above the power of nature to reach unto and he doth also preserve them from many evils and tenders unto them the sure mercies of the Covenant but if they will maligne it and cast it behind their backs and choose other things before it such degenerate children of godly Parents their bloud shall be upon their own heads The Use hereof in the first place Use 1 may serve to justifie the righteousness of God in the confusion of the children of Christian Parents if thou seest any child of the godly perish write upon him He is either a persecutor or a worldling or a presumptuous hypocrite otherwise he had been an heir of grace The spirit of God dealeth fairly and sweetly and comfortably with them whence it is that they are oft-times sweetly trimmed up with many good gifts and parts that you would wonder to see how forward and dexterous they are in their places and how comes this is it not from the faithfulnesse of Gods Covenant that we might see and say That on Gods part there was no want unto his salvation but it was his own ungracious gracelessnesse that cast off grace in the means of it let Ishmael perish and Esau perish and all civil justiciaries perish and their bloud will be upon their own heads the Lord and his Throne is guiltless it 's not for want of grace offered unto them for though he had not purposed to save them meerly of grace yet he meant to let them see that he did not only deal justly with them but also graciously in some kinde What a warning should this be to the children of godly Parents take heed what you do Ishmael had a godly Father and Esau both godly Father and Mother therefore blesse not your selves in that Take heed also that you rush not upon another rock for you will be ready to say Notwithstanding the fair Covenant which I am under I cannot have grace unless God work it in me stand not with God upon those terms for either God will bring you home unto himself or else you shall fall upon such terms as that God will take you by the throat one day and make it appear that you did forsake the Covenant of grace upon such grounds as many a Reprobate in Hell would never have parted with it upon the like either you do maligne the grace of God or are prophane or else you stand upon your own righteousness and stablish that and then your heart begins to rise against your Parents and you think your self wiser then seven men that can render a reason or if you break not out upon these terms then you will begin to see that God hath enlightened your minde and to seise upon your heart and then you see that you can do something you can pray and you can hear with profit and the like and hereupon you come to build an undoubted hope of salvation you believe upon this that your soul is wrapped up in a bundle of life and peace and if any man come to shake your foundation you are like a stone-wall that beateth back all therefore if thus you fall off the Lord and his throne is guiltless and you are justly miserable it is the bloud of the Covenant that did sanctifie you but it will not save you because you did not look to be justified by it so that as you have despised the Covenant of God you are now cut off from the saving fellowship of it which else the Lord had called you to enjoy It was not the Jewes crucifying the Lord of life and glory in their ignorance that cut them off from God for notwithstanding that Christ prayed for them Luk. 23.34 Father forgive them they know not what they do but when they grow malignant and despise and contradict and blaspheme Act. 13.40 45 46. and put off from them the word of life now they are cast off Therefore let all the children of Christian Parents understand it and the danger of it do not think that you shall be saved because you are the children of Christian Parents but take heed of scorning of Religion and of high-prizing the world and if you be forward in spiritual gifts take heed of blessing your selves in them for if you have any thing of your own to build upon you will in time tread under foot the bloud of the Son of God wherewith you were sanctified if you be not justified by it work out therefore your salvation with fear and trembling otherwise by one means or other you will fall off from God upon such base and unworthy terms whereby it will appear that the Lord is just in rejecting you and you justly left in a state of perdition You will say Object But what shall we think of Infants Peter Martyr saith Answ If they die when they are Infants they are certainly saved I cannot say it so fully nor have I any thing against it this I can say That they are holy for so saith the Scripture and therefore they are in the Covenant generally sometimes Parents may cut off the free passage of their Cavenant from their seed though God give them one child and another they are not greatly sensible what need the poor Infant standeth in of a Covenant of grace they do not believe for their children nor humble themselves in respect of them and then no wonder if the child miscarry through the unbelief of his Parents Otherwise I do not know whether ever God reject any upon other grounds then what we have alredy laid down In the second place Use 2 for Use It teacheth all the servants of God that are under the Covenant to be careful to bring up their children under the wing of the Covenant it may be some of you have sold away great estates from them these were but the appurtenances of the birth-right but if you have parted with great inheritances for the liberty of the Ordinances you do your children no wrong for as ever you desire that they may have a share in the Covenant bring them under the Ordinances of the Covenant for faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Received you the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 and this is the door of the Covenant Jesus Christ believed on Joh. 10.7 9. Act. 14.27 therefore whatsoever inheritances you sell if it were the inheritance of a Kingdom bring them to the Ordinances of God if they cannot be brought to them and so you have done your part and then if your childrens blood be upon their own heads through their own forsaking of the Covenant the Lord is guiltless and his Covenant guiltless they have forseited their birth-right which is not to be bought again for many worlds In the third place seeing that Use 3 as the Lord receives the faithful seed of Abraham into the Covenant of his grace and in like manner taketh not only you but all of yours by vertue of the Covenant and seeing that
