will be sanctified in them Levit. 10.3 but without holinesse we pollute his name Ezek. 36. it is not sanctified in us 7. The seasons and times we live in call for holinesse these are dayes of grace wherein we enjoy all the holy things of God more aboundantly then in former times to the end that we might abound in all the holy graces of the spirit The Lord gives us his holy ordinances that we might be sanctified by them being changed into the similitude of the same holiness This argument the Apostle useth Rom. 13.11 And this reason should move us the more because the greater the light is in which we live the more evident are the blots and blemishes which are in us moats in the Sun-beame being more conspicuous then beames are in the dark therefore as the dayes we live in be dayes of light so let us walk as children of light shining forth as lights in the midst of a perverse and corrupt generation Phil. 2. 8. Consider a time of separation must come wherein the Lord Jesus will divide and separate the holy from the unholy as a shepheard separates the sheep from the goats Matth. 25. â—t will be good to be found among the Saints at that day and to stand in the assembly of the righteous Wo then unto all those that are secluded from them to all those that must stand without and be amongst dogges and Devils having no fellowship with Christ nor with his Saints It s good therefore to be holy it will be found so then wo unto the prophane and ungodly at that day And for our selves here the people of New-England we should in a speciall manner labour to shine forth in holinesse above other people we have that plenty and aboundance of ordinances and meanes of grace as few people enjoy the like we are as a City set upon an hill in the open view of all the earth the eyes of the world are upon us because we professe our selves to be a people in Covenant with God and therefore not only the Lord our God with whom we have made Covenant but heaven and earth Angels and men that are witnesses of our profession will cry shame upon us if wee walke contrary to the Covenant which wee have professed and promised to walk in If we open the mouthes of men against our profession by reason of the scandallousnes of our lives we of all men shall have the greater sinne To conclude Let us study so to walk that this may be our excellency and dignity among the Nations of the world among which we live That they may be constrained to say of us only this people is wise an holy and blessed people that all that see us may see and know that the name of the Lord is called upon us and that we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Deut. 28.10 Esay 61.9 There is no people but will strive to excell in some thing what can we excell in if not in holinesse If we look to number we are the fewest If to strength we are the weakest If to wealth and riches we are the poorest of all the people of God through the whole world we can not excell nor so much as equall other people in these things and if we come short in grace and holinesse too we are the most despicable people under heaven our worldly dignitie is gone if we lose the glory of grace too then is the glory wholly departed from our Israel and we are become vile strive we therefore herein to excell and suffer not this crown to be taken away from us Be we an holy people so shall we be honourable before God and precious in the eyes of his Saints And thus also of the properties of the Covenant Now the God of peace that brought againe the Lord Iesus the great shepheard of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in all good works to doe his will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be prayse for ever and ever Amen FINIS THE TABLE A ABsolute promises refresh the soul 290 the use of them 289 How they agree with the conditionall 292 both one in substance 291. Acts of faith two 289 they enable to walk with God 315 seq they only are the conditions of the Covenant 298 why so ibid. Actually none in the state of salvation before he believe 322 nor justified till Christ be Actually his 324. Actuall holinesse what 378. Affections sanctified signes of true sanctification 239. Agreement in both Covenants 50 51 in the condition and freenesse of grace in the Covenant 292. All-sufficiency in God to his people 130 the reasons of it ib. he is All-sufficient in two respects 132 how he is so 133 he is so from himselfe 136 137. Assurance works a holy security 250. Ark the want thereof promised as a blessing under the Gospel 5. B Beliefe none actually justified before he Believe 322. Binding the Covenant is so 282 293 294. Benefits that arise to the Saints from the Covenant 147 seq from the knowledge of the Conant 119 120 the things which are to come are the great things promised in the Covenant 277 278. Blessings the Covenant the fountaine of them 342 pledges of better things 262 how God makes it appeare they are from himselfe 138 139 why God doth so 141 142. Blood of Christ taken two wayes 229 of the Covenant what it signifieth 229. Burthen the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament so 106 we are free from that Burthen ibid. C Calling wrought by the commandement 331. Captivity applyed to three things 2 3. the Iewes at this day in Captivity 3. Christ a Covenant between the Father and him 29 30. his name taken two wayes 36. darkly revealed in the old Testament 108 the righteousnesse of the Saints 324 vid. Mediatour Circumcision considered two wayes 59. Cleane how to become cleane from sinne 241. Condition what it is in the Covenant of Grace 295 it excludes not freenesse of Grace 291 336. that it is in the Covenant 280 proved from the nature of it 281 282. it hinders not the free grace of the Covenant 323. Contempt of the Gospel what a great sinne 10 11. reasons of it 12. Commandement our calling wrought by it 331 of the Law and Gospel how different 332. Conversion the obedience of the soule to God at its conversion 310 vid. Iewes Covenant between God Christ 29 30 between man and God proved 31 32. the danger of breaking it 49 a comfort to believers 48 49. the Lord conveys life and blessednesse by it to us 26 28. why called a Testament 283 why called a Covenant of salt 368 why so few embrace it 376 the certainty of it 364 it is a storehouse of blessings 342 it is sure 360 why so ibid. It is conditionall 285 the necessity of entring into a Covenant with God 43 44. what we are to doe to get into Covenant
when it began to be published in the simplicity of it by the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 Nay is not the time come wherein the Lord of hosts seemes to have a quarrell against all the world and especially his Churches and people whom he goes on to waste by the sharpest sword that almost was ever drawne out and is it not the dutie of all that have but the least sparke of holy feare and trembling to aske and search diligently what should be the reason of this sore anger and hot displeasure before they and theirs be consumed in the burning flames of it Search the Scriptures and there we shall find the cause and see God himself laying his finger upon that which is the sore the wound of such times for so it is said Isa 24.1 to 5. Behold the Lord maketh the earth emptie and waste and turnes it upside downe and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof and it shall be as with the people so with the Priest and the Land shall be utterly spoyled Why For the earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof Why so Because they have transgressed the Lawes changed the Ordinance and broken the Everlasting Covenant and therefore when the Lord shall have wasted his Church and hath made it as Adnah and Leboim when heathen Nations shall aske Wherefore hath the Lord done all this against this Land what meaneth the heat of his great anger The answer is made by the Lord himselfe expresly Deut. 29.25 viz. Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers c. And no wonder for they that reject the Covenant of grace they breake the league of peace between God and themselves and hence if acts of hostilitie in desolating Kingdomes Churches families and persons break out from a long suffering God they may easily see the cause and that the cause and quarrell of God herein is just As all good things are conveyed to Gods people not barely by common providence but by speciall Covenant Isa 63.8 9. So all the evills they meet with in this world if in them the face of Gods anger appeares upon narrow search will be found to arise from breach of Covenant more or lesse So that if it be the great Cause of all the publick calamities of the Church and people of God and those calamities are already begun and Gods hand is stretched out still Was there then ever a more seasonable time and houre to study the Covenant and so see the sin repent of it and at last to lay hold of Gods rich grace and bowels in it lest the Lord goe on and fulfill the word of his servants expose most pleasant lands to the dolefull lamentation of a very little remnant reserved as a few coales in the ashes when all else is consumed As particular persons when they breake their Covenant the Lord therefore breaks out against them So when whole Churches forsake their Covenant the Lord therefore doth sorely visit them Sins of ignorance the Lord Jesus pities Heb. 5.2 and many times winkes at but sins against light he cannot endure 2 Pet. 2.21 Sins against light are great but sins against purpose and Covenant nay Gods Covenant are by many degrees worse for the soule of man rusheth most violently and strongly against God when it breakes through all the light of the mind and purposes of the will that stand in his way to keep him from sin and is not this done by breach of Covenant And therefore no wonder if the Lord makes his peoples chaine heavy by sore affliction untill they come to consider behold this sin and learne more feare after they are bound to their good behaviour of breaking Covenant with God againe It is true the Covenant effectually made can never be really broke yet externally it may But suppose Gods Churches were in greatest peace and had a blessed rest from all their labours round about them yet what is the childes portion but his legacy left him written with the finger of God his Father in the new Covenant and the bloud of Jesus Christ his redeemer in his last Will and Testament What is a Christians comfort and where doth it chiefly lie but in this That the Lord hath made with him an everlasting Covenant in all things stablished and sure Which were the last breathings of the sweet Singer of Israel and the last bublings up of the joy of his heart 2 Sam. 23.5 God the Fathers eternall purposes are sealed secrets not immediately seene and the full and blessed accomplishments of those purposes are not yet experimentally felt the Covenant is the midst between both Gods purposes and performances by which and in which we come to see the one before the world began and by a blessed Faith which makes things absent present to enjoy the other which shall be our glory when this world shall be burnt up and all things in it shall have an end For in Gods Covenant and promise we see with open face Gods secret purpose for time past Gods purposes toward his people being as it were nothing else but promises concealed and Gods promises in the Covenant being nothing else but his purposes revealed as also in the same Covenant and promises we see performances for future as if they were accomplishments at present Where then is a Christians comfort but in that Covenant wherein two Eternities as it were meet together whereby he may see accōplishments made sure to him of eternall glory arising from blessed purposes of eternall Grace In a word wherein he fastens upon God and hath him from everlasting to everlasting comprehended at hand neare and obvious in his words of a gracious Covenant The Church of God is therefore bound to blesse God much for this food in season and for the holy judicious and learned labours of this aged experienced and precious servant of Christ Jesus who hath taken much paines to discover and that not in words and allegories but in the demonstration and evidence of the Spirit the great mystery of godlines wrapt up in the Covenant and hath now fully opened sundry knotty questions concerning the same which happily have not been brought so fully to light untill now which cannot but be of singular and seasonable use to prevent Apostasies from the simplicity of the Covenant and Gospel of Christ The Sermons were preached in the remote ends of the earth and as it were set under a Bushell a Church more remote from the numerous society of others of the Saints if now therefore the light be set upon a hill 't is where it should stand where Christ surely would have it put The good Lord enlighten the minds of all those who seek for the truth by this such like helps and the Lord enlighten the whole world with his glory even with the glory of his Covenant grace love that his people hereby may be sealed up daily unto all fulnesse of assurance and peace in
Simon himselfe beleeved also c. i.e. he professed to beleeve And as it is in faith so it is in sanctification also There is an holinesse of truth really wrought Eph. 4.24 and there is an holinesse of profession when we professe to carry the lamp of holinesse in our hands but want the oyle of grace in the vessell of our heart Mat. 25. 2 There is a sanctification externall reaching to the purifying of the flesh standing in the observance of the outward ordinances of the Church and there is another sanctification internall standing in the inward purging of the conscience from dead works by which wee are enabled to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. 3 There is a sanctification to men making us so to be esteemed by men and there is also a sanctification to God when we are so indeed in the sight of God Now this sanctification here spoken of was in profession externall in respect of men and in esteem of men but not reall inward and in respect of God so as to make them holy and blamelesse in his sight Object But they had reall gifts as illumination some delight in the word and such like Hebr. 6. therefore they were really sanctified Answ It followeth not because there may be some reall work wrought in the soule which yet may not reach so farre as to reall and true sanctification There may be some morall dispositions wrought in a man which are reall in their kinde and yet may come farre short of true sanctification Object As where there is the substance and being of a man there is a true man so where there is such a being of reall gifts there must needs be reall and true sanctification Answ Where there is the substance of a man there is a true man if true be taken for verum naturale which hath a true naturall existence and being and is not a meere spectrum a phantasm an image or shadow of a thing And thus taking true in this sence a rank theef is a true man But take true for verum morale for that morall truth which is required in the word then may there be the substance of a man head armes feet c. and yet this man may not bee a true man considered thus morally bring this man to the rule of the word try his actions by the truth which the word requires and then he which was found a true man in the former consideration will here be found a man false and deceitfull So here gifts may be really wrought in a man by a physicall work of the spirit and yet bring these same gifts and the actions produced by them to the rule of the word and try whether they will answer to the patterne of true sanctification which the word layes down and then their sanctification will be found false comming short of that holinesse of truth which is in the true Saints Object But these here mentioned are said to be sanctified by the blood of the Covenant that is the blood of Christ but the blood of Christ doth not sanctify only outwardly as touching the purifying of the flesh but it purgeth the conscience also within to serve the living God and therefore these here mentioned were inwardly and truly sanctified Answ The blood of Christ is taken either Properly or Sacramentally Properly as in 1 Iohn 1.7 where he saith the blood of Jesus Christ his Sonne clenseth us from all sinne the blood in the spirituall efficacy of it being applyed unto us doth indeed inwardly clense us from all sinne But sometimes the blood of Christ is taken Sacramentally and it is received Sacramentally only and thus the Water in Baptism and the Wine in the Supper is the blood of Christ Math. 26. 