A little cabinet richly stored with all sorts of heavenly varieties, and soul-reviving influences.: Wherein there is a remedy for every malady, viz. milk for babes, and meat for strong men, and the ready way for both to obtain and retain assurance of salvation: being an abridgement of the sum and substance of the true Christian religion; wherein the cause of our salvation, the way, the guide, the rule, the evidence, the seals, &c. and the connection of these points together, and dependancy of them one upon another: this I have endeavoured to do orderly, exactly, methodically, with much plainness and clearness. / By Robert Purnell.

Several waies for a believer to hold fast his con∣fidence in God, at all times.

To live by Faith in infirmities, is to live upon Christ and his promises, viz.

If under temptations, 1. Cor. 10. 13. there is a promise of supportation and deliverance.

In deadness of heart, Isa. 35. 5, 6. there is a pro∣mise of relief and quickning.

If fallen by transgression, Jam. 5. 17. yet there is others of the Lords own in the same case.

If thou seest thy duty, and want strength to do it, here is help and strength for thee, Job 17. 9. Psalm 84. 7. Isa. 45. 24. and 40. 29, 30. Jer. 17. 8. Psal. 1. 2, 3. Psal. 92. 13, 14. Isa. 61. 9.

In Christ thou hast perfectly obeyed the Law, perfectly suffered and satisfied for all thy sins to the justice of God; so that in Christ, thou art perfectly just and righteous, and thereupon it is said, Col. 3. 3. Ephes. 2. 6. that our life is hid with Christ in God, and we are raised up with Christ, and made

to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; though in thy self there is a body of lust, and corrup∣tion, and sin, and there is a law revealing sin, accu∣sing and condemning, but if we live by faith in Christ, and in the apprehension of his love, believing in the life, righteousness, obedience, satisfaction, and glory of him whom the Spirit cals ours. Christ is ours, we are Christs, and Christ is Gods: he then lives out of the power of all condemnation, Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness; and thus a believer is blessed only in a righteousness without, not within, and all his assurance, confidence and comforts to flow into him through a channel of faith, and not of works, believing himself happy for what another, even Christ hath done for him, not for what he hath done, nor can do for himself: for when we are at the best, we are but vanity, Psal. 39. 5. and unprofitable servants, Luke 17. 10.

Now this believing in God is attended with these five blessed things.

1. It is the highest piece of obedience to God, Rom. 16. 26. It is called the obedience of Faith.

2. It doth put a new engagement upon God to make good his promise, upon which faith is ground∣ed, Psal. 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope, 1 Chron. 5. 20.

3. Consider also another priviledge is this, the greatest mercies that ever came into a soul, comes in a way of believing, Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, Rom. 5. 1. being justified by Faith, we have peace with God. &c.

4. By it we give the greatest honour to God, John 3. 33. He hath set to his seal that God is true,

but he that believeth not hath made him a lyar, 1 John 5. 10.

5. This is the way to have God take pleasure in us, Psal. 147. 11 The Lord taketh pleasure in those that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy, Psal. 33. 18. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. The joy of a believer would be alwaies unspeakable, did he al∣waies apprehend his happiness in and by Christ Jesus.

Faith in Christ supplies all wants, it honours God, as Heb. 11. the whole Chapter: and God honours those most that live by it: by it, saith the Scripture, the Elders obtained a good report; by faith we may live a life to God, of joy in him our righteousness, as if we had never sinned; by faith we live above sin, in∣firmities, temptations, desertions, sense, reason, fears and doubts: Faith sweetens the sweetest mercy, and the bitterest miseries, it renders great afflictions as none, it is the bulwark of the souls strength and comfort: by Faith we cheerfully, rea∣dily, and universally, and constantly obey God. In a measure it makes the the yoak of Christ easie and sweet, it states the soul in the possession of heaven, whilst the body remains on earth, as John 3. 36. By faith we view the glory of heaven, and know our selves to be happy, even then when to a carnal eye we seem most miserable. By faith we can cheerfully part with, and suffer deprivation of the sweetest outward com∣forts and enjoyments, and welcome them, know∣ing that we do but exchange the worst things, and place for a better; those that live up by faith, live upon God, and are refreshed in his house, which is

plentifully stored with all desirable dainties, having this welcome, eat O friends and drink abundantly: It is O believer thy portion, duty, and priviledge thus to do: O then, O then let us at once believe that God will be to us according to his gracious pro∣mise and Covenant, notwithstanding our daily omis∣sions and commissions, excuses and defects, according to that portion of Scripture, Psal. 89. from 30. to 37. If my children forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgements; If they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments, then will I visit their trans∣gressions with the Rod, and their iniquities with stripes: Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail, my Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, &c. He that lives by Faith in infirmities, may be thus characterized.

1. He will hear Christ and not the voice of a stran∣ger, John 10. 27. 5.

2. He is not offended at whatsoever Christ re∣quires, Mat. 11. 6.

3. The revealed will of God in the Scriptures is his Rule, and not the light within, nor the traditi∣ons of men; he walketh more by rule then example.

