God the father mooued by nothing but his free loue to mankinde lost hath made a deed of gift and grant of his Sonne Christ Iesus vnto mankinde that whosoeuer of all mankinde shall receiue this gift by a true and liuely faith hee shall not perish but haue euerlasting life which the same Apostle expresly saith 1. Ioh. 5. 11. This is the record that God hath giuen to vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne meaning that this it is which God hath witnessed for vs to beleeue which hee that doth not makes God a lyar and shall most iustly be condemned therefore this then is the first thing in true faith to be considered that euery soule to whom God sendeth this message of the Gospell doe truely beleeue and giue credit vnto it to bee true that God hath made grant of Christ to sinners so that if he accept this grant he shall bee saued This is that faith which in schooles is called historicall because it goeth no further then to giue assent and credit to the story of that which God speaketh to be true which one may beleeue for another and therefore this cannot be true iustifying faith and this may be in those that knowe they are bidden to the wedding yet refuse to come So that though this bee necessary to true iustifying faith yet it is not sufficient therfore in iustifying faith there is required another and more speciall work namely to receiue Christ and life in him offered in the Gospell which was the second generall point to bee considered in the nature of this iustifying faith Namely that beside the assent of the mind and iudgment to the truth of the Gospell The second speciall worke of faith is to receiue Christ offered vs in the Gospell wee giue consent with our heart and will and so willingly and gladly accept Gods gift of Christ whereby indeede he is become ours and we his and so we in him be made partakers of all things pertaining to life and godlinesse 2. Pet. 1. 3. as the Apostle Peter speaketh where I would haue this specially to be marked that hee saith this is by the knowledge or acknowledging of him which I vnderstand to be by true faith whereby we know and acknowledge Christ to be ours This I the rather obserue for that I see some honestly minded herein beguiled to imagine that a man may be a true member of Christ and so be iustified before he thus actually beleeue and thereby apprehend Christ I deny not but that some weake in faith may feare that they do not beleeue and that they haue not apprehended Christ when in deede they haue apprehended him though they feele it not who may be discerned partly by their heauinesse for want of sense of faith but especially by their loue they beare to God shewed manifold waies whereof we shall here more in the triall of faith But that he who neuer apprehended Christ by beleeuing should ordinarily bee a member of Christ I cannot see sure I am the Scripture constantly speaketh otherwise as Iohn 12. As many as receiued him Gal. 3 26. to them hee gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Gal. 2. 20. And to like effect often that we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus That wee liue by faith of the Sonne of God That Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. In which and the like many it is euident that faith is the Instrument whereby wee receiue Christ our righteousnes and life And this is the constant opinion of all found Diuines so farre as I know Thus then we see that the very nature of faith consisteth in the true acceptation of Christ proclaimed in the Gospell How faith is gotten Now followeth to be considered how this faith is to be obtained and increased that so we may liue by it wherein wee haue these two points to be obserued 1. First 2. point what is the ground of faith 1. 2. Secondly 2. how faithis hereon builded But before this blocke at which so many stumble is to be remooued That wee yet speake not how a man that hath faith may know it to bee so whereof more in his place but how one that indeede hath not apprehended Christ by faith may attaine vnto it So that here onely we seeke the causes which beget this faith not the effects of faith which only prooue we haue it Many not discerning this difference doe much mistake Causes and effects of faith differing and being asked what caused them to beleeue they say because they haue truely repented and changed their course of life which if it proceede not from faith is not so much as a sound proofe of faith much lesse can it bee any cause to drawe them to beleeue By which mistaking it comes to passe that such persons building their faith vpon their life which is subiect to many changes can neuer haue sound and stedfast faith but a staggering vnconstant opiniō at the best We haue neede therefore to looke for a more sure ground whereon to build our faith which must stand against so many and mighty stormes wherewith it is so vsually assaulted The onely firme ground of this sauing faith is Gods truth reuealed in his word The onely ground of faith is Gods truth Reason why as is plainely taught Rom. 10. 17. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And so likewise it is saide of the Ephesians 1. 