A34674:84
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.
And they spring immediately (simul & semel) from the former Union with Christ, for as soon as ever the spirit of God is in our hearts, and hath wrought faith, that we do not spurn against Jesus Christ, now is the Divine nature of Christ in us, and we are now become the Sons of God as Christ himself is.
And they spring immediately (simul & semel) from the former Union with Christ, for as soon as ever the spirit of God is in our hearts, and hath wrought faith, that we doe not spurne against Jesus Christ, now is the Divine nature of Christ in us, and we are now become the Sons of God as Christ himselfe is.
Look as in a mans first natural conception, as soon as ever Adam doth live, there is an heir of Adam, even so soon as the soul liveth: So it is in this new spiritual birth, as soon as the Holy Ghost cometh and hath wrought this faith, now is the seed of God in us, and the life of Christ, and the Spirit of God, and now are we the Sons of God, Jo. 1.12. Immediately upon this Union with Christ we are Sons by Adoption, and as we are Adopted, so likewise our sins are now imputed unto Christ, and his righteousness unto us, and so our persons are justified. For how and when was Adams sin imputed unto us? Psa. 51.5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, &c. so soon as ever there was life, it was the life of Adam, now the imputation of Adams sin falleth immediately upon ⟨p. 33⟩the soul. So when we do receive Christ by this living faith, having the life of Christ in us, we have the righteousness of Christ also imputed to us: for what doth the Child in the womb, though it doth neither good nor evil, but is merely passive, yet sinful it is, and a Child of Adam. So also in this our Regeneration, the soul acteth not, but only receiveth Christ by that faith which the Lord hath wrought in it, whereby also it is made capable of the privilege of Adoption, and so the Lord accounteth us his Children, and imputeth the righteousness of his Son unto us, whereby we are justified. These things do dwell in Gods bosom, and the meaning of them is afterward revealed unto the soul, but communicated they are, both that of Adoption, and this of Justification, by the gift of faith wrought in us, but we are still upon the first work of Conversion, wherein a Christian is only passive and receptive, and truly it must needs be so in the first work of God upon us.