1 Cor. 10. and 11. Now this Sacramentall blood was sprinkled upon them they were washed with the Sacramentall blood of Christ in Baptism but the spirituall efficacy of the blood it selfe never touched their conscience though the sign of it might be sprinkled on the outward man And thus Paraeus Erat eorum sanctificatio non interna sed externa in professione fidei participatione sacramentorum externâ consistens They were sanctified that is sayth he they were by profession segregated from the Iewes and Pagans and were accounted for true Christians or for Saints To conclude the answer to the place alleadged the allusion is to that of Moses in Exod. 24.3 to 9. where Moses makes up the Covenant betwixt God and the people there Moses first rehearseth unto them the words of the Covenant to which they shew themselves willing to assent verse 3 then having taken order for the killing of the Sacrifice the blood whereof was to ratify and confirm the Covenant verse 4 5. next he takes part of the blood and sprinkles it upon the people verse 8. using these words behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these things And now the people having thus farre accepted the terms and conditions of the Covenant and accepted the blood of the Covenant being willing to be sprinkled with it now I say this people was a sanctified and holy people a people in Covenant with God separated from the prophane people of the world and were now esteemed a peculiar and holy people though yet many of them were not inwardly sanctified but only thus farre in respect of externall confederation and profession so it is with these here spoken of they were content to accept the sprinkling of the sacramentall blood upon them and outwardly professed themselves willing as Israel did to become the people of God but yet all this while they were never in truth inwardly sanctified never washed with the washing of the new birth Tit. 3. This allusion I gather by the words of the Apostle calling the blood here mentioned the blood of the Covenant just the same expression as Moses used before Behold the blood of the Covenant Exod. 24.8 And look how the one blood was sprinkled so was the other and what sanctification was wrought by the one the same was also by the other namely an externall federall holinesse they having both one and other accepted the blood of the Covenant to be sprinkled upon them whereby they were sanctified thus farre as to become a separate people unto God So that notwithstanding all that which hath been objected or can be this stands good that sanctification is a blessing of the Covenant of Grace only And being so therefore to prove our justification by our sanctification is not to go aside to a Covenant of works Vse 2. Is our sanctification a benefit of the Covenant of grace and springs it from Grace what then can our works of sanctification merit for us at the hands of God what have wee herein which we have not received 1 Cor. 4. of his own hand doe we give unto him as David spake in another case 1 Chron. 29. but of this there will be fitter place to
with this spirit of submission and seek peace from him go and put thy rope about thy neck like Benhadads servants and confesse thy own guiltinesse without this God will never enter into covenant with thee God will have thee know thou must take thy life as a free gift of grace and that thou standest at his mercy either to save thee or destroy thee 3. Come with an humble submission to yeeld up thy self to the obedience of the will of God wee must receive him from the law of our life by which we must live When you come to make a covenant with God you must not come to give lawes unto God but to take lawes from God not to impose lawes upon him that he shall save you so and so but you must leave God free to make the conditions of the covenant after his own minde and will think it honour enough that you may be a people in covenant with God and have your life granted by covenant from him but for the conditions leave them to God let him command and require what he will he must be free or else he will not make a covenant with you This is that which Hezekiah exhorted to to come and give the hand to the Lord and serve him we must come and make a covenant with God as a servant with his master as Subjects with their Prince a covenant of service not to be our own Lords the sons of David and princes of Israel when Solomon sate upon the Throne came and gave the hand unto Solomon 1 Chron. 29.24 they made a covenant with him but it was with submission to his power such is the covenant which we must make with God we must give the hand under God submitting to him to be ruled by him Thence it is that we are called upon to deny our selves If any one will be my disciple let him deny himself c. we must not cleave to our selves to our wills and make our own Lawes we must deny our own inclinations wills and affections refuse to be governed by them and resign up our selves to the will of God this is the resolution we must come unto if we will enter into covenant with God as it was in the sacrifice of the Law he that offered it laid his hand upon the head of it as dedicating it to God and quitting it from himself as if he should say I have no more to do with this bullock it is now the Lords that was in part the signification of that action so if we will be the Lords people in covenant with him we must resigne our selves only and wholly to be for him Rom. 12.1 2. we muâ—t present our bodies as a living and acceptable sacrifice consecrate and devote them to God to live unto him and to be our own no more as it is in a marriage covenant when a man and woman make a covenant they do resigne up themselves one to another not to be to themselves any more it is a marriage covenant that we make with God I will marry thee to my self saith the Lord therefore we must do as the Spouse doth resigne up our selves to be ruled and governed according to his will 4. If we would enter into covenant with God we must come before him in the name of a Mediator that is the Lord Jesus in the mediation of his sacrifice we must offer up to the Lord a satisfaction for all our treacherous rebellion against him in that sacrifice we must come and seek reconciliation and the renewing of our covenant with God without such a sacrifice whereby Gods justice may be satisfied there is no hope of a covenant to be made between God and you As in the Law Exod. 34.1 to 8. they come and sacrifice and so the covenant is made between God and them Now these were types of Christs sacrifice come therefore sprinkled with the blood of Christ and say Lord here is the blood of the sacrifice which maketh satisfaction for my rebellion and in this blood enter into covenant with me They that make a covenant with God do it by sacrifice Psal 50.5 And therefore in the mediation of Christs blood and by faith in it look for a re-union and knitting of God and us together 5. After all this that you have broken your covenant with your sins judged your selves for them submitted your selves to the will of God and come in the name of a Mediator then by faith look at the gracious invitation of God and consider his readinesse and willingnesse to enter into covenant with you though there be an infinite disparity between the God of glory and us yet he is pleased to invite us to make a covenant with him if you seek to him he will not turn away his face from you as Hezekiah saith to the people 2 Chron. 