throughNatural' impelbilit ies. 163 it : But one thing feemes very ftrange tome ; that the Lord fhould give out a promife,firft a promife given out, and then comes the fentence of death upon the mercy, and upon the mcanes that do lead unto it. What fhould be the meaningof this ? why does the Lord deal thus, give out a promife first ? A prom ife is given out twice. At the first, before we do Anfw, r. ufe the meanes, to incourage us thereunto. Afterwards up- on fame incouragements that we do meet with in theufe of means, When the Lord doesMt give out the promife, a fentence of death then paffes, that he may (hew you where the mer- cy lies. As the mother does deale by her child ; fhowes the child where the meat ftands : child , thou art not yet fit for it , thou (halt have it in due time , look, here it Rands. Or as a father that fhowes the child where the money lies : child, time is not yet,but there the money lies, ther's the bag it's in, none (hall take it from thee. So does God do : you thinke that the Mercy lies in the fecond caufe ; No, fayes God , here, here's the bag that it lies in, Therefore he does firft give out the promife , that he may tell the foule where the Mercy lies , fhow the foule where it is, And then againe. Goddoes therefore give out the pro- inife notwithftanding the fentence of death ; becaufe he intends not to give the Mercyprefently. You think it may be, that afloone as youhave a promife fet on upon your heart, you (hall prefently injoy the Mercy : Nay , but God does therefore give you a promife, becaufe you (hall not have it prefently. As for Example:If I would pay a man my money down pre- fently , I would not give him a bond : but my very giving him a bond , argues, I am not to Eity him prefently. So the Lord , he gives out a promife , and you thinke now , you muff have it prefently : No , ( fayes the Lord ) butbecaufe a fentence of death is to come, and thou (halt not have it prefently ; therefore I give out the promife. And againethirdly, God does therefore give out the pro- 3' mife notwithftanding his fentence ofdeath : that your hearts X 3 may
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