Chapter II
That God hath not in his promises obliged himself to give us the veryparticular
blessing which we pray for, and therefore we cannot pray with assurance of obtaining it.
I shall now carry on the same demonstration touching promises, the second object of faith, viz., that the manner of God s declaration of them is such as God hath not bound himself so up but that there is this liberty reserved, in what particular promise he thinks best for us to answer our prayers, and as shall be most for his own glory, especially considering how promises are taken in by us into our prayers. I come then to promises, the second object of faith before mentioned, and therein to consider, whether the promulgation of them, as God hath * Castellio in locum.
CHAP. II. J OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 429
been pleased to make it, doth not reserve the like liberty to God, as hath been shewed of his attributes, and so by consequence the same latitude to
faith in prayer, which is a putting of promises in suit ; so as that notwith
standing that God hath engaged himself in promises, we may pray in faith,
although short of such a persuasion, that we shall receive the very par ticulars we ask for. I shall discuss this point under a general consideration
of promises ; and, indeed, the general consideration had of them will much conduce further to discover and lay open the very bottom ground or root why a faith short of such a persuasion may be prevailing to obtain, and
will withal stub up by the roots such objections as may be made against it. The objection may be framed up of these particulars, that there being one attribute not hitherto mentioned, viz., God s will, which hath drawn in those other fore-mentioned attributes into a confederacy with itself, to
assist and perform what that will determines ; and this will being revealed
in particular promises, his will hath thereby put out of its own hands all
liberty to answer or not to answer our prayers. These promises also now
serving wholly as directions and sea-marks to guide how to steer the course
of our prayers ; and God having moreover made superadded promises to hear our prayers, and further his purposes and contrivances about his
church, being known to him from the beginning (as all his works are, Acts xv.), and that being the purest part of his providence, and therefore
eminently called foreknowledge ; and he having before ever he made any promise considered all, and cast and given forth his promises according to
the idea of those his purposes, as his purpose is to grant upon their
prayers, therefore there should and ought to be a special persuasion of faith
in our prayers, that we shall receive the very particular.
Now for assoiling this objection, and for the better clearing the bottom reason of what I am pursuing, I have cast this general consideration of
promises into these three heads :
First, As touching the matter of them, or things promised.
Secondly, The tenor they are delivered in, as in relation to persons. These two as they lie in the words abstractly considered. But,
Thirdly, A distinct consideration must be and apart had of them, as
they are taken by us into our prayers, and therein urged unto God.
First, Touching the matter of them, there are these assertions.
1. God hath so framed and suited his declared promises to his secret
purposes and designs, of what he means to bestow upon his children, that
there is extant some either promise, or instance, or declaration (which always implies a promise in them), for all and every good thing he means
to bestow. He hath so drawn out his purposes into promises, as the sea
into rivulets, that, I may safely say, there is no particular good thing he hath purposed to bestow, but there is a declaration of his will, either by instance or promise for it. God s will is open and manifest in this, that we have the whole of his secret will, as it concerns us, touching good things to be bestowed, in his revealed will ; and as his children are
* children of
promise, Heb. vi. 17, and heirs of blessing, 1 Peter iii. 9, which are of
equal extent, because promises and blessings are of like equal extent, so
in like manner there is no blessing but is a blessing of promise some way or other ; and like as God blessing us in Christ blesseth us in nothing out
of him, so whatever he blesses his children withal, it is by, and not out of, a promise. Whatsoever is given is given by a word, and there is nothing we need or can desire but there is some promise or other for it, as the matter of it.
2. It is also further true, that whatsoever God actually performs there
430 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PAKT II. BOOK III.
is a word for it ; this assertion is a consequence of the former. He rules the world by his word, or if judgments be on the world, or particular per sons, they are shewn in some threatening, or some instance of the like in the word, and they are all but executing the judgments written, Ps. cxlix. 9 ; and therefore God s dispensing judgments upon men is synonymously called his taking hold of them : Zech. i. 6, But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of
your fathers ? and they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts
thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. In which place you have, 1. God s thoughts, what he meant to do, which is his secret will. 2. You have God s thoughts put into words, suited unto his will. 3. You have the performance, they took hold of them, so that they are suited to both the threatenings and
purposes, which are in this respect parallel. It is said not a word fell to the ground, 1 Sam. iii. 19, 1 Kings viii. Again, performances and pro mises are adequate.
