A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Their miſcarriages about the Promiſes.
9ly. Profeſſors miſcarriages about the Promiſes.MUch Ungodlineſs is alſo evidenced in Profeſſors miſcarriages about the Promiſes of the Ward; the promiſes being the great promoters of godlineſs in the world, not only as arguments to induce it, by ſhewing how God will reward it; but likewiſe as principles of godlineſs, or the chief inſtrument, whereby God makes Souls partakers of the Divine nature.
1. Not believing their truth.How little do we believe the truth of the Promiſes? How little do we believe that the Spirit of God and glory reſts on them, that ſuffer for Chriſt, and his Goſpel? and that as tribulations do abound for Chriſt, ſo ſhall conſolations by him? or that we ſhall have an hundred fold advantage by any loſs we ſuſtain for Chriſt and his concernments? All that fear of man, all that cowardiſe, all thoſe tremblings of heart, that are upon Profeſſors this day; all that enmity againſt the Croſs of Chriſt, which appears on the faces, and hearts of men, are clear demonſtrations how little the promiſes for the bearing up under ſuffering, for the deliverance out of ſuffering, or rewarding of ſuffering for Chriſt are believed: We cannot ſet the Promiſes againſt all Croſſes.
2. Not prizing them enough.How low are our eſteems of the Promiſes of God, of the great and faithful God, in compariſon of what they are concerning the Promiſes of honeſt and ſufficient men? I appeal to thee, if a King ſhould promiſe thee a thouſand pound per annum, whether it would not more rejoyce thine heart, than the Promiſes of eternal Life, which God hath made unto thee, do? With how few Profeſſours are the Promiſes of God exceeding great and precious?2 Pet. 1.4. Not admiring Gods condeſcention therein.
3. How little do we admire at Gods ſtopping ſo low, as to oblige himſelf by promiſe to ſuch varlets as we? God might have dealt with us by way of abſolute Soveraignty and Dominion, impoſing only upon us commands to do our duty, without adjoyning any promiſe of a reward, he being our Creatour, and we his Creatures: It is his great condeſcention, to deal with us by way of Promiſe, which is not only an inſinuation and ſignification of what he will do, but a laying a bond or obligation upon himſelf to do ſo and ſo. Herein God did more condeſcend unto Man, than unto the fallen Angels: they have not any one, not the leaſt Promiſe of any good, made by God unto them. And yet how little are we in admiration?Not bleſſing God for them. 1 Jo. 2.25.
4. How little do we bleſs the Lord for thoſe Jewels, that are wrapt up in the Promiſes; for the Fruit, that hangs on this Tree of Life? This is the Promiſe, that he hath promiſed us, even eternal Life. A Crown is promiſed: Jam. 1.12.He ſhall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him. A Kingdome is promiſed: Hearken, Jam. 2.5.my beloved Brethren, hath not God choſen the poor of this world, rich in Faith, and heirs of the Kingdome, which he hath promiſed to them that love him? Yet how unthankfull? This doubtleſs proceeds from our diffidence of the reality and faithfulneſs of the Promiſer, and therefore that ſhall be another Queſtion.
5. How little do we relye upon God, Not relying on the Promiſer.to make good his Promiſes? How many think God the Promiſer as changeable as themſelves? Men in Boats, being in conſtant motion upon the Waters, are apt to fancy, that the Land and Trees move, as they themſelves do: So many Chriſtians think, as oft as they fail in point of ſtrict duty, God will fail too. Who layes all the ſtreſs upon the faithfulneſs of him that hath promiſed? Do not we lean partly to the Promiſes, and partly to our own endeavours, and the means we uſe, and ſo divide our dependencies betwixt the Promiſes of God, and our own Duties, to bring in pardons, peace, holineſs, or any outward comforts?
