A discourse of the saving grace of God

5. Uncertain Conditions. When it is uncertain whether the Condition will be performed ⟨p. 146⟩or no. Such Conditions have place amongst Men, and Men only, such as suspend the Affair in eventum incertum, and leave it at uncertainty as to the Event; it is uncertain whether the Condition will be performed or not, and so uncertain whether the Promise will be performed. The Reason why Man proposes such Conditions, is his Weakness and Imperfection, for want of Power or Foresight. He has not the Wills of others in his Power, cannot make them comply with his Will, and so cannot tell what they will do. So that it is also for want of certain Foreknowledge or Foresight, when we will not bestow a Favour on another, but upon Terms. If we were certain that the Terms would be observed, we would promise Absolutely; if we were certain the Condition would not be observed, we would not promise at all; but because we are uncertain, therefore we promise Conditionally. Now the Ground of these Conditions being Weakness, they must in no wise be ascribed unto God. It derogates from his infinite Wisdom, and infallible Foreknowledge; it derogates from his Power and Providence over mans Will and human Affairs: it derogates from the Efficacy of ⟨p. 147⟩his Grace, as tho this could not determine mans Will, or prevail with it certainly and infallibly to comply with his Proposals; but must leave it indifferent, and in suspense, and so at uncertainty, whether it will comply or not comply with what he propounds.

5. Ʋncertain Conditions. When it is uncertain whether the Condition will be performed ⟨p. 146⟩or no. Such Conditions have place amongst Men, and Men only, such as suspend the Affair in eventum incertum, and leave it at uncertainty as to the Event; it is uncertain whether the Condition will be performed or not, and so uncertain whether the Promise will be performed. The Reason why Man proposes such Conditions, is his Weakness and Imperfection, for want of Power or Foresight. He has not the Wills of others in his Power, cannot make them comply with his Will, and so cannot tell what they will do. So that it is also for want of certain Foreknowledge or Foresight, when we will not bestow a Favour on another, but upon Terms. If we were certain that the Terms would be observed, we would promise Absolutely; if we were certain the Condition would not be observed, we would not promise at all; but because we are uncertain, therefore we promise Conditionally. Now the Ground of these Conditions being Weakness, they must in no wise be ascribed unto God. It derogates from his infinite Wisdom, and infallible Foreknowledge; it derogates from his Power and Providence over mans Will and human Affairs: it derogates from the Efficacy of