greater then the Love of the Husband to the Wife Conjugâ—l Love is at least ought to be great Love The Love of Abraham to Sarah was great of Isaac to Rebecca was great of Jacob to Rackel was great of Elkanah to Hannah was great of Augustus to his Livia was great who dyed in the Embraceme is of her with these words Livia nostri Conjugii memoresto vive vale which may thus be Englished Livia remember we were one live and farewell Man and Wife are one flesh and if both be living one Spirit so that this Love must needs be great but Christs is greater Husbands Eph. 5.25 love your Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Where is there a Husband that gives himself for his Wife that gives himself to death for his Wife Or if he should what would it signifie She could never say with the Text who loved me and washed me from my Sins in his Blood This must not be said of any blood but Christs is not this then a peculiar Love Spiritual Christs Love is greater then the Spiritual Love of Christians Jonathans love to David was great and Davids love to Jonathan was great but Christs is greater what 's a spark to the Furnace a drop to the Ocean Such is the Love of Man to the Love of Christ God manifest in the flesh 'T is true David speaks very honourably of Jonathans Love 2 Sam. 1.26 Thy Love to me have been wonderfull passing the Love of Women But Christs Love is greater Christs Love is greatest Jo. 14.13 Greater Love hath no Man then this that a Man lay down his life for his Friend Christ laid down his life for Enemies as Enemies when and while Enemies Is not this now a peculiar Love What use may be made of this Lastly that Christ hath a peculiar Love for his peculiar People Hath Christ a peculiar Love for his peculiar People USE This then may be useful by way of Caution by way of Comfort by way of Councel Is Christs Love a peculiar Love By way of Caution take heed then of turning Love into Lust and loving kindness into lasciviousness To do evil that good may come and to be sinful because God is merciful and to be lustful because Christ is Love-ful is the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness Dost argue from Grace to Sin from Love to Lust from Mercy to Iniquity from Immunity unto Impiety this is the Dialect of Hell and the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness Rom. 3.8 Oh how do the Apostle thunder against such we are slanderously reported and some affirm that we say Let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just Art loved be joyous Soul thou art more then a Conquerour through him that loveth By way of Comfort Oh you that have the Love of Christ shed abroad in your hearts by the Spirit of Christ this Text as a Cordial under your fainting Fits Who loved us Art tempted or troubled pained or panged distressed or disserted yet loved Me Duce vinces Rom. 8.37 who loved us Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors but how through him that loved us Not only Conquerors but more then Conquerors It is a compound word and signifies more then simply to overcome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we greatly overcome we over and above overcome we overcome above measure or exceeding gloriously we do more then overcome we do Over-overcome as the Greek seem to read it It may well be read thus But in all these things we Over-overcome through him that loved us In all these things but what things were these These things ye may run and read Rom. 8.35 What shall separate us from the Love of God shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword Here are seven bitter Dishes and shall these No In all these things we do Over-overcome Is not any one of these Dishes enough for any pallate in the World yet not one of these not any of these yea not all these shall separate from the Love of God But in all these things we do Over-overcome but how through him that loved us Now that thy Cup may be filled with Joy and Peace like the water pots of Galilee up to the very Brim suffer me to tell thee that Christs Love is the most sutable and soveraign Cordial Christs Love is the most sutable Cordial Those Cordials are most efficacious that are most natural and most suiting the Spirits Gal. 2.20 Christs Love is the Christians Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christs Love falls in with the Life of a Christian and therefore most sutable Christs Love is the most soveraign Cordial As Gods Love when he gave Christ is put for all Causes Jo. 3.16 So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son So Christs Love when Christians get comfort is put for all Cordials Is not that a lofty as well as a lovely Expression of the great Doctor of the Gentiles Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers Nor things present nor things to come Nor Height nor Depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Soul Christs Love contain in it the sum of the Gospel Christ being the sum of the Gospel and Love the sum of Christ God so loved the World that he gave Christ and Christ so loved the World that he gave himself contain in it the Pith and Marrow of all the Gospel This little word Love written in the golden letters of free-Grace in the blood of Jesus Christ is an Epitomy of the Gospel The Life of Christ was a perfect Mirror