'Rom 9 1 Joh.... fl . lteY.J9.Il• ·Book I 1 I. L'ooking untB :}eft#, Chap . lSed.~ refpeel: of ~od; it was his plelfurc: in giving the Jaw not only to mamfeft hts w1fdome , and power, and Soveraignty , but his faithfulnefs, and truth, and love, and the glory of his grace. that hemight ma~e ~own (as the apoftle fpeakei) the l"ic·hesofhi; !,lory en the vef[ells ofmere] , which he had afore preparrd 1mtoglory. Gods love is a part bf his name, -for God is lvve, and Gods faithfulneE is a part of his name,! [aw heaven opened (faid John in .a vifion).1nd beholda -a>hite horfr, &he that fate upcn him was c>~llrd faithfuit and trHe: now how iliould we ever have known Gods love, at Jeafl: in fuch a me:tfure? or how iliould we ever have known Gods fairhfulnefs and truth at all , if he had not entred into a covenant with us ? it is true,ifhad given the law in a meere abfolute fupreame way, if he had given the precept without any promife , he might fully have difcovered his illimited fupreame power , but his fo deare love and faithfulnefs could not have beene known : now therefore let the world take notice of his ftngular love , and of his faithfulnefs; as Mofes faid to Ifrael ,_ Bec.zufe the Lord loved yon, and becaufe, he would kJepe the oath whic·h he had fworne unto jour fathers' hath the L ord brought JOU out with a mighry hand, and redeemedyou out of the houje ofbondmen, from the hand of Ph.traoh, King of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord th; God , he is God , the faithful God, which kfrp ~th Coverurnt nnd merq with them that love him , .tnd kfep his Commandments to a thoufand grnerations. 2. In refpett of us , God would rather deale with us in a Covenant-way, then in a meer abfolute fupreame way, upon thefe grounds. - -- I. That he might bind us the faller to himfelf, a Covenant bindes on both parts , the Lord doth not bind himfelf to us , and l~ave us free; No, I w.ill bring )'OU (faith God) into the bond of the Covenant. The lord fees how fiippery and un{hble our hearts are, how ·apt we are to fl:art afide from ot,tr duty to• wards him, we love to wander _; and therefore to prevent this inconfl:ancy and unfetlednelfe In us, and to keep our hearts more fiable in our obedient walking before him, it pleafed the Lord to bind us in the bond ofCovenant, that as we look for a bleffing from God , fo we look to it t~ keep Covenant with God : yon may fay a Command bindes as ,well as a ·Covenant , it is true , J>ut a Co.venant doth as it were twifi the cords of the Law, and double
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