fall by whom not only the Elect but the whole frame of nature received benefit In the Creation God raised up a great Family wherein he made Adam the head and all his posterity inhabitors the frame of Heaven and Earth his domicile the creatures his servants this Family upon the fall was broken up the present Master turned out of his imployments the children beggered the servants returning to God their Soveraigne and the whole frame of the creature under attainder God thus defeated if I may so speake sets up a second Family called the Family of Heaven and Earth wherein Jesus Christ the womans seed Gen. 3. 19. is the Head Matth. 28. 18. Ephes 1. 22. Col. 1. 19 20. stiled the second Adam Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth and that with more soveraignty and amplitude of injoyment then ever the first Adam had the whole creature being put under his feet The children of this Family are the faithfull who be the adopted Brethren Rom. 8. 15. sometimes called the seed The servants be the wicked and those of two sorts either such as attend in the Church neerer about Christs person or further off as in farme-houses for baser offices The creatures by a second ordinance from their former Master free are stated upon Christ though they beare some brands of evill from the sinne of their former Master the domicile though not so beautifull returnes to Christ So the Covenant of Grace entring upon the breaking up of the former Family investeth Christ with all as purchaser of the lost creature from revenging justice and as Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth who freely conferreth the heavenly inheritance upon the adopted sonnes and brethren and vouchsafeth earthly blessings and some spirituall common gifts to the wicked which may be called servants both those that more neerly attend his person and those that be further off But of this more hereafter CHAP. III. Of the Covenant of Grace in generall THe Covenant of Grace is that free and gracious Covenant which God of his meere mercy in Jesus Christ made with man a miserable and wretched sinner promising unto him pardon of sinne and eternall happinesse if he will return from his iniquity embrace mercy reached forth by faith unfained and walke before God in sincere faithfull and willing obedience as becomes such a creature lifted up unto such injoyment and partaker of such pretious promises This Covenant is opposite to the former in kind so that at one and the same time man cannot be under the Covenant of workes and the Covenant of grace For he cannot hope to be justified by his perfect and exact obedience that acknowledging himselfe to be a miserable and lost sinner doth expect pardon of the free mercy of God in Iesus Christ embraced by faith The condition of the Law as it was given to Adam excludes the necessity of mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne and the necessity of making a new Covenant argues the former could not give life Heb. 8. 7. He that is under grace cannot at the same time be under the law and he that waites for Salvation of meere and rich grace to be vouchsafed cannot expect it as the deserved wages of his good worke from justice and not of mercy What then may some say is the Law abolished or is it lawfull for Christians to live as they list because they be not under the Law Not so but the Law hath a double respect one as the unchangeable rule of life and manners according to which persons in Covenant ought to walke before and with the Lord and in this sense it belongs to the Covenant of grace The other as it is propounded in forme of a Covenant as if he must necessarily perish who doth neglect or breake it in the least jot or tittle and in this sense the Covenant of grace and workes are opposite The matter of Evangelicall precepts and of the Morall Law is the same but the forme of promulgation is not the same the rule is one but the Covenants differ Materialy the Law that is the matter and argument of the Law as a rule stands in force but if formally it did continue as a Covenant there could be no place for repentance nor for the promise of forgivenesse or mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne or the quickning of them that be dead in trespasses The Covenant of workes is of justice the Covenant of grace is of grace and mercy which cannot agree and take place in one and the same subject for he that tryâ—th justice perceiveth not the force of mercy è contra This might be common to both Covenants that God doth freely give reward because he was not bound unto it by any Law and that is done of grace which we are not tied unto by Law but in the Covenant of Grace he gives the reward of meere and rich grace and that to the creature which hath deserved Hell This Covenant entered immediately upon the fall and so may be called a Covenant of Reconciliation not of friendship At the very instant when God holy and true was pronouncing judgements upon the severall delinquents in the fall setting downe his sentence against the Tempter both in his instrument the Serpent and the maine Author Sathan he brings in the party who should execute the same in which execution is unfolded the Covenant of grace for the Salvation of the creature that the Serpent had destroyed that God might be knowne in wrath to remember mercy At the very fall and before judgement was pronounced upon the delinquents that were tempted the Covenant of mercy was proclaimed that by vertue of this Covenant God might prevent further waste of his creature which Sathan might haue wrought upon his new advantage in following his good successe and that the tempted might have some comfort before their judgement least they might have been swallowed up of wrath The Authour of this Covenant is God considered as a mercifull and loving Father in Iesus Christ as a Creator he strooke Covenant with Adam in his integrity as a Saviour he looked upon the poore creature plunged into sinne and misery by reason of sin The cause that moved the Lord to make this Covenant was not any worth dignity or merit in man for man never had ought which he had not received and now by his disobedience had deserved to be cast off for ever neither was the present misery into which he had cast himselfe the cause that moved the Lord to receive man into favour for the Angels more excellent by creation as miserable by their fall he hath reserved in chaines of darknesse The sole moving cause why God made this Covenant Bonitatis Dei donumest quod liberare nos voluit quod verò aliter quam tali modo liberare nos noluit pâ—ccatorum nostrorum est meritum was the love favour and mercy of the Lord. Deut. 7. 7 8. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers
to love them saith Moses and he chose their seed after them Deut. 10. 15. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Ezek. 16. 6. See Ezek. 36. 32. Luk. 1. 54 55 72 78. This Covenant was made in Christ in and through whom we are reconciled unto God for since God and man were separated by sinne no Covenant can passe betwixt them no reconciliation can be expected no pardon obtained but in and through a mediatour Sinnes were never remitted unto any man no man was ever adopted into the place and condition of a sonne by grace and adoption but in him alone who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Jesus Christ true God and true man Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. The fall of our first parents was occasion of this Covenant for Actus nostrae liberationis divinam bonitatem causam habet Sed aliter actus exactio nimirum paenae per modum satisfactionis caâ—sam eam habet quae ad paenam exegendam irritat id autemest peccatum God suffered him to slip that he might manifest the riches of his mercy in mans recovery Mercy freeing man from misery possible might have taken place before transgression and have discovered it selfe in the preventing of sinne and so of misery but it seemed good unto Almighty God to suffer misery to enter upon man through sinne that he might make knowne the infinite riches of his mercy in succouring and lifting him up being fallen and plunged into a state remedilesse and desperate for ought he knew Besides we may conceive that Almighty God upon just grounds disdaining that such a base creature falne by pride should thus upon advantage of the mutability of his reasonable creature ruinate the whole frame of the Creation and trample the glory of his name under foot and withall looking upon the Chaos which sinne had brought and would further make if some speedy remedy was not provided did out of his infinite and boundlesse love to man though in the transgression and just and dreadfull indignation against Sathan give forth this gratious and free Covenant The forme of this Covenant stands in gratious and free promises of all good to be repaired restored augmented and a restipulation of such duties as will stand with free grace and mercy For the Covenant of Grace doth not exclude all conditions but such as will not stand with grace The Covenant which was made of free love when we lay wallowing in our blood and which calls for nothing at our hands but what comes from and shall be rewarded of meere grace is a Covenant of grace though it be conditionall So the pardon of sinne is given of grace and not for workes though pardon be granted only to the penitent and faith on our part a lively unfained and working faith be required to receive the promise The parties covenanting are two and so are the parts of the Covenant the one in respect of God the other in respect of man A Covenant there is betwixt God and man but no mutuall obligation of debt for such mutuall obligation is founded in some equality but there is no equality between the Creator and the creature much lesse betwixt the Lord most high and man a sinner If man had never offended God almighty who gave him his being and perfection could not have been indepted unto him but as he was pleased to recompence the good of obedience in the creature that never deserved punishment much lesse can God be indepted to the creature that hath offended who can neither endure his presence nor beare the weight of his wrath nor satisfie Justice nor deliver his soule from the thraldome of sinne The obligation of man to God is of double right and debt but it is of rich grace and abundant love that God doth bind himselfe unto man God doth promise in this Covenant to be God and Father by right of redemption and Christ to be Saviour of them that beleeve in God by him and in faith do yeild sincere uniforme willing upright and constant obedience unto his Commandements Jer. 31. 31 32 33 Deut. 31. 6. Ezek. 36. 25 26. Gen. 15. 1 4 5. Jer. 32. 40. 33. 9. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Isa 54. 7. Hos 2. 19. The stipulation required is that we take God to be our God that is that we repent of our iniquities believe the promises of mercy and embrace them with the whole heart and yeeld love feare reverence worship and obedience unto him according to the prescript rule of his word Repentance is called for in this Covenant as it setteth forth the subject capable of Salvation by faith but is it selfe only an acknowledgement of sinne no healing of our wound or cause of our acquittance The feeling of Luke 13. 5. Act. 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Ezek. 18. 27â— paine and sicknesse causeth a man to desire and seeke remedy but it is no remedy it selfe Hunger and thirst make a man to desire and seeke for food but a man is not fed by being hungry By repentance we know our selves we feele our sicknesse we hunger and thirst after grace but the hand which we stretch forth to receive it is faith alone without which repentance is nothing but darknesse and despaire Repentance is the condition of faith and the qualification of a person capable of Salvation but faith alone is the cause of Justification and Salvation on our part required It is a penitent and petitioning faith wherby we receive the promises of mercy but we are not justified partly by prayer partly by repentance and partly by faith but by that faith which stirreth up godly sorrow for sinne and enforceth us to pray for pardon and Salvation Faith is a necessary and lively instrument of Justification which is amongst the number of true causes not being a cause without which the thing is not done but a cause wherby it is done The cause without which a thing is not done is only present in the action and doth nothing therein But as the eye is an active instrument for seeing and the care for hearing so is faith also for justifying If it be demanded whose instrument it is It is the instrument of the Soule wrought therin by the Holy Ghost and is the free gift of God In the Covenant of workes workes were required as the cause of life and happinesse but in the Covenant of grace though repentance be necessary and must accompanie faith yet not repentance but faith only is the cause of life The cause not efficient as workes should have been if man had stood in the former Covenant but instrumentall only for it is impossible that Christ the death and blood of Christ and our faith should be together the efficient or procuring causes of Justification or Salvation When the Apostle Rom. 3. â—â— 22 28 30. Gal. 2. 16. 17. Rom. 4. 2 3. writeth that man
a restipulation 6. The end viz. the blessednesse of man and the glory of God manifested in his wisdome bounty and goodnesse 7. As Adam in the state of Innocency was made able to fulfill the Covenant made with him so is the Covenant of Grace written in the hearts of them that be heires of the Promise in Christ They differ 1. In the speciall consideration of the Authour cause and foundation of the Covenants God gave his Law to Adam as bountifull and gratious to his creature intire and perfect but in strict justice requiring obedience promising a reward and denouncing punishment But the Covenant of Grace he made as a loving Father in Jesus Christ of his meere Grace promising to receive them into favour that sincerely and unfainedly turne unto him The Creation of man and integrity of humane nature is the Foundation of the former Covenant but the Redemption of man by Christ is the Foundation of the Covenant of Grace 2. In the forme of Sanction In the Covenant of Nature there is no Mediatour but the Covenant of Grace is made in Christ in whom God hath made us accepted The Covenant of Nature was not promised before it was promulgated but the Covenant of Grace was first promised and long after promulgated and established or ratified in the bloud of his Sonne 3. In the speciall matter of the Covenants and that both in respect of the Promise and stipulation For the Covenant of Nature promised life but not righteousnesse but in the Covenant of Grace God promiseth to tread Satan under the feet and to write his Law in the hearts of them that be heires of Salvation That Covenant promiseth life to them that perfectly obey but not remission or forgivenesse of any even the least iniquity But this promiseth forgivenesse of sinnes and life eternall to the penitent sinner believing in Christ and embracing the free promise of mercy In that life eternall is promised as the reward of justice in this life and glory as the reward of free and rich grace and mercy To him that worketh the wages is of debt but to him that beleeves the reward is of Grace In that God as a Creatour doth exact his right of man pure but in this as a loving Father he doth offer himselfe to the sinner smitten with the conscience of his sinne In that life eternall and most blessed is promised but only animal to be enjoyed in Paradise or continuance in that good estate wherein he was set at first of the rich bounty of God but in the other translation out of ignominy and death into eternall happinesse and glory in Heaven In the Covenant of Nature perfect obedience is exacted so that if there be but the least failing in any jot or title and that but once a man can never be justified thereby nor can the breach be made up by any repentance But in the Covenant of Grace obedience is required repentance admitted and sincerity accepted If a man sinne and goe astray if he returne unfainedly he shall be received into favour In the Covenant of Nature obedience and workes were commanded as the cause of life and justification in the Covenant of Grace Faith is required as the instrumentall cause of Remission and Salvation obedience as the qualification of the party justified and the way leading to everlasting blessednesse The object of obedience in the Covenant of Nature was God in the Covenant of Grace God in Christ 4. They differ in the speciall consideration of the Subject The first Covenant was given to man pure perfect intire and sound able to do what God required But the Covenant following was made with man a sinner miserable and by nature the child of wrath And so that was a Covenant of friendship this of firme Reconciliation 5. In the speciall and peculiar respect of the end For the former Covenant was made for the praise of Gods wisdome goodnesse bounty and justice But the Covenant of Grace was made to declare and set forth the riches of Gods grace and mercy In it the wisdome goodnesse power and justice of God is more illustrious then in the former and the mercy long-suffering and rich grace of God is greatly magnified which did not appeare or shine forth at all in the former 6. And in their Effects and Properties For not the Covenant of Nature but of Grace doth exclude boasting By the Covenant of Nature Adam was not advanced above the condition of an honourable Servant In the Covenant of Grace man by nature the child of wrath is made the child of God by grace and adoption The Covenant of nature was neither the last nor everlasting but being first made way for a better and being broken was antiquated or disanulled to our singular comfort but the Covenant of Grace shall continue firme and immoveable for evermore The second thing to be gathered is That the Fathers before Christ ever since the fall of Adam and Christians in the times of the Gospell did live under the same Covenant for substance but not for manner of administration which is most cleare by evident Heb. 13. 8. Rev. 13. 8. Act. 4. 12. and 15. 11. Gal. 3. 29. Rom. 3. 30. Eph. 2. 12. Gen. 15. 1 and 17. 1 7. Lev. 26. 12. Exod. 3. 6. Matth. 22. 32. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 11. 6 7 8. Rom. 4. 12. Heb. 11. â— 19 23. testimonies of holy Scripture and by the very forme of the Covenant which was one before and after the comming of Christ The same God that calleth us called them to the hope of eternall life they were endued with the same spirit and lived by the same faith Their Sacraments for substance in signification agree with ours and they expected an Inheritance everlasting and undefiled Religion for substance was ever one and unchangeable and such as were truly religious walked in the same way and waited for the same heavenly Inheritance and everlasting crowne of glory The Church before Christ may be considered as an heire or as an Infant according to the substance of the Covenant or according to the manner of administration In the first respect the Church is under the Covenant or Promise and her people are called a free and willing people an heire of heavenly and spirituall blessings In the latter respect she is under the Covenant in respect of the different administration and her people are called a servile people in comparison an heire under Tutors and Governors not differing from a servant CHAP. IIII. Of the Covenant of Promise THe Covenant of Grace is either promised or promulgated Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 12. 1. and 15. 1. and established Promised to the Fathers first to Adam and afterwards to the Patriarchs and lastly to the people of Israel and that before their comming into the Land of Canaan and after Gal. 4. 4 1 Pet. 1. 20. Act. 3. 25. Gal. 3. 16. 1â— Eph. 2. 12. their returne from the Babylonish captivity Promulgated after the
