Treatise of the Divine Promises, Book 5
The Table of the fifth Booke.
Speciall Promises in regard of Others.
1. The Church in generall, or particular Churches. as pu…like assemblies.
God hath promised to them.
1. His speciall protection.
2. His speciall presence.
3. His speciall blessing.
4. To deliver the Church out of trouble.
2. Against the Seductions, for the destruction of Antic…rist.
3. For calling the Iewes.
4. For bringing in the Gentiles.
5. To Magistrates.
6. To Ministers
1. Extraordinary, the Apostles.
1. To worke miracles.
2. To cast out Divels.
3. To lead them into all truth
2. Ordinary, all the faithfull Ministers.
1. For competency of outward things.
2. Of p…otecti…n and deliverance from trouble.
3. To take their parts against their enemies.
4. To give good …ucc…sse to their labours.
5. To reward them largely.
6. That t…ey shall agree together, and joyne force against the common adversary.
7. To Masters of a Family and godly servants, to blesse the habitation of the godly.
8. To husband & wife, & concerning children.
1. To give them.
2. To blesse them every way,
1. With outward things.
2. In their soules.
3. That mothers shall give sucke to their children.
4. To parents correcting their children.
5. To comfort them in the want of children.
6. To children obeying their parents.
9. For company, that we shall reap good by the society of the godly.
Book V.THE FIFTH BOOKE.
Esay …3 20. The unvisible Church is the …llar of t…uth, Christ is made to her righteousnes, sanctifica…io She hath all light and … here, & in Heaven. The …ambe himself shall be h…r Sunne & glory She shall be led into al truth. Her fai… shal not fai… her enemies shal …cke the dost of her sect, & come and worship before her, she shall inherit the earth, prevaile against t…e gates of her enemies. Yea the promises made to Christ hi… self, are applied to her, compare Esay 49 …. with that in 2 Cor 6…CHAP. I. Promises in regard of others. The Church in generall, or particular Churches, as publike Assemblies.
1. GOD will defend the Church, and all the faithfull.
THE gates of Hell shal… not prevaile against it, Matth. 16.18.
GOD is in the mid… of the Church, therefore it shall not fall, Ps. 46.5.
I the LORD doe keepe it, I will water it every moment: least any hurt it, I will keepe it night and day, Esay 27.3.
As the mountaines are round about Ierusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from hence forth, and for ever, Ps. 125.2.
See Esay 4.5, 6. Psalm. 46. whole, 124, & 125. Psalmes, Psal. 132.13. to 17. Psal. 89.15, 16, 17, 18. Zach. 9.16.
GOD hath made promises unto the publike assemblies, Promises unto the Church assemblies,of his speciall protection.
Looke upon Sion, the city of our solemne f…asts; thine eyes shall see Ierusalem, a quiet habitation, a Tabernacle that cannot be removed, &c. Es…y 33.20, 21. See ver. 16. This was one reason why David so esteemed of GODS Tabernac…es, Ps. 84.11. For the LORD GOD is a sunne and shield unto us.
Christ hath promi…ed to be present in a more comfortable mā ner in the assemblies of his people, then in any of our houses or any other place.2. GOD hath promised to be present with his Church and people in a speciall manner.
There are promises, 1. Of the presence of CHRIST, Matth. 18.20. & 28.20. 1 Cor. 5.4. Rev. 2.1. Esay 31.9. 2. Of the presence of the HOLY GHOST Esa. 59.21.
GOD hath made promises to the publike assemblies of his speciall presence.
Promises unto the Church-assemblies.In this respect the Prophet calleth, Sion the habitation of GODS house, and the place where his honour dwelleth, Psal. 26.8. Psalm. 132.14. in this respect the place of GODS publike worship, is called the face of GOD.
The Synagogues were called the houses of GOD, Psalm 83.12. This promise is also made to our Assemblies as well as theirs, Matth. 18.20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Rev. 2.1. CHRIST walkes in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.Publike places have a p…omise of Gods special presence in them, 1 King 9.3.
3. GOD hath p…omised his speciall blessing to publike assemblies.
In all places where I record my name, w…ll I come to thee and blesse thee. Exod, 20.24.
