A59035:1432
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.
2. It is very incongruous to make the Covenant thus to depend (for the lastingness 1of it) on the power and pleasure of mans will; it would rob Gods grace of all the glory for our abiding in the Covenant; for as the sole blame would be ours, if we did break the Covenant; so the sole praise and honour must be ours, if we (by our own wills) do continue and perpetuate the Covenant; God will give this, and will give that if we continue steadfast in his Covenant; and that steadfastness depends only upon the power and pleasure of his will (God, say they, no where promiseth that gift absolutely, but we must look for that in our selves) And I beseech you now tell me, where the glory of our perseverance unto glory must light; shall the grace of God have it? no, it is not the fruit or work of Gods grace determining; then the man must have it, who did so manage and stir, and improve his will as to hold out to the end; and thus by placing the lastingness of the Covenant upon the power of mans will, the creature gets away the glory from the Creator; and Gods grace which should ⟨p. 160⟩reign in this Covenant, must lose the Crown unto the supposed power and pleasure of mans will.
2. It is very incongruous to make the Covenant thus to depend (for the lastingnesse 1of it) on the power and pleasure of mans will; it would rob Gods grace of all the glory for our abiding in the Covenant; for as the sole blame would be ours, if we did break the Covenant; so the sole praise and honour must be ours, if we (by our own wills) do continue and perpetuate the Covenant; God will give this, and will give that if we continue stedfast in his Covenant; and that stedfastnesse depends only upon the power and pleasure of his will (God, say they, no where promiseth that gift absolutely, but we must look for that in our selves) And I beseech you now tell me, where the glory of our perseverance unto glory must light; shall the grace of God have it? no, it is not the fruit or work of Gods grace determining; then the man must have it, who did so manage and stirre, and improve his will as to hold out to the end; and thus by placing the lastingnesse of the Covenant upon the power of mans will, the creature gets away the glory from the Creatour; and Gods grace which should ⟨p. 160⟩