A treatise of the divine promises in five bookes : in the first, a generall description of their nature, kinds, excellency, right use, properties, and the persons to whom they belong : in the foure last, a declaration of the covenant it selfe .../ by Edvvard Legh ...

CHAP. 1. 1. The Nature of the Promises.

THERE are three things to be known in the Word: 1. Precepts or Com∣mandements, be∣cause, they teach obedience.

2. Threatnings, because they re∣straine disobedience. 3. Promises, because they serve to confirme us in our Obedience.* 1.1

Promise is oftentimes used in the New Testament both in the Singul••r, and Plurall number, espe∣cially in * 1.2 S. Pauls Epistles: it sig∣nifieth by an excellencie the Gospell it selfe, or the promise of giving the Messiah, and free re∣conciliation with GOD by Him. It is called by a Synecdoche (saith Polanus) the Word, Psal. 56.4, 10. In GOD will I praise his

Word, that is, his promise, saith Iunius; and sometimes it is taken by a Metonymie (as Beza and Piscator have observed) for the good things promised,* 1.3 Gal. 3.14. the promise of the Spirit, for the Spirit promised, Acts 1.4. waite for the promise of the Father, that is, the good promised, viz. the HOLY GHOST. You are sealed with the Spirit of Promise, Ephes. 1.13. that is, with the Spirit promised. So Gal. 3.22. That the promise by faith of JE∣SUS CHRIST, that is, the thing promised, remission of sinne and life everlasting. Heb. 10.36. Yee have need of patience, that yee might receive the promise, that is, eternall glory promised. Heb. 6.12. Who through faith and patience inherit the promises, that is,* 1.4 life promised by a Metonymie, 2 Tim. 1.1. It is called the Promise of Life, for life promised.

A Promise is a revelation of some such truth,* 1.5 as shall be be∣neficiall to mee in particular. The

truth of such a promise consists in the certainty of performance, the goodnesse of it in the quality of the thing promised.

Promise is 1. A word, passed from man to man, for perfor∣mance of some lawfull things; as in contracts, bargaines, marriages, and other aff••ires of common life. This is a civill promise: Such a one Laban made to Iacob, for giving his daughter, David to Ionathan.

2. Our word passed and given unto GOD, for some duty which we will doe unto his honour, Psal. 66.13, 14. I will pay thee my vowes which my lippes have promised Num. 30.2. He shall not breake his promise. This is a religious or holy Pro∣mise, called a vow in Scripture.

3. The Word of God given unto men, for the performance of some good, or for removing some evill, Spirituall or Bodily, Psal. 119.103. How sweet are thy promises unto my mouth? and verses 38, 49. This is a divine Promise. Of these I pur∣pose to treat: & the divine Promi∣ses are thus defined.

The Promises are declarations of GODS favour towards Man, and of his providence over him for his good.

Or thus.

The Promises are all those de∣clarations of GODS will,* 1.6 wherin he signifieth in the Gospel, what good He will freely bestow. I shal define them in this manner.

The Promises are outward declarations of GODS will concerning good to be received, and evill to be removed; I call them outward declarations, to di∣stinguish them from inward pur∣poses, concerning good, to distin∣guish them from threatnings, which are also declarations of GODS will, but for evill to be inflicted, concerning good to be received, &c. to distinguish them from commands, which declare GODS will for good, but that of duty to be done to him, not of mercy to be received from him.

The Promises of the word are as so, many Legacies bequeathed

us by our Heavenly Father, and by His Sonne JESUS CHRIST, in His last Will and Testa∣ment.

The Promises are the grounds of our Hope, and the obiects of our Faith.

1. The grounds of our Hope,* 1.7 Remember thy Word (i.e. the pro∣mise of mercy and grace) unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope, Psal. 119.49. & 81. verse, I hope in thy Word: Therefore Hope is termed the hope of the Gospell, Coloss. 1.23. that is, an hope which waiteth for those things which in the Gospell are promised. This was the ground of Simeons hope, Luke 2.25. We have no reason to hope for any thing which is not promi∣sed, or upon any other condition, then as promised.

The Apostle useth this argu∣ment, why we should not cast away our confidence or slacken our hope, because there is a Promise, Heb. 10.35, 36. which is a f••rme

foundation for our Confidence to rest upon: So Abraham is said Rom. 4.18. to have beleeved a∣gainst hope (of sence and reason) under hope (of GODS Word) for the ground of that hope is added, according to that which was spoken (to that word of promise) so shall thy seed be, and elsewhere, to Looke for a Citie that hath foundations, that is,* 1.8 (as one ex∣pounds it) a Citie which was built upon the immutable stability of GODS oath and promises.

These Promises are of all need∣full things in the world, both Spi∣rituall and Temporall; of assistance under all crosses and of deliverance from them, and at length of eter∣nall glory and happinesse in Hea∣ven, which (because it is furthest off, and includeth in it, an accom∣plishment of all other promises) is the most proper object of Hope, in which respect the Scrip∣ture doth thus intitle it, hope of sal∣vation, 1 Thess. 5.8. hope of eternall life, Tit. 3.7. hope of glory, Rom. 5.2.

At this Cape of good hope arrives every good Christian, eve∣ry true Israelite. The rest are either hopelesse, being Aliens from the Covenant of promise,* 1.9 or over-hoping, without evidence and due qualification fondly expe∣cting the promise.

