Answ. It will be long before you will prove the Consequence. They are made only on the ground of Christs undertaking, and he is the Mediator of them, and in him they are sure. But doth it therefore follow, that Christ dispenseth then to none but those that are in him? Wicked men have benefits by Christ, even those that are not in him so much as by a visible profession: And why then may they not have some promises? Yet I know that believers are oft called in Scripture, the Children, and Heirs of the Promise. But to understand this, you must know, 1. That the Holy Ghost hath chiefly the respect to the Thing promised, and of that Believers are the only Heirs: If you also consider, that he speaks chiefly of the great Promises of Reconciliation, Remission, Sanctification, Adoption, glorification. 2. I told you before, that the promise before we perform the Condition doth give a remote, imperfect, ⟨p. 248⟩loosable title to the good promised: And so the wicked are children of promise. But the Promise when we have performed the Condition, (as also the absolute promises) doth give an immediate, proper, certain Title to the good promised, so that a man may say, it is mine: And thus only the faithful are the heirs of the Promise: They only have a propriety in the spiritual and special Mercies there promised. But a wicked Israelite may have propriety in his Inheritance by virtue of Divine Promise and Donation. For Christ hath led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, even for the Rebellious, that the Lord might dwell among them, psal. 68. 18.
Answ. It will be long before you will prove the Consequence. They are made onely on the ground of Christs undertaking, and he is the Mediatour of them, and in him they are sure. But doth it therefore follow, that Christ dispenseth then to none but those that are in him? Wicked men have benefits by Christ, even those that are not in him so much as by a visible profession: And why then may they not have some promises? Yet I know that beleevers are oft called in Scripture, the Children, and Heires of the Promise. But to understand this, you must know, 1. That the Holy Ghost hath chiefly the respect to the Thing promised, and of that Beleevers are the onely Heires: If you also consider, that he speakes chiefly of the great Promises of Reconciliation, Remission, Sanctification, Adoption, glorification. 2. I told you before, that the promise before we performe the Condition doth give a remote, imperfect, ⟨p. 248⟩loosable title to the good promised: And so the wicked are children of promise. But the Promise when we have performed the Condition, (as also the absolute promises) doth give an immediate, proper, certain Title to the good promised, so that a man may say, it is mine: And thus onely the faithfull are the heires of the Promise: They onely have a propriety in the spirituall and speciall Mercies there promised. But a wicked Israelite may have propriety in his Inheritance by vertue of Divine Promise and Donation. For Christ hath led captivity captive, and recived gifts for men, even for the Rebellious, that the Lord might dwell among them, psal. 68. 18.
