Jer. 6. 21. For answer unto which let me acquaint the reader that I have had a little experience of these blocks in the way of a sinner to its Saviour The first stumbling block that lyeth in the way is this saith one I am sometimes unsatisfied and remain staggering and doubting whether the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament be the Word God yea or no. Answ If the Scriptures be not the Word of God then there is no rule to walk by but that every man may walk according to his own heart and as it seems good in his own eyes and this is a most pleasing bait whereby our Rantors and new upstart wantons are insnared and become the tribe of disobedience begotten by the seed of the Serpent and travelling towards the land of confusion and they will shortly arrive at the anger of God and be cast into the pit of his eternall displeasure But that the Scriptures are the Word of God it will clearly appear if we consider 1. By the powerfull effects that the Word hath and doth work upon the consciences of men as to avoid the evill and to chuse the good besides many wonderfull effects that have been wrought thereby in all ages 2. It doth appear that the Bible is the Word of God because it holds out holinesse more then any book in the world and they hold forth a self-denying spirit more then any book besides in the world by all which it doth appear that it is the Word of God 3. It doth further appear to be the Word of God because we finde many of the same things written in our hearts by the Finger of God his Spirit bearing witnesse with ours that we are his and both bearing witnesse that this is his Word 4. In respect of the matter of the Scripture it doth appear to be the Word of God for there cannot be more glorious matter for the creature to be centred upon so also for the sweet dependency of the creatures one upon another beasts nourish men and grasse them 5. The Scripture doth appear to be the Word of God because those things that have been promised the rein have in the appointed time come to passe in all ages so that things have fallen out in every age according to their severall prophesies and all this being so doth make it plainly appear to be the Word of God Now when a poor sinner converted hath gotten over this stumbling block and is in some measure satisfied that this is the Word of God so that the subtle Devill and his own deceitfull heart cannot cheat him here then he casts in a second stumbling block II. It is true it cannot be denyed but this is the Word of God and were it truly translated as it was left by the Prophets and Apostles in Hebrew and in Greek it were something but alas the Scripture is corrupted by a spirit of ignorance or a spirit of self-ends in our translations Answ It is possible here and there a word is not so clearly translated but what is that to thee seeing thou art not to build thy faith and adventure thy soul upon God as held forth in any single text but according to the harmony of Scriptures or generall scope and so they be truly translated as to instance in the Scriptures of the Old Testament Christ exhorted them to read the Scriptures and it cannot appear that the Bible should be corrupted since for besides the Apostles there were many thousands of learned Jewes that came to professe the Gospell Act. 21. 20. Jam. 1. 1. And the truth being so gloriously planted it doth appear it could not be corrupted the generality of Scriptures are truly clearly and faithfully translated so that whosoever readeth and understandeth affecteth beleeveth and applyeth and practiseth what is there held forth it is able to make him wise throughly furnished unto every good work c. and so we come to the third stumbling block III. I cannot but grant saith the doubting sinner but that the Scriptures are the Word of God as hath been proved and that they are not so much corrupted by the Translators but in the main and generall bulk are pure and clear but what is all this to me saith the poor soul If God had spoken particularly to me by his Prophets and Apostles as he did to the Jewes and Gentiles then it it were something but alas these promises were made to the people then as being and what is that to me unlesse God had spoken to me as he did to them Answ The promises do belong unto us now in being as well as unto them as doth clearly appear by these and the like Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever was written afore-time was written for our learning Joh. 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve in me through their word 1 Cor. 9. 10. Saith he it altogether for their sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written Rom. 4. 23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone but for us also 1 Cor. 10. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples unto us and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Peter tels us from the Lord 2 Pet. 1. 