A survey of the spiritual antichrist opening the secrets of familism and antinomianism in…A survey of the spirituall antichrist opening the secrets of familisme and antinomianisme in…

1. This is as much as Christ will never covenant, nor indent to be our husband, while we first make our selves, by some ⟨p. 129⟩preparing grace, his married Spouse. For sure this is a Marriage-covenant; we must first make our selves his people, and then, for shame, he must be our God: as if Marriage-love bred first in our breast, and stood upon this poor leg, the grace of man to God, not the grace of God to lost man.

1. This is as much as Christ will never covenant, nor indent to be our husband, while we first make our selves, by some ⟨p. 129⟩preparing grace, his married Spouse. For sure this is a Marriage-covenant; we must first make our selves his people, and then, for shame, he must be our God: as if Marriage-love bred first in our breast, and stood upon this poore legge, the grace of man to God, not the grace of God to lost man.

2. We teach that faith in Christ is both a condition of grace on our part, but not Antecedent and preparatory to the Covenant, and also a grace promised, when the new heart is articled to us; so that Christ bringeth into the covenant himself, his righteousness, his free grace, and the condition of Faith that receives him; just as if the heir of a King should offer to marry a Maid of low birth, upon condition she wear about her neck on the Marriage day, a gold chain, having in it a rich Diamond of the Crown, and withal should oblige himself, under his hand and seal, in the Marriage-contract, both to bestow this chain on her freely, and to infuse a Spirit of grace and love, to close in her heart with such a lover, and to yield consent to the match, and to adorn her self with this chain. Just so doth the Prince of life here, and its a vain thing to parallel this covenant of grace with other covenants.

2. We teach that faith in Christ is both a condition of grace on our part, but not Antecedent and preparatory to the Covenant, and also a grace promised, when the new heart is articled to us; so that Christ bringeth into the covenant himselfe, his righteousnesse, his free grace, and the condition of Faith that receives him; just as if the heire of a King should offer to marry a Maid of low birth, upon condition she weare about her necke on the Marriage day, a gold chaine, having in it a rich Diamond of the Crowne, and withall should oblige himselfe, under his hand and seale, in the Marriage-contract, both to bestow this chaine on her freely, and to infuse a Spirit of grace and love, to close in her heart with such a lover, and to yeeld consent to the match, and to adorne her selfe with this chaine. Just so doth the Prince of life here, and its a vaine thing to parallel this covenant of grace with other covenants.