Secondly By his person he is fit to maintain our communion and there are two things requisite unto that 1. First The removal of all offences and Christ is most fit for that for as he is the â—on of man he is most fit to suffer all punishment due unto sin and therefore as man he became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult And as he is God so he is fit to overcome sin and to prevail against the wrath of God 2. Secondly He is fit to communicate all the good things of God unto us as God he is fit to bestow upon us all spiritual comforts and heavenly gifts and blessings as man he knows what is most fit for the spirit of man and so he is fit to communicate unto us all the good things of God he hath suffered himself and hath been tempted and so he is fit to succour such as are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. thus he is a fit Mediatour in regard of his Person 2. Secondly He is fit to be a Mediatour in respect of his Offices he is a Priest a Prophet and a King and in all these Offices he doth properly and lively exercise the Office of a Mediatour 1. First As a Priest He doth offer Sacrifice for us Heb. 9.12 even himself Heb. 10.10 He gives his life a ransom for many Mat. 20.28 and he doth not only thus give all this but apply it also unto us as it belongs unto a Mediator for to do And as a Priest he doth sit at Gods right hand and makes intercession for us Rom. 8.34 and if any man man sin we have an advocate with the Father which is Christ the righteous by him God reconcileth the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 thus he taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 and becomes a propitiation for us Rom. 3.24 25. these things he doth as he is a Priest 2. Secondly As he is a Prophet he teacheth us all things Acts 3.22 whatsoever things he hath done and suffered for us those things as a Prophet he teacheth us 3. Thirdly As a King he doth apply all this grace unto us subduing us by his Spirit unto himself and all the creatures unto us God by him as a Mediator doth bring us on effectually unto himself by the mighty power of his Word and Spirit and keepeth us with himself in spotless communion unto his heavenly kingdom These Offices give him power and authority to do it as also faithfulness and mercy according unto his tender compassion on our necessities Thus we see how the Lord Jesus is a Mediatour In particular he is a Mediatour of the Covenant between God and us and that in a threefold respect 1. First Because he is the Messenger of the Covenant thus he is called Mal. 3.1 he did first publish it unto our first Parents Gen. 3.15 and unto Abraham and by all the holy Prophets and in the daies of his flesh and by the Apostles and their successours unto the end of the world 2. Secondly He is called the Mediatour of the Covenant as he doth ratifie and confirm the Covenant by a threefold seal 1. First By his bloud for a Testament is confirmed by the death of him that made it Heb. 9.15 16 17. he is the mediatour of the new testament that by means of death c. that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance He made it sure on Gods part and on our parts he doth seal it up with his bloud that it might be confirmed unto all Generations and as no man altereth a Testament after a Testatours death so this is unalterable 2. Secondly As he hath confirmed it by his bloud so also by his Spirit Ephes 1.13 14. c. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Christ is the Angel that ascended out of the East having the seal of the living God Rev. 7.2 3. And look as it was the manner of the Priest of old to sprinkle the bloud of the Covenant upon the book of the law and upon the people so doth the Lord Jesus besprinkle us and that which is taught us with his bloud and Spirit and thereby begetteth the experience of the savour of God in our hearts and sealeth it up unto us 3. Thirdly He doth seal it by the seals of the Covenant which are Baptism and the Lords Supper so it is here said He gave him the covenant of circumcision which was a seal of the righteousness of faith instead whereof he hath given us Baptism And by the Lords Supper he sealeth it for that is the bloud of the new Testament Mat 26.28 by all these means he doth confirm the Covenant Dan. 7.27 3. Thirdly He is not only the Publisher and confirmer but also the Prince and Head of it for you shall see that in all Covenants there are some that are Princes of the Covenant as we read Dan. 11.22 where speaking of the league between Egypt and Assyria he makes mention of the Princes of the Covenant So in this respect the Lord Jesus is called the Covenant it self Isai 42.6.49 8. as being the Head and Prince of it and that implyeth two or three things 1. First If he be the Prince of the Covenant then all the Covenant is first made with him Gal 3.16 To Abraham and to his seed even unto Christ and to the Church his mystical body in him and under him and therefore all the promises are in him yea and in him amenâ— 2 Cor. 1.20 that is to say all the Promises and all their conditions are fulfilled in him as he saith It behoveth us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 2. Secondly He doth inherit the blessings of the Covenant so far as his blessed nature is capable of them he hath received the crown of inheritance of all the blessings both of this life and of another Mat. 28.18 he sitteth at Gods right hand having led captivity captive he treadeth down Satan under his feet therefore 1. First He hath fulfilled all the conditions of the Covenant as this is one part of the Covenant The redeemer shall come out of Sion and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob as the Apostle Rom. 11.26 expoundeth the words of the Prophet Isai 59.20 for he fulfilleth in us all the conditions of the Covenant he it is that turneth us to the Lord and undertaketh to do all things in us and for us 2. Secondly He doth communicate the blessings of the Covenant to us having himself exactly fulfilled all the Conditions of them 3. He doth apply the comfort of the Promises unto us and having done all these things he leadeth us still to wait upon him for further and further blessings in his Ordinances Thus we have seen in particulars how the Lord Jesus is the Mediatour of the Covenant He is the Publisher of it the confirmer of it by his bloud by his Spirit by the seals
