A59035:1358
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.
3. The power of God in relation to his people in Covenant, which is a securing 1and preserving power.
- 1The power of God, which is A securing power.
1. A securing power; it secures their union with, and relation unto Christ, and that for ever; peruse that excellent place in John 10. 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Ver. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Ver. 29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand: Here is a description of such as are believers, and are in Covenant, (they are called the Sheep of Christ) and such as he knows and owns to be so, and they hear his voice and follow him; here is also a description of their sure and safe condition, they shall never perish, they shall never be parted from Christ, ver. 28. and here is a description of the cause or reason thereof, viz. the greatness of the power of God, (He is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my hands) as if he had said, If these should miss of heaven, and if these should perish, it must be for want of power in me, that I am not able to keep them; some other power there must be which is stronger than the power of God, by whose hand they are held and kept; but my Father is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of his hands, therefore they shall never perish, but they shall have eternal life; and if so, then the Covenant 'twixt God and his people is an everlasting Covenant.
1. A securing power; it secures their union with, and relation unto Christ, and that for ever; peruse that excellent place in John 10. 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Ver. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Ver. 29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand: Here is a description of such as are believers, and are in Covenant, (they are called the Sheep of Christ) and such as he knows and owns to be so, and they hear his voice and follow him; here is also a description of their sure and safe condition, they shall never perish, they shall never be parted from Christ, ver. 28. and here is a description of the cause or reason thereof, viz. the greatnesse of the power of God, (He is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my hands) as if he had said, If these should misse of heaven, and if these should perish, it must be for want of power in me, that I am not able to keep them; some other power there must be which is stronger than the power of God, by whose hand they are held and kept; but my Father is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of his hands, therefore they shall never perish, but they shall have eternal life; and if so, then the Covenant 'twixt God and his people is an everlasting Covenant.