The Sure Mercies of David, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
2. IN what reſpects theſe mercies of the Covenant are made ſure: for this obſerve, that there are ſome things abſolutely and unchangeably ſure, as to their own nature by an intrinſecal neceſſity; thus God immutable eſſence is fixed; with him there is no variableneſs nor ſhadow of change: thus though the Heavens periſh yet God endures, he is ſtill the ſame and his years have no end, Pſal. 102.24-27. thus God alone is the certain and unmoveable center of the whole Creation; he is the Roc… of Ages, originally, infinitely, and independently ſure, and ſo is nothing beſides: othe… things are ſure jure poſitivo, not of themſelves, but by vertue of Gods appointmen… and deſignation, invariable, irrevocable ſo as it ſhall not be altered, otherwayes ordered, no new way contrived to ſave loſ… man; thus the Scriptures are ſure for ever O Lord thy Word is ſetled in Heaven, Pſal. 119.89. Mat. 5.18.and our Saviour ſaith, till heaven and earth paſs, one jot or one tittle ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the Law, till all be fulfilled; and this way is the Covenant of Grace, ſure not of any intrinſecal neceſſity, reſulting from its nature, but free to be or not to be as the infinite God ſees good; as a Covenant it depends meerly on Gods free-grace for making it, God might have forborn re-entring this New Covenant, but have dealt with man as with the lapſed Angels; or he might have reſerved to himſelf a power of revocation, to have called in his patent, and ſhut up his Office of mercy, but now God hath fixed this as the only and everlaſting way of Salvation: thus this Covenant is as ſure as that the World ſhall no more be totally drowned with Water, yea as ſure as the ſtanding of the laſting Mountains and Hills; yet further, as ſure as the Ordinances of Sun by day, Moon and Starrs by night, nay once more it's as poſſible that the Heavens ſhould be meaſured by the ſhort ſpan of a mortal man, or the foundations of the earth ſearched out, as for the great and unchangeable God to violate this Goſpel-Covenant with his dear Iſrael of elect ſouls: Read this fully in Iſa. 54.9, 10. Jer. 31.35, 36, 37.
But yet more particularly, this Covenant and theſe mercies of it, may be made ſure two wayes to believers; viz.
1. Infallibly, ſo as not to miſs of,
2. Immutably, ſo as never to loſe theſe mercies.
1. Theſe mercies of the Covenant are ſure infallibly, i. e. there is a certain number of elect ſelected ſouls ſet apart by the ſoveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth to eternal happineſs by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and theſe ſhall have intereſt in and poſſeſſion of the forementioned mercies of David: that God hath choſen ſome to life as the end, and through Chriſt as the way of attaining that end is clear in Scripture; Epheſ. 1.4. According as he hath choſen us in him— and ver. 5. having predeſtinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jeſus Chriſt to himſelf: and 1 Theſ. 5.9. for God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain ſalvation by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: electing and redeeming love are of the ſame latitude and extent; whom God the Father had in his Council, God the Son bore upon the bitter Croſs: and thoſe that are ordained to eternal life ſhall believe, Act. 13.48. Which Text, ſaith Calvin, teacheth, that ſaving faith depends upon Gods eternal election; hence alſo faith is called the faith of Gods Elect, Tit. 1.1. becauſe all the Elect, and none but the Elect obtain it; for all men have not faith, it is peculiar to theſe ſelected perſons. Beſides, God hath laid the plot and platform of mans ſalvation upon the ſure foundation of his own free-grace, on purpoſe to make theſe things firm and ſure to elect ſouls, ſo that their unworthineſs ſhall not hinder the certain execution of his eternal Decrees, Rom. 4.16. therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace, to the end the promiſe might be ſure to all the ſeed, i. e. that the Covenant with all the mercies of it might be made good to all the heirs of promiſe: the election, (or elect ſouls) hath obtained it, but the reſt are blinded, Rom. 11.7. hence, ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 2.19. Dico, novit Domiaus qui ſunt ejus, ipſae oves aliquando ſeipſas neſciunt, ſed paſtor novit cas, ſecundum electionem ovium ante conſtitutionem mundi. Aug. in Joh. 10.the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, the Lord knoweth them that are his: he knows theſe ſheep even before they know themſelves, according to his ſure election before the foundation of the world: hence alſo, God would not have the enjoyment of theſe mercies to depend upon mans ſorry, mutable, and inconſtant will, nor upon any works wrought by man, as the whole ſtrain and tenour of the Goſpel holds forth: and indeed if the whole ſtreſs lay on mans free-will, it would bring us back to a Covenant of Works; and if it were poſſible for any to attain theſe, that man were the caſting cauſe of his own ſalvation, and then what need of any Redeemer? beſides, it might ſo fall out, (yea and would certainly) that theſe mercies might be applyed to none, for (conditio nihil ponit in eſſe) that which is not effectual without a contingent condition upon which it depends, the particular motion of this mans will, and ſo of anothers towards God, and cloſing with promiſes (being in his own choice) is doubtful and uncertain, and ſo muſt needs be the priviledges which depend upon that condition: therefore they that make theſe mercies poſſibly every ones, make them certainly no ones: the truth is, God hath not left the enjoyment of theſe Covenant-mercies to the choice or refuſal of the fickle or inconſtant will of the creature at his pleaſure, but (though he doth not violence to the will, but of unwilling makes it willing) God himſelf and Jeſus Chriſt by the holy Spirit hath ingaged himſelf to bring ſouls home by converting grace certainly and infallibly, though ſweetly and ſuitably to the nature of a rational creature: hence effectual calling and inſtating the elect in theſe mercies is not left at rovers, may-bees, or hap-hazard, but it's put beyond all peradventure; ſo that there's a Muſt, and Shall annext to it, Joh. 10.16. other ſheep I have — them alſo I muſt bring, and they ſhall hear my voice — Joh. 6.37. All that the father giveth me, (i. e. by election) ſhall come to me, (i. e. by faith and repentance:) the God of Heaven hath ingaged himſelf for it, and he is a God of truth to make good his word, and of infinite power, and he works and who can let it: Videſis Ames Coron. ad Coll. Hag. adv…rſus Remens. Artic. prim. de electione. Cap. 4.— p. 15. &c.he worketh all things according to the council of his own will, Eph. 1.11. All that God the Father hath given to Chriſt in the free election, the Son hath undertaken to bring to glory by his mediatory adminiſtration: this is the firſt, theſe mercies are ſure infallibly, the heir of glory ſhall partake of them.