fulnesse of time came And hence the Covenant of Grace is distributed into the Covenant of Promise or the New Covenant so called by way of excellency For the Foundation and Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace is our Lord Jesus Christ but either to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead or as already Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. incarnate crucified and truly raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven For there was never sin forgiven but in him alone who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore although before the Incarnation Christ was only God he was our Mediatour yet not simply as God but as the divine person who should take our flesh and in it should finish all the Mysterie of our Redemption and therefore he is called the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world and the Fathers by his grace were saved even as we In the acts of Mediation three things may be considered Reconciliation by which we are accepted of God Patronage by which we have accesse unto the Father Doctrine whereby God hath made himselfe knowne unto men by a Mediatour This third act might be done before he assumed our flesh and indeed was done but the two first did require his comming in the flesh although the fruit of them was communicated to the Fathers under the Old Testament by force of the divine Promise and certainty of the thing to come with God If it be objected that the cause is before the effect and therefore the incarnation and death of Christ must goe before the communication of the fruit and benefit thereof unto the Fathers The answer is That in naturall causes the Proposition holds true but in morall causes the effect may be before the cause and so the fruit and vertue of Christs death was communicated to the Fathers before his Incarnation But although the Sonne of God before he was manifested in the flesh was our Mediatour with God to whom future things are present because he should be and therfore for his sake sinnes were remitted men did teach and learne by his Spirit the Church was governed by him yet the manner and reason of that Mediation was proposed more obscurely the force and efficacy of it was lesse and did redound to fewâ—r The Covenant of Promise then was that Covenant which God made with Adam the Fathers and all Israel in Jesus Christ to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead And it may be described the Covenant wherby God of his meere grace and mercy in Jesus Christ to be exhibited in the fulnesse of time did promise forgivenesse of sinnes spirituall adoption and eternall life unto man in himselfe considered a most wretched and miserable sinner if he should embrace and accept this mercy promised and walke before God in sincere obedience God the Father of his meere and free grace and mercy looking upon man in Jesus Deut. 9. 5. Gal. 3. 18. Luk. 1. 54 55. Christ in whom he is reconciled is the Author and cause of this Covenant He hath hâ—lpen his servant Israel in remembance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Thus saith the Lord God of Israel your Fathers dwelt on Josh 24 â— the other side of the floud in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nahor and they served other gods And I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac The condition required in this contract is the obedience of faith Remission of sinnes gratious adoption in Christ and the Inheritance of eternall life is promised to beleevers and eternall condemnation peremptorily threatned against unbeleevers Christ whom God hath exhibited in the Gospell as he was promised to the Fathers in the Scriptures of the Prophets is the object of this Covenant The end thereof is the praise of the glorious grace and mercy of God in Christ to come In this Covenant there is a mutuall compact betwixt God and man God in mercy promising and man in duty binding himself unto the Lord. It was made with man a sinner and reacheth to the faithfull and their seed as God hath promised to accept the children of beleeving parents upon due and religious tender of them made unto his Highnesse according as he hath prescribed but saving effectually it was made with them only who beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly be the heires of salvation and walke in the steps of our Father Abraham This Covenant doth beget children to liberty doth administer the righteousnesse of faith and the inheritance by faith hope peace of conscience life in Christ and spirituall joy is the effect thereof Internally the Spirit doth seale up the truth of this Covenant in 2 Cor. 4 13. Rom. â— 4 5. Gal. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 3. 14. Gen 22. 16. Luk. 1. 73. the hearts of the faithfull For when the adoption and the inheritance pertained to the Fathers under the Covenant of promise the spirit of adoption and earnest of the inheritance pertained unto them likewise Externally it was delivered and confirmed by word and oath and sealed by the Sacraments For substance also this Covenant was everlasting and unchangeable The New Testament did not abolish the former but the former was fulfilled by the latter And in all these things it doth Psal 105. 10. agree with the new Covenant which here only are but briefly named because the confirmation of them must be sought in the Chapters following And if the Covenant of Promise and the New Covenant doe thus agree in substance then it must necessarily follow That there Eph. 2. 18 19 20. and 4. 4 5. is but one Church of the Elect the same Communion of Saints one Faith one Salvation and one way of obtaining the same viz. by Faith in Christ Secondly that the Word of God was no lesse incorruptible seed Rom. 11. 17. to the Fathers and the Israelites then to us That the Fathers did eat the true flesh of Christ by faith as well as we in the times of 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. the Gospell That they and we are partakers of the same Spirit and that the Sacraments of the Jewes did signifie and seale to them the same promises of eternall life which our Sacraments doe to us The Sacraments of the Old Testament were not types of our Sacraments as sometimes they are called by Divines but they typified the same things that ours doe For as the Covenants under which they and we lived were one for substance so are the Sacraments one in their common nature and signification Thirdly that the faithfull before Christ were saved by the free mercy of God in Christ did know God and Christ had the Heb. 11. 9. Psal 105. 15. Isai 51. 6. spirituall promise of life eternall and were
is not justified by workes or through workes by the Law or through the Law opposing faith and workes in the matter of Iustification but not in respect of their presence faith I say and works not faith and merits which could never be without doubt he excludes the efficiency and force of the Law and workes in justifying But the particles By and of doe not in the same sense take Iustification from the Law and workes in which they give it to faith For faith only doth behould and receive the promises of life and mercy but the Law and works respect the Commandements not the promises of meere grace When therfore Iustification and life is said to be by faith it is manifestly signified that faith receiving the promise doth receive righteousnesse and life freely promised Obedience to all Deut. 7. 1â— 10. 12. Ier. 7. 23. Lev. 19. 17 18. Luk. 10. 27 Mar. 12 30. Gods Commandements is covenanted not as the cause of life but as the qualification and effect of faith and as the way to life Faith that embraceth life is obedientiall and fruitfull in all good workes but in one sort faith is the cause of obedience and good workes and in another of Iustification and life eternall These it seeketh in the promises of the Covenant those it worketh and produceth as the cause doth the effect Faith was the efficient cause of that pretious oblation in Abell of reverence and preparing Heb. 11 4 7 c. the Arke in Noah of obedience in Abraham but it was the instrument only of their justification For it doth not justifie as it produceth good workes but as it receiveth Christ though it cannot receive Christ unlesse it brings forth good workes A disposition to good workes is necessary to justification being the qualification of an active and lively faith Good works of all sorts are necessary to our continuance in the state of justification and so to our finall absolution if God give opportunity but they are not the cause of but only a precedent qualification or condition to finall forgivenesse and eternall blisse If then when we speake of the conditions of the Covenant of grace by Condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part as precedent concomitant or subsequent to justification repentance faith and obedience are all conditions but if by Condition we understand what is required on our part as the cause of the good promised though only instrumentall faith or beliefe in the promises of free mercy is the only Condition Faith and workes are opposed in the matter of Justification and Salvation in the Covenant not that they cannot stand together in the same subject for they be inseperably united but because they cannot concurre or meete together in one the same Court to the Iustification or Absolution of Man For in the Court of Iustice according to the first Covenant either being just he is acquitted or unjust he is condemned But in the Court of Mercy if thou receive the promise of pardon which is done by a lively faith thou art acquitted and set free and accepted as just and righteous but if thou believe not thou art sent over to the Court of Justice Obedience is two-fold perfect in measure and degree this is so farre required that if it be not performed we must acknowledge our sinne in comming short And this God is pleased to exact at our hands that we might walke in humility before him strive after perfection and freely acknowledge his rich grace and mercy in accepting and rewarding the best service we can tender unto his Highnesse when in the Court of Iustice it deserveth to be rejected 2. Sincere uniforme and constant though imperfect in measure and degree and this is so necessary that without it there is no Salvation to be expected The Covenant of Grace calleth for perfection accepteth sincerity God in mercy pardoning the imperfections of our best performances If perfection was rigidly exacted no flesh could be saved if not at all commanded imperfection should not be sin nor perfection to be laboured after The faith that is lively to imbrace mercy is ever conjoyned with an unfained purpose to walke in all well pleasing and the sincere performance of all holy obedience as opportunity is offered doth ever attend that faith whereby we continually lay hold upon the promises once embraced Actuall good workes of all sorts though not perfect in degree are necessary to the continuance of actuall justification because faith can no longer lay faithfull claime to the promises of life then it doth vertually or actually leade us forward in the way to Heaven For if we say we have fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another 1 Joh. 1. 6 7. This walking in the light as he is in the light is that qualification wherby we become immediatly capable of Christs righteousnes or actuall participants of his propitiation which is the sole immediate cause of our justification taken for remission of sinnes or actuall approbation with God The truth of which Doctrine St John likewise ratifies in tearmes equivalent in the words presently following And the blood of 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Christ cleanseth us walking in the light as God is in the light from all sinne But of these things more largely in the severall degrees how this Covenant hath been revealed In this Covenant man doth promise to repent of his sinnes and repenting to cleave unto the promise of mercy made in Iesus Christ and in saith to yeeld willing cheerefull and continuall obedience In contracts amongst men one may aske more and the other bid lesse and yet they may strike agreement But it is altogether bootlesse for men to thinke of entring into Covenant with God if they be noâ— resolved to obey in all things The practise of all Gods people who ever made Covenant with his Highnesse doth expressely speake thus much when they solemnly entred into or renewed their Covenant for thus they promise Whatsoever the Lord saith that will we doe Exod 24. 3 7. The people said unto Joshua The Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Josh 24. 23. And they entred into Covenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers with all their he art and with all thâ—eâ—r souâ—e That whosoever would not seâ—ke the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great whether man or woman 2 Chron. 15. 12 13. And the King stood by the pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walke after the Lord and to keepe his Commandements and his Testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soule to performe the words of this Covenant that were written in this booke and all the people stood to the Covenant 2 Chron. 34. 31. 2 Kings 23. 3. They entred into a Curse and into
