A34674:259
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 is the Root of Abraham's Covenant, which this people much trusted upon; and that is it of which John Baptist speaketh, Now the axe is laid to the root of the Tree, &c. and this he spake (Mat. 3.9.) after he had said, Think not to say within your your selves, We have Abraham to our father, vers. 8. So that all the confidence that they had in Abraham's Covenant, and Temple, and Tabernacle, and such things, is burnt up, and so they have no root left them to stand upon. And this is one thing intended by the Root. But
1. The first is the Roote of Abrahams Covenant, which this people much trusted upon; and that is it of which John Baptist speaketh, Now the axe is layd to the roote of the Tree, &c. and this he spake (Mat. 3.9.) after he had said, Thinke not to say within your your selves, Wee have Abraham to our father, vers. 8. So that all the confidence that they had in Abrahams Covenant, and Temple, and Tabernacle, and such things, is burnt up, and so they have no roote left them to stand upon. And this is one thing intended by the Roote. But
2. Secondly, there is something more in it, for with this Spirit of burning, the Lord by the power of this Spirit doth cut us off from any power of our own natural gifts, and parts, and spiritual gifts also, whereby we thought to lay hold on Jesus Christ; and we are ⟨p. 178⟩cut off hereby from all the confidences that we have in our own sufficiency; when once the Lord intendeth to bring a soul unto himself; for there is an usual pre•idence that we have in our own state, though the Lord have cut us off from hope in the righteousness of our parents, and from boasting of his Ordinances, yet we think there is some power still left us, and therefore we hope and will seek in our own strength, that the Lord may reveal himself to us in mercy and peace; but when the Lord cometh nearer unto us, he will show us how unable we are to take up the least good resolution, we shall find our selves, like bruised reeds unable to hold up our heads; for Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost, so that Christ will not declare himself to seek us until we be lost, and therefore he saith,