than all to us ; and this should
keep us from heart trouble.
Fourthly^ The examples of God's saints in
the world. We should consider also, what
a famous example is Abraham, who was
content to part wjth his Isaac at the com-
mand of God ; his only son, the son of his
old age, the son of the promise, in whom all
the nations of the earth were to be blessed ;
yea, content to lay his own hands upon him,
• 1 Thess. V. 23. f Heb. vi. 17.
70
to slay hiin, and burn him : but when he
was tried, God spared hira.=^ The way to
keep our earthly comforts, is to be willing to
part with them, when God calls for them.
So Eli, when very sad tidings were told
him ; It is the Lord, said he let him do what
seemeth him good.] So Aaron, when that
heavy stroke fell upon him, that both his
sons were struck dead upon the place for
their sin, and it may he in their sin too, it is
said Aaron held his peace,\ So Job, strip-
ped of all his friends at once, the breath of
his wife was strange to him. And David
complained, that lover and friend was "put
far from him. Now, we should consider
these examples and set faith a work on them,
and know, that it is our duty to he foUoxvers
of them ^ who through faith and patience ?^-
herit the promises, Heb. \'u 12.
Fifthly, The word of experience. David.
tells us his experience, and faith. It was good
for hijn that he had been afficted. And
many Christians living, can and do bless God
for their affliction; and that God, by taking
away of their relations from them, he made
more room in their hearts for himself, and
communicated more of himself to their
souls : thus by acting of taith upon the word
• Gen. xxii. 2, 12. f 1 Sam. iii. 18. % Levit. ac. 3.
n
of God, we may gain support, and be pre-
served from heart-trouble.
Sixthly^ Faith acted upon the work of
God, will support under heart-trouble, Ec-
cles, vii. 13. Consider the zuork of God*
Faith looks to the work of God ; who it is
that killeth ; who it is that taketh away :
who can stop, or mend, or hinder his work ?
This quieted David's heart, when the
stroke of God was heavy upon him; I open-
ed not mij mouth because thou didst itA It
is the Lord, he hath done it. It is he that
•doth whatsoever he pleaseth.
Seventhly^ Faith acted on the will of God,
Faith resigns up all to the good and holy
will of God: so did our Lord himself; Not
my will but thine be done;] and so we pray
continually, thy ivill he done;] and therefor*
when it is done, our hearts must not be trou-
bled.
Lastly, Faith acted on the gracious ends
and designs of God in afflicting us, and re-
moving our earthly comforts from us, will
prevent heart trouble. God hath holy and
good ends, which faith looks unto : God
aims at our profit, as Heb, xii. 10. Such
t-ndb as these ;
* jPsal.xxxix. 9. 2 Sam. xii. 23. t Luke xxii. 42.
] Matt. vi. 10.
72
1. God's end is to discover and purge
away our sins, lifa. xxvii. 9. By this shall
the imquitij oj Jacob be purged; this is all the
fruit to take aioay his sin,
2. To try and exercise our graces, J^ob.
xxiii. 10. 1 Fet. i. 6, 7. jRev. ii. 10.
3. To crucify our liearts unto, and to
estrange our affections from the things of
this world. "^
4. To draw our hearts nearer to himself ;
therefore many times God takes away our
earthly comforts from us, because they had
too much of our hearts; and because they
lay between God and our hearts, and kept
us at a distance from him.
5. To bestow greater, and better mercies
upon us. God never takes away any darling
comfort from his people, but his design is, to
give them a better in the room of it ; as in
the text, Christ leaves his disciples, in regard
of his bodily presence, because he would
send the Comforter to them, which should
abide with them forever, John xiv. 16.
6. To make them partakers of his holiness.
Heb, xii. 10.
7. To fit and prepare them for that far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
U Csr. iv. 17. These are God's holy and
• Gal. ii. 20.
good ends in afflicting his people, unto which
faith looks, and so supports the heart.
Thus you see, how faith acted on God in
these particulars, will prevent or cure all our
heart-troubles : faith acted on the sweet and
gracious nature of God ; he is love, all love ;
on his glorious attributes, his all-sufficiencyj
his omnipotency, his absolute sovereignty^
his unchangeableness, his wisdom, his right-
eousness, his faithfulness; faith acted on
God's gracious everlasting covenant, on the
word of God, on the word of precept, of
promise, of threatening, of example, of expe-
rience ; and faith acted on the work of God,
on the will of God, and on his holy ends in
all his chastisements. I say, faith acted on
God will exceedingly support under all trou-
ble. Let 7iot your hearts be troubled i ye be-
lieve in God, So much for this first particu-
lar: And before I enter upon the second, I
shall make some short application of this.
APPLICATION.
Firsty It follows hence, that heart-trouble
under the afflicting hand of God, argues the
weakness, if not the want of faith. AH these
sorts of heart-trouble, and the parts of it
which I have mentioned, as heart sorrow,
worldly sorrow, immoderate mourning, sinful
fear, vexatious care, despondency of spirit,
G
74
being offended, disturbance of mind, distrac-
tion, dejection, discouragement, and the like ;
all these flow from the want of faith, or at
least, from the weakness of faith in God. We
do not believe in God : we see the causes of
our troubles ; they are mostly in ourselves,
even our unbelief. Whatever we profess, we
do not believe irfGod: if we could but believe
in God, our hearts would not be troubled. O !
our want of faith; let us heartly lament it, and
cry to God for pardon through the blood of
Christ. If our hearts be troubled, wiiere is
our faith in God? What doth God, and all
that is in God, signifv to us ? What are we
the better for all that Infinite all sufliciency
and goodness, that is in God, if we do not act
iaith upon it ? Our heart-troubles would be
cured, could we act faith on God as we
ought to do.
Immoderate sorrow then is very unbecom-
ing believers in God. If we will prove our-
selves believers in God, let us discharge our-
selves from heart-trouble and let us draw
our consolation from our hearts by faith,
from all those comfortable considerations of
God, and from all those abundant excellencies
that are in God : O let us labour for faith,
and act it ; let us live in the exercise of it,
and then surely we shall find comfort*
73
Secondly^ Let us all labour to get an interest
in God by faith in Jesus Christ,* that so we
may be able to look upon God as our God ;
and then we may claim an interest in all that
God is, and all that God hath,f and so shall
we have no cause of heart-trouble in any
condition. For if God be ours, all his attri-
butes are ours, his gracious covenant is ours,
his word and promises are ours.:|: All is
ours; therefore should we labour in this
above all things, spending all our thoughts,
affections and spirits upon this. O let us lay
hold on God and his covenant ; let us choose
him for our portion, and resign up ourselves
unfeignedly to him, terminating and centring
all our desires, hope, love, delight in him
alone, placing all our happiness in him, and
then commit all to him. Whom have I in
heaven but thee P and there is none upon
earth that I desire besides thee^ PsaL Ixxiii. 23.
The second question.
Secondly^ What is it to believe in Christ ?
For saith he in the text. Believe also in me :
it is God in Christ that we must believe in ;
not in God without Christ, not in God out
Christ, but believe in God in Christ,
Now, what this believing in Christ is, I
shall endeavour to shew ; looking up to the
• Gal. iy. 26. f 1 Sam. xxx. 6. \ PsaL xxxi. 14.
,6
Father of, and to the Author and Finisher of
our faith, for light and assistance.
In gejieral : it is to believe all that which
is revealed in the holy Scriptures concerning
Christ ; to believe the record that God hath
given of him in his word, as 1 John v. 10,
11, 12, 13. I'o believe that Jesus Christ is
the eternal Son of God ; that he came out
from the Father ; was made flesh ;* was
born of a virgin ; lived on earth in the form
of a servant,! a poor despicable life ; preach-
ed the gospel, working miracles, &:c. that he
suffered upon the cross,:j: with all the sins of
his people upon his soul and body ; that he
bore the curse of the law, the wrath of God,
which was due to man for sin ;§ that he died
a most painful, shameful, and cruel death,
dying as a sacrifice, to satisfy God's justice,
to atone and pacify his wrath, to make our
peace, and to reconcile us to God :*=^ that he
rose again from the dead, ascended into hea-
ven, to prepare a place there for his people ;
that he sitteth at the right hand of God ever-
lasting, to make continual intercession for
us ;ff and that he shall come to judge the
world at the last day : and while he is absent
from us in person here on earth, he promis-
* John i. 18. t Heb. ii. 14. \ 1 Pet ii. 21 .
f Isa. liii. •• Col. i. 21, 22, 23. ft Acts i. John
xiv. 2, 3. Phil. ii. 7, 8. Heb. vii. 25.
77
ed to send his spirit, the Comforter, into the
world, to convince and convert all those
which his Father hath given him ; to call
them by his word, to quicken, strengthen,
stablish, comfort and confirm ihem until he
come again, to take them ' to himself^ that
where he i*, there they may he also*^ This
is the record that God hath given of his Son ;
that whosoever believeth in him^ should not
perish^ but have everlasting life,] Now, to
believe in Christ, is to believe all this testi-
mony of him. And also out of a deep sense
of our sin and misery, and sight of Christ's
infinite excellency, all-sufficiency, and wil-
lingness to save sinners ; and upon his call
to us in the gospel, to come unto him "wearu
and heavy laden ivith our sins^\ heartily wil-
ling to accept of the Lord Jesus upon his
own terms ; to take him for our only Lord ;
to give up our whole selves, souls and bodies,
to his blessed government by his word and
spirit in all thingsj^ and unftignedly and un-
reservedly to enter into covenant with him,
to become his, and his alone, and his for
ever ; and to rely upon him for life, for grace
and salvation ; this is to believe in Christ.*)
Thus believe in Christ, and let not your
* John xvi. 1, 2. Ibid xiv. 3. ^\\i\A iii. 16, 36.
\ John vi. 37. Matt. xi. 29. f John i. 12. Col. ii.
6. Cant. iv. 16. Psal. ii. 12.
G2
78
hearts be troubled* The acting of this faith
on the blessed Jesus, is a singular means to
prevent and cure all heart-trouble, all heart-
sorrows, cares, fears, vexations, desponden-
cies, dejections and distractions whatsoever,
that may arise in our hearts, by reason of any
loss, cross, disappointment, distress or aiRic-
tion that may befall us. If we can but thus
believe in Christ, and rest and rely upon
him, and trust in him, our hearts shall not
be troubled.
^uest. But what is that in Christ which
faith must act upon, to effect this cure of
heart-trouble when afflictions come upon us ?
Answ. Such-like things (as I shewed be-
fore) as are in God tor faith to act upon^
which are these that follow :
Firsts Faith must be acted upon the loving,
gracious, sweet nature of Jesus Christ. Our
Lord Jesus is of a most loving and sweet
nature ; he is love indeed ; the Son of his
Father's love, and altogether lovfly.* His
thoughts of us who believe in him, were
thoughts of love from everlasting.| All his
words are sweet, his mouth is most sweet.
O what sweet language doth he give hi^
church ! Mij dove^ mij lovc^ my fair one^ my
■\istcrf viy spouae^ &c. He loved us ^ and g^ave
• Cant. V. 16. f Jer. xxxi. S,
/9
himself for us ;* loved iis^ and ivashed us in
his blood.] He is one of our nature, our
kinsnnan, our husband, our Father, our elder
brother, &c. So that, if there be any love in
the head to the members, if any in the father
to the child, if any in the husband to the
wife, or in any near and dear relation, then
sure there is love, strong love in Jesus
Christ to all believers ; for in him is the love
of all relations, and therefore he expresseth
it under all these relations. He calls us his
friends ::[: he is of a most merciful nature,
full of bowels of compassion, and of tender
mercies. <$ It would be endless to express
the loving nature of Jesus Christ to poor be-
lievers ; which, when a believer duly consi-
ders and ponders upon, it cannot but sup-
port him under all heart-trouble.
Act your faith on Christ as yours,** your
Jesus, he that di^rd for you, he that sweat-
ed great drops of blood for you in the gar-
den, wrestling and grapling with his Fa-
ther's wrath for you, in your name and
stead, there, and upon the cross. ff Con-
sider, that this your dearest Jesus, now in
glory, knows your souls in adversity ',\\
he seeth all the troubles of your hearts ; he
•Gal.ii. 20. jRev. i. 6. | Ibid. { Luhe
xii. 4. ** John xv. ft Gal. ii. 20, Luke xxii._,
\\ Psal. XXV. 16. Isa. Ixiii. 9.
80
sympathizeth with you in all your affiic-
tions ; his heart now in heaven, 76- touched
•with the feeling of ijour infirmities on earth,
Heb. iv. He hath human nature still, though
glorified. He feels our losses, crosses, pains,
sorrows ; his heart, his most tender heart is
affected ; O that we could but believe this !
and thus consider with ourselves : here I sit
solitary as a widow, or widower, or child-
less, or fatherless, or friendless ; my family
is broken, I feel pains and sicknesses ; I am
deprived of my liberty ; my sweet relations
and comlortabie friends are laid in the dust ;
I h^ve none about me to counsel or comfort
mc ; I am brought low in the world, my es-
tate is diminished, my honour and reputa-
tion lost, my pleasure gone, my flesh fail-
eth me, my strength faileth, lovers and
friends fail me, &c. Such complaints we are
apt enough to make, and it may be, worse
than these : my God hath forsaken me, he
hides his lace from me ; I am compassed
about with tt mp'tations, sad, dejecting, and
distracting thoughts ; I am persecuted, ban-
ished irotn house and home, all my outward
and inward comforts fail me. These have
been tut; cases and conditions of God's dear-
est servants, as Job, David, &. . But yet let
not your hearts be troubled for all this ; Tn
^^tlic-oe in God; act vour faith on God, vea.
81
and act it on Christ also : believe in Jesus,
look up by faith unto Jesus, your dear Lord;
whatsoever, whomsoever you have lost, you
have not lost your Jesus, your best friend,
your heavenly husband ; you have his heart,
his bowels towards you still ;"* you have his
eye, his tender watchful provident eye upon
you still ; you have his ear open to your
cries still ; yea, you have his everlasting
arms underneath you, to sustain you still, f
or else you would sink. Oh then, act your
faith upon the sweet nature of Christ, as
your head and husband. Can a mother for-
get her suckijig child^ that she should not have
compassion o?i the son of her womb P Possibly
she may : but can Jesus forget those whom
he died for, and travailed for ? No, no, he
will not hide his face for ever ; he will never
forget his people. T'onr Maker is ijour hus-
band ; and he is the Father of mercies.
If we read these things, or hear them read,
and do not apply them to our own souls by
faith ; if we do not meditate on them, and
let them sink down into our hearts ; if we do
not -pray earnestly that the holy spirit would
bring them home, and lay them close to, and
fix them upon our hearts, they will do us
no good, yield us no comfort j therefore me-
* Job vii. 17. Psal. xxxiv. 15. / f Isa. xl. 11,
82
ditate on them, apply them, and act faith up-
on them.
Secondly^ We must act faith upon the ma-
ny precious attributes of Jesus Christ ; all
which will afford to faith much matter of
support under all our heart troubles what-
ever. And these are exceeding many ; I
shall mention only some.
Firsts Jesus Christ is our advocate with
the Father^ 1 jfohn ii. 1, 2. One that under-
taketh for us to plead our cause in that high-
est court of heaven : If a man be sued in
law, or be accused of any crime in any court,
it is a great privilege to have a solicitor there
for him, that is skilful and faithful, and pow-
erful with the judge in that court : Jesus
Christ is such an Advocate or Solicitor, for
us in heaven i^ he will plead our cause, and
he is wise ; he is the zvisdom of the Father ;]
he is a great counsellor, and the only coun-
sellor ; none else can plead in that high court;
and he is most faithful, he is a merciful and
faithful high-priest in all things pertaining
to God.\ He appears for us in heaven, Heb,
ix. 24. When a man is indicted in a court,
and hath none to appear for him there, he is
in a bad case : but all poor believers are in
• Heb. vii. 25. f Prov. xxiii. 11. 1 Cor. i. 14.
Isa. vi.9. |Heb. ii. 17.
83
a better case ; they have a blessed advocate
to appear in the presence of God for then^ :
he continually presents his blood, his sacri-
fice to the Father for them ; and it is his will,
to have that sacrifice accepted for our justi-
fication and sanctification."^ Christ prevails
so with his Father, that he always heareth
him, John xi. 40. Now, if we can act. faith
on this blessed advocate in heaven, who is
there always pleading for us, ever living to
make intercession for us,f presenting himself
before God as our sacrifice and propitiation ;
when men accuse us, and our own consci-
ences, when we are deprived of our near
and dear relations, distressed with pains and
sicknesses, pinched with wants and necessi-
ties ; I say, then for us to act our faith on
this precious Advocate at the right hand of
God for us, interceding there for us, one
who knows and feels all our miserv% it must
needs be a great support and relief to us, and
the best remedy against our heart-trouMe ;
O that we could act faith strongly on this
our Advocate !
