worth do vie with each other everlasting life is as sweet as long heaven is as glorious in its beauty as vast in its dimensions the crown of righteousnesse that is laid up is as rich as weighty There is no one promise of the Gospel but is of that extent for its latitude and of that value for its preciousnesse that he deserves to be eternally poore who having that for his subsistence looks upon any man who hath an interest in none greater or richer then himself though the gravel of the river were turned into pearles and every showre of raine from the clouds into a showre of silver and gold for to supply his wants The fourth particular is The high and noble end of the donation of the promises That by them we might be partakers of the divine nature c. Painters when they picture Angels do not intend similitude but beauty Nor doth the Apostle in this expression aime at any essential change and conversion of our substance into the nature of God and Christ but only at the elevation and dignifying of our nature by Christ Our neer union with him doth restore us to an higher similitude and likenesse of God then ever we attained in our primitive perfection but it doth not introduce any reall transmutation either of our bodies or souls into the divine nature For if that stupendious union of the two natures in one person the Lord Christ doth not effect an essential change in either but that both natures do conserve and retaine their distinct properties without mixture or confusion much lesse can the Union between Christ and beleevers which is not a personal Union but an Union of persons made by the Spirit and by faith cause any such alteration as that our nature losing its own subsistence should wholly passe into the divine and be swallowed up in the Abysse of it as a drop when it falls into the wide Ocean Pithily doth Cyprian expresse this truth when he affirmes Nostra ipsius conjunctio nec miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confoedérat voluntates Our and Christs conjunction doth neither mingle persons nor unite substances but doth conjoyne our affections and bring into a league of amity our wills Suitable to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 17. They that are joyned to the Lord are made one spirit CHAP. II. In which is declared what a promise is IT is not designed by me as the subject of my present task to undertake a distinct and full prosecution of all these foure particulars in the text every one of which like gold in the beating would easily diffuse and spread themselves into a large compasse but occasionally to glance at them as they conduce to the illustration of that head and branch which I shall single and cull out from the rest as the present subject upon which I shall pitch and fix my thoughts and that is the matchlesse worth and goodnesse of the promises of the Gospel A truth it is of much weight and sweetnesse to every beleever but yet as it lies contracted in a proposition discovers not so much of it as when drawn forth into a full explication like to colours that are lesse beautiful and pleasing while they lie on the palate of the painter then when placed and spread on the picture by the pencil of the artificer I shall therefore in the unfolding of it endeavour these five things First to shew what a promise is Secondly in what respects they are great and precious Thirdly give rules about the due application of them Fourthly resolve some usefull Queries and cases concerning them Fifthly close and shut up all with some practicall inferences and genuine applications such as flow from the doctrine of the promises The honey which drops from the combe is of all the best and sweetest First what a promise is It is a declaration of Gods will wherein he signifies what particular good things he will freely bestow and the evils that he will remove This description like the box of spiknard in the Gospel may be more usefull when it is broken then whole I shall therefore take it into pieces and give an account of it in the several parcels First a promise is a declaration of Gods will it being a kinde of middle thing between his purpose and performance his intendment of good and the execution of it upon those whom he loveth And as wicked Jezabel 1 King 19. 2. could not satisfie her hatred of Elijah the Prophet in intending evil unto him and effecting it upon him in time as she could but withal she lets fall an heavy threatning against him strengthened with a bitter imprecation upon her self as an obliging tie to put in execution the designed evil So let the gods do to me and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time So much lesse can the love of God satisfie it self in a gracious decree and purpose of good towards his elect shut up in his own breast and the actual performance of it in the fulnesse of time unlesse withal he discover it unto them before-hand both as a ground of present comfort in the knowledge thereof and of hope and expectation in the certain enjoyment of the good things promised hereafter God also confirming the word of his truth by an oath not for any necessity or weaknesse in its selfe but out of superabundant love unto the heires of promise That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie they might have a strong consolation Heb. 6. 