Twenty-Four Sermons, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
October 22. 1695.
II CORINTH. I. xx.
For all the Promiſes of God in him are Yea, and in him Amen, unto the Glory of God by us.
IV. How do theſe Promiſes ſo confirmed in Chriſt tend to the glorifying of God?
This may be Opened two ways; By conſidering the tendency of them on his part, and on ours.
1. They tend to the glorfying of God on his part, who is the Author of them; and this in four reſpects eſpecially:
1. As they tend to the glorifying of Chriſt the Mediator, who is ſo much concern'd and employ'd in the making of them ſure to us. He is had in Honour the more by this means; this renders him a precious Corner-Stone, as he is called, Iſa. 28.16. It heightens our Eſteem of him, as well as gives us encouragement to build upon him. Now whatever is to the Glory of chriſt, muſt needs conduce to the Glory of God; for God is in Chriſt, as he told the Iſraelites concerning the Angel whem he promiſed to ſend before them, My Name is in him, Exodus 23.21. Therefore the Exaltation of Chriſt is to the Glory of God the Father, Phil. 2.11. And our Lord tells his Diſciples, when Judas was gone out with a purpoſe to betray him into the hands of his Murderers, John 13.31. Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorfied in him. The Glory of the Father, and the Glory of the Son are indeed inſeparable; that which lifts up the expreſs Image of his Perſon in the World, will neceſſarily redound to hmſelf; as on the contrary, the Contempt which is caſt upon Chriſt, reflects upon God.
2. They tend to the Glory of God's Grace in ſetting forth the Sovereignty and Amplitude of it.
1. They ſhew the Sovereignty of the Grace of God; that the ſhould make ſuch Promiſes to Creatures, to whom only Curſes and Threatnings belong. What marvellous Goodneſs in it, to over-rule all the Pleas of Juſtice and Judgment ſo far, that the promiſe of life in Chriſt Jeſus (2 Tim. 1.1.) ſhould be given to Men that do nothing but what is worthy of Death! That God ſhould ſend ſuch good Tidings of great Joy to thoſe that could have look'd for nothing but flaming Vengeance, and implacable Fury! How plainly does this prove what he ſays, That he will be gracious to whom he will be gracious? Exod. 33.12.
2. They ſhew the Amplitude of God's Grace; for if Grace did not abound, and flow out plentifully from the Heart of God to us, we could never have had ſo large a ſtock of Promiſes as the Scripture ſupplies us with. There are Promiſes ſufficient for every want, and ſuited to every condition; Promiſes of relief in every Diſtreſs; of help againſt every infirmity; Promiſes of Support in our Temptations, and of eſcape out of them, 1 Cor. 10.13. Certainly, If God had not been rich in Mercy, we ſhould have been more ſparingly provided.
3. They tend to the Glory of his Truth. This evidently appears by his bringing to paſs what he hath promiſed. The Word of God being verified in his Works, ſo conſtantly and punctually as it is, is a convincing Inſtance and Argument of his Fidelity. If God did never promiſe the doing of us good, the luſtre of this Attribute would very much be loſt, though the un-promiſed Good ſhould be done. If God ſhould give us Grace and Glory, without telling us before-hand, that he will, how ſhould we know him to be the true and faithful God by the giving of it? The Promiſe is as the Orb, in which this Perfection of God ſhines forth. The Promiſe and Oath of God are thoſe immutable things (foreign) in which it is impoſſible for God to lie, Hebr. 6.18. The Exact Accompliſhments of theſe things are ſo many clear Demonſtrations of that impoſſibility, Pſal. 89.34. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing which is gone out of my lips. If he could have changed or violated his Word, he is provok'd enough to do it.