4. He will trust God, and relye upon his word, he eyeth the promise, and saith, surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength, Isa. 45. 24. Jude 3. Act. 20. 31, &c.

5. He will hold fast to, and earnestly contend for the truth, and Faith once delivered to the Saints.

6. His sin doth not sink him into despair; though he may have many doubtings, he will say in the mid •• of

all his imperfections, I have as much of the love of God, acceptation in Christ as the best Saint ever had; though I come short in the manifestation, my state is as happy as any of theirs, Heb. 3. 17. Although the Figtree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine, &c. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation, &c. What shall I say more? my body shall be raised. 1 Thes. 4. 16. And I shall have a spiritual body, 1 Cor. 15. 43, 44. I shall have a glorified body, Phil. 3. 21. The Sun in the firma∣ment is not so glorious as my body shall be, because the Sun is but a natural body: I shall have fulness of know∣ledge, Ephes. 3. 18. and fulness of joy and pleasure, Psal. 16. 11. No misery, hunger, cold or nakedness, pain, grief nor weariness shall attend me, but I shall rest without labour, 2 Thes. 1. 7. And I shall have in rest tranquility, and in tranquility contentment, in con∣tentment joy, in joy variety, in variety security, in se∣curity a glorious eternity, then shall I be like him, and see him as he is, 1 John 3. 1, 2. compared with 1 Cor. 13. 12.

To close up all that I shall speak of this grace of Faith, which is of so great concernment, give me leave to answer two considerable questions that do arise in the hearts of many.

1. What conditions or qualifications must or ought I to find in my felf before I believe or lay hold on a promise?

2. If to believe in God is of so great concernment, both to being, and well being, why do so few men and womens sons and daughters believe?

1. Quere is: What conditions and qualifications must, or ought a man to find in himself, before he

believeth or lay hold of the precious promises in the Scriptures of Truth.

Answ. I know no qualifications or conditions re∣quired of us, before we come, unless these be con∣ditions and qualifications; tob uy milk and wine with∣out mony and without price, and to take of the water of life freely, Isa. 55. 1, 2, 3. Rev. 22. 17. Isa. 43. 25. Isa. 45. 22. And this I say there will be found in all that do believe, without which they will not come to Christ: I do not say without which they should not come.

1. A sense of his lost condition, and great need of a Saviour; the whole need not a Physitian, saith our Lord Christ.

2. There will be poverty of Spirit, which doth spring or arise from these two things.

• First, that a soul hath a sense, that it hath nothing that good is in it self.
• Secondly that he can do nothing to procure good to himself.

3. There will be an inquiring after a remedy, &c. Sirs, what shall I do to be saved? Lord what wilt thou have me to do?

4. There will be a willingness to part with any thing for Christ, that stood in opposition to him, that so he may enjoy him.

5. There will be a resolution and purpose of heart to lead a new life, more holily, spiritually and hea∣venly, for time to come.

6. A resolution to wait upon God in his wayes, and to lie at the Pool of Bethesda. Now these and the like things are not required, as that without which we should not come to Christ, but these things

will be in him that doth come, without which he cometh not.

2. Quere: What is the reason why so few do believe in God, seeing the way is so opened, and cleared, and the stumbling blocks removed?

Answ. 1. Ground or reason, why believing on the Son of God is so hard, is because every thing in man doth fight against it: hence it doth come to pass, that believing doth require the greatest piece of self-denyal in them: for a man to break the Law, and yet to be freed from the curse of the Law, this reason cannot comprehend.

2. Ground why so few believe, is, either because they think they do believe already, and yet do not; or else they would believe, but say they cannot: First they think they do believe, and yet do not, and these are of three sorts; First, ignorant persons: now ignorance and unbelief, they alwayes go toge∣gether; we read of Paul that did things before he was converted, in ignorance and unbelief. Jer. 4. 22. My people are foolish, they know not me, to do good they have no knowledge. Secondly, those that boast and glory in their own righteousness, these have no faith in Jesus Christ and his righteousness. The third sort of people that do think they do believe and do not, are prophane persons, and these be of two sorts, men of prophane spirits, and men of prophane lives, pro∣phane practices.

3. Ground or reason why so few believe, is, because it is the great design of Satan either to hin∣der or overthrow our Faith; because believing doth give the greatest glory to God, and brings in the greatest good to us. First, it doth give the greatest

glory to God of any work in the world, it doth give glory to his truth and faithfulness, and power, and mindfulness. So it doth give glory to Jesus Christ, to his name, power and God-head, Of∣fices and attributes; by doubting we dishonour him, frustrate the grace of God, make the death of Christ of none effect.

4. Reason why believing is so hard a work, is, be∣cause of the multitude of false Doctrines that there are in the world, that a man scarce knows who to hear, or whom to believe, &c.