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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28344	Vindiciæ foederis, or, A treatise of the covenant of God enterd with man-kinde in the several kindes and degrees of it, in which the agreement and respective differences of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, of the old and new covenant are discust ... / [by] Thomas Blake ... ; whereunto is annexed a sermon preached at his funeral by Mr. Anthony Burgesse, and a funeral oration made at his death by Mr. Samuel Shaw.	Blake, Thomas, 1597?-1657.; Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.; Shaw, Samuel, 1635-1696.	1658 (1658)	Wing B3150; ESTC R31595	453,190	558

hath lost its commanding power then it can give sinne no more being yea it hath lost its own being power of command being of the essence of it If the Law Thou shalt not kill have no power of command then I sin not if I kill If that Law Sweare not at all have no power of commanding then our RANTERS high oaths are no more sinnes then our eating of swines flesh or 〈◊〉 not observing the Feast of the Passeover Where there is 〈◊〉 there is no transgression and a Law antiquated and repealed that the power of command is gone as in the Laws before mentioned is no Law If he still pr●sse that similitude of the Apostle that a dead husband hath now power of command But the Law to a beleever is a dead husband First I say if he will be pleased to informe me how a dead husband rips up his wives faults how he curbs and keeps her in which he confesses is the Laws office to a beleever then I shall speedily give an account how this dead husband retaines power of command The Argument is as well of force The dead husband hath no power to discover his wives faults to restraine curb or keep her in But the Law is a dead husband to beleevers Therefore the Law hath no such power It lies upon him to answer this argument to free himself from self-contradiction And I would faine see this answered and the other maintained Secondly for more full satisfaction I say that some learned Expositors make the husband in that similitude not to be the Law but sinne which hath its power from the Law So Diodati in his Notes upon the place Man signifieth sinne which hath power from the Law the woman is our humane nature and of these two are begotten the depraved errours of sinne So also Doctor Reynolds in his Treatise of Divorce page 37. setting out the scope of this similitude thus expresseth it As a wife her husband being dead doth lawfully take another and is not an adulteresse in having his company to bring forth fruit of her body to him so regenerate persons their natural corruption provoked by the Law to sin and flesh being mortified and joyned to Christ as to a second husband Master Burges Vindiciae Degis page 218. saith Sinne which by the Law doth irritate and provoke our corruption that is the former husband the soul had and lusts they are the children thereof and this the rather is to be received because the Apostle in his reddition doth not say the Law is dead but we are dead But if he will still contend that the Law is the husband in that place which by reason of corruption hath so much power for irritation and condemnation over an unregenerate man I shall onely give him that advice which Doctor Reynolds in the place quoted gives Bellarmine upon occasion of his interpretation of this similitude Let Bellarmine acknowledge that similitudes must 〈◊〉 be set on the rack nor the drift thereof be streched in such sort 〈◊〉 ●f they ought just in length breadth and depth to match and sit that whereunto they are ●●●●mbled And when he confesseth power in the Law notwithstanding this death to performe diverse offices in the souls of beleever● 〈◊〉 cannot affirme that the law is wholly dead nor deny but that it may have this office of command likewise The power which the Law loseth is that which corruption gave it which is irritation and condemnation Corruption never gave command to the Law and the death of corruption through the Spirit can never exempt the soul from obedience or take the power of command from it Let it be granted that the Law is the husband here mentioned the similitude is this That as the Law through our corruption was fruitful in mans nature to the bringing forth of sinne and condemnation So Christ by the Spirit is to be fruitful in our nature to bring forth works of grace to salvation and so the death of the Law is meerly in respect of irritation or inflaming to sinne and binding over to condemnation not in respect of command That this is the full and clear scope of this similitude beyond which it must not be stretched plainly appeares verse 5. For when we were in the flesh the motions of sinnes which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death So that here is nothing against the commanding power of the Law God still keeps up his Sovereignty and by this Law he rules the regenerate I wish our Authour would sadly reflect upon that reason of his The Law is not authorized by Christ to reigne and rule in the consciences of his people For his Fathers peace his own righteousnesse and his Spirits joy There is none that speaks of the reigne of the Law in the consciences of the people of God but God in Christ reigns and by his Moral Law rules for all these reasons So farre are these from excluding his rule by his Law in his peoples hearts If this rule of the Law be destructive to Christs righteousnesse then Christs coming for righteousnesse must needs be to destroy the Law which Christ disclaimes And the rule of the peace of God in our hearts is so farre from excluding his rule by his Law that without it it can never be attained Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psalme 119. 