called for is Faith Faith is the special part of the Covenant required on our part this is his Command that is the great command in the Covenant of Grace for it was not commanded in the Covenant of Works that ye believe in his Son whom he hath sent God hath required many things in the Covenant of Grace but the great thing he hath laid on and commanded is believing There are three or four things will evidence the truth of this to you 1. Ye shall find the great Inquiry he makes when he Inquires about a persons Estate is after their Faith if ye will but take a view both of his Word and of his Works ye will find the truth of this it is evident that a man desires to know a thing by his inquiring after it Joseph when his Brethren came down into Egypt he inquired Is the old Man of whom you spake alive So Joab when he returned from the Battel David is very inquisitive is the young man Absalom safe Jacob was much on Joseph's spirit and Absalom was much on David's so in the Covenant of Grace ordinarily ye will find when he hath ado with any person he asks canst thou believe doest thou believe when he lays on the Cross it is to try their Faith 1 Pet. 1.7 That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than Gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ if he delay an Answer to prayer it is to try Faith as he did with the Woman he called her a Dog as if she were not in his Commission but in the end he faith O Woman great is thy faith 2. It will be evident that this is the main thing in the Covenant in the Order of it that we should believe in regard of the great commendation given to it in the Covenant it 's remarkable Heb. 11. When the whole cloud of Witnesses that covenanted wiht God are brought in beginning at Abel and coming down to Abraham and David the thing especially commended in them is their faith no question they had patience and love but that which the Scripture cryes them most up for is especially their Faith this evidences that faith the greatest thing in the Covenant on our part not only is it the thing that Christ makes a special Inquiry after but it 's the thing of all the Qualifications thou hast that Christ especially commends 3. In regard of the honour put upon it in the work of justification we are justified by faith alone without the works of the Law this is a special honour put upon it it 's a question among Schollars why faith only and not love is imployed in the work of Justification they give this as the reason of it faith is the meetest for it if ye Inquire why the Eye sees and not the Hand Why the Hand works and not the Eye The reason is they are fittest to be Instruments in Seeing and Working so faith is fittest to be the Instrument of Justification for it 's a receiving Grace it 's called a receiving of Christ in the Scripture John 1.12 But as many as received them to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Now there is no Grace so fit to be honoured in Justication where God gives the pardon of sin as a receiving Grace A second Reason why Faith is imployed in the work of Justitication and not Love because Faith will not wrong Christs honour Rom. 3.27 We are told by the Apostle boasting is excluded by what Law by the law of works nay but by the law of Faith v. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law Faith excludes boasting and gives all the honour to Christ if Love or Patience were imployed in the work of Justification they would plead to more meritorious causes but Faith is the instrumental cause so no wonder Faith be made the principal condition of the Covenant of Grace in regard it is so fit to receive from Christ and it will not wrong Christ in his honour it will plead for merit in regard it is only to receive what Christ hath bestowed But 4. and lastly Faith it furnishes all other Graces work every other duty is influenced by Faith patience repentance prayer and love are influenced by faith for faith works by love every other Grace is actuated by faith so until we come to believe we cannot repent we cannot suffer we cannot pray all these things like a body without a Soul will be dead and lifeless things without this Grace of Faith Lay all these four together and ye will see that in the Order of the commanding part of the Covenant Believing hath the precedency of all other Graces and Duties so in the Order of the commanding part of the Covenant whatever other Duties God hath commanded he hath especially commanded Believing that is to be the first in order of our Obedience and to have the precedency of all other Graces which is necessary to be observed for many think that they can go about other duties before they believe and that in a way suitable to the Covenant but they are altogether mistaken for there is nothing acceptable to God without Faith Thirdly In the Order of the commanding part of the Covenant though Faith be first and principally requiried yet it 's not only required Papists calumniat 〈◊〉 when they say we preach and say that Faith is only required it is the only Instrument of Justification it is by Faith only that we are Justified but it 's no faith only that is the condition of the Covenant of Grace therefore in the order of the Covenant the obedience to the whole Law comes in after believing such as would observe the order of the Covenant must be obedient to all the commands of the Covenant it 's remarkable the obedience that the Covenant of Grace requires hath these three Properties 1. It must be new obedience that is to say obedience from a new heart and obediedce conform to the tenor of the new Covenant the obedience is new when the principle of it is Love it was of old fear but it hath a new principle when the end of it is the exalting of Christ it was of old the exalting of our selves 2. The obedience must be strict obedience I would recommend to you the excellent discourse that Master Allan hath wirtten in his Vinditiae pietatis proving that the holiness he says of a Christian is strict ay no less strict than that of the Covenant of works requires every Christian must be a Precisian and must labour to strive and wrestle and take the Kingdom by violence to watch against the least beginnings of sin and the least incroachments of it on Christ's Honour or else it 's no Obedience according to the Covenant 3ly It must be perpetual Obedience
I will cast you in Hell no Superiâ—â—â— especially being infinitely a Superior would have done otheâ—â—wise 2ly This makes it wonderful in regard a Covenant seems to be a Treaty among equals it 's not ordinary to maâ—â— Despotick Covenants betwixt Princes and Subjects or Covenants betwixt Masters and Servants but betwixt Friends aâ—â— Equals or Persons in Marriage they that come under a Maâ—â—rage Covenant ordinarily there is some Equality of their blooâ—â— or of their Lot but to come under a Covenant with him aâ—â— yet he to be our Maker thy Maker is thy Husband are words 〈◊〉 wonder Therefore it may be a great Question in the entry 〈◊〉 this Theme what is the reason that should move God whâ—â— being mans Maker and might call for all he could do withoâ—â— a Covenant to enter into a covenant with him it's so great 〈◊〉 Mystery that Mr. Durham pens that there is any proper covenant of Grace he says it 's so far below God to make a covenant There are many Reasons given why he hath entered in covenant with man and when they have breanched them all out 〈◊〉 seven eight nine or ten Branches they resolve all in â—â—â—ce in Love in condescendency There can be nothing â—â—â—gined to induce him to deal with man by covenant but this 〈◊〉 true man is honoured thereby and encouraged to do him â—â—â—ice and made inexcusable by it if he do him not hearty â—â—â—ice who has been pleased to come under a covenant with 〈◊〉 and to abase himself and to encourage him in his â—â—vice and when they have branched all the Reasons in all â—â—â—ir Members to the outmost there is nothing that could â—â—â—ve so great a Lord to enter in a covenant with such base â—â—â—ngs but alâ—anerly his Condescendency his Grace and his â—â—â—â—e especially if ye take in the Tenor of the covenant a covenant on such Terms that he shall take his own Son and â—â—â—er him up in a sacrifice to let us go free and of all the acts 〈◊〉 Grace that ever he yet shewed or will shew nay I may 〈◊〉 more of all the Acts of Grace he can shew there cannot 〈◊〉 a greater The third Consideration that I will give you about this 〈◊〉 that God has made two Covenants with Men I know â—â—deed there are some of our Country men speak of three â—â—venants some of four Cameron a professor in Glasgow â—â—d France is for a Covenant of Nature Mr. Dickson has â—â—d much to prove a Covenant of Redemption the current 〈◊〉 Divines reduce them to two Covenants according to that â—orld Gal. 4. Which things are an Allegory for these are