these grouÌ„ds it may be concluded That though the Fathers being delivered from the Tabernacle of the body were made Heb. 8. 6. 10 20. partakers of life eternall in Heaven yet they had not before Christ that perfect state in Heaven which now we and they are presently possessed of for they were not to be perfected without us as neither shall we be perfected before that blessed day of the second Heb. 11. 39 40. comming of Christ wherein the body of Christ that is the Church shall be absolute and perfect every way Not to insist upon this that the former Tabernacle standing the way to the Holiest was not fully manifested and that there must be some proportion betwixt the manifestation of the way unto and sense of the future life in this life in them that be of ripe age and the fruition of it in the life to come This is certaine the Fathers who died before Christ did expect in Heaven their Redeemer on whom they had beleeved for forgivenesse of sinne and life everlasting even as soules now expect the Resurrection of the body the second appearance of Christ to Judgement in regard of which things they are not perfected Now hence followed a want of much light and joy which on the sight of Christ God man entring the Heavens did redound unto them as we in earth now have not the fulnesse of joy which then we shall have when we shall see the accomplishment of what we expect CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of Promise made with Adam immediately upon his fall THe Covenant of Promise began immediately upon the fall and reached unto the comming of Christ in the flesh which is obscure in comparison of the new Covenant but in it selfe receiveth distinction of degrees according to the severall breakings out of it to the darke world and the growth from severall manifestations of God as was proportionable to the number and qualities of those who in succeeding ages should take benefit so that at first being like a young sapling it grew to be firme alwayes a fruitfull tree In Scripture it is delivered unto us under these degrees of growth both in respect of fuller and more cleare manifestation and as we may suppose of numbers that received benefit by it First from Adam untill Abraham Secondly from Abraham untill the Covenant made with Israel upon the Mount Thirdly from Moses to Christ which must be subdistinguished for the Covenant which God did promise to make with Israel and Judah upon the delivery from the North Countrey was to exceed the former Covenant which he had made with their Fathers when he brought them out of Egypt Jer. 23. 5 6 7 8. The first breaking forth of this gratious and free Promise and Covenant was immediately upon the fall and is expressed in these words I will put Gen. 3. 15. enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed He shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Herein God setting downe the irrevocable judgement and finall overthrow and destruction of Satan the arch-enemy of his glory and mans Salvation Gods fearefull doomes-man into whose power man was now fallen he proclaimeth his rich grace and mercy towards mankind in Jesus Christ the womans seed who should breake the Serpents head In the malediction of the Serpent is included the greatest blessing of God most mercifull towards miserable and wretched sinners In reference to this gratious antient Proclamation of mercy the Gospel is called everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 14. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 58. 12. 61. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 6. 16. 18. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 33. 15. Gen. 49. 26. Isai 54. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 5. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 14. 6. I saw another Angel flying through the middest of Heaven having the everlasting Gospell not in respect of the future but of the time past scil which was promised from the beginning of the world For as the hils paths and desolations are said to be everlasting or antient so the Gospell that is from the beginning This first Promise of grace and life was published by the Lord himselfe to mankind now dead in sinne and enemies to God that as they had heard from him the curse against sinne and saw and felt the same in part executed upon them so they should heare from him the promise of absolution lest they should be swallowed up in despaire When they should heare peace proclaimed by the Author of Peace and Judgement both by him that was immediately provoked and offended by sinne and came now to sentence the transgressours when they should heare peace proclaimed by him in his owne person by his owne voyce it must needs put more life and encouragement into them then if the glad tidings had been brought by some Messenger or divulged by some Herauld only The party upon whom the Promises of mercy are setled is here propounded as the seed of the woman and under the next degree as the seed of Abraham called the Angel of the Covenant The Mal. 3. 1. Eph. 1. 22. Joh. 3. 18. Gal. 4. 4. head of all things to the Church even Jesus Christ the only begotten Sonne of God who being God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. should come of David and Abraham and so of Eve Rom. 1. 3. according to the flesh for she was the mother of all living Christ God and man is made of God an Adam often opposed to the first Adam 1 Cor. 15. 21 22 23 45. Head root common receptacle and store-house in whom are treasured all good things which from him are communicated to the faithfull As in Adam our being naturall our hopes of life and death and in event our condemnation was received before ever they came to be applyed and received actually in us So in Christ as in a common store-house every thing is first placed which afterward is to be imparted to any beleever The first Adam created after the Image of God but a meere creature only was intrusted with the Promise of life for his posterity and betrayed all the body But now God of Matth. 28. 19. his infinite mercy ordaineth a second Adam even the seed of the woman that is Christ-man but lifted up above the condition of a creature by union unto the Divine Person that so as man he might be fit to receive that trust for men as God he It is cleare that this battle pertainâ—d to the woman and her seed on the one party and to this Devill that spake by the Serpent and all the wicked on the other party Dow. But then it cannot in speciall be applyed to the Virgin Mary If the Virgin Mary may be said to bruise the Serpents head because Christ was borne of her by the same reason we may say she was crucified and died for us c. might undergoe the burden
God through faith be the matter whereupon or for which we are justified we are not justified by workes but the righteousnesse of God through faith is the matter whereupon we are justified Christ is the end of the Rom. 10. 4. Law for righteousnesse to everyone that beleeveth We are made the righteousnesse of God in him The righteousnesse of the Law is not 2 Cor. 5. 19. here put for workes done exactly by the strength of nature but for workes done according to the prescription of the Law according to which people in Covenant ought to walke to whom God hath promised that if they keep his Commandements they shall be unto him a peculiar people châ—sen generation and royall priesthood Exod. 19. 5. Non justificatur homo partim justitia partiali imperfect â inbâ—rente partim accepti latione imperfecti properfecto By the righteousnesse of God to understand remission of sinnes and regeneration by faith faith and workes and by the righteousnesse of the Law workes done by the strength of nature is rather to offer violence unto then to interpret this Text of Scripture And by the same reason the Popish Glosses upon this Text are confuted as false and vaine Bellarmine would make the sense this Faith is imputed for righteousnesse that is faith is justice by which Abraham was justified For if Abraham was justified by workes he hath whereof to glory in himselfe But with God he hath Rom. 4. 2. not whereof to glory To him that worketh not faith is imputed for righteousnesse therefore faith is not the righteousnesse of the Law The Question there disputed is not by what worke Abraham was justified but after he had done many and great works in the manner of Justification he presented himselfe before the throne of grace not only sub forma paâ—peris but which is more of an ungodly man to receive absolution from the hand of grace by a true and lively faith And faith is accounted for righteousnesse by gracious acceptation but what is accounted by free favour that is not truly and really the thing it is accounted for inherent in us It will be said Faith was not reputed to Abraham for righteousnesse after that he excelled with many vertues having embraced Christ But the holy Ghost rather testifies although the excellency of Abrahams vertue was great whereby he had increased by long perseverance yet he was not otherwise accepted as righteous unto life but because by faith he received grace offered in the promise The faith of Abraham was great and excellent for degree and measure but it was not accepted for righteousnesse in regard it was strong and eminent but because it laid hold upon the promised feed The faith of Abraham was eminent but not perfect and justified him not absolutely as an excellent vertue but relatively as it received the promise of mercy not as if Abraham was thereby made perfect by inherent holinesse for then Abraham had whereof to glory in himselfe but as in himselfe a sinner and ungodly he obtained free and full remission of the meere grace and favour of God So that we may conclude from this passage of holy writ that Abraham was justified by faith alone but this his faith though alone in the act of Justification no other grace coworking with it was not alone in existence did not lie dead in him as a dormant and idle quality Saving faith is lively and operative attended with every other grace of the Spirit setting them upon their worke animating and quickning them thereto and regulating them therein It stirres up sorrow for sinne and purpose of amendment it raiseth the soule earnestly to long after and heartily to crave mercy it comes to Christ as an humble poore penitent petitioner for forgivenesse but that which is done by faith stirring up sorrow and working by prayer is not done partly by faith partly by sorrow and partly by prayers but by that faith which doth enforce to pray For faith leaneth upon the promise and no promise is made the condition of prayer being shut forth Aske and it shall be given you Mark 11. 24. Therefore our Saviour Christ being intreated of many that he would heale them attributeth all the force of their prayers to faith Thy faith hath saved thee And so by what faith Abraham embraced the promise by the same he offered up his Son Isaac Workes then or a purpose to walke with God justifie as Jam. 2. 22 23. the passive qualification of the subject capable of Justification or as the qualification of that faith that justifieth or as they testifie or give proofe that faith is lively but faith alone justifieth as it embraceth the promise of free forgivenesse in Jesus Christ Abrahams faith was accepted for righteousnesse but Abraham himselfe Gen. 17. 1. is commanded to walke before God and to be perfect There be divers phrasâ—s in the Scripture of the Old Testament expressing the same thing for substance as to walke before God Gen. 17. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 24. 40. and 48. 15. 1 Kin. 3. 6. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 116. 9. Isai 38. 3. Psal 56. 14. 1 King 9. 4. to walke with God Gen. 5. 22. and 6. 9. Mal. 2. 6. Mic. 6. 8. to walke after God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 King 23. 3. Hos 11. 10. to walke in the name of God Zech. 10. 12. to walke in the wayes of God 1 King 3. 14. Deut. 10. 12 13 14. wholly to follow after the Lord. i. e. to exhibite full obedience to the Lord. Numb 32. 12. Deut. 1. 36. Josh 14. 14. to stand in the sight of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 1 King 17. 1. to walke in the light of the Lord. Isai 2. 5. to walke in equity Isai 57. 2. to walke in truth in judgement and uprightnesse 1 King 2. 4. and 3. 6. 2 King 20. 6. The two first phrases of walking with God and before God the Sept. Interpreters doe most commonly render to please God though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now and then they retaine the phrase of walking with or before God or walking after God and the Apostle seemes to have respect Isai 38. 3. unto their translation when he doth so alleadge it Heb. 11. 5. For he is reported to have pleased God In the New Testament there be Phrases that import the same thing for substance as to walke in the truth 2 Joh. 4. to walke in all the Commandements Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord. Luke 1. 6. to walke worthy the Lord that is as becomes the sonnes of God 1 Thess 2. 12. Eph. 4. 2. and to please him in all things Col. 1. 10. to walke in Christ Col. 2. 6. that is to doe all after the rule and command of Christ vers 6. and set before our eyes his glory as the white we shoot
man neither will he take the wicked by the hand He may seeme to neglect but he doth not forget them that follow after righteousnesse he is thought to favour but he doth abhorre the workers of iniquity The eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him Psal 18. 25. Howsoever they may be weake in themselves in him they shall be victorious his power shall be perfected in their weakenesse For Psal 37. 18. as it is in the Psalme With the perfect man thou wilt shew thy selfe perfect thou wilt not faile him in his need This is the nature of God that he frameth himselfe to the dispositions of men good to the good hard to the stubborne intire to the perfect that waite upon him The Lord knoweth the dayes of the perfect and their inheritance shall be for ever that is he seeth to what evils they lie open what help they need and ordereth all events to their Prov. 28. 16. 10 9 29. speciall good He that walketh in his integrity is safe no danger can overtake or meete a man in that way because he is under the shadow and protection of divine providence Righteousnesse preserves him that is intire in the way but wickednesse overthroweth the sinner Prov. 13. 6. 11. 5 6. Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me Psal 25. 21. Integrity is a guard that doth continually keep watch and ward and doth not only leade men to a good way and tell them what is their duty and fit to be performed but maketh the way passible for them and them prosperous in it An intire heart is a channell or Barke in which the graces of the Spirit are contained and faith doth swimme above all stormes and tempests but a mind void of all integrity is full of slisters and chincks that if the most holy liquour of piety be offered it is powred in and out together and at once This is the nature of integrity that by it the soule is intire in it selfe and hath a spirituall continuity which may be shadowed forth by the similitude of things corporall and therefore so long as integrity is preserved the heart is apt to containe and keep safe the graces of the Spirit if it be cracked grace would be lost should not God make up the breaches of it A soule destitute of grace is starke dead an heart without integrity not well compacted is next to death or destruction as a ship full of holes or a body unloosed or dissolved An heart well compact and knit fast together in the Lord as is the intire is Prov. 10. 29. valiant and couragious in all dangers trials temptations It is not put out of countenance with slanderous tongues nor shaken with feare of troubles Though mine adversary should write a booke against me would I not take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne unto me saith Job The hypocrite in peace and security may seeme strong and valarous but let God by some affliction drag him out as it were by the eares from his lurking hole and convent him before his tribunall and thou shalt not see any thing more abject and heartlesse Then is that of the Prophet verified The sinners in Sion are afraid a feare is come among the hypocrites Isa 33. 14 15. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burning But the entire heart even in this case holds out confident and couragious And no marvell for every man that walketh in his integrity hath the priviledge of a treble guard the guard of Gods protection of the good Angels and of a good conscience for his defence against all adversary power Mark the perfect man and behold the upright Ps 37. 37. Ps 37. 40. Ps 91. 11. for the end of that man is peace for the Lord shall helpe and deliver him he shall deliver him from the wicked and save him because he trusteth in him The Lord will defend the perfect and he hath given his Angels charge over them to beare them in their hands and keepe them in their waies In which respect they may say with the Prophet how many soever rise up against us they be more and stronger that be with us then they that rise up against us Moreover they are blessed of God with a good conscience which is as a strong Castle against which no batteries of the enemy can prevaile he is a most valiant Champion who will not be daunted with any proud on-set of the Adversary which he knoweth to be weake and of no strength As there is nothing more base or sooner abashed then a corrupt conscience destitute of integrity So nothing more bold and hardy then a good and perfect conscience David in the midst of all his reproaches had the face to professe the name of God before Kings and Princes without ever being blanked Ps 119. 23. at their presence And shall a man so guarded regard the enmity of any fear the threatnings of any though never so mighty be dismayed at any hard condition that he is fallen into for the present No he will not be afraid for any evill tidings for his heart is fixed and trusteth in the Lord. Integrity addeth to the glory of our good actions even such as are but of the lower sort There is not the meanest duty whatsoever which integrity will not set a faire glosse upon that in some respects it shall be matchable even to workes farre greater in their owne nature A poore labouring man that lives by his hands having performed holy obedience to God therin with an entire heart may have as much comfort on his death-bed as the best Minister or Magistrate whose service in it selfe is farre more honourable yea if his integrity be greater his comfort also shall be greater For God regards not so much the matter as the forme of obedience nor so much the thing done as the affection wherewith we doe it Wise men regard more the mind of the giver then the value of the gift When we first give our hearts wholly and entirely to God then is our service how small soever very acceptable unto his Majesty It is not the greatnesse or multitude of those good workes which we have done but the good disposition of an honest and entire heart in the doing of them that doth bring comfort as the internall qualification of that faith which makes a sound plea for mercy before the throne of grace An halting heart dasheth the acceptance of the most glorious worke an entire heart addeth weight to the basest service The widdowes mite was little in worth had not her good heart raised it's price In value it came farre short of the superfluities that the rich men cast into the treasury but her heart was better and so her gift greater then theirs When Hezekiah had received the sentence
