The Saint’s Jewel

Showing How to Apply The Promise

TO THE READER

Reader, the body may as well subsist without the soul, as the soul can without a promise; and as the body is not wearied with bread, (being the staff of life,) thought it hath it every day for nourishment, so, likewise, the fainting, hungry soul can never be cloyed with feeding upon the promises.  For which cause I have also adventured this little Sermon, not doubting but it may reap its due fruit from those whose heart are rightly affected; which God granting, I shall account my labor abundantly requited.  Farewell.

Thomas Shepard.         April 2, 1655.

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2 Cor. vii. 1, “Having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

The apostle Paul in the former chapter exhorteth the Corinthians to beware of unbelievers; and he gives a double argument for it, one from the unequalness of it, the other from the promises, as in my text, “Having these promises.”

In these words are three parts:

  1. A loving appellation, in these words, “Having these promises dearly beloved.”
  2. A gracious exhortation, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
  3. An argument for instigation or motive, that he useth to press his exhortation, which is from the nature of the promise.   That which is in the last part of the division is first in order of the words, and therefore we will look upon the words as they lie in order; and so from the last part and first words I shall handle this doctrine.

That God made many promises unto his people.

I am come to you this day not to set out unto you the excellency of wit or learning, or the creature; but the excellency of a naked promise, according to that, (2 Pet. I. 4,)  “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.”
Now, all the promises of God unto his people are such as concern the body, or the body and the soul.  Those that concern the body are with this limitation, that is, so far as concerns God’s glory and the good of our souls; but for the body and soul, consider that place,  “For the Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good will he withhold from them that live uprightly.”   (Ps. 1xxxiv. 11.)

I come to the reasons why God hath thus made many promises unto his people; and they are three.

The first reason is this: that his people might have…. Click here to Finish