Remedy Against Trouble, Discourse · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
FAith is yet a great help againſt Trouble, as we thereby have the comfort and benefit of the Promiſes of God, which are ſo exceeding great and precious.2 Pet. 1.4.
1. It is a great thing for God to oblige himſelf to us by promiſe, as Auſtin ſaith, Confeſ. L. 5. c. 9. Thou art pleaſed, becauſe thy Mercy endures for ever, to become a Debtor by thy promiſes, to thoſe to whom thou haſt forgiven all their Debts. We love to be free and diſengaged, and would have others ſtand to our courteſy for that which we intend to give them: but we would not give them that advantage againſt us to challenge us upon our word. But it hath pleaſed God for our more abundant conſolation, ſo far to condeſcend to poor ſinners, that we may, as Auſtin ſaith (in the place before cited) of his Mother, urge upon him his own hand-writing, or plead as David, Pſal. 119.49. 1 Jo. 5.10.Remember thy word to thy Servant, on which thou haſt cauſed me to hope. For we make him a lyar if we do not truſt his promiſe.
2. The promiſes of God are exceeding great and precious in reſpect of the matter of them: he having promiſed ſo many and ſo great things which we ſhould not have had the confidence to ask or think, if he had not encouraged us by ſuch promiſes. And as there are in Phyſick ſome Catholick remedies, and ſome particular Medicines for particular Diſeaſes; ſo there are ſome general comprehenſive promiſes, as that great promiſe in which all the promiſes of the life that now is, and that which is to come are ſummed up, That God will be our God, or that he will be a God to us.1 Chr. 17.24. Heb. 8.10. So that promiſe which occurs ſo oft in Scripture, that God will be with us: which is not to be with us as he is in all places, Jer 23.24.or ſo as to be an unconcerned ſpectator of what befalls us; but ſo as to deal well with us, as Jacob expounds it, as we ſhall ſee by comparing Gen. 31.3. with Gen. 32.9. So there are ſome promiſes wherein ſeveral things are put together as many ingredients into one Cordial: ſuch is that promiſe,Pſ. 84.11. that God will be a Sun and Shield, that he will give grace and glory, and will withhold no good thing from ſuch as walk uprightly. ThiS promiſe comprehends all the good things of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. And I know not but the Apoſtle may have particular reſpect to this promiſe, there being a promiſe of things Temporal, Spiritual, Eternal;1 Tim. 4.8 of Comfort, Direction, Protection, Proviſion. But there are particular promiſes ſuited to the ſeveral conditions of Chriſtians, which are by ſome reduced to ſeveral heads, and brothers ſummed together in the order wherein they ſtand in Scripture. So that whatever circumſtances we are in, we may find promiſes ſuited thereto. And as they are exceeding great and precious in reſpect of the fulneſs, and great variety of them; ſo they are precious in reſpect of the truth and certainty of them. This is it that makes other promiſes from men of ſo little value, that every man is a lyar.Pſal. 116.11. David indeed ſpake that raſhly, and it may be therein might have reſpect to the promiſes which were made to him from God by Samuel or Nathan, as under temptation he ſaid he ſhould one day periſh by the hand of Saul, 1. Sam. 27.1.and then the promiſe would have failed. But he did more deliberately ſay, men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree a lye; deceiving others either through weakneſs or wickedneſs;Pſal. 62.9. either not being able to make good what they have unadviſedly promiſed, or willingly flattering them into vain expectations of what they never intended to do for them. But theſe are promiſes of God that cannot lye. As he is faithful that hath promiſed, Tit. 1.2. Heb. 11.11. Rom. 4.2. Pſal. 77.8.ſo he is able alſo to perform; and tho we are ready to ſay ſometimes, doth his promiſe fail for evermore? We do either through ignorance miſtake the meaning of them, as the Jews of Old, and many ſtill are ready to expound many promiſes too rigidly according to the letter: or we are ready to underſtand thoſe things abſolutely, which are to be underſtood with that limitation ſo far as they are for our good,Pſal. 34.10 84.11. Eccleſ. 6.12. which we are not always competent judges of; or we are too quick and impatient of delays: the viſion is for an appointed time;Hab. 2.4. and the things which God hath promiſed ſhall be fulfilled in their ſeaſon.Luk. 1.…0.
I will now ſhew you how by Faith we have the comfort and benefit of theſe promiſes.
