it He can do it Jude 24. Jude 24. and he is faithfull and will do it 1 Thes 5.24 1 Thes 5.24 it being his covenant and promise and he cannot deny himself In the covenant of works Gods highest end is the glorifying of Differ 5 his justice In the Covenant of grace it is to glorifie his Grace In the Covenant of Works God reveales himself a just God rewarding good and punishing evill condemning sin but in the Covenant of Grace he shews himself a God gracious and merciful forgiving iniquity c. as Jer. 31.31 32. Jer. 31.31 32. I will be mercifull to your iniquity c. The Covenant of Works forgiveth no sin there is nothing but strict justice in that Covenant In this Covenant God looks not at any mans repentance and turning from sin but only considers whether he hath sinned As in Courts of Justice where there are tried matters of life and death there is no regard had whether the party be penitent or no but whether the fact be committed and if found guilty he is led to execution so in Gods Court of Justice which he keeps according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works Justice acts and doth all Justice indictes Justice examines Justice pronounceth sentence Justice executes the punishment and so whosoever hath sinned receives according to the evil that he hath done And hence it is that when Adam had sinned the inquisition is not whether he repented him of the evill that he had done but what hast thou done Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I said unto thee thou shalt not eat And the Lord finding that he had offended pronounces curses and death But in the Covenant of Grace it is otherwise There God looks at the repentance of his people and accepts of humiliation and faith in Christ Hence is the counsell of the Apostle Acts 2.37 Acts 2.37 Repent and be baptized c. When they saw the horrible sin which they had done in killing the Lord of life they being the children of the Covenant he tels them that yet there was mercy for them they might obtain forgivenesse of sins Hence also Jonah 3.10 Jonah 3.10 when God saw their repentance and that they turned from their evill wayes he also turned from the evill which he said he would do to them and did it not The voyce of the Covenant of Works is like the first speech of Nathan to David Thou art a childe of death the voyce of the Covenant of Grace is like his after speech when he saw Davids humiliation and repentance The Lord hath put away thy sin In the Covenant of Works God speaks as Ezek. 18. Ezek. 18. The soul that sinneth it shall die In the Covenant of Grace he speaks as Ezek. 33.11 Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner They are both expressed in one place Exod. 34.6 Exod. 34.6 The Lord gracious and mercifull slow to anger yet not acquitting the wicked but visiting iniquitie c. In one Covenant God condemnes both sin and sinner in the other he condemnes the sin but spares and gives life to the sinner to glorifie his grace thereby In the Covenant of workes he aymes to make his power and justice knowne as Rom. 9.22 cap. 2.5 Rom. 9.22 cap. 2.5 But in the other to glorifie grace as Isa 48.9 Eph. 1.6 The reason of this difference is because God will be glorified in all his attributes as he is glorious in all so he will have the glory of all to be seene He will have his power and wisdome knowne in the creation of the world his goodnesse knowne in the continuance and preservation and ordering of it his faithfulnesse in keeping covenant with us according to the covenant made his justice in a covenant of works his grace in a covenant of grace which he makes with us in Christ Jesus Vse 1 This may smite feare and terrour into the hearts of all such as are strangers unto the Covenant of grace such as never yet entred into a new Covenant with God by that new and living way which is opened to them in Christ Let such consider what hath been said that in the covenant of workes under which yet they stand there is no grace shewed but strict justice without any mercy Let such therefore bethinke themselves what a God they must meet withall and with whom they must have to do even with a just God a God of judgement a God of vengeance that will not spare their misdeeds what ever justice can require of them they must satisfie to the utmost mite were it so that mercy and justice might sit on the bench together that justice might be tempered and mixt with mercy your sentence might be the more tolerable But these two sit in two severall Courts Justice without mercy and therefore when nothing but justice shall judge you who can stand what flesh may abide it In Psal 78.5 Psal 78.5 with the cup of the Lords wrath is said to be full mixt but in Rev. 14.10 Rev. 14 10. it is said to be pure wine unmixt both together imply that it is both mixt and unmixt how both mixt of all sorts of plagues but unmixt without any drop of mercy pure wrath without any dram of mercy to allay the bitternesse of the cup of wrath and how bitter then will this cup be more bitter then gall yet this must all the wicked of the earth drinke and wring out the very dregs of it Psal 78.5 Psal 78.5 This is an hard saying but a true saying as God is true Therefore Isa 27.11 Isai 27.11 God speaking of the wicked people of the Jewes saith he He that made them will not have mercy on them neither shew them any favour And in Ezek. 5.11 Ezek. 5.11 He threatens that his eye shall not spare neither will he have any pitie And Hos 1.6 Hos 1.6 I will no more have mercy c. And James 2.13 They shall have judgement without mercy As God will be made marveilous in his mercy toward those that are vessels of mercy prepared unto glory 2 Thes 1.10 2 Thes 1.10 so as men shall wonder at the aboundance of grace shewed towards them so on the contrary God will be admired and wondred at in his judgements upon all sinfull and ungodly ones he will make their plagues wonderfull Deut. 28.59 He will deale with his own servants onely in a way of grace with these onely in a way of justice And if so what will their end be Justice will spare neither high nor low it is impartiall and alike towards all Justice will passe by no transgression but will have an account for all greater or lesse wicked thoughts idle words foolish jests Justice will not remit any part of the punishment which the Law calls for but it will have the full to the utmost furthing Let this strike
how to live and walke before God look at your selves as such as have God in Covenant with you to blesse you with all blessings meet and expediâ—nt for you whether they be blessings of this life or that which is to come you are no more strangers and forreiners you are not aliens from the Covenant or common-wealth of Israel All the good which God hath promised to his Israel belongs to you Live therefore a life of faith resting upon the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you Naturall men live by sence and reason live you by faith in Gods Covenant and promise and there is much use to be made of this consideration 1. In case we have sinned and done things that we should not and thereby have grieved the Lord as David did of whom it is said that the thing that David had done displeased the Lord yet herein make use of our faith trusting still to his grace and mercy for forgivenesse according to his Covenant we must not now fly away from God and stand afar off or cast away our hope as if we had lost our God and had no more part or portion in him but still beleive that we renewing our Repentance before him he will still be our God and love us still and will be mercifull to our iniquities Now is a time to put forth faith in Gods promise we must remember we are not under that hard condition of workes but under the condition of Faith It s the weaknesse and sinfull infirmity of many of Gods people who walk in much discouragement of spirit because of some failings which they see in themselves by which they become uncomfortable to themselvs and to others when yet their conscientious walking and tendernes is manifest to all such a discouraged spirit might well become a childe of the Law that is under the condition of Workes but it becomes not such as are under the condition of Faith Hath the Lord said that if his people sin against him after hee hath taken them into Covenant with himselfe he will cast them off and acknowledge them no more See what Samuel speaks to the children of Israel in 1 Sam. 12.19 20. Ye have indeed sinned a great sin and done all this wickednesse yet feare not depart not from following the Lord for the Lord will not forsake his people The Lord knowâ—â— our frailty and remembers we are but dust and therefore hath told us that he will spare us as a father spareth his son that sâ—rveth him Mal. 3.17 and will be mercifull to our sins If we were or could be without sin we should not have needed such promises of forgivenesse but when the Lord tooke us into Covenant with himselfe he knew we should still need daily mercy and compassion to heale our backslidings and foreseeing our need of such promises he hath made them knowne unto us that we might live by them looking up unto him by faith in the fence of our daily infirmities for a gracious acceptance of us and forgivenesse of our sins 2. In case we want any blessing suppose some speciall grace to enable us to walke more fruitfully in our particular places and callings look herein at the Covenant as a storehouse full of all rich blessings and make use of faith which is the condition of the Covenant set that aworke and draw out of this fountain as much as we need if we want wisedome boldnesse meeknesse temperance remember by what means we must receive them we receive the spirit by faith Gal. 3.14 beleive this promise therefore wherein the Lord hath said he will give the Holy Ghost to them that desire him Luke 11.13 This is the way the Saints have taken David when he found his heart defiled with those lusts what course took he to get it cleansed from these impurities he flyes to God by the prayer of faith desiring to have a clean heart created in him when the Church found her self shut up under deadnesse and hardnesse of heart they fly for help to Gods Covenant Thou art our father and we are thy people Breake not thy covenant with us Isai 63. and 64. Ier. 14. 3. In case we be troubled with feares of Apostacy and backsliding as thinking though we have begun well yet we shall never be able to continue Persecutions discouragements temptations are so many so violent that we thinke we shall never stand out against them here also live by faith God will give an issue to all our temptations in the mean time commit our soules to God in well doing and beleeve as Paul did that he will deliver you from every evill work and preserve you blamelesse to his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. If Satan annoy with his temptations say as Jehoshua did The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Zach. 3. and remember the promise The Lord will shortly tread him under our feet Rom. 16. 4 In case of any service or duty to be performed unto God remember his Covenant I will make you able to keepe my judgements and to doe them Ezek. 36.27 In 1 Chron. 15.26 it is said God helped the Levites in bearing the Arke so will he help us to undergoe the burthen of that work which is too heavy for us if we rest upon him by faith if we have a word of faith to assure us that the work to be done is for the generall Gods worke and that it is particularly required of us as Our works a worke of our calling we have then good warrant to depend upon his help he hath called us he hath sent us to the work and therefore he will be with us according to that speech of his to Gideon in Judges 6.14 16. I have sent thee and therefore I will be with thee This is written not for him only but for us also that being called to any ministration or service we might by faith look for the same presence of God with us the same assistance as he had Many other particulars might be named but these may suffice to give a short direction how to live by faith in the promise and Covenant of God according to the severall occasions which befall us 2. As we must depend upon God by faith for all good things which the Covenant promiseth so we must remember the other part of the Covenant That God will be a God over us as well as a God to blesse us and therefore here our care must be to advance the Lord on high that it may be seen by our subjection unto him that we doe acknowledge him to be our God above us and over us he hath humbled himself to take such underlings as we are into Covenant with himselfe and hath thereby advanced us above our selves our duty is to set up him that hath abased himselfe for our sakes and to humble our selves to walke with our God Micah 6.8 It is said of Abraham that by his faith he gave glory to God if we be the children of Abraham let
