drive us from infidelitie so do they clearly testifie the Lords great willingnesse to have poore sinners saved which is also a great encouragement to beleeve for not onely saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but here is our fault about this point of the Lords willingnesse to save us we will not rest upon the Lords revealed will as we ought to do but run to his secret will so weakning our confidence for which his revealed will affords us such plentiful grounds and so needlesly perplexing our selves for secret it is and secret it must be We should hold our selves then to the Lords revealed will and not pry into his secret this seems to be enjoyned by these two places especially to wit Deut. 29. v. last Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us and to our children even all the words of his Law that we should do them As also Rom. 10. cited out of Deut. 30. Say not in thine heaâ—t Who shall go up to heaven c. But what saith it The word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart even the word of faith which we preach So that in the point of our beleeving or perswasion concerning our election and salvation or of the Lords willingnesse to save us we should not look to the secret will of God thus perplexing our selves but we should betake us to Gods revealed will and Word and that two wayes to wit 1. to the word of faith Rom. 10. or of promise cleaving unto it for it is the ground and warrant of our faith 2. To the word of the Law Deut. 29. thus making our calling and election sure by well doing and evidencing to our own conscience the truth of our faith it working by love 2 Pet. 2. For if ye do these things entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly c. Would you then be wise to salvation this is the way of it the way to be saved is to beleeve the word of promise Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not be ashamed the way to know if thou beleeve is by some effects of faith Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Look if thou be such a one Both these two be set down in the former place Rom. 10. This is also clear that such a course as this is to be taken to leave the Lords secret will and to hold us to his revealed will 2 Tim. 2. where the Apostle saith The Lords foundation standeth sure the Lord knoweth who are his Q. But you will say the Lord knoweth it is true who are his but how shall I know this also my self if I be one of his A. This is his seal Let him that loveth Christ depart from iniquity try thy self by this his seal so then perplex not thy self with the Lords secret will But 1. beleevest thou the word of faith which is neer unto thee then thy faith hath saved thee be of good comfort Wouldst thou again know whether thy faith be true see if thou callest upon the Name of the Lord. 2. If thou depart from iniquity for then thou art a sealed soul but if thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer Job 15. then thou art not right A fourth notable Mean and prop and seed of Faith to obtain it and to strengthen it are the plentifull promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sins set down unto us in the Word even as the Apostle cals them Exceeding great and precious promises these well considered should mightily strengthen our faith Have we but the promise of an honest man for any businesse will we not rest and repose upon it and will it not breed in us and beget a great measure of assurance about the thing promised and shall we not then be made sure of this point of the remission of our sins by so many promises so often renewed of the faithfull and true God who is truth it self and not onely will not but cannot lye as the Apostle speaks will we rest upon the Word of a faithfull man and will not we rest upon the written Word of the true God So that we have both his Word and his writ for it he is a God of truth so called by Moses Deut. 32.4 and 7. v. 9. saith emphatically Know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God who keeps Covenant and mercie he styles himself abundant in truth Exod. 34. Great is his faithfulnesse and love who keepeth truth for ever Psal 46. He is a God of truth Christ is called Truth it self The Way the Truth and the Life the faithfull Witnesse the holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth the Word of Truth And shall we doubt of the performance of these promises No let us with Sarah judge him faithfull who hath promised that so we may by faith also with her obtain the thing promised his truth shall be thy shield and buckler This might be sufficient for this Mean but for the further stirring up of our backward hearts of unbelief to beleeve let us consider these two things about the promises of forgivenesse 1. Their pregnancie and pithinesse 2. Their largenesse and extent 1. Then the promises of mercie and forgivenesse of sin be very pregnant and pithie the more to perswade and win upon our untoward hearts of unbelief for not onely doth the Lord simply promise to pardon our iniquities but he promises to blot them out Isa 43. and Col. 3. The same phrase is used to blot out the hand-writing of ordinances which was contrary unto us that he is not onely content to give us a discharge of the debt of our sins but because that may seem not sure for that may haply be lost therefore he will destroy the bond it self that it be not brought forth against us even blot it out Moreover lest blotting out should not seem sufficiently sure for some letters may remain and the whole purpose may be taken up by these few he hath promised to wash away our sins Ezek. 36. I