Prov. 3.6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him and hee shall direct thy pathes Prov. 16.3 Commit thy workes unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee established Isai 30.21 And thine eare shall heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way walke yee in it when yee turne to the right hand and when yee turne to the left Isai 58.11 The Lord shall guide thee continually Isai 61.8 I will direct their worke in truth Jer. 31.9 I will cause them to walke by the rivers of waters in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble When thou doubt'st of some truth apply Hee shall teach him the way that he shall chuse his soule shall dwell at ease Thine eares shall heare a voice behinde thee saying this is the way walke in it I will direct thy way in truth When thou art thinking what course to take and fearest thou shalt not know what the Lord would have thee to do apply Thy thoughts shall be directed hee shall direct thy wayes When thou fearest thy weakenesse will at sometimes carry thee astray apply The Lord will guide thee continually The Lord will lead thee in a strait way that thou shalt not stumble The 42. Legacie WHen thou fearest that Satan by his power and subtiltie will cause thee to fall and art troubled with his temptations apply Gen. 3.15 Hee shall bruise his head Therefore feare not for Christ hath overthrowne all his power and subtilty that hee cannot do us any harme Psal 19.3.4 Surely hee shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall thy shield and buckler Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Doth Sathan presse thee with strong temptations fearest thou his power apply He shall bruise his head Hee will cover thee under his wings and thou shalt be safe under his feathers his strength shall be thy buckler Fearest thou his subtilty apply Hee shall deliver thee from thee snare of the fowler and bruise his head wherein lyes all his power and plots The 43. Legacie WHe thou canst mot profit by the Word of God or his workes of mercy or afflictions apply Isai 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest goe Mat. 21.41 The Kingdome of God shall bee taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruites thereof This is a promise that the Gentiles shall bring forth the fruits of the Gospell therefore every beleeving Gentile may apply it The 44. Legacie WHen thou findest thy selfe not like the people of God either in heart or life apply Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way When thou seest thine heart not like the people of God either in their affection of God or his people or ordinances or in their forrowing for sinne apply I will give them one heart When thou seest thy life and conversation not so holy as the people of God apply I will give them one way The 45. Legacie IF thou wouldest have the blessing of the Lord to rest upon thee apply Psalme 5.12 The Lord will blesse the righteous Deut. 7.13 I will blesse thee Psalm 3.8 Thy blessing is upon thy people Psal 24.5 Hee shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation Psal 115.12.13 The Lord will blesse us hee will blesse the house of Israel he will blesse the house of Aaron Hee will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great The 46. Legacie IF thou wouldest bee a blessing in thy place apply Gen. 12.2 I will blesse thee and thou shalt be a blessing Ezek. 34.26 I will make them about my hill a blessing The 47. Legacie VVHē thou separatest thy selfe frō the wicked in their corrupt worship and manners apply 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall bee my people Wherefore come out from among them and be yee separate saith the Lord and touch not the uncleane thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and yee shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Thus farre of Grace the next Promises are about the meanes of Grace either ordinarie or extraordinarie The 48. Legacie IN every Ordinance thou maist apply this promise Isai 12.3 With joy shall you draw water out of the Wels of salvation Now in that it is said out of the Wels of salvation and not Well I thinke we ought to apply it to every ordinance of God so as wee are to use them with a comfortable perswasion that wee shall receive abundance of grace from them As the Lord promiseth wee shall draw waters from out of them wee shall not onely use them but draw from them with joy Therefore when we pray meditate heare conferre fast in every duty apply this promise and you shall finde him faithfull which promiseth The 49. Legacie WHen thou prayest apply these promises for the strengthening of thy faith and for thy hearing Mat. 7.7 Aske and it shall bee given you seeke and you shall find knocke and it shall bee opened unto you Matth. 6.6 Pray to the Father which seeth in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Mat. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall aske in prayer beleeving yee shall receive it John 14.13.14 Whatsoever yee shall aske in my name I will doe it John 16.24 Aske and yee shall receive that your joy may be full John 15.7 Aske what you will and it shall be done unto you Isai 65.24 Before they call I will answere and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare Job 22.7 Thou shalt make thy prayers unto him and he shall heare thee and if thou seeke him he will be found The 50. Legacie WHen thou meditatest apply these promises Prov. 14.22 Mercy and truth shall bee to them that devise good Psalm 103.17.18 The loving kindnesse of the Lord endureth for ever to them which thinke upon his commandements to doe them Phil. 4.8 9. Thinke on these things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seene in mee and the God of peace shall be with you If thou desirest mercie or the truth of God to bee for thy good or the loving kindnesse of the Lord to bee for ever towards thee and that God which brings peace with him to bee with thee then meditate on good things and with such a meditation as may stirre thee up to practise and then all these promises shall surely be performed to thee And because meditation is an hard duety therefore encourage thy selfe to it by the benefit it brings it being a way of God hee will give thee his Spirit to cause thee to walke in it The 51. Legacie IN meditating conferring and reading of the word of God apply Joshua 1.8
strength If thou art ready to give over through wearinesse then gather strength from this They shall run and not be weary and walke and not be faint And if thou findest not these promises performed unto thee either thou endeavorest not to keepe the conditions or else thou art negligent in searching out the promises or cold in suing for them the Lord will be sought to for the performance Isai 41.10 I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will helpe thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse Isa 26.4 Trust thou in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength To know there is strength in the Lord is no comfort unlesse wee know it shall bee for us Therefore since it is given for a comfort it must include this promise Thus the Lords strength for evermore shall be imployed for our good Therfore when we want for either soule or body wee must fixe our confidence in him who will-not faile us if wee seeké unto him The 22. Legacie WHen thou feelest thine heart dryed up for want of grace that thou canst not send forth any water of grace in thy thoughts words and workes apply Isai 44.3 I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground Isai 58.11 The Lord shall satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watred garden and like a spring of waters whose waters faile not Ier. 17.8 Hee shall bee as a tree planted by the waters that spreadeth out her roots by the river and shall not see when heate commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not be carefull in the yeare of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit Jer. 31.12 Their soule shall bee as a watred garden Jam. 4.6 God giveth grace unto the humble Isa 35.6 7. In the wildernesse shall waters breake out and streames in the desert And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirsty land springs of waters That is the most barren heart shall abound with grace according to that promise John 7. Out of their bellies shall flow rivers of the waters of Life Isa 41.17.18.19 When the poore and needie seeke water and there is none and their tongues faile for thirst I the Lord will heare them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will open rivers in high places and fountaines in the middest of the valleys I will make the wildernesse a poole of water and the drie land springs of water I will plant in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Mirtle and the Oyle tree I will set in the desert the Firre tree and the Pine and the Boxe tree together So now though thou feelest thy heart barren know that God will bee thy Gardiner to thy barren heart to make pooles plant pleasant grapes of graces therefore seeing hee taketh upon himselfe the worke feare not the badnesse of the ground for hee will make it good as a fruitfull garden The 23. Legacie IF thou feelest thou wantest the Spirit of God apply Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you Luke 11.13 If yee then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him Joel 2.28.29 I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your old men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions And also upon the servants and upon the hand maids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit Joh. 6.14.16.17.18 And I will pray the Father and hee shall give you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth hee dwelleth in you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come to you When thou canst not pray thy selfe stay thy selfe on these prayers that Christ hath prayed to the Father to give the Spirit he was heard in all hee prayed for therefore thou mayst claime it though thy prayers be but weake The 24. Legacie WHen thou lookest upō the great love of God unto thee and canst not finde thine heart inlarged in loving God againe apply this promise Deut 30.9 I will circumcise thine heart that thou maist love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule The 25. Legacie WHē thou canst not bring thine heart to delight in the Lord apply Isai 41.16 Thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord glory in the holy One of Israel Psalm 89.16 In thy name shall they rejoyce all the day and in thy righteousnes shall they be exalted Job 22.26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty Psalm 33.21 For our heart shall rejoyce in him because wee have trusted in his holy name When thou seest cause of rejoycing in the Lord and yet canst not move thine affections apply They shall rejoyce in him If through many troubles and temptations thou findest thy joyes often interrupted apply they shall rejoice continually in thy name The 26. Legacie WHen we seele not the feare of God in our hearts apply Jer. