Wine without Money or Money-worth Isa 55.2 Rev. 22.17 come and drink of the Waters of Life freely 2. The extent of the Promise in this Covenant of Grace I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh hence the Gospel is compared to a Feast and God invites universally As many as you find Mat. 22.9 bid to the Marriage As persons are in estate so they invite and so they feast now Christ is a great King over all the Earth he hath one House that will hold all he hath one Table that will hold all yea he hath one Dish that will serve all and answerably he invites all Ho every one that thirsteth 3. The forwardness of Christ that gives to every one that asketh according to his Promise John 4.10 Hadst thou but asked said Christ to the Samaritan VVoman I would have given thee living water Mark here the occasion of Christ's words Christ being weary and thirsty by reason of his Journey he asked of the Woman a Cup of water to drink no great matter he asks but a Cup of water and the Woman stands at the Well-side where was water enough yet she gives not but stands wondering that he being a Jew should ask water of her that was a Samaritan well saith Christ thou deniest me a Cup of cold water being weary and thirsty but hadst thou asked of me I would have given thee water of Life Wonderful Christ is more ready to give water of Life the very Spirit of God to a poor sinnner than we are to give a cup of common water to a thirsty Soul Go then thou that hast denied the least mercy and kindness to Christ in any of his Members yet seek Grace from him O look up unto Jesus ask his Spirit intreat him to make thy heart new within thee plead the promise of his Covenant and wait in hope 2 We must praise 1. If we would have the blessing let us seek it with the same mind that God offers it i.e. with a purpose and desire to have Grace exalted thus Moses sought pardon to this very end that his mercy might appear If thou wilt pardon their sin thy mercy shall appear and we shall be thankful unto thee for it Exod. 32.32 so the words are made out by expositros which in the text are either passionately or modestly suspended These are prevailing requests with God when we plead for the Glorifying of his own Grace Father Glorifie thy Name said Christ and presently there comes a voice out of the Cloud I have Glorified it and I will Glorifie it again John 12.28 2. If we have the blessing already then be sure to ascribe the Glory unto him that hath made good his promise unto us who is a God like unto thee Micah 7 18. who passest by the transgressions of the remnant of thy Heritage We should make the praise of his grace to ring through the world that Heaven and Earth might take notice of it and wonder at the grace that hath been shewed us I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord Isa 63.7 and the Praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us and the great goodness towards the House of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his Mercies and according to the multitude of his loving Kindnesses See how the Prophet mentions the kindnesses the loving kindnesses the multitude of his loving kindnesses the goodness and the great goodness of God he could hardly get off it he would have God and Grace to have all the Glory O my Soul hath God entered thee into a Covenant of Grace why then bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Psal 103.1 But of this more anon SECT IX Of Conforming to Jesus in that respect 9 WE must conform to Jesus in reference to this Covenant of Grace We are changed by beholding into the same Image 2 Cor. 3.18 If we look unto Jesus in this respect this Look will have such an influence upon us that we shall conform to Jesus But wherein consists this Conformity I answer in these several perticulars 1. God in Christ offers his Covenant to us so we through Christ should embrace his Offer 2. God in Christ keeps Covenant with us so we through Christ should be careful to keep Covenant with him 3. God in Christ hath highly honoured us as we are his People so we through Christ should highly honour him as he is our God 1. God in Christ offers a Covenant of Grace to us so we through Christ should embrace this gracious Offer His Offers have appeared from first to last as 1. To Adam 2. To Abraham 3. To Moses 4. To David 5. To Israel and to Judah Take notice of it in that great promise of the Covenant I will be thy God q. d. Come Soul if thou wilt but have me I am thine here I offer my self my son my spirit Justification Sanctification Adoption Salvation whatsoever I am or whatsoever I have all is thine if thou wilt but accept of me Look over all this wide wide world and if there be any thing in it that can please thy soul and when thou hast gone through all the world then come and take a view of me and see me in my glory beauty and excellency view me in my Attributes and see if thou findest not enough in me worthy of thy acceptance all this and more than this nay more than eye can see or ear can hear or heart can conceive I offer to thee if thou wilt but have me Loe I will he thy God So Christians God is first with us he is the first mover he begins with us before we begin with him I will bring them saith God into the bond of the Covenant Now in this let us conform doth he offer O let us embrace the offer doth he lead the way O let us follow him step by step in that very way as he goes before us Let us not prescribe unto God let not us presume to appoint the Conditions of the Covenant let us not seek to wind about the Promise of Grace to our own Mind and Will let us not say We will have it thus thus and thus it shall be or else we will admit of no conditions of peace But O come take God and Christ upon his own Terms submit to that way of the Covenant and to those conditions of peace which the Lord prescribeth why this is to conform to his gracious offers There is much of this offer of Christ and conforming to Christ and therefore give me leave to enlarge As in the offer God usually scatters some little seeds of Faith in the hearts of those that he will bring to himself so it is worth the while to observe the work of Faith in receiving and accepting of this gracious offer only I shall not herein limit the Lord but I will shew what some
deserved but which is the comfort of us miserable sinners she looks at what he suffers and in how woful and wretched a case he is Her Plea was thus What Lord hast thou made all Men in vain wilt thou now destroy him for whom thou madest the World shall the housholder be cast out and thrown into prison and there remain till he hath paid the utmost Farthing shall all the Men and Women in the World from first to last be damned for ever and ever alas What profit is in their Blood What will it avail to crowd Men and Devils together in Hell-flames Will not those Devils the grand Enemies of God rejoyce at this And what then will become of thy great Name on Earth Is not this thy Name The Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgressions and Sins What will the Lord undo his Name Will the Lord cast off for ever And will he be favourable no more Is his Mercy clean gone for ever Will he be no more entreated hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath he in Anger shut up his tender Bowels With these and such like holy whisperings or mutterings did Mercy enter into Gods bowels and make them yern and melt again into compassions But 2. Truth must be heard as well as Mercy and she layes in matter of exception and her Plea was thus What is God but his Word Now this was thy word to Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and this was thy word to all the Sons of Adam 〈◊〉 17. 〈◊〉 8.10 the soul that sinneth that soul shall die And God may not falsifie his word his word is truth falsifie truth That may not be all men are liars but God is true even truth it self This Plea of Truth is seconded by Righteousness and thus she bespeaks God shall not the Judge of all the world do right Thou hast declared thy self over and over to be just and righteous 〈◊〉 15. 〈◊〉 19.13 〈◊〉 6.5 7. 〈◊〉 â—5 17 O Lord God of Israel thou art righteous Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy Judgments Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy Judgments Yea the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works and wherein consists this righteousness but in rendring to every one according to his due And what is the sinners due 〈◊〉 â— 23 but Death The wages of sin is Death What shall not those sinners die the Death That were as before to make Truth false so here to do Right Wrong These were the Controversies at that time so that Peace could not tell how to speak a prevailing word amongst them nay the controversie grew so high that they made it their own cases what shall become of me said Mercy if God spare not sinners and what shall become of me said Justice if God do spare sinners what shall become of me said Mercy If God will shew no mercy And what shall become of me said Justice if God will do no Justice why alas perish said Mercy if thou wilt not pity if man die I die also and I perish said Justice if thou wilt have mercy surely I die if man die not To this it came and in these terms brake up the Assembly and away they went one from another Truth went to Heaven and was a Stranger upon Earth Righteousness went with her and would not so much as look down from Heaven Mercy she staid below still for where should Mercy be if not with the miserable As for Peace she went between both to see if she could make them meet again in better terms in the mean while our Salvation lies a bleeding the Plea hangs and we stand as Prisoners at the Bar and know not what shall become of us for though two be for us yet two are against us as strong and more stiff than they so that much depends upon this meeting for either they must be at peace between themselves or they cannot be at peace with us nor can we be at peace with God Many means were made before Christs time for a blessed meeting but it would not be Sacrifice and Burnt-Offering thou wouldst not have Heb. 10.5 these means were not prevalent enough to cause a meeting Where stuck it you will say Surely it was not long of Mercy she was easie to be intreated she looked up to Heaven but Righteousness would not look down and indeed here was the business Righteousness must and will have satisfaction or else Righteousness should not be Righteous either some satisfaction for sin must be given to God or she will never meet more better all men in the World were damned than that the Righteousness of God should be Unrighteous And this now puts on the great transaction of our Saviours Birth Well then our Saviour is born and this birth occasions a gracious meeting of the Attributes such an attractive is this Birth this Bud of Christ that all meet there indeed they cannot otherwise but meet in him in whom all blessed Attributes of God do meet It is Christ is Mercy and Christ is Truth and Christ is Righteousness and Christ is Peace 1. Christ is Mercy thus Zacharias prophesied Luke 1.78 That through the tender Mercy of our God the day-spring or Branch from on high hath visited us And God the Father of Christ is called the Father of mercies as if Mercy were his Son who had no other Son but his dearly boloved Son in whom he is well pleased 2 Cor. 1.3 John 14.6 2. Christ is Truth I am the Way and the Truth and the Life That Truth in whom is accomplished whatsoever was prefigured of the Messiah God shall send forth his Mercy and his Truth Psal 57.3 Psal 64.7 Exod. 34.6 Deut. 32.4 Psal 86.15 John 1.14 17. Jer. 23.6 Mal. 4.2 1 Car. 1.30 Heb. 7.2 Isa 9.6 Eph. 2.14 2 Thes 3.16 And O prepare Mercy and Truth And this is his Name the Lord the Lord abundant in Goodness and Truth He is a God of Truth saith Moses plenteous in Mercy and Truth saith David full of Grace and Truth saith John for the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ He is Truth by Name and Truth by Nature and Truth by Office 3. Christ is Righteousness This is his Name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness And unto you that fear my Name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing under his Wings And Christ of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption And according to his Type Melchisedech this was his Style King of Righteousness 4. Christ is Peace This is his Name wherewith he is called wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace And Christ
