of in the 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. speaking there of fornicators idolators adulterers effeminates abusers of themselves with mankind thieves covetous revilers drunkards extortioners the basest of sinners in the world and yet were washed and yet were justified was it not freely by grace O Saints you that are in Heaven cry out We came hither by grace and you that are on earth I am sure you cry if ever we do go thither it must be freely by grace Secondly In the next place it appears to be unchangeable in this First Because Justice being once satisfied doth not use to call for the debt again No let never such a sinner come to Jesus Christ and so to God by him and Justice instead of speaking against the salvation of that sinner it will say I am just as well as faithful to forgive him his sins 1 John 1. 9. When Justice it self is pleased with a man and speaks on his side instead of speaking against him we may well cry out Who shall condemn 2. Because there is no Law to come in against the sinner that believes in Jesus Christ for he is not under that and that by right comes in against none but those that are under it But Believers are not under that that is not their Lord therefore that hath nothing to do with them and besides Christs blood hath not only taken away the curse thereof but also he hath in his own person compleatly fulfilled it as a publick person in our stead Rom. 8. 1 2 3 4. 3. The Devil that accused them is destroyed Heb. 2. 14 15. 4. Death and the Grave and Hell are overcome 1 Cor. 15. 55. Hâ—sea 13. 14. 5. Sin that great enemy of mans salvation that is washed away Rev. 1. 5. 6. The righteousness of God is put upon them that believe and given to them and they are found in it Phâ—l 3. 8 9 10. Rom. 3. 22. 7. Christ is always in heaven to plead for them and to prepare a place for them Heb. 7. 24. John 14 1 2 3 4. 8. He hath not only promised that he will not leave us nor forsake us but he hath also sworn to fulfill his promise O rich grace free grace Lord who desired thee to promise Who compelled thee to swear we use to take honest men upon their bare words But God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel hath confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things his promise and his oath in which it is impossible for God to lye or break either of them we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 13 17 18. I 'll warrant you God will never break his Oath therefore we may well have good ground to hope from such a good Foundation as this that God will never leave us indeed Again thirdly Not only thus but first God hath begotten Believers again to himself to be his adopted and accepted Children in and through the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 3. Secondly God hath prepared a Kingdom for them before the Foundation of the world through Jesus Christ Mat. 25. Thirdly He hath given them an earnest of their happiness while they live here in this world Eph. 1. 13 14. After ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory and that through this Jesus Fourthly If his Children sin through weakness or by suddain temptation they confessing of it he willingly forgives and heals all their wounds reneweth his love towards them waits to do them good casteth their sins into the depths of the sea and all this freely without any work done by men as men Not for your sakes do I this O House of Israel be it known unto you saith the Lord Ezek. 36. 22 32. but wholly and alone by the blood of Jesus Fifthly In a word if you would see it altogether Gods love was the cause why Jesus Christ was sent to bleed for sinners Jesus Christs bleeding stops the cries of divine justice God looks upon them as compleat in him gives them to him as his by right of purchase Jesus ever lives to pray for them that are thus given unto him God sends his holy Spirit into them to reveal this to them sends his Angels to minister for them and all this by vertue of an everlasting Covenant between the Father and the Son Thrice happy are the people that are in such a case Nay further he hath made them Brethren with Jesus Christ members of his flesh and of his bones the Spouse of this Lord Jesus and all to shew you how dearly how really how constantly he loveth us who by the faith of his operation have laid hold upon him I shall now lay down a few arguments for the superabundant clearing of it and afterwards answer two or three objections as may be made against it and so I shall fall upon the next thing First God loves the Saints as he loves Jesus Christ. And God loves Jesus Christ with an eternal love therefore the Saints also with the same Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me John 17. 23. Secondly That love which is God himself must needs be everlasting love And that is the love wherewith God hath loved his Saints in Christ Jesus therefore his love towards his children in Christ must needs be an everlasting love There is none dare say that the love of God is mixed with a created mixture if not then it must needs be himself 1 John 4. 16. Thirdly That love which is always pitched upon us in an object as holy as God must needs be an everlasting love Now the love of God was and is pitched upon us through an object as holy as God himself even our Lord Jesus Therefore it must needs be unchangeable Fourthly If he with whom the Covenant of Grace was made did in every thing and condition do even what the Lord could desire or require of him that his love might be extended to us and that for ever Then his love must needs be an everlasting love seeing every thing required of us was compleatly accomplished for us by him And all this hath our Lord Jesus done and that most gloriously even on our behalf therefore it must needs be a love that lasts for ever and ever Fifthly If God hath declared himself to be the God that changeth not and hath sworn to be immutable in his promise then surely he will be unchangeable And he hath done so therefore it is impossible for God to lie and so for his eternal love to be unchangeable Heb. 6. 13 14 17 18. Here is an argument of the Spirits own making who can contradict it If any object and say but still it is upon the condition of believing I answer the condition also is his
nor in part Isa. 63. 1 2 3 4 5 6. So that he must not be only he with whom the Covenant was made but he must also become the bonds-man or surety thereof and so stand bound to see that all and every particular thing conditioned for should be both in manner and matter at the time and place according to the agreement duly and orderly fulfilled Is not this grace Now as touching the nature of a surety and his work in some things it is well known to most men therefore I shall be very brief upon it First You know a surety is at the bargains making and so was Christ. Then was I by him Prov. 8. 30. Secondly A surety must consent to the terms of the Agreement or Covenant and so did Christ Jesus Now that which he did ingage should be done for sinners according to the terms of the Covenant it was this First That there should be a compleat satisfaction given to God for the sins of the world for that was one great thing that was agreed upon when the Covenant was made Heb. 10. 5. Secondly That Jesus Christ should as aforesaid bring in an everlasting righteousness to cloath his body the Saints withal Dan. 9. 24 25. Here is grace Thirdly That he should take in charge to see all those forth coming without spot or wrinkle at the day of his glorious appearing from heaven to judgment and to quit them before the Judgment-seat Again Thirdly in the work of a surety there is required by the creditor that the surety should stand to what he is bound and on the sureties there is a consenting thereunto First The creditor looks that in case the debtor proves a bankrupt that then the surety should ingage the payment Is not this grace Secondly The creditor looks that the surety should be an able man now our surety was and is in this case every way suitable for he is heir of all things Thirdly The creditor appoints the day and also looks that the Covenant should be kept and the debt paid according to the time appointed and it is required of sureties as well as stewards that they be found faithful namely to pay the debt according to the bargain and therefore it is said When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made under the Law to redeem them that are under the Law according to his suretiship Gal. 4. 