To have a friend in licaven, and such a
friend, so wise, so powerful, so faithful, so
merciful, so sensibly affected with all our
miseries, so tender, so able, so willing to
• Heb. X. 10. t Ro"^. i»- 25.
84
hear and help us ; I say, this is infinitely
better than all the friends that ever we had,
or could have on earth : and this friend ever
liveth, and maketh continual intercession for
us. And as this is matter of comfort in
case of suffering, so in case of sin too. If
anij man sin, we have an Advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; and he is
the propitiation for our sinsy 1 Johniu 1,2.
Faith acted on this blessed Advocate, is the
best remedy against heart-trouble, in case
both of sin and suffering.
Secondlif, Jesus Christ is bread from hea-
ven ; the true bread for souls, the bread of
life, the xvater of life, John vi. 25, 48, 51.
Now, when poor saints are fed with the
bread of aflliction, and with the water of
adversity, let them look up to Christ, and
act faith upon him ; he will be living bread,
life-giving bread, living waters to their souls,
to revive their drooping, and to refresh their
fainting spirits. By acting faith on this
blessed Jesus, xht fountain of living xvatersy
their souls shall be so satisfied, as that they
shall never hunger ir'ore, never thirst more,*
(that is, inordinately} after the things of tills
world. When your souls want strength to
bear your burthens, want comfort in your
♦Johniv. 14. Ibid vi. 36.
85
dfstresses, act faith on this Jesus, this bread
of life, this water of life, and you shall be
refreshed ; you shall have joy and peace in
believing, Rom* xv. 13.
Thii'dly^ Jesus Christ is called the Sun of
righteousness^ and the bright Morning Star^
Mai. iv. 3. Rev, xxii. 16. He is the foun-
tain of righteousness and life, as the sun is
©flight; he hath healing in his wings. He
luas -wounded Jor our transgressions^ that by
his stripes xve might be healed."^ He was ap-«
pointed to heal the broken hearted, Luke ivJ
He zuill heal our backsizdings^ Hos. xiv. 4.
He is the great Physician ; he can heal all
our spiritual and liodily diseases. His blood
is an healing blood ; his spirit an healing spi-
rit ; his promises healing promises. f He
hath all healing virtue in him ; he is the true
Brazen Serpent ; could we but act faith on
this Jesus, we should be healed of all our
diseases. He is the bright Morning Star*
We are in darkness, clouds and darkness
upon our spirits ; many dark providences
befall us ; we see not our way many times,
and know not what to do : now, let us act
faith on Jesus, he will bring light out of dark-
ness : we are under black fears and sorrows,
* Xsa. liii. 4, 5. Ibid Ixi. 1, 2. Fsal. ciii. 3. Ibid
cvii. 20. t Ibid. cxii. 4.
86
and all is dark night sometimes with us :
but if we can look up to this bright Morning
jS-far^ he will enlighten our darkness,* he
will shine upon our hearts, and scatter all
those clouds, and give us a joyful morning.
Fourthly^ Jesus Christ is called, tlie cap-
tain of the Lord's hosts ^ Joshua v. 15,
and the captain of our salvation^ Heb. ii. 10.
He hath the command of all the creatures ;
for he is head over all things,f over men and
^evils : All power in heaven and earth is
■his.\ O ! if we could but act faith on this
Almighty Jesus, our hearts would not be
troubled for any thing : What can hart us ?§
What should we fear ? Our blessed Jesus,
our Saviour, our husband, commands all
things :** he rules, and over rules all things :
no creature, no man, no devil, can act any
thing against us, without oiir Lord's leave :
believe in this captain, |t ^^"'d let not your
hearts be trouhlecL He will tread Satan un-
der your feet shortly\.\. He will make all his
and our enemies his loot stool. Let us look
by faith unto our captain, and keep our eye
on him, and follow him wheresoever he go-
eth: let us make him our leader, and by faith
)<
•Isa. 1. 10 tEp^-»21. I Matt, xxviii. 8.
^ Rom. viii. 31. •* Col. i. 16 tf Rom xvi. 26.
X\ Psal. c;;. Kev. xiv 4
sr
in him we shall be more thai> conquerors.''^
He hath overcome the devil and the world
for us, and he will overcome all corruptions,
fear and sorrow in us, and will shortly set
his crown upon our heads. Christ is the
captain of our salvation : and in bringing of
many sorts to glory ^ he was made perfect
through suffering.] Act faith in him who
hath perfected our salvation for us : that
work is done, and it was through suffering,:):
to teach us to be willing to suffer also, to
walk in his steps ; for in the way of suffering
he entered into his glory : and the very
same way will he bring all his sons and
daughters unto glory: so that while we are
suffering for him, or from him, if we be his
children,^ (which we may know if we have
his spirit) we are in the right and ready way
to glory. And then have we any cause to
let our hearts be troubled with sinful fears
care and sorrows ? Have we any cause to be
cast down and discouraged, while we are
following our captain, are^ making ourselves
conformable to him, travelling the same way
to heaventhat he went there, the same way
to giory, the way of reproach, shame, grief,
* Rom. viii. 37. f Heb. h. 14. John xvi. 33.
\ 1 Pet. ii. 21. Luke xxiv. 2(3. § Rom. viii. 9.
Gal. iv. 6,
88
sorrow, fear, poverty, persecution, tribula-
tion, desertion, the same steps that our Lord
went to glory ? O ! that we could but still
keep our eye on Jesus, and often consider
what way he went to heaven ; and he being
our captain, we should shew ourselves his
good soldiers, and be content to go the same
way.
Fifthly^ Jesus Christ is called the consola-
tion of hrady Luke ii. 25. A sweet name
indeed. He is the only person that brings
true comfort, being the fountain and spring
of all consolation : that one of a thousand,*
who gave himself a ransom for us. He it is
that comforteth his peopk in all their tribula-
tions,] He it is that speaketh and giveth
his peace to his people ; and when he giveth
peace, none can cause trouble. And it is
his promise, that when he hath brought his
people into the wilderness of fears and trou-
bles, that they know not which way to turn,
that then he will speak comfortably to them ;
will speak to their hearts, as the word in the
original signifies, Hos, ii. 14.
I might largely shew here, that Jesus
Christ is the consolation of his people many
ways ; as, by his coming from his Father in-
to the world, to become our surety, to un-
• Job -xxxiii. 23. fEphes. i. ?. -
89
dertake for us, to take our sins upon him,
and to make his soul an offering for our
sins ;* and by his blood to purchase our re-
mission. O how comfortable is a surety to
one that is arrested, indicted and arraigned !
How comfortable is a redeemer to a poor
miserable captive! How comfortable is a par-
don to a condemned malefactor ! All this is
Jesus to his people, and inhnitely more. He
is gold to make us rich, white raiment to co-
ver our nakedness, eye-salve to make us see :
he is ligbt,f the light of life, the fountain of
life, of spiritual and eternal life ; no life but
by him. And he hath assiired us, that ivho-
aoever Cometh to him, and bclieveth in him,
shall ha\}e everiaathig- lifi^ and shall not come'
into c:^7idemnation.\ He ?.v afflicted in all oil/
afflictions.'^ And is not this "a comfortable
consideration? All his promises are as so ma-
Dv breasts of consolation ; all his ordinances,
means qf consolation ; his word a word of
consolation ; yea, his rod of affliction, as
well as his staff, is blessed for the comfort ol
his people.** He hath also promised to send
his spirit the Comforter, to his people, to
abide with them for ever. ]\ Yea Christ him-
self makes this his own special work, also to
•Rev. iii. ir, 18. f John v. 12. X Ibid iii. 16, 36.
i Isa. Ixui. 9. ♦* Psal. xxih. 4. ft John xvi. 7.
II 2
90
comfort them that 7nourn^ Isa» Ixi. 2, and
hath blessed those that mourn ;* that is, with
Godly sorrow ; for saith he, they shall bg
comforted*
How greatly then doth it concern us to be-
lieve in this Jesus, the consolation of Israel ;
to look bv faith to this fountain of comfort,
look to his office, look to his word and pro-
mises; beg him earnestly to send the Spirit,
the Comforter, into your hearts : look to
Jesus alone for all comfort, and draw from
this spring by prayer, faith and meditation,
all supplies of comfort ;f and let not your
hearts be troubled.
Sixthly^ Jesus Christ is called a counsellor^
Isa, ix. 6. He is most wise ; he is the wi*-
dom of the Father: In him are hid all the
treasures ofivisdom and knowledge ;\ yea, he
is made of God our voisdom^ 1 Cor, i. 30.
So that when we are in doubts and darkness,
perplexed with temptations, and know not
tvhat to do ; when we are under sad and
dark providences, and know not how to in-
terpret them ; when we are under various
exercises, and know not how to answer God's
designs in them, nor how to improve them:
when we are in the dark, and know not the
• Matt. V. 4. t RoTn. XV. 4. llCor. i. 14.
Col. ii. 3. , • . .
91
fneaning of Goers dispensations, nor the de-
sign of God in them ; now are our hearts
troubled in all such cases ; but here is our
remedy, this is the course we must take:
act faith now upon Jesus, he is wisdom, he
is a most wise and faithful counsellor, we
may freely open all our cases and conditions
to him ; he will not despise us, nor deceive
us ; we may safely trust him with all the se-
crets of our hearts ; and kt us labour by faith
to trust him for counsel in all cases ; let us
wait for his counsel, trust to it, and let not
tjovr hearts he troubled.
Seventhly^ Jesus Christ is a Redeemer,
that is his name :* he came into the world on
this very liusiness, to redeem his people, to
redeem them from all iniquity. Tit. ii. 14,
from this present evil xvorlci^ from our vain
conversations. He hath shed his precious
l^lood to purchase u.s. We are bought with
a price.,^ we are none of otir own, we are his,
the purchase of his blood ; and we may be
confident that he dearly loves us, for he dear-
ly bought us ; and if he had not dearly loved
us, he would not have given himself for us,
Gal. ii. 20. That was the highest testimony
of his love ; He loved us^ and washed us from
* Job xix. 25. Isa. xi?. 25. Ibid Ivi. 20. 1 Vo%.
i.l8. flCor. vi. 20. 1 Thess. i. 10.
92
oro' sins in his blood, ^ And he will redeem
us from the wrath to come. O then ! let us
act our faith on our sweet Redeemer, as Job
did in the midst of all his troubles i I know ^
saith he, that my Redeemer iiveth, he. So
may every believer say ; although my friends
and dearest relations die, my credit and es-
tate dies, though my outward comforts all
die, this supports me, that f?iy Redeemer liv-
eth ;f and this our Redeemer is mighty,
mighty to save, able to save to the uttermost,
lieb. vii. 25.
Therefore let us act faith on our dear Re-
deemer, and upon his redemption ;\ that
shortly the day of our full redemption will
come, when we shall be delivered fully and
for ever from sin, Satan, and the world : from
all our burthens, fears and sorrows, tempta-
tions and tribulations.
I might mention many other sweet names
and titles of Jesus Christ, which would be
food lor faith to feed upon ; as, that he is the
everlasting' Father ;§ he hath pity and com-
passion for all his poor children, and power
to help them, being the Father Almighty,
and hath a portion for them too ; he is their
• Rev. i. 6. f Psal. xix. 14. Prov. xxiii. 11. Luke
xxi. 8. \ Col. i. 14. Heb. ix. 12. j Isa. Lx. 6.
.9;}
portion/^ and hath provided for them aii m-
heritance incorruptible^ iindtjiled^ and tliat
fadeth not axvay :] he is the Frince of Peace ;
he giveth his peace to his people, even that
peace that the world can neither give to
them, nor take away from them.:!: When he
speaks peace, none can cause trouble.^ He
is our peace,*"^ and hath made our peace
with God ; and it is he alone that speaketh
peace, and creates the fruit of the lips, peace,
ha, Ivii. 19. He is also our shepherd:
therefore saith David, I shall -want nothings
Psal. xxiii. 1. He is a fountain opened; a
fountain of light, life, love, grace, and truth.
He is the head of his body the church. The
husband, the bridegroom, his people are his
members, his spouse, he is the heir of all
things. In him dzvelieth all fullness. He
is the Kin^i' of saints^ the i?oci of ages. Yea,
he is All, and in all.ff O beloved ! had we
but faith to act on this blessed Jesus, and on
these his most sweet names and gracious at-
tributes, our hearts would not be troubled,
into what condition sotver we were brought.
Could we act faith on Jesus, as our head,
husband, and father, who is all fullness, all
• Psal. ciii. 13. Lam. iii. 24. f 1 1'et. i. 4. if Joha
xiv. 37. xvi. 33. nobxxxiv.29. **Eph. ii.U.
ft Col. i. 18. Eph. V. 30. Heb. i. 2. Col. i. 19. iii. 11.
94
in all ; could we doubt of having all season-
able supplies from him ? Let our faith but
apprehend, apply, and appropriate Jfesus as
nur blessed head, our most dear husband, and
then consider in earnest who he is, and what
he is ; how mighty, how full, how loving,
how full of pity, how compassionate, tender-
hearted, and kind ; how ready to help, how
engaged to us by many promises ; and can
we then take up such unworthy thoughts of
him, as to think he hath forgotten us ? Will
he not timely support and supply us ? Hath
he shed his blood for us, and will he forget
us, can he forget us ? Are nor all his people
as dear to him as the apple of his eye P^
Surely it is our want, or the weakness of our
faith, that causeth all our heart-trouble.
viij poor soul ! how comfortablij mightest thou
live, if thou cotddst live by faith ! Lord, I
belitve; help, strengthen my faith. Could
we but apply and appropriate Christ to our
souls, and act faith upon those precious
names of Christ, which are not so many
empty titles, which are sometimes given to
men ; but they are real representations of
that most dear love and tender affection, of
that special care, mercy, and loving-kind-
ness that is in Jesus towards all his poor chil-
•Zech. ii.^
95
dren» that they might draw out the same foii
their strong consolation ;^ and that they
might trust in him, and not despond nor be
dejected. Thus, if we can believe in Jesus,
our hearts shall not be troubled.
Thirdly, Faith acted on the covenant of
grace, whereof Christ is the mediator, and
upon all his exceeding great and preci-
ous promises,! will prevent and cure all heart-
trouble. Believe in the blessed Mediator of
the new covenant, who hath undertaken, not
only on God's part to see that his part be per-
formed to us, but is also become our sure-
ty ;:j; undertaken for us, and by himself, to
fulfil the whole law of God both actively and
passive!}- ; to fulfl all righteoiisness for us,
and by his spiiit to fulfil the conditions of
the covenant, working in us faith, love, obe-
dience, and all grace. ^^
In this sense, God hath given Christ to be
a covenant to us. La. xliii. 6. And his blood
is the i^lood ot the covenant, '^"^^ by which he
rescueth poor souls that were prisoners to
sin and Satan, out of the pit of destruction,
Ztci). ix. 11, by this covenant, upon Christ's
shedding of his blood as a sacrifice for sin,
* Heb. vi. 17. t Heb. viii. 6. xi. 20. :| Heb. vii. 22.
§ 2 Cor. V. 19, 20. Matt. iii. 15. Rom. ii. 1.
** ilom. iii. 15.
96
and his performing all the work of mediae
tion, and upon our receiving of him, and be-
lieving in him, as he is offered to us in the
gospel, God is pleased to promise to become
our God, our reconciled Father,* to pardon
all sins, to give us his spirit, and all grace
liere, and glory hereafter.j Now, Christ
our blessed Mediator, hath perfectly fulfilled
all that God required for us, and in our room
and stead ;t that is most certain, for he fin-
ished the work that his Father gave him to
do ;§ and he hath made many sweet pro-
mises to us, that he will send his spirit into
our hearts,*'^ to work faith in us to receive
him, and to apply the merit of his blood to
us, to sanctify, and renew us thereby :|f and
hath promised, that xvhosoever comes unto
him^ he xvill in no ruise cast out.il And all
that shall come unto him, shall find rest to
their souls.§5 That zuhosoever believeUi in
him shall be saved ; that he ivzll keep them^
and noyie shall pluck them out of his hand.
That he xvill raise them up at the last day,\.
Assuring us, that he is gone to heaven, a3
our fore-runner, to prepare a place for us
there ; and that he ivill come u^ain^ and take
* John i. 12. t 2 Cor. ii. 18, 19. ^ Isa. Iv. 3.