2. The Promises are the ob∣iects of our Faith,* 1.10 and also the foundation of it: whatsoever is promised, may and must be be∣leeved; and whatsoever is belee∣ved without a promise, is rather presumed. The Gospell is called the Word of Faith, Rom. 10.18. the Ephesians beleeved after that they heard the Gospell,* 1.11 Ephes. 1.13.

The object of true faith is

1. Principall, the promise of salvation by CHRIST, this is the maine promise. So GOD loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne, to the end, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everla∣sting life.

2. All inferiour Promises an∣nexed thereunto, of Temporall blessings, as food, raiment, health, peace, liberty, deliverance in temptations, safety in dangers, &c. these depend, upon the maine promise of CHRIST, so farre forth as they are for our good: for in CHRIST all the promises of GOD (whether they concerne life eternall or this temporall life) are yea and Amen, that is,* 1.12 sure and certaine to GODS chil∣dren.

True Faith first of all directly and plainely fasteneth it selfe on the maine promise of GOD in CHRIST, but after and with this on all other promises that concerne soule or body. The Heart that saith by faith, GOD will pardon my sinne, and save my soule, will say also by the same faith, GOD will give me foode and raiment, and all things suffi∣cient for this life, Rom. 4.18. Abraham by the same faith, wher∣by hee was justified, beleeved

GODS promise, that he should have a Sonne in his old age: and Noah beleeved GODS pro∣mise of his preservation in the Arke, by the same faith whereby He was made Heire of righteous∣nesse. First faith apprehends mer∣cy in CHRIST, and then providence for this life.

* 1.13Justifying Faith beleeves the Creation and all other holy truths, Heb. 11. besides the Pro∣mises; therefore the promises are not the onely object of Faith.

* 1.14But not imploying her selfe about them, as her speciall ob∣ject, but presupposing them as necessary Antecedents.

* 1.15Justifying Faith beleeves o∣ther promises, besides that of CHRIST and salvation by Him, as concerning strength in tentations, moderation of afflicti∣ons, comforts of this life.

* 1.16True, but as Appendants and Appurtenances to the maine and principall Promise: for in

CHRIST, that is, the Funda∣mentall Promise, concerning CHRIST, All, that is, the other depending Promises, are yea and Amen. The proper and peculiar object then of Justify∣ing faith, is the Evangelicall pro∣mise: other things are belee∣ved, some as necessary Antece∣dents, some as necessary Conse∣quents of this. But Faith findes life and salvation, neither in the histories of the Creation, nor in the Legall Commandements, threatnings, promises, but onely in the Covenant of Grace.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Perkins on 2. Hab. 4.

  Faith in the Commande∣ments (saith Dike) breeds obedience, in the Threatnings feare, in the Promises Comfort.

  The Greek words for Promise in the New Testament are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is tendred in the English a Message, 1 Ioh. 1.5 of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nuncius, but most Vsually a Pro∣mise, Ephes. 3.6. 1 Ioh 7.25. and often in the Galatians, it sig¦nifieth gratu••••am ultrenamque promissionem, a free and willi••g Promise, as both Budeus and Beza have observed, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 2 Pet... 4. w••ich properly signifieth a Publike Promise made is foro, before many, ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 id est, nunciare, edicere.

  The Latine, 1. Promissien•• & promissi•• (whence comes the frenc•• word promesse, and the english promise) à pro & nutto, praemittitur enim promissiorei praesiandae.

  2. Pollicuum or pollicitatio, which also signifieth a free Promise it commeth of polliceor, and that of porro & liceor. Pollicem•••• spoute, promittimus rogati, saith Ser••ius on Virg.

  3. Sponsi••, from Spondere, quasi sponte dicere, saith Scaliger.

  Illyric. clav. Script.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 4.16. Gal 3.••8

  As often as S. Paul compares the Law with the Promise, hee makes a comparison betweene the Law and Gospell Illyric. ubi Supra.
• * 1.3

  Promissio in∣terdum idem vales quod res promissa Piscator.

  Act. 1.33, 18, 19 & 7.17. & 26.7.
• * 1.4

  See Heb. 9.15. & 11.9, 17, 3••, 39.
• * 1.5

  The defini∣tion of a Promise in generall.
• * 1.6

  Promissio Dei est de∣nunciatio su¦turorum ho∣norum nobis dandorum, u•• ex ea conso∣lationem ha¦beamus, & si¦ducia nos••ra in V••um con∣firmetur. Po¦lanus.
• * 1.7

  Faith and Hope agree in their ground. both of them are grounded on Gods promi¦ses; but Fides credit pro∣missioni di¦vinae, spes pa∣tienter expe∣ctat praesta∣tionem pro¦missionis, saith Pola∣nus. Faith beleeves the truth of GODS pro∣mises: Hope waiteth till GOD mani∣fest and ac∣complish His truth.
• * 1.8

  Heb. 11.10.
• * 1.9

  Praesumendo sperant, & sperando pe∣reunt.
• * 1.10

  Heb 11.11.
• * 1.11

  Premissiones vocantur ob∣iectum fidei per melony∣miam adiu••¦cti.

  The obiect of faith is Christ, or the Gospell and the pro∣mises therof. The order wherin faith laies hold upon the promises. Ioh. 3.16.
• * 1.12

  •• Cor. 1.20.
• * 1.13

  Obiect.
• * 1.14

  Answ.
• * 1.15

  Obiect.
• * 1.16

  Answ.