2. They are ſure immutably, not any that do partake of theſe mercies ſhall ever loſe them: they ſhall alwayes have them and ſhall …ever be deprived of them: there are in…eed ſome common gifts of the ſpirit that God may revoke and take away, as the gifts …hat Saul had; but theſe gifts of Grace and …his effectual calling are without repentance, Rom. 11.29. he will never repent of, or retract …heſe precious donations, Mary's better part …hall never be taken from her; worldly riches …ay be loſt, but ſpiritual mercies are durable …iches: God the Author of theſe mercies is …mmutable, with him there is no variableneſs …or ſhadow of change: he receives no varia…ion from the contingent events of ſecond …auſes: the Lord will not forſake his people for …is great names ſake, becauſe it hath pleaſed …he Lord to make them his people, 1 Sam. …2.22. he hateth putting away, he will not …iſ-inherit his Children for miſdemeanours, …e knows their frame, ſees and pitties their …eakneſſes, raiſeth them out of falls, and …eals their back-ſlidings: Chriſt Jeſus the …urchaſer of theſe mercies is the Amen, Rev. 3.14. Heb. 13.8. Iſa. 63.1. Joh. 10.28, 29. Joh. 17.the …aithful and true witneſs, the ſame yeſterday, …o day, and for ever: mighty to ſave, a merci…ul and faithful high-Prieſt: none can pluck …hem out of his hands: he will loſe none of …heſe that his father hath given him: he will …ave to the uttermoſt: This our Joſhua will …ring the elect ſouls to the Canaan of eternal …eſt: The principle of Grace, and theſe mer…ies themſelves are of a durable nature; Grace …s an immortal ſeed, a never-dying root, …rincipium continuativum, Joh. 7.38. He that …elieveth in me, as the Scripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water: though Grace is loſeable in its own nature, yet not in event, becauſe God upholds it: the houſe built on the rock ſhall ſtand immovable, Prov. 10.25. 1 J…h. 2.17.the righteous is an everlaſting foundation: he that doth the will of God abides for ever: yea he hath eternal life abiding in him: But may not they depart from God? no not totally and finally, for God hath put his fear in their hearts that they ſhall not depart from him, Jer. 32.40. they may ſin and provoke God to withdraw the ſenſe of his love, they may loſe their ſtanding, comforts, and ſome degrees of Grace, but never be ſtripped naked wholly of theſe ſure mercies of David; God hath ſecret hold of them, and they have more hold of him than others have; they are reſtleſs and diſſatisfied till they enjoy God, and theſe mercies be clear to them: this Golden Chain ſtretcheth it ſelf from everlaſting, it begins in free Election, and ends in final ſalvation, whom he predeſtinates them he calls, juſtifies, glorifies, Rom. 8.29, 30. it is horrid ſacriledge to pluck one link from this golden Chain; God is the finiſher as well as the Author of faith: it is not within the compaſs of any finite being to rob a gracious ſoul of the love of God, or ſtop the channel of his Free-Grace to the Covenanted ſoul: Paul can make a bold and brave challenge… Rom. 8.35, 38, 39. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of God? and he makes a ſufficient enumeration of all things that were likely to conquer the believing ſoul, and yet concludes, that in all theſe things we are more than conquerours through Chriſt; there are in the word ſweet promiſes that may anſwer all Arminian Cavils and unbelieving fears concerning perſeverance, which many choice champions have produced and managed with dexterity and ſucceſs: See Mr. Prins Treat of Perſeverance; Dr. Prid. Lect. 7. De perſevſanct. Dr. Ames Coron. Artic. 5. De perſeverantiâ.