in all our wayes to governe us according to his owne will that he may be glorified in us Thus God offers himselfe unto us in his Covenant c. Now the answer is ready to the question propounded how faith doth act in closing with the Covenant the work of faith herein is to carry the soule towards the Covenant in the same order and way as it is propounded First accepting the grace offered resting upon God for all the mercy which he hath promised 2. Taking God to bee a God over us submitting to his government and authority to command us and to rule us in all things according to his own will these two things faith doth and so takes hold of the Covenant in the same way and order as God offers it 1. God makes himself known to us as a God of mercy gracious long-suffering pardoning iniquity transgression and sin he offers himselfe to be reconciled unto us though we have rebelled against him promising to be a Father unto us and to accept of us as his sons and daughters in his beloved Now the worke of Faith in respect of this offer of grace is only to accept the grace offered to lay hold on it and take it unto our selves being so freely offered Faith brings nothing to God of our owne it offers nothing to stand in exchange for the mercy offered it receives a gift but giveth no price The Lord holds out and offers the free grace of the Covenant faith receives it and makes it our owne Hence is that expression used by the Prophet in Esay 56. where we are said to lay hold of the Covenant God holds it forth and we take hold of it the hand of grace offers it and the hand of faith receives it and makes it our owne and this it doth by such steps and degrees as these that follow wherein though I should not limit the Lords dealing with all his yet I will shew what I conceive is the most usuall and ordinary course of Gods dispensation towards those whom he brings into Covenant with himselfe Here then faith closeth with the Covenant in this manner 1. By hearing the great things proposed in the Covenant it stirs up in the heart a deep and serious consideration of the blessed condition of those people that are in Covenant with God Oh what a blessed estate is it thinkes such a one to be in favour with God to be one of his covenanted people It makes him say with Moses Blessed art thou O Israel a people saved by the Lord Deut. 33. It saith with David No people O Lord is like thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed unto thy selfe 2 Sam. 7.23 Time was when we counted the proud blessed and placed our felicity in other things as in riches preferments favour and credit with men c. but now these are become vile and things of no value faith makes us change our voice and to speake with a new tongue and to say not Blessed are the people that be so but Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Psal 144. ult This high esteeme of grace being accompanied with a sence of the want of it wee seem unto our selves as undone men lost wretched miserable The poor soul thinkes with it selfe no sin like my sin no misery like my misery I am separated from the Lord an alien from his people Oh blessed are they that are are at peace and in covenant with him this is now the onely pearle of price the rich treasure in the field for which such a one is content to give all the substance of his house In the prodigall when he began to thinke of returning to his father these two things were found in him First a deep sence of his owne misery I die for hunger Secondly a consideration of the wellfare of those that were in his Fathers house they have bread enough So it is with those poor soules in which faith begins to work to draw them back into Covenant with God sensible are they of their own woe highly also doe they prize the excellency of grace if by any means they might attain to have a part in it 2. This high esteem of grace and being in Covenant with God begets a longing desire of it good being beleived cannot but be desired and longed for and therefore faith now beleeving the benefit of being in favour and Covenant with God it cannot but work desires after it desire naturally springeth from the apprehension of any good made knowne Faith is both in the understanding and in the will as it is in the understanding it opens the eye to see and clearly to discerne the blessing of the Covenant and then stirs up the will to pursue and desire the attaining of the grace revealed Never did David more long for the waters of the well of Bethlehem then such a soul touched with the sence of sin doth desire to be at peace with God and in covenant with him and therefore it is that they are said to thirst after the the Lord Psal 42.2 to pant after him Psal 42.1 to gaspe after him Psal 119. longing for communion and peace with him Thus in Esay 26.9 with their soules they desire him in the night and with their spirit in the morning the desire of their soul is set upon him and cannot be satisfied by any thing without him peace with him is their life and to be separated from him is unto them as the shadow of death 3. Faith being yet weak and but as in the bud or in the seed and being yet unacquainted with the Lords dealing with his people not knowing how he useth by terrors of death to bring them to life and peace hence it comes to passe that the soule being pressed with sence of sin therefore though its desires be strong yet hope of obtaining is but feeble and vveak vve seeming to our selves utterly unworthy as indeed we are and uncapable which we are not of so high a priviledge as this is to be in favour and Covenant with the most high God Here therefore faith is taken up with many thoughts thereby to support and keepe up the heart in hope carrying the eye of the soul towards God though as beholding him afarre off faine would the poor soul be joyned to the Lord Isai 56. but being as yet dismayed with the sence of sin he stands like the poor Publican afar off as one afraid to come neere into the presence of the holy God as yet faith can scarce speak a word to God it cannot come neer to call upon him only it can with Ionah look towards his holy Temple as being like the poor weak babe which lies in the cradle being both sick and weak and speechlesse and can onely look towards the mother for helpe the cast of the eye after a sort expressing and signifying what it would say Thus doth faith being yet weak it would speak unto God but cannot onely it hath its eye towards
heaven looking for grace and mercy according to Iehoshaphats speech Our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. It hungers and thirsts after grace but feares it shall never be satisfied it feeles a need and faine would have but sence of unworthinesse consciousnesse of manifold sinnes the sentence of the Law like the thundering and lightning at Mount Sinai all of them being sharpned by Satans working in them and with them doe strike such a fear into the heart as was in Israel then that though desires be stirring and working yet hope is very feeble causing us to doe as Israel did there who though they heard the Lord say I am the Lord your God yet the terror of the thunder made them to stand afar off and so we we hear the Lord offering to be our God in covenant with us but such are the discouragements that we dare not come near to seek after the grace which is revealed Hitherto therefore the mind of the poor sinner desiring to bee in Covenant with God is unquiet within it selfe hurried too and fro finding no rest it heares of peace with God but feels it not but in stead of peace finds trouble feare doubtings discouragements to keep it off from the way of peace faith being yet yong and faint hath much adoe to sustain the heart in any hope that it sink not down in discouragement But yet though it bee weak it will be doing what it is able setting the minde to consider the promises and encouragements which God hath given us in his word how hee invites all to come unto him even every one that thirsts Esay 55. telling us That whosoever comes unto him he will not cast away Joh. 6.37 And hence while the minde is possessed with these things because so great a businesse as making a Covenant of peace with the high God and about so great an affaire as the life and salvation of our soule cannot be transacted in a tumult Therefore 4. In the fourth place faith takes the soule aside and carries it into some solitary place that there it may be alone with it selfe and with God with whom it hath to doe This businesse and multitude of other occasions cannot be done together and therefore the soule must be alone that it may the more fully commune with it selfe and utter it selfe fully before the Lord Thus the poore Church in the time of her affliction when the Lord seemed to hide himselfe from her shee sate alone as she speaks Lament 3.28 29. and Jer. 15.17 I sate alone because of thy plague The way of the Lord is prepared in the Desert Esay 40.3 when the Lord will come to the soule and draw it into communion with himselfe he will have his way hereto prepared in the Desert not in the throng of a City but in a solitary Desert place he will allure us and draw us into the Wildernesse from the company of men when he will speak to our heart and when he prepares our heart to speak unto him Hoseah 2. Not that such a one doth despise or neglect the fellowship of Gods people but he now sees and knows full well that his help is not in man and therefore waits not upon the sonnes of Adam Mich. 5.7 He is glad to hear of any hope and how others have beene succoured and pulled out of the like distresse c. but though he hath an eare open unto these and the like helps yet the soule cannot rest in them but must retire it selfe and get alone where it may think its full and satisfie it self e in thoughts of its own estate and of the offers and promises of Grace which God hath made to such lost sinners And whiles the soule is thus alone with it selfe and with God sometimes thinking of its own misery and sinne sometimes of the Lords mercy now presented in such and such promises sometimes calling to minde how others have found favour with God notwithstanding their sinnes sometimes thinking what should move the Lord thus to invite us and call us unto him and to give us these desires after him why thinks the soule should the Lord doe thus if there were no hope that he would receive me whiles I say the soule being alone is thus exercised in these thoughts at length the fire kindles so as the soule can now rest no longer but a spirit of faith being within like fire in the bones the heart hitherto having beene as a Wine-vessell which hath had no vent yet now the spirit within compels him to open his lips and to utter before the Lord the meditations of his heart And therefore 5. In the fifth place the soule resolves now to go to the throne of Grace suing for Grace proving whether the Lord will bee gracious and mercifull to accept of a reconciliation faith speaks within as they did in Jonah 3.9 who can tell whether the Lord will return c. and as Amos 5.15 It may be the Lord may yet be mercifull such an one cannot yet say that he will yet knowes not but he may be gracious and therefore doth as those lepers in 2 King 7.3 who knowing that they were sure to perish if they sate still resolved to try what might befall them in going into the Camp of the Aramites and as Esther who would try whether the King would hold out his golden Sceper towards her yea or no so the poore sinner knowing how it is with him and thinking hee must perish if he thus continue and hearing also such gracious invitations c. thereupon resolves to goe and seek the Lord begging Grace and acceptance before him Doth the Lord say seek yee my face the heart answers within Lord I will seek thy face Doth the Lord say Come unto me the heart answereth Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Ier. 3.22 And now the soule betakes it selfe unto God sending up complaints against it selfe with lamentations for its own sinfull rebellions accompanyed with strong cryes to heaven with sighes and groanes of Spirit which cannot be expressed it confesseth with grief and bitter mourning all former iniquities smites upon the thigh with repenting Epharim lies down at Gods foot-stoole putting its mouth in the dust acknowledging Gods righteousnesse if he should condemn and cast off for ever and yet withall pleads for Grace that it may be accepted as one of his It sayes unto God Lord I have nothing to plead why thou maist not condemn me but if thou wilt receive me thy mercy shall appeare in me thou maist shew forth all thy goodnesse take away therefore all mine iniquities and receive mee graciously Hoseah 14.3 It pleads Gods promise Lord thou hast said thou wilt be gracious Lord make good this word to the soule of thy servant be my God my mercifull God and make me thy servant thus the soule lies at the throne of Grace and pleads for Grace 6. As faith is thus earnest in suing to God for Grace and
