A34674:149
The Covenant of Grace
The covenant of grace discovering the great work of a sinners reconciliation to God / by John Cotton ... ; whereunto are added Certain queries tending to accommodation [sic] between the Presbyterian and Congregational churches ; also a discussion of the civill magistrates power in matters of religion ; by the same author.The covenant of grace discovering the great work of a sinners reconciliation to God / by John Cotton ... ; whereunto are added Certain queries tending to accommodadation [sic] between the Presbyterian and Congregationall churches ; also a discussion of the civill magistrates power in matters of religion ; by the same author.
London: printed by M.S. for Francis Eglesfield and John Allen, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Again, you see what state Christians are brought unto, when their Conversion and Faith is wrought in them, and how it is not grounded upon the sight of their sanctification, but is revealed in an Absolute Promise of free grace, and so is the soul built up in the Assurance of its good estate, and groweth faithful through Christ, and not in Hypocrisy: This is the true rest of the soul when it groweth up in a lively Faith in Jesus Christ, and yet resteth not in this, that it is sanctified, but doth look principally after Jesus Christ, and blesseth God for sanctification, making use of it for those ends for which God hath given it, but dares not rest in it as the ground of his blessedness. This is the first difference between Hypocrites and Gods own ⟨p. 81⟩Servants in the root, though both may work in the name of Christ, yet, as the one is temporary, and the other persevereth, so this difference you shall find between common and sincere Christians, and that not only when Legal Christians are blasted of God, but even then when they do most flourish in their profession. The true Faith of the Gospel of Christ is never president of his own strength (though they that have it sometimes be, as Peter, Mat. 26.33,35.) but it is out of himself in Christ, whereas the Legal Christian is confident of his Faith, that he can make use of it to these and these ends which are before him, he thinketh there is no more needful, but to look up unto Christ, and so his work is done: whereas take you the strongest Faith of the Thessalonians, who were grown to such height, that none of the Churches were before them, yet the Apostle doth not think their Faith strong enough, but prayeth for supply of something lacking in their Faith, otherwise when it is at the best, it will warp: whereas one that hath but a temporary Faith, is confident in the strength of that faith, ⟨p. 82⟩insomuch that it doth not fear, but to carry an end his profession in a safe course to Gods glory and his own. Thus we see there is a real difference between the presence and work of the Spirit in an Hypocrite, and in a Child of God. In particular, we see there is a difference in the Faith which is given to both of them; the one hath confidence in himself, the other in Jehovah, Isa. 26.12,13