Psal. Ixxxiv. 11. J Jer. xxxi. 31. ** John xvii.
tt John XV. 26. \\ John yi 57. vii. 37. 55 >IatU
xi. 38. 4 John x. .^8.
97
us to himself^ that where he is,^ there we may
be also. Now, if we can but act faith on this
Jesus, and on the covenant whereof he is
the Mediator, and on his promises, applying
them, and relying on them, our hearts shall
Jiot be troubled.
Besides, let us consider, there is not a
passage of providence from God to us, but
it comes through the hand of this Mediator,
1 Cor, viii. 6. All things are by him : put
what you will in the hand of a Mediator, and
in his power, it must needs turn to the good
of him, for whom he is a Mediator : now, to
support and comfort us in all our troubles,
let us consider two things.
1. This Mediator steps in between God's
wrath and us, >n all our afflictions, that no
fury or effects of it may break forth from
God on his people, for whom he is the Me-
diator, that nothing but fatherly love may be
in the chastisement ; and if love send the
affliction, whatever it be, to try and purple,
&c. there can be no hurt in that affliction*
Again, our Mediator interposeth, either to
hold off the smart, or to allay and mitigate
it, that it shall not distract, Dan. iii. 25, no,
nor hurt.
2. He steps in to uphold us, and to
strengthen our weakness, enabling us to en-
dure, Phil, iv, 4, 12, 13. It was the Medl-
I
98
ator that did strengthen Paul ; The Lord
stood by ??ie, and strengthened me^ said he :
faith acted on this blessed Mediator, eyeing
him, and believing that our afflictions come
through his hands, even through his who
loved us, and died for us ; our dearest friend,
and who hath all power in heaven and earth,
must be a mighty support to us in all our
troubles.
Fourthhj^ Let faith be acted on the word
of Christ also : ye believe the word of God,
believe the word of Christ also : His mouth
is most szueet : none but gracious words pro-
ceed out of his mouth.* Grace zvas poured
into his lips;] and he poured out grace in all
his words : his whole gospel is a gospel of
grace, words of peace and salvation. Hear
him speaking most sweetly, Matt. xi. 28.
Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy
ladeny and I will give you rest, O what
sweet words are these ! IIo^ every one thut
thirsteth^ come ye to the waters and drink ^
"without 7no7^ey and without price,) JsaAv, 1,
2. lam the way ^ the truth,, and the life^X
Behold^ I stand at the door and knock ; if ami
man hear my voice,, and open the door^ I wdl
come in and sup with him,, and he with
me. This is but a taste ot" those sweet
• Luke iv.22. f Psal xlv. 2. \ John xlv. 6,
99*
clusters of most refreshing grapes which
hang upon the boughs of the gospel : let us
take frequent view of what lies upon record
in the evangelists, and often read over the
manifold promises of grace that fell .from
the sweet mouth of our blessed Lord, and
meditate, and ponder, and Qonsider of them,
act our faith upon them, and we shall find
comfort in them ; his words drop as an ho-
ney comb, his -words are spirit and life.
More particularly.
First ^ Our faith must be acted upon
Christ's word of precept, his word of com-
mand in time of trouble : Fear not him that
can kill the body^ but him that can cast both
soul and body into helL^ Fear none oftho^e
things which thou shall suffer.] Let not your
heart be troubled.^ nor let it be afraid. Re-
joice when men shall persecute you^^ &c. In
patience possess ye your sou/s ;§ with many
such. Now, Christians must yield up the
obedience of faith to such commands, and
urge them upon their hearts, charging them-
selves to obey them, saying, O my soul ! my
Lord hath forbidden me to fear, to be trou-
bled, to be thoughtful, to be dejected, &c.
he hath commanded me to bf patient, yea,
• Luke xii. 4, 32. f Rev. ii. 10. \ Matt. v. 7.
J l^uke xxi. 19.
50198R
100
to rejoice in my suffering :^ he is my Lord,
and I must obey him. I nmst keep his
sayings, or else I cannot be his discif)le :f if
I keep his commandments, he will manifest
himself to my soul, his Father will love me,
and he will love me, and they both will make
their abode with me ; for it is his promise,
^John xiv. 21, 22. Say thus, O my soul ! Je-
sus Christ is my King and my Lawgiver, I
must obey him ,- he is my prophet also, and
I must hear him in all things whatsoever he
shall saij unto me>\ I have taken him for my
Lord as well as my Saviour ; for my King
to rule me, as well as for my Jesus to save
me, for my Prophet to teach me, as well as
for my Priest to satisfy for me. O my soul!
consider, he is the author of eternal salva-
tion only to those that obey him. Thus ap-
plying the commands of Christ to ours-^lves,
and urging his authority upon our hearts, it
will help us to bear up under our troubles.
Secondly^ Act faith upon the promises ot
Christ, of which somewhat was said before.
He hath promised to be always with us, to
send the Comforter, to manifest himself unto
us ; that he will not break the bruised reed,
nor quench the smoking- Jlax ;§ that he will
• John xiv. 15. xv. 12. t Matt. vii. 24. \ Acts
Hi. 22. ( Matt. xix. 29. I^a. xl. 11.
iOl
give us an hundred-fold for all our losses for
his sake. That he will gather us with his
arm, carry us in his bosom ; that he will hear
our prayers ; that he will give us a crown, a
kingdom, everlasting life, with many more.
O ! could we act our faith upon his precious
promises, and lie sucking by faith on those
full breasts of consolation, and draw by faith,
prayer, and meditation, from these wells of
salvation, we should find sweet support under
all our trouJ:>les.
Thirdly y Faith acted on the word of threat-
ening, may put a stop to heart-trouble : Je-
sus Christ hath dreadfully threatened those
that love father or mother, son or daughter,
more than him, or their own lives ; and those
that are ashamed of him, or his word ; and
those that fall from him, aiid hear his sayinfis,
and do them not ; and those that arc fruit-
less branches, &:c,-^
Foiirthly^ Faith acted omthe examples in
the word of Christ, especially his own ex-
ample, learn of me^ saith he, for I aui meek
and lozvly in heart.] He was a Imub dumb
hi'fore tfie shearers ;\ and we must follow
his steps. We have also a cloud of witnesses,
the examples of the primitive Christians, who
• Matt. X. o7. Luke xiv. 26. Mark viii. 38. John
XV. 3. t ^^att. xi. 29. \ 1 Pet. i. 31.
^ I 2
102
here all their troubles with patience and holy
ccurage ; and we are expressly commanded
to be followers of them, who through faith
and patience inherit the promise.* Thus
faith acted on the word of Christ, will help
against all heart-troul^le.
Fifthly^ Faith acted on the work of Christ,
will either prevent or cure heart-trouble.
And that again, if faith be acted upon the
work he hath done for us already, and upon
the work he is now doing for us in heaven,
and upon the work he is now doing in us on
earth, and upon the work he will do for us,,
and in us, and upon us at the last day : all
which v/orks of Christ, if we act our faith on
thera, we shall not be much troubled in our
hearts. Believe me^ saith he, fo't the xuorks
sake^ John xiv. 11.
1. Faith must be acted upon that great
and glorious work of Christ for us when he
was upon earth, that work which his Father
gave him to do, in the days of his flesh,f as
our Redeemer, and that in doing, and in suf-
fering ; for he came to do the will of God by
his obedience, as well as to suffer it by his
satisfaction,! and this in his state of humilia-
tion. He assumed human nature, entered
'I ^j virgin's Vv'omb, and was born of her, yet
• Heb. vi. U. t Heb. x. 9. \ Heb. U. 14, 15, 16^
i03
without s'ln*^' He lived on earth a time, do-
ing good, and healing all manner of dis-
eases :f spent most of his time in preaching,
and praying, fasting and revealing to men
the whole will of God for their salvation,
and fulfilling all righteousness. He profess-
ed he came not to da his oion -will but the rvill
of him that sent him^ John vi. 38, 39. And^
saith he, this is the Father^s -ivill which sent
me^ that of all rvhich he hath given w^, /
shoidd lose riothing", but should raise it up at
the last day, A comfortable consideration
indeed, and a cure for heart-trouble : that
our Lord Jesus will raise up all our dead,
dear relations and friends, now rotting in
their graves : all that died in fesus^X tvill
God bring with him. And this also is the Fa-
ther's will, that every one that seetli the Son^
that is, every one that by faith receiveth and
belie veth in the Son, shall have everlasting life.
Now, to accomplish and finish this will of the
Father, was the whole work of Christ upon
earth, and to draw poor souls unto him, to
work faith in them by his word and spirit,
and fulfil the whole law of God for them,
even in them, Rom. viii. 4, and to begin and
« Phil. ii. 6, 7. t Matt. iii. 15. \ 1 Thess. iv-
104
finish the whole work of our redemption.*
Faith acted on this work of Christ upon
earth for us in the several parts of it, he be-
ing partaker ofjiesli arid blood xuith u.s\ to de-
liver us from him that had the paver ofdeath^
ihat is the devil; arid to free us from the fear
of deaths by which we were ahvays subject to
bondage.] I say, if we can act faith on these
works of Christ for us, we shall have no
cause of heart-trouble.
Let us consider, that our blessed Lord de-
nied himself on earth, and was well pleased
not to have his own will, nor to do his own
will, but referred himself entirelv to his Fa-
ther's ; Vy'hat reason have we poor worms, to
be troubled, when our wills are crossed T
Let us in heart and life say as we pray, thy
xvill be done on earth as it is in heaven.]
And wht-n the will of God is done upon our
families and relations,^ let not our hearts be
troubled^ but let us imitate Jesus Christ, in
our submission to the will of God, making it
our work on earth to be doin^ all the good
we can, and so to put him 072,^* and walk, as
he walked, and not be troubled.
Secondly^ Faith acted on Christ's suffering-
work on earth, will greatly contribute to our
•Johnxvii. 4. f Heb. ii. 14, 15. :^ Matt. xvi. 10,
$ Acts xxi. 14. •• 1 John ii. 6.
105
support : he was a man of sorrows ;* so that
if we meet with sorrows on earth, we do but
drink of our master's own cup, and that
should quiet us.
Christ's sufferings on earth were of two
kinds, viz, for our imitation, and for satis-
faction for our sins.
1. For our imitation. His patient suffe-
ring of reproaches, scorns, revilings, contra-
diction of sinners, temptations, persecutions,
bonds, poverty, shame, loss of friends, &c. j
Suffering all with invincible patience and
meekness, without the least murmuring, re-
pining, disquiet, or discontent, without any
retaliation : for wlien he xuas reviled^ he revil-
ed not again ;\ he prayed for his enemies, &c.
and all this as our example^ that we should
follow his steps, 1 Fet. ii. 21, 22, 23. And
if our Lord, the Lord of heaven and earth,
suffered such things, what reason or cause
have we to be troubled in our hearts when we
are persecuted, reviled, forsaken of all our
friends, impoverished, exposed to shame
and sorrow, seeing our blessed Lord was so
exposed, and so exercised upon earth ? Is it
not enough for the servant to be as his mas-
* Isa. liii. 1, 2. f Mark x. 39. Matt. xxvi. 39.
I 1 Pet. ii. 22.
106
ter ? shall we think to fare better than him i
His sufferings were to teach us to bear ours
with christian patience, and to sanctify ours
to us ; yea, in all our sufferings he sympa-
thizeth with us.
Let us then act our faith upon Christ's suf-
ferings on earth ; his whole life being a life
of suffering, he knew what trouble meant ;
he was acquainted with grief : he knew what i
it was to lose a friend ; for in his greatest
trouble, all his disciples (whom he calls his
friends) forsook him and fled : and bein^
tempted himself^ he knows how to succour
them that are tempted,^ He hath 2l feeling of
all our infirmities. Let us labour to act
faith on Jesus, and our hearts will not be
troubled.
2. But his great suffering-work for us was
his work of satifaction. All our sins bfing
laid on him, it pleased the Lord to bruise
him and to put him to griff and to jnake
his soul an offering for sin ;f he poured
out his sold unto death, and xvas numbered
among transgressors, zvas made sin for us: he
hare our sins on his own body on the tree;
was made a curse for us ;\ suffered the wrath
of God for us, to deliver uS from the wrath
• Heb. ii. 18. iv. 15. flsa. liii. 6, 10, 22. % 2 Cor.
V. 20. Gal. iii. 10. 1 Pet. ii. 24. 1 Thess. i. 10.
lor
to come. The blessed Jesus, when our sins
were upon him, he was sore amazed., groaned,
ivas exceeding sorrowful even unto death ^"^
he was in a bloody sweat, in a bitter agony
in the garden : he was falsely accused, un-
justly condemned, and then barbarously cru-
cified, suffering that cursed and cruel, shame-
ful and painful death of the cross : and all as
our surety, and as a sacrifice to God for our
sins.f Christ our passover rvas sacrificed for
us^\ to make atonement and satisfaction to
the law and justice of God for us, Rom* iii.-
25. -
This was the great work of the transcend-
ent love of Jesus Christ when he was upon
earth, when he travailed in soul^ drank of the
brook in the way.,^ that black torrent of wrath
and curses that lay in the way between our
souls and heaven, which stopped up our
passage thitherward, and made it utterly im-
passible for us : but Jesus made a passage by
his blogd, that his redeemed might pass
thither."** So great were his sufferings in
this world for us, that they made him cry
out, mif God., my God., why hast thou forsaken
me .^fl Offering up strong cries with tears.\%
* Matt. xxvi. 37, 38. Luke xxii. 44. t Rom. iv.
25. \ I Cor. V. 7. ( Gal. ii. 20, Rev. i. 6. Fsal.
ex. 7. *• Heb. ix. 12. ft ^Jau. xxvii. 46. \\ Heb.
V. 7.
108
Now then let us act our faith on the suf-
serings of Christ here on earth, and believe
that he suffered all those hard and heavy,
those bitter and grievous things for us, and
in our names ; that he bore our sins to satisfy
God's justice for them, to purchase and pro-
cure our pardon. O ! that we could but be-
lieve in this Jesus, that he sweated great
drops of blood for us, and that, he shed his
very heart blood upon the cross for us, and
by faith apply and appropriate all this to our
own souls, believing that he was wounded for
our transgressions^ and smitten for our sins;
that the chastisement of our peace was upon
him;^ that by the blood of his cross he hath
made our peace, and hath purchased for us
eternal life. Believe this, and then see what
little cause you have to have your hearts
troubled for any loss or cross whatsoever.
The consideration, in a way of believing of
what Christ hath clone for us, and what he
hath suffered for us, should make us patient-
ly do or sulFer any thing for him and from
him. Believe also in me.
Secondlij. Our faith must be acted upon
the work of Christ, which is now doing for
us in heaven. He is not idle there, although
he he set dozvn on the right hand of the majes-
•Isa.lui.5. Eph. ii. 14.
109
ty on high;^ but he is at work for his people
there: he maketfi continual intercession for
us,] He is there as our advocate to plead
Dur cause, and manage all our business
there ; presenting his blood in the virtue of
it to his father for our pardon ; presenting
our persons and services perfumed with the
incense of his own righteousness, and by his
spirit applying the virtue of it to all our souls.
He is able to save to the uttermost all that
come unto God by him-t seeing he ever livetfi to
make intercession for us.\ Of this I have
spoken before. Now if we can act our l^ith
upon the intercession of Christ, who knows
all our wants, burthens, cares, and fears, and
whose office it is to plead and intercede for
us in heaven,§ (though we may scarce have
any to plead or speak a word for us on earth,
yet) we should have no cause to have our
hearts troubled : we have a faithful friend,
to whom we may commit our cause.
Thirdly^ Christ is doing a work in us on
earth, while he himself is in heaven : he is
humbling us, purging us, teaching us, morti-
fying our corruptions, crucifying our inor-
dinate affections, sanctifying us, and so pre-
paring us for heaven ; he is making us mete
* Heb. viii. f Isa. liii. 13. Rom. viii. 34. \ Heb.»
yii. 2^5 ( Psal x. 14.
K
no
lor the kingdom : he is fitting us for his
Father's house, by all his ordinances, by all
his providences, by every loss and cross ; by
all our afflictions, as 2 Cor* iv. 17. Our light
affliciions^ -which are but for a moment^ work
for lis (that is, by way of preparation j afar
more exceeding and eternal xveight of glory.
