Covenant is as sure as that the World shall no more be totally drowned with Water yea as sure as the standing of the lasting Mountains and Hills yet further as sure as the Ordinances of Sun by day Moon and Starrs by night nay once more it 's as possible that the Heavens should be measured by the short span of a mortal man or the foundations of the earth searched out as for the great and unchangeable God to violate this Gospel-Covenant with his dear Israel of elect souls Read this fully in Isa 54.9 10. Jer. 31.35 36 37. But yet more particularly this Covenant and these mercies of it may be made sure two wayes to believers viz. 1. Infallibly so as not to miss of 2. Immutably so as never to lose these mercies 1. These mercies of the Covenant are sure infallibly i. e. there is a certain number of elect selected souls set apart by the soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth to eternal happiness by our Lord Jesus Christ and these shall have interest in and possession of the forementioned mercies of David that God hath chosen some to life as the end and through Christ as the way of attaining that end is clear in Scripture Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him and ver 5. having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself and 1 Thes 5.9 for God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ electing and redeeming love are of the same latitude and extent whom God the Father had in his Council God the Son bore upon the bitter Cross and those that are ordained to eternal life shall believe Act. 13.48 Which Text saith Calvin teacheth that saving faith depends upon Gods eternal election hence also faith is called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 because all the Elect and none but the Elect obtain it for all men have not faith it is peculiar to these selected persons Besides God hath laid the plot and platform of mans salvation upon the sure foundation of his own free-grace on purpose to make these things firm and sure to elect souls so that their unworthiness shall not hinder the certain execution of his eternal Decrees Rom. 4.16 therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed i. e. that the Covenant with all the mercies of it might be made good to all the heirs of promise the election or elect souls hath obtained it but the rest are blinded Rom. 11.7 hence saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.19 Dico novit Domiaus qui sunt ejus ipsae oves aliquando seipsas nesciunt sed pastor novit cas secundum electionem ovium ante constitutionem mundi Aug. in Joh. 10. the foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth them that are his he knows these sheep even before they know themselves according to his sure election before the foundation of the world hence also God would not have the enjoyment of these mercies to depend upon mans sorry mutable and inconstant will nor upon any works wrought by man as the whole strain and tenour of the Gospel holds forth and indeed if the whole stress lay on mans free-will it would bring us back to a Covenant of Works and if it were possible for any to attain these that man were the casting cause of his own salvation and then what need of any Redeemer besides it might so fall out yea and would certainly that these mercies might be applyed to none for conditio nihil ponit in esse that which is not effectual without a contingent condition upon which it depends the particular motion of this mans will and so of anothers towards God and closing with promises being in his own choice is doubtful and uncertain and so must needs be the priviledges which depend upon that condition therefore they that make these mercies possibly every ones make them certainly no ones the truth is God hath not left the enjoyment of these Covenant-mercies to the choice or refusal of the fickle or inconstant will of the creature at his pleasure but though he doth not violence to the will but of unwilling makes it willing God himself and Jesus Christ by the holy Spirit hath ingaged himself to bring souls home by converting grace certainly and infallibly though sweetly and suitably to the nature of a rational creature hence effectual calling and instating the elect in these mercies is not left at rovers may-bees or hap-hazard but it 's put beyond all peradventure so that there 's a Must and Shall annext to it Joh. 10.16 other sheep I have them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice Joh. 6.37 All that the father giveth me i. e. by election shall come to me i. e. by faith and repentance the God of Heaven hath ingaged himself for it and he is a God of truth to make good his word and of infinite power and he works and who can let it Videsis Ames Coron ad Coll. Hag. advâ—rsus Remens Artic. prim de electione Cap. 4. p. 15. c. he worketh all things according to the council of his own will Eph. 1.11 All that God the Father hath given to Christ in the free election the Son hath undertaken to bring to glory by his mediatory administration this is the first these mercies are sure infallibly the heir of glory shall partake of them 2. They are sure immutably not any that do partake of these mercies shall ever lose them they shall alwayes have them and