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts If wee would have a reverent feare of God when wee performe any holy duty or at other times as thou feelest thy need so urge the Lord with this his promise for he delights to be sued to upon his promise by his servants Ezek. 36.37 I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe it for them The 27 Legacie WHē thou canst not bring thine heart to praise the Lord apply Isai 43.21 This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise Joel 2.26 Yee shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God Psal 22.29 They shall praise the Lord that seeke him When thou seest what great things God hath done for thee and findest not thy selfe able to set forth his praise apply They shall set forth my praise When thou findest thy ingratefull heart not affected with the mercies thou enjoyest so as they stir thee not up to praise the Lord apply He shall eate and bee satisfied and praise the name of the Lord. The 28. Legacie WHen thou seest thy want of wisedome makes thee not walke like a Christian so unblameably as thou ought apply Jam. 1.5 If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and up braideth not and it shall be given him When thou findest thou want'st wisedome to improve thine afflictions to the best advantage or for the ordering of thy actions occasions and course of life to Gods glory the good of others and thy selfe then faile not to aske wisdome and doubt not of the obtaining of it The 29. Legacie WHen thou canst not understand the voice of God in his word or workes not knowing what
The Saints Legacies OR A COLLECTION of certaine PROMISES out of the word of God Collected for private use but published for the comfort of Gods people By ANNE PHOENIX Beleeve the Promises so shall you prosper By beleeving and applying the Promises we come to participate of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we might be partakers of the divine Nature The third Edition corrected and amended LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Roystone in Ivy-Lane 1633. TO THE HAPPIE SOCIETIE of all true Beleevers Gracious Beleevers KNowing you to bee the only heires of those rich and precious promises which it hath pleased our gracious Father freely to give unto his freely beloved Children I have presumed without your knowledge to bequeath unto you a fatherless childe brought forth into the world with out the parēts knowledg hoping you will not be unwilling to let it passe under your favourable protection For the subject matter of it it is very beautifull and of such use as no child of God can passe to Heaven without it and in that regard it shal be no shame unto you whom the Lord hath honoured with the grace of beleeving to accept of this small treatise from one that desires your prospering in your soules bodies There is no blemish in this that I dedicate unto you but such as came by the hands of the unskilfull bringer forth of it which onely minded their own good in it And weighing daily the beauty of it and the sweet refreshing strength which flowed from it for the overcomming of those three deadly enemies the Devil Sinne and the World they desired that God would bee pleased to move the mindes of some of his most skilful workmen to put to their hands to frame a more perfect worke upon so perfect a subject and to give a more comely forme to this so beautifull a subject and till then they intended to smother in their bosomes the beauty of this rather then to bring it forth with the blemishes of their unskilfulnesse But the good that may bee gained by it being unutterable I hope grace in the hearts of Gods people will cause them like the Bee sucke out the sweet and nourishing vertue of these fragrant flowers that growe here there in the garden of Gods word and not with discontent to cast away this pleasant posie gathered out of the celestiall Eden of the sacred Scriptures because an unskilfull hand and indeed unworthie hath bound them up together not so orderly as might please the curious eye of man no nor their owne neither was it their ayme so to doe If any gaine any good by it the gatherer of these sweet flowers together neither deserves nor desires thankes for they intended it to none but to themselves and some private friends whose importunitie wrung some copies from thē now without their consent have published it And now since it is published and cannot bee stopped the Lord cause it to work in all his according to that which he hath given the promises for to work in the hearts of his people even to make them partakers of the divine nature 2. Pet. 1.4 and as a meanes to make thē to take everie day a little posie from the rest one of the promises gathered together apply it to thy self see how thou standest in need of it and every word in it then apply it to thy selfe by faith let it stirre thee up to goe to God in prayer for the accomplishmēt of them unto thee then wait in the diligent use of all meanes for the gaining of them you shal finde God not onely making you heires of promises but you shal be comfortable possessours of those many good things which God hath promised to beleevers The more you meditate and the oftner you pray upon them the more good will you see in them and finde flow from them I say no more