the Covenant of Grace which he hath made with us in Christ They are not so unto the wicked who are not in Covenant with the Lord but to the Saints they are in Gen. 33.5 when Iacob speaks of his children these saith he are the children which God of his Grace hath given thy servant Iacob saw Grace in this so should we see Grace in every outward blessing wee enjoy Object But these outward blessings are common to good and bad and no man can know love or hatred by these things which are before him how then may I know that God gives me these things out of Grace and love Answ 1. If we come by them in the way of the Covenant we walking before God in the way of holy obedience and dependance upon him It s certain they doe then come to us as blessings and are given us by vertue of his Covenant And therefore it is that in Deut. 28.1 2 8 12. If thou shalt diligently observe the Commandements of the Lord thy God saith Moses then shall he command the blessing to come upon thee and all these blessings shall overtake thee c. he doth not say thus shall thou be enriched thus shalt thou encrease in goods c. but thus shall the Lord blesse thee and these blessings shall come upon thee to note unto us that when we walk with God in this way of obedience conscionably then what ever good things come unto us they come as a blessing The Lord not only gives the blessing it selfe but hee gives it as a blessing and a blessing of Grace comming through his Covenant 2. If they be as bands and cords of love betwixt God and us as bands to draw us nearer unto him and as cords to tie us faster unto him causing us to love him more and to honour him in the use of those good things which we have received from him doubtlesse they doe then come from his Grace towards us and are blessings of the Covenant I have loved thee saith the Lord in Jer. 31.3 and with mercy have I drawn thee If God draw us unto him by any meanes there is mercy in it and there is a blessing in it Take this as a rule for ever what ever brings us to God is a blessing as contrariwise whatever separates us from God is a curse And that which causeth love comes from love If these things work love in our hearts towards God then doe they come from his love towards us Consider then are our hearts carried away from God by the things we enjoy this is dangerous But are our hearts thereby more drawn and knit unto him then own them as blessings of the Covenant as springing from the fountaine of Grace which God hath opened to us in Christ 2. Seeing these outward good things are given to Gods people by Covenant as blessings and as springing from Grace this must teach us to be content with such a measure of them as our Father seeth meetest for us though we have lesse in outward things yet there is the same grace in that little as if we had an hundred fold Sometimes there is much love seen in a little thing and so it is in these gifts which God gives to his children The gift may be small but the love is great from which it comes This love should satisfie whether the gift we receive from it be lesse or more As a younger childe which his Father loves tenderly though he have not so large allowance and liberall maintenance as his elder brother that is grown to yeares yet he comforts himselfe in this he saith in his heart I know my Father loves me as well as any childe he hath and thus satisfies himselfe in his Fathers love though his yearely allowance bee not equall with some other so should we Though we have not so much wheat and wine and oyle c. yet we may satiate our soule with the Lords goodnesse Ier. 31.12 14. that goodnesse of his being the same towards us in our little as if our portion were much more abundant And this contentation we should the rather labour for because if we be not satisfied with that lesser portion which the Lord bestows upon us untill we abound it is suspicious and we have cause to doubt whether our contentment be not more in the gift then in the grace and love of the Giver For if it be his love that satisfies us why are we not satisfied when we have lesse as if we had more if we have food and rayment having them from the gift of his Grace let us therewith bee content Satisfie us with thy mercy saith Moses Psal 90.14 Moses could be satisfied with mercy though he had but little else there is a satisfying sufficiency in it if wee can but see it and rellish it in the things we enjoy Let us make sure of this that what we have it may come from the hand of Grace and then let us be contented with it be it lesse or more 3. Doth the Lord thus provide for his servants in these outward things let us then serve him with our outward man Hee blesseth us with all kinde of blessings in spirituall things pertaining to our inward man and in outward things pertaining to our outward man to the end that we might serve him and glorifie him in both he feeds and cloaths our bodies he maintaines the health and strength of them therefore give them up as a living sacrifice unto him Râ—m 12.1 Let him be magnified in our body Phil. 1.20 Our body must be for the Lord as the Lord is for the body 1 Cor. 6.13 And it is the Apostles exhortation Let us glorifie him both in body and Spirit for they are God's 4. This same consideration before named may teach us how to use the good things of this life which we doe enjoy For 1. Doe we receive them from Grace doe not then abuse them unto sinne to pride wantonnesse excesse c. This is to turn the Grace of God shewed in giving of them to us into licentiousnesse In Hosea 2.8 the Lord complaines there that when he had given them corne and wine silver and gold they bestowed them upon Baal abusing them to Idolatry and to sinne And it s noted as the sinne of wicked Athaliah that the dedicate things which should have been to the honouring of God these shee bestowed upon Baalim 2 Chron. 24.7 When we thus abuse his blessings unto sinne we turne that against God which we have received from him for good And in so doing we may justly feare least they become testimonies against us in the day of our account Therefore do not so requite the Lord Deut. 32. Remember from what hand wee have received them and take heed we abuse them not 2. Hence learn to return part of our substance unto God Give up that unto him which we have received from him The Lord gives us leave to eat and to drink and to cheere our
yet would live in hatred of their brother ver 9. They would say they loved God yet loved not their brethren 1 Ioh. 4.20 Now against these Sayers as I may call them that were all in profession and in word saying Lord Lord but not doing his will against these I say the Apostle opposeth these others which had the true work of sanctification in their heart and tells us that hereby we know c. Namely if we doe not onely say we love the brethren but doe indeed love them c. hereby we know that we are passed from death to life Thus by these expressions taken out of the Apostles own mouth we see clearely who they are whom the Apostle meaneth by this we namely not we onely who have received that immediate witnesse of the Spirit assuring us of our election and justification but we also which have this work of sanctification wrought in our hearts by the holy Ghost Quest But some may say why should we goe about to evidence our justification by our sanctification rather then our sanctification by our justification Ans Because though they goe both together in time yet they are not both alike in respect of manifestation Our sanctification is more manifest to us then is our justification It s easier discerned First because our sanctification is the work of the Spirit whose part it is as was said before to make known unto us the hid things of God for which cause he is called the Spirit of Revelation c. Eph. 1.17 Secondly because our sanctification is a work within us wrought in out own hearts Our justification is an act of God without us God not imputing to us our iniquities but our sanctification is an inward work wrought in a mans own bowels of which he hath and cannot but have a sensible feeling in himselfe Obj. But by this reason may some say a man may as well know his justification as his sanctification because we are justified by faith and faith is an inward Grace planted in the heart as well as any other sanctifying Grace which springs therefrom And therefore we may know our justification by our faith as well as by our sanctification Answ True so farre as we discerne our faith we may thereby discerne our justification also But this makes for us not against us Though this withall is to be considered that faith being as the root of all other Graces is more hidden then they are as the root of the tree is more hidden in the earth then the body or branches but this we stand not upon This therefore we would grant that a man may know his justification by his faith but this toucheth not the point in hand For when we goe about to try our justification by our sanctification and by qualifications inherent in us in this way of tryall faith is excluded as much as any other sanctifying Graces be And the meaning of those that doe oppose this way of evidencing by our sanctification is to remove all evidence by any thing in our selves whether by faith or by any other Grace and to urge only the immediate revelation of the Spirit The summe is that this is a safe way of tryall being laid down unto us by the Lord himselfe in the Word And it is a possible way in as much as our sanctification is more evident then our justification this being an act of God without us as was said before and that a work within us which we feele and finde in our own soules Would we then know whether we be of the number of those that are saved by the blood of the Covenant we need not for this ascend up into heaven to search the book of Gods election nor need we to goe down into the lower parts of the earth for any there to tell us that we are deliveâ—ed thence but goe down into our own hearts and if we finde this work of sanctification there wrought then what Moses said of Israel Blessed art thou O Israel a people saved by the Lord the same may be truly said of us Our salvation is begun we have the seale of it the earnest the first fruits which shall at length bring the full possession of the whole harvest Blessed therefore are they which are undefiled in their way saith David which walk in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 Blessed are the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 Those that have innocent hands and a pure heart shall surely ascend into the mountaine of the Lord and stand in his holy place Psal 24.3 4. Such as these shall never be moved or confounded Psal 15. end But if in our hearts we doe still nourish impurity if we be fleshly carnall such as have not the Spirit then have we no part nor portion in that salvation which the Covenant brings unto Gods people without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 No unrighteous person no uncleane thing shall enter into Gods Kingdome 1 Cor. 6. Quest But how shall we discern our sanctification to be right sincere and sound Answ 1. By the extent of it It goes over the whole man soule body and spirit 1 Thes 5.23 and therefore compared to leaven Matth. 13.33 which runnes through the dough till all bee leavened As corruption had defiled all so Grace sanctifies all The minde which was darknesse before is now light in the Lord to know and understand the will of God and to discerne things that differ The judgement made to approve the good which is known the will to desire and endeavour after the doing of it The conscience is made watchfull and tender fearefull to offend The affections ordered aright to love the things which God loveth and to hate the things which he hateth The body is made an instrument to execute and doe that which is holy and good Both body and spirit are Gods set to doe the things that please him by which he may be glorified 1 Cor. 6. all that is within us and without us is imployed to praise God 2. True Sanctification as it doth sanctifie the whole man so it doth forme the heart to a closing with the whole will of God without exception or reservation when God writes his Law in our hearts he writes all his Commandements there as he wrote all of them before in the Tables of stone and they being all written in the heart now we love all the Commandements of it saying as Paul The Law is holy and just and good now his Commandements are not burthenous or grievous all are equall and right we love all embrace all and labour to practice all duties of holinesse towards God duties of love and righteousnesse towards men goe hand in hand in the life of a sanctified Christian He makes account he hath done but half his duty if either of these be omitted He counts himselfe as debtor to God and man to glorifie God and procure the good of men and desires to keep a cleare conscience
