Great and Precious Promises, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
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.
MAy we not truely ſay, that if ever the Chriſtians who live in thoſe dayes ſhall be advanced to ſtand within the holy place, and …hall inherit everlaſting life, all theſe are …ow before his Throne may lay aſide their …arps and give us leave to ſing? Will it not …e a myſterie, ſuppoſe ye, unto heavenly …noch that ſpent ſo much of his time in com…union and fellowſhip with God, w… …e ſhall behold ſuch Chriſtians within … …erlaſting reſt, that have ſpent ſo … …heir time in correſponding with … it not be a myſterie unto believing Abraha… when he ſhall behold ſuch miſbelievers, ſu… diſputers of the promiſes of God, advan… to reign with Chriſt? Will it not be a … ſtery unto wreſtling Jacob, when he ſh… behold theſe Chriſtians once crowned w… immortall glory, that did ſo little know w… it was as Princes to wreſtle with God, … they did prevail: Will it not be a wond… to patient Job, when he ſhall behold ſu… impatient Chriſtians as we have been, en… ing into that bleſſed place of repoſe? W… it not be a myſtery unto holy David, wh… he ſhall behold ſuch unmortified Chriſti… entering within that City, into which … unclean thing doth enter? Will it not b… myſtery unto tender Joſiah, to behold ſ… Chriſtians as we are, that have our hea… dying as a ſtone within us, entering i… Heaven? Will it not be a myſterie unto … right Nathaniel, to behold ſuch hypoc… call Chriſtians as the moſt part of us are, … tering within the holy place, and to … thoſe that have been cloathed with hypo… ſie and guile, now c…oathed with the r… of immortal Glory? And will it not … myſterie unto ſelf denied Paul, when ſhall behold ſo proud and ſelfiſh Chriſtian enter into Heaven? Give me leave to this, go where we will, we ſhall be m… leſſe and ſingular; for if we ſhall go … eternity of pain, we ſhall be the gr… … unto the infinit juſtice of God … of mercies we have received: … … enter into eternity of joy, we… …e the greateſt debtors unto the … grace of Chriſt, in regard of mercy we … …buſed. There ſhall be none in heav… … …o us, and if we ſhall go to hell, there ſhall …e few there that may be compared unto us. And let me but adde thus further before I …ome to the words, go where we will, we ſhall be out of doubt with our condition: Within a ſhort time a real Chriſtian ſhall be exalted above the reach of his miſbelieving, … hypocrite ſhall be depreſſed below the …each of his faith, and one that is groſly in …ature, he ſhall be abaſed beyond the reach of his preſumption: A Chriſtian ere long ſhall miſbelieve no more; a hypocrite ere …ong ſhall believe no more; and one that is groſly in nature ſhall ere long preſume no more: there is no miſbelief in heaven, and … here is no faith nor preſumption of well …eing in hell. But to come to that which we intend to ſpeak to, we told you when firſt we began our diſcourſe upon that pretious and exalting grace of Faith under a …wofold notion and conſideration. Firſt, As it is juſtifying: And, ſecondly, as it is ſanctifying. For the firſt, we reſolved to ſpeak to it in a twofold conſideration. Firſt, As it cloſeth with Chriſt ſimply as the ob…ect upon which it reſteth, and of this we have ſpoken from that place, 1 Joh. 1.3, 23 Secondly, As it cloſeth with Chriſt, as held… …orth in the Promiſes. And now being … ſpeak of it in this conſideration, we … made choiſe of this place, in which … …ings concerning the Promiſes, … 2. In a Chriſtians believing of ſpiritual p… miſes, there is often ſome ſenſe and rea… that helpeth him to the exerciſe of Fai… at leaſt, they preſſe not the contrary; b… to believe a temporal Promiſe, when a Ch… ſtian is redacted unto a ſtrait, and that … can ſee no outgate preſent, ſenſe and re… ſon ſtands upon the top of his Faith, a… preſſeth him to diſpair: As for inſtance when a Chriſtian is living upon the top of mountain, and knoweth not where to ſ… at night, to believe that there is a prom… upon which he may reſt, that he ſhall … want his food; but if that the Lord had … vice for him he will provide: Here, … hath not only reaſon to diſpute againſt, b… the ſtrong pinching ſenſe of hunger, bo… crying out, How can bread be given in … wilderneſſe? 