Great Precious Promises, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
2 Pet. 1.4.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
THough Justice and Judgement be the habitation of His Throne, yet mercy and truth do go before it …s two divine Ushers to convey …s home unto God. There are these two things that we would …ave Christians principally to study. 1. That ye would be much in the study of these wrongs and injuries that ye have done to Christ: And, 2. that ye would be much …n the study of these infinite acts of precious …ondescendency that Christ hath manifested …owards you, that the one may provoke you …nto sorrow and humility, and the other may provoke you unto a sweet astonishment …nd admiration. And I would ask you this, …f Christ should present that challenge unto you. which Absolon presented unto Hushai, Is this thy kindnesse unto thy friend? O be…oved, what could you answer, when you were thus reproved? I think if Christ had not forgetfulnesse for that blessed end, to …orget the wrongs and injuries of his own; I know not unto what use Christ should have forgetfulnesse, for he knoweth not what i… is to forget our good works, but he hath … blessed arte of forgetting our wrongs; though we may say upon the contrary, that we hav… a cursed arte of forgetting them our selves▪ There are these three things that Christian… doth forget; they forget much Christ, tha… is the great author of the promises, so tha… he may charge them with this, Why have … forgotten me? 2. They forget their mercies, and these divine receipts of love that Christ hath given unto them. 3. They forget even their iniquities, yea sometimes the… forget them before Christ doth forget them and passe an act of pardon upon them. … shall not stand long to plead with you fo… your undervaluings of that blessed and nobl… Plant of renown; I think if there were no more to evidence that low esteem that we have of Christ, but only this, that we ar… so much in sleighting the promises, it were more than sufficient: but besides, is there not this to testifie how much you under… value that holy and just one; that ye study more to have an outward conformity unto him, than to have an inward. We may cal… the Christians of this time Nephthali; they are as a hind let loose, and they give goodly words, but we do not give Christ godly practices: And is there not this also th… testifieth our undervaluings of Christ, tha… we slight so much, secret and retired correspondance and communion with him? … suppose there are some that are here, whos… consciences beareth them record, they do not exercise themselves unto godlinesse, and I shall only say that word, that Gideon spake in another case, If God be with us, how then is all this come upon us? such a spirit of formality, such a spirit of lazinesse, such a spirit of hardnesse, and such a spirit of undervaluing of Christ? I suppose, that if there were a Chronicle written of all the lives of the Saints that have been since Adams dayes, and the Christians of this time should read over that Chronicle, when they should begin and read the life of Adam, they might put this to the close of it, my life is not like his, and when they should read the life of Abel, they might put this to the close of it▪ my life is not like his; and when they should read the life of Enoch, they might put this to the close of it, my life is not like his: O! to which of the Saints can we go: and if ye should call, is there any that would answer you, your life is like mine.
But to come to the words, we told you at the last occasion tha… we spake upon them, that there were these things concerning the promises holden forth in them. 1. The rise of the promises is holden forth in these words, Whereby, or as we cleared the words may be thus rendered, by whom, which relateth unto Jesus Christ.
The second thing concerning the promises holden forth in the verse is, the property of the promise, and they are these four. 1. That the promises are free, holden forth in that word, Whereby are given unto us; all the promises of the everlasting Covenant are gifts, and not debt. There is that second property of the promises, that they are unchangeable, holden forth in that word, Given, the gifts and calling of God being without repentance. And the third property of the promises was, That they were exceeding great ▪ And the fourth, That they were exceeding precious.
The third thing concerning the promises, holden forth in the words, is the advantage… that floweth to a Christian by the promise… that by them they might be made partakers o… the divine nature.
And the last thing concerning them was that time when the promises were especially accomplished, it was then when we had escaped the pollutions of the world throug… lust.