165. This is the confidence that we have in God that whatsoever we ask according to his will we shall receive because we keep his commandments 1 John 3. 22. A Commandment hath a command●●● power and only they that keep them have this peace ruling in their hearts The Spirits joy and the power of the Law to command are so farre from opposing one the other that the Spirit gives testimony of Gods abode in no other but such as confesse and yeeld to this power He that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that be abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 3. 24. And of like nature is that which he further hath Though the Law the former husband be dead to a beleever yet a beleever is no widow much lesse an harlot for he is married to Christ and is under the Law of Christ which is love If the moral Law respective to the power of command be dead then love is dead with it Jesus Christ reduces the ten Commandments into two Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self If then the Law be dead this love from the heart is dead and so a beleever is either a widow or an harlot Master Burges Vindiciae Legis page 12. shews at large that to do a thing out of obedience to the Law and yet by love and delight do not oppose one another which if the Reader consult with his enlargement of it he

which is good and let your soul delight it self in fastnesse Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David verse 1 2 3. And yet we see upon what termes it is tendered That which keeps from us the mercies and brings upon us the curses of the covenant is upon covenant-condition to be shunned This is true of all covenants made where any good is hoped and evil feared That sinne against God keeps us from the mercies and brings upon us the curses of the covenant is clear in what hath been spoke What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou should'st take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hast instruction and castest my words behinde thee Psal 50. 16 17. A people that keep to their termes of covenant are in communion with God but sinne separates between a people and God that is the ground of quarrel Hos 4. 1. between earth and heaven Men entring and keeping covenant with God are of God and not of the Devil They are turned from the Devil to God from fellowship with Belial to fellowship with God But he that committeth sin is of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. Christ that carries on the covenant as you have heard will never cast off those that walk up to the termes of the covenant but he casts off with a dreadful sentence all those that work iniquity Mat. 7. 23. As for those Antinomian spirits and ranting wretches that do contend that sinne is no barre to their communion with God That God is as well pleased with man in the greatest heighth of sinne as the most holy duties That this doctrine charges a change upon God to be now pleased and presently in wrath and displeasure they do but deceive themselves and make it their work to deceive others They neither know sin nor the direful guilt of it nor yet God nor his direful displeasure against it The Apostle makes it his businesse to undeceive them as Ephes 5. 6. having reckoned up a catalogue of sins he thus speaks Be not deceived with vaine words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Neither is there any change according to this doctrine supposed in God The change is in them that covenant against it and walk in it Did they know the terrour of it they would tremble at the thought of running upon it and by heaping up sin to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgements of God Rom. 2. 5. They will finde this an aggregate of all miseries and let them take beed that they call not to the rocks and mountains to hide them from it The Positive part is to be followed as the Privative part to be shunned As Timothy must flee covetousnesse so he must follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith love patience meeknesse 1 Tim. 6. 11. Faith in the former place as an instrument serviceable for our accesse to God makes up as we heard a condition of it self As a work or inherent grace it is here comprised in this covenant-condition together with others to hold up our communion with God As we must cease to do evil so we must learne to do well As we must put off the old man with his deeds so we must put on the new man It is not enough not to bring evil fruit wilde grapes but we must be fruitful in every good work God hath a quarrel with his people upon a charge of negatives as well as affirmatives omissions as well as commissions She obeyed not the voice she received not correction she trusted not in the Lord she drew not neer to her God Zeph. 3. 2. We must not alone be free from that charge of Christ upon the Jews of doing the work of the Devil John 8. 