4. They tend to the Glory of his Power. God is tyl'd able to do above all that we can think, Eph. 3.20. and indeed many of the things which God hath promiſed, are ſuch as could not have entred into our hearts to conceive. Much of that which God hath made the matter of our Expectation, does exceed our Imagination; and yet we can think a great deal more than we can do, or more than any other Creature can. This therefore magnifies the Power of God, and ſhews the length and ſtrength of his Arm beyond the utmoſt capacities of Angels and Men. The Devil indeed frequently promiſes, not only more than he intends to perform, but more than he is able to perform if he would. He told our Lord, when he ſhewed him all the Kingdoms of the World, All theſe things will I give thee; whereas he could not really give him the ſmalleſt ſingle Thing out of theſe all; inſtead of givng him the whole of what he ſaw, he could not give him one Foot of the ground on which he ſtood. But on the other hand. God cannot Promiſe more than he can Perform, though he performs ſometimes more than he hath poſitively promiſed.
2. They conduce to the Glory of God on our Part, who believe them; for we glorifie God by Believing more than by Working, more by receiving the Promiſe than by fulfilling the Command. Though Faith and Obedience are by no Means to be ſet in Oppoſition (for Obedience ſprings from Faith) yet have the Preference; Compariſon, Faith is to have the Preference; God hath ſet the Royal Crown upon the Head of Faith and made her Queen inſtead of Works. No Sin ſo great a reproach and diſhonour to God as unbelief; no Grace or Duty that brings in ſuch a Tribnte of Glory to him, as our believing in his Word. Rom. 4.20. He (Abraham) ſtaggerd'd not at the Promiſe of God through unbelief but was ſtrong in Faith, giving Glory to God. The ſtronger the Faith, and the leſs mixtures it hath of infidelity, the more Glory reſults to God: This is manifeſt in two Things. The Promiſes which are conſirm'd in Chriſt, are no the Glory of God, when receiv'd by us: Becauſe
1. Faith is a Subſcription of the Soul to them. The doing of the Words of the Law is call'd a Confirming of them, Deut. 27.26. Becauſe indeed, every Tranſgreſſor of the Law does as much as in him lies, to diſanul and make it void. So Faith in the Promiſe is as it were our Confirmation of it; and full Agreement to it. As on the other ſide, to disbelieve the Promiſe, is to Abrogate and Cancel it, as far as we can. Here lies the Blafphemy of Infidelity; He that believeth not God, hath made him a Lyar, one not fit to be Credited, 1 John 5.10. But he that receives his Teſtimony, ſets to his Seal, that God is true, John 3.33. There is a double Seal to the Foundation of Divine Promiſes. The Seal of God's unchangeableneſs, which he puts to it, and the Seal of a Believers firm Perſuaſion and Conſent, which is to be affixt by us. So God declares his Promiſes to be Amen, and we alſo by Faith put our Amen to them; here is Amen and Amen, ours as an Eccho to God's; for our Amen ſigniſies not only deſire of accompliſhment, but Aſſurance; not only ſo be it, but ſo it ſhall be. Of this we have an Example, Jer. 11.5.
2. Faith includes a Dependance of the Soul upon them. Hence David ſays, My Fleſh ſhall reſt in Hope, Pſalm 16.9. That Hope which is grounded on the Word, gives reſt to the Soul; 'tis as an Anchor to keep it ſteady, Heb. 6.13. Which ſhews the ummoveableneſs of that which our Anchor is faſten'd to. The Promiſe fuſtains our Faith, and our Faith is that which ſupports us. He that Hopes in the Word, as David did, Pſalm 119.81. laies a mighty ſtreſs upon it; as Sampſon did, when he leaned upon the Pillars of the Houſe, ſo as pull it down upon the Philiſtines. A Believer throws the whole weight of all his Affairs and Concernments, Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal upon the Promiſes of God, like a Man reſolved to ſtand or fall with them. He ventures himſelf and all that belongs to him, entirely upon this bottom, which is in Effect to ſay, if they will not bear me up, I am Content to ſink; I know that there ſhall be a Performance of thoſe Things which have been told me from the Lord, and therefore I will inceſſantly look for it.
