C®P.VI.g; tt. 138 Pfd. 125. at. i,2. Explained. upon aheart any way enobledwith the ingenuityofGrace, to make fuita- ble returne,as farre as poffible it can, to fuch eminent Mercy and Goodnefle. I profeffe, I know not what thofe men thinke the Saints ofGod to be, who fuppofe them apt tomakeconclutionsofwantonneffe and rehellion,upon the account of theStedfaftneffe oftheLove and KindnefleofGod to them. l {hall not judgeany, as to their ftateand Condition: yet I cannot but thinke, that fuch mens prejudices, and fulneffe oftheir own perfwafionsdoe exceedingly interpofe in their Spirits,from receiving that impreflionof this Grace ofGod, which in its owne nature it is apt to gives or it would. be impoflible they fhould once imagine, that of it felfe it isapt to draw theSpirits ofmen into a negle& and contempt of God. 2. As theend ofGod intended in giving that affurance, to the effe&ing whereofit is 'exceedingly operative andeffe&uall ; foyou have it Luke s. 74, 75. This is the intendment ofGod inconfirming his Oath and Promifeunto us, that he maygrant unto us, that wee beingdeliveredout ofthe hands ofoar ene- mies, might fervehim withoutfeare,in rigbteoufneffeandholineffe all the daies of our lives. Now though thefe forementioned, with many other Texts of Scripture, are plaine, evident, and full to the bufineffe we have in hand ; yet theAdverfariesofthis truthhaving theirhands fo full with them that are com- monly urged , that they cannot attend unto them,I (hall not need to fpend time in their vindication fromexceptions, which none, that I know, have as yet brought in againft them (though, upon their principles,they might poflì- blybe invented ) but fhall leave them tobe mixed with faith , according as Godbyhis Spirit fhall fet them home upon the foules of theta, who doe con- fider them. Thewhole 1 25. Pf. might in the next place be brought in, togive Tefri- mony to the truth inhand. I fhall only take a Proofe from the firft verfes of it. They that Inain theLord 'hall be asmount Sion, which cannot be removed; as the tnountainesround about 7erufalem, fo is the Lord round about his people from henceforth even for ever. whereunto anfwereth that ofPf :37.28.The Lord lovethjudgment, andforfal¿eth not his Saints, they are preferved for ever, as a!í Deut. 33.3. Tea he lotiethhispeople, all hisSaints are in thy hand. In the verfes named, I {hall a little fixeupon two things conducing to our purpofe , which are evidently contained in them. 1. APromife ofGods everlafting prefence with his Saints, Believers;them that trufl in him; and their tied' ftneffe thereupon, they'hall beas mount Sian that can never be removed, and that, becaufe the Lord isround about then, and thatforever. 2. An alIufivecomparifon ofboth thefe, both their 'lability, and Gods prefence with them, given for the encouragement of weakeBelievers , with fpeciallregard to thedayes wherein the Promifewas firft made, which a&u allyalfo belongs to them, on whom the ends of the World are fallen. The Pfalmift bids them (as it were) lift up their eyes, and look upon mount Sian, and the hills that were round about Jerufalem, and tells them that God will as certainly,and affuredlycontinue with them, and give them eftabli{hment, as thofehills and Mountaines which they beheld round about, abide in their places: fo that it (hall be asimpoflible for all the powers of Hell to remove them out, ofthe Favour ofGod,asfor a man to pluck up mount Sion by the rootes,or tooverturne the foundations of the Mountaines, that ftand round about 7eru/alem. It is true, the HolyGhoft bath fpeciall regard to theoppofi- tions and Temptations that theywere to undergo° frommen, but bears an an equall regard to all other meanes of feparating themfrom their God; It wouldbe a matterof fmall confolation unto them, that men fhould not pre- vaile
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