4. And why are these things said to flow from Gods election but that we knowing that that foundation of Gods election remaineth sure we might know that our state in Grace is sure also as being built on that foundation which cannot be moved And this doth our blessed Saviour make good in that speech of his in Matth. 24. where speaking of the strong delusions and deceits which many should be deceived with he saith that those deceivers shall shew forth such signes and wonders as if it were possible should deceive the very Elect If it were possible but that they cannot doe the Elect cannot perish 4. It would frustrate the vertue and efficacy of the mediation and intercession of the Lord Iesus who not onely once offred up himselfe as a sacrifice for us but appeares for ever at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for us Rom. 8.34 That prayer of his Ioh. 17. which he made for us when he was here upon earth was and is a testification of the care he hath of us now in heaven He then prayed Father keep them in thy name and the same doth he for us now He is not changed he is yesterday and to day and the same for ever he is our faithfull High-Priest who beares our names upon his breast in the holy place he is now entred into Exod. 28.29 presenting us with his heartiest affection unto his Father he having set us a seale upon his heart and carrying us in his bosome and loving us with his bosome love This comfort Christ gave unto Peter I have prayed for thee saith Christ that thy faith faile not Luke 22.32 And look what Christ prayed for in the behalfe of Peter and the rest of his Disciples the same prayer he makes for all those that believe in him through their word Joh. 17.20 And if Christ make such intercession for us we know that he is alwayes heard and accepted by the Father Joh. 11. It is not possible that those for whom he intercedes should perish 5. If there were falling away from Grace then it must come either by Gods departing from us or by our departing from him But neither of these shall do it neither will God depart from us not shall we when once effectually called depart any more from him Jer. 32.40 He will not forsake his people 1 Sam. 12.22 Nor will they goe away from him Joh. 6.68 Lord whether shall we goe thou hast the fountaine of life and blessednesse in thee whether should we goe to forsake thee Object But Adam who had perfect holinesse in him and had more grace then we have did fall therefore we which have lesse grace then he may fall much more Answ It followes not because Adam and we are to be considered under different Covenants Adam was under the Covenant of works those that are regenerate are under a Covenant of Grace He was therefore left to himselfe to work either in one kinde or other well or ill as he would himselfe but now we are under a Covenant of Grace and are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 he had no promise of being kept as we have He had that which we have not Posse si vellet he had power to have stood but abused his will we have that which he had not we have will but we want power but though we want power of our own yet we are kept by the power of God Object But we have no promise of being kept in the state of Grace but onely so farre as wee are not wanting to our selves c. Answ 1. If so no flesh should bee saved for who is not wanting to himselfe more or lesse Are those that plead thus so watchfull and diligent never to be wanting to themselves I suppose they dare not for shame once affirm it and yet I believe they will not therefore say that because of such want they are fallen from Grace 2. If this were all that God promised unto us now under Grace then I demand what have we promised to us more then was promised to Adam for surely if Adam had not been wanting to himselfe he should have continued still in that holy estate And if the Lord should now promise us no more what grace is shewed to us more then to him where is the Grace of the second Covenant above the first 3. The Lord hath promised this also that we shall never be so farre wanting to our selves as wholly to turn away from him Ier. 32.40 He puts into the hearts of his people an holy feare of departing away from him they feare to be deprived Heb. 4.1 This feare makes them pray knit my heart unto thee and to resolve with David It is good for me to draw nigh unto God Psal 73. And thus in Ier. 32.39 I will give them one heart that they shall feare me for ever This fearing him for ever makes Gods children for ever to cleave to him so as though they may have their particular slips and failings yet they can no more cease to feare God and to cleave unto him then this promise of God can faile wherein hee hath said I will give them an heart to feare me for ever At what time they cease to feare God at the same time this promise of God failes and comes to nought Object But these promises which doe sound as if they were absolute are to be expounded by other promises which are expressed conditionally if yee continue Colos 1. if yee faint not Galat. 6. Answ 1. These conditionall expressions are added not to weaken the force of those absolute promises before named as if one sort of promises did crosse another and were to weaken our confidence in them but there are two other causes of adding these conditions One is this Namely because the Apostle in writing to visible Churches hee knew that in all such Churches there were some that though they made as faire profession as the rest yet they would in time discover some unsoundnesse at heart for their sakes therefore the Apostle addes these Ifs as if hee should say if yee be truly grounded on Christ and so continue then shall yee be presented blamelesse c. Col. 1.22 23. but this doth nothing at all tend to weaken the assurance of those that are truly called and sanctified The other is this These conditionall expressions have in them the force of a secret warning and quickning exhortation for every one that standeth or thinks that he standeth to take heed lest he fall and so in stead of weakning our confidence they make us to stand more cautelously and sure 2. It is a sweet and usefull consideration observed by that learned Lawyer and active Instrument in the Cause of Gods truth that in the comparing and compounding of these conditionall promises with the absolute we must place conditionall in the first rank and then absolute in the second Set the former as the major Proposition
foundation of our assurance But may not will some say and doth not the Lord sometimes give comfort to his servants by an absolute promise and if so then what need we looke to those that are conditionall Ans I doubt not but the Lord doth give refreshings to the souls of his beloved by such absolute promises for there being a sum of grace contained in every promise whether absolute or conditionall the Lord may let the soule raste of the comfort of that grace by what promise he will when the soule is taken up with some deep and serious meditation of that abundant grace and free goodnes of God towards us and the minde is fastned upon some expression of such a promise setting forth that grace unto us the Spirit sends down that sweetnesse of grace into our hearts letting us taste and feel the comfort of it This none will deny But 1. the question is not whether we may taste of comfort by an absolute promise but by what kinde of promise we are to try our selves the Spirit may give refreshing by an absolute promise but our way of tryall is by the conditionall examining our selves by the graces expressed in them and thereupon making application to our selves of the mercy promised which we cannot doe by the absolute there being nothing expressed in them to helpe us in this way 2. Though comfort may he had by an absolute promise yet it is never given if it be true and not a delusion but where the condition of Faith and other graces are in being and are first wrought otherwise it is lying false comfort not true and saving 3. Though we may have comfort by an absolute promise yet when times of temptation doe return when scruples and doubts doe afterwards arise in our heart we must then turn to the conditionall promises trying whether the graces expressed in them be wrought in us and then finding in our selves that faith and love which is in Christ Jesus we doe thereby grow up in assurance that the former consolation was no other but the consolation of Gods own Spirit So that upon the point here is the usuall and ordinary way of tryall of our estates even to try our selves by the graces expressed in the conditionall promises And though the comfort so tasted as was before expressed be the more sweet and delightfull whiles it is felt yet the assurance which we have by the tryall of our graces is the more constant and durable If upon pretence of the seale and witnesse of the Spirit in an absolute promise any shall despise this way of tryall by the graces that are in them let them take heed least Sathan who knows how to transforme himselfe into an Angel of light doe deceive them with false flashes of comfort which in the end will cause them to lie down in sorrow It is but an unpleasing businesse to separate and oppose the things which God hath so nearely joyned together to oppose the absolute promises against the conditionall or the conditionall against the absolute the Lord hath made no such separation or opposition betwixt them The absolute and conditionall promises are both one in substance though they differ in manner of expression For when the Lord saith he will forgive our sins for his own sake Esay 43. which is an absolute promise this promise intends faith in those in whom it shall be fulfilled though he do forgive our sinnes for his own sake yet he doth it only to such as doe believe faith therefore is implyed in that promise though not expressed And on the other side when God promiseth life to such as doe believe which is a conditionall promise this promise implies the former freenesse of Grace as was before expressed in the absolute promise to doe it for his own sake the expressing of faith the condition doth not exclude the freenesse of Grace nor doth the expressing of freenesse of Grace exclude the condition these two kinde of promises help to explaine one another not to contradict or overthrow the truth of either When we heare a conditionall promise believe and be saved if any shall now aske Why will the Lord save such as believe without works To this the Lord answers in the absolute promise for mine own sake will I doe it On the otherside when hearing an absolute promise As for mine own sake will I doe this If any shall here aske To whom will the Lord performe this mercy promised To this he answers in the conditionall promise I will doe it to them which doe believe so sweetly doe these promises agree betwixt themselves helping to explaine and expound one another Let us not then dash them on against another and betwixt themselves they will not jarre The Apostle found no disagreement betwixt Grace and Faith or betwixt being saved by Grace and being saved by Faith Ezek. 2.8 and if Grace and Faith agree so well then must the absolute and conditionall promises agree also the one expressing the Grace of God as the cause of our salvation the other expressing the condition Faith by which it is received and our interest in it discerned this way of tryall by conditionall promises Let none count a legall course as not agreeable to the spirit of the Gospel This is that way of tryall which Paul who was no legall Preacher directed the Saints unto So doth Peter also 2 Pet. 5. to 11. v. Some that love to be wise above that which is written and not according to sobriety despise this way as fit for novices but not for such as are perfect as they are They have their assurance by revelation seeing the very book of life unsealed and opened unto them so that they may see and reade their own names written in it it is too low a work for them to descend into themselves and to examine how it is with them within whether they be in the faith or no. But if this people have any eare to heare Let them take heed of speaking evill of the way of the Lord which is so clearely laid down in the Word or if they be already hardned in their own way and being wise in their own eyes will count this way legall and contrary to the free Grace of the Covenant I doubt not to tell them that an humble soule which is able to prove his estate in life by his faith and other Graces accompanying it as holy mourning for sinne which they set so light by love of God and of the bretheren care to please God and such like shall finde more setled and sure comfort in the truth of these then they shall doe in their fancyed revelations and absolute way neglecting the state of the inward man That wretched Jezabell whom the Devill sent over hither to poyson these American Churches with her depths of Sathan which she had learned in the Schoole of the Familists who made her selfe a Prophetesse as understanding all secrets of the counsell of God shee counted all such
