Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

34 The Covenant of Wor{,.r Chap.7 He is pleafed to conclude, Sorely they are wide, if not Wilde that affirm, &c. And may not the like be faid ofexhortations, promi- fes,threats? commands, God as well knows our difability to an- fwer thefe as to fulfil conditions, yet they are neither wide nor wilde, that acknowledge fuch exhortations, promifes, threats, commands, without abilities in fallen man to anfwer them far- ther then the concurrence of grace that is in Chrift Jefus ftrength- ens them. Arguments proving the 'feales in the Sacraments ro b c0rìdit;onai. CHAP. VII. A Corollary concerning the way of fealing of grace in the Sacraments. ANd here by way of Corollary I may juftly inferre, That the feales of the Covenant,are (as the Covenant it felf) conditional. This I confeffe might more aptly have come in, in a Treatife of the sacraments, which I have in my thoughts (if God afiift) to follow this of the Covenant, if I may contribute any thing to the help of Chriftians, in the right underftanding, both of this happy grant from heaven, and the ratification and confirmation of it: but that refts in the good Providence ofGod, whether I (hall have leifure to attend it, abilities to carry it through, or life to finifh it; therefore having feafonable an opportunity, and being indeed provoked to it, I am not willing to deferre it. Were the Covenant every way abfolute, irrefpedive, conferring falvation upon us, without expectation of any thing from us, fo that no ever be put by any man profeffedly entring Covenant to the gaining of it, then there were all reafon that the Peale fhould be anfwerable. The Peale makes good the grant, but when the grant is upon termes, upon fuppofal of duty, (call it duty, or call it condition) the fale is not abfolute, but is condi tional.The confecfuence cannot here (I fuppofe)be denied by any thàcunderftand any thing in the lawes of men, (whence this me- taphor of feales is borrowed) or inreafon it felf. Theconfequént depending o n the truth of the antecedent (which though I doubt not but i have largely proved, yet feeing hill there be thole that queflion it) I (hall follow it with other reafons, Secóndly,

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