The first is the witness of the blood; that is, when a man is humbled, when a man is broken with the spirit of bondage, then he begins to make out for a pardon: when he sees he is arrested, as it were, when he is shut up, as that phrase is used,1 Gal. 3. and sees what a debt is required of him, and he is not able to pay the least farthing, now he begins to look out for a surety, now he begins to hunger and thirst exceedingly after Christ, now he is not content only to watch with him, to serve him, and to obey him, but he is willing to part with his life, and all that he hath, upon that condition. Now when a man is in this case, then the Lord begins to show him the blood of his Son, he begins to open a little crevice of light, and to show him the New Testament in his blood that is, the New Testament confirmed in his blood, shed for many, for the remission of sins. I say, he begins then to look upon the promises, to consider such promises as these, Come to me, all ye that are weary, &c. and, If any man sin, we have an Advocate; and, Let whosoever will, come, and take of the waters of life freely; and, Go ⟨p. 168⟩and preach to every creature under heaven, and t•ll them, if they will believe, and take my So•ne, they shall be saved. I say, these are all promises made in the blood of Jesus Christ. now he begins to consider these promises, and he begins first to think, What? are these promises true? Yes, surely they are most true, they are confirmed wit• an oath, they are confirmed with the blood, with the death of the Testator: a mans Covenant, after it is once made, and the Testator is dead, Gal. 3. no man adds to it, or takes from it. Now when a man considers this, Are these the promises of the LORD? hath he confirmed them with an Oath? are they confirmed with the blood of the Testator? Certainly, they are most true, I cannot doubt of them: but then he begins to consider, As they are true, how fit are they for me? what is the goodness of them? They are also exceeding good, there is nothing in the world so excellent, so precious, so sweet, and so comfortable, as these promises be: I say, when he hath done these two, when the understanding says they are true, and believes them, and when the will saith they are good, and embraceth them, at that very instant, salvation is come to thy house, and to thy hea•t;
The first is the witnesse of the blood; that is, when a man is humbled, when a man is broken with the spirit of bondage, then hee beginnes to make out for a pardon: when he sees hee is arrested, as it were, when he is shut vp, as that phrase is vsed,1 Gal. 3. and sees what a debt is required of him, and he is not able to pay the least farthing, now he beginnes to looke out for a surety, now he beginnes to hunger and thirst exceedingly after Christ, now he is not content onely to watch with him, to serue him, and to obey him, but hee is willing to part with his life, and all that he hath, vpon that condition. Now when a man is in this case, then the Lord beginnes to shew him the blood of his Sonne, he begins to open a little crevis of light, and to shew him the New Testament in his blood that is, the New Testament confirmed in his blood, shed for many, for the remission of sinnes. I say, he begins then to looke vpon the promises, to consider such promises as these, Come to mee, all yee that are weary, &c. and, If any man sinne, we haue an Aduocate; and, Let whosoeuer will, come, and take of the waters of life freely; and, Goe ⟨p. 168⟩and preach to euery creature vnder heauen, and t•ll them, if they will beleeue, and take my So•ne, they shall be saued. I say, these are all promises made in the blood of Iesus Christ. now he begins to consider these promises, and he begins first to thinke, What? are these promises true? Yes, surely they are most true, they are confirmed wit• an oath, they are confirmed with the blood, with the death of the Testator: a mans Couenant, after it is once made, and the Testator is dead, Gal. 3. no man addes to it, or takes from it. Now when a man considers this, Are these the promises of the LORD? hath hee confirmed them with an Oath? are they confirmed with the blood of the Testator? Certainely, they are most true, I cannot doubt of them: but then he begins to consider, As they are true, how fit are they for mee? what is the goodnes of them? They are also exceeding good, there is nothing in the world so excellent, so precious, so sweet, and so comfortable, as these promises bee: I say, when he hath done these two, when the vnderstanding sayes they are true, and beleeues them, and when the will saith they are good, and embraceth them, at that very instant, saluation is come to thy house, and to thy hea•t;
- 1Gal. 3.
