Minister For the suppressing of doubtings, you are to use three meditations.
The first, that it is Gods commandment1 ⟨p. 269⟩that you should believe in Christ: So saint John saith, This is his commandment that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ. Thou2 shalt not steal, is Gods commandment, & you are loth to break it, least you should displease God and pull his curse upon your head. This also is Gods commandment, Thou shalt believe in Christ, and therefore you must take heed of the breach of it: •east by doubting and wavering you bring •he 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 •ll may appear. God so loved the world that •e gave his only begotten son, that whosoever •eleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Now then so often as you shall doubt of Gods mercy whereas he excludeth you not: And as when a Prince gives • pardon to all thieves, every one can ap•lie the same unto himself, though his •ame be not set down in the pardon: So ••e king of kings hath given a general par•on for free remission of sins to them that •ill receive it. Believe therefore that God […] true in his promise, doubt not of your •wne salvation, challenge the pardon to ⟨p. 270⟩your self. In deed 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 general & 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. Yo• do not above hope believe under hope as you should do.
Secondly you rob God of his glory, is that you make his infinite mercy to be3 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 your4 hart is toiled with unbelief and doubtings, then in all hast draw your self into some secrete place, humble your self before God pour out your hart before him:
Minister For the suppressing of doubtings, you are to vse three meditations.
The first, that it is Gods commandement1 ⟨p. 269⟩that you should beleeue in Christ: So saint Iohn saith, This is his commandement that wee beleue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ. Thou2 shalt not steale, is Gods commandement, & you are loth to breake it, least you should displease God and pull his curse vpon your head. This also is Gods commandement, Thou shalt beleeue in Christ, and therefore you must take heede of the breach of it: •east by doubting and wauering you bring •he curse vpon you. Secondlie, you must •onsider that the promises of saluation in Christ are generall, or at the least indefinite •xcluding no particular man: as in one for •ll maie appeare. God so loued the worlde that •e gaue his onely begotten sonne, that whosoeuer •eleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerla••ing life. Nowe then so often as you shall •oubt of Gods mercie whereas hee exclu•eth you not: And as when a Prince giues • pardon to all theeues, euerie one can ap•lie the same vnto himselfe, though his •ame bee not set downe in the pardon: So ••e king of kings hath giuen a generall par•on for free remission of sinnes to them that •ill receiue it. Beleeue therefore that God 〈…〉 true in his promise, doubt not of your •wne saluation, chalenge the pardon to ⟨p. 270⟩your selfe. In deede your name is not set downe, or written in the promise of grace, yet let not anie illusion of Sathan, or the consideration of your owne vnworthinesse exclude you from this generall & freemercie of God: which hee also hath offered to you particularlie, first in Baptisme, then after in the Lords supper: and therefore you are not to wauer in the applying of it to your selfe. Thirdlie you are to consider that by doubting and dispairing you offend god as much almost as by anie other sinne. Yo do not aboue hope beleeue vnder hope as you shoul doo.
Secondlie you robb God of his glorie, is that you make his infinite mercie to bee
- 11. Joh▪ 3. 23.1. Ioh▪ 3. 23.
- 2Joh. 3. 16.Ioh. 3. 16.
- 3Rom. 4. 18.
- 4Ro. 10. 12.