â—â—e two Covenants I will not debate whether they be two 〈◊〉 three or four Covenants the Covenant of Nature the â—ovenant of Redemption the Covenant of Works the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace I will only speak to the two Covenants that God â—s condescended to deal with men Covenant-wayes and there â—e at least two signal Covenants the Covenants of Works and â—e Covenant of Grace I 'le not dilate much on the Covenant 〈◊〉 Works for it 's in the Covenant meaned by the Text that I am 〈◊〉 it would take many Sermons to tell wherein the Covenant 〈◊〉 Works agrees with the Covenant of Grace and wherein it â—iffers I will readily have occasion to hint at it but this Covenant of Works is not the Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and made Sure only because it falls so directly in my wâ—â— I will clear two Questions about the Covenant of Works aâ— shall say no more of it and they are indeed the two great difficulties that ly about it Quest First it 's asked what evidence is there that God maâ—â— a Covenant of Works with Adam we find not in all the Boâ—â— of Genesis in all the Writings of Moses any thing that worâ— seem to confirm this that there was a Covenant made wâ—â— Adam there was a Command and a Threatning given hiâ— but what ground was there to think that there was a Covenâ— made with him Answ For Answer to this I will not deny what Mr Burgâ— acknowledges that readily Adam might scarcely know to he was to bind for him and all his posterity I know not that can be fully and particularly evinced from Scripture 〈◊〉 that Adam came under a Covenant of Works with God thâ— things will make it appear 1. In the new Testament 〈◊〉 4.23 The transaction made betwixt God and Adam is call two Covenants expressely there meant by the bond-woman aâ—â— the free But 2. All the parties of the Covenant are mention in the Book of the Genesis Gen. 2.16 and 17. Verses Of the trees of the garden thou mayest freely eat but of the treâ— knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the 〈◊〉 thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die These words are a diâ—â— Covenant for 1. There is a Duty imposed thou shalt not eaâ— it and there is a Threatning thou shalt surely die the Threatening contains a Promise importing this so long as thou 〈◊〉 not of the tree thou shalt not die Adam upon the oâ—â— hand accepted this Command on thir terms not only 〈◊〉 he not object against the terms but accepted them by take him to the priviledge of eating all the Trees of the Gardâ—â— and when he violat and transgressed the Command his conâ—â—â—ence terrified him and he sewed figtree-leaves together hide himself from God the terror of his Conscience â—â—â—â—ported his condescendency to the Command and Therâ—â—ning that was a direct Covenant for all the terms of 〈◊〉 Law were written in his heart and they were con-natural him he had them from his creation he had the Law wâ—â—ten in his heart as distinctly as we have the ten Commaâ—â— Many other things are brought to prove that it was a distâ—â— Covenant of Works made with Adam before his fall and as tryal was put to the Tree in the midst of the Garden and â—oses gives us account of all things of a covenant both on God's art and Adam's part Quest 2. I 'le clear another difficulty now after the fall who â—â—re the persons that are under this covenant of Works made with Adam For clearing of this I will only give this one poâ—â—tion That all natural men and all that are not effectually called they are under this Covenant of Works I have often had a design to follow this point the reasons of this are 〈◊〉 They are in the first Adam there can be no real claim to â—he covenant of Grace untill we be interessed in the covenant we can no more plead the priviledges of the covenant of Grace in a natural state than a woman can plead â—he Articles of a contract that is not married to the man â—he contract corcerning her untill we be effectually called â—nd in our effectual calling united to Jesus which is but â—he Articles of the contract of marriage betwixt Christ and Believers we have no more right to the covenant of Grace â—han
of Dominion a man that makes a Promise he hath the thing he promises under his Command or else he promises foolishly 2ly A Promise It 's an Act of Condescendency he that is content to make a Promise condescends to the humor and desire of them to whom he makes it 3ly A Promise is an Act of Liberality but the main thing here a Promise is an Obligation it brings a ty on the Person that makes it Now the truth is the Covenant is all the Four in regard of God it 's an Act of his Dominion of his condescendency of his Liberality and it brings an Obligation on him but these are not the special Reasons why it come to be called a Promise the special Reasons are from the nature of the Covenant and the nature of the Covenant has two things in it that makes it properly to be called a Promise First The great things in it are Promises it was not so with the Covenant of Works the great things in it were Commands and therefore ye find it often called in the Bible a Law the Covenant of Works will be called the Law for the great design of it was to give commands but it is not so with the covenant of Grace it 's not Law and commands that is not the special design in it but it 's Grace and Promises 2ly It comes to be called a Promise in regard there is no Command in it all but there is a promise of strength to obey the Command ye see me sometime at Examining putting you to this there is no Duty in all the Covenant but there is a Promise relating to that Duty and if ye remember the Observation ye heard the last day at Examining a Christian has never a call to a Command but in that call he has a call to the Promise When we are commanded to obey to do or to suffer Christ never calls us to a Duty in the Covenant but he calls us likewise to a Promise of it whether it be to â—rayer Repentance Believing Loving of Christ or Suffering for Him So that it comes to be no wonder that is to be called a Promise for in effect there is nothing required in all the Covenant but it 's promised Suppose there were a man that should bid another man come to his Shop and buy such a piece of Cloth and in the mean time should round in his Ear I will give thee Money to buy it even as much as the price of it will come to that is rather a giving than a selling we indeed buy in the Covenant of Grace but it 's without Money and without price and any thing that we part with for the Covenant it is but that which would undo us as if ye saw a Woman that has a Child that hath gotten a Knife in his hand and she is fear'd it undo the Child she will go and Treat with the Child I will give this Apple and this preasant thing and that providing thou wilt quite the knife she is afraid the Child cut his fingers with the knife or undo himself with it and the Child will not quite it without buying it the Gospel drives such a bargain as this for in the Covenant of Grace all that God does in the point of Command is only that we quite the knife that would cut our fingâ—ers and He will give us all the Apples and pleasant things contained in the Covenant so it 's no wonder it be called Promise 3dly It 's called a Promise in regard of us there are two things in regard of us that makes it be called a Promise and the antinomians will have it called by no other name they deny it to be a proper Covenant they say it 's only a Promise but it 's in regard of us called a Promise on thir two accounts 1 Because we have contributed nothing to the procuring of the Covenant but it 's allanerly of Grace as if a man were sending to his nighbours house for something he has payed for he might send for it and readily crave it as a debt but when he sends for any thing promised he must not go exactly and observe all the passages of craving it he had no right to it but by a Promise many a time when God gives not his people that fulness of peace of joy of consolation that readily they would have they sit down and quarrel as readily the thing they would have were payed for but thy right to it was but by Promise And a giving thing should not be looked in the mouth 2ly It comes to be called a Promise in regard of us in respect the thing we do in the condition of the Covenant it 's no way proportioned to the thing promised there are great things promised and we have no Influence on it What would all our service do to influence this Promise I will take away the heart of stone What did we contribute when we first bargained with him did we not resist the Promise did we not say I will go after my lovers What warnings did we sit out before we brought our neck under his yoke All these prove that the Covenant is a Promise And from this Name of the Covenant I would have you notice three or four things