DISCOURSE V. 621 practised, every christian church would be such as might be charitably presumed tohave all these inward and glorious charac- ters ; and however possibly there might be some particular wick.* ed persons iii it, who deserved to be casi out, yet this did not hinder the bulk and body of them, from enjoying these honour- able appellations, as supposing them to be saints indeed. And, hence also it comes to pass, that many of the promises made to the Jews of old, are applied, in the New Testament, to all true christians for their comfort ; and the promises made to the gen- tiles may be applied to great sinners, to encourage their hope : But this must be understood only where the state, and circum- stances, either of saints or sinners are such as to stand in need of those 'promised blessings, and to render such promise perti- nent to their case: Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we beth Jews and Romans through these scriptures, might have hope and divine consolation ; Rom. xv. 6. And indeed with-out such a liberty of explaining and apply- ing the promises of the Old Testament, to our own souls, as the apostles have taught us, for our private and spiritual advantage, a good part of the writings of the prophets, even some of those which refer to the daysof the Messiah, ,would be impoverished and drained of many of their richest blessings, and would become of little use to us, unless it were for the mere proof of the truth of Christianity : Whereas there is a rich and heavenly treasure, of grace and blessings, contained in these exceeding great andprecious promises, and transferred to the gentile church under the New Testament ; which treasure is opened and unfold- ed to us, and set before us, by this doctrine, which the holy apos- tles,have taught us, both by their word and practice ; andwhich I have now been endeavouring to establish. Upon manyof these ancient promises, have true christians lived in all succeeding ages, as well as in the apostolic times, and in them they have found support and relief, under their temptations and sufferings : So what was spoken by the Lord to Joshua for his support and encouragement, is applied to all christians by the apostle. See Josh. i. 5. and Heb. xiii. 5. Iwill never fail thee, nor forsake .thee. These words of grace have drawn sinners, near to God, under the gospel, by the language of, the Old Testament hap- pily applied to their consciences. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, that is, the waters of life ; Isa. Iv. 1. compared with Rev. xxii. 17. Let him that is athirst, come and take of the water of life freely. It is by many of these exceeding great and precious promises, that the-gentiles have been made partakers of the divine nature, and have escaped the corruptions of the world ; 1 Pet. i. 4. It is by these the christian church has
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