Χ

him, he had no comfort but only in the sufficiency of God's grace, which was able to purge out his lusts. And the prophet makes this an argument of God's great power above all other gods, that he subdueth iniquities, and blotteth out transgressions.' Though we know not how this can be done, that such dead bones", souls even rotten in their sins, should be cleansed from their filthiness, and live again, yet he knows; and when we are at a stand, and know not what to do to cure our lusts, then we may by faith fix our eyes on him, whose grace, power, wisdom, fidelity, is, in all his promises, engaged for our purification.

Thus we see how promises, in general, do work to the cleansing of us from filthiness of flesh and spirit. The same might at large be shewed in many particulars. I will but name those in the words before the text, to which it refers. The Lord promiseth to dwell in us as "in spiritual temples;" and this proves, that we ought to keep ourselves clean, that we may be fit habitations for so dove-like and pure a Spirit. "Flee fornication," saith the apostle b; why? "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you?"- "Therefore glorify God in your bodies and spirits, for they are God's." And again; “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." He promiseth to be our father, and make us his people. And this also is a strong argument why we should purify ourselves, and as obedient children d, not fashion ourselves according to the former lusts in ignorance; but as he who hath called us, is holy, so should we be holy in all manner of conversation. And if we call him father, who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man's works, we should pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.-Ye are a chosen generation, (saith St. Peter,) a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the virtues of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. When ye were of the world, ye were then strangers to the covenant, aliens from the house and Israel of God; but now being become God's

* Mic. vii. 18, 19. xx. 12.

i. 14, 17.

y Isa. xliii. 25.
b 1 Cor. vi. 18, 19, 20.
e 1 Pet. ii. 9, 11.

Ezek. xxxvii. 3. c 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. f Eph. ii. 12, 19.

a 2 Chro. d 1 Pet.

household, ye are strangers and pilgrims in the present world, and should therefore abstain from the lusts of the flesh, which are sensual and worldly things. Those that are a peculiar people, are a purged people too: "He will purify to himself a peculiar people, that they may be zealous of good works.h"

:

The consideration of which things should make us labour to settle our hearts to believe, love, and prize the promises; to store up, and hide the word in our hearts; to have it dwell richly in us; that, in evil times and days of temptation, we may have some hold fast to rely upon. In times of plenty, security, and peace, men go calmly on without fear or suspicion but when storms arise, when God either hides his face, or lets out his displeasure, or throws men upon any extremities; then there is no hope but in our anchor; no stay nor relief but in God's promises, which are settled and sure, established in Heaven, and therefore never reversed or cancelled in the earth: and if this faithful and sure Word had not been David's delight and comfort; if he had not, in all the changes and chances of his own life, remembered, that all God's promises are made in Heaven, where there is no inconstancy nor repentance, he had perished in his affliction. Though David, by a prophetical spirit, foresaw, that God would not make his house to grow, but to become a dry and withered stock of Jesse; yet herein was the ground of all his salvation', and of all his desire, that the Lord had made with him an everlasting covenant", ordered in all things, and sure; that he had sworn by his holiness, that he would not fail David: so that it was as impossible for God to be unholy, as for the word of promise, made unto David, to fall to the ground, and be

untrue.

k

Now that we may the better apply the promises to ourselves, and establish our hearts in the truth and fidelity of God by them, we may make use of these few rules, amongst divers others, which might be given.

First, Promises are generally made, and so in medio' for all, or particularly to some, or by the grounds of them

g 1 Joh. ii. 16. xxiii. 5.

h Tit. ii. 14.

1 Isa. xi. 1.

Psal. cxix. 89, 92. m Psal. lxxxix. 35, 36.

k 2 Sam.

equally appliable to any in any condition, unto which the
promises are suitable. All the promises are but as one in
Christ; as lines, though several in the circumference, do
meet as one in the centre. Take any promise, and follow it
to its original, and it will undoubtedly carry to Christ, in
whom alone it is 'yea and amen,' that is, hath its truth,
certainty, and stability all from him. Now the promises,
meeting in Christ, cannot be severed, or have a partition
made of them to several men (for every believer hath all
Christ; Christ is not divided'), any otherwise than the
exigence of men's present estates doth diversify them, and
so fit them for such promises as now to others, or at other
times to themselves, would be unseasonable and unappliable.
The Lord, in assenting to Solomon's" prayer, made a
general promise to any man, or to all the people, that "what
prayer or supplication soever should be made towards his
temple, he would hear in Heaven, and forgive," &c. Jeho-
shaphat being after in distress, applied this general to his
own present condition, when the children of Ammon, Moab,
and Mount Seir came to turn Israel out of their possessions.
The Lord made a particular promise unto Joshua P, that he
would be with him to bless his enterprises against the Ca-
naanites, and to carry him through all the difficulties and
hazards of that holy war:--and St. Paul applies the pro-
mise to all the faithful, in any straits or distresses of life, as
the Lord himself had before applied it from Moses to Joshua;
"Let your conversation be without covetousness"—for
as God was with Joshua, so will he be with thee, “He will
not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Christ made a particular
promise unto Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith
fail not ;" and the same in effect he applies to all his, "I
pray that thou wouldest keep them from the evils ;" and the
consequent words to St. Peter make it good, "When thou
art converted, strengthen thy brethren;" that is, Comfort
and revive them by thine own experience, that when they
are brought into the like case with thee, they may have the
benefit of the same Intercessor, and the sympathy and com-
passion of the same Saviour who delivered thee.—As our Sa-
viour saith in matter of duty, "What I
say unto you,
I say