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
should have said unto us you have once broken my Covenant and yet if you will at last fulfill my Law which I gave unto you I will yet accept you as just unto life yet we could not have done it the condition was too hard for us to perform If we had been held close to this condition of fulfilling the Law we should have missed of life for ever The Lord therefore seeing and pittying of our infirmity was pleased to propound unto us another condition saying unto us only beleive Beleive on my son trust on my grace and thou shalt be saved herein the Lord hath condescended to our weaknesse taking compassion of our infirmities laying upon us no other burthen but this Beleeve my promise accept my grace and rest upon it and this thy faith shall save thee Thou shalt never perish 3. It serves for comfort to all Gods faithfull ones that have beleived through grace if you have received this first gift if it be given you to beleeve you shall not fail of a second gift even the gift of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Though your repentance be lesse then to equall the measure of your sins though your obedience be imperfect yea though your faith it selfe be weak also yet if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfained syncere and sound this your faith is accepted of God and is imputed to you for righteousnesse Those that are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham saith the Apostle Gal. 3.9 Blessed is shee that beleeveth saith the Angell Luke 1.45 and the Son of God comes in as a third witnesse testifying that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but is passed from death to life Iohn 3. Here are three witnesses from heaven and earth all witnessing the blessed estate of such as do beleive Faith is well termed precious faith 1 Pet. 1.2 Pet. 1.1 because it makes us partakers of all the precious blessings of grace which are contained in the Covenant The faithfull are inheritours of all the priviledges which God hath promised to his chosen and therefore it is that they are called heires of promise Heb. 6.17 and heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 You beleevers be exhorted to see and owne your blessednesse take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for you he hath made a covenant with you even a Covenant of peace and blessing and life for ever God is become your God he will be all things unto you and when all helpes under heaven fail you yet from himselfe he will do you good all your sins are forgiven you his spirit is yours to lead you to sanctifie you and to heal the evils that be in you he will uphold you in that state wherein you stand and will keep you that you shall never perish and will at last bring you to a full injoyment of himselfe in his heavenly Kingdome where you shall for ever blesse him and be made blessed by him and shall rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and glorious pluck up your hearts therefore and be glad lift up your heads strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladnesse and joyfulnesse of spirit considering the day of our salvation draweth neer though now for a time you may be in heavinesse through manifold temptations and afflictions in this evill world yet faint not you being partakers of that precious faith you have the holy and faithfull God in Covenant with you to love you to blesse you and to save you and yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive you to himselfe and then you shall fully know what it is to have beleived and to have been in Covenant with God what it is to have God to be your God when you shall see him and enjoy him as he is Only nourish your faith and live by faith make much of this precious grace cherish it by thinking often on the promises and of that grace which hath been shewed upon you from on high study to walke worthy of that mercy received and in so doing wait for the end of your faith the salvation of your soule 4. If faith be the condition of the Covenant then woe to all unbeleevers that go on in their impenitency and unbeleife Their unbeleife deprives them of that good which the Lord hath by his Covenant promised to his people they have no part nor portion in God they are without God without Christ without Covenant without promise without mercy their sins are unpardoned they are under the curse the wrath of God abides upon them there is nothing to take it away from them but if they abide in unbeleif wrath abides upon them for ever There is a wrath wherby God is angry with his own people but that anger lasts but for a little season it is but for a moment Isai 4.7 8. it passeth away and abides not upon them but the unbeleiver hath wrath abiding on him for ever John 3.36 In Iude 5. it is said that God afterwards destroyed those Israelites that beleived not when once they had had the means of grace made known then not beleiving God afterwards destroyed them you that tread in the steps of their unbeleif you are little troubled to thinke what misery is comming upon you as not knowing that you are in danger but you are under wrath your judgement hastneth and your damnation sleepeth not be awakened therefore be thinke your selves and consider what your end will be by your unbeleif you put a bar to exclude your selves from the blessing of life promised to Gods people you thus continuing the Lord neither will nor can save you You will thinke this an hard saying but you will finde it too true God cannot lye Titus 1.2 much lesse can he forswear but God hath sworne this that such shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. and Hebr. 3. ult In Mat. 13. ult It s said Christ did not many great works in his owne country for their unbeleifes sake But in Marke 6.5 it s said hee could not doe them he neither did them nor could do them unbeleif stops the course and diverts the stream of Gods goodnesse from comming unto us Christs usuall speech to those that expected any blessing from him was this According to your faith be it unto you faith makes all things possible Marke 6.23 It will reverse the sentence of death which is passed upon us and bring us back unto life but unbeleife makes it impossible so that we cannot be saved The Lord can do nothing against his own counsell and will and he hath concluded this with himselfe to save none but such as beleive and that whosoever beleeveth not shall perish all you unbeleevers consider this your unbeleefe will bee your destruction Secondly Is there such a work of faith in bringing us into Covenant with God and in enabling us to walk in Covenant with him 1. This serves to direct all the people of God
depart from the living God If wee shall againe breake this second covenant with him wee shall not onely misse of that salvation and life which wee hope for but we shall perish with a double destruction wee shall pay for all our treachery and unfaithfulnesse in this Covenant This concernes us to looke unto more then any people in the world let us not breake Covenant with God twice This aggravated Solomons sinne that he sinned against God which appeared to him twice God made a Covenant with us first in Adam and now againe in Christ and therefore let us take heed of breaking Covenant with him the second time Vse 4 It is a use of marvellous comfort to those that doe indeavour to walke uprightly and faithfully in covenant with God in whose hearts God hath written his covenant whom he hath made mindfull of it and faithfull to keepe it with him here is comfort for such that the blessing of life and salvation is as sure to such soules as the covenant of a faithfull God can make it the blessings promised in the covenant cannot faile them God cannot breake with them if they breake not with him he cannot lye nor alter the thing which is gone out of his lips When the Saints sometimes thinke of the greatnesse of the promises on the one side and consider their owne povertie and vilenesse the low and undone condition they have brought themselves into by their sins on the other side the promises seeme to them to be above hope and faith As the Sunne dazles the eye to looke upon so glorious a light so the great things which God hath promised in his Covenant doe even dazle the eye of faith and they thinke them almost impossible that they should have such neare communion with God and be made partakers of that everlasting happinesse c. These doe even set faith it selfe at a stand therefore looke at the stabilitie of the promise of God he hath passed over those things by covenant and he cannot be a covenant-breaker his covenant standeth faster then the mountaines that cannot be moved and therefore as long as they are not above the promise and covenant of God neither let them be above our faith and hope onely let us wait for them in the way of faith and obedience It 's said in Psal 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keepe his Covenant 1 Cor. 1.9 Faithfull is he that hath called you to the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ And to the same purpose is that of Moses Deut. 7.12 Therefore doe but enter into covenant with God and keepe it with him and then be confident of all that rich blessing which the Lord hath promised to his people There is a promise made to Christ Esa 49.7 that though he was despised of men and abhorred of the Nations and contemned by the rulers yet though it was very unlikely in reason Kings and Princes should bow downe to him and worship him But how shall this be brought to passe this shall be done saith the Text because of the Lord that is faithfull So though we be poore wormes yet the Lord hath promised to us life and glory and a Kingdome But can this be accomplished to such as we be Yes because of the faithfulnesse of God who hath promised and undertaken to performe it Therefore if God have made thee mindfull and carefull of his covenant to walke in obedience to him then know that the Lord is more mindfull of his owne covenant with thee to performe to thee all that mercy and blessednesse which he hath promised to thee and let this be a pledge unto thee of the accomplishment of all even the care that God hath put in thy heart to walke in Covenant with him Thus wee have heard the fourth generall observation noted out of the Text. But now by occasion thereof wee will lanch a little further into the deepe having sailed by the shore all this while and enter into a consideration more particularly of the nature of that Covenant by which God conveyes life and salvation to his people There are two covenants which the Scripture makes mention of one of workes the other of grace of both the Apostle speakes Gal. 4.23 24. The one is the Testament