Obedience God hath ever the first work as first Jer. 31.33 Eze. 36 26 31 Ezek. 36.25 Ezek. 36.27 Zech. 12.10 I will be your God and then ye shall be my People first I will take away the stony heart and give an heart of Flesh and then you shall loath your selves for your iniquities and for your abominations first I will sprinkle water upon you and then ye shall be clean from all your filthiness first I will put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and then ye shall keep my Judgments and do them first I will pour out my Spirit of Grace and supplication upon you and then ye shall mourn as a man mourning for his only Son first I will do all and then ye shall do something A perplexed troubled spirit is apt to cry out O! alas I can do nothing I can as well dissolve a Rock as make my heart of stone a heart of flesh Mark now how the Covenant stands well ordered like an Army I will do all saith God and then thou shalt do something I will strengthen and quicken you and then ye shall serve me saith the Lord. 4. It is well ordered in respect of the end and aim to which all the parts of the Covenant are referred Eph. 1.6 the end of the Covenant is the praise of the Glory of his Grace the parts of the Covenant are the Promise and the Stipulation the Promise is either Principal or Immediate and that is God and Christ or secondary and consequential and that is Pardon Justification Reconciliation Sanctification Glorification and the Stipulation on our parts are Faith and Obedience we must believe in him that Justifies the ungodly and walk before him in all well pleasing Observe now the main design and aim of the Covenant and see but how all the streams run towards that Ocean God gives himself to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace God gives Christ to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace God gives pardon justification sanctification salvation to the praise of the Glory of his Grace and we Believe we Obey to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace and good reason for all is of Grace and therefore all must tend to the Praise of the glory of his grace it is of Grace that God hath given himself Christ pardon justification reconciliation sanctification salvation to any Soul it is of grace that we believe By grace ye are saved through faith Eph. 2.8 not of your selves it is the gift of God O the sweet and comely order of this Covenant All is of Grace and all tends to the praise and glory of this grace and therefore it is called a Covenant of grace Many a sweet soul is forced to cry I cannot believe I may as well reach heaven with a finger as lay hold on Christ by the hand of faith but mark how the Covenant stands like a well marshalled army to repel this doubt Phil. 1.29 if thou canst not believe God will enable thee to believe to you it is given to believe O the Covenant of Grace is a gracious Covenant God will not only promise good things but he helps us by his Spirit to perform the condition He works our hearts to believe in God and to believe in Christ all is of Grace that all may tend to the praise of the glory of his grace 5. Wherein is the Covenant sure I answer it is sure in the performance and accomplishment of it Isa 55.3 Hence the promises of the Covenant are called the sure Mercies of David not because they are sure unto David alone but because they are sure and shall be sure unto all the Seed of David that are in Covenant with God as David was the Promises of Gods Covenant are not Yea and Nay various and uncertain but they are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 sure to be fulfilled Hence the stability of Gods Covenant is compared to the firmness and unmovableness of the mighty Mountains nay Mountains may depart and the hills be removed by a Miracle but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed Isa 54.10 saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Sooner shall the Rocks be removed the Fire cease to burn the Sun be turned into darkness and the very heavens be confounded with the earth than the promise of God shall fail psal 19.7 The testimony of the Lord is sure saith David Christ made it and writ it with his own blood to this very end was Christ appointed and it hath been all his work to ensure Heaven to his Saints Some question whether it be in Gods present power to blot a name out of the Book of Life We say no his deed was at first free but now it is necessary not absolutely but ex Hypothesi upon supposition of his eternal Covenant Hence it is that the Apostle sayes If we confess our Sins He is Faithful 1 John 1.9 and Just to forgive us our Sins It is Justice with God to pardon the Elect's Sins as the Case now stands Indeed Mercy was all that saved us primarily but now Truth saves us and stands engaged with Mercy for our Heaven And therefore David prayes Send forth Mercy and Truth and save me We find it often in the Psalms as a Prayer of David Psâ—l 57.3 Ps 31.1 3 24. 119.40.143.1 Deliver me in Thy Righteousness and Judge me according to Thy Righteousness and Quicken me in Thy Righteousness and In Thy Faithfulness answer me and In Thy Righteousness Now if it had not been for the Covenant of Grace surely David durst not have said such a word The Covenant is sure in every respect Isa 55.3 I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you saith God even the sure Mercies of David 6. Whether is Christ more clearlier manifested in this Breaking-forth of the Covenant than in any of the Former The Affirmative will appear in that we find in this Manifestation these Particulars 1. That He was God and Man in One Person David's Son and yet David's Lord The Lord said unto my Lord Sit Thou on My Right Hand Psal 110.1 until I make Thine Enemies Thy Foot-stool 2. That He suffered for us and in His Sufferings How many Particulars are discovered As first His Cry My God My God Why hast Thou forsaken Me Secondly Psal 22.1 Mat. 27.46 Psal 22.8 Mat. 27.43 Ps 22.16 17 18. Mat. 27.35 Psal 16.10 Acts 2.31 Psal 68.18 Ephes 4.8 The Jews Taunts He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him let Him deliver Him if He delight in Him Thirdly The very Manner of His Death They pierced My Hands and My Feet I may tell all My Bones they look and stare upon Me they part My Garments among them and cast Lots upon My Vesture 3. That He Rose again for us Thou wilt not leave My Soul in Hell neither wilt Thou suffer Thine
make you able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit He is such a Prophet as teacheth inwardly clearly experimentally and sweetly no man in the world can say this or do this but Jesus Christ the great Prophet of the Church whom God hath raised up like unto Moses or far above Moses Oh my Soul consider if thou art thus taught of God 4. I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their Sins no more Rom. 4.7 Consider of this Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose Sins are covered Consider O my soul suppose thy case and thy condition thus As thou livest under Laws of men so for the transgression of those Laws thou art called to account the Judge weighs and gives an impartial and just judgment he Dooms thee to the Axe or Rack or Wheel and because of the aggravation of thy Crime he commands thee to be tortured leisurely that Bones Sinews Lights Joints might be pained for twenty thirty forty fifty years that so much of thy flesh should be cut off every day that such and such a Bone should be broken such and such a day and that by art the flesh should be restored and the Bone cured again that for so many years as is said thou mightest be kept every day dying and yet never die that all this while thou must have no Sleep nor Ease nor Food nor Cloathing convenient for thee that Whips of Iron Lashes and Scourges of Scorpions that Racks Wheels Cauldrons full of melted Lead should be prepared instruments of thy continual horrible terrible Torments in this case suppose a mighty Prince by an Act of free and special Grace should deliver thee from this Pain and Torture and not only so but should give thee a Life in perfect health should put thee into a Paradise of Pleasures where all the honour acclamations love and service of a world of Men and Angels should await thee and where thou shouldst be elivated to the top of all imaginable Happiness above Solomon in the highest Royalty or Adam in his first Innocency where not this mercy wouldest thou not thing it the highest Act of Grace and Love that any creature could extend to his fellow-creature and yet O my Soul all this is nothing but a shadow of grace in comparison of the love and rich grace of God in Christ in the justification of a sinner If thou hast a right to this promise I well forgive thy Iniquity and I will remember thy sin no more Thou art delivered from eternal Death and thou art entitled to an eternal Kingdom O know thy blessedness aright Consider how infinitly thou art engaged to God and Christ and mercy and free-grace This promise sounds forth nothing but grace and blessing grace from God and blessing on us it is grace because nothing but grace and mercy can forgive it is grace because God if he will hath power in his hand to Revenge he doth not pass by sin as men do offences when they dissemble forgiveness they may forgive because they have not power to avenge Dut 32.35 Exod. 36. â—4 it is otherwise with God To me belonges Vengeance and Recompence saith God He is able to destroy and yet he chuseth to forgive this is his Name strong and gracious O my Soul thou art apt to complain what will the Lord forgive my Sins What reason hath God to look on me to Pardon me to pluck me as a firebrand out of the Fire of Hell why should God forgive me But now consider if thy heart be humbled the Lord will do it 1. Because he delighteth in Mercy it is a pleasure to God to forgive Sins Micah 7.18 never did we take more pleasure nor so much pleasure in acting and committing of sin as he doth in the pardoning of sin he is the Father of Mercies 2 Co. 1.3 he delights in mercy as a Father in his Children it doth him good to see the Fruits of his own mercy in taking away the sins of his own people 2. Because it is his purpose which he hath purposed within himself from all Eternity this was the great design of God as you have heard to make his grace glorious in those whom he intends to save he will have the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1.6 2 Thes 1.10 he will not lose his glory he will be admired in his Saints he will make the World to wonder when it shall be known what sin hath been committed by them Rom 9. â—â— and pardoned by him And hence it is that Gods people are called Vessels of Mercy that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy for as Vessels are or may be filled up to the brims so the Vessels of Mercy shall be filled with Mercy up to the Brim that the Riches of his Glory in the pardon of Sin may be seen and known to the wonder of all the world 3. Because it is his Nature and Inclination to pardon Sin this appears 1. In the Proclaiming of his Name the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering Exâ—d 34.6 abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin Mat. 11.28 2. In his gracious Invitations Come unto me saith Christ if sin burden you I will ease you 3. In his patience and waiting for Repentance he waits to this very end that he might be gracious Isa 30.18 and that he may have mercy for the Lord is a God of judgment Isa 43.25 4. Because it is his promise to pardon sin I even I am he that blots out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins This promise of Pardon is one of the great blessings of the Covenant of Grace you hear the words in this very expressure of it Jet 31.34 I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their sins no more Now come consider O my soul of every particular in this gracious Covenant and O be serious in thy Consideration surely there is too much expence of thy spirit upon vain and transitory and worldly things alas alas thou hast but a short time to live and the strength of thy mind that I call for it is the most precious thing thou hast O then let the business and activeness of thy mind let thy inmost thoughts and deep affections be acted and exercised on this Subject be careful that none of these waters run besides the Mill. If God and Jesus and all thy good be included here why should not thy whole soul be intent on this Why shouldst thou spend it on the Creature why shouldst thou be so subject to carnal griefs and fears surely all these are fitter to be fixed on God in Christ on Jesus in a Covenant of Grace SECT III. Of Desiring Jesus in that respect 3. WE must desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in a way of