Jesus Christ is in the word, and in tht rod ;
he is All in all : he is still forming, squar-
ing, fashioning' and working by his spirit,''^
WQrdand i'od, upon his people, to make them
nuore and more conformable to himself, to
square them as stones for his building, to
make them habitations for himself,] temples
for the Holy Ghost to dwell in, and that he
himself may delight to dwell in them here,
and to make tliem fit to dwell with him for
ever in glory. Now, let us labour to act our
faith on those blessed works of Christ in us,
and believe that he is thus working in us,
even in and by all our affiictions, and labour
to feel and find these gra«:ious works carry-
ing on in us, and we shall have no cause to
be troubled.
Moreover, our faith should be acted upon
the work that Christ is now doing for us in
heaven : besides his intercession for us
there, he is preparing a place for us in
heaven as he told his disciples, to comfort
• Rom. viii. 28. Eph, ii, 20, 22. f Heb. xiii. 21.
ill
them : In my Father* s house are many man-
sions : I go to prepare a place for you, A
place in heaven is infinitely better, and more
to be desired than the best place on earth.
A place in the Father's house, in the highest
heavens, in that glorious paradise above,
that is the -place of all places, where the great
and glorious God dwells ; there blessed Je-
sus dwells : O that New Jerusalem ! the city
of the living God^ that is the place indeed :
that house not made with hands^ eternal in the
heavens*^ Some think that Jesus went lo-
cally into helli but we are sure he went
locally into heaven ; and we know for what
he went there ; for he hath told us, it was
to prepare a place for us there. Here below,
all places are full of darkness, snares, t'^^mp-
tations, fears, dangers, persecutions, but that
is a place of perfect peace, perfe: t rest, of
light, comfort, joy and consolation. Here
we are pilgrims and strangers, there is our
home, our Father's house. Here we have no
continuing city^ no abiding place.j Christ's
[people here in this world, many times, have
no certain dwelling-place^ but are driven
from house and home, are forced to fly from
one city to another, from town to country,
from one kingdom to another ; constrained
to wander from place to place ; while others
• 2 Cor. V. 1, 2. Acts i. 9, 10, 11. f 1 Cor.iv. 11.
112
abide in their habitations, they must seek
their quarters where they can find them,
awhile under one friend's roof, awhile un-
der another ; which is no small affliction
to them that feel it, though others lay it
not to heart. Now, what should comfort
us in this our pilgrimage and wilderness
condition ? What should support us in this
our wandering state, but that it was even
thus with our blessed Lord himself upon
earth, who had not an house to put his head
inf And so it was with his disciples, and
with many choice saints, as Neb, xi. 37^ 38,
What should bear up our spirits, but this
comfortable consideration, that our Lord
went to heaven on purpose to prepare a place
for us there ? If the earth cast us out, hea-
ven will receive us :^ if men say to us, re-
move, be gone hence, depart away, here is no
place, no abiding for you ; our dear Lord
will call out of heaven, and say. Come up hi-
ther^] come up to me, I have prepared a place
for you here. There is room enough. In jny
Father''s house there are many mansions, and
from thence there shall be no remove for
ever, no more any changing houses for ever,
when once we are lodged in our Father's
house, there is our fore-runner for us enter'
•2Cor. vi. 11. fl^ev. xi. 12.
It
ed.^ The hope we have through grace oi
getting into that blessed place, by that new
and living; way^ to rest there after all our
weary wanderings here, and never to remove
more, is that which comforts us in these our
troublesome removes here : O that place,
and that blessed state in that place ! To see
God^ and to be ever xvith the Lord^ to see our
lovely Lord Jesus as he isy and to he made
like unto him.j Could we fix our hearts and
eyes more steadfastly upon these invisible
and eternal things, we should more quietly
and comfortably bear our present troubles,
yea, and rejoice in them. And when we can
act our faich upon that place and state above,
and conclude our title to it, by our interest
in Christ, then our hearts will not be trou-
bled.
Also this consideration should preserve us
from heart-trouble, and sorrow lor the loss
of dear relations which died in Jesus, for
that they are gone home to their Father's
house, they are safely arrived at their har-
bour, they are safely housed, they are where
they would be, they are gone to the place
that their beloved Lord went to prepare for
them, to that city of Gody to the general as-
* Heb. vi. 20. t ^att. v. 8. 1 Thess. iv. 1 Joha
iii. 2, 3.
K 2
114
sembly of the first-born whose names are rVrit-
ten in heaven^ &c.* They would- rtot ex-
change their place now, for the most stately
and most magnificent place in all the world.
O ! could we but realize by faith that most
happy state and place where our deceased
pious friends are gone, our hearts would not
be troubled for them.
And this may comfort us also under all
our present sufferings and sadnesses, that
ere long we also shall go to that ])lace, to
that city above, which God bath prepared
for us. Our I^ord assures us, that /le will
come (igaJn, and take us to himself ^ that where
lie iSy we mai/ he also.j O ! could we believe
this, we should say, Come^ Lord jfesuSy come
fjuickhj !
Fonrthlif^ Our faith must be acted upon
the w<jrk that Christ iviti do for us^ and in
ns^ and upon us in heaven at the last. It is
above all our undersi:mdings to conceive
what glorious works Christ will do for us^
and in us at the last daij. It doth not yet ap-
pear what we shall lje.:|: rl'here shall be a
day of the jnanif station of the so?is ofGod,^
The poor despised saints, all black and clou-
dy here, covered with shame and reproach
♦ Heb. xii. 23. t Heb. xi. 16. ^ John iii. 2.
(j Koni. viii. 22, 23.
115
now, shall then be manifested to be the Lord's
jewels :* that will be a day of their full re-
demption, both of soul and body, their wed-
ding, and their solemn coronation day.f Then
their blessed Redeemer shall publicly own
them, and bid them welcome to his Father's
house, saying, Corne ye blessed of my Father^\
&.C. Then will Jesus put on the crown of glo-
ry, of righteousness, and of life, upon their
heads, y Then will Jesus present them to his
Father xvithout spot or zvrinkle, or any such
thing,*^ Then will he make their now vile
bodies, (subject now to vile corruptions,
to vile diseases, to vile abuses, and to a vile
dissolution at death) li^e unto his ozun glori-
ous body ;^^' and their souls shall be like to
his, to their full satisfaction.!! Then the
poor disciples of Christ shall have a full end
put to all their heart-troubles, sorrows, fears,
and cares. Then their hearts shall rejoice^
and their joy no ?««« (nor devil) shalt take
Jrom them.\\ Sorrozv and sig'hing shall jlee
axvayy and they shall enter into everlasting
rest ; and into that unspeakable blessed state
which was purchased by the precious blood
of Jesus, and by him prepared and possess-
•Mal. iii. 17. fSTim, iv.8. :|; Matt. xxv. 34.
J Eph. V. 27. ** Phil. iii. 31. ft Psal. xvii. 15.
it Johnxvi. 22.
116
cd, in our names and steads. All our dear
relations that died in Jesus, are already en-
tered ; Christ, their dearest Lord, hath
wrought this glorious work on their souls
already ; they are triumphing, singing halle-
lujahs in the highest heavens, while we are
fighting, sighing and sobbing here below.
'I'hey are with blessed Jesus above, accord-
ing to his prayer for them, seeing his glory,
and participating of it.=^ Thus much for the
work of Christ, upon which our faith must
act, that our hearts may not be troubled.
Fifthly^ Our faith must act upon the will
of Christ, in order to the preventing, and
curing our heart-troubles, fears and sorrows.
What is the will of Christ? It is his will
that his peoples' hearts should 7iot be troubled
vcr afraid, as in the text : it is his will, that
in the world they should haz'c tribuiatio?!^ but
yet, that they should be of ^ood cheer,] It
is his will, that in ihnir patieiue they should
possess their souls^ and not faint nor be dis-
couraged. It is his will diey should be sanc-
tified, and that all their afflictions should
promote their sanctlfication. It is his will,
that although he love them, yet to rebuke and
' hasten them ; and when he doth so, that
• John xvi. 22, 24. f Jo^n xvi. 33.
ur
they should be zealous and repent.^^ It is
his will, that they should deny themselves^
take up their cross daily ^ and follouo him.\
That they should fear none of those things
that they should suffer,\ That they should
walk in his steps, hold fast to the end, be
faithful unto death,^ That they should
overcome. It is his will, that they should
not love father or mother, son or daughter,
more than himself; no, nor their lives, but
be willing to part with all for his sake.*"^
Yea, it is his will, his last will, that all his
poor disciples, after they have suffered
awhile, may he -with him -where he is^ to be^
hold his glory, jj Thus if we act faith upon
the will of Christ, and labour to yield to it,
and acquiesce in it, we shall procure much
freedom from he art- trouble.
Lastly^ Our faith must be acted upon the
ends and designs of Christ in all his afflic-
tive providences towards us ; anu. these his
ends are all very good and gracious. This
argument he himself used, to cure the heart-
troubles of his disciples for his departure
from them, viz. That he had good ends in
his going away from them ; his end was, to
• IThess. iv. 3. Heb. xii. 10. Rev. iii.l9. t Matt,
xxi. 24. \ Rev. ii. 10. ( Matt. x. 34. *• Luke
xiv. 26. It Jolin xvii. 24.
118
prepare a better place for them, a better place
than any 'to be found here ; a place in h^-
ven, in the Father's house : and his end was
to send the Spirit, the Comforter unto them,
which would not come, if he did not go
away, John xvi. 6, 7. He had told them
of his going away from them, upon which
sorrow had filled their hearts^ (and it is even
so with us, when our earthly comforts leave
us, sorrow fills our hearts ;) but to cure this,
our Lord answers them, that it wa.s expedi-
ent for them^ (good and necessary for them)
that he should go away, shewing them his
end in going away, to wit, that he might send
to them the Comforter ; he would remove
from them a great mercy, the greatest earth-
ly mercy that ever they enjoyed, which was
his personal presence ; they must part with
so dear, so near, so sweet, so loving, so faith- '
ful a friend, as himself was to them : and
could there be a greater lossT For this, sor-
row had filled their hearts : But he tells them,
it was to make way for a greater mercy,
which was, to send them the Comforter, in
all the saving and miraculous gifts of the y
Holy Ghost, by which they should be abl^. toj.
do greater works than himself did^ John xiv.
12, which was a greater mercy than his bodi-
ly presence with them, and with this he calms
and quiets their minds. Now, if we can
119
act faith upon the blessed ends of Christ in
removing our earthly comforts from us,
which are, to bestow upon us better mercies,
to give us more of his spirit, and of the
graces and comforts of it, our hearts would
not be troubled : could we believe, that
Christ's end in all his chastisements, is, to
prepare us for that place in his Father's
house, it would comfort and support us. His
ends are very good, and that should quiet us.
So long as the people of Christ enjoy most
of the comforts of this world, (I speak it by
sad experience) commonly they enjoy least
of God, and of his spirit ; and usually, when
Christ takes away their earthly comforts,
then he manifests most of himself, and of his
tender love to them : he brings them into
the wilderness, and then speaks comfortahlij
to them ; then he speaks to their hearts, and
not to their ears only, as in time oF pros-
perity ; then he gives out most of the graces
and comforts of his spirit. Christ never
takes away these outward mercies from his
people, but with design to bestow better, if
our discontent and unbelief do not hinder.
When the Lord took away from his servant
David the young child begotten in adultery,
it was to give him a Solomon.
Thus I have endeavoured to shew what it
is also to believe in Christ, that thereby we^
may prevent and cure our heart- trouble.
120
The last thing I have to do is, to shew
how faith acted thus on God and Christ, or
on God in Christ, is the best preventive of,
and remedy to cure all our heart-troubles,
which hath indeed been shewn, partly in the
two former particulars, and will serve for
the confirmation of the point also.
Two ways principally faith acted on God
and Christ, doth effect this great cure of
heart-trouble, and procure heart's-ease.
Firsty By way of application and appro-
bation.
Secondly^ By way of holy confidence and
reliance.
Firsts By applying and appropriating God
and Christ to the soul, and all that God is,
and all that Christ is, and all that God hath,
and all that Christ hath, and all that God and
Christ hath promised : faith applieth and
appropriates all this to the soul j faith gives
the soul right, title, claim, propriety and in-
terest to, and in God and Christ; faith makes
all the believer's own. Believe, and all is
thine. This is the language of faith, my
God, my Lord, my Christ, my Saviour, my
Redeemer ;* and this quiets and satisfies
the soul fully, or nothing in heaven or earth
ran do it ; when it can thus act its faith on
• Psal. xix. 14.
121
God and Christ. So was David cured of his
great troubles, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. He encoura:
ged himself in the Lord his Gody his God in
Christ ; so in that pregnant text, 2 Scun, xxiii,
5. His interest in God's everlasting cove-
nant, (whereby God was become his God in
Christ) he acted his faith upon, and that sa-
tisfied him.* So Mich, vii. 7. FsaL Ixxiii.
25, 26.
Either Gad is ours, or he is not ; either
Christ is ours, or he is not : if God and
Christ be not ours, we have cause enough
to mind our danger, and to be troubled at
our very hearts, that we are in such a case ;
and should now above all things labour after
an interest in God and in Christ ; whatever
our losses in the world be, this dangerous
state of souls should be most minded, and
speedily looked alter above all things.
But if God be ours ; and if Christ be ours ;
if we have chosen God for our portion in
Christ ; and if we have rightly and truly re-
ceived Jesus Christ the Lord, for our only
Lord and Saviour, and have unfeignedly given
up our whole selves to him ; then may we act
our taith upon God, as our God, and upon
* Psal. xxxi. 14.
J.
122
Jesus Christ as ours,* and may claim our
right in God and in Christ, and in all that
God and Christ is, and hath, as our own ;
and then, what cause of any heart-trouble ?
If God be ours, if Christ be ours, all incurs,
life is ours, death is ours : what if we want
relations and friends, honour, wealth and
health ; is not the all-sufficient God enough ?
Is not Jesus, in whom dwells all fulness^
enough to supply the want of all ? This God
proposed to Abraham, I am thy God ; and to
Israel, Isa. xli. 10. Jesus Christ is &l\^and
in all ; and if Christ be yours, all is yours ;
God is yours ; and all the good of both
worlds are yours j and what can you desire
more ?
Seco7idly^ Faith exercised in holy confi-
dence in, and reliance upon God, and Christ,
and the promise, will prevent or cure all
our heart-trouble. ' David was cured both
these ways, P^al. xxxi. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
viz. by appropriating God to himself, and
by trusting in him, I trusted in thee, Lord^
I said, thou art my God :\ for God is pleas-
ed to engage himself to discharge those souls
from heart-trouble and sinful fear, who trust
* Psal. cxix. 57. Lam. Hi. 24. John i. 12. Col.il.
6. Gen. xvii. 1. Col. iii. 11. 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23.
f Psal. xliii. 5.
123
iti him, Fsal. xxxvii. 40. Trouble doth dis-
order the heart, and discompose the mind ;
but faith in this exercise of it, trusting m
the Lord^ doth fix and settle the heart ; so
that then no evil tidings shall make such a
person afraid^ for his heart is Jixed^ trusting
in the Lord,'^ God hath promised to keep
them in perfect peace^ whose minds are stay-
ed on hi?n, because they trust in hint, Isa*
xxvi. 3.
Diffidence is the cause of all disquiet ; no
true rest can be had, nor quiet to our minds,
but by confidence in God, Psal. ii. 12.
the blessedness of those that trust in Christ !
God in Christ is the only fit object of our
confidence, in all our extremities. A believ-
er hath a God to go to in all his troubles, an
Almighty and loving Father in Christ ; and
this should be our comfort, that we are in
covenant with him that rules the world, and
hath committed the government of all things
to his Son, our dear Redeemer, who hath
bought us with his blood ; and we may be
sure no hurt shall befall us that he can hinder;
and what cannot he hinder, who hath all
power in heaven and earth ? \ and that hath
the keys of hell and death, unto whom we
are so near, that he carries our names on
• Psal. cxii. 7, \ Matt, xxvui. 18.
124
his heart, apd who will in his due time make
all the world know, that his people are as
dear to him as the apple of his eye.
Trust then, depend and rely upon God in
Christ, and by an holy confidence resign
up 3^our wills to his will, to do, what he
would have us do ; to be, what he would
have us be ; to suffer, what he would have
us suflfer ; and then heart-trouble will cease,
and sweet peace cometh : when having trust-
ed all with God, we can in henrt say. Lord,
if thou wilt have me poor, disgraced, impri-
soned, diseased, deprived of my dearest
friends, I am content to be so ; I trust all
my concerns with thee : O the sweet peace
and quiet that will be in that soul !