of his Love every action of it was full of Love and if we put all the Actions of his life together we may conclude that he was not born so much to Live as to Love Was there a word that dropped from his Lips but was sull of Love And as for his works they all speak Love so loud that the deafest ear may hear it Should we begin at the Temple where Christ disputed with the Doctors and â—low him to the Mount where 〈◊〉 was crucified by the Soulâ—ers we should see all the way â—ewed with Love-Reses Now 〈◊〉 loved then this Christ is â—hy Christ and this Love â—hy Love and is not this â—â—tter of Joy Go away then â—â—d be filled with Joy and â—ace through Believing Oh but there are Achans withâ—â— Object 1 Sauls within the Sons of â—erviab within Oh there are â—any Blots in my Scutcheon â—any Weeds in my Garden â—uch Rubbish in my House â—any Holes in my Coat much â—eâ—ven in my Heart Oh no â—eart like unto Mine Soul Solut. Christs Loâ—â— is greater â—en thy Lust and his Mercy â—en thine Iniquity If the Sun â—e
long Though there he silence here there 's suffering else where Oh though there be peace now there may beware ere long Though there be prosperity now there may be adversity ere long Oh though it be Summer now it may be Winter ere long Though the Woman be in the Wilderness Solution yet she shall come out Cant. 8.5 leaning upon her Beloved Soul art loved though thou beest or shouldest be in Tribulation yea in great Tribulation yet thou mayest come out of that great Tribulation These are they that came out of great Tribulation Rev. 7.14 having washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Now wilt thou that art loved and universally washed from thy Sins in Christs own blood go away with thy countenance sad Oh Soul pluck a Cluster from this Vine and take a Drop from this honey-comb Who loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Doth Christ wash from Sin in his own Blood By way of Counsel Suffer then the words of Exhortation Now here I would speak to the unwashed and the washed Art not washed Go then to Christ for washing To the unwashed No more shall have a Crown then have a Christ shall have Glory then have Grace and shall have Happiness then have Holiness If therefore thou wouldest be justified before God and sanctified before Man go to Christ If I wash thee not Jo. 13 8. and 't is Christ that speaks it thou hast no part with Me. Whether would ye go whether should ye go whether will ye go whether can ye go but unto Christ who loveth and washeth from Sin in his own Blood Art unwashed go then to Christ for washing But is it Christs will Question 1 as well us Christs work that I should go to him to be washed As it is Christs work to wash Answer so it is Christs will that thou shouldest be washed 1 Thess 4.7 This is the will of God even your sanctification Now God and Christ will and nill the same things But may those that are unwashed Quest 2 go to Christ to be washed As unto whom Answer should an unwashed Soul go but unto Christ So none but unclean Souls Souls sensible of their Vlcers and Vncleanness will go to Christ to be washed Mat 9.12 The whole need no Physitian that is see no need of a Physician but those that are sick But did ever a Soul Quest 3 so unclean as I go to Christ to be washed Oh! I am a Gehaziâ— he was no fuller of Leprosie 〈◊〉 then I am of Sin and yet he went out of his Masters presence a Leper as white as Snow A Sinner thou art Answer and no more thou art now though a Sinner be a Subject of misery yet an object of Mercy Luk. 19. The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Quest 4 If I must go to Christ to be washed in his Blood then what manner of Blood is Christs Blood Beloved My Line Answer will not sound this Bottom for it is a bottomless Bottom but I will let it down for Christ can make a Feast of a Fragment Take a Tast though but a Tast Christs Blood is a Heart-softning blood The heart of Man is stony yea like an Adamant stone concerning which stone they say that nothing but Goats-blood will soften it Oh Soul though thy heart be like an Adamant-stone yea like the nether Milstone yet the blood of Christ can soften it I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh Eze. 11.19 and will give them a heart of flesh Christs Blood is a justifying blood Justification is a great thing and a gracious thing indeed to be acquitted from 〈◊〉 and Death and accounted righteous unto Life and Glory â—o not this great greatly great This is through Christs blood That being justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 we should be saved from wrath through him Christs Blood is a Sin-mortifying blood Beloved ye must look upon your Sin as that which was the death of your Lord and ye must look upon the death of your Lord as that which is the death of your Sin Our old Man is crucified with him Rom. 6.6 that the body of Sin may be destroyed Christs Blood is purchasing blood There was little paid for the Saviour they sold him for thirty pieces of Silver but there was much paid for the Sinner Ye are not redeemed with corruptable things 1 Pet. 1.18 19. there 's the Negative part but what are these Silver and Gold But if Silver and Gold cannot what can the blood of Christ can but with the precious blood of Christ Ye are not redeemed with corruptable