fire which hath a most vehement flame SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that Respect WE must hope in Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in a way of Covenant now what is hope but a good opinion of enjoying its object indeed a good opinion is so necessary for hope that it makes almost all its kinds and differences as it is greater or lesser so it causeth the strength or weakness the excess or defect of this passion hope This good opinion is that which renders hope either doubtful or certain if certain it produceth confidence or presumption presumption is nothing but an immoderate hope without a ground but confidence is that assurance of the thing hoped for in some measure as if we had it already in hand Hence it is that we usually say we have great and strong and good hopes when we would speak them assured which hath occasioned some to define it thus Hope is a certain grounded confidence that the desired good will come not to insist on this all the question is Whether those promises contained in the Covenant of grace belong unto me and what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built If the grounds be weak then hope is doubtful or presumptuous but if the grounds be right then hope is right and I may cast Anchor and build upon it In the disquisition of these grounds we shall only search into those qualifications which the Scripture tells us they are qualified with with whom the Lord enters into a Covenant of grace and these we shall reduce 1. To the condition of the Covenant 2. To the promise of the Covenant As 1. If thou art in Covenant with God then hath God wrought in thee that condition of the Covenant Acts 16.31 Rom. 10.9 a true and lively and soul-saving and justifying faith Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved If thou believest thou shalt be saved The promise of life contained in the Covenant is made onely to believers This is so sure a way of tryal 2 Cor. 13.5 that the Apostle himself directs us thereunto Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith Ay But how shall I examine for there are many pretenders to faith in these dayes Why thus 1. True faith will carry thee out of thy self into Christ Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me a faithful man hath not his life in himself but in Christ Jesus he hath his spiritual being in the Father and in his Son Jesus Christ he is joyned to the Lord and is one Spirit he seeth the Father in the Son and the Son within himself and also the Father within himself through the Son 2 Cor. 13.5 John 14.20 Joh. 17.22 23. Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be reprobates Ye shall know me saith Christ that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you By faith we enjoy the glory of union The glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me though we have not the glory of equality yet we have the glory of likeness we are one with Christ and one with the Father by faith in Christ 2. True faith will carry thee beyond the world a believer looks on Christ over-coming the world for him and so by that faith he overcomes the world through him 1 John 5.4 Rev. 1.12 This is the Victory that overcometh the world even your faith Hence it is that the Saints are said To be cloathed with the Sun and to have the Moon under their feet when through faith they are cloathed with The Son of Righteousness the Lord Jesus then they trample upon all sublunary things as nothing worth in comparison of Christ 3. True faith is ever accompanied with true love if once by faith thou apprehendest Gods love and Christs love to thee thou canst not but love that God and love that Christ who loved thee and gave himself for thee 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us he that loveth not God hath not apprehended Gods love to him if ever God in Christ be presented to thee for thy justification 1 John 4.8 it is such a lovely object that thou canst not but love him He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love 4. True faith purifies the heart and purgeth out sin When God discovers this that he will heal back-sliding and love freely and turn away his anger then Ephraim shall say What have I any more to do with Idols Hos 14.8 if ever Christ reveal himself as the object of our Justification he will be sure to present himself as the pattern of our Sanctification the knowledge of Gods Goodness will make us in love with holiness they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity Jer. 33.9 that I procure unto them saith the Lord The golden chain of Mercy let down from Heaven doth bind us faster to the service of our God 5. Above all observe the rise true faith if it be true it is ever bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition spiritual poverty is the nearest capacity of believing this is faiths method be condemned to be saved be sick and be healed Faith is a flower of Christ's own planting but it grows in no Soul but onely on the margin and bank of the Lake of fire and brimstone in regard there 's none so fit for Christ and Heaven as those who are self-sick and self-condemned to Hell They that be whole need not a Physician saith Christ but they that are sick Mat. 9.13 This is a Foundation of Christ that because the man is broken and hath not bread therefore he must be sold and Christ must buy him and take him home to his fire-side and cloath him and feed him there I know Satan argues thus Thou art not worthy of Christ and therefore what hast thou to do with Christ but Faith concludes otherwise I am not worthy of Christ I am out of measure sinful I tremble at it and I am sensible of it and therefore ought I and therefore must I come to Christ this arguing is Gospel-logick and the right method of a true and saving-faith for what is faith but the act of a sinner humbled weary laden poor and self-condemned Oh take heed of their doctrine who make faith to act of some vile person never humbled but applying with an immediate touch his hot boyling and smoaking Lusts to the bleeding blessed Wounds and Death of Jesus Christ 2. If thou art in Covenant with God then hath God fulfilled in some part the promises of this Covenant to thy Soul As 1. Then hath God put the Law into thy inward parts and writ it in thy heart look as Indenture answers to Indenture or as a face in the glass answers to a
for God will magnifie his grace and therefore he will do this great thing all that thou hast to do and all that God requires of thee in this case is onely to believe indeed thou hast no part in Christ no part in the covenant of grace if thou wilt not believe faith is the condition of the covenant of grace and therefore either believe or no covenant I know it is not easie to believe nay it is one of the hardest things under heaven to perswade a soul into faith What Will the great God of heaven make a Covenant with such a wretch as I am I cannot believe it Why What 's the matter Ah my sins my sins my sins God is a consuming fire against such he cannot endure to behold iniquity little hopes that ever God should enter into a covenant with me But to help on or to allure a soul in consider O thou soul of these following passages 1. Consider of the sweet and gracious nature of God that which undoes broken hearts and trembling souls it is misconceivings of God we have many times low diminishing ex enuating thoughts of Gods goodness but we have large thoughts of his power and wrath now to rectifie these misapprehensions consider his name and therein his nature the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgressions Sins and will by no means clear the guilty visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the Childrens Children unto the Third and Fourth Generation O terrible Text Exod. 34.6 7 sayes the Soul alas I am guilty of thousands of sins and if this be his Name I am undone woe to me and mine unto the Third and Fourth Generation But consider again and in this description of God we shall find an Ocean of Mercy to a Drop of Wrath a Sea of Oyl to an half drop of scalding Lead For 1. God doth not begin the Lord the Lord that will by no means clear the guilty but the Lord the Lord Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering this is the first and greatest part of his Name God is loath to speak in justice and wrath he keeps it to the last mâ—rcy lies uppermost in Gods heart if the sentence must come it shall be the last day of the Assize 2 Many words are used to speak his goodness Merciful Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin here be six several phrases to shew the Riches of his Goodness but when he speaks his wrath what haste makes he over it there 's only two expressions of that it was a Theam he took no delight in Judgment is his Work his strange Work Isa 28.22 for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. 3. There 's a difference in the expression when God speaks of mercy Lam. 3.33 he expresseth it thus abundant in Mercy keeping Mercy for Thousands But in visiting sins it is not to thousands but only to the Third or Fourth Generation Surely Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment God would shew Mercy to Thousands Jam. 2.13 rather than he would destroy three or four 4. What if by no means God will clear the guilty stubbornly guilty yet never will he destroy humble souls that lye at his feet and are willing to have mercy on his easie terms How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel Hos 11.8 9. how shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim My heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger I will not destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man the Holy One in the middest of â—â—ee O my soul why standest thou at a distance with God Why dost thou fancy a Lion in the way O bâ—lieve in God believe in Jesus and believe thy portion in this Covenant of grace have sweet and delightful thoughts of Gods nature and thou wilt not thou canst not sly from him some are of opinion that a soul may fetch more encouragements to believe from the consideration of Gods gracious and merciful nature than from the promise it self 2. Consider of the sweet and gracious nature of Jesus Christ our thoughts of God are necessarily more strange than of Jesus Christ because of our infinite distance from the Godhead but in Christ God is come down into our nature and so infinite goodness and mercy is incarnate art thou afraid O my soul at his name Jah and Jehovah O remember his name is Emanuel the Lyon is here disrobed of his garment of terrour his rough hair is turned into a soft wooll see thy God disrobed of his terrible Majesty see thy God is a man and thy Judg is a Brother mince Jehovah with Jesus and the Serpent wiâ—l be a rod O that Balsamy name Jesus that name that founds healing for every wound settlement for every distraction comfort for every sorrow but here 's the misery souls in distress had rather be poring on hell than heaven rather frighting themselves with the terrours of justice than staying themselves with the flâ—ggons of Mercy O my soul how canst thou more contradict the nature of Christ and the Gospel-description of Christ than to think him a destroyer of men bâ—t wherein appears the gracious nature of Christ I answer in his being incarnate O how could Jesus have manifested more willingness to save than that the God-head should condescend to assume our nature surely this is ten thousand times more condescention than for the greatest King to become a sly or a toad to save such creatures as toads and flyes 2. In his tender dealing with all sorts of sinners he professed th t he came into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved He wept over Jerusalem saying O Jerusalem Jeâ—usalem Mat. 23.37 how oft would I have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but ye would not I would but ye would not And when his Disciples would have had fire come down from Heaven to consume thoâ—e that refused him he reproves them and tells them they know not of what spirits they were of 3. In his care of his own not caring what he suffered so they might be saved Alas alas that the Lord Jesus should pass through a life of misery to a death more miserable to manifest openly to the world the abundance of his love and yet that any soul should suspect him of cruelty or unwillingness to shew mercy Ah my soul believe never cry out my sins my sins my sins there is a gracious nature and inclination in Jesus Christ to pardon all 3. Consider of that office of saving and shewing mercy which Christ hath set up this is more than meerly a gracious inclination Christ hath undertaken and set up an office