will cleanse you from your filthinesse c. Isa 1. I will make you as the wooll Further lest even after washing some stain should remain in the third roome he is said to cover our transgressions Psal 32. as also 85. O but will ye say he hath a piercing eye and will see through any covering therefore the Scripture speaks of his casting our sins behinde his back that is out of his sight Obj. But you will say what cannot be seen may yet be remembred what cannot be seen by the eye of the body may be seen by the eye of the minde A. This he promises and it is a part of the Covenant that he will not remember our iniquities the words are very emphaticall lest we should think that faults once forgotten may be again called to memory therefore he saith expresly I will remember their sins No more Once forgot and ever forgot In that day the iniquitie of Jacob shall be sought for
c. that being wearied and laden they may run to him to be eased Math. 11.28 which otherwaies they would not do No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him Secondly that for time to come they may stand in owe and sin not Psal 4.4 that the feare of God may be before their eies that they sinne not Exo. 20 20. that they may be the more plyable to all duties of obedience and that being thus meek and lowly they may take the Yoake that Christ prescribes them Math. 11.29 and try then if ever thou hast found such a change as this if ever thou hast trembled at Gods word if ever thou didst apprehend the Lord in his justice didst feare his anger against thy sinnes if ever thou wast pricked in thy heart by the threatnings of the word Acts 2.37 and if all these have wrought such a Impression in thy soul that still thou findest that twofold effect before spoken of to wit that for thy by-past sinnes thy heart flies for a refuge and seekes to Christ Heb. 6.16 that he is savoury unto thee and then that still thou findest the fear and aw of God in thy heart Jer. 32.40 that thou fearest alwaies and hast a respect to all Gods Commandements Psa 119.6 and judgest of thy self accordingly II. The Second great change that is wrought in a man by this work of humiliation is by reason of his being convinced and having discovered unto him his own sinfulnesse and corruptions as also his manifold wants great unrighteousnesse for whereas before this work of humiliation sometimes he had a great conceit of his freedome from sin at least in any great measure the waies of a man seemes good in his owne eyes untill his iniquity be found to be hatefull I thanke God I am not like this Publican O but when this work of humiliation comes that a mans sinfulnesse be discovered unto him he sees afar other sight thinks farre otherwaies feeles farre other things nothing but sin and corruption raging in him sinne revives and taking occasion by the Commandement works in him all manner of concupiscence Ro 7.8 9. he being now stirred up the dregs of his corruptions work abundantly so that instead of thinking that he is not like such a man he thinks that for sinfulnesse and strength and number of corruptions there is none like unto him and that he is the chief of sinners so likewise in regard of his wants and gracelesnesse and unrighteousnesse there is the very like change for wheras before he thought well of his owne righteousnesse both of the righteousnesse of his person that he had all sorts of inward graces faith repentance the love and fear of God and that he was rich and increased in all things and had need of nothing Rev. 3.17 as also well of the righteousnesse of his actions insomuch that although with the Pharisee perhaps he did not glory in them in his praying hearing fasting c. nor perhaps with the Papist did think to merit by them yet neverthelesse with the Hypocrite he did rest upon the outward worke and was satisfied therewith and regarded not the manner of his doings the waies of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord ponders the heart now he sees a quite contrary sight nothing but wants that he is poore miserable naked for inward graces Rev 3.17 and that for outward practices all his righteousnesse is as a menstruous clout Isa 30. now this work of humiliation or this part of the work is also for notable good ends to wit 1 to drive and chase a man out of himself to put him out of conceit with himself to make him deny himself that so he go not about which naturally all are prone unto to establish his own righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 And he who attains once to this work and part of humiliation may be assured that he shall never be Arminian Papist or Pelagian never stand for free-will or merit A second end of this part of the work of humiliation is that hereby the whole glory of mans salvation may be given unto the Lord that all boasting may be excluded and he that glories may glory in the Lord Rom. 3.27 Not unto us not unto us O Lord but to thy Name be the glory Psal 115.1 Not for your sakes be it known unto you O house of Israel for ye are a stiffe-necked and a rebellious people but for his Names sake 3. That Christ may be further cleaved and clinged unto and that nor onely for justification but also for sanctification for the sight of a mans own sinfulnesse makes him flie to the sufferings and intercession of Christ the sight of his own unrighteousnesse how all is but as a menstruous cloth makes him flie to and to prise the righteousnesse which is through faith Gal. 5. the sight of his corruptions and spirituall diseases chases him to the Physitian The whole needs not the Physitian but they that are sick Matth. 