Sermons preached

1. It is an instance of God's Love, that he will deal with us in the way of Promises. The World is depraved by Sin, and sunk into fears and despair of any Good from God, whom we have so highly provoked: Therefore God invites and allures us to himself by Promises. For Promises and Declarations of God's Will in the Gospel, whereby he signifies what Good he will freely bestow upon us, if we will look after it. These Advantages we have by them. 1. A Promise is more than a Purpose: for the Purpose and intention of a Man is secret and hidden in his own bosom; but a Promise is open and manifest: Thereby we get the knowledge of the Good intended to us. If God had only purposed to bestow all this Grace upon us, we could not have known his Intention and Purpose till it were manifested in the effect; it would have been as an hidden Treasure, or sealed Fountain, of no Comfort and encouragement to us, till we had found it. But now the Word is gone out of his Lips, we may know how we shall speed if we will hearken to his Counsel. God's Promises are on his part the eruption or overflow of his Love: his Heart is so big with thoughts of Good to us, that his Love cannot stay till the accomplishment of things, but he must tell us aforehand. Isa. 42. 9. Before they spring forth, I tell you of them. He might have done us Good, and given us no notice; but that would not satisfy him. It is an obligation God takes upon himself, Promittendo, see Debitorem fecit. God's Purposes are unchangeable, but Promises are a Security put into our hands; not only give us notice, but Assurance that thus it shall be. We have the greater hold-fast upon him, and may put his Bond in suit. Psal. 119. 49. Remember the Word unto thy Servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. 2. It is more than a Doctrinal Declaration. It is one thing ⟨p. 76⟩to reveal a Doctrine, another to promise a Benefit: that maketh a thing known, this maketh a thing sure, and upon certain terms: That gives us notice, but this gives us interest. If Life and Immortality had been only brought to light in the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 10. which was only obscurely known to the Heathens, it were a great mercy that we were not left to blind Guesses and dark Conjectures. That Eternal Life is set before us, a thing real and excellent, is a great matter. But God hath put it into a Covenant-form and Promise,