30.8 9. though he might turn away from you in wrath and displeasure yet he will not but will enter into a gracious Covenant with you He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off saith Christ Joh. 6.37 In that manner therefore goe thou and humble thy selfe before God confesse thy treachery and rebellion and looke at God as having a golden scepter in his hand and intreat him to enter into a Covenant with thee and submit thy selfe wholly to be at his command plead the promise of his grace touch the top of the scepter and take hold of the Covenant and then certainly in time the Lord will speake to thy soule and conscience by the testimony of his Spirit that he will be a God unto thee and take thee to be one of his people Thus you see the way to enter into Covenant with God It may serve for all such as are already entred into Covenant Vse 3 with God to admonish such to looke unto themselves and to take heed they be not unfaithfull in the Covenant that they have made with him Take heed of breaking Covenant but let us walk according to the covenant that we have made with him This the Lord expects Exod. 19.5 that if wee enter into covenant with him we should be carefull to keepe it In the things of this life a strict eye is had to the covenant In all conveyances of Lands we look narrowly to the covenants and if they be broken all is gone Now ouâ— life lyes upon our keeping covenant with God labour therefore so to walke that it may appeare that you have a care to keepe the covenant which you have made with God Wee have made a covenant with him in our Baptisme in our conversion and turning unto God and coming to the Lords Supper Now it is not enough to enter into Covenant but wee must keepe it wee have broken the first covenant of workes take heed wee breake not a second there being no more place for any more covenants Now therefore cleave to the Lords Covenant and live unto him Let there not be in any of us an unfaithfull heart to
would againe receive us graciously Hosea 14.2 And thus by meanes of this our blessed Mediator and Advocate wee are holden and continued in Covenant with God so as the Covenant of his grace peace made with us stands fast through Christ notwithstanding our manifold declinings and turnings backe from him Differ 3 The third difference between the Covenant of workes and of grace is this That in the covenant of workes Gods acceptation begins with the worke and so goes on to the worker or person working But in the covenant of grace his acceptation begins with the person and so goes on unto the worke In the one God accepts the person for the workes sake In the other God rewards the worke for the persons sake Hereof it is that the life promised in the Covenant of workes Rom. 4.4 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a debt as due unto the worke unto which it is promised But that which is promised in the covenant of grace is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift as being freely given to the person without respect to any worke or if to the work yet for the persons sake This word gratis freely puts the difference between the covenant of workes and of grace In the covenant of work God justifies the doers of the Law but not gratis freely but in the covenant of grace God justifies freely without respect to the worke out of love to the person This is noted in the speech of Moses concerning Abel Gen. 4.4 God had respect to Abel and to his sacrifice Abel being a believer and under grace God had respect to his sacrifice but it was because he first had respect to Abel himselfe Hence also is that argument of theirs in Judges 13.23 Judg. 13.23 If say they the Lord would slay us he would not have accepted an offering at our hands They reason from the acceptance of their service to the acceptance of their person because the person is accepted first and therefore if the offering be accepted then the person much more But on the contrary the Lord threatneth that when he tooke no pleasure in their persons Mal. 1.10 then their offerings should not be regarded And so when Elijah and the Priests of Baal offered the same kinde of sacrifice God accepted the sacrifice of Elijah but not of the other because his person was accepted but theirs were not In 1 Kings 8.52 1 King 8.52 God is said to have his eyes open to heare the prayers of his people it is not the eye which heares but the eare yet God is said to have his eyes open to heare our prayers because there is something first in Gods eye which makes his eare to listen unto our cry First he looks favourably upon our persons and hath a gracious respect unto our selves and then he bowes his eare to the prayer which we make before him According to that Psal 34.15 Psal 34.15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eare is open to their prayers Thus it is in the Covenant of grace Gods acceptance beginneth first with the person And hence it is that when God hath cast favour upon the person then he accepts weake services from them A cup of cold water is better accepted from such an one Mat. to last Micah 6.6 7. then a thousand rivers of oyle from another hand yea though there be imperfections and weaknesses in the thing done yet God passeth by the weaknesses for the favour he beares unto the person As wee may see in Jacob he seekes the blessing but mixeth so much imperfection and sin in it that if God had not accepted his person he might have brought a curse upon himselfe in stead of a blessing but God had said Jacob have I loved and therefore though he liked not his dissembling yet he passed by his infirmitie and Jacob got the blessing And so David 1 Sam. 11. ult though the thing which he had done displeased the Lord yet God tooke not his mercy from him as he tooke it from Saul for Saul was under a covenant of workes and David under a covenant of grace Herein the Lord would shew that it was the person not the worke which he had respect unto But Adam being under a covenant of workes he finds acceptance with God no longer then his worke is found perfect before him All his personall indowments excellent gifts and the Image of God which was stamped upon him by which he was but little inferiour to the Angels all these could procure him no favour or acceptance any longer then his worke was right because he was under the Covenant of workes his person is accepted according to his worke Vse 1 For all such as are under the Law and have not yet made their refuge unto grace to finde acceptance in Christ nothing that they do hath any acceptance with God Tit. 1. last Themselves are abominable and so are all their workes abominable Psal 14.1 And till they come to have their persons accepted in Christ it 's in vaine to tell God of their services and what great things they have done he regards none of their workes they are to him as the filthinesse of a menstruous woman Though they doe such things as are highly esteemed amongst men yet they are but abomination in the sight of God In Luk. 18. Luke 18. the Pharisee tells the Lord what a number of good workes he had done fasting praying paying tithes dealing justly c. But what doth all this availe him he goes away without any acceptance before God So Mat. 7.22 Mat. 7.22 and Luk. 13.26 Luke 13 26. they shall come and say unto Christ Wee have eaten and drunke in thy presence and prophesied in thy Name and done many great workes But see what the Lord saith Depart away from me I know you not Their persons were never accepted by grace in Christ and therefore all that they had done was but as if they had brought a carrion for sacrifice or had offred swines bloud before the Lord. Here therefore begin if wee would have our workes accepted come before God in humilitie and sense of our owne vilenesse as the Publican did and seeke to be accepted through grace in Christ and then come and offer thy gift and so coming both thou and thy sacrifice shall finde acceptance with God But as in his own might shall no man prevaile 1 Sam. 2.9 1 Sam. 2.9 so now in this state of sin and corruption in his own worke shall no man finde acceptance in Gods sight Vse 2 For singular comfort unto all such as having made their refuge unto grace have found acceptance through faith in Christ Be herein comforted that the weakest and poorest services that you put up to God in Christ are accepted of him These are many times discouraged by reason of their weake performances Oh! there is so much deadnesse coldnesse dulnesse so many by-thoughts