Now, as for the first thing, to wit, the fountain, original and rise of the promise… which is Jesus Christ, By whom; In speakin… unto this, we shall speak a little unto thes… two. 1. In what respects Christ may b… said to be the fountain and original of th… promises; and we conceive he may be sai… to be so. First, Because he purchased th… promises unto us by his own precio… bloud. There is not a promise in all th… everlasting Covenant, but it is the price … the bloud of the Son of God; this is clear … Ephes ▪ 2.12, 13. where speaking of the Ge…tiles, that they were strangers unto the Co…venant of promise: he setteth down in th… 13. verse, the way by which they wer… brought near unto the Covenant, and had …ight unto it, it was through the bloud of his …rosse: and it is clear in Ephes. 3.9. that the promises of the Gospel were given unto us in him, that is, through the purchase of him, …nd his merits: and 1 Pet. 1.19. where we are said to be bought by his bloud: for the promise of Redemption, was the price of …loud. Secondly, Christ may be said to be …he fountain of the Promises, in this respect, …hat hee is the Person unto whom the promises of the Covenant are first made, and …hrough him are made over unto us; this is clear in Gal. 3 16. the promises were given unto Abraham, not unto many seeds, but as …nto one, that is Christ; and it is clear from 2 Tim. 1.9. where the promises of Grace …nd Salvation are said to be given unto us in …im before the world was made: It is true, …hat the promises are not given to Christ, considered only as the Son of God, (for so he had no other relation to us then the Fa…her of the holy Ghost) but yet they are, first, made to him as the Mediator and head …f his Church, and as that blessed Dayes man, …nd King of Saints, and the Great Lord …eeper of all the Rights of the young heirs of Glory; And we all receive of his fulnesse, and grace for grace. Thirdly, There is this …espect, in which Christ may be said to be …he fountain of the promises, that he it is …y whom we have a right unto all the promises; this is clear, … Cor. 3.12, 13. where …hese two are conjoyned, yee are Christs, and …hen all things are your… : If once a soul close with Christ in the Covenant of Promise, there is not one promise in Scripture but he may write this superscription abov… it, This is mine, this is mine. Fourthly Christ may be said to be the fountain of th… promises, in regard that he is the Person tha… applyeth the promises, and maketh us t… rest upon them, and to believe them, thi… David did acknowledge, Psal. 119.49. Re…member thy word unto thy servant, upon whic… thou hast caused me to hope: as if David said I had never believed a promise, except tho… hadest caused me, and it is clear, Ephes. 2.8▪ where faith is called the gift of God, eve… faith to believe the promises, it is the roy… donation and gift of Christ. Fifthly, H… may be said to be the fountain of the pro…mises, in that he qualifieth us for the accom…plishment of them. Christ giveth us strengt… to obey the condition that is annexed to th… promise, and Christ he infuseth habitua… grace in us, by which we may be helped … exercise faith upon the promises; so th… grant all the Scripture were promises, y… if Christ did not help us, we would never be…lieve a promise, and there would never a pro…mise be accomplished unto us. Sixthly▪ The last respect in which Christ may be sai… to be the fountain of the promises, is, Th… all the promises of the everlasting Covenan… they have their accomplishment throgh hi… according to that word, 2 Cor. 1.20. All … promises of God are in him yea, and in him Ame… so that ye are to blesse Christ, not only fo… the giving of the promises, but for the accom…plishment of them also.
That which secondly we shall speak to from this, that Christ is the fountain of the promises, shall be to presse upon Christians these three excellent and soul concerning duties. The first, That they would not have a light account of the promises, since they are rivolets and streams that flow from that blessed Ocean: O but if a Christian did believe that the promise that he hath for his daily bread, it was bought with the blood of the second Person of the blessed Trinity, would he not have an high account of that promise? And let me tell you, it is impossible for the promises to be in high account with you, till once ye reduce them unto their …ise, and to their fountain: but once know that all the promises are sweet streams of …ove that have run through the heart of precious Christ, and from thence they have …lowed unto you, and then when this is be…ieved, how shall ye sit down and comfort your …elves in the promises, and rejoyce exceeding…y in them.
