299 / 504
Doch.
of
Perfof
Sts
its
ufefulnesto promoteGof
pe11Obedien'e.
C.X.4:zo.
the
spirit,
is
no
(mall
par t,
yea it
is
the greateft part
of
the
worke
of
the
Mi-
243
nifiry,
the
greateft portion
of
what
is
Doétrinall
in
the
Word or
Booke
of
God,
relating to thefe heads;
And
of
this
part
of
that
Ordinance
ofChrif1,
the
Minifiry
of
theWord,the preffing
of
men
into
a
ftate
ofObedience,and
to
a
poereffe
in
that eftate,by
Prom;
fer,Exhortations, & Threatnings,I
(hall
briéfely
,fpeake,either by way
of
Demonfiration and proofe
of
what lieth before me,
or
vindication
of
what
is
affirmed
in
the
fame
kind
,
from
the
Objections
and
Exc eptions
of
Him
in
particular,with whom
I
have
to
doe
i
aiming
Will
at
my
former
Affertion,
that
the Doctrine
I
have infìfted on ,
naturally and
clearly
clofeth
with
thofe Promifes and Exhortations
,
to
help on
their
efficacy
and
energy
for
the accompli(hment ofthe work intended.
For the
flrft,
let
us
take
a
tart
of
the
Promifes,
which
are,as
it
were,
the
very
ç:ao.
life &
beauty
of
the Covenant
of
Grace, and
the Glory
of
the Miniftrycom-
mitted unto men: and they are
oftwo
forts,
both
of
which
have
their
effectu-
all
influence
into the
obedience
of
Saints.
I.
There
arepromifes,
which expreffe
only
the worke
of
Gods grace, and
what he will
freely
doe,in,
&
upon the hearts
of
his
thereby,as
to
the working
Holineffe,
and Obedience
in
them,
as
alto
of
his
pardoning
mercy
in his
free
acceptance
of
them
in Jefus
Chrift:
And thefe
are
in
a peculiar
manner, thofe
better
Prornifes
of
the Covenant
of
Grace, upon
the
account
whereof, it
is fo
exceedingly
exalted above
that
of
Workes
,
which by finne
was
broken
and
difanulled.
Heb:8.6,7,8,9,1o.
2.
There
are Promifes
of
what Good and
great
things,
God
will
farther
doe
unto,
and for
them who
obey him.
As
that
he will keepe
them, and pre
-
ferve
them,that
they
(ball
not be
loft,
that their labour
and Obedience
(hall
Heb.9.
to.
end
in
the enjoyment
of
God himfelfe, with an immortali Crowne
ofGlory
which (hall
never
fade
away.
Now the Doctrine
of
the
Saints
Perfeverance,
and the ftability
of
the
Love
of
God
unto
them,
clofeth with
the
Promifes
of
both
thefe
forts,as
to the
end
of
carrying
on,
&
increafng
Obedience
&
Ho-
lineffe
in
them;
Take
an inftance in
the
firfi.
The
Promifes
of
the
worke
of
GodsGrace
in
us
and towards
us
are
effectual],
as
appointed
to
this
end;
fo
in
that
Great word
Gen:17.
r.
which
the
Apoftle
calls
the
Promefe.
Gal. 4.
I
am
God
Almighty,
I
am fo
and
will
be
fo to
thee, and
that
for, and to
all ends
and
purpofes
ofthe
Covenant whatfoever.
The
inference
is,
walke before me
and
be
thou perfect;
Walking
with
God
in uprightneffe and fincerity
,
is
the
proper
fruit
in
us,
of
the
Promife
ofGod to us, to
be our
allfifcient
God
in
_Covenant.
As
Ier.3I.
33.
our becoming the People
of
God ,
in
walking with
him
in all
waies
ofObedience,
is
the
effect
of
his
Promife
to
be
our
God,
and
to write
his
Law
in
our
hearts;
not
only
becaufe by
the
Grace
of
the
:
Promife,
we arebrought into
a
ftate
of
Acceptance, and
made the People
ofGod
,
but
alfo
upon
the
account
ofthe
ingagement,that
is
put upon
us,
by
that
gracious
Promife,to live
unto
him; Whence
in
the
clofe
it
is
affirmed,
we
fhall
be
his
Pea.
pie.
The
word
of
the Gofpell,or the word
of
Faith,
loth
mainly conlifi
in
this:
And what
the
aimeofthat
is,theApoftle
declares. Titus 2.11,12.
The Grace
of
God,which appeareth unto
us,teacheth
us to deny
all
ungodlineffe
and
worldly
lulls,
and
to
live
foberly, righteoufly,
and
Godly
in
this prefentworld.
Which generali
purport
of
the
Promifes
in
this
way,
is
farther
afferted
2 Cor.
7.
i.
Having
then, faith
he,
thefe Promifes,
Let
us cleanfe our
felves from
all
filthineffe
o
f
flefh
and
fpirit,
perfecting
Holine/fe
in
the
ferre
of
the
Lord.
And mofi eminently,
is
this
Aligned
to the
Promifes
of
that
fort, which we nowpeculiarly
inlift
up
-.
on,
2
Pet:
I.3.4.
To
know
the
way, whereby thefe, or any
other
Promifes
are
effectuall
to
the end and purpofe
intimated,
two
things
are
conliderable.
Firfl, what
is
required
to
make them
fo effectual],
secondly,
wherein
,
and
I
i
2
how