9.12 the sight of his wants makes him flie to the fulnesse of Christs grace to receive of that fountain and fulnesse Joh. 1.16 the sight and sense of his spirituall weaknesse makes him flie to Christ for grace Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 4.13 Fourthly and lastly that the Spirit of God the holy Ghost may be the more made use of and fled unto for it is by him that 1. our sinfull natures must be renewed Vnlesse a man be born again by the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Joh. 3.3 2. It is by him that we must mortifie our corruptions and the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 3. It is by him that all grace must be shed abroad in our hearts and souls Rom. â— 3 4. It is by him that we must be strengthened in the inward man for all duties of obedience yea that must lead us and guide us in all the wayes of God Ephe. 3 16. Psal 143.10 And lastly it is the holy Spirit that must go out with and powerfully accompany all the means of grace to make them effectuall for all these ends in our souls Prov. 1.23 So we see the great benefit of this change or of this part of the work of humiliation both in regard of a mans life and also in respect of all the Persons of the Trinity Appl. Here also see and try thy self 1. Concerning thy sinfulnesse and corruptions try if thou doest see and perceive them if thou be convinced of them and they be discovered unto thee and not onely those grosser ones which a naturall eye may perceive but try if thou seest thy inward spirituall subtile and most secret corruptions as thy hypocrisie infidelitie spirituall idolatrie a whoring of thy heart c. for then mayest thou comfort thy self that the Lord hath performed that his promise in some measure toward thee to wit that he hath sent his
civill actions his praying is sin and so all his religions exercises yea every Iâ—agination of his heart is evill continually thus is it wiâ—h the person or perâ—ons that want faith 2. Again for temporall Judgements though he may be for a time without them yet it is but for his further conviction and more fearefull torment in the life to come nor is he sure of a freedom from them in this life they are hanging over his head as it were by a haire he knows not how soon they shall overtake him for they come suddenly as travell on a woman with child as a whirlwind or as an inundation of waters as the Scripture expresses it he knowes not when the Angell will poure out the viall of Gods wrath upon him yea the Angel may have the sword already drawn though he like blind Balaam does not see it And then lastly for eternall judgments when this life shall have an end which may be in a moment there is nothing attending him but instantly utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth everlasting burnings the lake that burns with fire and brimstone everlasting fiâ—e prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25 41. Revel 21. this is the dolefull and dreadfull condition of the person that wants true faith which consideration alone might serve to awaken us out of our security and to stir us up without delay with all diligence to prove try whither we be in the faith or not But for your further stirring up II. In the second place consider how that notwithstanding the case of these that want this true saving faith be most lamentable yet neverthelesse there be but very few that either have or shall have this pretious jewell of faith unfained this to be true the Scriptures the ground of all truth make cleerly good Many are called and few chosen Strait and narrow is the way that leads to life few there be that enter therein Christ when he shall come shal scarcely find faith on the earth this seriously considered would make men looke more narrowly to themselves then they do III. To stirre you up yet further to this triall consider that notwithstanding the Scripture be cleere in this point that true faith belongs to very few yet every one thinks he hath it whereby alas it is most evident by comparing the truth of Scripture with the opinions of men that the most part are pitifully deceived in this matter of highest concernment and that the faith of most men is but a fantasie and surely there is nothing more incident to us then presumption that by reason of the blindnesse which is in our minds the deceitfulnesse of our hearts and that self-love which is in our affections as is to be seen in the Pharisee the Laodiceans yea in those who preached prophecied and wrought miracles in Christs name which is fearefull yea the very grossest sinners think they truly believe which is strange and shewes the great power of presumption Q. I grant you that all this should stir us up to be about this present duty of trying whether we be in the faith or not and that both diligently and duely least we be deceived with so many others and also without delay the point being of so great consequence and our life of so short and uncertain continuance and not to be at a point in a point of such importance which betokens wonderfull security madnes yea spirituall deadnes tell me therefore I pray you some of the cleerest and surest markes of faith that I may try my selfe thereby A. For your better remembering of them you may take them up in 3. sorts to wit they be either taken from these things which goes before faith or from these things that accompany faith or from these things that follow after it from the antecedents from the concomitants and from the effects or consequents Q. What be the marks that go before faith A. First of all in the generall where the Lord hath a purpose to worke true