Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 3
CAP. III. Of Gods promises.
THe promises of God are a kinde of midle thing between his purpose, and performance of good unto them, whom he loveth. And as wicked Iezabel could not1 King. 1… satisfie her hatred of Elyas the Prophet, in intending evill to him, and executing it upon him, in time, as she could; unlesse with all she thundred out against him terrible threatnings, in the mean while: So, much lesse can the love of our good God satisfie it self in a gracious purpose of good towards us, in his heart; and actuall performance of it accordingly, in due time; except with all he make it known unto us before hand; both for our present comfort in the knowledg thereof, and for the ground of our hope and expectation of the good things promised, and accordingly to be receaved at his hands, in their time: He haveing by his promise bound over unto us both his love, and truth, and other Attributes for performance. And herein the Lord provides verie graciously for his poore Servants; who are oft-times brought into that distressed state both outward, and inward, as they have verie litle els, save the promises of God, wherewith to comfort themselvs. Which yet are sufficient, if we improve them, as we ought; considering, first, his love (moveing him to promise) and the unchangeablenesse of it: secondly, his wisdom, directing him to promise nothing unfit; thirdly, his power enabling him, and fourthly, his truth bindeing him to all performance: In regard whereof, God hath made himself a Austin.debtor, though not by receaving from us, yet by promising unto us: promise being, as we say, due debt.
God ever performeth what, and as he promiseth, and not one good thing for another, as some think: no not Heauenly for Earthly, nor a greater good for a lesse. For howsoever so to do, might stand with his bountie, and goodnesse; yet his truth bindes him to his Word, which is Truth. Spirituall good things necessarily accompanyingIohn 17. Salvation he promiseth absolutely unto his; other good things (ordinarily) upon condition. Which (considering, that through our abuse of them, they may prove prejudiciall to our Spirituall man) if so be the Lord should promise absolutely, as the former; it were, many times, indeed, not to promise a benefit, but to threaten a hurt rather. And truly we may observe in the dangerous fals, & miscariages of the wise Salomon, unto whom temporall good things were absolutely promised, in the fullest measure, and accordingly performed; how graciously our wise, and good God provides for our slipperie state, in scantling his promise of good things of that kinde to our Spirituall skill, and care of useing them, for the advantage of our true, and eternall happinesse. We are therefore first, to beware, that we expect not absolutely temporall prosperitie: lest by so doing we both wrong the Lords truth, and our own Faith in the things promised indeed, by doubting of them, because we have failed of obtaining of other things by us presumed of, but not promised by the Lord. Secondly, We must as firmly beleeve, and expect the performance of temporall promises (as the Lord hath made them) as of eternall. For, albeit his louelove do not manifest it self in like degree in promiseing both; yet his truth is alike bound to exhibit both being once promised. Neither is that person in earnest with God, who pretending Faith for eternall good things, yet dare not trust his Word, for temporall. Such as despise Heavenly things, and louelove earthly, usually pretend their trusting of God for the former (of which they are indeed profanely secure): but will trust themselvs, and their own fingers for Earthly, which in truth they set by. I must therefore thus conclude with my self touching those matters. Seeing God hath promised all good things to them Ps. 34.that love him. If this, or that bodily good thing (good in it self) be indeed for my good, I shall receave it from him, in due time: And if I receave it not, it is a reall testimonie from him, that indeed it is not good for me, how much soever I desire it.
As Gods goodnesse shines most clearly in his promises; so mans perversnesse abuseth, and misapplieth them above all other parts of his Word. A great many divide Gods promises from the other parts of his revealed will: and making small, or none account, that either the rules of the Word appertain unto them for direction, or the precepts for obedience, or the threatnings for restraint; yet do lay their sacrilegious hands boldly upon the promises, as their true, and undoubted right. And the reason is, because the promises contain in them things good, and pleasing to mans nature; which because we would gladly have true, we readily beleeve, and apply. But such seperate what God hath joined together, and in effect, take Revel. 22.away from the Words of the Book of God; and God will take away their part out of the Book of Life. Others again trans-form commandments into promises, with great, and dangerous▪ errour. For example; where it is said, The Priests lips should Mal. 2.preserv knowledg, the Romish Priests chaleng an immunity from erring, whence they should take warning, that they er not. So, from Christs teaching, that a city set upon an hill, cannot be hid, they will wring a promise of perpetuall visibility of Church and Ministery, from him, where he intends onelyonly an exhortation to his Disciples (after to become Apostls) unto answerablenesse both in life, and doctrine, to the eminencie of their places. Some again make conditionall promises absolute: as that, Whose sins ye binde upon earth, Math. 18they are bound in Heaven: forgetting that it must be the Church gathered together in Christs name, that is, both furnished with lawfull authoritie, & useing it lawfully. Likewise, that Christ will preserv the Ministery, and Ministers, and be with them to the end of the World: leaving out theMath. 28 condition going before, which is, that they do their duty in their places, in makeing Discipls, and baptizeing them, and teaching them to observ, whatsoever he had commanded them. Lastly, How many, because God promiseth forgivenesse to sinners whensoever they repent, promise unto themselvs repentance upon an howers warning, before their death, though they go on in sin all their life long? But the saying of the Ancient is memorable in this case; He that promiseth forgivenesse to him that repents, doth not promise repentance to him that sins. But, on the contrarie; as he that makes a bridg of his own shadow, cannot but fall in the Water; so neither can he escape the Pit of Hell, who layes his own presumption, this way, in the place of Gods promise.