greater then that which was made to Christ Mat. 4. if he that made it had been able to have performed it But this promise passeth them all If wee had a promise of an hundred worlds or of ten heavens this is more then all When God said to Abraham I will be thy God what could he give or say more As Heb. 6.13 God having no greater to sweare by swore by himselfe so God being minded to doe great things for his people and having no greater thing to give giveth them himselfe well therefore might the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 2 Pet. 1. looking at these promises call them exceeding great and precious promises This is the greatest promise that ever was made or can be made to any creature Angels or men Herein God giveth himselfe to be wholly ours all his glory power wisdome goodnesse grace holinesse mercy kindnesse all is ours for the good of his people that are in Covenant with him Quantus quantus est he is all ours Hence saith the Lord to Moses Exod. 33.19 Exod. 33.19 I will make all my goodnesse to passe before thee And the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.19 All things are yours and all shut up in this I will be thy God When a man taketh a wife into the Covenant of marriage with him what ever he is he is wholly hers he gives himselfe and that which he hath to her so when the mightie God of heaven and earth taketh his people into covenant with him he is an husband to them and marries them to himselfe and therefore what ever he is in the glory and excellency of his nature it is all for the good and comfort of his people Consider God essentially or personally all is theirs God in his essence and glorious attributes communicates himselfe to them for their good And God personally considered as Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost they all enter into Covenant with us Isai 54.5 The Father enters into a Covenant with us he promises to be a Father to us 2 Cor. 6.17 Hence saith the Lord Exod. 4.22 Exod. 4.22 Israel is my sonne my first-borne and Jer. 31.9.20 Jer. 31.9.20 Is Ephraim my deare sonne is he my pleasant childe The Lord speaketh as though he were fond of his children delighting in them as Psal 147.11 Psal 147.11 pitying of them Psal 103.13 As a Father hath a care for his children to lay up something for them so the Lord hath a care to provide both heavenly and earthly inheritance for his children he hath a care to nurture and instruct them in his wayes Deut. 32.10 Deut. 32.10 2. Christ the Sonne is in Covenant with us and speakes to us as Isai 43.1 Isai 43.1 Thou art mine and Hosea 13.14 I will redeeme them I will ransome them O death I will be thy death Thou hast destroyed my people but I will destroy thee There is the Covenant of the Sonne with us He brings us back to his Father from whose presence we were banished and sets us before his face for ever He undertakes with us to take up all Controversies which may fall between God and us He promiseth to restore us to the Adoption of sonnes and not onely to the title but also to the inheritance of sonnes that wee might be where he is Joh. 17.24 3. The Holy Ghost makes a Covenant with us as Heb. 10.15 16. Heb. 10.15 16 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witnes to us testifying of this Covenant which he makes with us For after that he had said before This is the Covenant that I will make with them I will put my Law into their hearts and in their minds will I write them c. Though the Father be implyed in it yet here is the proper worke of the Holy Ghost What the Father hath purposed to his people from all eternitie and the Sonne hath purchased for them in time that the Holy Ghost effects in them He applyes the bloud of Christ for the remission of sinnes he writes the law in our hearts he teacheth us he washeth us from our filthinesse and comforteth us in our sadnes supports us in our faintings and guides us in our wandrings He that effects these things for us is there said to make a Covenant with us Thus God personally considered Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are in Covenant with us 2. As there is sufficiency in this promise so also a propriety to all the faithfull Therefore it is said not onely I will be God but I will be thy God and so every faithfull soule may say God is my God 1. They have a right in him 2. They have a possession of him First They have a right in him The name God in the promise is a name or title of relation as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir which signifie not onely a man in generall but a man with speciall relation to such a woman as he hath by Covenant betrothed to himselfe So here the name God it notes forth the relation in which God stands to us Hence it is said he is not ashamed to be called their God Heb. 11.16 Therefore when he had made a Covenant with Abraham he called himselfe the God of Abraham and afterwards the God of Isaac the God of Jacob the God of Israel As a woman may say of him to whom shee is married this man is my husband so may every faithfull soule say of the Lord he is my God Secondly They have possession of him He doth impart and communicate himselfe unto them in his holinesse in his mercy in his truth in the sense of his grace and goodnesse He doth not onely shew himselfe unto them but communicate himselfe unto them Hence it is said 1 Joh. 1.3 1 Joh. 1.3 Wee have fellowship with the Father c. and Christ is said to come and sup with them Rev. 3.20 Rev. 3.20 and to kisse them with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.1 2. And to be neare to them in all that they call upon him for Deut. 4.7 Deut. 4.7 It is true we have here but the first fruits the earnest peny a little part of that fulnesse which shall be revealed because we live by faith and by promise more then by sense and sight And thence it is that sometimes Gods owne people seeme to feele God departed from them as Isa 45.15 Isai 45.15 65.15 Yet they enjoy God still even in such desertions First In regard of his Grace pardoning their failings Secondly In his power sustaining Thirdly In his grace sanctifying them Fourthly In all these they have a sure pledge of a more full communion with him when the fulnesse of time is come Reason The reason why the Lord promiseth to give himselfe to his people is because a reasonable creature can be made blessed no other way then by enjoying of God himself It is not all the other things of the world that can make man happy but onely
and above us he must rule us and we must be ruled and governed by him How may we know that the Lord hath taken us into his government and that we are ruled by him alone Quest By these foure things we may know it First Where the Lord sets himselfe over a people Answ he frames them unto a willing and voluntary subjection unto him that they desire nothing more then to be under his government they count this their felicity that they have the Lord over them to governe them As the servants of Solomon were counted happie that they might stand before him and minister unto him so it is the happinesse of Gods people that they are under him and in subjection unto him The Lords government is not a Pharaoh-like tyranny to rule them with rigour and make them sigh and groane but it is a government of peace he rules them by love as he first winnes them by love He conquers them indeed by a mighty strong hand but withall he drawes them by the cords of love He overcometh our evill with the abundance of his goodnesse therefore his spirit though sometime it be called a spirit of power yet it is also a spirit of love joy and peace though the spirit put forth his power in vanquishing our enemies that held us in bondage yet it overcometh us by love making us to see what a blessed thing it is to have the Lord to be over us Thus when the Lord is in Covenant with a people they follow him not forcedly but as farre as they are sanctified by grace they