1 King 20. It counts those subjects happy that are free of this Kingdome and those servants happy that stand before this King 1 King 10. It makes the soule lament its bondage under other Lords as in Esay 26.13 Lord saith the Church there other Lords besides thee have ruled over us but in thee is our onely hope having felt the misery of those former slaveries in which it hath been holden having been in the Iron Furnace of Aegypt and sate by the waters of Babel and wept there having been under such cruell Lords now they are weary of the yoke of the oppressor and now the blessing of the Lords government the Laws of God which were before counted as cords and bands fitter for bondslaves then for free-men are now esteemed holy and just and good Rom 7. Faith believes that which the Lord hath said that he hath given us his Commandements for our good that it may goe well with us for ever Deut. 12. 4. Faith reconciles the heart unto God it doth not only believe that he is reconciled unto us but also reconciles us unto God whereas before we hated him and would none of him and thrust him away from us as the Israelites did Moses Acts 7.27 Yet now the soule having by faith believed his goodnesse towards us is thereby reconciled unto him it layes down all weapons of defiance and submits in love Like as a Traytor having found the gracious favour of his Prince in pardoning his treacherous practises his naughty heart which was before so full of treachery is now overcome with this undeserved favour so we also having been in times past rebels against God haters of him enemies unto him having had our mindes set upon evill things Col. 1. are now overcome by his goodnesse towards us our heart is turned to him our hatred is turned into love faith working love causing us to love him for that great love wherewith hee hath loved us in Christ 1 Joh. 4. So that now we come to God as they did to David in 1 Chron. 12.18 Thine are we we are wholly thine And thus faith slayes the hatred and puls down the partition wall which was betwixt God us reconciles the enmity and makes of two one working peace and love so that now the believing soule desires nothing more then to bee subject to his government and grieves when it is hindred that it cannot doe that which he hath commanded And thus the Covenant is made up in both parts of it offered unto us by God and received of us by faith 1 King 20.34 2. As faith closeth with the Covenant and brings us into Covenant with God so it doth also act and work in us to enable us to walk with God according to the Covenant which we have made with him there is a keeping of Covenant required of us as well as a making of Covenant with God Gen. 17 7 9. in Psal 50.5 the Saints are said to make a Covenant with God but in Psal 103.18 they are said to keep his Covenant so there is both a making and a keeping of Covenant and both these are done by faith faith doth first enter us into Covenant with God as we have seen above and then by the same faith we are carried on to a keeping of the Covenant made and that according to both parts of the Covenant before laid down 1. Whereas God enters into Covenant with us to heale our back-slidings to blesse us with all kinds of blessings convenient for us Now the work of faith is to carry on the soule in a continuall dependence upon God for all the good which he hath promised If we be in danger faith looks unto God for safety and deliverance 2 Chron. 14.11 Acts 27.25 It believes the promises of deliverance and depends upon them If we have sinned and done the things wee should not faith brings the soule back unto God againe in a way of repentance and looks to the faithfulnesse and stability of his Covenant hoping still to finde mercy and forgivenesse with him albeit we have sinned against him and so in all other occasions which befall us in this life according as any evill presseth upon us or any blessing is wanting unto us faith hath recourse to the promise and Covenant of God waiting upon him for all that mercy which we stand in need of in every kind And when we doe thus put forth our faith in the exercise and acts of it depending by it upon God in all our occasions this is the life of faith which the Scripture speaks of this is to live by faith Hab. 2. and to walk by faith 2 Cor. 5. And this life of faith is then especially seen when the course of Gods providence and dealing with us seemes to make against his promise herein the life of Abrahams faith was seen that though his body grew more impotent and dead every yeare yet God having promised him a Son Abraham believes even above hope notwithstanding the deadnesse of his body and of Sarahs womb And so Moses God having promised good to Israel though for the present he saw nothing but wants and necessities and mortality among the people so many thousands dying in the Wildernesse yet was he so confident of Gods goodnesse towards that people that he was bold to promise good to Jethro his Father-in-Law in case he would joyn himselfe unto them and be one of them Come with us saith Moses unto him and we will doe thee good for God hath promised good unto Israel Num. 10.29 When Moses promised to doe him good hee might have said You may bring me to sorrow and misery enough here you are in a miserable Wildernesse where you sometimes want water and have nothing to eat and here you die and your carkases fall in the Wildernesse what good can I expect that you can doe for mee and yet Moses by the power of faith is confident to promise him good God saith he hath promised good unto Israel Moses looks beyond the present workes of Gods providence and considers the stability of Gods promise and that doth he rest upon God not being as man that he should lye or repent 1 Sam. 16. therefore Moses concludes Let the Lord for the present doe as he will let all things seem to crosse his promise never so much yet this I am sure of God hath promised good to Israel and therefore good shall come and thus doth faith enable the soule to walke in Covenant with God depending upon him for that mercy and goodnesse which he hath promised God saith I will be a God unto thee to blesse thee and to doe thee good and this I require of thee that thou trust to me and depend upon me for all the good thou standest in need of and faith doth so it rests upon Gods promise And thus faith fulfills this part of the Covenant 2. As for the other part of the Covenant I will be a God over thee and thou shalt glorifie
Gal. 3.16 concerning the one seede of Abraham to which the promises are made which seede is Christ shewing who is that one seed there called Christ 3. What the Covenant at Sinai was whether a Covenant of workes or of grace 4. Whether justification may be evidenced by sanctification whether that way of evidencing be a going aside to a Covenant of workes and whether one under the Covenant of works may be truly sanctified 5. Whether the commandement commanding faith be a commandement of the Law or no. 6. Whether faith be a condition onely consequent to our justification not antecedent 7. Whether the conditionall promises be promises of free grace or no and of their agreement with those promises which are called absolute These and some other such passages are herein touched as occasion was ministred by the matter handled And in regard that some of the same opinions are now stirring in old England which lately troubled New my hope in the Lord is that this my weak endeavour the Lord accompanying it with his blessing may be of some use now in these times if not to recall those that are led aside by errour yet to settle some that are doubtfull and wavering in the truth But though these things are touched here and there yet my chiefe ayme hath been to lead on the weake Christian to a practicall use of the truths which are here delivered in which the greatest part of this work is spent If in any of these thou findest thy self helped by this my labour either in thy knowledge or practise returne glory to God and help me by thy prayers that I may so finish that little remnant of my course which is yet before me that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vaine neither have laboured in vaine If any that are more judicious shall vouchsafe to see what is herein performed and shall thinke themselves burdened with interruption by reason of application by use of each point delivered I desire them to consider that as in the preaching so in the publishing of this Treatise it was then is now intended rather for their sakes which stand in need of both then for such as need not I write not to teach the judicious but to help the weak who stand in need not only to know the truth but to be led on to see how the knowledge of it doth serve to any use for practise of life One thing more I may not omit Whereas it may be marvailed that in the beginning of the Treatise I propound two points to be handled viz. first to shew the nature of the Covenant of grace and secondly that we are saved by that Covenant and not by the Covenant of workes whereas I say both these are propounded and yet I handle but one of them the reason of my so doing is partly because I saw the Treatise to exceed in bulk what I expected in the beginning partly because the handling of the former alone doth answer the end which in the beginning was aymed at which was to open the nature and substance of the Covenant of grace and partly also because this is my first adventure in this kinde If this which I have done shall finde acceptance with the Saints I may adde the rest in due time if the Lord give life and strength otherwise I shall thinke this enough and too much which is done already In the meane time I commend this my endeavour with thee courteous Reader to the blessing of God beseeching him that is the God of all grace to enable us so to live a life of grace here that in the end we may enjoy the grace of life according to the covenant and promise of grace which he hath made with us in Christ his beloved To whom be glory for ever Amen In whom I rest Thine in any service of love for Christs sake PETER BULKELEY ⧠TO THE READER THe blessed God hath evermore delighted to reveale and communicate himselfe by way of Covenant he might have done good to man before his fall as also since his fall without binding himselfe in the bond of Covenant Noah Abraham and David Jewes Gentiles might have had the blessings intended without any promise or Covenant but the Lords heart is so full of love especially to his owne that it cannot be contained so long within the bounds of secrecie viz. from Gods eternall purpose to the actuall accomplishment of good things intended but it must aforehand overflow and breake out into the many streames of a blessed Covenant the Lord can never get neer enough to his people and thinkes he can never get them neer enough unto himselfe and therefore unites and binds and fastens them close to himselfe and himselfe unto them by the bonds of a Covenant And therefore when wee breake our Covenant and that will not hold us he takes a faster bond and makes a sure and everlasting Covenant according to grace not according to workes and that shall hold his people firme unto himselfe and hold himselfe close and fast unto them that he may never depart from us Oh the depth of Gods grace herein that when sinfull man deserves never to have the least good word from him that he should open his whole heart and purpose to him in a Covenant that when he deserves nothing else but separation from God and to be driven up and downe the world as a vagabond or as dryed leaves fallen from our God that yet the Almighty God cannot be content with it but must make himselfe to us and us to himselfe more sure and neare then ever before And is not this Covenant then Christian Reader worth thy looking into and searching after Surely never was there a time wherein the Lord calls his people to more serious searching into the nature of the Covenant then in these dayes For are there not some who cut off the entaile to children of those in Covenant and so lessen shorten the riches of grace in the Lords free Covenant and that in the time of more grace under the Gospel then he was wont to dispense under the Law Are there not others who preach a new or rather another Gospel or Covenant viz That actuall remission of sins and reconciliation with God purchased indeed in Redemption by Christs death is without nay before faith the Condition though wrought of God of the Covenant of grace expresly opposed to the Law or Covenant of workes Rom. 3.27 and ever required as the meanes and therefore antecedent to the attainment of those ends in the constant ministry of the Apostles of Christ Act. 2.38 10.43 Is it not time for the people of God now to pry into the secret of Gods Covenant which he reveales to them that feare him Psal 25.14 when by clipping of it and distinguishing about it the beautifull countenance of it begins to be changed and transformed by those Angels of new light which once it had