or Covenant of the Law that shuts up all under wrath the other of grace and that proclaimes libertie the one is usually called the commandement the other the promise the one is contained in the Law the other in the Gospel Now if it be demanded what covenant it is by which God communicates salvation to us I answer it is the covenant of grace and not the covenant of workes by which the blessing of life and salvation cometh For the more distinct handling whereof wee must consider these two things severally First To shew what the Covenant of grace is Secondly To shew that the Lord communicates his salvation by the covenant of grace and not of workes Concerning the former that wee may discerne what is the nature of the Covenant of grace this I will set forth by considering these five things 1. By comparing the covenant of grace with the covenant of workes shewing both wherein they are alike wherein they differ 2. By shewing the divers dispensations of the covenant both before Christ and since Christs coming 3. By shewing what are the benefits which wee receive by vertue of this Covenant 4. By shewing the condition of the Covenant what that is 5. By noting out the properties of the Covenant 1. For the first compare the covenant of workes with the covâ—nant of grace and therein first see wherein they are alike and doe agrâ—â— and that in sundry things 1. They agree in the author of them God is the author of both Covenants even the same God The Manichees thought one God was author of the Law the Covenant of workes and another author of the Covenant of grace contained in the Gospel but this heresiâ— was exploded long agoe 2. They agree in the parties contracting and making covenant together both of them are made with us God and man are the parties covenanting in both Covenants not as if one the covenant of workes were made with us the other the covenant of grace were made onely with Christ but both are made with us 3. They agree in one common end which is that God may be glorified in his creature in the manifestation either of his justice or mercy according to the nature of the Covenant made with him the glorifying of God is the common end of both 4. They agree in this that in both there is a promise of life and blessednesse the covenant of workes saith Doe this and live the covenant of grace saith Believe and live Life is promised in both Now whether the same life be promised in both or whether a terrene felicitie and life here on earth be promised in the one and an heavenly in the other as some
Jacob and not with Esau with Abel and not with Cain with David and not with Saul not with Iudas but with Peter with the Jewes first and not with the Gentiles and after with the Gentiles and not with the Jewes By this covenant one people becomes a more peculiar people then another As first of Peter 1 Pet. 2.9.10 2 chap. the covenant of grace is not universal it is not made with all as the covenant of works was Let none therefore look for the blessing of life and salvation by being a son of Adam Vse the blessing of the covenant of grace is no common blessing Naturall life is common to all but spirituall and eternall life is the peculiar blessing of the covenant of grace made onely with those that are given unto Christ Therefore the Lord speaking of those that he will be a God unto Zach. 13.8 9. Zach. 13.8 9. saith That two parts shall be cut off and to the third hee will say You are my people Let us not therefore flatter our selves with vain hopes that he that made us will save us No he that made you will have no compassion on you so long as you remain an impenitent and disobedient people Isai 27.11 Isai 27.11 All doe not so much as heare of this covenant nor know it all that doe heare of it and have knowledge of it doe not enjoy the blessing of it as Matth. 13.11 Matth. 11.25 Matth. 13. Matth. 11.25 Therefore it were good for every one of us that we would begin to suspect our selves and to question our interest in this covenant Ask our selves yea and ask others and goe and enquire at the Lords own mouth Am I within this covenant Have I any part or portion in the blessing of it Sure I am that I am by nature under the covenant of works but am I translated into the covenant of grace The salvation brought by this covenant Object is a common salvation Jude vers 3. True it is common to all that doe beleeve Answer whether they bee Jewes or Gentiles whether those that lived before the incarnation of Christ or since There is not one way of salvation for one and another for another but one way for all that shall be saved But it is not common to all flesh therefore doe not build upon this false principle that all that heare of the covenant of grace with their eares are partakers of the blessing comming by it No it is no common salvation but onely to those that enter into a covenant with God to those that beleeve and bring forth the fruit of a living Faith One that is under the covenant of works may get from under Differ 15 that covenant and may come to be under the covenant of grace but he that is once under the covenant of grace can never bee brought back under the covenant of works any more A member of Adams body may be lost but a member of Christs body can never be cut off Adam being under the covenant of works lost himself wholly and therefore may lose a member of his body much more But those that are engraffed into Christ are safe he saves himselfe and all that belong to him Esay 63.5 John 17.12 Vse 1 A word of incouragement to those that are yet under the covenant of works that yet live in their sins and find their consciences condemning them consider there is a possibility that you may come to be under a covenant of grace break off your sins give up your selves unto God it may be he will receive you Vse 2 See the safe estate of those that are under the covenant of grace here is a safe harbour here cast anchor upon this rock and here is no danger the ship may be tossed but cannot perish In Matth. 8. the ship in which Christ was was tossed with wind and water so as the Disciples were afraid yet it sunk not The law hath no more power against you yee cannot come under the power of the law any more Rom. 6. Thus much of the differences between the covenant of works and of grace which differences are carefully to be observed and kept inviolable for if we begin to confound these two covenants we bring in a confusion into all Religion As the Papists have done by confounding the differences between the covenants They make the covenant of grace to differ no otherwise from the covenant of works then a thing more perfect from that which is imperfect and to be distinct onely in respect of degree and so in effect they make them all one They call the commandements given by Moses the old Law and the Gospel the new Law and herein they make all the difference that the new Law as they call it giveth rules of greater perfection and difficulty then the old Law As where the old Law as they term it commanded Thou shalt not kill the new Law forbids one to be angry unadvisedly c. And hence scil from the confounding of these two covenants follows their doctrine of the possibility of the keeping the whole Law That whereas the Scripture speaketh of an Evangelical keeping of the law in uprightnesse and sincerity and acknowledgeth it in the Saints as in Zachary and Elizabeth they not putting difference betwixt Law and Gospel they apply this to a legall keeping of the commandement which is quite contrary to the mind of the Spirit of Truth speaking in the Word Hence also they teach that there is but oâ—e way of justification in both covenants which is by works as they say The new law gives more grace to fulfill the commandement of it then the old doth but the way of justification is the same thus they teach Therefore we must be carefull of keeping these differences between the covenant of works and of grace But Christ who was the Minister of the covenant of grace Object calls his doctrine a new commandement John 13.34 15. chap. 12. Joh. 13.34 cap. 15.12 and therefore it is a doctrine of works as well as the former commandement given by Moses It is true that the Gospel and Covenant of grace hath its commandement Answer 1 as well as the law and covenant of works but withall it reveales the free promise of grace and of righteousnesse without works which the law and covenant of workes doth not The commandements of the covenant of grace are in part Answer 2 different from the other commandements of the covenant of works For the great commandement of the covenant of grace is that we beleeve in the Name of the Son of God that we may have life by him 1 John 3.23 1 John 3.23 thereupon the Gospel is called the Law of Faith as opposed to the law of works Rom. 3.27 Rom. 3.27 Though the doctrine of grace command the same duties as the Answer 3 covenant of works doth as of love feare and of keeping the commandements and it ratifies the duties of the
law yet here is the difference that they are commanded in another manner for another end then in the covenant of works not as the matter of our justification but as testimonies of our thankfulnesse for the great mercy of God in our free justification by grace Let us therefore keep these differences unconfounded for these two covenants are as different in their nature as heaven and earth 2. Having thus farre spoken of the differences between the covenant of works and of grace I now come to the revelation and dispensation of the covenant of grace to see how diversly it hath been administred in the severall times and ageâ— of the Church before and after the comming of Christ 1. And here I will first shew that the covenant of grace is the same in all ages of the Church 2. The different manner of the dispensation 1. For the first the Fathers before Christ were under the same covenant of grace as we be not they under one covenant and we under another and this we will shew in two things First that they had the same promise and hope of life and salvation as wee have Secondly they had it upon the same ground and in the same way scil by faith in the free grace of God by Christ 1. They had the same promise and hope of eternall salvation This is necessary to bee considered because of the Anabaptists which teach that they lived and died without hope of life eternall onely fed with temporall promises and fatted like swine with earthly blessings but without hope of a better life But the contrary is evident by the promises that were made to them Lâ—vit 26.12 Levit. 