4 5. thus comes grace to Saints Fourthly The creditor looks that his money should be brought into his house to his own habitation Jesus our surety in this also is faithful for by his own blood which was the payment he is entred into the holy place even into heaven it self which is Gods dwelling place to render the value and price that was agreed upon for the salvation of sinners but I shall speak more of this in another head therefore I pass it Again fourthly if the surety stands bound the debtor is at liberty and if the Lavv do issue out any process to take any it vvill be the surety and O! hovv wonderful true was this accomplished in that when Christ our surety came down from heaven Gods Law did so seize upon the Lord Jesus and so cruelly handle him and so exact upon him that it would never let him alone until it had accused him and condemned him executed him and scrued his very hearts blood out of his precious heart and side nay and more than this too as I shall shew hereafter But secondly in the next place after that Jesus Christ had stood bound and was become our surety in things pertaining to this Covenant his next office was to be the messenger of God touching his Mind and the tenour of the Covenant unto the poor world and this did the Prophet fore-see long before when he faith Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare thy way before thee speaking of John the Baptist And he shall prepare thy way before thee and then he speaketh of Christ to the people saying And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple Who is he even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in that is Christ behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 3. 1. Now the Covenant being made before between the Father and the Son and Jesus Christ becoming bound to see all the conditions fulfilled this being done he comes down from Heaven to Earth to declare to the world what God the Father and He had concluded on before and what was the mind of the Father towards the world concerning the salvation of their souls and indeed who could better come of such an errand then he that stood by when the Covenant was made then he that shook hands with the Father in making of the Covenant then he that was become a surety in the behalf of poor Sinners according to the terms of this Covenant Now you know a messenger commonly when he cometh he doth bring some errand to them to whom he is sent either of what is done for them or what they would have them whom they send unto do for them or such like Now what a glorious message was that which our Lord Jesus Christ came down from Heaven withal to declare unto poor sinners and that from God his Father I say how glorious was it and how sweet is it to you that have seen your selves lost by nature and it will also appear a glorious one to you who are a seeking after Jesus Christ if you do but consider these follovving things about vvhat he vvas sent First Jesus Christ was sent from Heaven to declare unto the world from God the Father that he was wonderfully filled with love to poor sinners First In that he would forgive their sins Secondly In that he would save their souls Thirdly In that he would make them heirs of his glory For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 15 16 18. Secondly God sent Jesus Christ to tell the poor world how that he would do this for poor sinners and yet be just and yet do his Justice no wrong and that was to be done by Jesus Christ his dying of a cursed death in the room of poor sinners to satisfie justice and make way for mercy to take away the stumbling-blocks and set open Heaven-gates to overcome Satan and break off from sinners his chains to set Luke 4. 18. open the prison doors and to let the prisoners go free Isa. 61. 1 2 3. And this was the message that Christ was to deliver to the world by commandment from his Father and this did he tell us when he came of his errand where he saith I lay down my life for my Sheep No man taketh it a way from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it
Covenant of Grace speaking first of the publick person under the name of David he saith thus Psal. 89. from the 26. verse to the 37. He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the rock of my Salvation Also I will make him my first-born higher then the kings of the earth My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him His seed also will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the days of heaven If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgment If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the Sun before me it shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithful witness in heaven My Covenant shall stand fast with him mark that As if God had said I did not make this Covenant with man but with my Son and with him I will perform it and seeing he hath given me compleat satisfaction though his Children do through infirmity transgress yet my Covenant is not therefore broken seeing he with whom it was made standeth firm according to the desire of my heart so that my justice that is satisfied and 〈◊〉 Law hath nothing to say for there is no want of perfection in the sacrifice of Christ. If you love your souls and would have them live in the peace of God to the which you are called in one body even all Believers then I beseech you seriously to ponder and labour to settle in your souls this one thing that the New Covenant is not broken by our transgressions and that because it was not made with us The reason why the very Saints of God have so many ups and downs in this their travel towards heaven it is because they are so weak in the faith of this one thing for they think that if they fail of this or that particular performance if their hearts be dead and cold and their lusts mighty and strong therefore now God is angry and now be will shut them out of his favour now the New Covenant is broken and now Christ Jesus will stand their friend no longer now also the devil hath power again and now they must have their part in the resurrection of damnation when alas the Covenant is not for all this never the more broken and so the Grace of God no more straightned then it was before Therefore I say when thou findest that thou art weak here and sailing there backward to this good and thy heart forward to that evil then be sure thou keep a steadfast eye on the Mediator of this New Covenant and be perswaded that it is not only made with him and his part also fulfilled but that he doth look upon his fulfilling of it so as not to lay thy sins to thy charge though he may as a father chastise thee for the same If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless mark nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth And what was that why that his seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the days of Heaven Psal. 89. 30 31 32 33 34 35 36. Seventhly Another priviledge that the Saints have by vertue of the New Covenant is that they have part of the possâ—ssion or hold of heaven and glory already and that two manner of ways First the divine nature is conveyed from heaven into them And Secondly the humane nature i. e. the nature of man is received up and entertained in and hath got possession of Heaven 1. We have the first-fruits of the spirit saith the man of God we have the earnest of the spirit which is instead of the whole Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Rom. 8. 8 9 10 11. Eph. 1. 13 14. 2. The nature of man OUR nature is got into glory as the first fruits of man-kind as a fore-runner to take possession till we all come thither 1 Cor. 15. 20. For the man born at Bethlem is ascended which is part of the lump of mankind into glory as a publick person as the first-fruits representing the whole of the Children of God So that in some sense it may be said that the Saints have already taken possession of the Kingdom of Heaven by their Jesus their publick person he being in their room entred to prepare a place for them John 14. 1 2 3 4 5. I beseech you consider When Jesus Christ came down from glory it was that he might bring us to glory and that he might be sure not to fail he clothed himself with our nature as if one should take a piece out of the whole lump instead of the whole Heb. 2. 14 15. until the other comes and investeth in that glory which he was in before he came down from Heaven and thus is that saying to be understood speaking of Christ and Saints which saith And he hath raised us up together and made us fit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 6. Eighthly Again not only thus but all the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. together with the rest of his glorious attributes are on our side in that they dwell in our nature which is thâ— man Jesus and doth ingage for us poor simple empty nothing creatures as to our eternal happiness For in him that is in the man Christ who is our nature our head our root our flesh our bone dwelleth all the fulness of the God head bodily Col. 2. 9 10. Mark how they are joyned together In whom dwelleth the fulness of the God-head And ye are compleat in him God dwelleth compleatly in him and you also are compleatly implanted in him which is the head of all principality and power and all this by the consent of the Father For it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Now mark the God-head doth not dwell in Christ Jesus for himself only but that it may be in a way of righteousness conveyed to us for our comfort and help in all our wants All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth saith he Mat. 28. 18. And then followeth And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Psal. 68. 18. 20. He hath received gifts for men even for the rebellious John 1. 16. Of
Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood c. Fourthly How men are to reckon it theirs and that is upon the same terms which God doth offer it which is freely as they are worthless and undeserving Creatures as they are without all good and also unable to do any good This I say is the right way of applying the merits of Christ to thy Soul for they are freely given to thee a poor Sinner nor for any thing that is in thee or done by thee but freely as thou art a Sinner and so standest in absolute need thereof And Christian thou art not in this thing to follow thy sense and feeling but the very Word of God The thing that doth do the People of God the greatest injury it is their too little hearkning to what the Gospel saith and their too much giving credit to what the Law Sin the Devil and Conscience saith and upon this very ground to conclude that because there is the certainty of guilt upon the Soul therefore there is also for certain by Sin Damnation to be brought upon the Soul This is now to set the Word of God aside and to give credit to what is sormed by the contrary but thou must give more credit to one syllable of the written Word of the Gospel than thou must give to all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and Earth much more than to the Devil and thy own guilty Conscience Let me give you a Parable There was a certain man that had committed Treason against his King but for as much as the King had Compassion upon him he sent him by the hand of a faithful Messenger a Pardon under his own Hand and Seal but in the Countrey where this poor man dwelt there was also many that sought to trouble him by often putting of him in mind of his Treason and the Law that was to be executed on the Offender Now which way should this man so honour his King but as believing his Hand-writing which was the Pardon certainly he would honour him more by so doing than to regard all the Clamours of his Enemies continually against him Just thus it is here thou having committed Treason against the King of Heaven he through Compassion for Christs sake hath sent thee a Pardon but the Devil the Law and thy Conscience do continually seek to disturb thee by bringing thy Sins afresh into thy remembrance But now wouldest thou honour thy King why then He that believeth the RECORD that God hath given of his Son hath set to his SEAL that God is true And this is the Record that God hath given to US eternal Life and this Life is in his Son 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. And therefore my Brethren seeing God our Father hath sent us damnable Traitors a Pardon from Heaven even all the Promises of the Gospel and also hath sealed to the certainty of it with the heart-blood of his dear Son let us not be daunted though our Enemies with terrible Voices do bring our former life never so often into our Remembrance Object But saith the Soul how if after I have received a Pardon I should commit Treason again What should I do then Answ. Set the case thou hast committed abundance of Treason he hath by him abundance of Pardons Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Sometimes I my self have been in such a straight that I have been almost driven to my Wits ends with a sight and sense of the greatness of my sins but calling to mind that God was God in his Mercy Pitty and Love as well as in his Holiness Justice c. And again considering the ability of the satisfaction that was given to Holiness and Justice to the end there might be way made for Sinners to lay hold of this Mercy I say I considering this when tempted to doubt and despair I have answered in this manner Lord here is one of the greatest Sinners that ever the the ground bare A Sinner against the Law and a Sinner against the Gospel I have sinned against Light and I have sinned against Mercy and now Lord the guilt of them breaks my heart the Devil also he would have me despair telling of me that thou art so far from hearing my Prayers in this my distress that I cannot anger thee worse then to call upon thee for saith he thou art resolved for ever to damn and not to grant me the least of thy favour yet Lord. I would fain have forgiveness And thy word though much may be inferred from it against me yet it saith If I come unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast me out Lord shall I honour thee most by believing thou canst pardon my Sins or by believing thou canst not Shall I honour thee most by believing thou wilt pardon my Sins or by believing thou wilt not Shall I honour the Blood of thy Son also by despairing that the vertue thereof is not sufficient or by believing that it is sufficient to purge me from all my blood-red and crimson Sins surely thou that couldest find so much Mercy as to pardon Manasseh Mary Magdalen the three thousand Murderers persecuting Paul Murderous and Adulterous David and blaspheming Peter thou that offeredst Mercy to Simon Magus a Witch and didst receive the Astrologers and Conjurers in the nineteenth of Acts thou hast Mercy enough for one poor sinner Lord set the case my Sins were bigger than all these and I less deserved Mercy than any of these yet thou hast said in thy word that he that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out And God hath given comfort to my Soul even to such a Sinner as I am and I tell you there is no way so to honour God and to beat out the Devil as to stick to the truth of Gods Word and the merits of Christs Blood by believing When Abraham believed even against hope and reason he gave Glory to God Rom. 4. And this is our Victory even our Faith Believe and all things are possible to you He that believeth shall be saved He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my Fathers Hands 1. Joh. 5. 4. And if thou dost indeed believe this thou wilt not only confess him as the Quakers do That is that he was born at Bethlehem of Mary suffered on Mount Calvary under Pontius Pilate was Dead and Buried Rose again and Ascended 〈◊〉 For all this they confess and in the midst of their confession they do verily deny that his Death on that Mount Calvary did give satisfaction to God for the Sins of the World and that his Resurrection out of Josephs Sepulchre is the cause of our Justification in the sight
