The saints legacies, or A collection of certaine promises out of the word of God Collected for the priuate use, but published for the comfort of Gods people. Whereunto is now added the saints support in times of trouble.

To the Reader.

MAN which at the be∣ginning was created happy, Gen. 1.26. Ephes. 2.10. having now lost God and his Image, is of all earthly creatures become most miserable, no lesse then a slave of the Devill, a child of wrath, & an heire of eternall damnation. Eph. 2.2, 3. This is not the estate of a few onely, but of all mankind out of Christ; for we are all by nature under the curse. 2. Cor. 4.4. Rom. 5.19. Gal. 3.10. The best, be∣fore their conversion, were by nature children of wrath, even as others: Eph. 2.3. Rom. 5.12. for every wo∣mans

child did fall equally in Adam: hence it comes to passe, that no man by nature is now in better esteem with God then other. Cain and Abel as children of the first Adam onely were equally miserable; the like may bee said of us all, for both Iewes and Gen∣tiles are come under sin. Rom. 3.9. And as the Psalmist saith, We all are gone out of the way, we are altogether become filthy, there is none righteous, no not one. Psal. 14.3. O that men and women had their eyes enlightened, and judgements convinced of that woeful plight in which naturally they are! Oh! were their hearts throughly loaden therewith, surely they would not long content themselves therein. The truth is, most in the world are spiritually blind, and cannot discerne their owne misery; and spiritually dead too, 1. Iohn 5.19. Eph. 2.1.5. and cannot be affected with it: The Holy

Ghost saith thus of them, Eph. 4.18, 19. They walke in the vanity of their mind having their understanding dark∣ned, and are strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance which is in them, because of the hardnesse of their hearts: who being past feeling, have gi∣ven themselves unto wantonnesse, to worke all uncleanesse with greedinesse. Such as these, are so farre from having any right to Gods promises, that for the present they are under the curse, and consequently in the ••••nt of all the plagues & threatnings in Gods Book. Deut. 27. ult. Deut. 28.56.63. Where∣fore let not such as yet challenge any comfort from the Promises, but let them after labour to the uttermost of their power, in using all good meanes to bee made capable and fit subjects for mercy revealed in the Promises. Is it not pitty so many sweet Promises of life should bee

made, and yet thou dye and bee dam∣ned notwithstanding? Pray fervently to God that hee would touch thy heart with griefe for all thy sins, and worke in thee a cleare apprehension of thine owne unworthinesse, Acts 2.37. Luke 15.19. and that he would be∣stow faith on thee, that by it thou maist bee able to goe wholly out of thy selfe to God, through Iesus Christ for salvation.

Wee having departed from him who is the God of all grace and con∣solation, are fallen into an estate of all basenesse, desolation, and misery; and cannot bee recovered againe into the former estate of spirituall life and happinesse, unlesse wee be brought a∣gaine to him who is the foundation of life and happinesse, even the living God: and brought to him we can ne∣ver be, but by Faith, Heb. 11.6. which is nothing else but the going out of the

soule to God through Christ, to fetch a new principle of spirituall life and grace, which once in Adam we lost, and now need. The which worke of faith is not wrought but by the pro∣mises; and being wrought in our hearts, gives us a most sure right and interest unto all the promises of Grace. Rom. 10.8.17. Heb. 6.12.17. Thus we through faith and patience are said to inherit the promises, therefore we are called the heires of the promise: the promises are as well ours, who truly believe, as heaven it selfe is. Now by these heavenly Promises, God our Father hath engaged himselfe as a debtour to us his poore children for all things needfull to life and godlinesse, 2. Pet. 1.3. untill that blessed time comes when wee shall be put into full pos∣session of all things which wee have now only in promise: at that time Faith shall end in fruition, and Promi∣ses

in performance. As the soule is the life of the body, and faith the life of the soule, so are Gods promises the life of faith. For from whence hath faith his efficacy, but because it layes hold on the free promises? but from whence have the promises their strength? even from the constant na∣ture of Iehovah, 2. Cor. 1.20. who al∣wayes gives a being to his word. De∣sirest thou faith? then take notice of Gods promises: wouldst thou have thy faith like the light in the Lords Sanctuary never to goe out? then ac∣quaint thy selfe with Gods Promises, know them well, meditate on them, conferre about them: let them be con∣tinually in thy mind, memory, heart and tongue. Satan laboureth in no∣thing more then to keepe us in unbe∣liefe, especially of particular promi∣ses, for he knowes if we believe them, we shall in all things have the victory,

come before God with boldnesse, car∣ry peace in our owne bosomes to our graves, and doe, and suffer any thing for God. 1. Iohn 5. Eph. 2. Rom. 15. Heb. 11. Oh the abundance of sweet cordiall comfort which all humble beleevers draw by faith out of every promise! Now beloved, these pretious Promises (our breasts of consolation) whereupon our happinesse so much depends, lye hid in the holy Scripture, as veines of gold in the earth. Isa. 66.11.12. Surely, those that search those mynes to bring to light these trea∣sures, are worthy of great commēda∣tion. Wherefore I doubt not but the good paines of this blessed and faith∣full servant of God will find good entertainment of all the children of the promises, that hope to entertaine them, who hath with great care and good evidence of spirituall understan∣ding discovered and compiled the va∣riety

and use of all the promises in matters temporall, spirituall, and eter∣nall. So that here is a medicine for e∣very disease, and a salve for every sore. Read them carefully and ponder them seriously, and apply them faith∣fully. And I beseech the good Lord, who is the Authour of them, that by his holy Spirit he would make them powerfull, and effectuall in us. Consider what is said, and the Lord give us understan∣ding in all things. 2. Tim. 2.7.