before I go further Is the Covenant called a Promise Then 1. Mistake not the Covenant ye will hear presently it has another Name nor a Promise as if it were no way consistent with the Law Antinomians say so it 's a conditional Promise go not ye to take up the Covenant as if it were only a Promise and had no condition at all I deny not but there are absolute Promises in it I will speak of them afterward But 2ly Here the great encouragement that Believers have for their security they are under a Covenant the Name whereof is a Promise Suppose one of you were drowned in desertion and a second exceedingly weak and suppose a third were reproached and despicable yet if ye have from one that has both power and faithfulness a promise that is refreshing if one should ask a man that were in great debt how will ye win out of it I have a Promise says he ye have no pith nor power to pay your debt I have a promise from one tht is rich that can pay it here is the great encouragement that Believers have and they have no other thing to keep up their heart but only this I have a Promise 3ly I marke it for this end that I may put thee to the thing I was pressing the last day to take it up as a Covenant of Promises what am I says one my house is not so with God what an I says another I have a crossed life in this world But will any of these hinder him from making a Promise Thy Charter is not Merit thy Charter and mine is not Purchase but allanerly Promise and the only expectation we can have of wearing the Crown and walking in the
City that hath the twelve Gates is allanerly Promise If Satan and our deceitful heart question thy right and say thou deserves Hell and thou hast many marks of going to it yet if thou have a Promise and a Title to the man that gives the Contract and draws the Articles of it thou may be very sure thy Covenant is a Covenant of Promise that is the second Name The third Name that is given the Covenant it 's called a Command ye have it getting this Name Gen. 17. Abraham is commanded to circumcise in the tenth verse every male child among them this is my Covenant which shal be betwixt me and you and thy seed after thee every male among you shall be circumcised and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskine If ye compare this with the 13 and 14 verses He that is born in thy house and bought with thy money shall be circumcised and my Covenant shall be an everlasting Covenant and the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off he has broken my Covenant that is my Command Here ye have the Covenant called under the Name of a Command And here I would enquire a little into two things 1st Why the Covenant goes under the name of a Command 2ly How we should improve this Name of the Covenant as a Command As to the First It goes under the name of a Command He has broken my Covenant that is my Command on these two grounds 1. The Covenant of Grace it does not only oblige to all the Commands of the Covenant of Works but to some moe this may seem a strange assertion there is no Command in all the Law but the Covenant of Grace binds to it I came not says Christ to destroy the Law but to fulfil the Law Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not steal thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours goods c. The Covenant binds to all these and to many moe it binds to Faith in Christ to Repentance which the Covenant of Works did not so no wonder it be called a Command for this Covenant binds to all the Duties commanded in the Covenant of Works and to many moe 2ly It comes to go under the name of a Command it was the same Covenant of Grace that Abraham had a seal of in Circumcision it 's called a command in regard never were persons so obliged to obey the command as these that are taken within the Covenant of Grace The taking of us within the Covenant of Grace is like a Woman Married that is more obliged against Uncleanness than she was before her Marriage the relation is in Christ the influences are from Christ The persons under the Covenant of Grace Antinomians say they are not so bound to the command as others but they mistake it quite if any person be bound in the world to the command it 's they that are not bound by the Law only but by Love the case is as it was with Moses Mother Pharaoh's Daughter calls her when she found Moses among the Flags and commanded her to Nurse the Child the best Motive that moved her to nurse the Child was Love she stood by to see the Child among the Flags and when she took up the Child Love influenced her as much as the Law So when there is a Covenant relation to Christ the person in Covenant has an eye to him not only from the command but from Love So that no wonder it be called a command for it has all the commands of the Law and some moe and the obligations to obey are stricter than under the Covenant of Works Quest 2. But here is a great Question ye say the Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Works we love to hear Grace exalted and called a Testament and a Promise but that it should be called a command looks this like a Covenant of Grace Answ It 's true it 's called a command and it binds to all the Duties that the Covenant of Works binds to and a great many moe it binds to Believing in Christ to Repentance which the Covenant of Works had no dream of but this takes nothing away from the freedom of it therefore hearken to two or three remarkable things about the command and it will shew you that though it be a command the command takes nothing away of the freedom of it 1. Take notice that though it have so many commands as many as in the Covenant of Works and moe yet it will not stand on perfect obedience to them sincere obedience it 's one of the clauses of it and O! but it 's a sweet word He will accept of the Will in stead of the Deed Never one Treated with a Servant to give him a Fee if hâ— were willing to go to his Pleugh and go his Errands and if he did not go he indentured not to accept of the wilâ— for the deed but as a Father with a Child so he pitiâ—â— them that fear him it s a command indeed but he accept of the sincerity of the will it 's a remarkable way of dealing in this Covenant that he had with David he was siâ—â—ing in his house and grieved to see the Ark of God in the fields What am I says he that I should dwell in a house 〈◊〉 cedar and the Ark of God in curtains Nathan was sent tâ— him and told him because it was in thy heart to build me 〈◊〉 house I will build thee a sure house So there are Commandâ— in this Covenant that go under the name of a Commandâ— but the commands will be accepted in the point of obedience the Will will be accepted for the Deed. 2ly It contributes to evidence the freedom of it in the point of 〈◊〉 command in that there is nothing commanded but it 's promised it was not so in the Covenant of Works they haâ— habitual Grace the Grace that Adam was created with he was to have no other stock but that Make to your selves 〈◊〉 new heart and renew a right spirit within you If any will take that command and not look to the Promise they might say I may ly down and die there is no hope of Heaven for me I can no more make a new heart than I can make a new Heaven or a new Earth but a new eeart will 〈◊〉 also give thee and I will renew a right spirit within theeâ— There is no command but there is a Promise suâ—table to it that was not according to the Covenant of Worksâ— there was no promise of a new heart or of assisting in Prayer in the Covenant of Works though there be as many commands in the Covenant of Grace as in the Covenant of Works and many moe yet since we bake beside Meaâ— we need not be discouraged 3ly Not only will he give toâ— will and strength to will but which is a great mercy itâ— admits
