CAP.V t9. The place vindicated from M.G's Exceptions. 144 pofalls ofjinn, wickedneffe, or rebellion,bepreferved infilch a Faith,is not by any word, f llable,or Iota intimated. Anf. This is thatwhich is repeated ufque ad naufam; and were it not for varietyofexpreffions, wherewith fome men doe abound , to adorne it , it would appeare extreame beggerly and over-worn; but a lorry fhift ( as they fay) is better then none, or doubtleffe in thisplace it had not beenmade ufe of. For, r. This reftimony isnot called forth to fpeake immèdiately , to the con- tinuanceofBelieversin their Faith, but to the continuance and unchangea- bleneffeof the Love ofCod to them; and confequentiallyonly to their pre - fervation inFaithupon that account. 2, It is not onlyabatedat acheap,and very lowrate or price, butclear- ly gratisfuppofed, thatBelievers maymake fuch interpofallsofsinne, Wicked- neffe, andRebellion in their walking withGod, as fhould be inconlftent with the continuance ofhis Favour andKindneflè to them, according to thetenor ofthe Covenant ofGrace. His Kindnefle and Favour being to us things ex- trinfecall, ourfinnesare not oppofed unto thetas really and direllly, as though they might effe&ually infringe an A&ofthe Will of God, but only meritori- ouJly; now when God faith, that he will continue his kindneffe to us for ever, notwithftanding the demerit ofSinne, as is plainly intimated in that Allufion to the Waters ofNoah, for any one to fay that they may fall into fuch Sinnes andRebellions , as that He cannot but turne his Kindnefle from them, is a bold attempt for the violation ofhis Goodneffe and Faithfulneffe, and a plaine beggingofthe thing in Queftion. Certainly it isnot a pious labour to thruft with violencefuch fuppofalls into the PromifesofGod , as will ftoppe thofe breafts from giving out any confolation , when no place or roome for them doth at all appeare: there being not oneword,fyllable, Iota, or tittle of any fuch fuppofalls in them. 3. TheExpofition and Gloflè, that is givenof thefe words , namely, that uponcondition oftheir Faithfulneffé andobedience, which, notwithffanding any thing in this or any other Proisife, theymay turneaway from, hewill engage hina- felfe tobe a Godto them, is fuch, as noSaint ofGod, without the helpeofSa- tan and his owne unbeliefe, could affixe to theplace , neither will that at all afiìft: which 4. Is affirmed, namely, that in all Covenants (andhis Promise holdeth out a Covenant)theremuftbea condition on both fdes;For we willingly grant that in this Covenant ofGrace, God`dothpromife fomething to us, and requireth fomething ofus; and that thefe two have mutual/ dependanceone upon another. But we alto affirme that in the very Covenant it felfe , God hath gracioufly promifed toworj.e effe&ually in usthofe things, whichhe requir- eth ofus; and that herein it mainly differeth from the Covenant of Works, which he bath abolifhed. But fuch a Covenant, aswherein God fhould Pro- mile to be a Godunto us, upon acondition by us,and in our own ftrength to be fulfilled, and on the fameaccount continued in unto the end, weacknow- ledgenot, nor can whileft our hearts have any fence ofthe Loveofthe Fa- ther, the Blondofthe Sonne, of the Grace of the Holy Spirit, the fountaines thereof. Notwithflanding then any thing that bathbeen drawn forth in op-. pofition to it, Faith may triumph from the LoveofGodin Chrift, heldout in this Promif to the full affurance ofan everlafting Acceptance with him; for. God alto willing yet more abundantly togive in confolation in this place, to the heirs of the Promis, affureth the liability ofhis Love and kindnefle to them by another allufion. v.to. The Mountaines (faith he) Pall depart, andthe bills be removed, but mykindneffefhallnot departfrom thee, neither 'hall theCo- venant
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