Minist. For the suppressing of doubtings, you are to use three meditations.
The first, that it is gods commandment that you should believe in Christ: So S. John saith,1 This is his commandment that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. Thou shalt not steal is Gods commandment, and you are loath to break it, least you should displease God & pull his curse upon your head. This also is Gods commandment, thou shall believe in Christ, and therefore you must take head of the breach of it: least by doubting and wavering you bring the curse upon you. Secondly, you must consider that the promises of salvation in Christ are general, or at the least indefinite excluding no particular man: as in one for all may appear. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Now then, so often as you shall doubt of Gods mercy, you exclude your own self from the promise of God, whereas he excludeth you not. And as when a prince gives a pardon to all thieves, every one can apply the same unto himself, though his name be not set down in the pardon: So the King of kings hath given a general pardon for free remission of sins, to them that will receive it Believe therefore that God is true in his promise, doubt not of your own salvation, challenge the pardon to your self. Indeed your name is not set down, or written in the promise of grace; yet let not any illusion of Satan, or the consideration of your own unworthiness exclude you from this ⟨p. 669⟩free mercy of God: which he also hath offered to you particularly, first in Baptism, then after in the Lords supper: and therefore you are not to waver in the applying of it to your self. Thirdly, you are to consider that by doubting and despairing you offend God as much almost as by any other sin. aYou do not above hope believe under hope […] you should do. Secondly, you rob God of his glory, in that you make his infinite mercy to be less then your sins. Thirdly, you make him a liar, who hath made such a promise unto you. And to these three meditations add this practise. When your heart is toiled with unbelief and doubtings, then in all hast draw your self into some secret place, humble your self before God, pour out your heart before him:
Minist. For the suppressing of doubtings, you are to vse three meditations.
The first, that it is gods commandemēt that you should beleeue in Christ: So S. Iohn saith,1 This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Son Iesus Christ. Thou shalt not steale is Gods commandement, and you are loath to breake it, least you should displease God & pull his curse vpon your head. This also is Gods commandement, thou shall beleeue in Christ, and therefore you must take head of the breach of it: least by doubting and wauering you bring the curse vpon you. Secondly, you must consider that the promises of saluation in Christ are g•neral, or at the least indefinite excluding no particular man: as in one for all may appeare. God so loued the world that he gaue his only begoten sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life. Now then, so often as you shall doubt of Gods mercie, you exclude your own selfe from the promise of God, wheras he excludeth you not. And as when a prince giues a pardon to all theeues, euery one can apply the same vnto himselfe, though his name be not set downe in the pardon: So the King of kings hath giuen a general pardon for free remission of sinnes, to them that will receiue it Beleeue therefore that God is true in his promise, doubt not of your owne saluation, chalenge the pardon to your selfe. Indeede your name is not set down, or written in the promise of grace; yet let not any illusion of Sathan, or the consideration of your owne vnworthines exclude you from this ⟨p. 669⟩free mercy of God: which he also hath offred to you particularly, first in Baptisme, then after in the Lords supper: and therfore you are not to wauer in the applying of it to your selfe. Thirdly, you are to consider that by doubting and despairing you offend God as much almost as by any other sin. aYou do not aboue hope beleeue vnder hope 〈…〉 you should do. Secondly, you rob God of his glorie, in that you make his infinit mercy to be lesse then your sinns. Thirdly, you make him a lier, who hath made such a promise vnto you. And to these three meditations adde this practise. When your heart is toyled with vnbeleefe and doubtings, then in all hast draw your selfe into some secret place, humble your selfe before God, poure out your heart before him:
- 11. Joh. 3.23.1. Ioh. 3.23.
- aRom. 4. 1•.