things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ The blood of Christ is the price of Redemption Christs Blood is pardoning blood Oh what wearisome days and nights have many Souls but what 's the reason they want a pardon Do not these say at night oh that it were morning And in the morning oh that it were night Oh how can you rest day or night that are without a pardon Christs blood is pardoning blood Col. 1.14 In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of Sins Christ Blood is pleading blood Abels blood did plead against the Offender but Christs blood plead for the Believer Abels blood did cry for vengeance Heb. 12.24 but Christs blood cry for Mercy 'T is called the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Christs Blood is a pacifying blood Christs blood is the blood of Atonement No sooner was Haman executed but Ahasuerus was appeased No sooner was Christ crucified but God was pacified And you Col. 1.21 22. that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled but how in the body of the flesh through death Christs Blood is a procuring blood Our Sins did shut Heavens gate but the blood of Christ is the Key that open the gate of Paradise for us 'T is Christ that hath the Key of David opening and no man shutting shutting and no man opening Loved ones have boldness to enter into the holiest Heb. 10.19 but how by the blood of Jesus Christs Blood is pure blood Beloved we have our Blots in our Scutcheons our Weeds in our Gardent our Rubbish in our Houses our Leaven in our Hearts our Holes in our Coats but Christ had none in His. Impure blood run in our veins but only pure blood run in His. He Heb. 4.15 was in all points tempted like as we are yet without Sin Christs Blood Lastly is purifying blood As the blood of Christ is a blood of value and of Merit so 't is a blood of Vertue and Spirit This blood is a Laver to wash in it washeth a Crimson Sinner Milk-white Now this is if I mistake not a part of the washing in the Text And washed
to God for Man so theâ— is a sanctification wrought by God in Man If the Blood oâ— Bulls and of Goats and thâ— ashes of an Heffer sprincklinâ— the unclean sanctified to thâ— purifying of the flesh Heb. 9.13 14. Hoâ— much more shall the blood 〈◊〉 Christ who through the eternâ— Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Here 's purging and purifying here 's sanctifying and spiriting unto Service but how through blood That is through an Application of Christs blood and this application is through Faith For the Apostle wordeth it Rom. 3.25 Whom speaking of Christ God hath set forth or so ordained to be a propitiation or mercy-seat but how through Faith in the Blood So that all arrive at a Satisfaction with respect to Justification and Sanctification concerning this Blood Christ was satisfied in shedding his Blood God was satisfied in Christs shedding his Blood And Man is satisfied because interessed in this Blood that was shed being delivered not from a Conscience of Sin only but from a Conversation of Sin also And washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Why Christ washeth from Sin in his own Blood Christ washeth from Sin in a two fold Respect in respect of the Necessity of it anâ— in respect of the commodity by it Reasons In respect of the Necessity of it It is expedient that one should dye for the People and that the whole Nation perish not There 's a Necessity of Christs Blood and that for these two Reasons among others Because Man had sinned Man is defiled and therefore Man must be washed Every man in a state of Nature is a Bartimeus the Son of the unclean as the word signifieth Oh Soul here 's thy pedigree though an Emperor was thy Father yet Adam was thy Grand-Father To this purpose the Apostle speaks Wherefore Rom 5.12 as by one Man sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and so death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned Or in whom all have sinned so the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Man and Woman living in the Region of depraved Nature is a Nero a Sinner as the word signifie Man is defiled and that from Head A Capitead Calcew to Foot that as the Philosopher saith concerning the Soul it is in every part where there is Life there is the Soul Tota in toto â—ota in qualibet parte for the Soul is the Life so what ever is in us and commeth from us and is acted by us receive a defilement from us Sin is like a Leprosie over the whole man like a Gangrene spreading over the whole Soul There is therefore a necessity of Christs Blood in order to Pardon and in order to Purity Because God would be satisfied God is infinite in his Attributes as well as in his Essence Justice is one of Gods Attributes and God will not loose one of his Attributes If Man sin God will avenge this sin upon the Person or upon the Passover As Man had sinned so God would be satisfied yea satisfied the same way he was offended 1 Cor. 15.21 By Man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead In respect of the Commodity by it The Blood of Christ is advantagious in a manisold respect At this Door of Christs Blood enters Redemption Is not Redemption a great thing to be rescued out of the hands of the roaring Lyon is not this a great Mercy This is through Christs