others but an unmeasurable fulnesse of all grace A fulnesse of redundancy which from him might flow out to all the Elect for the filling of them with a fulness of sufficiency Of this the Scripture speaks John 3. 34. and Iohn 1. 16. In all these respects God hath raised him up to be a Horne of salvation Thus much for the opening of the Doctrine The Uses of this Doctrine Vse 1. For Information in two things First The miserable condition of those that are without Iesus Christ Who are without Christ Not onely Jewes and Turks and Pagans but all unbeleevers in the Church Whosoever is without true saving faith is without Christ 'T is faith that makes Christ Actually ours Faith unites us to Christ and Christ to us Their misery is very great Christ is a horn of salvation the onely Horn of salvation he that is without Christ is without salvation God hath put the salvation of men into Christs hands 1 Iohn 5. 11. He hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne And he that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life ver 12. God himself cannot save him that is without an interest in Christ He hath set down this way of salvation and he cannot deny himself It is a question amongst the Schoolmen whether God could have saved sinners without Christs satisfaction They generally conclude upon good grounds that he might but now 't is not so much as a question God hath resolved that whosoever is saved shall be saved by Christ and without mutability he cannot save men another way Better never to have seen the light then to die without an interest in Christ And he that doth not beleeve truely in him hath no saving interest in him Iohn 3. 18. How shall I know whether I do truly beleeve or no I shall here to help you lay down a twofold note of true faith 1. It is a heart-purifying grace This effect of faith the Apostle mentions in Acts 15. 9. Whosoever hath true faith in Christ will find his heart purified and cleansed thereby The efficient cause of the purification of the heart is the Spirit of God who is called the Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2. â—3 The 〈◊〉 cause is Christs blood 1 Iohn â— 7. The instrumental cause is faith This grace purifies the hearâ—â— as it is an instrument whereby the blood of Christ which purifies is conveyed to the soul and as it doth take hold upon the promise of cleansing the promise is I will sprinkle clean water Ezek. 36. 25. Faith applies this promise and improves and so purifies the heart If you have not purification of heart you have not faith and if you have not faith you have not Christ as a Horne of salvation Now that heart may be said to be purified that hath these three properties 1. If it bewaile impurity Impurity that is truly lamented is in Gods account as if it were removed Rom. 7. 23 24. If thy pollution be thy greatest burden thy heart is purified in Gods sight 2. If it be cautious of every thing that may defile A heart that is purified dares not willingly come neere any defiling puddle it will avoid occasions temptations of defilement Iob 31. 1. Carefulnesse of shunning defilement is an infallible note of purification 3. If it be through inadvertency defiled it will not be quiet till it be made clean A purified heart cannot lie in any uncleannesse when God hath once discovered it to him Thus David when he saw his pollution with what earnestnesse doth he run to the Laver that he may be washed Ps 51. 2 7. 2. Saving faith hath very high and precious thoughts of Christ This character is laid down by the Apostle in 1 Pet. 2. 7. No unbeleever can truly have precious thoughts of Christ nay they have low thoughts of him as 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and Cant. â— 9. Try your faith by this note Now if Christ be truly precious 1 He shall reigâ—â— and rule over thee His precepts will be as precious as his promises His Sovereignty will be as precious as his sacrifice his yoke will be as desirable as his merits the Apostle opposeth saith and disobedience 1 Pet. 2. 7. Where Christ is disobeyed he is not beleeved in 2 If Christ be truly precious to thee his dishonours will pierce thy soul The dishonours done to him in his truths worship government will be a greater grief to thy heart then all the dishonours that are done unto thy selfe 3 If Christ be truly precious to thee it will be thy meat and drink to do him any service Thou wilt make it thy study to set him up and to make him great where ever thou comest 4 If Christ be precious to thee all his Ordinances will be precious Thou wilt have a high esteeme of his Word of his Sacraments of his Sabbaths and that for his sake who hath instituted these things If it be not thus with thee thou art an unbeleever and if an unbeleever thou hast for present no saving interest in him that is the horne of salvation Secondly The impossibility of the perishing of any of the Elect. Their eternal salvation is a thing of absolute certainty They can never perish They may seem to be lost sometimes in their own apprehension I said saith Jonah I am cast out of thy sight Jonah 2. 4. He was in his own eyes as if he had been a cast-aâ—ay 〈…〉 impossible it should be so as in other 〈…〉 so in this because Christ is the horne of their salvation He that hath wrought their salvation is able to preserve salvation for them and them for salvation If Christ be able to save you ye shall be saved When you look upon that in your selves that may seem to hinder your salvation look upon that that is in Christ to maintain your salvation You shall be as certainly saved as Christ himself is saved Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. John 17. 