had done they wrought from themselves and for themselves and so those many that were called Mat. 20 they had denied father and mother and wife and children and therefore they looked for great reward having borne the burden and heat of the day and this is the proper character of an hypocrite he doth challenge his reward out of the worth of his work whereas the chosen ones of God are taught to say When we have done all that is commanded us we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 this is one difference in the rise of the work Again there is a difference in the work it self Gods chosen ones work the will of Christ and not their own though their will also goeth along with it others work the will of Christ as far as it will stand with their own Jebu's zeal did root out Baal and the house of Abab freely he drove on furiously for it was an act of his own ambitious heart to settle his own Kingdom this he aimed at no further would he go from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat he departed not And Lastly Hypocrites will out-shoot Christ in his own bow they will aim at their own ends in Christs works Jehu will root out Ahab and Baal but it is to establish his own Kingdom to walk in all the Lords Commandments he did not regard while Gods will accomplisheth his will he goeth along with it but no farther Thus we see there is a work of sanctification under a Covenant of works such as whereby men have another heart and many gifts of courage and wisdom and zeal and power come upon them for the service of the Church and yet you will find that they will work from themselves and for themselves and for God they will not work beyond their own ends and though they seem to walk with him for a while yet you shall soon see the Lord will take one course and they will take another 3. We now come unto a third work of the Holy Ghost in which he doth give himself as God unto his people for in all these works he doth work as God and so expresseth himself this work is Divine revelation he doth reveal himself like a God in the soul that so you may acknowledge his presence power and truth a very clear place we have for it Eph. 1.17 18. c. I cease not to make mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him c. mark how the Apostle doth consider God in regard of his most eminent glory and power as he is the God of Jesus Christ and the Father of glory That he might give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him that is of the Father Son and Spirit That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints c. minde what Divine revelation here is see how gloriously God is set forth that giveth it and also the gift that is given and these things the Apostle prayeth not only for glorious and transcendent Christians men of renown but for all the Ephesians for all ordinary Christians among them he would have none of them destitute of a Spirit of wisdom and revelation and what should this Spirit do it should enlighten the organ even the eyes of their understanding otherwise it is beyond the power of created gifts to reach the clear discerning of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God as they are dispensed in the Gospel of Christ and as in all sight there is the Organ and the Medium and the Object the eye is the organ the air is the medium the thing seen is the object so doth the Apostle here pray that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightened far above the capacity of Reason yea above the capacity of the spiritual gifts which they had received for he desires that a spirit of wisdom and revelation might be given them though the Lord had blessed them with all spiritual blessings already they had believed and had been sealed yet here is something more to be attained they want a further enlightening by the clearing of the word of God which is the medium by which we discern all things therein and for the Object he doth express what it is that you may know what is the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward which believe c. these things the Apostle prayeth that the Spirit would reveal even the hope that God hath laid up for his Saints glorious things are spoken of the church of God great and glorious hopes are prepared for them and they are begotten unto them even to an inheritance incorruptable and undefiled that by vertue of our calling we might have fellowship with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.2 3. some degree of fellowship we have already but the hope of that which is to come is beyond all our comprehension and beyond what any created understanding can search into the depth of and yet we may see much in the hope of preservation and quickening to that which is good in the hope of God's turning all things to the best for us we may see much of the rich and plenteous redemption which God hath wrought for us and what goodness of God is reserved to every poor servant of his and what is the riches of his glorious inheritance in his Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe even that mighty power which he did put forth to bring us to believe that ever he should bring such hearts as ours were to be enlightened to see the blessings of his heavenly calling to be called unto fellowship with the Father and with the Son and with the Spirit and with the Church of God in all the promises of God and gifts of grace and duties of sanctification our calling is to be exercised in them all until at length all their enemies be subdued and death at length swallowed up in victory This the Apostle prayeth for that their eyes might be opened to behold all these mysteries And thus doth the Holy Ghost clear up our understandings and the Scriptures whereby we understand and the objects which are to be understood by us even the riches of grace here bestowed upon us and laid up in heaven for us But how doth the Holy Ghost work these things Quest indeed they are unconceivable mysteries better felt then told The Spirit doth reveal himself partly in witnessing unto our spiritual estate Answ and partly by revealing all other counsels of his truth needful for us to know in this our age and time wherein any Christian man