44. but we must abound in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. And this upon the penalty mentioned in the former branch Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen down and cast into the fire Matth. 3. 10. Upon these termes it is that we avoid the curse of the covenant Those on whom no condemnation is charged walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Gal. 5. 21 22. Upon those termes salvation the mercy of the covenant is obtained Christ is the Authour of everlasting salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. When the Apostle makes light of outward priviledges he puts the whole stresse upon mans faith and obedience Gal. 5. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God 1. Cor. 7. 19. That which is so mightily available with God in covenant is the walking up to the terms and observance of the conditions of the covenant But faith and the keeping of the Commandments of God are as we see thus available and prevalent These two are distinguished but never severed That faith which looks at Christs blood as a Saviour accepts him as a Sovereign and the latter about which there is most dispute is an evidence to conclude the former Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments where knowledge is put for faith as appears in the context 1 Joh. 2. 3. These are heard of God in prayer Joh. 9. 32. If any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because we keep his Commandment and do those things that are pleasing in his sight 1 John 3. 22. These are sealed of God by his Spirit 1 John 3. 24. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us These great mercies are for men in covenant that keep covenant But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children To such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his commandments to do them Ps 103. 17 18. CHAP. XXIV Objections against the conditionality of Repentance answered HEre Objections must be removed Object First joyntly against faith and repentance some making challenge of both as no covenant-conditions So Mr. Baxters questionist How do you make faith and repentance to be conditions of the Covenant on our part seeing the bestowing of them is part of the condition on Gods part can they be our conditions and Gods too In case these two cannot stand together that they should be conditions both Gods and ours we may answer by way of retortion Answ and I am sure we have the better end of the staffe that

so large in returning praise for the Colossians Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. As alone the blood of Christ sets free from hell so alone the Spirit of Christ makes fit for heaven This is done by a double work 1. Of regeneration or first implantation of grace which is called the birth of the Spirit John 3. 5 6. 2. By acting improving carrying on this work of grace which is properly sanctification so that when the Spirit is gone thus farre here is a certainty of the object It is sure nothing more sure than this that a regenerate sanctified man shall be saved But here is more required for a certainty of the subject Here is certitudo de re but more is required to attaine certitudinem de se If Peter do beleeve and repent he shall be saved is out of controversie But that Peter doth beleeve and repent is not alwayes so soone discovered And this is the Spirits work as the former It is not my businesse now to hold out what is the Spirits whole office in concluding our Assurance but to shew that the conditions of the covenant are the bottom ground not of salvation but of our evidence of interest in salvation We must know that we do beleeve and repent before we have assurance and we must first beleeve and repent before we know that we beleeve and repent If before faith and repentance there can be no salvation then before we know we beleeve and repent we cannot be assured of salvation But without faith and repentance there is no salvation Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Luke 13. 3. 5. I tell you may but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Therefore before we beleeve and repent we cannot be assured of salvation And how assurance can be gained without a practical syllogisme and how a syllogisme can be framed with any other medium than the conditions of the covenant is above my understanding Man is so far from abilities to conclude salvation without faith and repentance that be must conclude himself to be in faith and that he doth repent before he can conclude any interest in it The covenant of God is the ground of our salvation if that be waved all is lost and we must make good our part in the Covenant Grace must assist to answer what the covenant requires or no salvation How is it a covenant if nothing be required and why is it required if it must not be performed To gather up assurance from the conditions of the covenant is a businesse of greater consequence even the highest pitch of Christianity It is a great work to beleeve and repent a greater work to know that we savingly beleeve and repent The work it selfe is difficult no businesse of a lazy soul but to know that the work is aright done is a greater difficulty but that it must be gathered from the conditions is easie to resolve I know some finding the seal of the Spirit and the witnesse of the Spirit mentioned in Scripture in order to assurance will have the whole of the work of Assurance to be carryed on alone by the Spirit and that all