A80637:355
A treatise of the covenant of grace, as it is dispensed to the elect…
A treatise of the covenant of grace, as it is dispensed to the elect seed, effectually unto salvation. Being the substance of divers sermons preached upon Act. 7. 8. / by that eminently holy and judicious man of God, Mr. John Cotton, teacher of the church at Boston in N.E.
London: printed by Ja. Cottrel for John Allen, 1659
THE COVENANT OF GRACE, As it is Dispensed to the Elect Seed, effect… › Part 200-250
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.
In the second place, Use 2 let it teach us thus much; that it will come short of bringing us unto Christ, if we lay claim to a promise of God by any work of grace, such as we can have before we have the seal of the Spirit; I mean such a work of the Spirit, as wherein he doth come in with power upon the soul, above the power of the word and works of God; for they are both creatures: and unless the Lord come in with his immediate power, above the power of any Ordinance, all that you have received amounteth not to the faith of Gods elect; and unless it be the Spirit of God that enlighteneth, we have received no saving light; and when he doth come to seal up Jesus Christ unto our souls, he ever speaketh in some promise of the free grace of God; for the Lord justifieth no man upon an imperfect ⟨p. 214⟩righteousness, but in that work doth ever declare himself to be just, and a justifier of him that is of the faith of Jesus; Rom. 3.26. therefore seeing in this work, he sitteth upon a throne to declare his own righteousness, there is no place now for our righteousness to appear; hence it is, that if he justify, it is freely by his grace, Rom. 3.23. thus God dealt with Abraham, when he showed him the innumerable stars of heaven, and told him, So shall thy seed be; He believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, Gen. 15.5. it was the free grace of God, which he mentioneth unto him. But suppose the Lord should reveal a work unto you (as a work there is in every soul that is justified) if you should see any work in your soul, yet unless the Spirit of God should above the power of the work breathe in it, it is not possible that it should beget a Divine Faith; it is only the work of the Spirit of God: it is he also that shows you your acceptance with God, and that manifesteth your sanctification, and makes it a sign unto you of your justification; otherwise neither word, nor work can set on a promise; with power upon the soul, until the Holy Ghost confirm it; it is his immediate work.
In the second place, Use 2 let it teach us thus much; that it will come short of bringing us unto Christ, if we lay claim to a promise of God by any work of grace, such as we can have before we have the seal of the Spirit; I mean such a work of the Spirit, as wherein he doth come in with power upon the soul, above the power of the word and works of God; for they are both creatures: and unless the Lord come in with his immediate power, above the power of any Ordinance, all that you have received amounteth not to the faith of Gods elect; and unless it be the Spirit of God that enlighteneth, we have received no saving light; and when he doth come to seal up Jesus Christ unto our souls, he ever speaketh in some promise of the free grace of God; for the Lord justifieth no man upon an imperfect