men where they be corrupted and perveâ—ted yet the Law of God is of that nature that if it hath not thy own blood or the blood of some other man for it calls for no loss for to ransom thee from the curse of it being due to thee for thy transgression and to satisfie the cries the doleful cries thereof and ever for to present thee pure and spotless before God notwithstanding this fiery Law thou art gone if thou hadst a thousand souls For without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. No forgivness of the least sin against the Law Object 4. But you will say I do not only repent 〈◊〉 of my formed life and also promise to do so no more but now I do labour to be righteous and to live a holy life and now instead of being a breaker of the Law I do labour to fulfill the same what say you to that Answ. See the case thou couldest walk like an Angel of God set the case thou couldest fulfill the whole Law and live from this day to thy lives end without sinning in thought word or deed which is unpossible but I say set the case it should be so why thy state is as bad if thou be under the first Covenant as ever it was For first I know thou darest not say but thou hast at one time or other sinned and it so then the Law hath condemned thee and it so then I am sure that thou with all thy actions and works of righteousness canst not remove the dreadful and unresistible Curse that is already laid upon thee by that Law which thou art under and which thou hast sinned against though thou livest the holiest life that any man can live in this world being under the Law of Works and so not under the Covenant of Grace thou must be cut off without remedy for thou hast sinned though afterwards thou live never so well The reasons for this that hath been spoken are these First Tho nature of Gods justice calls for it that is it calls for irrecoverable ruin on them that transgress against this Law for justice gave it and justice looks to have it compleatly and continually obeyed or else justice is resolved to take place and execute its office which is to punish the transgressor against it you must understand that the justice of God is as unchangable as his love his justice cannot change its nature justice it is if it be pleased and justice it is be if it displeased The justice of God in this place may be compared to fire there is a great fire made in some place if thou do keep out of it it is fire if thou do fall into it thou wilt find it fire and therefore the Apostle useth this as an Argument to stir up the Hebrews to stick close to Jesus Christ lest they fell under the justice of God by these words Heb. 12. 29. For our God is a consuming fire into which if thou fall it is not for thee to get out again as it is with some that fall into a material fire no but he that falls into this he must lie there for ever as it is clear where he saith Isa. 33. 14. Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings and with devouring fire For justice once offended knoweth not how to shew any pitty or compassion to the offender but runs on him like a Lion takes him by the throat throws him into Prison and there he is sure to lie and that to all eternity unless infinite satisfaction be given to it which is impossible to be given by any of us the sons of Adam Secondly the faithfulness of God calls for irrecoverable ruine to be poured out on those that shall live and die under this Covenant If thou having sinned but one sin against this Covenant and shouldest afterwards escape damning God must be unfaithful to himself and to his Word which both agree as one First he would be unfaithful to himself to himself that is to his Justice Holiness Righteousness Wisdom and Power if he should offer to stop the runnings out of his Justice for the damning of them that have offended it And secondly he would be unfaithful to his Word his written Word and deny disown and break that of which he hath said Luk. 16. 7. It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for one tittle of the Law to fail or be made of none effect now if he should not according to his certain declarations therein take vengeance on those that fall and die within the threat and sad curses denounced it that his word could not be fulfilled Thirdly Because otherwise he would disown the sayings of his Prophets and gratifie the sayings of his enemies his Prophets say he will take vengeance his enemies say he will not his Prophets say he will remember their iniquities and recompence them into their bosom but his enemies say they shall do well and they shall have peace though they walk after the imagination of their own heart Deut. 29. 19 20. and be not so strict as the word commands and do not as it saith but let me tell thee hadst thou a thousand souls and each of them was worth a thousand worlds God would set them all on a light fire if they fall within the condemnings of his Word and thou die without a Jesus even the right Jesus for the Scriptures cannot be broken What doest thou think that God Christ Prophets and Scriptures will all lie for thee and falsifie their words for thee it will be but ill venturing thy soul upon that And the reasons for it are these First Because God is God and Secondly because Man is Man First Because God is perfectly just and eternally just perfectly holy and eternâ—lly holy perfectly faithful and eternally faithful that is without any variableness or shadow of turning but perfectly continueth the same and can as well cease to be God as to alter or change the nature of his God-head And as he is thus the perfection of all perfections he gave out his Law to be obeyed but if any offend it then they fall into the hands of this his eternal justice and so must drink of his irrecoverable wrath which is the execution of the same justice I say this being thus the Law being broken justice takes place and so faithfulness followeth to see that execution be done and also to testifie that he is true and doth denounce his unspeakable â—nsupportable and unchangeable vengeance on the party offending Secondly Because thou art not as infinite as God but a poor created weed that is here to day and gone to morrow and not able to answer God in his Essence Being and Attributes thou art found to fall under him for that thy soul or body can do nothing that is infinite in such a way as to satisfie this God which is an infinite God in all his attributes But to declare unto you the misery of man
down and to take it up again and this commandment have I reecived of my Father John 10. 15 16 17 18. even this commandment hath my Father given me that I should both do this thing and also tell it unto you Thirdly He was not only sent as a Messenger to declare this hit Fathers love but also how dearly he himself loved sinners what a heart he had to do them good where he saith All that the Father hath given me shall come to me and let me tell you my heart too saith Christ He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out As my Father is willing to give you unto me even so am I as willing to receive you As my Father is willing to give you Heaven so am I willing to make you fit for it by washing you with my own blood I lay down my life that you might have life and this I was sent to tell you of my Father Fourthly His Message was further he came to tell them how and which way they should come to enjoy these glorious benefits also by laying down motives to stir them up to accept of the benefits The way is laid down in John 3. 14 15. where Christ saith As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up or caused to be hanged on the Cross and die the death That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The way therefore that thou shalt have the benefit and comfort of that which my Father and I have covenanted for thee I am come down from heaven to earth on purpose to give thee intelligence and to certifie thee of it know therefore that as I have been born of a woman and have taken this body upon me it is on purpose that I might offer it up upon the Cross a Sacrifice to God to give him satisfaction for thy sins that his mercy may be extended to thy soul without any wrong done to justice and this thou art to believe and not in the notion but from thy very whole soul. Now the motives are many First If they do not leave their sins and come to Jesus Christ that their sins may be washed away by his blood they are sure to be damned in hell for the Law hath condemned them already John 3. 18 19. Secondly But if they do come they shall have the bosome of Christ to lye in the kingdom of Heaven to dwell in the Angels and Saints for their companions shall shine there like the Sun shall be there for ever shall sit upon the Thrones of Judgment c. Here is Grace Methinks if I had but time to speak fully to all things that I could speak to from these two heavenly Truths and to make application thereof surely with the blessing of God I think it might perswade some vile and abominable wretch to lay down his arms that he hath taken up in defiance against God and is marching hell-wards poste haste with the Devil I say methinks it should stop them and make them willing to look back and accept of salvation for their poor condemned fouls before Gods eternal vengeance is executed upon them O therefore you that are upon this march I beseech you consider a little What shall Christ become a drudge for you and will you be drudges for the Devil Shall Christ covenant with God for the salvation of sinners and shall sinners covenant with Hell Death and the Devil for the damnation of their souls Shall Christ come down from Heaven to Earth to declare this to sinners and shall sinners stop their ears against this good tidings Will you not hear the errand of Christ although he telleth you tidings of peace and salvation