not Christ come down sinners could not have gone up into Heaven and therefore that they might ascend he descends 2. I come down from Heaven not to do mine own will Heb. 3.1 2. but the will of him that sent me his Father had sent him on purpose to receive and to save sinners and to this purpose he is called the Apostle of our profession who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house His Father could not send him on any errand but he was sure to do it his Fathers mission was a strong demonstration that Christ was willing to receive those sinners that would but come to him Again Jesus stood and cryed saying if any man thirst John 7.37 let him come unto me and drink the very pith heart and marrow of the Gospel is contained in these words the occasion of them was thus on that last day of the Feast of Tabernacles the Jews were wont with great solemnity to draw water out of the fountain of Siloam at the foot of Mount Sion and to bring it to the Altar singing out of Isaiah Isa 12.3 With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation now Christ takes them at this Custom and recalls them from earthly to heavenly waters alluding to that of Isaiah Isa 55.1 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Incline your ears and come unto me and your souls shall live The Father saith come the Son saith come the Spirit saith come yea Rev. 22.17 the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him drink of the water of life freely All the time of Christs Ministry we see him tyring himself in going about from place to place upon no other errand than this to cry at the markets Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters if any sinners love life if any will go to heaven let them come to me and I will shew them the way to my Fathers bosom and endear them to my Fathers heart Again hither tend all those Arguments of God and Christ to draw souls to themselves Thus God draws 1. From his equity Hear now O house of Israel Ezek. 18.25 is not my way equal or are not your wayes unequal q. d. I appeal to your very consciences is this equal that sinners should go on in sin and Trespass against him that is so willing to receive and save poor sinners 2. From our ruine in case we go on in sin Ezek. 18.31 Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have Transgressed and make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel 3. From his own dislike and displeasure at our ruine I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth Ver. 32. saith the Lord God wherefore turn your souls and live ye 4. From his mercy and readiness to pardon sinners Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Hos 14.4 John 3.16 5. From the freeness of his love I will love them freely and God so loved the world so fully so fatherly so freely that he gave his only begotten Son c. and I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely 6. From the sweetness of his Name Rev. 21.6 Exod. 34.6 7. Isa 48.18 19. The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity Transgression and sin 7. From the benefits that would follow O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments then had thy peace been as a River and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea thy seed also had been as the Sand and the off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof 8. From his Oath As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live O happy creatures saith Tertullian for whom God swears O unbelieving wretches if we will not trust God swearing Ezek. 33.61 Ezek. 33.11 Mich. 6.3 Isa 5.4 Isa 5.3 9. From his expostulations Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel O my people what have I done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me what could I have done more for my vineyard than I have done wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes Mich. 6.2 10. From his appeals Judge now O ye inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem and hear O ye mountains the Lords controversie and ye strong foundations of the earth Deut. 5.29 for the Lord hath a controversie with his people and he will plead with Israel 11. From his groans Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my commandments alwayes Deut. 32.29 that it might be well with them and their children for ever And oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end 12. Hos 11.8 From his loathness to give men up How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee O Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together O the goodness of God! And as God the Father so God the Son draws Arguments to win souls to himself 1. From his coming it was the very purpose and design of his coming down from Heaven to receive sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying sayes Paul and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners 2. From his fair demeanour and behaviour towards sinners this was so open and notorious that it was turned to his disgrace and opprobry Mat. 11.19 Behold a friend of Publicans and sinners And the Scribes and Pharisees murmured at him Luke 5.30 and his Disciples saying Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners 3. From his owning of sinners and answering for them in this respect Luke 5.31 32. And Jesus answering said unto them they that are whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but Sinners to repentance 4. From his rejoycing at sinners conversion indeed we never read of Christs Laughter and we seldom read of Christs joy but when it is at any time recorded it is at the Conversion of a poor soul he had little else to comfort himself in being a man of sorrows but in this he rejoyced exceedingly Luke 10.21 In that hour Jesus rejoyced in Spirit
will declare my iniquity saith David I will be sorry for my sin His confessions were dolorous confessions he felt sin and it wrought upon him as an heavy burthen They were two heavy for me Ver. 4. There 's nothing in the World can make an heart more heavy than when it feels the weight and heaviness of sin 2. Our confession must be a full confession we must pour it out Thus David stiles one of his Psalms A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed Psalm 102. Preface and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. We must pour out our complaints as a man poureth water out of a Vessel Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Water runs all out of a Vessel Lam. 2.19 when you turn the mouth downward never a spoon-ful will then stay behind so should we pour out our hearts before God and if it were possible leave not a sin unconfessed at least for the kinds if not for the particular sins 3. Our confession must be with full aggravation we should aggravate our sins by all the circumstances that may shew them odious Thus Peter when he had denyed Christ it is said that he thought thereon and he wept He thought thereon Matth. 14 72. or he cast in his thoughts one thing upon another q. d. Jesus Christ was my Master and yet I denyed him he told me of this before-hand that I might take heed of it and yet I denyed him I professed to him that I would never do it I would never forsake him and yet I denyed him yea this very night and no longer since I said it again and again that I would not deny him and yet I denyed him yea I fail'd Although others deny thee yet will not I and yet worse than all others I denyed him with a witness for I affirmed desperately that I knew not the man nay I sware desperately that I knew not the man nay more than so I sware and I cursed too If I knew the man let Gods curse fall upon me and all this I did within a few strides of my Lord at that very time when I should have stood for my Lord in that all the World forsook him why these were the circumstances of Peters sin and meditating on them He went out and wept bitterly And thus we should aggravate our sins in our confessions O my sins were out of measure sinful O they were sins against knowledg and light against many mercies received against many judgments threatned against many checks of conscience against many vows and promises thus oft and in this place and at that time and in that manner I committed these and these sins but of all the aggravations let us be sure to remember how we sinned against the goodness and patience and love and mercy of God surely these circumstances will make our sins out of measure sinful The Angel that reproved the Children of Israel at Bochim after the repetition of his mercies towards them Judges 2.2 and of their sins against him he questions them in these words Oh why have ye done this q. d. The Lord hath done thus and thus mercifully unto you oh why have ye done thus unthankfully towards him why was his mercy abused his goodness slighted his patience despised do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise in like manner should we confess and aggravate our sins O my God thou art my Father was I ever in want and thou didst not relieve me was I ever in weakness and thou didst not strengthen me was I ever in straits and thou didst not deliver me was I ever in sickness and thou didst not cure me was I ever in misery and thou didst not succor me hast thou not been a gracious God to me all my bones can say who is like unto thee Lord who is like unto thee and shall I thus and thus reward the Lord for all his mercies towards me hear O Heavens and hearken O Earth Sun stand thou still and thou Moon be thou amazed at this hear Angels and hear Devils hear Heaven and hear Hell and be you avenged on such a sin as this is O the sinfulness of my sin in regard of these many circumstances 3. We must condemn our selves or pass sentence against our own souls Lord the worst place in Hell is too good for me Lord here is my soul thou mayst if thou pleasest send Satan for it and give me a portion among the damned This self-judging or self-condemning is exemplified to this life in Ezra for Ezra 9.5 1. He fell on his knees he did not bow down his knees but like a man astonished he fell on his knees he had before rent his garment and mantle and pluckt off the hair of his head and off his beard and sate down astonished and now at the evening sacrifice he falls on his knees and on the ground in great amazement Ver. 5. 2. He spread out his hands unto the Lord q. d. here is my breast and here is my heart-blood I spread my arms and lay all open that thou mayst set the naked point of thy sword of justice at my very heart Ver. 10. 3. He is dum and speechless as it were before the Lord And now our God what shall we say after all this for we have forsaken thy commandments q. d. shall I excuse the matter alas it is inexcusable what shall we say after all this shall we call for thy patience we have had it but how did we abuse it should we call for mercy indeed we had it but our stubborn hearts would never come down O our God what shall we say I know not what to say for we have sinned against thee 4. He layes down his soul and all the Peoples souls at God's feet q. d. here we are Ver. 15. thou mayest damn us if thou wilt Behold we are all here before thee in our trespasses for we cannot stand before thee because of this Behold here we are rebels we are here are our heads and throats before the naked point of thy vengeance if now thou shouldst take us from our knees and throw us into Hell if we must go from our prayers to damnation we cannot but say that thou art just and righteous Oh its mercy its mercy indeed that we have been spared its just and righteous with God that we should be damned In this more especially lyes self-condemnation it makes a man to trample upon his own self it makes a man freely to accept of damnation Levit. 26.41 42. They shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity and then will I remember my covenant with Jacob they save God as it were a labour judging themselves that they may not be judged 4. We must plead pardon and cry mightily to God in Christ for the remission of all our sins This is the