20. that we must not make the Scripture speak in a private sense that is wee must not analyse or interpret them so as if the Prophesies thereof did relate only to the particular times places and persons in by and to whom they were at first uttered c. IV. After the sinner is got over the three former stumbling blocks he begins to run the waies of Gods Commandements and in his way he meets with a fourth block It is true saith he the Scriptures are the Word of God and in the main truly translated and they speak to me upon whom the ends of the world is come as well as unto the people in former ages But how shall I know what they mean The Scripture is to be understood in a spirituall sense the Book is sealed to me I cannot open the seal I want the Key of the Bible the Spirit of the Lord Isa 29. 11. Answ It is true the word is a spirituall word for holy men of old spake as the Spirit gave them utterance and the Apostles spake as the Spirit gave them utterance Act. 2. 4. So that neither the learned man nor the unlearned man can understand this Book till the Spirit of God doth open this unto them see Isa 29. 11 12. And the Apostles themselves although they had been a long time with Christ and heard his woâ—ds and seen his miracles yet Christ after his resurrection must come and open their understandings before they could understand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 45. Again the Scriptures are sometimes to be understood in a literall sense sometimes in a spirituall sense and sometimes in both sometimes as they are exprest sometimes as included sometimes as
THE WAY TO HEAVEN DISCOVERED And The Stumbling-blocks cast therein by the World Flesh and Devill removed OR The ready way to true Happines Leading to the Gate of Full assurance WITH A word of Reproof to the scattered discontented Members of the late Parliament And a word of Advise to the present Supreme Authority of ENGLAND By ROBERT PURNELL MAT. 23. 13. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for ye shut up the kingdome of heaven ye neither goe in your selves nor suffer them that are entring to goe in ISA. 57. 14. Take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people Printed for William Ballard of Bristol and are sold by J. Grismond in Ivie-lane London 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE Impartiall READER Unbyased Reader THe Lord by the Prophet Isa 57. 14. ver latter part saith Take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people that so they may walke as Jer. 31. 9. in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble Mal. 2. 8. But contrary to this not onely the World Flesh and Devill but many of the leaders of the people have cast blocks in the way and caused many to stumble not minding the commands of Christ by Paul Rom. 14. 13. Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way I have endeavoured in this ensuing Discourse or Treatise to remove those stumbling blocks that by experience I have found cast in mine own way either by the World Flesh or Devill which in some measure are now removed and my desire is that I might be an assistant to others that have not these blocks removed which is my end in presenting these things to publick view that which I have received by immediate inspiration and mediate Declarations viz. some of those things I learned in reading the Scriptures some in hearing the word preached some in conference amongst Christians some in reading the writings of godly men but I have not as I know of written one line received from either of these but that and onely that which I have not onely heard but heard and seene by experience in mine own soule so that the things are living upon mine own spirit and I doubt not but that the spirits of many shall be refreshed by it when it commeth to publick view and I could wish that those that have greater measures of light would undertake to write more distinctly clearly in order to the removing of these stumbling blocks or any other blocks cast in our way by our soule-murthering enemies especially in these dividing dayes wherein men make it their great worke to cast stumbling-blocks one in anothers way so that while we are contesting about the garment of Religion the power thereof is much abated Men dispute for Honour sake and Victory sake not for truths sake and in the meane time many poore drooping soules lye languishing and the enemies of Christ and his Kingdome rejoycing and the soules of most starving our Gospell is turned into a Covenant of workes by our Legallists or else into a doctrine of Licentiousnesse by our new upstart wantons I meane the Raunters and Hypocriticall dissemblers and Vice-advancers and Ordinances for sakers who like swarmes of Drone Bees are buzzing in our eares whose dayes are ending and plagues be coming as in 2 Pet. 2. 10 12 13 15 17 18 19 21 22. But for all ye whose hearts are upright with the Lord the time is at hand when the reproach and contempt that is now cast upon you shall be quite taken away for your Father will make you the head and not the tayle as doth appeare by these Scriptures Isa 62. 8 9. Joel 2. 23 24. Mich. 4. 4. Amos 9. 13 14. Zech. 8. 12. Isa 41. 18 19. Jer. 31. 12. Isa 30. 23. Isa 55. 13. and Isay 66. 6 7. and 65. 21 22. and 61. 4. and 60. 