A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

2. Improve God's Word and Oath in Meditation, when you discourse with your selves. And here I shall show, First; How we may improve God's Oath in Meditation. Secondly; When, and in what Seasons.

2. Improve God's Word and Oath in Meditation, when you discourse with your selves. And here I shall shew, First; How we may improve God's Oath in Meditation. Secondly; When, and in what Seasons.

First; How? Thus. God that cannot lie, hath passed his Word, he who is Truth it self, the supreme Truth, the Original of all Truth. Then say, Hath he given me his Word and Oath? and why am I still upon Terms of suspense? The Word of an honest Man is wont to be enough, and an Oath is the end of Strife, if there be a Controversy. God hath passed his Oath, and why doth the Controversy still remain between me and God? How is it with me? Is the Controversy ended and taken up? Am I satisfied with God's Oath? Do I live as one to whom God hath given such a high-way of Assurance? The World lives by guess and devout Aims, and have good Meanings and Conjectures: Ay, but Christians should not rest in a may be, or content themselves with a possible Salvation, with lazy Conjectures, or loose Hopes. Art thou still upon Uncertainty? upon terms of Hesitancy and Suspense? See how St. James describes them, Chap. 1.8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways; and it is our Character, we are double-minded, divided between Hopes and Fears, full of anxious Thoughts; and as Chaff is driven in the Air, or Waves tossed in the Sea to and fro with various and uncertain Motion; so are we carried up and down. Dost thou live up to the Assurance that God hath given thee, and to the Preparation and Provision he hath made for thy Certainty and Confidence?

First; How? Thus. God that cannot lie, hath passed his Word, he who is Truth it self, the supream Truth, the Original of all Truth. Then say, Hath he given me his Word and Oath? and why am I still upon Terms of suspense? The Word of an honest Man is wont to be enough, and an Oath is the end of Strife, if there be a Controversy. God hath passed his Oath, and why doth the Controversy still remain between me and God? How is it with me? Is the Controversy ended and taken up? Am I satisfied with God's Oath? Do I live as one to whom God hath given such a high-way of Assurance? The World lives by guess and devout Aims, and have good Meanings and Conjectures: Ay, but Christians should not rest in a may be, or content themselves with a possible Salvation, with lazy Conjectures, or loose Hopes. Art thou still upon Uncertainty? upon terms of Hesitancy and Suspense? See how St. Iames describes them, Chap. 1.8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways; and it is our Character, we are double-minded, divided between Hopes and Fears, full of anxious Thoughts; and as Chaff is driven in the Air, or Waves tossed in the Sea to and fro with various and uncertain Motion; so are we carried up and down. Dost thou live up to the Assurance that God hath given thee, and to the Preparation and Provision he hath made for thy Certainty and Confidence?