40 The Parties in th~ Mark r. A deliberate and cordial complacency in the covenant. As it was .with the Reprefentative; from eternity ; fo it is time, in that matter, with the re– prefented, when once by grate they become capable of perfonal confenting : there is a deliberate and cor- . dial complacency in the covenant being propo(ed, Pfa. xl. 7·' 'fhenfaid I'-- ver. 8.-- 'Thylaw is wirhit1 my heart.' The children ofmen difcover themfelves to be Adam's natural feed, reprefented by him in the covenant ofworks, by the inclination and bent of their hearts towards that covenant: there is fuch a biafs to that covenant, hung upon the minds of men naturally that do and live, f'Jr work and win, is the 'religion of all natural men, fo far as they have any practical reli– gion at all; and they cannot be brought ·off from it, but by the power of renewing grace. !Even fo thee:"" Ject of God Qifcover thernfelves to be Chrifi's fpiritual feed, reprefented by him, in the covenant of grace, by their deliberate and cordial co.r:n placency in this covenant : the heart .touched with Divine grace, fays· of it, ' This is all my falvation, and all 'thy defire,' :2 Sam. xxiii. 5· The new biafs hung on their minds, ,_ by renewing grace, carries the,m to an hearty appro .. bation, rdifh, and liking of the new cove~1ant held forth in the gofpel : they are well-pleafed with the parties-contraB:ers, the reprefentative and reprefenra- . . tion in it; the conditions and promife~ of it ; the Ad– :minifirator, the adminifiratioq, and order thereof. In a word, the covenan t is irr their .. eyes a faultl.efs con·· trivance : there's nothing in it, they would have out; and there's' nothing out of it, they would have in. ·so there they cafi anchor for their own fouls •. Bu t it is not fo with others. I Pet. ii. 7. ' Unto you there- ' fore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be difobedienr, the fione which the 'builders difallowu ed, the f.'lme is made the head of the corner.' ver. 8. ' And a frone of il:umbling, and a rock of offence, e- , - ven
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=