3 The tentations that aſſa… a Chriſtian to miſbelieve upon temporal pr… miſes, they are more ſubtile and more co… naturall to a Chriſtian, then his rentatio… that aſſault him in reſting upon ſpiritu… promiſes: When a Chriſtian is in ſtraits … the world, the tentations that hinder … exerciſe of Faith, they are more conſona… to fleſh and blood; we are ready to ye… to miſbelief then, becauſe we think it is … tional, and ſpeaketh the truth. 4 A Ch… ſtian is often ſo affrighted by his daily … ings, or ſome particular more groſſe o… breakings in his life, that howbeit he … (through grace) be helped to belive … the Lord ſhall make out theſe prom… which concern his eternall ſalvation, an… …o him good in the latter end: yet may he be ſadly perplexed and diſtreſtfull in making …uſe of any particular temporary promiſe, for drawing forth any comfort or encouragement therefrom, as to his preſent exigont: becauſe he knoweth, that although the Lord doth forgive his peoples iniquities, yet may he take vengeance on their inventions, Pſal. 99.8. and therefore may puniſh his preſent failing with the like calamities as he hath lone others. 5. There is alſo much of a …atural and carnal ſelf love to a preſent life, …emaining in the beſt, that we are many times worſe to ſatisfie in our ſecurities for the …hings of this life, then of that which is to …ome, and can more eaſily truſt the Lord or our ſouls, then for our bodies; ſo that …hough his naked word will ſometimes ſatiſ…e us for the one, yet it will not for the …ther. And the laſt ground of it may be a …hriſtians unacquaintedneſſe with that lo… … exerciſing Faith upon temporal promiſes, …ere being many who think not that there … uſe for Faith, except for Salvation and …e things above, which maketh his Faith …on theſe more difficult then upon pro…ſes that are ſpiritual: And this may ap…ar moſt clearly, in that we find men more …ſily bear their ſpirituall wants (even a …riſtian that is moſt exerciſed) then they …r their temporal want; and more cor…ption and impatience doth ariſe from tem…al want, then from ſpiritual want.
2. Conſider, That all a Chriſtians du… … turned over into promiſes; there is … a duty that is required of a Chriſtian, bu… is converted into a Promiſe. Is not Faith duty, 1 Joh. 3.23. This is his Commandm… that ye ſhould believe? And is not that t… ned over in a promiſe, Jer. 3.19. Thou ſh… call me thy Father? The word importe… not only an act of neceſſity, but of violen… thou ſhalt do it: And in the thirteenth … Zechary, at the cloſe, Thou ſhalt call me … Father, and ſo in Ezek. 11.19. Is not m… tification a Chriſtians duty, Coloſ. 3.5. M… tifie therefore your members; and it is turn over in a promiſe, Jer. 32.28. and Ez… 36.25, 29. where he promiſeth, that … will purge away all their uncleanneſſes; a… it is clear from Micah 7.19. I will ſub… (ſaid he) all thine iniquities, it is not ſa… thou muſt ſubdue them, but, I will do it, … not alſo the knowledge of God a comm… ded duty? and yet it is turned over in a p… miſe in the Covenant of Grace; They ſh… know me from the higheſt to the loweſt, nei… ſhall there be need any more that one ſh… ſay, know the Lord, for they ſhall be all ta… of me. Is not the commandement of … your duty, as is clear from Eccleſ. 12. … and yet that is likewiſe turned over in a … miſe; I will put my fear in their in… parts, that they ſhall not depart away from. So tenderneſſe is a Chriſtians duty, and that is turned over in a promiſe, I will away their heart of ſtone, and give them a … of fleſh. And that I may ſay no more of … but to theſe four places, and ther… … ſee almoſt all duties turned over in miſes: there is Jer. 31. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. …nd Ezek. 36. ye will ſee all the duties of …e Covenant converted into promiſes. But …ay not ſome ſay, what advantage is there …f this? much certainly, every way: That …he duties are turned over into promiſes; it …ay give a Chriſtian hope, that he ſhall once …erform theſe duties: Will ye not once …e tender? Yes certainly, becauſe your ten…erneſſe lieth within a promiſe; Will ye not …nce be much in the exerciſe of fear? No …oubt ye will, and the ground of it is this, …ecauſe your fear lieth within a promiſe, and …o of the reſt. And, 2. there is this advanage of it, that all the duties required of a Chriſtian are turned over in promiſes becauſe by this means, a Chriſtian may go to God when he cannot perform ſuch a duty, and de…ire him to fulfill his word, and accompliſh …is promiſe; and ſo may make uſe not only of …he Omnipotency of God, but of the faithfulneſſe of God alſo.