sanctification of the best hypocrite under heaven they may go far and yet at length fall away this is no Arminianism but if you search the Scriptures diligently you will finde these things to be true But such instances deceive the Arminians There is a fourth Difference between the Covenant of Works and of Grace in reâ—pect of the Mediator Diff. 4. Gal. 3.19 The Law was given and ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Moses was a mediator according to their Works and this our Saviour telleth the Jews Joh. 5.45 You have one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust and as for Jesus Christ if he be given to be their Redeemer it is but according to their works if they shall obey his voice but if they shall sin against him he will overthrow them body and soul into the nethermost Hell But now in the Covenant of Grace Jesus Christ hath obtained a more excellent ministery to be the Mediator of a better Covenant stablished upon better promises Heb. 8.6 Thus we see in this first Use the difference between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace I might in the second place from hence also gather an Argument against the whole Body of Arminianism Use 2 for they look at no gift of God but meerly upon the Faith or Works of the creature foreseen if you speak of Election they tell you it is of Faith foreseen if of Glory it is upon condition of perseverance but we see how contrary it is unto this truth of God for he giveth himself first before he giveth any thing else accompanying salvation he gave us Christ in his eternal Counsel before Election and so doth he also in our Effectual calling not Faith before Christ to enable us to choose whether we will have him or not have him but he is God and first giveth himself and with himself Faith and so worketh our wils unto himself not otherwise leaving it to us to choose whether we will have him to be our God or no. Many things in Popery and Arminianssm come to be confuted from hence for in truth they hold forth no more but a Covenant of Works and if we will not grant Faith and good Works to be the cause of all the blessed gifts of God they will take it marvellously unkindly but they were as good deliver unto us another Gospel This may also serve to teach the people of God to bear a gracious respect unto those that are under a Covenan tof Works Vse 3 and not forthwith to condemn them as if there were no hope of their salvation for God never calleth any unto fellowship with himself in a Covenant of Grace but ordinarily he first bringeth them into a Covenant of Works The ignorant look to be saved by their good prayers and by their good serving of God After God may terrifie and humble their souls with the sense of their palpable wickedness Then they may reform and trust in their performances and then God may burn up all such false confidence Therefore those that are under a Covenant of Works may belong unto the Lord as well as thy self pray for them therefore Paul was under a Covenant of Works Steven prayeth for him and as most conceive that prayer was effectual unto his Conversion and Paul was as dear unto the Lord as Steven himself was Men under a Covenant of Works the Lord may bring them home unto himself by dashing all their works in pieces and shewing them the presidence of their spirit and the Lord will also come and pluck away the caul from their hearts and then they will have none in heaven but Christ nor in the earth in comparison of him and then the Holy Ghost convinceth them of this sin above all their other sins that they have not beleeved on Jesus Christ Do not therefore censure any such as to say there is no likelihood that they should ever come to have fellowship with Christ for if the Lord make them to fall down before him and to yeeld up their spirits unto the Lord in holy reverence and fear these have now received some fecret smoking affections besides a Spirit of burning which the Lord will not quench It may serve in the next place to clear up our judgements in sundry passages that do concern the Covenant of Grace Use 4 by Answers unto these six Questions following 1. Quest What is the first Gift that ever the Lord giveth unto his Elect First of all he giveth himself the Father Answ and the Son and the Holy Spirit this is the Foundation and if you shall lay Faith in the Foundation before these the foundation will lie uneasily and the spirit of a true Christian shall not lie long in peace Christ must therefore be first and with him Faith cometh in to receive him first he will make a Covenant with us and put his holy Spirit within us which worketh in us Faith and Fear that we never shall depart from him He giveth us his Son and all things else in him he giveth us in him pardon of sins in our Justification and in him some degrees of Glory also and in him right unto all the Promises of the Covenant no other Foundation but him take him first therefore for he is the first thing given But whether doth not the Lord give us some saving preparations before Jesus Christ Object Reserving due honour to such gracious and precious Saints as may be otherwise minded Answ I confess I do not discern that the Lord worketh and giveth any saving preparation in the heart till he give union with Christ for if the Lord do give any saving Qualification before Christ then the soul may be in the state of salvation before Christ and that seemeth to be prejudicial unto the Grace and Truth of Jesus Christ for if there be no Name under heaven given whereby we must be saved but only Jesus Christ nor his Name but in a way of fellowship with him then it seemeth to me apparently to follow that whatsoever saving work there be in the soul it is not there before Christ be there It is true John Baptist was sent to subdue all flesh by a Spirit of Burning which burneth up carnal confidence in the Covenant of Abraham and all their fruits of righteousness here were indeed preparations for Christ but these were not saving they were still children of wrath ye serpents ye generation of vipers notwithstanding all this Further John did indeed dispense poverty of Spirit unto which a saving Promise was made but then Jesus Christ was there also whether they knew it or knew it not that is not greatly material in this Argument but if the Kingdome of Heaven was there Jesus Christ was there first otherwise it will prove dishonourable unto the Name of Christ Indeed there is a saving preparation before consolation in Christ and the manifestation of our gracious union with him but for our first union there are no steps
