Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Section 24
SECT. 24.
SEcondly, the aforeſaid Doctrine lets us ſee the immutability of Gods good purpoſe, Vſe 2, To comfort us from the immutability of Gods purpoſe and promiſes.manifeſted by his promiſes towards thoſe that are his; And ſo (to our unſpeakable comfort) armes us againſt all doubt and conceits of our own unworthineſſe, inability, frailty, and readineſſe to fall from his grace, for a… the freeneſſe of his promiſes and grace prevents our pride, ſo the firmneſſe of his purpoſe, and moſt certaine, powerfull, and independant performance of his promiſes ſhould preve… our feares. For Gods purpoſe according to Election, doth and will ſtand, not of our workes (or of any thing or power in man) but of him that calleth. Rom. 9.11.Though then Gods promiſes of Life and Salvation doe in Scripture runne with Condition, and …o are made generally to all … at leaſt to all in the (Church,) that none may …ave juſt cauſe to complain …r blame God, but themſelves if they attaine not to …ife; Yet the performance of the Condition, On which and not on our ſelves, his grace and our ſalvation depends.and conſequently the thing promiſed are made (in regard of …he Elect) to depend upon Gods moſt free grace and power, and ſo the effects of Gods grace and love are in …u… but the free grace, favour and love it ſelfe, together with the power working theſe, are in God, & therefore are immutable, and conſequently our happy eſtate, and our Salvation (which depends not on our ſelves, but on theſe) is infinitly more ſafe, being thus in God, then it could be in us our Juſtification, Faith, Sanctification and Perſeverance, and ſo our Salvation ſhould bee moſt mutable, if they de pēded on our ſelves, (ſo that wee may give ſuch men leave to hold a falling a way frō grace, who make it to depēd on themſelves, on their owne acceptation or rejection,) but bleſſed be God who hath undertaken for theſe alſo, and will accordingly as he hath moſt abſolutely promiſed, ſo effectually worke in us, whatſoever he hath promiſed.
If any ſhould a…ke concerning the World, why it continueth ſo long? Why the Sunne doth conſ…antly riſe and ſet, and why night and day, with the Seaſons of the yeare doe ſo conſtātly ſucceed one another? The anſwer is, that the wiſ…ome, power, and provi…ence, by which the World … governed, is not in the …reatures themſelves, nei…eer depends on them, ei…er Angels or Men, but on …e moſt immutable God, …ſe all things would ſoone …ll into confuſion & ruine; …en ſo is it in this buſines …ere of mans Salvation (ſo …ten mentioned) Happy …en are wee, and moſt ſafe, … in matters of this nature …ee (not neglecting the …eanes) do aſcribe nothing … our ſelves but all to …od. Tutiores v… vimus ſi totum Deo damus, &c. Auguſt.It is moſt dangerous … aſcribe too little to the …ace of God; (ſaid a wiſe …d Learned Prelat;) for …en wee robbe him of …is …ry. But if we aſcribe too …le to our ſelves, there i… duplicate page duplicate page no danger; To aſcribe all to God the ſafeſt.for whatſoever we take from our ſelves, it cannot hinder us from being true Chriſtians; But if wee aſcribe that to the ſtrength of our owne nature, which is the proper worke of grace, then doe we blemiſh Gods glory.