There is this third Conſideration that we would propoſe, that there are ſome things …f a Chriſtian within a promiſe, that he doth not believe to be within it, eſpecially theſe …hree: Firſt, the challenges of a Chriſtian …re within a promiſe, when ye are convinced, …hat is the accompliſhment of a promiſe …his is clear from Iſai. 30.21. where convictions and challenges are turned over into promiſe; When thou art turning unto the righ… …and or to the left, thine ears ſhall hear, … voice behind thee, crying, this is the way, … in it: And it may be clear, that our co… ctions are the accompliſhment of prom… becauſe it is a work of the Comforter well to convince, Joh. 16.9. as it is him to make one rejoyce: and if a Chriſt could believe that his challenges were accompliſhment of a promiſe, he might brace his challenges, he might ſee the fa… fulneſſe of God in his challenges, and might ſee much love in his challenges. … Chriſtians croſſe is within a promiſe, ſo t… when a Chriſtian meets with ſuch affliction he may ſit down and cry out, this is the compliſhment of a promiſe, and this is ch… from Pſal. 89.31, 32. wherein in the m… of the promiſes of the Covenant of Gra… that promiſe of viſiting their iniquities w… rods, is put in the boſome of them: … from Pſal. 119.77. In faithfulneſſe haſt … afflicted me, Why doth David ſay in fa… fulneſſe? It was this, becauſe his croſſe … the accompliſhment of a promiſe: and may be clear alſo from that word, Heb. 12. Forget not the exhortation, (ſpeaking of croſſe) the word is, Forget not the conſ… tion that ſpeaketh unto you: As if the h… Ghoſt did ſay, croſſes do yeeld much co… lation, as in verſ. 11. They yeeld the peace fruits of righteouſneſſe: And if this wer… lieved, that our croſſes were the accomp… ment of the promiſes, it would help a … ſtian unto much humble ſubmiſſion, … there would not be murmuring under th… if once we did believe that they were accompliſhment of a promiſe: Yea, the … advantage further, that if we did be… …at our croſſes were the accompliſhment …f a promiſe, we would be much in advanc…g holineſſe under our croſſe. There is no…ing that obſtructeth the ſweet fruits of …ghteouſneſſe under a croſſe ſo much as im…tiency: and I would ſay this to commend …e croſſe, a Chriſtian never moveth ſo …iftly to heaven, as when he is under a ſan…ified croſſe; a croſſe when it is ſanctified, …ill prove a Chriſtians motion to Heaven, …ore then ten enjoyments, for our enjoyments ordinarily do retard our way as much … further it. And there is this, Thirdly, …at is within the promiſes, even your daily …od, and the hairs of your head, the hairs … a Chriſtians head are numbred, and with… the Covenant. So that ye may ſee what … high reſpect Chriſt hath put upon Chriſti…s, that is clear from that word, Pſal. 111.… 8. He hath given meat unto them that fear …im, He will ever be mindfull of His Cove…nt.