be one person and in that person he was born and lived and died and rose again and ascended into Heaven there now he hath been sitting sending down the Holy Ghost and interceding for his Saints for above one thousand six hundred years And in this last work he will continue till the end of the World and then he will come again to judge the World and to receive his Saints to himself that where he is they may be with him to see and enjoy him to all eternity This is the epitome of all I have said onely in every particular I have set down Christ's actings towards us and our actings towards Christ in various formes and out-goings of his love he hath acted towards us and in various formes and out-goings of our souls we have been taught fitly and suitably to act towards him Now in all these actings How doth the free grace of God in Christ appear Ye are saved by grace Ephes 2.5 saith the Apostle Eph. 2.5 the decree the means the end of our salvation is grace and onely grace The decree is grace and therefore it is called the election of grace Rom. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 Rom. 6.23 Eph. 1.7 Eph. 2.7 the means are of grace and therefore we are called according to his grace and we are justified freely by his grace And the end is of grace for eternal life is the gift of God both beginning and progress and execution is all of grace This is the riches of his grace the exceeding the hyperbolical riches of his grace the conclusion of all is this God's free grace which was first designed will at last be manifested and eternally praised by Saints and Angels the same free grace which from the beginning of the age of God from everlasting drove on the saving plot and sweet design of our salvation will at last be glorified to purpose when Heavens inhabitants will be ever digging into this golden-mine ever rolling this soul-delighting and precious stone ever beholding viewing enquiring and searching into the excellency of this same Christ and this free grace Now all is done shall I speak a word for Christ or rather for our selves in relation to Christ and so an end if I had but one word more to speak in the World it should be this Oh let all our spirits be taken up with Christ let us not busie our selves too much with toyes or trifles with ordinary and low things but look unto Jesus Surely Christ is enough to fill all our thoughts desires hopes loves joys or whatever is within us or without us Christ alone comprehends all the circumference of all our happiness Christ is the pearl hid in the large field of God's Word Christ is the scope of all the Scriptures all things and persons in the old World were Tipes of him all the Prophets foretold him all God's love runs through him all the gifts and graces of the Spirit flow from him the whole eye of God is upon him and all his designs both in Heaven and Earth meet in him Eph. 1.10 the great design of God is this That he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him All things are summed up in one Jesus Christ if we look on the creation the whole world was made by Christ if we look on providences all things subsist in Christ they have their being and their well-being in him Where may we find God but in Christ where may we see God but in this essential and eternal glass 2 Cor. 4.6 Heb. 1.3 Christ is the face of God the brightness of his glory the express image of his Fathers person the Father is as it were all Sun and all Pearl and Jesus Christ is the substantial rayes the eternal and essential irradiation of this Sun of glory Christ outs God as the seal doth the stamp Christ reveals God as the face of a man doth reveal the man so Christ to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father q. d. I am as like the Father John 14.9 as God is like himself there is a perfect indivisible unity between the Father and me I and the Father are one one very God he the begetter and I the begotten Christ is the substantial Rose that grew out of the Father from eternity Christ is the essential wisdom of God Christ is the substantial Word of God the intellectual birth of the Lord 's infinite understanding Oh the worth of Christ compare we other things with Christ and they will bear no weight at all cast into the ballance with him Angels they are wise but he is wisdom cast into the ballance with him men they are lyars lighter than vanity but Christ is the Amen the faithful witness cast into the scales Kings and all Kings and all their glory why he is King of Kings cast into the scale millions of tallents-weight of glory cast in two Worlds and add to the weight millions of Heavens of Heavens and the ballance cannot down the scales are unequal Christ out-weighs all Shall I yet come nearer home what is Heaven but to be with Christ what is life eternal but to believe in God and in his Son Jesus Christ where may we find peace with God and reconciliation with God but onely in Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 where may we find compassion mercy and gentleness to sinners but onely in Christ it is Christ that takes off infinite wrath and satisfies justice and so God is a most lovely compassionate desirable God in Jesus all the goodness of God comes out of God through this golden pipe the Lord Jesus Christ It is true those essential attributes of love grace mercy goodness are onely in God and they abide in God yet the Mediatory manifestation of love grace mercy and goodness is onely in Christ Christ alone is the Treasury Store-house Magazene of the free goodness and mercy of the God-head In him we are Elected Adopted Redeemed Justified Sanctified Saved he is the ladder and every step of it betwixt Heaven and Earth he is the way the truth and the life he is honour riches beauty health peace and salvation he is a suitable and rich portion to every man's soul that which some of the Jews observe of the Mannah that it was in taste according to every man's pallate it is really true of Christ that he is to the Soul whatsoever the soul would have him to be All the spiritual blessings wherewith we are enriched are in and by Christ God hears our prayers by Christ God forgives our iniquities through Christ all we have and all we expect to have hangs onely on Christ he is the golden hinge upon which all our salvation turns Oh how should all hearts be taken with this Christ Christians turn your eyes upon the Lord Look and look again unto Jesus Why stand ye gazing on the toyes of this World when such a Christ is offered to you in the Gospel can the World dye for you can the World reconcile you to the Father can the World advance you to the Kingdom of Heaven As Christ is all in all so let him be the full and compleat subject of our desire and hope and faith and love and joy let him be in your thoughts the first in the morning and the last at night Shall I speak one word more to thee that believest Oh apply in particular all the transactions of Jesus Christ to thy very self remember how he came out of his Fathers bosom for thee wept for thee bled for thee poured out his life for thee is now risen for thee gone to Heaven for thee sits at God's right hand and rules all the World for thee makes intercession for thee and at the end of the World will come again for thee and receive thee to himself to live with him for ever and ever Surely if thus thou believest and livest thy life is comfortable and thy death will be sweet if there be any Heaven upon Earth thou wilt find it in the practise and exercise of this Gospel-duty in Looking unto Jesus A Poem of Mr. George Herbert in his Temple JESV JESV is in my heart his sacred Name Is deeply carved there but th' other week A great affliction broke the little frame Ev'n all to pieces which I went to seek And first I found the corner where was J After where ES and next where V was graved When I had got these parcels instantly I sate me down to spell them and perceived That to my broken heart he was I ease you and to my whole is JESV FINIS
should be offered and administred unto all Men without Exception 4. That certain singular Persons should be saved whom God fore-saw would Repent and Believe and Persevere This way is justly opposed by Others who deny God's Acts in Intention to be in the same order as we see them in Production In order of Material Existing it is granted that Christ is Revealed Promised and Exhibited after Sin and that we Repent Believe Persevere before we are Saved But in order of God's Intention Christ is before Sin and Salvation before Repentance Faith Perseverance The Apostle reckoned the Order in which Things exist thus 1. The World 2. You The Elect. 3. Christ 1 Cor. 3.22 23. 4. God 1 Cor. 3.22 23. But he gives us to understand the Order of Intention thus As First God intends His own Glory then Christ then the Elect then the World Certainly it is an hard thing to marshal the Eternal Immanent Acts of the Divine Understanding or Will into First Second Third Fourth All God's Projects are like Himself Tota simul perfecta possessio sui who is a whole and perfect Possession of Himself together and at once so as in Him considered there is no Prius nor Posterius in any of His acts but considered in Effects or in respect of us one thing may be said to be First Second or Third in Nature Time Being before or after another And thus in respect of us we say the End must be in Nature before the Means to the End Now the Permission of the Fall Repentance Faith Perseverance are used by God as Means to bring some to Salvation God therefore doth first project our Salvation and then the Means and both the End and the Means are the Product of God's Election or Predestination Here then is the Project That God will glorify His Grace to this end He will predestinate Christ in Christ He will choose some of the Sons of Men to Salvation whom Eccles 1.4 notwithstanding Sin He will make holy and without blame before Him in love This Project or Plot or Design of God will be further enlarged in the next Passage viz. His Counsels SECT V. The Counsel OF the Counsels of God concerning Man before all Worlds we read in several Texts Christ was delivered by the determinate Counsel of God For of a truth Acts 2.23 against thy Holy Child Jesus whom Thou hast anointed both Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles Acts 4.27 28. the People of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy Hand thy Counsel determined before to be done Ephes 1.11 And thus the Members of Christ are said to Obtain an Inheritance being Predestinated according to the Purpose of Him who worketh all Things after the Counsel of His own Will Of this Counsel of God's Will we know but little now yet this will be made known when we come to Glory yea it will be a great Part of the Glory of Heaven for the Lord to make known the Counsel of His Will we now know his Will but we shall then know the Counsel of His Will praise Him to all Eternity for it This shall be the Glory of the Saints that they shall see into the Counsel of God's Will in chusing them and calling them and passing by others and letting others go In the mean-while thus far we may know for thus far He hath revealed Himself concerning His Counsels about Man from Everlasting 1. That Man should be a Reasonable Creature and because that very Creature is unavoidably subject to the Creator for He made all things for Himself Prov. 16.4 and all is to return that Glory to Him for which He made them therefore Man should serve Him as all other Creatures must only his Service should be after a reasonable manner out of Judgment Psal 119.30 Heb. 11.25 26. Discretion and Election Hence David is said to have chosen the Way of Truth Moses to have Chosen the Afflictions of God's People the Reproaches of Christ before the Pleasures of Sin or the Treasures of Egypt And hence it is that Holiness in the Phrase of Scripture is called Judgment He shall convince the world of Judgment John 16.11 Mat. 12.20 he shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory and hence it is that our Service is called a Reasonable Service God would not set any such determinating Law over the Operations of Man as over other Creatures that so he might truly work out of Judgment and stand or fall by his own Election 2. That if Man should deviate from this Reasonable Service and break the Law which God would give and which he himself should have an Original Power to perform that then he should incur the Displeasure of God and such a Curse and such a Penalty should be inflicted And here comes in the Fall of Man into God's Consideration He looks upon it as a wilful transgression of his Law and by how much the Law was more just and the obedience more easie by so much he judges the transgression more unreasonable and the punishment more certain and intolerable 3. That Sin should not pass Unrevenged and that for these reasons 1. Because of Gods infinite hatred thereof Hab. 1.13 He is of purer Eyes than to behold Evil He cannot look on Iniquity it provokes a Nauseousness and Abhorrency in him For all these are things which I hate Zach. 8.17 saith in the Lord They are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them 2. Because of his truth Gen. 2.17 he hath said In the day thou eatest thereof thou sâ—alâ— surely die or thou shalt dying die die Temporally and die Eternally and surely God will in no wise abolish this Law Matth. 5.8 One jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the â—aw till all be fulfilled 3. Because of his terrour and fearful Majesty for God will have Men alwayes tremble before him and by his terrour to be perswaded from sinning 2 Cor. 5.11 Matth. 10.28 Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men and Fear him who is able to destroy boâ—h Body and Soul in Hell I say unto you Heb. 12.28 29. fâ—ar him Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear for God is a Consuming Fire Upon these Reasons God is resolved Sin shall not pass unrevenged lest thereby His Justice should be securely abused his Hatred against Sin the less declared His Truth questioned and His dreadful Majesty by Men neglected 4. That every Man notwithstanding Sin should not be utterly destroyed and that for theâ—e Reasons 1. Because of that infinite Delight which the Lord hath in Mercy Why this Delight is it that so disposeth Him to pardon abundantly to exercise Loving-kindness on the Sons of Men Psal 103.8 Who is a God like unto Thee that pardonest Iniquity and passest by the Transgression of the Remnant of