26.12 I will be your God and yee shall be my people but Christ saith that God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22.32 Mat. 22.31 But it is more plain Deut. 38.29 Happy art thou O Israel saved by the Lord. If they had had onely temporall promises they might have been called a miserable people according to that of Paul in 1 Cor. 15.19 1 Cor. 10.19 If in this life onely we had hope we were of all men the most miserable they could not have been called an happy people Isai 33.22 Isai 33.22 The Lord is our King and he will save us They did therefore look for and expect life and salvation And Christ speaking of Abraham and so of the rest of the Fathers before Christ saith That many shall come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God Therefore the old Patriarchs are in heaven Mat. 1.8.1 and therefore it is an hellish and diabolicall doctrine that they were fed onely with temporall promises In Heb. 11.10 it is plain they had not only the hope of an earthly inheritance in Canaan but the hope of an heavenly inheritance in the Kingdome of God And in reason what more absurd then to imagine that Abraham should be called the Father of the Faithfull and we to be called his children and yet we to have an eternall inheritance in heaven and Abraham the Father of us all to have only a temporal here upon earth Againe the Saints professed themselves pilgrims and strangers upon the earth Heb. 11.13 and David Psal 39.12 Psal 39.12 Which shewes that they had hopes of a better inheritance then that of Canaan Againe they had the same Spirit as we have Psal 51.12 Psal 51.12 Take not thy holy Spirit from me saith David Now the Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance Eph. 1.14 Ephes 1.14 And therefore if they had the same Spirit then the same inheritance 2. As they had the same promise and hope of life so they had it upon the same ground as we have even by faith in the free grace of God in Christ Jesus They had the same Gospel of grace that wee have Hence is that Rom. 1.2 Rom 1.2 the Gospel was promised before by the Prophets to the Fathers And Rom. 3.21 Rom 3.21 The righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets It is manifested without the Law that is without the workes of the Law yet hath witnesse of the Law that is of the writings of Moses who teacheth a man to looke for justification by Grace and not by workes Hence also saith Christ Joh. 8.56 Joh. 8.56 Abraham saw my day therefore he had Christ revealed to him See Camero tom 1. p. 127 128. c. Heb. 13.8 To the same purpose is that in Hebr. 13.8 Christ the same yesterday for the time past before his coming in the flesh to day while in the flesh and for ever after He is the same not onely in regard of essence but also in regard of the efficacy of his office from the beginning to the end of the world So also in the Songs of Mary and Zachary Luk. 1.54.72 Luk. 1.54.72 The revealing and fulfilling of our redemption by Christ is made to be the accomplishment of the promises made unto the Fathers What is now fulfilled was then promised hence also saith the Apostle Act. 15.10 11. Act. 15.10 11 We hope to be saved even as they And Heb. 4.2 Heb. 4.2 Unto us was the Gospel preached as unto them and to them as well as to us And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 4.6 1 Pet. 4.6 saith that unto them that are now dead who lived in the dayes of Noah was the Gospel preached Hence Jude 3. it is called the common salvation common to all believers both before and after Christ This may teach us to abhorre that swinish opinion of the Anabaptists Vse 1 who make the Fathers before Christ to have lived onely under a temporall Covenant promising to them temporall things feeding their bellies and fatting them up with outward blessings but they had no hope of eternall life Whereas Christ who is the truth tells us that they are in the kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 Mat. 8.11 Hence the state of rest and immortalitie is called Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. Luke 16. Abraham is the Father of us all and therefore when we dye we are said to be carried thither as the childe runs to the bosome of the father or mother when any thing troubles it therefore if Abrahams bosome be the place of our rest it is then plaine that Abraham and the rest of the Fathers are entred into their rest as we hope to enter into our rest Vse 2 Let us looke unto the old Covenant made with the Fathers and hold to that doctrine of life which was of old given unto the Saints Let us stand to that and contend for it Jude 3. There is a generation in the Land that are altogether looking after new light and new truths and the old truths delivered to Abraham Isaac and Jacob are nothing with them But let us take heed lest while we gape after new
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
together yet the grace of God is revealed unto us Be aboundantly thankfull for it that we which were dogs before are now set at the childrens table He hath made knowne his Covenant to us which was kept secret from ages before wherein though they would have been glad to have seen and heard the things which we doe yet they could not what doe wee owe unto God for this mercy Doe therefore as they in Acts 13.48 Acts 13.48 they were glad and rejoyced that the Gospel was preached to them so let us Let us also praise and glorifie God for it as the Gentiles are stirred up to doe Rom. 15.9 10. when the Jewes heard that God had given the Gentiles repentance unto life they glorified God much more should we doe it for our selves And thirdly Let us learne to give up our selves to the obedience of Grace as they did Rom. 1.5 This is that the Gospel teacheth 2 Tit. 11.12 There is much profession of faith in New England but let it appeare in the life manifest our thankfulnesse in our obedience of the Gospel of Christ or else the more the Grace of God is revealed to us the heavier will our judgement be 2 Thes 1.8 God will come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that obey not the Gospel of Christ 5. Here might be noted a fifth Difference that the old Coveâ—â—nt was to last but for a time till the time of reformation Heb. â— 4 but the new Covenant is to last for ever to the end of the world Which makes against the opinion of those which teach the abolition of the ordinances of the New Testament at the setting up of Christs kingdome which they plead for but this I passe by It is an everlasting Gospel and the ordinances of it everlasting to last as long as the world shall last 3. Now follows a third point concerning the covenant of grace to be spoken to and that is touching the blessings and benefits of the Covenant And these are necessary to be considered of and looked into for sundry reasons First That those that are in covenant with God might know the great things which are given unto us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we can never know the things which are given unto us of God but by knowing of the covenant which conveys all the blessings which God doth impart unto his people therefore it is necessary that we should know the blessings of the Covenant that so wee may take comfort in them rejoyce in them and see our owne happinesse what an happy thing it is to be in covenant with God Men that have great possessions will sometimes get upon the top of some high place to take a view of their large revenewes so should wee ascend on high in our Meditations to consider the great blessings which the Lord passes over unto us by his Covenant Wee should doe as Mâ—ses get up to the top of Mount Nebo and view all the land all the severall blessings of the Covenant And as God bids Abraham Gen. 13.17 to view the length and breadth of the land which he would give unto him so should we view the length and breadth of the promise Walke through the Covenant as wee are able to see the heighth and depth of it that so we may know what great things the Lord hath made us possessors of and so rejoyce in our portion and take consolation therein Indeed we can here behold them but as in a Map darkly wee must reserve the full view of them till wee come to injoy them as they shall be exhibited to us hereafter Secondly It may be usefull also to others that are strangers to the Covenant and promises that they by hearing how great the blessings of the Covenant are they may be allured and drawne thereby to come and take hold of the covenant whereby such great and wonderfull things are communicated unto them This drawes some when they see the goodnesse of God unto his people Zach. 8.23 Zach 8.23 Isai 60.9 And thereby they are encouraged to joyne unto them and become one people with them This stird Balaam himselfe to consider their happinesse and to say How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and therefore wished Let me dye the death of the righteous This doth many times efficaciously worke upon the hearts of those that are without the Covenant Thirdly The consideration of the Benefits of the Covenant will helpe to make the burthen of it as it seemes burthensome to flesh and bloud more light and the bonds more easie If we looke at the bond of the Covenant alone we shall be ready to say as Psal 2.3 Psal 2.3 Let us breake these bonds and cast these cords from us But if we look into the blessings of the Covenant which it brings these will make the bonds more easie that the soule will say Lord bind me as fast as thou wilt that I may never start from thee knit my heart unto thee that I may feare thee for ever It will make the service of the Covenant an easie servitude yea it will make us see glorious libertie in it If this be considered we shall not say as Mal. 3.14 and Job 21.15 What profit is it that wee have served the Lord and kept his ordinances c but that in keeping his Covenant there is great reward Psal 19. Psal 19. Fourthly Whereas the Lord doth cast in many blessings upon his people spirituall and temporall the Lord dealing in all his wayes towards his people according to his Covenant with them now the consideration of the many blessings which wee doe enjoy by the Covenant will lead us to the right fountaine from whence we doe receive them even to see the faithfulnesse of God in them who keeps covenant and promise with his people Wee shall thereby see that as he hath spoken it with his mouth so he hath fulfilled it with his hand Fifthly The knowledge of the blessings of the Covenant will helpe to support our faith in all tryalls exigencies and straights which we fall into if we know what the promises of the covenant be it will beare us up that our faith faint not though for the present we be cut short of the blessings which wee have a promise for Herein faith is supported that though God may try us yet he will not forsake us if the blessing be not yet come yet it will come it cannot faile the Covenant being faithfull the Lord will perform mercy to Jacob and truth to Israel Micah 7. last Thus it is every way usefull and profitable to know the blessings of the Covenant And here lift up our hearts to looke for great things great blessings such as the great God hath promised the blessings are sutable to the person that we enter into Covenant withall The things of the Covenant are great things Hos 8.12 Hos 8.12 Princes and Monarches when they enter into Covenant with other Nations they doe not make
a little season but for evermore Psal 16. ult Whiles we are here we enjoy life here is glory also in a degree and here are pleasures too but here they are not full there is some death mixed with our life some basenesse with our glory some sorrowes with our pleasures And though they were full which they are not yet they last but for a time But there and then they shall be full and for evermore I cannot passe by that admirable expression of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.17 where speaking of the blessed estate of Gods people in the life to come he calls it a farre more excellent eternall weight of glory 1. There is glory 2. A weight of glory as much as we are able to beare 3. There is an excellency in it and excellent weight of glory 4. There is one excellency added to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most excellent glory 5. and lastly all this eternall a most excellent eternall weight of glory here is a large expression in few words This is the hope of Gods people which they wait for And for this they have Gods faithfull word and promise his Covenant and Testament and for our assurance he hath already given us the earnest of it in our hearts even the Spirit of Grace and the Spirit of glory which by guiding of us in the wayes of Grace here leads us on day by day to come nearer to our salvation then when we first believed till at last he bring us to glory even to the full end of our faith and hope the salvation of our soules And thus much of the benefits of the Covenant The fourth Part. THE CONDITION OF THIS COVENANT IT remaines now that we come to consider the condition of the Covenant in which we must walke that the Lord may performe unto us the mercy which he hath promised us There is a way of the Covenant in which the Lord conveyes his blessings as we may see in that expression used by the Lord himselfe concerning Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham saith the Lord that he will teach his houshold c. that I may bring upon Abraham that which I have spoken unto him The Lord fully intended to doe to Abraham as he had promised but yet the Lord will have Abraham to walk so and so before him and then God will bring upon Abraham the blessing which he had promised the like we have in Ier. 11.5 6. Great are the blessings which God hath promised to those which are the faithfull seed of Abraham and therefore as we desire to enjoy the blessing promised so we must