A57966:560
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.
2. The Law-fear upon a believer is conditional, and not absolute, as he fears hell and falling away, jure, as his deserving, if God should enter in judgement with him, and if he were not in CHRIST: But he is obliged to a Gospel-faith which lays hold on Christ, righteousness, and deliverance from condemnation, and if Christ and interest in him be hid from him, and nothing on but Law-fear, that is a trial, not a duty of Law-fear. *But there is a Godly▪ Law-fear, or a Gospel-Law-fear, which is a Godly horror conditional for that which is never to be inflicted, but yet according to deserving may be inflicted, and this is the terror of the Lord, which breedeth Gospel persuasion, 2 Cor. 5.11. and so may well stand with Gospel-faith and assurance of deliverance from falling away and of being stablished and confirmed to the end. As a child in the fathers arm threatened to be cast over a sharp Rock in the Sea, may have horror and fear, and cry out for fear, and yet believe so his fathers compassion as he will not throw him in the Sea, because the threatening is ordained not to be exercised, but that the child may so much the more thrust his arms about his fathers neck.
2. The Law-fear upon a beleever is conditionall, and not absolute, as he fears hell and falling away, jure, as his deserving, if God should enter in judgement with him, and if he were not in CHRIST: But he is oblidged to a Gospel-faith which layes hold on Christ, righteousnesse, and deliverance from condemnation, and if Christ and interest in him be hid from him, and nothing on but Law-fear, that is a triall, not a duty of Law-fear. *But there is a Godly▪ Law-fear, or a Gospel-Law-fear, which is a Godly horrour conditionall for that which is never to be inflicted, but yet according to deserving may be inflicted, and this is the terrour of the Lord, which breedeth Gospel perswasion, 2 Cor. 5.11. and so may well stand with Gospel-faith and assurance of deliverance from falling away and of being stablished and confirmed to the end. As a child in the fathers arm threatened to be cast over a sharp Rock in the Sea, may have horrour and fear, and cry out for fear, and yet beleeve so his fathers compassion as he will not throw him in the Sea, because the threatning is ordained not to be exercised, but that the child may so much the more thrust his arms about his fathers neck.