Matth. 11. 28. The old Covenant was from Mount Sinai Heb. 12. 18. the new from Sion heavenly amiable and pleasant Psal 2. 6. The old Covenant excludes the Gentiles the new admits them The old promiseth life in Canaan the new in Heaven But not to examine these things particularly by this explication it appeares the Divines of this opinion make the old Covenant differ from the new in substance and kind and not in degree of manifestation as also did the former Most Divines hold the old and new Covenant to be one in substance and kind to differ only in degrees but in setting down the differences they speake so obscurely that it is hard to find how they consent with themselves For most commonly they distinguish them thus The old Testament promiseth life to them that obey the Law and condemnes all not perfectly conformable the new doth freely pardon sinnes and give Salvation to them that believe in Christ The old was written by the finger of God in tables of stone the new by the Spirit of God in the fleshie tables of the heart The old was the ministery of death a killing letter the new the ministery of the quickning Spirit The old did lay upon the necks of the Fathers an intollerable yoke of rites and commandements the new doth impose the easie yoke of the Spirit enduing us with the Spirit of Adoption and liberty of the Sonnes of God The old doth involve the Doctrine of the Grace of the Messiah under the shadowes of types and rites the new doth containe the fulfilling of the tipes and figures Moses is the typicall Mediatour of the Old Testament Christ is the true Mediatour of the New The old is sealed by the blood of Sacrifices the new is ratified by the blood of the Mediatour the and death of the Testatour The Old by oblations did not pacifie the wrath of God nor purge the conscience the new containes the true propitiation in the blood of Christ The old was imperfect intolerable weake and therfore to be abolished the new perfect easy and to continue for ever c. with other the like before mentioned And many things herein are spoken truly but how all these differences should stand if they be not Covenants opposite in kind it is not easy to understand Some few have laboured to reconcile them one of these two wais First that the Old Testament doth promise life eternall plainly under the condition of morall obedience perfect that is under a condition altogether unpossible together with an heavy burden of legall rites and an yoke of most strict pollicie but covertly under the condition of repentance and faith in the Messias to come prefigured by tipes and ceremonies that by this forme of doctrine worship and policie a proud grosse and stiffe-necked people might be more tamed and convinced of their owne unrighteousnesse and that by such a pedagogue they might be led to Christ who was more obscurely manifested under those shadows The second is By a distinction of Moses his proposition of the Law from God unto that people which as they would is done either with exaction of perfect obedience deserving eternall life and threatning eternall curse to all that continue not in every thing of the booke of the Law to doe it Deut. 27. 26. or in a comfortable moderation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promising blessings to those who doe what they can to performe it The first is a perfect and exact draught of the Law of prime nature the second a â—erswasion and incouragement to corrupt nature to stirre up the relicks of power and the Image of God upon hope of future good The first is propounded to all mankind this to the Church though others take benefit by it In the first the Law breaths nothing but wrath to fallen nature for that hath no grace nor mercy Joh. 1. 17. In the second Moses speakes Gospell to the Israelites for the outward happinesse of particulars and the prosperity of the whole The first and rigid proposition is of the Morall Law alone and as it was contained in the first writing Exod. 20. The second is laid downe in Moses whole frame and oeconomy to that people The first stands in full opposition to the Covenant of Grace containing a perfect Covenant of workes but the second is and may be subordinate to the Covenant of Grace as will appeare And this distinction as they conceive is further strengthened by the preparation unto the first delivery Exod. 19. and what strictnesse was there required in the people to prepare themselves for their persons and what a straite charge was given not to come neere the Mount least they die Vers 12. in the delivery what terrible voices lightnings thunders fire c. with the quaking of the earth so that neither Priest nor people must come neare least they should be consumed of wrath in the giving of the Law which when the people heard and saw they could not endure but desired Moses to be Mediatour betwixt God and them least if they should heare God they should die which was the ground of that Aphorisme Who ever saw God and lived yea such was the terror that Moses himselfe said I feare and quake Heb. 12. 21. Thus the Morall Law was first given by God but not written till the second going up Exod. 24. 12. where God promiseth to find the tables and write in them with his owne finger and such was the feare of the second delivery that Moses was glad to lenifie the former by reading the judicialls which he had writ and to offer sacrifice And thus Moses goes up the second time and receives the two tables tarrying there forty dayes Whilest Moses stayed the people brake the Covenant by Idolatry God sent Moses downe and by wise providence so ordered that Moses brake the Tables of the Covenant and now was all dasht and Moses to begin againe to mediate for this sinne in Aaron and the people Exod. 32. 19. Deut. 9. Hitherto in the delivery and writing of the Law Morall thunders nothing but wrath and the more Law the lesse obedience till the Law was vailed and shadowed from them in the curse of it Moses having thus travailed and broken those bare and open Tables wherein was curse and plague with open face painted he is called up againe Exod. 34. Deut. 2. 1. but consider with what alteration For first Moses now must hew the Tables God would not deale with that signifying that he would have the Mediatour Moses to have more to doe with the delivery of the second writing then at the first which was the prologue to the lenifying of the Law wherewith man had to doe 2. Moses must bring the Tables up and God would write the words before written which shewed that God could not nor would not alter the Law which was a perfect draught of the first Law imprinted in Adam 3. Consider that here was no preparation nor any terror of wonders but a
and blessing and cursing Take command without blessing or cursing and it is no more Law with Moses take simplâ— denuâ—ciation of blessing and curse from command and then it is threatning and promise but no Law This abstract of the Law here considered from the rest of Moses his Oâ—conomy is pure Law flashing wrath upon the fallen creature and therefore called a fiery Law or fire of Law Deut. 33. 3. And for speciall cause expressed in generall by the Apostle Gal. 3. The Law that is thus abstracted was added because of transgression For first in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses men had forgotten what was sinne and had obliterated the very Law of nature Therefore God sets out the lively Image of it by Moses in this draught and abstract to which end all the commands saving two are propounded in the negative that so men by the Church might know the nature of sinne againe Rom. 3. 19. Secondly God propounds the Law with curse eternall to work death and to shew Gods eternall displeasure against sin Rom. 4. 15. which was usefull not only to the world and wicked in generall but specially to the stiff-necked and refractory Nation to be as a rod to scourge all their rebellions and backslidings The Law thus laced with blessings and cursings eternall abstracted from the rest of his frame makes Moses now to begin to breath blessings and no lesse then Gospel This comming from a pacified God as Exod. 33. 6 7 8. may be looked on by the fallen creature with comfort and from this consideration it is that we affirme this Covenant made with the body of Israel to be a Covenant of Grace for it is one and therefore never by Moses called Covenants Again It cannot be denied that so farre as it concerned the spirituall Iâ—raelite whom God especially eyed and for their sakes infolded the carnall in the compact it was a Covenant Thus farre for confirmation of that distinction But these distinctions seeme not to remove the doubt Not the first because it cannot be conceived how the old Covenant should as a condition of the Covenant exact perfect obedience deserving life as necessary to Salvation and yet promise pardon to the repentant believer for these two are contrary the one to the other Not the second because the Covenant that God made with the Jewes is but one and how should we conceive the Law in one and the same Covenant to be propounded as a rigid draught of prime nature and with moderation also as the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace likewise when the Covenant is but one and the conditions the same Besides where the Apostles doe oppose the Law and Gospel or the old and new Testament not only the Morall Law as it was given upon Mount Sinai but the whole Jewiâ—h Pedagogie or Law of Moses is understood as it is manifest in sundry passages Other things to be observed in that explication I will not insiâ—t upon at this present because they will come to be touched hereafter as we passe along The Law was never given or made positive without the Gospel neither is the Gospel now without the Law although the old Testament be usually called the Law and the new the Gospel because the Law is predominant in the one and the Gospel in the other Exod. 19. 4 5. Some Divines hold the old Testament even the Law as it was given upon Mount Sinai to be the Covenant of Grace for substance though propounded in a manner fitting to the state of that people time and condition of the Church It was so delivered as it might serve to discover sin drive the Jews to deny themselves and â—lie to the mercy of God revealed in Jesus but it was given to be a rule of life to a people in Covenant directing them how to walk before God in holinesse and righteousnesse that they might inherit the promises of grace and mercy This I take to be the truth and it may be confirmed by many and strong reasons out of the word of God As first by the contract of that spirituall marriage a little before the promulgation of the Law described in these words Yee have seene what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto myselfe Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And yee shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel whereunto the Prophet Jer. 11. 2 3 4. Jeremiah hath reference saying Heare ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say thou unto them thus saith the Lord Deut. 4. 13. 1 King 8. 21. 2 King 23. 2. Booke of the Covenant Ex. God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt from the iron fornace saying obey my voice and doe them according to all which 24. 7. Deut. 4. 23. 5. 2. 9. 9. Jer. 3. 16. Hos 8. 1. Jer. 7. 23. 2 Chro. 6. 11. Ex. 34. 27 28. Eph. 2. 1 2. Rom. 5. 10 I command you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God And this without doubt is to be understood of the Decalogue as it was given upon Mount Sinai seeing Moses himselfe doth in expresse words testifie it God himselfe saith he declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to performe even ten words and he wrote them upon two tables of stone In these passages observe that the Law is called a Covenant as it is often els-where the Covenant of the Lord. What Covenant but of grace and mercy even that wherein God promiseth to be their God and take them to be his people if they obey his commandments For since the fall of Adam the Covenant which the Lord hath entered into with his people was ever free and gracious For when all men are sinners by nature dead in trespasses and enemies to God how can a Covenant betwixt God and man be stricken without forgivenesse of former transgressions If in the state of innocency perfect obedience should have been rewarded with life from justice now that man is fallen by transgression Chald. Paraph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Exod. 19. 5. Onkelos Reges sacerdotes multitudo regum sacerdâ—tum Regiae potestatis est praevalere apud DeuÌ„ res illas ab illo auâ—erre quaruÌ„ nulla pridem facultas suit D SimoÌ„ log c. 10. Basil 1527. R Salâ—m R. Abrah R. David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox Segulah
it can hardly be questioned whether that Covenant wherin we are bound to take God to be our Father King and Saviour be the Covenant of grace or no And by the same reason it is manifest that the Law requireth faith as well as love and obedience and doth build these upon it as a foundation It prescribeth faith in the first place and throughout namely that we acknowledge God the Law-giver to be the Lord our God the only true God and testifie that faith unto him by an universall and uniforme obedience to that whole Law and every title thereof The Law was given for this end that it might instruct us in faith which is the mother of a good conscience and of love Christ and faith is the end and soule of the Law not understood of the Jews The summe of the Law is faith or love and both these carry the same sence because though Moses Rom. 10. 4. Deut. 10. 12. Calv. on Deut. 10. 12. Rom. 14. 23. make mention of love and Paul of faith yet that love doth comprehend faith and this faith doth contain love Certainly Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne even all works though good in shew and for substance seeming agreeable to the rule of the Law if they issue not from faith they are vaine and hypocriticall if they be not quickned and enlivened by faith they are but the carkasse of a good worke And then if God command not faith in the Law in some sort why doth he command other things which without it are frivolous Our best works are unsavoury before God if they be not seasoned with faith For without Heb. 11. 6. faith it is impossible to please God Therefore the Lord in Covenant commanding the observation of his Law exacteth faith also without which the Law cannot be obeyed in an acceptable manner For when the Law is spirituall and commandeth true worship and invocation how can it be observed without faith Would the Lord have the Israelites remaining in infidelity to observe the Law Or did he ever allow man since the fall of Adam to come or have accesse unto him but only in the name of a Mediatour Or was life and salvation ever promised to man since the fall but upon condition of faith in the Messiah Indeed the condition of obedience which God requireth and man promiseth is the chiefest thing urged in the Law but free and gracious pardon wherein consisteth the happinesse of the Saints is therein promised and proclaimed They under the old Testament lightly following the letter mistooke the meaning not looking to the end of that which was to be abolished whereunto Moses had an eye under the vaile For they perceived not so well the grace intended by the legall Testament which the perfection of the morall Law whereof they could not but faile should have forced them to seeke and the imperfection of the typicall Law which made nothing perfect should have led them to find but they generally rested in the worke done as was commanded by either Law when as themselves were unable to do the one and the other was in it self as unsufficient to help them Fourthly after the giving of the Law a Covenant betwixt God and Israel was established by mutuall and willing consent Deut. 4. 31. Exod. 24. 3 4. the people promising to obey and doe whatsoever the Lord commanded In the Land of Moab Moses was commanded by the Deut. 29. 1 9. Lord to make a Covenannt with the children of Israel beside the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb. This Covenant they entred into was the same that God made with them upon Mount Sinai even the same that did containe the blessings and curses before pronounced But this Covenant was a Covenant of Grace not of works for God never commanded his people that he might set them on high above all people of the earth and that they might be an holy people unto him to avouch him to be their God by a Covenant of works Moses would Deut. 29. 12. never have exhorted the people by Oath to bind themselves unto the Lord in a Covenant of works for that had been to bind themselves unto the most dreadfull curses whereas they were to enter into this Covenant that they might prosper in all that they Deut. 29. 9. doe That Covenant is of Grace wherein the good things promised are all free and gratious but it was of grace that God promised Deut. 7. 12. 2 Chro. 6. 14. to be the God of Israel and therefore the Lord when he keepeth Covenant with Israel is said to keep the mercy which he swore unto their Fathers and when he established them for a people unto himselfe and is their God he is said to performe the Oath which he swore unto their Fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. Deut. 29. 13. The Legall Covenant or Covenant of works cannot be renewed after it is once broken seeing it admitteth not repentance of sinne past but exacts perfect and perpetuall obedience But this Covenant made with the Israelites might be renewed after transgression did admit repentance When thou art in tribulation and Deut. 4. 30 31. all these things are come upon thee even in the latter dayes if thou turne to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the Covenant of thy Fathers which he swore unto See Deut. 30. 1 2 3. 1 Ki. 8. 34 35. Psal 106. 45. Eze. 16. 61 6â— Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. Rom. 10. 6 7. them And if the Covenant after transgression may be renewed it is of grace The Law which is written in the heart of the spirituall seed is part of the Covenant of grace for the righteousnesse of faith speaketh on this wise This Commandement which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall goe up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may heare it and doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may heare it and doe it But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist doe it But the Law given by Moses is engraven in the heart of the spirituall Isai 51. 7. Psal 37 31. seed or people effectually in Covenant as they are called a people in whose heart is the Law No man will deny the Covenant which God keepeth with them that love him and keepe his Commandements to be the Covenant of Grace But the Covenant which Israel entred into is that which the Lord Dan. 9 4. Nehem. 1. 5. Deut. 7. 12. keepeth with them that love him and keepe his Commandements Fifthly the godly Kings and
