A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 1 · Maxim 5
The fifth Maxim or Conſideration.
FIfthly, conſider, That the promiſes of God are a Chriſtians Magna Charta, his chiefeſt evidences for heaven; divine promiſes are Gods Deed of Gift, they are the only aſſurance which the Saints have to ſhew for their right and title to Chriſt, to his bloud, and to all the happineſs and bleſſedneſs that comes by him. Look,Gen. 38.18-27 as Judah by pleading and bringing forth the ſignet, the bracelets, and the ſtaff, ſaved her life, ſo we by believing, pleading, and bringing forth the promiſes, muſt ſave our own ſouls; the promiſes are not only the food of faith, but alſo the very life and ſoul of faith, they are a Mine of rich treaſures, a garden full of the choiceſt and ſweeteſt flowers, in them are wrapt up all celeſtial contentments and delights. And this is moſt certain, that all a Chriſtians concluſions of intereſt in any of thoſe choice and precious priviledges which flow from the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, ought to be bottomed, grounded and founded upon the rich and free promiſes of grace and mercy.
Queſt. But how may a perſon come to know, whether he has a real and ſaving intereſt in the promiſes, or no? Now to this great Queſtion, I ſhall give theſe nine following Anſwers.
Firſt, A holy relyance, a holy reſting, a holy ſtaying of thy ſoul upon the promiſes, makes the promiſes thine own; yea, it makes all the good, and all the ſweet, and all the happineſs and bleſſedneſs that is wrapt up in the promiſes, thine; even as thy ſtaying, relying and reſting on Chriſt, makes Chriſt thine, and all that is in him, and that comes by him, thine; ſo thy ſtaying and reſting upon the promiſes makes them thine.
Secondly, If thy heart ordinarily, habitually, lyes under the word of command, then the word of promiſe does aſſuredly belong to thy ſoul,'Twas a good ſaying of Auguſtin, Da quod jubes, & juhe quod vis, Give what thou commandeſt, and command what thou wilt. To ſuch a frame the promiſes belong. Numb. 13.28. to the end. Pſal. 119.6. Act. 13.22. Luke 1.5, 6. There is no ſoul under heaven that commonly lyes under the commanding power of the Word, but that ſoul that has an intereſt in the word of Promiſe; men that have no intereſt in the word of Promiſe, commonly live in the neglect of the word of command; if the word of command commonly carries thy ſoul, then the word of promiſe, without all peradventure, belongs to thy ſoul: Many deal with the commands of God, as the Heathens dealt with the commands of their gods; When their gods called for a man, they offered a candle; or as Hercules offered up a painted man, inſtead of a living man. Such as deal thus with the commands of God, they have no intereſt in the promiſes of God; fleſh and bloud looks upon the commands of God as impoſſible to be obeyed, like the unbelieving ſpies; O we cannot conquer the Land; but faith and love, like Caleb and Joſhua, conclude the Land may be conquered, the commands may be Evangelically obeyed, and accordingly they readily …ndertake it. Now, to ſuch a frame of heart the promiſes are entail'd. But,
Thirdly, If in the face of all objections,The longer, ſaid the Emperor's ſon, the Cooks are preparing the meat, the better chear I ſhall have. His meaning was, that the longer he ſtaid for the Empire, the better and greater it would be; ſo the longer the ſoul waits for a mercy, the better and greater it will be when it comes, &c. diſcouragements and difficulties, thy ſoul be kept up in a waiting frame, for the fulfilling of the promiſes, as Abrahams was, Rom. 4. then certainly the promiſes belong to thee. There are ſome prom…ſes that relate to the ſubduing of ſin, as that, Jer. 33.8. Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. Mich. 7.19. Pſal. 65.3. And there are other precious promiſes that relate to a growth in grace, as that, Mal. 4.2. Job 17.9. Pſal. 92.12, 13, 14. Prov. 4.18. Hoſ. 14.5, 6, 7. Now if thy heart be kept up in a waiting frame, for the accompliſhment of theſe promiſes, then they do certainly belong to thee; the ſame I may ſay of all other promiſes, The waiting ſoul ſhall be ſure to ſpeed, Pſal. 40.1, 2, 3. Iſa. 40.29, 30, 31. Iſa. 30.18. Heb. 6.12, &c. God never did, nor never will, fruſtrate the expectations of the patient waiter, &c. But,
