Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

CA P. V.S:I o, Thevanityof impof ngConditions onGod's Promifes. 120 followhim , obey him, liveuntohim , abide with him , becaufe he Lover us with an Everlafting Love. 2. That thefePromifes ofGod doe not properly, and as to their origi- nall rife ,depend on anyconditions inBelievers, or by them tobe fulfilled,but are the Fountains , and Springs of all conditions whatever , that are required to be in them , or expe&ed from them s though the Grace and Obedience of Believers are often mentioned in them , as the means, whereby they are carried on accordingto the appointmentofGod , unto the enjoyment ( or continued in it) ofwhat ispromifed. This oneConfideration, that there is in very many ofthefe Promifes, an expreffe nonobffante, or a not-withftanding the want ofany fuch condition, asmight feeme tobe at the bottome, and tobe the occafion. ofany fuch Promife, or Engagement of the Graceof God, isfufficient togive light and evidenceto this Afertion. If the Lord fayeth exprelly, that he will doe fo with men , though it be not fowith them, his doingof that thing cannot depend on anyfuck thing in them , as he faith, notwithftanding the want ofit, hewill doe it. Take one initance, Ifai. 54. v.9,10. Ina little wrath have Ihidmyfacefrom thee, for amorent,but with everlafting kindneffe willIhave mercy on thee,faith the Lordthy Redeemer : for this is as the waters ofNoah unto mees whereas I have fworne, that the waters of Noah(hall no more cover the Earth,fo have 1 fworne that Iwill not be wrothwith thee, nor rebuke thee: for the mountaines (hall depart , and the hills be removed, but my kindneffe (hallnot departfrom thee, neither Jhall the Covenant ofmypeace be removed,faith the Lord that hathmercy on thee. He will have mercy on them witheverlaffing kindneffe v.8. Yea, but how ifthey walke not worthy ofit? Whyyet thiskindneffe £hall not faile, faith the Lord : for it is as the waters ofNoah: God fweareth that the waters of Noah fhould no more cover the Earth, and youfee the ftability ofwhat he hath fpoken. The World is now xeferved for Fire , but drowned, it (hall be no more: my kindneffe to thee (Taies God ) isfuch, itlhall no more depart from thee, then thofe watersthall return againe upon the Earth. Neither is thisall, wherein he comparethhis kindneffe to thewaters of Noah , but in this alfo, in that in the Promife of drowning the Worldno more, there was an expreffe non obf/ante for the finnesofinen.Gen.8.2r.The Lordfaidin his heart, I will not againe curfe the ground any moreformansfake,for the imagination of mans heart is evillfromhis youth. Though men grow full of wickednefle and violence, as before the Flood they were, yetfaith the Lord, theWorldfhall be drownedno more. And in thisdoth the Promifeofkindneffehold proportion with that ofthewaters ofNoah: there is an expreffe reliefe in it,agaitift the finnes and failingsof them, towhom it is made, viz: fuch as he will permit them to fall into, whileft he certainly preferves them from all fuch,as are inconfiftent with his Loveand Favour, according to the tenor ofthe Covenant of Grace : and thereforeit depends not on any thing in them , being made with a provifo for any fuch defeat, asin themmaybe imagined. . 3. To affirmethat thefe Promifes ofGod's abidingwithus to the end do depend on any condition,that maybe uncertain in itsevent, byus to be ful- filled, as to their Accomplifhment , doth wholly enervate and make them void in refpe&ofthe maine end, for whichthey weregiven us ofGod . That onechiefe end ofthem is togive the Saints confolation in every condition, in all the ftraights, tryalls,and temptations, which they are to undergoe , or may becalled to, is evident. When Iofhua was entring upon the great work offubduing theCanaanites, and letting the Tabernacle, and people of God intheir appointed Inheritance, wherein he was topaffe through innumerable difficulties, tryalls, and prefeures, God gives him that wordofPromife, I will never

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