10. c. Those contemptible despised Saints that now many doe thrust sorely at and others look a squint upon some shut the doore against others turn their backs upon and most of men do either neglect them or despise them But Oh! poor Saints lift up your heads your redemptirn draweth nigh ye shall receive of his fulnesse grace for grace what soever grace there is in Christ there is the like stamped upon every true Christian Is Jesus Christ called the beloved of God so are the Saints too Is he called the Son of God the Saints are also called the Sons of God Is Christ called Heire the Saints are said to be Heirs coheires with Christ Is he said to be elect and precious so are the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 2. Is he called the light of the world the true light they are called also light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Is he said to be sanctified So are the Saints also For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Iohn 17. 19. Is he said to be full of Grace and Truth so are the Saints too some of them as Stephen full of Grace Acts 7. 55. and Mary full of Grace Thus doth the Lord honour those that doe honour him with such titles of honour and the consideration of this doth put the Soule upon Spirituall duties from Spirituall principles as from the sence of Divine love that doth constraine the soule to wait on God and to act for God Rom. 6. 1. How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein So againe I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God c. Rom. 12. 1. So John These things I write unto you that ye sin not What was it that he wrote He wrote that we have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and that the bloud of Christ clenseth us from all sinne And that if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and that if we sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous These choise favours and mercies the Apostle holds forth as the chiefest meanes to preserve the soule from sinne There is nothing in the world that renders a man more unlike a Saint and more like to Sathan then to argue from mercy to sinfull liberty from Divine goodnesse to licentiousnesse which is the Devills Logick The love of Christ being placed in us the same love will be constraining of us to have all our conversations and wilkings to be ordered as becometh children of such a Father the members of such a body the Heyres of such promises the Temples of such a Holy Ghost and the hearing and believing then of what God hath done for us in Christ is the most prevailing meanes of drawing men in to believe in Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. God hath commended his love to us in this that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and so a right trusting in him springeth from the very power of his Holy Spirit
or what to thinke of it I know not only this I know that all those that live without God in the World and die in ignorance shall never goe to heaven 1 Thess 2. 8. Answ I must confesse if a man should goe about to know what God is by those definitions and descriptions that most men give of God a man may spend all his dayes in learning and yet die in ignorance So confused are most mens notions of God some declaring him to be that which he is not and others saying he is not what he is And for mine own part I can speak by sad experience who was my selfe about 14. years since at such a losse in my soul about this very thing that had not he that doth live in that inaccessible light that no mortall eye can approâ—h unto satisfyed my soul in some measure I had been mad for I was in that condition for the space of one moneth during which time I remained restlesse in my soul and sometimes felt the flames of hell burning within me as it were then I felt what a wounded conscience was and could say by experience who can beare it Well I set my selfe sometimes to reading severall Authours upon the attributes of God and the more I sought after the knowledge of him there the more ignorant I saw my selfe of him I inquired also of many Ministers and of some Antient professors but they could make out but little to my understanding at last I went to another Minister Mr. Stubbs by name and declared to him my condition and after a little serious consideration he gave me a milde and tender answer as one that did sympathise with me in my misery and as he was speaking to me or within few houres after my spirit was finely calmed and my trouble abated The substance of what he said unto me was in these two heads First that whereas I was so troubled that I did not know God he said that neither I nor any man under heaven did know him so as we ought to know him and as hereafter we shall know him Paul himselfe said he knew but in part Secondly he further said this my ignorance of God is not a willing ignorance and God never comes in flaming fire rendring vengeance upon those that are willing to know him but he comes to render vengeance upon those that are willingly ignorant of him With these and such like words the Lord was pleased to calme those stormes that were within me which mercy I trust I shall never forget c. And to proceed for the removing of this stumbling blocke that God hath in mercy removed from me Consider that God in himselfe is wonderfull and God in Christ is wonderfull see Isa 9. 6. Father and Son in the Spirit is wonderfull the Fathers wayes are in tho deep the Sonnes wayes are in the deep the holy Ghosts wayes are in the deep and so their foot-steps are not known Psal 77. 19. If any aske How can these be three and yet but one God I answer great is the mystery the Sonne in the Father and the Father in the Sonne and the Spirit of truth which is sent by the Father and the Sonne Joh. 14. 