A59035:1149
The bowels of tender mercy sealed in the everlasting covenant wherein is set forth…
The bowels of tender mercy sealed in the everlasting covenant wherein is set forth the nature, conditions and excellencies of it, and how a sinner should do to enter into it, and the danger of refusing this covenant-relation : also the treasures of grace, blessings, comforts, promises and privileges that are comprised in the covenant of Gods free and rich mercy made in Jesus Christ with believers / by that faithful and reverend divine, Mr Obadiah Sedgwick ... ; perfected and intended for the press, therefore corrected and lately revised by himself, and published by his own manuscript ...The bowels of tender mercy sealed in the everlasting covenant wherein is set forth the nature, conditions and excellencies of it, and how a sinner should do to enter into it, and the danger of refusing this covenant-relation : also the treasures of grace, blessings, comforts, promises and priviledges that are comprized in the covenant of Gods free and rich mercy made in Jesus Christ with believers / by that faithful and reverend divine, Mr Obadiah Sedgwick ... ; perfected and intended for the press, therefore corrected and lately revised by himself, and published by his own manuscript ...
London: printed by Edward Mottershed for Adoniram Byfield, 1661
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.
Now lets make a little Use of all this.
Use. 1 Is the Covenant which God makes with us a gracious Covenant? O what cause have we poor and unworthy sinners to bless God for all this! O Beloved! 1it is grace which is the life of this Covenant, and which is life to our souls; it is not all the love that is promised in the Covenant, it is not all the mercy that is promised in the Covenant, it is not all the holiness that is promised in the Covenant, it is not all the comforts and joys, and peace, and blessings which are promised in the Covenant, it is not that eternal life, and glorious salvation promised in the Covenant, it is not Jesus Christ, and all the purchases of Christ drawn into this Covenant; none of these, nor all these would be any hope, or any encouragement, or any life at all unto us, were the graciousness of the Covenant left out. If the Lord should say unto us, Here is the sweetest love that ever sinner tasted of, but you must deserve it; alas, then I cannot expect it. Here is the precious Christ, the Author of salvation, but you must deserve him; alas then I shall never enjoy him; here is pardoning mercy to forgive all your sins, but you must deserve it; O then I shall never partake of it. As he said Tolle meum & tolle Deum, so say I, Tolle gratiam & tolle omnia; take away grace, and take away all; then take away Christ, and take away God, and take away mercy, and take away heaven, and take away hope, and take away all; the sinner is utterly lost upon any account, but that of grace only; it is this graciousness which makes him capable, and makes him hopeful; here is a loving God, and he will love you freely; here is a merciful God, and he will pardon you freely; here is a converting God, and he will receive you graciously; here is a good God, and he will bless you graciously, &c. Now the sinner begins to have hope, and begins to hearken; If there be a Covenant of grace, why should I despair? If it be altogether gracious, if it be raised by grace, and published by grace, and admits and receives by grace, and lets out all by grace, there is yet hope that I may escape perishing, that I may be delivered, that I may find mercy and favour; grace looks for no worthiness, and grace passeth by all unworthiness, and grace may look on, and pity and help the greatest of sinners;