There is the all-mightiness, the wisdom,
goodness, love, mercy, and faithfulness of
God in Christ for us, to trust in, and to
rely upon, a bottom and foundation strong
enough to build our confidence upon, in all
storms and streights ; God hath also made,
many exceeding great and precious promiseSy
and not a naked promise, but he hath enter-
ed into covenant with us, founded upon full
satisfaction by the blood of Jesus, and con-
firmed it with an oath :* and to this covc-
♦ Heb. vi. 17.
i>*^''
♦'
125
nant, sealed by the blood of his Son, he hath
^ added the seals of the sacraments ; ^nd all
' this, that the heirs of the promises^ namely,
all true believers, might have strong conso-
lation^ and be cured of all their heart-
troubles.
Upon this sure foundation then must our
faith act in an holy confidence in God, and
in Christ ; the soul being taken off from all
other objects, carried out of self, unto God
and Christ ; who presently (as soon as trust-
ed in) communicate themselves, and their
love, and goodness to the soul, filling it with
peace, strength, and settlement. By this
trusting in God, we honour God most, and
best provide for our own safety.
I'his way then, whereby faith quieteth the
soul, and cures it of its troubles, is by raising
it above all disquietments, and settling it
solely upon God in Christ, and thereby
uniting it to God in Christ ; from whence it
draws vh'tue and strength, to subdue what-
ever troubleth its peace. For the soul is
, .made for God, and never finds rest, till it
return unto, and settle and centre itself up-
on him again. And that we may thus place
our confidence in (xod and Christ for all sup-
pHcs, we must most certainly, earnestly beg,
cr}', and seek to God for grace and strength
so to do ; we must trust in God alone for all
L 2
126
things, and at all times ; and thus by appro-
priating God to us, and Christ to us, and
placing our confidence in them, we may be
cured of all our heart^troubles.
APPLICATION.
I. For information. These inferences fol-
low.
Firsts If faith acted upon God in Christ l|
be such a remedy against heart-trouble, then^
surely, faith is a very precious, a very excel-
lent thing ; a grace of very great worth and
value, and of great use and efBcary : it is pre-
cious faith indeed, the very trial of it is mdre
precious than gold.'* Precious for its author,
the Lord Jesiis ;t for its object, precious Je-
sus, and all the exceeding great and precious
promises, the purchased inheritance ::j: lor
its offices, it unites us to Christ, gives us
title eternal life ;§ it sujjports under all
afflictions ; prevents or cures all heart-trou-
bles ; and precious for its end, which is the
salvation of our souls. ^*
This grace of faith is of a transforming,
spiritual nature : and the soul of a beHcver,
by acting it on God and Christ, and on divine,
heavenly and spiritual things, become^ di*-
* 2 Pet. i. 1 . 1 Pet. i. 7. t Heb. xii. 1 . \ Joha
; 12. Eph. iii. 17. •* Heb. xi. 1 Pet. i. 9.
\27
vine, beavftmy and spiritual. Faith unfast*
I eneth the heart fronci the creature, shewing
the soul the vanity of it, and carries the soul
'Unt;o God a»d Christ, shewing it God's all-
sufficiency, and Christ's all- fullness : for
faith believes what God in his word hath re-
vealed of both. It is the great design of God,
in all the troubles he sends upon his people,
effectually to teach them the exceeding vanity
of the creature, to embitter the things of this
vorld to them, to wean their hearts from
them, to bring earthly things out of requesit
viih thtiu, to make them see, thdt there is no
true contentment, nor solid satisfaction for
the* «oul, to be found in them, and to make-
them see where true happiness and content-
nu nt is to be had j even in God and in Christ
alone, for whoi^n their souls were created,
re/leemed and sanctified.* Now the great
work of fjiith, is to take off the soul from the
creature, and fix and settle it upon God and
Christ, the true foundation. Naturally our
hearts hang loose from God, and cleave to
the creature, and when the creature fails,
r)ur hearts are troubled : but faith takes off
the heart from the creature, and settles it up-
on God in Christ, where it finds rest ; and
.bis is the great service it doth us. AU the
• Tbal. iv^ 5. Isa. xliii. 21. Tit. ii. 14.
128
great and famous things which those wor-
thies did, and all the hard and heavy things
they suffered, mentioned in Ilvh» xi. were
all done and suffered by the pover of faith,
ver. o7y &c. The settling of our hearts up-
on God in Christ, trusting all there, is the
best means to cure our heart-trouble : and
this faith doth, and therefore it is precious.
Secondly^ It follows from the premises,
that the want of faith in God, and in Christ,
is the great cause of all our heart-troubles,
despondencies and disquietneiss. Could we
but act our faith strongly on God and Christ,'
as our God in Christ, our troubles would Ve
prevented or. cured : for by faith the^oul
looks up to God in Christ, through the
promises, looking off from al? other supports,
unto God for all supplies, for the remot'mj;
of all evil felt or feared, and for the oHtaidiing
of all good promised and needed ; and by
this exercise of faith, the soul is raised up
above all discouragements and ""lltsfiuiet-
ments : but where this faitli is wanting ^r
the lively exercise of it suspended, there the
soul sinks under heart-troubles. But of this
something was said before.
Thirdly^ Hence also we may clearly see
the absolute necessity of getting faith in Go(-,
and in Christ ; and of actii^g it, and living
129
by it : there is no living quietly and com-
fortably without it, no standing under our
burthf ns, no bearing with patience and cheer-
fulness our losses and crosses without this
faith : no joy and peace, but by believing :
by faith we stand.*
Fourthly^ Then the things of the world are-
not to be trusted to, nor trusted in, for com-
fort in time of trouble. Nothing but God and
Christ to be trusted in, and trusted to ; and
there is enough in them to support and com-
fort us, as hath been shewn : but no confi-
dence to be put in the creature ;f there is a
curse upon such confidence, but a blessing
upon them that trust in God : no trusting
in friends 4^ riches, gifts, or any thing : for
so to do, is idolatry, to give that to the crea-
ture, which is due to God alone.
-FifUUy^ Hence we see the reason why so^
many faint in the day of adversity, and sink
under trouble: and others use unlawful
means to prevent trouble, or to get out of it :
it is, because they want this faith in God
and Christ : and for want of it, too many
miscarry under affliction.
The second use is by way of exhortion to
all the disciples of Christ, in the words of the
• Rom. XV. 13. f Jcr. ix. 4. \ Mich. vii. 4, 5.
130
text ; Let not your hearts be troubled^ but
believe in God^ and believe in Christ: You
must get and act faith in God and Christ,
this is the only preventative, the only
remedy against heart-trouble. Our Lord
in this text commands, and commends it :*
we must needs get faith, for we cannot
have Christ without faith :f go to God for
it, is his work, his gift, yea, it is his opera-
tion ; yea, the same power that raised up
Jesus from the dead must be put forth upon
a soul to work faith, Eph, i. 19, 20. The
exceeding great and mighty working of the
power of God, to raise up the soul to Christ,
and to enable it to lay hold on God and
Christ : For such is our natural proneness
to live by sense and carnal reason, and such
is the most transcendent excellency of God
and Christ, and of divine things, which faith
looks unto : and so great an inclination have
we to self-sufficiency, and so much rooted in
self-love, and inordinate love of the creature,
and so hard to take off the soul from false
bottoms ; and because we are such strangers
to God naturally ; and because there is so
much guilt of sin still remaining on us, by
our renewed provocations, that we are afraid
•Johnvi.29. :^Eph. ii. 8. Col.ii. 21.
131
to entertain serious thoughts of God: and
because of that iniinite distance between God
and us, we can never come to believe in him,
and rely upon him, until our hearts be renew-
ed .by the power of grace, and this divine
grace of faiih infused into them: therefore we
must go to God and Chnst, and put up strong
cries and prayers to God to work faith in us,
and never give over, until it be wrought in
us.
And having got faith, we must act and ex-
ercise it upon God in Christ; upon God, I
say : he only is the object oi iaith, and is
worthy of ii: for a man can be in no condi-
tion in which Gpd is at a loss, and cannot
help him : if comforts and means of delive-
rance be wanting, God c<in create comforts,
and command deliverance, Isa, Ivii. 19. He
can bring light out of darkness, Jii*sal. cxii. to
him all things are possible. * •■
1. Then faith assents to,^nd is persuaded
that there is a God, the infinite, first and best
being of all things, and who giveth being to
all things, litb, 3ii. 6.
2. That in this blessed being are three
persons, Father, Son, and Koiy Ghost,'and
ail the object of our faith.
3.. Faith must always act on God in Christ,
and not otherwise i ior kri Christy God rccon-
132
cUea the world,* In Christ, God becomes
our friend, at peace with us ; by Christ, the
enmity between God and us, is taken away ;
in Christ, God becomes our Father, John i.
12. GaL iii. 26.
4. Faith is acted by meditating on, con-
sidering of, and applying, and appropViating
of God in Christ to the soul, laying claim to
all that Cod hath, as its own.
5. It must also act upon the promises of
God in his word, and Christ in them : God
hath opened all his heart to us in his word,
making many sweet promises, exceeding
great and precious promises :\ and also he
hath made a covenant of grace with us, to
bestow himself, and all good things upon us,
upon which we must live, until promises end
in performances4 These promises are our
spiritual treasury : promises of pardon of
sin, upon repentance and faith ; promises of
renewing, sanctifying grace ; promises of
the spirit, of heaven, of eternal life and glory,
of mansions in the Father's house, and of ail
things needful in the way to the kingdom,
that we shall want no good thing, and that
all things shall work together for our good,
&c.
• 2 Cor. V. 19. Col. i. 21. f 2 Pet. i. 4. | J er.
xxxi. Heb. viii.
133
Lastly^ That our hearts may not be trou-
bled, but fully satisfied and comforted, we
must by faith lay hold on God,^ take hold of
God's strength, which is his mercy in Christ ;
and most solemnly, most considerately, and
most sincerely take God for God in Christ,
and actually enter into covenant with him :f
this covenant is founded upon Jesus Christ,
his satisfaction and righteousness : and there-
fore we must also believe in Christ, taking
him for our only Lord and Saviour, receiv-
ing him by faith asjie is offered to us in the
gospel, to be all in all to us.
As God offers, so faith receives ; God re-
ceives him : God doth, as it were, say in
the gospel, O poor lost sinner ! come to my
son Jesus, take him for thy only Lord and
Saviour, and by him come to me, and take
me for thy God and Father: and by faith
the poor believer echoeth back, My Lord
and my God, I humbly and heartily come to
thee, accept of thee, close with thee, and sc
by faith the believing soul becomes one with
God and Christ ; and hereupon the soul by
faith cleaves to God and Christ, and unfeign-
edly, and unreservedly gives up its v/hole
self to God in Christ, taking God in Christ
* Isa. Ivi. 5. f Isa. xxvii. 4. Jer, xxxi. 52.
2 Cor. vi. 18.
M
134
for his, and entirely surrenders up itself to
be the Lord's. 3Iij beloved is mine^ and I
atn his. Now faith thus acted, will certainly
cure all our heart-troubles.
In order then to obtain solid comfort in all
our distresses, let us carefully look whether
these acts of faith have really passed upon
our souls : have we thus actually, under-
standuigly, and sincerely believed in God,
and in Christ ? Have we unfeignedly enter-
ed into covenant with God in Christ, by our
being his ? If we be entirely his, he. is ours
for certain, 1 Jo/m iv. 19. Cant. ii. 16. If
we place all our happiness in him, Pscd, Ixx.
ii. 25. If we give him the throne in our
hearts, subjecting our whole selves to his
government, making God in Christ all our
love, our trust, joy, delight, fear, our all ;
cleaving to him alone and above all, depend-
ing upon him as our chief good: contenting
ourselves with him as all-sutticient for us, re-
siguHig up ourselves to his good will, to be,
to do, and sufter what he will : if we can and
<lo engage ourselves to sincere obedience,
that none of his commandments be grievous
to us : if in all things we give Christ the
pre-eminence ; it we have received the spirit
oi C!:irist, as J^iom. viii. 9- 6"a/. iv. 6. 1 Cor*
vu.ir, which joms us to him, and makes us
one spirit witli him, and which is the spirit
135
of adoption, whereby the soul seeing his in-
terest in God as his Father, can freely go to
God in all its straights. If we have the
graces of the spirit, as love, meekness^ pati-
ence, hnmilitij^ &c. If we have a resem-
blance of our Father in us, a likeness of dis-
position to God in Christ, the image of God,
the life of Christ manifest in us :* If we do
own God and his cause, in evil times, so
that we are willing to part with any thing,
with all things for Christ's sake, and at his
call: if it be thus with us in the main bent and
constant frame of our hearts, and in the sin-
cerity and integrity of our souls, our con-
sciences in tiie sight of God bearing us wit-
ness,! that thus it is with us, then may we
upon good grounds conclude, that God the
all-sufficient God is ours, and that our hearts
should not be troubled ; and to prevent and
cure all our heart-trouble we must act faith
on all those things, in God and in Christ,
which I mentioned before, and which would
be too long to repeat again here ; therefore
I earnestly desire you to look back, and view
over those several particular things consid-
erable in God and in Christ, and believe
in God and in Christ, applying and ap-
* 2 Cor. iv. 10/11. Gal. ii. 20. f 1 John iii. 21.
136
propriating them to ourselves, and we shall
see we have no cause of heart-trouble. If
the great God be ours, if we have no hus-
bands nor wives, nor sons or daughters, nor
health, nor wealth, we have enough to con-
tent and satisfy our souls for ever.
But to draw to a conclusion : that there
may be an effectual cure of all our heart-
trouble, whatever our distress may be, let
us labour to act faith on Christ, in consider-
ing and believing
1. What he is.
2. Where he is. ^
3. What he hath declared.
4. What he hath promised j and all with-
in the confines of this text, Ver. 2, 3.
Firsty Let Christ's disciples labour to be-
lieve what Christ is, and who he is. He
himself asked his disciples this question.
Matt, xvi. 16. Whotn say ye that I am f
Peter answered, thou art Christ the son of
the living' God: I kncxv in xvhom I have be-
lieved^ saith the apostle.* and that support-
ed him: and for this knowledge of Jesus
Christ his Lord, he counted all things but
dungi and dross. To believe all things that
are written of Christ, is not enough ; but to
believe in him, is by faith to receive' him for
• 2 Tim. i, 12. f Phil. iii. 9.
137
our only Lord and Saviour, jfohji i. 12.
Co/, ii. 6, and actually^ iinrcservedlij, wifcig'n-
edhj^ and htartily to give up our whole selves
unto him, taking him for our absolute Lord,
our head, our treasure, and our all; and be-
lieving, He is all that to lis that ht is. That
he Tvas made sin for iis^ made rutsdom^ righte-
ousness., sanctijication and redemption to us.
That he is indeed our husband, our head,
our high-priest, our surety, our ransom, our
^ Redeemer. That he hath loved us., and wash-
ed us in his blood. That lie was delivered up
to death for our offences., and rose again for
mir- justification. That he hath made our
peace with God by the Hood of his cross;
and pure hcificd our pardon^ and an inheritance
for us with the saints in light ; and that by
believing in him^ we shall have everlasting
lifcy John iii. 16, 36. I say, this is to believe
in Christ ; and such as thus believe in him,
have no cause of heart-trouble. And thus
we must believe in him, 1 fohn iii. 22,
and the positive command of Christ him-
self in the text. Believe also in me. And
he that hath this faith, hath Christ, 1 John
V. 10, 12, and hath Uf\ eternal life. John
vi. 47. Verily^ I say unto you, (saith
Christ, the eternal truth himself) he that
believeth in me^ hath everlasting life. He
M 2
138
hath it in the price of it, that was punc-
tually paid down upon the cross, therefore
called the purchased possession : he hath eter-
nal life in the promises of it ; it is promised
to every one that believeth ; God that can-
not lie, hath promised it, Tit. i. 1, 2, and he
hath it in the first-fruits of it, the saving
graces of the spirit, which in some measure
every true believer hath, 2 Cor. v. 5. £jjh.
u 13, 14.
Now, he that thus believes in Christ,
Christ is his ; and all that Christ hath done,
and suffered, and merited, is his ; he hath
right and title to it: for by faith he is be-
come the child of God, Gal. iii. 26. We are
all the children of God by faith in Jesus
Christ, And if xve be Chris fs^ then are tve
heirs of the promise^ Gal. W'l. 29. Yea,
heirs of God^ and joint heirs xvith Christy
Rom. viii. 1 7. Yea, then, all things are ours,
1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23. All is ours., if we be
Christ's, whether Paul, or ApoUos, or
Cephas. All the gifts, graces, labours, pray-
ers, ot all gospel ministers, all gospel ordi-
nances are designed for bur good, £ph. iv.