GOD hath p…omised Temporall blessings to such as do love and frequent the Assemblies. No good thing will he with-hold from them that walke uprightly, Psalm. 84.11. David makes this one reason of his love to GODS Tabernacles, but the chiefe reason why he so esteemed them, was this, the LORD will give grace and glory, and 133.3.There is beauty, Ps. 7 4 good…e…se ta…nesse in Gods hou…e, such as … fill the soule of a man, & give him as much as hee can desire Esay 55.7. For there (in Sion) the LORD appointed the blessing and life for ever. The LORD shall blesse thee out of Sion, Psalm. 128.5. We shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house, even of thine holy Temple, Ps 63, 4.
See Psalm. 36.8, 9. & 92.13, 14.
4. GOD will deliver the Church out of trouble.
Thou shalt see peace upon Israel. Ps. 128.6.
Thou shalt see the good of Hierusalem, all the dayes of thy life, verse 5.
The LORD will not cast off his people, nor forsake his inheritance. Ps. 94.14.
Thus saith the LORD, after seventy yeares be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you and performe my good word towards you, in causing you to returne to this place. For I know the thoughts that I thinke towards you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, to give you an expected end, Jerem. 29.10, 11.
They shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the LORD … Hosts hath spoken it. Many nations are gathered against thee, but they know not the thoughts of the LORD: For he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floore, Micah 4.4, 11, 12.
When thus it shall be in the middest of the Land amongst the people: there shall be as the shaking of an Olive-tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done, Esay 24.13.
See Esay 61.10. Deut. 4.29, 30. Jeremy 33.6. Jeremie 31.12. Esay 27.5, 7, 8, 9.
CHAP. II. Promises.
1. Against the seductions of Antichrist.
1. THE faithfull are of GOD, and overcome Antichristian Seducers, 1 Iohn 4.4.
2. The Elect cannot be seduced. Mat. 24.24.
Promises. 2. For the d…struction of Antichrist.
The ten hornes which thou sawest upon the beast,See 2 Thess. 2.8. these shall ha…e the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat h… flesh, and shall burne her with fire. Rev. 17.16.
There is a promise that Babylon shall bee cast into the Sea as a milstone, Rev. 18.21.See ver. 8. And a mighty Angell tooke …p a stone like a great mill-stone and cast it into the Sea, saying, thus with violence shall the great city Babylon be throwne downe, and and shall be found no more at all. Each word almost hath a gradation; in that an Angell, a strong Angell, taketh a stone,F…rb…s upon t…e place Magnas la pa sua mol… …uit cum ingeni… impetu… mato i…si pro ijciatu…r longe maximo, protectus ab act quo valido & …ebusto. Brightmānu. in locum. and a great stone, even a mill-stone, which he letteth not barely fall, but casteth and with impetuous force, thrusteth in the bottome of the Sea whence nothing ordinarily is recovered, much lesse a mill-stone, thrust from such a hand, and with such force.
CHAP. III. Promises. For calling the Jewes.
THere is a promise made of calling the Jewes unto CHRIST, and causing them to turn from their transgressions, The Redeemer shall come from Sion, and unto them that returne from transgression in Jacob, Esay 59.20. They shall be graffed in againe, for GOD is able to graffe them in, as it is written, there shall come out of Sion a deliverer, and shall turne away ungodlinesse from Jacob, Rom. 11.23, 26. Before the second comming of CHRIST, the Jews shall be converted and become a most famous Church againe: and they shall be the meanes of the salvation of all the Elect, that shall remaine to be converted among the Gentiles, as the Apostle plainly teacheth there 25, 26. verses, I would not Brethren that yee should be ignorant of this mystery, that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel, untill the fullnesse of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel shall bee saved.
In Hosea there are most sweet and comfortable promises to the Jewes.
1. Of delivering them out of misery, and making them to flourish againe, comparing their wretched estate to death, and their delivery to a resurrection, Hos. 13.14.
2. A promise of their repentance and turning unto GOD, Hos. 14.2, 3.
3. Of the forgivenesse of sinnes, peace, reconciliation, verse 4.
4. Of a glorious Church. 5, 6, 7, 8. verses.
These promises which GOD hath made unto that nation, that he will call them, and make them his people againe, should provoke us to pray for them, as they did for us, Cant. 8.8.
CHAP. IV. Promises. For bringing in the Gentiles.
THus saith the Lord, Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles,Esay 42 2…, …3 and set up my standard (i.e. the Gospell) to the people, and they shall bring their sonnes in their armes, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders, and Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, and Queenes thy nursing Mothers: that is, GOD will stirre up the Princes of the Earth to be a protection to it, and to shrow'd it under the wings of their authority. The Apostle Iohn speaking of the new Jerusalem, saith, Ps. 68.29, 31. & 7….10, 11 & ….19. Esa 62 2. Ps. 38 4.the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory to it, Rev. 21.24.
