7 he r(tre J t'rPel or CbriJiiarJ Concenrment $5 times of the Gorpel ; ~ve cannot bring fuch a cerrain concl ufiGn ' that God 1v ill deal [o feverely I'Vith men by fuch ;t'nd fuch affl i8:ions, cb"at he .vvill deal [o with them now : and fo that they fha f ' have outward profperity .as they bad then : therefore that is the firfi thing for the un : erHanditg.of this and all . other texts of that ki.nd. The fecond anfwer I VJould give is this; It may be their faith doth not reach ~o this promife ; ~nd God brings many t i me~ many outward affiietions, becaufe the faith of his people dotb not reach the promife, ana that not only iil the old Teltamenr, but in the time of the new TeGamem; Zachariah his time may bciaid to be in the time of the new Te(hment; ~vhen he was Hmck with dumbnefs becatife be did t)Ot beleeve, and that is gi - :ren to be the cauie wh y he wfs ftruck with dumbnefs. But yoll will fay now ,Hat~ Faith warrant to beleeve deliverance, th.tt it (hall be fully delivered?. I dare not fay.fo,b tl't it m:.y ac.t upon it, to bel.ee~ th.u God will make it good his own way; pethaps you have not done fo much,and fo upon that this promife is · not fulfil.t ed to you. Thirdly, When God cloth make fuch promifes to his people, ye.t !liU it muff be with this refervation, that God mufi have Iibertyto thefe three things. 1 . That notwirhflanding his promife,.he will have liberty to make uCe of any thing f0r your chaftifement. z; That he mnft ha·ve hberty to make ufe of your eflates, or liberties, or liYes, for the furtherance of his ?Wn eflds: if , it ,be to be a ta:umblingblock to wicked and ungodly men, God mufl: have hberty; though he bath made a promfic to you, he will not lofe the propriety that he hath in your eAaces and lives. , 3· God mufi have fo_muc~ liberty to make , ufe ·of what yon have, for to lhew that hts wates are unfearcbable,. and his jndg.. ments pafl finding Ollt, God referves there three things in his hand fhll. • Objeu. B•lt you will fay, what good is there then- in /He h. a P.romi{e th.tt God ma~es to his people? ·. A»[w. 1, Thlt thou art under the proteCl ion of God more th&n others. Obj. But what co~f9rt is this if it dothbefall mer , , - . ·~ Afif;y.
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