seeke after Iesus Christ wee may preach the Gospell long enough and men for the most part turne the deafe eare to vs till the LORD open their eares by afflictions and especially by the spirit of bondage it cannot bee but there must be some precedent worke wee will not come home to the Lord without it Wee doe all as the Woman that had the bloody issue as long as she had mony in her purse or that there were Physicians to goe to that shee had ability to haue them shee would not come to Christ but when she had spent all when she saw there was no more hope then shee comes to Christ and was healed of her bloody issue so doe we so long as we can liue in sinne wee consider not the greatnesse nor the dearenesse of the disease but if we can but subsist with them wee goe on we come not to Christ but when wee are spoiled of all by the spirit of bondage when wee are put in feare of death that is it that brings vs home to Iesus Christ and therefore we must make an account of it as a generall rule there must be such a spirit of bondage to bring vs home we doe in this case as Ioab did with Absolon when hee liued in the Courâ— in ease and pleasure hee would not come to Absolon hee might send againe and againe but hee would not come at him till his Corne was set on fire and that brought him beloued except there be some such crosse as may make an impression vpon vs such a crosse as hath the spirit of bondage ioyned with it to cause it to wound our spirits as it is said they were pricked in their hearts when they heard Peter I say wee would not come home vnto the LORD wee must haue such an avenger of blood to pursue vs before wee seeke to the Citie of refuge And therefore consider whether thou hast tasted of this spirit and therefore you may obserue this by the way that when God doth write bitter things against a man it is not a iust cause of deiection for this is a signe that God is beginning a good worke in thee seeke not to put it off and to thinke it is a miserable thing to bee vnder such a bondage as this no but make this vse of it let it bring thee home to Iesus Christ. And heere by the way that men may not bee deceiued in this and say Alas I haue not had this spirit of bondage and feare and therefore I feare I am not right My beloued you must know for what end the Lord sends it hee sends it for these two ends and by that you shall know whether you haue it or no for if thou hast the end once if the effect be wrought no doubt but thou hast had the cause that produceth that effect One end is to bring vs home to Christ if thou finde thou hast tooke Iesus Christ it is certaine there hath beene a worke of the spirit of bondage vpon thy heart if thou finde thou art willing to take him vpon any conditions thou art willing to deny thy selfe thou art willing to serue him to loue him and to obey him And a second end is GOD sends this Spirit of bondage that thou mightest know the bitternesse of sinne and learne to abstaine from it that thou mayest learne to tremble at his Word for the time to come I looke to him that is of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my Word that euen so as parents doe with their children they would neuer afflict and correct their children for that which is past but their end is for the time to come that they may not commit the same fault againe otherwise the parent would not lay any affliction vpon the childe and beloued know that the Lord hath this very end in sending the spirit of bondage thou must not thinke it is for thy sinnes past that there may be a kinde of satisfaction made for them that is not the end but the end is that thou mightst know the bitternesse of sinne for the time to come that thou being scorched once with it thou mightst not easily meddle with it againe and therefore if thou findest this to be thy case thou hast so farre tasted of the terrours of the Almighty that thou darest not aduenture vpon sinne thou standest in awe of the LORD that thou darest not bee so bold with sinne as thou hast beene that thou darest not meddle with the occasions of it that thou darest not come neere it I say if thou finde such a tendernesse of conscience in thy selfe if thou finde that that sinne is made terrible to thee that thou diddest despise before for it is the property of a carnall man to despise his waies I say if this be wrought in thee defer not make not dainty of applying the promises because thou hast not receiued the spirit of bondage for thou hast thou hast the effect therefore thou needest not doubt but that thou hast the thing This is it that goes before that which goes together with it I shewed you then is the witnesse of the blood and of the water and of our owne spirit there bee three that beare witnesse in Earth 1 Ioâ— 4. the spirit and the water and the blood by spirit there is meant our owne spirit enlightned by blood is meant Iustification by water is meant sanctification so that that goes together with the witnesse of the spirit The first is the witnesse of the blood that is when a man is humbled when a man is broken with the spirit of bondage then hee beginnes to make out for a pardon when he sees hee is arrested as it were when he is shut vp as that phrase is vsed Gal. 3. and sees what a debt is required of him and he is not able to pay the least farthing now he beginnes to looke out for a surety now he beginnes to hunger and thirst exceedingly after Christ now he is not content onely to watch with him to serue him and to obey him but hee is willing to part with his life and all that he hath vpon that condition Now when a man is in this case then the Lord beginnes to shew him the blood of his Sonne he begins to open a little crevis of light and to shew him the New Testament in his blood that is the New Testament confirmed in his blood shed for many for the remission of sinnes I say he begins then to looke vpon the promises to consider such promises as these Come to mee all yee that are weary c. and If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate and Let whosoeuer will come and take of the waters of life freely and Goe and preach to euery creature vnder heauen and tâ—ll them if they will beleeue and take my Soâ—ne they shall be saued I say these are all promises made in the blood of Iesus Christ. now he begins to consider these
him and delight in him are you clad like those that went out of Egypt with their staues in their hands and their feet shod that is are you ready to goe out of Egypt that is from sinne and wickednesse from the state of vnregeneracie wherein you were before Againe hath your soule tasted of the sowre hearbs of that bondage that now you are weary of all the bondage of sinne and Satan that you desire exceedingly to goe from it that you reckon the contrary condition a condition of freedome wherein you are willing and desirous to continue saith the LORD when I looke vpon these signes I will remember my Couenant onely see that your Circumision be not in the letter as we see Rom. 2. but see that you be circumcised in your hearts that there be not only a Passeouer but see that you keepe the Passeouer with sincerity see that all leauen bee cleansed out of your hearts that is that your hearts be empty of the dominion of euery sinne see that you haue tasted of the sowrenesse of that bondage that you bee willing to be rid of it see that you bee willing to trauell out of Egypt to another to a further Country see that this be reall not in profession and shew but in deede and saith the LORD I will remember my Couenant and these are the confirmations of the Couenant saith the Lord you shall not neede to doubt it I haue sworne it is repeated Heb. 6. besides it is confirmed with blood with the death of the Testator and there is none that alters the Will of the dead when he is dead they adde nothing to it nor taks nothing from it besides I haue confirmed it with seales and therefore it stands vnalterable These three things we haue obserued now in this Couenant FINIS THE TVVELFTH SERMON Gâ—NESIS 17. 2. And I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee And I will multiply thee exceedingly YOV haue heard what the Couenant is in the generall The fourth thing is What the particular branches and parts or gifts and priuiledges of this Couenant are and those we will reduce vnto three heads Now the three parts of the Couenant are answerable to the three Offices of Christ for we told you it is Christ himselfe to whom the promises are immediately made he is a Priest a King and a Prophet it is hee that makes good all the parts of the Couenant and he doth â—t according to all his three Offices remission of sinnes he giues as a Priest The other Priests were but a shaddow of this Priesthood of Christ he is the great High Priest that is holy and harmlesse and vndefiled that is higher then the heauens the great High Priest that is enâ—red saith the Text into the very heauens themselues hee that sits at the right hand of God and is now present with him he that is not entred in by the blood of Bulls and of Goats but by his owne blood This is such a High Priest as is able indeed to giue remission of sinnes and therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 22. Seeing wee haue such an high Priest doubâ— not but now come with full assurance of faith when you see such an High Priest as this if they were able to beleeue that had but a weake man to bee their Priest before the comming of Christ that offered for his owne sinnes as well as for the sinnes of others that often repeated his Sacrifice that that had but the blood of Bulls and Goats that did but enter into the Tabernacle saith