620 A fltfcription of the nature of fait in allufion to the Gofpel. Á11 the heave offerings of the holy things, which the Children of Ifrael offer unto the Lord, have Igiven thee, and thyfnnes, and thy daughters with thee,. by, a Statute for ever, it is a cove -. nant of falt f or'ever, before the Lord, unto thee and . to thy. feed with thee. (z Chron: t s Chap. 3 verse.) A Covenant that fhall not lofe the vigour, verrue, aiid ffcengrh of it by long continuance, therefore a Covenant of -fair; as now meare if it be not faked, it l utrthes and lofeth that nurture ir had before,. and grows worfe and worfe, till it comes ro have no kind of vertue to comfort the.body at all. Thus when we make Cove- runts with God, ir may be when we make them at tirll, they feeme:to be full of vigour and l }rength, but after the Cove-. rant bath continued a few dayes, iris like flella or fith,after ir bath continued a little while, it loofeth the temperature of ir, and is more unfit for nutriment then others; but if you put fait to them,then they will be fit for nurture ; and fo -it is with our Covenants, at hrli they are full of vigour, and f}rength, but, let them continue a little_while; then *_he Covenant hath- no power at all: Oh, it was not a Covenant of fait ; I fearé or Covenants that we have made privately and publickly, that they are not Covenants of fait , but the Lord when he makes: Covenants of fait, he remembers his Covenant,and there is as much (frengrh. and vigour in it a thoufind yeares after,it is made, as there was the firfl day it was-made ; many menänd women make little ufe Of their ioules,but onely to keep their bodies from putrifying. re are the fait o fthe earth; the mean- ing is this, Whereas all the world grows to putrifa6 ion, they have fuch evills in their hearts, as being let alone they grow worfe and worfe, and perish for ever. 'John r Chaps verfe. 7his then is the meffa e Which we'have heard of him and de- .clare unto you, that God is,lght,and in him is no darkneffe at all. Gocl doth expel! darknelfe, and ignorance, and inuidelitie, by the true knowledge of himfelfe. And here is the great ufe of the Miniflery of the word; ro keep all the -world from perish- ling by putrifaáfion ; and all thé hearts amen m and women in the wo. Id, that have not the doarine of the Gofpel. prevail- iiiig in.them , they are. unto. God , .!linking, filthy, loathfome meare, ,
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