The vanityof impofimg Conditionson God`s Promifes. CA P.V.4: eo, dent with the matter ofthe Promife it felfe.That condition,or thofe conditi- ons muff confift in fome A&, Ads, Way or Courfeofacceptable Obedience in them, towhom the Promifes are made: This the natureof the thing it felfe requireth. Now every fuchA&,way,or courfe isthe matter ofthe Promife, even univerfall Obedience. Now ifone man fhould promife another , that he should at fuch a time and place be fupplyed with anhundredpounds topay his Debts, on condition that hecameand brought theMonies himfelfe, ought hetobe elteemed tohavea mind to relieve the poore man, or to mockhim? To affirme, that,when God promifeth to writehis Law in our Hearts, to put his Feare in our inward parts, to Create in usa NewHeart, to .circumcife our Hearts that wemay feare himalwaies, to give us his Spirit to abide with us for ever,to preferve us by his Power,fo that wefhall never leave him nor for- fake him, (hall live to him, and finne (hall not have dominion over us &c. he doth it upon condition,that wewritehis Law inour hearts,Circumcifethem, continue to feareHim, abide with Him, not forfake him, &c. is tomake him to mock and deride at their mifery , whole reliefe he fo ferioufly pretend- eth. What ever Promifesthen ofthis kind (Promifes ofworking Obedience inus,for our abiding withhim)shall be produced, theywill be found to be Abfolute, & independent onany condition whatever, & their Truth no waies to be maintained, but in and by their Accomplifhment. 2. For tholeofthefirft fort,which I (hall nowhandle, farther to cleave the foundationoftheir enfuing Application, I (hall propofe only fome few things unto confideration. As I. That they are not tobe taken, or looked upon, as to their ufe for Ar- gument in the prefent Controverfy, feparatedand divided from thofe other Promifes formerly infifted on, which affure Believers, that they fhall alwaies abide with God,as to theirObedience: all hope that any have toprevaile a- gainft them, isby dividingof them. It is a very vaine fuppofall and founda- tionoffand, which our Adverfariesbuild their inferences upon, which they make againft the Do&rine oftheSaints Perfeverance, via, the Impoffibility that God fhouldcontinue hisLove and Favour to them, whileft they wallow inall manner ofAbominations, and defperate Rebellions againft him : An Hypothefis crudely impofed on ourDoárine, and repeated over and over, as amatter ofthe greateft deteftation , and abomination , that can fall within the thoughts ofmen. And fuch fuppofalls andconclufions are made thereup- on, as border at leaft upon the curled colt ofBlafphemy. but cuifini, Ipray? To what end is all this noyfe? as though any had ever Afterted, that God promifed to continuehis Love and gracious Acceptation alwaies tohis Saints, and yet took no care , nor :had promifed , that they fhould be continued Saints: but would fuffer them to turnevery Devills. It is as eafy for men to confute Hypothefes created in their own imaginations, as to cafe downe men oftirareoftheir own framing, and letting up. We fay indeed, that God bath faithfully promifed, that he will never leave nor forfake Believers ; but with- all, that hebath no leffe faithfully engagedhimfelfe , that they fhàll never wickedlydepart fromhim,but that they fhall continue Saints and Believers. Yea (WI may fo fay) Promifing alwaiesto accept them freely, itis incumbent onhis Holy Majefty, upon the account of his Truth, Faithfulneffe, and Righteoufnefie, topreferve them fuck, as without the leaft difhonour tohis Grace, and Holineffe, yea to the greateft advantage of his Glory, he may al- waies accept them, delight in them, and reioyceover them: and fo he tells us heBoth, ierem. 31.7. Tea Ihave loved thee with an everlafling Love, thereforè with loving kindneffe have Tdrawnthee: he drawes us withhis kindneff'è, to follow 119 ß iÓ.
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