A brief discourse of justification. Wherein this doctrine is plainly laid down according to…

2. That which gives the soul the advantage to take hold of the person of Christ, is the promise of special mercy in the which he is exhibited. It is not to be denied that the whole Scripture is serviceable to the Faith of Gods Elect; and it all some way or other leads to Christ; and for this reason is the Scripture called the word of Faith: 1 Tim. 4. 6. and it is all of it to be believed, because it is all true, and confirmed by the Testimony of God himself; it is the word of him who is the Truth; and it is all profitable, and there are various uses to which it serveth, both in the drawing of men to Christ, to believe in him, and in the building of them up in their most holy Faith, and for the direction of them how they ought to serve him in all things; see 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. But yet every portion of Scripture doth not alike nextly serve to give the sinner an advantage to lay hold upon Jesus Christ. The Scripture consists of dive•s parts, and these serve nextly to various ends and uses, though all of them contribute something to the helping forward of the glory of God in the happiness of fallen ⟨p. 84⟩man: There are recorded in it many histories; and these serve partly for holy example, and partly for solemn caution to men: there are moral precepts, there are sharp reproofs, there are severe threatenings, &c. all of which have their particular profit and will serve, either to the preparing of a sinner for this closure with Christ by faith, or for the helping of a believer home to the heavenly Kingdom: But that which nextly and most proper gives us the advantage and encouragement to believe in Christ, is that special revelation which God hath been pleased to make of him, in the which revelation he gives us to understand, that as he is a complete and all sufficient Saviour, so he invites sinners to come to and accept of him, and put their trust in him, and engageth to all such as so do, that they shall in and by him obtain the pardon of Sin, and peace with God; that if they will but take Christ on his terms, he shall be theirs: hence it is that by the promise we are said to be partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. and it was upon a promise that Abraham believed, and it was accounted to him for Righteousness,