The new covenantThe nevv covenant

Again, withal, how dangerous it is to refuse it: for who knows how long the LORD will wait? who knows when he will cease waiting, and shut up the door of grace to us? and then when the day of peace is gone, it is no more to be recovered, when the acceptable time is past. I beseech you therefore, consider and apply it, take heed of refusing, when you hear yet this Covenant of Grace is offered, your doors are now open, you may come in, if you will; take heed of staying till the acceptable time is past, lest the Lord swear in his wrath (at a time when you think not) that thou shalt never enter into his rest. So much shall serve for this. Beloved, that which I intended most was this, the reason why this Covenant is made, the reason why God makes a Covenant with man; which was chiefly, that we might have strong consolations, that we might know his good will towards us, that he might not only do us good, but that he ⟨p. 194⟩make it manifest to us. Of this likewise we should have made some use, which is the laying hold of the Covenant, the promises of free Justification, the promises of Sanctification, and the promises of such blessings as belong to this present life, those are the three parts of the Covenant: we should have showed how we should lay hold of them, that when the Lord hath promised once, when faith hath a promise to close with, when it hath such a ground to set footing upon, then to apply them, and if the Lord defer to perform them, then to put him to it, for the fulfilling of them; and so we should do for the promise of Justification, the promise of forgiveness of sins, that you have cause to make use of this time when you receive the Sacrament: For what do you? You come to renew your Covenant with God, that we have now spoken of: for it is the seal of the Covenant; there is a Covenant that God makes with you, and a Covenant that you make with him: when you consider this, you should strengthen your faith, go to him, and say, Lord, thou hast promised to forgive me my sins, and to remember them no more; Lord, it is a part of thy Covenant; Lord, it is thy Covenant that thou hast put thy seal to;

Againe, withall, how dangerous it is to refuse it: for who knowes how long the LORD will waite? who knows when he will cease waiting, and shut vp the doore of grace to vs? and then when the day of peace is gone, it is no more to be recouered, when the acceptable time is past. I beseech you therefore, consider and apply it, take heed of refusing, when you heare yet this Couenant of Grace is offered, your doores are now open, you may come in, if you will; take heed of staying till the acceptable time is past, lest the Lord sweare in his wrath (at a time when you thinke not) that thou shalt neuer enter into his rest. So much shall serue for this. Beloued, that which I intended most was this, the reason why this Couenant is made, the reason why God makes a Couenant with man; which was chiefely, that we might haue strong consolations, that we might know his good will towards vs, that he might not onely doe vs good, but that hee