Promises and Threatenings: Divine or Demonic - Pike & Hayward / Christian Audio Book (1755) "How may a person judge, when a promise or threatening comes from God, or is brought by Satan to the soul? "It must be acknowledged to be a very difficult and critical work to distribute to every one their proper portion, and so to divide the word of truth, as to give suitable eneouragement to those to whom it belongs, and vet to leave the hypocrite or presumptuous sinner no room to hope. It is equally difficult to attempt to destroy the vain confidenee of the sinner, without disturbing the peace, and discouraging the minds of those who are the real followers of Jesus. Who is sufficient for these things? We readily confess our insufficieney ; but yet hope, that the Lord has enabled us to be in some measure faithful, so far as our spiritual knowledge extends, and may he enable you who read, to deal faithfully with your own souls, that so neither our labour, nor your perusal, may be in vain." http://www.puritanaudiobooks.net/ SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/stack45ny SUPPORT MINISTRY: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=5022374 Pike was born about 1717 at "Ramsey, Wiltshire" (Wilson), which may mean Ramsbury, Wiltshire, or Romsey, Hampshire[citation needed].He was educated for the independent ministry, receiving his general training from John Eames of the Congregational Fund academy, and his theology from John Hubbard at Stepney academy. His first settlement was at Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, about 1740. He moved in 1747 to succeed John Hill (1711–1746) as pastor at the Three Cranes meeting-house in Fruiterers Alley, Thames Street, London. Early in his London ministry Pike established, in his house on Hoxton Square, an academy for training students for the ministry. He adopted the principles of John Hutchinson (1674–1737), and defended them (1753) in a long work. In 1754 he succeeded Zephaniah Marryat, D.D. (1684?–1754),.[1] as one of the Tuesday lecturers at Pinners' Hall. About the same time he joined Samuel Hayward (1718–1757), independent minister at Silver Street, Wood Street, Cheapside, in a Sunday-evening lecture, dealing with "cases of conscience", at Little St. Helen's, Bishopsgate Street.