of Adam by the Law of nature written in his heart Confidence in God through Christ or the Messiah was required of the Israelites by the Law published upon the Mount Adam was to performe obedience to the Lord immediately without a Mediatour being himselfe pure and innocent But the Israelites being in themselves sinnerâ— â—ould not in their own names performe service pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord. Adam knew he was beloved of the Lord so long as he continued in obedience but had no warrant to wait upon his mercy when he had broken the Covenant of works But to the Israelites God bound himselfe in Covenant upon Mount Sinai promising to be their God and take them for his people notwithstanding they were sinners in themselves which could not be without forgivenesse and this Covenant they might and did renew by repentance after transgression The Law is not to be confounded with the Gospell but the sacred and inviolable knot of the one with the other is to be maintained unlesse we shall make God contrary to himselfe The Law doth not so directly and expressely teach faith in When Paul saith Faith came by the Gospell it is to be understood of the manner of propounding vvithout the invvrappings of types that the Doctrine vvas â— taught plainly vvithout types and figures Rom. 8. 3. Christ but require obedience yet doth it leade us to Christ and more obscurely command faith in him The Gospell doth more fully reveale Christ and the grace of God in him commanding faith by name but it doth also urge presse and exact obedience Thus sweetly doe the Law and Gospell consent together But here it is to be noted that faith is commanded in the Law which exacteth every thing that is good but it is given to us not by the Law but of the holy Ghost The distinction of the Law and Gospell as they are opposed one to another is cleare and evident but as the Law was given to the Jewes it is not opposite but subordinate to the Gospell The Law in it selfe considered exacted perfection of works as the cause of life but when that was impossible to man by reason of the infirmity of his flesh it pleased the Lord to make knowne to his people by the ministery of Moses that the Law was given not to detaine men in confidence of their own works but to leade them unto Christ Whatsoever the Law teacheth whatsoever it promiseth whatsoever it commandeth alwayes it hath Christ for the scope thereof For though the Law of righteousnesse promise a reward to the keepers thereof yet after it hath shut up all men under sinne it doth substitute another righteousnesse in Christ which is received by faith not purchased by the merit of works And therefore the Apostle doth reprehend the Jewes as perverters of the true sense and meaning Rom. 10. 4 5 6 c. of the Law when they sought to be justified by their works and sheweth that Moses taught them to look for Salvation in the Messiah and seek for that righteousnesse which is by faith Whereby it is manifest that the Law was given 〈◊〉 be a manuduction unto Christ in whom we have Redemption from all things from which by the Law of Moses we could not be justified and a rule to the faithfull according to which they must frame their conversation For what word was that which Moses saith was neere even in their hearts but the Law which the Lord gave upon Mount Sinai and promised to write in the hearts of his people under the Covenant of Grace And from this ground it is not hard to answer what is further objected against this truth as If faith be commanded in the Law then being justified by faith we are justified by the works of the Law For faith is not a work of the Law nakedly and absolutely considered as it exacteth perfect obedience of man in his own person but of the Law as it was given to the Jewes to direct them unto Christ who is the soule and life of the Law And though it be commanded in the Law as it is in the Gospel or new Covenant yet it justifieth not as a part of Regeneration or an act of obedience and work of Grace by it worth or dignity but in respect of that office whereunto it is assigned of God and as it receiveth the promises of mercy It is a sâ—phisticall forme of reasoning to say Faith is commanded in the Gospell therefore if we be justified by faith we are justified by the works of grace The arguments are like and both faultie For justification by faith in Christ is opposed to justification by the works of the Law because he only is justified before God by the Law whose acts being examined by the Law are found just and righteous according to that which the Law requireth but he is justified by faith who being in himself ungodly believeth in Christ for salvation So that according to the Apostles meaning wheresoever faith be commanded he is justified by faith without the works of the Law who is acquitted from sin by the meer and rich grace of God in Jesus Christ received by faith And to seek justification by works is to rest upon our works for salvation as they that answer in all things to that righteousnesse personall which the Law requireth Justification by faith and justification by workes are opposite and so is faith and workes but faith is not opposed to one act commanded whereby the promise is received for then it should be contrary to it selfe but to works whereby the Law is fulfilled in our owne persons to workes I say not to one work because no one worke can justifie but all are necessary If it be said the Apostle doth every where oppose the Law and the Gospel or the old and new Testament The answer is from the same ground that in the Scriptures of the new Testament the Law as well Ceremoniall as Morall is opposed to faith or the Gospel and yet the Ceremonies of the Law did prefigure Christ as all men acknowledge Therefore the Apostle doth not perpetually and absolutely oppose the Law and the Covenant of grace for he teacheth expresly that faith establisheth Rom. 3. 31. the Law For he understood the force and sentence of the Law to consist in faith but because the Jews addicted to the latter of the Law did pretermit the force and life of it Paul proves the Law so taken and separated from faith to be the cause not of life but of death as that which did not only want Christ who is the soul of the Law but is opposite to him And therefore Paul doth this because the Jews faith being let passe did seek righteousnesse in the dead works of the Law and did oppose the Law to the Gospel and Christ who was the end and scope of the Law This will be more plain if we shall examin the particular passages of Scripture wherein this matter is handled
rationem hominis i humanam quoad hanc excellentiam Engl. according to the manner of high degree or great dignity Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour of this Covenant is the Lord Hab. 1. 12. Deut. 34. 4. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 18. 30 37. Isa 26. 4. 1 Sam. 2. 2. Psal 18. 32. 28. 1. 2 Sam. 2â— 2 32. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Sam. 23. 3. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 22. 47. Isa 30. 29. The rocke of Israel Psal 8â— 26. The rock of Salvation Sept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God the God of Israel the God that hath bound himselfe in Covenant unto Israel who doth watch over them walk in the midst amongst them is their shield and buckler and strong Tower of defence The rocke of Israel the everlasting rocke that is the mighty stable and immutable foundation and defence of the faithfull who flie unto him and trust in him So God is called the Rock of their Salvation Deut. 32. 15. Psalm 95. 1. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rocke of their strength Psal 62. 7 8. Psal 31. 3. Isa 17. 10. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 71. 3. Psal 31. 3. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rock of my heart Psal 72. 26. Sept. the God of my heart and besides him there is none other Isa 44. 8. a rock of refuge or affiance Psal 94. 22. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 18. 3. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rock and Redeemer are put together Psalm 19. 15. Rocke and Salvation Psal 62. 7. This Covenant was made in Christ and Christ is more clearly manifested in this breaking forth of the Covenant then in any of the former As first that he was God and man in one person the Son of David who should come of his loynes and yet Davids Psal 110. 1. Mat. 22. 42 45. Act. 2. 34. Lord. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies my foot-stoole Then in respect of his humiliation and glorification his sufferings and exaltation Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave nor suffer thine holy one to Psal 16. 10. Act. 2. 26 27. 13. 36 37. Psa 8. 6. 22. 1 Heb. 2. 7 9. Psal 110. 1. see corruption Thou hast made him for a little inferiour to the Angels sc as concerning his sufferings Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Also in respect of his offices that he should be both King and Priest a King to rule and governe his elect to bridle and subdue his enemies I will declare the decree Psal 2. 5 6 7. Heb. 1. 5. Act. 13. 32 33. Psal 110. 2. the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son I will set my King upon my holy hill of Syon Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies A Priest after the order of Melchisedech confirmed by oath annointed with the oyle of gladnesse The Lord hath sworn and will Psal 110. 4. Heb. 5. 8. 7. 1â— Ps 45. 7. not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech God even thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows that is above all Christians who are thy fellows consorts and partners in the annointing To offer up himselfe once for all a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto the Father for the sins of his people Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou Psal 40. 7 8. Exod. 21. 6. wouldst not have but mine eare hast thou boared or digged open that is thou hast made me obedient to thy voice or mine eare hast thou boared as thy servant for ever The Septuagint to make the sence plainer say but a body hast thou fitted to me or prepared me meaning that his body was ordained and fitted to be a Sacrifice for the sins of the world when other legall Sacrifices Heb. 10. 5 10. were refused as unprofitable Loe I come or am come scil into the world to give my self a Sacrifice for sin In the volume Heb. 10 10. Joh. 6. 38. Psal 2. 8. or role of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will by the which will we are sanctified even by the offering of the body of Jesus once In respect of his kingdome power glory dignity dominion and rule or government Aske of me and I will Psal 72. 8 11. givethee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost Psal 89. 30 37 38. parts of the earth for thy possession He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Land All Kings shall worship him all Nations shall doe him service His seed shall be for ever and his throne as the Sun before me As the Moon it shall be established for ever And as a faithfull witnesse Isa 53. 10. Heb. 2. 13. Ps 22. 23. in heaven His seed will I establish for ever that is Christians borne of God which are called Christs seed and children as Christ is called the everlasting Father Thou hast ascended up on high Isa 9. 6. Psa 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8 9. thou hast led captivity captive thou hast taken gifts for men that is thou hast given and distributed gifts among men which are the Ministers of the Gospell given for the good of the Church Ps 89. 34 35 36. 2 Sam. 7. 28. Thou hast told this goodnesse unto thy servant Psal 89. 24. My truth also and my mercie shall be with him Ps 132. 11. The Lord sware unto David in truth Ps 22. 1. This Covenant the Lord made of his rich mercy and grace which he confirmed by Oath My mercy I will not make frustrate from with him nor deale falsly against my faithfullnesse I will not profane my Covenant nor alter that which is gone out of my lips Once have I sworne by my holinesse if I lie unto David Once have I sworne as God spake once Psal 62. 11. that is unchangeably for an oath cannot be revoked there is no danger of inconstancy David himselfe was a type and did beare the person of Christ and many things spoken of David were more properly fulfilled in Christ the person typified then in David as My God my God why hast thou forsakâ—n me They parted my Mat. 27. 46. Psal 22. 18 19. Joh. 19. 2â— 24. Ps 41. 9. Joh. 13. 18. Ps 69. 21. Job 29. 28 2â— garments among them and for my coat they cast lots They pierced my hands and my feet He that eat bread at my table hath lift up the heel against me The things promised in this Covenant particularly above those that were mentioned in the former breakings forth thereof are 1. That God would be with him whethersoever he went and 2 Sam. 7. 9. Psal 89. 22 23. make his way prosperous and cut off all his enemies
from before his face that he might make him a great Name like to the name of the great men upon earth And thus the Lord delivered him from the hand of Saul and all his enemies who did oppose him that he should not raigne O ye sons of men how long will ye turn Psal 4. 3 4. my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leesing Selah Know ye that the Lord hath wonderfully separated to himself the man that is godly the Lord will heare when I call upon him 2. That he would appoint a place for his people Israel and plant 2 Sam. 7. 10. â— Kin. 5. 3. 1 Chron. 20. 9. it that they might dwell in a place of their owne and move no more nor be disquieted any more by wicked people as in former times And so God gave Israel rest from all their enemies round about and setled them in peace and quietnesse by the hand of David 3. That when the daies of David were fulfilled and he shall 2 Sam. 7. 12 1â— sleepe with his Fathers he would set up his seed after him which should proceed out of his body and he should build an house or Temple for the Name of the Lord God of Israel I purpose saith 1 King 5 5. â— Chron. 20 10 which is called an house of rest Psal 132. 8. 1 Chro 28. 2. 2 Chro. 6. 41. and the Lords seat or habitation Ps 132. 13 Ps 68 17. 1 Kin. 8. 18 19 20. Solomon to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God as the Lord spake unto David my Father saying Thy Son whom I will set upon thy throne for thee he shall build an house unto my Name And at the dedication of the Temple he maketh mention of this promise The Lord said unto David my Father whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name thou didst well that thou wast so minded Neverthelesse thou shalt not build the house but thy son that shall come out of thy loyns he shall build the house unto the Lord. And the Lord hath made good the word which he spake I have built thee an house to dwell in an habitation for thee to abide in for ever â— Kin. 8. 13. 4. He promiseth to be a Father to Davids seed and take him 2 Sa. 7. 14. Psa 132. 12. Ps 89. 26 27. for his Son He shall call upon me thou art my Father my God the rock of my salvation And I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth that is the Prince and chiefe Col. 1. 15 18. Heb. 1. 2. Iust in institut l. 2. tit â—9 de baered qualit differ ult of the Kings the most glorious and famous of all Kings As Christ is called the first begotten of every creature not that he was created before all other creatures but because he is the Lord Prince and head of every creature and hath dominion over all creatures and so the heire of all things as heire is sometimes put for Lord or owner and pro haerede gerere is pro Domino gerere Haeredes enim veteres pro Dominis appellabant 5. That his house should be established and his Kingdome for ever 2 Sam. â— 16. 1 Chron. 22. 16 Ps 89. 29. Psa 89. 36 37. 1 Kin. 11. 38. And if thou hearken unto all that I command c. I will build theâ— a fâ—rme house c. before the Lord even his throne should be established for ever His seed will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the daies of Heaven His seed shall endure for ever and his throne shall be as the Sun before me He shall be established for evermore as the Moon as a faithfull witnesse in the heaven that is his Kingdome shall be perpetuall and glorious For although the Moone waxeth and waineth and seemeth sometimes to be gone yet it is continually renewed and so stable which is a fit resemblance of the Church which hath not alwaies one face or appearance in the world though it be perpetuall And though for the sins of the people and Davids house the state of his Kingdome and house Ps 89. 30 31 32 33. decayed yet God reserved still a root till he had accomplished this promise in Christ 6. That his house should be as the Morning light when the Sun 2 Sam. 23. 4. Ps 132. 15 16. Her victuals I will blesse her poore I will satisfie with bread Psal 18. 28. The Lord hath lightned my candle that is given me comfort joy prosperity after troubles 2 Sam. 23. 5. ariseth the morning I say without clouds and as the grasse of the earth with cleare shining after raine that is it shall shine with all light of glory and prosperity and flourish or be green perpetually as the herbes and grasse which is refreshed with seasonable rain and heate These gracious and free promises God made to David and to his house and to the whole Kingdome of Israel not for their righteousnesse but of his manifold and great mercy And as he promised them without consideration of their desert so of his rich grace and love undeserved he made them good For Davids house was not such as it ought to be before God they kept not promise Covenant but the Lord was mercifull and gracious he did not forget his truth nor suffer his mercies to faile If his children Ps 89. 30 31 32 forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements if they breake 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. 1 King 11. 11 12 32 33 34 36. Psal 132. 11 12. my statutes and keepe not my Commandements Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stroakes But my loving kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth True it is the Lord did correct the posterity of David for their sinne with moderate correction and for their profit that they might be partakers of holinesse But even when it did not bud or come on according to that which seemed to be promised the Lord was most faithfull in his promises for it was their sinne that kept them downe And for this saith the Lord 1 King 11. 39. to Solomon I will afflict the house of David but not for ever for the whole spirituall kingdome was restored in the Messiah I will make the horne of David to bud I have ordained a lampe Psal 132. 17 18. 1 King 15. 4. for mine annointed that is I will make the Kingdome and power to encrease For Davids sake did the Lord his God give him a light in Jerusalem and set up his son after him and established Jerusalem Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his 2 King 8. 19. servants sake as he had promised him to give him a light and to his children for ever Great deliverance giveth he unto his King he is the magnifier of