the Gospel the subtilties of Philosophy are almost ridiculous to them yea many times they are the worst and greatest of sinners that He brings under the bond of the Covenant the like of Paul of Peter of Manassâ—h Now that He should follow the Covenant thus that He should follow them that have the same things naturally they are pieces of Clay out of the same Pit they are Stones out of the same Quarree and that He should make choise of one like a shrub and the things He leaves like tall Cedars What a deal of Grace is there in it that He should take the shrub and pitch upon it bring it under the Covenant and leave them that are wise for Wit and Learning 3dly If ye take a view of this the Grace of the Covenant will appear that after He hath sought them and found them and feltered them and bound them with the Cords of the Covenant the Grace of it appears in this that once bound and ay bound it 's everlasting there is no getting out under it again it contributes to evidence the Grace of the Covenant that He will bide so many refusals that He will stand and knock at the door until his head be wet with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night and then put His hand at the hole of the lock if he can get but an hole in the door though He cannot get an open door He will put in His Finger at the hole of the door and drop in Mirrhe upon the handles of the lock may not all these things evidence the Grace of the Covenant but nothing evidences it more than this that no unbelief no guiltiness will cast without the Covenant again if once in Covenant with Him once in and ay in it Thus He covenanted with David if his children offend He will correct them with the rods of men He will visit their iniquity with rods and their transgressions with stripes He will send them to prisons and to scaffolds but his presence nor his loving kindness will he not take from them Now lay all these together and I hope I have evinced to you that this Covenant is absolutely and entirely a Covenant of Grace Quest I would clear one Objection before I give you the Reasons of it May not some say are there not conditions in the Covenant and are they not difficult if not impossible to be performed Can that be a Covenant of Grace that calls for self-denyal for taking up of the cross for repentance for faith for being holy as God is holy Nay more it calls for all the duties of the Covenant of Works and more for the Covenant of Works bound Adam neither to repentance nor faith but this Covenant binds to obedience to the whole Law and to repentance and believing which the Covenant of Works did not and can this be a Covenant of Grace that runs in this channel For Answer to this Question Antinomians indeed say there are no conditions and therefore they deny it to be a proper Covenant they say it 's rather a Promise than a Covenant we maintain there are Conditions in it and all these things are true it binds to obedience to the whole Law but there are three things in the conditions that in effect make them nothing contrare to this that it 's a Covenant of Grace 1. There is no condition in it to be performed in our own strength a man goes quite from the Covenant of Grace that would wring repentance out of his own heart or that would pray or preach or hear in his own strength indeed this suited well with the Covenant of Works and when we go like Sampson in our own strength we go directly from the Covenant of Grace the Father in the Covenant hath appointed a Nurse to bear us up He hath appointed a Tutor to govern and guide us a Purse-master to bear our stock so that of our selves as of our selves we can do nothing according to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace we are to do nothing whether to suffer to pray to preach to hear the Covenant is so contrived that all these things called for are not called for in our own strength we break the Covenant if we wring them out in our own strength the main thing is to lay our stock in Christs hand whether to do or to suffer it 's according to the Tenor of the Covenant that we should be supplied by his Grace that we should have wisdom sanctification and all from Him which is a necessary thing for Believers to observe that take them to the Covenant of Grace they are sometimes exceedingly prejudged by not eyeing this Covenant when they pray or go to hear they think the furniture they have from Grace or the habitual Grace they have will carry them through the duty no ye break the Covenant if ye eye not Him in all things the Covenant calls for 2ly Although there be many conditions in the Covenant yet nothing is a condition on our part but it 's a promise on Gods part there cannot be that Duty instanced in all the Covenant for which there is not a Promise so is the business contrived as if he saw a Merchant that lays out a piece of cloth to a man to buy and the man hath no money to buy it with but he engageth to give him money but before he buy it the Merchant promiseth to give him Money to buy it with so there is no Duty let it be named Mortification or Vivification there is no Grace required or Duty to be performed but there is a Promise in reference to that Grace and that Duty Now since there is no condition on our part but there is a Promise on Gods part the condition makes nothing against the Covenant 3ly There is no condition in the Covenant the want whereof will cast us out of the Covenant it 's remarkable the Covenant betwixt God and us the Covenant of Grace is not made as a bargain betwixt two men wherein they engage I vow and promise to do this to you providing ye do this to me I will give you such a Sum of money if ye give me against such a day such a piece of cloth and if he bring it not against such a day the other is loosed from the condition of the money where there is a conditional bargain he that falls on the one part of the condition he loses the other it 's not a binding obligation It 's not so in this Covenant though there be conditions in the Covenant our not fulfilling of the condition looses not God from His part of it if there were any thing that would loose Him Faith being the great condition of the Covenant it would be the want of Faith if we believe not yet he abides faithful he cannot deny himself There are conditions in the Covenant but there is no condition required so that if once we be in the Covenant will loose God from
A person in making this Covenant is either saying or subscribing as Isaiah's word is One shall say and another subscribe himself to be the Lords whatever be the way of it sometime one will do it with saying sometime one will do it by subscribing or sometime one will do it with lifting up their hand to God that the solemnity may be the greater in their indenturing in this personal Covenant with God the tenor of what they do is I accept this Christ on these terms he offers me Wine Milk Honey without money and without price he offers me fine Gold I accept of the offer and I give my consent I will either write it down or give it under my hand I will say it or I will do it by lifting up of my hand to the Lord. 2. The person that thus personally Covenants or that is about to draw the general Covenant of Grace to his case subscribes to the duties of the Covenant particularly to give himself to the Lord One shall say and another subscribe with his hand I am the Lords It 's remarkable since God in the Covenant gives himself to us he will accept of nothing from us but our selves again when we subscribe to give our selves to the Lord we subscribe to this Lord dispose of me as thou wilt cross me or humble me as thou wilt for I give it under my hand that I am thy disposing it 's true we bind to all the duties of the Covenant likewise I deny not but a person may find their temptations miscarry them in reference to some sins some are led away with ill company and made to swear some are tempted to drunkenness I deny not but they may either Covenant with God or particularly bind against that wherein their greatest temptations and weaknesses lyes if persons find themselves negligent in Prayer of that the least wag of their neighbour coming will call them from their duty to God though they are in the Covenant to bind to all the duries of the Covenant yet we are particularly to bind where our temptations are greatest and where our weakness is greatest Personal Covenanting with God ought to run most on that Head which may prove an excellent restraint to the soul and an excellent hinderance to the corruption which the heart is drawn to with any light temptation so this personal Covenanting with God when we can say the Lord hath made with me a Covenant though the Lord hath made the Covenant in general with Christ and all the Elect and though he hath visibly appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and afterward though he hath not so visibly appeared to David yet he hath his own way of communication and we enter in a personal Covenant with him when we go and either with our voice or with our hand subscribe it on Paper or with lifting up the hand solemnly when we are in a spiritual frame in Prayer and we do this when we accept of the offer of the Covenant and of the Mediator on the terms of the Covenant and binds our selves to the duties of the Covenant especially such as we are most negligent of and soonest led away from There lyes the way of personal covenanting with God especially if ye add as a Capestone 3. When the soul engages to these two that it cast an eye to the Treasurer unto whom the Father hath committed the bearing of the Purse The Truth is our covenanting with him is like Deliab's binding Sampson with cords so long as she cuts not his locks his strengthremains but when his locks are cut he is weak When we can an eye to the Treasurer in our covenanting we are strong but when we eye him not we are weak It 's supposed Adam when he was perfect stood