shall â—ever be deprived of them there are inâ—eed some common gifts of the spirit that God may revoke and take away as the gifts â—hat Saul had but these gifts of Grace and â—his effectual calling are without repentance Rom. 11.29 he will never repent of or retract â—hese precious donations Mary's better part â—hall never be taken from her worldly riches â—ay be lost but spiritual mercies are durable â—iches God the Author of these mercies is â—mmutable with him there is no variableness â—or shadow of change he receives no variaâ—ion from the contingent events of second â—auses the Lord will not forsake his people for â—is great names sake because it hath pleased â—he Lord to make them his people 1 Sam. â—2 22 he hateth putting away he will not â—is-inherit his Children for misdemeanours â—e knows their frame sees and pitties their â—eaknesses raiseth them out of falls and â—eals their back-slidings Christ Jesus the â—urchaser of these mercies is the Amen Rev. 3.14 Heb. 13.8 Isa 63.1 Joh. 10.28 29. Joh. 17. the â—aithful and true witness the same yesterday â—o day and for ever mighty to save a merciâ—ul and faithful high-Priest none can pluck â—hem out of his hands he will lose none of â—hese that his father hath given him he will â—ave to the uttermost This our Joshua will â—ring the elect souls to the Canaan of eternal
into Heaven and as a token thereof sets him upon his right hand which is an evidence of honour as Solomon dealt with his Mother and then bids him ask and he would give him all that was in his heart certainly then the mercies of the Covenant must needs be sure and that in Christ the Mediatour since his Intercession is so prevailing that he said in the dayes of his flesh when praying over Lazarus's Grave Father I knew that thou hearest me alwayes Joh. 11.42 Thus I have dispatcht the Doctrinal part of this subject wherein I have endeavoured to clear up what the mercies of the Covenant are in what respects they are said to be sure by what means and wayes they are made sure and how they are made sure in and by Jesus Christ the great Mediator of the Covenant CHAP. VI. NOW for the Application of this point I shall make use of it several wayes 1. For confutation of 1. Atheists 2. Papists 3. Arminians 4. Socinians 1. It confutes the vain conceits of Atheists who call in question the great things of Religion they are first Scepticks and Disputants then by degrees they grow Atheists and deny God as one saith in the Academy of Athesin a sinning soul takes these sad degrees 1. To doubting whether there be a God or no. 2. To living as though there were indeed no God 3. To wishing that there were none and 4. To disputing against a Deity and then he commenceth Doctor in positive Conclusions Mr. Herle in Policy p. 52. with the fool that there is no God Psal 14.1 many are ready to say that Religion in the power of it is but a fiery Meteor which the influence of those hot Dog-starrs of the times Ministers have drawn up and kindled in the grosser Region of some sick and melancholy brains and so like fire is apt to catch in thatcht and low-built houses not Pallaces and Castles i. e. â—arge and high-built souls But the truth is some Atheists do find in this life the certainty of our Religion all shall find it to their cost hereafter by an irrecoverable loss of these sure mercies and by intolerable sustaining of â—verlasting miseries As Atheism hath been much propagated in these latter dayes so God hath afforded some remarkable convictions by several modern examples Cardinal Richlieu who after he had given Law to all Europe many years confessed to P. Du Moulin that being forced to many irregularities in his life time by that which they call Reason of state and not being able to satisfie his Conscience thence had temptations to dis-believe a God another World the immortality of the soul and by that distrust to relieve his aking heart but could not so strong said he was the notion of God on his soul so clear the impression of him upon the frame of the world so unanimous the consent of mankind that he could not but taste the powers of the World to come and so live as one that must dye and so dye as one that must live for ever and being asked one day why he was so sad he answered Monsier Monsier the soul is a serious thing it must be either sad here for a moment or sad for ever and though Cardinal Mazareen was an Atheist the greatest part of his time yet he hath left behind him clear convictions of the immortality of the soul and certainty of another state after this life professing that if he were to live again he would be a Capuchin rather than a Courtier i. e. of a Popish religious Order to serve God in their way rather than choose worldly preferments 't is recorded of Sir John Mason Councellor to Hen. 8. Edw. 6. that he called his Clark and Steward to him and said I have seen five Princes been Privy Councellour to four seen the most remarkable observables in forreign parts been at most State-transactions for thirty years and have learned that seriousness is the greatest wisdom temperance the best physick and a good conscience is the fairest estate and were I to live again I would change the Court-life for a Cloyster my privy Councellors bustles for an