The PromifesofGod, all of freeGrace. C A r. V.4:6. ving) it is no more ofPromife, that is,free,andofmeere Grace.He that can find 113 out any Keaton, or caufewithout God himfelfe, why he fhould promiCe any good things whatever toSinners,' (as all are ,& areEliot up underfinne,till the Promife came, Gal. 3.22.) may be allowed toGlory in theinvention whichhe Mat.2o. 15. hath found out. Awell conditioned Nature, necefiìtating him to a velleity ofdoing good, and yeelding re]iefe to them that are in mifery (though juft- ly receiving the due rewardoftheir deeds,, which even among the Sonnesof men, is avertue dwelling upon theconfines ofvice) for their recovery, isby forneimpofed on him. But thatphis is not the fountaine and rifeofhis Pro- mifes, needs noother evidence, but the light of this Confideration. That, which is naturall,is necefï'ary, and univerfall : Promifes are diftinguifhing as tothem inmifery: at leaft they are given tomen , . and not to fallen Angelis: But may not Goddoe what he will with his own ? Farther, Jefus Chrifi is himfelfe in the Promife : he is the great original). matter, and fubje&oftheProiifes; and the giving ofhim was doubtleffe of free Grace and Mercy fo Iohn 3.16. Godfo Loved the World , that he gave his only begotten Sonne, and Rom: 5.8. God commendeth his Love towards us, in that whileff we were Sinners,Chrifl diedfor us: and in the firft of ioh: 4.1o. Herein is Love, not that we Loved God, but that he Loved us, and feat his Sonne to be a Propitiation for us, All is laid upon the account of Love, and free Grace. I m''''''26° confeffe there arefollowing Promifes, givenout for the orderly carrying on of the perfons, towhom themaine originali fundamental! Promifes are made, unto the enddefignedfor them, that feeme tohave o?ualifications andCon- ditions in them; but yet even thofe are all to be refolved into the Primitive grantofMercy. That which promifeth Lifeupon believing, beingofufeto flirre men upunto, and carry them on inFaith and Obedience, muttyet as to the pure nature ofthe Promife be refolved into that, which freely is promi- fedviz.Chrift himfelfe, and with himbothFaith,and Life, Believing,and. Sal- vation. As in yourAutomata, there is oneoriginals fpring or wheele, that give.. eth motion to fundry leffer and fubordinate movers, that are carried on with great variety, fometimes witha Teeming contrarietyone to another, but all regularly anfwering, and being fubfervient to theimpreffionof the firft mo- ver. Thefirft great PromifeofChriff , and all good things in him, is that Gen.1.i5.t6 which Spiritsand principles all other Promifes whatfoever 5 and howfoever I fa 946'' °' they mayTeem tomove uponconditionall termes, yet they are all tobe refol- s cor. I. 20. ved into that abfolute, and free Originali Spring. Hencethat great Grant of Gofpell Mercy, is called theGift by him. Rom:5. 15, 16, 17. yeaall the Pro- milesofthe Law, as to their Originali Emanation fromGod, and the confti tutionofthe reward in them ingaged to be beftowed for thefervices requi- red, arefreeand Gracious. There is not any naturaliindifpenfable connexion between Obedience andReward, as there is between Sinne and Punifhment: Mar. de MMJP. as I haveelfewhere at largeDifputed, and Proved. Div. 2, I call themDifcoveries and Manifellationof Gods Good-willand Love, 4. 6. which is the prime, andfoiecaufeof all the good things, which are wrapped up, and contained in them. Ofthis Good-will of God,thePromifes, which he bath given, are the foie difcoveries: We doe not in this Difcourfe take Pro- mifes, meerely for what God bath Paid he willdoe in termes, exprefly, but for every Afï'ertion of his Good will andKindneffeto usin Chrift, all which was firft heldout under aword of Promife. Gen: 3.15. And this the Apoflle inferres in Tit. 5.2,3. In hope ofeternall life,which God,that cannot lye,promifed before the3World beganne, but bath in due time manifefled his Word through Preaching;or difcovered, or made known that good will ofhis, by the Pro- mites in Preachingof the Gofpell. And to this extent of fignificancy is that Q Promife
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