is done in us without us They expect a secret whisper from God that we are Gods and no more This witnesse they say must be heeded and our faith and repentance in the work not at all regarded But I would know of those if the Spirit be a seale whether the soul doth not bear the impresse and what this impresse is but the graces of the Spirit The Seale sealing and the impresse made fully answer one the other Sometimes it may dimmely answer where the wax or clay or whatsoever is sealed takes not a full impression but if it answer not it is no Seale The graces that the Spirit works are its impresse and these are the conditions of the covenant and so instead of an objection we have a proofe For the witnesse of the Spirit I desire to know whether it be a single witnesse giving testimony to us without us or a witnesse concurring with our spirits The Text is cleare Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Our spirits bearing witnesse are our consciences Rom. 2. 5. Their consciences also bearing them witnesse and therefore Master Baxter rightly affirmes That the testimony of the Spirit and the testimony of our consciences are two concurrent testimonies or causes to produce one and the same effect But every conscience cannot witnesse thus with the Spirit or joyne in a concurrent testimony It is the witnesse of a good conscience 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptism saves saith the Apostle by the resurrection of Christ Explaining himself not the putting away the filth of the flesh not the bare outward act of administration which is worthily set out by the most undervaluing termes when it is put in opposition to the inward work but the answer of a good conscience towards God Baptisme is a seal of the covenant and it engages to what the covenant requires which as we have been still catechized is to beleeve in God and to forsake our sins and when conscience answers that this is done Baptisme is a seale that Christ saves The seale of the Spirit is an impresse of those graces and the witnesse of the Spirit is a clearingup of these graces and giving in testimony to the truth of them opening our eyes to read the characters which it selfe hath made 1 Corinth 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God So that in vaine do men talk of the Spirit that have not on their own hearts the impresse of it or of the witnesse of the Spirit when a renewed conscience cannot concurre in testimony that these engagements are answered in faith and repentance let that Text of the Apostle be considered 1 John 3. 24. He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us I know there are some that admit of all this and freely yeeld that this is a safe way to conclude Assurance from Sanctification Confessing that the Spirit never witnesseth with an unsanctified heart yet they contend for a farther and immediate teste of the Spirit without any consideration had of inherent graces wrought or any reflection made by the the soule upon it selfe in review of any gracious qualifications Yet here they confesse danger and limit this doctrine of theirs with diverse cautions as I have met with some from an eminent hand in a manuscript 1. This is extraordinary as they say very seldome seene or known it is no common way of

consolation An up-right-hearted man findes abundance of peace in his covenant entered with God when he prayes and seeks the greatest mercy in prayer he is able to say In thy faithfulnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse Psal 143. 1. Paul can say that God the righteous Judge shall give him a Crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 8. Having engaged by covenant righteousnesse ties him to make good his engagements This is Gods end in his entrance of covenant and ratification of it by oath consequently in committing it to writing and confirming it by seal That by two immuntable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 18. These strong consolations were the end of God in ratifying his Covenant They are the support and Spirit reviving cordials to his people in Covenant See the result of the Psalmists meditations In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psalme 94. 19. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety Psalme 4. 8. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal 27. 1. Sixthly for the greater terrour of the adversaries of his people when they see themselves engaged against them and God stands in a covenant unviolable engaged for them when they see that their work is to ruinate and destroy him that God will save Hence it is while their Rock sells them not one of them chases a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Deut. 32. 30. Paul in bonds can make Felix tremble on his Throne Acts 24. 25. Hamans wise-men and Zeresh his wife spake words of terrour upon experiment made If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevaile against him but shalt surely fall before him Ester 6. 13. Seventhly the Lord hereby puts a name and an honour upon his people David took it to be an honour to be related to Saul and so to become the sonne of a King much more then is it an honour to be brought into this relation to God This honour have all the Saints and they are taken into covenant for honour sake The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandments and to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people to the Lord thy God Deut. 26. 