Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Bcok.III. Looking unto 1tfus. Cbap. I. Sect 5' --~--------------------- Phil.1. 19 :. Cor.t.to. hith and obedience, we muft believe in him that jull:ifies the un. godly, and walk before him in all well-pleafing. Obferve now the m:tine defign, and aime of the covenant , and fee but how all the ftreames runne towards that Ocean ; God gives hirnfelfe to the pr,rife &f the glory ofhi& gra~e, God gives ~hriil: to _the praife of'· the glury ofhu gn:ce; God gtves pardon, JU!l:tficatwn, fanctification ,falvation to the prt~i{e of the gMl.of hU.· grace; and \ve believe, we obey to the praife of the glory of hi& grace; and good reafon, for all is ofgrace, and therefore all mull: tend to the praife cf the glory of hi> grace; it is of grace that God hath givenhimfelf, Chrift, pardon, jufiification, reconciliation, fariCtification, falvation to any foul, it is of grace thlt we believe. By grace ye t:reJaved through ft:it h, not of)OPtr[elves, it i& th; gift ofGod. 0 the fweet and comely ordeJ? of this covenant! all is of grace, and a!J tends to the praife and/(;fory 'f thu grace, and therefore it is called a coveno~nt ofgrace ; many a fwcet foule is forced to cry; I cannot believe, I may as well reach heaven with a. finger, as lay hold on thrift by the hand of faith; but mark how the covenant ftands lik~ a well rnarf!!~lled army to repel this doubt; if thou canfl: not ·beheve, God wtll enable thee to believe, toyou it is given to believe; 0 the covenant of grace is a gracious covenant; 9-od. ~ill not onely promife good things, but he helps us by Ius Spmt tO performe the condition, be works our hearts to believe in God, and to believe in Chrift; all is ofgrace, that all may t~;nd to the praife of th( glory of hu t,race. . . . . . ' 5 .Wherem ts the covenant fure?l anfwer, tt ts fure tn the performance & accompiifbment of it. Hence the promifes of the co- "fenant are called tfJt fure mercies ofD,tvid; not becaufe they are fureunto 'David alone, but becaufe they are fure and fhall be fure unto all the feed of David that are in covenant with God, as '])14vid was' the promifes of Gods covenant are not Yea and N a} variou; and uncertain , but they are na and Amen, fure to be'ful filled. Hence the fl:ability of Gods covenant is compared to the firmcneffe and unmovableneffe of the mighty mountaines; nay, motmtaines may depart and the hills be removed by a - mirf'.cle, but my kjndncJfefha /{ not dep:~rt from thee, neither foal! tbe covmttnt ~f my peacebe removed/•lith the L?rd, thtft hath mercy 04 t bre. Sooner {ball the. rocks be removed •. the fire ceafe to · burn;

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