Hermits retirement and my whole life in the Pallace for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel all things else forsake me besides my God my Duty my Prayer thus he It is also recorded of Charles 5. Emperour of Germany King of Spain Lord of the Netherlands that after 23. pitcht Fields 6. Triumphs 8. Kingdoms won after all this success reigned all these retired to his Devotion had his Funeral celebrated before his face left this testimony behind him that the sincere profession of Religion hath its sweets and joys that Courts were strangers to and we know from Holy Writ that Solomon after his vast experiments and exact disquisitions left this Maxime as the total summ of his large accounts Eccles 12 13 fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man Atheists never yet tasted the sweetness of Religion they never fully studied the Word or Works of God both which would satisfie them 't is recorded of Francis Junius that reading Tully de Legibus Nihil curare deum nec sui nec alieni he fell into a perswasion that God cared for nothing neither his own nor others affairs but in a tumult in Lions the Lord convinced him of a Divine Providence by delivering him strangely from eminent death and also being put by his Father upon reading the first Chapter of John's Gospel he was abundantly convinced by the Divinity of the Argument Majesty and Authority of the stile in such a manner as his body trembled his mind was astonished and his his soul savingly Converted Yea the works of God are sufficient to leave a Conviction of a Deity upon Conscience Lord Bacon used to say that a little smattering in Philosophy might tempt a man to be an Atheist but a through study of it would bring him back to be Religious for it would reduce him to a first cause and a last end But I must not enlarge on these Atheists see them described and confuted in Weems Treatise of four degenerate Sons of Adam All I shall adde is the words of Lord Chancellour Egerton to be Prophane is the simplest thing in the World for the Atheist layes a wager against the serious man that there is no God but upon wosul odds he ventures his everlasting state the other only hazards the loss of his Lusts if there were no God yet the latter doth as well as the Atheist at last and lives better at present but if there be a God as undoubtedly there is Oh the vast disproportion at the great day if the Arguments for or against the verity of the Gospel were equal yet the gain or hazard is infinitely unequal therefore every wise man will take the safest side Lord what an Age do we live in when the choicest truths duties mercies from a principle of opinionativeness or licentiousness are
verum etiam ab eo quae religioâ—i sâ—nt intrinseca cum nulla ex omnibus soeculis ac nationibus proferri potest aut praemio excellentior praeceptis perfectior aut modo propagari jussa est admirabilior Hug. Grot. de veritat Relig. Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. p. 52. Joh. 9.29 Act. 26.22 23. Act. 17.11 than that voice which came to Christ in the Holy Mount from the excellent glory 2 Pet. 1.18 19. not that any thing can be more sure than the very undoubted words of Jehovah who is truth it self but a more sure i. e. most sure a comparative for a superlative for the former visions being from God also as the Prophesies were was in it self as sure as they but the meaning is that the Scripture-testimony is more sure than that vision argumentatively as to others or secundum nos for the authority of the Scriptures is beyond the Testimony of Angels nay above the credit that any will give to men for men might suspect Peter and the other Apostles as though this apparition were but a fiction of their own brains therefore he appeals to the undoubted Prophecies of the Old Testament which were by long use settled in the hearts of the Godly Jews who believed all that the Prophets spake as coming from God therefore our Saviour makes account that they that believe not Moses's Writings will not believe his words Job 5.45 47. and hence it was that they examined Doctrines by the Prophets nay our Saviour himself affirms that if they will not hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead Luk. 16.31 Habebant Apostoli prophetas tanquam patronos â—â—ctrinae suae fidales quoque inde petebant Evangelii confirmationem Calv. in loc Videsi Mart. Aret. c. in Locum therefore the Apostles had the Prophets as patrons of their Doctrine and thence did the faithful fetch a confirmation of the Gospel the summ of this Text is then to demonstrate the verity and certainty of the Gospel by evidencing the consent of Prophetical and Apostolical Testimony for its fuller confirmation q. d. if you distrust me in commending the Evangelical Doctrine I send you back to the Prophets whom without all exception you account Holy and Faithful these testifie of the truth of the Gospel therefore this consent is to be evincing and satisfying Hence it is that the disciples of Christ have professed such a plerophory and abundant acquiescence in their perswasions of Christs being the Messiah and Saviour of mankind so Joh. 