A34674:253
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. The first Act of God is (having chosen us in his Son) He gave forth his own Son out of his bosom for the redemption of Abraham & his seed; that is the first and fundamental of all the rest that God doth put forth, or any other Person in Trinity, for the applying of the Covenant unto the hearts of his people; And God in giving his Son doth give himself, Isai. 9.6. Joh. 10.30. & 1 Joh. 2.23. Rom. 5.8. Joh. 3.16. And as God giveth us his Son, so he giveth us all things else in his Son, Rom. 8.32. So then this is the first and the great work of God, that he hath given his Son out of his own bosom, to take our nature upon him, to lead a miserable life, and to dye a cursed death, and in him hath given all his Attributes, his mercy, and power unto the sons of men; an undoubted sign that God intendeth to give himself in the Covenant of grace unto his people, when he giveth Jesus Christ himself in that Covenant, as he doth expressly, Isa. 42.6. where we may see that God giveth another, even that ⟨p. 172⟩God the Father giveth God the Sonne. Thus it is a gift of the Covenant that God giveth his Son to be the foundation of the Covenant, and the chief blessing of it. And Chap. 49.8. He speaketh to the same purpose. No man hath seen God at any time, (Joh. 1.18.) nor can see him; nor will God the Father have immediate fellowship with any creature; but the only begotten Son of the Father, the Lord hath given him that he might reveal him; Thus we may perceive that the Lord is gracious and marvellous gracious in that he giveth us his Son, his dear Son, the second Person in Trinity; and thus he saith to his Elect; I will be a God unto thee, and give thee my Son that shall redeem thee out of all distress and danger. Thus doth the Lord for his people, and it is a clear evidence of his grace, and showeth that his love unto his people is beyond all banks and bottom; for the Lord to give us his Son, and this Son so soon as he was promised, his people saw him a far of.