it must either be a Covenant of Works or of Grace or a third Covenant But the truth is the Law as pressed upon Israel was not a Covenant of Works 1. The Law as the Law or as a Covenant of Works is made with perfect men who need no mercy But this Covenant is made with sinners with an expresse preface of mercy I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt c. It is made with stiff-necked Israel Deut. 29. Deut. 30. c. 31. c. 32. and that is called a Covenant from the end and object as motions are denominate from their end for the end of the Lords pressing the Law upon them was to bring them under a blessed necessity to seek salvation in their true City of Refuge Christ Jesus who redeemed them out of the spirituall bondage of sin 2. It was the Covenant made with Abraham which was a Covenant of Grace and though it be called Deut. 29.1 a Covenant beside that which was made in Horeb Because 1. Renued again after their breach 2. Repeated a litle before the death of Moses Deut. 31.28.29.30 3. Because there were some additions of speciall blessings cursings Ceremoniall Commands that were not in the formerly proposed Covenant Exod. 20. yet the same it was in substance to love the Lord with all the heart Deut. 2.10 12 13 14. The same with that of Abraham Deut. 8.18 That he may establish his Covenant which he sware unto thy fathers as it is this day When he is to deliver them out of Egypt Exod. 2.24 And God heard their groaning and remembred his Covenant with Abraham and Isaak and Jacob. So the Lord expones it in his appearing to Moses Exod. 3.6 Jer. 31.32 Not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt Now that was the Covenant which God made with Abraham of which Circumcision was a seal Gen. 17. not of a temporary Canaan only but of heart Circumcision Col. 2.11 For the Lord expresâ—y tells thâ—â— when he took them by the hand as his married people to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage Exod. 20. He meant no other Covenant then he made with Abraham of believing Gen. 15. and of walking before him and being perfect Gen. 17.1 2. which is somewhat more legall as Moses and the Lord himself expones it Exod. 2.24 Exod. 3.6 Exod. 20.1 2. And he showes them Lev. 26. if in their enemies land they repent and shall come out and meet the rod and their uncircumcised hearts shall willingly accept of the punishment of their iniquity 42. Then saith the Lord I will remember my Covenant with Jacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my Covenant with Abraham will I remember Beside there are not here three Covenants but one there is no word of the subservient Covenant with Israel in Sinai Except that when he mentions the one he excludes not the other For to walk before the Lord required in Abrahams Covenant Gen. 17.1 is to walk in all the ways of the Lord to fear and love him Deut. 10.12 13. and Samuel 1 Sam. 12.22 Joshua Josh. 24.22 23 24 25. And Mary Luke 1.55 And Zacharie ver 70 72 73. refer to the Covenant made with Abraham and Deut. 6. the Covenant at Horeb the Lord made with Abraham to give Canaan to his seed ver 10. Deut. 7.12 If thou hearken to these judgements to do them it shall come to passe that the Lord thy God will keep unto thee the Covenant of mercy that he sware unto thy fathers c. 3. This Covenant hath the promise of a circumcised heart Deut. 30.6 and of the word of faith that is near in the mouth and of the righteousnesse of faith clearly differenced from the righteousnesse of the Law by doing For so Paul Rom. 10.5 6 7 c. expones Moses Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. 4. The Covenant of Works taught nothing of the way of expiation of sin by blood typifying the Ransome of blood that Christ was to pay for our sins as this Covenant all along had sacrifices and blood to confirm it Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said behold this is the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words Now the words were the ten Commandements See Heb. 9. v. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. 5. This Covenant is made with Israel only Exod. 20. Deut. 5. c. 6. Deut. 6.5 6 7.12 The Covenant of Works is made with all mankind 6. No people under the Law can be justified and saved thereby nor have their sins pardoned Rom. 3.9 10 11. 19 20. Rom. 4.1 2 3 4. Rom. 9. Rom. 10. Psal. 130 3. Psal. 143.2 Gal. 3.1 2 3. 10 11 12 13. But in this Covenant Abraham David Gen. 15. Psal. 32. Rom. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And the Jewes by faith have remission of sins and salvation as also the Gentiles have Acts 10.43 Acts 15.11 7. The Lord minds to lay aside the Law as inconsistent with the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.18 If the inheritance be by the Law then it is not by promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise For to live by this Covenant is a life of promises all being here promised both faith the condition and perseverance therein and a new heart righteousnesse pardon and life A man that hath his estate in papers and in good words that are transient things may seem a poor man but to live by promises here is the rich life of the heirs of hope this is strong consolation under deadness absence faith working under-ground in the dark Gal. 3.21 If there had been a Law which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law Though he commanded them to do the Law it was not that they should live thereby and though he commanded us the same it is another command as it were it is not so much now that we obey from the Authority of God Law-giver under pain of damnation though that be not laid aside but urged in a Gospel intention upon heirs as from the love of God Grace-giver as also there is an intrinsecall amaenitie in Christ drawing and obedience now becomes connaturall free delightfull Let these consider to whom the yoak of obedience is a torment and a man-mill 8. The Passeover and Circumcision Gen. 17.7 all along were seals of the Covenant as Baptism one with Circumcision in substance Col. 2.11 is the seal of the same Covenant Acts 2.39 40 41. Now the Law required no Circumcision no shedding of blood no Repentance no new heart but eternall condemnation followed the least breach thereof Paul saith indeed Gal. 5.3 If ye be Circumcised as the false Apostles would have that thereby you may be justified saved
invisibly in Covenant and do make no profession of Christ at all are not warrantably by the Church to be baptized Only these whether old or young that are tali modo visibili federati such as professedly and visibly in Covenant and called Acts 2.39 are warrantably baptized Hence they must be so in Covenant as they be called by the word of the Covenant for they cannot be baptized against their will Luke 7.29.30 Q. What warrand is there Act. 2.39 for Infant Baptisme Ans. I shall not contend for the actuall baptizing of them at that instant But every one of you be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 father and sons Why the promise is to you and to your children break the Text into an hundred pieces and blood it as men please the Genuine Thesis which cannot be neglected is These to whom the promise of the Covenant does belong these should be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the promise of the Covenant is to you and to your children Ergo you and your children should be baptized The assumption is the expresse words of Peter and the Proposition is Peters Every one of you be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to you is the promise of the Covenant Calvin Bullinger Brentius Gualther clear it 2. Who they are who are in the nearest capacity to be baptized he explaines when he showeth that the Covenant promise is made to these who are far off to the Gentiles whom the Lord shall call then all that are under the call and offer of Christ in the Preached Gospel as Prov. 9.1 2 3 4. Math. 22 bid them come to the wedding Luke 14.16 17 18. c. are externally in Covenant and such to whom the Covenant is made and should be baptized it s presumed they give some professed consent to the call and do not right down deny to come else they should be baptized against their will 3. Calvine showes Acts 2.39 that the Anabaptists in his time said the promise was made to Believers only but the Text saith it is made to you and to your children to infants to the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant made with the fathers Acts 3.25 Now what ground doe Anabaptists give that all infants believe or that some believe since to them their children were as Pagans without Christ without the Covenant if to the children when they come to age and shall believe but what need to adde and to your believing Children for these are not children but men of age their fathers and they both being believers Now Peter sets down two ranks the aged who heard the word with gladnesse and were pricked in heart v. 37.41 and the children and to both the promise is made and what ground is their to exclude sucking children for the word Acts 2.39 is Math. 2.18 1 Cor. 7.14 where sure the word is taken for sucking children of whose actuall faith the Scripture speaks not 2. The promise is to you and to your children can have no other sense then the promise and word of the Covenant is preached to you and to your children in you and this is to be externally in Covenant both under the Old and New Testament If it have another sense it must be this the Lord hath internally Covenanted with you the 3000. who have heard the word and with your children and you are the spirituall seed and sons of promise predestinate to life eternall as Rom. 9. they expone the seed in Covenant But 1. Were all the 3000. Ananias and Saphiâ—a and their children the spirituall and chosen seed for he commands all whom he exhorts to repent to be baptized And 2. Now to Simon Magus and Demas and numbers of such Peter could not have said the promise is made to you and to your children if it be only made to reall and actuall believers as they say Peter therefore must owne them all whom he exhorts to repent as the chosen seed But if the former sense be intended as how can it be denyed to wit the word of the Covenant is preached to you an offer of Christ is made in the preached Gospel to you Then it cannot be denyed but the promise is to all the Reprobate in the Visible Church whether they believe or not for Christ is preached and promises of the Covenant are preached to Simon Magus to Judas and all the Hypocrites who stumble at the Word to all the Pharisees as is clear Math. 13.20 21 22 23. Acts 13.44 45. Acts 18.5 6. Math. 21.43 1 Pet. 2.7 8. 3. The promise I will be your God and ye shall be my people must be one way expounded in the Old Testament to wit you are externally only in Covenant with God But in the New Testament it must have this meaning I wil be your God 2 Cor. 6.16 that is you are all predestinate to life and the sons by promise and the spirituall seed to whom I say I will be your God But so it may well be said there were no internall Covenanters in the Old Testament and there be none but only internall Covenanters in the New Testament so that when the Lord sayeth Rev. 11.15 The Kingdomes of the earth are mine and my sons He must say the Kingdomes Egypt Assyria Tyrus Ethiopia c. are chosen and the spirituall seed and these Covenanted Nations and the Kingdomes of the Gentiles are all internally and effectually called and there are no Visible Churches in the New Test. but only all invisible and saved 4. If these words The promise is to you and to your children be limited to as many as the Lord shall effectually call either fathers or children But Mr. Stev Marshel judiciouslie observes there is no more a Covenant-favour holden forth to their children then to the children of Pagans for the children of Pagans if God effectually call them have the promises made to them 5. It s clear that externall Covenant-holinesse is to these men ceremoniall holiness now out of date and then externall calling the only means of internall and effectuall calling Math. 22.14 1 Cor. 1.18.23 24. Luke 15.1 2. and the fixed Church-hearing of the Preached Gospel is a ceremony 2. That God should be the God of Infants of the seed of the Jews a mercie to fathers and sons coming from free love Deut. 10.15 Gen. 17.7 Deut. 7.6.7.8 and Prophesied as a mercy to the Gentiles by all the Prophets was a ceremony removed now in Christ. Yea 3. externall Covenanting and adopting and choising of Israel is no mercy except that a Pedagogie of the Law is a mercy for a time 4. The promise is to you and to your children must be in a contradictorie way expounded to wit the promise is no more made to your children so long as they are Infants then to Devils Yea fathers and children not beleeving though chosen to life are excommunicated from Visible adoption calling hearing the Gospel promises for there is no Covenanting now under
for the sinnes of the world If reason weigh the one and the other yet because both were performed upon the motive of the love of God commanding both was most spirituall obedience especially because the duty is both work and wage and the more of the Word of God is in the obedience I mean not the letter only but the word including the love 2. The authority of the Commander 3. The beauty apprehended to be and the peace in obedience the more spirituall is the obedience The letter only may show you duty your obligation and the penaltie of disobeying and all these three in a literall way and yet upon that account the obedience is not spirituall but Gospel-love added to the Laws-letter makes spirituall obedience CHAP. XVIII The new heart of Covenanters the Nature Characters Properties thereof hitherto of the new Spirit Quest. 6. WHen are we to judge that we have a new heart And when do we know that it is not the old heart Ans. 1 Propos. As Physically so also Morally the heart is the man the good heart the good man the evill heart the evill man and God weights men by the weight not of the tongue of the hands of the outward man but by the weight of the heart Asa his heart was perfect 2 Chron. 15.17 the heart of Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.3 was perefect And Psal. 78.37 their heart was not right the froward heart is the froward man Pro. 3.32 For there is a man speaking within a man and a heart within a heart acting as if it were a man made up of soul and body Thou hast said in thy heart I will ascend up to Heaven so the King of Babylon Isa. 14.13 So the heart acts Heaven or Hell within the man Psal. 14.1 Luk. 12.19 they have a heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 busied in the Colledge studying and reading covetousnesse 2 Pet. 2.14 2. Propos. When the Lord tryes the man he tryes the heart and the reins Prov. 15.11 Hell and the heart both are naked before him Prov. 17.3 Theodoret. God acteth the noon-day-Sun meridionaliter in every heart The man himself is without and God within Jer. 17.9 Man searcheth not his own heart and reins for there be plottings and inclinations to evill in the heart which the heart knows not 2 King 8.12 13. Peter hath a better heart then all men in the books of his own heart Matth. 26.33 but it s not so indeed 3. Propos. The washen heart that lodges not vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 purged from dead works by the blood of Christ above all the blood of bullocks and goats Heb. 9.14 purified by faith Act. 15.14 is the good heart It is a better heart according to the heart of God 1 King 15.5 that turneth not aside 1 Sam. 13.14 of Gods seeking out and finding then the first heart created of God Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 And ah we seek a good Ruler a good Physician when we are sick a good house to dwell in and which is strange a good horse but not to have a good heart 4. Propos. The excellent acts of God in a manner with glory to his Highnesse to mind his first work to create a better heart then the first which he created saith that there is great need of a good heart Psal. 51.10 of a new heart Ezek. 36.26 It s beyond all admiration to create so raâ—e a peece as the Sun out of no thing and a beautifull Lillie out of mire and dirt out of common clay to bring forth Saphirs Carbuncles and in liew of a stony heart for grace is not educed out of the potencie of any created thing to create a new heart which God loveth to dwell in rather then in heaven the high and holy place Isai. 57.15 which so ravisheth the heart of Christ Cant. 4.7 9. and is of more price with God then gold or any corruptible thing even a meek and quiet spirit 1 Ptt. 3.3 4. is the rarest peece of the works of God It s an excellent act of God to keep the vessell in a spirituall season as David prayes 1 Chron. 29.18 To make roome for Christ dwelling by faith and for love to comprehend love Eph. 3.17 18. and who puts such a thing in the heart Ezra 7.27 when a sparkle of fire from flint falls on water or green timber there is no fireing from thence But when actuall influences fall upon an heavenly habit as the Lord can cast in a coal or a lump and flood of love Cant. 2.5 6. Luk. 24.32 Cant. 6.12 there are most heavenly actings of the soul. 3. He bows and inclines the heart to the Lords testimonies and to cleave to him without declining Jer. 32.39 40. Ps. 119.39 Cant. 1.4 Ps. 141.4 4. We are to beware of 1. the reigning evils of the heart of a rotten and unsound heart 1 Tim. 6.5 Psal. 119.82 2. Of an unsavoury stinking heart that smells of hell and the second death of all sort of unrighteousnesse and malice like a green opened grave Psal. 5.9 3. Of an uncured heart that never came through the hands of the Physician Prov. 14.13 A sound heart is the life of the flesh Of an unsound unsavoury and a rotten heart Eph. 4.29 compared with vers 23. from whence issue rotten words borrowed from rotten and worm-eaten trees which speak an uncured heart 5. We are to look to deadnesse of heart in all the branches of it As 1. sullennesse and dumpish sadnesse in refusing comforts and being full of unbeleeving heavinesse in David Psal. 69.20 Psal. 42.11 whereas we are alwayes to rejoice Psal. 119.52 Phil. 4.4 2. Fainting at the greatnesse of the affliction Isa. 20.3 Joh. 14.1 whence comes withering of heart Psal. 102.4 Psal. 27.13 3. An overwhelmed and unbeleeving sowning heart Psal. 61.2 Psal. 142.3 Psal. 143.3 4. 4. Deadnesse in going about the service of God Psal. 119.37 Quicken me in thy way of this else where 5. Narrownesse to take in God opposed to an inlarged and wide heart Psal. 119.32 Psal. 81.10 and straitening of heart when the soul is so hampered that he cannot speak Psal. 77.4 unbeleef clipps the wings of the Spirit and layes on fetters which may come from the wicked company and may be laid on by our selves Psal. 39.1 2. 6. There is an Atheist heart to hate the existence of God of Christ of a Gospel Jam. 2.19 Matth. 8.29 Compared with Psal. 14.1 Eph. 2.12 Some beleevers are near to say I take my leave of Christ I 'le pray no more for it is in vain Jer. 20.9 Ps. 73.13 14. but it is not a fixed resolution of this else where 7. There is an evill heart of unbeleef to depart from the Living God Heb. 3.12 8. A heart that deviseth ploweth or delveth wicked imaginations Prov. 6.18 As Prov. 3.29 Plow not evill against thy neighbour Hos. 10.13 You have plowed iniquity such plots are forged against the people of God Matth. 27.1 Nah.
