but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities. What then shall be done with this people? depart from them, destroy them, let them dye; No, ⟨p. 11⟩verse 25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. So also Chap. 57. ver. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. Surely now God will utterly consume them, root, and branch, as persons incorrigible, and irrecoverable: No, the Case is quite otherwise verses 18, 19. I have seen his way, and will heal him, I will lead him also and restore comfort to him: I will pity him, pardon him, save, sanctify him, and fill him with Consolation. Go now to Ezekiel Chap. 33. 18. When the righteous turns from his righteousness; what then? God will heal him and restore comforts unto him, as it was in the places before mentioned. Noah, Noah! He shall die; he shall be cut off: what is the reason of this diversity? Why! in the first place God speaks of his dealings unto their souls as to his Covenant of Grace, and all the mercies of it; in this last, as to his dealing with their persons, and their outward concernments, in the dispensations of his providence. And the not heeding hereof hath made some pronounce inconsiderately, the Covenant of Grace to be merely conditional; because they find many mercies, and privileges spoken of under such a Notion; not considering that all those proposals belong to the Law of outward providence, and not to the nature of the Covenant of promise established in the blood of Christ. And unless this be allowed, nothing can be more contrary to my Text, than that promise, and (such as that) which we have Isa. 54. 9. where provision is made for Gods abiding with his people notwithstanding all their backslidings, and provocations, which he will so far heal, as that he may not ⟨p. 12⟩forsake them; and this is firstly to be observed, that we do not in the consideration of Gods presence and withdrawings, as to providential dispensations, cast any reflection on the stability, and unchangeableness of the Covenant of Grace. David hath fully stated this business 2 Sam. 23. 5.
but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities. What then shall be done with this people? depart from them, destroy them, let them dye; No, ⟨p. 11⟩verse 25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. So also Chap. 57. ver. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. Surely now God will utterly consume them, root, and branch, as persons incorrigible, and irrecoverable: No, the Case is quite otherwise verses 18, 19. I have seen his way, and will heal him, I will lead him also and restore comfort to him: I will pity him, pardon him, save, sanctify him, and fill him with Consolation. Goe now to Ezekiel Chap. 33. 18. When the righteous turns from his righteousness; what then? God will heal him and restore comforts unto him, as it was in the places before mentioned. Noe, Noe! He shall die; he shall be cut off: what is the reason of this diversity? Why! in the first place God speaks of his dealings unto their souls as to his Covenant of Grace, and all the mercies of it; in this last, as to his dealing with their persons, and their outward concernments, in the dispensations of his providence. And the not heeding hereof hath made some pronounce inconsiderately, the Covenant of Grace to be meerely conditional; because they finde many mercies, and priviledges spoken of under such a Notion; not considering that all those proposals belong to the Law of outward providence, and not to the nature of the Covenant of promise established in the bloud of Christ. And unless this be allowed, nothing can be more contrary to my Text, than that promise, and (such as that) which we have Isa. 54. 9. where provision is made for Gods abiding with his people notwithstanding all their backslidings, and provocations, which he will so far heal, as that he may not ⟨p. 12⟩forsake them; and this is firstly to be observed, that we doe not in the consideration of Gods presence and withdrawings, as to providential dispensations, cast any reflection on the stability, and unchangableness of the Covenant of Grace. David hath fully stated this business 2 Sam. 23. 5.
