'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — July 1

We may build our trust in God through the consideration of his precious promises. This is the bottle that faith keeps by her side to revive her in a day of swooning. The Greek in the above passage has five negatives: ‘I will not—never leave you; neither will I not—never forsake you.' Five times we observe this precious promise, so repeated that we may fill our hearts with its consolation, and delight in the abundance of its glory. One might consider himself in this danger, but God does not, nor ever will forsake us. If he leaves us for a small moment, he will not forsake us utterly. Desert he may, but not disinherit. Forsaking us, it may be, in regard of vision, but not of union. In change of dispensation, yes, but not a change of his disposition. Do you pass through waters and walk through fire? God has promised to be with you. As warm as you may be, the flame will not touch you (Isa. 43:2). God's promises are bonds and obligations by which he is firmly bound to believers. Faith boldly pleads the security of them: 'Lord, here is the bill you promised to pay, it is engraved with your hand and seal!' Our trust is also strengthened by God's inviolable, steadfast, never-failing faithfulness. God's goodness inclines him to make his promises, and his faithfulness engages him to keep them. If the word has once gone out of his mouth, heaven and earth shall sooner pass away, than one iota of it will fail (Luke 21:33). God in faithfulness will make good his promises. He never has and never will fail the man who puts his trust in him (Psa. 9:10). God has never broken his word by deceiving, nor cracked his credit by paying less than was due. God is so faithful and true to his word—let him promise a victory, and the trumpet of victory can be sounded even before the battle. O trust in the Lord his saints!

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Thomas Lye, Puritan Sermons 1659-1689, I:378-379
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