59 8. Imbecillity of judgement 64 Which 1. wants the strength of truth because it wants the apprehension of it 66 2. Is easily over-mastered with error ibid. 9. Ignorance of the doctrine of Justification 70 10. Disputation against the Promises 81 Three arguments confirming that to promote Doubtings 11. Suspension of divine favour 89 Foure Grounds for doubting in this 12. Crediting of Satans testimony 94 13. New risings of old sins 98 Now we question 1. Reality of pardon 99 2. Sincerity of repentance 100 14. Silence in conscience 102 Foure occasions to doubt by reason thereof 105. to 107 CAP. V. The cures of doubtings 109 1. Mortification a cure of inherent corruption 110 What kind of mortifying doth it 118 Specially of unbeliefe 121 Three deirections for that 124 2. Faith is to be perfected 125 Some rules for that 3. Keep down the life of sense 137 Some directions concerning this 138 4. Scope is to be given unto faith 146 Three considerations about this 147 5. What to doe concerning speciall sins after conversion 160 Three directions with encouragements if followed 6. The case of indisposition 177 The differences twixt a dull heart and a dead heart 178 All indisposition is not fundamentall 182 The bent of the heart may be right notwithstanding dulnesses 186 And a way of acceptance 190 7. Considerations and directions about supposed succeslesnesse in duties 194 8. Knowledge 1. Distinct 2. Distinguishing necessary 210 Derived conjectures are to be reduced to the prime truths 215 Foure things of which a weake Christian should be more fully informed 1. Of preparations to grace 222 2. Of the operations of grace 227 3. Of the degrees of grace 231 4. Of the fruits of grace 235 9. Concerning Justification Five singular comforts concerning pardon of sins in it 239 Other supports from the imputation of Christs righteousnesse 262 10. Two kinds of dispute against the Promises 269 Five helps about this 270 11. Search the causes of the suspension of Gods favour 286 The wayes of regaining Gods favour 290 Quest How a Christian may support himselfe in the interim 302 12. Satans testimony of our estates is illegall and not to be admitted 306 13. Severall times 312. and causes 316. and ends of reviving of old sins 320 Quest How to know whether is be Satans work or no. 333 14. How a silent conscience may be made to speak 343 How to support our selves under the silence of conscience 344 In the Additionall part 346 1. Ob. Sense of sinfull workings Sol. Five considerations about them 347. c. 2. Ob. Sense of wrath 353 Sol. Severall kinds of it 355 The way to cure it 358 3. Ob. A condemning conscience 359 Sol. Difference betwixt condemnation of the sinne and of the person 359 4. Ob. A fear of the sin against the holy Ghost 363 Sol. What that sin is not 364 What the ingredients of is are 367 A TREATISE OF DOVBTINGS FROM MATTH 14. 31. O thou of little faith Wherefore didst thou doubt THese words containe in them the summe of a Christian in this life which is this That he is truly but yet weakly good Christ here seeth in Peter though a Disciple a defective faith and then a defect of faith Faith he saw in him yet it was defective It was little faith There was truth but there was not such actuall strength in it as might or should be And besides this he espies in him a defect of faith not for the habit of it but for the act of it Wherefore didst thou doubt Which words are a conviction that he did doubt and likewise a correction Wherefore Wherefore didst thou doubt q. d. Thou didst doubt but thou didst ill so to doubt There are many excellent points which might be observed from the Text I will name some and insist onely on one of them Thus then 1. A true Beleever may be but a weak Beleever Thou of little faith 2. Christ takes notice even of a weak Beleever O thou of little faith 3. Though Christ likes beleeving yet he dislikes doubting Wherefore didst thou doubt 4. A person may be truly â—eleeving who neverthelesse is â—ometimes doubting In the â—â—me person here you see a comâ—endation of the one and a â—ondemnation of the other â—hich suppose necessarily a preâ—ence of both This being the Subject on which I purpose to treat for the â—enefit of weak Christians I â—hall declare five things concerâ—ing it Namely 1. The nature of Doubtings 2. The kinds and diversities of them 3. Their possible consistence with true faith 4. Their grounds springs and occasions 5. Their cures and remedies CAP. I. The nature of Doubtings TO understand this you Four qualities in the soule Joh. 12. 48 Heb. 12. 25 must know that in the worst part of the soul there are severall qualities viz. 1. Infidelity which strictly and amongst those which professe the Gospel is a positive rejecting of heavenly truths with their secret goodnesse herein men forsake their owne mercies by plain dissents and sleightings of the good word of grace as is evident in the Pharisees Luk. 7. 30. who rejected the counsell of God c. 2. Despaire which is a manifest dissent not so much in respect of the thing or object for this is assented unto as true in respect of it selfe viz. That God is mercifull and Christ did die for sinners but in respect of the person or subject wherein the soule gives up it self as lost as without the compasse and As Jer. 2. 