SOVEREIGNTY bF CHRIST. 301 absolutely from any man, but conditionally, which becomes abso- lute when the condition is performed. The elect themselves are not by nature under the covenant of grace;but remain under the curse of the first covenant till they come in to Christ. 2. Whosoever rejecteth or neglecteth his grace, and so finally breaketh the new covenant, must also bear the curse or penalty thereof, besides all the former, which is a far greater curse, even as the blessings of this covenant are far greater than those of the first. It was a heavy punishment to be cast out of Paradise, and from the presence and favor of God, and to be cursed by him, and subjected to eternal death, and all creatures belowcursed for our sakes, to bear all those curses and plagues threatened in Deut. xxvii. and xxviii., and tohave the wrath of God smoke against us, &c., as Deut. xxix. 20. "But of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy that doth tread under foot the blood of this covenant, and do despite to the Spirit of grace ?" Heb. x. 28, 29. It is true, that for all other sins the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience, (or unpersuadableness,) that is, on them that will not be persuaded to obey the Lord Christ ; Eph. v. 6. But it is on no other with us ; for this is the condemnation, "that light is come into the world, and 'men love darkness rather than light ; " John i. 19. 3. Why is this kissing the Son, that: is, loving, depending on, and submitting to him, the only way to escape these curses ? Ans. 1. The most proper and primary reason which can be given, is, the will of the Great Lawgiver, who, having absolute sovereignty over us, might disposeof us as he please, and make us such laws and conditions as seem best to his wisdom, upon which our justification and salvation should depend : he hath resolved that this shall be the only condition and way; and that, as no man shall be justified by a mere Christ, or his death abstracted from faith, (that is, of age and use of reason,) so this faith shall be the condition upon which they shall be justified; or, as a Christ neg- lected shall save ño man, so the accepting or receiving of him shalljustify and save them, as the condition of the covenant perform- ed, under which notion it is that faith justifieth. 2. Yet other improper or 'subordinate reasons (which receive their life from the former, and without it would be no reasons) may be given : as, 1. from the equity ; and, 2. from the suitableness and conveniency. 1. It is but equal that he who bath bought us, and that so dearly, and from a state so deplorable and desperate as we were in, shouldbe acknowledged and accepted for our Savior and our Lord ; and that we, who are not our own, "but are bought with a price, should glorify him with qur bodies and souls, which are
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