Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

Some Obfervatiorisconfirming the Argument in hand, C A r.1V.4:5, and Faithfulnefe undertaken, that weihall abide to be hisPeople. So is his 97 Love in his Covenant expreflèd by its Efficacy to this end and Purpofe. Deut. 50.6. And the Lord thy Godwill afo Circumcife thy Heart and the Heart of thy Seed, to Love the Lord thy Godwithallthine Heart andwith all thySoule, that thou maifl live. Secondly,it denyes the continuance ofthe Love ofGod to us, to the End, to be any part ofthe Bleffings; wherewith we are bided in Jefus Chrif : For if it be, it could no more be fufpetrded on any Condition in ùs,then the Glorificationof Relievers thatabide fo totheend. This then is enwrapped in this Promife ofthe Covenant unto theÉle&, withwhom it isEflablifhed; God will be a God to them for ever, and that toBleflè them with all theBleffrngs, whichhe communicates in and by the Lord Jefus Chrift the promifedfeed. ' The continuance of his Favourto the End, is tous (unqueflionably) a Spiritual]. Bleflìng; 'ifany one be otherwife .minded,!(hall not preffeto (hare with him in his Apprehenfion: And if fo, it isin Chrift, and (hall certainely be enjoyed by them,to whom God is a God inCovenant.He that can fuppefe, that he (hall prevaile with the Saints of God tobelieve it will make for their Confolation toapprehend, that thereis no ingagementin his Covenant affuring them ofthe continuance of theFa-. your of God unto them, to the Endof their Pilgrimage, bath no reafon to doubt or queflion the Iffue ofany thing, he (hall undertake to perfwade men unto. Doubtleffe he will find it very difficult with them, who intime of spirituall straights & preffures, have doled with this ingagement ofGod in theCovenant ,& have had experienceofits bearing them throughall perplex= ityes, and entanglements,when the Waves of temptationwere ready togoe over their Soules. Certainely Davidwas in anotherperfwafion,when upon a view ofall thedifficulties he had paffed through, and his houle was tomeet withall,heconcludes 2 Sam. 23. g. This is all myde ire andall my Salvation,that Godhath made with me aneverlaflingCovenant,or eyed in all things &fure.The Covenant from whence he hadhisfore Mercyes, not Changeable, not Altera- ble, not liable tofailings, as the temporal] Profperity of his Houfe was, was that he rejoyced in. I (hall clofe this with two Obfervations. fia Firft, it may doubtleffe, and on ferious Confideration will feeine ftrange to any one, acquainted in the leaf}meafure with God and hisFaithfullneflè, thatin aCovenant eftablifhed in the Blood ofChrif} he fhould freely promife tohis, that he would be aGodunto them, that is, that he would abide with them in the Power, Goodneffe, Righteoufneffe,and Faithfullneffe ofa God, that he wouldbean Allfufficient God to them for ever, when he might with an Almighty facilityprevent it, and fo anfwer and fullfill his Ìngagement to to theutmofl, hefhould yet fuffer them tobecomefuch Villains andDevills in WickedneJfe, that it fhouldbeutterly impoffiblefor him in the Blood ofhis Sonne, and the richesofhis Grace, to Continue a God unto them: thisTfay feemeth ftrange tome, andnot to be received without carting the greateff reproach imaginable, on theGoodneffe, Faithfullneffe, and Righteoufneffè ofGod. Secondly, ifthis Promife benot abfolute, Ìmmutable, Unchangeable, In- dependent on any thing in us, it isImpofiible that any one fhould pleade it with theLordbutonly upon the account ofthefence that he bathofhis own accompli fhmentofthe Coudition,onwhich the Promife doth depends I cart almoft fuppofe that thewholeGeneration ofBelieverswill rife up againft this tr,.s.. Affertion to remove it out oftheirway ofwalking with God. This I know? If'. 0.1°. that molt ofthem,who any time have walked in darkenefé and havehadno Light, will reprove it to the Faces.ofthem that mainetaine ir, and profeffe O that

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