2. That promises in things temporal and spiritual (not absolutely necessary to salvation) are not universal, but indefinite, (i.) he makes such promises, because sometimes (though not always) he grants accordingly. For instance, that promise of healing the sick, cannot be universal,1 for it might then be supposed, that sick men should never dye, seeing the Elders may at all such times of danger of death, still come and pray with them, but we all know it is appointed for all men once to dye; the meaning thereof is, that prayer is an Ordinance to which God hath made such a gracious promise, and he often doth restore the sick at their prayers; and therefore upon every such particular occasion, we are to rely upon God for the performance of it by an act of recumbency, though we cannot with an act of full assurance, the promise not being universal, but indefinite: Of like nature are all other promises of things temporal or things spiritual, not absolutely necessary to salvation; as, long life, riches, honour, Assurance of Evidence to them that fear him, the tenor and purport of which promise, is not as if absolutely, infallibly, and universally, God doth alway perform these to those that are truly qualified, with the conditions specified in those promises; the contrary both Scripture, instances, and common experience shows, they are therefore indefinitely meant, and so to be understood by us; because when ever God doth dispense any such mercies to any of his, he would do it by promise: And he requires answerably an act of faith, suitable to that his meaning in the promise; that as he intended not in such promises, an absolute, infallible, universal obligation of himself, to the performance of them to all that fear him, so the act of faith, which a man is to put forth toward this promise, in the application of it for his own particular, is not required to be an absolute, infallible persuasion and assurance, that God will bestow these outward things upon him, having these qualifications in him, but only an indefinite act (as I may call it) of recumbency and submission, casting and adventuring our selves upon him for the performance of it to us, not knowing but he may in his outward dispensations make it good to us; yet with submission to his ⟨p. 166⟩good pleasure, if otherwise he dispose it;
2. That promises in things temporal and spiritual (not absolutely necessary to salvation) are not universal, but indefinite, (i.) he makes such promises, because sometimes (though not always) he grants accordingly. For instance, that promise of healing the sick, cannot be universal,1 for it might then be supposed, that sick men should never dye, seeing the Elders may at all such times of danger of death, still come and pray with them, but we all know it is appointed for all men once to dye; the meaning thereof is, that prayer is an Ordinance to which God hath made such a gracious promise, and he often doth restore the sick at their prayers; and therefore upon every such particular occasion, we are to relye upon God for the performance of it by an act of recumbancy, though we cannot with an act of full assurance, the promise not being universal, but indefinite: Of like nature are all other promises of things temporal or things spiritual, not absolutely necessary to salvation; as, long life, riches, honor, Assurance of Evidence to them that fear him, the tenor and purport of which promise, is not as if absolutely, infallibly, and universally, God doth alway perform these to those that are truly qualified, with the conditions specified in those promises; the contrary both Scripture, instances, and common experience shews, they are therefore indefinitely meant, and so to be understood by us; because when ever God doth dispence any such mercies to any of his, he would do it by promise: And he requires answerably an act of faith, suitable to that his meaning in the promise; that as he intended not in such promises, an absolute, infallible, universal obligation of himself, to the performance of them to all that fear him, so the act of faith, which a man is to put forth toward this promise, in the application of it for his own particular, is not required to be an absolute, infalible perswasion and assurance, that God will bestow these outward things upon him, having these qualifications in him, but onely an indefinite act (as I may call it) of recumbancy and submission, casting and adventuring our selves upon him for the performance of it to us, not knowing but he may in his outward dispensations make it good to us; yet with submission to his ⟨p. 166⟩good pleasure, if otherwise he dispose it;
- 1Jam. 5.15. Heb. 9.17.Iam. 5.15. Heb. 9.17.
