A34674:81
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.
Object. But you will say, Though some may be converted by such an absolute Promise, yet some mans faith may be built upon a conditional Promise, unto a gracious condition.
Object. But you will say, Though some may be converted by such an absolute Promise, yet some mans faith may be built upon a conditionall Promise, unto a gratious condition.
Answ. I pray you consider it: If it be a ⟨p. 30⟩condition, it is to some good Qualification or other, some good work or other of the Spirit of God in the heart of a Christian: Was this work wrought before Conversion or after? Every Christian knoweth, that all works wrought before Conversion are but dross and dung, to apply Promises to such works, were indeed to build upon a sandy foundation. What say you then to works after Conversion? All works after Conversion are fruits of Faith, and if they proceed from faith, then faith went before, then a mans faith was not built upon a conditional promise, how is it possible that it should, when as all works after Conversion are fruits of faith, or else they are no true sanctification, then faith went before in order of Nature, and so was not built upon works, but works upon it. And therefore all our best Divines do carry it thus; That faith closeth with Christ upon a Promise of free grace, otherwise (as saith Calvin) 1my faith would always be trembling and wavering as my works be. Upon a Promise of free grace therefore my faith is built, as upon the Promise of ⟨p. 31⟩God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, 2 Cor. 5.18,19. The word is it may be spoken outwardly unto all Christians, but if God do set it home particularly unto any soul, that man receives this gift of God, & it is made his own: first he believeth this Promise of free grace, and then afterward come other Promises that do bear witness unto the right application of that Promise unto the soul: but I am first bu upon a Promise of free-grace, or else there is no true closing with Jesus Christ. Well then, being thus united unto Christ, from this Union with Christ, do flow all other blessings and benefits of the Covenant of grace; and from hence springeth Communion with Christ in all spiritual blessings that the Lord hath wrought for us in him, and they are, two of them Relative blessings, as they are called by Divines, and two of them Positive blessings: The two former are laid up in Gods own hand, and are not created in us as the other two are.