Thy Heritage Thou retainest not Thy Anger for ever Jer. because Thou delightest in Mercy And I am the Lord which exercise Loving-Kindness Judgment Righteousness in the Earth for in thâ—se things I delight saith the Lord. 2. Because of that Delight which God hath to be actively glorified by His Creatures voluntary Service and Subjection John 10.18 Ezek. 33.11 Herein is My Father glorified if ye bear much Fruit and I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that he turn from his Way and live He delighteth most in unbloody Conquests when by His Patience and Goodness and Forbearance He subdueth the Hearts Affections and Consciencâ—s of Men unto Himself He esteemeth Himself more glorified in the Services than in the Sufferings of Men and therefore in this Eternity he resolves not to destroy all Men lest there should be no Religion upon the Earth When the Angels fell they fell not all many were still left to glorify Him actively in their Service of Him but when Adam fell all Mankind fell in him so that there was no Tree in all this Paradise lest to bring forth any Fruit unto God And this is most certain that God would rather have His Trees for Fruit than for Fewel Hence He resolves that Mankind notwithstanding Sin should not be utterly destroyed Hereupon the Trinity calls a Counsel and the Question is What is to be done with poor Man The Learned here frame a kind of Conflict in God's holy Attributes by a Liberty which the Holy-Ghost from the Language of Holy Scripture doth allow them they speak of God after the manner of Men as if he were reduced unto some Straits and Difficulties by the cross Demands of His several Attributes Justice calls upon Him for the Condemnation of a Sinful and therefore worthily Accursed Creature which Demand is seconded by His Truth to make good that Threatning In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the Death Mercy on the other side pleads for Favour and Compassion towards Man wofully seduced and overthrown by Satan and this Plea is seconded by Love and Goodness and the like Attributes at last when the Business comes to Determination Wisdom finds out a way which the Angels of Heaven gaze on with Admiration Astonishment how to reconcile these different Pleas of his Attributes together A Jesus is resolved on One of the same Blessed Trinity who by His Father's Ordination His own voluntary Susception and the Holy Spirits Sanctification should be fitted for the Business To this purpose this Jesus should be both a Surety and an Head over sinful Men a Surety to pay Mens Debts unto God and an Head to restore God's Image unto Man And thus in Him Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have Kissed each other Psal 83.10 This is the great Mistery of the Gospel this is that which the Angels as I tell you pry into nay this is that which the Angels and Saints too shall admire and bless God for to all Eternity this is that which set the infinit Wisdome of God on work from all Eternity If all the Angels in Heaven and all the Men in the World had been put to it to find out a way to answer this question how shall sin be pardoned the sinner reconciled and God glorify his justice they could never have done it this cost God dear it cost him the heart-blood of his own Son and that 's a sure sign that Gods heart was much in it and indeed we are not Christians until in some measure we see and have our hearts taken with the glory of God in this mistery O the wonder of Heaven and Earth here 's the case man is fallen through sin and ever since the fall man and sin are as inseparably joyned together as fire and heat yet God will have mercy on the man and he will take vengeance on the sin the Eternal Wisdome of God hath found out a way to translate this mans sins on another Person who is able to bear them and to interest this mans person in anothers Righteousness which is able to cover him so that now all 's one in regard of man as if the Law had been utterly abrogated and all 's one too in regard of God as if the creature had been utterly condemned And all this is done in our Jesus on him was executed the curse of the Law by him was fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for him was remitted the sin of man and through him were all things made new again the world was in Christ as in its Surety making satisfaction to the Justice of God and God was in Christ as in his Embassadour Rom. 11.33 reconciling the world unto himself again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depths of the riches both of the Wisdome and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out You have seen the Project and the counsels of God for mans salvation before all worlds Rom. 11.34 it is but dimly for who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour SECT VI. The foreknowledge OF the knowledge of God in this respect we read in Scriptures Acts 2.23 Rom. 8.29 Rom. 11.2 1 Pet. 1.2 Christ is said to be delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God And it is said of Christs members the called according to his purpose whom he did foreknow and elsewhere in the same Epistle God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew And Peter writes to the strangers Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father Understand that foreknowledge is ascribed to God in respect of the creature properly but in respect of God there is nothing past nothing to come all things past and all things to come are present to him and therefore in that sense he cannot be said to foreknow any thing Now the Lord in respect of us is said in Scripture to foreknow things or persons two wayes Psal 139.16 1. Generally by a general knowledge of which Davids speaks thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 2. Specially by a more special foreknowledge which is a knowledge with love and approbation the very same which barely comprehendeth that we call Election Rom. 9.13 2 Tim. 2.19 Rom. 11.2 so Gods choosing is expressed by loving Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated And this is that which the Apostle speaks of the Lord knoweth who are his i.e. the Lord from everlasting knoweth his with love and with approbation hath God cast away his people which he foreknew i. which he before loved and approved hence we gather that after the Project was laid and the Councels of God were agreed upon it then God foreknew or foresaw whom to embrace in his eternal love as his own
and God will not spare him that is the very word in the Scripture Rom. 8.32 he spared not his own Son this surely this declares Gods love to righteousness more than if all the World should be Damned 2. Suppose the sinner that is reconciled had been Damned then the justice of God had been but in satisfying and never had been fully satisfyed but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner his justice is not onely satisfying but it comes fully to be satisfied to have enough As for instance suppose a man to be a creditor to one who owes him 100000 l. this man is poor and the utmost he can pay is but a penny a day suppose the creditor should lay him in the Goale until he had paid the utmost farthing it is true he would be receiving day after day but he would never be paid so long as the debtor lives now if another rich man should come and lay down an 100000 l. at once the creditor is presently satisfied Why here is the difference betwixt Gods satisfying his Justice upon sinners and upon Jesus Christ God comes upon the sinner and requires the debt of punishment because he did not pay the debt of obedience God casts him into Prison and the utmost he can pay is but as it were a penny a day and hence the poor sinner must still be paying and paying and paying to Eternity this is the ground of their Eternal punishment in Hell because in any finite time they can never pay enough But now comes Jesus Christ and he fully payes the debt at once so that justice saith I have enough I am satisfied Surely this is the greater Glory to the very justice of God These were the counsels of God from all Eternity how he should make way for his love and goodness and yet satisfie his Truth and Justice O my soul consider and wonder Jesus Christ was the Expedient and in Christ not only Gods mercy but his justice is Exalted yea more Exalted and more Glorified in thy salvation then ever it could have been in thy Damnation 3 Consider the fore-knowledge of God he knew from everlasting whom he would set apart for life and salvation All the Saints of God from first to last they were then present to him and before him and he did look on them in his Beloved Christ Before there was a World or a man or any creature in it he fore-knew Adam and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles all the Disciples of Christ and Believers in Christ And O my soul if thou art one of Gods Elect he foreknew thee with a knowledge of love and approbation he had thee in his Eye Rom. 9.11 and Heart he had thoughts on Jacob when he was yet unborn and had done neither good nor evil Assure thy self the Lord works not without prevision or fore-knowledge of the things effected that cannot be in God which is not to be found in a wise and prudent man he that builds an house hath the frame of it first in himself and the Psalmist tells thee that the eyes of God did see thy substance yet being unperfect Psal 139.16 Rom. 9.13 in this Book of knowledge were all thy members written when as yet there was none of them yea he knew thee with a knowledge of singular love he embraced thee in his Eternal love as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated â— will not say that this love was actually bestowed on thee till due time yet it was prepared for thee from all Eternity and hence it is called an everlasting love The Lord hath appeared of old unto me Jer. 31.3 saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee O muse and meditate and ponder on this love it contains in it these particulars as 1. The eternal good will of God what else is the love of God towards the Elect but his everlasting good will to shew them mercy to do them good and to save their souls hence the Angels sung that Antheam at Christs birth Glory to God in the highest Luk. 2.14 and on earth peace good will towards men 2. The Eternal pleasure and delight of God in the sons of men the greatest delight that God hath or ever had it is in communicating himself to his Son firstly and next unto his Saints nay such delight he takes in letting out his mercy to his Saints as that he was well-pleased with the death of his own Son as a means conducing thereunto O wonderfull one would think that the death of Christ should be the most abhorring to the heart of God of any thing in the world and yet saith the Scripture It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 he took a pleasure and delight in the very bruising of Jesus Christ the Lord saw this was the way for him to communicate himself in the fulness of his grace unto his Saints and therefore though it cost him so dear as the death of his own Son yet he was well-pleased with it 3. This love of God contains in it a fore-knowledg and approbation of all those effects of his love whether they be temporal concerning this life or Eternal concerning the life to come Concerning these effects of his love saith John 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God q. d. Behold it stand amazed at it that children of wrath should become the sons of the most high God for a beggar on the dunghil a vagabond a runnagate from God a prodigal a stranger to God whom the Lord had no cause to think on to be made a Son of God Almighty O divine love Pause a while and muse on this O my soul that God should fore-know thee from all Eternity with a knowledg of love and approbation it is admirable to consider I say it is admirable to consider 4. Consider the purpose of God concerning thy salvation 1 Thes 5 9 God hath not appointed or purposed us wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ As when we have a will to do any thing there follows upon this in the mind a setled purpose to effect it so when God hath loved some to life there is in God a setled purpose of bringing them to it that the purpose of God according to Election might stand or be sure Rom. 9.11 it imports Gods stability and steadiness and constancy and firmness in saving souls There is much inconstancy and fickleness in the love of man or in the love of a woman but the love of God to his people is a steady love as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride Isa 62.5 so shall thy God rejoyce over thee not only so doth thy God but so shall thy God rejoyce over thee
