182 POP.GIVENESS OP SIN. How much more ought it to be so in respect to Gòd, when his oath is engaged ! And the apostle declares this end of his oath, it is to show the immutability of his counsel. Heb. 6 : 17. His counsel was declared be- fore in the promise; but now some doubt may arise whether, on one occasion or other, God may not change his counsel; or whether he has not changed it, with such conditions as to render it useless to us. In what case soever it,be, to remove all doubts and suspicions of this nature, God. adds his oath, manifesting; the un- questionable immutability of his counsel and promises. What, therefore, is thus confirmed, is ascertained to the height of what any thing is capable of; and not to be- . lieve it is the height of .impiety. 3. In this interpositionof God byan oath there is un- unspeakable condescension ofgrace, which is both a great . motive to faith, and a great aggravationof unbelief. For what are we, that the holy and blessed God should thus . condescend, for our satisfaction and surety, to engage himself by an oath! It is an inestimable advantage that God should, for our sakes, engage himself by his oath. Sô it will be our misery, if we believe him not when he swears to us. What can we now object against what is thus confirmed l What pretenceor eicuse canwe have for unbelief -1 How just, how righteous, how holy is God in the destruction of those who, upon this strange, won- derful and unexpected warrant, refuse to set to their seal that God is true. These things being premised, we may consider how variously God has engaged his oath that there is for- giveness with him. He sweareth that he bath no plea- sure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent and live : "As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner." Ezek. 33 :11. Now without . forgiveness in him, every sinner must die, and that with- out remedy. Confirming, therefore, with his oath, that
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