9 And lastly,1 you must meditate on the great necessity that lieth upon all men to get a Scripture-interest in the Promises. This I add to awaken Christians to attend diligently to this Discourse about the Promises, and to show them the necessity of minding and ⟨p. 160⟩of studying them. For he that hath no right to them is in a faithless, hopeless, comfortless, desperate, and damnable condition. All the happiness of a Christian both here and hereafter consisteth especially in his right and title to the promises. The Scripture tells us in express words, that he that is a stranger from the Promise, 2is without Christ, without God, without hope. Sad is the condition of that man, who hath no interest in God, nor in Christ, and who is without hope. And such is the condition of him who is a stranger to the Promises; for all hope of Heaven, which is not bottomed upon a promise, is presumption, and soul-delusion. All comfort and joy which is not grounded upon a promise, is soul-cozenage; and all Faith not anchored upon a Promise, is nothing else but flattery▪ and soul-mockery. Consider this you that are full of joy and comfort, and (as you say) rely upon Christ for salvation; Tell me, what promise have you to build ⟨p. 161⟩this Faith, this hope, this comfort upon? For there are thousands that flatter themselves into Hell by a false hope of Heaven; thousands which promise to themselves to go to Heaven, but have no promise for it from God. Such were the five foolish Virgins; such was the Church of Laodicaea, such were they, Matth. 7. 24. Hos. 8. 2, 3. Micah 3. 10, 11. Remember this, and let it be daily in your thoughts: you that have not true right to the Promises, your Faith is faction, your Hope is presumption, and your joy is delusion. To be a stranger from the Promise, is to be without God, without Christ, and without Hope. So much for the second particular, viz. Meditate on the Promises.
9 And lastly,1 you must meditate on the great necessity that lyeth upon all men to get a Scripture-interest in the Promises. This I adde to awaken Christians to attend diligently to this Discourse about the Promises, and to shew them the necessity of minding and ⟨p. 160⟩of studying them. For hee that hath no right to them is in a faithless, hopeless, comfortlesse, desperate, and damnable condition. All the happiness of a Christian both here and hereafter consisteth especially in his right and title to the promises. The Scripture tells us in express words, that hee that is a stranger from the Promise, 2is without Christ, without God, without hope. Sad is the condition of that man, who hath no interest in God, nor in Christ, and who is without hope. And such is the condition of him who is a stranger to the Promises; for all hope of Heaven, which is not bottomed upon a promise, is presumption, and soul-delusion. All comfort and joy which is not grounded upon a promise, is soul-cousenage; and all Faith not anchored upon a Promise, is nothing else but flattery▪ and soul-mockery. Consider this you that are full of joy and comfort, and (as you say) relye upon Christ for salvation; Tell mee, what promise have you to build ⟨p. 161⟩this Faith, this hope, this comfort upon? For there are thousands that flatter themselves into Hell by a false hope of Heaven; thousands which promise to themselves to goe to Heaven, but have no promise for it from God. Such were the five foolish Virgins; such was the Church of Laodicaea, such were they, Matth. 7. 24. Hos. 8. 2, 3. Micha 3. 10, 11. Remember this, and let it bee daily in your thoughts: you that have not true right to the Promises, your Faith is faction, your Hope is presumption, and your joy is delusion. To bee a stranger from the Promise, is to be without God, without Christ, and without Hope. So much for the second particular, viz. Meditate on the Promises.
- 1The ninth Meditation, meditate on the necessity of getting an interest in the Promises.
- 2Eph. 2. 12