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God and Simon Peter acknowledged it Mat. 16.16 Yea unbelieving Thomas at last cryed out my Lord and my God Joh. 20.28 as being overcome with the clearness of that stupendious condescending demonstration the Apostle John testifies 1 Ep. 1.1 concerning Christ saying We have heard seen with our eyes looked upon yea our hands have handled of the Word of life and this doth he declare to us from experience of several senses Oh what a blessed thing were it to have an undoubted assurance of the certainty of divine things Oh what life would it put into our graces 〈◊〉 comforts what an Antidote would it be against temptations corruptions persecutions could we as really believe the reality of the things of God as Corporeal objects what beauty should we discern therein what comfort should we receive there-from what would we not do and endure for them did we see the reality necessity and excellency of Covenant-mercies as we do of common mercies how should our hearts be enamoured therewith they that have the most prevailing perswasions of the certainty and transcendency of heavenly mercies are the most exact and eminent Christians but a faint belief of these things is the cause of sloth all irreligion and prophaneness proceedeth from a want of an effectual assent to Gospel-revelations alas there is more Atheism and Insidelity in the World than we are aware of did men as certainly believe there is an Heaven and Hell as they see and know there is Stones and Trees Earth and Water would not this have strange influence upon their practices would they not be other manner of persons than they are especially if they did faithfully work upon their hearts the reality of the things of God Paul and the Saints in his days lookt not on the things seen but on things not seen i. e. eternal things 2 Cor. 4.18 Moses saw him that was invisible that made him to endure any thing Heb. 11.27 O Christians rest not satisfied with a bare conjecture but press forward till you arrive at a full assurance you cannot be too sure in these cases the Apostle hath a mighty full expression Col. 2.2 to this purpose ver 1. he tells of a conflict that he had for them and the Laodiceans i. e. a care fear desire good man he was in a heart-rending conflict and agony Why what 's the matter why 't is that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ observe the Climax here is 1. Assurance he desires for them then 2. Full assurance further 3. Riches of full assurance Yet again 4. All Riches of full Assurance yea not a rash and ignorant but such an assurance 5. Of understanding i. e. with a settled judgement and not only to have such assurance and keep it to themselves but all this 6. To the acknowledgement of the mysterie of God that they may make an open profession of it But why was he so earnest for all this ver 4 this I say or pray for you lest any man beguile you with enticing words Q. d. You 'l find all this little enough when a subtle disputer shall set upon you with cunning artifice to draw you from the truth you will perhaps feel that you have need of the fullest perswasion that creatures can arrive unto that you may keep your hold and not be driven away from the hope of the Gospel you little know what storms may assault your faith of the truth of the Gospel Peter made a glorious profession yet his faith was staggered in a temptation and Santan is a cunning Sophister he desires to have you that he may fift you and toss you so as to shake away the purest grain of Gospel-truth he will do what he can to cheat you of your Religion hence is it that Paul was so jealous over the Corinthians with Godly jealousie lest by any means and he hath store of devices as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11 1-3 hence is it that teachers have alwayes been so careful to settle and ground their hearers in the certainty of the things they taught as Luke his Theophilus
for God humility and self-denyal and hereby shall you clear up your own souls and others that these mercies of the Covenant belong to you for so saith the Apostle the Lord make you to increase and abound in love to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God 1 Thes 3.12 13. if you have more Grace you may probably have more comfort 9. Lay the stress of your souls upon free-grace the more you mix any conceits of your own righteousness the more you 'l stagger and be disconsolate let free-grace be your foundation and build upon nothing in your selves for your best graces duties excellencies are imperfect and can afford you little solid satisfaction Let Jesus Christ be all in all to you be you nothing at all in your selves Oh God loves to see a poor trembling soul despairing o◠any thing in it self accounting the World as loss and dross flying into the out-stretched arms of free-grace casting it self down a◠his feet and resolving to venture all upon an all-sufficient Saviour and though at present it walk in darkness yet it will cas◠Anchor in the dark Isa 50.10 and trust in the name of the Lord you shall see in due time the mists shall be dispelled and the souls state cleared and the troubled heart fully satisfied 〈◊〉 thus David made account to recover the light of Gods countenance See Psal 33.20 22. and banish disquieting thoughts even by trusting in God Psal 45.5 12. mercy will answer all your