Ver.17. the 17th Chapter of St-.J O H N. 2S t They are promifed (till with exception of the Crois. God is tied no fut- ther than the Covenant tieth him. Pfal. 89. 31, 32, 33. If they break my Sn.tutes, and keep not my Commandments : Then will I yip their TranfgrefPion with a Rod, and their Ini= pity with Striper. Neverthelefi, my loving- kindnefi will I not utterly t.rke from him, nor Apr my faithfdnefi'to fail. My Covenant will I not break, 'nor alter tie thing that it gone out of my Lips. ObjelI. But th ,Scriptures do abfolutely.preß and inculcate thefe Hopes of temporal Mercies. 1nfw. No, only they are mentioned in the Promife 5 partly, to encourage out Hearts to pray, we fhould not elfe ask them. 2 Chron. 20. 9: If when Evil cometh up- on us, as the Sword, judgment, or Peflilence, or Famine, we Rand before this Houfe, and in they Prefence, and cry unto thee in our Afjli£#ion, then thou wilt hear and help. Pfal. 119. 49. Remember thy Word unto thy Servant, upon which thou haft iaufed me to hope. Partly to fhew, that God is able to keep them from fuch difirerss 3 and,ifit be good for them, will keep them. Dan. 3. r7. Our God whom we ferve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace, and he will deliver no out of thine Hand, 0 King. Partly to Phew, that if we have fuch.Mercies, we have them by virtue of a Promife. Pfal. 128.5. The Lord Hiatt blefi thee out of Sion. To fee a Mercy come out of the Womb of a Promife, is very Tweet and comfortable. Partly to comfort them, if they have them not, they !hall have the fpiritualPart, nothing (hall light on them as a Curie. We mutt go in-, to the San &uary to know the meaning of filch Promifes. God will deliver, either from the Lion, or from every Evil Work. 2 Tim. 4. 17, 18. 1 seas delivered out of the Mouth of the Lion. And the Lord Asti deliver me from every evil Wort¿; If there be any Temporal Promife, you may exile& the Mercy in kind, or as good. There is not a wafte word in the Promife ; God will give them fatisfa &ion : The People of God never complain, when their Thoughts are regular. Partly, becaufe God feldom fail - eth a trufling Soul; few Experiences can be given to the contrary. Pfal: 91. 2, 3. I will fay of the Lord, He is my Refuge, and my Fortrefs, my God, in him will I croft. Surely, he jhall deliver use from the Snare of the Fowler ; and from the noif m Peflilence. Thereby there is another Engagement on God. Ifa. 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in per- fell Peace, whole mind is flayed on thee ; becaufe he cru fled in thee. Pfal. 9. to. And they that know thy Name, will pot their troll in thee : for thou, Lord, haft not forfaken them that fiek thee. We. Learn to regard the Promifes and Threatnings of the Word with more Reve- rence, as if God in Perfon had delivered them to you. t Thef .2.r3. For this caufe alfo thank we God without ceaftng, becaufe when ye received the Word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the Word of Men, but (as it is in Truth) the Word of God. Look to the Tfreatnings. God bath left room for his Mercy, and that mutt be fought in God's way, or elfe we have no Security and Peace. Look to the Promifes. r. Seek after them more, and mind themmore. Sure your Negle& faith, you do not count them true. t John 5. ro. He that believeth on the Son of God, path the Wit- nefs in himfelf 3 he that believeth not God, bath made him a Liar, becaufè he believeth not the Record that God gave' of his Son. If one thould proffer you an hundred Pounds, and you (hould go away and never heed it, it is a fign you do not believe him. 2. Venture more on the Promifes, they are God's Bills of Exchange, whereby you have Treafures in Heaven. Deny Interetts, God will make it up. 3. Rejoice in them more. You have Blefiings by the Root. Heb. t r: 13. Theft all died in Faith, not having received the Promifes, but having fien them afar of and were perfwaded of them, and embraced them ; they hugged the Promifes. Do you ever re- freth your felves with the remembrance of then? ?' Do you ever blefs God for your Hopes, and fay, I will rejoice in God becaufe of his Word ? 4. Wait for the accomplifhment of them. The Word of the Lord is a tried Word. The Saints are tried, and the Word is tried. Pfal. 12.6. The Words of the Lord are pure Words: as Silver tried in a Furnace of Earth, purified (even times. It is enough for Faith that we have the Promife. Fourthly, God hath owned the Word, by affociating the Operation of his Grace, and powerful Spirit with it, and with no otht4 Do &nine. Things of a powerful Ope- ration do evidence themfelves, as Fire by Heat, the Wind by its Noife and Strength, I i i i 2 Salt
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