Blood Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption but how through his Blood At this Door of Christs Blood enters Remission Is not Remission a great thing Pardon of Sin is not only a singular but also a plural Mercy Heb. 9.22 this Remission is through Christs blood Without shedding of blood no Remission At this Door of Christs Blood enters Access to God Is not Access to God a great thing Access to a mortal Monarch is eyed as a great thing but what is Access to an immortal God then Sin had set God and Man at an infinite distance Christs Blood bring these together The Apostle speaking of Christs preaching Peace to them which were asar off and to them which were nigh subjoins joins this Eph. 2.17 18. For through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father At this Door of Christs Blood enters Acceptance with God There 's an Acceptation through Christ and his Blood as to Person and as to Performance There is through Christs Blood an Acceptation as to Person Man was indebted and the Blood of Christ went to pay the Reckoning Eph. 1.6 Ye are bought with a price Christs Blood went for pay To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved There is through Christs Blood an Acceptation as to Performance As God hath respect to the Person of an Abel so to the Oblation of an Abel but respect to both through Christ Christ is a merciful and faithful high Priest Heb. 2.17 in things partaining to God to make riconciliation for the Sin of the People At this Door of Christs Blood enters Salvation Is not Salvation a great thing Is not this worth the hearing worth the having Is not Damnation a bitter Pil a bitter Potion This Salvation is through Christs 〈◊〉 from Wrath and from 〈◊〉 〈…〉 If the wrath of a King be as the Messenger of death 〈◊〉 what 's the wrath of a God then the wrath of the God of Gods then Christ by his blood saveth from wrath Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification From Sin As the Blood of Christ saveth from the Guilt of Sin so from the Filth of Sin He shall save the People from their Sins Mat. 1.21 As Christ is a Saviour for Sin so from Sin What Vse may be made of this Lastly that Christ washâ—th from Sin in his own Blood Here are three uses USE Caution Comfort Counsel Now this Use hath a double Aspect By way of Caution and looks unto the washed and unwashed Now if so there must be a distinct discussion in a way of Caution Art loved To the washed and washed be cautioned then against sinning for Christs Blood must go for washing Beloved what all the water in the Sea cannot do the Blood of Christ can do If thou beest washed from Sin 't is by Christs Blood What Man in his wits will be lavish of his blood Oh what Soul in love with Christ being loved of Christ will be lavish of Christs Blood Soul if there be sinning by Thee and Mee his Blood must go for washing Hath not Christ bled enough already when he hath bled to death to an accursed death but must he bleed again That as he was pierced again must he bleed again Jo. 20.27 Come Thomas reach hither thy hand and thrust it into
inquiry after these six things What these Gospel-Believers are Method 1. that have a Gospel-right to promises What these promises are unto which Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-right Whether Gospel Believers have a Gospel-right to Gospel-promises How Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-right to Gospel-promises Why Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-right to Gospel-promises What use may be made of this That Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-right to Gospel-promises What these Gospel-Believers are that have a Gospel-right to promises I would hope to arrive thee at a Discovery of a Gospel-Believer under a Discussion of a Gospel-Faith There is the Habit of Faith and the Act of Faith There 's the Habit of Faith There 's the Seed of Faith or Faith in the Seed The Heart that 's the Soil and Grace that 's the Seed Being born again 1 Petr. 1.23 not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible Grace is the Seed Faith is a Grace if no thee Grace for 't is the leading Grace the Grace that lead the Van of all other Graces Grace is the Seed and this is incorruptible As there is no Grace in Sin so there is no Sin in Grace There 's the Act of Faith As there is the Habit of Faith so there is the Act of Faith Gal. 5.6 As there is the work of Faith so there is a working-Faith But Faith which worketh by Love But what manner of Faith Question is this Faith 'T is a Faith that hath Christ for Object Solut. 