Two sermons viz. I. The diseases that make a stoppage to Englands mercies discovered…

Reas. 2 Again secondly, those mercies that come unto Gods people, come unto them in the way of a promise. And Gods promises they are, either spiritual, concerning spiritual things, or temporal, concerning temporal things. If they be spiritual promises, concerning spiritual things, then they are absolute, bottomed and grounded upon no condition: as the promise he made, that he would drown the world no more, says the Prophet Isaiah; such a covenant as he made with Noah, he makes with his people, that runs upon no condition; he does not say, If the world goes on, and serve me, I will drown it no more: but the promise runs upon no condition, and so the promise of grace runs upon no condition: for if it runs upon a condition of faith, God promises to give faith, God promises perseverance, upon the exercise of grace he promises to give the exercise of grace, all spiritual promises run upon no condition. But now outward promises run upon condition, and therefore if men do not keep the condition, God takes himself free, and will turn himself out of the way of his mercy. You have an expression to this purpose, Numb. 14.34. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days (each day for a year) shall you bear your in quity, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. Will God break his promise? As much as if he should have said, I have promised to bring you into the land of Canaan, upon such and such conditions; but now, if you do not perform the condition, I count my self free, and you shall know my breach of promise, that I will not give you the thing that I am about to give you.

Reas. 2 Again secondly, those mercies that come unto Gods people, come unto them in the way of a promise. And Gods promises they are, either spirituall, concerning spirituall things, or temporall, concerning temporall things. If they be spirituall promises, concerning spirituall things, then they are absolute, bottomed and grounded upon no condition: as the promise he made, that he would drown the world no more, sayes the Prophet Isaiah; such a covenant as he made with Noah, he makes with his people, that runs upon no condition; he does not say, If the world goes on, and serve me, I will drown it no more: but the promise runs upon no condition, and so the promise of grace runs upon no condition: for if it runs upon a condition of faith, God promises to give faith, God promises perseverance, upon the exercise of grace he promises to give the exercise of grace, all spirituall promises run upon no condition. But now outward promises run upon condition, and therefore if men do not keep the condition, God takes himself free, and will turn himself out of the way of his mercie. You have an expression to this purpose,