13. That they by hearing the word of truth the Gospell of saluation beleeued which is as manifest to reason in that there is not any thing in heauen or in earth which can testifie to vs such good will in God to saue vs but wee must haue Gods owne word to witnesse this vnto vs and all little enough It is a matter so incredible that the holy and iust God who cannot abide any iniquity Heb. 2. 2. but will certainely giue to euery sinne his due punishment yet of his owne free mercy hath giuen and granted to poore sinners eternall life Therefore hath the Lord so often and so euidently spoken no lesse that hee might thereby mooue vs to beleeue as 1. Ioh. 5. 11. expresly affirming This is that which is testified That God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne For our further confirmation wherein it is saide vers 7. that this is witnessed both by three witnesses in heauen The first the father the second the word that is the sonne of God the second person in Trinity the third the holy Ghost which three be one diuine nature and testifie the same things as also by three witnesses on earth all which be in euery true beleeuer and none els The first the spirit the second the water the third the blood which agree in one witnessing the same things wherby are meant By the first
of many moneths from morning to night euery day in the weeke to instruct in the first oracles of the word of God euery one vnder his charge sometimes one by one seuerally and other times many ioyntly together which he did with such successe as there were but few that were not able to giue a reason of their hope to bee saued and so were admitted to the Lords Table From which time euer after so long as hee continued there he had weekly meetings in his Church for all sorts distinctly on seuerall daies to catechise them in the Principles of Religion whereby I am perswaded he did more good then by preaching which yet was very powerfull and not in vaine For as his owne and his hearers labours in teaching and learning abounded so God gaue answerable fruits in obedience to the word For as the Lords day was very religiously obserued so the foule sins whereunto people vntaught are vsually giuen were there abandoned all contentions among neighbours so laid aside as most louingly they came to one anothers house And though there were many poore and none greatly rich yet did none of the poore begge abroad for food but were releeued at home Among other euidences of the power of Gods word among them I will record one a very remarkeable one and worthy to bee had in more frequent vse It was this In time of great dearth of corn and other food there was order taken by publike authority that euery family should forbeare one meale in the weeke and vpon the Lords day bring the value of it to the collectours for the poore This being faithfully performed by them all therewith they did prouide good corne which cost 8. or 9. shillings the bushell and solde it to the poore at 12. pence the pecke and yet reserueda good stock to set the poore on worke These and many other good works were done vnder his ministery who was ready on all occasions to presse the doctrine of faith so as the preaching of faith hindereth not the performance of good works This Treatise will giue euident proofe thereof Well vse his paines and thou shait not lose thy paines WILLIAM GOVGE A TREATISE of Faith WHEREIN IS declared how a man may liue by faith and finde reliefe in all his necessities IT is a matter much to bee lamented Few attaine the end of the Gospel that in this cleere light of the Gospell so fewe attaine to the right end of the Gospell which is to liue by faith as wee shall see by and by further laide open to such as will consider For to say nothing of all vnregenerate men who neuer felt any worke of Faith for their true conuersion and therefore could neuer finde any sound comfort of their saluation The matter that I complaine of is this that many of Gods children who haue some true faith and hope to bee saued by Christ as they professe and others in charitie are so to conceiue of them doe not inioy that sweet life and blessed estate in this world which God their Father hath prouided for them and they full well might attaine were not the fault in themselues The truth hereof may appeare in these two things especially First that so few doe hold fast that ioy in the holy Ghost which might comfort them ouer all the discouragements of this life either in forgoing the sweet delights of this world or in patient bearing the manifold troubles of this life which vsually are their portion Secondly that so few doe cast out such a sweet sauour of holy conuersation Hose 14 8. as might make those that dwell vnder their shadowe as the Prophet speaketh to giue a sent like the wine of Lebanon Or to speake more plainely they be not many euen of those who take vpon them the Christians profession who haue gotten that certainty of their saluation constancy in holy conuersatiō which might abundantly comfort themselues and moue others to desire labour to be lik them To proue these to be so is not hard the life and practise of the most of our professors daily witnessing the truth hereof The consideration of these hath oft and long moued mee to seeke how this great euill might be redressed and to make known by Gods word how all Gods children may enioy this large allowance of their Father to liue comfortably to die happily so farre as in this vale of miserie may be attained whatsoeuer shall be said or done to the contrary by any aduersarie notwithstanding This seemeth vnto me Remedie to bee notably set out vnto vs in that one sentence Hab. 2. 