1 That He might be just Rom 3.26 and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus This Faith hath Christ but not the lying vision of the heart for its Object 'T is a Faith of the Operation of God Faith is a work but 't is Gods work Col. 2.12 'T is expresly called a Faith of the Operation of God As Faith is Gods will so 't is Gods work 'T is a Faith that 's wrought not only by the power of God but by the exceeding greatness of Gods power And what is the super-eminent magnitude of his power to us-ward Eph. 1.19 20. who believe according to the working of the might of his power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead There is concerned in the working of Faith a power aequivalent unto and aequipollent with that power which gave a Resurrection to Christ Jesus 'T is a Faith that hath a Train of good works Jam. 2 18. Shew me thy Faith without thy works and I will shew thee my Faith by my works By works I mean works from a right Principle to right Ends that is works from a gracious Principle to a gracious end works from a Principle of the Grace of God to a promotion of the Glory of God Now though such works are not Essential unto Faith yet they are Evidential unto Faith though they are not the Essence of a lively Faith yet they are the Evidence that Faith lives Jam. 2.26 For as the Body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without works is dead also This is a Gospel-Faith and he or she that hath this Faith is a Gospel-Believer What these promises are unto which Gospel-Believers have a Gospel right Promises they say are Absolute or Conditional Absolute promises are Spiritual Absolute and Caelestial As Grace and Glory Redemption and Remission Sanctification and Salvation Conditional promises are temporal Conditional and corporal As Health and Honour Prosperity and Plenty Seed and Substance c. But in short there 's a three fold promise Civil Religious and Divine Civil This is a word passed from Man to Man Civil A Civil promise is a word passed from Man to Man for the performance of some lawful thing as in Contracts and in other affairs Thus Laban made promise to Jacob to give him his Daughters Thus Saul made promise to David not to hurt him and hunt his Soul to take it Thus also Jonathan made promise to David 1 Sam. 19.1 2 3. Religious This is a word passed from Man to God Religious A religious promise is a word passed from Man to God concerning some Duty relating to his Honour This is called a Vow If a Woman also vow a vow unto the Lord. Thus the Psalmist Psa 66.13 14. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my vows Which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Divine This is a word passed from God to Man Divine A divine promise is a word passed from God to Man concerning the fulfilling of some Good or removing of some Evil Spiritual Psa 119.38 49 50. or Temporal Stablish thy word unto thy Servant who is devoted to thy Fear Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me Now Gods promises are Legal or Evangelical Legal Do this and live Thus God passed his word Legal to give eternal life and Creature-Comforts upon condition of performing the Law Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first Commandement with promise But these are not the promises Eph. 6.2 spoken off in the Text To Abraham and his Seed were the promises made Evangelical Thus when God passeth his word freely to give Evangelical freely to give Christ and together with Christ all things freely to give Whereby are given unto us but what promises yea precious promises yea great 2 Pet. 1.4 and precious promises yea exceeding great and precious promises Now these are they they are Gospel-promises unto which Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-Right Of these my Text speak To Abraham and his Seed were the promises mâ—de Whether Gospel-Believers have a Gospel Right to Gospel-promises It were no hard Task to produce a cloud of witnesses But in the mouth of two or three shall every word be established Gal. 3.22 For instance The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by the Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3.29 If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Now Gal. 4.28 we Brothren as Isaac was are the Children of promise How Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-Right to Gospel-promises Through Grace Free-Grace gives a right to the promise Through Grace Promises are Donatives they are free gifts Gal. 3.18 If the Inheritance be of the Law then 't is no more by promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise Here the Inheritance is given that is under promise and the promise is given under which the inheritance is God gave it to Abraeham by promise Through Christ Christ is he first and great Heir Through Christ he is Heir of all things and through â—im Believers inherit the pronise 'T is the Prince of life â—hat gives a propriety in the promise of life For this cause Heb. 9.15 â—e is the Mediatour of
the New Testament that by means of death â—or the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal Inheritance Here is an eternal inheritance under promise but this is through the death of Christ Through the Spirit The Spirit Through the Spirit Eph. 1.13 is called the Spirit of promise After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise And as there is the Spirit of promise so there the promise of the Spirit The we might receive the promisâ— of the Spirit 'T is called thâ— promise of the Spirit not oâ—ly because a greater effluxâ— the Spirit is under promise bâ— also because the Spirit is thâ— Author and Applyer of the promise Through Faith Faith Through Faith Gal. 3.14 is thâ— Souls hand to receive the promise That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentileâ— that we might receive the promâ—â— of the Spirit but how througâ— Faith Here is Faith but ' tâ— Faith from Christ here is Faith but 't is Faith in Christ ' tâ—â— Faith that hath Christ for Object as well as Author anâ— Actor So