A26695:429
A sure guide to heaven, or, An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to…
A sure guide to heaven, or, An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to God in order to their eternal salvation showing the thoughtful sinner what he must do to be saved / by Joseph Alleine.A sure guide to heaven, or, An earnest invitation to sinners to turn to God in order to their eternal salvation shewing the thoughtful sinner what he must do to be saved / by Joseph Alleine.
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1688
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. The Terms of mercy are brought as low, as possible, to you. God hath stooped as low to sinners, as with honour he can. He will not be thought a fautor of sin, nor stain the glory of his holiness, and whither could he come lower than he hath, unless he should do this? He hath abated the impossible terms of the first Covenant, Jer. 3. 13. Mark 5. 36. Acts 16. 31. Acts 3. 19. Prov. 28. 13. He doth not impose any thing unreasonable, or impossible, as a condition of life upon you. Two things were necessary to be done, according to the Tenor of the first Covenant by you. 1. That you should fully ⟨p. 163⟩satisfy the demands of Justice for past offences. 2. That you should perform personally, perfectly, and perpetually the whole Law for the time to come. Both these are to us impossible, Rom. 8. 3. But behold Gods gracious abatement in both. He doth not stand upon satisfaction, he is content to take off the surety (and he of his own providing too) what he might have exacted from you, 2 Cor. 5. 19. He declares himself to have received a ransom, Job 33. 24. 1 Tim. 2. 6. and that he expects nothing but that you should accept his Son, and he shall be righteousness and redemption to you, John 1. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 30. And for the future obedience, here he is content to yield to your weakness, and remit the rigour. He doth not stand upon perfection (as a condition of life, though he still insists upon it as due) but is content to accept of sincerity,