3. The iust shall liue by Faith Rom. 1. 17. which for the excellencie thereof is often repeated Gal. 3. 11. both in the old and new Testament Heb. 10. 38 and confirmed by the examples of Gods worthy seruants in all ages as is plentifully to be seene Hebrews 11. The true meaning whereof is this that the man who is now accounted iust and righteous before God being iustified and sanctified by Christ as he first was made aliue by the holy Ghost through Faith receiuing Christ so likewise by the same faith he is to receiue in and from Christ the continuance of this life both in all comfort that he shall receiue all needfull blessings and in all good conscience to yeeld vnto God all required obedience Wherein are laid downe two maine pillers of our holy profession One Two main pillers of our profession that all grace which wee want is alone in Christ and from him to be receiued by vs that it may be ours The other that all this grace which is in Christ for vs is made ours onely by faith whereupon followes this our principall conclusion in this Treatise intended that the onely way to attaine to all comfort in Gods fauour and conscience to liue a godly life by which alone our life and death be happie is to get keepe and increase this precious gift of Faith whereby alone we receiue Christ 2 Pet. 1. 3. and in him all things pertaining to life and godlinesse Now to come to a more full opening and so to a more plentifull vse of these so heauenly matters specially for such as most need helpe herein this must bee laid as the foundation of all this building That man beeing created of God perfectly holy and happy and hauing by his disobedience vtterly lost both and cast himselfe and all his posteritie into the contrary miserie of sinne and damnation so that neither hee himselfe nor any other creature was able to deliuer him out of this miserie and restore him to his former happinesse It pleased the diuine Maiesty to ordaine that the second person in Trinitie the onely begotten Sonne of the Father should assume and take to his diuine nature the nature of Man that so hee might become a meet Mediatour betweene God and Man to which end the diuine Nature sanctified the humane nature which he
to beleeue and for an example to set before them Gods dealing with the Ephesians of whom the Apostle saith Eph. 2. 3. That when they were dead in trespasses and sinnes which is as bad as may bee yet hee heapes more of their wofull condition verse 2. 11. 12. yet these were quickned in Christ so likewise the Colossians Col. 1. 21. being before their conuersion strangers and enemies because their mindes were set on euill workes were reconciled to God c. And to say the truth so is it with all that bee conuerted as Paul testifieth of himselfe and all other beleeuers before their effectuall calling that they had their conuersation in times past in the lusts of their flesh in fulfilling the will of the flesh of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others All which if a poore sinner shall consider that others in as bad a state as he and many farre worse were receiued to mercy and that God doth in mercy as freely offer it to him as them and is as faithfull as euer to performe what he saith this doubtlesse will in time moue him to expect like mercy at Gods hands if hee shall with patience waite the Lords leisure and neuer giue ouer earnest supplication to God to draw him and daily meditation on Gods mercy Thus will I leaue this point hauing said more then I purposed Peace only I desire to be considered that vnder this reconciliation I containe that peace which Christ makes betweene God and vs whereof Rom. 5. 1. Eph. 2. 17. and elsewhere oft that it may bee referred to this head Now we come to the second fruite of our Iustification which is Adoption Adoption whereby I vnderstand that high fauour of God whereby hee maketh those who be iustified by Christ and so reconciled his owne children and heires of all his blessings If Dauid thought it no small preferment to bee sonne in Law to King Saul 1 Sam. 18. 23. what may bee thought of this And therefore the Apostle Iohn calleth all to an admiration of that vnspeakeable loue of God in calling vs to be the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3. 1. Wherein we haue to consider not only the excellencie of this estate but the certainetie of it without which we could haue no comfort by it This certaintie appeares as in this that God hath called all true beleeuers to be his sonnes so further in the next verse where he saith Dearely beloued now are we the sonnes of God though as he saith is appeares not what wee shall bee To this purpose well serueth that gracious promise which the Apostle citeth out of the Prophet Hosea And it shall be in the place where it was said vnto them Rom. 9. 26. yee are not my people that there they shall bee called the children of the liuing God So likewise when the Lord promiseth to such as shall separate themselues from the wicked And I will bee a Father vnto you 2 Cor. 6. 18. and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie Reu. 21. 