A57966:664
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.
Q. 2. Since mortification comes only from Christs death, what is the influence of Christs death herein?
1Ans. The influence is reall, ad modum causae physicae, the merit of blood hath bought us from our vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. Christ dying doth merit by blood the Spirit, and infused grace, which deadens the whole life of sin. Evangelic Arguments from ten heavens, from ten Gospels working morally and in a swasory way, cannot more work mortification then touching can make a real change on a dead corps; we was legally dead and crucified in Christ, and with Christ, when he died, many not being born then: But in the infusing of the life of God, Christ applies the real principle of mortification. Now the redemption from a vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. from the present evil world, Gal. 1.4. is as real and proper a bargain, except we follow Socinus, as redemption from the wrath to come. 2. Christs death hath an influence moral and suasory to work mortification: As 1 Pet. 1.16. Be holy. 17. Pass the time of your sojourning in fear. For ye are bought with his blood from your vain conversation. And 1 Pet. 5.1, 2. Christ hath suffered in the flesh, therefore be mortified to your lusts, and serve them not, as the Gentiles do: So Col. 3.1.5. But the action moral of the Gospel doth not work upon the natural man:2 for like works upon the like; carnal reason upon a carnal spirit; and spiritual Arguments upon a renewed man; as an Argument from a painted feather works upon a child, more then an Argument from an inheritance, which no doubt will work upon a man come to age, and yet neither the one nor the other works upon a renewed mind to remove him off Christ his rock. Hence it is, 3. that Acts of Omnipotency are used as Moral Arguments: also, God works in you to will and to do, therefore work out your salvation. And choosing, redeeming, calling, justifying, quickening, converting, are brought in as causes in Scripture, both real and moral; but they work morally on reason, where there is an impression of faith and principle of life. The Gospel works on an unrenewed man to persuade him almost to be a Christian: Ye may persuade a youth to a course,