~~8 T/,e (hriftian (o'l,enant opened. CHAP. Ill. :DireBiom about the C/,riftia11 Col1enant with God, and 'Baptifm. ~· r. ',T· Hough the firfi1'ome of this Book is little more than an explication of the Chnfiiah · Covenant with God,yet being here to fpeakofBapufm as a part ofGods worfhip it is needful that I bricfiy fpeak alfo of the Covenant 11 felf. ' • 9· 1. DireGl. ~ It Ua ntatttr of grtft imparttmct thatyou rPtU underfland tlu nature ·'1. . DireU. I· of the Chrij!ian Covma•t, rohat it ;,. 1 fhall therefore here briefly open the nawre ol ot and then fpeak ol: the Reafont of it : and then of the folemniz.ing it by Bap1ifm, and next of our R;mwing it and \aflly of our K"ping it. ' The Coven>nt ~· 3· The Chrij!ian C~~n~nt i< a Contrail bttroetn God an~ man,.thro~gh tht Mediation of Jtf•t Chrift, • wlut ? · for the return and reconcJlzaa,n offinnrrs unto God, and thttr Juflific_,,on , Adoption, SaJtUi.fication and ,. Glorifioqtion by him, tohit Glory. . 9· 4· Here we: wui\ firfi confider, who arc the Parties in the Covenant : 2.~What is the matter of the ·Covenant onGods )?art: 3•What is the m•tter on Mans Part : 4:What are the terms of it pro– pounded on Gods Part. S· Where and how hedo1h exprejj it. 6. What are the neccifary ~ualijica~ lions on mans part• 1• And what are the Ends and Benejill of it. ~· 5· ' 1. The Parties are GOD and M AN : GOD the F A•T HER, SON and H 0LY GHOST ontheone part, and REPENTING BELIEVING SINNERS on the o1her part. Man is the party that nttdt1h it ; but God is the P" ty that firll offemh it : H<re note, I· That Gods part 0 f the Covrnant is madeVniver[ally and ConditionaUy with all mankind ( as to the tenor enachd, ) and fo !! iq Being before we were born. 2· Thar it is not the Father Son and Holy Gboft confidered fimply as plrfonl in the Godhead; but as Rel•ttd to Man for the ends ~f 1he Covenant. 3· That it is only Sinners that this Covenant is rpade wi1h, becaufe 1he Vfe of il is for the rcfioration of thofe that broke a former Covenant in Adam. It is a Covenant ot RtconciliatiGu and 1herefore fuppofeth an Enmity ante<tdcnt. 4· When I fay that it is Repenting and Btlievin• fin. ners thtt art the pany, I mean, 1. That raking the Covenant in its firft AGI, ir is Repemanc~ and faith themfdves that arc that Aa-, and are our very CrwnrantiJ!g. But takmg rhc Covenant in its rx– ler1ul txprefli6n, fo it is a Rtptnting Btlieving £inner that mun make it, it bti.ng bur the "xprtffion of his Repentance and faith, by an explicit centrad: with God. 5• Note, that rhough Gods Covenant be by one Univerfal Act (of which more anon), yet manr is to be made by the feveral acts of tlie indivi– dual perlons each one for himfelf, and not by the Acts ofSocieries only. ~· 6. 11. The maun of the Covenant on Gods Part is in General, that He lf'iU be"" God : more particularly; that God tht Father will be our Reconciltd Godand Fathtr in Jclus Chrifi ; thal God the Son will be our Saviour; and God rhe Holy Ghoft will be our Sanllifitr· And the Relati"nof aGod 10 us eifcntially containcrh thefe three parts: r. That as on the title of Creation and Redemption he is our Owner, fo he do1h rake us as his own ptculiar people : 2· That as he ha1h title 10 be our tl.bfolute King orGovernour, fo he doth take us as his Subjells: 3· That he will' be 'our Grand Ben.faUor and Felici!Ji, or our moll Loviflg F.,her ( which comprizeth all the refi. ) And as he will be thus Related to us, fo he will d, for m, all that lhefeRelations do import. As, r. He will do all1har belongct11 to a Creator for his cre:nurc, in our prcfervation and fuppHcs. 2. He will fave M from our fins, ancl fxomhiswrathandtldl. 3.Andhe will.fanllifieus to a perfect conformity to our He-ld. Alfo • 1 • Fie will ufe us and defend us as his ot#n pecHliar O'lftl: 2. He will govern us by a Law of Grace. and rightcoufncli : 3· He will make us fuf/y happy in his Love for ever. ~· 1 • Ill. The Matlfr on mans part of the Covenant is, , , In refpeCl of 1he '1rrminur a quo, that we will forfakc 1he Flrjh, the World and the Deoil as they are adverfc 10 our Relationt and v,.. ties to God : 2· ln regard of the 7'trminur ad quem, that we will tak.f 1be Lord for ourGod: and more panicularly, I · That we do take God the Father for our Rtconciltd Father in Jt/itl Chrift, ancl do give up our fclvcs to him, as Creatures to their Maker. 2. That we do take Je[Uf Chrift for 'our ludeemer, S.wiour, an4 Mediator, as our High-P.riefi, and Prophet, and King, and do give: up our fdves to him as hi<; Redeemed ones to be reconciled to God, and faved by him. 3· That we do rake the H>lyGhnj! for our Regtnerater and San/Jifier, , and do give up our fclvcs 10 be perfectly re– newed and fandiht:d by him, and by his operations canyed on lo God in his holy ftrvicc. Alfo I· That we do rake God for our Abfolutt Lerd or Owner, and do give up our felvcs ~o him as his OrvN· 2 • Thar we uke him for our Vniverfal Soveraign Govcrnour, and do give up our felves unto him as his fubjcct,. 3· That we do uke him for our mofl b,•untiful Bt1ifa/J.r,, and IOl•i11,g Father, at1d [elicit)·,
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