can it be We are a crooked Generation that cannot abide the straight wayes of the Lord our whole nature is sinful and corrupt before him and for the most part when we are most averse and backward and have least thought of ever seeking after him then it is that he seeks us to take us unto himself thus the Lord called Saul when he was Persecuting and raging and breathing out slaughter against the Lord and against his Saints and thus the Lord called those Jews that mocked the Apostles when they spake diverse Languages These men are full of new wine ay but the next word that they spake is Acts. 9.4 Acts 2.13 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do O the free and unexpected Grace of our God! 4. In that we are by nature no better than others that are without God Eph. 2.12 and without Covenant what makes the difference betwixt us and them but this free Grace of God Is there any reason in us why one is taken into a Covenant and another is not Nay I 'le tell you a wonder so it pleaseth the Lord that sometimes God chuseth the worst and leaves those that are better than they We read that Publicans and Harlots were taken in and the righteous Generation which justified themselves and were justified by others were passed by surely God respects none for any thing in them his design is that the freeness of his Grace might be seen in those whom he takes to himself Hence the Apostle God chuseth the foolish things of this world and the weak things of this world base and despised things 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. whilest in the mean time he passeth by the wise and mighty and things of high esteem that all men might see it is the Grace of God and not any thing in man by which we are taken into Covenant with him 5. How is the Covenant said to be ordered The word ordered will help us in the Answer it sets out to us a marshalling and fit laying of things together in opposition to disorder and confusson the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies marshalled disposed prepared set forth as an Army in comely order the same word is in Judg. 20.22 Judg. 20.22 And the men of Israel incouraged themseves and set their Battle again in array As we see in an Army every one is set in rank and file so is every thing in this Covenant ranked disposed ordered that it stands at best advantage to receive and repel the enemy a poor Christian that hath a troubled spirit he sets himself against Free Grace and this everlasting Covenant he raiseth thousands of objections against it but now the covenant is ordered it stands like a marshall'd Army to receive him and repel him Come let us see how it is ordered in all things I shall instance only in these particulars As 1. It is well ordered in respect of the Root out of which it grew This say Divines was the Infinite Soveraignty and Wisdom and Mercy of God 1. It was founded in Gods Soveraignty he had a right to do what he would with his fallen Creatures he might damn or save whom he pleased Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay Rom. 9.21 of the same lump to make one Vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour 2. It was founded in wisdom The Covenant of Grace was a result of Council it was no rash act but a deliberate act with infinite wisdom God being the Soveraign of all his Creatures and seeing mankind in a perishing condition he determined within himself deliberately to make such a Covenant of Peace first with Christ and then with all the Elect in Christ 3. It was founded in Mercy i e. in the goodness of God flowing out freely to one in misery for mercy we say is made up of these two Acts. 1. There must be an Object of Misery 2. There must be a free efflux of goodness on that Object Now the Covenant of Grace was founded on these as 1. There was an Object of Misery lost man wretched man undone by sin and 2. There was an efflux of Gods Goodness his very bowels moved within him and they could not hold I have loved thee with an everlasting love saith God therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Jer. 31.3 Surely this was well ordered a perplexed soul may have his spirit up in arms against the Covenant of Grace O cries the Soul in its sad condition I am miserable I shall not live but die my sins will damn me I am lost for ever Why but see how the Covenant is ordered in respect of the root or rise it stands like a well marshalled Army to receive and to repel those doubts as 1. God acted in a way of Soveraginty and cannot God save thee if he will 2. God acted in a way of Wisdom and though thou seest no way but one with thee Death and Damnation yet cannot infinite wisdom contrive another way 3. God acted in a way of Mercy and O thou afflicted tossed with tempests Isa 54.11 and not comforted is not infinite Mercy above all thy Misery Why see see poor soul how the Covenant repels all thy oppositions in respect of its rise 2. It is well ordered in respect of the persons interested in it from all eternity and they are God the Father and in Jesus Christ his Son as for the Saints Elect they were not then and therefore the Covenant could not be immediately struck with them now there was great need of this order for should the Covenant have been made betwixt God the Father and the Elect from all eternity and that immediately a troubled soul would have opposed it thus 1. If it was from all eternity how then shall I be capable of it alas my being was not so long since 2. If it were made with me immediatly then I had some part to perform of mine own Power and Strength but alas I have failed I can do nothing O but now the Covenant is a well ordered Covenant in these respects For 1. Christ hath been from all eternity and thou as an Elect Vessel hadst thy being in him as he was thy Head 2. Christ is able to perform the Covenant and being contractor it lies upon his score to satisfie his Father he that first made the bargain must look to fulfill it and for thy part if thou dost any thing it must be through him Without me ye can do nothing John 15.5 Why see now see how the Covenant repels all thy oppositions in respect of the Persons interested in it from all eternity God hath his place and Christ his place and Faith his place and the Sinner his place 3. It is well ordered in respect of the method of the Articles in their several workings first God begins then we come on first God on his part gives Grace and Glory and then we on our parts act Faith and
Covenant before his coming in the flesh It is not enough to know and consider but we must desire Thus is the order of Gods work no sooner hath his Spirit clearly revealed the goodness of the Promise that we come to know but the soul considers of it turns it upside down views it in all its Excellencies weighs it in the Ballance of its best and deepest meditation This done the Affections begins to stir and the soul begins thus to reason O happy I that I see the goodness of this gracious Promise but miserable I if I come to see this and never have a share in it O why not I Lord Why not my Sins Pardoned VVhy not my Corruptions Subdued VVhy not the Law Written in my Heart and put into my inward parts Why may not I say my Lord and my God or I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine VVhy not this Covenant established between God and me Now my Soul thirsts after this as a thirsty Land my affections hunger after Jesus in a Covenant of Grace Oh I would fain be in Covenant with God for this is all my Salvation and all my desire 2 Sam. 23.5 But here is an Objection The Object Object of this desire is apprehended as absent and distant we do not covet those things that we do enjoy if they are present we rather rest in them than move towards them or desire after them how then should David or any soul already in a Covenant of grace desire after the Covenant What is this He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant 2 Sam. 23.5 ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my Desire Answ It is true the Object of desire qua tale is something absent yet not alwayes absent in the whole but in the parts and degrees of it the very presence of a good thing doth in some sort quicken the desires towards the same thing so far forth as it is capable of improvements or augmentation As we see in external Riches of the Body none desire them more eagerly than those that possess them and the more gracious the Soul is the more is the heart enlarged in the appetition of a greater measure of Grace as the putting in of some water into a Pump doth draw forth more no man is so importunate in praying Lord help my unbelief as he that can say Lord I believe things may be desired in order to improvement and further degrees of them Again things present may be the Object of our desires unto continuance as he that delighteth in a good thing that he hath he desireth the continuance of that delight so the soul of a man having a reach as far as immortality it may justly desire as well the perpetuity as the presence of those good things it enjoyeth Come then O my soul and whet on thy desires in every of these respects as 1. Desire after thy interest in the Covenant 2. Desire after thy improvement of the Covenant 3. Desire after the continuance of thy Covenant-state 4. Desire after Jesus the great business or the all in all in a Covenant of Grace 1. Desire after thy interest in the Covenant O say in thy self is it thus prov 1.22 23 is the Lord willing to receive me to his Grace was that his voice in the streets how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity turn ye at my reproof Isa 55.1 3. behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you was that his Proclamation Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters encline your ear and come unto me and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David and are these the promises offered in the Covenant I will put my Law into their inward parts Jer. 31.33 and I will write it in your hearts and I will be your God and ye shall be my People Deut. 33.29 psal 144.15 Oh the Blessed condition of those People that are in Covenant with God! Blessed art thou O Israel who is like unto thee a People saved by the Lord Oh happy is the People that be in such a case yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord. But ah what can I say no sin like unto my sin no misery like unto my misery alas I am an alien to God I am separated from his People I am out of the Covenant like a poor Prodigal I dye for hunger whilst those that are in my Fathers house have bread enough Oh that I were in their condition never did David long more for the waters of the well of Bethlehem than my Soul now touched with the sense of Sin doth desire to be at peace with God and in Covenant with God O I thirst I pant I gasp after him I long for Communion and Peace with him Jsa 26 9 with my soul do I desire thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me do I seek thee early 2. Desire after the Improvement of the Covenant it may be God hath given thee an interest in it but alas thy hold is so weak that thou scarce knowest the meaning of it the Lord may answer but yet he speaks darkly as sometimes he spake to the woman go thy way and Sin no more it is a middle kind of expression John 8.11 neither assuring that her Sin was pardoned nor yet putting her out of hope but it might be pardoned so it may be God hath given thee some little ease but he hath not spoken full peace go on then and desire more and more after confirmation say in thine heart O Lord thou hast begun to shew grace unto thy Servant but oh manifest to me all thy goodness thou hast given me a drop and I feel it so sweet that now I thirst and long to enjoy the Fountain thou hast given me a kiss of thy mouth and now I pant to be united to thee in a more perfect and consummate marriage thou hast given me a taste Rom. 8.23 but my appetite and desire is not thereby diminished but enlarged and good reason for what are these drops and tastes but only the first fruits of the spirit and earnests of the spirit Ephes 1.14 oh then what are those harvests of Joy what are those treasures of wisdom and free grace hid in God I have indeed beheld a feast of fat things of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees of wines on the lees well refined but O what a Famine is yet in my spirit O Lord I have longed for thy Salvation I am ready to swoon for further union and clearer manifestation of my share and interest in this Covenant of grace come Lord Jesus come quickly 3. Desire after continuance of the Covenant-state many a sweet soul cannot deny but that the Lord hath shewed mercy on him but he fears that he shall not hold out he feels within such a Power of corruption such
