tian address himself to God in Christ, when he considers the repeated assurances that his prayer shall be heard? With how much satisfaction may he offer up the several desires of his heart, when he reflects upon the texts wherein those very mercies are promised?And with what fervour of spirit, and strength of faith, may he enforce his prayers, by plead ing the several gracious Promises, which are expressly to his case?

Further: Great assistance and encouragement may the Christian derive in his spiritual warfare, when he takes a view of the many Promises of grace and strength, to mortify sin, and to resist the devil: of success, and a final victory in his conflicts with the enemies of his salvation; and of an incorrupti ble crown of glory, to be given him as the reward of his firmness, constancy and perseverance. A great deal more may be said, but that I would not too much enlarge this Introduction, to show of what excellent use the Promises would be, if duly attended to, to promote all the exercises of the divine life, and to inspire into a good man comfort and joy in every state of life.

That the Christian might have before him, in one view, the many great and precious Promises scattered up and down in scripture, and in such a method as easily to find what is suitable to his case, I have drawn up the fol lowing Collection.

The Blessings promised, are either of a temporal or of a spiritual and eternal nature: it may be necessary to lay down some rules, to direct the serious Christian in the right application of these different sorts of Promises.

As to the Promises of temporal blessings, and those that relate to temporal evils, it is acknowledged by all, they are not to be understood absolutely or universally, but with the limitation, as far as may be for God's glory, and our good; both which are, in effect, one. Nor will these limitations lessen their value, with any thinking serious person.For all outward things are of such a nature, as to be capable of being either good or evil to us, as circumstances vary. Riches, though in some circumstances they may be very useful and valuable, in which case God will bestow them according to the tenor of his Promises; yet in others they may be, and often prove, very pernicious: no wise man, in that case, would desire them. Thus afflictions in some instances, may be of the greatest advantage to us. Then they are mercies, the inflicting them is a token of favour, and the preventing them would be a judgment, instead of fulfilling a promise. Now it must be allowed that of all these circumstances, the infinitely wise and good God is the best judge; since he has before him in one view, the whole compass of every case, in all its cir

cumstances, and is more concerned and watchful for our good, than we can be ourselves. The Promises therefore relating to these things, should not lie by neglected; but we should fix our faith upon them for the mercies we want, with a firm dependence upon the power and faithfulness of God, though with an entire submission to his superior wisdom, to choose what is best for us.I verily believe, Christians often deprive themselves even of temporal favours from God, for want of a more frequent steadfast exercise of faith upon the Promises relating to these things. They either ask not, or not in faith, and therefore receive nothing from God, Jam. i. 6, 7. Or they desire and ask, but not for right ends (to take notice of another limitation hinted at by the same apostle, Jam. iv. 3.) not for God's honour, but to consume it upon their lusts; and so they ask amiss, and therefore receive not. This collection therefore will give great assistance to the faith of Christians, when they observe how full and express the Promises are, and how suitable to their several exigencies, even in things concerning this life.

It may be objected to many of the texts, that they are taken out of the Old Testament, and were Promises made to the Jews under a dispensation wherein a greater stress is laid upon temporal blessings, than under the gospel, and consequently, that Chris

tians cannot expect so much from those Pro

mises.

I answer, That it is true, the gospel has a much greater tendency to draw our affections from, and lessen our regard to our outward felicity and prosperity, than the law; since it has brought in a better hope, and gives more clear discoveries, and more full assurances of spiritual and eternal blessings, and recom mends these as our main concern; and there. fore our desires and expectations of temporal blessings, ought to be very moderate, and bear no proportion with our concern for spi ritual. But yet that Christians may take comfort in, and apply to themselves the Promises of the Old Testament, and in things relating to this life, is evident from that declaration of the apostle, 1 Tim. iv. 8; Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.— Where the apostle affirms, not only that godliness is profitable to this, as well as another life, but that it has Promises relating to both; by which it is probable he meant those of the Old Testament, a great part of the New being not then committed to writing, or no published among the churches. Besides, as was observed before, the Promises made in the Old Testament, the apostle applies to Christians, and that upon the principle above mentioned, Rom. xv. 4; an instance of which we have, among others, in his pressing obe

dience to parents on Christians, Eph. vi. 2, 3; from the temporal Promise annexed to the fifth commandment, delivered to the Jews. To which may be added, that there are many Promises of temporal blessings to be found in the gospel, as full and as expressive as those in the Old Testament, as will appear upon the perusal of this Collection.

Nor do I think the case of good men under the law so different from that of Christians, with relation to outward blessings, as some may apprehend. It is plain, those Promises were not to them absolute or universal, but to be understood with the same limitations as now; and that in those times, as well as since, the righteous were frequently exercised with severe afflictions, and the wicked had many times a greater share of outward prosperity than even the best of men; the want of a due attention to which, was the reason of the heavy censures Job met with from his friends.

As to the Promises of spiritual and eternal blessings, they are to be applied according to the tenor of the gospel. It is to faith, repentance, love and sincere obedience, that the Promises in general, are made of pardon, grace and glory; as appears from a great mul titude of texts here collected. And indeed, without these dispositions, none can justly lay claim to any of the temporal Promises. But because in many cases, a serious person may be doubtful whether he is converted o