566 The' Life of Faith. 5. They had but the fame Promifes in this Covenant to be- lieve, and to affure themof the lalvation which they now poffefs. they had no other charter from God to thaw, nor any but thisuniverfal al ofoblivion to fruit to for the pardon of all theirfins, which we have to trufl to for the pardon of ours, John ;. e . 58. Msrkr6. 16. The promife which was made ro the Jews, and to theirchildren, was made allo to them that are afar off, and to as many as the Lord ¡hall call, As 2.39. For thepromife that be Amidbe heir ofthe world, was not toAbraham or hiefeed through theLaw, but through therighteoufnefs offaith, Rom. 4, 53. And therefore it was of faith,, that it might be by grace, tothe end thepromifemight be lure to all the feed, not only to that which is of the Law, but to that alfo which is of the faith ofAbraham, who is the fatherof us all, v.16. That it might appear that God juflified not Abraham for any peculiar carnal priviledge, but as a Believer, which is a reafon common to himwith all Believers : % whom elfo their faithfhall be int. puted for rigbtesufnefs, v. 24. Gedlinefs ffill is profitable to all things, having thepromifeof the life that now is, and of that which Is to come, r Tim. 4.8. Yea what difference there is in both thcfc forementioned re- fpeds, it is to our advantage : we have the moll perfbrded Rule, and the fullefi Promifes, and we have many Promifes fulfilled to us, which were not fulfilled to them in their daies, Heb. r t. left. And we arc nearer the final accomplifhrnent of all the promífcs. 6. They had thefame Motives to faith, and patience, and godlinefs as we have : They could have no grater bapínefs offered them, nor any greater punifhment nre , t-d; to drive them from fin by fear : They could have no/higher ends than OUTS , nor any nobler reafon to be religious. The fame rea, fons and ends did bring them through all temptations and diffi- culties, to evcriafling lift, which we have alto to fatisfic us, and to carry us on, 2 Tim.4. 8. 7. The fame fpirit did illuminate, fans ifit and gniclftnthem, which is illuminating, fanflifying, and quickening us. All the moll excellent and heavenly endowments and workings of their fouls, were wrought by the fame operator who is Rill atwork in all the Saints, Ram, 8.g. There are diverftties efgifts, but
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=