submit willingly to his regiment Therefore those that can be drawne to nothing that is good but by compulsion and constraint it is a signe that they are not under the gracious government of the Lord God Secondly If God be God over us governing us by the government of his grace wee must yeeld him universall obedience in all things He must not be over us in one thing and under us in another but he must be over us in every thing Gods authoritie is cast away by refusing obedience to one Commandement as well as by refusing obedience unto all His authoritie is seene in one as well as in another And he that breaketh one doth in effect breake all as James 2.11 James 2.11 When God cometh to rule he cometh with power to cast downe every strong hold and every high thought that is exalted against the power of Christ He cometh to lay waste the whole kingdome of sinne all must downe not a stone left of that Babel The Lord will reigne in the whole soule he will have no God no King with him And therefore herein looke unto it if he be God over us he alone must rule over us and no other with him Consider whether Gods dominion hath its full extent in us whether there be not some corruption which thou desirest to be spared in Canst thou give up thy selfe wholly to the power of grace to be ruled by it Canst thou part with thy Absalom thy beloved lust and be content that God should set up his kingdome in thy whole soule Then is God over thee and thou in Covenant with him But if thou canst not submit that the life of some darling lust should goe if there be any sinne that is dearer to thee then to obey God if thou hast thy exceptions and reservations and wilt not yeeld universall obedience then art thou an alien from God and his Covenant God is no God unto thee nor art thou one of his people Thirdly Where the Lord governeth and setteth up his kingdome over the soule he carries and lifts up the heart to an higher pitch and above that which flesh and bloud could or would attaine unto And that both in the things themselves and the ends which they ayme at in them He makes a man undertake such things as his owne heart would refuse and turne from as Ezek. 3.14 Ezek. 3.14 he was very backward to preach to the Jewes and yet when he saw it was the Lords minde he submitted So Paul Rom. 15.20 Rom. 15.20 enforced himselfe to preach the Gospel yet it was not a constrained force but the love of Christ constrained him 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. So Moses though at the first very loath to goe to Pharaoh yet when the power of grace prevailed in him he contends with Pharaoh as with his equall in the cause of God and would not yeeld to the fiercenes of the King not for an hoofe so though he fled from the serpent at the first fight yet at Gods commandement he taketh it up in his hand This also wee see in Abraham when he was commanded to sacrifice his owne sonne though he loved him yet he loved God more and therefore obeyed which nature alone could never have done In all these they wrought against the streame doing that which flesh and bloud could never have done Againe the power of Gods Grace in his government lifts up the soule to higher ends and aymes then flesh and bloud can attaine unto The kingdome of Gods grace is called the kingdome of heaven his aymes and ends are on high not earthly but heavenly his government is an heavenly regiment the Lord governeth the hearts of his people to the same end which he hath propounded to himselfe Gods ends and our ends meet in one which is the glorifying of his Name This putteth the difference between all formall hypocrites and those that are ruled by the spirit of grace hypocrites are ruled by their owne spirit and they never ayme at higher then their owne ends their owne honour credit profit c. Though their actions may be spirituall yet their ends are carnall but when God taketh the heart into his guidance then he maketh us to set up him as highest in the throne and all is done for his honour It makes a man to use and imploy himselfe wisdome strength riches credit and esteeme in the Church and all for God not for himselfe God is his last end in every thing as most worthy to be glorified by all Indeed a man in Covenant with God may doe many things for himselfe ayming at the furtherance of his owne good both spirituall and temporall and also ayme at the good of other men but this is not in opposition but in subordination to God and his glory that last and maine end must sway all other ends Nothing must be done to crosse and hinder his glory this is the government of Gods Grace Consider how Gods spirit guides thy heart to those things and aymes that flesh and bloud cannot at all reach unto for if thou hast onely thine own end and ayme then thou art thine owne and not under the government of God Fourthly The Covenant of Gods grace causeth the peace of God to lodge in that soule in which it ruleth Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost
which above all other he desires to be delivered from And surely such is the disposition of all those whose hearts God hath effectually touched with his spirit of grace that if they had the kingdomes of the world for their own they could be content to forgoe all so they might be rid of sin and have their sanctification perfected in them Now as we have sâ—â—ne that this sanctification is a singular benefit and blessing unto us so let us consider also how it springs forth unto us out of the same fountain of grace as did the former benefit of forgivenesse of sins These two streames issue out of the same fountaine of grace When God sanctifies us adding this benefit to the former we may then say Grace grace wee doe herein receive a double grace Grace in forgiving grace in sanctifying of us here is grace upon grace It is a blessing of rich grace And this will appeare if we consider First How impiously and wickedly we have forsaken our first holy and blessed estate in which the Lord had created us God made man righteous Eccles 10. ult Eccles 10. ult but he would be finding out many inventions of his own and if he could not invent them in the shop of his own braine then he would take them out of Satans forge by those inventions thinking to make himselfe more excellent then God had made him and so did wilfully cast away that glory of grace with which he was clothed defaced the Image of God which was stampt upon him bringing upon himselfe a sinfull and shamefull nakednesse to the contempt of his person before all creatures cast off his God that had formed him setting light by the God of his salvation chusing to obey the cursed suggestion of Satan Gods enemy rather then to retaine his communion with God This did he and we in him and now the Lord might have said unto us all Let him that is filthy be filthy still Seeing you have thus defiled your selves you shall never be cleansed untill I have made my wrath to fall upon you Ezek. 24.13 It is wonderfull grace if ever the Lord will returne to such to renew us and sanctifie us by his grace Our sin was like the sin of Angels who kept not their first estate no more did we wee sinned as they did but we are sanctified and not they here is grace towards us not towards them They are suffered still to persist in their malicious wickednesse but we are renewed againe according to the Image of him that created us Ephes 4. Ephes 4. Secondly Consider the loathsomenes of the sin and corruption which we have brought upon our selves and doth now lie upon us A wicked man is loathsome saith Solomon Pro. 13.5 Prov. 13.5 So loathsome is the sin that is in us that we are made even to loath our selves and to count our selves more filthy then the dung of the earth Ezek. 6.9 When the Lord formed man in the beginning it was not silver or gold or any such precious matter out of which he fashioned him but it was out of the vilest of the Elements out of the earth the dregs setlings of all creatures The matter out of which man was then made was but vile and base Wonder it was that God would set the gracious Image of his holines upon so contemptible a creature