that Grace anâ— Christ the Spirit and Faith iâ— Christ give a Gospel-Right tâ— Gospel-promises Why Gospel-Believers have Gospel-Right to Gospel-promises The Reasons follow In order to the exercise of a â—elievers Faith Reason 1 As the Preâ—ept is a Rule for Obedience so â—e promise is a Ground for â—aith The promises of God â—ad of the Gospel they are â—f I may speak it without Leâ—ity and with a holy Reveâ—ence the swadling Cloaths of Christ and they carry a Christ â—rapped up in them Gospel-promisses they are full Breasts â—nd God delight that Faith â—hould draw them Oh Soul when Time goes â—nto Eternity then Faith will â—o into Vision it must therefore be conversant about the â—ruth of the promise here 'T is said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 21. that he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that whâ—â— God hath promised he was abâ— also to perform In order to the Exercise ofâ— Believers Hope As Faithâ— looks to the Truth of the prâ—mise so Hope looks to thâ— Good of the promise Aâ— Faith looks to the Truth 〈◊〉 the promise Ipse dixit ' Tâ—â— not Pythagoras but God thaâ— hath spoken it And he is not 〈◊〉 Man that he should repent noâ— the Son of Man that he should lyâ— So Hope looks at the Good of the promise at the Gooâ— couched and lodged in the promise whether it be a promise of the life that now is or oâ— that which is to come Abouâ— the Good couched and lodged in the promise is Hope conversant whether it be the Removing of evil or the obtaining of good 1 Jo. 2 25. This is the promise which he hath promised us â—even eternal life Eternal life is under promise and this is the Good of the promise But let the Apostle who was a far better Orator then my self speak as to the Good and Truth of the promise In hope of eternal life Tit. 1.2 which God that cannot lye proâ—ised before the World began In hope of Eternal life there is the Good of the promise which God that cannot lye promised before the World began There 's the Truth of the promise Hope is conversant about the one and Faith is conversant about the other Now Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-right to Gospel-promises that Hope may be excercised for when Time goes into Eternity then Hope will go into Possession as Faith will go into Vision Is it not proverbial were it not for Hope the heart would break The Proverb metaphysically understood is innocent for had Believers hope only in this life 1 Cor. 15.19 they were of all Creatures the most miserable Gospel-Believers have something in Hope though nothing in Hand much in the Promise though little in the Purse Hope in some sense excels Faith for the Devils believe Jam. 2.19 and tremble yea the Devils pray They besought Jesus to send them into the Deep The Devils believe Luke 8.30.31 and tremble and pray what want they then they want Hope which is a constant and a confident expectation of a promised good this Devils can never have they are under Torture and Torment and that without Hope of redemption Rom. 4.18 A life of Hope is the life of Believers Abraham believed in Hope against Hope This Hope Devils can never have and do not this want here of make Devils In order to a Believers Peace and Pardon Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-Right to Gospel-promises that in them they may read their Peace and Pardon Now the God of Hope fill you with Joy and Peace but how through believing Rom. 15.13 That is through believing the Peace and the Pardon laid up in the promise The Gospel is a golden Mine of gracious Promises the least promise there is worth a World a thousand Worlds if there were so many Gal. 1.7 'T is called the Gospel of Christ 'T is called the Gospel of God Rom. 1.1 'T is called the Gospel of Grace and 't is called the Gospel of Peace Acts 22.28 Your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace The Gospel is Christs Letter of Credence that when a poor drooping doubting and desponding Souâ— cannot see him it may in the promises thereof and therein I read of him and hear from him The Wife is in Englaud the Husband in India oh how welcome is a Letter from him when she cannot look upon him Oh what a Lift to the Wife is a Letter from the Husband under her poreing up on his Absence and Distance Oh say the Wife though cannot look upon my Husband yet I have a Letter from mâ— Husband And though I can not see him yet I hear from him and read of him ' Tiâ— thus here to hear of a Christ and hear from a Christ wheâ— the Believer cannot see him is a Believers Mercy and this is the promises of the Gospel Now Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-Right to Gospel-promises in order to their Peace and Pardon Whom 1 Pet. 1.8 having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory In order to a Believers strength and support Gospel-Believers have a Gospel-right to Gospel-promises that in the promises they may read a promised Strength and Support Oh say the Soul that Scripture ring in my ears and follow me whither soever I go It shall come to pass 1 Kings 19 17. that him which escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay Oh say the Soul if I do not fall by the hands of this Saul I may by the hands of that Achan If I do not fall by the hands of this Achan I may by the hands of that Goliah Oh!