Other sheepe I have (saith our Saviour, meaning the Gentiles not yet called) which are not of this fold, them also must I bring, and they shall heare my voyce, and there shall be one fold and one shepheard, Joh. 10.16.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,Esa. 60.3, 5, 8 and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising. The aboundance of the Sea shall be converted un…o thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windowes?Act. 10.45 they are the words of the Church, wondering, as it were at the sight of such a propagation, as a cloude and Doves: it is a prophesie of the Gentiles converted, they fly as a cloud, that is, most swiftly, and shall in such f…ocks come into the Church, as if a whole flight of Doves driven by some hawke or tempest, should scoure into the Columbary and rush into the windows. The Prophet Esay almost in every Chapter speaketh of the vocation of the Gentiles, as the 2. & 9. the 11. the 18. the 42. and 45.
See 49. Chap. 12. and Chap. 54.1. And Chap. 65.1. Amos 9.11, 12. Ephes. 2.12, 19. John 12.32.
CHAP. V. Promises. To Magistrates.
THe LORD makes expresly this promise unto a godly King, that if he decline not from the commandement to the right hand or to the left, he shall prolong his dayes in the kingdome, he and his sonnes in the midst of Israel. Deut. 17.19.20. His enemies will I cloath with shame, but upon himselfe shall his crowne flourish, Psalme 132.18.
Promises, to Ministers.
1. Extraordinary, the Apostles.
2. Ordinary, all faithfull Ministers.
Promises to the Apostles.
1. To worke miracles,M…t. 19 2…. & 28.…0. Mar. 6.17. That promise was made by CHRIST unto his Church to be fullfilled immediately after his ascension. It extended only to the times of the Primitive Church, and to such as then lived, Perkins.
2. To cast out Divels, Mat. 10.1.
3. The Spirit promised to le…de them into all truth, Iohn 16.13. so that they were free from errour in doctrine.
Promises to faithfull Ministers.
1. For sufficiency and a competent measure of the blessings of this life.
GOD promiseth this as a blessing to his Church, that in the plenty and aboundance he would give to his people, his Ministers also should be plentifully provided for: And I will satiate the soule of the Priests with fatnesse, and my people shall be satisfied with goodnesse, saith the Lord, Ier. 31.14.
Levi hath no part nor i…heritance with his brethren, the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy GOD promised him: Deut. 10.9.
2. Of protection and deliverance from trouble.
I will cloath her Priests with salvation, Ps. 132.16. I am with thee; saith the LORD to Ieremy, to deliver thee. Ier. 1.18, 19. See 7. & 8. verses, Jer. 15.19, 20. & 20.11. Ezek. 2.6. & 3.9.
He holdeth the starrs in his right hand, Rev. 2.1. by which is signified his power in protecting and governing his Ministers.
2. GOD will take their part against their enemies and revenge their wrongs.
He suffered no man to doe them wrong, yea he reproved Kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine Annoynted, and do my Prophets no harme, Ps. 105.14, 15. Hitherto belongeth that benediction and propheticall prayer that Moses made for Levi: Blesse LORD his substance, and accept the worke of his hands, smite thorow the loynes of them that rise against him and of them that hate him, that they rise not again, Deut. 33.11.
4. GOD hath promised to give good successe to their labours.It was promised, Esa 6.13. that a tenth should returne.
He walketh in the middest of the seven golden candlesticks, Rev. 2.1. by which action is noted, his presence in the middst of his Church, guiding and blessing his Ministers with all the members therof.
Loe I am with you alwayes, even unto the end of the world, Matth. 28.20. CHRIST was present with his Apostles, and now is with their Successours by his protection of their persons, and co-operation in their worke. But if they had stood in my counsell, and had caused my people to heare my words, then th…y shoul… have turned them from their evill way, and from the evill of their doings. Jeremy 23.22.
1 Tim. 4.16. Rev …1 18. Dan. 12.…. Mat. 24.45, 46. 2 Tim. 4 7, 8 Secundum laborē accipient, non secund um proventam, saith Bernard.5. Their reward shall bee great.
They shal receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away, 1 Pet. 5.2, 4.
Their reward is with God. Esa. 49.4,
6. They shall agree together, and joyne force against the common Adversary.
It is promised, as a blessed fruite of the Gospell,Esay 11.13, 14. That Ephraim shall not envy Iudah, and Iudah shall not vexe Ephraim: But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines towards the West.