6. Do not we eye Promiſes, Not eyeing Chriſt in them.without eyeing Chriſt? Do not we dote on the Bracclets, but neglect the Friend? Do not ſome ſet a greater value on the Promiſe, than on Chriſt's Perſon: Though the Promiſes are only the Chryſtal Streams of that River of Life, Rev. 22.1.which proceedeth out of the Throne of God, and the Lamb; yet do not we make them the Primary, and not the Secondary Object of Faith? Who look upon Promiſes only as Inſtruments, to bring Chriſt and the Soul together?
7. Not hoping for the good of them.How little do we hope for the good laid up in the Promiſes? What fearful expectations have many Proſeſſours, though they walk cloſe with God, though they abſtain from that which is evil, though they fulifill after God to the utmoſt of their power, though they deſign which way to walk in all well-pleaſing, being fruitful in every good word and work; yet how caſt down, how diſcouraged are they? how do they pine away, and their hearts dye within them? how are they as Reeds ſhaken, as Ships driven, and cannot cast anchor within the Vail? Moſes himſelf was ſhaken, when a deliverance of Gods own promiſing met with oppoſition: And Moſes ſaid, Lord, wherefore haſt thou ſo evil intreated this people? Exod. 5.22, 23.why is it that thou haſt ſent me; For ſince I came to Pharaoh, to ſpeak in thy Name, he hath done evil to this people, neither haſt thou delivered thy people at all. It is Gods wonted courſe, to bring ſignal mercies under a ſentence of death, before we enjoy them: and yet how prevailing is unbelief, when God deferrs, and the Promiſe is obſtructed? How faint are we? Our hope is not lively.
8. Noc waiting for the good of them. Heb. 10.36.How little do we wait, till that good, which is in the Promiſes, be given out to us? I may truly ſay to many, yea to moſt, Ye have need of Patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the Promiſe. Sure, The Viſion is for an appointed time, Hab. 2.3.and God would have us to wait, though it tarry; becauſe it will not tarry, beyond the time appointed by the wiſe and ſaithful God: But, though God never fail of his own time, yet he ſeldome comes at ours, and then we run into unbelief, if not impatiency of ſpirit. How oft do we Antedate the Promiſe, and ſet it a time before Gods time? Jam. ….4.Patience hath not its perfect work, ſo that if God ſave us out of our miſeries, we ſhall not be able to ſay as the Church, Loe, this is our God, Iſa. 25.9.we have waited for him, and he will ſave us: This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation. This limiting the holy One of Iſrael, either as to means, (when we tye up the Lord to work by wayes and cauſes of our own) or to dayes and hours of our own bold and impudent preſcription, is no ſmall provocation. Pſa. 78.40, 41.How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderneſs: and grieve him in the Deſert? Yea, they turned back, and tempted God, and limited the holy One of Iſrael. Some will wait a month or two for the Promiſe of Pardon, that they may have peace in their Conſciences, and for Promiſes of outwards; but when they ſee nothing comes of their waiting, 2 Kings 6.33.then there is no hope, why ſhould I wait on the Lord any longer? That Wretch waited a little, but not long enough. We allow time to the Phyſician to cure us, we yield, that he knows the fitteſt time to apply cordialls; but we yield not ſo much to God: We would have the ſmarting Plaiſter pulled off, before the Wound be healed; whereas it is beſt for us, to have it kept on. David's foot was almoſt ſlipt, when he ſaw the Promiſe of the Kingdom deferred, he makes a bad inference from the delay, One day I ſhall fall by the hand of Saul. 1 Sam. 27.1.We do not ſtay our ſelves on the Promiſes, till the thing promiſed be given into our boſomes. David waited patiently; but ſo do not we: Our hearts are not at reſt, but we ſtagger like Drunkards, we reel this way, and that way, but are not eſtabliſhed and ſetled: In this we are not conſident, that God who hath promiſed, cannot lye, and therefore will perform the word, that is gone forth from an unfeigned lip: We are too haſty in our deſires, whereas God knows the fitteſt ſeaſon for the Promiſe to bring forth: We ſhall have it, when the time is come; but we haſten the birth, and ſpoyl the conception. The Prophet of old complains of ſome, Iſa. 35.4. Iſa. 28.16.that they were of an hasty heart: whereas, He that believeth, maketh not haſt. God deferrs, to put an edge on our deſires, a value on what is promiſed, and to exerciſe our Faith. The Word, that is gone forth out of the mouth of the God of truth, ſhould quiet; but it doth not. Iſa. 60.22. Pſa. 102.13.I the Lord will hasten it in its time. The Lord will ariſe, and have mercy upon Zion, when the time to favour her, yea, when the ſet time is come. And is not Gods time the beſt?