25. There is no hope no. hopefulnesse of the divine proclamation It is perswaded that there is no possibility for it to recover the shore and therefore sinks in the depths My meaning is That such a soule Esa 38. 18 They that goe down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth This holds not onely in the pit of the grave but also in the pit of despaire though it sees that in God and that in Christ which can save and doth save others yet cuts off it self as not at all capable of any interest in the mercie of God or bloud of Christ and so eternally falls under its owne weight as is evident in Judas and Cain Now Despaire so farre as it makes assent unto Truths it is opposed unto Infidelity and so farre as it dissents from speciall goodnesse in them it is opposed to Faith and so farre as it concludes impossibility of that good unto it selfe it is opposed to Hope 3. Fearfull opinions which are positive assents unto Truths yet raised upon such probable inducements onely that the soule is left with a suspition that the contrary may be true They are like a man upon a Simile weak plank in a great river there he sits and there he fears because he knows not certainly how long he shall sit there 4. Doubtings which are the suspensions or inhibitions the holdings up of the soule from any determinate inclinations one way or other they are the pawsings of the mind
is a glorious and singular Note We know not what a promise will doe till we lay hold way to beleeve so long untill we come downe to feeling But to begin with feeling and so rise to beleeving is a delusion both dangerous and impossible for thou canst never truely feele unlesse thou dost first beleeve Canst thou truly warme thy heart with that divine favour which faith did not let in The fourth cause of doubtings A fourth cause of doubtings is when we deny Faith its We give not faith its perfect work and full scope to all objects and all occasions matter and grounds to work How is that It is when we guide the whole businesse below and not above I will give you some instances 1. You know that the condition of Grace is exposed to many short allowances in externalls Foure instances and the condition of sinfull men is capable of large Prosperity of evill men and adversities of good prosperity in worldly things A good man may have many wants and an evill man may have in this life his good things as Abraham speaks of Dives Now when a person looks upon the bulke upon the outward part upon the shell upon the rinde of things and sees plenty with evill men and poverty with good men honour shining there and contempt clouding here fulnesse for them and leannesse for these pleasures and liberties attending them and sorrowes and restraints befalling these when I say he looks on this and no higher then this it is possible that suspitions and doubtings may start up it is possible that the soul may sink downe somewhat at it See an evidence in Asaph Psal 73. 2. Psal 73. 2. My feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt 3. When I saw the prosperity of the wicked 12. These are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocency 14. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning Observe here his distrusts and doubts As if his gracious course did no way benefit him or as if he had served God for nought And thus he goes on whiles he bends his thoughts downward whiles he keeps in his faith whiles he denyed it matter to work upon but ver 17. But 17. there he gives scope for faith to worke and then he is free againe and well againe Vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end 2. In case of the sinfull condition Whiles we look on it and deny Faith its matter also to work upon we shal be ful of doubtings Let a man look only Sinfull condition upō his sins upon the nature of them the aggravations of them what will come of it 1. Strong humiliations and those are good 2. Doubtings and despaires and those are bad The single considerations of sin are the matter onely of our feare they are a grievous burden David was not able Psal 38. 4. to stand under it My sins are too heavy a burden for me to bear Psal 38. 4. For what hope is there in Nothing in a sinner to uphold a sinner our selves What is in a sinner to uphold a sinner No burden is an ease to it selfe Let people behold their sinnes and not use their faith they cannot but doubt for now sinne appears in all the motives and causes of feare and now God appeares not in the nature of a friend but with the countenance of an enemy and of a severe Judge and where now can the troubled soule anchor or fasten or ease it selfe God you know hath given unto Man two eares and two eyes if we make use of one onely our lives wil often hang in doubt and suspence If wee have not an eare * Psa 81. 8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak c. to heare what God saith to an humbled sinner as well as an eare to heare what Conscience will say unto a sinner If we have not an eye to look unto Christ as well as an eye to look unto our sins an eye to behold the brazen Serpent as well as an eye to behold the biting fiery Serpent we cannot then but doubt As we must give conscience Note its scope to work upon sin so we must give Faith its scope to work upon Christ else we shall neither be freed from our doubtings nor yet from our sinnes which cause those doubtings 3. In case of bodily distractions Bodily distractions and occurrences which put us into an exigence or strait if we look below onely if wee looke upon their strength and our strength onely it will now be with us as with David tired out and almost David spent by the huntings and pursuings of Saul * 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall surely one day fall by the hand of Saul or as with Peter who Peter looking upon the waves and not upon Christ began to sink and cryed Lord save mee Mat. 14. 