24. Your salvation is now fully accomplished he that was able to accomplish your salvation is able much more to apply it now it is accomplished Consider these seven Notions to make this out 1 Christ will not lose the merit of his blood nor be deprived of the end of his death and he must do both these if one of his Elect should miss of salvation 2 Christ did not conquer for the Devil but from the Devil Christ will not be at the charge and cost of redemption and when he hath done suffer the devil to go away with the spoile 3 Christ will not impoverish himself to enrich the Devil and impoverished he should be if one of the Elect should perish for every Saint helps to make up his mystical fulnesse So the Apostle tells us Eph. 1. ult 4 Iesus Christ will not rob his Father to enrich the Devil Now if
work is wrought By this Word is the soule first cut off from the wilde stock of corrupt nature and planted into the true Olive-tree or Vine Jesus Christ Hence the work of planting is in Scripture attributed to the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. I have planted saith the Apostle Apollo watered God indeed is the great Planter So v. 1. of this Chapter I am the true Vine and my Father iâ— the 〈◊〉 He is the Master-Planter the Ministers are subordinate-planters We are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. They are so called because by the Word preached this great work is done This the Prophet clearly affirmes Esay 61. 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach Christ that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. These mystical trees are Gods planting but the instrument wherby they are made such trees is the Word preached Hence the Word is called the incorruptible seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 23. As all the Trees and Plants in the first Creation were set and sprung up by the Word of God Gen. 1. 11 12. So are all these mystical Branches ingraffed by the Ministerial Word 2. The Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is the immediate Instrument whereby the soule is ingraffed It is the Spirit which gives efficacy to the Word both to cut off the soule from the stock of nature and to implant it into the Stock of grace The Word would never be able to tear off any person from his first root if it were not edged and strengâ—hred by the Spirit of God The Scripture calleâ—h the Holy Ghost the finger of God Luke 11. 20. compared with Mat. 1â— 28. He is so câ—â—â—ed as for other reasons so for this because he is the immediate instrument whereby God works in the hearts of his creatures Particularly for this work of ingraffing the soule into Christ the Holy Ghost is affirmed to be the immediate instrument 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body c. and have been all made to drink into one spirit And againe Eph. 2. 21 22. where the Apostle speaking of this great mystery under another resemblance saith that in Christ we are builded an habitation of God thorough the Spirit The same Spirit which builds us upon Christ into one Temple doth ingraffe us into Christ as one Vine 3. Faith This is the immediate instrumental cause on mans part Faith is an uniting grace it knits the soule to Christ and Christ to the soul Faith is an incorporating grace it doth as it were embody the soule into Christ making it one with Christ and Christ with it This is that which the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as to a living stone c. Ye also are built up as lively stones c. Two things are observable in that Text. First that the Saints are built together upon Christ the foundation-stone an holy house to God Secondly how Christ and they are cemented together into one building this is by beleeving set out by the expression of coming which is used ordinarily for beleeving as Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God first works saith in the heart of a person through the Word and then the soul is by the Spirit through faith ingraffed into Christ and made a lively Branch For the second particular What advantage the soul hath by being a Branch of Christ I shall here follow the Metaphor The same advantage the Branch hath by being ingraffed into the Stock hath a Beleever in a spiritual sense by being ingraffed into Christ I name these five 1. Spiritual supportation The Branch hath this benefit from the Stock into which it is ingraffed that it is born up and supported by it The Branch doth not bear the Vine nor doth it beare it self but is born of the Vine A beleever hath supportation from Jesus Christ We stand on Christs legs not on our own I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. The strength of the Branch is in the Vine so is the strength of a Beleever in Christ Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse leaning on her beloved Cant. 8. 5. I laid me down and slept saith David I awaked for the Lord susteined me Many blasts passe over a beleever many violent concussions and shakings is he exposed unto partly by reason of sinne partly by temptations from the Devil from men in all these shakings he hath sustentation from Christ into whom he is implanted My grace saith Christ to Paul shall be sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse in 2 Cor. 12. 