Promifes given to Perforas not alifications. CAP. V§:to, never leave thee, norforfaIe thee. Zofita r. 5. fo are many ofthem made to the 721 Saints in their weaknefhe, darknefle, and defections , as will appeare iy the confiderationof the particular inftances following. Now what one dropof Ifa 4.3,4 confolation can a poore drooping tempted foule fqueeze out of fuchPromi- fes,that depend wholly and folely upon any thingwithin themfelves : hewill bewith mee and be myGod, it istrue: but alwaies provided, that I continue to behis:That alto is a fweet and gratious Prornife;but that I ¡hall doefo, he bath not promifed ; It feems I have a turfed Liberty left me, ofdeparting wickedly from him; fo that upon the matter, notwith(tanding thefe Promi- fes ofhis, I am lefttomy felfe; IfI will abide with him, well and good,he will abide with me, and fo it !hall be well with mee: That he fhould fo abide with me, as to caufe me to abide with him, it feemes thereis no fuch thing ; Souk look to thy felfe;.all thy hopes and help is in thy felfe: bit alas ! for the pre- fent I have no fenceof thisLoveofGod, and I know not that I haue any true, reall , unfained Obedience tohim. Corruption is thong , Temptations are many, what ¡hall I fay ? Shall I exercife Faithon thofe Promifes of God, wherein he hath Paid; and given Affurance,that he willbe a God to mefor ever? According as my thoughts areof my ownabiding with him, fo mayI think of them, aqd no otherwife; fo that I am againe rolled upon mine own hands, and left to mine own endeavours, toextricate my felfe from thefe fad intan- glements. What now becomes of the Confolation,which in thefe Promifes is intended? Are they not on this account rather flints, andpieces ofIron, then Breafts ofcomfort andjoy. Lay, ifitbe fo as is fúppofed, it is evident, that God makes no Promifes unto Perfns, butonly untoConditions and ,Rualifications, that is, His -Pro- mifes are not engagements ofhis love &Goodwill to Believers, but difcove- ries of hisApprobation ofBelieving: fuppofe any Promifeof God, tobeour God,ourall fufficient God for ever not eminently to include an engagement for the effe6tuall exertionofthe alfufficiency topreferve and continue us, in fucha Bate and fpirituall condition, as wherein he may with the Glory and Honor ofhisGrace (and will not faile to) abide and continue our God, and you cut all the nerves and finewes of it,asto the Adminiftration ofany Con- folation unto them towhom it is given. ThePromifes , muffbe madegood: that is Certaine: and if they are accomplifhedí, or not accomplifhed unto men,meerelyupon the account offuch, and fuch ,rsalifzcations in them, whichifthey are not found, then they ¡hall be fulfilled; ifnot, then theyare fufpended: they are made to the Conditions, and not at allro the Perlons. And though force perhaps willeafily grant this,yet upon this account it can- not be faid, that God ever made any one Promife untóhis Church, as con- fittingoffuch perfons, namelyAbraham andhis seed; which is direlycontra ry to that ofthe Apoftle. Rom. 9.8. Where he calleth the Elef, thechildren ofthe Promifes, or thofetowhom the Promifes were made. It appears then, that neither are thefe Promifes ofGodConditionall. As they proceed from. free Grace, fo there is noother account,on which their givenout,continued, and accomplifhed towards the Children ofGod. Though the things ofThe Promife are often placed in dependence one ofanother,as Meanes-and Ends, yet the Promifes themfelves are abfolute. Thefefew things being premifed, I fhalI now name and infift upon fome §: st. particular Promifes,whereinthe Lord hath gracioully engaged himfelfthat he will abide to be aGod inCovenant untohis People,& their Guide unto death: from whichIfball labour to make good this Argument, for the Perfeverance o f the Saints. That which that God,who cannot lye, nor deceive, with whom is rìó variable= R. nefe,
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