not above five hours and what can lapsed man do Therefore the Covenant takes in the accepting of the offer and binding to the duties but both to be done through the Mediator and if this be neglected it is not right covenanting And I believe it lyes at the root of much of our covenanting and many lave challenges in their covenanting with God that they have not eyed the Mediator and gone to the Fountain and Treasurer out of which their strength both for accepting and binding must come Quest But ye will say I have opened in this Covenant personal and particular covenanting but what if God make not a Covenant with me or if I make a Covenant with him how shall I know if he makes a Covenant with me Ans For Answer to this I shall only say these two things 1. God in making personal Covenants with men had very different ways of communication of himself when he made the Covenant with Abraham he spake with him face to face he did so to Isaac and Jacob but he did not so to David but he sends a Prophet to him it were unreasonable he should do so to every body there were many Worthies under the Old Testament that could say the Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant and God did not come down and speak face to face with them and confer with them and say this is my promise it were I say unreasonable he should do so to us for though the Covenant be not so sensible as it was to Abraham Isaac and Jacob it may come to thee as it did to David So that we are not to expect he will take the same way with every one that he brings under the bond of the Covenant I will close this Sermon with exhorting you to study this personal covenanting with God I indeed take it up for the great duty of the Gospel I confefs it 's the great neglect of the generation that we live in the generation coming may be more in the practice of it that Masters of Families will not take their Wives Children and Servants and enter in a Family-Covenant with them and when they are in corners would enter in a personal Covenant with him I will only close this discourse of it with naming three or four things that I judge to be great hinderances in the way of Christians personal covenanting with God 1. It is a great hinderance our mistaking the end of the Law the Law is a School-Master to lend to Christ and there are many if they come under a Law-word they perswarded that they should dwell on it they cannot be perswaded that this drives at personal covenanting with him ye will hear afterward if ever there be a time of entering in a personal Covenant with God of accepting the Covenant of the terms offered it 's when we are under a work of the Law now many Christians mistake quite the end of the Law they think their tears and humiliations and law-Law-works they are to dwell on them and they know not that the Laws is a School-Master to lead them to Christ the end of these fears is to terrifie you to seek a shelter in the everlasting Covenant 2. It hinders
consists I will not go to speak any thing of Gods part either when we make or renew the Covenant with him But all I shall say now shall be something of our part when we personally Covenant with him I will reduce them to these two Heads First Our personal Covnenating with God consists in our accepting of the offers of the Covenant as they are made by God 2. In our engaging to the Terms of the Covenant required by God for the Terms must be the Terms that he hath made in the Covenant we must not make now Terms neither must we reject any of the Terms already made I deny not as ye shall hear when I come at it but on the account of a particular failing a Christian may be more in engagin with respect to one things than another especially where he hath failed most and Conscience doeth challenge him most but we are neither to make new Terms nor reject the Terms already made in our personal Covenanting with God we must keep to the Terms already made and proposed in the Covenant in all the Articlaes and Clauses of it First then It consists in the accepting of the offer of the Father made in the Covenant I confess I like well to read the excellent Soliloquies many have had with their own Souls in the accepting of this offer and entring in this Covenant ye have patterns of them set down Mr. Allan in his Vinditiae Pietatis Mr. Baxter in his Saints Rest It 's like these holy mens souls when they have been Transacting this personal Covenant with God they have been in a very elevated frame they speak part of the Language of Canaan What Apostrophies and what turnings to their own soul and what excitements and encouragements they offer to the soul and then closes with either I accept this Covenant or this contrivement of the salvation of sinners as it is offered or else readily I swear and subscribe it with my hand or else I lift up my hand Mr. Allan approves for some length of the lifting up of the hand that the solemnity may be the more binding in the accepting of the Covenant and of the Terms offered in the Covenant But here I will offer you two things about this accepting of the Covenant which is the first thing wherein this formal act of personal Covenanting consists First Take notice that this acceptation if it be done cordially seriously deliberatly and according to the Gospel it 's a most difficult thing it 's not an easie thing to bring the heart to it I will not say this for the discouragement of any but there are three things that makes it most difficult 1. There is no seed of Believing naturally in man Naturalists have observed that it is a most difficult thing to bring Creatures to act about a thing whereof they have no principle within them How difficult is it to Teach Philosophy or Reason to Bruits And the great ground of it is they have no feed or principle of it within them and this makes the accepting of the offer of the Covenant to be a thing most difficult 2. In the accepting of this Covenant not only have they no seed of Believing in them but all the principles in man are contrair to it It 's a wonder to see how proud man repines to accept of an imputed Righteousness ye will find in the Church Papists Socinians Arminians and I know not what a multitude of them crying down Justification by Faith alone and mocking at the Term of an imputed Righteousness and O! that there were not too many amongst our selves running headlong to these principles 3. The difficulty of it will appear if ye consider the opposition that it meets with in the World in accepting this imputed Righteousness How many oppositions did Christ himself meet with when he was among men It was constantly his work to be pressing this yet when he came to his own even amongst the Jews they required a sign before they accepted it and when he was preaching to the Gentiles they required Arguments and Demonstrations ere they accepted it in effect man having no principle within him for accepting this Righteousness and all the principles within him being contrair to it and Christ himself having met with so much opposition when he preached it ye may conclude from these that it 's not an easie thing to perswade a sinner to accept of this Righteousness of the Covenant But I will add another thing that this Act of accepting it 's one special part of that wherein personal Covenanting consists and for clearing of this I would have you to notice three things 1. Ye shall take notice that God in the Covenant of Grace he hath as it were past from the Terms of the Covenant of Works no but he requires the same duties in the Covenant of Grace I have already evinced it to you that the whole Law we become bound to obedience to it in the Covenant of Grace yea there are some Duties required in the Covenant of Grace that are not required in the Covenant of Works yea he hath bound us to the whole Law in our accepting of this Righteousness I say though he hath bound us to the Law it 's not the Law that is the great condition of the Covenant of Grace it 's not our obedience that is the great condition it 's our believing and accepting of the offered Righteousness so that though obedience to the Law was the great condition of the Covenant of Works the tenor and nature of the two Covenants are exceeding different and now the great condition though the Law be required the Law is not the condition it 's the accepting and imbracing the offered Righteousness which is necessary to be observed in regard there are many precious to God they deal with themselves ordinarly as if the Covenant of Grace run in the same channel that the Covenant of Works run in and if they have not the same perfection of obedience and if our Sanctification have not such and such qualifications and such degrees they utterly sentence themselves as cast-aways no obedience is required in the Covenant of Grace but the accepting of the offered Righteousness is the great condition of the Covenant of Grace 2. Take notice that this accepting of the offer it 's really and formally the very act of Believing In personal Covenanting it may be convenient that one should say and another subscribe with his hond but the very act of accepting is the act of Believing so the Soul tranfacts with God in this part of the personal Covenant when it puts out an act of recumbency and relying on Jesus Christ as he is holden the out in Covenant so this is the great condition of the Covenant and this accepting is the very formal and proper act of Believing I add 3. This accepting is the special thing in personal Covenanting I deny not but the Terms as ye shall hear on which the offfer is
