A34674:196
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.
1 As they take themselves bound to the obedience of it, so they believe and many times feel the fatherly displeasure of God, when they transgress it; now the transgression of the Law could not bring them under the displeasure of God, unless they were bound unto the Commandment of the Law: This displeasure David was sensible of, ⟨p. 120⟩Psal. 38.1,2,3, &c. where he makes many complaints, which do all of them spring from the conscience of the disobedience of the Law, which God hath framed in the hearts of his servants, whereby they reflect upon their sin as the ground of all the distempers, which lye upon their bodies or minds. This is the first effect of the subjection of Gods people to his Law, they lye under the faith and sense of the danger of the disobedience of it.
1 As they take themselves bound to the obedience of it, so they believe and many times feele the fatherly displeasure of God, when they transgresse it; now the transgression of the Law could not bring them under the displeasure of God, unlesse they were bound unto the Commandement of the Law: This displeasure David was sensible of, ⟨p. 120⟩Psal. 38.1,2,3, &c. where he makes many complaints, which doe all of them spring from the conscience of the disobedience of the Law, which God hath framed in the hearts of his servants, whereby they reflect upon their sin as the ground of all the distempers, which lye upon their bodies or minds. This is the first effect of the subjection of Gods people to his Law, they lye under the faith and sense of the danger of the disobedience of it.
2 They are under the faith and sense also of Gods gracious acceptance of their ways, when they are suitable to the blessed directions of his word; not that they can raise there-from their justified estate, but by the same Spirit of God, whereby they are helped to obey the Commandments of God, they do see the Lords gracious approbation of them in their poor and weak endeavours; for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, that is, acknowledgeth and approveth it,