30 or as with Jehoshaphat whiles he looked upon the great Armies Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. We know not what to doe Not long since we might have read this in our very faces Our selves when the Churches abroad A little before the K. of Sweden came into Germany were in great distresse wee looked on their dust and ashes their ruines and weaknesse we looked on man and gave up all for lost We did not look upon God and therefore our ship was full of water our hearts did faile us doubts and feares like a black cloud did overspread us Nay at * This was preached in the times of the great calamities of the Church in Germany this very time wee heare of an externally disproportionable strength that the enemies are more in number they are confederate they complot they intend a great designe and now I find the fears the doubts wagging and assuredly whiles we look downward onely and not upward whiles wee lay events issues upon the creature Whiles our eyes are down our fears will up whiles we give faith no scope to look up and work upon that God who can save by a few as well as by many wee shall never be freed from doubtings The very same is true in our personall occurrences as long as we look on the things onely which we meet withall and oppose our own strength unto them it will be with us as an Simile house without pillars tottering with every blast or as with a ship without an anchor tossed with every wave For every crosse is too hard for us though none can be too hard for God 4. So for temptations Temptations Here also our doubtings fly up because our faith flies not out O say we we are not able to beare to withstand to overcome the temptations are strong and many and daily Suppose so And what do we Verily we are soone
see here is ground of doubtings yet if a man could look out of himselfe and know that his righteousness is to be found in Christ and God hath appointed it so that I am to be justified by that righteousness onely now the soul may have a stay to rest on Yet my Saviours righteousnesse was perfect was accepted and he is mine and his righteousnesse is mine 3. Till we know the dispositions if I may so speak in God about our justifying we cannot but doubt for a man reasoneth thus I have committed great sins which now do grieve me and I hate them and I have left them but I know not how they may be pardoned those will now cause doubtings Untill wee know that God for Christ will justifie us frō great sins as well as small 1 Cor 6. 8 9. and that 1 Cor. 6. 8 9 10. he blots out the thick cloud as well as the cloud Esay 44. 22. Esa 44. 22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins and that there were expiatory sacrifices not onely for infirmities but also for enormities all which typified the vertue of the blood of Christ which justifies from great sins c. But I have nothing to move Ob. God to pardon them Yet pardoning is a gracious Sol. work God pardons sins not for thy sake but for his owne sake Esay 43. 25. I even I am Esa 43 25 he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and for his Christs sake Eph. 1. 7. In Eph. 1. 7. whom onely we have redemption even the forgivenesse of our sinnes But God will call me hereafter Ob. to account again though for a while he seems to be graciously pleased No the Lord in his new Covenant Sol. of Grace assures the contrary Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive Jer. 31. 34 their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more So that you manifestly see how the ignorance of our Justification leaves the soule in great doubtings because 1. A man knows not where to cast his burden 2. Where to find his righteousnesse 3. What is the vertue and fulnesse and love and graciousnesse the fidelity and irrevocablenesse of God in justifying a sinner by Christ 10. A tenth cause of doubtings A tenth cause of doubtings is disputation against the Promises You have heard heretofore that the ignorance of the Promises is an occasion of doubting and now I am to shew you that the arguing of the soule against them is also another cause But you will say Doth any Ob. man dare to dispute against Gods Promises I answer The Promises may Sol. The Promises considered two wayes be considered 1. In respect of their absolute truth and goodnesse thus they are not disputed against unlesse by Atheists and positive unbeleevers as were those scoffers 2 Pet. 3. 