Secondly, The tenor of promises is to be considered apart from the matter of them, and it lies in this, how the declaration of these promises doth intend and respect particular persons. And as to that there are these
assertions :
1. Though there is no good thing but is in some promise or other, as hath been said, yet God s secret will was never to perform or bestow all and every good thing in specie (which he hath promised) to all and every one of his children personally ; nor is it declared anywhere in the word
that he will do so. This is apparent in temporal promises of temporal
things. He hath not given riches to all saints, nor wisdom, nor honours. There are not many rich, wise, or noble, though some are so ; and yet, because he will bestow of all these upon some, therefore there are promises that do particularise all these.* The like may be said of many promises in spiritual privileges, gifts, degrees of grace, &c. The sense of this asser
tion you may take up and conceive of thus, that our God, the God of all
grace, and the God of all comforts, having the whole body of his elect
before him, and all parcels of good things in prospect and intuition, his
will was to give all and every good thing in specie among them, and in his
secret purposes he dispersed and ordered them amongst them.
2. Every good thing that every one of them hath he hath it by promise,
yea, and to that very end it was that God made such manifold promises,
particularising every good thing in one of them or other, because he would bestow nothing without or besides a promise in his word.
3. Take the declaration of promises as they respect persons, and so when God made and gave forth all these promises of his revealed will, he had in
his eye whom he meant to bestow these particularities of things promised, in their several kinds, upon, and so made these promises with a special intent unto them, and de facto bestows them upon them individually, although in his word he named not those particular persons, but keeps and
reserveth that in his own breast, both what good things, and whom he would bestow them upon.
4. The declaration of God s will, and his intent in such promises, is for
the most part not universal to all and every saint. Some promises indeed
* Gerard upon those words, John xiv., "Whatsoever ye shall ask, I will do ; though he peremptorily determines there is no prayer but*God answers, yet in his
giving an account why so many prayers come short, one of them is, Deus nuspiam in verbo suo dedit ejusmodi proinissionem, quod in temporalibus velit dare nobis omnia qua; desideramus.
CHAP. IE.] OP JUSTIFYING FAITH. 431
are universal, but then they run in the strain as that doth, Whoever
believes shall not perish, John iii. 16 ; but many other are but indefinite, and so to be understood by us. This indefinite tenor of promises is clear
in the case of the promises to work miracles, which may illustrate what I mean about these other. These promises we have John xiv. 12, He that
believes on me, the works that I do he shall do also ; and greater works ; Mark xvi. 17, And these signs shall follow them that believe : in my name
they shall cast out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues, &c. These
speeches are but indefinite, and yet run in this strain, He that believes on me, &c., but are not made to whoever believes. No, not in those times :
* To another is given the gift of working miracles, &c. But
1 Cor xii. 10,
if you hear of such a promise, He who believes shall be saved (as Mark
xvi. 16, Christ had said), you must understand it universally of all that
believe. For in that tenor of universality it runs, John iii. 16, Whoever
believes, &c. But there are absolute promises of salvation, which are the
object of faith, which are not universal to all men ; the promulgation of them is, indeed, to be made to all, but the promises themselves are not intended to all, and we see it in the performance, which falls out accord
ingly, both which promises and performances are yet adequate as to God s
secret intent ; he in his secret intent having those individual persons in his
eye, whom he would bestow such and such particular things upon, and made those promises with an eye to them, but still not naming those parti cular persons in his word, there was a reserve in his breast on whom he would bestow them. And so because his will and intent was to perform them to some, therefore he hath given forth all sorts of particular promises in that tenor mentioned, He that, &c. ; and yet because his will was to
perform each but to some, therefore these promises run in an indefinite strain and tenor. I call them indefinite, because the declaration made in them
respecteth not all persons, but some, and those not declared who they are.
Obj. But you will say, that all and every Christian hath a right to every promise.
Am. What greater instance is there than that of Christ himself? And
yet although all things are Christ s, and the promises of all things are made in him to us, as the great founder of them 2 Cor. i. 20, In him all the
promises are yea and amen he never had the performance of all and each of the good things of this world promised in specie, but less thereof, and more of the contrary, than any of his children. And what of them he hath in the other world is per modum eniinentia, in a way of eminence, as the holy apostle (that was but a small draught of him) says of himself, that though he had all things, viz., in the right, }
7et he was possessing nothing.
