Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shown the connection…Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shewn the connexion…

Hence it is, that although the Gospel be propounded so in the Covenant of Reconciliation, as to Promise Life upon condition of Believing, yet God in faithfulness doth give to His Elect this Grace of Faith, makes them Believers against their natural Wills, taking away Obstinacy and Infidelity, and so brings them under the Condition by mere Grace, because there is a more ancient Covenant of Grace than the Gospel-Covenant, in which He stands fully and freely obliged thus to do.

Hence it is, that although the Gospell be propounded so in the Covenant of Reconciliation, as to Promise Life upon condition of Believing, yet God in faithfulness doth give to His Elect this Grace of Faith, makes them Beleevers against their naturall Wills, taking away Obstinacy and Infidelity, and so brings them under the Condition by meer Grace, because there is a more ancient Covenant of Grace than the Gospell-Covenant, in which He stands fully and freely obliged thus to do.

2. The one of them is between equals, the other is between Superiors and Inferiors: When I say the first ⟨p. 22⟩was between equals, my meaning is, that both the Parties were equal, and the terms also equal. There was an equality between the Parties, it was a compact made between God the Father and His Fellow, so Christ is called, Zech. 13. 7. He counted it no Arrogancy or Injury to be His Compeer Phil. 2. 6. An equality also in the terms, it was a free Covenant on God's Part, He was not at all obliged to it, but did it according to His good pleasure, Col. 1. 19. It was Voluntary also on Christ's Part, He did it spontaneously, Phil. 2. 7. Whereas the other is between Parties greatly disproportionable. As in the Covenant of Redemption, the Parties were equal, and the Conditions equal; what Christ paid down was worth that which he received, His Blood was Precious, and well worth the Lives of all that were Redeemed by Him so here in the other the Parties are in themselves greatly distant; there is the great God on the one side, and Man who is but a Worm on the other, a Holy God, and Sinful Man, a Sovereign God, and Man a forfeited creature, lost, undone, miserable: the condition also and consequents of this Covenant hold no proportion of virtue between them, a little Faith and an exceeding weight of Glory. Again, the one Party He is free and no ways necessitated, might have glorified Himself in their ruin, and He is Sovereign, they are condemned Captives, He may lay what He will upon them, and they are bound to accept it, and if they do refuse it, that refusal shall increase their guilt.