11, 12, 13, for the gathering of us in, and
for the perfecting and building of us up in
Christ Jesus, until we all come to heaven.
The world is ours ; the good and evil of it,
the bitter and the sweet of it, the comforts
139
and the crosses of it, the gains and the losses
of it, the love and the hatred of it, the smiles
and the frowns, the friends and foes in it ;
all is designed for, and shall further and pro-
mote our spiritual and eternal welfare. Life
is ours. All the troubles, sicknesses, pains,
evil tidings, persecutions, disappointments,
losses of relations, shame, reproach, or what-
ever attends this mortal life, shall be sancti-
fiedr.and blessed to us for our good. Yea,
death is ours, that shall be our advantage',
our gain, that shall put a full enfl and period
to all our sin and suiTering, and be a door of
emrance for us into glory in our Father's
house : or things present : our pr-^'sent fears,.^ji|
sorrows, miseries, infirmities, Sec. shall be s(0Hf^
ordered and over-ruled by the wisdom and
love of our Father, that they shall all help us
onward to heaven : and things to come are j|
ours: all that glory to be revealed, that
saints everlasting rest that is prepared for
the people of God, that crown of righteous-
ness, of glory, and of life: that kincjdom of
glory, that unspeakable, that inconceivable
state of happiness and blessedness which
Christ a^r Lord hath purchased by his-blood,
all thi^ is ours also. But hqw come we to
have a right and tide to all this ? Whv saith
the apostle thus ; 2^e are Christ'' s^ and Christ
is God^s. As sure as Christ is God's, so
140
sure, if you be Christ's, all is yours : and as
I have proved, if we be true believers in
Christ, then \ye are Christ's, we are his
members, his spouse, his children, and then,
what cause have we to be troubled at any
thing, or in any condition ? What cause hath
such a soul to be dejected, what ever crosses
or losses do befall him ? Is there not enough
in Christ, in the promises, in the purchase of
Christ ? Is there not enough in heavetl, in
all that glory to quiet, content, and fully sat-
isfy our souls ? O my beloved, (and O my
base and faithless heart !) It is our base un-
belief that does all the mischief, that spoils
^> our peace, that hinders our comfort, and
makes us walk so heavily. O let us bewail this
God-dishonouring sin, this peace-destroying
sin : and let us, who have received Jesus for
our Lord and Saviour,^ believe that he i^
ours indeed, and then act our faith upon him,
and our hearts shall not be troubled.
^iest. But may some say, it is true if
Christ be ours, all is ours, we believe that ;
but how shall we know that Christ is ours ?
Answ, Briefly thus : if we be Christ's en-
tirely, and sincerely Christ's, then Christ is
ours: I ayn mi/ beloved\s and mij beloved is
viine, Cant* ii. 16. chap, vi. 3. Her being
* Col. ii. 6, 7.
141
Christ's, was a sure evidence to her that
Christ was hers. Novi'^, it is not very hard
to know whose we are, whether we be
Christ's or our own, Christ's or the world's,
Christ's or the devil's : let us take a little
pains in trying and searching ourselves, the
matter requires it : whose we are I Put this
question seriously to our heart, in the sight
of God : whose am I ? whose image do I
bear? By whose spirit am I acted? Who
hath ray heart, my chief love and delight ?
Have we unfeignedly given up ourselves to
Christ ? Have we actually entered into cov-
anant with him, and taken him for our head
and husband I Have we passed over and
surrendered up our whole selves to Christ,
our souls, bodies, all our concerns ? Have
we given up our hearts, heads, tongues,
time, talents, estates, liberties, relations, and
all to Christ I Have we done this sincerely I
Then we have received Christ upon his
terms. If we be Christ's and not our own,
and live unto Christ, and not to ourselves,
Jiom. xiv. 9. 1 Cor, vi. 20. Gal, ii. 20,
and are content that Christ should dispose
of us and ours as he pleaseth ; and are al-
ways labouring to be more and more like
him, and still longing for more and more
communion with him, &c. then may w^ up-
142
on good grounds, conclude Christ is ours i
If we be his, he is ours.
Again, if we truly believe in Christ, then
he is ours ; for it is by faith that we receive
him, and are united to him, and made one
with him, John i. 12, 13, and are by his
spirit and word regenerated, and made new
creatures : and are enabled to walk after the
spirit, and not after the flesh, 2 Cor, v, 17.
Aoj?i, viii. 1, 2. He that believeth, hath the
witness in himself, 1 John v. 10, he need
not go far to seek : make sure thy believing
in Christ, and thou hast the witness in thy-
self that he is thine, and thou art his.
^uest. But how shall we know that we
have true faith, and that we do truly believe
in Christ ?
Answ. Briefly thus : if we have been made
sensible of our lost condition by nature, of
our misery by sin, of our unbelief; if we
have found it an hard work to believe ; if we
have been made weary and heavy laden with
sin, so as to be truly willing to part with all
sin ; if we have been convinced of our abso-
lute need of Christ, and of his incomparable
excellency, of his all-sufficiency, and willing-
ness to save us j* if these convictions have
• Jo^n xvi. 8. Eph. i. 17, 18. Rev, Hi. 17. Matt.
xi. 28. 1 Pet. ii. 7. Acts xx, 21. John yi. ST. Jo^n
vii. 37. Matt. xvi. 34. Col. ii. 6,
143
been powerful in us to drive us from our-
selves, and the creature^ and sin ; if we have
hereupon been persuaded and enabled sin-
cerely to come unto Christ upon his call in
the gospel, to accept of him upon his terms,
and to receive him, as he is offered in the
gospel ; if our whole hearts have opened to
him, and closed with him, and we have given
up ourselves entirely to him, and taken him
for our only Lord and Saviour, as the only
way to God, and do most sincerely resign
up ourselves to his government, trusting in
him alone, and relying upon him for life and
rightecmsness, for grace and glory,^ then we
do believe in him, then have we this true
faith, which is farther to be known thus :
that it worketh in us true sincere love to him,
and to ail that is his, his word, his people ;
your hearts will run out after him, all your
atfcctions will centre in him. This true
faith draws virtue Irom Christ to purify the
heart, and work sanctification and holiness ;
it (.ioth crucity your affections to the world,
it works true repentance, and enables you
to overcome the world,f and to realize the
• John xiv. 6. Matt. xi. 29. John i. W, 16. John
iii. 16, 36. Gal.v. 6^ IJohnv. 1. Psal. cxix. 97.
Acts XV. 9. xxvi. 18. Gal. li. 20. f John v. 4. Heb.
xi. 1. Eph. i. 13. Ps. i. 6. Rom. xi. 20. 2 Cor. y. r.
144
glory of heaven, and to bear us up under ail
the troubles in our way thither, as in the
xiith chapter to the Hebrews, enabling us to
trust and betrust our souls and bodies, and
all our concernments with Christ : by this
faiih we shall stand, by it we walk, by it we
live, and hold on, and hold out in following
the lamb to the end of our life."^
Now certainly, he that thus believes in
Christ, hath no cause of heart-trouble, but
quietly submits to the good will and pleasure
of his God in Christ, under all the dispensa-
tions of his providence, while he is under
this vale of tears, until he come to his Fa-
ther's house in peace, where he shall meet
his dearest Lord, and an hearty welcome.
O ! this faith, this precious faith in Christ
will conquer ail our base fears, moderate all
our worldly sorrows, ease our minds per-
plexed with earthly cares, and quiet our dis-
turbed and distracted thoughts about out-
ward losses and troubles ; by this faith we
shall find all our losses made up in God and
in Christ : then labour for it, cry mightily
to God for this great gift ; cry to Jesus for
it, he is the Author and Finisher of it ;t
and labour to act it upon him continuall}-,
and ijour hearts ahall not be troubled,
* Heb X. 38, j Heb. xi. 1.
145
I dare affirm, that if any thing brings
heart's ease in heart-trouble, this will do it.
So long as our faith holds up in act and ex-
ercise upon Christ, we shall be free from
heart-trouble ; but when our faith fails, our
heart-troubles prevail : as when Moses lift-
ed up his hands, (and his heart too by faith)
Israel prevailed ; but when his hands were
down Amaleck prevailed. Faith and heart-
trouble are like a pair of balances, when oi^
goes up, the other goes down : faith is the
counterpoise of trouble of heart: Believe
then in Jesus, act faith on him, and that will
prevent or cure heart-trouble. Continue in.
the faith, and your heart-troubles will cease j
believe what Christ is, and what he is to us.
Secondly^ Let us believe in Christ, and be-
lieve where he is. As to his essential pre-
sence, he is in heaven at the Father's right-
hand, making continual intercessio?i for us
to the Father.* He is our advocate with the
Father^] pleading our cause, presenting all
our services, perfumed with his own righte-
ousness, and relenting and feeling our infir-
mities,! sorrows and sufferings, sympathi-
zing with us; In all our afflictions he is af-
Jticted,^ He knows all our troubles, trials,
* Heb. xii. 2, 3. vii. 25. f 1 John ii. 1, 2. % H^.
^ ' " " ?Isa. Ixiji. 9.
N
146
temptations, sicknesses, losses and miseries.
'Jesus himself knew, when he was on earth,
what it was to lose a friend : he wept when
his friend Lazarus was dead. He is a most
tender-hearted Saviour, a most merciful high-
priest ; he sees and feels now in heaven all
the miseries of his people upon earth, and
pleads for them there : believe this, and let
Hot If our hearts be troubled.
And as to his spiritual and providential
presence, he is always with his people on
earth : he is in his people ; Christ in you
the hohe ofglory.^ He is in his word and
ordinances by his spirit, to bless them to his
people. Christ is aU^ Col, iii. 11, and in alL
He is all, that is instead of all, of father,
mother, husband, wife : of son and daugh-'
ter ; instead of health, wealth, liberty, and all'
tu his people ; in hrni dzvellcth all fulness,]
And he is also in ail; He JiUeth all in all.
In all h>s people, he dwells in their hearts
bij Jtiith. All our fresh springs are in him :
all the strength, support, and comfort we
have, tomes from him ; he is in all provi-
dences, be they never so bitter, so afflictive,
never so smarting, destructive to our earthly
comlorts, Christ is in them all ; every cup is
ot his preparing ; it is Jesus, your best friend,
• Gal. i. 27. t Eph. L 23. 11^17.
147
(O ye iM)or believers !) who most dearly loves
you ; it is he that died for you ; that appoints
all those providences, orders the in all, over-
rules them all, and will sweeten them all ;
and in his due time will make them all pro-
fitable ivito you, that you shall have cause
one day to praise and bless his name for
thehi all. Oh ! that we could but believe all
this, and cbuld by faith look unto our JesLis
in all d.ark providences, and by faith behold
this blessed Jesus managing of them, and
belie\'c his love, wisdom, tenderness, and
faithlulness in all ; in our sicknesses, losses,,
prisons, restraints, he. then surely our hearts
should not be troubled.
Tnirdly^ Believe in Christ, believe what
he hath told us ; In my Father* s house are
many mansions ; if it -were not .90, / xvoiild
haiie told you : I go to prepare a place for
you.^ Let us act faith upon these true
sweet sayings of our dear Lord, who is
truth itself ; In my Father^ s house are many
mansions. In my Father's house, iny Fa-
ther's, and your Father's house, one house,
John XX. 7. I ascend to my Father^ andijcur
Father ; to my God^ and your God ; and it is
in that house which is far above all heavens^
all visible elementarv heavens, the third hea-
ven ; that is the Father's housr, that house
•IJohnxiv. 3. 2 Cor. v. 1, 2.
148
not made with handsy whose Builder and Ma-
ker is God^ and is eternal. This city of the
living God» The New Jerusalem ; there,
saith Christ, are 7nani/ maJisions^ many dwel-
lings, many fixed, abiding, lasting, everlast-
ing habitations :* not tents and tabernacles,
siich as we live in here on earth, but man-
sions, abiding places. Is not this a most
comfortable consideration to such poor
saints, as have here on earth no certain
dwelling-places, not an house of their own
wherein to lay their heads, but are forced to
remove from place to place, still seeking
an habitation, banished from family and
friends, from relations and acquaintance ;
some cast into prisons, (while others d-well
safely in their houses, and none to make
them afraid,) and others exposed to much
hardship and danger ? I say, this is good
news to them, that tn their Father^s house
are many viansioris ; there are everlasting
liabitations ready to receive them, made
leady for them ; from which, when once they
are entered, they shall never be cast out
jiiore ; from whence there shall be no more
any remove for ever. When once their
earthly house of this tabernacle is broken
down, they shall possess that house not made
• Luke xvi. 6.
149
ivk7i hands ^ eternal in the heavens.^ Let
us then by faith often look into the Father's
house, and view, and review those luany
mansions that are there ; and let us act hope
also, that shortly we shall possess that place,
and enjoy that blessed state : the believing
frequent prospects of that place, will prevent
our heart-trouble, or cure it.
If it were not so^ I -would have told you^
saith our Lord : if thv.re were not such a
blessed state, and glorious place for you, ni}^
disciples, in the other word, aiter all your
sufferings in this, I would tiave told you so ;
for I have told you of the many trouijies you
must endure in this world ; and for your
support and comfort, I am now telliag you,
what good things you s(?all siiortly enjoy
above in my Father's house, where is ail joy,
peace, rest, and consolation : there are ma-
ny mansions, no prisons, chains, nor fetters,
but glorious dwellings, enough to hold all
the saints that ever were, and that evc-r shall
be in the w^orld, where they shall enjoy full
and free communion wiih the blessed trinity,
and with one another ; perfect liberty, witn-
out any restraint or remove tor ever. Be-
lieve this, and let not your hearts be trou-
bird.
• Rom. V. 2. 3.
h 2
150
I go to prepare a place for you. I have
purchased this most glorious place for you
by my blood ; I have promised it to you ;
now I go away to take possession of it for
you, in your name and stead : Oh what an
heart-comforting, an heart-easing considera-
tion should this be to us poor believers ! that
our Lord went from earth to heaven, on
purpose to prepare a place in heaven for us,
to possess it in our name and stead ; and in
the mean time, he is preparing us by his
word and spirit, by afflictions and deliver-
ances for that glorious place : hence he is
called owr for e-riinncr^ xvho is for us entered
into that within the veil:^ so that, as sure as
Christ himself ascended, and went into the"
highest heavens, so sure shall all his disci-
ples,, all true believers ascend, and enter in-
to heaven also ; because he went thither
himself, to prepare heaven for them, by tak-
ing possession of it in his human nature for
us, as our head and Saviour. God hath pre'
pared for them a city.] Heaven and heaven-
ly glory is said to be prepared : A kingdom
prepared from the foundaiion of the 7Vorld.\
If we could believe that Christ hath prepar-
ed a place in heaven for us, and that heaven
will make amends for all our sufferings in the
• Heb. vi. 19, 20. f Heb. xi. 10. \ Matt. xxv. 34.
ioi
way thither ;* and if we could keep the ey.e
of faith upon that recompense ofrezuard^ that,
far more exceeding and eternal rveight of glo-
ry^] we should bear iip bravely under all our
sufferings, and not have our hearts troubled.
Let us then look more heavenward, more
to our Father's house : let us have our con-
versations more in heaven, and set our affec-
tions more vpon things above ; upon that bles-
sed place and state above ; and know, that
when Christ^zvho is our life, shall appear^ xve
shall appear vjith him in glory. \ Believe
this, and be comforted.
Certainly, we are too much taken up with,
and too solicitous about our earthly taberna-
cles, these houses of clay, whose foundation
is in the dust, crushed before the moth : we
are always minding the diseases, distempers
and dangers of our bodies, those old crazy,
tottering houses, the prisons of our souls :
we mind earthly places too much, but too
little those heavenly places in Christ jfesus^^
where we shall shortly sit vvith him. Were
we more heavenly-minded, we should be
more free from heart-trouble, and disquiet-
ness of mind.
* Heb. xi. 26. t 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17. 18. | Phil.
1.20. Col.iil. 1,2, :. }Enh,ii. 6.
152
Fourthlif^ and lastly, to prevent and cure
all our heart-trouble : let us labour to believe
what Christ hath promised here in the text,
ve7\ 3. I will come agmii^ and receive you
to v.yself^ that xvhere I am^ there ye may be
also. Most sweet and comfortabh; pro-
mises !
J will come again* So ver, 18. J xvill
come again ; I will not leave you comfortless :
for when I am absent from you in respect of
my hudily presence, I will send the Comforter
to you^ that shall abide with you for ever.
And I myself will come again unto you ;
you shall not long be without my company.