an essence that consists in indivisibili and cannot be parted 3. A new heart is a fixed and established heart by Grace it 's a new state not a new transient flash a new heart Deut. 5.27 All that the Lord our God will speak unto thee we will hear but the Lord saith verse 19. O! that there were such a heart in them but it is not in them 4. 1 Sam. 10.9 God gave Saul an other heart then a changed heart is not a new heart a new spirit or a new gift in Jehu is not a new heart It 's not newnesse that makes the heart new but Gods new ingraving Jer. 31.33 5. A heart keeped with all keeping is a new heart Prov. 4.23 both the words note exact diligence in keeping as watchmen and sheepherds with all keeping at all times Psal. 119.119 some pull their hearts to pray and hear but not while the sabbath or under a storme of conscience and the heart is a word in some company not at other times and in other company 6. The heart is new where the affections are all faith as it were and all sanctified reason and zeal is a lump of angry reason and fear a masse of shining reverence and love only soul sicknesse and pure adherence to God the instinct of faith wholly on God as the last and only end 2. The heart is new when the affections are equivocally or at least at the second hand set upon the creature but as nothing can be seen but what either is colour or affected with colour so nothing is fixedly sought after but God he onely feared and served Mat. 4.10 Deut. 10.20 only desired Psal. 73.25 only loved Deut. 10.12 Cant. 3.2 3. the soul sick of love for only only Christ Cant. 2.5 Cant. 5.8 he only trusted in Jer. 17.5 7. Psal. 62.5 1. Nothing is all good and all desirable but God and God in Christ Mat. 19.17 Cant. 5.16 the shadow of the Sun in the fountain is not the reall Sun the stirrings of the pulse of the affections towards the shadowed good of the creature should be lent and like the beating of the pulse of a dying man with a godly contradiction loving and not loving joying and not joying 1 Cor. 7.29 30. mourning and not mourning CHAP. XIX 1. The place of Evangelick works in the New Covenant 2. Possession of glory and right to glory considerably different 3. A twofold right to life 4. We are not justified by Works 5. The place of declarative justification by Works Jam. 2. discussed 6. Faith and Works different 7. Possession of life and right to life cleared 8. Faith and finall believing both commanded in the Law finall unbelief not the sin forbidden in the Gospel onely 9. How life is promised to works Evangelick IT 's a grave and weighty Question to rid marches between the two Covenants in their conditions the one requiring the obedience of Works the other Faith It 's not to be said that for fifeteen hundred years no man did doubt of the necessitie of good Works Paul propones the objections of the Antinomians Shall we sin and continue in sin that Grace may abound Rom. 6.1 this they spake through the occasion of what he taught chap. 5. some have said they are hurtfull because we abuse them some arbitrarie and indifferent because they are not necessary to justification O! what pronnesse in us to suck out of the doctrine of free Grace poyson how kindly to desire there were no Law against treason because the Prince pardons All sin is virtually Atheisme to wish the existence of a Law and so of a just holy and unchangeable God were not and we can hardly believe this And 2. what rising of heart and carnall reason is there against the first acts of providence why and what necessity was there to make a Law to forbid the eating of an Aple God foreseeing that thence should come the ruine and endlesse damnation of all It had been good God had never created such a Tree 2. That the eating thereof had never been forbidden 3. That it had never had such a name as the the tree of knowledge for it deceived Evah 4. That God had not given free-will to Adam 5. That he had given him confirming grace in the first moment of Creation But Observe 1. Satan started first the dispute concerning the equity of the Law and that we are Disciples of and apprâ—ntises to Satan when we tosse and rackot arguments in our carnall heart-Logick against the holy Law of God Gen. 3.2 and make the heart a ferrie boat to cary messengers and divellish thoughts hither and yonder in questioning the goodnesse of the Law and the acts of providence and therefore it is speaking Grace to close with the sweetnesse not only of the Law written in the heart and these inbred principles of honesty and truth to hurt none to obey God for Satan raised not the first dispute about these but with all the judgements and testimonies of God as David Psal. 119.127 128. vers 86. All thy commandements are faithfull 1 Sam. 12.7 Stand still that I may reason with you of all the righteous acts of the Lord. It s a mind like Christs that hath an heart prejudice at no one command by an other and is sweetly friended with all that God commands Math. 3.15 It becomes us to fulfill all rightenesse and O! how sweet to have no heart quarrell but a sweet stouping of soul unto and an adoring of God in all providences and acts or decrees he hath concluded or done in time or from Eternitie These draw deep in the decree of Reprobation God had an hatefull designe against me 2. The Gospel is an untrue and fabulous dispensation What a spirit is Galaenus who reproacheth Moses because he teacheth not that God works ever and by necessity of nature what is most good for the creature And that Prince who said that if he had been Counsellour to God in the time of the Creation many things should have been created ordinatius melius in a better order and state then they were Let the man be remembred who called the Gospel a fable and the spirits who reproach the Scripture as inkie wisedom 1. A bare dead forme bare flesh c. and weak ones under desertion who feed upon reports and lying news from Satan God hated me before time and carries on a design of eternall ruine to me therefore I have no right to hear to pray to eat to sleep 2. Yet the necessity of good works is asserted by Luther the Augustine Confess and Apol. Arti. 20. docent nostri c. Evangelick works are necessarie not to merite but by the will and commandement of God Calvin calleth them inferiour causes of the possession of our salvation The dispute began upon occasion of the book called Interim Anno M.DLXVIII and in Colloquie at Altenburge Melanthone and the Divines of Wittenberge assented
'le heal him Prov. 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to delve to plow inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that worketh either on iron of timber Why we are more ashamed of uncleannes and falshood theÌ„ of pride Characters of sinfull stoninesâ—e of heart against God Of the morall concurrence â—f the word to the act of infusion of a new heart Job 9.20 Pro 28.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be made narrow to be pressed in body or minde to afflict to vex Gen. 32.7 straitening was on Iacob by a Metalepsis it is to frame by pressing or keeping straight as Potters frame a vessel Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jotsâ—r a potter Eze. 11.13 The 〈◊〉 and unreasonable imaginations of the heart and the atheism thereof A heart delighted with God is the work-house of CHRIST A whole and enteer heart Half a sincere faith is no faith A fixed heart D. Prâ—â—â—on Some new heart or new spirit is an old heart Cant. 3 3. Cant. 5.7 A wel keeped heart is a new heart New affections what they are The necessitie of Works by the Law of faith an old question in the Church Our mistakes of Works of Grace of VVord of God of the works of God It s grace to close with all sorts of commaÌ„ds Galaenus de usupartuum Alphonsus decimus rex Castellae Melius ordinatiusque singula conderentur Pamphlet printed an 1647. p. 31. Luther Gal. 5. In libello de votis Monasti Chemn Loc. Com. de bonis oper cap. 1. qu 3. pag. 21 22. Confess August Apol art 20. Docent nostri quod necesse sit bona opera facere non ut confidamus per ea gratiam merâ—ri sed propter voluntatem Deâ— lib. 6. Concor p. 666. Some necessarie distinctions touching the necessity of Evangelick works Faith thogh weak justifieth Bruised Reed pag. 107 108. The right faith gives to life it justifieth not as Law-obedience The fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant of grace cannoâ— justifie as the fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant of Works shuld have justified The right of redempâ—ion is not ours by Evangelick doing as the place Rev. 22.14 mistaken is exponed by some By Christ dying we obtaine right to life and to Christ not by works Via ad regnum non causa regnaâ—â—i There cannot be a perfection in our faith and Evangelick works in order to the Gospel more then to the Law to justifie us If faith works concur jointly as causes of our justification neither can James deny truely that we are justified by faith nor Paul that we are justified by works English Divines Annot. on Jam. 2. Believing and faith Jam. c. 2. v. 21 23. must be believing and working faith The faith which Jam. excludes from justification is not the faith that Paul speaks of Rom. 3. Gal. 3. but a bastard faith only See Cartwright see D. Fuilk against the Jesuites of Rhems Jam. 2. Stapleton de sola fide justificante l. 8. c. 9. haec autem fides siue charitate mortua est Jam. 2. seu ficta hypocritica 1 Tim. 1. quantum ad perfectae justitiae vitam veritatem non autem quantum ad sâ—ipsâ—m sibique propriam virtutem c. Lorin Commen in Jac. 2.26 Sicut enim corpus non fit comparatio cum homine mortuo 〈◊〉 cum corpore nam homo mortuus non potest proprie vocari homo sed corpus mortuum est propricâ—â—tâ—pus Quo etiam pacto fides siue operibus est vere fides litet mortua Nec saâ—is placet 〈◊〉 addit Cajâ—tan in Comment fidem sine operibus mortuam quoniam opera sunt concomitantia 〈◊〉 Estius Com non comparat Apostolus fidem mortuam cum homine mortuo sed â—um corpore mortâ—â— sicut ergo corpus mortuum est vere proprie corpus ita fides mortua vere proprie fides est Expressions of a lively faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inniti herere recumbere est corporis 2 King 5.18 7.2 The Lord answered upon whose hand the King leaned Gen. 1â— 4 leane down under the tree 2 Chro. 14.11 〈◊〉 cryed to the Lord help us help us for we 〈◊〉 upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspexit cum delectationes cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est inniti recumbere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silere tacere Ezek. 27.17 Ps 131.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Kal. 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 amore 〈…〉 bitumine â—njunctis Shimler in Lexico 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Firmiter initi unde sumitur pro securum esse â—o quod conâ—fidentiam sequatur securitas oppoâ—nitur dubitationi Est inaliquo spes omnes sic reâ—ponere ut secure quiesâ—at animus adversus omnia pericula res arduâ—s suscipere audeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A summo ad imum deâ—olvit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innixus conjunctus vicinus fuit confirmavit staâ—ilivit Saving faith noteth farre other lively acts then can be in the faith of hypocrites James speaks of reall justification before God but under the notion as declared and manifested to men to the conscience of the so justified Remonsteâ— Apol. c. 10· fol. 13 col 2. Jacobum de justificationis declaratione non loqui docent verbâ— ipsa Quis enim adeo vâ— cors est qui cum Apostolo contendere voluerit an homo declaretur justus ex fide fides enim quatenus fiducia est distincta ab operibus pietatis non est nisi in cordâ— homâ—â—is Theologia enim eorum non patitur credere hoc verum esse nam ne de operibus ipsis constare potest an sint bona opera non enim possunt esse bona nisi ex fide fiâ—â—t ex fide enim fieri non modo non potest alteri declarari sed ne illi ipsi id constare potest qui ea facit Quia reprobus illa eadem opera praestare potest Trelcatius senior de Justifica 1. Class Arg. 373. Paulus per quod homines credentes justificantur coram DEO docet Jâ—cobus quo modo justificari cognoscantur 2. Paulus fide verâ solum nos justificaris Jacobus quanam sit vera illa fides ab effectis probat 3. Paulus huic verae fidei tribuit justificationem sine operibus ut causis justificationis Jâ—cobus fidei fictae detrahit hanc vim contra veram probat ab effectis veris 4. Paulus negat bona opera praecedere justificandum Jacobus dicit ea justificatum sequi 5. Paulus à causis justificationis ad effecta discendit quibus detrahit coram Deo vim justificandi ut in solidum id tribuat Dei gratiae Christi merito Calvin Instituti li. 111. c. 17. n. 11. Iucidunt in duplicem Paragolismum Alterum in justificationis alterum in fidei vocabulo Tu credis inquit quod Deus est sane si nihil en istâ fide continetur nisi ut credatur Deum esse jam nihil mirum est si non justificet nec vero dum
promised in the Covenant of Works p. 47 48. Wilfulnesse of unbelief Some doubts are to be left to GOD only to solve p 48 49. How the Lord is the God of Adam p. 49. No promise of influences is made to Adam p. 49. CHAP. IX What life is promised in the Covenant of Works p. 49 50 Whether or no did Adam and all the Reprobates in him lose all right to the creatures p. 50 51. A threefold right 1. Naturall 2. Providentiall 3. Spirituall What right Reprobates and unbelievers have to the living â—aâ—ing c. p. 53 54. What way God is ours p. 55 56. A furniture of Grace and a want of Christ. p 56. CHAP. X. The Arminians ground that God was in a maner compelled to appoint the New Covenant p. 56 57. The naturall antecedent love of God a dream p 57. CHAP. XI The threefold Covenant of some considered p. 57 58. And of the Arminians p. 64 considered and rejected The Law as propounded to Israel was the very Covenant of Grace p. 60 61 62. and the Covenant in the Old one with that of the New Covenant but differenced â—n some accidents p. 63 64. CHAP. XII Self-searching to know under what Covenant We are a spirituall condition and why p 65 6â— The threatnings under the New Testament more spirituall p 67 68. What it is to be under the Law ibid. The combate between the flesh and the Spirit and the combate in naturall men differenced p 68. Compelled convictions argue a Law Spirit ibid. It s easier to be sound in the faith then to be Godly p. 69. Of the legall terrors ibid. Of literall and legall convictions and these of the Gospel p. 70. Marks of such as are under the Law p. 70 71. A sweetnesse in the hardest command because holy ib. An heaven in duties p. 71. A new nature stands for a command ibid. CHAP. XIII Covenanting externall visible professed conditionall and Covenanting internall invisible reall absolute and how they differ p. 72 73 74. Infants are within the Covenant p. 73 74 75 76. And to be baptized and invested with Covenant priviledges p. 76 77 78 79. It s false that none are in Covenant under the New Testament but converts ib. The Covenant made with Abraham and us the same p. 80 81. Nor is that Covenant a civill Covenant p. 81 82. The New Testament Kingdome is spirituall though there be seals in it and externall worship p. 82 83. Of federall holinesse ibid. Externall Church priviledges of the Covenant are given to Nations and societies p. 83 84. It s not the Physicall but the Morall root that is the first subject of the Covenant conditionall and externall p 84 85. The formall ground of right to Baptisme p. 85 86. The places Acts 8.37 Mark 16.16 opened and are nothing for but much against Anabaptists p. 85 86. The text Acts 2.39 opened is strong for Infant baptisme p. 86 87. A conditionall Covenant is properly a Covenant though it be not ever a fulfilled Covenant p 90 91. No means are proved by Law or Gospel to save infants by the opposers of infant Baptisme p 91 92. Two diverse considerations of the Covenant one in abstracto as a simple way of saving sinners and so all in the Visible Church are in the Covenant another in concreto as it contains the Lords will of pleasure and as it is acted upon the heart and so the Elect are only in Covenant p 94. The new heart is only commanded to some and to others it is both commanded and promised p 95. CHAP. XIV The place Gen. 17. opened p. 95. Circumcision and Baptisme compared p 95 96 97. What blessings and priviledges must infants want if they be without the Covenant p 98 99 100. The place Mark 10.15 16. Luke 18. Math. 19. Of such is the Kingdome of heaven opened p. 100.101.102 What blessing Christ bestowed upon the infants whom hee took in his armes p. 102 103 104. A Covenanted seed is promised to be added to the Church of the Jews 104.105 Considerable differences between external and internal Covenanting 107.108 The place Rom. 11.6 If the root be holy so are the branches 110.111 By the holy Root cannot be meant the predestinate to Glory only 113 114. But visible Professors fathers and children p. 115 116. The children are in Covenant not by birth but by such a birth p. 116 117. Covenant holinesse is not the compleat and adequat cause of reall ingrafting in Christ. p. 116 117 118 CHAP. XV. Other considerable differences between externall and internall Covenanting p. 118 119. There is no universall Grace subjective or objective given to all Rom. 10.18 Psal. 19.3 p. 119 120 121 122 123 124. Nor power of believing given to all p. 124 125 126. CHAP. XVI The judgement of men esteeming such visible Covenanters to be reall converts before they can be admitted makes all Egypt Assyria the Kingdomes of the world all Judea Baptized to be reall converts in the judgement of Iohn Baptist Paul and the Apostles p. 129 130 The invisible Church is the first subjâ—ct of the promises of speciall note c. p. 131 132 Hypocrites have no warrand to challenge the seals from any command of God as M. Thom. Hooker sayeth p. 132 CHAP. XVII Who are Hypocrites p. 133 134 What Hypocrisie is p. 135 Parties in the Covenant of Grace as acted upon in heart p. 137 The Word and the Spirit p. 138 Of God speaking himself ib. Prophesies that now are differ from Scripture Prophesies and how p. 139 Revelations made to the Godly when they are in much nearnesse to GOD p. 140 141 Marks of a spirituall disposition p. 142 143 144 145. To do a duty as a duty and not as delightfull is a spirituall disposition p. 144 Not as successefull but as a duty p. 145 CHAP. XVIII The nature characters properties of the new heart and the new spirit of Covenanters p. 145 146. The heart the man p 146 The good heart ib. How rare a peece the heart is p. 147 Of the raigning evils of the heart ib. Why we are more shamed of lying then of pride p. 149 The concurrence of the Word to the act of infusion of a new heart a mysterie p. 149 150 The Atheisme and impossible lies of the heart p. 150 151 The signes of the new heart p. 151 152 CHAP XIX The place of Evangelick Works in the Covenant 2. Possession of glory and right to glory different 3. A twofold right to glory 4. We are not justified by Works 5. The place of declarative justification by Works Jam. 2. discussed 6. Faith and Works different 7. Possession of life and right to life cleared 8. Faith and finall beleeving both commanded in the Law Finall unbeleef not the sin forbidden in the Gospel only 9. How life is promised to our Works Evangelick p. 153 154 155 156 157 seq Our mistakes of God p 15â— 152 The faith that James speaks of is not true faith pâ—60 â—60 The