18. Secondly it is a declaration concerning good And thereby a promise is differenced from the threatnings of God which in divers respects have a neere affinity with his promises For they as things of a middle nature do intervene between the decree of his wrath and the execution of it they are let fall in the Word as so many discoveries of Gods anger against sinne and set as powerful stops to check and bound the lusts of sinners who are apt to dash themselves against the rock of divine displeasure they are sealed with the same oath of God with which the promises are ratified that so they might be as full of dread to sinners in the expectation of the fulfilling of them as the promises are of comfort to Beleevers Thirdly it is concerning good things freely bestowed And thereby it is distinguished from the commands which are also significations of Gods will concerning good but it is of the good of duty enjoyned to be done not of the good of mercy to be received The precepts of God and the promises of God they alwayes go together in the Word as the veines and the arteries do in the body wherever there goes a veine that carries blood there also accompanies it an artery that carries spirits so wherever there is a precept in the Word that enjoynes duty there also is an
25 6 99 Psalme 34 10 95 37 16 134 66 16 273 73 16 147 94 19 42 103 1 266 105 19 136 Esay 1 18 96 7 3 200 25 6 7 8 14 38 13 14 207 43 2 94 44 22 192 Hosea 14 4 97 Â 5 6 7 93 Micah 7 19 192 Matth. 11 28 121 15 23 24 25 151 Marke 10 17 165 14 72 182 Luke 5 31 122 15 18 183 John 6 37 179 Romans 1 18 55 Hebrews 4 14 Â 5 7 229 9 10 218 11 19 56 1 John 3 2 30 THE Contents Chap. I. Page 1. IN which the words of the Text are opened and the chief particulars to be handled proposed Chap. II. Page 8. In which is declared what a Promise is and how it differeth both from a Precept and a Command Chap. III. Page 14. In which the excellency and preciousnesse of the promises is set forth in several particulars 1. Christ the root of them 2. The Promises are the root of Faith 3. The things promised are precious Chap. IV. Page 22. In which is discovered the noble effects of the Promises and in what sense by them we are made partakers of the divine nature Chap. V. Page 30. The Promises grounds of matchlesse consolation in four particulars Comforts from the Promises are 1. Pure 2. Full. 3. Sure 4. Vniversal Chap. VI. Page 43. Containing positive rules directing to the right use of the Promises 1. Eye God in the Promises 2. Eye the free grace of God in making them 3. Gods power in performing them 4. The unchangeablenesse of his purpose to effect them 5. His wisdome to fulfil them in the best time Chap. VII page 65. Containeth the 2 3 4 5. positive Rules for the right application of the Promises Rule 2. How the Promises are in their performance conditional p. 66 Rule 3. There is a dependency of one promise on another which must not be broken nor inverted p. 73 Rule 4. A serious and frequent meditation on the Promises p. 77 Rule 5. To be much in the application of the Promises p. 81 Chap. VIII Containing five other positive Rules Rule 6. Continue in holy waiting upon God p. 86 Rule 7. Make choice of some special Promise to resort unto in extremity p. 90 Rule 8. To eye such examples to whom promises have been fulfilled p. 96 Kule 9. To preserve our communion with the holy Spirit entire who is the great applier of promises p. 101 Rule 10. Be truly thankful for the least dawnings of mercy p. 105 Chap. IX Page 111. Cautionary Rules for the application of the Promises Rule 1. Rest not in general faith Rule 2. Pore not on the measure of humiliation which is in some more in some lesse p. 121 Chap. X. Containeth the 3 4 5. cautionary Rules Rule 3. Take heed of looking to Providence more then Promises which are more clear more certaine p. 129 Rule 4. Take heed of affectation and curiosity in selecting Promises p. 138 Rule 5. Take heed of carnal reasoning which is dangerous as may appear in several particulars p. 143. Chap. XI Containing seven cautionary Rules Rule 6. Take heed of groundlesse fancies concerning the manner of receiving comfort from the promises p. 153 Rule 7. Let not the heart out after worldly objects the danger shewed in several particulars p. 162 Chap. XII In which divers Queries are resolved Sect. 1. Faith is not Assurance proved by sundry demonstrations p. 170 Chap. XIII What use a Believer may make of the Promises of pardon after relapses p. 18 Sect. 1. How farre a Believer may charge upon himself Atrocious sins p. 181 Sect. 2. How farre a Believer ought not to charge upon himself Atrocious sinnes and backslidings p. 188 Chap. XIV Page 196. Shewing what use may be made of such Promises as we cannot expect to see the performance of 1. They are useful to support under present troubles of the Church p. 168 2. They are useful as a firme rock to bottome prayer upon 3. They are useful to try the sincerity of a Believers affection and love to Gods glory p. 202 4. They are useful to comfort Believers in regard of their posterity p. 204 Chap. XV. Page 205. Whether a Believer always enjoyes the comfort of assurance in death who is diligent in making use of the Promises In answer four conclusions set down 1. A Believer may meet with many conflicts in his death p. 206 2. That our diligence to clear up our interest in the Promises is the ordinary and regular way to obtaine comfort p. 207 3. That the improvement of Promises doth usually procure comfort in death unlesse in four cases First When siknesse and distempers are violent Secondly When temptations and assaults of Satan are vehement Thirdly When Christians have intermitted their wanted care and circumspection Fourthly When their graces and comforts have been manifested to themselves and others in their life God may withdraw 1. To manifest the strength of their Faith 2. To shew that comfort in death is not so necessary as Grace 3. In judgement to others who getting no good by their life shall not be gainers by their