salvations unto his King and sheweth mercy Psal 18. 51. unto his annointed to David and to his seed for ever 7. That the Priests should be cloathed with salvation and the Psal 132. 16. Saints with joyfullnesse that is the ministration of the Priests should be profitable and saving to the people which should be an ornament to them as a garment of honour and the people should sing cheerefully The salvation of the person only is not here meant but the conservation of the ministery as if it should be said I will cause that the ministery of the Priests be safe that it shall not be troubled with ungodly men nor defiled with the filth of errour and that it shall be effectuall in the minds of the godly and many by the blessing of this ministery may obtaine eternall happinesse It may also be applied to the private salvation of the Priests because they should be defended and protected from above and adorned with blessings of all kind Great and pretious are the promises which God hath given to Israel in this Covenant as that God by visible testimonies of his presence would be pleased to dwell amongst them and not forsake them that he would heare their prayers when they prayed before him towards his holy Temple that the Church and politie of Israel should continue that it should be effectuall and the people blessed with rest peace 2 Sam. 25. 5. Rom. 11. 29. Lam. 5. 19. Gal. 3. 20. 2 Sam. 25. 5. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 5. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 23. 5. Isa 21. 5. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 178. 19 Psal 132. 17. Judg. 20. 22. Gen. 14. 8. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 1. 7 8 12. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 9. 2. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sym. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Th. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh 2. 8. Psa 50. 21. 1 King 2. 3 4. 1 King 3. 6. 1 King 8. 57 58. 1 Chro. 28. 7. I will establish his Kingdome for ever if he endeavour to doe my Commandements 2 Sam. 23. 5. Psal 78. 71. Psal 101. 1 2. Hodie non imperavi quia nemini bene seci joy and blessings of all sorts spirituall and temporall This Covenant that God made with David is everlasting that is unchangeable because the gifts and calling of God is without repentance His word shall be established for ever in Heaven and though the course of the promise be interrupted for a time it shall bud and spring and bring forth fruit It is also a well ordered Covenant in all things fitly marshalled disposed or set forth as an army in comely order orderly addressed prepared setled furnished directed firme and sure that is the good things promised were all prepared and in readinesse and should be performed in comely order and fit season But the ordering of this most desired and saving Covenant was in the power and pleasure of God both in respect of his house the Kingdome and the whole Church of Christ who had faithfully promised and would effectually make good in his own time whatsoever he had spoken And it is a sure Covenant faithfully to be kept and observed a Covenant that God doth remember taketh heed unto and will make good for his mercy sake For the Lord is faithfull and will not deny himselfe though we be inconstant unfaithfull and apt to start aside The condition of this Covenant is that they should walke in the wayes of the Lord and keepe his watch take heed to the charge of the Lord their God and keepe his statutes and his Commandements and his judgements and his testimonies to walke before the Lord in truth with all their soules The Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers that he forsake us not nor leave us That he may bow our hearts unto him that we may walke in all his wayes and keepe his Commandements and his Statutes and his Lawes which he commanded our Fathers Particularly He that ruleth over men that is the Israelites must be just ruling in the feare of God And thus it is observed of David That he fâ—d Jacob and Israel according to the integrity of his heart and guided or led them by the discretion of his hands that is with most prudent and discreete administration managed he them This was that which David promised I will sing of mercy and judgement to thee O Lord will I sing I will doe wisely in the perfect way oh when wilt thou come unto me The Priests they must justly and holily administer their office Let the Priests be cloathed Psal 132. 9. with righteousnesse The Prophet speakes not so much of the righteousnesse of their persons but of their office the first is a great ornament of the ministery the other more necessary in respect of the body of the Church sc that they fullfill their ministery teaching sound and incorrupt doctrine exhorting admonishing comforting sacrificing and performing all other offices and services which the Lord commanded The whole body of the people they should walke in holinesse sing of the praises of God and give up themselves unto God as an holy people zealous of good works As for the execution of this Covenant First David did fight the warres of God and the Lord was with him and did prosper 2 Sam. 7. 2. 1 Chro. 17. 2. 1 Chro. 23. 25. 2 Sam. 5. 9 10 12. 1 Chro. 1â— 1 3. and 16. 1 2 3 c. Ps 132. 1 2 3. Aâ—xia animi sollicitudine him untill his enemies were subdued and the people had rest and peace from them that were round about them 2. He prepared a place for the Arke of the Lord at Jerusalem and set it there David prepared a place for the Arke of the Lord and pitched for it a tent And he gathered all Israel together to bring up the Arke of the Lord unto his place which he had ordained for it Remember David and all his afflictions how he swore unto God and vowed a vow unto the mighty God of Jacob. 3. He set the courses of the Priests in their offices and the Levites 2 Chron 8. 14. and 29. 25. 1 Chron. 23. 28 29 30. 1 Chron. 24 1 2 c. in their watches for to praise and minister before the Priests every day and the Porters by their courses at every gate The office of the Levites was under the hand of the sonne of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord in the courts and chambers and in the purifying of holy things and in the worke of the service of the house of God c. So David and the Captaines of the Army 1 Chro. 25. 1 2. separated for the ministery the sonnes of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun who should sing prophecies with Harpes with Viols and with Cymbals He appointed
his power kept them by faith unto Salvation Though the house of David lost the Kingdome and government in Israel yet God preserved his posterity untill Christ came in whom the throne of David was established for ever for this was absolutely promised But the temporall glory of Davids house and the peace of Israel was changed because they changed the ordinances neglected the charge and brake the Commandements of God If his sonnes forsake my Law and walke not in my Psal 89. 31 32 judgements If they prophane my statutes and keep not my Commandements Then will I visit his transgressions with the rod and his sin with scourges If ye turne away and forsake my statutes and my Commandements 2 Chron. 7. 19 20 21 22. which I have set before you and shall goe and serve other gods and worship them Then will I pluck them up out of my Land which I have given them and this House which I have sanctified for my Name will I cast out of my sight and will make it to be a Proverbe and a common talke among all people And this House which is most high shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it so that he shall say Why hath the Lord done thus to this Land and to this House And they shall answer Because they forsooke the Lord God of their Fathers which brought them out of the Land of Egypt and have taken Sep. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hould on other gods and have worshipped them and served them therefore hath he brought all this evill upon them Davids heart was not perfect with the Lord in the matter of Vriah and for that cause the sword of God never departed from his house When Solomâ—n waxed old and gave his heart to pleasure his outlandish wives inticed him to Idolatry and the Lord rent ten tribes from the house of David In after times the house of David fell away more and more the Priests neglected the charge of God and the people grew prophane obstinate impenitent and then the Lord abhorred his people was wroth with his heritage and gave his glory unto the enemies hand Jerusalem was laid wast and desolate the Temple burnt with fire the Princes led captive and made tributary the aged were despised the young men made slaves and bond men maidens dâ—floured and children dashed against the walles They were slaine with the sword burnt up with famine languished through oppression misery and sorrow had in contempt and derision daily but there was none to pittie or comfort them Neverthelesse the promise of God was firme and sure to all the seed in respect of the things absolutely promised for the infidelity of man cannot make the faith of God of none effect Hence we learne two things are to be considered in the Covenant 1. The persons in Covenant according to the externall administration or according to the effectuall purpose and internall administration 2. The good things promised not only temporall but spirituall For they are either such as are absolutely necessary to salvation or such as concerne the welfare of a Christian his peace joy chearfull and constant walking with God without offence and such like To the first sort the promises of the Covenant are made sincerely but conditionally If they doe well they shall be accepted if they consent and obey they shall inherit the good things of the Land To the other being effectually called all other promises are made absolutely or at least shall absolutely be made good because God will give them to doe what he requireth Effectuall calling is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy It is wrought freely effectually certainly but when where and as the Lord will not conditionally nor according to promise to this or that person God promiseth he will preserve his Church and uphold the seed of David but to this or that person God hath not promised that he shall be brought home or gathered to the flock The Covenant made presupposeth man called and taking hold of the Covenant it doth not promise that he shall be effectually wrought upon and powerfully drawne to lay hould upon the promise Faith is the gift of God which he giveth as he pleaseth but to the believer he assureth all other necessary good things with continuance in faith according to his free Covenant Of good things spirituall there be two sorts as was said some absolutely necessary as faith repentance pardon of sinne perseverance eternall life and these are all most certainly promised and assuredly conferred And though Justification and eternall life be conditionall promised unto and so bestowed upon the unfained beleever yet may they be called absolute because God giveth to the man in Covenant every thing necessary to Salvation Other things are good in themselves and profitable as joy and chearfulnesse of heart deliverance from scandalous and reproachfull evils wounding conscience and grieving the Spirit And these are not promised nor evermore bestowed upon the faithfull David may be an instance hereof He was not preserved from sinne-wasting conscience and staining the soul but was recovered from the danger thereof To repent of the sinne and to be pardoned of free grace was necessary to Salvation God therefore vouchsafed this sure mercy unto him To be kept from falling was not of that necessity God therefore suffered him to fall to cure pride of heart make him know himself and magnifie the riches of his grace in his recovery This is evident from this that in the Covenant as the Lord promised mercy which he performed so he threatned judgement and destruction against them that did disobey if they persisted obstinate and would not returne And therefore both in shewing mercy and inflicting punishment the Lord dealt according to promise Sometimes when the house of David sinned the Lord spared them but then he gave them hearts to humble themselves and so the judgement was prevented Thus saith the Lord Ye have forsaken me therefore have I also left you in the 2 Chron. 12. 5 6 7 8. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands of Shishak Then the Princes of Israel and the King humbled themselves and said The Lord is just And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah saying They have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them but I will send them deliverance shortly and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak Neverthelesse they shall be his servants so shall they know my service and the service of the vers 12. Kings of the earth And because he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him that he would not destroy him altogether And also in Judah the things prospered Sometimes the Lord poured his wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem according as he threatned but he let them goe on in the stubbornnesse of their hearts
Jer. 32. 37 38 39. shall say surely our Fathers have inherited lies vanity and things wherein there is no profit Behold I will gather them out of all Countries whether I have driven them in mine anger and Ezek. 11. 17 18 19. Eze. 20. 40 41 42 43. Lam. 4. 22. Thy punishment O daughter of Zion is finished he will not adde to give thee to be carried away scil after thou shalt return into thy Country out of present Captivity in my fury and in great wrath and I will bring them againe into this place and I will cause them to dwell safely And they shall be my people and I will be their God And I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me And in these respects this Covenant which pertained to the old Testament might be called an inchoation of the new because the old ordinances distilling grace in some measure into the whole Covenant were to continue untill Christ should be incarnate and erect a new Tabernacle which should stand and continue for ever when a new people should be added to the Lord and the old ordinances because of their weaknesse being taken downe a new forme should be set up to abide for ever And from all this we may briefly observe in what accidents the old and new Testament differ one from another when for substance they be one and the same They both flow from the free-grace and mercy of God looking at poore sinners in Jesus Christ They have both one common matter the obedience of Heb. 5 8. Act. 3. 19 Eph. 1. 14. faith required and life everlasting and all secondary good things promised by the imputation of the righteousnesse of faith and free adoption in Jesus Christ They have both one object Jesus Christ who being promised to the Fathers in propheticall Scriptures God hath in due time exhibited under the Gospel They have both one generall end viz. the praise of the glorious grace of God in Jesus Christ Both Covenants are struck with man-kind as invested in one and the same reall and formall consideration whither before or after Christ viz. with sinners and those which worke not but beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly In both the same spirit sealed up the truth of the Covenants to all under Covenant for seeing the adoption and inheritance in some measure belonged to the Fathers in the old Testament the earnest of that inheritance cannot be denied them But the new Covenant doth in many things out-strip the old which do nothing derogate from their substantiall and reall unity and agreement First In the old Testament the Lord did proclaime himself to be mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth which he confirmed by great and wonderfull deliverances of his people out of Egypt and Babylon but yet at first he gave his Law with signes of Majesty glory and terrour yea of anger and displeasure against sin and wickednesse But the new Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 21 22 23. Eph 2 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. Testament was given with manifest tokens of love favour and free mercy God being reconciled in the Son of his love and therein he hath revealed his superaboundant and transcendent love mercy and long suffering as shall be shewed hereafter Secondly In the old Testament Christ was knowne to be the seed of the woman the selected seed of Abraham his bloud and death typified in Moses his person and office humiliation and resurrection fore-told by the Prophets but all these were more obscure and darke to the Jewes but in the new Testament Joh. 1. 