9. A beleever may with confidence go to Christ and pray for support in all his weaknesses A beleever may go to Christ and chalenge support Christ would never have made thee a Branch if he had not intended to support and strengthen thee Esay 41. 10. there are repeated promises of sustentation I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee In doing in suffering in dying is a beleever supported by Christ A beleever never wants support but when either through pride he will not have it or through slothfulnesse he will not 〈…〉 Jesus Christ 2. Spiritual nourishment The Branâ—â— doth not give nourishment to the Stock nor doth it nourish it selfe but it receives nourishment from the Stock A beleever hath nourishment from Jesus Christ The Root feeds the Branch it conveys its sap to each Branch whether it be great or little whether it be nearer the Root or at a farther distance from it Christ conveys proper nourishment to every beleever The Apostle speaks of this Col. 2. 19. The whole body from Christ by joynts and bands hath nourishment ministred the Ordinances are the joynts and bands by which nourishment is carried but Christ is the great treasury from whence it is carried He nourishes Faith he feeds Hope he nourisheth love c. Of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Every grace a beleever hath would die and wither if it did not receive daily nourishment from Jesus Christ 3. Spiritual increase The branch receives its Augmentation from the Vine The graffe when it's first implanted is very small a childe may break it with one of his fingers but by abiding in the Stock it grows till it come to perfection All a Beleevers increase is from Jesus Christ 'T is by and through him that we grow from infancy to a perfect man Two Texts of Scripture do fully set out this benefit of our implantation The one is Col. 2. 19. In him the whole body having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God The other is Eph. 4. 16. Where the Apostle tells us that by and from Christ the whole body being fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every part supplieth maketh increase
any Saint should perish eternally God himselfe would be robbed for every Saint iâ— his inheritance Ephes 1. 1â— The Lord Christ 5. will not suffer the Spirits Temple to fall into the eternal possession of the Devil Now the Elect are the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor 6 19. 6 Christ will not empty Heaven to fill Hell Every Saint helps to fill heaven 7 Christ will not bear a Name in vaine He will neither mock himselfe nor mock his Father nor his people Now if he should be called an Horn of salvation and not actually his Elect of salvation he would be the greatest mock that ever was in the world 2. Vse Reprehension Those are to be blamed that erect other hornes of salvation 1. The Papists they do set up their own works as a horne of salvation at least they joyne works and Christ together as con-causes of salvation the Scripture layes the whole merit on Christ they lay a part of it on works Greater dishonour then this cannot be done to Christ If he be of himselfe sufficient what needs the addition of other things but he is sufficient Heb. 1. 3. chap. 7. 25. Hear what the Scripture saith concerning those that look for salvation by works Gal. 5. 4. As many as seek to be justified by the Law are fallen from grace How did it fall out with Israel that followed after the Law of works the Apostle will tell you Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Yea I shall adde this Jesus Christ will be a horne of destruction to those who will not make him the sole horn of Salvation 2. Much like to these are many ignorant Protestants who think to be saved by their duties by their prayers and by their repentanâ—◠〈◊〉 men should consider that Christ must 〈◊〉 them from the guilt of all their duties as well as from the guilt of their sinnes Our holiest services have a mixture of unholinesse in them Domine lava lachrymas was Austins prayer And it must be ours The filth of our holy things must be expiated by Christ 't is thorough him that they are accepted You may read this Gospel in the Ceremonial Law Exod. 28. 36 37. The holy services we do are not accepted because of any worth that is in us or them but because of the engraved plate which is upon the forehead of Christ 3. Vse Exhortation 1. This should provoke all sinners to close with Christ The great work of the Ministery is to bring Christ and the soule together They are the friends of the Bridgroome and it 's their office to woo sinners to come in to Christ Here is encouragement enough in this text He is a horn of salvation a horn of Gods raising flie to him for salvation salvation is to be had in Christ salvation is to be had no where else Acts 4. 12. Under the Law offenders did flie to the hornes of the Altar 1 Kings 2. 28. He that flies to the hornes of this Altar shall be sure to be safe Onely two things must be observed 1 All sinne must be cast away The wicked man must forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts Esay 55. 7. Jesus Christ will not be a horn of salvation to an impenitent sinner He came not to save men in their sinnes but to save them from their sins Mat. 1. 