death Chap. XVI Page 216. Shewing what use is to be made of temporal Promises Sect. 1. Why God hath made such various Promimises of temporal mercies to his people under the Law p. 218 Sect. 2. Four benefits come to Believers by looking to temporal promises p. 220 Sect. 3. Five Assertions directing to the right understanding of temporal promises p. 226 1. Gods Declaration of giving temporal blessings is not absolute 2. The fulfilling of temporal promises is disjunctive 3. Temporal promises are to be expounded with the reservation of the Crosse 4. Temporal mercies in the Promises are only to be obtained by well regulated prayer 5. The blessing of temporary promises are to be sought secondarily and not primarily Chap. XVI Page 235. Sheweth it is a horrible sinne to neglect or abuse the Promises aggravated in five particulars Sect. 1. From the universality of the sin p. 237 Sect. 2. From the vanity and emptinesse of those things which most men set their hearts upon p. 239 Sect. 3. From the mutability and uncertainty of those things which do take off most men from valuing the Promises p. 242 Sect. 4. From the facility of being made partaker of the Promises p. 245 Sect. 5. From the command of God and Christ Chap. XVIII Page 246. Four differences betwixt the Promises of God and Satan 1. Difference is betwixt the persons that made them p. 248 2. Difference is in the matter of the Promises p. 249 3. Difference is in the ground of the Promises p. 251 4. Difference is in the accomplishment Chap XIX Page 255. Sheweth that the worst estate of a Believer is better then the best estate of an unbeliever Chap. 20. Page 265. Grounds of thankfulnesse to God for precious Promises to his people 1. The end of Gods goodnesse to his is his glory p. 267 2. It is all the return we can
make p. 268 3. It is the work of the Saints in heaven p. 269 Thankfulnesse is to be exprest in three particulars 1. When it makes us more holy p. 271 2. When we proclaime and make known Gods mercy unto others p. 272 3. In affectionate blessing of God for Christ by whom all that is wrapt in them is given unto us 4. In a vehement desire after a plenary possession of that felicity of which they are pledges Chap. XXI Page 277. Motives to act Faith in the Promises 1. Life of Faith is that life that God would have Believers to live 2. It is the most contented life and fullest of reall sweetnesse First The Promises are the matter of the purchase of the blood of Christ Secondly They are the matter of the intercession of Christ FINIS THE WELLS OF Salvation OPENED 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby or by whom 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 CHAP. 1. In which the words of the Text are opened and the Principal particulars to be handled proposed THE natural life of man is usually divided into the three states of Childhood Youth and Old age unto which St John aptly alluding makes the same distinction of the spiritual life of beleevers whom he rankes into Children Young men and Fathers Into Children for their tendernesse and weaknesse into Young men for their strength and confidence into Fathers for their knoweledge and experience in the high mysteries of the Gospel All which though differing in regard of their condition do yet agree in the principle from whence their life is derived and in the meanes by which it is carried on and preserved The principle of every beleevers life is Christ and the means of its preservation are the promises whose vertue and efficacy is such as happily suites it self with the several age and condition of beleevers The promises are the babes milk by which they are nourished the full breasts from whence they suck both grace and comfort they are the young mens evidences by which they are animated to combat with the wicked one and assured of being crowned with victory over him they are the old mens staffe upon the top of which like aged Jacob they may safely leane and worship God it being a staffe for power like Moses rod and for flourishing like Aarons budding blossoming and yielding precious fruit So that it is of more then ordinary concernment unto every one of them that look upon themselves as beleevers whatsoever pitch and stature they have arrived unto not to be supine and careless in the frequent use and due application of the promises which from their implantation into Christ to their full enjoyment of him are the chief aides and support both of life and growth Nor to be like unskilful Lapidaries little valuing the worth of such oriental pearles which are the only riches and treasure of every heir of glory on this side heaven Concerning which this verse holds forth sundry weighty particulars branching it self out into as many parts as that river which went out of Eden to water the garden from whence it was parted and became into foure heads Gen. 2. 