4. who said Where is the promise of his comming 2. In respect of their application and extent Thus many weak beleevers are subject to argue against them Not whether they be verity and mercy not whether righteousnesse and peace doe meet in them but whether these doe reach to them and may be applyed by them Nay that is not all they do ofttimes upon unjust grounds thrust away the Promises from themselves And now the soule must needs be hurried with feares and doubtings in case the condition be sensible because 1. The Promises are to faith Three reasons of it as ground unto the Anchor cast out an Anchor and if it hath not ground to fasten or Simile hitch in the Ship rowls still This is a truth If faith cannot pitch and fixe the soule cannot be quiet and setled David in one place useth the comparison of a bird that his soule did hye unto God as a bird unto her nest Whiles the bird is in Noabs dove foūd no rest for the sole of her foot the ayre it is hovering and flying and restlesse so is it with the soule untill faith can settle it under the wings of a Promise Nay againe the Promises are called the breasts of consolation When the child is hungry and distempered nothing quiets it but the breasts And assuredly if the Promises doe not still the soule nothing can Now when a man will rove from this ground of faith when he will fly from his rest when he refuseth the breasts of consolation no marvaile if his soule be full of doubts and feares For this is all one as if a lame man should throw away his crutches or a weak man his staffe or a sick man his cordials or a sinking man the bough which holds him up The goodnesse of the Lord promised to David was that Psa 27. 13 which did hold up all his faintings and so all Gods people have still been held and staffed up by Gods Word And therefore that person must needs be full of doubts who withdraws his shoulder from such a stay and rock upon which hee should leane and rest himselfe 2. This is but selfnesse which is ever accompanied with unquietnesse for why dost thou refuse to apply those Promises which God hath made Is it not because 1. Thou wouldst have more goodnesse first 2. Lesse unbeliefe first And is not this a self-seeking yea in some sort a self-standing What an odde and unseemly Note So thou hast promised to pardon sins c. method of worshiping of God is this Lord I have but weak grace and thou hast promised to strengthen it and perfect and finish it but I will not beleeve thy Promise belongs to me untill I have first a greater increase of my grace Or thus Lord I find much unevennesse in duty and thou hast promised to give thy Spirit which shall cause mee to walk in thy way but I will not beleeve this Promise untill I be first more enabled in duty Or thus Lord I find much sinfulnesse in me and thou hast promised to change cleanse the heart and to subdue iniquity but I will not beleeve this Promise untill first I see my sins subdued When I find my graces increased then I will beleeve that thou wilt increase them when I find my Whē thou hast done it then I will beleeve that thou wilt doe it obedience continued and my sinnes subdued then will I beleeve that thou wilt cause me to walk and wilt subdue sins q. d. If thou wilt performe thy Promise before I doe beleeve thy Promise then I will beleeve thy Promise This is as Simile if a man would see the blood in the veines before the veins are opened or wash his hands cleane before he hath turned the cock to let out the water 3. A man is still held by the powers of his corruption And where corruptions or wants are still found in their former measure there the tender soule will doubt and feare Let a man bestow himselfe much in hearing or much in praying or much in conferring yet if he have the
with all the fulnesse of God And ver 17. That Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith that so they might be able ver 18. to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height What the Prophet spake of Hos 4. 6. perishing we may say of fainting and doubting My people doubt for want of knowledge Did we know the nature of our Redeemer more how holy and compassionate and helpfull it is did we know the ofoffices of our Saviour how absolute they are in removing our guilt in conquering our corruptions in making way for us to the Father in speeding our suits and requests did wee know how fully hee stands for us he died for us he intercedes for us how willing he is yet to be more applyed by us and possessed of us we would beleeve more doubt lesse What the Psalmist speaks of God that same is true of Christ They that know Psal 9. 10. thy Name will put their trust in thee Yet take a Caution in thy studying of Christ study him as God reveales him otherwise thy doubts will stick upon thee If a man studyeth his Note sins in his own way in a naturall way he shall neither rightly see them nor yet be freed from them So if men study Christ their owne way if they will have him to be such a one as their fearfull hearts would make him to be and not such A mighty Saviour gracious a Saviour as God hath manifested him to be then not conceiving of Christ as he is they shall be and remaine still as they were 3. Be in the wayes of strength There are wayes in which God doth reveale his arme his arme is that which doth strengthen us and his arme is revealed in his Ordinances for God doth not call us nor change us nor strengthen us nor save us without meanes He who is too good for the Ordinances will ever be too weak in his faith A childe Note which cannot stand when it is borne may yet goe by the use of the breasts but that person who is weake and wants strength if he feeds not will abate more and ere long want life it selfe This is a truth A new Christian is sometimes full and a full Christian is alwayes weak for our spirituall Spirituall life like the naturall life is like unto our naturall life both of which are within us yet neither of them do rise but from something without us What the impotent person spake Joh. 5. 