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First, every promise stands confirmed in his revealed word, which word is the mind and will of God made known to his creatures, and which is therefore as perfect and unchangeable as God himself is. His word cannot be broken. It is impossible to break it. What weapons would you use? Force of arms? What force can you use against the Almighty God? His mind cannot alter or change, and thereby suffer his word to be broken: for with God there is no variableness or shadow of turning. And since nothing from without and nothing from within can cause any variableness in him, his word therefore will stand fast for ever and ever. God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? What should hinder him? Is not his hand almighty to fulfil what he hath spoken with his mouth? Here then is safe ground for faith to stand upon. You can rely upon one another's word: when a man has a fair character, and is known to be of good principles, you can trust him; and you have a saying among yourselves, that an honest man's word is as good as his bond: and may you not give better credit to God's word? For what suspicion can you entertain of its ever being broken? He, who is truth itself, has said, “heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" they shall not pass away, because my almighty power shalt establish them in time and in eternity. And is there not then sufficient reason to rely upon those words, which God declares shall not pass away ? And is there not abundant evidence to encourage the convinced sinner to trust to that word of promise, which can never fail, but shall stand fast, when heaven and earth shall pass away, and the place of them shall no more be found? Even then, when all things else shall fail, the promises will be receiving their full completion. Surely then, the word of God, which cannot be broken, is a good security for our relying upon the promises.

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But, secondly, God, who knoweth our hearts, out of tender compassion to our infirmities, has been graciously pleased to confirm his promises, not only by his word, but also by his oath. The oath was the obligation which the persons of the ever-blessed Trinity entered into, to fulfil their distinct parts and offices in the covenant of grace, and they entered into this obligation for the sake of those who should flee to Christ for refuge, that they might see the immutability of God's counsel to save them; because he had confirmed it by an oath, and had thereby given them two immutable things to rely upon. The apostle has reasoned thus upon the subject: "When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself: for men verily swear by the greater and an oath, for confirmation, is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us." In which words we have a clear account of the nature of the oath-"God sware by himself;" and of the persons for whose sakes he sware, namely, "the heirs of promise;" and the design of his swearing, namely, to put an end to all strife in their consciences concerning his faithfulness to fulfil his promises to them. And the apostle's argument stands thus. When there is any dispute or strife among men, and the matter comes to be tried in a court of justice, the cause is finally determined by examining the parties and their witnesses upon oath. And there being a strife between God and sinners, on his part he offers to be reconciled, promises them pardon, if they seek it through Christ, binds himself to give it by his word, and confirms his word by his oath. And ought not this oath for confirmation of the word of promise to put an end to all strife in the sinner's conscience? for how can God's oath be bro

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ken? Here are two immutable things, which cannot possibly fail-the counsel of God, to save the heirs of promise, and the oath of God, to carry his counsel into execution. His counsel is what he decreed in the covenant of grace, when all his attributes determined to bring many sons unto glory by Jesus Christ. This divine counsel revealed to his creatures in his word was sufficient evidence, and ought to induce them to believe; but he was 66 willing more abundantly," more than was needful, if they had not been very faithless and unbelieving, to convince them, and therefore confirmed his counsel by an oath; so that here are two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, and which consequently ought to make the faith of the heirs of promise immutable. The foundation upon which faith stands can never fail. It relies upon the unchangeable word of promise, and the promise is confirmed by the counsel of God, of which he says himself, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."-Isaiah, xlvi. 10. "Yea, the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations." —Psalm, xxxiii. 11. And the promise is also confirmed by the oath of God, which is immutable and cannot be broken "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent." He will not repent of his oath, unless he could cease to be wise, or could be perjured, which to suppose possible, would be the highest blasphemy. Oh what full security then has a gracious God given to the heirs of promise! He would not have them to doubt of his love, or of his power to save them, and therefore he condescends to give them. two immutable things for the support of their faith: but knowing whereof they were made, and how slow of heart they were to believe, he has been pleased to exalt his free and sovereign grace by giving them a

Third immutable thing to enable them to rely still. more steadfastly upon his promises, and that is the unchangeable covenant. The ever blessed Trinity, moved by mere love and rich mercy, contrived the

gracious plan of the sinner's redemption, and each person was to get himself glory by sustaining a distinct office in the economy of the covenant. The The Father was to glorify the truth, justice and holiness of the Godhead, by demanding full satisfaction for sin. The Son covenanted to pay it, and to glorify the wisdom and love of the Godhead by satisfying all the demands of law and justice. And the Holy Spirit was to glorify the power and grace of the Godhead by raising the dead in sin to life, and quickening them together with Christ, and then enabling them to walk against all opposition in his steps, and after his example, until they attain eternal life. This is the covenant of promise. And what could induce the Holy Trinity to make it? What, but the divine love and mercy? And what can hinder the fulfilling of this covenant? Can any thing resist and defeat the will of the Almighty? No. His power will carry his will into execution. But may not the will of God change? That is impossible. The covenant is everlasting, and how then can it change? Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereto : and since a human covenant is not Jiable to change, certainly the everlasting covenant is alike ordered in all things and sure. For he that cannot lie hath said, "my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth."— Psalm, lxxxix. 34. It cannot be broken, it cannot alter, and how then can one tittle of it ever change or fail? All things else shall pass away; "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee."-Isaiah, liv. 10.

This is the security which God hath vouchsafed to give for the fulfilling of his promises, and it is the most full and complete evidence that any promise can have; and what then can the heirs of promise desire more? Has not God been willing more abundantly to show them the immutability of his counsel? For

he has given them his word to rely upon, which cannot be broken, his oath, of which he will not repent, and his covenant, which he will not break nor alter. It is impossible any of these securities should fail, and why then should unbelieving doubts arise in their minds, and tempt them to think they should fail? My brethren, if you give way to those doubts, they will soon rob you of your peace and comfort; for although you be heirs to a great estate, yet it is chiefly in reversion. You have very little in possession at present, but the promises. You are heirs of promise, and if you lose your reliance upon the promises, you lose sight of the evidence of your estate, and the comfortable hope of your inheriting it. O remember then how dishonourable this is to God, after he has provided such immutable things for faith and hope to rest upon, and how hurtful this is to your own interest! and therefore, whenever doubts and fears begin to tempt you, ask yourself, "what ain going to do? Shall I fancy that God can lie, or be perjured, or be a covenant-breaker? Would not this be blaspheming his word, and his oath, and his covenant? O Lord, keep thy servant from this great wickedness, and strengthen my faith, that it fail not!" And if you thus go to the throne of grace for help, you shall find it in time of need. God will enable you not to stagger at his promises through unbelief, but will make you strong in faith, relying steadfastly upon his fulfilling them all to your souls.

Some persons, perhaps, may be thinking, "God has provided full and complete evidence for the certainty of the fulfilling his promises, and I think I could rest upon this security, if I did but know that I was an heir of promise." Rely upon the promise, and it is yours. Live upon it, and you are undoubtedly an heir of promise. But this point comes to be more particularly considered under the scripture character of the persons to whom the promises belong, which is the

Second general head of discourse. When our Lord

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