hee when you see Iesus Christ himselfe come that hath no Siâ—ne of his owne that offered one perfect Sacrifice that he needes not to repeate that entred not into the Tabernacle but into the Heauen it selfe that did this with his owne blood and not with the blood of beasts saith hee draw neere now â—with assurance of faith â—hat is Why should you make question now you haue great ground of assuring your selues that your sinnes shall bee forgiuen now you may trust perfectly to the grace reueiled through him This is the first The second is I will teach you knowledge and that he doth as a Prophet you shall no more teach euery man his brother but all shall bee taught of mee Beloued it is another kinde of teaching when the LORD teacheth vs knowledge then that is that wee can haue from the hands of men Christ is another kinde of Prophet you come not to heare him speake to heare him teaching as a man heares other Lectures where his vnderstanding is informed but hee is such a Prophet as enlightens euery man within that comes into the world that is euery man that is enlightned is enlightned by him he is such a Prophet as baptizeth you with the Holy Ghost he is such a Prophet that makes mens hearts to burne within them when he speakes to them such a Prophet as saith to Matthew and Leuy Follow me and they doe it such a Prophet as saith to his Ministers Gâ—e teach all Nations and I will bee with you and I will make you able Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit there is no man in the world can say this but this great Prophet and this is the Prophet that the Lord hath raised vp the Prophet that he promised hee would raise another like Moses that great Prophet that should teach men after another fashion then all the Prophets before were euer able to doe And that is the second part of the Couenant Beloued we may know many things but it is a hard thing to know as we ought to know It is said of an vnregenerate man 2 Cor. 8. Hee knowes nothing as hee ought to know For example thou mayst know sinne and know it most exactly but if this doe not worke vpon thy heart if the sinne lye not exceeding heauy vpon thee if it breed not in thee godly sorrow for it if it doth not amaze thee as it were with the filthinesse and vilenesse of it it is because thou dost not yet know it as thou oughtest to know it And how shall a man doe then Goe to CHRIST hee is the Prophet that is hee teacheth a man to see things so that his heart his will and affections shall likewise be moued with it You are to consider the Couenant when you goe to the LORD and therefore that man that saith I can looke vpon my sinne with dry eyes I can looke vpon it and neuer be affected with it this is because he is taught but with the teaching of men hee must remember that this is a part of the Couenant and God hath bound himselfe by an Oath to performe it Iesus Christ as he is a Prophet God hath sent him to teach thee all things belonging to saluation and so to teach thee that thou shalt be in a right manner affected with it And so likewise put the case thou know God thou seest him in his attributes thou hearest him often described
way Besides As there is this ground of it so there is another cause of it Because the outward occasions both for good and evill I say they are both forcible and yet transitory Evill men haue some outward things some outward helpes which put them on to a good course they are so effectuall and yet God suffers them not alwaies to haue them but takes them away they are but transitory Therefore a man may walke in a good course whose heart is not yet right and yet long he shall not doe it because those outward occasions shall be tooke from him As for example Ioash walked in the wayes of God all the while that Iehoiada lived here was the outward occasion he was drawne with another mans synewes he was heated with another mans heate and when that man was tooke away you see he fell to his owne course and by as againe the outward occasion was strong but it was but for a time and so he returned to his old course The like in the case of Vzziah he was hemmed in for a time with Zachariah the Prophet but sayth the text after his dayes his heart was lifted vp to destruction And so Herod he kept within compasâ—e he was stirred vp to doe many things at the Preaching of Iohn Baptist but he did not alwayes continue for God so disposeth it in his providence he will not suffer evill men alwayes to haue these outward occasions of good As it is as true on the other side good men may haue strong temptations that may transport them for a fit but God will not suffer them alwayes to lye vpon the godly he will not suffer a temptation of affliction he will not suffer the rod of the wicked to lye alwayes vpon him it may for a time and he may for a fit put out his hand to wickednes he may vpon some exigent vpon a sudden when he is put to it vpon some outward trouble or crosâ—e when his heart is shaken and distempered when he is not himselfe but God so disposeth of it in his providence that they shall not alway lye vpon him but they shall be remooved in due season as well as the helpes to good shall be taken from the wicked So you see that may come to passe for a few steppes for part of the Iourney an evill man may goe right and a good man may swarue from the straight way Therefore let vs neither judge our selues nor others by it for if we should we should justifie the wicked and condemne the generation of the just So much shall serue for this and for that point The next and maine point that we intended was this That whosoever hath interest in Gods All-sufficiencie must be a perfect man That is He must be sincere he must haue integritie of heart though he may be subject to many infirmities yet God requires this of him If I be All-sufficient sayth he to any that is the scope of it he must be perfect with me I am All-sufficient therefore be thou perfect otherwise thou hast no interest in this All-sufficiencie of mine The poynt is cleare and it is a poynt well knowne to you I shall not need to confirme it by any other places of Scripture but rather spend the time in giving you the grounds of it And secondly in shewing to you what this intirenesse and perfection and sinceritie of heart is First I will shew the grounds why no man shall be saved he shall never haue part in this All-sufficiencie of God except he be perfect except he haue integritie of heart First Because the new Adam should otherwise not be so effectuall as the old the new Adam should not be so powerfull to communicate grace and life as the old Adam is to instill corruption and sinne for the finne that hath beene conveyed to vs by the first Adam hath an integritie in it it hath gone over the whole soule there is a whole bodie of death that hath possessed vs Now should there not be in those redeeming actions by Christ a contrary integritie and perfection a throughout holines as I may call it The plaister then should be narrower then the sore and the remedy should be inferior to the disease Beloved you know a leprosie is gone all over except the holinesse went all over too from top to toe I say there would not be an answerablenesse in the second Adam he should not be able to doe as much good as the first was able to doe hurt Secondly the worke of Redemption should be done but by halues if the Lord should dispense with imperfect holinesse The workes of Creation you know were perfect God looked vpon all his workes and he saw that they were very good Beloved doe you thinke the workes of Redemption should come short of the workes of Creation Are not they likewise perfect when the Lord shall looke on that worke shall he not say likewise it is very good If you doe marke the parts of it hath not Christ redeemed vs from our vaine conversation The holy Ghost doth not he mortifie every sinfull lust The bloud of Christ doth it not wash every sinne The Word and meanes of grace doe they not strike at every rebellion It is certaine they doe and therefore there is an integritie required in all otherwise I say there should be an imperfection If you object notwithstanding this though Christ hath redeemed vs yet you see there are many imperfections left in men and therefore how can you say the workes of Redemption are perfect I answer They are not perfect in degrees for they must haue a time of ripening but that which wants any part of perfectioÌ„ though it be ripened when it wants the roote and principle when the frame and first disposition is not right let it grow vp never so fast it will never be perfect So this is true of the workes of Redemption of the works of God in a mans heart of destroying the workes of Sathan and setting vp a new building which is the worke of Iesus Christ and the end for which he came I say this is true of it it is perfect it wants onely growth As you may say it is a perfect seed when it is ripe it will be a perfect flower or it is a perfect plant when it growes vp it will be a perfect tree it is perfect in all respects Such a perfection is in the workes of Redemption and if the heart of man be not entire if the worke of grace be not throughout if there be a defect in the principle and constitution of it there should be a defect in the workes of Redemption that cannot be Thirdly if there was not a perfectnesse of heart wrought in all those that should be saued the commands of the Gospell should be commands of impossibilitie for the Gospell requires at our hands that we should haue respect to all the Commandements that we should keepe the whole Law in an