saith Christ the holy Ghost will not come When Christ ascended then he gave plenitude of gifts to men Ephes 4.7.8 Eph. 4.7 8. Then the Spirit was shed down abundantly as Titus 3.6 It was given before more sparingly but now more fully And this we may see in some particulars 1. There was less power of faith in the Saints before Christ then since When the doctrine of faith was more fully revealed then was faith it selfe more revealed in the hearts and lives of the people of God Gal. 3.23 Gal. 3.23 Before faith came saith the Apostle implying there was a time when there was lesse faith in Gods people According to the measure of the manifestation of the doctrine of faith such is the apprehension of faith 2. The spirit of love was lesse in them then it is now in Gods people For according to the measure of our faith so is our love The lesse they knew the loving kindnesse of God towards them in Christ the lesse they loved Hence saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6.7 that God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father and therefore we are no more servants but sonnes c. It was a more servile spirit which wrought in them being drawn by the terrors of the law more then by the promises of grace but we have the spirit of adoption the spirit of love and of a sound mind as 2 Tim. 1.7 2 Tim. 1.7 Love reignes more under the dispensation of the covenant now then before 3. They had a lesse measure of comfort to support and carry them on against the discouragements and troubles that they met withall we have the comforts of the Spirit in a more full measure Luke 2. Luke 2. Christ is called the consolation of Israel therefore the more we have Christ imparted to us the more means of comfort have we Hence is that speech of our Saviour These things I say unto you that your joy may be full It 's a full joy which wee have now in comparison of what they received Therefore in these respects the dispensation of the covenant of grace is more powerfull now then it was then To stirre us up to walk in more power and fruitfulnesse Vse according to the seasons of grace wherein we live Where there is more given there will be more required As God committeth more to us then to the Saints formerly let us bring forth more fruit or else the greater will our account be It will not be enough for us to say These infirmities were in the people of God formerly David and Abraham and other Saints sinned thus and therefore though wee sin in the same kind wee may attaine life as they did The covenant offereth us more grace it is dispensed in more power and efficacie their slips are for our caution not for a warrant to us First Labour to bee filled with the spirit of power and of a sound mind Those that are weak and sensible of their owne infirmity should strive to grow in strength that they may bee able to say as Micah 3.8 Micah 3.8 I am full of power And as the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.12.13 Phil. 4.12.13 I can doe all things through the power of Christ Wee must not bee infants and babes but grow up to bee men in Christ that the power of Christ may appeare to dwell in us There is power enough in Christ and we have the promise of all the grace that is in Christ to supply our wants withall Every one that will may come and take freely he is a full conduit every one that hath an empty vessell may goe and fill it Doe therefore as those that have their vessels empty and would have them filled with water they set them under the conduit pipes and there they stand untill they be full Christ is a conduit full of grace every ordinance is as a pipe by which he powres into us some of his spirit Here therefore wee must come and stand under Christ that he may powre down upon us stâ—nd with our vessels open with open hearts that we may be filled as Zach. 4.3.12 Zach. 4.3.12 The bowles of the candlestick stand under the dropping of the Olive trees and so receive oyle continually to maintain their light so must we Christs divine power gives us all things that pertain to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us but receive and we may be fulfilled Secondly as we should labour to be filled with the Spirit so should wee endeavour also to expresse the power of it in our conversation 1. In labouring to subdue our corruptions wrath impatieâ—cy emulation pride worldlinesse c. Let us set our feet upon the necks of these tyrants that have risen up against us and fought gainst our souls Labour to shew forth such power of the Spirit that we may become more then conquerours 2. In being filled with the power of Faith to bear afflictions wants and necessities if God call us thereunto Let us not then shrink and faile but rest upon the faithfull covenant of God who hath promised us all good things for this life and the life to come 2 Tim. 1.8 2 Tim. 1.8 Faith will help us in extremities 3. Labour to be fruitfull in all goodnesse endeavouring to doe good to every one according to the measure received Vessels that are full desire vent Job 32. And if we be vessels of mercy filled with mercy and grace from above we should also vent forth to others that grace and those blessings which we have received Be not like dry vessels that will vent nothing Be also patterns of goodnesse and holinesse unto others In these things grow up to the fulnesse of the stature of Christ Thirdly as we should thus grow in the power of grace so should we expresse more of the comfort of grace and joy of the holy Ghost which is powred forth now more abundantly then before Let us imitate that patterne Acts 9.31 They walked in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost We should not walk heavily and droopingly with faces cast down spirits discouraged but labour to expresse the heavenly joy of the Saints above rejoycing in Christ with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 1 Pet. 1.8 Rejoyce in the plenteous grace which is opened to us abundantly The Fountain is open we may come and take freely Look how it would joy a poore man if a rich friend should say unto him Come unto me in all your wants I will help you so should it be with us though we are poore and in wants yet we have a rich friend in heaven the Lord Jesus Christ and hee will open the rich treasure of his goodnesse to us if we goe unto him The fourth difference is in regard of the extent of it The covenant of grace in the old dispensation of it was revealed onely unto one people the nation of the
great increase as Zach. 8.10.12 The reason is it is the Lord who giveth us to possesse all things Secondly Sometimes the Lord gives us the meanes by which we live but it is in such a strange and unwonted manner and way that the hand of God is as evidently seene in the giving of the meanes as if he had upholden our life without meanes Thus Exod. 16.12 Exod. 16.12 the Israelites had a kinde of bread in the wildernesse but it was in such a strange and miraculous manner as though they had lived fortie yeares without any food The usuall way by which we have bread is out of the earth according to that in Psal 104.14 Psal 104.14 But the bread by which God fed them was bread from heaven Psal 105.40 As if God had made heaven a garner or store-house to lay up Corne for the necessities of his people So Elijah was fed with bread and flesh which are ordinary food but the meanes by which he had them were as strange as though he had lived without them God appointed the Ravens there to feed him 1 Kings 17.4 Thirdly Sometimes God gives some meanes to his people to enjoy but the meanes are weake and feeble and unable to worke for our good and comfort without a speciall blessing from himselfe Here therefore the Lord comes in and puts his own strength to the weaknesse of the meanes and makes them worke for us aboundantly above that which we could expect or thinke Thus when Daniel refused to eat the Kings meat and chose pulse thin grewel or hearbs or such course stuffe yet his countenance was better liking then they that did eat of the Kings meat their well liking came not from the meat but from an extraordinary blessing that came from God Dan. 1. Dan. 1. So Gideon must have Souldiers and weapons of warre and yet such a small company and weake furniture that Israel must be forced to say I have not wrought salvation for my selfe but it is the Lord that hath done it So it is in spirituall meanes God sometimes gives but weake meanes to a people in comparison of what others doe enjoy yet many are turned to God by their ministry As by the sound of the trumpets of Rammes hornes the walles of Jericho fell downe so by the ministry of weake man the Lord throwes downe the strong hold of Satans kingdome to the end that the excellency of the power may appeare to be of God not of man 2 Cor. 4.7 2 Cor. 4.7 Fourthly Againe sometimes the Lord increaseth and lengthens out the little and short provisions which he makes for his people so that by reason of the increase which it receiveth from God it is made as sufficient as if it were an hundred or thousand-fold more Thus with the woman of Sarepta 1 King 17.14 1 King 17.14 the Lord increased the meale in the barrell and the oyle in the cruse that it failed not till the day that the Lord sent raine upon the earth Thus it was also with the widow that was in debt 2 Kings 4.3 shee had nothing to pay withall but a pot of oyle yet the Lord so multiplyed it that there wanted not oyle till there wanted vessells to receive it The Lord sometimes causeth the little provisions which he maketh for his people so to last that they want not meat till they want bellyes to receive it Thus also it was with those five thousand that our Saviour fed with a few loaves Mat. 14. And so also with the Israelites in the Wildernesse Deut. 29.5 that when no supplies of cloathing could be made to them then the Lord made that suit of apparell upon their backe and those shooes which were upon their feet to continue this was by the blessing of the Lord. Fiftly Sometimes the Lord giveth the same meanes to one as to another But there is a great difference in the comfort and blessing which is injoyed by the one and by the other One hath food so hath another but one eates and is satisfied as the Lord promiseth that his people shall be Joel 2.26 Joel 2.26 the other eates and is not satisfied as he threatneth Hos 4.10 One is strengthned and growes strong to labour the other is impotent and feeble The Lord hereby shewes that the being satisfied and receiving strength is not from the meanes but from the blessing which he is pleased to communicate to his people from himselfe So it is also in the meanes of grace many people enjoy the same externall meanes the same ministry the same exhortation and promises some are thereby converted and turned unto God others remaine blind ignorant and carnall the reason is because that as the one seekes not unto God but onely unto man so man onely speakes to the one but to the other God speakes by his own Spirit and workes from himselfe over and above that which man doth or can doe Thus we see that both in the want and in the possession of the meanes the Lord is all to his people from himselfe Now the reasons why the Lord doth thus worke from himselfe are First for the glorifying of himselfe Secondly for the comfort of his people For the glorifying of himselfe to make his goodnesse and sufficiency Reason 1 the more to appeare to his people that they may know that he is not as man tyed to meanes or to the greatnesse and power of them but he is an all-sufficient God and therefore should give him all the praise and for this very end doth the Lord sometimes bring his servants into straits beyond the helpe of any creature that when they are brought forth it might appeare that it is the hand of the Lord that hath done it When as the Lord either puts us besides the meanes or cuts them short he doth in effect thus say to us I have hitherto wrought for you but it hath been by such and such meanes which have been as a vaile between me and you that you have not seene my power and goodnesse towards you so clearely but now I will shew my selfe more fully to you Now I will take away those things which though you counted helps to your selves yet are hindrances to hinder me that I cannot shew my selfe so familiarly to you I will now therefore lay them aside and by my selfe I will work for your good The Lord herein deales with his servants as Joseph did with his brethren Whilest he walked more strangely towards them and spake to them by an Interpreter so long he suffered his servants and as many as would to bee present he cared not how many were standing by but when hee meant to let them know that he was Joseph their brother when hee would open all his heart to them and let them see his abundant love then saith Joseph Cause every man to goe out from me Gen. 45.1 So it is here whiles the Lord comes to us by so many outward and ordinary means he