1. By Faith we have an intereſt in the promiſes. We read of the covenants of promiſe, Eph. 2.12.whereby we may either underſtand the promiſes of the Covenant, there being the like Hypallage oft found in Scripture;Rom. 9.31. as by the Law of righteouſneſs, is meant the righteouſneſs of the Law. And the Nations of thoſe that ſhall be ſaved, Rev. 21.24.are thoſe that ſhall be ſaved of the Nations. And it may be called the Covenants, becauſe tho it be one in the ſubſtance of it, yet it is diverſe in reſpect of its adminiſtration; on which account it is called both Old and New.Heb. 8.13. Or it is called the Covenants of promiſe, as being founded on, and conſiſting in promiſes. In Scripture we find promiſes frequently called Covenants,Gen 6.18. 2 Chron. 7.18. Ezr. 10.3. Neh 9.38. Covenants conſiſting of mutual promiſes or engagements: and where the promiſe on one ſide only is expreſſed, the engagement on the other ſide is ordinarily implied. Now there is no caſe wherein the words Promiſe and Covenant may with more reaſon be uſed promiſcuouſly than in this caſe in hand,Gal. 3.17.22. and ſo they are uſed by the Apoſtle; for tho this Covenant be not an abſolute promiſe, there being ſomething to be done by the Mediator of it for the confirmation thereof, as likewiſe by us for partaking of the benefit of it: yet it is ordered in all things and ſure; 2 Sam. 23.5.and not ſuſpended on any uncertain condition, depending on our fluctuating will; but what is required on our part is likewiſe promiſed to be wrought in us.Jer. 31.33. John 6.37. Eph. 2.8. So that as there are promiſes to conditions, which I may ſpeak without the offence of thoſe that underſtand what is ordinarily or properly meant by a condition: ſo there are promiſes of thoſe conditions. Now this promiſe or Covenant by faith of Jeſus Chriſt, Gal. 3.22.is given to them that believe; Faith intitling us to the grand promiſe, whereof all the reſt are branches: all theſe being yea and amen, faithful and true in Jeſus Chriſt; 2 Cor. 1.20. Dan. 9.27.who as Mediator of the Covenant, died for the confirmation of it. For the further clearing of this matter, we muſt know, that many of the promiſes in Scripture were made to particular perſons, and on ſome ſpecial occaſion: yet we muſt not look upon ſuch things as the caſes of thoſe perſons only (as ſome call them) that do not concern others: for what is put into the Canon of Scripture, is there left on Record for our Inſtruction and Comfort.Rom. 15.4. So that we ſhall find the things therein ſpoken, applied to ſuch as lived many Hundred years after, as if they had been directed particularly to them. So the Prophet ſaith,Hoſ. 12.4. that God ſpake with them, that which he ſpake to Jacob in Bethel, ſo many Hundred year before. And that which was ſpoken to Moſes is ſaid to be ſpoken to the Jews in Chriſt's time;Exod. 3.6. Matt. 22.31. Prov. 3.11. Heb. 12 5. Joſ. 1.5. and what was ſpoken in Solomons time is applied to the Hebrews in the Apoſtles time. And ſo the promiſe that was made to Joſhua upon a particular occaſion, is applied to the Hebrews, tho in another caſe; God being always the ſame, and bearing the ſame love to his People, and ſo is with them, as I ſaid before, to deal well with them, and to do for them as the matter requires. And tho we cannot expect, that God ſhould deal with us in every reſpect according to his promiſe made to others, yet we may take encouragement from thence to hope, that he will deal proportionably with us. Miniſters of the Goſpel cannot expect that God ſhould enable them to work Miracles, becauſe of what he promiſed to the Apoſtles when he ſent them forth;Mark. 16.17. or that he ſhould ſecure them from the aſſaults of wicked men, becauſe of what he promiſed to Paul at Corinth. Acts 18.10.But we may thence conclude, that his grace ſhall be ſufficient for us: that we ſhall have help and aſſiſtance from him according to the work which he calls us to;Acts 26.22. and that where he hath any perſons to ſave, he will find ways and means for the effecting of it, and that he will work ſo as none ſhall let.Iſa. 43.13. Again, there are promiſes made to perſons under ſome particular circumſtances, as to the Fatherleſs and Widows, to the Poor and Needy, to the Sick, to thoſe that ſuffer for Righteouſneſs ſake; and we may not be concerned in promiſes made to ſuch. Now it is in this caſe, as in thoſe commands that are given to ſeveral relations.Eph. 5.22, &c. Tho ſuch commands concern us not at preſent, as they cannot all reach to all; yet as any come into ſuch relations, they come under the obligation of ſuch commands. So as any come into ſuch circumſtances, they come under the influence of ſuch promiſes as are made to perſons in them. We read, it may be, Books of Phyſick, or Surgery, and there meet with receipts or remedies which we have no need of: let us make uſe of thoſe which we have need of, and thank God that we are free from ſo many Diſeaſes, as