Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

Ho .2.I9,2o. farther opened and argued. CAP.Vi. 4:29,30. he hath allured into the Wilderneffe, and there f'poken comfortably to them; 151 being calledandpardoned he leadeth them! to Tweet and pleafant paftures, treafuresof Grace and Mercies , which he bath laid up for them in Jefis Chrift. He giveth themofthefarflfruits of Heaven, which, is a doore of hope unto thefull poffeffion. Rom. 8.23. 3. To the songs, and Rejoycings,which the Church had , when they fung . one to another,upon the definition oftheÆgyptians,at their delivery otit of the bondage ofEgypt. As then they fung for joy, Exod. 15, upon the fence ofthat great and wonderfull deliverance, whichGod had wrought for them, fo thall their heartsbe. affe&ed with Gofpell Mercies , pardoning healing, purging, and comforting Grace, which in Jefus Chrift he will give inunto them. Thefe then are thethree things , which arepromifed to them that come out ofthe Wilderneffe. r. Gofpell refrefhment , in powring out ofthe Spirit upon them. 2. The firft fruits of Heaven, a doore ofHope. 3, Spirituali joy, in thedeftru&ion and conqueft offinne. This then isthe fumme,ofthis fecondpart of that defcription, which wee ß. 29; have ofthofe perlons, to whom the Promife under confideration is given; They arefuch as being.called, andPardoned, are admitted to that portion in thewonderful) marvelous provifionofGofpell Mercies, and Grace , which in jefus Chrift hehath providedfor them, with that joy and Confolation which thereon doth enfue. In thefollowing verles you have a fuller defcription of thefe Perfons,upon a twofold account. 1. By their deliveryfrom Idolatry and falfe.worfhip, v: 16, 17. which is particularly and peculiarly infittedon, becaufe that eminentlywas the finne, for which,thofementioned in the beginningof theChapter, wereutterly re- je&ed: God will preferve thefe, as from thefinneofIdolatry, fo from anyo- ther,that thould procure theirutter Reje&ion and defolation, as that of Ido- latry had formerlydone, in refpe&ofthe only carnali Jewes. 2. By their prote&ion againft their enemies, v:18. and thefe are the Per- fensto whom this Promife ismade; converted, juftified, fanetified, and puri- fied Perfons. 2'Y Wemay take a littleview ofthe Natureofthe Promife it felfe, I will 4. 30' (faiththe Lord) betroth theeunto meforever; There is in this Promife a two- foldoppofition to that RejeCtion, that God had before denounced unto the carnali and rebellious yews. i. In the Nature of the thing it felfe,unto the divoree,that Godgave them v.2. Sheeis not my Wife, neither am 1 her Husband: but to thefe(faithGod) /will betroth them unto myfelfe, they (hall becomea Wife tomee, and I will be a Husband unto them : and this alto manifefteth that they arenot the fame perlons, towbom that threatningwas given, that are principallyintended in this Promife ; For if God did only take them a- gaine, whomhe had once put away, there would have been no needof any betrothing of them anew; Newsponfaliá are not required for fuck an A&ion. 2. In thecontinuance ofthe Reje&ion ofthe firft, and theeftablifhment ofthe Receptionofthe latter, at leaft in fefpeCt ofhis abiding with thefe, and thofe; with thofe for a feafon: but untothefe (he faith) iwill Betroth them unto me FOR EVER. Gods betrothingof Believers is his a&uall taking them into a Marriagecovenant with himfelfe, to.deale with them in the ten- derneffe, faíthfulneffe, andproteCtion ofa Husband. So is he often pleafed to call himfelfe in reference tohis Church; I (hall not goe forth to the conû-- derationofthis Relation,that God is pleafed to take the foules of Saints into with himfelfe. The eminent and precious ufefulneffe and confolation,that floweth from it, is ready to draw me out thereunto, but I mutt attend that which

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