doubts and scruples mercy will suit your necessity mercy will revive and rejoyce troubled spirits therefore poor doubting soul though thou canst find no goodness in thy self therefore lookest on thy self as utterly unworthy yea uncapable of interest in Covenant-mercies yet hope in Gods mercy let no mud of thy duties mix with the pure stream of free undeserved mercy and as that will carry thy soul apace to the Ocean of glory so it will bring many sweet refreshing streams of joy and peace into thy heart we have instances of many in the word that judged themselves most unworthy of good as in themselves yet expected and received Mat. 8.8.15.27 both mercy and assurance thereof for mercies sake as Centurion Woman of Canaan and others because as mercy is free so these Covenant-mercies are purchased and ensured by Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant and therefore though there be no goodness in the poor soul to procure these mercies yet there is enough in their surety and as their sins are made over to him so what good is in Christ is made over to the believing soul 1 Cor. 1.30 here is the marrow of the Gospel Yea farther the less goodness an humbled sinner finds in himself the greater evidence hath he that these mercies belong to him Isa 55.1 Mat. 5.3 Rom. 4.5 because he finds even such very persons invited and received yea humility self-denyal and poverty of spirit are mercies of the Covenant and do evidence interest 10. Be much in the duties of thankfulness and chearfulness give God praise and God will give you more grounds of praise bury not his mercies in the grave of forgetfulness especially bless him for Covenant-mercies Alas saith the soul if I were sure I had an interest in these Covenant-mercies then I could sing to Gods praise and be very thankful but how can I praise God for that which I question whether it belong to me yea or no I Answer thou must bless God that there are such mercies in store for poor sinners and that any poor souls have obtained an interest therein and are carryed to Heaven thereby bless God that you are under a call and capacity to enjoy these Covenant-mercies that God hath not excluded but included you in the universal tender of it yea consider if you have not cause to bless God that he hath been dealing with your hearts in such a manner as he is wont to do with such souls as he brings into Covenant with himself hath he not humbled broken brought your souls off your own bottoms let you see a vanity in the World the excellency and necessity of Christ caused longings and pantings in your souls after these mercies and doth not all this deserve your thankfulness but know further that thankfulness for what you have is a most effectual way to clear up your title and to beget assurance praise raiseth the souls faculties to an high pitch of joy and comfort it is like David's harp to banish away the evil spirit of disquietness or discouragement your praise should wait for God Psal 65.1 Isa 30.18 and you 'l find God waiting to be gracious to you usually a thankful heart is a chearful heart you may sing your selves out of your sorrows as David did frequently he made a song of these mercies of the Covenant even then when he could find little comfort in or benefit by these Covenant-mercies in many regards See Psal 89.1 with ver 38. ad finem thus do you Christians sing your selves into this blessed sleep and soul tranquility 't is the fault of doubting souls that they pore all upon their sins and forget their mercies they think they can never be sufficiently bathed in the tears of repentance and torment their hearts with doubtful thoughts but consider not that a thankful commemoration of mercies is as well their duty as mourning and humiliation yea 't is a sweet heart-chearing God-pleasing duty therefore let Christians be much in this duty as a means of assurance I shall add a word or two to all of us to press after a particular assurance of our interest in these mercies of the Covenant 1. Christians may be assured of their interest we are commanded to make it sure many good souls have arrived to a Plerophory or full assurance 2 Pet. 1.10 experience proves the truth of this Joh. 16.24 Eph. 1.13 Rom. 15 4. 'T is promised See Isa 60.16 Saints have attained to it Job 19.25 Psal 63.1 Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 3.14 5.19 Cant. 2.16 Isa 45.24 25. God himself hath promised joy and comfort to such as ask it 't is the great office of the spirit to seal up souls to the day of redemption Yea the Scriptures were written to promote our comfort and assurance seals of the Covenant instituted Ordinances and Ministers appointed for this very end and shall we slight this infinite Condescention of God who is so forward to help us shall we use no means or endeavours to ensure these mercies to our souls Oh ingrateful wretches if it were a thing unattainable we might be daunted but how many gracious souls do we see 〈◊〉 hear of that do walk in the light of Gods Countenance and triumph over all opposition in the sense of Gods love and one great Reason why many of us are so full of doubts is our neglect of Gods appointed means for the obtaining of assurance for if it be attainable in the use of ordinary means we