But though it was then but vile yet it was as I may so speake innocent harmles The pollution of sinne had not as yet defiled it there was nothing in it as yet which should make the holy God to loath the creature which he had made sinne had not as yet stained the earth with its filthines But now by sin man is become abominable his uncleannesse is as the filthines of the menstruous the filthy leprosie of sin is not in his forehead alone but is spread all over him so that the Lord might say unto him Depart depart yee polluted stand apart the pure eyes of my holines cannot endure to behold such loathsome filthines But now behold and wonder even the God so glorious in holines Exod. 15.11 even he seeing us lye polluted in our bloud he doth not passe by on the other side but he takes pitie on us and takes us and washeth us with water he washeth us from our bloud and anoynteth us with oyle Ezek. 16.6.9 yea and cloaths us againe with white linnen of sanctity and holines adornes us with ornaments of grace which are as jewels of silver and jewels of gold c. ver 10 11 12 13. and makes us beautifull by his owne beauty which he puts upon us And is not this grace Had wee seene our blessed Saviour rise up from the table to wash the foule feet of his servants we would have wondred How much more wonderfull is this that he should take us filthy lepers and wash us in the waters of Jordan untill we be wholly cleane Consider that place in Ezek. 16.9 how the Lord himselfe amplifies this grace towards us in washing us from our polluted bloud No lesse then three times together doth the Lord there mention this When I saw thee polluted in thy bloud saith the Lord and againe When thou wast in thy bloud and a third time Even when thou wast in thy bloud then I took thee and washed thee and said unto thee Thou shalt live Why doth the Lord so ingeminate so double and treble this When thou wast in thy bloud but onely that we might the more observe his abundant grace towards us in purifying such loathsome uncleane ones as wee are Doubtles David when he had defiled himselfe by that great and foule sin he counted it mercy and rich grace to have a cleane heart renewed in him Psal 51. Psâ—l 51. Thirdly Consider how unable we are to cleanse and purifie our selves we are like little babes who can defile themselves but would lie in their uncleannes for ever should not the nurse wash cleanse them we once stript our selves of the garments of grace but now we know not how to put them on any more we were men at that time when in Adam wee laid them by and put them off But now like little children we should starve with cold and nakednesse should not the Lord pitie us and put these garments of grace upon us We are saith the Apostle of no strength Rom. 5.6 Rom 5.6 not able to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 3. nor to will one good desire but it is God that worketh in us both will and deed of his good pleasure of grace towards us Phil. 2.13 Phil. 2.13 It is not in our willing or running but in God shewing mercy Rom. 9.16 Rom. 9.16 And it is not unworthy our observing how in ver 18. he opposeth mercy to hardening He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth to teach us to look at it as a speciall mercy when he is pleased to take away the hard
speak elswhere Vse 3. To teach us hereby to try our selves whether we have any part in that salvation which God promiseth in his Covenant when we heare the Lord say as he doth herein my Text As for thee also thou shalt bee saved by the blood of thy Covenant wee should search and see whether we have been made partakers of this salvation promised But how shall we know that even by our sanctification if the Lord hath renewed and sanctified our natures and made us new creatures in Christ At what time God saveth his people at the same time he sanctifieth them And thus he tells the Israelites Ezek. 36. when he promiseth them to bring them back into the Land which their Fathers dwelt in which was unto them a type of heaven and was therefore called the Lords Land Hos 9.3 2 Chron. 7.20 he tells them withall that when and at what time he would performe this unto them at the same time he would poure out his spirit upon them and would cleanse them from their iniquities vers 33. sutable to that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. he hath saved us by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost At what time God sanctifieth us at the same time he saveth us he gives us the one as a pledge of the other And therefore it is that when the Lord had converted and sanctified the heart of Zacheus and made him a new creature hee did withall thus testifie unto him This day is salvation come to thy soule c. Luke 19.9 Some do deny this way of triall as if no evidence could bee had from our sanctification till we first know our election and justification by immediate revelation of the Spirit This mediate witnesse of the spirit which is by habituall and inherent graces is not to be harkned unto untill the immediate witnesse hath spoken But if there be no triall and knowledge of our estate to be had by habituall grace then 1 What did Christ mean when he told his Disciples that hereby should all men know them to be his Disciples if they love one another Iohn 13. What did Paul mean when he bids us prove our selves whether we be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. David surely was deceived when he said hereby I know that I shall not be confounded when I have respect unto all thy Commandements if so be no knowledge of our good estate may be gathered hereby Yea to what end did Iohn lay down all those signes and tokens of a blessed estate which are scattered here and there through the whole first Epistle his scope in that Epistle being this even to give unto the faithfull some certaine evidence of their salvation as is manifest by Chap. 5.13 And this being his scope mark then how frequent and plentifull he is in bringing in evidences of this nature as now we speak of as we may see Chap. 1.7 If we walk in the light of holinesse as he is in the light then have we fellowship one with another that is God with us and we with him so Chap. 2.3 4. hereby we are sure that we know him so as to have eternall life by the knowledge of him John 17.3 if we keep his Commandements and in verse 29. Know yee that he which doth righteousnesse is borne of him and in Chap. 3.7 hee that doth righteousnesse walking in the righteousnesse of a good conscience and upright conversation is righteous namely by imputation even as Christ is righteous and in verse 9.10 he that is borne of God sinneth not In this are the children of God known from the children of the Devill even by righteousnesse and loving of our brethren and verse 14. hereby wee know that we are translated from dâ—ath to life because we love the brethren so also verse 18 19. and 24 and Chap. 4. verse 7 12 13 16. Surely these are no lying Testimonies these witnesses are true If in taking evidence from these things we be deceived we may herein say as Ieremiah said in another case O Lord I am deceived and thou hast deceived me Ier. 20.7 2. If there were no evidence to be taken hereby this were to leave the work of the Spirit in as much darknesse and obscurity as is the work of the Father and the Son But the work of the Spirit is to make known and manifest unto us the things that are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. So long as the Fathers work of election stands alone and is not accompanied with the work of redemption and sanctification his electing of us is so hidden in his own bosome that none can tell what he will doe with any of the sonnes of men whether he will save any or destroy all But when the sonne comes and layes down his life for mans redemption hee doth thereby bring to light the Fathers intention thus farre that it is now known that certainly there be some whom the Lord will save But yet who these some be that is counsell still that is unknown therefore in the third place the Spirit comes and sanctifies those that are so chosen and redeemed And now by this work of the Spirit it is known not onely that there be some that God will save but the very persons themselves are thereby singled out and marked these have the seale and marke of God upon them whereby they are known to bee the sheep for which Christ laid down his life according to the counsell and will of the Father Even as in Matth. 