3.44 The Covenant of Work Chap. 2 o. the many finites, forgiving the woman in the , Gofpel, Luke, 7. without once rnenti8n of thofe many teares that were filed in An Objedíon evidence of her repentance. They fay, that thefe are the ffrong- anfwerec!. eft motives to work men from fin. This I gladly yield when the promife is tendred, and with it repentance urged. I know it was the way of the Prophet , Ifay 5 S. 7 and therefore a prevalent way; Let the wicked forfake his Way and the unrighteous man his offevering the II thoughts o and and to our God, returne or he will ab d,antld pardon. will have ner- The The way from alfo of the Apoilk, 2 Cor. 6,17,. Be ye fepar to , faith the Lord the duty. and touch not the unclean thing, and 1 will receive you. But the fe- vering of the promife from the duty fo that Chrift is heard only in a promife, not at all in a precept, when they heare that Chrift will fave ; but are never told that they muff repent. Thefe are but delufions; promife- Preachers, and no duty - Preachers; grace- Preachers, and not repentance - Preachers. Do but as the Apoffle bath long fence given warning, deceive with vain words, Ephef. 5.6. This will never work men from-fin, but ftrengthen men in fin, Ezell. 13. 22. Recaufe with lies ye have made the heart of the righteortis fad, whom I have not made fad, andfrengtheued the hands of the wicked, that he fhould not returne from hú. wicked way, by pro- nailing life. Thefe promifes of life thus tendred , we fee are lies; for men in finne, are men for death , Ezek. 18, 3 Thefe pro - mifes ffrengthen the hands of men in finne , that they returne not from it. It is the obfervation of many, that tIte falfe Prophets fo branded in the Old Teflament , vented no errours in Faith , but only mifapplications of truths. They promifed peace, where the Lord had promifed no peace; and therefore a falle Prophet among the Jews , is diftinguifhed from a falfe Teacher among Chriffians, 2 Ter. 2. r. Thefe later bring in damnable bere(ìes, and fo did not the former ; But as ours outftrippe them , in that they bring in errours in Faith, fo they joyne with them in mifap- plications of truths. If thou be a whoremonger, a bl4hemer, a drunkard, a mad man in iniquity, (faith one or words to that purpofe) and there be no manner of change wrought in thee ,yet come and take Chrif , e »c. Does any Gofpel -Text fpeak of fuch a mans taking of Chiift, without any manner ofchange wrought ? Are not thofe the enemies of Chrift , that rife in hoftile rebellion? .Pfal. 68. 21. And while they defpife him, can they receive him? We
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