Now here we are apt to deceive ourselves, and mistake the whole thing in question, which is the bottom of many corrupted reasonings and perplexed thoughts. We inquire whether it can be so to us, as the word holds out ; when the truth is, the question is not about the nature of the thing, but about the power of God. Place the doubt aright, and it is this : Is God able to accomplish what he hath spoken ? Can he heal my backslidings ? Can he pardon my sins ?
AND SINFULNESS OF STAGGEKING. 275
Can he save my soul ? Now that there may be no occasion, nor colour of staggering upon this point, you see God reveals himself as an all-sufficient God, as one that is able to go through with all his engagements. If you will stagger, you may so do ; this is certain, you have no cause to do so from hence ; there is not any promise that ever God entered into, but he is able to perform it.
But you will say. Though God be thus able, thus all-suf- ficient, yet may there not be defects in the means whereby he worketh? As a man may have a strong arm able to strike his enemies to the ground, but yet if he strike with a feather, or a straw, it will not be done ; not for want of strength in his arm, but of fitness and suitableness in the instrument, whereby he acteth. But,
[1.] God using instruments, they do not act according to their ow^n virtue, but according to the influence of virtue by him to them communicated. Look to what end soever God is pleased to use any means, his choosing of them fills them with efficacy to that purpose. Let the w^ay and means of accomplishing what thou expectest by the promise be in themselves never so weak, yet know, that from God's choos- ing of them to that end, they shall be filled with virtue and efficacy to the accomplishment of it.
[2.] It is expressly affirmed of the great mediums of the promise, that they also are able ; that there is no want of power in them, for the accomplishment of the thing promised.
1st. There is the means procuring it, and that is Jesus Christ : the promises, as to the good things contained in them, are all purchased by him. And of him, the apostle affirms expressly, that 'he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him ;' Heb. v. 27. No want here, no defect; he is 'able to do it to the uttermost ; able to save them that are tempted ;' Heb. ii. 18.
2dly. There is the great means of manifestation, and that is the word of God. And of this also it is affirmed, that it is able. It hath an all-sufficiency in its kind. Paul tells the elders of Ephesus, that the ' word of grace is able to build them up, and to give them an inheritance among them that are sanctified ;' Acts xx. 32.
3dly. There is the great means of operation, and that is the Spirit of grace. He works the mercy of the promise upon
T 2
276 THE STEADl' ASTN'ESS 01- PROMISES.
the soul, lie also is able, exceeding powerful, to effect the end appointed. He hath no bounds, nor measure of operation, his own will ; 1 Cor. xii. 11.
Hence then it is apparent in the second place, tiiat there is no occasion for doubting; yea, that all staggering is ex- cluded, from the consideration of the ability of the promiser, and the means whereby he worketh. If thou conlinuest to stago-er, thou must get a better plea than this. It cannot be, it is impossible: I tell thee nay, but God is able to accom- plish the whole word of his promise. But,
(3.) There may be want of sincerity in promises and engagements, which whilst we do but suspect, we can- not choose but stagger at them. If a man make a promise to me, and I can suppose that he intends not as he says, but hath reserves to himself of another purpose, I must needs doubt, as to the accomplishment of what he hath spoken. If the soul may surmise, that the Lord intends not him sin- cerely in his promise, but reserves some other thing in his mind, or that it shall be so to others and not to him, he must needs dispute in himself, stagger, and keep off from believ- ing. This then must be demonstrated in the third place : that the promises of God, and God in all his promises, are full of sincerity, so that none need fear to cast himself on them; they shall be real unto him. Now concerning this observe,
[1.] That God's promises are not declarative of his se- cret purposes and intentions. When God holds out to any a promise of the pardon of sin, this doth not signify to any singular man, that it is the purpose of God, that his sin shall be pardoned. For if so, then either all men must be pardon- ed, to whom the word of promise comes, which is not; or else God fails of his purposes, and comes short of his intend- ments ; which would render him, either impotent, that he could not ; or mutable, that he would not establish them : but ' who hath resisted his will?' Rom. ix. 19. ' He is the Lord, and he changeth not ;' Mai. iii. 6. So that though every one, to whom the promise is held out, hath not the fruit of the promise ; yet this derogates not at all, from the sincerity of God in his promises ; for he doth not hold them forth to any such end and purpose, as to declare his intentions con- cerning particular persons.