God writes the Law in their hearts so that there is a Law within answerable to the Law without that is an inward aptnesse answering euery particular of the Law an inward disposition whereby a man is inclined to keepe the Law in all points which Law within is called the law of the mind therefore if you adde to this that Rom. 7. I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde so there is a Law in the mind within answerable to the Law of GOD without it answers it as Lead answers the mould after it is cast into it it answers it as Tallie answers to Tallie as Indenture answers to Indenture so it agrees with it in all things that is there is an aptnesse put into the minde that it is able and willing and disposed in some measure to keepe euery Commandement that answereth to all the particular Commandements of the Law of GOD this is to haue the Law of GOD written in the minde and this is that which is first meant by it there is a Law within answerable to the Law without in all things The 2. thing meant by it is that it is not only put into the mind as acquisite habits are but it is so ingrasted as any naturall disposition is it is so rooted in the heart it is so riuetted in as when letters are ingraued in Marble you know they continue there they are not easily worne out and that is meant by it I will plant my Law in thy heart it shall neuer out againe there I will write it there it shall continue so that is the second thing that is meant by it it shall bee naturall to you for that is meant by this when it is said it shall bee printed it shall be grauen and written in the heart and likewise it shall be perpetuall it shall neuer weare out againe as things that are written in the dust but it shall be written so as it shall neuer againe be obliterated The third thing to be expressed is the manner of the writing of it the Apostle here compares himselfe and all other Ministers to the pen but it is Christ that writes the Epistle the Epistle is his for these workes he doth in it it is he that takes the pen it is he that handles it and vseth it it is he that puts inke into the pen it is he that applyes it so that though the Minister be the immediate writer of these Lawes in the heart yet the inke is the Holy Ghost and it comes originally from Christ and besides they are not left to themselues but the LORD must concurre with them immediately we are but coeworkers with him he holds our hands as it were when we write the Epistle in any mans heart it is hee that guides the penne it is hee that puts inke into it it comes originally from him and therefore the Epistle is his Besides this is further to bee considered in this Metaphor that God will write his Lawes in our hearts that we may see these Lawes wee may reade them and vnderstand them for when a thing is written God may see it and man may see it a man himselfe may see it and others also may reade it God sees it himselfe for he hath written it man sees it for hee is able to see the Law in his minde he is able to see that habituall disposition that is infused into him and others are able to see it for saith he you are our Epistle euident to all men that is they see the fruits and effects of it as you may see letters grauen in stone so they see this Law written in your hearts So beloued you see now what this Couenant of Grace is and how it differs from the Couenant of Workes it is the ministration not of the letter but of the Spirit because it doth not onely present the oâ—tward letter of the Commandement but there is a Law written within and that is done by vertue of the Spirit So that the order is this first it reueales righteousnesse secondly it softens the heart it is the ministration of the Spirit and thirdly it is a ministration of loue it is a ministration of freedome and not of bondage and enmity for when the Law is thus written a man is not haled to it he comes not to it as a bond-slaue to doe his worke but hee comes willingly he finds he hath some ability to doe it he findes a delight in it as Paul saith I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man So you â—ee the difference betweene the Couenant of Grace and the Couenant of Workes Now this Couenant of Grace is twoâ—old it is eyther the Old Testament or the New they both agree in substance they differ onely in the manner of the administration that which is called the New Testament Heb. 7. 8 9. which is opposed to the Old Testament for substance is the same Couenant they are both the Couenant of Grace onely they differ in the manner and you shall finde these 6. differences between them First the New Testament or the New Couenant is larger then the Old it extends to the Gentiles whereas the first was confined onely â—o the Iewes it was only kept within the walles of that people and extended no further Secondly the Old was expressed in types and shaddowes and figures as for example they had the blood of Bulls and Goats they had the washings of the body in cleane water they had offering of Incense c. by which things other things are meant as namely the dâ—aâ—h of Christ and that satisfaction he gaue to his Father by his death and likewise the inward sanctificatioÌ„ of the Spirit signified by the washing of water and also the workes and the prayers of the Saints that are sweet as Incense now saith the Text Gal. 4. these were clements and rudiments that God vsed to them as children that is as children haue their A B C â—heir first elements so GOD did shew to the â—ewâ—s â—hese spirituall mysteries not in themselues but in these types and shaddowes they were able to see theÌ„ from day to day for therin was their weaknesse they were not so able as to conceiue spirituall things without a mediate view they saw the blood shed and againe they saw the washings and the rites these were in their eye whereas now in the time of the Gospell these things are taught to vs these we comprehend in our minds wee serue the Lord in spirit and in truth but there is not that visible sight that was a helpe to their weaknesse so that these differ as the Image and the substance it selfe euen as you see things in prospectiue shewes and in painting that are different from the things themselues when you come to see Countries and Cities and Mountaines and Woods it is another thing And this is the second difference betweene the Testaments the one was expressed but in types and
shaddowes the other hath the substance it selfe Thirdly they differ in this the Old Testament in it selfe is but weake and vnprofitable as you shall see likewise in the same place Heb. 8. 18. for the Commandement that went before was dissanulled because of the weaknesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof for the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope makes perfect by which wee draw neere to GOD that is this was able of it selfe to doe nothing further then as it did leade to that which was effectuall therefore it waxed old and vanished away so he puts them together it was weake and vnprofitable and therfore it coâ—tinued noâ— it had an end as you know the second proued effâ—ctâ—all to take a way sinne and to sanctifiâ— vs and therefore it is an euerlasting Couenant the Testament that continues for euer Fourthly they differ in the confirmation this second Testament the New Testament was confirmed by an Oath and confirmed by the blood of the Testator by the blood of Christ whereas the other was confirmed by the blood of Goats as we see Exod. 24. it is called the bloud of the Couenant wherewith the Booke of the Couenant was sprinkled that is the shedding of the blood of beasts confirmed the Couenant but this is confirmed by the death of Christ himselfe and accordingly it hath new seales put to it Baptisme and the Lords Supper when the Old Testament had other seales Circumcision and the Passeouer Fiftly they differ in this in the New Testament there is a more cleere perspicuoâ—s knowledge of things there are better promises a larger effusion of the Spirit there is more cleerenesse as we see Heb. 8. 10. After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their mindes c. And they shall not teach euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest of them That is they shall know much more and that which they doe know they shall know in another manner they shall know it more distinctly more particularly Moreouer as the knowldege is greater so the promises are better promises Heb. 8. 