116 The firJ Sign PART. III. to a Perfon's Mind, be not fo properly a Promife, as an Invitation ; Yet if he makes the fudden'or unufual Manner of the Invi.tation's coming to his Mind, the Ground on which he believes that he is in-. vited, it is not true Faith ; becaufe it is built on that which is not the true Ground of Faith. True Faith is built on no precarious Foundation: but a Determination that the Words of fuch a particu- lar Text, were, by the immediate Power of God,, fuggeíted to the Mind, at fuch a Time, as tho' then fpoken and diredted by. God to him, becaufe the Words came after fuch a Manner, is wholly an uncertain cc In this Cafe, the Minifter may tell them, that God never <i gives a Faith of Affurance, before he gives a Faith of De- cc pendence ; for he never manifefts his Love, 'till Men are in " a State of Favour and Reconciliation, which is by Faith of " Dependence. When Men have comfortable Scriptures come « to them, they are apt to take them as Tokens of God's 44 Love ; but Men muff be brought into Chrift, by accepting G' the Offer of theGofpel, before they are fit for fuch Mani- cc feftations. God's Method is, firft to make the Soul accept " of the Offers of Grace, and then to manifeft his good Eftate " unto him." And p. 76. fpeaking of them " that feem to 64 be brought to lie at God's Foot, and give an Account of. " their clofing with Chrift, and that God has revealed thrift to 4, them, and drawn their Hearts to him, and that they do ac- " cept of Chrift," he fays, 64 In this Cafe it is heft to examine " whether by that Light that was given him, he law. Chrift GC and Salvation offered to him, or whether he faw that God cc loved him, or pardon'd him : For the Offer of Grace and 64 our Acceptance goes before Pardon, and therefore, much CG more, before the Knowledge of it." Mr. Shepard, in his Parable of the ten Virgins, Part II. p. r lays, That " Grace and the Love of Chrift . ( the faireft Colours on- 4 der the Sun ) may be pretended ; But if you fnall receive, " under this Appearance, that God witneffeth his Love, firft " by an abfolute Promife, take heed there ; for under this 44 Appearance, yo may as well bring in immediate Revelations, 46 and from thence come to forfake the Scriptures." And in Part I. p. 86. he lays, " Is Chrift yours ? Yes, I fee it. " How ? By any Word or Promife ! No : this is Delufon. And p. 136. fpeaking of them that have no folid Ground of Peace, he reckons, " Thofe that content themfelves with the 64 Revelation of the Lord's Love, without the Sight of any " Work, or not looking to it." And fays prefently after, "The
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