will have the consent of all in perfecting this work of personal Covenanting the case is with them as with some generous spirits who in suit of Marriage except they get the Womans heart and consent all other things that they câ—n offer will be of on value and will not induce them to Marry Wisdoms demand is my Son give me thy heart it 's not give me thy hand or give me thy tongue or ear but my Son give me thy heart it 's not my Son divide thy heart give me a piece of it but my Son give me thy heart it 's the whole heart that must be given him in personal Covenanting with him and when he he hath gotten the whole heart he hath not gotten a thing of much worth unless he take a way when he hath gotten it to clothe it with the righteousness of his Son and to Persume it and yet for as feckless as it is he will have it in personal Covenanting with him to concur 3ly It may be very necessary and useful semetines to express outwardly our accepting of his offer and Indenturing to these terms on which the offer is made it 's true the special obligation and that which is especially required is the firm purpose of heart the content of the heart and he will not take words if he marry except he know well he get the Brides heart there may be externals subservient to the great end of personal Covenanting with him as sometimes to go and to say to God Lord I accept of this Christ and Indenture on these terms I will give my self to thee and will watch especially against the things I have been neglective in and guilty of sometime we may do it by lifting up of the hand our hearts are such cheats as we cannot lay too mahy tyes on them sometimes believers have done it by subscribing to the Lord they have drawn up the sjpecial things of it on Gods part and the special duâ—ies they have engaged unto on Gods part and they have written them down and spread them before the Lord and them subseribed them which if they find of any use when they have examined their way they have run to the engagement they made to the Lord and they find if performing such duties yielding to such temptations be agreeable to the Covenant they made with God therefore form the fear of the wrath of the Covenant they have been made to mourn for Covenant breaking with him Now when things are thus performed when with eonsent of the whole man they are content either to say or to subseribe or to swear to God that they take his offer they hold him at his offer they take hold of the offer as it 's offered and will not alter the terms but accepts of it on the very terms that it is made this is the Act of personal covenanting with God as I conceive But before I proceed to the Application there is one great difficulty necessary to be cleared ye would remember both the grounds I brought in the forenoon to prove the necessity and the Ecplication of that wherein the formal act of personal covenanting consists Quest The question necessary to be cleared is whether is this personal Covenanting with God the duty of all within the visible Church Is there not a mixed mult tude of elect and reprobat and is not the Church like a Drag-net wherein good and bad Fishes are and can this personal covenanting and accepting the offer and Indenturing to the terms be the duty of the reprobate and bad Fishes in the Net This is the tossing of a great Arminian Question If I should dilate in the Latitude it would carry me before such a popular Auditory Ans For Answer to the Question I will only say this this Act of personal covenanting is the duty of all within the visible Church and none is to go and exempt himself from it but indeed especially it is the duty of the Elect. There are Two Parts of this Answer that I would labour to confirm to you from some Reasons 1. That it is the duty of all within the visible Church thus Personally to covenant with God shall appear from these things 1. All to whom the offer of the covenant is made are bound to the accepting of the offer now whatever be in the purpose of God the Promulgation and Proclamation of the covenant and the offer of it is made to all within the visible Church and who shall question where there is an offer made that it is presumption to accept of it Many stand at it as if it were presumption I suppose one were coming by a house and if the Master of the house should look out at a window and see him and intreat him to come and dine with him and eat and drink with him would ye think it presumption especially if he should add Allurements and Promises and tell you that he hath killed his Fatlings and mingled his wine and if he should not prevail with all these if he should look our at the windom and cry if ye will not come in I swear I will come down and kill you the Father hath done so in this Covenant he hath given Intreaties and Allurments and Promises and sworn if ye accept not of his offer he will damn you eternally in hell 2ly All whom the command of Believing reaches and who are concerned in it are bound Personally to Covenant with God but all in the visible church are commanded to believe and the great Root of the Sentence that will pass against them will be even the Reprobat their not believing 3ly If all were not bound thus Personally to Covenant with God what can be the meaning of the many Regreates and Lamentations in the Gospel for many Reprobat ones for their not Indenturing with him to sit down over Jerusalem and weep to upbraid Chorazin and Bethsaida if they had not been bound thus Personally to Covenant with Him So it s the duty of all within the visible church all of them ly under an Obligation to make a Covenant with him by Sacrifice on no less hazard than what they are worth for ever and ever But this is the duty of all but especially the Elect the reasons why it is the Elects duty I will not dwell on them at this time but will shew you that though it be constantly the duty of the Elect tobe making and keeping Covenant with God yet there are some special times wherein especially they are called to it and all I shall say in this Sermon shall be to shew you Four or Five remarkable Junctures of Cases wehrein the Lord calls his Elect to enter in or to renew a Covenant â—irst At their first effectual calling when He hath made a law work to make way for a Gospel Work when He hath sent His Spirit to convince of Sin and of Judgment the Spirit hath a Couumission also to convince of Righteousness then especially they are
these things First We are to be express in the things we are to do it 's true we are not to make new duties nor to put in terms that are not in the Covenant already yet there are three particulars wherein a person Covenanting with God ought to study to be very express First There are the great things in the Covenant that we should believe mourn for sin and pray these things are indispensibly required in the Covenant therefore when we enter in a personal Covenant with God and would be explicite and express about it we are expresly to mention the great Articles of the Covenant on our part whatever we bind our selves to do If we bind our selves in the Covenant to build the Church and give our goods to the poor and our bodies to the fire except these great Articles of the Covenant be performed it 's not a Gospel-Covenant therefore we ought to be express in binding our selves to these great things indispensibly required by God in the Covenant 2ly in a time of tryal a Christian should be express in binding himself in a personal Covenant to the owning of these truths and interest that come to be a case of confession it 's an easie thing to owne uncontroverted truths but these things that in our generation come to be a case of confession these interests and people that are most born down we are particularly to Indenture in a personal Covenant with God especially for the owning of these Interests though we are to have respect to all his commands yet especially to these that make against the errors of the time It 's remarkable ye find the most part of the Prophets writings runing against Idolatry and the most part of Christs Sermons runing against hypocrisie the great reason of this