V. Ʋſe. This Doctrine may be improv'd by way of Information and Exhortation.
1. Information.
1. All that's enjoyed out of Chriſt, is only in a Courſe of common Providence, not by Vertue of any Promiſe; becauſe all the Promiſes are Yea and Amen in Chriſt. They that are without Chriſt, are ſtrangers from the Covenant of Promiſe, Eph. 2.12. In a Chriſtleſs State, they have no more to do with them, nor can receive any more Benefit by them, than the Devils themſelves, who are not only reſerv'd to Judgment, but are partly under Execution. Carnal Men have very often a large Portion of this World; God brings into their Hands abundantly, Job 12.6. He fills their Houſes with good Things, Chap. 22.18. But as the Holy Ghoſt ſays of the Hearts of ſuch Men, ſo it may be ſaid of the beſt of their Enjoyments, they are little worth. They are but miſerable Comforts, becauſe they are not given on the account of Promiſe; therefore given in Wrath, and not in Mercy; with a Curſe, and not with a Bleſſing.
2. Legal Promiſes are out of Date, and quite Excluded. There are no Promiſes in force, bu… what are in Chriſt. And therefore no Promiſes but what are Evangelical; for though Chriſt came to fulfil the Precepts of the Law, he came to eſtabliſh the Promiſes of the Goſpel; Do and Live is the Promiſe of the Old Covenant, but this is deſtroy'd and taken away in Chriſt; and he that attempts to live by doing, builds up what Chriſt deſtroy'd. The Law was indeed Publiſht in its full Perfection to the Jews, but it was with a gracious Deſign of ſubſerviency to the Goſpel, by leading them to Chriſt; that being ſenſible of their own inability to keep the Law, they might fly to him, and take Sanctuary in his unſpotted Righteouſneſs and compleat Obedience. The Law is abus'd, when ſet up to the vacating or weakening of the Covenant of Grace. Paul rejects this with abhorrence, Gal. 3.21. Is the Law then againſt the Promiſes of God? God forbid.
3. The Promiſes of God are not founded upon the Performances of the Creature; for then they would not be to his Glory by us, ſo much as to our Glory by him. The Ancient Believers obtained Promiſes through Faith, Heb. 11.33. And ſo muſt we. And indeed this is the cuſtomary Scripture-way of expreſſing this Matter, Gal. 3.14. That we might receive the Promiſe of the Spirit through Faith, ver. 22. That the Promiſe by Faith of Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. Now whatſoever is by Faith muſt needs be purely of Grace; without the leaſt reſpect to any worthineſs in the Object. God does not ſuppoſe Qualifications in us, but work them; and thoſe very Promiſes which are conditionally propounded, as to the Manner of delivering them, are abſolutely perform'd to thoſe that are intereſted in them; for the ſame God gives both Repentance and Pardon, Grace and Glory.
4. The Happy State of a Believer is unalterably ſure. Pſalm 125.1. They that truſt in the Lord ſhall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. The Reaſon is plain, becauſe the Covenant and Promiſe of God, which is all their Salvation, and all their Support, can never be removed, Iſa. 54.10. Notwithſtanding all our own Threatening Infirmities, here is Matter of ſtrong Confidence. Grace in us is weak, Corruption oftentimes gets the upper hand, our Hearts are deceitful, the Tempter is very buſie; but none of theſe Things ſhake the Perſeverance of the Saints; though they ſhould awaken our Caution, and perſuade our Diligence, they ſhould not move us from our Hope; becauſe that Word of God is ſettled in Heaven, which concerns our Settlement and Security here on Earth. He who requires us to ſtand faſt, hath promiſed that we ſhall do ſo; and his Promiſes are not ſuſpended upon uncertain Conditions, which may fail, but they have their full Ratification in Chriſt, who is always the ſame: A Sun of Righteouſneſs without any Shadow of turning.
5. Though a Believer may be ſtript naked and bare of all his outward Things, he cannot be robb'd of his trueſt Riches; he ſtill really abounds when he ſuffers the greateſt need: For his moſt ſubſtantial Wealth (as well as Life) is hid with Chriſt in God, the Promiſes of God being all confirm'd to him in Chriſt. Upon this account, though he be utterly emptied of every Thing in this World, that properly belongs to the World, he may juſtly ſay, nevertheleſs, I have all, and am full. The Teſtimonies of God are a goodly Heritage, and the rejoycing of the Heart in the Total Deprivation of External Comforts: This will explain that Paradox of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 8.10. As having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all Things; though we have nothing in Hand, yet we have all Things in hope; what we want in Poſſeſſion, is infinitely made up by Promiſe. To have our Portion of Goods in our own Hands (as the Prodigal had) is dangerous, we may ſpend it or loſe it; but to have a Stock in God's Hands is ſafe, 'tis a Treaſure which faileth not. The Poor of this World have a bleſſed Recompence, if Rich in Faith; James 2.5. In this Caſe, good Bills and Bonds, which will all be paid, whenever there is occaſion, are a far better Eſtate than ready Money, which Private or Publick Thieves may break through and Steal from us.