12 â—â— Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 3. 19. 2 Co. 1. 20 he is openly manifested to be the Son of God made unto us of God wisdom righteousnes sanctification and redemption to whom the promise was made and by whose love authority as the great Testator of heaven they are all made put forth ratified established Thirdly The commandments of the old Testament were many Heb. 7. 16. Col. 2. 14 15. of them carnall standing in ceremoniall observances and containing an hand-writing against them and the promises were many corporall as of an earthly inheritance so that by them their faith was to ascend up to spirituall and heavenly things and the spirituall promises were obscure in number fewer and such as were farre off But the commandments of the new Covenant are spirituall Mat. 6. 33. and the promises spirituall plainly revealed nigh at hand ratified by the comming of Christ particular earthly things are promised as an additament to them that seek the Kingdome of heaven and included in the spirituall Fourthly Moses was the Mediatour of the old Testament a Gal. 3. 19. typicall imperfect Mediatour as not a right middle person a Heb. 9. 15. 8. 8. 6. 12. 14. Mediatour in respect of the outward administration and that by the power and vertue of Christ but the force of that Covenant had foundation in Christ and it was in and through Christ that the federates were partakers of the good things promised But Christ the Mediatour of the new Covenant a true and perfect Mediatour a right middle person between God and man who hath revealed the Gospel satisfied revenging justice brought in everlasting righteousnesse who alone is able to remove the guilt of sin from the conscience repaire the lost image of God in his people bow their hearts to walk in obedience and procure acceptance to their service Fifthly The old Testament was confirmed with the bloud of Heb. 9. 18 19 20. Heb. 9 14. Mat. 26. 28. beasts because the typicall Mediatour was not Testator and so was not to die but in the new Testament the true and perfect Mediatour was also the Testator and so the Covenant was confirmed by his precious bloud Sixthly The Law was written in tables of stone yet so as it was Exod. 31. 18 Deut. 9. 10. Deut. 30. 6 11 12. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. engraven in the tables of the heart though not in that plenty and abundance that afterward for under the old Testament God would have both letter and spirit but more letter and lesse spirit But the Gospel is written in the fleshie tables of the heart yet so as it is committed to writing for in the new Testament the Lord would have both letter and spirit but more spirit and lesse letter then in the old Testament Seventhly The old Covenant was made with one selected Nation though Proselites if any offered themselves might not be excluded but in the new Covenant the world in opposition to Mat. 28. 1â— Dan. 7. 14. the Jewish Nations all Nations
shall flourish The word of the Lord doth alwaies good to them that walke uprightly Micha 2. 7. God doth pronounce all good to them that live according to his Commandments instructions will sinke into such hearts the promises cheare and revive them by the doctrines they are made wise they increase in wisdome they grow Psal 73. 1. from one measure of grace and comfort to another God is good to Israel even to them that be of an upright heart and the word of God doth speake mercie peace quickning and doe good to the upright in heart The integrity of the upright shall guide and Prov. 11. 3. preserve them that is shall procure good direction from the Lord both for his service and for their own happinesse and make them tractable to follow it Contrary to this is the condition of the crooked and unstable who are not led by the word but over-ruled by their lusts and therefore misled by them to their undoing For thus standeth the opposition the integrity of the upright shall guide them in the way and so preserve them but the frowardnesse of the wicked will keepe them from the way and so destroy Isa 40. 4. 1 Sam. 12. 13. Psal 143. 10. â— them The path of the upright is even strait plaine lightsome good the next and shortest cut to heaven that can be I will teach you saith Samuel the good and the right way And the Saints pray Let thy good Spirit bring me into the Land of uprightnesse that is an even and plaine Land where my feet should not stumble Teach me thy way O Lord and leade me in a plain path Psal 27. 11. a way of uprightnesse that my foot tread not aside that I doe nothing unjustly to the dishonour of thy name or offence of mine adversaries God is both the Sun and Shield of the upright their buckler of defence and comfort in this life their crowne and glory in the life to come God saveth the upright in heart He is Psal 7. 10. Prov. 2. 7. Psal 25. 21. Psal 125. 4. Psal 97. 11. a Buckler to them that walke uprightly They may pray with confidence Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me for I hope in thy word Doe good O Lord to them that be good to them that be upright in heart Light is sowne for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Comfort is reserved and laid up in store for them though hidden for the present as seed in the ground which will spring and ripen This life is the seed time of an upright man the harvest of his comfort shall be in heaven neverthelesse some portion of that heavenly treasure the Lord doth impart unto him on earth Therefore the upright are called upon Psal 36. â—0 again and againe to rejoyce in the Lord at all times in all conditions to rejoyce heartily before him Shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart praise is comely for the upright All the upright Psal 32. 11. Psal 33. 1. Psal 64. 10. Psal 112. 4. in heart shall glory Vnto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse scil God gracious mercifull and righteous is his light joy and salvation or it ariseth from God mercifull gracious and righteous as some interpret it The secret of the Lord is with the Prov. 3. 31. upright that is his secret and hidden wisdome of attaining true happinesse They are of the Lords privy Councell his intimate and familiar friends whom he will instruct in the way that they Psal 15. 2. Psâ—l 140. 13. Isa 33. 14 15 16. should choose They shall abide in the Mountaine of his holinesse and dwell in his presence for evermore The upright shall dwell with the everlasting burning and not be consumed The Lord will astonish them with feares that give themselves to all manner of sinne and wickednesse but as for them that love and follow uprightnesse he communicateth himselfe graciously and familiarly unto them He stiles himselfe a consuming fire least his Majestie and power should be contemned but whosoever draw nigh unto him with a true and unfained desire to please him in all things they shall feele by the effects that his presence is most sweet and aimiable Psal 112. 2. Neither doth the blessing of God reach to the upright only but to their posterity The generation of the upright shall be blessed But as for the crooked and perverse it is not so with them for their sins are uncovered The froward is an abhomination to the Lord their hope shall perish they shall be cut off from the earth they shall be taken in their own naughtinesse and their end shall be accursed The effects of uprightnesse are many but specially these 1. An heavenly disposition of heart whereby we are affected to love all good and hate all evill truly according to the nature and degree thereof and to have respect universally not equally to every Commandment The high way of the upright is to depart Prov. 16. 17. from evill that is to depart from evill is the case-way of the upright in which they walke rightly fitly securely or in great safety The uprightnesse of David is thus described that he did according 1 King 9. 4. to all that the Lord commanded him and kept his Statutes and his Judgements that he did that which was right in the 1 King 15. 5. eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the daies of his life Thus the uprightnesse of Zacharie Luk. 1. 6. and Elizabeth They walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse An honest heart mainly desires to please God in matters of justice and judgement the great and weighty matters of the Law for God desires mercy and not Hos 6. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 22. sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings and in the duties of his particular calling because every tree must beare his owne fruit and every man attend to his proper charge and in such duties as in respect of time and place be of greater importance because he must not be wanting to the opportunity but he takes care withall to be faithfull in every circumstance pin hoofe and naile These things ought ye to have done The upright Mat. 23. 23 2. â— mans assurance and resolution is this Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy commandments I have refrained Psal 119. 6. vers 101. my feet from every evill way that I may keepe thy word For they doe nothing with an upright heart that give themselves liberty to transgresse any one commandment If a man shall keepe Jam. 2. 10. the whole Law soil in outward and externall actions and yet offend in one point willingly and of indulgence so as by the Covenant of grace he shall be held a transgreslour he is guilty-of all Of frailty and weaknesse a man may and
the most holy doth break every commandment and is guilty of none so as it shall be imputed unto him But he that habitually willingly on set purpose shall dispence with himselfe in the transgression of any one commandment or any branch thereof he is a trespasser he shall be accounted guilty 2. To be upright is to stand as it were in Gods presence as one of the words doth signifie Isa 57. 2. as was shewed before I 2 Cor. 12. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 17. 4. 2. 7. 12. Psal 18. 22 23. Psal 119. 16â— have set the Lord alwaies before me Psal 16. 8. So David protesteth his uprightnesse for all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his Statutes from me I was also upright before him and I kept my selfe from mine iniquity And I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my waies are before thee Thus Job proveth himself to be no hypocrite as his friends Job 13. 15 16. imagined Though he slay me yet will I trust in him but I will prove mine owne waieâ— before him He also shall be my salvation for an hypocrite shall not come before him And seeing he walketh as under the eye and in the sight of the Almighty therefore in some measure he is alike in all places and companies because he remembreth well that God is present in every place and doth behold and discerne all his actions yea his secret imaginations 3. The third effect of uprightnesse is hatred of all sinne of our bosome delightfull profitable sins of secret sins of the sins of our inclination custome education whatsoever but more in our selves then in others and love of good specially the best and chiefest good in others as in our selves Homebred sin is most hatefull because most hurtfull to the soule pernicious to our State dishonourable to God And it is a good token of a plaine and down-right heart when a man is willing to see ready to acknowledge and can with eagernesse of affection set against his owne sinne rather then against the sins of other men For the love of sin is abandoned the heart is framed to self-deniall which it hath not by nature but by grace and sinne will have no pleasure to lodge in that heart where it is thus pursued But true goodnesse is lovely in all men because it proceeds from God conformeth a man after the image of God and inableth to the obedience of his commandment and whose heart is right with God he cannot but rejoyce to see his name glorified by whomsoever 4. Delight in the most high at all times in all conditions prosperity and adversity evill report and good report making God the stay of our soules when oppressing trouble lieth heavie upon us and walking before him in humility meekenesse and feare when all things prosper according to our hearts desire and readily performing our vowes which we made in the day of our calamity Job 27. 10. Job 3. 23. and 2. 3 10. This is a notable effect of uprightnesse Thus Job confirmeth his uprightnesse in adversity he called upon God and waited upon his aide in prosperity he remembred his change eschewed evill stood in awe of God shewed mercy to the poore fatherlesse and widdow comforted them that were in distresse in both estates God was his delight and his portion It is a double and crooked heart that starts aside and varieth in obedience according to outward conditions that goeth forward or backward on this side and on that as occasion requireth that praisetâ— mercy in his need but commendeth sparing and nearenesse when he washeth his pathes in butter The upright is resolved of his way and doth breake through all lets and barrs whatsoever may be cast before Prov. 21. 29. him in his journey A wicked man hardeneth his face but as for the upright he directeth his way As the ungodly man is obstinate in evill so is the upright constant in piety and will not be removed from it I have enclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway even unto the end Hold thou me up and I Ps 119. 112 117 shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually 5. Respect of Gods approbation more then the applause of men resting well contented that we are allowed of him though disesteemed in the world is a good signe of an even and polished heart A good heart regardeth not much what men thinke or 1 Cor. 4. 3. 1 Thess 2. 4. say so God be well pleased I passe little to be judged of mans judgement yea I judge not my selfe As we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speake not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts Let the world fawne or frowne speake faire or revile be quiet or persecute all is one a faithfull man will goe forward in his good course neither starting aside nor turning backe For the heart that is well directed seeketh heaven and not earth the favour of God not the faire countenance of men rest in the world to come not peace in this vale of misery and thus minding his â—ome prepared in heaven he goeth on his race not regarding how little his service is esteemed by earthly men 6. An honest heart is no lesse carefull to returne praise for graces and good things received then to beg supply of what is wanting Isa 33. 1. This is the study of the upright and it becomes them well in which they diligently apply themselves to set forth the goodnesse power mercy and rich grace of God vouchsafed unto them 7. To the upright man the hardest things are easie because they are industrious and chearefull in the workes they take in hand according to the Lords appointment The way of the slothfull is an hedge of thornes but the way of the upright Pro. 15. 19. is made plain 8. The down-right Christian is carefull to shunne all appearances occasions and provocations unto sin willing to suffer admonition and rebuke and constant in the use of all means that he Job 31. 1. Psal 141 4 5. might grow in grace The means whereby truth and uprightnesse may be attained and strengthened are 1. Constant and conscionable dependance upon the preaching of the word effectuall receiving and sound feeding upon it Desire 1 Pet. 2. 1. the sincere milke of the word saith the Apostle He cals the word sincere milke a milke without deceit It is in it selfe truth having the God of truth for the Authour Christ Jesus the truth for Joh. 14. 6. the witnesse the Spirit of truth for the composer of it and it worketh truth in the hearts of them that heare and receive it kindly It is mighty to the purging out of that leaven of fraud which is within us and to the transforming of us into the image of God if it be kindly planted and soundly rooted in the heart and conscience Sanctifie them with thy