but I doubt not but your experiences of good by these promises wil be more then I can make known unto you I desire the God of mercies our louing father in our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen to make you daily finde experimentally the truth of al his gracious promises TO THE SAME Right Honourable and happie Societie of all true Beleevers militant in England A Friend to you and the Author wisheth fulnesse of grace peace and heavenly comfort certaine assurance sealed evidence and seasonable entrance into and possession of the celestiall promised incorruptible undefiled and never fading inheritance BEloved Beleevers both you and I are infinitely beholden to our everliving Father who hath made his will and given all us his children great wealth rich portions and large Legacies Now in present possession Graces and comforts in unshaken expectation and assured reversion perfection and eternall glory Wee are greatly beholding to Iehova for his will damnatorie directorie hortatorie correctorie but most of all for his will consolatorie in which he salves all our sores physicks all our sicknesses medicines al our maladies a Psal 103.4 heales all our diseases and crownes us with loving kindnes and tender mercies And surely wee are all of us much beholding to the holy Author of this sweet though little booke who hath so piously painefully and profitably perused the holy will of our heavenly Father and wisely sought and found out and put into our handes the spirituall portion and soule-legacies given and bequeathed unto us by our best friend many of which most of us scarce knew of few sought and sued for them and very few comfortably enjoyed and wisely and diligently used to the donours glory and their owne good Carelesse children come oftentimes to be beholding unto their more carefull brethren and thriving friends who save all they have sue for all that is promised and seeke for all they heare of so is it here we careless negligent poore and ill thriven Christians must bee beholding to this carefull diligent rich and wellthriven author who obeyes Pauls counsell b 1 Cor. 12 31. 1 Cor. 12 31. Couets earnestly the best gifts and will not suffer the heavenly Father to purse and keep a pennie that is due to with-hold grace or comfort which hee hath promised in whole or degree but he shall heare of his promise and if hee do not presently fulfill according to covenant a petition is spedily drawne to bee preferred in the court of heaven and an advocate prepared lesus Christ the righteous c 1 Ioh. 2.1 1 Iohn 2.1 Suite by prayer begun and in an eager pursuite continued till the thing promised bee performed This little booke private practice of the author who hath sued for all these Legacies and in some good measure hath attained the same and thereby is become spiritually rich will sufficiently proove what I have spoken VVee are much beholden to this author for letting us see our portion and
legacies in our fathers wil and setting us a work both by penne and practise to sue for the same The volume is little but the vertue contained in the same is great The booke is extraordinarie being altogether for application and practise The scope and drift of it is to furnish beleevers with abundance of good to free them from all sins inward outward secret and open To fill them with all graces in life power and exercise To bring them comfort in and seasonable deliverance from all their troubles To draw downe upon their soules bodies abundance of blessings of all sorts and natures to give them full assurance of certaine and seasonable entrance into glory and to give them fast hold of heaven There are many I know that will little regard it the prophane person wil not like it for it is full of holinesse the carnall protestant will not discerne of it nor relish it for it is spirituall the dissembling hypocrite wil not wel approve of it for it will rob him of his Rimmon slay his M rs his Delilah his Herodias his daling sinne it will tell him if he applyes promises hee must keepe the conditions obey praecept and put every iniquitie though never so pleasurable or profitable far way from his Tabernacles But the honest hearted and sinceere beleever will approve of it prize it use it and profit by it And not to over-commend my commoditie as one desirous to make it more vendible and sailable for neither I nor its author God is witnesse ayme at any such thing but at the spiritual good of their soules unto whom it shall come this little booke like a well filled little Apothecaries shop containes within it heavenly receipts of all sorts wholsome physick of every kind for expelling and curing all sorts of diseases and sicknesses incident to Saints and for the corroborating and strengthning of new nature and for keeping the spirituall man in good health lustie and strong able for Gods service d Phil. 2.12 for working out his owne salvation with feare and trembling What here I speak unto one beleever I intend for all Hath sin that deadly poyson infected thee Lo here in this little booke an Antidote a preservative which will extract and expell this poyson Hath this serpent so fierie stung thee e Numb 21.8 Lo here the Brasen Serpent upon the pole Hath it beggered and undone thee Ioh. 3.14 15. Behold a way in this booke how thou maist become rich Doth it dayly trouble thee will it needs tyranize and dominere over thee This little book will learne thee to depose this Tyrant f Rom. 6.14 and tell