6. But now our high Priest hath obtained a more excellent office in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament established vpon better promises The meaning of it is this the promises which were made in the Old Testament though the promise of saluation was not excluded yet the maine of them the most appearing and insisted on were they should haue the Land of Canaan they should haue an outward prosperity you see the old TestameÌ„t much insists vpon that the New Testament meddles little with them but with promises of saluation remission of sinnes sanctification by the Spirit therefore saith the Apostle here it is established vpon better promises And againe there is a larger effusion of the Spirit the Spirit is now powred on vs in a greater measure then it was distilled by drops now the Lord hath dispensed it in a greater abundance to the sons of men in the time of the Gospell there is greater measure of grace and it followes vpon the other Grace truth come by Iesus Christ that is because there was more truth and more knowledge there went likewise more grace with it as there is a greater reuâ—lation so likewise there goes more grace that is a sure rule that al knowledge when it is increased when it is sauing knowledge taught by GOD it carries grace proportionably with it This is the fift difference The last difference was in the Mediator Moses was the Mediator of the Old Testament that is it was hee that declared it it was hee againe that was the executioner of it but wee haue a high Priest that hath obtained a more excellent office in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament that is now Christ is the Mediator of the Couenant it is he that declares the Couenant and secondly it is hee that by the interuention of a certaine Compact of certaine Articles of agreement hath reconciled the disagreeing parties he hath gone between them as it were and hath vndertaken for both sides hee hath vndertaken on Gods part these and these things shall be done all his promises are Yea and Amen in him and againe he hath vndertaken on our part to giue satisfaction by his death and likewise to make vs obedient to his Father This hee doth this is to be a Mediator of the Couenant I will not stand longer on this I come briefly to make some vse of it and leaue the other 4 things that is With whoÌ„ this Couenant is made How a man shall know whether he be within the Couenant When this Couenant is broken and The reason why God will make this Couenant with men to another occasion Now this vse we will make of it First we may consider hence the great goodnes of GOD that he is willing to enter into Couenant with mortall men My beloued it is a thing that is not sufficiently considered of vs how great a mercy it is that the glorious GOD of Heauen and Earth should be willing to enter into Couenant that he should be willing to indent with vs as it were that he should be willing to make himselfe a debtor to vs. If we consider it it is an exceeding great mercy when wee thinkâ— thus with our selues hee is in heaueâ— and wee are on earth hee the glorious GOD wâ—e dust and ashes hee the Creator and wee but creatures and yet he is willing to enter into Couenant which implyes kinde of equality betweene vs as when Ionathan and Dauid made a Couenant though there was a difference the one was a Kings sonne yet notwithstanding when the Couenant of friendship was made there did arise a kind of eqâ—ality between them so it is betweene the LORD and vs when hee is once willing to enter into Couenant with vs. Beloued this should teach vs to magnifie the mercie of God and to be ready to say as Dauid did What am I or what is my Fathers House that I should be raysed hitherto that I should enter into Couenant with the great GOD that hee should come to a Campact and agreement with mee that he should tye himselfe and bind himselfe to become 〈…〉 You know 〈…〉 small thing to enter into Couenant with GOD to be in Couenant with the King of Kings we commonly reckon it a great aduaâ—â—age to haue allyance to bee in confederation with strong Princes You see what a Couenant there was betweene Iehoshaphat and Achaâ— see how Iehoshaphat expresseth himselfe Truly saith hee there is a League betweene vs What then therefore my horses are thy horses and my people are thy people and so it is betweâ—ne God and vs when there is a Couenant betweene vs then his strength is our strength and his Armies are our Armies we haue interest in all there is
an offensiue and a defensine League and when we seeke to him and put him in mind of it he can not deny vs. The people of Rome had other parts and Nations that were allyes with them and if they were to fight at any time the Romans were bound in honour to defend them and to assist them and they did it with as much diligence as they defended their owne City of Rome If we doe implore GODâ— ayde doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant Will he not 〈◊〉 vp himselfe to scatter his and our 〈◊〉 Certainely hee will This great benefit you haue therefore you haue cause to magnifie your â—elues in this Condition and to blesse the Lord to magnifie him for his great goodnesse that he would eâ—ter into Couenant with you this was the greatest fauour that euer hee shewed to Abraham and it is the very scope of this place Abraham I am willing to enter into Couenant to tye my selfe to enter into bond and therefore since the LORD is not ashamed to make vs his people let vs not bee ashamed to call him our God to professe it and make it good vpon all occasions This is the first vse Secondly from this difference of the Couenants you haue these two things to obseâ—ue First in that the Couenant of Grace onely is the ministration of the Spirit when the other is but the ministration of the letter it should teach vs thus much to labour to grow to assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes If a man would deâ—ire to change his course to haue his heart renued to be made a new creature to be translated from death to life beloued the way is not to consider presently the Commandement for a man to thinke with himselfe this I ought to doe and I will set about it I haue made a Couenant I haue resolued with my selfe to doe it but the way is to labour to get assurance of forgiuenesse to labour to apprehend the Couenant of Grace for by that meanes thy heart shall be softned there shall be an infusion of the Spirit that shall write the Law of God in thy inward parts all those places of Scripture make this good wherein it is said faith purifieth the heart and by the promises we are made partakers of the godly nature as 2. Pet. 1. 4. and likewise Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD. The meaning is this if a man would haue his conscience purged from dead workes let him labour for faith whereby hee may bee iustified let him labour to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ to haue assurance of the forgiuenesse and pardon of his sinnes through that blood then he shall haue that Spirit put into his heart that eternall Spirit that shall purge and cleanse his conscience from dead workes So likewise Gal. 3. Did you receiue the Spirit by the workes of the Law Did you not rather receiue it by the hearing of â—aith preached And so Gal. 5. Faith that workes by loue that is it is faith that brings forth loue and loue sets vs on worke All these shew thus much vnto vs that the best way to heale any strong lust the best way to change our hearts to get victory ouer any sin that it may not haue dominion ouer vs to haue our conscience cleansed from dead workes to he made partakers of the diuine nature is to grow vp in the assurance of the loue of God to vs in Christ to get assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse for beloued know this if the heart doe no more but looke to the Commandement if you heare onely that there are such duties to be done and consider them and you compare your owne heart and the Commandement together there growes a quarell betweene the heart and the Commandement an exâ—lâ—eration betweene them and an enmiâ—y they looke one vpon another as enemies but when the heart is softned and reconciled to God it closeth with the Commandement as the soft clay doth with the mould and is ready to receiue any impression but till then it rebels against the Commandement and stands out as a hard stone that receiues no impression and therfore the way is not â—o go about to reforme our liues as morall men to thinke with thy selfe there are these duties I must take a course to keepe them and enter into vowes in particular courses with my selfe to doe them no my beloued the way is to get assurance of forgiuenes to labour to bee partaker of the Couenant of Grace your hearts will then be softned when you haue receiued the Spirit that hath wrought in your hearts a disposition answerable to the Law without when the Law is put into your minds And this is the first difference The 2. is in regard of the difference of the two Testaments the second Testament being stablished vpon better promises What is the reason that the New Testament is said to bee stablished vpon better promises Beloued you shall finde this to be the condition of the New Testament you shall finde in it very little expression of the promises of this life looke in all the Epiâ—tles of paul and the other Epistles looke to all the Doctrine of the Gospell and you shall see the things that are iâ—erated still they are these You shall bee saued you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen you shall bee iustified you shall bee sanctified you shall receiue the adoption of sonnes you shall receiue the high price of your calling c. These are the things that Paul euery where magnifies as the condition that exceeds and goes beyond the conditions in our forefathers times Now this great Mystery is reuealed now these great riches are opened that before were hid Whence you may gather this much that grace and spirituall things spiritual priuiledges things belonging to the Kingdome of God and of â—esus Christ exceed much all outward and temporall happinesse Why are they otherwise called better promises There are many other places I know to shew the vanity of outward things and to preferre spirituall things before them but let this be added to the rest this Couenant is established on better promises labour then to worke your hearts fully to that perswasion namely to thinke with your selues it is better to be rich in grace better to haue the priuiledges of Iesus Christ then to bee rich in this world Reu. 2. I know thy pouerty but thou art rich You must thinke with your selues this is the great riches and therefore the Apostle exhorts rich men that they-change these other riches they enioy to spirituall riches Now a man will neuer be exhorted to change except it bee for the better Charge those that are rich in the world that they bee rich in good workes let them so vse their
