The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

2. That the most Conditional Promises, are to be resolved into absolute, and inconditionall Love. God, who hath promised life upon Believing, hath ⟨p. 117⟩promised Believing, on no Condition (on our parts) at all, because to sinners.

2. That the most Conditionall Promises, are to be resolved into absolute, and inconditionall Love. God, who hath promised life upon Believing, hath ⟨p. 117⟩promised Believing, on no Condition (on our parts) at all, because to sinners.

This in general being given in,¹ concerning the nature of the Promises, I shall proceed to some such Considerations, as are of particular usefulness unto that improvement, which (the Lord assisting) I intend to make of them, for the confirmation of the Truth under debate. And they are these,

This in generall being given in,¹ concerning the nature of the Promises, I shall proceed to some such Considerations, as are of particular usefulnesse unto that improvement, which (the Lord assisting) I intend to make of them, for the confirmation of the Truth under debate. And they are these,

1. 1§. 9.

1. All the Promises of God are true, and faithful, and shall most certainly, all of them be accomplished. His nature, his veracity, his Unchangeableness, his Omniscience, and Omnipotency, do all contribute strength to this assertion. Neither can these Properties possibly continue entire, and the honour of them be preserved unto the Lord, if the least failing in the Accomplishment of his Promises be ascribed unto him. Every such failing must of necessity relate to some such Principle, as stands in direct Opposition to one or more of the perfections before mentioned. It must be a failing in Truth, Unchangeableness, Prescience, or Power, that must frustrate the Promise of any one. We indeed often alter our Resolutions, and the Promise that is gone out of our mouths, and that (perhaps) righteously, upon some such change of things, as we could not foresee, nor ought to have supposed, when we entered into our engagements. No such thing can be ascribed unto him, who knows all things, with their Circumstances, that can possibly come to pass, and hath determined, what shall so do, and therefore will not engage in any Promise that he knows, something, which he foresaw would follow after, would cause him to alter. It were a ludicrous thing in any son of man, to make a solemn Promise of any thing to another, if he particularly knew, that in an hour some such thing would happen, as should enforce him to change, and alter that promise, which he had so solemnly entered into. And shall we ascribe such an action to him, before whom all things are open, and naked? Shall he be thought solemnly to engage himself to do, or accomplish any thing, which yet not only he will not do, but also at that instant hath those things in his eye, and under his Consideration, for which he will not so do, as he Promiseth, and determined before that he would not so do. If this be not unworthy the infinite Goodness, Wisdom, and Faithfulness of God, I know not what can, or may be ascribed unto him, that is. Yea the Truth, and veracity of God in his Promises cannot be denied him, without denying him his Deity, or asserted, without the certain Accomplishment of what he hath Promised.