thee hee shall not haue dominion and Lordship over thee Hath it stricken thee dead Lo here meanes of reviving and inliving thee to an happie life of grace Doth it threaten thy ruine Lo here physicke for thy feares g 1 Cor. 15.35 death hath lost its sting sinne is destroyed death shall fully and finally free thee from it Art thou hunted like a poore lambe by the hellish devouring Lion Sathan and chased before this infernal dog like a silly Deere in temptations Lo here a thicket a shelter a shepheard under which thou mayest repose and rest thy selfe in safetie Art thou overcome with his wilie stratagems Lo here wisedome Art thou beaten down with his power Lo here strength Fearest thou the fierie darts of this evill one Lo here a little house-full of targets sheilds and buklers h Ephes 6.16 promises applyed by faith which will repel and quench them i Iob. 6.4 Do Gods terrours set themselves in array against thee are Gods arrowes in thee doth his flaming wrath burne in thy bosome and is likely to consume thee Lo streames of mercy grace from a refreshing fountaine fluent in the pipes of the promises by thy hand of faith turn the cock and the coole water of Gods grace mercy shall flow forth upon thy soule and allay its burning heat and scorching inflamations Doth the wilie world endevour to intangle and inveagle thee by its lures and snares Lo here liberty freedome better things propoūded and promised which beleevers doe for the present in some measure enjoy and shall have a most certaine and full possession of afterwards Wantest thou Grace comfort deliverance blessing or any good thing Behold here thou mayest have them to the great joy of theine heart and content of thy Spirit Set faith a worke to draw out what thou wantest thou shalt have it Sucke these sweet and heavenly breasts of God by the mouth of thy faith open these pipes and veines of the promises which run so full of mercy grace truth comfort joy peace for every beelever by faith and thou shalt be satiate with every good thing Lest I shold make too great a porch for this little house and too great gates for this little citie I will conclude with an exhortation to all my beloved brethren and sisters which are beleevers to perfect their faith by application of the promises both of these in this sweet little booke and of all others contained in the Old and New Testament Suffer not GODS promises as I may so say to milke themselves doe you draw them let not good rest with God which you may have by beleeving and begging to your great comfort and inriching but take Gods commodities off his hand trade with that wealthy Merchant in the farre Countrey the Lord Iesus in heaven for his rich commodities of graces and comforts and glorious hopes untill you be rich and wealthy and for this purpose cause those two good factours Faith and Prayer founded upon and quickned confirmed by the pretious promises alway to trade for you in heaven untill you come thither your selves I would desire all beleevers to make this their pocket book that it may sollicite and wooe them to prayer make solid firme their faith increase their graces cōforts and heavenly hopes prepare them for induring the stormes of trouble tempests of temptations and may incourage them in holy weldoing and christian perseverance unto the end k Heh 6.12 Now bretheren my hearts desire is that yee bee not slothfull but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises That you may bee inheritours of them it shal be my daily prayer unto the Lord my God to bestow upon your heartes to use all good meanes for the attaining of the good in these other promises of God unto his people That he would teach and enable you to meditate upon them diligently day and night to beleeve thē firmly to apply thē severally particularly personally to sue for them earnestly by prayer constant and fervent to wait for their promised accomplishment by patience that so you may enjoy the good of them here hereafter which God in mercie grant unto mee and also you Amen To the Reader MAn which at the beginning was created happy Gen. 1.26 Eph.
2.12 having now lost God and his image Eph. 2.2.3 is of all earthly creatures become most miserable no lesse then a slave of the Devill a child of wrath and an heire of eternall damnation 2. Cor. 4.4 This is not the estate of a few onely but of all man-kinde out of Christ for we are all by nature under the curse Gal. 3.10 The best Eph. 2.3 before their conversion were by nature children of wrath even as others for every womans child did fall equally in Adam Rom. 5.12 hence it comes to passe that no man by nature is now in better esteem with God then other Cain and Abel as children of the first Adam onely were equally miserable the like may be said of us all Rom. 3.9 for both Jewes and Gentiles are come under sin And as the Psalmist saith Ps 14.3 Wee are all gone out of the way wee are altogether become filthy there is none righteous no not one Oh that men and women had their eyes enlightned and judgements convinced of that woefull plight in which naturally they are Oh! were their hearts thorrowly loaden therewith surely they would not long content themselves therein The truth is 1 Iohn 5.19 most in the world are spiritually blinde 1 Cor. 2. and cannot discerne their owne miserie Eph. 2.1 â— and spiritually dead too cannot bee affected with it The Holy Ghost saith thus of them Eph. 4.1 â— 19. They walke in the vanity of their mind having their understanding