11. He that made Joh. 5. 11. me whole the same said unto me Take up thy bed and walk that we affirme of Gods Ordinances Those his meanes which made us good can make us better They made us live and they can make us walk They gave faith they brought the hand which did set the plant and they can enlarge faith they bring the showres which doe water that plant For 〈◊〉 they evidence Christ more and open and unfold the Promises which are the stayes of our faith more 2. They enervate or weaken God can answer that in one SermoÌ„ which hath troubled us more then one yeare and scatter the grounds of our feares and doubtings and exceedingly suppresse the reasonings and powers of unbeliefe 3. They cleare the understanding and so keep open the way for faith to God and Christ 4. They doe instill a secret and drawing vertue they doe excite and quicken and perswade Ergo. Fourthly let faith know its priviledges and then it will grow more strong Faith would do more if it did know all that it might doe Assuredly we should have more confidence did we know our royalties Beleevers are more to God then the most immediate servants are to a Prince All the Subjects of a Prince have some priviledges yet theirs are greatest who are in nearest service now none nearer to God then Beleevers See 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation apeculiar people Nay 2 Cor. 6. 18. Ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty and these have those priviledges which the servants have not They who descended from the blood of Abraham had more priviledges then others and have not they greater who come from the blood of Christ The Priests of the Law had singular exemptions and Kings of all men are most highly priviledged doe you think Beleevers come short who are not profane nor civill nor typicall Priests but royall Priests who are not Priests onely nor Kings onely but both Kings and Priests a royall Priesthood who are a holy nation a peculiar people i. a people of treasure such by whom onely God gets something O say many weak Beleevers Ob. The Lord doth not respect nor love us No Doth not God love Sol. those whom out of his meere love he hath chosen Doth not God respect the descent generation of Christ those who come of his blood They who come from Christ and are borne of God are surely beloved of God But the world all men discountenance Ob. us and regard us not Ye are Kings in Gods account Sol. ye have the royall oyntment even the Spirit of Grace the royall garment even the righteousnesse of Christ the royall attendance even the Angels of God ministring unto you You have a Kingdome which consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy Rom. 14. 17. Cannot this stir up faith We are oft times afraid to Ob. come before God we feare accesse Are ye not Beleevers And Sol. are not Beleevers the Priests of God And are not Priests priviledged by their calling to come before God The Priests might enter in when none else might And is not Jesus Christ the Altar upon which we tender all our sacrifices and services to God and is it not the Altar that sanctifies the gift Mat. 23. 19. The Apostle Mat. 23. 19 Gal 5. 1. Eph. 2. 13. saith Gal. 5. 1. that Christ hath gotten us a liberty and Eph. 2. 13. that we are made nigh by the blood of Christ and Heb. Heb. 10. 19 10. 19. that we may have boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus If therefore we did once throughly know what priviledges the first-borne have the sons of God have the generation of Christ have the Priests That 1. Gods 1. Love is ready 2. Eare open 2. Accesse made 3. Speciall Inteâ—cessions 4. Imperfections nothing 5. Grants certaine of God have the purchased by Christ have if we knew the grants of favour and free accesses and singular acceptances with God in and through Christ O how might we keep down our fears and our doubtings and singularly encourage our faith to run and with fullest eagernesse to embrace our God our Christ our Promises There be other meanes for the perfecting of faith as Experiences Observation c. which I have touched long since and our Divines are plentifull this way and therefore I spare 3. The third spring of
his old age that by faith he gave Rom 4. 20 glory to God But how came he so to doe The Text saith that He considered not his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred yeares old nor the ver 19. deadnesse of Sarahs wombe but he considered him who had promised and was perswaded that what he had promised hee ver 21. was able also to performe Why This is the right course to elicite or draw out our beleeving We must not consider our selves but we must consider him who promiseth Our reasons of beleeving must be found in him alone on whom we are to beleeve Therefore I beseech you to remember that the Promises of God are not onely objects of faith but they are also grounds of beleeving They doe not onely containe excellent good for us but likewise the motives to beleeve that good Besides the goodnesse in them which respectively answers our conditions and the presenting of that goodnesse unto us by way of gift there is all reason conjoyned with these to affect our hearts to lay hold on them namely 1. A graciousnesse that the