hou shalt understand less. Thou mayest get what thou
seekest, perhaps some more satisfaction in thy own condition, but it shall
plunge thee more in the issue. Thou shalt always be unsettled, and
"unconstant as water, thou shalt not excel." I confess indeed, if we speak
of the manifestation of one's particular interest in these promises, and
of an evidence of the love of God to thee, in particular, then there must
needs be something wrought by the Holy Spirit on thy soul, to draw down
the general testimony of God's love to mankind into a particular
application to thyself. But that I do not speak of now, because that is
the sealing of the Spirit after believing, and because you are always
unsettled in the first and main point, of flying unto the Son, and waiting
on him for life, therefore have you so much inevidence and weakness in
that which follows. That which I now speak of is, that if this were
cordially believed, and seriously considered, that God sent his own Son in
the flesh, to save sinners, you could not readily have any doubt, but that
your coming to him for salvation would be welcome. You could not say, that
such precious invitations could not belong to sinners, or that he could
not love the like of you. Truly, I think, if the general were laid to
heart, that God hath so loved mankind, that he gave such a gift unto them,
there is none could make any more question of his reality, when that gift
is tendered to any in particular. Nay, I think it is the inconsideration
of this general evidence and manifestation of love to the world, that
makes you so perplexed in particulars. Could you have so much difficulty
to believe his love to you, if you indeed believe that he hath loved the
world, that is, so many thousands like you? Is there so much distance, I
pray you, between you and another, as between him and all? If, then, he
loves so many miserable sinners, is there any impossibility in it, but he
may love you? For what is in them that might conciliate his love? I tell
you why I think the right apprehension of the general truths of the gospel
would be able, like the sun in its strength, to scatter all the clouds and
mists of our particular interest-debates, because I find, that those very
grounds, upon which you call in question your own particular interest, if
you did consider them, you would find they go a further length, to
conclude against all others, and either they have no strength in your
case, or they will be of