7. Againe Hee that ouercommeth shall inherit all things And I will be his God and hee shall be my sonne these promises must be the cause of our faith and our faith the cause of our obedience as hath beene said And therefore it is said Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 26. And yet much more to our present purpose is that excellent Scripture Gal. 4. 4 5 6 7. which containes much for the strengthening of our faith in this whole point of the assurance of our saluation therfore I rehearse it all But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the Law that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Wherein to passe ouer all the rest this is euident that a maine end why God sent his Sonne to redeeme vs miserable sinners who are by nature vnder the curse of the Law was this that wee might by this redemption by Christ bee made Gods children and as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 17. If children then also heires euen the heires of God and coheires with Christ as it followeth in the former Scripture Gal. 4. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a seruant but a sonne now if thou bee a son thou art also an heire of God through Christ If this be so as the deuill himselfe cannot denie who can sufficiently admire and magnifie the bountifulnesse and loue of God to man Vse by so great a price to purchase so high a dignitie Tit. 3. 4. as the Apostle John calls it that wee should be the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. 12. and partakers with Christ of all his glory in his Fathers kingdome But me thinkes I heare some one say It is true this is a most blessed estate if a man might bee assured it were his owne but seeing the Scripture oft witnesseth that they be but few who attaine this fauour Obiection how may I who am so vnworthy so full of sinne and voide of grace euer hope to bee a partaker hereof This beeing so great an obiection and so common whereby many be kept from beleeuing it is meete to be well answered It hath two partes first that so fewe come to bee Gods children to which I answer first the fault hereof is not in God who as oft hath beene said hath so largly proclaimed life in the Gospel to euery sinner Again if there were an almes of great value cast among many which a few onely could enioy what scrambling is there who could get it A memorable story of late yeares I will relate to be a witnes against all such wicked seruants Mat. 25. 26 and slothfull as our Sauiour calls them who hearing that a few shall bee saued will let others striue for it and be content to goe without it themselues which is indeede and so the Lord will count it a flatte despising of his mercy offered vnto them A rich woman gaue at her death a dole of sixe pence to the poore that came to Leaden Hall in London for which there was such striuing that many were troden to death how shall these rise in iudgement against our dainty idle ambitious couetous and voluptuous worldlings who euery one in their kinde striue extreamely for their desires but take no paines to be saued But to leaue these and to come to the second part of the obiection which concerns a better sort and farre neerer saluation who be kepr backe by their vnworthinesse whom as I much pitty for their vncomfortablenesse so can I no lesse blame for their ignorance that after so long preaching of the Gospell wherein all the mercies of God be
of that excellent sentence 1 Cor. 2. 9. 8. 3. Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him And to like effect But if any man loue God the same is knowne of him In all which and the like many our loue of God is made a certaine proofe that we be in Gods fauour and heires of his kingdome Our loue to Christ so likewise is our loue to Christ Ioh. 14. 21. 23. as he himselfe professeth And he that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father where our loue of Christ is not the cause but the effect of Gods loue to vs as followeth a little after If any man loue me hee will keepe my words and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and make our abode with him In like sort our loue we beare one to another as brethren and members of the body of Christ Loue of our brethren is made an infallible marke that we belong to Christ as he said to his Disciples Iohn 13. 35. By this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if you loue one another And for further proofe hereof we need goe no further then to the first Epistle of John in which this brotherly loue is oft set downe as a sure euidence that we are in a blessed estate 1. Iohn 2. 10. Hee that loueth his brother abideth in the light chap. 3. 14. and there is no occasion of stumbling in him Againe we know that wee are passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren And in another place 4. Vers 12. If wee loue one another God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfected in vs. And a little before in the same chapter Vers 7. Beloued let vs loue one another for loue is of God and euery one that loueth is borne of God And againe verse 17. Herein is our loue made perfect that we haue boldnesse in the day of Iudgement Yea more our Sauiour teacheth Loue of our enemies that the loue of our enemies is a good proofe that we are the children of God as both the Euangelist Mathew and Luke report Matth. 5. 44 45. The places be knowne Luk. 6. 