Lord will freely and for his owne sake doe us all that good 2. A fidelity that the Lord who hath graciously promised will also faithfully performe And 3. sufficiencie of power in God to make good unto us whatsoever word of goodnesse is gone out of his lips So that from all these a Christian against all his doubtings may yet see ground to beleeve the Promises of God because 1. The Promises are the Declarations of God for good unto us 2. They are willing Declarations arising onely from the good will of our God 3. He dispenseth the good in them to sinners freely without any worthinesse or desert on their parts 4. There is not any good promised which God is not willing or able to make good Lastly let any person beleeve on them and he shall confesse that faithfull is that God who promised and that that God who hath promised cannot lye But now on the contrary If you look for grounds of beleeving in and from your selves it cannot be that ever your hearts should be free from doubtings If either you make your owne worthinesse the cause of beleeving you shall never come to beleeve This were not to receive good from God but to buy and purchase it and is absolutely against the nature of free promises as also against the disposition of true faith which empties us of our selves and seeth the cause of all our good to be only in him who is All-goodnesse Or if you think that you must first finde the good in your selves which ye are to fetch from the Promises you cannot then beleeve you must unavoidably doubt still because it is impossible for a sinner or a needy Christian ever to draw his helps out of himselfe or to prevent the promises of God As he cannot deserve any good from God promising so he cannot bring any good to Gods promises Ho Esa 55. 1. every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters saith the Prophet and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price If thou be a thirsty person here is all provision freely for thee 4. Another thing which I would commend also to doubting Christians in this case shall be this Take some solid paines to cleare your entrance into Covenant with God thereby you shall cleare your interest in all particular promises upon your occasions There is a gracious Covenant Jer. 31. 33 32. 38 Eze. 36. 28 Hos 2. 23. Heb. 8. 10. spoken of in the Scripture twixt God and his people He makes us to be his people and we take him to be our God And when that Covenant is passed twixt God and a person that there is a mutuall acceptation then the Lord estates this person into all the particular promises As when the woman and man enter into the covenant of mariage now all is setled on her and she hath title sufficient So when the Lord God and a sinner are married to each other when they are entred into a Covenant Thou art my God and none else my heart is thine my life shall be thine c. The Lord saith unto such a one And I am thine all my mercy is thine my Christ is thine my Promises thine If thou needest any good for soul or body all good is thine I assure thee O Christian if If this door were unlocked all the roomes would easily be seene this were once out of doubt that thou and God were entred into Covenant thou wouldst not so much doubt thy title or question thy right to apply any particular promise to any condition of exigence wherein thou lyest All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. 5. Lastly consider well whether there be nothing in a Christ which may not be able to over-argue thy disputes against thy applying of the Promises I remember that Luther in his Commentary on Genesis prescribes unto tempted persons one very compendious way to withstand all temptations whatsoever Let Satan Luthers speech come any way or the world any way or sinne move any way doe thou answer all with this onely Christianus sum I am a Christian I may not yeeld to any sin for I am a Christian And surely me thinks this also might be a compendious way to resolve the doubtings of a Christian Christum habeo I have a Christ O Christian if thou didst look more on thy Christ thou mightst look more on the Promises When wilt thou remember No looking on the Promises without a Christ that as there is no comfortable looking on God without a Christ so there will be no confident looking on the Promises of God without a Christ Christ Jesus is thy Jacobs ladder thy prayers get up by him and Gods Promises come down by him All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 20. There was a Book in the Revelation which none of the Elders and Worthies could open but yet the Lambe could open it The Promises are a precious Book every leafe drops myrrhe and mercy yet the weak Christian cannot open it nay he is afraid to open it and to reade his portion there Neverthelesse thy Christ can open the Promises for thee and by thy Christ as thou mayst find a way for heaven hereafter so mayst thou espie a way for thy comfort now And why may Christ reply to the doubting Christian art thou afraid to beleeve to beleeve my Fathers word and thy Fathers word Did he ever faile any who trusted on him Is hee not willing to give who was willing to promise Should he lose of his glory if thou receivedst of his grace Or shouldst thou lose of thy comfort if thou shouldst beleeve in his promise Dost thou not care for his good Why then art thou troubled Or in good earnest