11. with 15. 26. 14. 26. God is incomprehensible there is something in Gods essence not to be inquired into and there are some things that may be known of God and some things not Rom. 1. 20. Of his great and glorious being we can see but the glimmerings Exod. 33. 20 23. No man can see and know him as he is and live in this sinfull body we may admire his essence but not comprehend it Rom. 11. 33. It is life eternall to know him as we may read Joh. 17. 3. But he dwelleth in that light that no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see 1 Tim. 6 16. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. And as he is immortall so he is invisible 1 Tim. 1. 17. 1 Joh. 4. 12. But more particularly how can these be three and yet but one God I answer they are distinguished not divided they be distinguished into Father Son and holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that beare record and these three are one he is so eternall as is nâ—t onely without beginning and ending but by and in him all things begin and end For the further clearing hereof Consider at the first the Lord made man of the dust of the earth and breathed in him the breath of life and he became a living soul and in this soul there is a spirituall substance as is God but finit and not being of it selfe so is not God the Lord stamped his owne likenesse of an holy Trinity in Unity and of an holy Unity in Trinity as the soul is but one essence yet there ariseth three diverse faculties in that one substance first there is the Minde secondly there is the Will thirdly there is the power of doing or working the minde conceiveth and understandeth things the will affecteth the object according as the minde first conceiveth of the thing and from this minde conceiving and will affecting there proceedeth the working power by which something is done the minde so conceiving resembleth the Father the will having his affections begotten by the minde conception resembleth the Son begotten of Father and the power of doing proceeding both from the minde and will resembleth the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son and as these three Father Son and Spirit make but one God so these three faculties doe make but one spirituall substance or soul But as the Father worketh not without the Son nor the holy Ghost without the Father and the Son so neither doth the minde or will or working power effect any thing apart but joyntly together yet as we attribute Creation to the Father Redemption to the Son Illumination to the Spirit so to the minde we attribute understanding to the will we attribute both well or ill affecting and to the working power we attribute the thing wrought or done And as in that one God no person is before or after another in time but only in order so neither in that one soul is the minde before the will in time nor the working power behinde them in time for the power of working is before the thing wrought There is no distinction but only in order for there is no sooner the soule in the body but there exist all them three and without any one of them the soul cannot be If any demand who created all things I answer God Who redeemeth man fallen God Who doth inlighten man God yet there are not three but one God So if any man demand What is that in me that understandeth I answer the soul What is that willeth or affecteth any thing I answer the soul What is that whereby I am
required as absolutely necessary to salvation Joh. 17. 3. Joh. 3. 36. 8. 24. Psal 2. 12. Luk. 19. 27. So that election and reprobation are not in any sense causes of salvation and damnation but Christ is the proper and meritorious cause of salvation and sin the proper and meritorious cause of damnation so that election and reprobation they are but precedent acts or decrees and the causes of salvation and damnation they come in between the decrees and the execution thereof So then if we consider men in themselves and without Christ they are dead in their sins without any spirituall strength and having neither will nor spirituall power neither in themselves nor of themselves either to beleeve or to doe any good work from any true principle or for any good end therefore Gods grace prepareth us before we can be able and worketh in us that we may be able nay the Lord doth work all our works in or for us as well after beleeving as before beleeving Take a man that is quickned inlightned converted and impowered by the Spirit of God in the inward man this man hath need of a continuall supply Phil. 1. 19. of the Spirit of God of renewed strength for we read of Peter that he rested upon some old received strength and so fals before a new temptation So again Paul I can doe all things through Christ enabling me he knew he must not rest upon what he was inabled to doe but expect a continuall enabling by the same Spirit that at first enabled him Eph. 