Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

ThePromifes oftheCovenant proved immutable Ca P.1V.55:7, Cap3 s. 34 The guilt offinne !hall be done away inChrift,and that on termes ofthe greateft Honor and Glory tothe Jufticeof God, that can be apprehen- ded; God hathfetforth Chrift to bea Propitiation through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteoufnefféfor 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 onme,Imillput myLaw in their Hearts write it in their inward parts. Cap.3 i. 33 I will put myfeare in their inward parts, that they (hall not depart fromme. Cap.32.4o.So that theContinuance of his Love is fecured againíf all poffible interveniences whatever, byan aílùred prevention ofall fuch that have an inconfiftency therewithall. The Apoftle Paul fetting out theCovenant, whichGodratifieth in theBlood of Chrift,which fhall never be broken,takes thedefcription ofit from this place of theprophet. Heb.8.9, io, i s, s 2.& therein fixeth particularly on theVnchan- geableneffe ofit, in oppofition to the Covenant whichwent 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 Conditionsby our felves& inour owne ftrength,with the advantage ofits pro- pofall tous, attendedwith exhortations & therefore by us tobe fulfilled,how was it diftinguifhed from that made with the People, when they came our of Egypt? But in this very thing the difference ofit lyeth,as theApoftle afferts. n. 6,7,g. The Immutabilityofthis 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 ofall caùfes ofAlteration.When twoenter into Co- venant and Agreement, no one canundertake, that that Covenant fhall be firme, and ftable, if it equally depends upon both : yeaboth it , may be are changeable, and foa&ually changed, before the accomplifhingof the thing engaged about therein: However though the one Ihould be faithful], yet the other may faile, and fo the Covenant be broken: Thuswas it with Godand Adam, it could notbe undertaken,that that Covenant fhouldbe kept invio- lable, becaufe though God continues faithfull, yet Ad4mmight prove, ( as ih- deed hedid) faithleffe: and fo the Covenant was difanulled, as to any power ofknitting together God and Man. The Covenant betweene Husband and Wife; theone party cannot undertakethat 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 isone , 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 dependupon the will of ano= ther, but ofhim only, who is faithfull, who cannot lye, who cannot deceive, who will make all his engagements good to theutmoft. He is an Allfu dent one, he will worke, andwho (hall let him?The LordofHofts bath purpofed, and who [hall difanull it? Yeaha is an unchangeable one, what he undertakes, (hall come to paffe. Bleffed behisname, that he bath not laid the foundation ofaCovenant in the Bloudofhis deareSonne,Iayd out the richesofhisWife- dome, Grace, and power about it and then left it tous, and our fraile -will tocarry it on, that itíhould be in our power to make void the great workof his mercy. Whence then (I fay) Ihould any change be, thewhole depending on one, and he immutable. 2. Seeing that God andman,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

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