How if he had came having taken a command from his Father to damn you and to send you to the Devils in Hell Sinner hear his message he speaketh no harm his words are eternal life all men that give ear unto them they have eternal advantage by them Advantage I say that never hath an end Besides do but consider these two things 't is like they may have some sway upon thy soul. First When he came on his message he came with tears in his eyes and did even weepingly tender the terms of reconciliation to them I say with tears in his eyes And when he came near the City i. e. with his message of peace beholding the hardness of their hearts he wept over it and took up a lamentation over it because he saw they rejected his mercy which was tidings of peace I say wilt thou then slight a weeping Jesus one that so loveth thy soul that rather then he will lose thee he will with tears perswade with thee 2. Not only so but also when he came he came all on a goar blood to proffer mercy to thee to shew thee still how dearly he did love thee as if he had said sinner here is mercy for thee but behold my bloody sweat my bloody wounds my cursed death behold and see what danger I have gone through to come unto thy soul I am come indeed unto thee and do bring thee tidings of salvation but it cost me my heart blood before I could come at thee to give thee the fruits of my everlasting love But more of this anon Thus have I spoken something concerning Christ being the messenger of the New Covenant but because I am not willing to cut too short of what shall come after I shall pass by these things not half touched and come to the other which I promised even now which was to shew you that as there was Levitical Ceremonies in or belonging to the first Covenant so these Types or Levitical Ceremonies did represent the glorious things of the New Covenant In those Ceremonies you read of a Sacrifice of a Priest to offer up the Sacrifice the place where and the manner how he was to offer it of which I shall speak something First As touching the Sacrifice you find that it was not to be offered up of all kind of beasts as of Lions Bears Wolves Tigers Dragons Serpents or such like To signifie that not all kind of Creatures that had sinned as Devils the fallen Angels should be saved but the Sacrifice was to be taken out of some kind of Beasts and Birds to signifie that some of Gods Creatures that had sinned he would be pleased to reconcile them to himself again as poor fallen Man and Woman those miserable Creatures God the God of Heaven had a good look for after their fall but not for the cursed Devils though more noble Creatures by Creation than We. Here is grace Now though these Sacrifices were offered yet they were not offered to the end they should make the comers to or offerers thereof perfect but the things was to represent to the world what God had in after ages for to do which was even the salvation of his Creatures by that offering
satisfaction justice would not have given him any thing for justice the justice of God is so pure that if it be not compleatly satisfied in every particular it giveth nothing but curses Gal. 3. 10. Thirdly It is yet far more evident that he hath indeed pleased God in the behalf of sinners in that God hath given him gifts to distribute to sinners yea the worst of sinners as a fruit of his satisfaction and that at his ascension Psal. 68. 18. Christ hath so satisfied God that he hath given him all the treasures both of heaven and earth to dispose of as he seeth good he hath so pleased God that he hath given him a Name above every Name a Scepter above every Scepter a Crown above every Crown a Kingdom above every Kingdom Phil. 29. Rev. 19. 16. he hath given him the highest placeâ—n heaven even his own right hand he hath given him all the power of heaven and earth and under the earth in his own hand to bind whom he pleaseth and to set free whom he thinks meet he hath in a word such an high esteem in the eyes of his Father that he hath put into his hand all things that are for the profit of his people both in this world and that which is to come and all this as the fruit of his faithfulness in doing of his work as the Mediator of the New Covenant Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity Captive thou hast received gifts mark thou hast received them for men even for the worst of men the rebellious also And hath sent forth some being furnished with these gifts some I say For the work of the ministry to the edifying of them that are already called and also for the calling in of all those for whom he covenanted with his Father Till all come in the unity of faith c. Eph. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Fourthly It doth still appear far more evident For will you hear what the Father himself saith for the shewing of his well-pleasedness in these two particulars First In that he bids poor souls to hear and to do as Christ would have them Mat. 3. 17. Luke 9. 35. Secondly In that he resolves to make them that turn their backs upon him that dishonour him which is done in a very great measure by those that lay aside his merits done by himself for Justification I say he that resolved to make them his footstool where he saith Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Are they enemies to thee saith God I will be even with them Do they slight thy merits Do they slight thy groans thy tears thy blood thy death thy resurrection and intercession thy second coming again in heavenly glory I will tear them and rend them I 'll make them as mire in the streets I will make thy enemies thy footstool Psal. 110. 1. Mat. 22. 44. Heb. 1. 13. Chap. 10. 13. I saith he And thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal. 2. 9. look to it you that slight the merits of the blood of Christ. Fifthly Again further yet God will make all the world to know that he hath been and is well pleased in his Son in that God hath given and will make it appear he hath given the world to come into his hand Heb. 2. And that he shall raise the dead bring them before his judgment-seat execute judgment upon them which he pleaseth to execute judgment on to their damnation and to receive them to eternal life whom he doth favour even so many as shall be found to believe in his name and merits John 5. 26 27 28. For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself And he hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man For the hour is coming that all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation I and the worst enemy that Christ hath now shall come at that day with a pale face with a quaking heart and bended knees trembling before him confessing the glory of his merits and the vertue there was in them to save to the glory of God the Father Romans 14. 11. Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Much more might be added to discover the glorious perfection of this mans satisfaction but for you that desire to be further satisfied concerning this search the Scriptures and beg of God to give you faith and understanding therein and as for you that slight these things and continue so doing God hath another way to take with you even to dash you in pieces like a Potters vessel for this hath Christ received of his Father to do unto you Rev. 2. 27. Thus I have shewed you in particular that the Covenant of the grace of God is free and unchangeable to men that is in that it hath been obtained for men and that perfectly to the satisfying of justice and taking all things out of the way that were any ways an hinderance to our salvation Col. 2. 14. The second thing for the discovering of this freeness and constancy of the Covenant of the Grace of God it is manifest thus First Whatsoever any man hath of the grace of God he hath it as a free gift of God through Christ Jesus the Mediator of this Covenant even when they are in a state of enmity to him mark that Rom. 5. 8 9. Col. 1. 21 22. whether it be Christ as the foundation stone or faith to lay hold on him Eph. 2. 8. For by Grace you are saved through Faith and that not of your selves not for any thing in you or done by you for the purchasing of it but it is the free gift of God And that bestowed on you even when you were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Nay if thou hast so much as one desire that is right it is the gift of God for of our selves saith the Apostle we are not able to speak a good word or think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. Was not grace absolute grace that God made promise to Adam after transgression Gen. 3. 5. Was it not free grace in God to save such a wretch as Manasseh was who used enchantments witchcraft burnt his children in the fire and wrought much evil 2 Chron. 33. Was it not free grace to save such as those were that are spoken of in the 16 of Ezekiel which no eye pitied Was it not free grace for Christ to give Peter a loving look after he had cursed and swore and denied him Was it not free grace that met Paul when he was a going to Damascus to persecute which converted him and made him a vessel of mercy And what shall I say of such that are spoken
