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. III. 3. The Excellency of them.

THe Promises of GOD are a Rich Mine of Spirituall and Heaven∣ly treasures; they are a garden of most precious flowers, of medicinable herbes, they are as the Poole of Bethesda, for all diseases, for all sorts of persons, and at all times.

They are called the unsearch∣able riches of CHRIST,* 1.1 Ephes. 3.6, 8. to assure us, that hee is a very rich man that hath his heart stored with the promises of GOD well applied. One stiles them, pabulum fidei, the food of faith. As ••aith is the life of the Soule, so GODS promise is the life of Faith. They are the inheritance of GODS people. Dauid did so account of them (Thy promises have I claimed as mine heritage for ever, for they are the Ioy of my

heart) Psal. 119.111. and all the people of GOD are Heires of all his Promises, Rom. 9.8. The ve∣ry keeping of the Records of these Promises was a great Pre∣rogative to the * 1.2 Jewes, Rom. 3.2. and it is accounted a singu∣lar happinesse for the Gentiles, that they may now partake of these Promises, Ephes. 3.6. The Apostle Peter saith, that they are Exceeding great and precious pro∣mises, 2 Pet. 1.4. which GOD hath given to us. They are most great and precious: for quantity, Great, exceeding great; for qua∣lity, Good, exceeding good. Pre∣cious:

1. In respect of the Author of them, GOD; He is said in Scrip∣ture to be the giver of them, Rom. 1.2. 1 Tim. 1.1. Tit. 1.2.

2. The ground of them, JE∣SUS CHRIST, for whose sake we obtaine them, and the price he paied to purchase them

for us, his a 1.3 precious blood, 1 Pet. 1.19.

3. The manner, how they are given, freely; the fountaine from which they spring is the precious loving b 1.4 kindnesse of GOD, Psal. 36.7.

4. The meanes whereby they are apprehended, that precious grace of faith, 2 Pet. 1.1.

5. The great and inestimable profit flowing from them, and the end why they are bestowed upon us, that we might be parta∣kers of the c 1.5 Divine nature, that is, of the graces of the HOLY GHOST.

6. d 1.6 In regard of the excel∣lencie of the things promised, life and godlinesse, or glory and vertue, which the Apostle Peter mentioned, 3. ver. of that 1. Chap∣ter.

The ordinary Glosse, would have life eternall to be there pro∣mised.

There is nothing in the world so excellent, so precious▪ so

sweet and so comfortable as the promises are, Psal. 119.103.

e 1.7 Cardan saith that every pre∣cious stone hath some egregious vertue; and Iosephus observeth, that the splendor and brightnesse of the precious stones in the High-Priests brest-plate fore∣shewed victory.

I examine not the truth of those relations: but I dare say, there is more soveraigne vertue in one of GODS precious promi∣ses, than in all the precious stones of the world. I may say of them, as Salomon saith of a vertuous woman,* 1.8 that their price is farre above rubies, or as he speakes of wisdome,* 1.9 that they are better then rubies; and all the things that may be desired, are not to be com∣pared to them. The bright lustre also of these precious stones, ob∣served by the quick eye of faith, presageth certaine victory over all our enemies. If we can be∣hold the face of GOD to shine upon us, by proving our interest

in his promises, we shall be in all things more then Conquerors through Him that loveth us. The Promises of GOD applyed by faith, will put such an undaunted courage into the heart of the wea∣kest Christian, that he will not feare the rigour of the Law, 1 Tim. 1.9. the rage of Satan, Ephes. 6.16. the tyranny of the world, 1 Ioh. 5.4. the gastly and grimme face of Death, 1 Cor. 15.55. nor the torments of Hell, Ioh. 3.16. Therefore a truly humbled spirit, relishing Spirituall things, would not exchange any one of the Promises, for the riches and sweetnesse of both the Indies. In many of Davids * 1.10 Psalmes, the beginnings are full of trou∣ble, but joy and assurance is to be found in the end: so that one would imagine (saith Peter du Moulin) that the Psalmes had beene composed by two men of a contrary humour: but he assig∣neth this as the cause of so sudden a change. Davids soule at the