faith in the hearts of any before it he works in them that preparatorie and ground-work of humiliation in the soule and consequently a very sensible change a work indeed painfull not joyous for the present but most necessarie for those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses as all by nature be this he doth by sending his spirit according to his promise thereby to convince them of their sinfulnesse guiltinesse and wants Iohn 16.8 and it is usually called the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. v. 15. Now this work of humiliation I say is a very sensible work and makes a great and a sensible change in the soule for it puts a stirring in the soule an awakening in the conscience which before was dead in sins and trespasses so needed some strong allarme it is the very pains and pangs of the new birth which cannot choose but be both painfull and sensible it is the casting out of the strong man who although while he holds the house all things be at peace yet will not be cast out without sensible unquietnesse seeing then the change is great and sensible see and consider if ever thou hast found any such change in thy soule or not Qu. But what be the particular changes that be wrought upon a man by this work of humiliation A. They be many but these three chiefly as both Scripture and the experience of Gods own children do testifie I. The first great change that is wrought upon a man in the work of humiliation is by reason of the discovery of his guiltinesse and of his being convinced thereof for whereas before his mind heart was filled with false presumptions apprehensions of Gods mercy nothing but mercy before his eyes and no seeing of God in his Iustice now be they quite contrary in this worke of humiliation the case is changed nothing so much before his eyes as the Iustice of God and his anger against sin the sight of mercie almost being quite ecclipsed he being upholden onely with a glimering as it were thereof a possibilitie of pardon and hanging as it were by a very hair of hope Jona 2. v. 4. nothing sounds in his eares so much as justice and wrath hence these sayings Lord rebuke me not in thine anger enter not into judgement c. His former and forgotten sinnes are brought to rememberance as we see it fared with the sons of Jacob and they are set in order before him Psa 50.21 he trembles at Gods word Isa 66.2 the threatnings of the word like as the arrowes of the Almighty trouble him and write bitter things against him as it fared with Ioh. Now all this is done for very good ends to wit these two especially first for their by-past sinnes that they may be driven to Christ the horne of salvation Luke 1.69 that they may fly earnestly or at least in sincerity unto him for a refuge Heb. 6.18 to his merits righteousnesse intercession
to be neglected but greatly to be laboured for for being joyned with the former it fortifies it strengthens the anchor of the soul it fils a man with Christian courage comfort and cheerfulnesse and makes him fruitfull in good works as is evident 2 Pet. 1.8 and 10. Onely about these two assurances we are to beware of these two things 1. That we betake us not to this last assurance onely for thus we will deceive our selves for it cannot be upright unlesse we have the other first we may well have a shew or form of it for we may have some change of life without faith but no true change without it we should not then betake us to it onely for then we both mistake the nature of faith and as I was saying cannot but deceive our selves which is most dangerous 2. We should also beware that we betake us not to this second assurance in the first roome for then we mistake the order of things and shall but discourage our selves and bewilder our selves in the point of our first assurance and hold our selves back from beleeving for the first assurance being to beleeve and the second to know that we beleeve how shall we know that we beleeve untill it first be and yet this is the course that many take they will first know that they beleeve before they do labour to beleeve they will needs have the second assurance before they have the first though it is evident that they must first have the first for the second flows from the first yea and not at the first but from it being somewhat strengthened they will not have the first assurance unlesse they have first or at least with all the second whereas they shall never have the second untill first of all they have the first and that in some good measure But this point of mistaking the order of things will be clearer being spoken of in the termes we did propose You say that you misse many of the Marks of Faith feel not your heart purified from corruption find not the love of God repentance and so forth and therefore this troubles you discourages you and weakens you that ye cannot or dare not apply the Promises or Means of faith unto you I answer this comes from mistaking the order of things if these Marks ye misse were of things that either go before or accompany faith you had it may be some reason for this complaint but seeing they come from these things that follow faith and are the effects of faith why should the want of them discourage you to beleeve yea rather they should stir you up to beleeve that so you may come by them for they being the effects of faith how shall ye think to obtain them unlesse ye first beleeve that is take and apply the promises I pray you wherehence flows victory over corruption but from faith Is it not faith that purifies the heart And wherehence flows the love of God but even also from faith