The second duty that we presse upon you …rom this, is, That since Christ is the foun…ain and original of the Promises, be much … the application of the Promises: And …ere I shall speak a little upon these three …hings. 1. A little unto the evidences and …arks of those that have a right to apply …he promises; and shall only name unto you …hese few: The first is, to be a person under …onvictions of sensible need and necessity of …uch a promise; have ye convictions of such … necessity; Then from that ye may infer, I have a right to the promises, and are not these glad tiding…? I know there are some that are under such convictions of their sin, tha… they think it boldness to apply the promises▪ But I would say this unto you, that if y… were under sensible convictions of your lostnesse, ye would give a world for an hair o… a promise whereby to hang: believe it, the exercise of misbelief is never at its height, till we would be content to dig through the earth to get a promise, and till we were at that, that our souls would pursue after them from the one end of the world to the other: And for the grounds of this assertion, that sensible necessity giveth a right to the promises, if ye will look to these grea… promises of the everlasting Covenant, are they not given to that Christian that is under a need, Isai. 55.1, 2. and Matth. 11.28 where the great promise of the Gospel … given out, and the invitation of Jesu… Christ, is unto these that are weary and heav… laden. Christ would account it an excellen… courtesie, that ye would not dispute, bu… believe, and that ye would look upon you… necessities as his call to believe the promise▪ 2. A person that hath a high account of th… Promises, he hath a right to apply the pro…mises: Let once your soul, close with Chri… by Faith and Love, and then you may wit… boldnesse close with the Promises. I con…fesse, if we were more in believing the pro…mises, we would have a higher and mo…full esteem of the Promiser: Would yo… …now the reason that Christ is not acounte… matchlesse, it is because of this, our necessities of the promises is not alwayes within our sight, and our exercising of Faith upon the promises is not our daily work. 3. This looketh like a right to the promise; that which is born in upon a Christians spirit when he is near God in prayer, and is under most sensible exercise under his own inf…rmities, he hath readily a right to apply that promise: As for instance, when a Christian is debating himself out of Christ, which is but an unpleasant exercise; to meet with a promise born in upon their spirit, that giveth them some ground of hope, that they may apply and rest upon Christ: or when a Christian is fainting under affliction, and is like to give over; to meet with a word of promise born in upon his spirit, that doth uphold him in the day of his triall, he may probably conclude he hath a right to believe that promise. 4 There is that evidence, persons that have an high account of the promises, they have a right to apply the promises, it is an excellent and most concerning work for a Christian to believe the excellency of the promises, when he cannot have the actual application of the Promises. For when once a Christian cometh to this, that the great things of the everlasting Covenant are matchlesse in his eyes; then that is the val… of Achor, and a door of hope, that ere long Christ will apply them. 5. When a Christian hath great delight in the promises, when they are sweet to his taste, and are the refreshing and rejoycing of his heart, that is an undeniable sign that h… hath a right to make use of such promises▪ Were your souls never refreshed by readin… of the boundlesse Covenant of love, an… the sweet promises that are in it? I woul… have Christians marking these promises tha… have upholden them in their straits, I woul… have them marking the promises that hav… been lively to their souls, and say, Th… once was my goodly meet, and made me to rejoyce in the house of my affliction; and … would have a Christian marking the time o… the accomplishment of the Promises, i… which he will see infinite wisdome shining i… ordering the accomplishment of the pro…mises to such a time. And I would have … Christian marking the frame of his own spirit, when the promises are accomplished (as ye will find often in Scripture) and by all this, ye should find such a reviving an… profitable delight in the promises, that should give a very full evidence of your righ… unto them. 6. Lastly, when a Christia… understraits can receive consolation from no other thing, but all prove Physicians of no value and miserable comforters: when … Christian is convinced, there is no joy to be had under such a crosse but in the faith o… the promises, that is an evidence that th… person hath a right to the promises. I would only say this, O beloved in the Lord▪ is not this your guilt, your undervaluing o… the promises, and your little exercise o… faith? I would pose you with this, when last studied ye to apply any promise of the Covenant of Grace? When last did ye exercise saith upon any of them? Shall I tell you what is the practise of the most part of us, we study perhaps to apply one promise, but for the rest of the promises we lay them aside, and do totally neglect them: we study to apply the promises of salvation, and of having redemption through Christ, but for the promises of Sanctification, for the promises to help us to perform duties, for the promises to support us under the crosse, for the promises to comfort us in our way to heaven, for promises in reference to all ordinary things, we are not much in application of these. O but if a Christian were believing the promises, he might sit down even while he is here, and sing one of the songs of Zion, though yet but in a strange land.
