A34674:212
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.
But we were not so, if we look for conjugal love from God for our obedience to the law; it is true, if a man be married to the Law, his obedience unto it will supply comfort unto him, but if we be dead unto the Law, we have no life in it, nor by it, but only in Jesus Christ, from whom we expect our comfort; indeed we are troubled that we should sin against the grace of God, otherwise we look not at our obedience or disobedience to make us accepted or rejected.
But we were not so, if we look for conjugall love from God for our obedience to the law; it is true, if a man be marryed to the Law, his obedience unto it will supply comfort unto him, but if we be dead unto the Law, we have no life in it, nor by it, but onely in Jesus Christ, from whom we expect our comfort; indeed we are troubled that we should sin against the grace of God, otherwise we look not at our obedience or disobedience to make us accepted or rejected.
4 And finally, the soul doth not claim his right unto any Conditional Promise by his performance of the condition, nor doth he deny himself the blessing that the Promise may reach forth unto him, though he be wanting in obedience to this or that Commandment: ⟨p. 133⟩Pregnant for this purpose is the example of Jacob (which we mentioned before, Gen. 32.9,10. who though he had a plain and a full Promise of God to do him good, if he would return unto his Country, and to his kindred, yet when he did return according to the word of God, he claimed not his interest in that Promise, for that he had done as God commanded him, but I am less than the least of thy mercies, and yet he cometh unto the Lord for the performance of his Promises: but upon this ground, only for the sake of mercy and truth. Deliver me I pray thee, for thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, vers. 11, 12. So that (mind you) though the soul can make use of a conditional Promise, and come to God for the blessing of it, yet not expecting it in the least manner by virtue of his obedience; and truly this is the freedom of a Christian soul, whereas another man, if he have kept the Commandment, and performed the condition, he then looketh for acceptance from God; as if the Lord make this Promise, that He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin, shall find mercy: This man