A57966:472
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the sovereignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the soveraignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...
Edinburgh: printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Brown, 1655
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.
If it be said, No man can break the Gospel-Covenant, for it is an everlasting Covenant. Ans. Its an everlasting Covenant, but yet all who sin against the commanding love and authority of our Immanuel, especially they so professing to be his, do truly break the Covenant: but they so break it, as it leaves not off to be the ⟨p. 189⟩Covenant of life both to the breakers, if they repent and believe, and to others: for so is the nature of this Covenant,1 and so it is everlasting, but the Covenant of Works if once broken, ceases to be a Covenant of life for ever, because the nature of it is, to admit of no repentance at all. Obj. Does not the Law command the sinner offending God to mourn and be humbled, and confess? Ans. It doth. But it enjoins not repentance as a way of life, with a promise of life to the repenter, as the Law or as a Covenant of Works commands to its native and proper Covenanters obedience and every single act of obedience as a way to obtain the reward of a Law-life,2 nor does the Law as a Covenant of Works command justifying faith and reliance upon God Redeemer, or Immanuel: but rather as the Law of Nature, or as the Law of thankfulness to a Ransoming and Redeeming God, the Law does this. Though in a special Covenant way the Gospel command faith in Christ.
If it be said, No man can break the Gospel-Covenant, for it is an everlasting Covenant. Ans. Its an everlasting Covenant, but yet all who sin against the commanding love and authority of our Immanuel, especially they so professing to be his, do truly break the Covenant: but they so break it, as it leaves not off to be the ⟨p. 189⟩Covenant of life both to the breakers, if they repent and beleeve, and to others: for so is the nature of this Covenant,1 and so it is everlasting, but the Covenant of Works if once broken, ceases to be a Covenant of life for ever, because the nature of it is, to admit of no repentance at all. Obj. Does not the Law command the sinner offending God to mourn and be humbled, and confesse? Ans. It doth. But it injoines not repentance as a way of life, with a promise of life to the repenter, as the Law or as a Covenant of Works commands to its native and proper Covenanters obedience and every single act of obedience as a way to obtain the reward of a Law-life,