Promifes originally made to Perim:,not to k ualifcatiotu. CAP.V1.¿ì i . dare boldly fay , that all the Saints of God from the foundations of the 141 World, have moll horribly abnfed his Promifes, and.forced them to other ends, then ever God intended them for. Doubtleflèall thofe fileffed foales who arefallen a fleepe in the Faith ofJefus Chrift, havingdraw refrethment from thefe breathofConfolation, could they be fummoned r'o give in their experience ofwhat they have found in thiskind, theywould with one mouth profeffe that they foundfarre more in them, thenn eere conditional declara- tions of the will ofGod: Yea that they receivedthem inFaith, as the engage- ment of his heart and good willtowards them , & that he never failed in the accompiament and performance dal! the good mentioned in them: neither will that emphaticall exprefìîon in theclofe ofthe fecond verfe, ( which be- ing fomewhat too rough forour Authortohandle, he left it quite out) beare any fuch fence. That the Promifes of the Covenant are made originally to Perlons, andnot to Qualifications,hath been in part already proved, and [hall be farther evinced, (God aíiifling) asoccafon (hallbe offered in the enfuing difcourfe:The Promifes are toAbrahamand his feede and fome ofthem(as hathbeen declared)are the fprings ofall Qualifications whatever,that are ac- ceptable untoGod: what be the Qualifications of Promifesof opening blind eyes, taking away ftonyhearts,&c; bath not asyet been declared. But itis farther argued. 3. That thisand the like Promifes are to be interpreted according to the rule whichGod /. ath givenfor the interpretation rindunderfianding ofhis threatnings untoNations about temporall things, andhis Promife: that areofthefame import; whichwe have ler. i 8.7,8. Plainly affirming that all their accomplifhment depen- deth onfome conditions in the Perfins,or Nations,againfl whom they are denoun- ced. Anf God forbid! thall thofe Promifes which are branchesofthe everlafling Covenant.ofGrace ,called better Promifes then thofe ofthe old Covenant up- Hcor áó: on the account of their infallible áccomplithment, ratified in the blood of Chrift, madeyea andamen in him thewitneflè ofthe Faithfulneffe ofGod to his Church,and grand Supporterof our Faith, exceedinggreat and pretíous; a peC.I,3 (ball theybe thought tobe ofnoother fence and interpretation, tomake no other Revelationofthe Father unto us, but in that kind, which iscommon to threatnings of Judgements (exprefly conditional]) for thedeterring men from their impiousanddetrullive courtes?I fay, God forbid.To putit then to an iffue. God here promifeth that they whohere truft in him thall never be remooved.What(1prayjis the Conditió,on which this Promifedothdepend? It is fay they who oppofeus in this, if they continue trufting iuhim: that is, if theybe not removed; for to craft in him, is, not to be removed, ifthen they be not removed,they thall not be removed; and is this the mincie ofthe Holy Ghofl? Notwithflanding all the Rhetoriche in the world,, this Promife will ¡land for the confolationofthem that believe, as theMountaines about Je- rufalem that {hall never be removed. In fomeit is Paid to be a Promife ofabiding in Ftappine/fe, not in Faith: but it 4. is. plainely appeares tobe a Promifeofabiding in crafting the Lord; whichcom- prehends both our faithand Háppinefie ob. rt is notpromifed, thatthey who once Craft in theLord,fhall abidehappy, though they ceafe to truft in him. Anf. It is aPromife that they (hail not ceafe to truflinhim. ob. it knot that theyfballbe necefftated to abide walling in him. Anf. No,butit isthat they thall befo faraffrfied andeffectuallywrought Upon , as certainely todo it. Ob. it is no more thenthe Apoftlefayes to the Corinthians2 Cor. 2. 3. which T 3 frame
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