10. The first is the fountaine from whence the promises flow to which if we read the words per quem by whom the relative particle fairly guideth us as a standing Mercurie doth the doubtfull traveller Expositors about the reading of the words do somewhat differ but n◠jarre which the variety of lections both in the Greek and Latine copies hath chiefly occasioned Some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby and so connecting this verse with the former would have the sense to runne thus Through the knowledge of him that hath called us by glory and vertue whereby are given unto us c. Prosper as also Bede reade per quam by which viz. knowledge of God are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises from whence he makes this collection Quò quis perfectiùs Deum cognoscit tantò altius promissorum ejus magnitudinem sentiat The more perfectly any man knows God the more fully sensible he is of the transcendent worth of his promises Others againe conceive the most genuine lection of the verse though haply the lesse frequent to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby And that because as Estius observes praebet sensum maximè Evangelicum it renders the sense most Evangelical and Gospel-like in regard it points out Christ unto us who is the Alpha and Omega of all the promises the only Original from whence they spring and the centre in which they meet To him they were all first made and ratified on our behalfe in him they are all fulfilled and accomplished unto us As the rivers have their efflux from the sea and their reflux into the sea so have the promises their emanation from Christ their revolution into Christ they flow freely from him they lead sweetly to him The second branch is the tenure and manner of interest that beleevers have in the promises They are given unto us In propriety of language promises are rather made then given but by a Metonymy usuall in Scripture they are put for the things promised the blessings both of grace and glory All which though purchased by Christ with the price of his blood are yet conferred and freely bestowed upon beleevers by his mercy The hidden Manna a type of our heavenly consolations the White stone the embleme of our perfect justification the New name the earnest of our adoption in glory they are favours not set to sale but given Rev. 2. 17. Out of the full heap Christ invites not to buy but to take and the pennilesse are the most welcome Isa 55. 1. Gratia gratis datur etiam cùm emitur gratis emitur Grace saith Bernard is freely given yea when it is bought it is bought freely and without price The third is the goodnesse and worth of the promises set forth by a double character Exceeding great and precious Greatnesse and goodnesse are then most refulgent when they meet in the same subject and are joyned by natural couples and connexions like to the curtaines of the Tabernacle that were looped one to another but such a conjunction as it is glorious so it is rare and seldome found either in persons or in things in persons they are so dissociated as if they were of lineages altogether distinct and had small or no affinity Rarely are great men good or good men great And as in persons so in things they are not often linked and chained together Pibbles are great but not precious Pearles are precious but not great water in the sea is abundant but not pure in the brook pure but not abundant But in the promises there is a full and happy concurrence of both they are made up of things wherein greatnesse and
earth of which it makes a concoction and then sends forth a digested nourishment unto the several branches and fruit that hangs upon the tree so doth the radical grace of faith distribute to other graces that strength and life which it is partaker of from Christ and his promises And as the concoction that faith makes is more or lesse perfect so are the operations of every grace the more or lesse vigorous Faith is a kinde of mediatour between Christ and all our graces as Christ is between us and God As we have nothing from God but we receive by and through Christ So no grace is partaker of any vertue and influence from Christ but by the mediation and intervention of faith SECT 3. The things promised precious Thirdly the promises are exceeding great and precious in respect of the remarkable worth and value of those things in which they interest beleevers and give them a right unto by an unquestionable claime and title It is a full and weighty observation of which Grotius hath afforded two parts that there are three things which do clearly demonstrate and highly also commend the doctrine of the Gospel above any other Religion whatever The certainty of principles of trust the sanctity of precepts and the transcendency of rewards What religion is there amongst that multiplicity which have found entertainment in the world wherein God is represented to the soul so meet and fit an object of trust as in the Gospel Majesty being there made accessible by the condescention of goodnesse and God and man who were at a distance so neerely united together in one as that it is impossible to be determined whether be the greater wonder the mystery or the mercy Where are there in any religion such exact precepts of holinesse enjoyned as in the Gospel which lay a law upon every motion of the soul and become either a rule to guide it or a Judge to censure it Or where by search do we finde such ample and full rewards as may match and parallel the rewards of the Gospel to beleevers There we read of the bread of life for food of the waters of life for pleasure and delight of a crown of life for honour of an inheritance in life for riches of a weight of glory for cloathing and beauty All which are not mentioned in the Word as in a bare and naked declaratory which conveighs nothing of title or interest and speaks rather the perfection of heaven then the happinesse of beleevers but are set down and specified in the promises which as they declare a goodnesse and excellency in things do also give a right and propriety unto persons in them they being in the matters of God as deeds and evidences are in the matters of men which when they are signed sealed witnessed and delivered do invest men in a just and legal right of whatever is mentioned and contained in them All that a beleever hath to plead or to shew for that estate of glory of which he is an heir is the promise Eternal life is by promise 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life The crown is by promise Jam. 1. 