' 250 Chrijl the King And hence it' is, that, rhe covenant being thus ad- · minifired to all promifcuoufly, there is an ufc of con– ditional pbrafes in the adminifiration thereof; tho' · in the covenant itfelf, there are no conditions, pro– perly fo ,ealled, but what were fulfilled by Jefus Chri£1: in his own perfon. The word of th'e covenant com– i-ng with a like warrant, to the eleB:: and the non-eJeCt:; to them who certainly will believe, and to them who will continue in their unbe1ief : the adminiilring of it equally to both, in the gofpel-proclamation, mufi: needs be by propofing the promifes indefinitely as to perfons ; the which mun at length be refolved into conditional phrafes. So it w~s proclaimed in the ears · of aH,J ' I will - betroth~ thee unto me, and, I will be to them a God.' And one believes and ;applies the fame, and he is thereupon united to Chrifi, and in– flated in the covenant to all faving purpofes: another, who hath 4S good a reveal'cl warrant ro believe, as the former, yet believes not ; and. fo comes {hort of the promife. Now to fpeak alike to thefe, who will thus differently entertain the words of the covenant; it follows of colll·fe to refolve them into fuch expreffi· ons as thefe, . ( Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrifi, and thou lhalt be f:1ved, and, He that believeth ihall be faved, and he that believeth not fhall be damned.' Mean while the .covenant itfelf is a different thing, from the form of the external adminifiration of it. Thirdly, EffeB::ually fubduing the eleB:: to himfelf, through' the power of his Spirit fo managing the word, that it operates on them like~ fword, 'piercing their , fouls, cm~quering their natural .~vt;:r~on and obfl:ina– cy, and making them willing to yield, and embrace the covenant, Rev. i. 16. ' Out of his mouth went a lharp two-edged fword. · What that fword is, and bywhat a firong arm it is ,weilded, in this cafe, n,1ay · he learn1 d from the Apoftle, calling it,' the fword of the $pirit, which is the· word of God, ' Eph .. vi. 17. · and what the etffeB:: ·of it is, beihg managed by that- ' ann ·
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