Though Christ seems to withdraw and hide
his face from his people, it shall be but a lit-
tle moment, Isa. liv. 7, 8. He will return
again, and have mercy, yea, with everlasting
kindness will he return. I will come again :
I will not stay long from you ; my heart is
still toward you, while lam absent ; there-
fore I will come quickly, J^ev. iii. 11- I will
come to you with my messenger, death :
though it be the king of terrors in itself, and
a grim porter, yet by my coming with it, it
shall be to you the king of comforts : I will
come with it, by my spirit, to strengthen you
to look it in the face, to apply^ to you tlie
} virtue of my death, and thereby to take out
the sung of it; and I will come to you by
lOvi
my angcis, to secure your souls through the
region of devils, into my Father's house. If
death did come alone to us, it would be terri-
ble to us indeed ; its ghastly countenance
would affright us ,* but here is the comfort,
that Christ our dearest Lord, will come with
death, to sweeten it to us, and support us
under it. This prevented David's fear,
PsaL xxiii. 4. IVhen I walk through the val-
'leij of the shadow ofdeath^ I -will fear no evil^
for thou art with me. O welcome death,
when Christ comes with it ! This bitter cup,
of which we must all drink, is brought to us
by the hand of our dearest Lord : this last
stroke is given by the hand of love j it is tak-
ing us home to our Father's house ; this last
enemy hath Christ conquered for us, because
his children are partakers of flesh and bloody
he likewise took part of the same^ that through
death^ (that is, his own death) he might de-
stroy him that had the poxver of death., that
is, the devil, and deliver them, xvho through
fear of death, were all their life-time subject
to bondage.'* Jesus knew what death was ;
he himself had the pangs of death upon
him :f sin, the sting of death, was laid upon
him ; and the law, which is the strength of
sin, the curse of the law was upon him \\ but
• Heb. ii. 14. f Isa. lyi. 6. \ Gal. iii. 13.
154
now, for us, who believe in Jesus, the sting
and strength of death is taken out, and when
we die, we shall die in the Lord^ sleep in Je-
siis ; in union and communion with Jesus j
we shall fall asleep in the blessed arms of our
dear Redeemer. He will then come to keep
us company through tjiat dark entry death,
into the Father's house : his angels shall car-
ry our souls into Abraham's bosom, yea. in-
to the Father's bosom. O ! that we would
make sure of our union with Christ ; and
then let us believe, that he will come with
death, to translate our souls out of these
earthly tabernacles, these prison-houses,
these houses of bondage wherem our poor
souls have been fettetved and chained, cloyed
and clogged with corruptions and tempta-
tions, kept at a distance, and absent from the
Lord, and in which they have been groaning
f6r deliverance, into the glorious liberty of
the scJlis of God, in their Father's house, and
shall ever be zvith the LordM
Secondly, I xvill receive you to myself: O
sweet promise ! This is all the hope, all the
desire, all the longing, thirsting, breathing
of poor believers, viz. that Christ would take
them to himself. This is the sum of all
• Rom. viii. 33. 2 Cor. v. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 1 Th«ss.
iv. 17.
155
their prayers and labours, that they tYiay b«
fitted for Christ, and then that Christ would
take them to himself. Well, saith Christ,
work and wait a little longer ; do and suffer
a little more ; act your faith and patience a
little longer, and I will come to you, and.
take you home to myself, where your souls
shall be at rest for ever. The saints while
they are here, at home^ in the boclij^ they are
absent from the Lord ; they see but in part,
darkly, and know but in part, very imper-
fectly, and enjoy but a little, a very little of
God and Christ. O how sweet are a few
drops, a few glimpses and glances of divine
love to a poor soul ! The least cast of Christ's
eye, the least beam of his loving-kindness,
the least intimation of his favour, the least
hint of his goodness, how refreshing to a
poor believer ! But when Christ shall receive
them to himself, they shall then see him as
he 7.9, and be like him^^ and shall be satisfied
•with his likeness.] Then shall they see him,
whom their souls love, face to face : and
then will Jesus open to them all the treasures
of his love and grace, to their everlasting
consolation : they shall then be admitted
into the glorious presence of the great God,
and our Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose pre-
* 1 Johniii.2, 3. t Psal. i. 23.
156
.s'ence is ficlness of joif, mid at whose right
hand are pleasures for evermore."^ When the
world shall cast them out, and their hahita-
tions shall cast them out, and shall know
them no more ; yea, when their houses of
clay shall be broken down and dissolved, and
can hold them no longer, then will Jesus,
blessed Jesus, receive them to himself: then
shall they be solemnly married to their glo-
rious Bridegroom, the King ot heaven's
Son, the Prince of the kiJigs of the eartli;
he will receive them to himself, he will take
them for his bride, embrace them in his
everlasting arms, and lay them in his blessed
bosom for ever and ever. I -will receive you
to muse If into the nearest union and com-
munion with myself; and therefore be not
unwilling to part with your dear relations ; bo
not afraid to be separated from your bodies,
your old friends ; for when these earthly ta-
bernacles are dissolved, immediately I will
receive you to myself, ivhich is best of alL\
You shall then enjoy the fruits of all my
sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension,
and intercession, and the fruits of all your
own labours, prayers, tears, and sufferings ;
and shall fmd that I am faithful in making-
good all my promises, and that your labour
•Psal. xvi.ll. tl*hil. i.25.
157
was not in vain in the Lord ; then shall there
be no more any distance between, you and
me for ever. Comfort yourselves, and com-
fort one another with these words : Believe
i/i2s^ and let not your hearts be troubled*
Tliirdlij^ That luhtre I am^ ije may be aU
fiO. And what more can be desired ? Where
is Christ, but at the right hand of the Majes-
ty on h?gh^ far above all principalities and
powers^ far above all heavens ? There shall
you be also. O admirable, astonishing dig-
nity, that blessed Jesus will advance his
poor saints to in that dav I This high and
wonderful honour shall all his saints have ;
thev shall now receive the kingdom prepar-
ed for them, and that crown of glory, of-
rightccusness, and of life, which Christ has
purchased for them, perfectly freed now from
all sin artd sorrow, and stated in an unchang-
'able state of happiness and blessedness.
What cause have we then to grieve for our
dear relations, whom Christ hath taken to
himself, and placed in the Father's house,
who are now sitting at his right hand in glo-
ry, and singing hallelujahs i And could we
but firmly believe these promises of our
Lord, and act our faith in meditating
fixedly on them, and on Jesus in them,
applying and appropriating them, and
Christ in them, to our own souls, con-
o
^
158
sidering and pondering on them, until our
hearts be warmed, and our affections stirred
and kindled with them, acting also hope,
love, joy, desire, delight, thirst, panting,
breathing ; pouring out our hearts in prayer
to God tor his spirit, to bring home these
promises to our souls in power, fixing them
upon our hearts, and helping us to lay hold
on them, and upon Christ in them, and re-
signing up our whole souls to Christ in them,
stedtastly relying on his goodness and faith-
fulness, and trusting in him ; I say, could
we but do'so, and in the strength of God be-
trust our Avhole selves, and all our concerns
thus* with Christ, and live in the lively exer-
cises of faith thus on God, and on Christ,
we should find this to be hearths-ease to us
in all our heart-trouble. Beholdy I lay iti
Sioii a chief Corner-atone^ elect, precious ;
and fie that believeth in him^ shall not be con-
founded, 1 Fet. 2, 6. ^
Let all heart-trouble cease,
Let naught disturb your peace.
Who faith in God profess,
And in \vs Son no less.
For in the Father's house
Are many mansions sweet,
Christ hath prepar'd for us,
When we're for them made mete.
THE END.
POSTSCRIPT.
^lest. It-may be demanded, that having
heard the excellency and usef idness of this
sovereign m.ediciiie to cure heart-trouble,
namely, y^yzrA iiiGod andin Christ ; can you
tell us how we may get this faith ? And what
means we shall use to obtain it ?
Antiw. I shall endeavour, by the help of
God's spirit, and Scripture-light, to direct
you herein, and as briefly as I may.
DIRECTION I,
Firsts You must be convinced of your
unbelief, of the greatness of the sin of unbe-
lief, and of your absolute need of faith : of
these three things you must be fully con-
vinced.
1 . Of your unbelief : for most people
think they have faith, and that they never
were without it, and therefore labour not for
it. Pray earnestly therefore, that the Holy
Spirit may be sent into yoifr hearts, to work
this conviction in you, for it is his proper
work, yoiin xvi. 8, to convince the world of
sin^ because they believe not on me^ saith our
* Lord : this is the great sin, the damning sin
jf the world, their not believing" on Cfiriat^
160
Now that we may he convuiced, that hy na-
ture we have no taith, let us consider these
Scriptures, Eph, ii. 1, 2, 12, and that until
we are regenerate and born a^ain, we hav^e
no Taith, is evident Iroin yplin i. 12, 13.
There, believing in Christ, and regeneration,
are inseparably joined together, Acts xv. 9,
and xxvi. 18, and xx. :4,\, From which
Scriptures it is most evident, that such as
are strangers to the heart- purifying, the
heart-sanctifying work of faith, have no
faith : if we have not truly repented, nor
know any saving change v\rrought in us, and
upon us, by the spirit of God i for certain,
■whatever we think, we have no true saving
faith, it is but a fancy : of this then we must
be fully convinced, and must most heartily
beg the help of the spirit to convince us.
2. Of the greatness of the sin of unbelief :
it binds the guilt of all other sins upon us ;
it is disobedience and rebellion against the
great God, for he commands us to believe,
1 John iii. 21, and by our unbelief, we make
God a liar^ 1 yohn v. 10. O horrible wick-
edness ! And,
3. We must be convinced also of our ab-
solute need of faith ; we must needs have it,
or we must perish. IVithout faith^ it is im-
possible to please God^ Hch. xi. 6. Without
it we cannot be the children of God, JqIiu
161
i. 12. Gal, iii. 26. Without it we can have
no pardon of ain^ Acts x. 43. Rom» iii. 25.
John viii. 24. And in what a dangerous
case are we, so long as we lie under the
guilt of all our sins ? Without faith we are
not reconciled to God^ nor justified^ Rom, iii.
22, and Ro7n. vi. 1. Nor can we be sancti-
Jied^ Acts xxvi. 18. 2 Thess. ii. 13. No
access to God but by faith, Rom. v. 2.
Ephes, ii. 18. No living the life of religion,
nor bearing up under affliction, nor holding
out to the end without faith, Heb, xi. No
salvation, nor eternal life, without it, Epfu
ii. 18. John iii. 16, 36. Heb, x. 39. Of all
these things we must be convinced, if ever
we will have faith.
DIRECTION II.
Secondly y if we would have faith, we must
diligtntly search the scriptures, read the
gospel, attend on the reading and preachin'^g
of the gospel, y^/r this very end^ that \j^ may
grt faith by it; 1 say, yi^r this very e)7a\ cer-
tainly, that it should be our end in reading
and in ht^aring the word, which was God's
end in pu!)lishing ot it: now, this was his end
in publibhing of it, John xx. 21. Rom. xvi.
25, 26. Rom. x. 17. Acts x. iii. 48. Eph. i.
12. 1 his is the ordinary means appointed by
God to wor,k faith in the souls of men, as ap-
o 2
162
pears by Acts ii. 42. chap. iv. 4, and chap.
xi. 21, and many more. There are l^;\v
that read, and hear the word for this end,
and therefore get no faith by it.
Now, that the word read, and heard, may
be eifectual to work this precious, this most
necessary grace of faith in us, there are
some things antecedent, some concoinitant,
and some consequent upon our attendance
on the word, and our use of it.
Firsts Some things antecedent, are neces-
sary :
1. Preparation: For want or this the
word most limes proves ineffectual. It is
the empty, hungry soul that relisheth and
taketh in this food, James i. 21. 1 Pet. ii.
1. Matt, xiii. 22. Usually our success is
according to our preparation ; p^? in prayer,
P.sal, X. 17. Compare 2 C/iron. xii. 14,
■with 2 Chron. xix. 3. Make conscience
then of preparation.
2. PruLjer : Pour out your hearts to God
in prayer for a blessing on the word, that
you may read or hear. O ! lift up a cry to
God, and say, O, Lord make this wal-u ef-
fectual to work faith in my soul, &c.
3. Earnest deslie and expectation of meut-
ing God in the word, and of his oiessmg in
It: It we expect nothing from it, no wonder
if we rscuive nothing. Tiiere is a fiujic^js
16-
ofMts^ing- in the ^or.pel^ Rom. xv. 29. We
should hrinc; hungry and thirsty souls after
God, the living God, as Psal. Ixiii. 1, 2, 3,
and Ixxxiv. 2. God filleth the hungry with
good thin^'s^ Luke i. 53.
Secondly^ Some things are concomitant :
as,
1. We must read and hear it as the word
of.God^ and not an the xvord of man^ 1 Thess,
\\. 13. /Vets X. 33, and we nnusc acknow-
ledge God's authority in it.
2. Receive it with meekness, opening our
hearts to it, and giving it the most tender
entertammtnt, James i. 21.
3. With love, readiness of mind, and
gladness of heart, 2 Thess. ii. 10.
4. With faith, givins^ credit to it, believ-
ing it to he the v ord of God, Heb. iv. 2.
5. We must be careful to remember it :
see what great stress is laid upon our re-
membering, 1 Cor. XV. 2. Our salvatioTi
lies upon it, PaaU cxix. lU Love the word,
for love is the act of memory.
6. Prayer must be added again for a bless-
Thirdly^ Some things must be done after-
ward also. As,
1. Meditation upon what you have heard
and read ; for want of this usually ail is lost.
I am pciouadtd, this is out gieat reason
164
why most profit so little !)y the word, be-
cause they make no conscience of medita-
tion ; they hear and read, but never think
more on it afterwards : so preaching, hear-
ing, reading, and all lost ; and souls, and
heaven, and ali lost. For God's sake then,
whose word you read and hear, and for your
own soul's sake, if you are not willing they
should perish for want of faith, make con-
science of meditation on the word, Psal, u
2, and cxix. 97. If ever you would get
good by the word, mediate upon it.
2. Application of it : take it home to your-
selves, Job y, 27. Let it sink down into
your hearts^ saith Christ : It must be an in-
grafted word, you must receive it into your
hearts, and not intot your heads only, 2 Cor,
iv. 6, your hearts must be joined to it, and
mixed with it.
o. Practice : Yielding up ourselves to the
government of it, making it the standard and
rule of our whole conversation. We must he
doers of the xvord^ and not hearers oidy^ lest
lue deceive our ownsoids^ James i. 22i Matt.
vii. 22, 24. And in observing these scripture-
rules here laid down, in the careful vtpA con-
scientious use of God's word after this man-
ner, you may not doubt but the spirit of God
will v/ork with the word of God, to tnake it
e.T-ctual to work this most precious grace of
ioo
faith In us, wKcreby to believe in God and m
Christ, to the consolation and eternal salva-
tion of our souls : but if we neglect the
means God hath ordained to get faith, and
for want of it, die in our sins, and perish
eternally, our destruction will be of our-
selves.
Thh'dly^ Would we have 'faith, let us en-
gage our whole souls in the^eep and serious
consideration of the infinite, unspeakable,
unconceivable love of God the Father in
this, the highest and fuJljList demonstration of
it, in giving his son, his only begotten son,
to be a sin-offering, a sac^rifice, a ransom for
poor sinners, and that fot this very end and
purpose, that we poor sinners might believe
in him, and by believing might not perish,
but have eternal life,/ I pray read and pon-
der upon the following texts, and let your
most serious thoughts fix on them, and med-
itate on them, Isa* liii. throughout, John iii.
16, 17. Rom, iii. 25, and \'. 8, 10. Prov.
viii. 30. Col, i. 12, 13. 2 Cor, v. 19, 20,
21. Rom,\\\\. 3, 32, with many others, which
for brevity sake Jf-cai^not transcribe : It we
can but believe ^is wonderful love of God
the Father, in /giving his dear son to be a
Sufi'tify a sin~oJ^i'r2h:^-y ta lay all our iniquities
r
166
en him ; that he was pleased to bruise him^
and put him to grief for us : and consider
and meditate upon the heighth and depth,
the breadth and length, of this immense, io-
';omprehensible love of God, in giving his
son, and that on purpose, that we might be-
lieve in him, and by believing might have
eternal life ; I say, it will greatly help us to
believe in his son, to accept of this his un-
speakable gift, and to receive him as he is
offered to us in the gospel.
