A34674:194
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.
Now as the Lord Jesus giveth the ⟨p. 118⟩Law, and as it were reneweth it, so he doth also give his Spirit unto his servants, enabling them to keep it. Jer. 31.33. and Ezek. 36.27. Now this Law would he not write in the hearts of his people, nor give unto them his holy Spirit, enabling them to keep it, were it not his will in Jesus Christ, that the Law should be the Rule of holiness and righteousness unto his people; hence it is that the children of God, though they be not under the Covenant of the Law, yet take themselves to be bound to the obedience of it, for if Christ have given the Law as well as Moses, and if he have ratified it by giving them his Spirit to teach and strengthen them to keep it, though not perfectly, yet sincerely, then they take themselves bound to obey the Law, though they be under the Covenant of grace; for do we make void the Law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the Law; for what need have Christians of free justification by Christ, if they were not bound unto the obedience of the Law by the Commandment of the Law? therefore the free justification of men under a free Covenant of grace doth establish the ⟨p. 119⟩obedience of the Law; otherwise what need they run to Christ to save them from the Curse of the Law? Why do we still run to Christ for the continuance of our Justification, but that we find our selves ungodly Creatures against the righteous and holy Law of God? Therefore if God have given men the Law, & his Holy Spirit to strengthen them in the obedience of it, and his grace to save them from the curse of it, then Christians are to know, that they are bound to keep the Law, they lye under the authority of it, and dare not pluck their necks from under that yoke.
Now as the Lord Jesus giveth the ⟨p. 118⟩Law, and as it were renueth it, so he doth also give his Spirit unto his servants, enabling them to keep it. Jer. 31.33. and