perform many duties and might avoid much sin and yet will sin against their consciences and tread under foot those means of grace that were committed unto them It is then most righteous with God that they should be condemned 2. Of what use is the obedience of the Law unto such whom Gods Soul taketh no pleasure in Truely it is of sad and dreadful use unto unto them for it serveth to harden them in their sins though that be but an accidental use thereof their sins are thereby made out of measure sinful Rom. 7.13 They harden their hearts 1. by their obedience to the Law 2. by the Comfort which they take in that obedience both these do marvellously harden their hearts For the first of these The Apostle Paul Acts 23.1 had kept so good a conscience that he knew not any sin against the Law that he lived in but though he was unrebukeable he did count it all losse afterward Phil. 3.7 8. those things that before he thought had been his gain now he counteth them but dung that he may win Christ when a man attaineth to outward conformity unto the Law he is then ready to think it is indeed good for poor sinfull men to look for salvation by Jesus Christ but for himself he hopeth in his devotion and that he is able to save himself these are such as justâ—fie themselves before men to whom our Saviour speaketh Luke 16.15 and of whom he saith That Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of heaven before them Mat. 21.31 32. for many times you shall have the most deboist and profane wretches more humbled and readier to hearken to the voyce of Christ and sooner convinced of the necessity of the Covenant of Grace then those that are but morally righteous by the Law Rom. 9.30 31 32. the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law and chap. 10.31 They being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God Thus the Law becometh a snare unto them and that which is of singular and wholsom use unto the Children of God is made death unto them And as their obedience to the Law is thus a snare unto them so secondly the delight and comfort which they take in their obedience is a greater snare then the other The stony and thorny soyl did hear the word with joy and so those Hypocrites Isai 59.2 did delight to approach unto God but what followed upon the delight which they took in God and in holy Duties it made them ready to expostulate with God why he did not answer them according to their works the delight which they found did so fill their hearts with assurance of the grace of God that they looked at their Duties as so many tokens of the love of God unto their souls and then when men come to find more comfort in their obedience then in the grace of God in Jesus Christ it maketh them ready to expostulate with God touching the worth of their own Righteousness Isa 57.10 Thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved as long as a man findeth life and comfort in his own duties and performances what need can he see to be grieved for the want of Jesus Christ or at the best if he do grieve and find his heart comforted in grieving and delighting in the course of humiliation he then thinketh he hath no need of being farther solicitous about his spiritual estate Thus we see plainly that the Law of God is of marvellous use in the days of the Gospel of great use unto those that belong unto God to break their hearts for sin and to drive them to Jesus Christ and for others the disobedience of the Law leaves them without excuse that so disobey it again the obedience of it and comfort in that obedience doth harden the hearts of others from Jesus Christ But what say you then unto men that are under a Covenant of Grace and brought unto fellowship with Christ therein of what use is the Law of of God unto such is it utterly antiquated or is there any more to be done with it The Apostle answereth this Question Answ when he saith I am not without the Law to God but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.21 so minde you the Law is of use unto the Apostle Paul but how as the Law cometh under Christ so Paul cometh under the Law this is the sum of the Answer but that would be further explained What meaneth he when he saith I am under the Law to Christ In some sence a Christian is wholly freed from the Law In some sence he is yet under the Law So far as the Law is any way besides or out of Christ so far the Apostle is without the Law So far as the Law is under Christ so far he is under the Law Keep close to these two Principles and you shall safely avoid Rocks on every hand thus by the use of the Law shall you not go aside to a Govenant of Works nor by attendance unto Grace shall you need to neglect the Law How far is the Law under Christ when it hath brought the soul neerer unto Christ and in a remote manner prepared him the Law is in Christ and you subject to it in him 1. As the Law is given by Christ 2. As in Christ help is given to perform it First as the Law is given by Christ as 1 Thes 4.2 3. You know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus for this is the will of God even your Sanctification c. and many other commandments he gave them all which are legal commandments and yet the Apostle gave them by the Lord Jesus so Mat. 5.17 to the end of the chapter our Saviour Christ would not have us think that he came to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them And to that end he doth there expound the spiritual and true meaning of the Law that whereas the Pharisees held forth the outward letter of the Law to be observed onely as thinking that unless a man did commit the Act of Murder he was not guilty of the breach of the sixth Commandment and if he committed not the Act of Adultery he transgressed not the seventh Commandment and so of the rest Our Saviour Christ expoundeth the Law more spiritually shewing that anger against a mans brother is the breach of the sixth Commandment and whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart and broken the seventh commandment thus Christ hath as it were revived Moses but as the Law is given by Christ it
