A Treasure of Gospel Promises, Left in Legacy by Jesus Christ
TO THE READER.
MAN, who at the beginning was created happj,* having now lost God and his image,
Gen. i, 26. £ph. ii. 10.
is, of all earthly creatures, become most miserable: no less than a slave of the devil, a child of vt’rath, and an heir of eternal damnation. * lliis is not the estate of a few only, but of all mankind out of Christ;^ for we are all by nature under the curse. Th e best, before their conversion were, by nature, children of wrath, even as others, for eveiy woman’s child did fall equally in Adam. Hence it comes to pass, that no man, by nature, is now in better esteem with God than another. Cain and Abel, as children of the iirst Adam only, were equal* iy miserable; the like may be said of us all; tor both Jews and Gentiles are come under. sin;<> and, as the Psalmist saith, <*We are all gone out of the way, we are all together become filthy there is none righteous, no not .one. 0 that men and women had their eyes enlightened and their judgments convinced of that woful plight in which naturally they are! Oh, were their hearts thor- ’ oughly loaden herewith! — surely they would not long content themselves therein.
The truth is, most in the world are spiritually blind, and cannot discern their own misery; and spiritually dead too, and cannot be affected with it. The Holy Ghost saith thus of them,*-*<’I’hey walk in the vanity of their mind, having their under- *
Eph. li, 2, 3. 2 Cor. iv, 4. Rom. r, 19. Gal. i iii, lu. c£ph, ii, 3. Rom., 12. “Rom. iii» 9. Faahaziv^S. ‘IJohnv, 19. Eph.u,l>5* standing darkened; and are strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance which is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts: who, being past feeling, have given themselves unto virantonness, to work all uncleanness with greediness .»” Such as these, are so far from having any right to Gods promises, that for the present they are under the curse; and consequently in the power of all the plagues and threatenines in God’s book.**
Wherefore, let not such, as yet, challenge any comfort from the promises; but let them rather labour, to the utmost of their power in using all good means to be made 4!apable and fit subjects for mercy revealed in the promises. Is it not pity so many sweet promises of life should be made, and yet thou die and be damned notwithstanding? Pray fervently to God, that he would touch thy heart with grief for all thy sins, and work in thee a clear apprehension of thine own unworthiness;<^ and that he would bestow faith on thee; that by it thou mayest be able to £0 wllly out of thyself to God, throuih Jesus Christ, for salvation.
We having departed from him who is the God of all grace and consolation, are fallen into an estate of all baseness, desolation,
and mercy and cannot be recovered agaim into the former estate of spiritual life and happiness, uDless we be brought again to him who is the foundation of life and happiness, even the living God. And brought to him we can never be, but by faith,* which nothing else but the going out of the soul to God, tnrough Christ, to fetch a new principle of spiritual life and grace; which once in Adam we lost, and now need. The which work of faith is not wrought but bj the promises; and being wrought in our heartd, gives us a most sure right and interest unto all the promises of grace.^ Thus we, through faith and patience, are said “to inhei4t the promises;” therefore we are called “The heirs of the promise:” the promises are as well ours who truly believe, as heaven itself is.” Now, by these heavenly promises, God our Father hath engaged himself as a debtor to us, his poor children for all things needful to life and godliness; until that blessed time comes, when we shall be put into full possession of all things which we have now only in promise. At that time, faith shall end in fruition, and promises in performance.
As the soul is the life of the body, and iaith the life of the soul, so are God’s prom-
Heb. xi, 6. bRom. x» 8, 17. Heb. ri, 12, 17. e2Peti,3.
ises the life of £iith. For from whence hath faith this efl&cacj, but because it lays hold on the free promises? But from whence have the promises their strength? Even from the constant nature of Jehovah,* who always gives a being to his word. Desirest thou faith? Then take notice of God’s promises. Wouldst thou have thy faith, like the light in the Lord’s sanctuary, — never to go out? Then acquaint thyself with God’s promises; know them well, meditate on them, confer about them: let them be continually in thy mind, memory, heart, and tongue. Satan laboureth in nothing more than to keep us in unbelief, especially of particular promises; for he knows if we believe them, we shall in all things have the victory, come before God with boldness, carry peace in our own bosoms to our graves, and do and suffer any thing for God.*> Oh the abundance of sweet cordial comfort, which all humble believers draw by faith out of every promise!
Now, beloved, these precious promises, (our breasts of consolation,) whereupon our happiness so much depends, lie hid in the - holy scripture, as veins of gold on earth. Surely those that searched tnose mines, to * bring to light these treasures, are worthy of great coramendution. Wherefbre.- 1 doubt Bot, but the good pains of this blessed and i
2 Cor. i, 20. H John t.^ Eph^ii*. Booi^zv:^ Heb. zL eisa. lxvi Il« 12, faithful servant of God, will find good entertainment of all the children of the promises; who hope to entertain them that have, with great care and ^od evidence of spiritual understanding, discovered and compiled the variety and use of all the promises in matters temporal, spiritual, and eternal. So that here is a medicine for every disease, and a salve for every sore. Read them carefully, and ponder them seriously, and apply then) faithfully. And I beseech the good Lord, who is the Author of them, that, by his Holy Spirit, he would make them powerful and effectual in us.
Consider what is said, and the Lord give us understanding in all things.*
RULES
Ih be observed m reading of Promises,
1. Whatsoever promise is made in general to all the faithful, every one must particularly apply it to themselves; as the Messiah is promised to all, every one must apply him to themselves.^
2. Whatever promise is made to ai one of the faithful, (if there be not some particular reason which ties it to his person; as was to Abraham for a son, and his seed to inherit the land of Canaan,) every child of
a Tim.ii,7. bG€n.iii,15.
God hath right to it: as» ‘^I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee,*” This every oac nay apply to themselves, as we know jfche Holy Grnost applies it; for he hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.^” Which teacheth us to do the like in all the rest of the promises.
3. Under temporal promises to the Jews, are set forth the excellent promised graces which God will give to his people after the coming of Christ.^
4. When we read the conditions of the promises they are not like to the duties of the law« — - made to the perfect fulfiUers of them; the promises are evangelical, made to those which endeavour to keep them; and the main conditions of them are faith.
5. In all the promises for increase of grace, or means of grace, or for any earthly wings, we must kbow we shall have them so far performed to us as the Lord seeth good for us.
6. In our weak endeavourings to keep the promises, we must believe the performance to us, is in, by, and through Christ; in whom all the promises of God are, tea and AMBir:*’ that is, as I conceive,’*confirmed and made good to us in him.” When we can see nothing in ourselves whv they should be performed to m even tnen we are to-
Jodiua i, 5. Heb. zuy 5 c£ggek. xzxiv, 25, 36, 2r. ‘2Cor.i,Sa claim their, for Christ’s sake, if thou be in Christ. For if thou be not in him, no promise belongs to thee; but threatenings and judgments are thy portion; and nothing else can we claim as our due. Sorrow, weeping, and howling, is that which God requireth of us; and not laying upon the comfortable promises, till we hunger after Christ: which God grant we may do more and more, till we come to be satisfied with his image in the life to come.*