externally within the Covenant are not really indeed within the Covenant of Grace Ans. The Adverbe really relates to the reall fruit of the fulfilled Covenant and so such as are only externally within the Covenant are not really within the Covenant for God never directed nor intended to bestow the blessing Covenanted nor grace to perform the condition of the Covenant upon them But they are really Covenanted and engadged by their consented profession to fulfill the Covenant And as the commands and threatnings of the Covenant of Grace lay on a reall obligation upon such as are only externally in Covenant either to obey or suffer so the promise of the Covenant imposes an ingagement and obligation upon such to beleeve the promise but some times we say the promises of the Covenant of Grace are not really made to the Reprobate within the Visible Church because God intends and decrees to and for them neither the blessing promised nor the saving grace to fulfill the condition or to beleeve And therefore these words are figurative Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will write my Law in their minds c. that is this is the speciall and principall Covenanted blessing I will give them a new heart which must not be called a simple prediction though a prediction it is but it is also a real promise made absolutely to the elect which the Lord fulfills in them And this is called the Covenant Because 1. they are no better then non-Covenanters upon whom the Lord bestowes not this part and blessing of the Covenant 2. The truth is the promise of a new heart is not made to the Visible Church which is only Visible but to the Elect and Invisible Church And if Anabaptists shall expone these words Acts 2.39 The promise of a new heart is made to you and to your children upon condition that you and your children beleeve which they cannot do untill first they have a new heart it s as good as Peter had said God promiseth to you and to your children grace to beleeve and a new heart to obey him upon condition that you first beleeve And that is Gods promise to you to beleeve upon condition that ye beleeve which is ridiculous and therefore we cannot say that this promise of a new heart is made to all that are commanded to beleeve and repent and be baptized For Elect and Reprobate and all are under these commands if they be members of the Visible Church But the promise of a new heart is not made to all within the Visible Church Quest. How then Must the promise of a new heart be here excluded And shall nothing be meant in the Word but a promise of forgivenesse and life is made to you and your Children Ans. I should judge it hard to say that were the only promise here made the promise of a new heart is made to you all therefore repent and be baptized The Antecedent is not true 2. Therefore because Peter speaks unto and of a mixed multitude Fathers Children Elect and Reprobate who must first understand the promise of life and forgivenesse is made to you Ergo all come to age repent and be baptized And because the promise is made to your children therefore let them be baptized And 3. the promise of new heart is not to be excluded because there were in the company to whom and of whom the Apostle Peter speaks many Elect in whom the old Prophesie Jer. 31. Ezek. 11. was to be fulfilled For he saith The promise is made to as many as the Lord shall call to the Gentiles it were a sense too narrow to exclude that promise and therefore as the great promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed which chiefly is meant Acts 2.39 requires not the same condition in fathers and infants nor the same condition in fathers wives hewers of wood Officers and Commanders litle ones and such as were not born Deu. 29. with whom the Covenant is made For the same faith in fath is and in infants and faith working in the same duties cannot be required of husbands wives Magistrates and hewers of wood so neither is the promise made the same way to fathers children Jews near hand and Gentiles farre off to Elect and Reprobate Q. How can the promise of the Covenant to write the Law in the heart be made absolutely and not to the Reprobate but to the Elect only For the Elect are only these to whom that promise is made and yet the Reprobate are really in the Covenant of Grace and the promise is made to them as hath been said Answ. It is no inconvenient that the Reprobate in the Visible Church be so under the Covenant of Grace as some promises are made to them and some mercies promised to them conditionally and some reserved speciall promises of a new heart and of perseverance belong not to them For all the promises belong not the same way to the parties visibly and externally and to the parties internally and personally in Covenant with God So the Lord promiseth life and forgivenesse shall be given to these who are externally in the Covenant providing they beleeve but the Lord promiseth not a new heart and grace to beleeve to these that are only externally in Covenant And yet he promiseth both to the Elect. Hence the Covenant must be considered two ways in abstracto and formally in the letter as a simple way of saving sinners so they believe so all within the Visible Church are in the Covenant of Grace and so it contains only the will of precept 2. In the concret as the Lord caries on the Covenant in such and such a way commensurably with the decrees of Election and Reprobation As the Lord not only promises but acts and ingraves the Law in the heart commensurably with his decree of Election so the Elect only are under the Covenant of Grace The word tells of no condition or work or act to be performed by any which if he do he shall have a new heart and therefore the promise of the ingraven Law in the heart is not a simple promise made to the Covenanters as Covenanters for so it should be a promise to all visible Covenanters for visible Covenanters are essentially Covenanters but it is both a promise and a prediction yea a reall execution or an efficacious way of fulfilling the decree of Election to such and such chosen and specially loved of God Covenanters 2. A new heart hath a twofold consideration one as a duety commanded 2. As a blessing promised as to the former Ezech. 18.31 make you a new heart and a new spirit Jer. 4.4 Circumcise your heart to the Lord take away the foreskin of your heart ye men of Judah Eph. 4.23 be renued in the Spirit of your minde Eph. 4.14 Awake thou that sleeps and rise from the dead these are either
1.11 9. A proud heart 1. resisted of God 2. Farrest from the lowly and meek heart of Christ Matth. 11.29 Phil. 2.5 6 7 3. Most near to Satans heart 1 Tim. 3.6 Q. Why are we more ashamed of an unclean lustfull heart then of a proud heart Ans. A proud heart is deeper guiltinesse and nearer to Satans nature And pride and unbeleef are sins more reproachfull to God and incroach more upon his Throne but there is more flesh in us then Spirit and we think that there is more of a beast in uncleannesse Quest. But we are more ashamed of lying falshood and stealing then of pride Ans. There 's more of being ashamed before men it being a carnall sort of passion then of being ashamed before God and falshood and lying to men are fleshly evils against common honesty but pride is a more Angel-sin or a more God-like sin a spirituall sin and pride is a sort of heart-heresie by which we judge but blindly we have reason to ascend and climb aloft to Gods roome Gen. 3.5 6. Isai. 14.13 because of knowledge parts power 10. There is deceitfulnesse and self-deceiving in the heart Isa. 44.20 the Idolater feeds on ashes a deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul nor say is there not a lie in my right hand Obadiah 3. The heart is the greatest liar on earth to say and gain-say 11. There is a wicked fearfulnesse in the heart to do evill Jude 12. feeding themselves without fear 3 Sam. 1.14 was thou not affraid saith David to the Amalekite to put out thine hand to destroy the Lords Anointed It s a godly fear to tremble alwayes at feasting speaking hearing sleeping company Prov. 28.14 1 Pet. 1.17 Phil. 2.13 Job 1.5 And in all there ly snares within and without the house 12. There is a wicked flintinesse of heart we shall have peace though we both hear cursing and walk loosly Deut. 29.19 we are fallen but Ephraims stout heart 2. will rise whether God will or not Isa. 9.9 And 3. the King of Assyria's stout heart will be as strong as God Isa. 10.12 13. And 4. its wicked stoutnesse to say godly mourning before the Lord is in vain Mal. 3.13 14. 5. It s wicked stoutnesse to rest upon your own righteousnesse and refuse to treat with God Isa. 46.12 13. 6. And vain stoutnesse to darre God in his own quarters and fight him Exod. 14.8.23 Exod. 23.8 13. Isai. 36.10 11 36 37. if it were in his own seas as Pharaoh and the Aegyptians would do 13. There is a wicked hardening of the heart when men make the Lord his word and mighty works the contrair party Exod. 5.1 2 3. Exod. 7.10 13 16 20 23. Exod· 8.5 6 7 15 17 18 19. Isai. 6.9 10. Zech. 7.8 9 11 12. Ezek. 2.3 4. Ezek. 3.7 8. Mat. 13.13 14 15. Act. 13.44 45 46. and oppose God in his word and works 14. There is a sinfull dulnesse upon the heart by which men are as weaned childen line upon line line upon line can do them no good Isai. 29.9 10 11. Here it is to be observed that we cannot Preach Omnipotency nor perswade a world to be created nor a new heart to be infused nor can we Preach to a Wolf to become a meek Lamb nor threaten the Sun to rise at midnight we but speak words about the new birth the husband-man but breaks the earth with his plough but God makes the corn to grow and he only not that the word is not the instrument of conversion of souls Rom. 1.16 Rom. 10.14 but how to the act of infusion of a new heart the word concurres as a morall and suasory instrument is above my capacity 15. There is a froward heart Pro. 17.20 that perverteth and is crafty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pervert 16. A wicked heart Pro. 26.23 set on evil Eccl. 8.11.17 foolishnesse is bound to the heart Pro. 22.15 a dissembling heart when seven abominations are in it Pro. 26 25. 1. We take no◠heed to the imaginations and are not grieved for the constitution of the heart for actuall sins make originall sin to swell as two floods running into one maketh a hudge River 2. We take not heed to the young births of the heart with the concurrence of the mind fancie and imagination there are multitudes of forgeries clay-pots and imaginations framed as a potter deviseth vessels of earth of many quantities figures shapes great small narrow wide round cornered for the word is a potters word Gen. 6.5 1 Chr. 28.9 with all keeping keep thy heart Prov. 4.23 the word is to keep as the keepers of the walls Cant. 3.5 as sheepheards for it s in danger to be stollen away Hos. 4.11 2 Sam. 17.6 Hos. 7.11 Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart but we take no heed to the entry to see what goes in what comes out 1. What if there be no God Psal. 14.1 2. What if God see not Ezek. 9.9 3. What if man perish as the beasts Eccl. 3.19 It may be there is no heaven nor hell 4. What if there be no Christ nor Gospel but only questions of words Such clay-pots were framed by Gallio and Festus Act. 18.14 15. Act. 25.11 19. Hence come imaginations of things impossible Isa. 14.13 I 'le ascend to heaven saith Babylon I will set my nest among the stars Oba 4. Tyrus saith I am god I sit in the seat of God And new-wild-fire flights which are indeed old heresies are of this kind such are dreamers who see seven lean kine eat seven fat kine in re it s a lie 5. A new heart is the Office-house of Christ and a heart delighting in Gods wayes is a new heart where the Law is imprinted and ingraven in the heart Isa. 51.7 Hearken ye people in whose heart is my Law Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O God thy Law is within my heart It s true there is a new delight in the heart but not a delight of the new heart Isa. 58.2 Joh. 5.35 for a delight in the Gospel as a good thing not as a good Gospel a delighting in Christ as a Prophet that feeds them not in Christ as a Redeemer Joh. 6.26 that saves them is not a new heart 2. The new heart is a heart universall wholly for God as God there is an inteernesse in it when the whole spirit and soul and body is kept blamelesse 1 Thess. 5.23 1 Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in holy conversations and godlinesses 2 Pet. 3.11 Half a globe though exquisitely plained or half a cart wheell is not a globe nor a cart wheell Externall things may be devided one may be an hearing Professor and a drunken Professor and a praising a singing Professor in publick and not a praying nor a believing Professor in private spirituall duties cannot be devided half a faith half a love is no faith no love saving grace is
be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead That was a judiciall declaration Acts 2.24 Having loosed the pains of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a King by authority and judicially looses a prisoner from his fetters having no more to say against him Psa. 105.20 The King sent and loosed him Isa. 50.8 He is near that justifies me who is he that contends with me in judgement Rom. 6.9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death shall no more have Lordship or Lordly dominion over him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the word Luk. 22.25 The Kings of the Gentiles bear dominion over them Rom. 14.9 Death had some Kingly dominion in Justice and by Law over him But Christ by Law of satisfactory payment who was also the mighty Son of God wrought himself out of the grips and fetters of death So in Christ death hath lost Law-dominion over the beleever It is against Justice and the just Covenant between Jehovah and Christ that we should be for ever among the worms and not at length be loosed from the sting and victory of the grace O death thou shalt thou must let the captives go free 1 Cor. 15.55 Hos. 13. the prison must be a free Jayle when iron gates and fetters are broken We have in Christ a good cause the cause and action of Law is win and carried on our favours 2. There is a promise of heavenly influences made to Christ Isa. 50.4 He wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned 5. The Lord hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious Some great Divines say Christ had no sleepy nor closed ear he must there speak of Isaiah But so there was no sinfull drynesse in Christ Was He not therefore anointed Isa. 42.1 I will put my Spirit upon him Then all influences are promised also Isa. 11.2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him 3. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and he shal not judge after the sight of his eyes c. 2. Christ was assured he could not sin and so of influences to duties Joh. 5.30 Joh. 8.26 27 38 50 55. Joh. 10.38 though he wanted influences at a time as touching consolation and the felt fruition of God being forsaken for a time Psal. 22.1 Luk. 22.44 Math 27.45 But Adam as he was not to beleeve perseverance nor yet sinfully to fear falling so neither was he to beleeve influences to all acts of obedience they not being promised to him Yet was not Adam to beleeve his own reprobation for it was neither true nor a revealed truth Then the only nearest way against deadnesse and drynesse is to have recourse to the fountain and fulnesse of life that is in Christ. Literall quickning of our selves miskenning Christ out of whose fulnesse we receive produceth but literall fardinesse 3. The speciall and cardinall promise I will be his God Psal. 89.26 and he shall cry to me Thou art my Father my God and the rock of my salvation is bound up with Christ in the Covenant of Suretyship and is the key and corner stone of the frame and building of the Covenant of Grace Joh. 20.17 Go to my Brethren saith Christ to Magdalen and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God It s comfortable talking that Christ saith to us I and you Beleevers are the Children of the same Father and have one Covenant-relation to one God though as is said Christ bear the relation of a Surety-Covenant to God and we of a Covenant of Mediation and notwithstanding of the differences yet it may be said that Christ and Beleevers are in one writ and one letter of acquittance dischargeth both from condemnation Christ from condemnation of punishment us from condemnation of inherent guiltinesse and punishment Blessed we to be unite to him every way and to joine our Amen and consent to the Covenant yea and in regard of profession we should subâ—cribe and write our names to it Isa. 44.1 2 3. Our maimed and broken and half consent proclaims an overly and cold Covenanting It s true parties are but once married once Covenanting by oath is as good as twenty but frequent and multiplied acts of marriage-love adde a great deal of firmnesse and of strength to the Marriage band they are confirmations of our first subscription Renewed acts of faith to take Christ for Jesus and Redeemer and renewed acts of love do more and more ingadge the heart to Christ as Lord and King Little conversing with Christ deadens marriage-love Rare visits and thin bring on worn out acquaintance We are apt to complain he visits us seldome that is because we have not the childish hire of consolation and feeling we refuse to work and yet we should look at comfort for the duty and not on the duty for the comfort when it s a duty to our Father And who looks upon the comfort both as a comfort and a duty 1 Thes. 4.18 Comfort one another with these words and so must they comfort themselves Comfort is mainly for beleeving Colos. 2.2 Heb. 6.18 and there is a feast and a fill of joy in beleeving Rom. 15.13 We seek but a comfort and a joy of chearing and solacing our selves and that is all 4. There is promised to Christ a seed Isa. 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the children that God hath given me Jacob by Covenant served for Rachel Christ also served suffered and died of love for his Spouse Eph. 5.25 26. Isa. 53. he shall be satisfied A Redeemed seed was his end and we endure hard labour for a desired end and we are sick till we get the great end we aim at It s true the honour of God was the speciall end Joh. 12.28 c. 17.1 yet it was heart satisfaction to Christ to have all his off-spring and children with him Joh. 17.24 How should Christ not be our end See if ye do all and suffer all to fetch this shoar Phil. 3.8 9. Examine comparative ends by-ends self ends It s impossible a man can be ignorant of his last and main end so strong an impulsion it hath upon his heart 5. There 's not onely a seed but a rich conquest the heathen promised and the ends of the earth Psal. 2.8 9. Dominion from sea to sea Zech. 9.10 Psal. 72.8 Dan. 7.14 and both this and the former satisfies Christ. There is not a sight so desirable to the eye of Christ as to see all his Redeemed ones conquering and last in the fields and fairly landed on the shoar passed Gun-shot and reach of all temptations We satisfy our unbeleeving hearts too much Ah! who can stand temptations are so strong But as JEHOVAH fully satisfies Christs soul his hope his aim and intended