9. Abuſing Promiſes.How have many abuſed, rather than applyed Promiſes? How many dogs take the Children's bread? How many Hypocrites taſt of the forbidden fruit? Lay hold on that which doth not belong unto them? When they read thoſe ſweet delicious promiſes of the pardon of Sin, of the love of God, of the freeneſs of grace, of the glory to come, they count them as theirs, whereas they are but Uſurpers, they ſet their mark on anothers goods: they are thieves and robbers; for they are ſtrangers to the Promiſes. How many abuſe the mercy of God in the Promiſes, ſo that even the Promiſes become an occaſion of ſtumbling, whilſt they continue in ſin, in hopes of pardons through the Promiſes? We are not led by the ſweetneſs of the Promiſe to Repentance; but rather harden our hearts, preſuming of pardons on courſe from the God of grace: Gluttons ſurfet ſooneſt upon the greateſt dainties: thus many venture to continue to ſin that grace may abound: hence Repentance is put off; becauſe men hope God will abundantly pardon, when ever the wicked forſakes his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. The Promiſes are not made a Sanctuary unto which men fly from ſin, but as a Sanctuary to protect them in their ſinfull courſes. God is mercifull, ſlow to wrath, he will abundantly pardon, &c. therefore &c. Do not we overlook all the threatnings and terrible denunciations of God againſt our ſins, and wholly pitch on the comfortable Promiſes of the Goſpel? Do not we eye Promiſes, and yet hate Commands? Do not we mind Temporal Promiſes, with the neglect of Spiritual, and therein diſparage God, by ſetting a deeper value on Earth than on Heaven, on our back and bellies, than on God? Do not we eye the Promiſes that ſpeak of mercy, but paſs over thoſe that lead to duty? View with pleaſure pardoning Promiſes, but neglect the Promiſes of ſprinkling us with clean water, and that Sin ſhall not have Dominion over us? We like it, that God will be our God; but we love not to be Gods people, under his command, and at his diſpoſe. How do we eye the abſolute Promiſes, but neglect the conditional? We take hold of Promiſes of deliverance, when under any miſery; but we forget the condition: If my people ſhall humble themſelves, and pray, and ſeek my face, and turn from their evil wayes, &c. little is that minded by us, which the Prophet ſpeaks, At what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a Nation, Jer. 18.9, 10.and concerning a Kingdome to build and to plant it, if it do evil in my ſight, that it obey not my voyce, then I will repent of the good wherewith I ſaid I would benefit them. We love, we like, Promiſed mercies, and every one is looked upon as an unbelieving Thomas, that doubts of the mercy, but we overlook the preparatory duties of Faſting, Praying, Repenting and Reforming our hearts and wayes, &c. Hence men dote almoſt on the Promiſes of grace; but ſecretly hate the Promiſes to grace; becauſe they find no gracious qualifications in themſelves: they love to hear of Gods readineſs to pardon; but they are loth to hear that they muſt come to Chriſt for Repentance and then for Remiſſion; they would fain have the penny, but they cannot endure labour. God hath linked his Promiſes and our ſeeking together. Ezek. 36.37.Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them: But how many of us do either altogether neglect, or ſlothfully go about to perform the condition of the Promiſe? Are not ſome of us altogether ſtrangers to faith, the condition of the whole covenant of grace? know not what an heart purifying faith means? We never gave our ſelves unto the Lord, yet run away with the Promiſes of forgiveneſs: though ignorant of the Mediatour betwixt God and ſinfull creatures, though full of pride and high concerts of our own Righteouſneſs, though we live in an open diſeſteem of the Goſpel of Chriſt, though we cannot but find an incompliance of heart with ſubjection to Chriſt, yet we boaſt Abraham is our Father, the bleſsing of Abraham is come upon us, the Promiſes are ours. How do the Promiſes of