The second thing that I shall speak to upon the application of the promise, shall be to propose unto you some rules that ye would make use of in the application of them, and …hall name unto you these.
First, Study these four things, one is the …aithfulnesse and truth of the promises, that …uch a thing is the saying of him that is the faithful witnesse, and Amen: This was the practice of Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. the way how …e was brought to make application of the promise, was, 1. by laying down that conclusion, this is a faithfull saying; and Rev. …2. from the beginning to the 6. verse, when …here are great promises made, and much …poken to the commendation of heaven, this is subjoyned in the 6. verse, These are the faithfull and true sayings of God: As if Iohn had said, all that I have spoken concerning heaven, will be to no purpose, except ye believe the truth of the promises; and this was the practice of David, 2 Sam. 7.28. Thy words are truth, O Lord, he subjoyned th… unto the actual application of the promises. 2. Study the sweetn…sse and excellency of the promises, this was the practice of Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull saying, and then he subjoyneth, and worthy of all acceptation: And this was the practice of David, Psal. 119.72. I have esteemed the laws of thy mouth better then thousands of gold and silver. O such an opinion, to esteem the promises better then thousands of gold! It is heterodox amongst the most part of you, that prefer the world before the promises of the Covenant: and it was his practice, vers. 103. and vers. 162. I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoil: he had an higher account of the Promises, then to divide the spoil after war. 3. Let the Christian study the necessity that he hath of the promise, that there is no way of winning above that neces…sity but the closing with the promise, an… laying hold upon it. 4. Lastly, A Christi…an would study the suitablenesse that is in th… promise to answer their necessities, that i… they be under need, there is a preciou… way of remedy manifested unto them by these.
The second rule that we would prescrib… in the application of the promises, is, Tha… ye do not expect sensible comforts immediately after ye have believed the promise, a Christian may apply the promises, and yet want the joy and sweetnesse that is in them: This is clear, Psal. 119.25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust. There he is under much anxiety and much sorrow; and yet he is a believer of the promises in the mean time, as the words following doth clear, Quicken me according to thy word, he layeth claim to the promise, and this is clear in the 81. vers. of that Psalm, My soul doth faint within me; There is much exercise of sorrow, and yet he is a believer in the promise, But I hope in thy word: A Christian after he hath believed …he promise, he would put a blank in Christs hand concerning the sweetnesse of the promises to be made out in its own time. What is sense? Is it the precious indulgence of Christ that he giveth to his own. I would presse this upon you, prophesie nothing before your believing of the pomise; but, having believed, ye may surely prophesie that the promise shall be accomplished in its own time, and the word that he hath spoken shall certainly come to passe: but as for sense, as for quickening, as for comforting, as for receiving, ye must put a blank in the hand of Christ to dispense these things to you as he seeth fit.