Our fourth conſideration ſhall be, to point at a little theſe grounds upon which Chriſt …th delay his accompliſhment of the pro…iſes; It is certain that a Chriſtian is often…es put to this, Doth his promiſe fail for …ermore? and cryeth out, Why art thou be…me unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail; …d the grounds of this delay are theſe:
Chriſt knoweth that a Chriſtian can often …tter improve the delay of the accompliſh…ent of the promiſe, then he can improve …e accompliſhment it ſelf: we might find …is in our experience (it being for the moſt part) eaſier for a Chriſtian to bea… croſſes, then to bear his enjoyments. I th… David never had ſo ſweet a time as th… when he was purſued as a partridge by ſon Abſolon; then grace did breath ſo moſt ſweetly in his actions: but let … vid be under proſperity, and then we he falleth in the ſin of Adultery. … therefore never repine when ye are u… a croſſe; for certainly, if we had ſpiri… underſtanding, we would not judge i… great a hazard to be under a croſſe, as u… proſperitie, ſince we have greater ſtro… to bear the one, then to endure the o… 2. The ſlothfulneſſe of a Chriſtian to w… the promiſes are made, this makes the … miſes to be delayed in their performance was clear in the people of Iſrael; the fourty years in a wilderneſſe, before promiſe of entering into Canaan is ac… pliſhed; It was a promiſe that could … been accompliſhed in a few dayes, an… becauſe of their ſin, it was not accompl… for fourty years, as ye may ſee from word in Numb. 14.33, 34. 3. The ac… pliſhment of the promiſes is delayed, Faith may be more put in exerciſe; … clear from that remarkable word, Pſal. 19. Ʋntill the time that his word came; is, untill the word of the Lord was a… …hed; The word of the Lord tried him; …, it was the matter of his exerciſe, an… ciſe eſpecially unto Faith; for inde… much for a Chriſtian to believe upon a … when it is delayed in its accompliſh …e fourth ground of delay is, that the exciſe of prayer may be more; and it is cer…n, that the beſt improvement of delayes to be much in prayer; the promiſes they … occaſion prayer, as is clear from Exod. 4. …, They believed, and bowed down their …ds and worſhipped; and from 2 Sam. 7. … where the great promiſes being made to …vid, he cryeth out, Therefore have I found my heart to pray this prayer unto God, and it clear from Pſal. 119.49. Perform the word to thy ſervant upon which thou haſt cauſed … to hope. It is bad improvement of delayes …hen we turn impatient; and it is a bad im…ovement of delayes, when we quite our …nfidence. Know that promiſes are accomiſhed after delayes, and they have a luſt… …on them that may compence all the delay.
There is this other ground of the delayes accompliſhment of the promiſes, even at the thing that is promiſed may be more …eet to a Chriſtian when it cometh: this clear from that word of Solomon, Prov. ….12. Hope deferred maketh the heart ſick, …t when the deſire doth come, it is as a tree … life: O but a mercy that cometh to a Chriſtian through a promiſe, it is ſweet; …a, a drink of cold water taken up as the ac…mpliſhment of a promiſe, is more ſweet …en a feaſt of fat things full of marrow, and …ine on the lies well refined; to take up your …ead and your drink as the accompliſhment …f your promiſes, it would make them re…ſhfull to you. 6. The Lord delayes his …romiſes, that a Chriſtian may be more in the exerciſe of dependency, and may … wayes keeped about the throne. A C… an goeth to God from a threefold pri… he goeth to God from a principle of … from a principle of neceſſity, and fr… principle of love: but would you … that which putteth the Chriſtian often … God? it is a principle of neceſſity: an… lieve it, that if neceſſity did not drive a … ſtiun unto the foot of the Throne, we w… ſeldom go from a principle of love, or … a principle of faith. And there is this ground of the delay of the accompliſhm… the promiſes, that the glory of the wiſd… of God may appear, & the glory of his p… in the accompliſhment of the pro… When the promiſe is long beneath gro… then the wiſdom and power of God … more appear in the accompliſhment of … promiſe. And from this I would only … to Chriſtians that are under that exer… compleaning of the want of the perform… of the promiſes, theſe few things: 1. … lieve that the promiſe ſhall once be ac… pliſhed, that though the viſion tarry, yet a… it ſhall speak. 2. Believe, that every h… delay of the accompliſhment of the … miſe hath a ſweet deſign of love: the… not one moment of delay, but it is for… advantage of a Chriſtian, as is clear from … word, Rom. 8.28. And, 3. that pro… that cometh after long delayes, it hath … three ſweet and ſoul-refreſhing attend… 1. It is performed moſt ſeaſonably, a … …tian if he will obſerve, he will ſee in… …ſedom ſhining in timeing the accompliſh…nt of the promiſe to ſuch a particular …y: a Chriſtian will be conſtrained to cry …t, if the promiſe had been fulfilled before, …ere had not been ſuch arte of wiſdome …pearing in the performance of it. 2. Th… …e promiſe when it is accompliſhed, w… …gage a Chriſtian more in the exerciſe of …ve, than four promiſes accompliſhed at a …ort and ſmaller time: there is nothing …at will ſo inflame the ſoul with love, as to …ve a promiſe accompliſhed after delayes. …nd, 3. the promiſes accompliſhed after …layes, have much ſenſe waiting upon the …rformance thereof: I think hardly a …hriſtian ever met with the accompliſhment …f a promiſe after long delay, but his ſoul … as made as a watered garden, and as ſprings … water whoſe waters fail not; this promiſe …ileth and cometh to a Chriſtian perfumed …ith love.
