The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace

such as the holy Lord and sinful men often are. Let us correct the bold pleadings and the daring charges that our vain hearts put upon the Lord: Why dost thou strive against him (saith Elihu, Job 33.13.) for he gives not account of any of his matters? Men dare say, when they are under the vengeance of ordinary sufferings, The ways of the Lord are not equal, Ezek. 33.10. If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how shall we then live? But upon whom should sins and transgressions and the punishment thereof be,¹ if not upon the carcasses of the Authors? Will ye raise letters to summon him? Where is the judge? Where is the Tribunal? But he promised so and so; But this is not the Question of strict justice: ⟨p. 42⟩that saith something against the veracity and faithfulness of God, but nothing against the justice. But neither doth a promise as a promise raise a plea of unjustice against the holy and glorious Lord, suppose he should not fulfil his promise. For 1. A paction by promise creates no equality of justice between thing and thing, between wage and work: otherwise he that is called to the Vineyard, and labours from the third hour, hath a just plea: for he should have more wages then a penny, which he gets who labours but one hour.² But the Lord makes not the equality or proportion between much labouring for many hours, and the quantity and degree of the wage his r•le. But the Lord pleads the free Covenant for his standing rule. Mat. 20.13. Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny? And vers. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Hence read our sickly querulous nature. 1. Naturally we argue from much working, and would conclude God, much running, long swea•ing, and pains in keeping the Covenant of Works should bind God, except he be unjust, to give me as many ounces and pound weights of Glory everlasting, as I have fasted moments, and told over prayers upon beads, and uttered sighs: Wherefore have we fasted and thou sees not? We work and keep the Covenant of Works, but God pays us not our wage. Though it be a doubt to me, if the Covenant of Works had stooden, and Adam and all his had fulfilled it perfectly; if the Lord should weigh in an even balance, by ounce weights, our poor labour, and great reward of Glory, for had he entered such a market, the loss had been ours;