you receiue the Spirit then no but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiuenesse then you receiued the Spirit it was conueyed into your hearts Now I take it there is a double meaning of this infusion of the Spirit here in the time of the Apostles there was a miraculous infusion and giuing of the Holy Ghost that when they preached to them as Peter to Cornelius and Paul to others and laid their hands on them the Holy Ghost fell on them that is they were filled presently with an immediate infusion of knowledge they had some the gift of tongues some extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit saith the Apostle when this was done was it done by the preaching of the Law was it not done by the preaching of Christ and by offering to you the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins through him Therefore you see how hee expresseth it Hee therefore that ministâ—eth the Spirit to you and workes miracles among you how doth hee worke these miracles hee doth them not by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith preached that is by our preaching of it and your hearing it So my beloued looke how the Sâ—iâ—it was then conueighed to men after the same manner it must now bee conueyed to vs so that beleeuing the promises is the way to get the heart healed when a man hath any strong lust to conflict wiâ—hall hee must not thinke that setting himselfe with strong vowes and resoluâ—ions to resist it is the way to beginne with no the way is to get assurance of pardon to get assâ—rance of Gods loue to himselfe in Christ to labour to get communion betweene Christ and himselfe to labour to delight in God as he will when there once are â—ermes of reconciliation betweene them and when this is done his heart will grow to an application of the Commandement it will cloze with the Commandement Whereas before it resisted it and rebelled against it it will cleaue to it and loue it and delight in it and will receiue an impression from it this I take likewise to be the meaning of that 2. Pet. 1. 4. Hereby saith he we haue most gracious promises and are thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature that by them we shall be partakers of the godly nature that is by beleeuing the promises of pardon we are thereby made parâ—akers of the godly nature there is a renuing there is a change of the nature a man is made another nature euen while hee is looking vpon the promise of pardon and remission the promises of the New Couenant that offer Iesus Christ and the gift of righteousnesse through him euen by beleeuing those promises it is wrought That it is so you may compare this with that Rom. 6. where this obiection is made If there be a promise of pardon and of grace through Christ then belike we may liue as we list No saith the Apostle doe you but beleeue those promises of grace and the care is easie for the rest in 1 2 3. Verses What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid Shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Know you not that as maâ—y as are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized into his death The meaning is this if once you receiue Iesus Christ and the pardon and remission of sinnes through him you cannot be so baptized into him but you must be baptized into his death that is of necessity sinne must bee crucified in you you must be dead to sinne as hee was dead you cannot be baptized into him for iustification but you must be baptized likewise for mortiâ—ication of the flesh and for resurrection to newnesse of life Know you not that all that are baptized into Iesus Christ that is that are baptized into him for reconciliation with God of necessity they must also be baptized into his death Therefore saith he you are dead to sinne by being thus baptized with Christ it is impossible you should liue in in it So I say beloued hee that hath the strongest faith he that beleeues in the greatest degree the promiâ—es of pardon and remission I dare boldly say he hath the holiest heart and the holiest life for that is the roote of it it ariseth from that roote sanctification ariseth from iustification the blood of Christ hath in it a power not onely to wash vs from the guilâ— of sinne but to cleanse and to purge vs likewise from the power and staine of sinne And therefore I say the best way to get a great degree of sanctification and of mortification of sinfull lusts the best way to get a greater measure of the graces of the Spirit to grow vp to greater holinesse of conuersation is to labour to grow in faith in the beliefe of those promises of the Gospell for there is no other reason in the world why in the New Testament there is an infusion of the Spirit that giues life but because now there are more euident promises of pardon and forgiuenesse and reconciliation with GOD which by the Couenant of workes could not be And so much shall serue for this The fourth and maine Vse that wee are to make of this from this description of the Couenant is to learne to know the ground vpon which we expect saluation and the fulfilling of all the promises the ground of all is this Couenant My beloued it is the greatest point that euer we had yet opportunity to deliuer to you yea it is the maine point that the Ministers of the Gospell can deliuer at any time neither can they deliuer a point of greater moment nor can you heare any then the description of this Couenant of Grace this is that you must lay vp for the foundation of all your comforts it hath beene the corner stone vpon which the Saints haue beene built from the beginning of the world vnto this day there is no ground you haue to beleeue you shall be saued there is no ground to beleeue that any promise of God shall be made good to you to beleeue that you shall haue the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ and those glorious Riches of the inheritance prepared for vs in him I say there is no other ground at all but vpon this Couenant all that wee teach you from day to day are but conclusions drawne from this Couenant they are all built vpon this therefore if euer you had cause to attend any thing you haue reason to attend to this I say this Couenant betweene GOD and vs. And therefore we will labour to open to you now more cleerely and distinctly this Couenant though a difficult thing it is to deliuer to you cleerely what it is and those that belong to it yet you must know it for it is the ground of all you hope for it is that that euery man is built vpon you haue no other ground but this GOD hath
Wheat-haruest 1 Sam. 12 the people feared exceegingly and Ezra 10. when there was an exceeding great raine the people did exceedingly tremble and you know in that Earthquake though all were safe Act. 16. and there was no cause why he should be so vnquiet yet we see how the Goaler was amazed his heart was wounded this was not for these particular Iudgements there might bee a great raine there might be a great Earthquake and thunder in Wheat-haruest and yet mens hearts little moued but there went a spirit of bondage that bred a feare in them this is that I say no man can come to Christ without the Law either in it selfe or in afflictions which are but the executioners of it and these are not effectuall without the spirit of bondage and there is a very great reason for it because otherwise wee should neuer know the loue of Christ he that hath not knowne what the meaning of this spirit of bondage is what these feares are what these terrours of conscience are in some measure knowes not what Christ hath suffered for him or what deliuerance hee hath had by him besides he will not be applyable to Christ But I will not stand more vpon this Hast thou not had the spirit of bondage I say surely if thou hast not tâ—sted of this Christ hath not sowne the seed of grace in thy heart doth any man sow before he hath plowed doth any man make a new impression before there bee an oblâ—tâ—ration of the old Beloued before the heaâ—t be meâ—ted wâ—th 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage there is no sence of a new spirit to make a new impression vpon it I confesse it is different it is sometimes more sometimes lesse but all haue it more or lesse sometimes the Medicine goes so close with the reuealing of sinne and of Iudgement that it is not so much discerned sometimes againe God meanes to bestow vpon some men a great measure of grace and therfore he giues them a greater measure of the spirit of bondage because God meanes to teach them more to prize Christ he meanes more to baptize them with the baptisme of the Holy Ghost and therefore hee baptizeth them with a greater measure of the spirit of bondage they shall drinke deeper of that spirit because his intention is that they shall drinke deeper of the spirit of Adoption and therefore Christ takes it for an argument concerning the Woman when he saw she loued exceeding much surely she had a great measure of the spirit of bondage she was much wounded for her sinnes there had beene exceeding much forgiuen her in her apprehension and so was Paul exceedingly wounded you know This must goe before The things which goe together with it are these three the testimony of the blood of the water and of our owne spirits First beloued there is the testimony of the blood there are three that beare record in the Earth the spirit the water and the blood though the spirit be set first as it is vsuall amongst the Hebrewes and in the Scriptures to put the last first if a man would know now whether hee be in Christ whether he hath receiued the