21. 2 Christs own termes must be embraced Christ came not to save men upon any termes but upon his own termes Now the termes of the Gospel are A voluntary resignation of our solvet to be at Christs disposing To do his Will to submit to his Scepter The soul must say as Saul did to Christ Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. That soul that doth cast away sinne by repentance and surrenders himself to Christ to be in all things ruled by him shall whatever his condition hath been before finde Christ an horn of salvation to him Do not say my sinnes are great c. The greatest sinne thou didst ever commit is thy so long standing out against Christ John 3. 19. Murther Adultery are great sins but the souls refusal to come in to Christ is a greater sinne those are sinnes onely against the Law this is a sinne against the Gospel this is a sin against the Remedy this is a sinne that bindes and continues the guilt of all thy other sinnes upon the conscience He that doth not close with Christ saith one of these things either that he hath no need of Christ or else that Christ is not able to save him 2. This teacheth Gods people whither to go when their salvation is endangered Sometimes Satan by hot temptations sometimes corruption by its violent out-breakings do so exceedingly prevaile upon the servants of God as that in their apprehension their salvation is in a great hazard they feare the Crown will be pluckt away from them God lets them come into such jeopardy that they may exercise all their graces and thrive the faster They pray they watch yet Satan gets ground sinne overpowereth them so that the◠〈…〉 to conclude that the hope of 〈…〉 In such case your onely refuge must be to 〈◊〉 is horn of salvation David when sinne was 〈◊〉 hard for him goes to God Psal 65. 3. We must flie to this horn and by his strength defend our selves and vanquish our enemies There are several branches of this Horn which must be improved at such a time His Death his Resurrection his Ascension his Intercession All his Attributes all his Promises these are several little hornes growing out of this great Horne This Horn will give you strength to overcome this Horne will keep what he hath purchased for you He hath pushed down Satan sinne the world already and if they get head againe he can easily subdue them He is not onely the Horn of your salvation but the Captain of your salvation Heb. 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was his free-will at first to undertake it but having undertaken it 't is his office to perfect it When salvation is at a hazard go to him fight in his Name and he will give you victory 3. Blesse the Father for Jesus Christ This holy man that pend this song he begins it with praises Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation Never think of a horn of salvation but have in your hearts and mouths a Benedictus Dominus If every thought of heart were a rapture we could never sufficiently extol the love of God in raising up Christ for us Especially if he have made Christ an horn of salvation to us in particular What storms did Christ go thorough what deeps did he wade over that he might be to us an Horne of salvation He that is not thankful for Christ can be truly thankful for nothing When God gave Christ he gave all Naturallists speak much of the Unicorns horn Christ is the true Unicorn 4. Do
soules nourishment The milk of the mothers breast was not more nourishing to the new-borne Ver. 2. infant then the Doctrine of the Gospel is to the souls of regenerated Christians 2. God had sanctified these to be the meanes of their spiritual growth As the childe grows by sucking the milk of the breast so do Christians grow by drinking in the Doctrine of Ibid. the Gospel 3. The Doctrine of the Gospel containes in it the sweetnesse of the love of God and of Jesus Christ towards them that beleeve he that hath tasted of this sweetnesse cannot but thirst after Ver. 3. it 4. By receiving into their hearts this doctrine they should have the closer communion with Jesus Christ To whom coming as to a living stone ye as lively stones are built up c. This he confirmes by an argument taken out of the Old Testament which is here cited and improved to illustrate the thing in hand This is in the Text wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion c. Two things are considerable in the Text. 1. The denomination or litle given to Christ A chief corner stone 2. The Explication of this Title by the properties of it These are two 1. He is an Elect or chosen stone 2. He is a precious stone I shall first begin with the denomination A chief corner stone The sum is this The Church of God is here compared to a spiritual edifice or building Every true beleever is compared to a mystical stone in this building And Christ is here resembled to the Corner stone The Note from that first particular will be this viz. Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the chief Corner stone of the spiritual structure of Gods Church Both Prophets and Apostles and Christ himself give ample Testimony to this truth 1. The Prophets which were before Christ do bear witnesse to this See Esay â—8 16. From this Testimony my Text is borrowed Behold I lay in Sion fâ—r a â—â—undation a stone a tryed stone a preciouâ— corner stone a sâ—â—â—e foundation And the Prophet David long before him Psalme 118. 