373 KEEPER. their Wills and Affe Lions. They imagined, that GOD could Phew Favor at one Time to their Souls, and love them for a Seafon, but not to the End ; that He could receive an Atonement for their Sins at the Hands of Cbr, and yet, upon the Difcovery of a Weaknefs which He mutt know was in them before, wholly re- nounce that Atonement as a Thing of nought, and as a Price laid down in vain; that He could appoint them to a complete Salvation, and yet be difappointed by them; that He could make pofitive and unconditional Promifes in Chrili to the Redeemed, which Promifes might be rendered void and nugatory by their Perverfe- nefs and Refiftance ; that He might fully intend their everlafting Happinefs, but might finally be fruftrated in thofe Intentions ; and that, therefore, as there was no Confidence to be placed in fuch a Being, -the wifeft and the fureft way, was to place it in themfelves. This was their Creed by Nature.. And though it be not ex- preffed, perhaps, in the fame Terms ; the Senfe of thefe Terms is the Creed of every unawakened Heart in the World. What Blafphemy cannot the Mind of Man entertain, before it receives that Grace, which is not given in vain; and before it is ialxlued by that Will, which governeth all things in Heaven and on Earth! There is not an Error fo monftrous about GOD ; but what has been received by the depraved Underftanding of Man. The Apoftle has given 'the Reafon, and it extends to all Men by Nature ; They walk in the Va- nity of their Mind, having the Underftanding darkened, being alienated from the Life of GOD, through the Igno- rance that is in them, becaufe of the Blindnefs of their Heart. * But GOD is not a Man, that he fhould lie, neither the Son of Man, that heJhould repent [or change]. Hath befaid ; and,/ball he not do it ? Or bath he fpoken, and(hall he not make it good? t l'be STRENGTH of Ifrael will not lie, nor repent ; for he is not aMan that hefhould repent. He fays of himfelf; I am JEHOVAH, I change * Eph. iv. 17, 18. t Numb. xxiii. ¡9. $ t Samxv.29. nek
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