and above us he must rule us and we must be ruled and governed by him How may we know that the Lord hath taken us into his government and that we are ruled by him alone Quest By these foure things we may know it First Where the Lord sets himselfe over a people Answ he frames them unto a willing and voluntary subjection unto him that they desire nothing more then to be under his government they count this their felicity that they have the Lord over them to governe them As the servants of Solomon were counted happie that they might stand before him and minister unto him so it is the happinesse of Gods people that they are under him and in subjection unto him The Lords government is not a Pharaoh-like tyranny to rule them with rigour and make them sigh and groane but it is a government of peace he rules them by love as he first winnes them by love He conquers them indeed by a mighty strong hand but withall he drawes them by the cords of love He overcometh our evill with the abundance of his goodnesse therefore his spirit though sometime it be called a spirit of power yet it is also a spirit of love joy and peace though the spirit put forth his power in vanquishing our enemies that held us in bondage yet it overcometh us by love making us to see what a blessed thing it is to have the Lord to be over us Thus when the Lord is in Covenant with a people they follow him not forcedly but as farre as they are sanctified by grace they submit willingly to his regiment Therefore those that can be drawne to nothing that is good but by compulsion and constraint it is a signe that they are not under the gracious government of the Lord God Secondly If God be God over us governing us by the government of his grace wee must yeeld him universall obedience in all things He must not be over us in one thing and under us in another but he must be over us in every thing Gods authoritie is cast away by refusing obedience to one Commandement as well as by refusing obedience unto all His authoritie is seene in one as well as in another And he that breaketh one doth in effect breake all as James 2.11 James 2.11 When God cometh to rule he cometh with power to cast downe every strong hold and every high thought that is exalted against the power of Christ He cometh to lay waste the whole kingdome of sinne all must downe not a stone left of that Babel The Lord will reigne in the whole soule he will have no God no King with him And therefore herein looke unto it if he be God over us he alone must rule over us and no other with him Consider whether Gods dominion hath its full extent in us whether there be not some corruption which thou desirest to be spared in Canst thou give up thy selfe wholly to the power of grace to be ruled by it Canst thou part with thy Absalom thy beloved lust and be content that God should set up his kingdome in thy whole soule Then is God over thee and thou in Covenant with him But if thou canst not submit that the life of some darling lust should goe if there be any sinne that is dearer to thee then to obey God if thou hast thy exceptions and reservations and wilt not yeeld universall obedience then art thou an alien from God and his Covenant God is no God unto thee nor art thou one of his people Thirdly Where the Lord governeth and setteth up his kingdome over the soule he carries and lifts up the heart to an higher pitch and above that which flesh and bloud could or would attaine unto And that both in the things themselves and the ends which they ayme at in them He makes a man undertake such things as his owne heart would refuse and turne from as Ezek. 3.14 Ezek. 3.14 he was very backward to preach to the Jewes and yet when he saw it was the Lords minde he submitted So Paul Rom. 15.20 Rom. 15.20 enforced himselfe to preach the Gospel yet it was not a constrained force but the love of Christ constrained him 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. So Moses though at the first very loath to goe to Pharaoh yet when the power of grace prevailed in him he contends with Pharaoh as with his equall in the cause of God and would not yeeld to the fiercenes of the King not for an hoofe so though he fled from the serpent at the first fight yet at Gods commandement he taketh it up in his hand This also wee see in Abraham when he was commanded to sacrifice his owne sonne though he loved him yet he loved God more and therefore obeyed which nature alone could never have done In all these they wrought against the streame doing that which flesh and bloud could never have done Againe the power of Gods Grace in his government lifts up the soule to higher ends and aymes then flesh and bloud can attaine unto The kingdome of Gods grace is called the kingdome of heaven his aymes and ends are on high not earthly but heavenly his government is an heavenly regiment the Lord governeth the hearts of his people to the same end which he hath propounded to himselfe Gods ends and our ends meet in one which is the glorifying of his Name This putteth the difference between all formall hypocrites and those that are ruled by the spirit of grace hypocrites are ruled by their owne spirit and they never ayme at higher then their owne ends their owne honour credit profit c. Though their actions may be spirituall yet their ends are carnall but when God taketh the heart into his guidance then he maketh us to set up him as highest in the throne and all is done for his honour It makes a man to use and imploy himselfe wisdome strength riches credit and esteeme in the Church and all for God not for himselfe God is his last end in every thing as most worthy to be glorified by all Indeed a man in Covenant with God may doe many things for himselfe ayming at the furtherance of his owne good both spirituall and temporall and also ayme at the good of other men but this is not in opposition but in subordination to God and his glory that last and maine end must sway all other ends Nothing must be done to crosse and hinder his glory this is the government of Gods Grace Consider how Gods spirit guides thy heart to those things and aymes that flesh and bloud cannot at all reach unto for if thou hast onely thine own end and ayme then thou art thine owne and not under the government of God Fourthly The Covenant of Gods grace causeth the peace of God to lodge in that soule in which it ruleth Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost
faithfully performe unto us that which he hath promised his dealing with us doth evidently declare his gracious inclination towards us and his readinesse to forgive First His great patience in waiting for our repentance and turning unto him he waits for this very end that he might be gracious Isai 30.18 Isai 30.18 Secondly His proclaiming of his Name as he doth in Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord gracious mercifull forgiving iniquities why doth the Lord thus proclaime his Name and tell us openly that he is a God forgiving iniquities c. but that we might take notice of his graciousnesse towards us and might be encouraged to looke unto him for forgivenesse Even as Kings proclaime their pardon that they might be acknowledged to be gracious Lords Thirdly His gracious invitation also assures us that he will forgive Come unto me saith Christ Mat. 11.28 If sin burthen you I will ease you Yea he entreats us to accept of reconciliation and to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 Fourthly Consider his commanding of us to forgive one another he commands other men to forgive us which is an argument that himselfe will forgive For first herein he shewes his love towards us that he would not have the hatred of any creature to lye against us no not so much as the displeasure of a weake man but would have us to enjoy their love how much lesse then will he let his owne wrath lye upon us which is infinitely more heavie then the displeasure of all the creatures in the whole world and secondly If he would have us to forgive one another which have so littlâ— love and compassion in us how much more will he forgive us his compassion being so tender and pitifull towards the worke of his own hands These acts of his goodnesse doe confirme this unto us that he is a gracious God ready to forgive This lets us see the onely way to get free from the guilt of our Vse 1 sinne which lyes upon us here is the way and there is no other but to fly to grace and mercy to obtain free forgivenes The wicked hypocrite thinkes to escape by denying his sin as Saul did 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15. or by hiding it from the eyes of the Almightie as they doe Psal 94.7 Psal 94.7 Others thinke that God cannot know them as Job 22.13 14. Job 22.13 14. or that he will not regard them as Psal 94.7 But marke what the Lord himselfe saith Hos 5.3 Hos 5.3 I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me And in Amos 5.12 Amos 5.12 I know your manifold transgressions and your mightie sinnes And in Hos 7.2 Hos 7.2 I remember all their wickednesse saith the Lord yea he hath Our sinnes laid up as amongst his treasures Deut. 32.34 Deut. 32.34 and sealed up as in a bag Job 14.17 Job 14.17 to bring them forth against such Atheisticall hypocrites in the day of his visitation Others thinke to make amends for their sinnes that they will appease God with thousands of Rammes and ten thousand rivers of oyle as Micah 6.7 but the Lord will be appeased by none of these Our onely way is to fly to grace and to free forgivenesse all other meanes whether pardons from men or satisfactions from our selves will not free us from the guilt of the least sin the taking away of our sinnes must either be by free forgivenesse or they must lye upon us for ever Is forgivenesse of sinnes one of the blessings of the Covenant then Vse 2 surely it reacheth no further nor to no more then to such as doe give up themselves to God to walke in Covenant with him such therefore as walke contrary to the Covenant which is between God and his people such as will be bound in no bonds but cast away all bonds from them and will walke at libertie and will not be restrained let such know that the bond of the Covenant as the Prophet speakes in Ezek. 20.37 and the blessing of the Covenant goe together so as those that will not come within the bond of it shall never partake of the blessing When God drawes his people into the bond of his Covenant then he is about the forgiving them their sinnes Consider that of the Apostle Rom. 11.26 27. Rom 11.26 27. when God doth take away the sin of a people then doth he also make a Covenant with them and takes away ungodlinesse from them A loose ungodly walking contrary to the Covenant which God makes with his people is an evident demonstration that our sinnes are still bound fast upon us and they will be as fetters and snares to bind us hand and foot to cast us into utter darknesse This benefit of forgivenesse of sinnes is proper onely unto those that are a people in Covenant with God and doe by Covenant bind themselves unto him to walke before him as becoming his people Vse 3 For incouragement unto all such as doe desire to renew their communion with the blessed God and to returne into acquaintance and fellowship with him you desire to have God to be your God you would faine draw near and get into Covenant with him that he may be a God unto you and you a people unto him but this dismayes you this puts you back you have so much guilt lying upon you so many sinnes standing up betwixt God and you that you thinke it impossible that the holy God should ever take such a sinfull wretch by the hand and enter into Covenant with him to become his God But let such consider this sweet promise of grace I will be mercifull to their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more When he had before said that he would be their God now lest any should be beaten off from drawing neare unto him to renew their communion with him he subjoynes this promise I will forgive their iniquities As if he should say though you thinke I will not be a God unto you any more because of your sinnes yet these shall not hinder for I will forgive them they shall stand in my sight no more Vse 4 Hath God thus promised forgivenes of sin in his new Testament and Covenant then let us for our parts labour to partake of this rich blessing lye no longer under the guilt of our sinnes but seeke to have them forgiven Say not there is no hope we have a promise and we may be the children of the Covenant to whom the promise is made Thinke what the Prophet saith in Amos 5.15 Amos 5.15 It may be the Lord will be mercifull to the remnant of Joseph though before in ver 12. the Lord had told them that he knew their manifold and mighty sinnes yet the Prophet here puts them in hope it may be the Lord will yet be mercifull much more should wee be incouraged by the plaine promises of God And therefore when we heare the Lord say I will be mercifull