35. From all which wee see how any who calleth in question Vse whether hee hath true faith and be in the state of grace may by this grace of loue assure himselfe that he hath true faith and so shall bee saued Onely we must take heed wee deceaue not our selues with a vaine carnall loue Take heed of deceit as many doe which shall appeare by these two especially whether our loue come from Faith and secondly breed true obedience which if it doe it is sound and a sure warrant of sauing grace otherwise if either of these bee wanting then our loue at best is but naturall which can be no proofe of true happinesse For further manifestation hereof that our loue is sound and so our faith and safety we need no other arguments then to see what bee the fruites that grow from hence For the Scriptures in sundrie places make loue the root of all fruites of a godly life Rome 13. 10 calling it the fulfilling of the Law Col. 3. 14. and the bond of perfectnesse So that if our loue be fruitfull in holinesse to God and in righteousnesse to men it will manifestly declare that wee bee the true children of God Herein may well come in the first place 2. Feare of God the feare of God which if it come not from loue and be not tempered therewith is but a seruile feare and not that holy feare which is made such a marke of Gods children that it is vsually made a surname to them all to be such as feare God As Psal 112. 1. 115. 13. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and greatly delighteth in his Commandements Hee will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great And the like many That which wee are here chiefly to regard is what high commendations are giuen to this fruite of Faith the feare of God whereby he that feeles this grace may know he is truly conuerted and shall bee saued This is to bee seene in all those Scriptures where they that feare the Lord be pronounced blessed as in the last forenamed places and so Psal 128. 1. 4. meaning hee that feares the Lord is and shall be euery way blessed To the same purpose be those Scriptures which set out the greatnesse and perpetuity of Gods mercy to those that feare him Psal 103. 11. 17. and Luk. 1. 50. the places bee knowne Such is that Psal 31. 19 O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid vp for them that feare thee The like Eccl. 8. 12 It would bee long to cite all of this kinde These bee some that such as feare God are accepted of him Act. 13. 26 That God will teach the man that feareth him in the way that he shall choose Psal 25. 12 347 10 and more in the same Psalme to the like effect The Angell of the Lord encampeth about them they shall not want any good thing Psal 145. 19. 147. 12. The Lord will fulfill their desire bee taketh pleasure in them Mal. 4. 2. And to end this The Sunne of righteousnesse shall rise vp to these and the reward of eternall life shall be giuen them Reu. 11. 18. If this bee not sufficient I know not what may be to perswade any man who findeth this true feare of God in his heart that he is and shall be blessed for euer It behoueth therefore all that would haue this comfort to make sure to themselues that God hath put this holy feare into their hearts and so may they rest assured of Gods loue Thus would I leaue this point but I feare some tender consciences will aske how may I know that I haue this holy feare in me whom I might send to that briefe note of difference that I gaue a little before which in my opinion is the best difference between the good feare and the bad namely the holy and childe-like feare comes from the loue of God the other at the best from selfe-loue which may goe farre yet can it neuer come neere the holy feare as not in the roote of Faith and Loue so neither in the fruit of syncere obedience which the Holy Ghost makes the fruite of the feare of God Eccles 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his Commandements He then that feeles Gods rich mercie vnto him in calling him out of his miserable estate to some hope of saluation by Christ to breed in him a loue to God for the same and that loue to make him afraid to displease and offend so gracious a Father and shall finde this feare mouing him to shun what God dislikes though neuer so pleasing to his corrupt
nature and to make him willing to doe Gods will though against his corrupt will this man need not doubt but that he hath the true feare of God which is so certaine a marke of Gods fauour and of euerlasting happinesse And this is the vse Gods children are to make hereof Vse Thus we see how the faithfull may by these two particular fruites of their faith loue and feare bee confirmed in the assurance of their saluation by Christ The same may be shewed in all the rest which the Scripture makes to be so many testimonies of sauing grace and happinesse to those that haue them As Blessed are the poore in spirit Mat. 5. 3. 10. they that mourne the humble meeke such as hunger after righteousnesse mercifull pure in heart peace-makers persecuted for righteousnesse sake All which are in this place gathered together by our Sauiour Christ to crosse the corrupt opinion of the world and to shew that they whom the world account aboue all men most miserable are indeed truly and onely happy The like hee doth in other places Mat. 16 28 19. 29. where hee maketh the denying of our selues Mar. 10. 