promised seede or no let him consider first whether hee hath beleeued in the blood that is there is a word of promise that saith thus to vs there is a Sacrifice that is offered there is the blood of the Lambeshed from the beginning of the world and this blood shall wash thee from all thy sinnes when a man stands to consider this promise beloued this promise bath two things in it there is the truth of it and the goodnesse of it a man doth with Abraham beleeue the truth of it he beleeues God and saith it is true I beleeue it but withall there is a goodnesse in it and therefore as the vnderstanding saith it is true so the will saith it is good and therefore he takes it and embraceth it and is exceeding greedy of it for when the spirit of bondage makes a man feare it empties a man of all righteousnesse as a man empties a Caske that there is nothing left in it when it puls away all other props and stayes from it it leaues a man in this case that he sees nothing in the world to saue him but the blood of Christ when a man sees this hee takes fast hold of that he will not let it goe for any thing and though it be told him you shall haue many troubles and crosses you must part with all you haue you shall haue somewhat hereafter but you shall haue little for the present he cares not though it costs him his life so he may haâ—e this blood to wash away his sins it is enough this he layes fast hold vpon Beloued when a man doth this at that very houre he is entred into Couenant he is translated from death to life he hath now receiued the promised seede and he shall be blessed for God hath said it and sworne it and it cannot be otherwise and this is the testimony of the blood when a man can say I know I haue taken and applyed the blood of Christ I rest vpon it I beleeue that my sinnes are forgiuen I graspe it I receiue it this is the testimony of the blood Now when a man hath tooke the blood What shall he continue in filthinesse now and walke after the lusts of his former ignorance No the Lord comes not by blood onely but by water also that is by sanctification that is he sends the Spirit of sanctification that cleanseth and washeth his seruants that washeth away not onely the outward filthinesse but the euill nature the swinish nature that they desire no more to wallow in the myre as before for the Lord will not haue a sluttish Church and therefore Eph. 5. he washeth his Church and clenseth it he washeth euery man in the Church from top to toe there is not one place in the soule not one place in the conuersation but it is rensed in this water and then when a man comes to finde this that he hath not onely found the blood of Christ applyed to him by faith but hath found that he hath been able to purifie himselfe and by the worke of Christs Spirit ioyning with him when he goes about to purge himselfe that helpes to cleanse his conscience from dead workes There is the second testimony Now follows the testimony of our own spirits that gathers conclusions from both these and saith thus Since I haue receiued the blood and seeing I am able to purifie my selfe I conclude I am in a good estate I am a partaker of the Couenant if a man could say this truely it is said whosoeuer beleeues shall be saued but I beleeue this is the testimony of the blood onely but when a man can say I doe labour to purifie my selfe I desire nothing in the world so much I doe it in good earnest this is the testimony of the water to
promises and he begins first to thinke What are these promises true Yes surely they are most true they are confirmed witâ— an oath they are confirmed with the blood with the death of the Testator a mans Couenant after it is once made and the Testator is dead Gal. 3. no man addes to it or takes from it Now when a man considers this Are these the promises of the LORD hath hee confirmed them with an Oath are they confirmed with the blood of the Testator Certainely they are most true I cannot doubt of them but then he begins to consider As they are true how fit are they for mee what is the goodnes of them They are also exceeding good there is nothing in the world so excellent so precious so sweet and so comfortable as these promises bee I say when he hath done these two when the vnderstanding sayes they are true and beleeues them and when the will saith they are good and embraceth them at that very instant saluation is come to thy house and to thy heaâ—t I say Christ Iesus is come to thee at that very instant hee hath made a Couenant with thee though perhaps thou see him not at that time as Mary could not see him but â—ooke him for the Gardner but I say at that time thou art tâ—anslated from the Couenant of Workes to the Couenant of Grace But you will say How comes this blood to be a witnesse Beloued it is a witnesse in this manner when a mans spiâ—it shall consider the promises and ponder them well and shall say this with himselfe Well I haue applyed these promises bâ—t vpon what warrant vpon what ground haue I done it euery body will be ready to apply the promises of mercy and forgiuenesse but what warrant haue I to apply them To know that vpon good ground I lay hold of these promises then a man considers with himselfe the promises they are sure they are cleerely and distinctly set downe in the Word hee considers to whom these promises are offered to those that are vnrigâ— tâ—ous the LORD iustifieth the vnrighteous euen to Publicans and Harlots to sinners such they were that came to CHRIST to such the promises were offered Well I know I am an vnrighteous man and thâ—râ—fore the want of sorâ—ow and conâ—rition and the want of holinesse and the want of tendernesse of heart in the beginning shall not exclude me for they are promises that are made to the vnrighteous to the vncleane and polluted to the hard-hearted such they are at the first to whom the promises are made but what doth the Lord require of those That they thiâ—st all that thirst come I finde an extâ—â—me thirst I would dye that I might haue Christ and his righteousnesse Is this all No it is required further that when thou art come in thou take this resolution now I will serue him now I will loue him now I will obey him I will bee content to take Iesus Christ for better for worse I will be content to deny my selfe to take vp my Crosse to follow him in all his wayes When a mans spirit hath pondred this well when he hath looked on the blood of IESVS CHRIST and the promises and sees himselfe qualified vpon this he sayes surely these promises belong to mee this is the witnesse of the blood then followes the witnesse of the water for the blood hath a double vertue in it it hath not onely the vertue to deliuer vs from the guilt of sinne to cause the LORD to passe ouer vs when he sees the sprinkling of the blood vpon our hearts and vpon our persons but there is this more it hath a clensing vertue in it cleanseth the conscience from dead workes and so hath faith it hath not onely a vertue in it to receiue and to digest and to take the promises but it hath an ability to worke as the hand you know hath two offices it hath an office to receiue and to take and likewise it hath ability to worke Beloued these are neuer disioyned the blood neuer washeth from sinne but likewise it cleanseth the conscience from dead workes faith neuer receiues the promise but it workes likewise indeed for the â—eceiuing part wee receiue all alike precious faith but for the working part there is much difference you know a weake hand is able to receiue as well as a stronger but a stronger can doe more worke therefore as faith growes more so it workes more Some man hath a more working faith then others though as it is a receiuing faith he hath it alike therefore thou maist consider this with thy selfe if I haue the testimony of the blood I haue also the testimony of the water that is a sanctification ioyned with iustification Christ came not by blood onely but by water also if the spirit of a man looke on this now and can say I see I am renewed in the spirit of my minde I see I am washed from my filthinesse I see my conscience is in some measure cleansed from dead workes then he may conclude with himselfe surely I am in the state of grace I am in the Couenant And this beloued is the witnesse of our owne spirits and the witnesse of the water and of the blood But when this is done it may be the LORD continues yet at some fits to write bitter things against thee he seemes to cast thee off hee seemes to wound thee sometimes with the wounds of an enemy This the LORD many times doth that he may put vsto it hee turnes the deafe eare that hee may try what we will doe when the spirit of a man hath now these testimonies and yet hath not rest though it haue them on good ground for I meane not the naked spirit of a man but his spirit enlightned and sanctified by the Holy Ghost yet when hee hatâ— good ground and saith thus with himselfe Yet for all this I will trust in him I haue his sure Word for it I haue his promise I know that heauen and earth shall passe rather then any promise of his shall passe now when the Lord seeth a man beleeuing thus and trusting him vpon his bate word then the Lord goes a step further with him seales the same things to him with the spirit of promise that is as I shewed before out of Eph. 1. 13. In whom after you belâ—â—ued you were sealed with the spirit of promise when you put to your seale that God is true God then comes and puts to his seale he giues you the spirit of promise and assures you that it is so that is he doth by his owne Spirâ—t say to a mans soule that he is his saluation My beloued this is a certaine expression of the Holy Ghost to the soule of a man that we know not how to expresse to you therefore it is called the hidden Mannaâ— it is called a white stone with a new name written in it that no man knowes but he that
