an Appendix tó this Premonition Ince the Printing of this, the World hath teena fpecimen of fuch contention, as I lament, ill a contef between a young infulting Affailant,anda jocularcontemptuous Defendant; in my judgment both running into extreams; whetherverbal or real, their own explications mull further tell us : The extreams of the former are reprehended by many : By the la- ter, (a perfon ofgreat wit and piety,) I perceive that forne men have fuch conceptions of the Co- venants of God, as will give occafion to fome Readers to think, that by inif-defcribing them, I have erred and milled men, through thisand many other Writings. And men that are not able to conquer the obfcuringand tempting notions of their Authors, are fill calling for An- fwers to every inconfiderable objection, or contradifting word that is fuggefed to them ; and little things puzzle and flop fuch Readers (though otherwife pious and worthy perlons) who havenot by long and accurate finches methodized and digefed the matter that is difputedof: Not therefore to offend any man by oppotition, or to defendother mens extreams s but to pre- vent the frufration of fome of theft Writings, and the fcandal or trouble of my Reader, I mull take notice s "I. That fome think that [the Covenant of Grace mug be conftdered, a. ist its Conffitistion ; and s' 2. in its Execution: The Cosjtitutian of the Covenant is God's firm and unchangeable urpofeof "lavinghis Eleíï, to thepraife of his glorious Grace.] For the word fignifieth a difpoftion, ap- "pointment, or orderingof matters, whether there be a reftipulation or no ; (the Englifh word, "Covenant, feduceth our underftandings): Thefixed purpofe and determinate counfel of God, " in Scripture, is called a Covenant, Jer.33. 20. IL The execution of this fixed Confitution is "God's wifeand gracious managing of all things for the accomplifhment of that glorious defign " which he had in theprofpeft of his eternal counfel, which he feadily and regularly purfueth " through all the viciffitudes that his mutable creatures are obnoxious to, ere. pag. 718, 719, " a. On God's part > whatever grace and mercy was inhis eternal purpofe, that isgiven out to us "byChrift, &v. III. i. Chrift cannot be thefoundation of the Covenant, becaufeChrift himfelf " is promifedin the Covenantas the great comprehtnfive bleffing, Ifa. 49. 8, p. 2. Free Grace is "given as the true reafonof the Covenant,Heb. 8.8. IV. The Confitutfon of the Covenant in "God's purpofeand counfel, hath no condition at all : nor isthat the Conditionof the Covenant " required ofus on ourpart, which God promifeth to work in us on his part ; nor that which "God in Covenant beftoweth s nor that which prefuppofeth other Covenant merciesantecedent, "&e. V. A promife of pardon and life on condition of believing and obeying, isno Covenant of "Graceat all,and neither better nor worfe than a threatning of condemnation, &e. It'sno more "aCovenant of Grace than a Covenant of Wrath.-- It's no great matter where it is founded. " p. 584, 586. VI. God hath not difpenfed withone jot or title of the moral Law, but; Do this and live,isas flriidly exacted as ever: fo that unlefs a Surety be admitted, and the righteoufnefs ` of another owned, the cafe of all the fons of Adam is deplorable and defperate. Todeny the "righteoufnefswherein the believing !inner mayland before this righteous and holyGod, is to " affirm the eternal damnationof allthe World. VII. The Covenant mentioned juf'rifieth not, " but declareth our 'unification, which is the immediateproper effeft of Chrift's righteoufnefs: "VIII. Never any man in his wits affirmed that the righteoufnefs of Chrift isthe formal caufe of " our 'unification: Give us but leave to call it the material caufe, or the meritorious caufe im. " mediatelyand properly of 'unification, &e. Somewill think that theyare great and heinous errors, which either tilde words, or fome of mine that teem contrary, import : But I mull crave leave here to follow myufual method, in fe- pärating the Controverliesde re tir de nomine s and then I think that even theft firange words provenot him andmeat fo great adifance as they teemto intimate. For I grant him as follow- ethde re. r. ThatGodhath fuch a decree of Election or eternal purpofe as he defcribeth, and éalleth theConflitutionof the Covenant. 2. That Goddothwifely and gracioufly execute this Decree. 3. That all Grace and Mercy is given by Chrift: (And therefore fo far as Mercy Is common, Chrilt is the common caufe of it.) 4. That Chrift himfelf is a blefing or gift decreed, and alto freely given by God, even from his love to the World, job. 3. 16. 5. That God's elefting Aft, or Décree, as in him, hath nocondition : nor his purpofe to give Chrift as aSaviour tomankind. 6. On our part no condition is required, either that Godmay electus, or that the firlt promife of a Saviour be made, or that Chrilt come into the World, or that hefulfill all righteoufnefs, or that he obey, or die, or rife, or beglorified, or come to judgment,or raifc the dead, or that he eaai it as his Law of Grace, that [be that believed and is baptized, (halt be Paved and he that believeth not fcalf be damned.] 7. Nor.isany condition on our part neceffary (abfolutely, necetate radii) e that
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