The Covenant of Grace, Title page – Dedication
THE Covenant OF GRACE: Diſcovering The Great Work of a Sinners Reconciliation to GOD.
By JOHN COTTON, Miniſter at Boſton in New England.
Whereunto are added: Certain Queries tending to Accommodadation between the Presbyterian and Congregationall Churches.
Alſo, A Diſcuſſion of the Civill Magiſtrates Power in matters of Religion.
By the ſame Author.
LONDON: Printed by M. S. for Francis Eglesfield and Iohn Allen, at the Marigold, and Riſing Sun in Pauls Church-yard. 1655.
TO THE Truly Vertuous and Religious, my ever honoured and much eſteemed Friend, Mris. Catharine Hodſon, The Sure mercies of David;
IF either Religion or Civility have any virtue to oblige, certainly I am much your debtor; it would be but a Complement (which uſually derives its Pedigree from the vainest aſſentations) to promiſe any adequate ſatisfaction for thoſe many favours you were pleaſed to make me the ſubject of. The deſigne of theſe few lines is to teſtifie to your ſelfe and the world, that I am really thankefull, or heartily deſire to be ſo.
The following Treatiſe which concernes the Covenant of Grace, I commend rather to your Practice then protection; It's true, it is an Orphane, entertaine it for the Fathers ſake, and I ſhall undertake you ſhall gaine no mean ſatisfaction for your paines.
The two ſmaller Tracts at the end, are of good uſe to thoſe for whom they are intended.
In the firſt the Reverend Author undertakes a good Office, which is, to become Ʋmpire betwixt diſſenting Brethren; Next to their not falling out, the beſt thing is to agree: I have often thought, that if men did more attend to the intereſts of grace, and were leſſe particular in their ends, the quarrells about the way would not be ſo endleſſe.
As to that latter Tract, about the Magiſtrates power in matters touching the firſt Table; Of late dayes it hath fallen much under Question; wiſe and good men who have attended to the Scripture with a ſingle eye, have looked upon the Magiſtrate as The Miniſter of God, a revenger to Execute wrath upon him that doth EVILL, Rom. 13.4. under the name of Evill comprehending *foreign. Ariſtot. Eth. 5. 13.whatſoever is committed about holy things: Children are commanded obedience to their Parents in all things, Col. 3.20. {inverted †}Felius (inquit Auguſtinus) Reges ſi ſuam poteſtatem ad Dei cultuū maximè dilatandum, majeſtati ejus famulam faciant. De civit. Dei. 5. c. 14.All things, comprehend holy things, and the command of a father is leſſe then that of the Supreme Magiſtrate.
That which relates in this little Book to the Covenant of Grace, I commend to your ſpeciall meditations; every truth hath its value, but not of equall concernment unto all.
Amongst all the parcells of ſacred Word, none more juſtly challengeth our ſerious ſtudy, and affectionate inquiſition, then this myſtery that hath been hid from ages and Generations, Coloſ. 1.26. comprehended in the Covenant or Grace, which is a Conſtellation of great and precious Promiſes, communicating the moſt beneficiall influences of rich, everlaſting and undeſerved mercies, by Jeſus, Chriſt the Mediator of the Covenant, to the needs of loſt, heavy loaden ſinners.
This is the City of Refuge, and ſureſt Sanctuary, to which diſtreſſed ſoules have alwayes fled, and found ſecurity when the …owes and the waves of temptation have beat upon them; here they have ſucceſsfully caſt the Anchor of their hopes; for The Mountaines ſhall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the COVENANT of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. Oh thou afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts, and not comforted, I will, &c. Iſai. 54.10,11,12. They onelyonly know how much ſweeter then the honey and the Honey comb, the *Gen. 33.9,11. Eſau lookes upon his ſubſtance, and ſaith, foreign foreign, I have much, or abundance. Jacob looks upon his portion in Jehovah, & ſaith, foreign foreign, I have all things. Thus it ſhould be Tranſlated.large contents of the Covenant of Grace are, who have taſted the grace of that Covenant.
The ſpirituall ſenſe which you have of theſe things, hath been ſo rightly exerciſed, that your experience exceeds all the Arguments of knowledge that I am able to adminiſter. But this Covenant being our Grand Charter, and the great reaſon of our hopes for another life, I refer you to the peruſall of the following Treatiſe, and ſhall in the mean time beſpeak a bleſſing from Heaven upon your meditations in it.
I Queſtion not but ſtill you purſue that thriving courſe in Religion, which many are wanting to themſelves in; and that is to keep off from unedifying diſputes and Queſtions, which have added nothing to Chriſtianity, but diſcord, ſcruple, and a loſſe of the vitalls of Godlineſſe, beſides the expence of precious houres, which you have improved to more conſiderable advantages. You run well, let nothing hinder you.
Hold faſt that which you have wrought, that you may receive a full reward: Live as much as you can to the intereſts of another world; For the Land of IMMANUEL is an excellent ſoyle, the pureſt aire is above, where the Spirit breaths freely, and the ſoule injoyes a condition proportionable to it ſelfe, in as much as nothing can fit it, but that which bears ſome ſimilitude to its being.
Your warfare is not yet accompliſhed, as you muſt wraſtle with God by prayers, ſo you must wraſtle with principalities and powers {inverted †}foreign de ſupercoeleſtibus Eph 6.12. vide Mat. 10.32 foreign, mei cauſâ… illius cauſa. vide Mat. 26.21. All ye ſhall be offended becauſe of me. foreign.A…OƲI [or becauſe of] heavenly things: The nature of Satan is to tempt, and we have that in our natures fitted to comply with any temptation: Let him be conquerour, or conquered, he is reſtleſſe: He may goe away for a ſeaſon, till God is pleaſed to let out his chaine, and then he comes againe. Be we faithfull to the death, and there is a Crowne of life provided for us. Now the God of all grace, 1 Pet. 5.10.who hath called us into his eternall glory by Chriſt Jeſus, after you have ſuffered a while, make you perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you. So prayes
Your very much obliged Friend in the bonds of the Goſpel. W. RETCHFORD….