The third rule in the application of the promises, is, That ye do not build your faith upon this, that the promises shall be accomplished, because probability and reason seem to say the thing: I would say this to a Christian, that ye may oftentimes suspect the promise is not near to be accomplished when reason saith, Behold the word of the Lo… cometh, and that oftimes the Lord is neare… when we begin to passe a conclusion, the Word is not at hand, and the time of the accomplishment of the promise is not near▪ Certainly many times before Christ accomplish the promises, he will learn us to be liv…ing above sense and reason, and he will hav… reason to submit to faith, and he will hav… probabilities to contradict the accomplishment of the promise; and when probabilities are furthest away, that is His time … work: this is clear in these two signal deliverances of the people of Israel from Egy… and Babylon, Exod. 3.4, 5. and Ezech. 37.… the beginning. And therefore as a Christia… would not quite his grip of the promises, because dispensations seem to contradict th… accomplishment of the promise, and sometime cryeth out, Why art thou become unto … as a liar, and as waters that fail? So on th… other hand, ye are to build your faith upo… the promises, and not upon dispensation… even when favourable; seeing that we kno… the way that Christ taketh many times … accomplish the promises, is by contrar… means to our apprehension; His paths … in the whirlewind, and his footsteps are … known. And may we not cry out, Who ca… take up the wayes of God, whose wa…es ar… more subtil than the way of an eagle in the ai… or the way of a serpent upon the rock, or the wa… of a ship upon the sea, &c.
The fourth rule that we would prescribe unto you in the application of the promises, is, That ye would close absolutely with the promises, I mean, without limiting the only One. There is a limitted closing with the promise, which is the frequent exercise of our hearts; we will close with the promise, but with this restraint laid upon Christ, That whensoever we begin to believe the promises, all things might go as we desire: and this is the great occasion that we do so frequently reject our confidence, and do refuse our hope when God doth not answer our peremptory expectations.
Fifthly, We give you this rule, that ye would eye Christ much in the application of the promises. There is a threefold sight of Christ that a Christian should have when he applyeth the promises, a Christian should have a sight of the boundlesse and condescending love of Christ, that so he may be constrained to hope, and may be constrained to love. 2. A Christian should eye the faithfulnesse and unchangeableness of Christ, …hat what his blessed lips have spoken, he will also do, and what he hath said, he will likewise bring to passe. And, 3. in the application of promises, he must eye the omnipotency of Christ, that what he hath said, he …s able to bring to passe. And O when shall we have occasion to sing that song, What hath God wrought for us, which was the song …hat Balaam sung who yet was but a profane wretch.
6. There is this rule that we would prescribe unto you in the application of the promises, that a Christian after he hath applyed them, he would be much in the exercise of Prayer for the accomplishment of these promises; this was the practice o… David, 2 Sam. 7.27. When God in passing many precious promises; David doth subjoyn that word, Therefore have I found i… my heart to pray this prayer: And we see i… Ezek. 36.37. All alongs that Chapter, Go… is passing most excellent promises; and yet in vers. 37. this is subjoyned, For all these things, I will be enquired of the house of Israel: And in Ier. 29.10, and 12. where the time is coming, when God would accomplis… his good word (as he speaketh) that is subjoyned in vers. 12. Then shall ye call upon me▪ and seek after me: And Daniel 9.2, 3▪ when Daniel knew that the promise … near the time of its accomplishment, the… hee set himself by prayer and supplication … seek the face of God. I would say these three words unto a Christian; The smallest mercy that a Christian meeteth with, if he can call it Samuel ▪ that is, The son of prayer, and … ye can call it Isaac, that is, The childe of promise, he may then, and doth ordinarily receive much consolation in that mercy. O but a mercy flowing to a Christian through a promise, if it were but a drink of col… water, and a piece of brown bread, it wil… be more excellent chear, then all the dainties of the Kings of the earth. O but to eat and drink, taking these things as the accomplishment of the promises, this would make us eat our bread with singleness of heart, and much chearfulnesse. And there is this, …econdly, I would say unto you, When a promise is accomplished, and a Christian is …ot much in the exercise of Prayer in the …ccomplishment of it, one to a hundred if …ee loose not the sanctified use of the accom…lishment of that promise. Ah, know yee …ot that a promise when it is accomplished, may bee a curse to a Christian. That word …s most terrible, Mal. 2.2. I will curse your …lessings. And the last word that I would …ay to this, is, That a Christian who believeth …he promises, notwithstanding that dispen…ations seem to contradict it, that promise …hall be made most refreshfull unto his spirit, when it is accomplished. O but a Chri…tian that never had much jealousie, nor much staggering about the accomplishment …f the promise, when it cometh, it will bee most refreshfull unto him: And believe it, …here is not one hours entertainment of jea…ousie about the accomplishment of the promise, but it will impare the sweetnesse of …he promise when it is accomplished, ex…ept so far, that the transcendant and free …ove of Christ is seen in the accomplishment …f them, notwithstanding of our misbe…ief.