of bondage according to that power which was given to the faithful witnesses Revel 11. Besides this spirit of bondage the Lord hath another work which is called a spirit of burning Mal. 4.1 The day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts and it shall leave them neither root nor branch This is a spirit of burning let us speak unto it a little The Prophet saith It shall leave them neither root nor branch There are two things in the root 1. First is the root of Abraham's Covenant which this people much trusted upon and that is it of which John Baptist speaketh Now the ax is laid to the root of the tree c. and this he spake Mat. 3.9 after he had said Think not to say with your selves We have Abraham to our father ver 8. So that all the confidence that they had in Abraham's Covenant and Temple and Tabernacle and such things is burnt up and so they have no root left them to stand upon And this is one thing intended by the root But 2. There is something more in it for with this spirit of burning the Lord by the power of his Spirit doth cut us off from any power of our own natural gifts or parts and spiritual gifts also whereby we thought to lay hold on Jesus Christ and we are cut off hereby from all that confidence that we have in our own sufficiency when once the Lord intendeth to bring a soul unto himself for there is an usual prefidence that we have of our own state though the Lord have cut us off from hope in the righteousness of our parents and from boasting of his Ordinances yet we think there is some power still left us and therefore we hope and will seek that the Lord may reveal himself to us in mercy and peace but when the Lord cometh neerer unto us he will shew us how unable we are to take up the least good resolution we shall be like bruised reeds and not find our selves able to hold up our heads for Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost So that Christ will not seek us until we be lost and therefore he saith Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and follow me and according hereunto it is that those converts Act. 2.37 do cry out when they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Hence it is also that the poor souls that came unto Christ Mat. 12.20 were like bruised reeds that could not hold up their heads for the Lord in this case bruiseth them and layeth them low that they see no more hope of mercy no likelihood that God should shew them any hope Thus doth the Lord burn up the root of Abraham's Covenant wherein men trust and the root of all our self-sufficiency that now we find our selves dried up and our strength consumed that now we are not able to think as of our selves a good thought And again The Lord by this spirit of burning doth burn up all our branches also how fair and green soever they have been all our fastings and humiliations and alms-deeds and prayers such things as the Pharisees much boasted in Mat. 6.1 2 3. c. but these things are all burnt up This is a spirit of bondage partly as it worketh a trembling and fear and partly as it worketh to the burning up of all the hope that we have in our selves There is a spirit of bondage I confess that only worketh unto fear and now all the hope is that a man setteth upon reformation but if the Lord love a mans soul he will not let him stay there but goeth further with him and sheweth him that his prayers fastings are all empty and fall short of the life and power of Jesus Christ I but yet the soul is not quite out of hope though the Law cannot save me if it cannot I must get me to Jesus Christ then and lay hold upon him for salvation as if all were to be had by faith in Jesus Christ if once he can lay hold upon him and nothing else were required but faith in Jesus Christ and my laying hold upon him I see plainly saith a man in this case that there is no hope in me as hath been rightly observed therefore he trusteth upon Jesus Christ and giveth himself to Jesus Christ but now if the Lord love thy soul he will not suffer thee there to rest the spirit of burning will not leave thee so How comest thou by faith in Jesus Christ Why Thou tookest it up of thy own accord thou thoughtest all thy gifts and duties were in vaine and therefore now thou wilt believe in Jesus Christ Is it so easie a matter Can any man come unto Christ except the Father draw him And is thy faith any more then a resolution of thine own when thou wast convinced of the emptiness of thine own gifts and abilities When this spirit of burning hath blasted this thy faith also and that by the clear evidence of the Gospel put upon it now saith the soul I see that I am not in Christ though I said I would trust in Christ yet I see it is not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven now I see it is not my faith that will reach Jesus Christ it is not a faith of my own undertaking that will serve the turn I see now Christ alone must work this great work in me and Christ in the way of his own Ordinances therefore I must look for it in his word and in the fellowship of the Sacraments therefore I will look up unto the Lord in all these and wait for him and seek him therein And so the poor soul maketh account that in time he shall find Jesus Christ in the Ordinances and so hammereth out a faith from thence and therein blesseth himself Now minde you the Spirit of God when the Lord God the Father will draw home the soul throughly to Jesus Christ will burn up all thy confidence for if thy soul be not utterly lost so long as it hath any root or power in it self though I cannot work I will believe and if I cannot believe I will wait that I may believe and so here is still the old root of Adam left alive in us whereby men seek to establish their own righteousness whereof the Apostle Paul often maketh mention This old root putteth forth it self and will not suffer the soul to be wholly for Christ and for Christ alone and all because there is a spring of Adam still in the soul whence it is that the soul is marvelous apt to have hope and confidence more or less from some vertue or power in himself therefore it is