see also what he requires of us that he may performe unto us what he hath promised and this is called the stipulation or condition of the Covenant And concerning this I will shew these foure things 1. That there is a condition required 2. Why the Lord hath put a condition to the promise of life 3. What the condition is 4. Whether the putting of such a condition doth or can stand with the free Grace of the Covenant yea or no. First That there is a condition of the Covenant The Lord doth not absolutely promise life unto any he doth not say to any soule I will save you and bring you to life though you continew impenitent and unbelieving but commands and works us to repent and believe and then promises that in the way of faith and repentance he will save us He prescribes a way of life for us to walk in that so wee may obtaine the salvation which he hath promised he brings us first through the doore of faith Act. 14. And then carries us on in the way of faith till he bring us to the end of our faith the salvation of our soules There are indeed some promises which seeme so absolute as to exclude all condition on our part as that promise in Esay 43.25 For mine own sake will I put away thy transgressions c. and so Ezek. 36.22 Where there is no mention made either of faith or any other Grace in us as a condition required on our part But if any shall hence argue that the promise of life is so absolute as to exclude all respect unto faith in those to whom the promise is made and because there is no mention made of faith in such promises therefore there is no intendment of it as if it were not understood but wholly excluded I may as well argue against the merits of Christ also and exclude them by the like reason because there is no mention of them no more then of faith in those absolute promises But as there is no remission without the blood of Christ Heb. 9.22 So neither is there without faith in that blood Rom. 3.25 as God never promised to forgive us our sins without respect to Christ though Christ be not alwayes mentioned in every such promise so neither doth he promise to save without faith though it be not alwayes mentioned particularly To prove that there is a condition in the Covenant of Grace it may be made evident sundry wayes 1. From the nature of a Covenant which is an agreement between severall parties Covenanting together upon mutuall conditions required on both parties Foedus saith Rollock is promissio sub certa conditione Roll. de vocatione efficaci A man may make a promise alone without any condition But a Covenant properly binds both parties and hath a condition annexed Abraham and Abimeleck promise one to another in their Covenant made betwixt them they mutually binde themselves Gen. 20. And so it is betwixt God and Abraham Gen. 17.27 I grant that the word Covenant is sometimes used concerning such promises as are without condition as in Gen. 9.9 Where the Lord speaking of his purpose and promise never to destroy the earth any more he calls that promise his Covenant though there be no condition there annexed But the Question is not how a word may be used upon some speciall occasion but what is the proper nature of a Covenant which doth require mutuall stipulation or condition on both parties This is but one place where the word Covenant is taken for a promise without a condition more such places I know not any in Scripture and besides there was speciall reason of calling it a Covenant namely to shew the unchangeablenesse of his purpose touching the mercy promised that it is as sure as if we had tyed him thereunto by Covenant upon some condition performed by us before hand But this is not properly a Covenant where there is not a mutuall obligation and binding of the parties one to another by condition Hereto agreeth that saying of Beza in 2 Tim. 1.12 Mutua est inquit depositi obligatio inter Deum Sanctos ipsius Though on Gods part this obligation is prorsus gratuita wholly free as hee there speaks though Gods binding of himselfe to us bee free yet ours is not so to God But concerning the freenesse of the Covenant
to that Prayer of his in Iohn 17.4 I have glorified thee here on earth now therefore glorifie me with thy selfe with that glory which I had with thee c. so must we doe we must walke by the same way we must here glorifie that grace by which we look for glory and honour and eternall life 2. The Lord would hereby justifie the way of his grace and stop the mouthes of all such as ate ready to murmure against him herein shewing his righteousnesse in saving those that do beleeve the wicked are forward to complain against the Lord himselfe they had wont to say The wayes of the Lord are not equall Ezek. 18. and in Mat. 20.11 there are that murmure against him as if he dealt not equally with them they are complainers Iude 16. ready to challenge God righteousnesse that they themselves are not saved as well as others These mouthes must be stopped and when the Lord hath carried on his people in a way of grace through faith patience submission and obedience to his will others continuing still in their caâ—nall licentiousnesse this will stop the mouthes of all such complaâ—nours and murmurers It will shew forth the righteousnesse and equity of the Lords proceeding in judgement against them in condemning them and saving those that doe beleive 1 Thes 1.6 3. It s also for the greater consolation of the Saints that wee seeing the condition to be wrought in us and finding our selves to be guided by his Spirit and inabled in any gracious measure to keep the way of his Covenant which he hath appointed for us to walke in we might thereby have the more strong consolation assuring our selves of the fulfilling of his gracious promise towards us that his loving kindnesse shall be for ever and ever on them that fear him and keepe his covenant thinking upon his Commandements to do them Psal 103.17 18. And thus both in respect of glorifying of God the stopping of the mouthes of the wicked and for the comfort of the Saints it was meet there should be a condition annexed to the Covenant Before we proceed to the third point let us make a little use of that already delivered If there be a condition of the Covenant then hence it follows That for the tryall of our interest in the Salvation which the Covenant promiseth there can be no more direct evident and certain way taken then by examining our selves concerning the condition of the Covenant expressed in the conditionall promises The promise of life is made onely to beleevers who are described by other graces accompanying their faith and therefore termed sometimes such as love God sometimes merciful poor in heart upright and such other all these flowing from faith faith shewing it selfe by them Now then faith being the condition of the Covenant as we shall shew afterwards and being known by these other graces accompanying it here is the way for us to try our selves before God whether the promise of salvation doe belong unto us even by looking to the condition of Faith and such other graces as doe accompany it in them that doe beleive This is so sure away of tryall that the Apostle himself directs us thereunto 2 Cor. 13.15 Prove your selves whether yee be in the faith or no If we would know our selves to be such as are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be disallowed or rejected there is no better way to know it then by our faith And Iohn tells us that in this way we shall assure our hearts 1 Iohn 3.14 18 19. In Rom. 10. The Apostle doth propound the doubt of a weak beleever inquiring how he may know that he shall be saved and the Apostle himself answers his doubt telling him that it is not by ascending or descending hither or thither but by looking to his faith For if thou beleevest with thine heart in the Lord Iesus thou shalt be saved v. 9. This way of tryal sheweth the true use of those promises which we call conditional we do not make the graces expressed in them as the matter of our righteousnesse and yet neither do we cast them aside as if they were Legall promises and not Evangelicall but the use of them is thereby to try our selves by the graces expressed in them and this is the chiefest way of tryall which the Word doth direct us unto Yea I doubt not to affirme that if we will in ordinary course have any tryall of our estates by the Word we must have it in this way by the conditionall promises The absolute promises do not describe the persons to whom the blessings of the Covenant doe belong onely the conditionall promises do point out the persons to be saved as the absolute do shew the cause of our salvation if therefore we will try and in a way of tryall have any knowledge of our personall interest in the salvation promised we must either come to know it by the conditionall promises or not have it from the word at all c. Yet neither would I make rhe absolute promises uselesse as some have gone about to do with those that are conditionall I acknowledge they are of singular use First in that they shew unto us the onely cause of our salvation even free grace and no other Secondly they are a foundation for the faith of adherence or dependence to stay upon they yeeld a singular incouragement to a poor dejected soul that finds nothing in it self but sin and misery with hope to cast it selfe upon the free grace of God seeing he looks at nothing in us for which he should save us but onely to glorifie his own grace in us But still though in these regards there be great use of these absolute promises yet the tryall of our estates is not by them because they doe not note out the persons to whom the salvation is promised but this is done as was said by the conditionall There be two acts of faith one of adherence or dependance another of assurance There be also two kinds of promises absolute and conditionall marke now how these doe fit and answer one to the other the absolute promises to the faith of adherence the conditionall to the faith of assurance For example God comes and sayes For mine owne sake will I doe thus and thus unto you in an absolute promise here is a ground for the faith of adherence to cleave unto though I be most unworthy yet I will hang upon this promise because it is for his owne sake that the Lord will perform this mercy that he may be glorified There be also conditionall promises He that beleeveth shall be saved by meanes of which we having the experience and feeling of such grace in our selves we grow to an assurance that we are of those that he will shew that free grace upon And thus the absolute promises are laid before us as the foundation of our salvation which is wrought in the adhering to the promise and the conditionall as the
