A treatise of the covenant of grace, as it is dispensed to the elect…

1. The first that ever fell off from the Covenant of grace made with Abraham, it was Ishmael: and what was the ground of it? he mocked Isaac, Gen. 21.9, 10. what mocking was it? in regard of humane frailty? no, no; it was a plain persecution, and that implies ⟨p. 223⟩such a persecution as was cast upon him in respect of the Covenant of grace made with him; as if he should say, Here is the child of promise! or the like, insomuch that Sarah could not endure he should tarry any longer in the house; for this was not humane frailty, but humane insolency against the Covenant; whereas happy he, if he might have fallen under the wing of it.

2. The second that you read of, who fell from the Covenant, fell not upon those terms; but the love of worldly sensual blessings did choke the affections of Esau toward the Covenant of grace, which was the chief blessing of the first born in the days of Abraham and Isaac; but he coming in hungry, selleth his birthright for a mess of red pottage, Gen. 25.31. &c. Thus Esau despised his birthright: so this sort of children despise the grace of God, not out of a malicious frame of spirit, but they are choked with the cares of this world; and the best seed that was sown in them, becomes unfruitful: and this is the case of all the good husbands of the world that despise the Covenant of grace; for when once a man is taken up with the profits and pleasures of this life, he then cares not a rush for the Covenant of grace: mount Zion is not now commodious for him, so profanely do they undervalue the Covenant of grace in comparison of sensual lusts: and do men thus fall from the Covenant of grace, because it is a duty above the power of nature? no, no, the very common gifts they had, might have restrained the one of these from mocking, and the ⟨p. 224⟩