Fourthly, He that hath thoſe divine qualities or ſupernatural graces in him, to which the promiſes are made, as faith, repentance, love, fear, hope, uprightneſs, patience, a waiting frame, &c. He has an undoubted intereſt in the promiſes, he may lay his hand upon any promiſe, and ſay, this promiſe is mine, and all the bleſſings, the benefits, the heavenly treaſure that is laid up in it, is mine. But,
Fifthly, He that lives upon the promiſes as his daily food, he has an unqueſtionable intereſt in the promiſes; wicked men may make uſe of promiſes as of phyſick, in ſome caſes, as when they are under anguiſh of ſpirit, or gripes of conſcience, or in fear of hell; or elſe when they are under ſome outward wants or ſtreights, &c. but he that lives upon them as his daily food, he has a moſt aſſured intereſt in them; our outward man lives not upon kickſhaws, though now and then we may taſte of them, but we live upon wholſom food; ſo here, no man lives upon the bleſſed promiſes as his appointed food, but he that has a real intereſt in the promiſes. Look, as there is a nouriſhment proper to every Animal Spiders feed on flies, Moles on worms, the Horſe on g…aſs, the Lion on fleſh, &c. ſo there is food (nouriſhment) that is proper for mens ſouls, viz. the precious promiſes; and Chriſts fleſh, which is meat indeed, and his bloud, which is drink indeed, Iohn 6. and he that daily feeds on this food, will be happy for ever. But,
Sixthly, If you are united and married to Chriſt by faith, then you have a real, a ſaving intereſt in the promiſes, Gal. 3.29.Gal. 4.28. Heb. 1.2. Rev. 21.7. And if you be Chriſts, then are you Abrahams ſeed, and heirs according to the promiſe. The promiſe is the Jointure, and there is no way under heaven to enjoy the Jointure, but by matching with the perſon of Chriſt. And faith is the grace of graces, by which the ſoul gives both its aſſent and conſent to take the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as he is tendered and offered in the Goſpel, and is therefore called ſometimes a receiving of Chriſt, Iohn 1.12. The only way to enjoy a Ladies Jointure, is to marry her perſon; and ſo the only way to enjoy the promiſe of Chriſt, is to be willing to marry the perſon of Chriſt; 'tis our marriage-union with Chriſt, that gives us a right and title to all the promiſes of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 1.20. For all the promiſes of God in him, are yea, and in him, Amen. All abſolute and conditional promiſes, either of grace or unto grace, are made to us in Chriſt, and only enjoyed by our enjoying of Chriſt.
Seventhly, He that can clear his right to any one promiſe, he may ſafely and boldly conclude his intereſt in every promiſe. The promiſes are a golden chain, and he that has a right in one link of the chain,2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. Eph. 5.22, 23. 2 Pet. 1.4. has a right in every link of the chain. As there is a chain of graces, ſo there is a chain of promiſes. He that can lay his hand upon any one promiſe, and truly ſay this is mine, he may ſafely lay his hand upon every promiſe, and ſay theſe are mine; he that is an heir to any one promiſe, he is an heir to every promiſe. Hence it is they are called heirs of promiſe, Heb. 6.17. not hei s of this promiſe, or that, but of promiſe; that is, of every promiſe, or the Covenant which comprehends all the precious promiſes of the Goſpel in it. Though the promiſes may be diſtinguiſhed one from another, yet they may not be ſevered one from another; he that has a right to any one promiſe, he may ſafely infer his right to every promiſe. The whole Covenant (which is a bundle of promiſes) is certainly thine, if any one promiſe be thine; the promiſes by a divine hand are mutually tyed and linked together; and thoſe whom God has joyned together, no man may put aſunder. The promiſes can be no more divided, than Chriſt can be divided, or than heaven can be divided; the promiſes are not like loofe and unſtringed pearls, but as pearls made into one entire chain. He that can lay his hand upon that promiſe, Mat. 5.6. Bleſſed are they which hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be ſatisfied, and truly ſay, this promiſe is mine, he may ſafely lay his hand upon that promiſe, ver. 8. Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God, and ſay this promiſe is mine; and the ſame he may ſay of the reſt of the precious promiſes that are ſpecified in v. 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11. of that Chapter. He that can lay his hand upon any one promiſe, that God has made to them that love him, and truly ſay, this promiſe is mine, he may ſafely lay his hand upon every promiſe that God has made to them that love him, and ſay theſe are all mine. He that can lay his hand upon any one promiſe that God has made to them that fear him, and truly ſay this promiſe is mine, he may aſſuredly lay his hand upon every promiſe that God has made to them that fear him, and ſay theſe are all mine. He that can lay his hand upon any one promiſe that God has made to faith in Chriſt, to believing in Chriſt, and truly ſay this promiſe is mine, he may ſafely lay his hand upon every promiſe that God has made to faith in Chriſt, to believing in Chriſt, and ſay all theſe promiſes are mine. He that can lay his hand upon any one promiſe that God has made to the returning ſinner, and truly ſay, this promiſe is mine, he may ſecurely lay his hand upon every promiſe, that God has made to the returning ſinner, the repenting ſinner, and ſay all theſe are mine. He that can lay his hand upon any one promiſe, that God has made to the waiting ſoul, and truly ſay this promiſe is mine, he may without all peradventure lay his hand upon every promiſe that God has made to the waiting ſoul, and ſay all theſe are mine; prove but your right in one, and you may ſafely infer your right to all. But,
Eighthly, If in the times of your greateſt outward and inward ſtraits and trials, when you are moſt ſadly and ſorely put to it, you flie to the precious promiſes, as to your ſureeſt and choiceſt City of refuge, then certainly you have an intereſt in them. Thus Abraham did, Rom. 4.17-22. and thus Jacob did, Gen. 32.6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12. compared, and thus Sarah did, Heb. 11.11. and thus Moſes did, Num. 10.29. and thus Jehoſaphat did, 2 Chron. 20.1, 10, compared with the 7, 8, 9. verſes of that Chapter. And this was Davids common practice, Pſal. 27.12.13. and Pſal 60.1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. compared, and Pſal. 119.49, 50. Turn to theſe Scriptures, and ponder upon them. And ſo when a man is under the guilt of ſin, he flies to promiſes of pardon and forgiveneſs, as to his ſureſt and choiceſt City of refuge, Num. 14.19. Iſa. 55.7. Jer. 33.8. Iſa. 40.1.2. Chap. 43.25. Mich. 7.18. Jer. 31.34. Exod. 34.7. Dan. 9.9. And ſo when a man is under the ſtrength, power and prevalency of ſin, he runs to ſuch promiſes wherein God has engaged himſelf to ſubdue the ſins of his people, and to purge and cleanſe away the ſins of his people (Mich. 7.19. Rom. 6.14. Pſal. 65.3. Iſa. 1.25. Mal. 3.3. Zach. 13.9. Iſa. 27.9. Mat. 3.12. Ezek. 36.25.33. Jer. 33.8.) as to his ſureſt and choiceſt City of refuge. And ſo when a man is deſerted, he runs to ſuch promiſes as are proper to that ſtate, as to his ſureſt and choiceſt City of refuge, Mich. 7.19. Iſa. 54.7, 8, 9, 10. Pſal. 5.12. Pſal. 84.10. Pſal. 97.11. Pſal. 112.4. Iſa. 49.14, 15, 16. And ſo when a man is tempted, he runs to ſuch ſupporting, ſuccouring and incouraging promiſes as are moſt ſutable to that ſtate, as to his ſureſt and choiceſt City of refuge, 1 Cor. 10.13. Heb. 2.18. Rom. 16.20. James 4.7. Now certainly, ſuch as in all their inward and outward ſtraits run thus to the promiſes, as to their ſureſt and choiceſt City of re…uge, they have an unqueſtionable intereſt in the promiſes. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong City, Prov. 10.15. Wealthy worldlings in times of diſtreſs & danger, do run to their hoards and heaps of riches, as to a ſtrong City that is able to outſtand all ſieges and aſſaults, and to be ſafety and ſecurity to them; ſo when once a man makes the precious promiſes to be his ſtrong City, and runs to them in the day of his diſtreſs and dangers, as his only ſafety and ſecurity, then he has doubtleſs an intereſt in them. But,
