155 / 504
The
Promifes
ofthe
Covenant proved immutable
C
a P.1
V.55:7,
Cap
3
s.
34
The
guilt
of
finne !hall
be
done
away
inChrift,and that
on
termes
of
the greateft Honor and Glory
to
the
Juftice
of
God, that
can
be apprehen-
ded; God hath
fetforth
Chrift
to
be
a
Propitiation through
Faith
in
his
Blood, to
declare
his
Righteoufneffé
for
the
Remiffion
o
f
firmes
that
are
pail.
Ram.3.
2
5.
And for the
latter, that that
may be
throughly prevented
,
faith
Godthe care
fhall
ly on
me,I
mill
put
my
Law
in
their Hearts write
it
in their inward parts.
Cap.3
i.
33
I
will
put
my
feare in
their inward parts,
that
they
(hall
not
depart
from
me.
Cap.32.4o.So
that the
Continuance
of
his
Love
is
fecured againíf all
poffible interveniences
whatever,
by
an
aílùred prevention
of
all
fuch
that
have
an inconfiftency
therewithall.
The
Apoftle
Paul
fetting out
the
Covenant, whichGod
ratifieth
in
the
Blood
of
Chrift,which
fh
all
never be broken,takes
the
defcription
of
it from this place
of
the
prophet.
Heb.8.9, io, i s,
s
2.&
therein
fixeth
particularly
on
theVnchan-
geableneffe
of
it,
in oppofition
to
the
Covenant
which
went before,
which was
lyable
to mutation:
when
if
thefe differed only in
the
Approbation
offeverall
)ualifications
,
they
come to
the
fame end.
For
if this
Covenant depends on
Conditions
by our
felves& in
our
owne
ftrength,with the advantage
of
its
pro
-
pofall
to
us,
attended
with exhortations &
therefore by
us
to
be fulfilled,how
was
it
diftinguifhed from
that
made with
the People,
when they came
our
of
Egypt? But
in
this very thing
the
difference
of
it lyeth,as the
Apoftle afferts. n.
6,7,g.
The
Immutability
of
this
Covenant, and the certaine produ& ofall the
Mercy
promifed in
it,might(were that our prefent tafke)
be
eafily
demonftra-
ted;
as Firft.
I.
From the Removal
of
all caùfes
of
Alteration.When
two
enter into Co-
venant
and Agreement, no
one
can
undertake,
that
that
Covenant
fhall
be
firme, and ftable,
if
it
equally
depends upon
both
:
yea
both
it
,
may be
are
changeable, and
fo
a&ually
changed, before
the
accomplifhing
of
the thing
engaged about therein: However though the one
Ihould be faithful],
yet the
other
may faile, and
fo
the Covenant be broken: Thus
was
it
with
God
and
Adam,
it
could
not
be
undertaken,that
that
Covenant fhould
be
kept invio-
lable,
becaufe
though God
continues faithfull,
yet
Ad4m
might prove, (
as
ih-
deed
he
did)
faithleffe:
and
fo
the Covenant
was
difanulled,
as
to
any power
of
knitting together God and
Man.
The
Covenant betweene
Husband
and
Wife;
the
one
party cannot undertake
that
the
whole Covenant (hall be
ob-
ferved,
becaufe
the other
may prove treacherous. In this
Covenant
the
ca fe
is otherwife.
God
himfelfe
bath undertaken the
whole,
both
for
his
continu-
ing with
us,
and our
continuing with him.
Now he
is
one , God
is
one
,
and
there
is
not
another,that
they íhould
faile &
difanull
this
agreement.
Though
there be
fundry perfons
in
covenant
,
yet there
is
but
one undertakeron all
hands, and
that
is
God
himfelfe.
It doth not depend
upon
the
will
of
ano=
ther, but
of
him only, who
is
faithfull, who
cannot
lye, who
cannot deceive,
who will make
all
his
engagements good
to the
utmoft.
He
is
an
Allfu
dent
one,
he will
worke, and
who
(hall
let
him?
The
Lord
of
Hofts
bath purpofed,
and who
[hall
difanull
it? Yeah
a
is
an
unchangeable
one, what he undertakes,
(hall
come
to
paffe. Bleffed
be
his
name,
that
he bath
not
laid
the
foundation
of
a
Covenant
in
the
Bloud
of
his
deare
Sonne,Iayd
out the
riches
of
hisWife-
dome, Grace, and power about
it
and
then
left it to
us,
and our
fraile
-will
to
carry
it
on,
that it
íhould be
in
our power
to
make void the
great work
of
his mercy.
Whence then
(I
fay) Ihould any
change
be,
the
whole depending
on one, and he
immutable.
2. Seeing
that
God and
man,having
been
at
fo
great
a diftance,
as
they
were by
finne,
mutt
needs
meet
in
Tome
Mediatour,
Tome
middle perfon
in
whom, and
by whole
blond,
(
as
covenants ufually were confir-
0
2
toed
99