Moreover, let us also ccmsider of, and
deeply meditate upon the transcendent love
of the son of God himself; who though he
were the delight of his Father, and lay in the
bosom of his Father, even then his delights
were with the sons of men,* then was his
heart full of love to poor sinners ; and his
love brought him down from heaven to as-
sume human nature, and to take upon him
all the sins of his people, to bear them on
his soul and body, in the garden, there
sweating great drops of blood, and on the
cross there pouring out his heart-blood,
made a curse, enduring the full measure of
the wrath of God due for sin, and became
the ransom of souls, P/ii/r it, 6, 7, 8. Luke
xxii. 44. Gal, ii. 20./ He loved, us, and
• Prov. viiL 30, 31.
167
gave himself for us : Loved us^ and washed
Vj^Jrom our shis in his bloody Rev* i. 6. 1 Pet*
i. 18. ii. 24. GaL iii. 13. Tit, ii. 14.
But while I am writing these things, I
caiiHot but conceive an indignation against
myself, and heartily wish I were filled with
shame, sorrow and grief of spirit, that
having read and heard so often of the sur-
passing love of God the Father, in giving
his son ; and so often of the unspeakable
love of Jesus, and to be no more affected
with it, no more sensible of it ; to have my
affections no more stirred and moved, no
more quickened and warmed : alas, my
dead heart, my adamantine heart ! Lord,
sprinkle it with that blood ; Lord, shed
abroad that love of thine upon my heart
abundantly by the Holy Ghost ; Lord j esus,
manifest thy love to me, that I may love
thee. I am ashamed and pained for want
of love to God, to Jesus : O ! that I could
believe thy love to my soul, then I could not
chuse but love thee. Lord, I believe, help
my unbelief. Ihe consideration of this love
of God, and of Christ, is a means t» work
iaith ; try it, I pray you, and you will find
it so.
DIRECTION. IV.
Fourthly^ Improve and act the historical
faith you have, on the doctrines, promises.
168
and threatenings in th0^ gospel, which yo\i
profess you do believe. Act the faith you
have on the doctrines of the gospel, the pro-
mises of rest for your souls, pardon for your
sins, life and righteousness, grace and glory
made to those that believe in Clirist, and to
none else.*" Believe and think what heaven
is, that state of infinite blessedness, in the
seeing and enjoying the blessed God to all
eternity if believe what eternal life is, eter-
nal glory ; and believe also what hell is, se-
paration from God ; Go, ije cursed into ever-
lasting fire ; lakes of fire and brimstone,
everlasting death, the wrath of God, damna-
tion ; and see you profess that believe all
this ; then believe also and consider it well,
that neither is heaven's inftnite happiness to
be attained, nor hell's linspeakable misery to
be avoided, but only by believing the Lord
Jesus Christ, John iii. 16, 17. viii. 24.
DIRECTION V.
Fifthhjy Would you have faith ? Then
seek it diligently ; pray, O pray for it as for
your lives, cry mightily to God for it -; pour
out your hearts to God in prayer for it ; pr.iy
continually for faith, pray without cea ^ing,
be importunate with God for it ; go all da}5
and night panting and breathing af^er it. O
• John vi. o7. vii. 37. Matt. xi. 23, 29. t 2 Th?si.
9, 10.
169
that God would give me faith ! Go to Jesu«^
also for it ; cry to him, for he is the Author
as well as the Object of it, Heb, xii. 1,2.
It is the gift of God ; O pray for it.
DIRECTION VI.
Lastly^ Consider seriously, and often, how
wonderful willing God is that you should
believe in Christ, as you have heard ; and
how much he is displeased with those that
will not believe in him ; and how dreadfully
he hath threatened them, as Rev, xxi. 8.
Also consider how exceeding willing Jesus
Christ himself is, that poor sinners should
come to him, and believe in him: how sweet-
ly he calls them, how freely he offers him-
self, and all he is, to them, be they never so
bad, never so vile and wicked ; Ho ! every
one that thirstethy Isa. Iv. 1. They that have
no worthiness in them, nothing but sin and
misery.* O ! set your hearts to the consi-
deration of the incomparable, unparalleled
love of Jesus, in dying that cursed death of
the cross for sinners : consider and medi-
tate, hold your hearts to it, until your hearts
be affected with his love, his love that pass-
eth the love of women, love passing under-
*Johnvi.37. chap. vii. 37. Rev. iii. 18. chap.
xxi.n. \
iro
standing ; and consider how well he de-
serves, and how much he challengeth your
love ! Consider once again, what a most
lovely person Jesus is, who is altogether
lovely, the brightness of his Father^s glorify
in whom dwells allfulness^^ and in whom is
all jx)wer in heaven and earth,| and labour to
affect your hearts with his most admirable
excellencies, and then come unto him weary
and heavy laden with your sins, willing to
part with them all : give up your whole
selves to him, give him your whole hearts,
and take him for head and liusband, for your
only Lord and Saviour ; enter actually into
covenant with him, to become his, and his
alone, and his for ever.
Thus Work out your salvation and conso-
lation, by believing in Jesus, in blessed, all-
sufficient Jesus, trusting to him, and betrust-
ing all with him, and the Lord will work in
you both to will and to do^ PhiU ii. 12, 13.
Use these means in the strength of the Lord,
and doubt not, but in the use of them, you
shall obtain this precious faith ; which hav-
ing, and acting, you shall find it to be your
heart's ease ia all your heart-trouble.
TIx.aSE BE TO GOD ALONE.
\
• Heb. i. 3. \ Matti xxviii. 13.
MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.
MEDITATIO.y.
MEDITATION is an act by which we
consider any thing closely, or wherein the
soul is employed in the search or considera-
tion of any truth. In religion it is used to
signify the seriows exercise of the under-
standing, whereby our thoughts are fixed on
the observation of spiritual things, in order
to practice. Mystic divines make a great
difference between meditation and contem-
plation : the former coasists in discursive
acts of the soul, considering methodically
and with attention the mysteries of faith, and
the precepts of morality ; and is performed
b)" reflections and reasonings which leave
behind them manifest impressions on the
brain. The pure contemplative, they say,
have no need of meditation, as seeing all
things in God at a glance, and without any
reflection.
I. Meditation is a duty which ought to be
attended to by all who wkh well to their
spiritual interests. It ought to be deliberate-^
close, and perpetual^ Psah cxix. 97. PsaL i.
2. — 2. The subjects which ought more 'es-
1^2
pecivilly to engage the Christian mind, are
the works of creation, PsaL xix. the perfec-
tions of God, Deut. xxxii. 4. the excellen-
cies, offices, characters, and works of Christ,
Heb, xii. 2, 3. the offices and operations of
the Holy Spirit, 15th and 16th ch. of John ;
the various dispensations of Providence,
PsaL xcvii. 1,2; the precepts, declarations,
promises, &c. of God's word, PsaL cxix.
the value, powers, and immortality of the
soul, Mark viii. 36 ; the noble, beautiful, and
benevolent plan of the gospel, 1 Tim, i. 1 1 ;
the necessity of our personal interest in, and
experience of its power, yohn iii. 3 ; the de-
pravity of our nature, and the freedom of
divine grace in choosing, adopting, justify-
ing, and sanctifying us, 1 Cor, vi. 11 ; the
shortness, worth, and swiftness of time,
James iv. 14 ; the certainty of death, Heb.
ix. 27 ; the resurrection and judgment to
come, 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c. and the future state
of eternal rewards and punishments. Matt,
XXV. These are some of the most important
subjects on which we ^ould meditate. —
3. To perform this duty aright^ we should
be much in prayer, Luke xviii. 1 ; avoid a
worldly spirit, 1 John ii. 15; beware of
sloth, Heb, vi. 11 ; take heed of sensual plea^
sures, James iv. 4 ; watch against the de-
vices of Satan, 1 P{,'^ v. 8 ; be often in re-
173
tirement, PsaL iv. 4 ; embrace the most
favourable opportunities, the calnHiess of the
morning, PsaL v. 1, 3 ; the solemnity of the
evening, Gen, xxiv. 63 ; sabbath c%5's, Psal.
cxviii. 24 ; sacramental occasions, &c. 1 Cor*
xi. 28.-^4. Th« advantages resulting from
this are, improvement of the faculties of the
soul, Prov. xvi, 22 ; the affections are raised
to God, PsaL xxxix. 1, 4 ; an enjoyment of
divine peace and felicity, PhzL iv. 6, 7 ; holi-
ness of life is promoted, PsaL cxix. 59, 60 ;
and we thereby experience a?foretast(i of
eternal glory, PsaL Ixxiii. 25, 26. 2 Cor, V.
1, &c.
nEVELATIOA'\
Revekitinn^ the act of revealing or mak-
ing a thing public that was before un-
known ; it is also used for the discoveries
'made by God. to his prophets, and by them
to the world ; and more particularly for the
books of the Old and New i£estaments. A
revelation is, in the first ^X^iC^^ossible. God
may, for any thing we can certainly tell,
think proper to make some discovery to hi"^
creatures which they knew not bfefore. As
he is a Being of infinite power, we may be
assured he cannot be at a loss for means to
\ P 2 '
tV
174
communicate his will, and that in such a
manner as will sufticiently mark his cwi. —
2. It is desirable. For, whatever the light
of nature could do for man before reason
was depraved, it is evident ihit it has done
little for man since. Thou'. h reason be ne-
cessary to examine the autnority of divine
revelation, yet, in the present state, it is in-
capable of giving us proper discoveries" of
God, the way of salv^ation, or of bringing us
into a state of communion with God. it
therefore follows, — 3. That it is necesaarij.
Without it we can attain to no certain knoWf
ledge of God, of Christ, of the Holy Ghost,
of pardon, of justification, of sanctification,
or happiness, of a future state, of rewards
and punishments. — 4. No revelation, as Mr.
Brown observes, relative to the redemption
of mankind could answer its respective ends,
unless it were sufaciently marked with kn-
tt:rnal and external eoidciices* That the Bi-
ble hath internal evidence, is evident from
the ideas it gives us of God's perfections, of
the law of mature, of redemption, of the state
of man, Sec. As to iis external evidence, it
is easily seen by the characters of the men
who composed it, the miracles wrought, its
success, the fulfilment of its prediciions, ike.
— 5. I'he contenta of revelation are agreeable
to reason. It is true there are some things
jjk^'
175
above the reach of reason ; but a revelatioa
containing such things is no contradiction, as
long as it is not against reason ; for if every"
thing be rejected which cannot be exactly
comprehended, we must become unbelievers
at once of almost every thing around us.
The doctrines, the institutions, the threat-
enings, the precepts, the promises, of the
Bible, are every way reasonable. The mat-
ter, form, and exhibition oi revelation are
consonant with reason. — 6. The revelation
contained in oar Bible is perfectly credible.
It is an address to the reason, judgment, and
affections of men. The Old Testament
abounds with the finest specimens of history,
sublimity, and interesting scenes of Provi-
dence, The facts of the New Testament
are supported by undoubted evidence from
enemies and friends. The attestations to
the early existence of Christianity are nume-
rous trom Ignatius, Polycarp, Iren^us, Jus-
tin Martyr, and Tatian, vvho were Chris-
tians ; and by Tacitus, Sueton, Serenus,
Pliny, &c, who were Heathens. — r. Tiie
revelations contained in our Bible wmdivhn;-
iij hiHp'ired, The matter, the manner, the
scope, the predictions, miracles, preserva-
tion, &c. &c. all prove this. — 8. Revelation
is intended for uHiVf^rscd benefit. It is a
commoQ objection to it, that hitherto it haa
176
been confined to few, and therefore could
not come frov? God, who is so benevolent ;
but this mode of arguing will equally hold
against the permission of sin, the inequali-
ties of Providence, the dreadful evils and
miseries of mankind which God could have
prevented. It must be farther observed,
that none deserve a revelation ; that men
have despised and abused the early revela-
tions he gave to his people. This revela-
tion, we have reason to believe, shall be
made knov;n to mankind. Already it is
spreading its genuine influence. In the cold
regions of the North, in the burning regions
of the South, the Bible begins to be known ;
and, fi-om predictions it contains, we believe
the glorious sun of revelation shall shine and
illuminate the whole globe. — 9. The tweets
of revelation which have already taken place
in the world, have been astonishing. In pro-
portion as the Bible has been known, arts
and sciences have been cultivated, peace and
liberty have been diffused, civil and moral
obligations have been attended to. Nations
have emerged from ignorance and barbarity,
whole com n-; unities have been morally re-
formed, unnatural practices abolished, and
wise laws instituted. Its spiritual effects
have been wonderful. KifTgs and peasants,
conquerors and philosophers, the wise and
177
the ignorant, the rich and thf^ pc^r, have
been brought to the foot of tb iross ; yea,
millions have been enlightened, improved,
reformed, and made happy by its influences.
Let any one deny this, and he must be an
hardened, ignorant infidel, indeed. Great
is the truth, and must prevail.
SABBATH.
Sabbath^ in the Hebrew language, signifies
rest, and is the seventh day of the week : a
day appointed for religious duties, and a
total cessation from work, in commemora-
tion of God's resting on the seventh day ;
and likewise in memorial of the redemption
of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.
Concerning the time when the sabbath
was first instituted there have been different
opinions. Some have maintained that the
sanctification of the seventh day mentioned
in Gen. ii. is only there spoken of by antici-
pation ; and is to be understood of the sab-
bath afterwards enjoined in the wilderness ;
and that the histgrian, writing after it was
instituted, there gives the reason of its insti-
tution ; and this is supposed to be the case,
as it is never mentioned during the patri-
archal age. But against this sentiment it 13
178
*urged, 1. That it cannot be easily supposed
that the inpV^'^d penman would have men-
tioned the SiRictification of the seventh day
amongst the primjeval transactions, if such
sanctificatfon had not taken place until 2500
years afterwards. — 2. That, considering
Adam was restored to favour t -rough a Me-
diator, and a religious service instituted,
which man was required to observe, in tes-
timony not only of his dependence on the
Creator, but also of his faith and hope in the
promise, it seems reasonable that an institu-
tion so grand and solemn, and so necessary
to the observance of this service, should be
then existent. — 3. That it is no proof against
its existence because it is not mentioned in
the patriarchal age, no more than it is against
its existence from Moses to the end of Da-
vid's reign, which was near 440 years. —
4. That thvj sabbath was mentioned as a well
known solemnity before the promulgation ot
the law, Exod. xvi. 23. For the manner in
which the Jews kept it, and the awful conse-
quences of neglecting it, we refer the reader
to the Old Testament, Lev, xxvi. 34, Z5.
Neh. xiii. 16, 18. Jcr, xvii. 21. Ezek, xx.
16, ir. Numb. XV. 32 to 36.
Under the Christian dispensation the sab-
bath is altered from the seventh to the first
day of the week. The arguments for the
179
change are these : 1. As the ^.venth day
was observed by the Jewish * <Vch in me-
mory of the rest of God aftei c^'ie works of
the creation, and their deliverance from
Pharaoh's tyranny, so the first day of the
week has alwai/s been observed by the Chris-
j tian church, in memory of Christ's resurrec-
tion. — 2, Christ made repeated visits to his
disciples on that day. — 3. It is called dieyilk
Lord's day, I^ev. i. 10. — 4. On this day the^^
apostles were assembled, when the Holy
Ghost came down so visibly upon them, to
qualify them for the conversion of the
world. — 5. On this day we find St. Paul i
preaching at Troas, when the disciples came
to break bread. — 6. The directions the apos-
{; tie gives to the Christians plainly allude to
their religious assemblies on the first day. —
9. — Pliny bears witness of the first day of
" the week being kept as a festival, in honour
' of the resurrection of Christ ; and the primi-
tive Christians kept it in the most solemn
manner.
These arguments, however, are not satis-
factory to some, and it must be confessed
that there is no law in the New Testament
concerning the first day. However, 1 look
upon it as not so much the precise time that
I is universally binding, as that one day out of
• seven is to be regarded.
180
As the • abbath is of Divine institution, &
It is to be k^i^aoly unto the Lord. Nume-
rous have bitn the days appointed by men
for religious sbrvices j but these are not
binding because of human institution. Not
so the sabbath. Hence the fourth command-
ment is ushered in with a peculiarjemphasis—
** Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath
ay." This institution is xvise as to its ends:
That God may be worshipped; man instruct-
ed ; nations benefited ; and families devoted
to the service of God. It is lasting as to its
duration. The abolition of it would be un-
reasonable J unscriptural, Exod. xxxi. 13 ;
and every way disadvantageous to the body,
to society, to the soul, and even to the brute
creation. It is, however, awfully violated
by visiting, feasting, indolence, buying and
selling, working, worldly amusements, and
travelling.
Open Library