6q. The Co venant ofWorks Chap. 9 Know the Lord; for theyJhall all know me from the leafl of them to the great'fl of them, faith the Lord; for loll ;orgive their iniquity and Jet. 3'i ;;. remember their fin no more. In which Texts, a neceffìty of fuper- cleared. natural grace, for the ends mentioned is abundantly fet out unto us : Had man power left in nature for this work, or nature fo re- paired in all, that abilities were univerfally conferred , this de- claration needed not. No reafon can be given of thefe engage- ments, by thofe that deny any neceflity of an Omnipotent con- currence. Thefe are ufually called Promifes , and they runne in- deed in the nature of Promifes ; fo that they deferve not blame, that'fo conceive of them, Generally taken alto to be abfolute Promifes, faith Mr Baxter, Aph. of Isafl. pag. 9. and being Pro- miles, they muff indeed be abfolute ones. Here is nothing pre required, as in Promifes that are conditional; being iromifes, (if Promifes) of Grace (as force have diftinguifhed) and not Promifes to Grace; we bring not faith to accept of this as of other Promifes , it is fpoken to thofe that are in their unbelief and un- regenerate condition ; Yet that which isnecefrarily required to make up a full Promife here is wanting; in Promifes (properly fo called) tome may claim their intereft and know themfelves to be within the verge , and conclude the thing in Promife upon, termes at leaft to be theirs, which here none can do. This indeed concernes the Elea; but being in unregeneration they know not their Eletion, it is not made Pure by them. So that as to us it is without any determinate objet ; none can fay, my intereft is in this Promife. Thefe were delivered to the whole body of I frael, when not one in many did reap the benefit of them. Mr Baxter therefore makes them Prophecies, De eventu, Prophecies of what Jhall happen. I fuppofe they may be more fitly called The decla- ration or indication of Gods work in the conditions to which he engages , of the neceirary concurrence of the power of his grace in that which herequires: As Auflin and others have interpreted, that which is affirmed of our Saviour , That he is the true light, which enlightneth every man that comes into the world, Joh. I. 9. to be fo underftood, not that all in the world are enlightned by him, for many are in darkneffe; but all that are enlightned, have light by his light, explaining it with this fimilitude : Such a School- mailer teachet; all the children in a Town, that is, all that are taught, he teacheth. Some go tó no School at all ; fo thefe Pro - mifes
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=