long as a man doth not chuse another Husband so long the Couenant is not broken though the failings be exceeding many The vse wee are to make of it is this If there be this comfort that though a mandoe commit many sinnes yet so long as he hath the Lord for his husband as long as he is not willing to chuse another Master still the Couenant is sure Beloued then comfort your selues with these words and make vse of the Couenant and apply the promises of the Couenant say this with thy selfe it is very true I am sinfull I prouoke God from day to day yet for all this I am not out of the Couenant and therefore the promises of the Couenant belong to me and therefore notwithstanding my sinnes I will go boldly to the Throne of Grace and I will lay claime to the promises and to all the parts of the Couenant for they belong to me Beloued this vse you should make of it wheÌ„ you heare the Couenant is not broken Now the promises of the Couenant are of 3. sorts the promises of iustification the promises of sanctification and the promises of blessings of all sorts that belong to this life and to the life to come This threefold vse then thou shouldst make of it First put the case there lies vpon thy heart the conscience of any sinne that thou hast committed that troubles thee thou art afraid that this sinne should make a sâ—paration betweene God and thee thou hast yet no assurance of the forgiuenes of it but the conscience of the sinne lyes vpon thee as that expression you haue Heb. 10. what wilt thou doe in such a case Goe to the Lord and say to him Lord notwithstanding this I know I am in Couenant with thee and Lord this is one part of thy Couenant that thou wilt remember our sinnes no more but when they are sought they shall not be found My beloued as you haue heard before they are the very words of the Couenant I say if thou come to the Lord thus and bring Christ in thine armes for that is the nature of â—aith faith first seizeth vpon the dead body as the Vulâ—ures and as the Eagles doe first seize vpon the body so faith first seizeth vpon Christ I say if thou canst go to him and say Lord I haue thy Sonne he hath offered himselfe to me he is freely offered and I haue tooke him and all thy promises in him are Yea and Amen and this is one of thy promises that thou wilt forgiue me if one plead the Couenant hard with God and tell him it is a part of his Couenant and he must be iust hee cannot be a Couenant-breaker doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant with thee or any man he cannot deny thee he will put away thy sins strengthen thy selfe with this for this Couenant is continuall the Mediator of this Couenant is Iesus Christ who is such an High Priest that is able perfectly to saue those that come vnto him when a man hath commitâ—ed the greatest sinne and sees but the blood of Buls and Goates he might thinke thus with himselfe alas what can this poore and beggerly Ceremony doe to deliuer me from the conscience of my sinne Well saith the Apostle we haue another kind of Sacrifice and another kinde of Priest Heb. 7. We haue such an High Priest as is able perfectly to saue those that come to him And why For saith he he is gone not into the Tabernacle as the other Priests but he is entred into the very heauens Besides saith he he goes not once a yeere as they did but he liues for euer to make intercession for vs hee is not gone with the blood of Buls and Goates but with his owne blood he is a High Priest holy harmlesse vndefiled separated from sinners higher then the heauens and therefore doubt not but hee is able perfectly to saue those that come vnto him Beloued consider this it is the very Vse that the Apostle makes Heb. 10. 22. saith he seeing these things are so since we haue such an High Priest as we haue described since it is the very Sacrifice of his blood it selfe let vs draw neere in the assurance of faith that is if the conscience of any sinne lye vpon vs let vs not goe to God with a quarter wind or wâ—th a halfe wind but with a full assurance of faith let vs make no question but trust perfectly to the grace that is reuealed You must thinke so of Iesus Christ hee would haue you thinke so and conceiue of him that he is now in heauen that he is able perfectly to sauâ— you that there is nothing you haue committed that can doe you hurt he is like a friend in the Court if a man were sure that hee had one that were neuer from the King that hath his eare continually that is alway in his presence that is such a Fauourite of such power with him that certainely he can deny him nothing a man would be secure put the case there were some whispering fellows that would be ready to informe against him yet saith hee I haue one there that will be ready to take care for me My beloued this is thy very case Christ Iesus is gone to Heauen it is a thousand times better for thee that he should be there then that he should be here in this world still there he is thy Attorney as it were he takes care of thee hee sees all the accusations that are brought against thee and he is ready to answer for thee saith the Text he makes intercession if there come any thing that tends to make a breach between God and thee he is the Mediator for thee he dwels there for that end if there be any offence any breach comes that he may make it vp betweene God and thee consider this and when thou hast committed a sin go to this high Priest that is able to saue thee perfectly and remember that it is a part of his Couenant and so labour to grow vp in full assurance of faith that no conscience of sinne may lye vpon thee to make a separation betweene God and thee for beloued you ought to trust perfectly to the grace that is reuealed through him And as I say for sinne so in the second place you are to make vse of the Couenant as put the case there bee some strong lust some violent temptation that thou art not able to outwrestle it is too strong for thee thou wouldest faine be rid of it but thou art not able why what shalt thou doe in this case remember that it is a part of the Lords Couenant that he will deliuer thee from all thine enemies that thou maist serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of thy life It is a part of his Couenant to remember it he hath sworne to remember it he hath said he will write his Law in thy heart and that can
Now defilement or pollution is in the Conscience as Divines say as a thing that is knowne is in the facultie or vnderstanding that knowes it and therefore the man that hath committed any sinne which yet continues vpon his owne score which his Conscience is yet guiltie of for which he hath not yet gotten an acquittance from Almightie God he is an impure man he is yet vncleane for he is not yet washed from his filthinesse A man againe that hath gotten any assurance of forgiuenesse so that all his sinnes are put vpon the reckoning of Iesus Christ and there are none that lye vpon his owne score a man who hath made all his reckonings even with God and hath some assurance therof such a man is washed from his filthinesse Such a phrase you haue likewise in Ezech. 36. 25. I will cleanse you or wash you from all your Idols That is from all your Idolatrie from all the sinnes that you haue coÌ„mitted I will wash you that is with imputation or sprinkling of the bloud of Christ. The second cleannesse is when a man is not onely washed with the imputation of the bloud of Christ and the assurance of pardon but also when he is washed from the staine of sinne when he is sanctified through the spirit when sinne is mortified in him when it is as well healed as forgiven And therefore if thou wouldest know whether thou art a cleane man or polluted consider also this whether thou hast a cleane heart or no that is whether thou hast such an habituall disposition of puritie and cleannesse that thou canst not indure to looke vpon any sinne no more then a man that is of a neate and cleane disposition can indure to see filthines whether thou hast such a disposition as that although thou be sprinkled with sinne from day to day though thou be fowled and spotted with it yet thou sufferest it not to abide in thy heart thy heart workes it out as we sayd to you before So that this you are to obserue to finde out the cleannesse of a mans disposition whether he can looke vpon sinne as an vncleane thing as a thing from which his soule hath an aversion as a thing that he abhorres that is although there be some thing in him that loues it that delights in it that likes it yet the prevailing part of the soule abhorres it Both the cleane and polluted may forsake sinne and may turne away from sinne and therfore in that the difference is not seene but the difference is in this that thou art able to hate and abhorre sinne to looke on it as a thing that is filthy and vncleane A Marchant you know will cast out his goods when he is in danger of his life but he hates not his goods So a man may cast away sinne when it puts him in danger of â—inking into hell or of the judgements of men It is one thing to part with sinne and another thing to hate sinne A man may withdraw himselfe from sinne he may giue it over he may seeme to be divorced from it and yet he may haue a monthes mind after it he may doe with it still as the husband of Michall when shee was taken from him yet sayth the Text he came weeping after her a far off he longed after her still and loved her still So a man