. ' I Covt,ltmt of Grace. 5 life ·and fal~ation to finners, the fpir~tual fled of the Head thereof, to be given them in the way o( free grace and mercy, Pfalm lxxxix. 2, 4, 29, 36: and ·in which they are freed from the curfe, fo that it can– not reach. the,m, notwitbfianding of their failures s. but the 'Lord deals with them as his children .frill, tho' offending children, ver'. 30, 33 : and all, by the . means of Jefus Chriil: the Saviour, the mighty On~, ver. 19. This is the founpation of the \.V hole building of mercy to finners, in their low ~fiatc, · into which they wer.e brought by Adam's fall. The rev;elation, _promulgatio'ri, and offer made unto the fon ~ of men, of t~is covenant which lay hid in the depths of the eternal counfel 9 is cal}ed the :go(Pel; the glad tidings of a new covenant, for life and Jalvation to finners. · II. The partio-contraClers in this co,{enanr, · are God and his chofen~ the !aft Adam : for 'tis evident,. .. from the natur€ of the things here fpoken, ver. 3; 4· and fi-om 2 Sarn. vii . 8. that thefe words, ' I have ' made a .covenant with my chofen,' are t·he Lord's own words. Both heaven and earth are concerned in this covenant; for it was a covenant of peace between them : •and accordingly, the interefis of bmh are feen to, hy the parties-contracrers . (1 .) On Heaven's fide ; is God himfelf, the par ty propoftr of the covenant; ' I have m·ade a covenan t with my chofen .' He was . • the offended party: yet the motion for a covenant of peace comes from him; a certain ind ic'ation of the goodwillofthe whole glorious Triility, towards tbe recovery oflofi !inners. The G od and Fatber of our LorJ Jefus Chriil, the Father of mercies, beholding a lofi world ; his mercy feeks a vent, that it may be fl10wn to the miferable : butjuflice fiands in the way of the egref~ and building of mercy, without there be a covenant whereby it may be l1ti sfied. Then f~ith the F~ther, T~e fidl: covenant will not fer ve the pur– pofe of mercy, there mufi be a new bar!lain : but the Jofi creatures .blave no thing left, to cont~?,:ct. for them~ ' ' A 4 · fdvcs;
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