sins of Thousands and Thousands and all at once This also is one means to make souls tender of sin it is the burned child that feareth the fire to make them humble in a sense of their own vileness to make them count every thing that God giveth them a mercy to make much of the least glimpse of the love of God and to prize it above the whole world O sinners were you killed indeed then Heaven would be Heaven and Hell would be Hell indeed but because you are not wrought upon in this manner therefore you count the ways of God as bad as a good man counteth the ways of the devil and the ways of the devil and hell as good as a Saint doth count the ways of God Fourthly Again God is fain to go this way and all to make sinners make sure of Heaven So long as souls are senseless of sin and what a damnable state they are in by nature so long they will even dally with the Kingdom of Heaven and the Salvation of their own poor souls but when God cometh and sheweth them where they are and what is like to become of them if they miss of the Crucified Saviour Oh then saith the soul would I were sure of Jesus what shall I do to get assurance of Jesus And thus is God forced as I may say to whip souls to Jesus Christ they being so secure so senseless and so much their own enemies as not to look out after their own eternal advantage Fifthly A fifth reason why God doth deal thus with sinners it is because he would bring Christ and the Soul together in a right way Christ and Sinners would never come together in a beloved posture they would not so suitably suit each other if they were not brought together this way the sinner being killed O when the sinner is killed and indeed struck dead to every thing below a naked Jesus how suitably then doth the Soul and Christ suit one with another Then here is a naked sinner for a righteous Jesus a poor sinner to a rich Jesus a weak sinner to a strong Jesus a blind sinner to a seeing Jesus an ignorant careless sinner to a wise and careful Jesus O how wise is God in dealing thus with the sinner he strips him of his own knowledge that he may fill him with Christs he killeth him for taking pleasure in sin that he may take pleasure in Jesus Christ c. Sixthly But sixthly God goeth this way with sinners because he would have the glory of their salvation Should not men and women be killed to their own things they would do sacrifice unto them and instead of saying to the Lamb THOU ART WORTHY Rev. 5. 9. Job 40. 14. Rom. 3. 27. Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. they woul say their own arm their own right hand hath saved them but God will cut off boasting from ever entring within the borders of eternal glory for he is resolved to have the glory of the beginning the middle and the end of the contriving and saving and giving salvation to them that enter into the joys of everlasting glory That they may be called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorifyed Isa. 61. 3. I might have run thorow many things as to this but I shall pass them and proceed Now Secondly The soul being thus killed to it's self its sins its righteousness faith hope wisdom promises resolutions and the rest of its things which it trusted in by nature In the next place it hath also given unto it a most glorious perfect and never-fading life which is first a life imputed to it yet so really that the very thought of it in the soul hath so much operation and authority especially when the meditation of it is mixed with faith as to make it though condemned by the Law to triumph and to look its enemies in the face with comfort notwithstanding the greatness of the multitude the fierceness of their anger and the continuation of their malice be never so hot against it This imputed life for so it is is the obedience of the Son of God as his righteousness in his suffering arising ascending interceding and so consequently triumphing over all the enemies of the soul and given to me as being wrought on purpose for me So that is is there righteousness in Christ that is mine Is there perfection in that righteousness that is mine did he bleed for sin it was for mine Hath he overcome the Law the Devil and Hell the victory is mine and I am counted the Conqueror Nay more than a conqueror through him that hath loved me and I do count this a most glorious life for by this means it is that I am in the first place proclaimed both in Heaven and Earth guiltless and such a one who as I am in Christ am not a sinner and so not under the Law to be condemned but as holy and righteous as the Son of God himself because he himself is my holiness and righteousness and so likewise having by this all things taken out of the way that would condemn me Sometimes I bless the Lord my soul hath had the life that now I am speaking of not only imputed to me but the very glory of it upon my soul For upon a time when I was under many condemnings of heart and feared because of my sins my soul would miss of eternal glory methought I felt in my soul such a secret motion as this Thy righteousness is in Heaven together with the splendour and shining of the spirit of grace in my soul which gave me to see clearly that my righteousness by which I should be justified from all that could condemn was the Son of God himself in his own person now at the right hand of his Father representing me compleat before the mercy-seat in his own self so that I saw clearly that night and day where ever I was or what ever I was a doing still there was my righteousness just before the eys of divine glory so that the Father could never find fault with me for any insufficiency that was in my righteousness being it was compleat neither could he say where is it because it was continually at his right hand Also at another time having contracted guilt upon my soul and having some distemper of body upon me supposed that death might now so seize upon as to take me away from among men then thought I what shall I do now is all right with my soul have I the right work of God on my soul Answering my self No surely and that because there were so many weaknesses in me yea so many weaknesses in my best duties for thought I how can such a one as I find mercy whose heart is so ready to evil and so backward to that which is good so far as it is natural Thus musing being filled with fear to die these words came in upon my soul Being
touching this no but there is all the Prophets do agree in advancing this in writing and also all the Saints do now declare the same in speaking forth the aimableness and many powerful vertues thereof As for thee by the blood of thy Covenant saith God to Christ I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein was no water Zech. 9. 11. We have redemption through his blood Ephes. 1. 7. Again Col. 1. 14. We have redemption through his blood Our robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7. 14. The Devil is overcome through the blood of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. Yea and conscience is purged too and that through the blood of the Lamb Heb. 9. 14. We have free recourse to the Throne of grace through the blood of Jesus Heb. 10. 19. I could bring thee a cloud of witnesses out of all the types and shadows and out of the sundry Prophets and much more out of the New Testament but I forbear because I would not be too tedious to thee Reader in making too large a digression though I have committed here in this Discourse no transgression for the blood of Christ is precious blood 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. In the next place I shall shew you the several priviledges and advantages the man or woman hath that is under this Covenant of Grace over they have that are under the Covenant of the Law and Works As first the Covenant of Grace is not grounded upon our obedience but upon Gods love even his pardoning love to us through Christ Jesus The first Covenant it stood to be broken or kept by us and Gods love or anger to be lost or enjoyed hereafter as we as creatures behaved our selves but now the very ground of the Covenant of Grace is Gods love 't is meer love through Jesus Christ Deut. 7. 