apprehending the love of God towards us according to that of the Apostle We love him because he loved us first And for repentance or godly sorrow it flows from that love and is according to the measure of that love as our love is according to the measure of our faith so outward acts of obedience faith works by love so then to suspend our faith and beleeving till we get these is the high way never to get faith Further whence are all these things to be gotten the want whereof discourages us to beleeve are they any other where to be gotten but from Christ or any other way to be gotten from him but by faith can we get the bloodie issue of our corruptions any otherwayes cured but by drawing vertue from Christ and the power of his death Can we get our spirituall wants otherwayes supplyed then out of Christ his fulnesse or our spirituall weaknesse otherwayes helped and strengthened I am able to de all things through Christ that strengthens me So then I say we must not delay our beleeving that is applying of the Promises to our selves till we find these things redressed but on the contrary we must beleeve that we may have these things helped thou wilt not beleeve and apply the Promises untill thou findest these things but thou shalt never find these things untill thou first beleeve and apply we would rather have some worthinesse in our selves then come by faith to Christ but we can have none Further observe that these things do not onely flow from faith but from faith somewhat strengthened A tree cannot bring forth fruit at the first untill the time it be well fastned and take some rooting Now these things ye speak of being the fruits of faith how think ye shall they be produced without faith somewhat rooted how shall ye expect them as long as ye hold the tree of your faith thus shaking and tossing through your own default suffer it not to take root So then to conclude I would advise all those who feel the want or weaknesse of Faith not to run presently to the Marks of Faith I mean those which are taken from the effects of Faith for this will but encumber their faith and weaken their applying this will also make them to stagger at the promise but I would advise them I say to flie to the Means and to apply the Promises what ever their corruptions or wants be even to do as Abraham the father of the faithfull did he looked not to any insufficiencie in himself but to the power and faithfulnesse of the promiser he considered not the deadnesse of his body c. and therefore staggered not at the promise but being strong in faith he gave glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Even so should we we should not at first look to these discouragements that present themselves unto us from the deadnesse and diseases of our own souls for then we shall never beleeve for these will never cease untill we first beleeve But let us look to the promise of a true and powerfull God that he is both faith full who hath promised and that he is able to perform what he hath promised This was the ground and prop of Abrahams and Sarahs faith the parents and patterns of the faithfull Rom. 4.21 Heb. 11.8 And these should be the props of our faith But we will have a way of beleeving of our own and such is our mischievous infidelitie that we cannot rest upon God alone his promise his power and his truth unlesse we find something in our selves It is both remarkable and comfortable Heb. 6. that the Spirit of God there allows us not onely confidence simply and consolation but even a strong consolation and that from no ground in our selves but onely from God his great truth in his oath and promise Further let this be added to the advise to wit that those who find their faith weak
and shall not be found a sweet place Micah the last He will cast them into the depths of the Sea Psal 103. As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressiens from us We are not to think that it is for nought that the Spirit of God uses so many so different and so emphaticall phrases even because all is little enough to bear up a cast-down soul and to make it fasten upon the Promises and our hearts being as weak powder whereinto many sparks may light that some one of them at least may kindle the fire of faith at least raise the smoak thereof Now the Lord will not quench the smoaking flax but blow upon it by his Spirit Q. These be indeed very pregnant exceeding great and precious promises were I sure that they belong unto me but alas what warrant have I for that A. This is another of Satans depths and fiery darts whereby many are holden back many hearing of the pregnancie of the promises of forgivenesse and how that there is forgivenesse for great and many sins conceive some hope but still they fear that these precious promises belong not to them that the offer of reconciliation is not made to them and so stick in the application of the promise to themselves Now a notable help for this is to consider in the second place the largenesse the indefinitenesse and the extent of the promises for they are conceived in such generall terms that in effect there is left roome sufficient for every one to come to subscribe his name and to set to his seal that God is true by so doing to honour God and save his own soul so that none is excluded to whom the offer is made unlesse they exclude themselves and that it be through their own default The Promises I say and offer of reconciliation is set down in very generall terms although mens names be not set down which were needles God so loved the world that whosoever beleeveth c. Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sins of the world Behold I bring you tydings of great jâ—y to all people But above all pressing and notable is that place Acts 2.29 even answering as it were your objection viz. I know not that the promises belong to me Yes saith he To you and to your seed to all that are neer and afar off and to as many as our God shall call even by his outward calling for else the words were to no purpose And indeed were it otherwise with the Lord we should make him a mocker did he offer that to any which did not belong to them this generalitie of the offer is the very ground and warrant of faith and therefore should be well looked unto Obj. But the Scripture is clear that all who are called shall not have the benefit of the promises for directly Many are called and few are chosen and why may not I be of the number of these A. This shews indeed that all shall not reap the benefit of the promises to wit through their own default but not that the promise and offer did not belong to them Further thou makest the wrong use of this sort of doctrine for it is set down in Scripture not to feed thee in thy infidelitie but to terrifie thee from the same and to stir thee up to beleeve All this I will clear to you by a familiar similitude Suppose a number of prisoners being imprisoned for some great crime there were a generall Proclamation and offer of liberty made unto them all who would before such a time make use of it from the free and gracious favour of their Prince suppose likewise that it could be foreseen and conjectured that for all this generall and gracious offer that yet there would be sundrie that would not make use of it some of them through aziâ—esse and sloth drinking or playing or sleeping losing the opportunitie 2. Others again despising it as thinking by their power abilitie to get free when they please or leaning to former merits or good service done which they think may well counterpoize any fault they have committed And 3. others a thing to be took notice of quite contrary to the former through the conscience and greatnesse of their fault should misdoubt and misbeleeve the truth of so gracious an offer Suppose I say that all this could be foreseen that all these sorts of persons upon severall considerations should loose the opportunitie of the offer and that therefore for the further weal of the prisoners and the prevention of all this with the generall Proclamation an intimation were made to them that there would be such persons among them that so they might being fairly fore-warned slie such impediments would we not in such a case think him a very foolish person who either would not accept of the Proclamation in generall because his name was not set down expresly or who because of the intimation made for his further weal and fore-warning and avoiding of such inconveniences would through their own default loose the opportunitie of the offer would upon groundlesse suspitions conclude that he may be one of that number and so keep off and loose the benefit of the offer and so indeed make himself of that number whereas being fairly fore-warned he should labour to beware of all these lets that may hinder him from embracing the opportunitie of the offer Even so to apply this the Spirit of God in Scripture hath made a gracious generall Proclamation and promise of our libertie from the prison and punishment of hell through the Lords tender mercie and free grace in Christ Jesus and not onely so but fore-seeing that for all this gracious and generall offer many will not reap and take the benefit of the offer some slipping and neglecting it being loath to quit their sloth and sinfull pleasures of whom speaks our Saviour Mat. 7. Many are called and few are chosen Strive to enter in at the strait gate Not every one that saith Lord Lord c. Others again leaning to and going about to establish their own righteousnesse slight the righteousnesse which is by faith And 3. which thou shouldest take heed to others through the great conscience and sense of their own guiltinesse are made to misbeleeve so gracious an offer and what through the power and wiles of the devil and their own bad heart of unbeleef greatly prejudice themselves through infidelitie of them speaks the Apostle Heb. 4. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleef departing from the living God And more cleerly let us fear that lest a promise being made c. The Spirit of God I say fore-seeing all this with the gracious general offer and proclamation for our further fore-warning doth also intimate unto us that notwithstanding of the gracious and generall offer yet many through their own default upon the aforesaid impediments shall never reap nor enjoy the
benefit of the offer Now all this is for the advantage and good of those that would beleeve and accept of the offer and to drive them from infidelitie and to stir them up to beleeve and eschew the lets thereof and not as you make wrong use of it to suppresse your faith wil you therfore be so foolish that either because the proclamation and offer of mercie though conceived in generall termes yet because it hath not thy name expresly set down in it to think that therefore it belongs not to thee Or because there is an intimation made that many through their own default in regard of the forementioned impediments shall neglect the opportunitie and loose the benefit of the offer of grace For the further fore-warning of thee and those who would beleeve to eschew these impediments wilt thou therefore I say upon groundlesse suspicions say O what if I be one of these and so fly back and fall into one of the