18 19. They are the portion the inheritance the children the espoused ones and whatsoever else that speaks a neer relation is theirs This was Gods way of dealing I doubt not with the Angels though we being not interested in it there is no necessity that it should be written for our learning Sure we are it was his way of dealing with man as well before his fall as presently shall be shewn as out of more abundant grace and condescension for his restitution And not mentioning for present any more then that which is essential in the covenant of God with man I suppose it may be thus held out to us A mutual compact or agreement between God and man upon just and equal termes prescribed by himself in which God promises true happinesse to man and man engages himself by promise for performance of what God requires This description here laid down comprizes the way of God in every one of his covenants with man both before and after his fall under Old and New Testament-revelations all that is essential in any covenant that he enters Equals covenanting do either of them article and indent but God condescending to a covenant man must not article but must assent and engage for performance of what is prescribed otherwise it will hear the nature of a Law but not of a Covenant It is true all men are bound upon tender from God to accept It was the sin of Jewish and heathenish people to stand out whensoever the Gospel was preached but they were no covenant-people till they gave their assent and then they were received as a covenant-people and baptized Exceptions cannot be taken against or challenge made of this definition of covenants in general nor of the covenant which God in particular entereth with man and these standing they will give us light and afford us singular help for a right understanding of the covenant of God entered with man in the several species and distinct wayes of administration of it CHAP. II. The Covenant of God entered with mankinde distinguished THere is a two-fold covenant which God out of his gracious condescension hath vouchsafed to enter with man The first immediately upon the creation of man when man yet stood right in his eye and bore his image the alone creature on earth that was in a capacity to enter covenant We have not indeed the word covenant till after man was fallen nor yet in any place of Scripture in reference to the transactions past between God and man in his state of integrity neither have we such expressions that fully and explicitely hold out a covenant to us but we finde it implied and so much expressed from whence a covenant with the conditions of it is evinced That Law with the penalty annext given to our first parents Gen. 2. 17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not ●at for in the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die plainly implies in it a covenant entred man was in present possession of life that is according to Scripture phrase happinesse in his whole person full and compleat according to his present capacity This is to be continued a● is there evidently implied till sinne dispossesse him of it Till he sin he shall not die As long as he persists in his integrity his life is to be continued of which the Tree of Life as is not to be doubted was a Sacrament The second God was pleased to enter with man upon his fall which was a covenant of reconciliation the most unhappy variance between earth and heaven having intervened The former is usually called a ●ovenant of Works the latter is called a covenant of Grace though indeed the fountain and first rise of either was the free grace and favour of God For howsoever the first covenant was on condition of obedience and engaged to the reward of Works yet it was of Grace that God made any such promise of reward to any work of man when man had done all even in that estate which was commanded he was still an unprofitable servant he had done no more then duty and no emolument did thence accrew to his Maker It was enough that he was upheld and sustained of God in the work to live in him

Secondly a covenant plainly argues an agreement at least in tender from one and professed acceptation from the other party A covenant of parties at a distance either party holding his distance respective to that where the distance is held is the greatest absurdity Now in this absolute covenant as it is called there is not so much as a tender from God much lesse an acceptance from man and so as yet a distance held and therefore no covenant or agreement Thirdly this supposed absolute covenant Jer. 31 33. Heb. 8. 10. hath mercies of two sorts graces priviledges And though men contend that the promise of grace is absolute seeing there is nothing pre-required of us for the writing of this Law in our hearts yet the priviledge of remission of sins hath its conditions Act. 10. 43. Act. 13. 38 39. Act. 3. 19. Fourthly none can claim any interest in or take any comfort from this absolute covenant depending on the antecedent love of God preceding the conditional covenant depending on the consequent love of God before he hath entered the second which is conditional and performed the conditions and knows that he hath performed them This is clear it is made all say with the Elect now none can claime his interest till he knows his Election which is made sure only by our saith and new obedience by the knowledge that we have of our faith and new obedience But it is enough to me that a covenant comprizing a restipulation of our duty is here confest which is the Gospel way to salvation without which the acquiescent love of God is not attained As to that Text Heb. 8. 