8 9. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were more in number then other people for you were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loves you and because he will keep the oath which he swore to your fathers Again Isa. 63. 9. In his love and in his pitty he redeemed them and the Angel of his presence saved them that is Jesus Christ. And again 2. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us Not according to the works of righteousness which we have done but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began Secondly This love is not conveyed to us through what we have done as is afore proved but through what he hath done with whom the Covenant was made which was given us in Christ. According as he hach chosen us in Christ Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. God for Christs sake hath loved you 2 Tim 1. 9. Eph 1. 3 4. Eph. 4. 32. That is through Christs doings through Christs sufferings Now if this be but rightly understood it doth discover abundance of comfort to them that are within the bounds of the Covenant of Grace For First Here a believer seeth he shall stand if Christs doings and sufferings stand which is a sure Foundation for God dealeth with him through Christ. And so Secondly He shall not fall unless the sufferings and merits of Christ be thrown over the bar being found guilty which will never be before the eyes of divine justice For with him the Covenant was made and he was the surety of it Zech. 9. 11. Heb. 7. 22. That is as the Covenant was made with him so he stood bound to fulfill the same For you must understand that the Covenant was made between the Father and the Son long before it was accomplished or manifestly sealed with Christs blood it was made before the world began Tit. 1. 2. Ephes. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. But the conditions thereof was not fulfilled until less than Two Thousand Years ago and all that while did Jesus stand bound as a surety as I said before is used to do till the time in which the payment should be made And it was by vertue of his suretiship having bound himself by Covenant to do all things agreed on by the Father and him that all those of the election that were born before he came that they might be saved and did enter into rest For the forgiveness of sins that was past though it was through the blood of Christ yet it was also through the for bearance of God Rom. 3. 25. That is Christ becoming surety for those that died before his coming that he would indeed and in truth at the fulness of time or at the time appointed Gal. 4. 4. give a compleat and full satisfaction for them according to the tenour or condition of the Covenant Again Secondly The second Covenant which Believers are under as the ground and foundation if it is safe so the promises thereof are better surer freer and fuller c. First They are better if you compare the excellency of the one with the excellency of the other The first hath promised nothing but an earthly paradise Do this and thou shalt live Namely here in an earthly paradise But the other doth bring the promise of an heavenly paradise Secondly As the Covenant of Works doth promise an earthly Paradise yet it is a Paradise or Blessing though once obtained yet might be lost again for no longer than thou doest well no longer art thou accepted by that O but the Promises in the New Covenant do bring unto us the benefit of eternal inheritance Heb. 9. 15. That they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance O rare it is an eternal inheritance Thirdly The other as it is not so good as this so neither is it so sure as this and therefore he calls the one such a one as might be and was shaken Heb. 12. 27. but this is said to be such a one that cannot be shaken And this word saith he treating of the two Covenants from verse the 18. to the 24 And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are or may be shaken as of things that are made that those things that cannot be shaken which is the second Covenant may remain for â—aith he verse the 28. which cannot be moved Therefore ye blessed Saints seeing you have received a Kingdom which cannot which cannot be moved therefore Let us have grace whereby we may serve our God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Thus in general but more particular First They are surer in that they are founded upon Gods love also and they come to us without calling for those things at our hands that may be a means of putting of a stop to our certain enjoying of them The promises under or of the Law they might easily be stopped by our disobedience but the promises under the Gospel saith If heaven above can be measured and the
foundation of the earth searched out then and not till then will I cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done Again I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own Names sake and will not remember thy sins Isa. 43. 25. I will make thee a Partaker of my Promise and that I may so do I will take away that which would hinder I will cast all your sins into the depths of the sea that my promise may be sure to all the seed And therefore saith the Apostle when he would shew us that the New Covenant promises was more sure then the Old he tells us plainly that the Law and Works are set aside and they are meerly made ours through the righteousness of faith which is the righteousness of Christ. For the promise that Abraham should be heir of the world saith he was not to him or to his seed through the Law or Works but through the righteousness of faith For if they which are of the Law or of Works be heirs then â—aith is made void and the promise made of none effect Therefore it is of â—aith to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4. 13 14 16. Secondly surer because that as that is taken away that should hinder so they are committed to a faithful friend of ours in keeping For all the promises of God are in Christ not yea yea and nay but yea and amen certain and sure sure because they are in the hand of our head our friend our brother our husband our flesh and bones even in the heart and hand of our precious Jesus Thirdly Because all the conditions of them are already fulfilled for us by Jesus Christ as aforesaid every promise that is a New Covenant promise if there be any condition in it our undertaker hath accomplished that for us and also giveth us such grace as to receive the sweetness as doth spring from them through his obedience to every thing required in them Fourthly surer because that as they are grounded upon the love of God every thing taken out of the way in the hand of a sure friend And as Christ hath fulfilled every condition as to justification that is contained therein so the Lord hath solemnly sworn with an oath for our better confidence in this particular For when God made promise to Abraham and so to all Saints because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself saying Surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee and so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife that there might be no more doubt or scruple concerning the certain fulfilling of the promise wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel or certain constant unchangeable decree of God in making of the promise for the comfort of his children confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things his promise back'd with an Oath wherein it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 13 14. 15 16 17 18. Fifthly That they are better it appears also in that they are freer and fuller that they are freer it is evident in that the one saith no works no life Do this and then thou shalt live if not thou shalt be damned But the other saith we are saved by believing in what another hath done without the works of the Law Now to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Rom. 4 4 5. The one saith pay me that thou owest the other saith I do frankly and freely forgive thee all The one saith because thou hast sinned thou shalt die the other saith because Christ lives thou shalt live also John 15 Secondly And as they are freer so they are fuller fuller of encouragement fuller of comfort the one to wit the Law looks like Pharaohs seven ill favoured kâ—â—e more ready to eat one up then to afford us any food The other is like the full grape in the cluster which for certain hath a glorious blessing in it The one saith if thou hast sinned turn again the other saith if thou hast sinned thou shalt be damned for all I have a promise in me Thirdly They that are of the second are better then they that are of the first and it also appeareth in this The promises of the Law through them we have neither faith nor hope nor the Spirit conveyed But through the promises of the Gospel there is all these 1 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine nature O therefore let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Heb. 10. 