A34674:264
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.
Thus the Spirit of God may work powerfully in the hearts of men, and burn up their root and branch, and this ⟨p. 184⟩a spirit of burning may do, and yet leave the soul in a damnable condition for ought I know, and such as many a soul may be in, and yet never come to enjoy saving fellowship with Jesus Christ; therefore as this is one arm of God stretched forth for the salvation of his people, when he draweth them out of themselves, by a Spirit Of Bondage Burning towards Christ: So
Thus the Spirit of God may worke powerfully in the hearts of men, and burn up their root and branch, and this ⟨p. 184⟩a spirit of burning may doe, and yet leave the soule in a damnable condition for ought I know, and such as many a soule may be in, and yet never come to enjoy saving fellowship with Jesus Christ; therefore as this is one arm of God stretched forth for the salvation of his people, when he draweth them out of themselves, by a Spirit Of Bondage Burning towards Christ: So
2 There is a further work of God in drawing us home throughly and effectually to Jesus Christ, when he giveth the Spirit of Adoption, which reacheth beyond all the former work; he hath cut us off from our selves, and now we stand in a state quite contrary to nature, and if any saving work be wrought in us, it is quite contrary to nature; if any thing fall upon the heart and soul of a man, to bring his will to this pass, to lye down at Gods feet, that he knoweth not what to do, and yet whatsoever the Lord calleth him unto, he is willing, if it were possible to be done, he would run through fire and water to do it: but he findeth himself unable to do any ⟨p. 185⟩thing, and now he will tell you that to believe is as impossible for him as to build a world: why then bid him wait, wait? saith he, I, but I cannot wait, and if I seek the Lord, I cannot find him, and I see others of Gods servants wrought upon graciously, but dead-hearted I, nothing will work upon me; now in such a case as this, the Spirit of God cometh into the heart of a Christian, and taketh possession of the soul for Jesus Christ, and so draweth the soul to Christ, and maketh it there to stay, and there to lye down, and to be willing to be drawn yet nearer and nearer unto Christ, and to be carried an end by him, to take all from him, & to give all the glory to him. This Spirit of Adoption doth give a man a Son-like frame to lye prostrate at his Fathers will, like unto the Prodigal Son,