I will forgive let every soule say within it selfe Surely then I will try I will seeke I will sue for mercy that I may be forgiven But what should I doe that I may be forgiven Quest 1. Enter into thine owne heart Answ and search out all the sinnes of heart and life which thou art privie unto Lament 3.40 Lam. 3.40 This is the Lords owne direction Jer. 3.12 13. Jer. 3.12 13. when the Lord first promised that he would shew himselfe mercifull and not let his wrath fall upon them yet presently addes But know thou thine iniquitie for thou hast fallen by rebellion c. 2. When thou hast found out thy sin goe then before the Lord and confesse and judge thy selfe before him as Ezra 9.6 Ezra 9.6 Confesse thy selfe worthy to be destroyed Doe as the Prodigall did Luke 15. Luk. 15. I am no more worthy to be counted thine 3. Present before the Lord the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus bring no satisfaction of thine owne make no mention of thine own righteousnesse or good deservings but fly onely to the bloudy sufferings and sacrifice of Christ to find acceptance reconciliation through him without that bloud there is no forgivenesse Heb. 9. Heb. 9. 4. Come not before God with an heart purposing still to continue in thy sinne but together with prayer for pardon joyne prayer for a spirit of grace and holinesse to make thee a new heart and a new spirit that sin may live in thee no more be willing to bind thy selfe by Covenant to the Lord to glorifie that grace shewed on thee if he will please to be gracious towards thee in taking away this sin Hos 14.3 with 9. Hos 14.3 with 9. Thus come before the Lord and then as men that have any great legacy left them by the will of another they will intreat for it they will plead the Testament of the Testatour and if that will not prevaile they will bring it into the Court of Justice and there sue for it So let us doe beg intreat require the performance of this legacy of the new Testament which grace hath bequeathed unto us and if this obtaine not then bring our cause into the Covenant of grace and there sue and plead before the throne of grace There bring out the words of the Testament and say Lord here is thine owne Covenant and promise hold the Lord fast to his promise which he hath made and plead with him and say Lord why are thy mercies restrained from me where is thy faithfulnesse why dost not thou pardon mine iniquitie Though I be worthy to perish yet remember thy Covenant make good thy promise in which thou hast caused thy servant to trust Such importunitie the Lord will not take ill he delights thus to be overcome by the pleas of his people Doe thus and he that hath promised will also fulfill and will take away all thine iniquitie and receive thee graciously Hos 14.3 Vse 5 For singular comfort to all the people of God who doe in any faithfulnesse and truth of heart endeavour to walke according to the Covenant they have made with him To all such this word of Consolation doth belong that their iniquitie is pardoned their sin is forgiven It was a word of comfort Christ spake to the palsie man Mat. 9.2 Mat. 9.2 Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee So Isai 40 1 2. Isai 40.1 2. And thence was that speech of Christ to Mary in Luke 7.48.50 Thy sinnes are forgiven thee goe in peace There is peace indeed when Christ promiseth sin to be forgiven Now so it is to all the covenanted people of God their sin is forgiven here is their comfort See Psal 103.17 18. Psal 103.17 18. If wee keepe his Covenant his loving kindnesse and mercy is ours to forgive us our sinnes Shall man saith Eliphaz be more just then God shall man be more pure then his maker Job 4.17 Job 4.17 So may we say in this case Shall man be more faithfull then God more mindfull of his Covenant and promise then his Maker No God is the faithfull God keeping Covenant and mercy with those that feare him If we then which are so apt to breake our Covenant with God and men if wee be carefull to keepe Covenant with him how much more will God performe this promise of his Covenant towards us to pardon our sinnes If wee be not unfaithfull towards him he cannot be unfaithfull towards us Nay though we were in part unfaithfull yet cannot he deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 2 Tim. 2.13 Quest But how may I know that my sinnes are forgiven me Answ 1. A plainer evidence I cannot give then this before named scil a carefull conscionable and constant endeavour to walke in Covenant with God Psal 103.17 18. Psal 103.17 18. But I have many failings in the keeping of my Covenant Object Yet so long as you doe not renounce your Covenant Answ and breake the bond till you doe agree to the loosing of the knot in which you have bound your selfe chusing to turne back after your former liberties the substance of the Covenant is not yet broken though some article of the Covenant may be violated There be some trespasses against some particular clauses in Covenants which though they be violated yet the whole Covenant is not forfeited 2. An affectionate and cordiall love to the Lord Jesus who hath washed us from our sinnes in his bloud is a sure signe that our sins are forgiven us Luk. 7.47 when wee so thinke of Christ as that nothing is too much for him nothing enough all we doe or can doe is too little for him and as nothing to that which our soule desireth this love never goes alone but is accompanied with this blessing of forgivenesse And sure thus it is with those that feele in any measure the efficacy of Christs bloud easing their consciences from the guilt of sin They could be content to wash Christs feet not with teares onely but with their hearts bloud and to dye for love of him who hath loved them and given himselfe for them to save them from their sinne 3. The mortification and dying of sinne in our hearts is a signe that our sinnes are forgiven us When Christ takes away Jacobs sinnes he also turnes away ungodlinesse from Jacob Rom. 11.26 27. Rom. 11.26 27. If sin live in us the guilt of it remaines still upon us I meane if it live in us in full strength 4. If we have a tender heart to mourne over Christ whom wee have pierced Time was when we could tread under feet that precious bloud by which we are sanctified But now it melts the heart to thinke that that bloud which wee have so despised should yet be sprinkled upon us to wash us from our sinne This kindnesse of Christ towards us makes our hearts to mourne over him Zach. 12.10 Zach. 12.10 They shall mourne over
the later as the minor as thus If yee continue yee shall be saved here is the conditionall promise in the major then followes But yee shall continue yee shall never depart from me Here is the absolute promise in the Minor whence followes the conclusion of assurance in the conscience of the believer I shall be saved The inverting of this order breeds the disturbance and confusion when they set the conditionall after the absolute Object We grant saith the Jesuite we may be assured that God will hold his promise but no man can assure himselfe of the use of his particular will Answ Then belike the Grace of God and efficacy of it must depend wholly upon the will of man So that where the Apostle saith It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy we must now change the Text and say It is in man that willeth and not in God that sheweth mercy Object But to what end are those caveats and warnings given to take heed of falling away from the Grace of God if so be that those which are under Grace cannot fall from Grace Answ They serve to keep the Saints more watchfull by which watchfulnesse they are helped to stand more firmely They are thereby admonished of their owne infirmity and made more carefull to rest on Christ by whom they are preserved 2. They serve also to leave all Hypocrites and Apostates without excuse they being warned of the danger but they would not take heed Object But this Doctrine of Perseverance is a Doctrine of security tending to make men carelesse when they know they cannot fall nor perish Answ It doth indeed breed an holy security that knowing these promises which the Lord hath made unto us thus to keep us for ever unto himselfe now we may say as the holy Prophet I will even lay me down and sleep in peace for the Lord sustaineth me And though Legions of Divells beset me round about yet I will trust in this The Lord is my life and salvation of whom should I be afraid he will deliver me from every evill work and preserve me blamelesse to his heavenly Kingdome This holy peace and blessed security doth indeed flow from the doctrine delivered but not that sinfull and carnall security which these men meane Look into the Saints who have felt most assurance hereof in themselves and see whether it wrought any such effect in them David saith Thou wilt guide me by thy counsell and afterward wilt bring me to glory Psal 73. But did this his assurance make him carnally secure did he now conclude with himselfe I may now take mine own liberty and live as I list No such thought entred into his heart but the contrary it is good for me to draw nigh unto God It made him to love God more and to cleave unto him in his inward affection and to make God the portion of his soule for ever And so the Apostle who more assured then Paul Rom. 8. yet who ever more watchfull and more zealous for Christ Certainly they know not what this assurance is which think this to bee the fruit of it to make us carnally secure and carelesse of well doing Quest If the Lord will thus stablish and keep his Saints from falling how and by what meanes doth he effect it and bring it to passe Answ Here are two things concurring First an inward principle and work of faith wrought in us inherent and abiding within us Secondly an externall assisting power of God upholding and strengthening that weak faith which is in us and treading down our enemies under our feet Both these are joyned together in that one saying of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.5 Wee are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Here is saith within us and the power of God without us both united and working together to keep us unto salvation Faith makes us see wherein our strength lyeth not in our selves but in God through Christ being then sensible of our own infirmity and weaknesse faith flies unto this power of God to be kept by him Faith speaks in the heart of a Christian as Jehoshaphat did 2 Chron. 20. Lord I know not what to doe I am not able to stand against all this multitude of enemies which beset my soule on evey side but mine eyes are towards thee I rest on thee 2 Chron. 14. And then the soule thus looking unto God by the eye of faith and resting upon his power now the power of God comes in for our help so as faith stands still to see and behold the salvation of God And hereto agrees that of the Prophet Isai 26.3 The Lord keeps in perfect peace the minde which is staid on him We stay upon him by faith and he keeps us in peace and safety by his power And to the same purpose is that in Ephes 6. where we are exhorted to stand fast in the power of his might we must have recourse unto the power of his might by faith and then we shall stand fast and never be moved Now as wee have seen that the Lord will preserve his people in the state of Grace to which he hath called them so let us consider what grace is herein shewed unto us from God and what benefit comes thereby unto our selves Here is Grace from God For by Grace we stand were we left unto our selves we should soone doe as our first Father did There is naturally the same revoking Spirit in us as was in him an aptnesse and inclination of heart ready to depart away Jer. 5.23 Heb. 3.12 loving to wander Jer. 14.10 we have also the same Enemy the same Tempter to draw us with like temptations from our communion with God Luk. 22.41 And in those that are not preserved by Grace these things corruption within and temptation without doe prevaile so farre as to turn back many who seemed to begin in the Spirit to cause them to make an end in the flesh They turning back againe after their washing to the wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.19 It s Grace therefore whereby we stand else we should fall as well as they And a singular benefit it is considering that without this one all the former blessings to have God to be a God in Covenant with us to have our sinnes forgiven to have our natures renewed and sanctified all these I say were evacuated and made as nothing if this one blessing of perseverance were wanting for then we might lose our interest in God againe we might come againe under the guilt of sinne c. and what benefit then of all this that sometime we had God for our God we had our sinne forgiven but now all this is disanulled we have lost God againe and are now ensnared againe in the snare of our sinnes It is therefore no lesse blessing to be kept in a state of Grace then to be brought into it And then consider also the