man sins not before God nor against the law of the land in that he lives nor can he be called an usurper and unjust malae fidei possessour of his life For the sentence was not that he should take away his life with his own hand but that it should be taken away by the judiciall hand and executioner of the Magistrate Nor is this Providentiall right a right of meer permission but of positive donation and free-gift for then we might by the same reason say that Reprobate men have a right of meer permission to keep and injoy the knowledge of these that God is Superiours Parents are to be honoured the whole is more then the part Yea they have the same naturall and providentiall right by nature that other sinners have to the one as to the other 2. These who injoy that of which they deserve to be deprived they sin in the act of using as touching the substance of the act of living being eating drinking That is most false These who injoy that of which they deserve to be deprived they in modo in the way maner and end of living eating c. do sin It is true and such have not spirituall and supernaturall right in Christ which they ought to have if they be in the Visible Church and hearers of the Gospel to life being and the creatures and they sin in not believing Rom. 14. not eating for the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Naturall men care not if they have and injoy things so they have them They have being so have earth stones c. they live so doe trees and hearbs they have health so have beasts and birds they swallow up many years so do Ravens and Harts and other beasts a long lump many thousand yairds and miles of life are sought diu sunt non diu vivunt But who lives for God who sleeps who wakes who eats for God and his Glory and they who make themselves their last end Idolatrously put self in the roome of God who only is the last end of all Rom. 11.36 Rev. 4.11 Prov. 16.4 and as good make self the first Author of Heaven and Earth and Creator as the last end Ye who eat and drink who pays your reckoning Christ Or are you usurpers Have you any Charter Or do ye robbe the Lord Q. What way is God ours A. By Covenant Ezek. 34.24 Genes 17.7 Jere. 32.38 Zech. 13.9 But he is not ours as if we had some gifted right and dominion over him as we have over the creatures 2. Nor is he ours as we are his the clay hath no soveraignty over the Potter Nor 3. is God simply as God ours but God as it were coming down in Christ to us Covenant-wayes as God incarnate to make out his goodnesse grace mercy to and for us 4. It s true God incarnate Christ is principally Gods 1 Cor. 3.21 not ours He is all for God he is Immanuel our Immanuel in order to save us and so is more ours then the God of Angels 2. God is the fluier of the Saints desire more to them then all heaven in the length and breadth thereof and all the inhabitants thereof Psal. 73.25 Isa. 63.16 more then all the Angels and Saints 1 Thes. 4.16 2. There is no hell to Christ but afar off God Psal. 22.1 Math. 27.45 no heaven but the glory he had with the father John 17.5 3. There is nothing more like a spiritual disposition then when the Spouse Cant. 3. hath soul-love to Christ I sought him whom my soul loved 2. She hath an ardent desire after him I sought him but I found him not 3. There could not be such diligent search after she found him if there had not been strong faith 4. And her conference with the watchmen Saw ye him whom my soul loveth saith She enjoyed Ordinances and means yet there may be which is to be observed a furniture of grace and a want of Christ I went a little further I found him whom my soul loveth Cant. 5. There is 1. a waking heart 2. A discerning of the Beloved and a telling over again of his words Open to me my sister c. 3. A stirring of Christs hand upon the key-hole of the heart 4. A moving of the bowels for him 5. A seeking of him and a praying but no finding nor answer 6. A love-sicknesse for him and yet a missing of himself I sought him but I found him not So compare Cant. 1.1 4. with Cant. 2 3 4. with v. 6 8. and other places it will be clear a God-head can only quiet the spirit and that its a question whether we know the field where the Pearle is and the Rubies Saphirs precious stones that are hid here which do in worth exceed the capapacity of Angels and Saints Therefore should his glory be the last end and stirrer of us in all our actings and grace the only efficient in all and so much of God if he be ours by Covenant as our wayes intentions may smell of him But there is much of the creature of self of gain of empty glory in our spirituall actings God weighs not down the creature nor heaven and union with Christ as Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 2. It s a spirituall soul that misseth God rather then the train of all the graces of faith love hope dâ—siâ—e of and joying in him And know he is away though heaven were in the heart and can discern when the Ordinances are empty 3. It engages all we are hands knees body Exo. 20.5 Psal. 44.20 1 Cor. 6.19 self to be for God and to live wholly in him not in our selves 4. We are not to believe in believing nor to be sick of love with the love of Christ nor to make a god of faith or love It s a spirituall condition to have grace and to misse Christ. CHAP. X. Q. WHat are the false grounds of the Lords making the Covenant of Grace A. There are two bastard grounds devised by Arminians 1. Because the Covenant of Works cannot oblidge both to active and passive obedience but to one of them only say they and the Covenant of Works was so rigid that God could not follow it out and cast infants in hell for a sin which is theirs only by imputation and was pardoned to the first man that committed it Therefore he was necessitated to make a Covenant of Grace with all mankind none excepted But the Covenant of Works is broken and can now be a way of Justification and salvation to none but yet it oblidges all And sin cannot make us lawlesse for the spirituall Law is of an eternall obligation 2. They that never heard of Christ perish by the Law and not by the Covenant of Grace of which they never heard and the Gospel is written in the heart of none 3. The first Covenant was holy and spirituall and God should unjustly threaten death upon infants if they be not guilty of
you are debters to keep the whole Law perfectly as the only way to life and by no other Covenant can you be justified and saved now Abraham was not circumcised that way circumcision did bind Abraham to keep the Law as a Ceremonie and Seal of the Covenant of Grace commanded of God But the Law as a Covenant of Works doth command no Ceremonie no Sacrifice no Type of Christ Mediator at all It s true that first Covenant had Moses for its mediator but as he was a Type of Christ so Christ yesterday and the day was the reall Mediator but vailed The New Covenant hath better promises Heb. 8.6 Heb. 7.22 it s a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 hath a better reall not a Typicall suretie a better Priest who offered himself through the eternall Spirit Heb. 9.14 a better Sacrifice because of the plainenesse Iohn 16.29 2 Cor. 3.18 because the reall promises are made out to us because of a larger measure of Grace 2 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4. And the first Covenant is faultie Heb. 8.7 not because there was no Salvation by it the contrare is Heb. 11. but that is comparatively spoken because the blood of beasts therein could not take away sins Heb. 10.1 2 3 4. because forgivenesse of sins is promised darkly in the first Covenant but plainly in the other because Grace is promised sparingly in the former but here abundantly the Law being written in the heart John 7.39 Esa. 54.13 And it is true Gal. 4.22 23 24 c. they seeme to be made contrare Covenants But Paul speaks Gal. 3. of the Law as relative to that people and so it pressed them to Christ and keeps them as young Heires under nonage 2. He speaks of the Law absolutely as contradistinguished from the Gospel Gal. 4.21 so it is a Covenant of Works begetting children to bondage 2. Who come short of righteousnesse and the inheritance and shall not be saved 3. Who are casten out of the Kingdome of Grace 4. Who persecute the Godly the Sons of promise so is the Law as it was in Adams dayes and is now to all the Reprobate so the Godly are not under the Law and the Covenant of Works The Covenant urged upon Believers is to prove them when they stand afar off and tremble Exod. 20.20 Fear not saith Moses God is come to prove you not to damne you and therefore Calvine solidely observeth that Paul 2 Cor. 3. speaks with lesse respect of the Law then the Prophets do for their cause who out of a vain affectation of the Law-Ceremonies gave too much to the Law and darkned the Gospel and sayeth the one was 1. Literall 2. Written in stone 3. A Sermon of death and wrath 4. To be done away and lesse glorious whereas the Gospel is Spirituall 2. Written on the heart 3. The Ministrie of life 4. And glorious and praises put upon the Law agree not to it of its own nature but as it was used by the Lord to prove them Exod. 29.20 and chase them to Christ. The Arminians also especially Episopius make three Covenants 1. One with Abraham in which he requires sincere worship and putting away strange gods Beside 2. Faith and Universall obedience and promised Canaan to his seed and Spirituall blessings darkly 2. One in Mount Sinai in these three Laws Morall Ceremoniall and Judiciall with a promise of Temporall good things but to no sinners promise of life Eternall 3. A Covenant of Grace with a promise of pardon and life to all that believe and repent to all mankind but he denyes 1. All infused habits contrare to Isa. 44.1 2 3. Isa. 59.20 21. Zach 12.10 Joh. 4.14 Joh. 7.37 John 16.7 8. 1 John 3.9 he sayeth that 2. all commands are easie by Grace 3. That the promise of earthly things in their abundance is abolished in that we are called to patient suffering 4. That there is no threatning in this Covenant but that of Hell fire But the Covenant made with Abraham is that of Grace made with all the Seed Deut. 30.6 Deut. 7.5 6 7 12. Lev. 26.40 41. and made with all Believers who are Abrahams children Gal. 3.13 14 18 19. Rom. 4.1 2 3 4. Luke 19.9 yea with the whole race of man without exception 2. The second Covenant which promiseth only blessings is made rather with beasts that well fed then with men contrare to Psal. 73.25 Isa. 57.1.2 3. Psal. 37.37 and it must build some Chalmer in hell where the fathers were before Christ a dreame unknown to Scripture The third Covenant makes the Covenant of Grace a Covenant of Works and holds out life and pardon upon condition that free-will repent and believe and stand on its own feet for there is neither faith nor a new heart nor repentance promised contrare to Deut. 30.6 Ezek. 11.19 20. Ezek. 36.26 27. Isa. 59.19 20 21. Isa. 44.1 2 3 4 5. Zech. 12.10 CHAP. XII 1. All are to try under what Covenant they are 2. Threatnings under the New Testament are more spirituall 3. Desertions under both are compared 4. Considerable differences of such as are under the Covenant of Works and such as are under the Covenant of Grace 5. Of legall terrors 6. Of convictions compelled free legall c. Quest. 1. WHether should not all try under what Covenant they are Answ. Self-searching is a reflect act upon the state and such acts are more spirituall then direct acts and therefore it should be the work of all to try under what reign they are whether of the first or second Adam And whereâ—s Angels cover their faces and their feet with wings Isa. 6. before God and are full of eyes as without so also within Râ—v 4.8 We may hence learn such come nearest to the nature of these pure and heavenly Spirits who have eyes within to see what they are and their blacknesse of face and feet when they compare themselves either with the Holy God or his Holy Law 2. The Carnall man is a beast Psal 49.20 and beasts have no reflect acts upon their own beastly state 3. The more of a spirituall life is in any the more stirring in communing with their own heart the Law makes the more of life that is in the worme when tramped on the more stirring it makes deadnesse and stupiditie in not being versed and well read and skilled in our selves and our own heart argues little of the Spirit and estrangement to a spirituall Covenant nor can any lay hold on the Covenant of Grace in a night dream Quest. Whether are there rarer threatnings of Temporall evils under the New Covenant then under the Old Answ. It cannot be denyed except the threatnings of the Sword Famine Pestilence on Jerusalem and the desolation upon the Jews Math. 23. Math. 24. but in place of all the diseases of Egypt Levit. 26. and the long Roll of dreadfull judgements and curses temporall Deut. 28. denounced against the transgressours of the former
that Christ is the Son of God Luke 4.34 and so doeth the carnall Jew teach that it is not lawfull to steal to commit adultery Rom. 2.21 22. But in the Old and New Testament Devils never accuse themselves of sin but tempt to it and challenge the Law and God Gen. 3.4 5. of unjustice never themselves Divels are most properly under the Covenant of Works and by no command is the Gospel Preached to them and next to them are such as are found in the letter of the Gospel but never convinced of sin Such are most under the Law as have least Law-work and Law-condemnation upon their Spirits these that are under the Law most as touching their state are most under the letter least under the Spirit as touching any penall awaking To be under Law-bondage is a more punishment to Divels and men under a Law state for legall terrors are upon Divels Math. 8.29 Jam. 2.19 and Cain Gen. 4.14 punishment as such neither maketh nor denominateth any gracious it is but accidentall to prepare any for Christ many tormented with the Law have believed such a case to be the pain of the second birth when it was but a meer Law-feaver and have returned to their vomit and become more loose and profane 1. Because the Law as the Law can convert none 2. Wrestling with Law-bondage without any Gospel-Grace is but a contradicting of God and his justice and God recompenceth opposing and blaspheming of him in hell with more sinfull loosenesse 3. Law-light under legall terrors shines more clearly and the guiltinesse in not making use of rods of that nature is so much the more grievous Ye that have been scadded and burnt in this furnace and are come back from hell are taught by sense to believe there is a hell and though hell torment can convert no man yet it renders men more unexcusable Humbling wakning and sanctifying Law-bondage is more then a work of the Law when it brings forth confessing praying believing humble submitting to God in Job David Hâ—zekiah Heman and what a Physician is Christ who can heal us with burning and coals of hell 3. A man under a Law-work may give a legall and dead assent to both the truth and goodnesse of the promises liberally conceived as temporaries doe and Simon Magus wonders but Saul Acts 9. the Jaylor trembles Acts 16. but that is in regard of the conviction not of the mind only but of the conviction of affection and the yeelding to what shall I do But Foelix trimbleth but only in regard of literall conviction on the mind but neither he nor Magus comes to what shall I doe they differ as the burning light of a fire which both casts light and with it shiâ—ing heat also and the light that precious stones cast in the night which is both little and hath no heat Fyrie and piercing convictions are good there is a dead conviction of the letter that doth not profite 4. There is a strong Law-conviction that vengeance followeth the scaddings of Sodomie and the killing of parents because naturall instinct kindles and fires the soul with Law-apprehensions when the minde hath engraven sharpnesse to discerne undenyable principles but the conscience is more dull in apprehending that spirituall vengeance followeth such spirituall sins as unbelief because untill there be some supernaturall revelation we are dead to the Gospel truths and Gospel sins but when a common Grace hightens the soul to a supernaturall assent that Christ is a Teacher sent of God Joh. 7.28 Joh. 3.2 the conviction is more strong But because it is more supernaturall and in stead of kindly affection of love which it wants it is mixed with hatred and anger and so degeners into fierie indignation against the Holy Ghost as Joh. 15.24 compared with Math. 12.15 26.31 cleareth 5. Conviction which is no more but conviction is no godly principle nor makes any heart change yea it goes dangerously on to wonder and despise except it send down coals of fire to the affections 6. He who is under the Covenant of Grace findes a threefold sweetnesse in obedience 1. An inbred sweetnesse in the command 2. In the strength by which he acts 3. An inbred sweetnesse in a communion with God No man is any other way under the Law then under a yoak what is only written seems the oldnesse of the letter Rom. 7. and is dead of it self and layes on a burden but gives no back to bear He that is under Grace findes sweetnesse of delight in a positive Law though the thing commanded be as hard to flesh and blood as to be crucified Joh. 10.18 yet it obtains a sweetnesse of holinesse from Gods will Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O God even to be made a curse and crucified Thy Law is within my heart and he would but fulfill all righteousnesse even that which seems to be the outside of the Gospel to be sprinkled with water Math. 3.15 and this Christ would doe as under the Covenant of Grace 2. The stirrings and breathings of the Spirit makes the work sweet hearing brings burning of heart Luke 24.32 willing gladnesse Acts 2.41 and some sweetnesse of stirred bowells comes from the Lords putting in his hand through the Key-hole of the door of the heart Cant. 5.4 where as to an naturall man under the Law to lift up a Prayer is to carie a milstone on his back every syllabe of a word is a stone weight which he cannot bear 3. Were there no more in praying but a communion with God how sweet is it when Christ prayeth the fashion of his countenance is changed Luke 9.29 There is a heaven in the bosome of Prayer though there were never a granting of the sute sure there is a sin in making heaven a hire and in making duty a relative thing a horse for a journey a ship for a voyage to fetch home gold where as there is heaven in praising God before the Throne such as is both work and wages and so in spirituall duties here 7. Suppose there were no letter of a command because there is suteablenesse between the Law ingraven in the heart and the spirituall matter commanded a childe of Grace under Grace sets about duties so that in a maner there is no need to say to David Get thee to Jerusalem and to the house of God for he sayeth Psal. 122.1 I was glad when they said let us go to the house of the Lord. As there needs no command that the Father love the child nor is there need to exhort the Sea to ebbe and flow or the Sun to shine nor are many arguments usefull to presse the mother to give suck to the child nature stands for a Law here the strength of the ingraven Law in the heart overpowreth the letter So the new nature the indwelling anointing as a new instinct putteth the child of Grace to act But here we are to bewar that we
