Thefbridgemcntof the t25. eörïfirmation ofonr faith, being willing more abundantlyto firma vntovi ahefiable-. -nejpofbie Counfell F. -- fHeb:S,rr, Nowfor thar,howGodcanbe Paid toremember hie 'cotenant & oarh,feeingGod cannotforget, thus itmull be vnder(1ood : The longdelaying of the aauallper. forma-nee ofthepromifetouching the Mefsias , might giue occafion totome to thinke that Godhad utterly forgotten it, andthat it was butaverballpromife .without anypurpofe ofaccomplifhment. But now(faith Zachary) hen will fulfill all th_ vtro ft, and bÿCo doing makeit manifeft , that whatfoeuer menmight fuppofe yet the performanceof the Couenant was tuer in hisminde. The retie thenofthe, wholeplace is this ; that whereas Godhad freely, and ofhis owne ac. cord mad, aholy league withhis Church, grounding thefame vpon Chtilt, and binding it (forbetter afBrance) withan Oath, whichnotwithftanding bncaufe of thedelaies offo many yeares,might feeme to beeuenburyed in forgetfulnelfe, he wouldnow make knownhis neuer-failing faithfulneffe, and (hew to the world, that nothingofall that he had faid,fhould fall to theground vnfnlfilled. The doctrine here is, theabfolste andvnchangeablecermintyof Gods pramifs. The3,deú. One end ofthe incarnationofChrifi was, that there might in itbe aneuidence 'gin= to theworld, thatthe Lord neither could nor would be vnmindfull of his promilc. 7efies Chrig wat a Misif erofthe C'ireumcifionfor the truth ofGod, to eon. firme the premifesmade to thefathers e. I will notfaiipp(ie my truth, myresonant will I gRom,, t. 8. Notbreake,nor alter the thing that legone out of my lips'. It was a worthy refoludon ofthe Pmpher,lcng before Chrift wasborne : Thouwiltperforme thytruth to la- ?a cob,ti. mire to Abraham,as thou half worntoour .doers inold time'. Gad cannot MT<, y f f k Tit.s.a. lie k,nordeny hi m(lfet :Thouate the rame(faiththe Kith °):I am the Lord,I change I S.Tima.i not ".This isthe reafon he is called lehouah,becanfe ashe giueth being to all things, mCiel.00:. and bath hisowne being from lsimlelfc;lbhc wakes that tobe, whichhe hath pro. n2143.6. mild. Ofthis there is a doublevie. Fir(t, here is much matter of upholding for the tim The t.Vfe faith ofa Chriflian. God hath promifed ; that is much : he hash bound his pro- mife with an oath; this is more. He lathfont his Sen in the(ulnesof e °,in whom oGa1.4,a. allhis pron fsareTeaandAmene.Whatcanbemoreabfolute? The faith which p..to is ftrengtoened with this thteefoldecord , cannot eafily beebroken. It is anold cultome ofrhe diuell to lay finge to thetruth of Gods word : Tee,bath Gadindeed (aids ? So now, the mainepoint that he laboureth in, is, That God will not befo q Gen, q. i. goodashisword,hewillfergettobemercifull,& his promifewillfaileforeuermerer. iPfal,pt.Is. Toput backe this affault, remember thisone initance of the manifel'ation of Chrilt : all promifes had their reference to him. His birthand fulferings are left asan undoubtedpledgeofthe performanceofwhatfoeuer Godhath fpoken. We may fay as theApoille : Hee that game vs Chrifi, bow fballhe not with himglue all thing,alfor? So, hethat bath performed thepromife concerningChrift, wherein Mom.8. 3:.' (hall hefaile? He that bath kept his word in this, I will make no quellionofhis truth inany thing. Secondly, (for a fecond vie) here ismatter ofvery needfulladuerrifement to Tito a vsall. Here ismention madeofthe couenant ofGod,of theoathofGod, andof the certentyofboth. This covenant confifteth of two parts : in theone God Nodeshimfelfe tovs,tobe our God; in the otherwe bind Our (cluesto him, to be hispeople:7willfaywarm, Thou are mypeople; andtheyfhallfey,Thouart my God'. ..;. His is a toneoant ofmercy, ours in s couenant of obedience. He protntfethhap. prnrffe,we holinelfet lie glory, weduty: he hath tyedbimfelfebyanOath , wee bane hound our felues by the vow of Baptifine.. Will he be mindful( of his cone- nant,and fhall we forget ours? Willnot he alter,and (hall we faile? Will not he trifle with vs,and (hall we dailywith him ?God forbid. Yet this faltring in that part ofthe couenant which concernes vs,is a commoneuill. Themolt ofour lines ranter arguea refolucitín to breake promife, thena purpole and endeauour to performe
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