hee makes them able to lend unto others makes them the head and others the taile c. sets up his own above and the other beneath 7. God is in Covenant with our whole man he is the God of our body as well as soule and spirit we are wholly his he hath taken us wholly to be his own and therefore even as our Saviour Christ in Matth. 22. doth hereby prove the resurrection of Abrahams body because God was in Covenant with Abraham he was the God of Abraham of whole Abraham body as well as soule and therefore God being the God of the living and not of the dead Abrahams body must live and rise againe so by the same argument we may gather assurance that God will provide for our outward man because he is the God of the whole man he is a God to us not only to pardon our sinnes to sanctifie and save our soules but he is the God of our bodies also to feed and to cloth them to minister to them such things as are convenient for them And hence is that in 1 Cor. 6.13 as our body is for the Lord to serve and glorifie him so is the Lord also for the body to redeem it to nourish it to glorifie it 8. The Lord knowes how many discouragements we meet with here to dishearten us in his service And therefore he casts in these outward blessings as encouragements to provoke us to serve him with more willingnesse and cheerefulnesse of Spirit As Hezekiah caused the Levites to have provision brought in unto them that they might be encouraged in the service of the Lord 2 Chron. 31.4 so will the Lord doe much more hee will have his servants to know that they shall not serve him for nought Iob 1. not so much as to shut a doore in his house in vaine Mal. 1. 9. The Lord hath commanded such duties unto his servants as they cannot performe without a supply in these outward things works of love mercy kindnesse helpfulnesse one to another yea he would have us to abound in these things and as examples to goe before all other people And therefore he will also furnish us with sufficiency that we may be compleat unto every good work He will not send on a message and cut off the feet of him whom he sends Prov. 26.6 10. The Lord looks for service from our outward man give up your body as an holy living Sacrifice unto God Rom. 12.1 Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are God's saith Paul 1 Cor. 6. but he will not reap where he hath not sown nor look to gather where he hath not scattered he will sustaine us if he look for service from us 11. We are Gods houshold and family and therefore hee will provide for his own If he have charged us to provide for our own 1 Tim. 5.8 he will not he cannot be wanting to his If he feed the Ravens Job 39.3 and cloath the Lilies Matth. 6.26 he will not suffer his children to want bread 12. By giving us these outward things the Lord would nourish our faith in the hope of things spirituall and heavenly for when we see his care over us in these lesser things it may assure us that he will not neglect us in those that are of greater moment The outward blessings which God gave unto Israel were not outward blessings alone but pledges and tokens of better things he gave them bread from heaven and it was an outward bodily food but not that only but it was a pledge to them of the true bread from heaven he gave them water out of the Rock which did quench their bodily thirst but not that only but was a sign and pledge of Christ the true Rock out of whom springs the water of life he gave them a good and fat land to dwell in where they had vine-yards orchards gardens and lived in pleasure therein through his great goodnesse Neh. 9. but not as an outward blessing only but as a pledge of a better inheritance And thus doth he unto us though every thing is not now typicall to us as to them yet thus far we may go to say that these outward blessings are made pledges unto us of Gods love towards us in better things so as we may argue from the lesse to the greater that if he be so mindfull of us in these smaller things of this life then doubtlesse he will not neglect us in those greater things which concerne the eternall salvation of our soules 13. He knowes we have need of these things Matth. 6.32 and therefore he having commanded us to give unto him that needeth Ephes 4.28 and open our hand wide unto the poore Deut. 15.11 surely he will not shut up the bowels of his compassion from his own needy servants but will open his good treasure unto them to satisfie them with good things Deut. 28.12 Quest But sometimes wee see Gods faithfull servants to bee kept short in these outward blessings how comes this to passe the Lord having made such ample promises unto them and how farre forth may any bee assured to have a sufficiency in these things Answ To the first I conceive thus First all the promises of things pertaining to this life are subordinate and subservient to the promises which concern our inward man and our eternall salvation God doth not promise us these outward things so as to make against our spirituall good but so as to further and help it forward he promiseth them with Christ not against Christ nor to hinder his Kingdome in our hearts Rom. 8.32 If it so fall out that sufficiency in these may better us in the inward man wee shall not want them but because the Lord sees us sometimes to abuse them to the fulfilling of our wanton desires to pride security confidence and trusting in them here the Lord is free from his promise least by filling us with those things that are outward he should empty us of that little grace that is in us Secondly there are times of tryall in which the Lord will try all his children The Lord will try the righteous saith the Prophet Psal 11.5 thus he tryed them in Heb. 11.36 37. they were tryed with mockings and scourgings being destitute afflicted and tormented Thus also he tryed Israel in the wildernesse Deut. 8.2 16. and thus he tryed holy Job God will know what is in us he will see whether we serve him for wages yea or no or whether wee would continue to serve him out of love though he should give us nothing Hee will see whether we follow him for loaves or whether we can be content to cleave to him in wants and necessities having nothing But though the Lord will thus try us yet these times of tryall last not alwayes these are not the wayes of Gods ordinary dispensation towards his people During these times of tryall the Lord doth sometimes cut short his servants in outward things but it is to do
Eph. 2.8 9. ye are saved by grace through faith There is first the maine blessing of the Covenant yee are saved There is secondly the fountaine or cause of it by grace yee are saved by grace Then thirdly there is the condition through faith And if any should now ask how it could be by grace and yet depend upon the condition of faith the Apostle goes on and shews how that may be namely 1. Because faith is not of our selves but it is the gift of God and 2. Because faith doth not come to God boastingly to claime life by the works of righteousnesse which we have done but comes to him with an empty hand to receive what grace and mercy is willing to give such a condition as this doth no more derogate from the freenesse of grace then doth the beggers receiving of the almes given him derogate from the kindnesse of him that gave it 4. The grace of the Covenant is free notwithstanding the condition because we doe not put any condition as antecedent to the Covenant on Gods part whereby to induce and move the Lord to enter into Covenant with us as if there were any thing supposed in us which might invite and draw him to take us into Covenant with himselfe only we suppose a condition antecedent to the promise of life which condition we are to observe and walk in and in the observation thereof to expect the blessing of life which the Covenant promiseth If God had not purposed to have dealt with us after his rich grace he might have said to us when he saw us polluted in our bloud I will no more have mercy as it is in Hoseah 1.6 9. ye shall no more be my people neither will I be yours But yet he is pleased to over-look all our sinfull pollutions and to sprinkle clean water upon us and then to take us by the hand and to enter into Covenant with us here is grace free notwithstanding the condition of faith to which the promise is made In a word The Lord out of his free grace purposing life and salvation to his chosen then to make way for the accomplishment of his purpose in bringing us to life first he works in us renewing grace and puts within us a spirit of faith and so leads us on in the way of faith to the obtaining of that great blessing the salvation promised the one of these being antecedent and as a condition to the other 5. It s a good consideration which Doctor Ames hath in Coron Arâ—ic 5. cap. 3. That eadem res absolutè promittitur quia certò efficietur cum conditione quia non alià s efficietur nisi per media in illis mediis hominis ipsius exigitur cura thus forgivenesse of sinne is absolutely promised Esay 43. For mine own sake will I put away thy transgressions and yet it is promised also with condition 1 Joh. 1. If wee confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes These promises are both of them promises of free grace the annexing therefore of a condition doth not impaire the free grace of the Covenant Vses And first from this that faith is the condition of the Covenant from whence first we may conceive how it is that even in the Covenant of grace life is promised unto good works and to well-doing as it is in Iohn 5.29 Luke 14.14 Gal. 6.9 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Hebr. 6. by all which it might seeme that works have the same place in the Covenant of grace as in the Covenant of works even to be proper causes of salvation but where we finde the promise of life made unto good works we must not look at them as works of the Law but as works and fruits of faith wrought by a beleever wrought forth by the power and by the life of faith which being a living grace cannot be idle and fruitlesse but will be working and fruitfull in well doing These kind of promises which promise life unto works are if I may so call them not casuall but declarative making manifest who be those true beleivers to whom the life promised in the Covenant doth belong In these promises workes are not set as the causes of our salvation but as evidences and signes of those that do beleeve unto life distinguishing betwixt beleevers and unbeleevers between those that are sincerely faithfull and seeming professors which professe and say they beleive but indeed their faith is but a dead faith and therefore vaine the promise is made to works not as the cause of our salvation but to note out the nature and quality of that faith which is the condition of life seeing faith is a grace more inward and that act of it by which it saveth is secret and cannot be seen for who knows our resting on or adhering unto Christ therefore this saving faith shews it selfe by some other acts of it setting love a worke which discovers it selfe by obedience in all righteousnesse and true holinesse and these fruits being seen do make knowne the tree from whence they come although therefore the promise of life is made sometimes to faith sometimes to workes yet this is not to note out a twofold condition of the Covenant as if the condition were partly faith and partly works but to note out the property and nature of that faith which hath the promise of life belonging to it not an idle but a working faith not a dead faith but living not ineffectual in word or tongue only but operative and effectuall making us carefull to shew forth good works Tit. 3.8 Otherwise if we look at workes by themselves as separated from faith to such works there is no promise of life made in the Covenant of grace The same work done by a beleever hath a promise of reward and the same work being done by an unbeleever hath no promise which shews that the promise is made rather to the worker or to the beleever thus working then to the worke it selfe and by this meanes the promise of life being made to this kinde of faith which doth thus work hereby the faithfull are enabled the better to see their own estate in the promise of life as having a good foundation of assurance thereby that they shall obtaine eternall life 1 Tim. 6.19 hereby also carnall professors who talk of saith but have no works walking unholily are convinced to have no part and right thereunto 2. This may let us see the kindnesse and love of God towards us in that he hath appointed such a condition of life unto us as through his grace is possible for us to fulfill To fullfill the righteousnesse of the Law is now become impossible through the infirmity of our flesh but it is not impossible to beleeve on him who hath fulfilled all righteousnesse for us Here is grace in appointing such a possible condition for though the Lord should have fully pardoned all our former breaches of Covenant with him and