5. Promises being thus indefinite, it is sufficient for any to obtain them that their faith on them be but an indefinite act, and so a faith answering to the tenor of the promise. An indefinite act from us is rightly and duly suited to an object that is but indefinitely proposed by God to us, and to such an indefinite act is suited. I mean that, as the promises declare not
individually whom the things promised are intended unto, so the faith, though in the understanding part not certainly knowing that I am the person, yet in the will, puts forth indefinite acts, answerably to that suspense in the
understanding ; so that I cast myself upon God to obtain that thing pro mised, by virtue of that promise which must and shall be made good to some, and what do I know but unto me ? And these indefinite acts of
faith are good faith, for they are answerable to the mind and tenor of many
promises that run in the style of a bare it may be, which you meet with so
432 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PART II. BOOK III.
oft in Scripture, both concerning spiritual and temporal things ; and who knows but God may intend it to me, says the soul ; and therefore I do put in for it, and am bound so to do, both in respect of my own needs, and God s promulgation of it to me as well as to any other. From hence there
ariseth these three corollaries :
(1.) As faith is good faith, because it answers the tenor of the promise, so it is a praying in faith when my prayers answer to such a faith, without a certain knowledge that I shall undoubtedly obtain.
(2.) Such promises as are declared by God being, in the respect before-
mentioned, but indefinite, hence this attribute, the will of God, stands in
great freedom, which he hath reserved within himself, how to perform these
promises : notwithstanding they are the declarations of his will, and he hath on purpose (that he might retain this liberty within himself) in that manner uttered them. And by this it will appear that as great a latitude
is left to his will, notwithstanding the promises given forth, as to any other
attribute whatsoever before specified, which latitude lies in which and what
promises he will be pleased, and is pleased, to gratify such and such per
sons, doing it to some in one thing, to others in another ; and it is accord
ing to his will in all, as it is said of bestowing his gifts, it is according to
his will, 1 Cor. x.
3. Again, on our part, hence it comes to pass that his ways and judg ments, which are the performances of his promises and threatenings, are
past finding out ; and accordingly, his will in dispensing this or that to
particular persons, is past finding out, notwithstanding the declaration of
all sorts of threatenings and promises particularly made in his word. If a man would go about to make a collection from the word, of all such threat
enings or promises, together with all the variety of instances, which are
interpreters of his mind in either, wherein either are set forth as performed
(as that when men have lived to such a degree of sinnings, the threatening hath been executed, as several instances do set out), and will thereupon
say, that upon such a sinner God will certainly bring such a judgment, because I find he did bring it upon such and such sinners, in such a case, which we have instances for, and those suited according to the threatenings ; in the end he will find a great latitude and variety of judgments, of several
sizes and proportions, in those various instances which the word holds forth, and some instances of the same kind, in the highest measure, on whom God
forbore to bring the execution of such punishments, whilst he hath brought upon the smallest sinners of that kind the same. If he shall, besides, also
consider those many intermediate instances, of higher and lower sizes, between either of these two extremes of greatest and smallest, that have or have net been punished ad libitum, as God thought meet, that man will
conclude, from all such collections, that no man can make a certain judg ment what God will do, from such instances of such judgments joined
together. And thus it is in promises, and the instances belonging to them ;
for God s faithfulness and truth are as well engaged in his threatenings as
his promises, and there is so great a variety of degrees of qualifications of
the persons that the promises are thereby made unto, as there will appear that God hath bestowed and fulfilled such and such a particular promise to
one that had less of that qualification ; as in giving riches to some, when
yet he hath passed by another that hath had more of that grace or qualifi cation that the promise is made unto, and yet he leaves him in deep poverty, as he doth many of his precious ones, notwithstanding his promises and
their prayers ; and therefore no absolute judgment can be made, which is
the point in hand.
CHAP. II.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 433
Thirdly. The third consideration of the promises is, as they come under our prayers, or are put into suit by us in prayer. The former considera-
i tions shewed what latitude is left to God for the performance, and to our faith in believing, as to the promises, considered in the matter of good things promised, and the tenor as to the persons. Next follows the consideration of them, as any of them are upon occasion singled out by us, and taken into our prayers ; for God hath not made promises, or doth bestow good things promised, altogether as they lie abstractly in his word, but hath made
special promises besides unto our prayers about them, or when we ask them, or supplicate about them : Ask, and it shall be given ; Ask wisdom of God, and it shall be given. And this may seem such an obligation on God s part, that although the promises of the good things themselves, abstractly taken, and severed from our prayers, may not ascertain us of
obtaining, yet when the addition is made of God s promise to bestow them when they shall be prayed for, that makes such double obligation on God s
parkas may afford a certainty to our faith, that we shall obtain the very particular we pray for. But concerning promises as thus considered and proposed, I offer these assertions or proposals.