s a conjecture that they came with a may be or as Mr. Cobbet well sayeth a faith grounded upon a possibilitie of Election separated from the Covenant that is secret and the Covenant revealed and so this not election abstracted from that can be the ground of faith Deut. 29.29 and when Christ saith Math. 18.4 10. that little ones Angels behold the face of his Father and the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 1.13 that Angels are Minstring Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these that shall by heritage or lot injoy salvation It s clear infants have their share of salvation and by Covenant it must be As also the blessed seed is promised to Adam before he have a child and to his seed To Seth Japhet Isaac Jacob Abraham when Cainan Cham Ishmael Esau Abrahams Idolatrous house to David when his brethren are refused and to these as heads of Generations when contrare Generations and the houses of Cainan Cham Ishmael are rejected Hence the house of Israel the seed of Israel the seed of Jacob and there shall be added to the Gentiles Isa. 49. who shall bring in to the Church their sons and their daughters upon their shoulders 22. Isa. 54.1 Sing O barren for moe are the children of the desolate then of the maried wife saith the Lord Isa. 60.4 Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves about they shall come to thee thy sons shall come from far and thy sons shall be nourished at thy side Israel marying and Israel according to the flesh is the holy seed Neh. 7.61 Neh. 9.2 the holy seed have mingled with the heathen 1 Chron. 16.13 O ye seed of Israel his servants ye children of Jacob whom he hath chosen be mindfull of his Covenant And this holinesse by externall Covenanting is extended to the Gentiles 1 Cor. 7.14 But now are your children holy and its holinesse the Jews to be called in Rom. 11.16 If the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy 〈◊〉 also the branches So it is prophecied Isa. 61.9 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the people All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord holy by Covenant as was Aarons house because in Covenant visibly with God men shall call you the Ministers of our God Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall ye boast your selves Isa. 62.2 Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named v. 12. And they shall call them the holy people the Redeemed of the Lord And thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken Isa. 65.22 As the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people and mine Elect by calling shall long injoy the work of their hands Sure he Prophesies of a visibly Covenanted people under the New Testament For he adds v. 23. They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth in trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Now to any Godly Reader there is here 1. ◠Prophesie to be fulfilled of the Gentiles brought in as is clear Isai. 6◠1 2 3 4. Christ Luke 4. applyes that Text to himself And 9. Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles Isa. 62.2 The Gentiles shall see thy Righteousnesse And for Chapter 65.1 2 3 4. Paul expounds it of the in-coming of the Gentiles Rom. 9.24.26 Rom. 10.20 Eph. 2.12.13 Rom. 15.20 2. He speaks of a Visible Church and of their seed known among the Gentiles all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Isa. 5◠9 But they did not see the white Stone the seal of their election and a new Name which none can read but he that receives it Rev. ◠1◠And they see them a seed and off-spring of the Covenanted people of God Isa. 62.12 They shall call them the holy people then they must judge them a Visible Church But a Church of such as are predestinate to glory they cannot see them to be 3. Isai. 55. They are a Visible Church 21. They shall build houses and inhabite them 22. They shall not build and another inhabite They shall not plant and another eat And the reason is 23 Because they are they shall be it s a Prophesie under the New Testament the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Jer. 23.22 As the Host of Heaven cannot be numbred neither the sand of the sea measured so will I multiply the seed of David What seed The visible seed And the Levits that Minister unto me will I multiply He alludes to the promise made to Abraham of multiplying his seed Gen. 13.15 Gen. 15.5 Gen. 2.17 And this promise made to Abraham saith Calvin belongs to them all and he would have them not to doubt of the restitution of the people to their own Land Now the people and Levits and house of David were never so multiplied in the Jews after the deliverance from Babylon and therefore must be extended to the New Testament And if God establish Davids seed for ever Psal. 89.4 And the seed of his people shall possesse the gates of their enemies Gen. 24.60 And if he powre his Spirit upon the seed of Jacob Isai. 44.3 and Circumcise the heart of the seed of his people Deut. 30.6 and put his words in the mouth of the seed of his people and their seeds seed for ever Isai. 59.21 And the seed of the righteous be blessed on earth Psal. 37.26 not simply because they are a seed for the whole seed of man should be blessed if so but because they are the seed of his servants Psal. 69.36 of the Jews Esther 6.13 the Children of his Servants Psal. 102.28 See Jer. 31.35 35 37. Isa. 6.13 because the seed of Abraham and in the Covenant made with Abraham Exod. 2.24 2 Kings 13.23 Psal. 105.8 9. Psal. 111.5 9. Gen. 17.2 7 9. Lev. 26.42 45. Ezek. 16.60 Luke 1.72 Exod. 6.4 Deut. 8.18 c. Then must the Covenant be established under the New Testament with the Visible seed and if there were an abridging and contracting of this favour to the Elect only it would have been shewed and the Charter of reservation and exception must have been penned in the Old or New Testament 2. Otherwise the seed of all Gentiles called in to Christ by the Preached Gospel must be visibly cursed of God cut off from the people of God separated from the Lord from the Congregation of his people not to the tenth Generation only as the Ammonite the Moabite the Bastard Deut. 23.1 2 3. and Excommunicated out of the Camp as unclean nor should Christians marry or Covenant with them As Deut. 23.14 Lev. 13.43 44 45 46. Deut. 7.1 2 3. Exod.
34.15 16. 1 King 11.2 Ezra 9.2 12. Nehem. 13.23 Judg. 3.6 7. Judg. 4.2 3. Except there be some middle between a cursed and a blessed seed a seed in the Church and in Covenant and the seed of the Serpent of Heathen without the Covenant 2. A middle between the Kingdom of darknesse of Satan and the Kingdom of God of his dear Son Contrair to Eph. 2.2 3 4. Acts 26.18 Col. 1.13 14. 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Eph. 5.8 which is unknown to Scripture Yea the Covenant is made to Christ and his seed Gal. 3.16 and the same blessings of Abraham comes on us Gentiles Gal. 3.13 14. But he and all his seed were blessed and in grace by the externall call of the Covenant Ezek. 16.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Deut. 7 7 8. Rom. 10.25 I will call them my people that were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved And this externall calling is of Grace and so Grace no merit as well as predestination to life is grace or for grace For whosoever are called not because Elect but because freely loved of such a God and without merit called Father and Son they are in a state of graceâ— But so are all within the Visible Church If any object by Christs comming all the Nations old and young are not become the Nations of the Lord and of his Christ but only true Believers even by our Doctrine Answ. They are become the Kingdoms of the Lord not only because they are truely converted but because they are the chosen of God in the Office-house of Christ and Christ reigns over them by the Scepter of his Word whom he is to convert And external Covenanting with God is of it self free Grace and a singular favour bestowed of God Psal. 147.19 20. Deut. 5.1 2. Mat. 21.42 43. Luke 14.16.21 2. It is free Grace that God will have hypocrites and real infidels to beget children to him that are internally in Covenant with him and fills up the number of the Elect by Reprobate Parents who are instrumentall to the in-coming in the world and into the Visible Church of many Heirs of Glory and in so doing there is a Church right communicated from Reprobate Parents to their Children that are Heirs of Glory 3. Externall Covenanting goes before internall Covenanting as the means before the end and the cause before the effect For faith comes by hearing of a sent Preacher Rom. 10.14 and the Preaching of the Gospel is a saving means of begeting a new heart and of a new spirit Hence 1. All must be first externally in Covenant before they can be internally and really in Covenant 2. God is a God simply to some and no more but a God to them in regard of outward Church priviledges as the Word Seals Protection Peace Hedge of Discipline his planting and watering by a Ministry But he is to speak so more then a God to others Hos. 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercy Now the Lord is joyned to back-sliding Israel in an externall marriage Covenant But Jer. 3.14 not in righteousnesse in loving kindnesse and mercy in reference to the rotten party In regard of which he saith v. 2. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife neither am I her husband Zech. 8.7 Thus saith the Lord I will save my people from the East Countrey and from the West Countrey 8. And I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and in righteousnesse Then he is not to all a God in truth and righteousnesse fulfilling the first and substantiall promise of ingraving the Law in the heart not that he keeps not Covenant even to external confederatâ— to wit the conditionall Covenant for if they should beleeve they should be saved but he promised not a new heart and faith to them 3. Because he is a God externall to the Elect and that of free Grace therefore he is a God in truth and righteousnesse to ingrave his Law in their heart But externall confederation is not the adequate cause for then he should give a new heart to all with whom he externally Covenants but the adequate cause is confederation external tali modo out of his discriminating love and free grace he is a God to some 4. He is a God to his Elect that he may ingrave his Law in their heart and inward parts so that the promising to be a God tali modo is the cause and the ingraving of a new heart is the effect Jer. 31.33 Jer. 32.38 And they shall be my people and I will be their God That is the cause 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them See the same order Ezech. 11.19 20. though the words ly not in that order there and here And Heb. 8.10.5 God is not then a God to any because they have a clean heart and the Law ingraven therein for then they should be in Covenant before they be in Covenant And so this is true because he is our God in truth and righteousnesse therefore we beleeve but this is not true because we beleeve therefore he is our God except we argue from the effect to the cause But to return Calvine on Matth 19.14 We hence gather that the grace of Christ is extended to Infant age for whole mankind had perished Beza Infants are also comprehended in the free Covenant Pareus its unlawfull to â—â—barre these from baptism and the Church whom Christ â—â—ds come to him c. Obj. But Christ commands not they be baptized Answ. Nor doth Christ in this place command the Parents to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Nor speak the Evangelists of any Parentall duty shall we from that conclude it was not Christs mind that the Parents take care of the fourth fifth Command Pareus saith it was neither time nor place Mat. 28.19 he bids baptize all 3. He who prayed for them blessed them laid his hands upon them invited them to bring Infants to him of all which Infants were as uncapable as of the use and ends of Baptism and of actuall confession of sin and of beleeving judged they ought be Baptized 4. It s never to be found where any are Baptized but the Head of the Family is Baptized And when we read that houses were Baptized 1 Cor. 1.16 Acts 16.33 There is no more ground to say Infants are not Baptized then to say when the Lord saith to Abraham Gen. 12.2 I will blesse thee and make thy name great And 22.17 in blessing I will blesse thee And when the Lord saith Isai. 19.25 blessed be Aegypt my people he should mean he would blesse Abraham
of Works and also under the Covenant of Grace for they are contrair dispensations and contrair wayes of salvation He who is under the Law is not under Grace and he who is under Grace is married to Christ as to another Husband Rom. 7.4 and not under the Law 3. Saving grace is not in vain but effectuall 1 Corinth 15.10 1 Tim. 1.14 And wee are saved by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 15.11 and no greater mercy can be wished to any then the grace of our Lord Jesus Rom. 16.20 2 Cor. 13.14 Rev. 22.21 by which we are called justified and glorified If it be said that this grace is not that effectuall saving grace bestowed upon the Elect but a generall remote gracious power by which we may acquire the saving grace proper to the Elect. But so 1. that grace saving proper to the Elect by this means is in the power of all Pagans and all must be gifted with a power to purchase that grace proper to the Elect That must be strange conquishing we must all be made our own efficacious Redeemers and Christ is a Saviour by merit not by efficacy For if this saving grace be infused it is either infused we doing nothing to which they cannot stand Or then it is acquired and so we make the generall grace saving and proper to the Elect which everteth the nature of saving grace and makes it the purchase of works And they must say that Christ hath merited a generall ineffectuall power to some and that he dyed to merit a speciall saving grace to others Let us have a warrant for this that Christ both died equally to save all and yet with two contrary intentions to purchase a power of believing which should be effectuall to some to save them and ineffectuall to others If it be said that Christ dyed to merite the same generall power to all but some make it ineffectuall some not This saith thus 1. That Christs death might have it's fruit and effect though all perish 2. That Christ dyed to merite a far off lubrick and possible venture of heaven such as was the case of the first Adam 3. Christ dyed not to purchase a new heart more to one then to another whereas 1 Pet. 1.18 19. the blood the Lord shed is to Redeem us from our vain conversation in a naturall state aswell as to save us from the wrath to come Then must Christ have died to buy Pagans from Paganism and Idolatry and that either absolutely and then why should multitudes so die in their sins If conditionally what can be the condition going before conversion to wit that we should be delivered from our vain conversation so we be willing before our conversion to be delivered from our vain conversation And shall not the Question recur concerning that condition In a word they will have Christs death to buy Heaven but not to buy faith without which Heaven is impossible Yea he no more bought to men a grace sweetly and strongly inclining the will to believe then he bought such a grace to the damned devils He purposed to give to all Pagans a power by which they should be made fit to perform all that the Gospel requires and be fit to be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints Col. 1. And yet Paul gives thanks to God for that bestowed on the Colossians and God must by this call all men to Christ either mediately or immediately And say that God is prepared ever to give more and more as we use the former well and that all by sufficient grace saith Corvinus are disposed to conversion but that sufficiency is not habituall grace but actuall assistance conveying the Preached Word which is to bring all to free-wills power rejecting all infused power and to make an influence of grace which is in the power of free will to use or not to use and to stand in two 1. In a measure of heavenly Doctrine 2. In the stirring upon the heart Whence 1. Grace habituall so is denyed then the will needeth no healing 2. Grace universall is limited to the Word Preached then it is not universall For Pagans hear not the Word Preached 3. There is no other help given to free-will in every act but 1. Information by the Word that was the grace of Pelagius 2. Some influence of God in every act But that addes not new strength to the will Shortly they say Any man may know understand and believe the Gospel if the object be sufficiently proposed and revealed And so the naturall man can no more know and receive the things of the Gospel then he can understand the Metaphysicks the Acromaticks of Aristotle for these he cannot receive but judgeth them folly And so we are the same way blind dead stony-hearted to believe the Gospel as we are to know and believe the mysteries of Aristotles Philosophy Lastly this power of believing and coming to Christ cannot be in all men since the Scripture saith of all men even these within the Visible Church not excepted that untill the light of the Gospel savingly enlighten them they sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Isa. 9.1 Math. 4.15 16. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can come to Christ without the Fathers drawing and God teaching the heart Joh. 6.44 45. The naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot understand the things of God but judges them foolishnesse 1 Cor. 2.14 His wisedome cannot be subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 He cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call the Lord Jesus except by the Spirit of Jesus 1 Cor. 12.3 He is a withered branch being out of Christ and can do nothing Joh. 15.3.4 It shall be clear to any that the Holy Ghost denyeth any such power as they affirm It reckons not much to tell that Jesuites as Martmez de Ripul Swarez Alphonsus Curiel Duvallius Lod. Molma Did. Ruiz Vasquez Bellarmine Phili. Samachaeus Sorbonicus Gulie Estius Dominica Toletus Cardinalis Pirerius Salmeron teach that without saving grace men may and can first know morall truths shining vertues as heathens be free of sin as touching these vertues in their due circumstances 2. Keep the Commandements and Law of Nature 3. Dispose themselves for and obtain the grace of Conversion by their own industrie 4. Be victoâ—rious over this or that weighty temptation singly taken 5. That there is no intrinsecall hurt of free-will that it is wounded a little because of the darknesse of the mind and langour of nature but not dead to actions supernaturall 6. That we may love God as the Author of nature and Creator sincerelie And Arminians teach that we may without the Spirit of God know all truth quantum sufficit ad salutem sufficiently to salvation and so may will love and beleeve without the infused supernaturall habit or grace so their Apologie And the Socinian Catechism c. 6. pag. 212. and Socinus himself Praelect Theol. Cap.