unto him to bee kept by him unto salvation according to his Covenant and promise And thus is this part of the Covenant made up betwixt God and us and the soule now sayes within it selfe I that was sometimes an enemy he hath now reconciled unto himselfe I that was in times past without God without Christ without promise without Covenant without hope none of Gods people not under mercy yet now I have God for my God Christ is my peace in him I have obtained mercy and am now become one of Gods people the Covenant of his peace now belongs unto me the Lord also is become my salvation and here the soule rests and is satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse saying as Jacob The Lord hath had mercy on me therefore I have enough I have all that my heart hath desired Gen. 33.11 Thus we see how faith closeth with the first part of the Covenant that God will be a God of mercy unto us to blesse us with blessings of peace c. 2. Concerning the other part of it wherein God offers himselfe unto us to be a God over us to rule us and govern us in obedience to his will faith works the soule to a closing with this also The converting sinner having tasted the fruit of his own former wayes and finding how bitter and evill it is that he hath sinned doth now desire to resign up himself to the Lords government being willing to deny his own will and to take up the Lords yoke and to be subject thereunto he now sayes no more who is Lord over me Psa 12. He doth no longer look at himself as his own to live to himself after his own minde and will but being weary of his own wayes and finding it sufficient and too much that he hath spent the time past in the lusts of the flesh now he commits himselfe to the Lords government taking him to be a God over him to rule and order him in all his wayes The Covenant which passeth betwixt God and us is like that which passeth between a King and his people the King promiseth to rule and govern in mercy and in righteousnesse and they againe promise to obey in loyalty and in faithfulnesse faith sets up God upon his throne and sayes Let the Lord reigne for ever and ever reigne thou over mee O Lord and lead me in the way which leads unto thee And this doth faith work in us by these or the like meanes 1. Faith looks at the manner of Gods invitation and call when he invites us to come and enter into Covenant with him he doth not offer himselfe to be a God to us to blesse us without being a God over us to order and govern us but links these two both together If we will have his blessing his peace we must bee under his Dominion Look as in a Common-wealth or Kingdom none hath the benefit of the Law but those that subject themselves to the Law none have the protection of authority but those that obey it so here God doth not promise to pardon our sins leaving us still at our own liberty to live as we list but if he doe at all make a Covenant with us he will be a God to us as well to rule us as to save us To say live as yee will sinne as yee will and yet you shall be saved is the Devils Covenant not Gods and therefore it is that when the Lord calls us into a Covenant with himselfe he bids us come out from among the wicked separate your selves and touch no uncleane thing saith the Lord 2 Cor. 6.17 and in this way he promises to receive us and to be a God unto us How vile soever we have been before time it hinders us not from entring into Covenant with God but if we will now become his people we must henceforth walke no more as we had wont to doe we must henceforth be separate from our uncleannesse Ephes 4.17 Esay 1. ver 6.7 8. Come let us reason together let us make an agreement but withall wash you make you clean c. This is the Lords manner of invitation so that faith sees a necessity of submitting to Gods authority because it may not take hold of one part of the Covenant without the other If we will have God to bee our God to pardon us and to blesse us wee must have him a God over us to govern us after his own will 2. Faith opens the understanding convincing us by arguments how just how equall and reasonable it is that God should rule and we obey by faith we see the invisible things of God that is his eternall power and Godhead which before we saw not by faith we see him in his Excellency and Majesty cloathed with glory and honour riding upon the Heavens attended upon with thousand thousands of Angels ministring unto him By faith we see him moderating the whole world by his wisdome and power Psal 103. We look at him as King of Kings as Prince of all the Rulers of the earth Neither doe we by faith thus see God as he is in himselfe but as he is to us as having power in his hand either to save or destroy so that there is no resisting we know now that if we fall upon that stone by our rebellion it will grinde us to powder now there is no more question made who shall have the dominion though in times past we had said this man shall not reign over us Luk. 19. yet now it is our chiefe desire that his Kindome may come into us and beare sway in us Faith sets before us also the benefits and kindnesse of God towards us and so perswades us by those mercies of God to give up our selves as a sacrifice in humble obedience unto his will Rom. 12.1 Faith reasoneth in the heart as David did I will prayse thee O Lord with my whole heart yea I will glorifie thy name for ever for great is thy mercy towards me thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest grave Psal 86.12 13. Faith makes us speak to God as the Israelites did to Gideon when he had delivered them out of the hand of the Midianites Come say they unto him and reign over us both thou and thy son for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian Iudg. 8.22 Now God is counted worthy of all honour and service Apoc. 4.7 5.12.13 Worthy to be exalted and glorified thus faith urgeth it as a thing most reasonable that God so glorious in himselfe having power over us to save or destroy and when he might have destroyed us yet hath saved us from so great a death and prepared for us so great salvation should be glorified by us wee submitting our selves unto the obedience of his will 3. Faith makes us look at the Lords government as a mercifull goverment bringing peace and blessing unto those that are under it it looks at this King of Israel as a mercifull King
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
me to this faith assents also and carries us on in an answerable conversation thereby testifying before all the world that we have set up the Lord to be our God to command us and to rule us and that we have given up our selves to be his people And here are sundry acts of faith by which it inables us so to walk As 1. Faith hath alwayes an eye to the rule and command of God which he hath set before us to walke by it attends constantly to the Tables of the Covenant in things to be beleived it looks to the promise and in things to be practised it looks to the Commandement As in matters of faith it will beleeve nothing without a word of faith to rest it self upon so in matters of fact it will doe nothing without a word to command or warrant that which is done because without a word it cannot be done in faith and it is no act of faith which is not done in faith Rom. 14.23 Faith will present no strange fire before the Lord Levit. 10. It is inquisitive to understand what the will of the Lord is as knowing that he accepts nothing but what is according to his own will and word therefore it is that David prayes Teach me good judgement and knowlâ—dge for I have beleeved thy Commandements Psal 119.66 as if he should say I beleve and know that what thou commandest is good teach me to judge aright and know thy Commandements faith will be circumspect and fearfull till it see a word to direct and warrant its way but when it sees a plain word then it growes bold and confident as knowing that this way is right This then is the worke of faith to attend to the word of faith in every thing if we be to perform any act of worship unto God it will worship him not after the traditions and precepts of men but after the will of God if we bee to perform any office of love mercy or justice towards men it hath an eye to the word in all these to doe every thing according to the pattern set down in the word to walk without a word to direct us by is the work of unbeliefe not of Faith 2. As Faith takes direction from the true rule so it directs us to the right end it lifts us up above our selves and above our owne ends and aimes making God our highest and chiefest end for which we live and work as we are of him and live in him and by him so by faith we live to him and for him Rom. 14.7 8. 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Pet. 4.11 2 Cor. 5.15 Reason tells us we must be for our selves but faith tells us we must be for God this God claimes as his right and due and faith also assents unto God faith Thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.15 Faith saith I will glorifie thee for ever Psal 66.12 3 Faith shields us against the hindrances and temptations which we daily meet withall in our Christian course sometimes we are tempted on the right hand by the baites and allurements of the world as Christ was Mat. 4. All this will I give thee saith the World if thou wilt be mine but here Faith overcomes the world 1 John 5.4 by setting before us better things then these even a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10. those earthly pleasures which seem so pleasing to the eye of sence are but empty and vain shaddowes in the eye of faith which looks at things afar off at things to come at things within the vaile where Christ the fore-runner is gone before to prepare a place for us Hebr. 6. Sometimes again we are tempted on the left-hand with crosses persecutions afflictions and sufferings for the Name of Christ by which Satâ—n seekes to turne us out of the way and to make us falsifie our Covenant with God but here also our faith helpes us to overcome and makes us conquerors through Christ that hath loved us by setting before us the end of our patience and faith telling us that these short sufferings of this present time will bring unto us an eternall waight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 and that all the sufferings of this present life are not worthy of the glory to be revealed Rom. 8.18 and thus faith makes us to despise the shame and the sorrow which we now suffer looking to the joy which is set before us Heb. 12.2 and thus faith is our victory by which we overcome the world and do continue faithful and stedfast in our Covenant unto the end 4. Faith incourages us unto well doing by perswading us that our services are accepted of God in Christ and by propounding unto us the promises of reward First it perswades us of acceptance that the Lord will have a gracious respect unto our services which we present before him Gen. 4. The Lord hath promised to accept our services which are done in faith Isai 56.7 and thereby faith encourageth us to every good worke The beleever knowes all his workes as they come from him to be full of imperfection yet considering withall that it is Gods good and acceptable will which he conformes himselfe unto and offering up his service in Christs name hence faith looks for acceptance according to that witnesse of the Apostle Acts 10.35 And this is no small incouragement to well doing when we believe what we doe shall be accepted graciously What will not a subject do if he know his King will take in good part the service which is tendred unto him sometimes they run themselves out of all to humour them Now faith assures us that there is not one prayer one holy desire one good thought or word or good purpose which is thought or spoken or done to the glory of God but God takes notice of it and accepts it in good part Mal. 3.16 Secondly faith assures us of a reward which shall be given us faith sees a recompence in the hand of God Heb. 11 2â— as knowing that he will not forget our labour of love which we have shewed unto his name Heb. 6. but will one day say unto us come hither Well done good and faithfull servant enter into thy masters joy 5. Faith doth not onely encourage us unto well doing but it doth furnish us with strength and ability by which we may perfome Faith is a strengthening grace renewing our strength as the Eagles increasing power in our inward man Ephes 3.16 17. unbeleefe weakens the heart and makes the hands to hang down Heb. 12.12 and doth not onely discourage but also disable unto that which is good but faith makes us full of power and strength by the Spirit of the Lord Micah 3.8 to goe through the worke which is committed unto us so as if we want strength it is because we want faith or at least do not make use of our faith as we should do Now there is a twofold strength and power which we get by faith First a power inherent and dwelling
