Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

3. It is well ordered in respect of the method of the Articles in their several workings? first God begins, then we come on: first, God, on his part, gives Grace and Glory, and then we, on our parts, act Faith and Obedience: God hath ever the first work; as first,¹ I will be your God, and then ye shall be my People: first, I will take away the stony heart, and give an heart of Flesh, and then you shall loath your selves for your iniquities and for your abominations: first, I will sprinkle water upon you, and then ye shall be clean from all your filthiness: first, I will put my Spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my Statutes, and then ye shall keep my Judgments and do them: first, I will pour out my Spirit of Grace and supplication upon you, and then ye shall mourn as a man mourning for his only Son: first, I will do all, and then ye shall do something: A perplexed troubled spirit is apt to cry out, O! alas I can do nothing; I can as well dissolve a Rock, as make my heart of stone a heart of flesh! Mark now how the Covenant stands well ordered like an Army: I will do all, saith God, and then thou shalt do something? I will strengthen and quicken you, and then ye shall serve me, saith the Lord.

1. 1Jer. 31.33, Eze. 36, 26, 31 Ezek. 36.25, Ezek. 36.27 Zech. 12.10,

4. It is well ordered in respect of the end and aim, to which all the parts of the Covenant are referred;¹ the end of the Covenant is the praise of the Glory of his Grace: the parts of the Covenant are the Promise and the Stipulation; the Promise is either Principal or Immediate, and that is God and Christ; or secondary and consequential, and that is Pardon, Justification, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Glorification; and the Stipulation on our parts are Faith and Obedience: we must believe in him that Justifies the ungodly, and walk before him in all well pleasing. Observe now the main design and aim of the Covenant, and see but how all the streams run towards that Ocean: God gives himself to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace, God gives Christ to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace, God gives pardon, justification, sanctification, salvation to the praise of the Glory of his Grace; and we Believe, we Obey to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace; and good reason, for all is of Grace, and therefore all must tend to the Praise of the glory of his grace: it is of Grace that God hath given himself, Christ, pardon, justification, reconciliation, sanctification, salvation to any Soul; it is of grace that we believe; By grace ye are saved through faith,