whole and need no Physick 3. Ye loath Christ but knows it not Luke 7.44.45 ye love Christ as a supposed Prophet and loath him as a Redeemer One may deadly hate Christ and not know it 4. Ye cannot compare the two states together the state of nature and the state of Grace as 1 Tim. 1.13 ye idolize your own choise to bear down Achabs Idolatrie but choose not the will of God to oppose Ieroboams Idolatrie 5. Ye want Christ and ye were not born with Christ in the heart 2. Yea ye are eternally lost without him and know neither the one nor the other Quest. 4. Whether or not are beleevers the parties of the Covenant of Grace Ans. These are parties to whom the Covenant-promise is made not these who already have the benefit promised in the Covenant but beleevers must have a new heart and consequently faith already therefore they cannot be parties with whom the Covenant is made As because the Image of God is not promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works but presupposed to be in him by order of nature before God make with him the Covenant of Works else he could not be able to keep that Covenant which we cannot say for God created him right and holy Gen. 1.26 27. Eccles. 7.29 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Therefore Adam in his pure naturalls as not yet indued with the Image of God cannot be the partie with whom the Covenant of Works is made for then the Image of God must either be a reward which Adam by his pure naturalls and strength thereof must purchase by working which the Scripture and nature of the Covenant cannot admit or then the Image of God must be promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works which is no lesse absurd And if faith be promised in the Gospel the Covenant of Grace must be made with some Israel and Judah as predestinated to life eternall and yet wanting a new heart For God cannot Covenantâ—ways promise a new heart to such as have it but to suchÌ„ as have a stony heart and beleeve not Ezek. 36.26 Deut. 30.6 Ezek 11.19 nor can he promise faith to such as have faith this way Quest. 5. Who are these that have the new heart and so are personally and really within the Covenant of grace Ans. Because the new spirit is given when the new heart is given Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit and many in our times boast of the spirit it shall be fit to speak of the new spirit and who are spirituall Hence these Questions of the new spirit Quest. 1. What is the seed of the new spirit Ans. The word of the Gospel therefore before Adam could have the Gospel-spirit the Lord must reveal the Doctrine of the Gospel the seed of the woman must tread down the head of the serpent Gen. 3. So the word and the spirit are promised together Isa. 59.21 Isa. 30.21 Thy teachers shall not be removed and thine ears shall hear this is the inward teaching a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it Isa. 51.16 17. Mat. 28.20 Go teach that is the word Loe I am with you to the end of the world that is the Spirit to make it effectuall by my Spirit Joh. 14.16 17. Object But Adam when he heard first the Doctrine of the blessed seed could not try the Doctrine or speaker by any new Doctrine Ans. The first Doctrine can be tryed by no other rule because it was the first rule it self nor can these principalls written in the heart naturally That God is God is just holy c. be tryed by any other truths because they are first truths As the sense of seeing cannot try whether the Sun be the Sun by the light of some other Sun that is before this Sun which is more lightsome For there is not another Sun before this the Gospel it self hath God shining in it to these who are enlightened as Adam was a Rubbie doth speak that is a Rubbie Obj. How then should Adam know what God spake to him and nâ—t to another are we not to try all spirits that speak Ans. There is a word immediatly spoken by the Prophets and Apostles that is to be tryed partly by the first Preaching the Lord made in Paradise partly by the effects that it converteth the soul Psal. 19.7 and smells of that same Majesty and the divine power of another life which is in the first Sermon Gen. 3.15 this is Verbum Dei immediatum But when God himself speaks in his own person to Adam to Abraham Gen. 22. to Moses Isaiah the Apostles that is Verbum Dei immediatissimum the fountain-word neither word nor speaker is to be tryed The Patriarchs and Prophets are never bidden try the visions of God for when God speaks them himself he makes it evident that it is he and only he who speaks and we read not of any in this deceived Angels or men cannot counterfeit God Obj. There have after the Canon of the Scripture is closed been some men who have Prophesied facts to come that fell out as they foretold just as Isaiah Elias and other Prophets then something is to be beleeved that is not written and such may have the Spirit and yet no word of Scripture goes along with it Ans. 1. Such men may have I confesse a Propheticall spirit but first they were eminently holy and sound in the faith and taught that the Catholick Church should beleeve nothing nor practise nothing but what is warranted by the Word Such as boast of Spirit or Prophesie and reject the word are therefore not to be beleeved 2. What these men of God foretold is a particular fact concerning a man what death he should die or a Nation or a particular such a man shall be eternally saved but no dogma fidei nor any truth that lays bands on the Catholick Church to believe that to the end of the world as all Scripturall truths do and a doubt it is if we are to beleeve these in the individuall circumstances of fact sub periculo peccati upon hazard of sinning against God we may I judge without sin suspend belief and yeeld charity to the speaker 3. If any object the Prophets did foretell particular facts concerning the death of Ahab the birth of Josiah which concerned particular persons I but they so were the maters of fact as the crucifying of Christ was a mater of fact as also they did by the intent of the Holy Ghost contain Historicall Morall and dogmatically divine Instructions so that the whole Catholick Church must believe them with certainty of divine faith they being written and spoken for our Instruction and they sin who believe not Quest. 2. What are we to judge of these truths revealed to Professors when they are in much nearnesse to God and the Lord is pleased to shine upon them in some fulness of manifestation of himself to their
faith of Paul saves Rom. 4. Rom. 5. purifies the heart Acts 15.9 2. A dead faith is no saving and living faith no more then a dead corps is a living man v. 17. 3. A faith that cannot be shown to others in good works as this v. 18. is no faith for it hath no motions of life 4. A faith of the same nature with the faith of the Devils who beleeve and tremble v. 19. 5. A faith which a vain empty professour imagines to be a living faith when it is dead without works as this v. 20. can have no joint influence of life to justifie and save with good works all which saving influences contrair to this saving faith hath 2. It is to be observed that James maketh mention of two sorts of faiths ch 2. which the Adversarie confounds 1. All alongs v. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. he gives vive characters of a dead painted faith which is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vaine empty boaster ver 20. 2. He showes us of a lively faith of Abraham which wrought with his Works now it is a lewd error to make Abrahams faith and the faith of believing Rahab of the same nature with the faith of the vain empty Hypocrite who 's faith is nothing but fair words and with the faith of Divels So the Papists Lorinus Estius Stapleton Mavochius Bellarmine make it an Hypocriticall and dead faith and lively faith as Abrahams was a vitall receiving of Christ and a believing the Lord so as believing is counted for righteousnesse to differ not in nature and essence from the faith of the Devils whereas in the faith of sound Believers there is a Godly submitting and leading captive of the understanding to the obedience of Christ because it is the Lord that speaks and so a receiving of the Word as the Word of God 2 Cor. 10.5 1 Thes. 2.13 Math. 22.32 which is not in the faith of Divels 3. There is in it a receiving of Christ Joh. 1.11 a fiduciall resting of the heart upon God in Christ. And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to confide to betake himself to a luâ—king place where one may be safe from a storme Psal. 2.12 Psal. 11.1 Psal. 31.2 Deut. 32.37 Psal. 118.9 Judg. 9.15 come and 〈◊〉 under my shaddow And this is contradistinguished from the Divels and Hypocrites who cannot seek their lodging nor a hiding place against wrath in the Lord. 2. It is to lean and rest the body 2 Sam. 1.6 Saul leaned upon his spear and by a Metaphore it is to cast the burden upon the Lord Isa. 50.10 Psal. 55.22 hence the word that notes a staffe 2 Sam. 22.18 Isa. 3. the Lord hath broken the stay and the staffe of bread Isa. 30.1 and this is to be done often when there is no present duty to be done nor any work required of us but only a fiduciall relying upon the Lord alone as at the Red Sea Moses and the people were to leane upon JEHOVAH only not to act which cannot be said of the faith of Divels and Hypocrites 3. It is to look with delight and confidence Isa. 17.7 as oppressed servants Psal. 123 1 2. 4. There is a word that notes to be silent not to speak not to move Josh. 10.12 1â— the Sun was silent it moved not It notes a Godly submission that the soul dar not speak against God Psal. 37.7 rest in the Lord file Jehovâ— LXX sub ditus esto Domino Psal. 62.6 whence faith teacheth us to submit and hold our peace and lay the mouth in the dust as a spirit dantoned of God Lev. 10.3 Job 1.21 Lam. 3 28. Ezek. 16 6â— which is far from Hypocrites â— To believe is to cleave to God from a root that signifies to adhere as thingâ— glewed together with pick or glew Psal. 63 â— Josh. 23.8 Deut. 11.22 so we become one Spirit with the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 6. It is a word of near adherence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lean firmly upon any with hope of securitie 2 King 18.5 hast thou leaned upon this reed Hos. 10.13 Psal. 13.6 Psal. 31.7 Deut. 12.10 Thou shalt dwell safely confidently it places the soul under the Rock of Omnipotencie 7. It is to roll thy self upon God and is borrowed from heavy bodies Josh. 10.18 Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave Genes 29.3 Psal. 22.9 he trusted in the Lord rolling himself on the Lord. Prov. 16.3 commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Cartwright sayeth it is a Metaphore from men who being oppressed with a burden transfer it off themselves upon one who is mightier and stronger it is excellent when the heart rolles all its cares upon the Lord and disburdens it self upon him 8. There is a word that noteth to leane to stay or stablish to strengthen Isa. 48.2 2 Chron. 32.8 the people rested themselves upon the word of Ezekiah Cant. 2.5 stay me with flagons Psal. 71.6 I have leaned upon thee from the womb and it notes to draw near Ezek. 24.2 so it is to strengthen and make strong the heart that is trembling and shaking if it be not stayed upon God And shall all these excellencies of faith be in the faith of Divels and Hypocrites and therefore it is most absurd to make the faith of Abraham all one in nature with the faith of Divels and Hypocrites and to make the difference only in having Works and no Works as if there were the same heart leaning soul rolling and cleaving to the Lord by faith in Abraham and in Hypocrites and Divels who tremble 3. That Scripture Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Is not Gen. 22. when he did justifie himself by the work of sacrificing Isaac But it is Gen. 15.6 when the son of promise Isaac a type of Christ is promised to him at which time there was no work at all required of Abraham but only believing the promise for what should Abraham act or do to further the fulfilling of that promise for he believed that Gospel promise in the mean time with a faith lively and having with it as a concomitant a resolution to walk before God and be perfect 〈◊〉 then the Text shall say Gen. 15.6 Abraham resolved to be fruitfull in good works when he heard the promise and that resolution of good works was counted to him for righteousnesse which is most violent 4. Who so are justified causally and in the sight of God by Workes as James saith to him workes are counted as the formaâ—â— cause for so James from Scripture ver 23. Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believed God and it was counted to him for righteoâ—â—nesse Which sayeth by that faith he was declared or by that 〈◊〉 was justified which was imputed to him for righteousnâ—â—â—e But his beleeving or his faith living and working like the â—ody quickened with the Spirit was counted to him for righteâ—â—snesse
spirituall Arguments upon a renewed man as an Argument from a painted feather works upon a child more then an Argument from an inheritance which no doubt will work upon a man come to age and yet neither the one nor the other works upon a renewed mind to remove him off Christ his rock Hence it is 3. that Acts of Omnipotency are used as Morall Arguments also God works in you to will and to do therefore work out your salvation And choosing redeeming calling justifying quickening converting are brought in as causes in Scripture both reall and morall but they work morally on reason where there is an impression of faith and principle of life The Gospel works on an unrenewed man to perswade him almost to be a Christian Ye may perswade a youth to a course and get his word consent and write but because reason is green and young he falls off it again but a man of judgement shall stand to it yet if he be not renewed reason is also green and raw before a spirituall temptation Quest. What are the actings of a mortified man Ans. No actings 2. Slow actings and lent 3. Actings indifferent 4. Closing with contrair providences reproaches work not on mortification to fire the man Psal. 35.12 They speak mischievous things 13. But I as a deaf man heard not David feared to be the reproach of the foolish Such a case though from God would raise a cry in a child of this world Psal. 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou did it A mortified man is dead to the voice of men-singers and women-singers and musicall instruments of all sorts Eccles. 2.8 and houses gardens vineyards orchards great possessions cattell treasures gold silver are all as musick to a dead man and repenting Solomon now mortified looks on them as a wise man upon experienced vanitie and vexation of spirit Will he sing and dance at a shadow Except a mad man none will do that 2. If any thing without a child of God work upon him they move him not much Psal. 131.2 Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned child Acts 20.24 None of these things move me I make not much reckoning of bands Peter 1 Pet. 4.12 will have the saints not to think burning quick strange graces motions are quiet slow modest there is not much fire in the spirit of a weaned child A mortified soul is as a sea that hath no winds nor low ebbings nor high spring tides Grace stirres leasurely and lentely toward all things except to God were there ten Paradices offered to it it cryes not a dying mans pulse beats weakly Grace shouts at nothing wonders at and admires nothing weeps slowly laughs slowly sings weakly eats slowly drinks not wantonly feasts and yet trembles and fears whether it be the outward or the inward man David sayes it well Ps. 62.2 He only is my Rock I shall not greatly be moved The beleevers sings and yet he is not wanton and weeps and yet is not sad dies and yet lives is fervent in the cause of God and yet stayed and composed in spirit 3. The actings of mortification are indifferent not fixedly bent upon any thing but God no not upon the Ark and spirituall comforts Weeping David 2 Sam. 16.25 saith to Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City better I want my comfort then the Ark be taken if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation 26. But if he say I have no delight in thee here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him O how sweet when for God Moses can lay down his personall satisfaction in a share of life eternall What if he tramp upon my eternall Crown I should lay it down at his feet and is not this mortification Should he hide his face for eternity from me and I never see him in his manifestations so his glory shine in my everlasting sad desertion there is required an indifferency to all created things without no peremptory and absolute fixednesse of the affection to any good God excepted is good the contrair of this is an ingadging of the heart more then is right to any thing give me children or then I die there should be a contented living without children if God so will love the creature as if ye loved not the Lord would have us hungring for the creature and yet not eagerly desiring and thirsting and yet have a lent and well ordered appetite to drink love the child but let the heart cleave leasurely to the child Plowing and no heart-labouring buying and selling and no heart-ingadging to the bargain is best here 1 Cor. 7. They that have wives should be as if they had none 30. And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not In the acting of affections toward the things of this life as father mother husband wife children houses gain beauty honour and new bought farme there would be a godly distance of the heart from the thing ye do Loving and no loving rejoicing and no rejoicing weeping and no weeping speaks most mortification We cannot do here except sinfully we over-doe and the out-goings of the heart to the creature must be fierie which is childish whereas mortification is a gracious well composed grave temper of the aged in Christ. There is a fire-edge and a fervour or feaver of affections even to spirituall objects that are created at the first conversion for mortification does not so soon begin as the new heart As for God love as one that loves desire and desire and when he hides himself weep as if you weeped so the weeping be terminated upon God not upon his dispensations to quarrell at and censure his wayes but let the out-goings of the heart to God and to Christ loved and longed for be with fire and full strength Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. Cant. 2.5 Ps. 42.1 2 3. Ps. 84.1 2. Joh. 20.13 Luk. 7.38 Rev. 1.17 4. It s mortification to have a heart closing with all providences Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ and to die is gain To live is good to die is good because the Lord so wills the Lords giving is to Job praising and the Lords taking away is to Job praising Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need If I die it is good if I live it is good if I be full and rich it is good if I be hungry and poor it is good if David be on the Throne it is good and he sings Psalms if he be chased barefooted and ashes on his
