Chap. 30. An Expoition upon the Broke of j o s. Vert. t 293 Grand Covenant with Abraham, ( Gen. a 5. 9, t o.) He (aid unto him, take an heifer of threeyeares old, anda/hee-goate tfebree 'cares old, &c. And he to :ke unto him alt thefe and divided them in the midd:ft, and laid th'f e pieces cne again,ji another, &c. At the feaventeenth verle , Beheld a fmoaking furnace and a burning lampe( which latter was an Etnbkame of Gods fpeciall pretence for the deliverance of his people) paled betweene thsfe pieces. We have an infiance of the fame ceremony in making a Cove- nant ( 7er. 34. a 8. ) The, cut the calfe ir, twaine, and paired be- tween the parts thereof. Upon this ufage or cuftome the phrffe is grounded of cutting or ftriking a Covenant, ( Pial. 50. 5. Pfal.89.3.) Which ceremony had the fignification of this le- vere curie intimated by it; Let him becut a[under, lit the mem- bers of his body be divided , as chié fl tine beaff, who violates this facred oath. Imade a Covenant with mine eyes. 706 knew what would moft probably prove his fnare and therefore he let the ftrongeft watch againft it. His eyes were readieft to make him breake Covenant withGod , what then could he doe better then tomake a Covenant with he eyes-? Hence obfcrve.. Firft, The Nature ofman is exceedingly prone andheat tofan. We need not bindour f Ives not to doe that whic'e we are . not ftrongly bent to doe. Covenants are holy bonds. The Pro- phet ( Ira. 5. a8.) tells us of thofe who draw iniquity with cords of vanity , and fin as it were with a cart rope. Some are drawne by motivee of profit and pleadure unto fin, or fin is for- ced and preffedupon them by fuck" like inducements ; but others draw finunto,yea force and preffe it upon themleives,they draw fin to them, as a hoe: draws a cart to him : by all means and with all their might they Coyle and even tire themfelvcs in wick- ed prances. Now that which fonae.men doe in ad, all men would doe by nature,unlefïe through grace, or at leaft by edu- cation and moral perfwafons they put a reftraint upon their violent lufts and paffions. Paul himtelfe found, that, when he would doe good , evil! was prefent with him ( Rom. 7.2 a .) and (v. 23.) he faw another Law in his members ( Laves have a binding;
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