6. Special Ordinances are ſpecial Priviledges. The Preaching of the Word is an Ordinance that lies open and common to all, and this is a conſiderable Priviledge; for how ſhould Men be brought to believe without the Word of Faith? But Sacraments which are limited and confin'd in their Adminiſtration to ſelect peculiar Perſons, are much more conſiderable, being ſenſible Signs for the Confirmation of our Faith, when it is wrought in us. Among the many Advantages which the Iſraelites of Old had above all other People, the Apoſtle reckons up the Covenants and the Promiſes, Rom. 9.4. I do not know any Thing to the contrary, but that the Covenants there may be meant of the two Seals of the Covenant under the Old Teſtament, Circumciſion and the Paſſover (to which we have our correſpondent Seals under the New Teſtament) for Circumciſion particularly is called, not only a Token of the Covenant, but the Covenant in their Fleſh, who were Circumciſed, Gen. 17.13. Now all Sacraments are viſible Promiſes, God holds forth to our very ſight, what may ſerve for the Encouragement of our Faith, and the directing of our Hearts to Chriſt on whom we Believe.
II. Exhortation.
1. Come to God in Chriſt for the Performance of his Promiſes to you. Two Things lye in this one.
1. Plead the Promiſes with God, lay hold of them, and humbly challenge your ſhare in them. Put him in remembrance of what he hath ſaid, Pſalm 119.49. Remember thy Word unto thy Servant, &c. 1 Chron. 17.26, 27. Thou art God, and haſt promiſed this goodneſs to thy Servant, now therefore let it pleaſe thee to bleſs, &c. Do not ſay, what have I a Sinner to do with the Promiſes of Grace: Thou haſt a ſufficient warrant from the free offer of God's Grace in Chriſt, and the expreſs Command of God to believe. 'Tis thy Duty to comply with his Invitation, and rely on his Promiſe of Acceptance. 'Tis no Preſumption in the filthieſt Soul that ever was, to urge God with his good Word, Ezek. 36.29. I will ſave you from all your Ʋncleanneſſes. If the Promiſes do not belong to thoſe that ſee themſelves undone, and are under a Senſe of their unworthineſs to receive any help, they belong to none.
2. Plead them in Chriſt, or elſe your Prayers will miſcarry, and the Promiſe never be performed to you. Take heed of having an Eye to ſelf, or of imagining that they ſhould be made good to you for your own ſake. An excellent Author, (A. Burgeſs) calls this an Ivy-ſin, which ſticks ſo cloſe to our Natures, that it ſecretly conſumes and devours All, look to Jeſus if you deſire to ſpeed. Expect not that God ſhould ſay Amen to any Prayer, in which we have not a reſpect to Chriſt, as the only Perſon in whom the Promiſes are Amen. This I take to be the Evangelical Senſe of that Propheſie, Iſa. 65.15, 16. The Lord God ſhall call his Servant by another Name, that he who bleſſeth himſelf in the Earth, ſhall bleſs himſelf in the God of Truth; viz. in Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Conſider Chriſt as the true Foundation of your own Stability. Read the Words following the Text, ver. 21. As the Promiſe of God have their Eſtabliſhment by Chriſt, ſo we alſo are eſtabliſhed in him. We ſtand by Faith, and our Faith ſubſiſts by the Power of Chriſt, or elſe it will fail the very next Moment, after it is produced, Chriſt dwelling in our Hearts, is the Strength of our Hearts; Col. 2.7. Rooted, and built up in him, and ſtabliſht in the Faith, &c. They that ſeem to be Pillars, are but ſorry Reeds without him, which every wind of Temptation will bend or break. The ſame glorious Power which upheld him in the working out of your Redemption, muſt likewiſe ſuſtain you in the Exerciſe of Faith upon him; or elſe you will quickly Experience your ſinful weakneſs by a miſerable Fall.
