4 A _View r;f the complete fnlvation of all the objects of m.rrcy, then to 'be advanced ' unto the meafure of the fiarure of thefulnefsofChrift.' Eph. iv. 13. Inthatday our L.ord Jefus Chrill:, the great builder, 'fhall bring forth the head fione thereof with ilioutings,' even the laH: andcrowning mercy,faying, 'Come, ye blelfed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of ' the world.' And then ihall they dwell in the buildif,lg of mercy perfetl:ed, and fil;g of mercies for ever ~md ever. Lafl!y, The foundat-ion on which it fl:ands, is a firm one. 'Tis peceff.·u·y, that it b~ fo : for a bqilding of mercy to Jinners, from a hiJly jufl God, is a building of huge weight ; more weighty than the whok fa brick of heaven and earth·: nnd if it lhould fall, all is ruined a fecond time, with– out any more hope of relief. But it is a fure foundati.. on, berng God's everlafiing covenant; · ' I haveof it. 1nade a covenant with my cho(en.' · In which words, together with the fecond text, there are four thipgs to be confidered. I. The- founda· tion on which the building of mercy fiands ; to w~t, 'A covenant. IT. The Parties-contratlers in that eo.. venant. III. The making of it. An cl IV. The nature I. The foundation, on which the building of mercy flands, is a cove-nant, a Divine coven(lnt, a fure one. The fir.ll: building for man's h'}ppinefs was a building 1of bounty of goodnds ; but not of mercy: for man was not in mifery, when it was a rearing up. And it was founded ori a covenant too ; namely, 9n the eo· venant of works, ·-m'lde with the firfl: Adam: but he broke the covenant, and the whole building tumbled dow'n in an ·infl:ant. But this is another cov~nant, and of another nature. In the type indeed and :(hadow, 'ds the cov~nant of royalty with Dav'id, 2 Sam. vii. · J 1.-----r7. which was a foundation of mercy to bis family, fecuring the (::ontinuance of it, and that as a royal family. Howbeir, in the anti type and truth, 'ds the covenant of gr~ce, the 'ovenarJ;t of eter~~-l hf~
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