toward us as he saith Joh. 16.26 27. I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Then doth he keep us in this estate And which is a farther work of the Son for this purpose he will send us his holy Spirit as He told his Disciples Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Thus as the Father sent the Son so will the Son send the Spirit and in the mean while he doth preserve us until the Spirit come and then he preserveth us by his Spirit Now sometimes he makes his people tarry longer before he send the Spirit in this kind of dispensation but we leave the times and seasons thereof unto the free purpose of the grace of God but I say mean while the Son preserveth us Joh. 6.39 This is the Fathers will that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing So Joh. 17.12 Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost He keeps us in a waiting frame of spirit so that we cannot but thirst after him and long for him and mourn for the want of him and then a bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench until he bring forth judgement unto victory Mat. 12.20 Thus hath the Lord Jesus promised to keep us and this he doth perform 1. Partly by praying for us Luk. 22.31 32. Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy saith fail not so Joh. 17.11 20 21 22 23 c. Holy Father keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are c. and this is the eternal efficacy of the Son whereby every beleeving soul is kept until he do finde fulness of accomplishment of his spiritual desires and though we may be many waies wanting in prayer for our selves yet he will give us his Spirit to pray within us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed 2. And as he ' will keep us by his prayer so secondly by his ruling Providence for all power is given unto him both in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 and this power he doth employ to preserve his servants from all the delusions of the sons of men The Prophet Ezekiel complains of some that thrust away and shoulder out the people of God Ezek. 34.21 22 c. but saith the Lord I will set up one shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my servant David vers 23 25. They shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods None of all the delusions of Antichrist none of all the power of Tyrants not all the flattering world nor all the persecuting world shall be able to shoulder off the Saints of God from him 2 Tim. 1.12 I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day and the Lord Jesus engageth both his own power and his Fathers power for this end Joh. 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall they pluck them out of my hand my Father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Thus have you seen how Jesus Christ gives himself unto Abraham and to his seed to become one with us to lead a miserable life and dye an accursed death thereby to redeem us from all our enemies unto a state of liberty by an invaluable price even by himself And having thus had the Father drawing us unto Christ though the Father said little unto the soul who had been about him all this while and so leaves the soul in no small distress as the Fathers work is Power so the Sons work is Liberty and he revealeth to us our redemption and reveals it so that the soul is set in an earnest longing after Christ in whom there is a way to the Father and a great mourning after him hungring for him so that nothing in heaven nor earth can satisfie him in which case the Lord doth give such strength and constancy unto the soul in looking towards Christ as encourageth him to expect refreshing in the end though at present he looks at all that he hath attained as a parable in comparison of what he would further enjoy in communion with Jesus Christ but it often befals the servants of God as it did the Disciples of Christ they were put unto new demurrs and doubtings We thought say they it had been he that should have restored the kingdome to Israel Luk. 24.21 these were Simon and Cleophas if it had not been He where was the comfort and blessed hope of rest which they looked for in Jesus Christ we thought it had been he a sign it was a demurr and dispute in them whether it was Gods grace in them or Christ that had been with them yea or no whilest they are at this debate in themselves Jesus himself comes unto them and reproves them for their unbelief and chargeth them to tarry at Jerusalem and there to wait for the promise of the Father And thus doth the Lord Jesus teach us to know the Father and reveals him to us by strengthning us unto all such holy duties as he calleth us unto and though we be many times affraid to pray to hear to come to Christian conference yet the Lord will not suffer us to refrain but we must pray and confer and hear and when we have used all he teacheth us to know that it is not in all these as of themselves to work any thing in us nor doth he suffer us to content our selves in any thing wrought in us but causeth us to thirst after more of himself in every Ordinance until the Spirit comes in a plentiful measure according to all the latitude of our desires after Christ Jesus Now for the Use of this Vse 1 in the first place If so be the work of the Son be such a work of redemption then certainly our state is a state of bondage before we be thus redeemed yea it is such a state of bondage as wherein we lie bound under Gods Law and under sin under Gods wrath and curse under the Devil and death and under the power of this world and all these enemies have power over us to carry us captive unto sin and misery so that great is the misery we lie under if we knew our misery few know it but are ready to say with those Joh. 8.33 We were never in bondage to any oh poor hearts then were you never redeemed to this very day if thou never yet knewest thy bondage thou never yet knewest thy Redeemer the Lord will never so dishonour his own work as to pay so great a price to
