[4.] In things of very great weight and concernment, such as whereon lives, and the peace of nations does depend, men use to give hostages, for the securing each other of the faith and truth of all their engagements, that they may be mutual pledges of their truth and fidelity. Neither hath the Lord left this way unused to confirm his promise. He hath given us a hostage to secure us of his truth, one exceedingly dear to him, one always in his bosom, of whose honour he is as careful, as of his own. Jesus Christ is the great hostage of his Father's truth, the pledge of his fidelity in his pro- mises. God hath set him forth, and given him to us for this end. ' Behold the Lord himself shall give you a sign' (a sign that he will fulfil his word), 'a virgin shall conceive and bear
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a son, and shall call his name Tmmanuel;' Isa. vii. 14. That you may be assured of my truth, the virgin's Sou shall be a hostage of it. ' In him are all the promises of God yea and amen.' Thus also to his saints he gives the farther hostage of his Spirit, and the first-fruits of glory; that the full ac- complishment of all his promises may be contracted in a little, and presented to their view. As the Israelites had the pleasures of Canaan in the clusters of grapes, brought from thence.
Now from all this it is apparent, not only that there is truth in all the promises of God, but also that truth so con- firmed, so made out, established, that not the least occasion imaginable is thence administered to staggering or doubting. He that disputes the promises, and knows not how to close with them, must find out another cause of his so doing; as to the truth of the promise, there is no doubt at all, nor place for any.
(2.) But secondly, though there be truth in the promise, yet there may want ability in the proraiser to accomplish the thing promised, because of its manifold difiiculties. This may be a second cause of staggering, if the thing itself engaged for be not compassable, by the ability of the en- gager. As if a skilful physician should promise a sick man recovery from his disease, though he could rely upon the truth and sincerity of his friend, yet he cannot but question his ability as to this, knowing that to cure the least distem- per is not absolutely in his power; but when he promises, who is able to perform, then all doubting in this kind is re- moved. See then whether it be so, in respect of these pro- mises whereof we speak. When God comes to Abraham to engage himself in that covenant of grace, from whence flow all the promises whereof we treat, he lays this down as the bottom of all; 'Iam,'saith he, 'God Almighty,' Gen. xvii. 1. or ' God all-sufficient,' very well able to go through with whatever I promise. When difficulties, temptations, and troubles arise, remember who it is that hath promised ; not only he that is true and faithful, but he that is God Almighty, before whom nothing can stand, when he will accomplish his word. And that this was a bottom of great confidence to Abraham, the apostle tells you, Rom. iv. 21. ' Being fully persuaded that he who had promised, was able also to per- voT.. XV. r
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form.' Wlieu God is engaged by his word, his ability is es- pecially to be eyed. The soul is apt to ask, How can this be? it is impossible it should be so to me; but, ' he is able that hath promised." And this, Rom. xi. 23. the same apo- stle holds out to us, to fix our faith upon, in reference to that great promise of recalling the Jews, and re-implanting them into the vine. ' God,' saith he, * is able to graft them in;' though now they seem as dead bones, yet the Lord knows they may live; for he is able to breathe upon them, and make them terrible as an army with banners. Yea, so excellent is this all-sufBciency,this ability of God to accom- plish his whole word, that the apostle cautions us, that we do not bound it, as though it could go so far only, or so far. Nay, saith he, Ephes. iii. 20. ' He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.'
When men come to close with the promise indeed, to make a life upon it, they are very ready to question and in- quire, whether it be possible that ever the word of it should be made good to them. He that sees a little boat swimming at sea, observes no great diflaculty in it, looks upon it with- out any solicitousness of mind at all, beholds how it tosses up and down, without any fears of its sinking. But now, let this man commit his own life to sea in that bottom, what inquiries will he make? what a search into the vessel? Is it possible, saith he, this little thing should safeguard my life in the ocean ? It is so with us, in our view of the promises ; whilst we consider them at large, as they lie in the word ; alas ! they are all true, all yea and amen, shall be all accom- plished ; but when we go to venture our souls upon a pro- mise, in an ocean of wrath and temptations, then every blast we think will overturn it ; it will not bear us above all these waves. Is it possible we should swim safely upon the plank of a pinnace in the midst of the ocean?