Chap/28. The Old and New Covenant. 21z verfè 5. 13 ecaufe they have tray fgre f fed the Lawes, changed the 'Or- , dinances, broken the everlafling Covenant. Nrowaccording to this opinion, Regeneration is our entrance into Covenant, and Rege- neration is our keeping of Covenant;befor Regeneration we make no Covenant, after Regeneration we break no Covenant there is no fuch thing as Covenant - breaking, All this makes an`ut- ter confufion in the Covenant. a. Then there is no fuch thing as an hypocrite in the world, as in reference towards God ; no fuch thing as an hypocrite in the .1;hurch as in reference to Religion, and wayes of god Metre. An hypocrite is one that perfonates the man that he is not, with le. roboarns wife feignes himfelf to be another perfon; t King 14. 6. He that ads Tarquin or Lucretia in the Tragedy,is not Tarquin or Lucretia, that ads a King is many times a peafant. Now an hy- pocrite refpedive to Religion,and in Scripture -ufe of the phrafe,is one that pretends for God, and is not Gods; pretends to be whol- ly his,and is force others ; of thefe God frequently complaines, thefe in the Scriptures are menaced with heavy judgements. Now according to this opinion, that only Regenerate men are in Co- venant, there is no fuch thing as an hypocrite. No fuch finne as hypocrifie ; where the Gofpe! is preached, God makes tender of himfelf in Covenant; and in cafe none but Regenerate enter Co- venant, then only they take upon them the perfons of people in relation to him , only they ftrike hands with him , and there, as they profeffe, fo, in fincerity and reality they are ; as they Cove- nant with him fo in the uprightneffe of their hearts they walk before him,and fo all lfrael are of Ifrael. There cannot be found a man in lfrael that is not a Nathaniel; Men out of Covenant are without and aliens to the Common- wealth of lfrael, Epef. 2.12. And if they be in Covenant then according to this opinion they are men fincere , and upright - hearted in it. Bur you will fay, They pretend to the Covenant, and are not in Covenant, andfo are hy- pocrites. To this I fay. (i.) It is plaine againfF the Scriptures that makes hypocrites falfe in the Covenant , men whofe hearts were not ftedfaft in it, as Pfal. , 8. 8, to. And might not be as their fa- thers, a flubborne and rebellious generation, a generation that fet not their heart aright,and whofe f iris *al not fledfa ft witliGod.They 18ßt not the Covenant ofGod, and re fisted to welkin his La*. More fully verfe 36, 37. They Aid flatter him with their width, and they lied un Ee a to Oljeti.
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