.210 Sinners ofMankind, &c. Chri!l, is the great fin and cond~mnation o.f all who hearing the gofpel, do fo entertain it, Prov. viii. 36: John iii. 19. Mark xvi. 16. But it could not be the fin offuch perfons ; becaufe it can never be one's fin not to do a thing which he bath no warrant from God to do. . IVIuch lets are the nor.t- eleCt: excepted ': for at that rate, not only fhoul9 their unbelief be none of thtir fin ; but the, eleCt fhemfelves could never be· lieve, till fuch time as their eleCtion were, in the firfi f'lace, reveal'd to them,- which is contrary. to the Ha– ted method of grace: for none c.an believe in ChriH, t~l ·once they fee their warrant ; forafmuch as tha~ warrant is the ground of faith. · · Wherefore, we conclude, that !inners of mankind, indefinitely, are the objeCt of Chrifi's adminifl:rat.ion of the covenant; that he is impowered to adminifier it to you, and every one ofy.ou, whatever you are or have been· ; and that you mufl: either take hold of the· covenant of life and falvation, or periih as defpifers of it, fince .ye have heard the gofpel. - , I . , III. The Et~ds of the Adminiflration of the Covenant. 'The ends of the adminifiration of the covenant, which make the bufinds of the Adminifirator, as fuch, are thele three ; to wit, ( 1.) The bringing of finners into the covenant; · (2.) The management of them therein, according to it, in this world; and (3.) The cornpleating of their happinefs, according to it, in the · oth<:;r world. , . , Firfi, The bringing of !inners perfonally arid fav· ingly into ~he cpvcnant, Ifa. xlix . 5· ' And now fait.h the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his fcrvant, .to bring Jacob again to him, thq' lfratl be not gathered, yet Jhall I be gloriou·s rn the eyes of the I .. ord.' Tho' the -covenant was concluded from eter· 11ity, when we col!lld nei ther c~mfeilt nor diffent ; yet, by the confiitution thereof it is provided, That, even to t,he end of time, ~ny finner of the race of Adam, , who .,
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