- . Chap.2.Sea. 9 8o8 Book.IVPart+ Lookingunto1tfus. Eph. t.u. hath to lay to his charge? what more he will, or can in jufrice require for fatisfacbon, than his furety hath done for him ?- · 3. We are related to the covenant ofgrace. Before vivification we had no fuch relation; at that time ye wrre withBut Chri{f, being alitJ!JJ from the common-wealth of Ifrael, and jir1mgers from the covenant of promife. But now the covenant is ours, that fountaine, or bundle Qfpromifes is ours, God is our God, and we are his people. 0 the ble!fedneffe of this pri viledge ! happy if the peeple that be in fuch a cafe, yea happy is the people whofe God ilthe L ord. The covenant is reckoned all happineffe; it containes in its howells all benefits in heaven, or under heaven; as a man may fay ofany thing he hath in poffeffion, thi.r if mine, fo may they who are in covenant witb God, lay he umine, I have qoa himfelfe in my pof[ejfion. How might we try our vivification even by this communion we have with God, and Chri!t, and the covenant ofgrace? Chriftians! look into your own hearts, have you not felt in your approaches to God fome rai!ing5 or workings ofthe Spirit of the Lord, concluding the pardon of your fins? hath not Chrift taken you by the hand, and led you to the· Father ? it may be your own guilt made you afraid, but the difcovery of Jefus your righteoufneffe made you bold to go to God; you felt boldneffe coming in on this ground, becaufe all yaur approaches, or drawings.neare to-God were bottomed on Jefus ; hath not God rnarryed you to himfelfe? hath he not conveyed himfelfe (through his holy Spirit) into your own hearts by wa:y ofcovenant? hath he not fornetimes whifpered to your fouls, thou art mine ? and have not your fouls ecchoed back again to the Lord ,thou art mine? much of the truth of all this would ·appeare, ifChriftians would but dayly obferve the rnovings of their own hearts; for as he that .hath the fpirit of Satan !hall ever fin de him putting on and p,rovoking to evil, fo he that hath the Spirit ofGod !hall moft-what (or at leaft frequently) finde ahd feele it active, and ftirring in the heart, to the reformii'lg of the whole man; the holy Spirit is not idle, but he rules and governes, and maintaiBes his monarchy in us, and over us, in fpig~t of the power of Satan, and privy confp!racy of a mam own flefh . 5. It is a life ofa new in-come; I meane of a faving in-come, as ofgrace, power, light, &c. Before vivification there was no · fuch
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