30. taking vp the Crosse and following him forsaking all for him and for the Gospell to bee sure tokens to bee his who shall haue an hundred-fold in this world Luk. 9. and in the world to come life euerlasting To end this whole matter of assurance of saluation and to passe ouer many other fruites of Faith which doe proue the same as the confession of sinne mortification thereof ouercomming and Perseuerance All which bee oft made certaine proofes of happinesse This is the maine vse which is to bee made of all these Vse as hath oft been said that when as it oft falleth out with Gods children especially such as haue weake faith and tender consciences that they beholding their pronenesse to sinne and deadnesse of spirit to all holy duties doe fall into great feares and doubts of their saluation this may be some staie vnto them that they may see some of these fruites of their faith in them euen when they be at the lowest ebbe of grace by which they may comfort themselues that though they bee very sicke and weake yet they be not starke dead For whose sakes I will adde this obseruation by mine owne experience wherewith I haue quieted the mindes of many much perplexed in this case Markes of faith which is not seene for that they could not see they had any faith that there is a true liuing faith in many who haue no feeling thereof I haue obserued these foure vnfallible proofes 1. Vnquiet for want of faith First where Faith is and not felt the partie in whom it is cannot see that he hath any Faith is grieued for want of Faith and cannot bee quiet for want of it but mourneth as if hee had none which for the most part is the state of those that bee truely afflicted in conscience who faine would beleeue but yet in their owne sense doe not And yet in my experience I neuer knew any such who had any knowledge of the doctrine of Faith but indeed they had some Faith though they saw it not 2. Spare no meanes to get foitfi This will more appeare by the next effect of this insensible faith which is this that they who haue Faith and yet feele it not be very painefull in vse of all good meanes both publike and priuate by themselues and with oothers wherby they might hope to get this pretious gift of Faith which hardly would any doe if hee had not some taste of the sweetnesse of Faith though hee feele it not which so stirres vp his heart to seeke after it and therefore I hold this constant seeking of Faith to be a token of some to be in him alreadie A third and more principall effect of Faith in these 3. Carrie a good heart to God is this that though they see not Gods Fatherly loue to them yet they cannot thinke hardly of God but lay all the fault on themselues why they haue no more grace yea they will commend Gods mercie to others and cannot endure any dishonour to God which great loue of theirs to God doth shew they are loued of him yea that they haue by Faith apprehended it though they see it not and feare they haue it not The fourth proofe of Faith 4. A good conscience where it is not seene may be this that such haue a tender conscience shunning small sinnes which others dare boldly doe and bee carefull to please God in euery thing which many who be not so disquieted be more carelesse of So then if there bee any poore soules who cannot see their faith yet if they can see any of these effects of Faith in themselues let them know for a truth and to their comfort that they haue true Faith shall be saued And thus haue I said what I thinke meet for this first point how we may daily get more assurance that we be now in Gods fauour and shall want no good thing in this life and shall certainly in the end come to life euerlasting Which I againe doe exhort euery one who lookes for any blessing from God either in this life or that to come aboue all to labour for seeing without this assurance that wee be in Gods fauour how can wee looke for any blessing from God earthly or spirituall temporall or eternall whereas being assured hereof we may boldly looke for all other blessings needfull for our present comfort and eternall happinesse Concerning all which seeing the Lord who did well know the frailtie of his owne children All other blessings depend on this how readie they are vpon euery occasion to doubt of his helpe hath so plentifully recorded in the Scriptures both generally what a fatherly care hee hath of their welfare and also more specially what helpe they may look for from him in their particular necessities I doe not doubt but it will bee worth our labour to consider of them both and all little enough to comfort vs in our greatest need And first of the generall which containe vnder them all good things which God hath prepared and promised to all his children Of this sort may that come first which is the ground of all the rest namely that God will bee our God and of our seed after vs as hee said to Abraham the Father of the faithfull Gen. 17. 7. and so belongeth to all beleeuers as the Apostle shewes Rom. 4. 11. 16. which selfe same promise was after repeated to Abrahams posterity in al ages to be a staffe of comfort to them at all times therefore is it oft said That God is the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob Likewise God said to the people of Israel And I will take you to me to bee a people and I will be to you a God And most notable is that