CHAP. VI. Promises. To Masters of families and godly Servants.
IN ordering and guiding the affairs of our family, wee should depend by faith upon GODS blessing. See Ps. 127.
Promises to godly servants.
1. They have a generall promise, 1 Tim. 4.8.
2. More speciall ones.
Servants, be obedient unto them that are your masters, Ephes 6 5, 8&c. Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the LORD, whither he be bond or free: whatsoever yee doe, doe it heartily as to the LORD and not to men, knowing that of the LORD yee shall receiv… the reward of inheritance: for yee serve the LORD CHRIST, Col 3.23, 24.
The Apostle Peter shews that a poore servant when he suffers hard words and ill usage from his master, doth herein find acceptation from GOD, … Pet. 2.19.
GOD hath promised to the faithfull, to keepe their houses, and blesse them in their going out and comming in.
It is a speciall blessing oft promised to the godly, that their habitation and dwelling shall prosper, He blesseth the hab…tation of the Iust, Pro 3.33. Exod. 34 24.Pro. 3.33. that GOD will make the habitation of their righteousnes prosperous, Job 8.6. yea that they shall know and feel, that peace shall be in their tabernacles, Job 5.24.
There shall no evill befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling, Pro. 14.11.
The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish, the house of the righteous shall stand, Pro. 12.7.
GOD keepes such a fence about them, and their houses, and all that they have, as Satan cannot hurt them, Iob 1.10.
Blessed shalt thou be when thou commest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out, Deut. 28.6.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy comming in, from this time forth and even for evermore Ps. 121.8.
It is the protection of GOD that keeps our houses from the calamities of fire within, and lightening from Heaven, and from the annoyance and molestation of evill spirits, and other judgements; governours of families should therfore put sinne farre from their Tabernacles, Job 22.23.
CHAP. VII. Promises. To Husband and Wife.
IF the Husband or wife be godly, they have a promise from the Lord for their comfort. David bestowes a whole Psalme upon them to this purpose, viz. 128. the summe whereof was this, that he should eat the labours of his hands, that he is well, and should be happy: that his wife should be as the fruitfull vine upon the walls of his house, comfortable as well as fruitfull: that his children should be like the olive branches round about his Table: profitable and beneficiall as well as many (those are of the best fruits, the one for chearing the heart, the other for clearing the face, Psal. 104.15. the one for sweetnesse, the other for fatnesse, Iudg. 9.13.) that he should see Hierusalem in prosperity all his life long, that he should see his childrens children (as Iob 42.16.) and peace upon Israel. See also Prov. 31.28. and 30. verses. promises made to the vertuous woman, and Proverbes 11.16.
Promises. Concerning children.
GOD promiseth the godly, 1. To give them the fruit of the wombe.
It is promised, as a blessing and favour of GOD to his people, to multiply their seed, and to make them fruitfull.
I will make you fruitfull and multiply you, Lev. 26.9. He will blesse thee, and multiply thee. There shall neither be male nor female barren among you, Deu. 7.13, 14. The like is, Deu. 6.3.8.…. & 28.11.
Thy seed shall be great, and thine off-spring as the grasse of the earth, Job 5.25.
Thy wife shall be as a fruitfull vine by the sides of thine house, thy children like olive plants round about the table. Lo thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. Thou shalt see thy childrens children, Ps. 128.3, 4, 6.
See Esay 48.19. Ps. 115.14. & 127.3. Ps. 113.9.
These promises may aboundantly suffice to settle the minds and hearts of any true beleever, under this tentation of griefe for want of children, that assuredly GOD will fulfill their desire, if it be good for them.
2. To blesse their children every way,
1. With outward things.
2. In their soules.
GOD hath made a free and gracious Covenant with the beleeving Parents, and their posterity, Gen. 17.7, 9. Act. 2.39. Ier. 32.39. He hath promised to blesse their children every way, He will blesse the fruit of thy wombe, Deut. 7.13.
This is intended in all those places, where it is said, I will be the GOD of thy seed, which was said to aThat very promise was after repeated to Abrahams posterity in all ages, to be a staffe of comfort to them still, therfore it is oft said, that God is the God of Abrahā, Isaac, & Iacob, Exod 36 15, …6 Le… 42 Ps. 105 8. ….Abraham the father of the faithfull, Gen. 17. and belongeth to all bActs 3.25. Rom. 4.11.16 1 Cor 7.14.beleevers. The just man walketh in his integrity, his children are blessed after him, Pro. 20.7.