Is in Isaiah's and Jeremiah's time Israel was prone to Idolatry and in Christ's time they were overwhelmed with Hypocrisie 3ly A Christian ought especially to bind himself to these duties at which his careless heart is most sloathful and against these corruptions he is most prone to every man is weakest at something as Samson had his particular wherein his strength lay so every man hath something wherein his weakness lyes and when we personally Covenant with God we ought to be express in it if one be negligent in Prayer a wanderer in hearing if one have a gading light heart in conversing with God they are not only to purpose and resolve but to cast over the cord of a Covenant on that levity of spirit so when we Covenant personally and particularly with God in these three above all other things the soul ought to be express and particular into it But secondly we ought to be express and particular in the conditions on which we bind to these things otherways after our Covenanting with God which affords a great deal of peace and sweetness to the soul and many of late have gone sweetly down to the grave when they have brought out their old personal Covenanting with God and renewed them and we ought to be express in the conditions especially in these three 1. It 's a promise of the covenant that God shall give strength for performing our part of the covenant he hath often promised this The feeble among you shall be as David and David as the Angel of God they shall renew their strength and mount up as an Eagle they shall walk and not to be weary run and not faint now when we bind to the great duties of the Covenant to the owning the truths and interests of the Gospel we are to put in that condition wherein it 's promised that he will do these duties viz. that all our strength must flow from him as a River and that on these terms and conditions we bind providing he give strength this is the way to make our part of the Covenant both pleasant and easie when we can go to Christ as our Treasurer to bring our strength from him to do what we have Covenanted 2ly We are to put in this condition expresly that he will accept of the will and endeavour in place of perfection if we were to make a Covenant of Works as Adam did we were obliged to bind that we should be perfect in love and perfect in faith but in the Covenant of Grace we are to bind according to the terming of the Covenant of Grace the grace of the Covenant hath trade the proposals of it run in this Channel he it is alone that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure and he will accept of the will in place of perfection 3ly We are to Indenture in this Covenant on these terms that all our failings shall be covered with the righteousness of a Cautioner when we have any challenge for guiltiness being in Covenant with him our only recourse like Manoah's Wife the second time that the Angel came to her she was not accustomed to speak to Angels stay till I call my Husband the Covenant holds him out as the only fit person to deal with Serpents whose heads he bruised So we are to be express in our Covenanting that our failings shall be covered with the righteousnes of a Cautioner so ye see this personal Covenanting with God is not so dreadful and scarring a thing as many take it up to be but it is easie and pleasant if it be gone about according to the method of the Gospel The second property of this Covenanting with God shall be this that as it ought to be gone about expresly explicitly and distinctly so it ought to be gone about according to the method of the Gospel no person goes about it rightly that doth not keep in it the method of the Gospel Quest Ye will readily ask What is it to keep a Gospel-method in Covenanting with Christ Ans For clearing of this I desire you may take notice of these three things that make up this Gospel method in a souls personal Covenanting with God 1 The Gospel-method is kept when the Law makes way for the Gospel I do not deny but one may enter in a personal Covenant with God that hath not had the Law work to such a hight as others have had we read of some in the Gospel that were cut to the heart before they were brought to believe so here are some of them we read of there is no more but the Lord opened their heart as the Lord opened the heart of Lydia there is no such acount of their Law-work as of others yet this ordinary Gospel-method of the Laws making way for the Gospel was typified by the stinging of the fiery Serpents before they could look for healing on the brasen Serpent and readily they will never make a sincere personal Covenant with God that have not had the challenges and threatnings of the Law like an Ax laid to the root of the Tree It 's ordinary for any when they take up a profession and readily sewes a new profession
the full the things contained in the Covenant shall satisfy them and that for all eternity so the Covenant cannot but be a perfect Covenant so lay the four together and ye will see it a perfect Covenant But the more clear handling of this will appear if I will particularly enquire into what respects it is a perfect Covenant It would take a long time to open this I will confine my self in handling this to four or five particulars and in these shall let you see in what respects it's a prefect Covenant 1. It 's a perfect Covenant in regard of excellency it 's perfectly excellent if the things contained in the Covenant had been many things like the gifts Abraham gave to Ketura his Concubine and her Children it would be far from being a perfect Covenant suppose it had been a liferent Bond or a lifes Tack of health or a little whiles flourishing in the world what a silly thing had it been in the point of excellency But the Covenant is perfect in this respect the greatest things God can give are contained in it he will give grace and glory and no good thing shall be wanting to them that live uprightly no he cannot offer greater things he offers in the Covenant all that he hath and to make us Ruler over all that he hath blessed shall that servant be whom his Lord when he cometh finds so doing verily he will make him ruler over all that he hath 2ly It 's a perfect Covenant in regard it holds out not only all these excellencies but it 's a Covenant of the most excellent things in their perfection in as far as they are communicable Divines distinguish two sorts of Attributes of God some communicable some incommunicable Infiniteness is incommunicable Eternity is incommunicable other Attributes of God are cammunicable his Wisdom his Holiness his Justice his Goodness All the Attributes of God communicable are made over to us in the Covenant he promiseth they shall be forth-coming to us and there are some Rays communicat to Believers like Beams proceeding from the Sun they come from God the Fountain of Wisdom and Holiness all the righteousness of Christ in so far as it is communicable and as we stand in need of is made over in the Covenant there is nothing in the Father or in the Son that is communicable but it 's made over in the Covenant since it is so that the most excellent things are promised in the Covenant and all the excellencies of the Father and of the Son in so far as they are communicable and we are capable of are made over in the Covenant it must then be a perfect Covenant in regard of excellency What is possible for you to imagine What is desireable What is the Father and his Son and all that 's in him in so far as we are capable of and are communicable is made over to us in the Covenant 3ly It 's a perfect Covenant in respect of duties there are two things that make up the whole duty of Man or of a Christian and ye will find there was never any thing so perfect in both regards as the Covenant is 1. The Covenant is perfect in regard of Mortification 2ly In regard of Vivification First It 's perfect in regard of Mortification the Heathens and all Hypocrites know nothing of this mystery of the Covenant the Covenant is perfect in regard of Mortification if ye view three things required in the work of Mortification ye will find them all called for in the Covenant 1. The Covenant requires that we should not only mortifie outward and scandalous lusts but also inward heart-lusts the Covenant calls for both the two all the Law-gives that ever gave Laws to the world their Laws strike not at heart-ills but the Covenant is thus perfect as the lusts of the heart the lust of the eye eyes full of Adultery even that the Covenant condemns and makes Adultery and so its perfect in regard it not only sneds off the Branches but it strikes at the root even or heart-lusts 2ly The Covenant it presses the mortification of lesser things even the things that we would think but a small evil the Covenant presses that we should watch against every iniquity and count nothing small