The last rule that I shall offer a Christia… …n his application of the promises, when ye meet with objections that yee cannot answer, but they do silence you; I will tell you what ye should do with them, misken these obstructions and lay them by. This was the practice of believing Abraham, Rom. 4.9. He considered not his own body being weak, and the deadnesse of Sarahs womb. The weaknesse of his own body, and the deadnesse of Sarahs womb were so strong objections in the way of the accomplishment of the promises, that he could not answer them; and the way he taketh to refute them was, He did not consider them; as it were, he forgot those objections and went about his duty.
The third thing that we shall speak to, in relation to the application of the promises, shall be somewhat for helping a Christian that is standing at too great a distance, to get the promises applied.
First, A Christian would be much in the study of these experiences of the faithfulnesse of God, and what others have met with. When ye begin to apply a promise, ye may be helped in the Faith of applying promises▪ by beholding these great records of the faithfulnesse of God that are extant. This was the way the Angel took with Mary, Luke 1.36. where helping her to believe that promise, that of her should be born the Messiah; this is the way that he strengthened her, Thy cosin Elizabeth is now with childe, and hath gone six moneths, even she that was called barren. And, I shall onelyonly name these two places in Scripture which may help you exceedingly, and strengthen you to believe the promises upon this acount. There is that …ord in Exod. 12.41. and 51. It is a most re…arkable saying, At the end of the four hundred …nd thirty-years, on that same very day, (there …as not one day missed after the time that …as set was accomplished) In that same very …ay they came out, and this is marked in ver. 51. …gain: And there is that word 1 Kings 8.56. …here Solomon, when he is singing most …weetly to God, he taketh an observation of …is, Loe (saith he) there hath not failed one …ord that God hath spoken to you by his servant Moses.
Secondly, Ye would be much in the con…deration of your own experiences, that …ou have in the accomplishment of promises …rmerly. This was Davids way that he …ok to strengthen himself to believe the …romise, He that hath delivered me from the …ge of the Lion, and the paw of the Bear, he …ill deliver me from this uncircumcised Phi…stine, 1 Sam. 17.35. and 37.46. And this …as the practice of the Apostle Paul, 2 Tim. … ▪17, 18. God hath delivered me from that … lion: And from thence he subjoyneth, …nd the Lord will deliver me from every evil …ork: And this was his practice. 2 Cor. 1.…. where these three are swetly knit to…ther, God hath delivered me, he doth deli… me, and he shall deliver me. There is … one experience of this kinde, but it …eacheth that … your… O, believe the …omise, and do not …all in question his faith…nesse.
Thirdly, There is that help; that ye… study much the excellency of the promise… that is the most noble and excellent way … move you to apply the promises, accordin… to that word, Psal. 119.111. I have ma… thy testimonies my heritage for ever; and th… ground of it is that, Because they are the r…joycing of my heart. The sweetnesse of the promises would engage our heart to apply them.
And there is that fourth help, a Christi… would study the omnipotency of God, th… so hee may bee helped to believe and appl… the promise: This is clear in Zech. 12.1▪ where God going to passe many excelle… promises, hee ushers in that discourse wi… high and magestick description of his powe… in that hee streatcheth forth the heavens, … layeth the foundation of the earth, and forme… the spirit of man within him. And this … the practice of Abraham, Rom. 4.21. the … how he came to believe the promise, He … him able that had made it, that he … perform it.
