Fifthly, Another Rule is this, be much in Meditation upon the promises, swallow down promises, do not let them role upon your Tongues. Wicked men, they role the promises upon their Tongues, but they do not take them down. But now, as when we take bitter Pills, the way is to swallow them down whole, when we take sweet things the way is to chew them, if a man should chew his Pills, he would suddenly throw them out of his Mouth. So a Godly man should not chew the Pills, that is, by Meditating upon the threatenings of the Law, this is not the way, rather swallow down the Pills, by Meditating upon the Gospel, and the Covenant of Grace, and so thy soul may come to find rest in Christ this way. And when thou hast done all that thou canst, yet still the only way is for thee to depend upon God in his ordinances, and to pray for the spirit, no evidence that can be given, can quiet the Heart till that comes to pass. But now if so be the soul hath gained this, what a thing is it for the soul to loose it again. In Isaiah, 26.•0. Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers, and shut the doors about thee; hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast. What is it to come and enter into our Chamber? To get into Christ our hiding place; and then shut the doors, that is, take heed of parleying with temptation. As thus now, when as the Lord hath given thee rest, and thy rest comes in by the word, by ⟨p. 392⟩applying the word to thy soul, now shut the door against temptation, there will arise some fears and Jealousies at that time, now therefore, shut the door against all surmises, •ea•es, and Jealousies, and call for the word, let the word be the rule for thy fear, as well as for thy comfort and rather depend on one Scripture for thy comfort, then upon a thousand Jealousies for thy fear. And this is now to shut the door against temptation, resolve here will I venture, here is the word of God, which is sure and certain, and for temptation, the Devil will trouble me with the Rapping and knocking at the door, but let him Knock as long as he will, I have got a promise here, and I will venture my Soul upon this promise: And for want of this, though thou hast gotten the promise, yet upon every temptation thou openest the door. You know in time of danger, when any come and rap at the door, will you open the door presently?
Fiftly, Another Rule is this, be much in Meditation upon the promises, swallow down promises, do not let them role upon your Tongues. Wicked men, they role the promises upon their Tongues, but they do not take them down. But now, as when we take bitter Pils, the way is to swallow them down whole, when we take sweet things the way is to chew them, if a man should chew his Pills, he would suddenly throw them out of his Mouth. So a Godly man should not chew the Pills, that is, by Meditating upon the threatnings of the Law, this is not the way, rather swallow down the Pills, by Meditating upon the Gospel, and the Covenant of Grace, and so thy soul may come to find rest in Christ this way. And when thou hast done al that thou canst, yet stil the only way is for thee to depend upon God in his ordinances, and to pray for the spirit, no evidence that can be given, can quiet the Heart till that comes to pass. But now if so be the soul hath gained this, what a thing is it for the soul to loose it again. In Isaiah, 26.•0. Come my people enter thou into thy Chambers, and shut the doores about thee; hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast. What is it to come and enter into our Chamber? To get into Christ our hiding place; and then shut the dores, that is, take heed of parlying with temptation. As thus now, when as the Lord hath given thee rest, and thy rest comes in by the word, by ⟨p. 392⟩applying the word to thy soul, now shut the dore against temptation, there wil arise some fears and Jealousies at that time, now therefore, shut the dore against al surmises, •ea•es, and Jealousies, and call for the word, let the word be the rule for thy fear, as wel as for thy comfort and rather depend on one Scripture for thy comfort, then upon a thousand Jealousies for thy fear. And this is now to shut the dore against temptation, resolve here will I venture, here is the word of God, which is sure and certain, and for temptation, the Devil will trouble me with the Rapping and knocking at the dore, but let him Knock as long as he will, I have got a promise here, and I will venture my Soul upon this promise: And for want of this, though thou hast gotten the promise, yet upon every temptation thou openest the dore. You know in time of danger, when any come and rap at the dore, wil you open the dore presently?