Ninethly and laſtly, If you daily preſent a greater and a choicer good in the promiſes to your ſouls, than any this world affords, then certainly you have an intereſt in the promiſes. If when honours, or riches, or pleaſures, or the applauſe of men do preſent themſelves unto you, you can readily preſent to your own ſouls higher honours in the promiſe, 1 Sam. 2.30. Luke 12.32. Rev. 2.17, 26, 27. Chap. 3.5, 12, 21. Chap. 5.10. and more durable riches in the promiſe, Prov. 8.18. 1 Pet. 3.4. and ſweeter and choicer pleaſures in the promiſe, Pſal. 16.11. Iſa. 12.3. Chap. 35.2, 10. Jer. 33.9, 11. Pſal. 132.16. and greater applauſe in the promiſe, Mat. 10.32. Whoſoever therefore ſhall confeſs me before men, him will I confeſs alſo before my father which is in heaven; I, and before the Angels too, Luke 12.8. Mat. 25.31-41. 1 Cor. 6.2, 3. 2 Theſ. 1.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Rev. 3.9. Iſa. 60.12, 13, 14. Then certainly you have an intereſt in the promiſe. When a man can ſhew his own heart daily, in the glaſs of the promiſes, a greater worth, excellency and glory, than all this world affords, without all controverſie he has an intereſt in the promiſes. Thus thoſe Worthies, of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. 11. and the Martyrs in all ages, did commonly preſent better, higher and greater things to their own ſouls in the promiſes, than any their adverſaries were able to propoſe to draw them off from Chriſt, their profeſſion or principles, &c. and by this means they did very couragiouſly & honorably maintain their ground in the face of all the gay and golden temptations that they met withal.Mat. 5.10, 11, 12 Burn my foot if you will (ſaid that noble Martyr S. Baſil) that it may da ce everlaſtingly with the Angels in heaven. Crudelitas veſtra, gloria noſtra, Your cruelty is our glory, ſaid they in Tertullian; and the harder we are put to it, the greater ſhall be our reward in heaven. Baſi… will tell you, that the moſt cruel Martyrdom is but a crafty trick to eſcape death, to paſs from life to life, as he ſpeaks; It can be but a dayes journey between the Croſs and Paradiſe. Though the Croſs be bitter, yet it is but ſhort: A little ſtorm, as one ſaid of Julians perſecution, and an eternal calm follows. Adrianus ſeeing the Martyrs ſuffer cheerfully ſuch grievous and dreadful things, asked, Why they would endure ſuch miſery,1 Cor. 2.9. when they might (by retracting) free themſelves; upon which one of them alledged that Text, Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. The naming of the Text, and ſeeing them ſuffer ſuch hard things cheerfully, did (by a bleſſing from on high) ſo really and effectually convert him, that afterwards he became a Martyr too.Acts 16.25. When we ſee poor, weak, feeble Chriſtians, defying their torments, conquering in the midſt of ſufferings, ſinging in priſon as Paul and Silas did, kiſſing the ſtake, as Henry Voes did: clapping their hands when they were half conſumed with fire, as Hawkes did; bleſſing God that ever they were born to ſee that day, as John Noyes did; calling their execution day, their wedding day, as Biſhop Ridley did; we cannot but conclude, that they had an eye to the recompence of reward, and they ſaw ſuch great, and ſweet, and glorious things in the promiſes, that did ſo refreſh, delight and raviſh their hearts, and tranſport their ſouls, that all their heavy afflictions ſeem'd light, and their long afflictions ſhort, and their moſt bitter afflictions ſweet and eaſie to them. But,