last raising up it selfe, from under its burden and adhering to the promises, he found abundance of comfort. M^r. Bolton hath three excellent Stories to this purpose.* 1.11 The first is of a woman greatly distressed in conscience, who in∣dustriously sought the destruction of her selfe; but being most mi∣raculously preserved, shee after∣ward received comfort from that promise, Esay 57.15. Thus saith the High and loftie one that inha∣biteth Eternity, whose Name is Ho∣ly, I dwell in the high and holy place: with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to re∣vive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. And (to use his phrase) she went to Heaven, in the yeare of our LORD 1595.* 1.12 Another Godly Man in his sicknesse, sted∣fastly fixed his heart upon that sweetest Promise, Esay 26.3. Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee, because hee trusteth in thee:

and said, GOD had graciously made it fully good unto his soule, A Scottish Penitent also at the place of execution,* 1.13 when he was ready to die, laid hold on that, Matth. 11.28. saying, I challenge thee LORD by that promise, which thou hast made, that thou performe and make it good unto me, that call for ease and mercy at thy hands.

S. Paul boasteth that he is an Apostle of CHRIST accor∣ding to the promise, 2 Tim. 1.1.

The Patriarkes hugged and embraced the promises as a chiefe stay of their lives in their pilgri∣mage on earth, Heb. 11.13.

Vrsine was comforted by that place, Ioh. 10.29. and Bilney was much quieted by that saying of S. Paul,* 1.14 This is a faithfull saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that CHRIST JESUS came into world to save sinners, of whom I am chiefe.

There is a commandement of the LORD for the children of

Israel, Esay 66.11. That they should sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation.* 1.15 A wor∣thy Divine observes well the Em∣phasis of the originall. Two Metaphors are there used, one is to milke consolation out of the Promises:* 1.16 the meaning is this, that the promises are full of comfort, as a dugge is full of milke (for he repeateth the promise presently after) now if thou be ready to faint,* 1.17 goe and milke out consolation out of the promises, and that will relieve thee, and stay thy heart. The other Metaphore is, to extort the promises, as a rich man op∣presseth a poore man, and gets out of him all that he is worth; so deale with the Promises, for they are rich, there is a price in them: now when a man is poore and needy, let him goe to the rich promises, and be an extortioner to them, that is, consider them to the utmost, see the utmost riches that is con∣tained

in them, and they will make thee rich. Againe, draw out the utmost of the milke that is in them, and it will excee∣dingly revive and comfort thee.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Lord calleth them the bands of love, Hos. 11.4.
• * 1.2

  To them pertained the promi∣ses made to the Patri∣arkes tou∣ching the Messias. Rom 9.4. Perkins.

  The promi∣ses which were of two sorts, either temporall, as touching the inheri∣tance of the land of Ca∣naan, or Spi¦rituall of the Messiah, Gryneus:

  Both Legall promises and Evangelicall Pet Ma••t. Pareus

  Bo••h ••f this l••fe and the next Pellicā These pro∣mises first belonged to them, and upon their reiecting they were fulfilled upon the Gen∣tiles, ••s••nder.
• a 1.3

  Fortas••is epithe••um [pretiopa] nonnullum respectū ha∣bit ad prenū sanguinis Christi, & meritorū eius. Lorinus in lo∣cum.
• b 1.4

  Quaelibet divinae pro¦missio est di∣lectionis Dei erga nos testi∣monium. Calv. l. 3. Iustit. c. 2.
• c 1.5

  Excellentiā promissionum inde ostendit, quòd nos tan∣dem effician•• naturae Divi∣nae consortes. Calvin on this place of S. Peter.
• d 1.6

  Piscator in locum.

  If the pro∣mise•• be so sweet, what swee••nesse shall we find in the per∣formance of them, 1 Cor. 2.9.
• e 1.7

  Cardan subtil l. 7. Ioseph. An¦ti••. l. 3. c. 9.
• * 1.8

  Pro. 31.10.
• * 1.9

  Pro. 8.11. Promises in our hearts (saith one) are better then pearles or pretious stones in our chests.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 6. Psal. 22. Psal 51. Pierre du Moulin de L' Amour Divin.
• * 1.11

  Bolton his Instructions for a right comforting afflicted con∣sciences. Page 345.
• * 1.12

  Page 346.
• * 1.13

  Page 397.
• * 1.14

  1 Tim. 1.15.
• * 1.15

  D. Preston of the New Covenant.
• * 1.16

  Thus saith the Lord, ver. 12.
• * 1.17

  Alludit ad infantes ••u∣gente, quos maetres quie∣tant & solā∣tur, applican∣do eis ube∣ribus, ut su∣gen••o stere desinant Cor. a Lap. in lo∣cum.