22. speaking of Christ hath these words The Stone which the builders refused i◠〈…〉 bâ— Headstone of the Corner 2. The Apostles which succeeded Christ they concur with the Prophets See that famous Testimony which is given before the greatest of Christs adversaries by Peter and John two of his Apostles Though Peter was the onely spokeâ—man yet doth John also agree with him Acts 4. 10 11. Be it known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the Name of Jesus of Nazareth doth this man stand here before you whole This is the Stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the Head of the Corner Hear also the Testimony of Paul which is both full and clear to this purpose Eph. 2. 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner stone 3. We may adde to these the Testimony of Christ himself hear it from his own mouth as it is recorded by three of the Evangelists Mat. 21. 42. Mark 12. 10. Luke 20. 17. Jesus said unto them did you never read in the Scriptures the Stone which the builders refused is become the Head of the Corner In the mouth of all these witnesses is this truth fully established Two things I shaâ—l here open 1. In what respects Christ is compared to the Corner stone 2. How he excels all other corner stones 1. For the first Christ is called the Corner stone in foure respects 1. In regard of sustentation The corner stone doth uphold the whole building if the corner of the house fall the whole structure comes to the ground The Holy Ghost speaking of the slaughter of Jobs children saith There came a winde from the Wildernesse and smote the foure corners of the house and it fell upon the young men and they are dead Job 1. 19. Some stones may drop out of the middle of the building and yet the building may stand but if the corners or foundation shrink the whole fabrick is dissolved Jesus Christ is the susteiner and upholder of his Church Therefore he is called the foundation stone as well as the corner stone Esay 28. 16. He is the great pillar that beares up his Elect. The Churches peace the Churches grace the Churches comfort the Churches salvation are all upheld and maintained by him Solomâ—n reared up two pillars of brass in the Porch of the Temple the one he called Jachin that is he shall establish the other Boaz that is strength 1 Kin. 7. 21. These two Pillars amongst other things did typifie the invincible stability and strength of the Church whereof the Temple was a sign and figure The Lord Jesus Christ is to his Church both Jachin and Boaz he is both the establishment and the strength of his Elect he is that golden pillar that beares up all The Poets have a fictitious conceit of Atlas a great Astronomer that he beares up the heaven upon his shoulders That 's but a fable the great body of the heaven is a burden insupportable to any creature Jesus Christ is really the great Atlas that bears the whole burden of the Church with all its concernments upon his shoulders Eliakim was in this a type of Christ the Prophet saith of him Esay 22. 21 22 13 24. that he shall be fastned as a naile in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from vessels of cups to all vessels of flagons This Eliakim was a figure of Christ for Rev. 3. 7. that which is here promised to him is attributed to Christ These things saith he that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and he that shutteth and no man openeth He is that golden naile upon whom all the concernments of the Church both small and great do depend From vessels of cups to vessels of flagons all hang upon him The Prophet Esay foretelling his birth doth attribute this to him Chap. 9. 6. When he saith that the Government shall be upon his shoulder God hath devolved the whole care and weight of his Church upon him and upon him must we roll it 2. In regard of Vnion The corner stone is that Medium by which the walls of the house are united into one building Pull out the corner stones and the two sides of the house are separated one from the other Jesus Christ is he and he alone that doth unite the several stones of the spiritual building one to another This may be considered two ways 1. In reference to the uniting of the Jews and Gentiles Before Christ the Jew and Gentile were divided and separated one from another This separation did commence and begin after the return
recover himselfe so as to beleeve without staggering yet there was at present some kinde of vacillation in his heart He that is overhasty with God gives occasion to men to think that he doth not receive the promise without some distrust To suspect God never so little is a great sin 4 It argues much impatiâ—nce of heart He that would have a promise before Gods time doth bewray a secret discontent of heart because the time was not set sooner It implies dissatisfaction with what God hath done as if it might have been done in a better time The soul that would have the promise brought to passe before its time doth in effect say God hath not chosen the best time Now to disparage Gods choice is a great sinne He that saith any thing might have been done after a better manner or in a better time then that wherein God hath done it doth deny God to be God onely wise Thus you see the sinne is great in being too hasty with God I might adde one thing more 5 'T is a denyal of our selves to be beggars We say beggars must not be chusers To be two hasty to have promises made good is as if we should say Gods promises are not acts of grace but due debts This is the first Consideration 2. 