1. The promises we do put in suit for good things we pray for, are but a few, in comparison of the many that God hath made in his word. The promises in our prayers are but like the gleanings, in comparison of a great harvest ; what through our negligence in prayer, straitness of comprehen sions to glean and gather them, I may say of them as the apostle doth of the earth, that it stands in the water and out of the water, so do the pro mises stand out of our prayers, an ocean of them, as well as some are taken
i in. For what the psalmist says of the law, that it is exceeding broad, and that there is no end of its perfection, the like we may say of promises, if we take them in all particulars of them ; and for multitude, they are such as we cannot number them, for our understandings are narrow as they are broad. So as God hath, besides what we put in suit, a multitude of other
j promises that lie afore his understanding, and which he intends to his children ; and hence it comes to pass, that he hath a mighty compass and roornth, by reason of the breadth of the promises, to answer us in, besides what we pray for^
2. Consider those few promises that we single forth, and take down in
j our prayers, and then put up to God, or consider the good things promised,
I which you request in prayer, and you will find that they are but as they are first taken in by our apprehension, and according to what we judge of them to be best for us. For prayers are formed by us, and so put up to God, as they lie before our understandings ; and alas, poor creatures, as
i we are said to know nothing as we ought, in general, so nor particularly
j what to pray for as we ought. No, not as to the matter we are to pray for. The apostle hath told us so, and that in relation to our prayers, Bom. viii. And though there is so great a choice of promises that lie exposed before
i us, with so great a variety and multitude for us to pick and choose, yet we know not what is most expedient in our condition, and which to single forth and pitch upon. But as Calvin observes, we are blind and ignorant in seeking God ; yea, and although we know our own evils, the sores of our hearts, our needs and wants, yet our minds are more confused, and
I clouded, and tangled, than to know what rightly to pitch upon, or what
| is most meet and expedient as to our present need. So that there falls
j out a great variation of the compass by our steering aside, between what
: the needs of our prayers point to, and God s intentions are oftentimes
I towards us.
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434 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [PART II. BOOK III.
3. Hence we are attentively to consider the infinitely wide difference between promises, as they lie before God s understanding and intentions of
his good will towards us (as in Jeremiah the prophet himself hath expressed
it, I know the thoughts that I have towards you ; and yet even those
thoughts lie in some promise or other in the word, as it is afore him), and what we are apt to pitch upon by reason of our clung understandings and
confused apprehensions, when his promises lie afore us, and are chosen by us. The corollaries which arise from hence are these.
(1.) We may see the reason why God gives, and that by virtue of pro mises, so many and so great good things, besides, and without, and above
our prayers. 1. He doth this besides and without our prayers
: I am
* of those that sought me not; and he gives things that
found, says God,
enter not into our thoughts and heart. And, 2, he doth it above and
beyond our prayers, more than all we are able to ask or to think, as the
apostle saith ; for why ? The reason hath been told us, even because pro mises are of infinite breadth, and the declarations of his will, as they lie
before his understanding, and his word, which is in his eye, are exceeding
large. And we may truly say, that for God to do according to what is let
in, or comes into our minds, is not the main part of what he intends, he
is so abundant in kindness and truth, above all we can sue for. God is
greater than our hearts in this respect, and knows his thoughts and inten
tions towards us, infinitely beyond those short ideas we shape forth to our
selves, for ourselves, out of his promises. Miserable, at least imperfect, should we be, if God should answer us but according to those imperfect models,
draughts, and proposals of our petitions. We should have been infinitely
disadvantaged, if God should have bound himself up to our prayers, and have given nothing else.
(2.) We may also hence see how it comes to pass, that God s will may
still retain that great freedom and latitude as to performance of promises, notwithstanding his promise is to hear our prayers, and that he may still be executing his will, according to some promise or other, as they lie before
his divine understanding and will, therein performing as he judgeth most
* It is expedient for you I go away ; when yet at present that word brake all their hearts, to think of his^departure. But
expedient ; as Christ saith,
by the taking in of those fore-mentioned things, we may with satisfaction
discern how both these things may stand together, that God may still deal
with us according to his declared will in promises, and yet deny us that
individual we seek in prayers, notwithstanding his promises to hear our
prayers.