12. He shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him The kingdome where for love all shall be sonnes for birthright heirs for dignity Kings is onely by promise Jam. 2. 5. God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him The bounty laid up and the bounty laid out the good that a beleever expects and the good that he enjoyes both flow from the promise without which no present thing could be sweet nor no future thing would be certain which by the stability of the promise are now made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts without repentance Rom. 11. 29. Or as Austin expoundeth it dona sine mutatione stabiliter fixa gifts firmly fixed without change Every promise being ratified by Gods oath then which nothing is more immutable sealed by the blood of Christ then which nothing is more precious testified by the Spirit then whom nothing is more true delivered by the hand of mercy then which nothing is more free and received by the hand of faith then which nothing is more sure CHAP. IV. In which is discovered the noble effect of the Promises FOurthly the promises of the Gospel are exceeding great and precious in regard of that high and noble effect which they work in beleevers who by the energie and powerful operation of the promises are raised to the utmost pitch both of perfection and blessednesse in their being and estate being by them made partakers of the divine nature as the Apostle tells us Not by having a share and partnership in the substance and essence of God and thereby to become drops beames particles of the Deity as some have most fondly dreamed But by a participation of divine qualities and excellencies whereby beleevers are made conformable unto God having those perfections which are in the holy nature of God and Christ by way of eminency to be formally or secundùm modum creaturae imprinted and stamped on their souls so farre as the image of his infinite holinesse is expressible in a limited and restrained being As the wax when it doth receive an impression from the seale doth not participate of the essence of the seale but only receives a signature and stamp made upon it so when God leaves a character and print of his holinesse or other excellencies upon the soule he doth not communicate any thing of his substance or essence but effecteth only a resemblance in the creature of those perfections that are truly in himselfe which being originally and totally derived from him may in some sort be said to be the divine nature In the Painters table that is called a face or hand which is onely the lively image or representation of such things to the eye and so those divine lineaments of beauty and holinesse which are drawn by the finger of God upon the soul of believers may be called the divine nature as they are shadowy representations of his own glorious being but not as they are any particles or traduction of it The highest honour that any creature can attaine unto is to be a living picture of God to shew forth as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 9. the vertues of God and Christ and he that raiseth it any higher must have swelling and lofty thoughts of the creature and low and dishonourable thoughts of God Now this likenesse to God or this Deiformitas Christiformitas as the pious Ancients were wont to style it is wrought by the promises SECT 1. The Promises the Word of life First as they are the words of Spirit and life John 6. 63. As they are the immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. whereby a man is begotten again and made partaker of a second birth in
which he beares the image of the second Adam the Lord from heaven as in the other he did beare the similitude of the first Adam who was of the earth earthy 1 Cor. 15. 47. The promises they have in them a vim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a formative vertue and power to mould and fashion the heart to holinesse and to introduce the Image of Christ into it in regard of that native purity which dwels in them and is above gold that hath been seven times tried in the fire Psal 12. 6. therefore our Saviour tells his Disciples that they were cleane through the Word that he had spoken unto them John 15. 3. and when he prayed unto God to sanctifie them his prayer is Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth Joh. 17. 17. Secondly beleevers may be said to be partakers of the divine nature by the promises as they are the Objects of Faith and Hope Both which are graces that have in them a wonderful aptitude to cleanse and purifie the Subjects in which they dwell and to introduce true holinesse in which the lively image and resemblance of God doth chiefly consist First Faith it believes the truth of those things which God hath promised and apprehends also the worth and excellency of them to be such as that thereby it is made firme and constant in its adherence vigorous and active in its endeavours to use all means for the obtaining a conformity to God and Christ and the escaping of the corruption that is in the world through lust For till a man come to be a believer he is by the temptations of Satan and the specious promises with which they usually come attended drawn aside to the commission of the worst of sinnes in which though he weary himself to finde what first was seemingly promised yet he meets with nothing but delusions and disappointments of his expectation Balaam hath an edge set upon his spirit to curse the people of God by a promise of preferment made unto him and he tires himself in going from place to place to effect it but