118 Thefirft Sign PART IIIo Bible, but the Manner oftheir coming to them; which is a certain Evi- dence of their Delufion. There is no particular Promife in the Word of God that is the Saint's, or is any otherwife made to him, or fpoken to him, than all the Promifes of the Covenant of Grace are his, and are made to him, and fpoken to him : Tho' it be true that fome of thefe Promifes may be more peculiarly adapted w his Cafe than others ; and God by his fpirit may enable him better to underftand fome than others, and to have a greater Senfe of the Preci.. oufnefs,and Glory, and Suitalplenefs of theBleflings contained in them. But here, fome may be ready to fay, What, is there no fuch Thing as any particular fpiritual Application of the Promifes of Scrip- ture by the Spirit of God ? I anfwer, There is doubtlefs fuch a Thing as a fpiritual and laving Application of the Invitations and Promifes of Scripture to the Souls of Men : But it is allo certain, that the Nature of it is wholly mifunderftaod by many Perfons, to the great enfnaring of their own Souls, and the giving Satan a vaft Advantage against them, and againft the Intereft of Religion, and the Church of God. The fpiritual Application of a Scripture Promife does not confifi in its being immediately fuggefled to the Thoughts by fome extrinfick Agent, and being borne into the Mind with this firong Apprehenfion, that it is particularly fpoken and direaced. to them at that Time : There is nothing of the Evidence of the Hand of God in this EWe&, as Events have proved in many notorious Inftances ; and it is a mean Notion of a fpiritual Application of Scripture ; there is nothing in the Nature of it at all beyond the Power of the Devil, if he bcn't re- flrain'd by God ; for there is nothing in the Nature of the Effe& that is fpiritual, implying any vital Communication of God. A truly fpiritual Application ofthe Word of God is of a vaflly higher Nature : as much above the Devil's Power, as it is, fo to apply the Word of f Mr. Shepard, in his Sound Believer, p. r 59. of the late Impref- fion at B?on, lays, " Embrace in thy Bofom, not only fome 44 few Promifes, but all. " And then he afks the Queflion, GC When may a Chriflian take a Promife without Prefumption, cc as fpoken to him ? " He anfwers, " The Rule is very 4, fweet, but certain ; when he takes all the Scripture, and em- cc braces it as fpolcen unto him, he may then take any particu- sc lar Promife boldly. My Meaning is, when a Chriflian takes YG hold, and wreftles with God for the Accomplifhment of all Yc the Promifes of the New Teflament, when he fets all the 4' Commands before him, as a Compafs and Guide to walk af- Y' ter, when he applies all the Threatnings to drive him nearer cc unto Chrift the End of them. This no Hypocrite can do ; " this the Saints (hall do ; and by this they may know when 66 the Lord (peaks in particular unto them. " God
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