Now we ſhall ſhut up our diſcourſe at …is time, and ſhall only ſpeak to theſe fix …fects of a Chriſtians faith in believing the …omiſes. 1. That our faith is impatient, …e cannot ſtay upon the promiſe if it be de…yed: Hence ye will ſee, that in Scripture …ten patience is annexed to faith; which …eaketh this, That it is impoſſible for a …hriſtian to believe as he ought, that want…h the exerciſe of patience. See Heb. 6.12. …e ye followers of them, who through faith and …tience inherit the promiſe: And that word … the Revelation, This is the faith and pa…ence of the Saints. 2. Our faith in cloſing with the Promiſes, it is moſt unconſtant … Chriſtian when firſt a promiſe is born in … on his ſpirit, he will then believe the p… miſe and joyn with it; but after ſix or ven dayes go about, he will change … Faith: this is remarkably clear from E… 4.31. compared with Exod. 6.9. W… firſt the promiſe cometh to the people of … rael, that they ſhall go out of Egypt, it is … of them in the fourth Chapter at the cl… They believed the promiſe, and worſhipp… But look to them in Exod. 6.9. and ther… will ſee them not believing, becauſe of … terneſse and anxiety of heart: And I … tell you the grounds why our Faith is … conſtant. 1. Sometimes the reading o… promiſe to a Chriſtian will be as his ſa… meat; ſometimes when a Chriſtian will … one time in the Covenant, it will be … fumed with love, and his ſoul will be tr… ported with joy after it, and at another … when he ſhall read that promiſe again, it … be taſteleſſe as the white of an egge, and as ſorrowfull meat. 2. That we are not m… in ſtudying the exerciſe of the things … are promiſed, which certainly would … ſhort many of our debates. There is … third defect of our Faith, That we are … diligent, a diligent faith we call this, … after a Chriſtian hath believed, he woul… much in the exerciſe of prayer, for the compliſhment of the promiſe, he wou… much in the exerciſe of meditation, to … that promiſe ſweet and lively to him. … a fourth defect is this, We build our … …ore upon Diſpenſations then upon the Word: when diſpenſations ſay that which …e promiſe ſaith, then we will believe: but …hen diſpenſation ſpeaketh the contrary …nguage unto the promiſe, then we will re…ct our confidence and hope. I will tell …ou two great myſteries of believing, It is …ard for a Chriſtian to believe when the …ommentary ſeemeth to deſtroy the Text, …at is, When the Commentary ſeemeth to …clare, that the promiſe ſhall never be ac…mpliſhed. In ſum it is this, It is hard to …lieve when diſpenſation will ſay, the Word … the Lord will fail, and when promiſes …ds you believe. 2. It is hard for a Chri…an to take impoſſibilities in the one hand, …d the word of promiſe in the other, and …, O precious Chriſt reconcile theſe two …gether, that impoſſibilities do not deſtroy …e promiſe, but that the promiſe may be compliſhed notwithſtanding of this.