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord that is be ye strengthned daily more and more by the power of the Lord that is be ye encouraged to doe the thing required of the Lord by that union ye have with him by faith drawing from him all the strength ye stand in need of 1. Consider thou hast a power already given thee by which thou art able to doe the thing required 2. Or else with the command the Lord conveyes a power to inable thee to do the thing commanded Thirdly when thou lookest upon the command on thy left hand then look upon the promises on thy right hand wherein the Lord God hath promised to inable thee and not not not faile thee nor nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. It is observed that there are five Negatives in these words although our Translation doth expresse but one but for more carefull practising doing and observing all the commands of our God consider these few things as incouragements 1. He requires no more of us then he hath inabled us to doe or at least promised to inable us to doe 2. For our encouragement he hath promised to reward us for doing our duty so that to every precept there are two Promises the one to reward us the other to inable us and both to encourage us And in case of slothfulnesse and negligence in leaving undone what we ought and might have done First he complains on us Secondly he exhorts us Thirdly he threatens us Fourthly he tells us that he did put a prize into our hands but we like fools had no heart to it and so our cloudings eclipsings mis-givings and doubtings are but the effects of our negligence See Isa 59. 2. Isa 1. 15. Jer. 5. 25. Psal 107. 17. 34. The Lord doth protest we are not straitned in him he is not wanting to us what could I saith the Lord have done more for my Vineyard Isa 5. 4. And when I looked for Grapes it brought forth wilde Grapes wherefore judge are not my wayes equall and yours unequall Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth be astonished I have furnished a people with strength to obey me and they have rebelled against me What will no man believe me did I ever say seeke mee in vaine did not your Fathers trust in me and were saved are not my wayes equall and yours unequall do I reap where I have not sown do I require much where I have given little is not my promise before you and my presence with you is not my blessing upon you and my Angels guarding you dost thou want strength ask of me dost thou want wisdome ask of me Have not I said in my Word that I do give liberally and upbraide not have I not said I will withhold no good thing from thee and have I not promised to work faith in thee and protested I will never faile nor forsake thee Why dost thou not take hold of my Covenant and assure thy self I will never faile thee The soul having all its stumbling-blocks removed it begins to clear up and solace it self in the apprehension of Christ and application of his promises and so breaks forth into these or the like words Ever blessed be the name of God that hath removed these terrible stumbling-blocks that lay in my way now I see that I never saw now I know that I never knew he hath anoynted mine eyes he hath scattered all my doubts he is my God and I will prepare him a habitation in my soule and the chiefest roome in my heart God told Moses he could not see his face and live If I cannot see his face and live then let me dye that I may behold him as he is and have full injoyment of him O I am sick for the love of him that dyed for the love of me I was ignorant as a beast before him but now I know him and have experience of him he hath avouched himselfe to be mine and I have avouched my selfe to be his Jacobs life was bound up in Benjamins but my soule is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord my God so that for me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine he hath overcome me with his love he hath made knowne his minde to me in removing these stumbling-blocks from me I am overcome with admiration and replenished with exceeding consolation 21. The last stumbling-block that I shall name is this And saith many a poor soul with-within it self I know not with what Society or Assembly to joyne with there are so many opinions viz. Presbytery Independency Anabaptist Arminians Antinomians Ranters Quakers Seekers I know not with whom to sit downe O tell me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest thy flock that so I may be able to discerne betweene him that serveth God in pretence or in truth Ans My advise is That thou wouldst own all men and women let them go under what name soever if thou seest any thing of the appearance of Christ in them and know no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16. that is do not so much take notice of mens outward appearances viz. kindred quality honour wisdome or eloquency but meerly know them after the spirit that is according to the spirituall power vertue and grace that is in them the true Church then are a people created in Christ Jesus or begotten and born to God in the faith and knowledge of his Son by the
