64 The threatnings. § s 3 Tboth,eainíng,. Rom.g;.{.. grace, and bya fiupernaturall providence elevated to fpi- rituall ufe, in which fenfe they are promifed and vouch- fafed unto them that feare God and walke inhis wayes. And therefore when the beleever is rightly informed, that God bath made any fuch promifes, bee putteth forth the hand of faith to lay fail hold upon them , and boxeth them up fafe, as hisbell and onely evidence for the things of this life, and the fan6ification of them. For want of this faith, many vertuous and godly men are greatly ßtaggered and perplexed, plunged into deepe un- comfortable dumps and tedious troubles about the things ofthis life : But when once thefe promifes be well rivet - ted into, andhave taken root in the heart bya lively faith, beleefehereof bringeth forth contentment, comforteth in themultitude of perplexities, encourageth to diligence in our places, quickeneth in adverfities, and firengthens to theworksofrighteoufnefîe, asknowing that tobe the furefc way for thegainingofdurableriches, and trusting more to the faithfull promifes of God, though above likelyhood, than to theirowne carnall devices, though in Phew and ap- pearanceprobable. S. ç. As faith receiveth what God promifeth, becaufe Godis faithfulI, and thepromifes ofgreat worth and good- nefï'e : fò it beleeveth the threatnings denounced in the Word, not barely apprehending them as trueand certaine, but alto declining them as evill. For the whole Scripture breathed fromGod, andeverie part thereof is Gods word, of infallible truth, deferving abfolute credit. God is as well jail as mercifull; faithfull and true as well in his threats, as in his promifes, and equally tobebeleeved in both, fo farreas by hisWordhee hath alluredus ofboth. Hee that beleeveth the one as bee ought, beleeveth both andbee that beleeveth not both, gives foundcredit to nei- ther. Beleefe ofthe threatnings is neceffarie : Forwhat- foever things are written (whether precepts, promifes, threatnings, examples) are written for oar learning: and as thepromifes of this life and the life tocome are !harp fpurres
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