318 TheStablap f rians dociri.j r. Deternendo, bq Decreeing. The Almighty is etér nally fubjeft to his own ordiríances,or elfehe fhould be muta- ble. Andtherefore what gifts foever he hath decreed to men, he is bound to give them by virtue of his own decree. z. Promittendo,by Promifing. We ufe to lay,Troraiife is debt : It is juftice to perform what it was free to promife And wholòever he be that proniifeth and payeth not, is guiltyof a trefpafi'e (witneffeAnanias and Sapphira) and unworthy of the kingdome of heaven, Pfal. r 5.'4. If there fore God bath made a promife 6f any gift or grace to Men his promife bindeth him toperformance. , Namferal emifumvolat irrevocabileverbum. 3. Legemferendo,by Giving men a Law tokeep which with. out fitpernaturall grace they can no more keep then they cari eat a rock. By fuch a law the fupreme Lawgiver bindeth him_ felt to his people to give them fuch power as may enable them to keep that law, or elk he beeometh (as the evil fer. want in the parable flyledhim) ahardmatter, reaping where be Towed not, and the very true and proper caufe of the cranf_ greflion of that law. We tha11 find God alvvayes giving $rengch when he giveth a command. Whenhe commanded thecreatu#es to increafe and multiply, he gave them a mul- tiplying virtue: WhenChrift bade the lame -manarife , take up bis bedand walk , he put into his limbs an abilitie of walking. When Adam had a fpirituall'Iaw given to obey which without fpírituall flrength he could not, God gave him ftrengthanfwerable to the law, as Divines agree, contend ng to that noted fpeech ofS. Augufline, That Adam had po/fe non cadere, though he never had nonpûlfe cadere, a Power and Poflìbilitie though noNeceflicy of continuing in obe4 dime. That I maybringthis home tomy purpófe,Ifay,That Gòd is bound to reflore unto men power to believe, ftippofing there things that follow': r. That he hash veuchfated to enter into a new covenant of peace withmen,when he need- ed nor; a. That in thatcovenant be requireth obedience at mens hands, even at theirs that perifh ; 3. That ht.' promìfrth eternall life to every man, ifhe obey and keep the covenant; 4. That hepunifh.th the difobedient vvithever- biting death. Thefe particulars fuppófed, the Mori free God, who is abfolutely bound to none, is engaged to give a- bilitie of believing unto men : Nor can he juflly without this gift punish the difobedient, any more thena Magifti ate having
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