made many promises unto us viz. that he will withhold no good thing from us that he will never faile us nor forsake us yea we may find in the Old and New Testament whole cloudes of promises suitable to every condition that a man or woman is subject to be in 3. He is one that is alwayes mindfull of his promise Psalm 111. 5. Isaiah 49. 15 16. 4. He is able and willing to make good his promises Rom. 4. 20 21. See Micha 7. 18 19. 5. He is so faithfull he cannot lye Heb. 10. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithfull that hath promised 1 Cor. 1. 9. and 2 Thes 5. 24. and 2 Thes 3. 7. Tit. 1. 2. 6. Consider that he is one hath entred into covenant to make good every tittle promised Isa 54. 10. The mountaines shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed Jer. 33. 20. If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there shall not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken it is true we may fall and lose degrees of Faith and recover them againe we may fall off and be restored and backslide and be recovered but God hath said Jer. 32. 40. I will write my Lawes in their hearts and they shall not depart from me 7. He is one that hath sworne to us that he will make good his Covenant with us Heb. 6. 17 18. Ezek. 33. 11. 8. He hath sealed his Promise Oath and Covenant with the blood of his Son Heb. 9. 23. and Revel 1. 5. by all which we may see he is immutable unchangeable the same yesterday to day and for ever and whosoever doth thus know his name cannot but trust in him c. 3. Consider what are the particular promises in it we have spoaken already to the two first namely First whose word it is Secondly what he is that spake it now the next thing to be considered is what are the particular promises in it to which I answer as before there are promises of all sorts viz. there are promises Absolute or Conditionall Evangelicall or Legall Generall or Particular Common or Speciall Direct or by Consequence Spirituall Temporall or Eternall or promises for the life that now is or that which is to come there are informing and assuring promises promises to one sensible of Sin promises to a Child newly begotten to the Faith promises for the young man promises for an old man in a word I know no State Nation or People but in one sence or other have promises relating to them unlesse those people that have sinned against the Holy Ghost and the nature of that sinne is discovered in removing the 15. stumbling block Now me thinks a Spirituall soule should stand upon his guard and when Satan comes with his temptations he should resist him with the promises as our Saviour did Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10. the only way to conquer is still to plead t is written therefore when a soule is tempted to uncleannesse plead 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. It is written be ye holy as I am holy and let us clense our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of the Lord as in 2 Cor. 7. 1 2. and when he tempts us to distrust Gods providence and Fatherly care of us let us plead it is written they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psal 34. 9. Againe Psal 84. it is written the Lord will give us grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly If we feare we shall faint on our way then plead it is written Job 17. 9. the righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall waxe stronger and stronger Jer. 32. 40. It is written I will make an everlasting Covenant with them I will not turne away from them to doe them good I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Isa 40. 31. It is written they that wait upon the Lord they shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not be faint It is written Micha 7. 19. He will turne againe he will have compassion upon us and cast all our sinns into the depths of the Sea Isa 54. 7. T is written For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee ver 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer verse 10. T is written the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isay 49. 15 16. It is written Can a woman forget her child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee for I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy walls are ever in my sight Obj. Now who is this that hath made these and a thousand such like promises Answ We have proved before that it was God Those holy men spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God To whom he did make these pretious promises that we have also answered before that these were made to us now in being as well as to those then in being as we have fully proved Quest But what is this God that hath thus covenanted with us Answ 1. He is one that delighteth in mercy 2. He is one that is mindfull of his promises 3. He is one that is able to make good what he hath promised 4. He is faithfull he cannot lye 5. He hath sworne that he will make good every tittle by him promised 6. He is one that sealeth all with the Blood of his Son and giveth us the reason of all this Heb. 6. 18. That we might have strong consolation which have our refuge to lay hold upon that hope that is set before us This also made our Father Abraham to live in hope against hope The stability of a Promise Covenant or Oath standeth much upon the qualifications of the promiser as to instance if a man make me a promise to do such and such things for me and yet I question whether he will make it good it must be from a doubt of the want of one of these ensuing things in him that maketh the promise as Master Owen in his book called The stedfastnesse of promises very well observeth Our staggering or doubting then doth arise 1. Either from the truth of him that maketh the promise 2. Or from his ability to make good his word 3.