Gal. iii. 16.PROMISES. The Word Promise in the New Testament is usually taken for those Promises that God heretofore made to Abraham and the other Patriarchs, to send them the Messiah. ‘Tis in this Sense that St. Paul commonly uses the Word Promise. Abrahæ dictæ sunt promissiones. The Time Rom. iv. 13, 14, 15, & passim. Acts vii. 17.of the Promises is the Time of the Coming of the Messiah. The Children of the Promise are, first, the Israelites descended from Isaac, in Opposition to the Ishmaelites descended Rom. ix. 8. Gal. iv. 28.from Ishmael and Hagar; and secondly, the Jews converted to Christianity, in Opposition to the incredulous Jews, who will not believe in Jesus Christ: The Christians have enjoy’d the Promises made to the Patriarchs, from which the incredulous Jews have fallen away. The holy Eph. i. 13.Spirit of Promise, which the Christians have received, signati estis spiritu promissionis sancto, signifies the Holy Ghost which God has promis’d to those that shall believe in him, which is the Pledge of their everlasting Happiness. The first Commandment to which God has annex’d a Promise, primum Eph. vi. 2.mandatum in promissione, is that, Honour thy Father and thy Mother; to which God has subjoin’d this Promise, that their Days shall be multiply’d upon the Earth.
Promises in general also denote eternal Life, which is the Object of a Christian’s Heb. x. 6.Hope. Ut reportetis promissiones. The antient Patriarchs were Heirs of the PromisesHeb. vi. 12. by their Faith and their Patience. Fide & patientiâ hæreditabant promissiones. All 2 Cor. i. 20.the Promises of God are accomplish’d and fulfill’d in Jesus Christ.
Numb. xxx. 13. Eccles. v. 5.Lastly, the Word Promise is often put for a Vow. If a Woman makes a Vow, and her Husband shall not give his Consent to it, she is not to be held to her Promise: Non tenebitur promissionis rea. And Ecclesiastes; It is much better not to vow at all, than to vow, and not keep one’s Promise.