N04855:113
Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that…
Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that we may comfortably walk with God in our general and particular callings: &c. In a letter to a pious friend in England. / By Thomas Shepard, M.A. Formerly of Emmanuel-College in Cambridge in England: afterward Minister of Cambridge in New-England. ; Corrected by four several editions.
Boston: printed by Rogers and Fowle, 1747
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The second act is, earnestly to long and come to Christ, to cleave unto Jesus Christ by fervent and ardent desire, that he would make good those absolute promises to you, seeing that they are made to some, and that they do not exclude you. For when you ponder well, and see what wonderful great things the Lord promiseth to some, whose heart cannot but be stirred up to say, as that woman in another case, Lord, give me of that water to drink! and as they in the fifth of John, Lord evermore give us that bread! Now doing this, reflect upon this Second act, and see if unto it no conditional promise belongs, and you shall find an affirmative answer from the word. For what is this longing after the good, not of some (which many hypocrites do) but of all the promises, but that which the Scripture calls Thirsting? who are commanded to come ⟨p. 36⟩and drink of the waters of life freely, Isa. 55.1, 2; and Hungering? to which all good things are promised, Mat. 5.6; and Coming to Christ, as I spake even now? who has given this as the first fruit of eternal election, and which kind of people he will never cast away, John 6.37. Now when you see these promises belonging unto you, why dare you not conclude but that all these absolute ones are your's also?
2. The second act is, earnestly to long and come to Christ, to cleave unto Jesus Christ by fervent and ardent desire, that he would make good those absolute promises to you, seeing that they are made to some, and that they do not exclude you. For when you ponder well, and see what wonderful great things the Lord promiseth to some, whose heart cannot but be stirred up to say, as that woman in another case, Lord, give me of that water to drink! and as they in the fifth of John, Lord evermore give us that bread! Now doing this, reflect upon this Second act, and see if unto it no conditional promise belongs, and you shall find an affirmative answer from the word. For what is this longing after the good, not of some (which many hypocrites do) but of all the promises, but that which the Scripture calls Thirsting? who are commanded to come ⟨p. 36⟩