10. the Reader may see more elsewhere CHAP. IX Further Objections against the former doctrine Answered THe covenant of grace entred with fallen man saith one is called an everlasting covenant and Heb. 8. 12. God saith I will be merciful to your iniquities and your sinnes will I remember no more Now suppose there were conditions for man to performe and man did faile in those conditions what were become of the covenant Ans The conditions failing of the covenant is broke the everlasting covenant is broke which though it seeme a contradiction to some yet it is not so to the Prophet Is 24. 5. They have transgressed the Law changed the Ordinances and broken the everlasting Covenant It is said to be everlasting because it shall not be antiquated for another to succeed it or at least that man is not to put a period to it so Circumcision and the Passeover are Ordinances for ever not that non-entring into it never break or transgresse it The Elect of God Regenerate do indeed keep covenant so do not all that enter into it There are frequent Scripture-complaints of Breach of covenant Secondly It is said Man hath no tie upon him to perform any thing whatsoever with covenant as a condition that must be observed on his part let the covenant it self be judge in this case mark it in Jeremy Ezekiel or in Heb. 8. Answ In those Texts there are graces mentioned as Gods work on the soule and priviledges promised to be enjoyed Whatsoever is there set forth as Gods work upon the soul is also required of man as duty namely to be renued in the spirit of his mind Eph. 4. 23. To make him a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. That the Word of Christ dwell in him richly in all wisdome Col. 3. 16. It will be hard for any to point out a promise of this nature but it may be answered with a command as an obligation unto duty As the precepts must not thrust out the promise nor duty shoulder out free grace So the promise must not destroy the precept In that of Jeremy conditions on mans part are included so as by the assistance of grace to be performed The tie lies upon us on pain of losse of all that the covenant promiseth and bearing all that-it threatneth Thirdly Suppose saith one there should be a fault of performing in this Covenant whose were the fault Answ The fault is his who is chidden in Scripture and beaten for it namely those that did flatter God with their mouth and lied unto him with their tongues whose heart was not right with him nor were sledfast in his covenant Ps 78. 36 37. They upon whom he will bring a sword to avenge the quarrel of his covenant Lev. 26. 25. are in the fault Fourthly if there be conditions then the covenant is not free gifts must be of absolute grace and bounty if a condition be required the freedome of the gift is destroyed Answ This is true of such conditions where there is merit in the condition whereby benefit accrues to him that engages by promise holding proportion with the reward But here is nothing indented by way of covenant but that homage which is naturally due which God may challenge from us as creatures without either engagement unto or exhibition of any reward at all for their paines and what he may require without reward when he covenants for it the reward is free If Abraham had made Eliezer of Damascus his heir upon his faithful service the inheritance had yet been a free gift and of grace conferr'd upon him Make the Proposition universal All conditions in promises destroy the nature of a gift in the thing promised and then it is to be denied A covenant of grace would then be a contradiction seeing it is no covenant as hath been demonstrated without a condition Then the Prophet doth contradict himself in the tender of a covenant in the most free manner as is possible Isa 55. 1 2. Ho every one that thirsteth c. even their conditions are required Incline your ear and come unto me Hear and your soul shall live Let the wicked for sake his way the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and unto our God for he will abundantly pardon Here are free promises with conditions Men who have not that sovereignty account their gifts free and yet require conditions from them on whom they are conferred An Alms-house is founded and endowed with revenue conditions are put upon the Almes-people to reside in such an house assigned to wear clothes of the colour and forme prescribed or whatsoever else the Founder please and yet the gift is free Finally God cannot covenant with man and keep up his sovereignty if we leave out obedience in the Articles of the covenant The covenant is upon equal termes if subjection be excluded to be a God in covenant and not require subjection is the highest of contradictions A Learned Writer after a large discourse held of the right that Redeemed ones have to the death of Christ before beleeving saith Here may be observed the mistake of those who winde up the merit of Christ as affecting God as I may so speak unto a conditional engagement viz. that we shall be made partakers of