3.17 when the Spirit came down upon Christ then God witnessed This is my beloved Sonne So it is here concerning our selves hereby we have Gods witnesse testifying of us that we are his children even by his Spirit of sanctification which he hath sent down into our hearts By this we know that we are children redeemed and chosen If we be sanctified we are saved Our salvation is begun and shall be perfected in due time Object But when the Apostle saith we know that wee are translated from death c. his meaning is as if he should say we which have first received the seale and immediate witnesse of the Spirit we know c. but others cannot know it Answ This is not the meaning of the Apostle as is evident to any one that with attention doth observe the scope and manner of the Apostles writing The matter stands thus There were a number in the Apostles time such as Iames elsewhere speakes of which professed to know and believe in Christ and would say they had faith as it is in Iam. 2.14 and yet they had no works They would say they had fellowship with the Father 1 Ioh. 1.6 and yet they would walk in darknesse They would say they knew God 1 Ioh. 2.3 and yet would not keep his Commandements They would say they did abide in Christ and yet did not walk after the steps of Christ ver 6. They would say they were in the light and
stirred up the Princes to be helpfull in the same work yet what saith he after all this he doth not goe glorying before God as if he had done some great thing for God but humbling himselfe saith Who am I O Lord and what is my people that we should offer in this sort unto thee 1 Chron. 29.14 He thought himselfe unworthy to offer any thing to the great God and that it was an high dignity and favour done unto him that God would accept any thing at his hands Thus must we seek to honour our God that hath so highly honoured us in taking us into Covenant with himselfe And thus much of the condition of the Covenant The Fifth Part. THE PROPERTIES OF THIS COVENANT IT follows in the fifth place to consider the Properties of the Covenant and these are foure For it is First A free Covenant Secondly A sure Covenant Thirdly An everlasting Covenant Fourhly An holy Covenant 1. It is a free Covenant a Covenant of free grace freely made with us and freely communicating to us all the blessings promised in it The blessings made over to us in this Covenant doe spring from nothing in us but only from grace in God Gods Covenant is not like Covenants which are usually made among men in which each party expects some benefit from the other Abimelech thought it good to make a Covenant of peace with Isaac because hee saw God was with him If Isaac were against him God would be against him too he could not be an enemy to Isaac but he must be an enemy to God he thinks therefore its best for him even for his own peace and safety to be at peace with Isaac and to make a Covenant with him Gen. 26.28 The like we see in the Shechemits that make a Covenant with Iacob but they alledge the reason of it shall not their flocks and their cattle and substance bee ours Gen. 34.23 Thus it is in the Covenants of men but it is otherwise in the Covenant which he makes with his people he looks for no benefit by us in his Covenant with us but only to communicate good unto us His Covenant is free I will love them freely saith the Lord Hoseah 14.4 And it is so free in two respects 1. In respect of his entering into Covenant with us 2. In respect of his performance of it First In respect of his entering into Covenant with us there being nothing in us moving the Lord to take us into Covenant with him but only his own grace it is his good pleasure to love us and doe us good though wee come without silver without any thing of worth in us yet we may come unto him and be taken into Covenant with him Esay 55.1 3. Hence it is that when God enters into Covenant with his people he is said to give them his Covenant Gen. 17.2 for so the word is in the originall I will give thee my Covenant In our translation it is I will make my Covenant betwixt mee and thee but in the originall I will give c. As in Numb 25.12 God is said to give the Covenant of the Priesthood unto Phineas as a gift so God gives the Covenant of his grace unto all that he takes into Covenant with him Hence also are those expressions used in Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord set his love upon you to take you into Covenant with him not because ye were more in number then other people but because he loved you and chose your Fathers as noting out the freenesse of his love towards them loving them because he loved them and the constancy of his love towards their Fathers towards whom he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto them this was all the cause that moved the Lord to take them into Covenant with him And hereto agrees that of Samuel It pleased the Lord to make you his people 1 Sam. 12.22 That they were become the people of God rather then Aegyptians Moabites Ammonites or others was not for any thing which the Lord saw in them more then in other people but it pleased the Lord it was his good pleasure to chuse them and to make them his people This freenesse of grace in entering into Covenant with us may appeare by these particulas 1. That God is first in seeking after us to draw us into Covenant with himselfe wee seek not him but he seeks us we chuse not him but he chuseth us he loves us first Ioh. 15.16 1 Ioh. 4.19 And in this respect he is said to be found of those that seek not after him because hee first reveales and offers himselfe in mercy unto us Esay 65.1 2. But though he be first in seeking after us may there not bee something in us to draw his eyes and heart unto us the man seeks first after the unmarried virgin but there is beauty or dowry which drawes him But there is no such thing in us there is no worth in us he sees us polluted in our blood Ezek. 16 6. he saw us contemptible and vile so as none would regard us vers 5. and yet then doth the Lord take us up and enters into a Covenant with us vers 8. This unworthinesse of ours made Abraham to wonder when hee heard the Lord speak of making a Covenant with him Gen. 17.3 And this same made David to break out into that affectionate and admiring demand Lord who am I that thou shouldest speak thus unto thy servant 2 Sam. 7. 3. There is desert in us to the contrary to keep off the Lord from ever owning such a people as we were yea though we should have sought after him As First Our former vile unfaithfulnesse in that first Covenant he made with us wherein we dealt treacherously against him forsaking him and lightly esteeming the God of our salvation as Moses speaks of Israel Deut. 32.15 we brake the Tables of the Covenant and cast them away from us yea and cast away the Lord from being our God the more undeserved therefore and more free was that grace which moved the Lord to make a new Covenant with us having been so false to him in the other Secondly The enmity that is in us against him and against the things that please him we are as contrary unto him as is darknesse to light and evill to good Rom. 8.7 we are a crooked generation that cannot abide the streight wayes of the Lord our whole nature is sinfull and corrupt before him 4. Consider the time wherein the Lord takes us by the hand to bring us into Covenant with him and then we shall finde that when we are most averse and backward and have least thought of ever seeking after him then it is that he seeks us to take us unto himselfe Thus the Lord called Saul when he was persecuting raging breathing out slaughter and threatnings against the Lord and against his Saints then the Lord takes him by the hand and enters into Covenant with him Act. 9