God make ſome ſlothfull in the uſe of appointed means? How formal in duties are we? May it not be ſaid of us, Deeſt aliquid intus.as of the Image, there is ſomewhat wanting within…? Are not we ſilly doves without heart? Are not we only bolſtred up with the Promiſes? O! theſe pillows under our heads make us ſlumbring Virgins: All is well, God is mercifull, &c. but we do not ſweat and get our living by labour, we ſtrive not to enter in at the ſtraight gate, &c. We look for the bleſſed hope, but we live not ſoberly. I know (ſaith God) the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of peace, Jer. 29.11, 12.but not of an evil, to give you an expected end; but be ſure, that ye call upon me, and goe and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
10. Nicely applying them.How nice and curious are ſome in applying of Promiſes? They forſooth take no pleaſure in any Promiſes, but ſuch as they think no hand touched before their own: They neglect the plain, clear, open, rich Promiſes of the Goſpel; and if any be more abſtruſe, and hard to be found out, by an ordinary eye, they are greedily ſuck'd in: They are only or mainly for myſtical Promiſes. Such think they are delighted with the goodneſs of the Promiſe, whereas they are only pleaſed with the newneſs of it, or with their own invention, and that they can ſee farther into a Mill-ſtone than another. I have known ſome of theſe, and I have ſeen what is become of them: their pride and affectation hath led them alſo from the plain paths of holineſs.
11. How many will not cloſe with a Promiſe (ſuch is their folly) till the thing promiſed be found within them? Not applying them, till they have what they ſhould apply them for.Becauſe their hearts are ſo corrupt, therefore they will not apply the Promiſes of ſubduing iniquity, and of purifying the heart: whereas there is no way to get their corrupt hearts cleanſed, but by laying hold on ſuch Promiſes; and the longer they keep off the Promiſe, the worſe it will be with them: There is no other way, but by this Ark, to eſcape drowning; and the longer they wander in this Wilderneſs, the more hard it will be at laſt to enter into Canaan: the longer they keep off from the promiſe, the more corrupt will their hearts grow, and the more corrupt they grow, the work of the heart-purifying-faith will be the more difficult.
12. Eyeing Providences more than Promiſes.How many of us eye Providences more than Promiſes? and make the Providences, rather than the Promiſes of God, the Ground of their Faith? One ſaith well, The Starlight of one ſingle Promiſe, is of more uſe to Chriſtians, than a Conſtellation of many Providences, both to aſſure them in their wayes, and to ſupport them under any difficulties.
13. Do not we pretend to eye the Promiſes, uſing indirect means for getting what is promiſed.and yet uſe indirect means to bring our devices to paſs? We have pretended to live the Life of Faith; but God knows what ſhifts men have had, and wicked (at leaſt queſtionable) courſes men have taken; how much evil hath been done, that good may come. Have not we, to help Gods Promiſes to bring forth, turned out of Gods way, reſiſted Dignities, offered Violence to known Laws, wronged Conſcience, forgot all Obligations upon us, Not looking that they attain their ends in our Souls. 2 Pet. 1.4. 1 Jo. 3.3.regarded nothing that ſtood in our way of compaſſing our deſignes?
14. How little do we exmaine the Fruits of Gods Promiſes in our own Souls? The exceeding great and precious Promiſes are given, that we might be partakers of the Divine nature, having eſcaped the corruption that is in the world through luſt: that we might purifie our ſelves, even as God is pure: But do we look for theſe ends to be attained by the Promiſes in our Souls? Do we look not only for a Change from Looſeneſs to Civility, but a through Sanctification in Body, Mind, and Spirit? 2 Cor. 7.1.Alas! which of us can ſay, Having theſe Promiſes, we do cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, and are perfecting holineſs in the fear of God.