1. GOD will blesse them with outward things.
Personall goodnesse is a good means to bring safety, honour, wealth, and many comfortable blessings upon posterity.
Exod. 20.6. Their children and childrens children to many generations shall be blessed.Esa. 619 & 65.23. Ps. 102 …8. Pro. 14.26 Ps. 37.25, 26. Pro. 11.21.
His seed shall be mighty upon the earth, the generation of the upright shall be blessed, Ps. 112.2. His seed shall inherit the earth, Ps. 25, 13. Ps. 37.29.
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his childrens children, Pro. 13.22.
2. GOD will blesse them in their soules.
I will powre my Spirit upon thy seed, Esa. 44.3, 4.
Thy children shall be taught of the LORD, and great shall be the peace of thy children. Esay 54.13.
If we know our selves to be GODS children, we may be assured (saith one *H…on 4 of Iob) that some of our posterity shall be so likewise.
They are foederati in GODS Covenant, by meanes of their Parents, whom when GOD received into the Church,1 Cor 7 14. Rom. 11.16. See 1 Kin 11 34. & 2 Kings 10.30. he received them with this promise, I will be thy GOD, and the GOD of thy seed.
Good Parents though they be poore, leave their children a good patrimony, for they have laid up many prayers for them in heaven, and they leave them GODS favour for their possession; this is urged therefore as a motive by the HOLY GHOST to provoke Parents unto all righteousnesse, Deut. 5.29.
It is promised as a blessing, that mothers shall give sucke to the children that they beare.
GOD shall blesse thee with the blessings of the breasts and of the wombe, Gen. 49.25.
Promises. To Parents correcting their children.
The rod and reproofe give wisdome: correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest, yea he shall give delight to thy soule, Proverbs 29.15, 17.
Hold not correction from thy childe, for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die. Thou shalt beate him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soule from Hell, Pro. 23.13, …4.
Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a childe, but the rod of correction shall drive it farre from him, Pro. 22.15.
Promises to comfort them in the want of children.
To them will I give in mine house, and within my walls, a place and a name better then of sonnes and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off, Esa. 56.5.
Promises. To children obeying their Parents.
Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the LORD thy GOD giveth thee, Exod 20.12.
The Apostle, Ephes. 6.2. saith this is the first Commandement with promise.
The second Commandement hath a Promise annexed unto it,Obiect. and a large one, of shewing mercy unto thousands, to them that love GOD, Exod. 20.6.
The Greeke *foreign. Ambrose and Piscator say, this is the first precept of the second Table with promise.word used by the Apostle,Answ. properly signifieth an affirmative precept, as our English word [Commandement] doth, of the affirmative precepts it is the first with promise; Secondly, the promise in the second Commandement is only a generall promise made to observers of the whole Law, and therfore he useth the plurall number [Commandements] and saith in the generall shewing mercy to thousands, but this is a speciall promise made to them that keep this particular Commandement:Boza, V…sin, R…vet on 20. of Exo Zanchtu… on Eph 6. B Bahington B. Andrews. D. Gouge and others. that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live; this answer is given by many Learned Divines.
It followeth, ver. 3. That it may be well with thee, and thou maist live long on the Earth.
The promise mentioned before in generall, is particularly set down.
Whatsoever belongeth to a mans well-fare and wel-being in this life is here promised, saith D. Willet.
All manner of blessings, Spirituall and Temporall, belonging to soule and body, concerning this life and the life to come, make to a mans well-being; but temporall prosperity is here principally intended,Deut. 5 1…. saith Doctor Gouge.
And Ieremiah saith unto the house of the Rechabites; Ier 35.18, 19Thus saith the LORD of Hosts the GOD of Israel, because yee have obeyed the commandement of Ionadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therfore thus saith the LORD of Hoasts, the GOD of Israel, Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.
My sonne, heare the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head and chains about thy neck, Prov. 1.8, 9. See 6.20.
CHAP. VIII. Promises. For Company.
That we shall reap good by the society of the godly.
HE that walketh with wise men, shall be wise, Prov. 13.20.
Then they that feared the LORD, spake often one to another, and the LORD hearkened and heard it, and a booke of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.Mal. 3.16, 17. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of Hosts, in that day when I make up my Iewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him.
Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Mat. 18.20.
FINIS.