God hinders him from doing of the one and Balack denies the giving unto him the other So Judas by a baite that suits his covetousnesse undertakes to sell his Lord but when he hath accomplished his wickednesse and received his wages he throws it away and dares not keep what before he so earnestly thirsted after the blood of his Master makes every piece of the silver look gastly so that now he sees another image upon it then Cesars and cries out that he had sinned in betraying innocent blood Now faith it enables a beleever to discern a snare a defilement under all the gilded aldurements of Satan and the world And therefore he rejects with scorne those temptations with which others are miserably captivated resists with resolution all the courtings and solicitations of the flesh to which others yield beholding onely a stability and preciousnesse in those promises which have the oath of God to make them sure and his love to make them sweet And these only have a prevailing power with him to cause him so to order his conversation in all manner of holinesse that he may walk as it becomes an heire of heaven and an adopted sonne of the most high God to walk Secondly as Faith by beleeving the promises doth purifie the heart so also doth hope which expects the performance of what faith beleeveth work and produce the same effects He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as God is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. The expectation which beleevers have by the promises is not a supine oscitancy whereby they look to be possessed of life and glory without any care or endeavours of theirs for to obtaine it like to callow and unfeathered birds that lie in the nest and have all their food brought to them gaping onely for to receive it But it is an expectation accompanied with diligence and industry for the fruition of what they do expect The grace of God saith Paul teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. And the ground of this he subjoyneth Vers 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ He that truly expects glory earnestly pursues grace Heb. 12. 14. He that hopes to be with God in heaven useth all meanes to be like God on earth An heavenly conversation is the natural fruit of an heavenly expectation Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ The Heathen could say that labour was the husband of hope There is hope the harlot and hope the wife Hope the married woman is known from hope the harlot by this that she alwayes accompanieth with her husbands labour True hope looks to enjoy nothing but what is gotten by travel and paines and therefore useth all meanes to obtaine that good which faith apprehendeth in the promise It seekes glory by grace it endeavours after communion with God in heaven by working a conformity to God in a beleever while he is on earth Thirdly beleevers are made partakers of the divine nature by the promises as they are the irreversible obsignations and declarations of God which he hath freely made unto them of his taking them unto himself in an everlasting communion of life and glory Heaven is as Prosper calls it Regio beatitudinis the onely climate where blessednesse dwells in its perfection While we are here below we are but as Kings in the cradle the throne on which we must sit the robes with which we must be clothed the crown which must be set upon our heads are all reserved for heaven In this life there is onely a taste of celestial delights and in the other there is a perpetual feast Here we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Grace doth as Cameron expresseth it adsignificare infirmitatem connotate a weaknesse and imperfection and glory that signifies an abolition and doing away whatsoever is weak or imperfect But all this absolute perfection of happinesse which is laid up in heaven for beleevers is ratified and made sure unto them in the promises and therefore they are said to be heires of the promise Heb. 6. 17. Yea by the promises they have the pledges and first-fruits of all that happinesse which they shall enjoy in heaven given unto them in this life We are now the sonnes of God saith the Apostle though it doth not yet appeare what we shall be 1 John 3. 2. That is we now beare his image and likenesse though in a more dark and imperfect character Our knowledge our grace our comforts are all incompleat But when he shall appeare we shall be like him That is when Christ shall come to receive us unto himself we shall beare upon us his
resemblance in a full and absolute manner being made one with him in an everlasting fellowship of blisse and glory Deservedly therefore may the promises that seale heaven to believers in the other life and begin it in this life be said to make them partakers of the divine nature CHAP. V. The promises grounds of matchlesse consolations in foure particulars FIfthly the promises of the Gospel are truly great and precious in regard of those superlative and matchless consolations which they derive unto beleevers amidst the changes and vicissitudes that they are subjected unto while they are in the body and beare about them both the remainders of sinne and of death In the sad Winter of desertion when the verdure of all other comforts wither and drop like leaves that are bitten with the frost the promises they are Rosae in hyeme Roses that blow in the Winter and do with their beauty delight and with their fragrancy revive the drooping and dejected soul Thy Word is my comfort in my affliction saith David for it hath quickened me Psal 119. 