3. Set a juſt value upon the Promiſes of God, as unchangeable Aſſurances of his Love and Grace. Remember how much greater the Teſtimony of God is then the Witneſs of Men, and therefore receive it with anſwerable Joy. We read of exceeding great and precious Promiſes being given unto us. 2 Pet. 1.4. They are ſo in themſelves, and ſhould be ſo to us. Men of all Degrees are Vanity and a Lye, of doubtful and uncertain Credit, and we cannot depend much upon what they ſay; they often out-live their own Promiſes, and grow weary of performing them, or if not, yet their Promiſes dye with them, and then what are we the better? But we cannot prize any Divine Promiſe more than they deſerve, becauſe we can never be deceiv'd by them in any of our Expectations from them.
4. Let no appearing impoſſibilities make you Queſtion God's Accompliſhment of any of his gracious Words. Though you cannot ſee how the Thing can be done, 'tis enough, if God hath ſaid, that he will do it. There can be no Obſtructions to promiſed Salvation, which we need to Fear. He who is the God of this Salvation, and the Author of the Promiſe, will prepare his own Way for the doing of his own Work, ſo that every Valley ſhall be filled, and every Mountain and Hill brought low, Luke 3.5. Though the Valleys be ſo deep, that we cannot ſee the bottom, and the Mountains ſo high that we cannot ſee the Tops of them, yet God knows how to raiſe the one, and level the other, Iſa. 63.1. I that ſpeak in Righteouſneſs (or faithfulneſs) am mighty to ſave. If any Thing would keep back the Kingdom of Chriſt, it would be our Infidelity; but he will come, though he ſhould find no Faith on the Earth. See Rom. 3.3.
5. Cast not away your confidence becauſe God defers his performances. Though Providences run croſs; though they move backwards and forwards, you have a ſure and faithful Word to rely upon. Promiſes, though they be for a time, ſeemingly delay'd, cannot be finally fruſtrated. Dare not to harbour ſuch a thought within your ſelves, as Pſal. 77.8. Doth his promiſe fail for evermore? The Being of God may as well fail as the Promiſe of God; That which does not come in your time, will be haſtned in his time, which is always the more convenient ſeaſon. Accuſe not him of ſlowneſs, who hath ſaid, I come quickly, i.e. he comes as ſoon as all things are ready and ripe for his appearance. 'Tis as true, that the Lord is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, 2 Pet. 3.9. as that he is never guilty of breaking his Promiſe. Wait therefore, how long ſoever he tarry, do not give over expecting; the Heart of God is not turn'd though his Face be hid; and Prayers are not flung back, though they be not inſtantly anſwer'd.
6. You who are in Christ, take Example from the Promiſes of God. You are under the obligation of many ſolemn Promiſes made to God, Wo be unto you, if you do not look to a careful and diligent performance of them. See Neh. 5.13. You have entred into a ſacred Oath, and conſequentially into a dreadful Curſe, if you do not according to that Oath. Remember David's Reſolution, and imitate his practice, Pſal. 119.106. I have ſworn, and I will perform it, &c. You who have Vowed conſtant Service and Subjection to God (as you have done, if you own any Relation to him) beware of violating that Vow, and let it be in the thoughts of your hearts for ever. How ſhould unſtable Souls be ſhamed out of their un-even Walkings, by the ſtrict engagements in which they ſtand, and by the Pattern which an immutable God hath ſet before them! Surely his Truth and Firmneſs to us ſhould be a ſtrong. Argument againſt our being looſe and wavering from him. What can we think of our ſelves, that God ſhould be ever mindful of his Covenant, and we yet remain ſo unſtedfaſt in it? Let us therefore this day reſolve once more, and to better purpoſe than hitherto, in the ſtrength of Chriſt, that we will improve God's Promiſes for the faſtening of our own; hia gracious Promiſes to the binding of our righteous Promiſes, that in whatſoever things we have opened our Mouths to the Lord, we may not by contrary acts make our tongues to fall upon our ſelves.