n1 Kings viii. 37, 40. o 2 Chro. xx. 8, 10.
s Joh. xvii. 15.

xiii. 5.

Luke xxii. 32.

P Josh. i. 5, 6.

q Heb.

unto all;" so we may say of him in matter of mercy, 'What he promiseth unto any, he promiseth to all in an equal It is good, therefore, to observe the truth of God in his promises to others; and when we find ourselves reduced unto their condition, to apply it unto ourselves, that we," through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope". This is the counsel of St. James, "Take, my brethren, the prophets for an example of suffering affliction and patience.-Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and ye have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy "". And St. Paul assures us, that for this cause God comforted him in his tribulation, that "he might be able to comfort them who might be in any trouble, with the comfort wherewith he himself had been comforted by God *." A poor Christian might object, "Alas, if I were an apostle, if I had such graces, such services, such ways of glorifying God as Paul had, I might hope for the same power and providence of God in my afflic tions, as he finds :-but I am a poor, ignorant, unfruitful, and unserviceable creature, who do more blemish than adorn my profession of the Gospel of Christ; and shall I look for such care from God as St. Paul?"-Beloved, the members of the body should not so argue: If I were an eye, or a tongue, one of the noblest parts of the body, haply some compassion and remedy might be shewed me in my distempers; but I am but a joint of the foot, or a mean, dishonourable, and less serviceable member; therefore though I am tormented with a gout, or stone, the tongue will not speak, the head will not work, the hand will not distribute any thing for me."-The children in a family would not so argue:

My father is careful to provide physick, and cure the diseases of my brother, because he is grown up to do him credit, and his country service; but I am but a child, that lie upon him, and do no work; I am unable for any employments, and therefore 1 shall perish in my disease without care or regard."-Surely if the members of a body, or the children of men, who are evil, would not thus argue, how much less reason have any of Christ's, who have a head entrusted with the care of his meanest members, and a father

t Rom. xv. 4.

u Jam. v. 10, 11.

* 2 Cor. i. 4.

tender of the falls and failings of his weakest children? Thus rather should the soul resolve; "Though Paul had more grace than I, yet he had no more merit than I: all the compassion which was shewed unto him, was out of favour and mercy, not out of debt or duty; and my wants and miseries make me as fit for mercy as he was; and the compassion of a father is most commended toward the unworthiest and most unprofitable child."

Secondly, Promises in themselves are certain; but the ways of performances are often undiscernible and hidden: therefore we must live by faith, and not by reason,-and measure the truth of God's word by the strength of his power, and not by our own conceits or apprehensions. When we look upon God in his promises, we must conceive of him as a God infinite in wisdom to contrive, and in power to bring about, the execution of his own will. There is a promise made of calling the Jews unto Christ, and causing them to turn from their transgressions: "The Redeemer shall come unto Sion, and unto them that return from transgression in Jacoby." But he who should consider the extreme obstinacy and stubbornness of that people against the Gospel, would think it impossible, that they should ever be pulled out of the snare of the Devil: therefore the apostle makes God's power the ground and certainty in this promise; "They also shall be grafted in again, for God is able to graft them in-As it is written, There shall come out of Sion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob". The Sadducees and Gentiles derided the doctrine and promise of the resurrection from the dead; and our Saviour carrieth the one from their own prejudice unto God's power; "Ye err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God". And St. Paul the other, from their reason unto faith in God; "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead "?" Therefore we shall find men's unbelief in Scripture hath risen, partly, from apprehension of power in those whom they fear,-and, partly, from apprehension of impotency in those whom they should trust. When the Israelites heard of giants and sons of Anak in the promised land, presently they murmured against the Lord

y Isa. lix. 20. z Rom. xi. 23, 26. a Matth. xxii. 29. b Acts xxvi. 8.