'T is a weak thing as well as siâ—ful 'T is Christian wisdome to pray for the fulfilling of promises but ' â—is more then brutish folly to be impatiently eager for the accomplishment of promises The folly of it appears in these foure particulars 1 We shall obtaine it never the sooner for our impatience No man ever did no man ever shall wrest a promise out of Gods hand by impetuous violence I the Lord will hasten it in his time Esay 60. 22. Our willingnesse to wait for a promise shall not keep us without it one hour longer our impatience shall not produce it one moment sooner then the set and appointed time Waiting patiently is the best way to ripen promises impatient wrangling with God is the way to set back the promises God loves the force of faith but he doth exceedingly loath the force of impatience 2 If we could through over much eagernesse hasten a promise before its time it would prove hurtful to us An unripe promise is like unripe fruit it doth not tend to nourishment but to diseases An abortive birth is neither so beautiful nor so strong as that which is brought forth in its full time A promise is then sweet when it 's brought to passe in its due season He hath made every thing beautiful in his time Eccl. 3. 11. 'T is as true of promises as of providences Grace hath its maturity as well as nature Promises grow to perfection by tract of time When the set day is come then and not till then it hath ful shape and proportion That which is observed by our Saviour concerning the fruits of the earth is true concerning the promises Mark 4. 28. The earth bringeth forth fruit first the blade then the ear after that the full coâ—n in the eare God in the producing of promises useth the same method first the blade springs up then the ear shoots out after that the full corn in the eare and so in processe of time it s fully ripe If a man should reap his field in the blade or in the shooting he might possibly have straw but he would have no corn Should God permit the impatient Christian to reap the promises when they are but in the blade or in the eare he would lose all the benefit and vertue of them It 's mercy to the beleever that God gives him in the promised good in the just season of it If they should stay never so little beyond the season if they should be performed never so little before the season the whole benefit of them would be lost We shall when we come to heaven blesse God as much for the timing of his promises as for the making of his promises The foolish childe is â—ager for green fruit the father will not give it him till it be fully ripe because he knows it would then be prejudicial when it 's ripe then he gives it him The foolish Christian longs for a promise when its green his heavenly Father knows it would be to his disadvantage to have it at that time he will have him stay till it be ripened then â—e shall enjoy it A promise before its time is like bread half baked or like meat half rosted it doth nâ—ither feed nor nourish Our wise Father loves his children too well to feed them with raw meaâ— 3 Impatient â—astening of a promise deprives us of much of the comfort of the promise The promises of God lay a foundation of present comfort The great comfort of the promise is in the fulfilling of it but it yields some comfort as soone as ever it is made to the soul Even to day do I declare saith God that I will render double unto thee Zech. 9. 12. It 's a promise of return to the captivâ—d Jews Now assoon as ever the promise was made they had a ground of comfort that God would pâ—t an end to their misery and restore to them double what they had lost by their long bondage Assoone as ever God hath made a promise to a soule that soule is sure 1. That God will never do it hurt 2. That God will in due time perform what he hath promised The husbandman though he do not reap presently upon the sowing of his â—eed yet he hath some ground of comfort assoone as the seed is sowne he hath the comfort of hope that harvest will come when he shall reap what he hath sowne Now a violent and impatient eagernesse of spirit drinks up all the comfort which the soul might receive from the promise The promise is most to such a soul as if it had never been made His wearinesse in tarrying breeds more torment then the promise doth comfort to his soul 4 It renders the heart lesse thankful to God for the making of the promise It is the duty of the children of God to be very thankful for every promise of God That God that did not owe us any thing should so strongly binde himself to us by the cords of a promise this is worthy our heartiest thankfulnesse All the good we expect from God is by vertue of his promise Grace and glory are both wrapt up in promises He that is not thankful for a promise deserves justly the edge of the threatning Now the heart that is too hasty to have the promise fulfilled will never be so thankful as is meet that the promise was made The anguish of his Spirit in being delayed will weaken if not quite destroy the thankfulnesse of his spirit A tumultuous wrangling Christian can never be a thankful Christian Discontentment of heart in tarrying for a promise will certainly hinder that thankfulnesse of heart which should be given to God for