are only fitted to some work of God and therefore only attain to some work of common Grace but not such as doth accompany salvation you will finde this difference between them and Gods own children the Spirit of God indeed comes upon them as he did upon Saul 1 Sam. 10.10 so that he prophesied and more then so he doth sometimes continue with them for a season and so journeth a while in them according as sometimes it is said Jer. 14.8 he is like a stranger or a wayfaring man that tarrieth for a night thus we read 1 Sam. 16.14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him a sign the Spirit of God had been with him before So Zedekiah when he smote Micaiah on the cheek and said Which way went the Spirit of God from me to speak unto thee 1 King 22.24 a sign it may be that he had sometimes found the Spirit of God but now he was departed however it be the Spirit of God is in them but for a season until he be grieved by them and then he doth depart and indeed did never bestow any regenerating grace upon them but only fitted them for some kinde of service for his Church or the Common-wealth So likewise Jehu and Judas and Demas did much for a season by the Spirit of God he did enlighten their minds and open their mouthes and gave free passage to their administrations and you may sometimes wonder how men have been assisted in the pulpit both in prayer and preaching that have been notorious in wickedness thus it pleaseth God to come and sojourn in them and work great works by them such as may be of great use among his people and may leave themselves without excuse but you see where the difference lieth even as it lay between the anointing of Saul and Jehu David and Solomon the anointing of Saul was with a Vial of Oyl and of Jehu with a Box of Oyl 1 Sam. 10.1 2 King 9.1 the word in the Original is the same in both places and it was not an empty Ceremony Gods Ceremonies are accompanied with gifts sutable unto them his Spirit came upon them both and they did mighty service in their times but when David was to be anointed God commanded Samuel to fill his horn with oyl in 1 Sam. 16.1 and in like manner did Zadok unto Solomon 1 King 1.39 Now an horn is not of a brittle Metal but a glass is soon broken the horn is the beauty and power of the Beast so that when the Spirit is conveyed in the horn and power of Jesus Christ it now giveth beauty and strength unto the soul and is not dryed up nor broken in pieces but abideth in the Saints unto the heavenly Kingdom This is the first work of the Spirit of God he doth give himself unto his people in a way of Inhabitation he dwelleth in them and unites them to Christ and keeps them from being drawn away from God by men or Angels I mean evil Angels and preserves alive all their gifts and graces and acts and quickens them so as may be for the edification of those that are with them in Church and Commonwealth 2. Secondly as the Spirit of God gives himself in a work of Inhabitation so doth he give himself in a work of sanctification and that is a work usual in all our Catechisms the Holy Ghost doth sanctifie and preserve us Let us look into some places of Scripture for the proof of it 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you through sanctification of the Spirit c. he chose us to be saved through a course of sanctification it is not the cause of election but the way of salvation in which the Spirit leadeth us so 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience So that it is the Spirit that sanctifieth us to be obedient and a notable place to this purpose have we in the delivery of the Covenant of Grace Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their heart he means the law of holiness and righteousness and he will so write it in the hearts of his people that it shall be carried an end with power in them accordingly doth the Apostle testifie concerning the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart it is the Spirit of God therefore that writeth these laws in our hearts and leaveth an impression of some measure of power to be guided by them He worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure he stampeth upon the soul such gifts of his grace as make us serviceable in our course to his heavenly Kingdom and hence it is that we read Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit with in you and cause you to walk in my statutes c. this is a spirit of sanctification To make it somewhat more plain The Spirit of God is said to be our sanctifier partly as he doth work the work of the two other persons and partly as he worketh his own work though in all these works they all concur yet they have their several characters wherein they more peculiarly shine forth whatever work any of the persons do they do it by the Spirit and yet he doth a peculiar work wherein though they concur yet he is eminent in it It is the proper work of the Father to draw us unto Christ Joh. 6.44 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope that is the proper work of a Father to beget he sheddeth abroad the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.6 thus doth the Holy Ghost sanctifie us as the Father doth regenerate us and frame us to be new creatures though it be the Father's work in us yet he worketh it by the Holy Spirit And for the work of the Son the proper character of a son is liberty a servant is in bondage a child in the way of child-like liberty may expect much from his Father this the Lord Jesus properly giveth Mat. 11.28 Come unto me and I will give you rest freedom and ease of Conscience he gives his servants and how doth he work this ease and liberty but by his Spirit the same Spirit that is in him dwelleth in us and breaths a kind of liberty in us which it hath from Jesus Christ For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 and where he is you may see the soul hath liberty from the anguish of Temptations so that is there any ease any liberty It is from Jesus Christ the Son of liberty who hath spoken