Chap. 1. Sett. 5· Book lfl. 79 4 In that we are by nature no better than others that are wi~lwut .God, and witbPHt [ph. •· 12, ·– Cov;nant: wha'rmakes rhe diffcre~ce berwi~r psaod them,, but this free G:ac~ of. God? Is there any reafon in us why one 1s taken mto ~ ,~ovena~r, .,and another IS nor? Nay, Jle reil you a wonder; fo ir pleaferh riTe Lord, · th¥t fomenmes God chuferh rhe \vorll:; and leaves rhofe rhar are better than they: We read rhar PublicaiJs and Harlots were<aken in and rhe righteous Generation which ju!lified rhemfe)ves, and·were ju!bfied by others: were palfed by : furely God refpe~s none for apy thi~g in rhen;t; hitdefign is chat the freenefs of his Grace m1ghr be feen m tljpfe.whom I!Fctakes to lumfelf. Hence the Apoa!e God chufeth the foolifh things of this world, and the wea/z. things of thi< world bafe ~nd defpifed things; whilrt in the mean time he palferh by the wife and migh: t~or. ,, '7" ty, a~d things of high efteem . that all men might fee, it is the grace of God, and 1 '' 9 · nor any thing in man, by whLCh we are taken Into Covenant wnh h1m. . . 5. How is rhe Covenant fatd to be ?rdered ? Th~ word. ordered wtll he!.(' us m t~e Anfwer: it fets oot to us a mar01alhng, andl)rlaywg of thmgs tqgerher, m oppofiq. on to diforder and confufion ·; the Stptu~gint renders it hoif~"'"· which fignifiesmar– l]1alled, difpofed, prepar~d, fer forth, as an Army in comely order: the fame wet•d is in Jud;. zo. 22. And the men of Ifraet encouraged themfelves, and Jet their Battel again J ~ , in ur;. As we fee in an Army, every one is fer in rank and file; fo is every . t~1ing in u 8 ' 20 ' 1 " rhis Covenant ranked, d1fpofed, ordered, that lt !lands at belt advantage to rece1veand repel the enemy : a poor Chri!lian tbat harh a troubled fpirit, he ~ers .himfelf ~gainft Free Grace and this everlafung Col'i'Oant, he ra1ferh thoufands of obJechons agamft 1t. but now the Covenant is urdmd, it !lands like a nmll1alled Army to receive l)igl, and re: pel him. Come, let us fee how it is ordmd in all things. I /hall inflanceo!Jiy in rhefe Particulars: As,- · t• 1. It is well ordered in refpect of the Root out of which it grew : This (fay Divines) wastheinfiniteSoveraigmy,and Wifdorn, and Mercy of God. I. It was founded in Gods Soveraigmy; he had a right to do what he would with his fallen Creatures : he might damn or fave whom he pleafed: Hathnot the Potte-t powe~· over the Clay, of _ the fame lump to mal?.! one vejfel J<nto hon01<r, and another nnto dijhono"r ? 2. It was found- ll.om. 9• "· cd in Wifdom : The Covenant of Grace was a refult of Council ; it was no ralh act, bur a deliberate act with infinite wifdom: God being the Soveraign of all his Creatures, and fecing Mankind in a perillring condition, he determined within himf~lf deliberately to make fuch a Covenant of Peace, firft w~th Chrill, and then with all the Elect in Chrill:. 3. It was founded in Mercy, (i.) in the goodnefs of God flowing out freely to one in mifery : for mercy, we fay, is mad'-\ up of thefc two Ads. I. 1here mull be an Object of Mifery. :.. There mu!\ be a free efflux of goodnefs on that Object. J:"ow the Covenant of Grace was founded ~n rhefe, .,, I. There was an Object of Mifery, loft man, wretched man, undone by hn: and, 2. There was an efflux of Gods Goodnefs, his very bowels moved within him, and they could nor hold: I have lovedthee Jer."JI. 1 • wzth an everlajlmr; love (fatrh God) therefore wzth lovmg kJndnefs ha1!e I drawn thee. Surely this was well ordered ; a perpkxedSoul may have its fp,irit up in arms again!\ the Covenant of Grace. 0, cries the foul, in its(fad condition, I 11m miferable, Ijha/1 not ~ive, but die, my fins will damn me, I am lojl for ever. Why, but fee how the Covenant ts ordered in refpetl: of the Root or rife: it flands like a well mar/balled Army to receive, and torepe!thofedoubts: as, I. GodaCledin away of Soveraigmy, and cannot God· fave thee if he will? 2. God acted in a way of wifdom, and though thou fee!\ no way but one Wtth thee, Death and Damnation; yet cannot infinite wifdom contrive another way? 3. God a<'ledin a way of Mercy, and 0 thou affliEted tojfed with tempejls, 11nd Ha, S4· u. not co.,forted, is not infinite Mercy above all thy Mifery? VVhy fee, fee, poor Soul,how the Covenant repels all thy oppofirions in refpect of its rife. 2. It 1• well ordered in refpetl: of the perfoils imerefted in ir from all eternity, and ·they are God the Fa<her, and Jefus Chrill: his Son; as for the Saints Elect, they were not then, and therefore the Covenant could not be immediately ftruck with them; now. there was great need of this order; for llwuld the Covenant hav.ebeen made betwixt God the Father and the Ele<'l from all eternity, and that immediately , a troubled Soul wquld have oppofed lt thus. r. If it was from all nerniry, how then ll1all I be capable ofit? alasmybemgwasnot folongfince. 2. If it'were made with me .immediately, thenlhad fome. pan to perform of mine own power and !\rength; bur alas I have failed, I cando notlun& : 0 bur now rile Covenant is a well ordered Covenant, in thefe refpetl:s : For, I, Chn!l hathbeen from all eternity; and thou, as an Elect Veffel ha4!l rhy being in him,
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