An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Secondly, This promise, or promises of a like nature were fitted to the time wherein Elihu spake; he spake of the times long before Christs appearing in the flesh, when the Lord did, as it were, lead on his people very much by promises, of temporal and outward prosperity, of which the Scripture is more sparing in the new Testament, where we are come to the fullness of Christ, and the riches of the grace of God to us in him; of which there is but little (comparatively) spoken in the old Testament: And therefore under that darker dispensation of spirituals, the Lord saw it good to encourage that people to obedience by a multitude of very particular outward promises, as we may read (Deut. 28.) He would bless their basket and their store, the fruit of the field, &c. These promises were suited to the state of that under-age people, who were led on and enticed by visible and sensible blessings, as we do children with toys and Gaudies; and indeed all visible enjoyments are but such in comparison of spirituals. Believers under the Gospel being come to a higher state, to fuller attainments, the promises made to them run not much in that channel; yet it cannot be denied, that the Gospel also holds out promises for temporals, as well as the Law; and this latter dispensation of the Covenant as well as the former, hath provided sufficiently for our outward comforts.

Secondly, This promise, or promises of a like nature were fitted to the time wherein Elihu spake; he spake of the times long before Christs appearing in the flesh, when the Lord did, as it were, lead on his people very much by promises, of temporal and outward prosperity, of which the Scripture is more sparing in the new Testament, where we are come to the fulness of Christ, and the riches of the grace of God to us in him; of which there is but li•tle (comparatively) spoken in the old Testament: And therefore under that darker dispensation of spirituals, the Lord saw it good to encourage that people to obedience by a multitude of very particular outward promises, as we may read (Deut. 28.) He would bless their basket and their store, the fruit of the field, &c. These promises were suted to the state of that under-age people, who were led on and enticed by visible and sensible blessings, as we do children with toyes and Gaudees; and indeed all visible enjoyments are but such in comparison of spirituals. Believers under the Gospel being come to a higher state, to fuller attainments, the promises made to them run not much in that channel; yet it cannot be denied, that the Gospel also holds out promises for temporals, as well as the Law; and this latter dispensation of the Covenant as well as the former, hath provided sufficiently for our outward comforts.