We have this defect of faith amongſt us, …at we build our faith more upon ſenſe, …en upon the word of promiſe; when a …riſtian is in a good frame, he will believe, …t when Chriſt hideth his face, he will then …e over his hope. And laſtly, there is this, …at our faith upon the promiſes is general, … believe the truth of the promiſes, but … ſtudy notto make a particular applicati… of them. I ſhall not ſtand long to make … uſe of what we have ſpoken: Only I …uld have the Chriſtians of this age, and …ſe that are here, to go home with this …viction, the damnable neglect of believing of the promiſes. A Chriſtian negle… theſe three duties of Religion moſt, … glecteth the duty of ſelf-examining, the… of believing the promiſes, and that nobl… exalting duty of meditation: theſe thre… ties a Chriſtian doth ſo conſtantly neglect almoſt he is above the reach of convic… that he doth neglect them.
But I would ſay a word unto theſe are deſtitute of the Faith of the promiſe are ſtrangers unto theſe bleſſed thing… are recorded within the Covenant: A… is onelyonly this; doubtleſſe ye muſt b… your ſences, if ye will not believe his W… It is a queſtion indeed, Which of al… ſenſes ſhall be moſt ſatisfied in heaven, … ther that of ſeeing, when we ſhall beh… King in his beauty, and ſee him as he is … that of hearing, when we ſhall hear theſ… lodious Halelujahs of that innumerable pany, which are about the Throne, wi… any jarring amongſt them all, or th… ſmelling, when we ſhall find the ſwee… ſume of his garments, which are per… with all the powders of the merchant; o… of touching, when we find Maries in… on taken off, Touch me not, and be ad… to imbrace him who is now aſcended … Father; Or, that of taſting, when w… drink of theſe rivers of Conſolation, th… never run dry. This, I ſay, is indeed … ſtion; But give me leave to tell … atheiſts and enemies of God: It is … queſtion, Which of all the five ſenſ… …epr…ate ſhall be tormented in He… …hat would ye anſwer to it now? Whether …hink ye the ſenſe of ſight, when ye ſhall be… old that darkneſſe of wrath, the devil and …is angels, and your fellow-priſoners in that …ungeon? Or whether ſhall your ſenſe of …earing be moſt tormented in hell, when ye …all hear thoſe ſcreighings and howlings …at ſhall eternally aſcend up before God, …y the ſouls that are in priſon? O but the …eateſt enemy would have compaſſion up… is enemy, to hear their cryes: Or, whether …ill ye ſay the ſenſe of taſting ſhall be moſt …rmented, when ye ſhall drink of theſe ri…ers of brimſtone? Or, will the ſenſe of …uching, when ye ſhall be eternally ſcorch… with theſe flames of eternal indignation▪ …r the ſenſe of ſmelling, when ye ſhall eter…lly be, as it were, ſuffocated with the …oke of that ſulphurious furnace that ſhall ever be quenched? O think you if Cain… …ould come from hell and preach that do…rine, that we ſhould not perſecute the …nts, would we liſten unto him? If A… …lon ſhould come from hell, and ſhould …each againſt the evil of ambition, would ye …ten unto him? And if Achitophel ſhould …ſe from the dead and preach that doctrine …to you, Let not the wiſe man glory in his …iſdome, would we ſtop our ears? Or if …udas would come from hell and preach to …u the evil of hypocrifie, in betraying th… …n of man with a kiſſe, would we belie… …m? Or if Dives that is recorded in … …ſpel ſhould come from hell, and … …at Text to preach upon, Jam. 5.1. … ye rich men and houl, and weep for your … ries that ſhall come upon you. And if D… would come and ſecond him with that w… love not the world, nor the things … are in the world. I fear ye would cry … we will imbrace that doctrine at an… time. We deſire not to inſiſt much … theſe, but O to believe, that there is an … nity of pain, and that there is an eternity …. I will give you a deſcription of …heiſt, and let him think upon it, it is e… to convince hundreds of you, that ye … the fear of God, then that ye want the … and love of God. Oh, an imaginary f… and a conceit of love, will ye ever … theſe two Idols. I confeſſe, once ye … have a faith that no man ſhall ever rob … of, and that is, the faith of that truth, … when once ye enter into eternity of … there is no redemption out of that pl… Awake, awake, for behold the Judge com… and he ſhall render vengeance unto t… that know him not. To his bleſſed … moſt precious Name we deſire to … praiſe.