hereof it is that all the blessings of the Covenant are said to be everlasting forgivenesse of sinnes is everlasting being once forgiven they are never remembred any more Ier. 31.33 The peace and joy which comes thereby is everlasting also your peace shall no man take from you Ioh. 16. and our joy is everlasting Esay 35.10 our salvation is an everlasting salvation Esay 45.17 our life is an everlasting life Ioh. 3.16 All the blessings of the Covenant are to continue not only like Iosephs blessing to the end of the everlasting hills Gen. 49.26 but for ever and for ever This new Covenant of grace is like the new heavens and new earth which shall never wax old nor vanish away Esay 66.22 Hence it is that baptisme is but once administred because the Covenant is but once made the promise of it being given once and for ever The supper is often administred because of the many breaches on our part and the manifold weaknesses of our faith which we are subject unto the Lord being pleased in that Sacrament to renue the seale of his Covenant towards us for the setling of our faith and the stablishing of us in the assurance of his grace which hath been so often witnessed to us in the renuing of the Seale of the Covenant but baptisme being the Seale of our enterance into Covenant with God is but once administred because the Covenant is but once made and being once made stands fast for ever The Reasons why this Covenant is everlasting are these Reas 1. From Gods vnchangablenesse he is a God that changeth not and therefore whom he loves once he loves for ever and to the end Joh. 13. his gifts and calling by grace are without repentance Rom. 11.29 his love is everlasting Jer. 31.3 his kindnesse is everlasting Esay 54.8 and his goodnesse shall be everlasting towards them that he takes in Covenant with him Object If this reason hold that the Covenant of grace is therefore everlasting because God is unchangeable then by the same argument the Covenant of works may be proved to be everlasting also so that that Covenant should not have been broken Answ It followeth not because the Covenant of works speaking of the accomplishment of it by man with whom it was made was not built upon Gods purpose within himselfe but was left to the liberty and will of man either to fulfill it or break it as himselfe would but the Covenant of grace is built upon Gods immutable purpose which cannot change The Apostle joynes these two together purpose and Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 to give us to understand that all the wayes of his grace which he leads his people into and therefore also this way of his Covenant is according to his eternall purpose within himselfe Herein that first Covenant was not as this latter is and therefore though the one was broken yet the other cannot Secondly This may be added also that that first Covenant in respect of the substance of it is unchangeable and everlasting and it is the unchangeablenesse of it which doth condemne all the Sonnes of Adam and did bring Christ from heaven to fulfill it for those which should believe Gods unchangeable justice will not suffer any unjust person to live in so much that either we must have Christ to fulfill the justice of that Covenant for us or else for the breach of it we must perish for ever None but righteous ones saith justice shall have life the reward of righteousnesse This justice in God is unalterable and changeth not and thus farre there is little or no difference between the one Covenant and the other but both are alike but here is the difference that in the Covenant of works God promised life to Adam in case he obeyed but did not promise to uphold him in a way of obedience to the end that he might not misse of the life promised Whereas in the Covenant of grace God doth not only promise life to those that doe believe but promiseth that their faith shall not faile and that he will keep them by faith unto salvation and preserve them to his heavenly Kingdome The promises therefore of this Covenant are larger and better then of that other this being made with none but with those that the purpose of his grace doth reach unto He makes this Covenant with his chosen Psal 89.3 and with them only It is revealed to many but made up with few even with those that are vessels of mercy prepared unto glory thirdly In the Covenant of works distinguish these two First the terme substance or heads of the Covenant propounded and agreed upon betwixt God and man secondly The fulfilling or violation of it by man with whom it was made The substance of the Covenant is one the fulfilling of it is another The substance of it doe this and live is not changed though the fulfilling of it by Adam did faile as well it might because God never promised him to cause him to fulfill it but only to give him life in case he did work therein But in the Covenant of Grace both these are promised one as well as the other the Lord not only promising life to those that doe believe but that he will uphold us in the faith unto the end And hereupon it follows that though in the Covenant of works man failed in his duty yet the Covenant on Gods part remaines inviolate for if God give life upon obedience performed or inflict death upon disobedience God doth in so doing performe this Covenant towards man this being all that God promised in that Covenant but in the Covenant of Grace there can be no totall breach on our part so as to dissolve the Covenant betwixt God and us but it will import a failing of the Covenant on Gods part also because he hath promised us to keep us with him for ever and gives this as the reason why his Covenant with us shall be everlasting namely because he will put his feare unto our hearts so that we shall never depart away from him so that if the Lord should now suffer his Covenant-people wholly to depart and to break Covenant with him there must follow some change of minde in God as having thoughts of love towards us when he took us into Covenant with him and of dislike when he suffers us to depart from him but there is no such change in God therefore this his Covenant with us is everlasting Reas 2. From the everlasting mediation and intercession of Christâ— who for ever stands betwixt God and us to make up all breaches which might be made by our default As he hath obtained an eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 and hath brought in an everlasting righteousnesse for us Dan. 9.24 So doth he sit at the right hand of the Father and lives for ever to make eternall intercession for us Rom. 8.34 And by this intercession of his we continue for ever in favour with God and the Covenant
stands firme betwixt him and us he mediates with the Father for us when he sees him provoked by our sin he mediates with us also by his Spirit bringing us back to God in a way of repentance so renewing our Covenant towards him and helping us to take new hold of his Covenant towards us Christ is a Priest for ever to be Mediator of an everlasting Covenant Vse 1. Here is a spring of everlasting consolation to those that are in Covenant with God this fountaine of comfort will never be dryed up Let other things end or change as they will yet God is ours in an everlasting Covenant never to be broken off death may put an end to other Covenants betwixt man and man but this Covenant betwixt God and us stands fast for ever Though Abraham be dead yet God is Abrahams God still and by vertue of this Covenant betwixt God and him Abraham shall be raised up and live againe This may stay the minds of weak ones in time of desertion when they seem to be dead livelesse lost and cast off as if God would remember them no more yet then consider Gods Covenant is an everlasting Covenant so that if ever you gave up your selves to God by Covenant to be one of his this Covenant shall continue and abide for ever If ever you found your selves infolded in the bands of this Covenant know for certaine the Lord will not loose you he will remember his Covenant and promise and will return and love you again and that with an everlasting love what he hath been unto you the same he will be for ever and ever You will say perhaps you have sinned and now he is angry with you for your sin suppose it be so he may be angry with his dearest ones as he was with Moses Deut. 1.37 but he will not alwayes chide Psal 103.9 nor will he cast off for ever Lament 3.31 he will be pleased againe and will love you with an everlasting love see Psal 89.28 29. to 38. Here is a ground of everlasting consolation in this everlasting Covenant Vse 2. For exhortation First Let this stirre us up for ever to magnifie that riches of mercy which hath taken us into the bond of this everlasting Covenant There is no end of this mercy and goodnesse Oh that there might be endlesse prayses sounding from us with enlarged desires to publish this grace shewed on us If this Covenant had been for a little season it had been the lesse mercy but that we should have the High God to enter into an everlasting Covenant to be our God for ever who can sufficiently admire this goodnesse When God had made that large promise to David concerning his House and Kingdom for ever 2 Sam. 7.16 See how David was taken up with admiration Lord saith he who am I and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto namely to the Kingdom And yet this was but a smal thing in thy sight O Lord God and therefore thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while vers 19. This enlargement of Gods love to Davids house for a great while even to stablish it for ever this enlarged Davids heart and mouth towards God as not knowing how sufficiently to set forth the praise of his goodnesse Truly such is the mercy shewed us in making this Covenant with us that if we might live unto eternity we should think we never had day enough or time enough to magnifie this everlasting mercy shewed on us 2. Let it admonish us to be constant in our Covenants and in all duties of love according to what we have Covenanted and promised It s mentioned as one of the sinnes of the Gentiles that they were Covenant-breakers Rom 1.30 Let it rest with Gentiles let it never be said that it is the sinne of those that professe themselves the children of an everlasting Covenant 3. Let all those that are as yet without and have no part in this Covenant of God Let them seek to partake in it come within the bond of it it brings an everlasting blessing which failes not In the things of the world the more continuance any thing is of the more esteem it is of Inheritances are preferred before leases c. All the things of the world are but temporal the things of God which he passeth over to his by his Covenant are eternal â— Cor. 4.1 the things which are temporal please us so long as they last but when they are past the comfort of them is vanished with them and many times it irkes us that we had them and now have them not but the things of this Covenant are everlasting if we be once possessed of them we shall never grieve for the losse of them they shall never be taken away because they are given to us by an everlasting Covenant Come off therefore from the dying and perishing things of the world and seek the things of this everlasting Covenant in them is continuance and we shall be saved Esay 64. 4. The fourth property is that it is a holy Covenant Deut. 19.24 Luke 1.72 And it is so called an holy Covenant in these respects 1. In respect of the parties contracting and entering Covenant one with another which are the holy God and his holy Saints First the holy God that God to whom the Seraphins cry Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. he is one party that is confederate in this Covenant Secondly his holy Saints are the other party in it Psal 50.5 For God doth not take the wicked by the hand as Job speaks Iob 8.20 to enter into Covenant with them He doth not allow them so much as to take his Covenant into their mouths Psal 50.17 He is the God of the just of the righteous and holy people he is the King of Saints Apoc. 15. he will have no fellowship with the wicked 2. In regard of the parts of the Covenant whether we look at the promise on Gods part or at the condition on our part First the promise on Gods part is holy Psal 105.42 he remembers his holy promise he hath spoken it in his holinesse Psal 60.6 And the substance of his promise is holinesse which he hath promised to work in the soules of his people he hath promised to sanctifie us to take away the stony heart to poure clean water upon us to cleanse us from all our filthinesse and to make us holy Ezek. 36.25 26. Zach. 3.3.4 Secondly the condition on our part which iâ— faith by which we lay hold of the Covenant is holy also therefore called by the Apostle holy faith Iude 20. It is a most holy grace of the Spirit purifying both heart and hand not daring to touch or lay hold of the Covenant with unwashen hands 3. In respect of the Commandement it commands holinesse Be ye holy saith the Lord for I the Lord your God am holy Levit. 11.44 19.2 20.7 and therefore it is that Gods calling is termed