want of money mortifies a man to drunkennesse he drinks not excessively not because the heart will not dare to sin but because he cannot The Word backed with influences from the death of Christ strongly mortifies to all sins 8. And the soul is not easily deadned to an office or place of a Prince a Ruler a Master a Prophet a Teacher Abishai 2 Sam. 16.9 Why should this dead dog curse my lord the King Let me go over I pray thee and take off his head David standeth not much upon cursing the lord the King He is so mortified to that stile as he forgets it and v. 10. he saith Let him curse because the Lord hath said unto him Curse David He saith not the Lord hath bidden him curse the lord King David Answers thou the high Priest so It s a great word Christ was the Messiah that is a great office of King Priest and Prophet but he was willing to forget his office by way of taking much on him that he might fulfill his office by way of suffering As Rulers and such as are in place must so far be dead to their office and place as they must be willing to bear in their bosome the reproaches of all the mighty people and to have their footsteps even as Rulers reproached Psal. 89. v. 50 51. Places and office too often have an influence and strong enough on our unmortified hearts But there are some providentiall sufferings that befall Rulers as Rulers against which they should be hardned knowing that the Lord suffers in them 9. It should be our work to be deadned to pleasure I have married a wife and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I can not come This is the most lively lust There is a mortified eye Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with mine eye why then should I look on a maid Mortified eye-looks call for mortified heart-looks It s an old sin Gen. 3.6 And when the woman saw the tree that it was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes she did eat Mortified Joseph saw sin ingraven on pleasure Gen. 39.9 How then can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God 10. There must be a deadned heart to all the three to the world 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 16. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world Jam. 4.4 There is some life between the friends of the world and the world and James doubteth not to call that enimity with God and the three great Idols of the world gain glory and pleasure cannot make any happy which Heathens Plutarch Cicero Seneca saw and therefore they pressed a contempt of the world For strength is the glory of the Elephant or the Bull rather then of man and plucked away by age and time And beauty is no lesse uncertain being made up of quantity and colour and the Rose and the Lilly hath more of it then man Riches have wings and render not the owner happy Nobility is a borrowed good and the Parents glory not ours And honour is the opinion and esteem of men and we yet cannot be dead to nothings to shadows to emptinesse and to vanity and fair buildings are well ordered dead stones 11. They are not rightly mortified who are not deadned to creature-comforts to father and mother for they forsake and the mother may forget the fruit of her own womb but the Lord cannot forget his own Psal. 27.10 Isa. 49.15 My friends Job 19.19 2. All my friends 3. All my inward and dearest friends 4. Abhorre me Forsaking is hard but abhorring is most sad Yea even in the Cause of God Paul is put to this 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me 2. So must the Church be dead to forraign forces Hos. 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses and the people must be dead and sit still from help from Egypt Isai. 30.7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose therefore have I cryed concerning this Your strength is to sit still Sitting still is a ceasing from relying upon the Chariots and strength of Egypt as being dead to them For thus saith the Lord the holy One of Israel in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietnesse and in confidence shall be your strength and ye would not And 4. his people must cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isai. 2.22 and be dead to multitude for Psal. 33.16 No King is saved by an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength 17. An horse is a vain thing for safety The help of the creature substitute in the room of God having the lustre of blue and purple or cloathed in scarlet riding upon horses Young men of desire Ezek. 23.23 doe easily dazle our eyes and when we are not renewed in the spirit of our mind unsanctified hearts are weak in apprehending and more weak in discerning of things 5. So must there be a deadning of the husband to the wife Job 19.17 to servants Job 15.16 to sons 2 Sam. 16. v. 11. of the mother to the daughter of the daughter in law to the mother in law Mic. 7.6 to blood-friends 12. All the godly and zealous Prophets said Amen to the word of the Lord even Christ with sighs and tears to the extream desolation and ruine of Jerusalem Luk. 19.41 Math. 23.37 38. and Jeremiah Ezekiel Isaiah Micah Hosea c. to the plowing of Zion as a field to the sword captivity to the laying wast of the land without inhabitants Isa. 5.9 Isa. 6.10 11 12. Jer. 9.1 2 3 4. Jer. 16.1 2 3. c. Mic. 3.12 Hos. 4.3 Hos. 5.6 9 c. There must be a deadning to our Country and Mother-Church that the glory of justice may shine yea to our fathers grave our own bed our own fireside 13. The Lord will have Isaiah and the godly dead to Lawes and Government to vision and prophecying when Judge and Prophet shall be taken away Isa. 3.2 and children shall be their Princes and babes shall rule over them v. 4. and the vineyard broken and the hedge spoiled And he will have the godly dead to King and Priest and Law 2 Chron. 15.3 Now for a long season Israel had been without the true GOD and without a teaching Priest and without law Hos. 3.4 Hos. 10.3 And now shall they say We have no King because we feared not the Lord what shall then a King do to us Hence we must be mortified to every thing created which the Lord may take from us 14. And upon this account there is required a deadning of our hearts to shipping and trading
the comforter the infant may at once both suck the breasts and also sleep And is one flower more to be smelled then the whole Garden And shall feelings and raptures and manifestations of God in his out-goings be courted and over-courted by us beyond the God of all comforts There is need that the heart be deadened to sense for feeling and sense is fiery and idolatrous and were sense more mortified at the out-goings of faith hope love it were good for our faith should be the more lively and vigorous to lay hold on God Q. Is it not lawfull to be taken and feelingly delighted with the influences of God Ans. Sure feeling of it self is not faulty the fierinesse and excessive fervour of feeling is faulty especially when terminated upon created actings of love faith joy desire hope and not upon influences as coming from the free Grace of God otherwise we are but sick and pained of love of our own gracious actings because they are our own and this is the sicknesse of selfishnesse Ah! a Godhead a Godhead is not known 23. Nor must we be in a too lively way taken with our own stock nor trust in the habit of grace or the new heart for grace in us is a created rose that spreads fair and broad and smels well but it is not God nor Christ that we may learn not to trust in our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1.9 But why but we may trust in our renued selves now furnished with a stock and infused habits the excellent blossoms and blooms of heaven Nay not in our selves thus fitted but in God who raises the dead for it s not possible both to trust in renewed self and in God And Paul never meant that any that professeth CHRIST is to lean upon sinfull self or upon lost and condemned self And sure it is as selfy to be alive to infused habits as to misken Christ and think being once a convert we can send our selves all the rest of the way to heaven without Christ we need not Christ for a Guide or a Tutor it s within us may save us And nothing can be more contrair to a living the noble and sure life of continuall dependencie by faith on the given Leader of the people Jesus Christ then to trust on habits of grace they are not Christ. 25. Ah! who is that mortified as to be dead to the created sweetnesse of joy and the right hand pleasures of God and the formall beatitude of glory and alive to the only pure objective happinesse of glory And yet that is mortification to love and be sick and thirsty for heaven not for the pleasures of the Garden and the Streets of Gold and the Tree of Life and the River of Water of life but for only only God the heaven of heavens And therefore we cannot be alive to pure and the only abstracted and unmixed God head except we be thus dead to heaven 26. There is a deadnesse to the letter of the promise The promise saith M. Ambrose is but the Casket and Christ the Jewell in it the promise is but the field Christ is the Pearle hid in it Christ removed the promise is no promise or but â—aplesse signes 27. We must also be dead to the rayes out-shinings and manifestations of God to the soul here and must transchange God in all presence and all love embracements and no more but he dead to the house of wine to the lifâ—ed up banner of love to love-kisses of Christ to the love-banquets and to the felt lying as the beloved all the night between the breasts for these nearest communions are not God himself There is required a godly hardnesse for receiving sparkles of hell and some draughts of sore trying wrath and the hell of his most wise and righteous frownings and necessary absence and night of hiding himself 28. And should not the Church be dead to providences of fair weather and Court or the blessing of a godly King David Ezekiah and mortified to miraculous deliverances dividing of the red sea defeat of enemies to confirmation of the truth by Martyrdome and sufferings to blood He who is dead to himself and his body and ease and hardned against contradictions of sinners against torment of body cold imprisonment sicknesse death and can in patience submit to all providences is crucified with Christ if God give or withdraw he is dead to both 28. All who are dead with Christ are dead to all dead worship saplesse ceremonies and formall worship Col. 2.20 Gal. 4.9 and are lively in the serving of God and fervent in spirit serving the Lord And rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Rom. 12. CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of Redemption between God and the Mediator Christ. 2. Christ is not a bare witnesse to confirm the Covenant but the Author of the Covenant 3. The Socinian way of works cannot quiet the conscience 4. Christ is upon both sides of the Covenant 5. Justice mediatâ— not 6. Reasons of the entrance of sin ISai. 49.8 I will preserve thee saith the Lord to Christ and give thee for a Covenant of the people Hence the 1. Question How is Christ said to be given as a Covenant of the people Ans. As Isai. 49 6. he saith I have given thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth that is as Act. 13.46 47. I have thee O Christ to be the Preached Light and Guide of the Gentiles and the Preached Saviour declared and proclaimed by the Preaching of Paul Barnabas and the Apostles and Pastors So I will give thee for the Covenant that is the Preached surety and Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 When the first Covenant was broken he makes with us an everlasting Covenant even the sure mercies of David Isai. 55.3 2. I will give thee as the only one who is the subject of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace For to Preach Christ and to Preach the Gospel and New Covenant are all one 3. I have given thee to be the confirmer of the promises they are all yea and Amen in thee 2 Cor. 1.20 Gal. 3.16 And 4. by thy death thou confirmes the Covenant and seals it with thy blood Heb. 9.15 16 17 22 23 24. Heb. 13.20 Q. But Socinus denies that Christ is the purchaser or the obtainer by his blood as it were of the New Covenant for he did not by his death procure or merit pardon to us he is only the surety or Mediator of the Covenant And Crellius and he say the cause why the confirming of the Covenant is ascribed to the death of Christ is because as by a slain beast and divided into two parts Covenants of old were established so by the death of Christ the Covenant of Grace was solemnly confirmed and sealed Ans. Christ is so the Surety as Mediator
more right to us because he hath the right of justice then we have to our selves for its free-graces title which we have to our selves for we gave no ransone for our selves and we gave no ransone for eternall life and therefore all the doubtings and acts of unbeleef in order to the Surety of the Covenant do resolve upon some apprehended breach between the Father and the Son that either the one or the other or both have failed to each other and have broken the Articles of the Covenant which is a reproaching of both the Father and the Son So that nothing is more necessary then to beleeve firmly the Covenant-faithfulnesse of God 3. What strong bands of beleeving and holy living have we from this Surety Covenant When 1. good-will and freegrace is become the ingadger of the faithfulnesse of God as he is true God and with a Covenant-tye to keep sure our salvation as he will be true to his Son and so to himself and to his own Holy Nature that we shall be saved yea and not that only but by Office as King and High Priest he hath laid bands upon himself and made it the duty of his Office to save us So that any good man thinks his office of a King and a Prophet or a Priest lays bands upon him to acquit himself faithfully in the charge So that Christs sworn Office of High Priest lays bands upon him to compassionate as a feeling head all his own and to be touched with their infirmities then must unbeleef in these particulars say we judge that Christ will not do his duty in his Office and that he shall break his faith of Suretyship and fail under his band of Suretyship How needfull then must the firm perswasion of compleat qualifications and fulnesse of anointing of Christ for the compleat discharge of his duty be O! beleeve him to be the faithfull High Priest who expiats and heals you in all the measure kinds degrees circumstances of time place of the particular transgressions you are guilty of Psal. 103.3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases And if a man judge himself ingaged to go about such duties as his surety and ransone-payer in his name hath promised far more are we to walk as the redeemed of the Lord since there was an eternall Covenant-undertaking between Jehovah and the Son of God that we should fulfill the undertaking And sure it is Law-faith or beleeving of Law-threatnings cannot have such influence upon our spirits to cause us obey the Law as the motives of a concluded act of suretyship and closed compact between the Father and the Son that we shall obey him And indeed it is a meditation that morally and spiritually should obtain from us that we be holy as he is holy and strongly melt the rocky heart When we remembred that JEHOVAH as a designed Surety gave band for the heart of a sinner from eternity and enters himself Cautioner for our rebellious will it should put us to beleeve so much and morally lay bands on our will Q. How are we to conceive of the act of Suretyship A. Jehovah from eternity decrees that the Son be the designed person who shall take on our nature and lay down his life for sinners The Lord promises he shall have a redeemed seed for a reward In this offer Jehovah ingadges that we shall be Christs seed and so shall be by the immortall seed born again and shall beleeve and be gifted to Christ as saved here Jehovah undertakes that we shall beleeve 2. Christ agrees to the designed person It is written of me and so decreed of God from eternity I delight to do thy will I shall lay down my life for these given to me And here the other party Jesus Christ coming by his own consent to die does also undertake 1. In dying to ransone us from hell and merit life to us and make us his purchase So 2. he being a Saviour by merit he by his death purchaseth the Spirit and meriteth the new heart and so undertakes for us in this regard both parties undertake for us And the Spirit being the same very God with the Father and the Son also is by his own consent designed comforter and actor in his way by the anointing without measure that he puts on the Man Christ and the grace given to his members But the only formall parties in the compact are the Lord Jehovah and the Son party consenting before time and his Manhood in time becoming one who imbraces the Covenant of Suretyship and calls the Lord his God Ps. 22.1 Joh. 20.17 Rev. 3.12 Isa. 55.5 Hence if we imploy faith and hold out to the Lord the undertaking for us in the Covenant there is an answer framed to all our temptations from our own frailty As Adam and the Angels fell and how can we stand But God said never of them as Psal. 89.19 I have laid strength upon one that is mighty and Christ was no designed undertaker for Adam nor was Adam to beleeve such a thing Therefore it is fit to observe that not only the Head Christ and the body changes names as the body is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 and Christ called David Isai. 53.3 Ezek. 34. Ezek. 37.14 David my servant shall be King over them So also many things in one Psalm are spoken of David both in an Historicall and Typicall truth as Psal. 22. But there are some things Psal. 16. so spoken of David that they are true only Typically of Christ and spoken Prophetically as David saith Ps. 16.10 Thou will not leave my soul in grave neither will suffer thine Holy One to see corruption And the Apostle Peter denies that this can be exponed of David for Acts 2.26 27 28 29 30. and Paul Acts 13.34 35. And as concerning that God raised him from the dead now no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David Wherefore he saith also in another place thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption 35. But David after he had served his own Generation by the will of God fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption And it is not to be doubted that the Prophecie Psal. 22. They divided my garments they pierced my hands and my feet is only a Prophecie of Christs being crucified Nor was ever David crucified To say in another case David was crucified will not help for it might be said in another case David saw no corruption for all beleevers are delivered from the dominion curse and sting of death Hence it may well be said that same Psal. 89. must prove both the Covenant of Suretyship and the Covenant of Grace v. 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all Generations Though it be
