A86524:104
The covenant of grace opened
The covenant of grace opened: wherein these particulars are handled; viz. 1. What the covenant of grace is, 2. what the seals of the covenant are, 3. who are the parties and subjects fit to receive these seals. From all which particulars infants baptism is fully proved and vindicated. Being several sermons preached at Hartford in New-England. / By that reverend and faithful minister of the gospel, Mr Thomas Hooker.The covenant of grace opened: wherein these particulars are handled; viz. 1. What the covenant of grace is, 2. what the seales of the covenant are, 3. who are the parties and subjects fit to receive these seales. From all which particulars infants baptisme is fully proved and vindicated. Being severall sermons preached at Hartford in New-England. / By that reverend and faithfull minister of the gospel, Mr Thomas Hooker.
London: printed by G. Dawson, 1649
THE Covenant of Grace opened in several Sermons.THE Covenant of Grace opened in severall Sermons.
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.
All the sinful sons of men, that stand defiled with original sin, if God save them without faith, then he saves them in the state of unbelief, they are unfaithful; if God will save them, he saves and maintains them in a state of unbelief, contrary to John 3.18. He that believeth not is condemned already; and else where it is said, He that believes not shall be damned; and if God save them in a state of unbelief, then he must maintain them in a state of unbelief, and in that estate he is an uncapable; subject in all capable subjects take away the perfection, and imperfection will follow; take away sight from the eyes, and blindness will follow; and take faith from the soul, and unbelief will follow; so that if faith be gone, unbelief will be there: but they say, those places are meant of men of years; that is but a shift; they may say it is but merely affirmed and we deny it, and our deny all is as good as their affirmation: but we say, as the word says, He that believeth not shall be damned: and it is contrary to the nature of the thing, for if God save them, and maintain them in their unbelief, he must save their souls and their sins, and so they must carry their unbelief into heaven (and if that be taken away faith will be there) and if unbelief be there, there will be a departing from God, as Hebr. 3.12. Take heed least there be in any of you a heart of unbelief, &c. so that there must be a departing from God in heaven, this is a contradiction, and therefore it is a mere conceit.
All the sinfull sons of men, that stand defiled with originall sinne, if God save them without faith, then he saves them in the state of unbelief, they are unfaithfull; if God will save them, he saves and maintains them in a state of unbeliefe, contrary to John 3.18. Hee that believeth not is condemned already; and else where it is said, He that believes not shal be damned; and if God save them in a state of unbeliefe, then he must maintain them in a state of unbeliefe, and in that estate he is an uncapable; subject in all capable subjects take away the perfection, and imperfection will follow; take away sight from the eyes, and blindenesse will follow; and take faith from the soule, and unbelief will follow; so that if faith be gone, unbelief will be there: but they say, those places are meant of men of years; that is but a shift; they may say it is but meerly affirmed and we deny it, and our deny all is as good as their affirmation: but we say, as the word saies, He that believeth not shall be damned: and it is contrary to the nature of the thing, for if God save them, and maintain them in their unbelife, hee must save their soules and their sins, and so they must carry their unbelief into heaven (and if that be taken away faith will be there) and if unbeliefe be there, there will be a departing from God, as