23. In hope of eternal life who so because God that cannot lie promised it before the world began Tit. 1. 2. Fourthly They that are in this Covenant are in a very happy state for though there be several conditions in the Gospel to be done yet Christ Jesus doth not look that they should be done by man as man but by his own Spirit in them as it is written Thou hast wrought all our works in us and for us Is there that condition they must believe why then he will be both the Author and finisher of their faith Heb. 12. 2 3. Is there also hope to be in his Children he also doth and hath given them good hope through his grace 2 Thes. 2. 26. Again are the people of God to behave themselves to the glory of God the Father Theâ— he will work in them both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Fifthly Again as he works all our works in us and for us so also by vertue of this Covenant we have another nature given unto us Whereby or by which we are made willing to be glorifying of God both in our bodies and in our spirits which are his Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power 2 Cor. 6. 20. Psal. 110. 3. Sixthly In the next place all those that are under this second Covenant are in a wonderful safe condition For in case they should slip or fall after their conversion into some sin or sins for who lives and sins not Prov. 24. 16. yet through the merits and intercession of Christ Jesus who is their undertaker in this Covenant they shall have their sins pardoned their wounds healed and they raised up again which priviledge the children of the first Covenant have not for if they sin they are never afterwards regarded by that Covenant They break my Covenant and I regarded them not Heb. 8. 9. But when he comes to speak of the
his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Col. 1. 9. And this the Saints cannot be deprived of because the Covenant made with Christ in every tittle of it was so compleatly fulfilled as to righteousness both active and passive that justice cannot object any thing holiness now can find fault with nothing nay all the power of God cannot shake any thing that hath been done for us by the Mediator of the New Covenant so that now there is no Covenant of Works to a Believer none of the commands accusations condemnations or the least tittle of the Old Covenant to be charged on any of those that are the Children of the Second Covenant no sin to be charged because there is no Law to be pleaded but all is made up by our middle man Christ Jesus O blessed Covenant O blessed Priviledge Be wise therefore O ye poor drooping souls that are the sons of this second Covenant And stand fast in the liberty wherewith CHRIST hath made you free and be not again intangled not terrified in your consciences with the yoke of bonbondage neither the commands accusations or condemnations of the Law of the Old Covenant Gal. 5. 1 2. Object If it be so then one need not care what they do they may sin and sin again seeing Christ hath made satisfaction Answ. If I was to point out one that was under the power of the Devil and going poste haste to hell for my life I would look no further for such a man then to him that would make such a use as this of the grace of God What because Christ is a Saviour thou wilt be a sinner because his grace abounds therefore thou wilt abound in in O wicked wretch rake hell all over and surely I think thy fellow will scarce be found And let me tell thee this before I leave thee as Gods Covenant with Christ for his Children which are of faith stands sure immutable unrevokable and unchangeable so also hath God taken such a course with thee that unless thou can'st make God forswear himself it is impossible that thou shouldest go to heaven dying in that condition They tempted me proved me and turned the grace of God into laciviousness Compare Heb. 3. 9. 10 11. ver with the 1 Cor. 10. Chap. from the 5. verse to the 10. So I sware mark that So I sware and that in my wrath too that they should never enter into my rest No saith God if Christ will not serve their turns but they must have their sins too take them devil if Heaven will not satisfie them take them hell devour them hell scald them fry them burn them hell God hath more places than one to put sinners into if they do not like of Heaven he will fit them with Hell if they do not like Christ they shall be forced to have the Devil Therefore we must and will tell of the truth of the nature of the Covenant of the grace of God to his poor Saints for their encouragement and for their comfort who would be glad to leap at Christ upon any terms yet therewith we can tell how through grace to tell the hogs and sons of this world what a hogsty there is prepared for them even such a one that God hath prepared to put the Devil and his Angels into is fitly prepared for them Mat. 25. 41. Object But if Christ hath given God a full and compleat satisfaction then though I do go on in sin I need not fear seeing God hath already been satisfied it will be injustice in God to punish for those sins for which he is already satisfied for by Christ. Answ. Rebell rebell there are some in Christ and some out of him they that are in him have their sins forgiven and they themselves made new creatures and have the spirit of the Son which is a holy loving self-denying spirit And they that are thus in Jesus Christ are so far off from delighting in sin that sin is the greatest thing that troubleth them and O how willingly would they be rid of the very thoughts of it Psal. 119. 113. It is the grief of their souls when they are in a right frame of spirit that they can live no more to the honour and glory of God then they do and in all their prayers to God the breathings of their souls is as much for sanctifying grace as pardoning grace that they might live a holy life they would as willingly live holy here as they would be happy in the world to come Phil. 3. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. they would as willingly be cleansed from the filth of sin as to have the guilt of it taken away they would as willingly glorifie God here as they would be glorified by him hereafter 2. But there are some that are out of Christ being under the Law and as for all those let them be civil or profane they are such as God accounts wicked and I say as for those if all the Angels in Heaven can drag them before the Judgment-seat of Christ they shall be brought before it to answer for all their ungodly deeds Jude 15. and being condemned for them if all the fire in Hell will burn them they shall be burned there if they die in that condition And therefore if you love your souls do not give way to such a wicked spirit Let no man deceive yoâ— with such vain words as to think because Christ hath made satisfaction to God for sin therefore you may live in your sins O no God forbid that any should think so for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Ephes. 5 6. Thus have I Reader given thee a brief discourse touching the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace also of the nature of the one together with the nature of the other I have also in this Discourse endeavoured to shew you the condition of them that are under the Law how sad it is both from the nature of the Covenant they are under and also by the carriage of God unto them by that Covenant And now because I would bring all into as little a compass as I can I shall begin with the Use and Application of the whole in as brief a way as I can desiring the Lord to bless it to thee And first of all let us here begin to examine a little touching the Covenant you stand before God in whether it be the Covenant of Works or the Covenant of Grace and for the right doing of this I shall lay down this proposition Namely that all men naturally come into the world under the first of these which is called the Old Covenant or the Covenant of Works which is the Law And were all by nature the children of wrath even as others which they could not be had they not been under the Law for there are none that are under the other Covenant that