that is committed against a great God 3ly The Covenant not only presses the mortification of heart-ills and the least ills but it presses the mortification of the most dear things and things most precious to us such as the right hand the right eye Mat. 5.29 If thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out c. better to go to Heaven with one eye than to go to Hell with two so argues Christ the smallest sin the least appearance of sin and the dearest of things though it were as dear as the right eye the right hand they must be mortified and must not that be a perfect Covenant that gives so perfect Laws Secondly Take a view of Vivification and of positive duties supradded to the work of Mortification and ye will find it perfect in regard of these especially if ye notice three things 1. The Covenant presses universal obedience to the Law not only the first Table of the Law but the second not only duties to God but to our neighbour the Covenant presses a believing of all that God says God spake all these words saying is the Preface to the Ten Commandments they are all the words of God if one of them had been spoken by the god of Ammon if a second had been spoken by the god of Israel we might have said this was spoken by the god of Ammon and is not to be obeyed but all the Commands are the Words of God and therefore all are to be obeyed 2ly The Covenant in the point of Vivification declares against slothiulness as well as scandals the Covenant says the Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit or the careless or barren Tree will be cast into the fire as well as the Tree that brings forth Accorns and that is an evidence of the perfection of the Covenant it 's well observed of Jonah a sleeping Jonah may ruine a Ship as well as a Pirat had there come an Enemy or a Pirat upon the Ship that Jonah sleeped in it could not contribute more to ruine it than his sleeping security and slothfulness will bring thee to Hell as well as the grossest scandals 3ly The Covenant calls for Grace as well as duty there is nothing acceptable duty to God but what hath grace at the bottom of it if we give our body to the fire and want charity if we pray never so much and pray not in faith it 's not acceptable there is no right work of Sanctification except the work consist of Grace as well as duties must not that be a perfect Covenant as to all the duties of Mortification and Vivification that requires such exact
gave his Son 2. It was grace that he accepted his Son I confess the sacrfice he offered was of infinit value but the Law porvided that the person that sinned should die and he was not the person that sinned it 's a great wonder that he accepted from any other but from the person that sinned 3. The glorifying the Mediator for the satisfaction was a great act of grace Remember ye an Observation I had the last time we had the Communion on that Text Come to the Wedding all things are ready ye heard the difficult things were put by hand not only the decrees of Election but the satisfaction of Christ is put by hand neither could God nor Man nor Angels satisfie for us 1. God could not satisfie for he was not the person that sinned Angels could not do it upon the same ground and Man could not give a satisfaction of infinit value How should it be done then He must be both God and Man in one person what a difficult pass was this he must be God to overcome and Man to die and so ye see that Christ hath payed the Debt and purchased the Covenant and this derogats nothing from the grace of the Covenant but rather confirms it to be of grace SERMON XXXVIII 2 Samuel 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made wiht me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvaand all my desire although he make it not to grow FRom that branch of the Verle Although my house be not so with God yet he bath made with me an everlasting Covenant I did infer that the Covenant made with David was a Covenant of meer grace altogether independent form any Merit from any Price or Service or Suitableness in him without resuming any thing that I have spoken before I come to the practical part of this there is one Objection I would clear and shall say no more of the doctrinal part Object Doeth not the Covenant of grace injoin the whole Law how can it them be called a Covenant of such intire grace nay more ye have heard there are things commanded in it that are not commanded in the Covenant of Works how can it then be a Covenant of meer grace and favour Answ For opening I desire ye may notice three or four particulars 1. Obedience to the Law is not the principal condition of the Covenant of grace believing and accepting of Christ is the principal command and condition of it nay justifying Faith however there be some in this generation would fain put in love in the definition of faith either designing a Socinian or Popish errour they know not that Faith is the principal condition and that as justifying though it cannot be separat from Works they go inseparably togegher yet in its nature and essence it doeth not include them 2. I add though the Covenant command the Law and enjoin it yet it does not enjoin it as a thing to be performed in our strength Adam was to obey it by the strength of inherent Grace but we are to obey it in the strength of assisting Grace there is a Thesaurer appointed Who is made of the Father our wisdom sanctification and redemption a very necessar Truth to be observed some when they go about duties they would wring them out of their own hearts and do them in their won strength that agrees not to the nature of the Covenant the way how we are to obey the Law is to abide in Christ and bring out strength out of him and the more we depend on him and the oftner we come to him we are the welcomer he readily gives more than we ask he will do as Naaman did with Gehasi as one observes well Gehasi running after Naaman he asks a Talent of him I pray thee says he be content take two we bake beside Meal and have a Thesaurer to bear our Purse and to defray our expense in every Inns and in every strait we come to 3ly Though the Covennat command the Law yet it will accept of the will for the deed and sincerity for perfection it was not so under the Covenant of Works where it was threatned He that offends in the least is guilty of all but in the Covenant of Grace though we be commanded to be perfect yet there will be acceptation of uprightness for perfection 4ly Obedience to the Law is indeed commanded but not to be our Righteousness it would have been Adams Righteousness had he stood under the Covenant of Works but this cannot be commanded in order to our Justification there is a Righteousness accepted and that is one of the reasons why the Lord in the Covenant of Grace accepts of less than under the Covenant of Works He first considers our lapsid estate then he doth with us as a man that hath a great Sun owing him by a Creditor he gets so much from the Cautioner that he is content to accept of less from the Principal all that God could expect was from Adams self his Bond admitted not of a Cautioner but under the Covenant of Grace there is less accepted at our hand that there is so much done by the Cautioner so it does not overturn the Truch of the Covenant that this Covenant is absolutely free and a full Act of free Grace though there be a commanding of the Law in it Without insisting more on the Doctrinal part I will come to the practical use of it 1. Is this Covenant a Covenant of so free Grace and Favour made with those whose house is not so with God Is it a Covenant thus of meer Grace The motives and grounds are not derived from us but from something in God himself it serves for several practical improvements Vse 1. First I would exhort you to take heed of making the wrong Use of it so as to abuse this Doctrine of free Grace two or three sorts of people come under the abuse of it 1. Such as take liberty to sin they abuse it to take Grace and make it a prop to sin is an abuse of Grace God forbid says Paul that we should sin that Grace may abound I like the Observation a Divine hath he says there cannot be a greater wrong done to an honest ingenuous man than to say he is an encourager to Drunkenness to Swearing to Adultery to Murder and to Lying what a reflection must it be on Christ to say that his Covenant is not of Grace 2ly All they that live in any known sin and are cherishing themselves with the Doctrine of Grace they abuse it it is a Covenant of Grace indeed but as ye heard It 's ordered in all things ye cannot plead the conditional Promises before ye make use of the absolute Promises 3ly Such as are pleading for pardon without repentance they are abusing this Dectrine of Grace and there cannot be a greater injury done to Christ he hath mediat and treated this Covenant and