in the affections how apt we are to undervalue the true treasure loose our selves in base delights abuse things lawfull in excesse how lavish and rash in our speeches dull and drosse in holy performances pettish and impatient if a little crossed c. Secondly Consider how carelesse we are of the spirituall action in those things we performe as in prayer hearing the word receiving the Sacraments giving almes c. To the spiritual performance of these and such like duties is required a preparation and heavenly disposition of soule befitting such actions and the Majestie of God with whom we have to deale as in confession of sinne is required griefe shame humility in supplication reverence devotion spirituall emptinesse whereby the heart is taken off the creature and driven out of our selves But who doth not lightly passe over these duties which is no better then the wiping of the out-side of the dish not looking to that within Doe we not rush upon prayer without premeditation give our hearts liberty to rove about forgetting with whom we have to doe are we not perfunctory in craving Gods blessing upon our meate at ordinary meales and in giving thankes when we are refreshed c. Thirdly Marke that in resistance of sinne we are more sorrie and deale more against this or that branch of Corruption which appeareth to our disgrace then against the body of death it selfe and against that sinne whereunto we are not so much enclined more then against others no lesse dangerous whereunto we are disposed Fourthly Consider the course of our affections and we shall see how unsound we are towards God and our Brethren If a thing touch our selves our blood will quickly be in our nailes If a man know this or that a misse by us it is very grievous the shame of it much upbraids us but things that offend God and which we know he seeth amisse in us we can let these passe nothing affected A signe our love to him is not so sound our feare of him and desire of praise with him not so unfained We should be ashamed to be found often in the same fault before men but we commit and confesse the same sinnes daily before God and are not confounded in our selves If we speake but an hasty or unadvised word in the presence of some grave and godly man that might be to our disgrace our thoughts trouble us but the offence against God is lightly passed over We are circumspect to avoid the breach of penall lawes not so carefull to watch against the committing of sinne against God We confesse sinne before God and seeme to aggravate it but being questioned by men we turne the faire side outward and make the best of it Lastly Let us observe how frequently our actions are corrupted In leaving sinne many time we leave it not because we hate it as sinne but it hath often broaken out to our reproach our friends perswade us to breake it off it will be for our credit and advantage We confesse our owne sinnes not desiring to give glory to God and gaine a testimony of a sound heart but because worldly wisdome doth tell us It is best to tell our owne tale or it were double folly to make daintie of that all the world knoweth It will not be for our credit to lessen our fault when it is fully knowne we shall loose the estimation of good men if we seek to hide excuse or make light of our offences Our promises of amendment when we have been overtaken with sinne to our disgrace have not proceeded from due consideration nor had due execution accordingly In the profession of religion we have oft aimed at sinister ends as praise of men gaine or the like Thus in taking up good duties as orders in our family we often looke not so much at the conscience of Gods Commandement as at this The eyes of men are upon us all the world will cry shame if such things be neglected altogether Our performance of private duties is farre more dull superficiall and sleight then that which is done in the sight and company of others The presence of men doth oft restraine from many hastie sinfull speeches and unwarrantable actions which we take liberty to speake and doe before the face of the most high and are not ashamed Our rebukes are carnall rather because our minds are crossed then that God is dishonoured Our obedience is partiall this we doe another thing no lesse materiall we passe over without regard and we meane well many times and are fervent in a good thing not meerly for sinister respects and yet not only nor resolutely for Gods Commandement but more for other considerations then that And therefore in such cases and tryalls we are found to be others if we examine it then we would be We beare with faults in him that is serviceable to our humour against another not so pleasing in our eye we are hot and fiery Sometimes we undertake to deale for some that speake to us but doe it without any heartie well-wishing to him sometimes not sticking to say to our friend I must speake to you for fashion but doe as you please We visit sick ones but not stirring up the bowels of mercy we speake a great many phrases of course our conscience telling us it is otherwise We make a semblance of reverence but how farre it is from the heart this may testifie that we can absent from the parties use their names proverbially breake jests on them admit sinister suspitions We can speake faire to mens faces when warre is in the heart and when we hate the person take on as if we sought the disgrace of his sinne only So in fruits of love we can doe this partie good sometimes but it is to keep another under who else would sprout forth so farre that his shade would dimme our lights as likewise I will doe for such an one they know good behaviour they will doe their homage such an one will thanke me for it I am sure it will not be given cleane away He is able to doe me a good turne againe c. In works of mercy we are not discreet free compassionate forward we seldome consider the necessities of others stand a loofe if any man will steppe before us in the worke pretend ignorance and are glad to hang the burden upon other mens shoulders that be lesse able to beare it Sixthly After we have discovered and found out the crookednesse and unsoundnesse of our heart and life we must take up our selves for halting bewaile it with shame and sorrow stirre up our selves to more uprightnesse and sincerity and fly unto God by hearty prayer to be established and confirmed Though there may be some reliques of hypocrisie in a good man yet the nature of halting is it will goe quite out of the way if it be not healed And make straight steps unto your feet least that which is halting be turned Heb. 12. 13. out of
invitation is life and salvation This is manifest in that the Lord doth earnestly againe and againe call upon impenitent and obstinate sinners to repent and believe protesting that he desires not their death but rather that they should repent and live when yet in his just and dreadfull judgement he hardeneth their hearts for their perversenesse and rebellion that they cannot repent But in respect of the good pleasure of God not to give them grace to repent and believe which of his rich mercy he gives to others who have abused what they received no lesse perhaps more then they the end is to manifest his justice in them for the contempt of his grace For what God doth command intreat perswade and promise that he doth will as he doth command in â—reat perswade and promise it But as God doth justly denie that grace to one which of his free love he vouchsafeth unto another so he willeth to manifest his justice in the one sort and the riches of his grace in the other Lastly Some object that they that are invited must either have Christ he not dying for them or misse of Christ though they repented whereof the former would argue mutability that Christ should die for men and not die for them and the latter would be a breach of promise A conceit not much unlike drove Socinus to denie the prescience of God because whencesoever this prescience commeth it is altogether certaine and from that is necessarily gathered an antecedent necessity of all things which are done Socin Praelect cap. 8. And in the same forme and manner a man may reason from the prescience of God if God approve the repentance and faith of them whom he doth certainly foreknow to have no portion or benefit by the death of Christ then either if they repent they shall have no benefit which is contrary to his promise or if they have benefit then is God deceived neither of which can be admitted without blasphemie And the answer to both these cavils is one that certaine it is Christ died for them that believe and whosoever believeth in him truly and unfainedly shall have benefit by his death but we need not we cannot say Christ died for them for whom he died not or that God is changeable For it is as sure and true that they will not repent and believe for whom Christ died not The connexion is good if the reprobate doe repent and believe unfainedly they shall be partakers of the benefits of Christs death but the simple Propositions are both false the reprobates doe repent and they are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death Carnall reasonings have brought forth strange monsters in Divinity and in this particular not a few It is good for us to acknowledge the wisdome justice goodnesse mercy and truth of God in all his wayes though we cannot wade into the depth of his counsels If men give themselves leave to reason thus against the protestations of the Lord why doth he intreat and perswade them to returne why doth he complaine that they will not come unto him if he give them not grace to come if they will if he doe not enable them Might they not plead as well against the fore-knowledge of God in the same manner if God certainly fore-know that men will not returne upon such invitation why doth he intreat againe and againe sending his Prophets early and calling upon them when by the refusall of such mercy they aggravate their sin and encrease their judgement Sure amongst men such a course would be accounted idle unlesse it was done for a further end One answer will suffice to both Objections but when shall we make an end if we give way to our ignorant and blind imaginations Now let us come to the second opinion which is that Christ died and by his death satisfied the justice of God for all that have believed doe believe or shall believe that they and they only are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death The death and redemption of Christ they deny not to be sufficient for the salvation See Malder antisynod p. 23 24 Tapper in schol Lovan Art 6. Fr. Sonn l. 3. demonst Relig. Christ cap. 19. Heb. 13. 20. Zach. 9. 11. Mat. 26. 26. and 20. 28. Mar. 14. 24. Isa 53. 12. Luk. 22. 20 Heb. 9. 28. of all men nor that it is effectuall in many particulars to some that believe not sincerely but that if the will of God or the event be considered in respect of saving benefits it was peculiar to the faithfull For Christ the Mediatour of the Covenant of grace died for them only that be comprehended in the Covenant of grace His bloud is the bloud of the everlasting Covenant of the Covenant that God of his grace hath stricken with his Church and was shed for them that have been are and shall be called into that Covenant This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes For many both Jews and Gentiles of which the Church was to be gathered Luke hath it which is shed for you and so it was shed for them and for many of the same spirituall estate and condition with them for many under the same Covenant The word many is used for all sometime Rom. 5. 15 16 19. but here it is used rather to distinguish them that be in Covenant from them that be cast off and them to whom remission of sins purchased by the bloud of Christ Heb. 2. 10 13. is sealed in the Sacrament from them to whom it is applyed The remission of sinne here spoken of is not put for remissiblenesse but actuall remission granted and received for remission in act and application whereof all are not partakers If all be taken for the common sort and poore of the people which yet may be questioned and cannot be proved by any passage of Scripture or shew of reason and our Saviour used that phrase to testifie his aboundant love and humility in that he shed his bloud for the poore and inferiour ranks of men in this world it makes nothing against the former interpretation For not many mighty not many noble but the poore and base of this world are called and admitted into 1 Cor. 1. 21. Covenant But the faithfull only be effectually in Covenant they that be in Covenant according to the outward administration doe professe the faith and in some degree are conformable in respect of conversation they that be truely and effectually in Covenant doe soundly and unfainedly beleeve When the Scripture speakes of them that be out of Covenant it saith they are not knowne of God neither doe they know God that is they are not regarded of God neither Isai 55. 5. Exod. 4. 10. Exod. 5. 1. Jer. 10. 20. Isai 63. 8. Hos 1. 10. Tit. 2 14. Col 1. 21. Gal. 4. 26. Rom. 4. 16. doe they regard him when of them that live in Covenant it stileth
those faults which are remitted to the guilty 2 King 8. 9 10. 1 King 21. 21. For it is essentiall to punishment that it should be inflicted for sinne but not that it should be inflicted upon him that hath offended Thirdly that an innocent person may thus in justice and equity suffer for a nocent there is required besides the acts of ordination in the supreme of submission in the suretie and of consent in Actus cui poena inest est actus nocivus qui nec omnibus nec in omnes concessus Quare ut poena sit justa requiritur ut actus ipse poenalis sit in potestate punientis quod ter contingit aut antecedenti jure ipsius punientis aut justo valido consensu ejus de cujus poena agitur aut ejusdem delicto the delinquent first an intimate and neere conjunction in him that suffereth with those that should have suffered Severall unions and conjunctions there are as Politicke between the members and subjects in a state and thus the people were punished for Davids sin 2 Sam. 24. 14 17. and in a common-wealth universally sinfull a few righteous men may as parts of that sinfull society be justly subject to those temporary evils which the sins of that society have contracted See 1 Sam. 12. 25. Naturall as between parents and children so the Lord visited the sins of Dathan upon his little ones Numb 16. 27 33. Valer. Max. de Dion Siculo Plutarch de sera Num. vindict Mysticall as between man and wife so the Lord punished the sins of Amazia◠the Priest of Bethel by giving over his wife unto whoredome Amos 7. 17. And we see in many cases the Husband is liable to be charged and censured for the exorbitancies of his wife Stipulatorie and by consent as in the case of fide jussores obsides who are punished for the sins of others whom they represent and in whose place they stand as a caution and muniment against injuries which might be feared as we see in the Parable of a Prisoner committed to the custody of another person 1 King 20. 39 42. So the surety is punished for the debtor Possessorie as between a man and his goods and so we find that a man was to offer no beast for a sin-offering but that which was his own Lev. 5. 6 7. Besides there is required in the innocent person suffering that he have a free and full dominion over that from which he parteth in his suffering for another As in suretiship a man hath free dominion over his money and therfore in that respect he may engage himself to pay another mans debt but he hath not a free dominion over himself or his own life and therefore he may not part with a member of his own in commutation for anothers as Zaleucus did for his sonne nor be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lay down his own life for the delivering of another from death except in such cases as the Word of God limiteth and alloweth Now all these things hold in Christ in a speciall manner There is a most neere conjunction between him and us He conversed amongst men and was a member of that Tribe and Society amongst whom he lived and therefore was together with them under that Romane yoke which was then upon the people and in that relation paid tribute unto Cesar He had the nature of man and was subject to all humane and naturall infirmities without sinne He was mystically married unto his Church and therefore was answerable for the debts and misdemeanours of his Church He entred into Covenant and became surety for man and therefore was liable to mans engagements He became the possession in some sort of his Church whence it is that we are said to have him 1 Joh. 5. 12. not by way of dominion for so we are his 1 Cor. 6. 19. but by way of communion and propriety He was Lord of his own life and had therefore power to lay it down and to take it up And this power he had though he were in all points subject to the Law as we are not solely by vertue of the hypostaticall union which did not for the time exempt him from any obligations of the Law but by vertue of a particular command constitution and designation to that service of laying down his life This commandement have I received of my Father Joh. 10. 18. Moreover he had power ample enough to breake thorough the sufferings he undertooke and to assume his life and former condition again I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up And therefore it was most just and righteous that Christ in himself innocent should suffer for us in our selves guilty which doth more plainly appeare in that all parties are glorified and all parties are willing and well-pleased All parties are glorified The Father is glorified in the obedience of his Sonne Joh. 12. 27 28. John 17. 4. The Sonne is glorified by the Father Joh. 17. 5. Heb. 2. 7. crowned with glory and the sinner glorified being received into favour Ioh. 17. 24. All parties are willing the Father is willing for by his Ordination he appointed Christ unto it Act. 4. 27 28. and in his love and compassion bestowed Christ upon us Ioh. 3. 16. by his divine acceptation he rested well pleased in it Matth. 17. 5. and by his wonderfull wisdome fitted it to the manifestation of his glory and mercy to the reconciliation of him and his creature and to the exaltation of his Sonne The Sonne is willing he chearefully submitted unto it Heb. 10. 9. and freely loved us and gave himself unto us Gal. 2. 20. The sinner is willing and accepteth and relieth upon it The summe of all is this By the most wise just and mercifull will of God by his owne most obedient and voluntary susception Christ Jesus being one with us in a manifold and most secret union and having full power to lay downe and to take up his life again by speciall command and allowance of his Father given him did most justly without injury to himself or dishonour to or injustice in his Father suffer the punishment of their sins with whom he had so neere an union and who could not themselves have suffered them with obedience in their own persons or with so much glory to Gods justice mercy and wisdome And though the will of God being ever just is to us a sufficient cause of what God willeth and the reason thereof be to us unsearchable yet in this matter we can assigne just and weighty reasons of this will of God out of the Scriptures God will not execute the severity of his Law because he is mercifull slow to anger and ready to forgive His free and everlasting love and infinite delight which he hath in mercy disposeth him aboundantly to pardon and exercise loving kindnesse in the earth Exod. 34. 7. Micha 7. 18. Ionah 4. 2. 2 Chron. 30. 9. Psal 86.