darkned and are strangers from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them because of the hardnes of their hearts who being past feeling have given themselves unto wan tonnesse to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse Such as these are so farre from having any right to Gods promises that for the present they are under the curse Deut. 27. ult Deut. 28. â—8 63 and consequently in the dint of all the plagues and thretnings in Gods booke Wherfore let not such as yet challenge any comfort from the Promises but let them rather labour to the uttermost of their power in using all good meanes to be made capable and sit subjects for mercy revealed in the Promises Is it not pitty so many sweet promises of life should bee made and yet thou die and be damned notwithstanding Pray fervently to God that he would touch thy heart with griefe for all thy sinnes Act. 2.37 Luk. 15.1 2 Cor. 1. â— 20 21 2â— worke in thee a cleare apprehension of thine owne unworthinesse that hee would bestow faith on thee that by it thou mayest be able to go wholly out of thy selfe to God through Jesus Christ for salvation We having departed from him who is the God of all grace consolation are fallen into an estate of all basenesse desolation and miserie cannot bee recovered againe into the former estate of spirituall life happinesse unlesse wee be brought againe to him who is the foundation of life and happines even the living God and brought to him wee can never bee but by Faith Heh 11.6 which is nothing els but the going out of the soule to god through Christ to fetch a new principall of spirituall life and grace which once in Adam wee lost and now need Rom. 10.8 17. The which worke of faith is not wrought but by the promises and being wrought in our hearts gives us a most sure right and interest unto all the promises of grace Heh 6.12.17 Thus wee through faith patience are said to inherit the promises therefore we are called the heires of the promise the promises are as well ours who truely beleeve as heaven it selfe is Now by these heavenly Promises 2. Pct. 1.3 God our Father hath engaged himselfe as a debtour to us his poore children for all things needfull to life godlinesse untill that blessed time comes wheÌ„ wee shall be put into full possession of all things which wee have now only in promise at that time Faith shall end in fruition and Promises in performance As the soule is the life of the body and faith the life of the soule so are Gods promises the life of faith For from whence hath faith his efficacie but because it layes hold on the free promises but from whence have the promises their strength 2 Cor. 1.20 even from the constant nature of Iehovah who alwaies gives a beeing to his word Desirest thou faith then take notice of Gods promises wouldest thou have thy faith like the light in the Lords Sanctuary never to go out then acquaint thy selfe with Gods Promises know them well meditate on them conferre about them let them bee continually in thy minde memorie heart and tongue Satan laboureth in nothing more then to keepe us in unbeleefe especially of particular Promises for he knowes if we beleeve them 1 Iohn 5. wee shall in all things have the victory Eph 2. come before God with boldnesse Rom. 15. Heh 11. carry peace in our owne bosomes to our graves and doe and suffer any thing for God Oh the abundance of sweet cordiall comfort which all humble beleevers draw by faith out of every promise Now beloved Isay 66.11 12. these precious Promises our breasts of consolation whereupon our happinesse so much depends lie hid in the holy scripture as veynes of gold in the earth Surely those that search those mynes to bring to light these treasures are worthy of great commendation Wherfore I doubt not but the good paines of this blessed faithfull servant of God will finde good entertainment of all the children of the promises that hope to entertaine them who hath with great care and good evidence of sprituall understanding discovered and compiled the variety and use of all the promises in matters temporall spirituall eternal So that here is a medicine for every disease a salve for every sore Read them carefully and ponder them seriously and apply them faithfully And I beseech the good Lord who is the author of them that by his holy spirit he would make them powerful effectuall in us 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what is said and the Lord give us understanding in all things RVLES TO BE OBSERVED IN READING THE PROMISES WHatsoever Promise is made in generall to al the faithfull every one must particularly apply it to themselves as Gen. 3.15 the Messtah is promised to al every one must apply him to themselves 2 Whatsoever promise is made to any one of the faithfull if there bee not some particular reasoÌ„ which tyes it to his person as was to Abraham for a son and his seed to inherit the land of Canaan euery challd of God hath right to it as you may see Iosuah 1.5 I will not faile thee nor forsake thee This every one may apply to themselves as wee know the Holy Ghost applies it Heb. 13.5 For he hath said I will never leave thee
