83 / 504
C
A
r.
j.
§:
42,43,44-
Ifaiab
C.4.
opened and explayned.
God,
all
the Prayers
of
the
Saints, all
their
Experience,
the
whole
defigne
of
27
Godin
laying up all
our
ftores
of
Strength and Grace
in
Chrift
,
joyntly cry
out
againft
it for
a
counterfeit pretence. In
a
word,
that
men are able
to
plant
in themfelves Inclinations
and
Difpofitionr
to
refraìne
all
manner
of
Sinne
deftru
&ive
to
the
fafety
of
their
foules,
fuller
of
Energie,
Vigor,
Life,
Strength, Power, then thofe
that
are in them ,
to
avoid things Apparantly
tending
to the
deftru
&ion
of
their naturali
lives,is an Affertion as
full
of
Ener-
gy,
Strength, and Vigor,
Life
and Poyfon, for the
deftruêtion and everfion
of
the Grace
of
God
in
Chrift,
as
any can be
invented.
To
Phut
up this
Difcourfé
and to proceed:
If
thefe are
the
folid
Foundations
ß.4á:
òfPéace
and Confolation, which
the
Saints
have
cóneerning
their
Perfeve=
rance,
if
thefe
be the
means
fufficient abundantly fufficient
afforded
them,for their Prefervation,
that
are laid in
the ballance ,
as
to
the
giving
of
an Evangelicall
Genuine Aflùrance, with
the
Decrees,
and
Purp
fes
the
Cove
nant,Promifes
and oath
of
God,
the
Blood
and InterceJon
of
Chrift,
the
An-
noynting
and
sealing
of
the
fpirit
of
Grace, I
fuppofe
we need
not
care,
how
Toone
we enter
the
Lifts
with
any,
as
to
the
comparing
of
the
-DoEtrines
un-
der
conteft,in reference
to their
Influence
into
the
Obedience and Confolati-
on
of
the
Saints, which
with it's Iffue,
in
the
dole
of
this difcourfe
(hall
God
willing
be put to the
trial'.
Now
that
I
may
lay a
more eleere Foundation for
what
cloth
infue,
I
(hall
ß,
43
briefely deduce,
not
only
the
DoElrine
it
felfe,
but
alto
the
Method,
wherein
(hall
handle it,from
a
portion
of
Scripture
;
in which
the
whole
is
fummarily
çomprized
,
and branched forth
into fuitable
Heads
,
for the
Confirmation
and
vindication
thereof.
And
this alto
is
required
to
the
mayne
of
my
de-
figne, being
not
fo
direttly to
Convince
flout
Gaine
fayers,
in
vanquifhing
their
obje Jions,as
to
strengthen
Weak
Believers,in
helping them againft
Temptations,
& therefore
(ball
at the
entrance hold
out
that,
whereinto their Faith.muft be
ultimately refolved;the Authority
of
God in
his
Word,
being
that
Arke
alone
whereon it
can reft
the
foie
of
its
foot.
Now
this
is
the Fourth chap.of
zfaiah,
of
which
take
this
(port
account
:
It
is
a
Chapter
made
u
of
Gracious
Promi-
fes,given
to the Church,in
a
Calamitous feafon:the
Sean
ît
felfe
is
defcribed,
verfes 25, and
26.
of
the third Chapter, and the
firft of'
this
;
all
holding
out,
a diftreffed
eftate,
a
low condition; it
is
indeed Gods
Method,
to
make
out
gracious Promifes
to
his
People,when
their
condition
feems
moil
deplored,to
fweeten
their
foules
with
a
fence
of
his
Love,
in
the multitude
of
the
pere
plexing
".thoughts,
which in diftraéted times , are ready
to
tumultuate in
them.
The
Foundation
of
all
the following promifes
lies in
the
fecond verfe, even
Ç.
44=
the
giving
out
of
the
Branch
of
the Lord,
and the Fruit
of
the earth for
Beau-,
ty
and Glory,
to
the remnant oflfrael
i
Who
it
is;
who
is
the
Branch
of
the
Lord;
the
Scripture tells us
in fund
ry
places,
Ifaiah
ri.
r.
Ier.23.5
& 33.15;
Zaeh.
3.8.
The Lord
Jefus
Chrift,the Promife
of
whom
is
the
Churches on
ly
Supportment
in every tryall
or
diftreffe
;
it hath
to undergoe;
He
is
this
Branch
and Fruit
,
and he
is
placed
in
the
Head
here,
as
the great Fountain
Mercy, from whence
all
others doe flow:In thofe
that follow, the
Perforas
,
to
whom
thofe promifesare made, and
the
Matter
or
ssb51ance
of
them are
ob-
fervable;
the
Perfonshave
various
Appellations,
and defcriptions in
this
Chap-
ter;
They
are called
(Firft)
the Efcaping
of
Ifraell:
v.
2. They
that
are left
in
Sion,
v.
3.
yerufalem
it
felfe,
v.4.
The
Dwelling places
and
A/feniblies
of
Mount
Sion.
v.5. That the
fame
individuali Perlons, are
intended
in all thefe feve.
tall
Appellations,
is
not
queftionabie;
It
is
but
in reference
to the
feverall
Ae`ts
of
Gods
dwelling with
them, and outgoing
of
his Love
and Goodwill
a
both