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Of the Covenant God made with man in the state of Innocencie.

wherein he made Adam the head, and all his posterity inhabitors, the frame of Heaven and Earth his domicile, the creatures his servants, this Family upon the fall was broken up, the present Master turned out of his imployments, the children beggered, the servants returning to God their Soveraigne, and the whole frame of the creature under attainder. God thus defeated, (if I may so speake) sets up a second Family, called the Family of Heaven and Earth, wherein Jesus Christ, the womans seed, Gen. 3. 19. is the Head, Matth. 28. 18. Ephes. 1. 22. Col. 1. 19, 20. stiled the second Adam, Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth, and that with more soveraignty and amplitude of injoyment then ever the first Adam had; the whole creature being put under his feet. The children of this Family are the faithfull, who be the adopted Brethren, Rom. 8. 15. sometimes called the seed. The servants be the wicked, and those of two sorts, either such as attend in the Church, neerer about Christs person, or further off, as in farme-houses for baser offices. The creatures, by a second ordinance from their former Master free, are stated upon Christ, though they beare some brands of evill from the sinne of their former Master: the domicile, though not so beautifull, returnes to Christ. So the Covenant of Grace, entring upon the breaking up of the former Family, investeth Christ with all as purchaser of the lost creature from revenging justice, and as Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth, who freely conferreth the heavenly inheritance upon the adopted sonnes and brethren, and vouchsafeth earthly blessings, and some spirituall common gifts to the wicked, which may be called servants, both those that more neerly attend his person, and those that be further off. But of this more hereafter.


C h a p.   III.

Of the Covenant of Grace in generall.

THe Covenant of Grace is that free and gracious Covenant which God of his meere mercy in Jesus Christ made with man a miserable and wretched sinner, promising unto him pardon of sinne and eternall happinesse, if he will return from his iniquity, embrace mercy reached forth, by faith unfained, and walke be-

fore