50. In the apprehensions of Gods displeasure with which many times the best of Saints are afflicted even to the drying up of all their moisture they are Aestivae nives the onely summersnowes that coole and allay the scorching heat and make that Christian that was like a parched Wilderness to become like a watered Garden As cold waters to a thirsty soul faith Solomon so is good news from a far countrey Prov. 25. 25. Good tydings from heaven by the Gospel-promises are most welcome in such a condition In the tempestuous seasons of trouble and affliction they are the sacrae anchorae sacred and sure anchors to stay and fix beleevers amidst all tossings to make them ride safely without touching upon the sands so as to be swallowed up in despaire or dashing against the rocks so as to be shipwrackt by presumption Therefore the Apostle calls them a sure refuge to such as lay hold upon them Heb. 6. 18. In the calme and serene times of peace they are Vela candida the onely white spread sailes which filled with the sweet breathings of the Spirit do triumphantly carry on believers to the faire havens of everlasting happinesse Therefore Paul as within Ken of the shore after the custome of the Mariners gives a joyful and triumphant celeusma or shout O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15. 55. And can all or any of these things be affirmed of the best of earthly comforts Surely if we should compare the one with the other we might quickly finde as vast a difference as between a noisome laystal and a precious bed of spices or between a reviving cordial and a dangerous poyson Forestus in his Treatise De venenis concerning poysons reports of a woman that had accustomed her body to poysons by making them her usual food that she had brought her self and her whole constitution to be of the same power as the poyson it selfe was but yet retained so much beauty as that she allured Princes to her embracements and by that means killed and poysoned them Not much unlike this harlot is the world whose delights and pleasures retaine so much of a seeming beauty as to entice many to be enamoured with them but when they are enjoyed by those that eagerly thirst after them they do by their deceitful embracements destroy and kill their lovers There is a poysonful and contagious breath that comes from them which layes the foundation of a lingring and certaine death And who is there that hath inordinately let out his heart unto them that hath not experienced the deadly poyson which abounds in them But that we may the better see how farre the comforts of the promises do excell the comforts of the world let us weigh them in the balance together and we shall quickly finde how greatly they fall short of yielding such real consolations as freely flow from the promises by a due consideration of these foure particulars SECT 1. Comforts of the Promises 1. Pure First the consolations that are derived from the promises do excell in purity the most delightful comforts that are drawne and suckt from the brests of the world The promises are Mulctralia Evangelica the receptacles of the most sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. they are coelestes utres bottles filled with the choicest and most refined wines they are spirituales aurifodinae the golden mines that are without drosse The milk the wine the gold that the promises do abound with to the nourishing chearing and enriching of believers they are most pure and free from any alloie that might debase them The commendations that Plutarch gives of the Spartans short and weighty speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Laconick speech hath no bark is most true of the seven-times tried and refined words of the Gospel they have neither skin nor husk they are all pith and substance But it is farre otherwise with the best of earthly comforts which when sublimated and clarified to the very utmost that art and skill can reach are yet accompanied with an unseparable mixture of dregs and lees which do minorate their vertue and taint their sweetnesse What Crates in Laertius affirmes of the Pomgranate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the fairest Pomegranate there are corrupt and unsavory kernels may justly be applied to all sublunary contentments and delights whatever there are some impurities cleaving unto them by which they cloy as well as feed there is a weft and tang in their farewell that renders them unpleasing as well as a sweetnesse that makes them desirable 2. Full. Secondly the comforts of the promises as they are pure so are they full and satisfactory when the best that the world yields serve rather to provoke an appetite then to fill it to enflame the thirst of desires rather then to quench them to express an indigency in a restlesse motion rather then a complacency in a perfect rest If we could suppose the apple of a mans eye to be as big as the body of the Sun and as piercing as the beams and heat therof from which nothing is hid yet among those innumerable objects that such an eye would behold it could not spy out anything which might be an adequate proportionable good unto the capacity of the soul The good that is satisfactory unto it must have two properties it must be bonum optimum the best and chiefest of goods that it may sistere appetitum fix the appetite there being nothing desirable beyond it and it must be bonum maximum the greatest good that it may implere appetitum fill the appetite and so free it from the vexation of hunger and want Now the top and creame of all worldly comforts are exceeding deficient in satisfying the sensitive faculties and inferiour part of the soul much lesse can they fill with a grateful satiety and contentment the minde which is the noble and supreme