them and that they shall be surely made good unto us 3. Keep Christ neare unto us for it is he in whom all the promises are unto us Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. Lay him therefore in our hearts Let him lie between our breasts Cant. 1.12 Let him be to us the dearely beloved of our soule make him our hope as the Apostle calls him 1 Tim. 1.1 even our hope of glory Col. 1.27 Keep him near to us and hope through him and we shall not be disappointed of our hope 4. Lastly labour to keep in our selves a cleare sight of those graces that are expressed in the conditionall promises they being the companions of the faith which saveth us take heed of suffering them to be wounded and darkned in us by worldlinesse wrath impatiency but keep them shining and bright the more evidently we can discern these the more evidence we have of the blessing of the Covenant and the more assurance of full possession These graces are as t were our anoynting by which we are anoynted before hand unto the Kingdome Look to our anoynting then If God have anoynted us by the oyle of his spirit it is not for nothing that he hath done it it is an assurance unto us that it is his pleasure to give us the Kingdome David being anoynted by Samuel got the Kingdome at last though he went through many troubles first Vse 3. This should teach us all to preferre the things of Gods Covenant being so sure and certaine before all the uncertaine vanities of this deceitfull world What the Apostle speaks of riches calling them uncertaine riches 1 Tim. 6. the same may be truly affirmed of all worldly things honour favour of men c. they are all uncertaine things The hope of them is uncertaine and many times proves vaine as it did to Balaam who had faire hopes before him of rising to great honour but all was quasht in a moment when he was slaine with the sword and sent down to the sides of the pit among the uncircumcised And as is the hope so is the possession of them uncertaine also as it was to Haman who in the midst of all his honour stood but in a slippery place for being in honour he continued not but became like unto the beasts that perish What is there of any certainty under the Sunne The world and all things in it is not unfitly compared to a wheele Ezek. 1. and 10. which is of various and uncertaine motion now up now down now going anon returning there is nothing sure in this world but only what we hold by the sure and faithfull Covenant of God and therefore as Christ when he saw his Disciples admiring the stately building of the Temple Are these saith he the things yee look upon so should we say unto our selves rebuking these our foolish hearts when we see them taken with this worlds uncertaine vanities Are these the things yee look for yee walk in a shadow and disquiet you selves in vaine ye graspe at that which ye have no assurance to attaine or if ye doe attaine yet cannot long possesse such are all worldly things But the things which God hath promised in his Covenant are sure certaine infallible though the world be a lyar yet God is faithfull and true he cannot deny himselfe The holy Apostle did well discern this difference betwixt the things of God and the things of this world one of them he calls uncertaine 1 Tim. 6. but speaking of the other I fight not as uncertaine as one that beats the ayre but as certaine to obtaine 1 Cor. 9.26 Truly while a man contends for the things of this world he doth but beat the ayre as if a man should spend his strength in striking great blows at an airie shadow whiles his enemy in the meane time goes free away But those which runne for the crown which God hath promised they shall in time finde that they have not run in vaine neither have laboured in vaine they shall finde a sure reward Prov. 11.18 We love not to lose our labour we think better sit still then labour for nothing But this encourageth to strive with our best strength when we have the prize in our eye when we are sure to obtaine Here therefore first by faith believe the truth of Gods promise and then put on in practice to seek after the things which God hath promised looking at the glory and joy which is set before us and then the sure mercies of David will be our own mercies also as Jonah speaks Jonah 2.8 and will be as sure to us as to David or any of his seed How sure the Apostle esteemed them see 2 Tim. 4.8 18. Take we heed then lest by following lying vanities we forsake our owne mercies that mercy and blessing I meane which if we diligently seek after shall surely be our own 3. The third property of the Covenant is that it is an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17.7 I will stablish my Covenant betwixt me and thee to be an everlasting Covenant so also verse 13. see also Esay 55.3 Ier. 32.40 Heb. 13.20 This Covenant is said to be everlasting 1. A parte antè as being from everlasting in respect of the promise made to Christ for us which was done before the foundation of the world Tit. 1.2 2. A parte post as being to continue from everlasting to everlasting as Moses speaks Psal 9.2 though the Covenant in respect of our own personall entering into it is made with us now in time and hath a beginning yet for continuance it is everlasting and without end Its never to be broken if once made in truth men may seeme to be in Covenant with God and yet it being but seemingly and not in truth such a Covenant may break and come to an end in which sence the Iewes are said to have broke the everlasting Covenant Esay 24.5 But where we do truly give up our selves unto God to be his people and take him to bee our God this Covenant is everlasting its never broken more It is not denyed but by reason of our unstablenesse of Spirit we are apt to make many a breach on our part And it is true also that the Lord might have reserved such a liberty unto himselâ—e and a power of revocation to disanull the Covenant which he had made with us But neither hath the Lord put in any such clause of reservation nor doth he take advantage of our infirmity but tells us that which we may trust unto namely that his Covenant with us is for ever and that from everlasting to everlasting he is our God Hence is that in Gen. 17. â— God is said to stablish his Covenant with us as meaning to have it stand and continue for ever and in Psal 89.28 it s said to stand fast and in 2 Chron. 13 5. its called a Covenant of salt because it corrupteth not it faileth not as things that are salted use to last and continue and
acceptance with him so it is no lesse vigilant and watchfull in observing and taking notice what answer comes from the Lord how he answers the desires we have presented before him As the prisoner at the barre not only cries for mercy but marks every word which falls from the Judges mouth if any thing may give him hope and as Benhadads servants lay at catch with the King of Israel to see if they could take occasion by any thing which fell from him to plead for the life of Benhadad so doth the poore soule that is now pleading for life and grace it watcheth narrowly to see if any thing may come from God any intimation of favour any word of comfort that may tend to peace thence it is that the Saints have so often called upon God for answer of their prayers they thought it not enough to pray but they would see how the Lord answered them Psal 102.1 2. Thus Psal 51.8 O let me heare joy and gladnesse c. David did not only pray for mercy but desires to heare from heaven a word spoken to his conscience by which he might know he was accepted though David was not in the beginning of that work we now speak of yet the case is alike he was now in his own sence as if he had been to begin anew and thus in Psal 85.8 I will heare what the Lord will say for he will speak peace unto his people c. 7. As faith doth thus wait for an answer from God so likewise according as the Lord doth either answer or not answer so doth faith demeane it selfe First Sometimes he answers not to our sence I mean and discerning as we see in Davids case he felt himselfe as one forsaken and prayed unto God but found no audience Psal 22. What doth faith in this case it followes God still and cryes after him with more strength and earnestness as resolving never to give over till the Lord either save or destroy if the Lord will destroy yet the soule chuseth to die at Gods foot as Joab did at the hornes of the Altar when he was bidden to come forth from thence to take his death in another place Nay saith Ioab but I will die here Here the humbled soule doth as that woman did in Mat. 15. shee sues to Christ but Christ seemes to have no regard of her gives her not one word but shee seeks still still she cryes after him and though still repulsed yet shee comes a third time and cryes Lord help me and though still the Lord gives her another repulse yet still she hangs upon him and follows him for mercy and would never give over till she he had gotten even what shee desired Even as Christ in his agony when he saw deliverance came not he prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 so doth the poore sinner in the time of his agony when he is striving as for life and death if help come not at first call he prays againe and that more earnestly faith will be urgent with God with an humble importunity and the more slack the Lord seemes to be in answering the more instant is faith in plying God with prayers It will be wrastling with God as Iacob did with the Angel it will not rest without a blessing it will take no denyall but will crave still as hee did blesse me even me also send me not away without a blessing it resolves to wait and look up untill the Lord shew mercy Psal 123.2 Lament 3.49 50. Secondly Sometimes againe the Lord doth answer but yet he speaks but as out of the dark cloud giving somâ— little ease but not speaking full peace much like as he spake to the woman Ioh. 8.11 Goe thy way and sinne no more saith Christ he doth not say goe in peace thy sinne is forgiven thee that had been a word of full comfort but goe thy way and sinne no more a middle kind of expression neither assuring her that her sinne was pardoned nor yet putting her out of hope but it might be forgiven And hereby faith gets a little strength and looks after the Lord with more hope and begins to plead with God as Moses did Lord thou hast begun to shew grace unto thy servant goe on Lord to manifest in me all thy goodnesse here faith takes a little hold on the Covenant though with a feeble hand as yet shaking and trembling for want of strength and yet now it begins to follow the Lord with more encouragement as finding that its former seeking hath not been wholly in vaine Thirdly Sometimes againe the Lord speaks more fully and satisfactorily to the soules of his people applying some promise of Grace to the conscience by his own spirit letting the soule feele and taste the comfort of such a promise more effectually then ever it could before it hath often heard and thought on such a promise but could never feele any peace in it because it could never apply it to its own particular but now being applyed by the help of the Spirit it finds and feeles peace Here then the Lord doth not any longer hold the soule in suspence and doubting by propounding unto it such promises of hope as I may so call them It may be yee shall bee hid in the day of wrath Zeph. 2.3 but he speaks full peace as Esay 41.10 Feare not for I am thy God I will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sinnes behind my back and I will remember them against you no more I have received a reconciliation Iob 33. Goe in peace Here â—aith waxeth bold and with a glad heart entertaineth the promise thus brought home unto it the Apostle expresseth this with a word very significant calling it an embracing of the promise Heb. 11.13 embracing implyes an affectionate receiving with both armes opened to shew an heart enlarged to those that come unto us and now the soule having thus embraced the promise and the Lord Iesus Christ in the promise and having him like Simeon in our armes it layes him in the bosome and having before gone forth to meet him hee being now come it brings him into the chamber of the heart there to rest and abide for ever now the soule possesseth him as her own rests in him and is satisfied with him layes it selfe down in a holy rest after all its former troubles praysing God for his mercy as Simeon did when he had Christ in his armes and committing it selfe for ever to that mercy and goodnesse which hath been thus revealed unto it And thus the poor soul which hath been at emnity with God comes by little and little to touch the top of the golden Scepter and to enter into a Covenant of peace with the high God now the hand is given to the Lord as Hezekiah spake 2 Chron. 30. As God reacheth out to us the hand of Grace and of saving help so doe wee give unto him the hand of faith yeilding up our selves unto him committing our selves