impediments or shouldst thou not rather shun al the impediments and this of keeping back among the rest for for this end and use is it that the Spirit of God in Scripture hath set down these sayings and fore-warnings Many are called and few chosen c. Not to hinder but to put thee on to beleeve and indeed in so doing ye make a wrong and quite contrary use to that of Scripture the promise the offer the proclamation is made unto all whom God doth call For the benefit of it all shall not enjoy through their own default and they be of two sorts to wit such as set either light by the offer and promise who perish in their presumption and securitie Or such as keep back and distrust the promise who perish through desperation and infidelity Now those that set lightly they be of two sorts some leaning to their own righteouinesse and will not quit it these justly perish in their presumption 2. Others that will not leave their sins and pleasures which is the condition of the offer Matth. 11. will not take on Christs yoke these perish in their securitie As for those that keep back they be such who through Satan and their own hearts are holden back from beleeving and these perish through despair Seeing then thou art not one that doth set light by the promise and offer for thou renouncest thy own righteousnesse and doest or wouldst renounce thy fins and pleasures regardest not iniquitie in thy heart desirest to fear his Name Neh. 1. Then see thou be not one that keeps back yeeld not to Satan and thy own bad heart of unbelief remember the saying of the Apostle Let us fear lest a promise being left unto us any of us come short of it through unbelief Mark the words there is a promise left unto us so doubt not but the promise belongs to thee onely beware thou come not short of it through unblief and indeed if it were but this it shews that the promise belongs to those who through their own default may come short of it The benefit of the promise it is true belongs onely to the elect and those who are inwardly called but the promise it self or the offer of the promise belongs to all that are outwardly called In a word thou fearest that the promise belongs not to thee but the Apostle bids thee fear least a promise being left unto thee or belonging to thee that thou come short of it through unbeleife Heb. 4.1 and therefore let this rather be thy fear I mean care to prevent it But to go more succinctly and cleerly to work with you you say you fear such gratious offers and promises do not belong to you and how shall you know that they do belong to you they be indefinit say you but not universall or generall 1. I propose to you that same place Acts. 2.29 answering in direct termes to your doubt you doubt whether it belongs to you Yes To you and to your seed and to as many as God shall call And the former place Heb. 4. does cleer it that the promise is to those who come short of it the Lord indeed offers that which in his fore-knowledge he sees will not be accepted nor made use of and to whom he purposes not to give that grace to make use of it for though he is not obliged yet the offers neverthelesse is reall and the refuser justly punished 2. Ought ye not to be content with that same measure of security wherewith all Gods children have bin content and have reposed and rested even from the begining and still unto the end of the world even the word of promise they had no other ground of faith nor security for their salvation then this same indefinite promise One saith well It would have made too large a Bible if all the names of the elect had been written therin Be content therefore and be ye followers of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises and do as they did they saluted or embraced the promises met them mid-way as it were and so tooke hold of them so should ye not withdraw from or keepe back from them but run and meet them as it were and get unto them and having gotten them hold them fast with both thy armes and not faintly lay hold on them 3. I say thou art commanded to apply the generall promise to thy self and therefore thou mayest be bold to do it and of necessity it belongs unto thee 1 Iohn 5. this is his Commandment that thou beleive in his Son not onely that thou beleive the promise in general but also that thou beleive in his Sonne which implyes application of the promise to thy self and so saving faith Now I reason thus the Commandment doth surely belong unto thee even all Gods Commandments thou wilt not I hope exempt thy self from any of them but so it is that the Commandments commands thee to beleive in his Son therefore the promise belongs to thee also further thou art threatned if thou beleevest not Iohn 1. and 3. Chap. 4. The Spirit of God in Scripture from whom we should learn to apply and whose example if we follow we cannot erre for he leads into all truth doth not onely apply the generall and indefinite promises but even speciall promises so to speake made to the people of Israel to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. and 7. Chap Yea even singular promises made to singular persons as Heb. the last the promise made to Josuah to all the Hebrews now if the Scripture thus teach us to apply speciall and singular promises made to a peculiar people to a singular person to ourselves All Scripture is written for our use and conselation that through faith and hope c. And lastly I say let it be so that the Promises are onely indefinite in regard of all sorts of persons and conditions yet I am sure there is one sort of persons to whom they are meerly universall to wit the seeking sensible