may part with his sinne after such a manner that still he goes weeping after it he would haue it againe he would faine inioy it if it were not for some greater danger or some greater trouble that he exposeth himselfe vnto as you see in Phaltiel it was not for want of loue to his wife that he parted with her but it was out of a desire he had to saue himselfe to escape the danger of the Kings wrath imprisonment and death that would haue followed vpon it Therefore consider what hatred you haue of sinne and by that you must judge whether you haue a cleane disposition or no. You must not thinke any man is perfectly cleane and pure but he is a cleane man that suffers not any impuritie to take quiet possession of his heart although he haue vncleane thoughts and vncleane affections as all sinfull thoughts and affections are though sinne may passe through his heart as they passed through the Temple yet he suffereth it not to set vp Tables in the Temple to set vp an Idoll in his heart he suffereth it not to make any breach of Covenant with God to be adulterous against him though there may be many glances some adulterous and vncleane actions that is not the thing that breakes the Covenant when the heart is still wedded to God and chooseth God and no other And therefore I say in that it is not seene but consider what thy disposition is whether thou hate that sinne all the while A man that is of an impure spirit of an impure heart when he is with impure company when he delights himselfe with impure thoughts then he is where he would be he is then in his owne element and when he is otherwise he is where he would not be On the other side he that hath an habituall disposition of purenesse and cleannesse though he may be transported to those acts of sinne and pollution yet his heart hates it he is not where he would be all the while he is not vpon his owne center his heart still fights against it and resists it therefore consider with thy selfe what thy heart is in this case whether thou haue a heart that hates vncleannesse or whether thou hast yet a swinish disposition that thou lyest in the mud and delightest to lye in it A man may fall into the mud but he delighteth not to be there no more will a cleane disposition delight in sinne And you may know it by this effect where the disposition is vncleane there sinne abides till it staine the heart till it make a man spotted of the world that is it causeth him to keepe a tract in sinne that a man may say this is the path he walketh in it causeth him to weare the livery of sinne that he may be knowne by it from day to day it causeth the spot so to sinke into the soule that a man may see he is such a man This is to haue an vncleane disposition when vncleannesse so cleaues to his soule that they agree together whereas in a man that hath a pure disposition it is not so as 1 Ioh. 3. 3. he that hath this hope purifieth himselfe The meaning is this there is a double hope there is the hope of the hypocrite that is a dead hope that doth not set a man on worke to cleanse himselfe from filâ—hinesse There is againe a liuely hope spoken of in 1 Pet. 1. 3. that sets a man on worke to clense himselfe that is when a man hath a true hope a reall hope to haue that vndefiled inheritance he considers this with
Deut. 32. 35. where speaking of the enemies of the Church sayth he his foote shall slide in due time that is the expression there that is perhaps you may complaine and thinke it too long but it is not too long If it were any sooner it would be too soone in due time sayth the Lord it shall be in due time his foote shall slide Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie it is but a little a little time indeede You know that is too long that tarries beyond the appointed time beyond that measure that should be set to it when the Lord doth it in due time it is not too long He that shall come that is he that shall surely come will come and will not tarrie that is he will not tarrie a jot beyond the due time and season that season that is fittest for the Church and for the enemies of the Church And as I say for the enemies of the Church so I may likewise say for the righteous man The latter end of the righteous shall be peace he may haue trouble for a time but his end shall be peace Be not therefore discouraged howsoever God may deale with thee by the way yet you know what end he made with Iob That expression you haue in Iam. 5. 11. You know the case of Iob and you know what end the Lord made with him So I may say of every righteous man You know Iacob had many troubles troubles when he was with Laban troubles with the Shechemites troubles with his owne sonnes yet his latter end was peace David had many troubles when he was yong when he was vnder Sauls government he was hunted as a flea or Partridge after he came to the kingdome himselfe you know he was a man troubled a great while there was Civill Warres after them he was troubled with his children after that with the rebellions of his people and yet saith the Text he died full of riches full of honour and full of dayes The Lord made a good end with him The latter end of the righteous is peace that is a man that trusteth in the God of peace he shall be sure to haue peace in the end a man that is a subject to the Kingdome of peace that is subject to the government of Christ the Prince of peace it must needs be that he must haue peace in the end for the Kingdome of God is in righteâ—usnesse and peace and the government of Christ is the government of peace and therefore it shall be peace in the end to him whatsoever is in the way Therefore let no man be discouraged but let this comfort him On the other side another man may haue peace by the way he may haue prosperitie for a time he may flourish like a greene Bay tree but his latter end shall be miserable As it is Psal. 37. 37. Marke the end of the righteous man it shall be peace but the transgrâ—ssors shall be destroyed together the end of the wicked shall be cut off And therefore you see what he sayes of them in the verse before I sought him sayes he and he was not to be found vers 36. As if he should say I sought him on earth and there he was not I sought him in heaven and there he was not to be found but in hell he was there he was to be found otherwise there is no remembrance of them So I say evill men though they haue peace for a time though they haue prosperitie for a time though they spread themselues as a greene bay tree yet their latter end shall not be peace but miserie Therefore let vs not be discouraged Nor on the other side let not evill men be secure let not them be incouraged to evill doing for though the Lord spare them for a time yet certainely they shall be punished As Luk. 13. 4. it is an excellent place for that purpose our Saviour saith there Thinke not that those eighteene vpon whom the Tower of Siloam fell were greater sinners then others that it did not fall vpon but except you repent you shall all likewise perish The meaning of it is this when you see strange judgements come vpoÌ„ the workers of iniquitie though you that are standers by haue had peace and prosperitie all your time and haue never beene acquainted with any of these strange judgements of God haue never tasted of them say not that your condition is better then theirs for sayth our Saviour you are no lesse sinners then they perhaps you are greater though the Tower fell on them and not on you therefore sayth he you shall perish But because it is not presently done therefore sayth the Wise-man The hearts of men are set in them to doe evill that is because there is not present execution therefore either man thinke there is no God or else they doe thinke God is like themselues I held my peace and thou thoughtest I was ike thy selfe Psal. 50. 21. Either they thinke that there is no God or else that he is not so just a God as we declare him to be So either they thinke sinnes not to be sinnes or else they thinke them not so hainous that they doe not draw so fearefull judgements after them Thus men because the same Events are to all alike haue therefore their â—earts set in them to doe evill Now for Answer to that sayth the Wise-man though execution be deferred the sentence is not deferred The sentence is past against an evill worke though it be not speedily executed As if hee should say it is little comfort for thee when thou hast provoked God to anger that thou art not presently punished for the sentence is gone out against thee thou art an accursed man thâ—u art condemned and shut vp in Prison it is onely the execution that is deferred and therefore is it that he sayth because the sentence against evill doers is not speedily executed therefore thinke with thy selfe whosoever thou art that emboldenest thy selfe in thy present safetie it is but a deferring of the execution thou art not in a better condition then others onely the judgement is executed on the one sooner on the other later See it in the sinne of Ioab you know he committed the sinne of murther when he killed Abâ—er it lay a-sleepe you know many yeares The sentence went out from Gods Law God and his owne Conscience was against him but yet it was not executed till he was full of gray haires his gray haires went downe to the graue not in peace but in bloud So likewise in the sinne of Saul when he brake the oath with the Gibeonites the sinne continued fortie yeares vnpunished the Lord suffered it the sentence went out against him as soone as it was committed but yet it lay a-sleepe The Lord did not execute the sentence till fortie yeares after as we see by computation for it was all