Fifthly, For your help in applying … the promises, Study much the unchang…ablenesse of Christ, and his faithfulnesse, kno… that hee is the same, yesterday, and to … and for ever. This was the way that … came to the faith of the promises, Heb. 11.… ▪ Shee believed, … the … of it … that shee judged him faithfull that had pr…mised. There … of misbeli… that a Christian falleth into, but it sai… that God is not faithfull, and that hee is not true.
Now the last duty that wee would presse …rom this point, that Christ is the fountain of the promises, is, that wee may have an high esteem of the Promiser; even of Jesus Christ, in whom they are yea, and Amen. And I shall close all at this time with this, …re there not many here, that have no re…pect unto him who is that faithfull witnesse, …nd the Amen; who hath promised us him…elf, and all things: and if yee will not take with the challenge, let your hearts but an…wer these two or three things: 1. Hath …ot the losse of things in the world affected …our heart more, then ever absence from …hrist did? Hath it not? And can such a …oul say, I have an high account of the Pro…iser? Is it possible, that these that will …ourn more under the absence of their Idols …an for the want of him, that they can have … high account of Jesus Christ? I am per…aded of this, there are some Merchants, … the losse of their goods at the Sea, hath …verted them from their nights rest, and … absence from Christ never did divert … from their sleep one hour. O when … love to find out Jesus Christ, and to enjoy … fellowship, make you rise up in the silent …atches of the night, and to pursue after …. 2. Have not your souls delighted …ore on the enjoyment of the things of a …orld, than ever they did in the enjoyment … Christ. Is not this true, that the increase … wine and oyl, and of silver and gold hath affected your hearts more with joy than ever Christ did? And have you a high esteem of the Promiser? 3. Are you taking delight to entertain fellowship and communion with the Promiser; Is this true? When went you to your prayers, but yee wearied ere yee went away? And have yee a high account of the Promiser? Is not that th… language of your hearts; O when shall the Sabbath be over? and when shall the new mo… be gone, that I may pursue after my Idols? … would pose you with this, if there were n… eye to take notice of you, would you … slight secret prayer, would you not sligh… Family Prayer? Wee love not to serve Je…sus Christ. I know there are atheists her… that would love to go to heaven witho… Faith, Love, Prayer and Repentance, the… would love to go to heaven by a way th… never one went before them. And now … shall say but this one word to you that … the heirs of the promise, and have the bless… expectation of heaven, what ever the … do, esteem yee highly of him: O rememb… and comfort your selves in the thoughts … the blessed day which Christ (after hee … past the sentence of condemnation upon … wicked) shall go in upon the head of … Troups of the first born, hee shall walk … before us through the Ports of the New J…rusalem, having Crowns of Immortal Glo… upon his head, and then shall follow aft… Him His Angels, and then shall follow aft… Him the blessed company of the first … every one having the Harps of God in the …and, and they shall be singing as they enter … through the Ports of the City, Hallelujah …nto him that was dead, and is alive, and now …iveth for evermore. O to believe that day when first we shall all enter in through the …reets of the New Jerusalem, when we shall …ee cloathed in white robes, having Crowns …pon our head! O such a day, if it were …elieved, might it make us often shake our …lasse, and streach out our necks, (as the word …, Rom. 8.19) till once we saw that blessed …ay were approaching to us! There is no …earying in heaven, the promises are now …ccomplished unto them, and they are inhe…ting the promises; When shall that word … accomplished, or when shall we have oc…asion to say it? Mark 1.37. Behold all men … after thee; the word that these Disciples …ake to Christ: O study to love him, study … believe on him, for bee perswaded hee is …pon his way. And I shall say no more but …his, that as all the promises that are within … bounds of this everlasting Covenant, they … yea, and Amen, in an imbraced Christ, … laid hold on by faith; so I say, all the …rses that are in Deut. 26.27, 28. and all the …rses that are within the volumn of the Book … this Covenant, they shall be yea and Amen … a despised Christ, and not laid hold upon … faith.