excludes not but includes the Lords taking in members to the invisible and mysticall body which is to be observed against Anabaptists and Antinomians The Lord speaks often of the Covenant of Grace not so much as Preached quâ foedus ennunciatum though it so also must be Preached but as fulfilled by God and acted in an effectuall powerfull way upon the hearts of the elect only and that according to the Lords decree of election and will of pleasure So speaks the Lord of the Covenant Jer. 31.31 32 33. Jer. 32.37 38 39. Ezek. 11.16 17 18 19 20. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 c. Isa. 59.20 21. in a pure Evangelick way and in these places the Lord speaks of the Covenant not so much as it contains our duty as principally it holds forth his Gospel promise what he shall effectually do according to his decree and will of pleasure over-ruling our corrupt will which Papists Arminians and Socinians utterly mistake and will have it to be spoken of the Covenant as Preached according to the Lords approving and commanding will whereas there is not one word of a command in these places and therefore they say that these places speak nothing for the efficacy and mighty power of God in converting sinners 2. The Anabaptists from these places say none are to be baptized but such as are so in Covenant and as have these promises fulfilled in them in whom the Lord hath wrought a new heart and a new spirit and that there is no externall Covenanting under the New Testament But then the whole Gentiles Isai. 55.4 5. Isai. 11.10 Isai. 60.1 2 3 c. all Nations Isai. 2.1 2. all flesh Isai. 40.5 Psal. 65.2 all the Kindreds of the earth Psal. 22.26 27. the Kingdoms of the world Rev. 11.15 should be all chosen to life taught of God such as have the Law of God ingraven in their inward parts as Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.26 which is most false Now there are undenyable Prophecies that the Gentiles from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Mal. 1.11 shall be under the New Testament the people of God by Covenant Isa. 19.18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Then must the generality and mixed multitude of the Gentiles be some other way in Covenant then these of whom the Prophets sâ—eak Isa. 5â— 20 21. Isa. 55.10 Jer. 31.31 Ezek. 11.19 Ezek. 36.26 3. The Antinomians do also owne no Covenant of grace but this wherein the new heart is given and the condition is both promised and given And D. Crispe saith All other Covenants of God besides this run upon a stipulation and the promises run upon conditions altogether upon both sides The New Covenant is without any conditions whatsoever upon mans part Man in tyed to no condition that he must perform that if he do not perform the Covenant is made void by him Ans. Man is under a condition of beleeving and tyed to beleeve so as the wrath of God abides upon him he shall not see life nor be justified if he beleeve not Joh. 3.18.36 Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 2. Man is tyed to no condition which he must 〈◊〉 say which he can perform without the grace of God For have he grace or have he no grace the Holy Lord O if we could plead for him and his High Soveraignty is debter to no man he is so oblidged to beleeve as he sins against the Preached Covenant and forefaults his salvation if he beleeve not and so breaks the Covenant but devils or men cannot make itâ— void he may make it of no effect to himself he being an heir of damnation but being a chosen vessel God shall work him to beleeve and he makes it not void to himself If it be said that the New Covenant is without any conditions whatsoever upon mans pure It says too much for the beleevers being under no debt no obligation of conscience to beleeve or to any duty but as the Spirit their only Law leads them And if the Spirit breath not upon them to forbear adultery paricide sodomie or to beleeve pray praise hear mourn for sin as Peter and David they sin not for sin is a transgression of the Law And when the Spirit breaths not acts not there is no Law and this is most â—ilde Where observe that â— Antinomians and Familists confound the efficient cause of our obedience which is the Spirit of Grace and the objective cause which is the holy rule of the command promise or threatning For though the Spirit be absent and not given at all to men in the state of nature yet do they sin in committing of Sodomie and in not praying for they are oblidged not to sin and commanded in the first Command to pray to a revealed God I know Adam was not oblidged before he sinned to pray to Jesus Christ Mediator as Steven Act. 7. prayed to him The Spirit by grace does help us to obey the command and the Law but the Spirit is not the Law nor rule of out obedience 2. Not only will they have the Spiritâ— to be all the beleevers Law and word and the letter of the command to lay on no obligation but the Spirit as actually breathing and giving actuall influences must be the Law For though the naturall conscience or habituall light say that the man should not commit this wickednesse nor omit this duty seeing present necessity of one starving for want of one drowning in a water crying for my help is a call of God to perform the duty And if the Spirit give inward warning that I should do the duty yet if the Spirit actually breath not and contribute not his actuall influence the man hath no warrand of any command or Law to act without his rule since the Spirit acts not at all and cannot so be guilty in the committing of the most vile abomination for where no Law is no sin is M. Crispe pag. 160. brings this Argument The Covenant is everlasting if the Covenant stand upon any conditions to be performed by man it cannot be an everlasting Covenant except man were so confirmed in righteousnesse that he should never fail in that which is his part but he daily fails so daily breaks the Covenant Ans. To the first act of beleeving which is a performing of the condition of the Covenant there is no other condition required then that Ezek. 36.26 I will put in you a heart of flesh 27. I will put my Spirit in you and cause you walk in my statutes Zech. 12.10 I will powrâ— upon the house of David the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced that is they shall beleeve in me That is a strong confirmation to wit a promise that he will work the condition in us And so is that Joh. 6.37 All that the Father gives unto me shal come unto me that is beleeve in me and him that cometh I will in no wise
vita eterna in fideles difluit The promise Gal. 3.16 is not made to Christ mysticall The Seed Christ Gal. 3.16 is neither meant of Christ as a private person nor of CHRIST Mysticall but of Christ as a publick person and Head the second Adam Christ always to be looked on as a publick person The right necessâ—â—ie we are in to buy Christ. He who took not on him to be Priest and King but upon the call of God must be made Priest and King by Covenant The sprinkling of the Altar with bloud The sprinkling of the Book with bloud How the Covenant iâ— a Testament We have right to the goods bequeathed to us in a Testament not simply as a Testament but as such a Testament in which the death of the Testator in the meritorious cause of the goods tested The Testament is confirmed by blood of some living creature slain Livius li. 1. Populus inquit Flecialis Romanus prior non deficiet Si prior defecit publâ—co consilio malo dolo Tu illo die Jupiâ—er populum Romanum sic ferito ut ego hunc porcum feriam tanteque magis ferito quanto magis potes pollesque Id uhi dixit pâ—rcum siâ—ice saâ—oque percussit Beza in Amitaque ut hoc planius fieret non dubitavi verborum collocationem mutare Christ justified in his cause coms out of the prison of the grave by paying of the ransome of blood Heb. 9.28 Christ is not a surety by nature but is made a surety by a Covenant-consent of Johovah and by his own consent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Christ was made a surety in a Capitall crime to die for us is suitable to the Law of nations M Thomas Goodwine Support of faith from Ch. Resur â— 111. How mercy calleth by a sort of need for a surety Justice suits not that the debter repay to the surety any thing in some cases See Andre Essenius in Triumpho Crucis de satisfact Chriâ—sti l. 2. Sect. 3. c. 1. pag. 468 469 500. Socin de Serva l. 3. c. 3. Vlpianus L. S. quis reum D. cust exhib reorum Vale. Maximus de Dionysior Siculo tametsi debita tot sacrilegiiâ— supplicia non exolvit dedecore tamen filli poenas rependit quas vivus effugerat Punishment suffered by a Surety can remove punishment from the guiltyman but cannot remove formally the inherent guilt and make him formally and physically and inherently innocent except the punishment of the Surety so excellent procure by way of merite the expelling of sin and the incoming of inherent holinesse in its room as Heb. 10 10. What will of GOD Heb. 10.10 sanctifieth us Mr. David Dickson Exposit. of the Epistle to the Hebrews cap. 10. v. 10. Solid comfort in knowing these number of these gifted to the Son I am one of them Sin is no cause why a justified one should doubt of his justification M. D. Dickson Psa. 89.19 Much of the Lord his gracious will is in the Covenant of suretyship M. D Dickson Ps. 89. v. 26. Christ the first heir of the promises undertaks for all his More grace if we may compare in the Redeemers Covenant then in ours Fountain-grace and fountain-mercy in this Covenant Gods essential love to the Son in this Covenant Jac. Armi. orat de Sacerdotio Chrsti pag. 16 17. Postulavit Deus ut animam suam poneret hostiam pro peccato c. The Covenant between the Lord and the Sonne that Arminius teacheth is not the true Covenant of redemption The Lord cannot promise by the Arminian way that Christ shall have a seed because the Lord by their way hath no dominion over the free will of any man The Lord King of the will The Son cannot pray for the heathen to be his inheritance by the Arminian Covenant betwixâ— Christ and the Father M. D. Dickson on Psal. 2. Christ both by free Covenant and by merit of condignity and justice may challenge a seed they are both promised to him and he gave a due price for them There is mercy in the bill of our suits merite and justice in the bill of the suits of Christ for us Christ was delivered from the act of suretyship Christ hath the first right of us by justice and more right then we have of our selves Our doubtings being once justified reflect upon the Covenant of Suretyship Christ hath laid bands by office upon himself to compassionate us It s needful to beleeve the sufficiencie of Christ to save The believed Covenant hath more influence on us then the Law-faith can have The eternall undertakings of Jehovah of Christ for us This Covenant answers our tentations In one Psalm some things spoken onely prophetically of Christ other things historically and typically both of David others That which is caled Davids thron is Christs throne The Covenant Ps. 89 must in the maine heâ—ds agree to JESUS CHRIST Athanas. Serm. 4. contra Arianos Cyprian l. 2. c. 1. Cyrillus Hierosolymit Catech. 7. 12. August de civit de l. 17. c. 9. Hieronim in Isa. 53. Calv. Com. in locum Vndâ— sequitur non posse constare vaticimi hujus effectum donec ad Christum ventum fuerit in quo solo demum reperietur vera Aeternitas The justified mans question of his state reâ—ecteth upon God his truth How selfie we are in the unbeleeving challenging of our Justification When ye cannot apply its good to feed the thoughts upoÌ„ Christs applyâ—ng himself the Covenant to you and to other single persons Christ undertaks that the Gospel shal be preached to the elect for themselves and to the reprobat only as mixed with the elect for other ends The necessary distinction of the Covenant as preached to many and as acted upon the heart of the few chosen God and all within the visible Church who hear the word of the Gospel are the parties contracters in the Covenant Preached but God the elâ—ct only are contracters of the Covenant as acted upon the heart The Gospel comes from Chrâ—st as undertaker for the elect for their sake The distinction of Gods will of approbation what is good or evill in poynt of our duty whether it come to passe or not and of his will of pleasure what the Lord hath decreed shall come to passe or not come to passe whether good or evill is of speciall consideration in this point We are to adore the Lord in regard of the beauty of his work even when the foulest works fall out We are to pray against the event of the decree of God in some cases and yet to submit unto the decree it self and to adore the Holy Lord therein The Lord speaks of the Covenant Jer. 31.31 32. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. Ezek. ch 36. Isai. 59. according to his decree and what he works in our heart and not according to his will of command and what we ought of duety to do The mistake of Socinians and Arminians touching the places Jer. 31.
separate not the Word and the Spirit the Father of Spirits loves to work with his own tools and sow with his own seed the Word of God these three agree in one 1. The Spirit acting 2. The habite of Grace acted upon by the Spirit who blows away the ashes and 3. The word of exhortation nor doe we extoll dead letters and livelesse formes as Libertines say for we take in with the letter the quickning sense and convincing meaning of the Word and its considerable that the Spirit drawes sweetly after him the nature faculties of will minde and affections and they need no other allurement but the Word the Spirit and the new nature But when they barbarouslie slew their children and made them passe through the fire they must put out of their ears and hearts the crying and howling of the murthered Babies with the noise of the beatting of drums nature serves the Divell often weeping and Sathan deadenes nature Grace so mortifies as the consent of delegation goes alone Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.72.97 CHAP. XIII There are two sorts of Covenanting on externall professed visible conditionall another internall reall absolute and the differences betwixt them 2. Infants externally in Covenant under the New Testament 3. Some Questions touching infants PErsons are two wayes in Covenant with God externally by Visible profession and conditionally not in reference to the Covenant but to the thing promised in Covenant which none obtains but such as fulfill the condition of the Covenant For consent of parties promise and restipulation whether expresse by word of mouth Deut. 5.27 We will hear and do Josh. 24.24 And the people said unto Joshua the Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Or yet tacit and implicit by profession I will be thy God and the God of thy seed makes parties in Covenant The keeping or breaking of the Covenant must then be extrinsecall to ones being confederate with God And 2. Infants born of Covenanted Parents are in Covenant with God because they are born of such Parents as are in Covenant with God Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thy seed after thee 2. The Covenant choise on Gods part is extended to the seed Deut. 4.37 And because he loved thy Fathers therefore he choise their seed after them Deut. 10.15 Only the Lord had a delight in thy Fathers to love them and he choise their seed after them even you Fathers and Children above all people as it is this day And the Covenant choise of seed is extended to the seed in the New Testament Act. 2.39 For to you and to your children is the promise made He speaks in the very tearms and words of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one of you be baptized he saith not every one of you old and young Parents and Children repent For that command of Repentance is given only personally to them who moved the Question What shall we do Men and Brethren 37. For we are under great wrath and crucified the Lord of Glory The Answer is you aged Repent 39. True But ah we prayed his blood be upon us and our Children He Answers to that every one of you be baptized Why that must be every one of you who are cōmanded to repent No. It must be every one of you to whom the promise is made but the promise is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observe the very two Pronouns that are Gen. 17.7 Deu. 4.37 Deut. 10.15 to thee and thy seed To you and your seed and children Now the Answer had been most impertinent if he had mentioned their children except in order to their Baptism and their being in Covenant For 1. their Children crucified not the Lord Jesus Nay by Anabaptists grounds their Children not being visibly in Covenant with their Parents and not capable of actuall hearing the Word of actuall mourning for and repenting of their sins as Zech. 12.10 Mat. 3.8 9 10. they were not concerned either in the evill of their Parents who crucified the Lord of Glory nor in the good of their Repentance more then stones So that every one of you be baptized for the promise is to you and to your Children should be impertinent and also false for Covenant promises are no more made to Children then to stones say the opposites of Infant Baptism Yea also as the Lord in the Old Testament calls Israel his people My people old and young Saul shall be Captain of my people David shall feed my people old and young and shall punish with the sword the murthering of Infants 2. Because he choise with a Covenant choise the Jews and their seed Deut. 4.37 Deut. 10.15 Gen. 17.7 then he must be the God of their seed But he choiseth with a Covenant choise and calling all the Nations Isa. 2.2 3. All the kindreds of the earth under the New Testament Psal. 22.27 All Egypt and Assyria under the New Testament Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hand Isa. 19.29 All the Kingdomes of the world are the Lords and his Sons and he reigns in them by his Word and Gospel as the seventh Angel soundeth Revel 11.15 All the Gentiles are his Isa. 60.1 2 3 4. Mal. 1.11 All the ends of the earth and the heathen Psal. 2.8 9. Psal. 72.7 8 9 10. Now if they be not his by visible and externally professed Covenant they must be the Lords Kingdoms only because some in these Kingdomes 1. Are come to age 2. Professe the truth 3. Give a signification that they are converted and chosen and so baptized But so infants and all the rest of these Kingdomes who fixedly in a Church hear the Word professe they are followers and by so doing are witnesses against themselves that they have chosen the Lord to be their God and have consented to the Covenant as Joshua saith Josh 24.22 must be under the New Testament cut off from the Covevant and a place must be shown where God hath now under the New Testament broken the staves of beauty and bands and hath laid this curse upon all the Infants of Egypt Assyria of all the Kingdomes of the earth that the Lord is now no God to them and feeds them no more and therefore that which dies let it die and that which is cut off let it be cut off as it is Zech. 11.9 And the like must be said of all that are come to age and not baptized or as good as not baptized And Covenant promises are not to the Children of Beleevers contrair to Acts 2.39 nor to the aged untill they be converted visibly and Baptized This then hath never yet been fulfilled that the Gentiles and Heathen are become the Lords people Sure it is 2. and was a mercy for the seed to be in Covenant Exod. 20.6 I am the Lord shewing mercies unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements Psal. 89.28 My mercy will I keep with David