ready to faint through weakenesse apply He is a river of water in a drie place to revive thy spirits and as the shadow of a great rocke under which thou maist safely repose thy selfe When thou findest thy sinnes very heavy apply I will ease you When thou hast no rest in thy soule because of sinne apply You shall finde rest to our soules He shall save his people from their sinnes both from the punishment the power If thou fearest length of time in temptations apply The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly The 6. Legacie WHen thou turnest from sinne and doubtest of the pardon of it apply Isai 1.18 Though your sinnes bee as skarlet they shall bee as white as snow though they bee red like crimson they shall be as wooll Isai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Micah 7.18.19 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his anger for ever because hee delighteth in mercy Hee will turne againe hee will have compassion upon us hee will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depthes of the sea Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall finde mercy 1 Iohn 1.9 If wee confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse When thou seest thy soule of a sinfull colour apply Though they be red like crimson they shall be as white as wooll If thou fearest God will hardly be intreated apply Hee will have mercie for he is ready to forgive If wee feare that our sinnes have taken such strong hold upon us as wee shall never get from them apply He will clense us from all our unrighteousnesse See God promiseth to be the cleanser feare not the hardnesse of the worke The 7. Legacie WHen thou feelest many rebelliōs in thine heart and life and would'st have them not onely pardoned but subdued apply Hos 14.5 I will heale their back-sliding Which promise as I thinke containes thus much that God will not onely pardon but heale us and in stead of rebellious hearts and lives will give us obedient hearts and lives for as healing followeth the curing of sicknesse so obedience doth the curing of rebellion Micah 7.19 Hee will subdue our iniquities When thou feelest sinne very strong flie to this promise and apply the strength of him that promiseth against the strength of sinne it is the Lord that hath promised to subdue it what though Sinne and Satan joyne their force together yet the Lord is stronger then all their force wee need not doubt The 8. Promise VVHen thou feelest thine heart hard and full of corruption apply Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live When thou feelest thine heart worldly carnall apply I will circumcise thine heart A new heart will I give thee When nothing will breake thine heart apply the power of Jehovah that hath promised to cure thee in taking away thy stonie heart The 9. Legacie WHen thou cāst not bridle nature but it breakes forth into violent passions to contention apply Isai 11.6 The Wolfe also shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them Such shall bee the power of the Gospell that those which are by nature like Wolves and devouring beasts shall dwell very peaceably and if wee finde our nature such we must apply the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe Micah 7.19 Hee will subdue our iniquities and will cast all our sinnes into the depth of the sea that which is cast into the Sea as it appeareth not in sight so wee cannot get it againe though we would so will God doe by our sinnes cast them out of his sight so as we shall not returne to them any more presse him with his promise and you shall finde more then you thinke The 10. Promise WHen thou feelest thy selfe in bondage to some sin apply Iohn 8.32 You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not have dominion over you When thou feelest thy bondage that thou canst not doe good or keepe thy selfe from evill apply The truth shall make you free If thy sins often prevaile against thee apply Sinne shall not have dominion over you Psal 130.8 Hee shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities The 11. Promise WHen thou feelest some sin so strong in thee that thou fearest it will breake out to Gods dishonour and the blemishing of Religion apply 1 Thess 5.23 24. That your whole spirit soule and body may be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Faithfull is hee that calleth you who also will doe it That God which hath called thee will keepe thee blamelesse unto the comming of Christ therefore use the meanes and rest upon the Lords faithfulnesse which never faileth them which trust in him 2. Thess 3.3 But the Lord is faithfull who shall stablish you and keepe you from evill 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse By cleansing as I thinke is meant not onely from the guilt of sinne but the power of it that the filthinesse of it shall not appeare in our lives and conversations When sinne pursues thee hard to make thee fall doe thou pursue the Lord with prayers for performance of this promise and doubt not of the issue Micah 7.19 Hee will subdue our iniquities And to these adde the prayer of Christ John 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from the evill Now what greater evill then sinne therefore though thy prayers be but weake against it yet hee hath prayed that was alway heard therefore fight and be sure of victory The 12. Legacie WHen thou art stayed from sinne by admonition apply Ezek 3.21 If thou warne the righteous man that the righteous sinne not and he doth not sin hee shall surely live because he is warned When any admonish thee obey and it shall be life to thy soule therfore receive the admonition and apply Hee shall live because he is admonished The 13. Legacie IF thou fearest God will destroy thee for thy sinnes apply Ezek. 18.30 Turne your selves from