we perceive by ſuch Books poor mortals are ſubjects to: and that there are ſuch remedies in readineſs, in caſe we ſhould need them. So when we read ſuch variety of promiſes in Scripture, let us bleſs God that we are exempted from ſo many troubles as are there provided againſt; that there are ſuch promiſes laid in for ſuch as do want them, and that they are there in readineſs for us, if we ſhould be reduced to ſuch a condition. Some promiſes are made to perſons under ſome particular character or qualification, as to the meek, the humble, to thoſe that fear God, or love him; to thoſe that truſt in him, to the upright in heart, or of an upright converſation. But all theſe are ſeveral Characters of the ſame perſons: grace being as leven that levens the whole lump;1 Theſ. 5.23. tho ſome grace may appear more eminently in one than in another, and ſome more eminently than another in the ſame perſon, as they meet or fall in with their natural temper or inclination. For when theſe meet, they are as Wind and Tide meeting together; or they are deſcribed by thoſe graces which conſidering their circumſtances or temptations they have moſt occaſion for the exerciſe of: and therefore they may appear moſt eminently in them: and ſo ſuch promiſes may be made to ſuch perſons as are moſt ſuitable to them, or proper for them in the circumſtances wherin at preſent they are; and as I ſaid in the former caſe, are in readineſs for us when our condition requires them. How we have the comfort of the Promiſes by Faith, we may ſee partly by what I have already ſaid: and it is implied in that word whereby it is expreſſed in Scripture, relying or reſting on God, the Soul is then at eaſe.2 Chron. 13.18.16.7. Pſ. 37.7. But as I there ſhewed you, it is not the habit of Faith, but the actual exerciſe of it, that expels fear and trouble, as light doth darkneſs. But it will appear further by what I have yet to add; and that is, that by Faith we do as the Apoſtle ſaith, obtain the promiſes; Heb. 11.33.that is, the things promiſed; faith gives glory to God, in ſealing to his truth or veracity;Rom. 4.20. Jo.3.33. Matt. 9.2.22.29. therefore God honours Faith in dealing with men according thereto. And in many other places, we ſee faith ſaved them from temporal Evils. The ſame we find in the caſe of Aſa; 2 Chron. 6, 7, 8, 9. 1 Chron. 5.20. Jer. 39.17, 18.ſo God was intreated of the Rubenites and Gadites, when they cried to him becauſe they truſted in him; ſo he ſaved Ebedmelech from the men that he was afraid of, becauſe he truſted in him, according to that remarkable promiſe made to the righteous, that the Lord ſhall help them and deliver them; Pſ. 37.40.deliver them from the wicked, and ſave them, becauſe they truſt in him; whereas on the contrary, the noble man that would not believe the plenty that ſhould be in Samaria, did not eat of it.2 Kings 7.19, 20. Many of the Iſraelites entred not into the promiſed Land, becauſe of their unbelief. Zechariah, Heb. 3.19.a good man, was dumb for a time, becauſe he believed not the words of God which were to be fulfilled in their ſeaſon. Luke 1.20.There is a ſeaſon for many things to be fulfilled which we muſt wait for: unbelief makes God a lyar; 1 Jo. 5.10.therefore he will ſhew his diſpleaſure againſt it. But it is ſo likewiſe in Spiritual bleſſings; we read of great things aſcribed to Faith;Acts 15.9. as purifying the heart; overcoming the World, quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked.1 Jo. 5.4. Eph. 6.17. Now it doth not all theſe things in a moral way, as Moſes overcame by looking to the recompence of the reward: but we are thereby ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; Heb. 11.26. Epheſ. 6.10. 2 Tim 2.1. 1 Peter 1.5. Col. 1.11.or in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus: and we are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation. It is the Divine Power that keeps us, and we are ſtrengthned thereby, or according thereto; and not only morally by his word, as men may ſtrengthen each other;Job 43.4. Ezek. 13.22. but it is Faith that takes in this aid or aſſiſtance of Grace, or the ſupplies of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt; Phil. 1.9.which are communicated from him to the ſeveral Members of his Myſtical Body, as the Spirits are from the Head in the Natural Body; and as Chriſt dwells in the heart by faith, Epheſ. 3.17.ſo we derive Spiritual Life and Virtue from him, in the daily Exerciſe of Faith; he leaving thoſe uſually to themſelves that truſt to their own ſtrength; as Youth and Young men are ready to do; when thoſe that wait on the Lord, and look to him for ſupplies of Grace, ſhall ſurmount all difficulties, and perſevere in well-doing without wearineſs or fainting. Iſaiah 40.30, 31. Pſalm 27.14.He will ſtrengthen the heart of thoſe that wait on him, and give Grace to ſuch humble Souls, as diſtruſting themſelves, rely upon him for ſtrength and aſſiſtance.