of its Agony when it is striving as for Life and Death if Help come not at first Call it prayes again and that more earnestly Faith is very urgent with God and the more slack the Lord seems in answering the more earnest is Faith in plying God with its Prayers It will wrestle with God as Jacob with the Angel it will take no Denyal but will crave still Bless me even me also O send me not away without a Blessing 2. Sometimes God answers in part He speaks as it were out of a Dark Cloud He gives some little Ease but He speaks not full Peace In this manner He speaks to the Woman Go thy way and sin no more He doth not say Go in Peace thy Sin is forgiven thee John 8.11 No no but Go thy way and sin no more Hereby Faith usually gets a little Strength and looks after the Lord with more Hope It begins to plead with God as Moses did O Lord Thou hast begun to shew Grace unto Thy Servant go on Lord to manifest unto me all Thy Goodness Here Faith takes a little hold on the Covenant of Grace It may be the Hand of Faith is feeble shaking and trembling yet it takes a little Hold it receives some Encouragement it finds that its former Seeking is not in vain 3. Sometimes God answers more fully and satisfactorily He applyes some Promise of Grace to the Conscience by His Spirit He lets the Soul feel taste the Comforts of himself or of such and such a Promise more effectually than ever before Fear not Isa 41.10 saith God for I am thy God Here Faith waxeth bold and with a glad Heart entertains the Promise brought Home unto it The Apostle calls this the Embracing of the Promises Now Heb. 11.13 Embracing implies an Affectionate Receiving with both Arms opened So the Soul embraceth the Promise and the Lord Jesus in the Promise and having Him like Simeon in his Arms it layes Him in the Bosom it brings Him into the Chamber of the Heart there to rest and abide for ever And now is the Covenant struck betwixt God and the Soul Now the Soul possesseth God in Christ as her own it rests in Him and is satisfyed with Him it praiseth God for his Mercy as Simeon did when he had Christ in his Arms it commits it self wholly and for ever to that Goodness and Mercy which hath been revealed to it O my Soul Hast thou come thus by little and little to touch the Top of Christ's Golden Scepter Why then Is thy Hand given to God Then art thou entred into a Covenant of Peace Christ's Offering and thy Receiving the Covenant of Grace bears a sweet Agreement an harmonious Conformity 2. God in Christ keeps Covenant with us so we through Christ should be careful and diligent to keep Covenant with God In the Things of this Life a strict Eye is had to the Covenants we make Now it is not enough for us to enter into Covenant with God but we must keep it The Lord never will never hath broken Covenants on His Part but Alas we on our Parts have broken the first Covenant of Works Take heed we break not the second for then there remains not any more place for any more Covenants As the Lord keeps Covenant with us so let us keep Covenant with Him and therein is the Blessing Psal 103.17 18. The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting to such as keep his Covenant There is much also in this keeping of the Covenant and therefore give me leave a little to enlarge Sundry Acts of Faith are required to this keeping of the Covenant As thus 1. Faith in keeping the Covenant hath alwayes an Eye to the Rule and Command of God As in Things to be believed Faith looks on the Promise so in Things to be practised Faith looks upon the Command Faith will present no strange Fire before the Lord it knows that God will accept of nothing but what is according to His own Will 2. As Faith takes Direction from the Rule so in keeping of the Covenant it directs us to the right End that is to the Glory of God We are of Him and live in Him and by Faith we must live to Him Rom. 14.7 8. 2 Cor. 5.15 Psal 50.15 Psal 86.12 for Him For none of us liveth to himself and no Man dieth to himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord 's Again He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him which died for them This God claims as His right and due Thou shalt glorifie Me saith God Yes saith Faith I will glorifie thee for ever 3. Faith in keeping the Covenant shields the Soul against all Hinderances that it meets withal As for instance Sometimes we are tempted on the Right Hand by the Baits and Allurements of the World All these will I give thee saith the World if thou wilt be mine but then Faith overcomes the World by setting afore us better Things than these Sometimes we are tempted on the Left Hand by Crosses Afflictions Persecutions and Sufferings for the Name of Christ but then Faith helps us to overcome and makes us Conquerours through Christ that loved us by setting before us the End of our Faith and Patience Heb. 12.2 It is said of Jesus That for the Joy that was set before Him He endured the Cross and despised the Shame 4. Faith encourageth the Soul that the Lord will have a Gracious Respect unto its keeping Covenant Acts 10.33 In every Nation he that feareth Him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with Him Surely this is no small Encouragement to well-doing What would not a Servant do if he knew his Lord will take it in good part Now Faith assures the Soul there is not one Prayer one Holy Desire or one Good Thought or Word which is spoken or done to the Glory of God but God takes notice of it and accepts it in good part Then they that feared the Lord Mal. 3.16 spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a Book of Remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon His Name 5. Faith furnisheth the Soul with Strength and Ability to keep the Covenant By Faith we get a Power and Strength of Grace As thus 1. By Faith we look at Christ as having all Fulness of Grace in Himself It pleased the Father Col. 1.19 that in Him should all Fulness dwell All others have but their Measures some more some less according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ but Christ hath received the Spirit John 3.34 not by Measure but in the Fulness of it 2. By Faith we know that whatever Fulness of Grace is in Christ He had it not for Himself
Father-virgin is this the Babe whom we look unto as our Jesus is this a Mother as Austin scarce fourteen years of age is this the Father that knew her not until she had brought forth her first-born Son Mat. 1.25 what a strange birth is this Look on the Babe there is no Cradle to rock him no Nurse to Lull him no Linnens to swaddle him scarce a little food to nourish him look on the Mother there 's no Mid-wives help no downy pillows no linnen hangings scarce a little straw where she is brought a-bed look on Joseph the reputed Father he rather begs than gives a blessing poor Carpenter that makes them a Chamber of an Oxe-stall and carves him a Cratch to be his Cradle Mary that sees with her eyes and ponders all in her heart how doth modest shame fac'dness change her colours so often as her imagination works she must bear a Son an Angel tells her the Holy Ghost overshadows her the dayes are accomplished and she is delivered each Circumstance is enough to abash a modest Virgin But who will not wonder a Maid believes a Maid conceives a Maid brings forth and a Maid still remains How might we descant on this Subject but I shall contract my self and reduce all wonders to this word I am the Vine John 15.5 It is a blessed Parable in which under the shadow of a Vine Christ elegantly sets forth himself Christ in many resemblances is a precious Vine but why a Vine rather than a Cedar Oak or some of the strongest tallest trees Many reasons are given as 1. Because of all Trees the Vine is the lowest it grovels as it were on the ground 2. Because of all Trees the Vine is weakest hence they that have Vines have also their Elms to support them and hold them up 3. Because of all Trees the Vine hath the meanest Bark and outside it is of little worth or reputation 4. Because of all Trees Psal 128.3 the Vine is fruitfullest and therefore it is called the Fruitful Vine In every of these respects Christ is called a Vine who by his Incarnation took upon him the lowest condition and made himself by emptying himself of no Reputation but he was the fruitfullest Vine that ever the earth bore Phil. 2.7 and in this respect no Vine nor all the Vines on the Earth were worthy to be compared with him or to be so much as resemblances of him I shall not prosecute the resemblances throughout for so I might pass from his Birth to his Life and from his Life to his Death when the blood of the Grapes was pressed out only for the present wee 'll take a view of this Vine 1. In its Plant. 2. In its Bud. 3. In its Blossom 4. In its Fruit and so an end 1. For the Plant the way of Vines is not to be sowed but planted that thus translated they might better fructifie so our Jesus first sprung from his Father is planted in a Virgins womb God from God coeternal with God but by his Incarnation made that he was not and yet remaining that he was God of his Father and Man of his Mother before all time yet since the beginning Bernard tells us that this Vine sprung of the Vine Ber. de Passione Dom. is God begotten of God the Son of the Father both coeternal and consubstantial with the Father but that he might better fructifie he was planted in the Earth i.e. he was conceived in a Virgins womb There is indeed a resemblance in this in this resemblance we must be careful to observe that communication of properties of which I told you we may truly say that God was planted or conceived but not the Godhead God is a concrete word and signifies the Person of Christ and his Person was planted or conceived not simply as God but in respect of the Manhood united to it and thus he that is infinite was conceived and he that is eternal even he was born the very fulness of all perfection and all the properties of the Divine Essence are by this communication given to the nature of man in the Person of the Son of God no wonder therefore that we say that this Vine the Son of God is planted in Mary I know some would have the Plant more early and therefore they say that Christ was a Vine planted in Adam budded in David and flourished in Mary but I take this but for a flourish all before Mary were but Types now was the Truth now in Mary was Christ planted and not before as in the beginning there was not a Man to Till the Ground but out of the ground the Lord made to grow every Tree and a River went out of Eden to water the Garden so there was no man that tilled this Ground but out of this Ground the Virgin the Lord made to grow this Plant watering it by his Spirit The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee Luke 1.35 and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Of this conception and of the Holy Ghosts efficiency I believe spake the Prophet when there was such longing after Christ's coming in the flesh Isa 45.8 Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Sky pour down Righteousness let the Earth open and bring forth Salvation But of this Conception before 2. For the Bud the nature of Vines is to Bud before it Blossom or bring forth its fruit Psal 85.11 so was it said of Christ before he came Truth shall Bud out of the Earth now what was this budding of Truth out of the Earth but Christ born of a Woman What was the Truth saith Irenaeus and Augustine but Christ Iraen l. 3. c. 5. and what the Earth but our flesh and what Truth budding but Christ being born Here let us stay a while surely it is worth the while as the Spouse said in another place to get up early to the Vineyards and to see how the Vine did flourish Cant. 7.12 and how the tender Grape did open In Christs carrying on the great Work of our Salvation before all Worlds we told you of Gods Councils as if he had been reduced to some straits and difficulties by the cross demands of his several Attributes but Wisdom found out a way how to reconcile these differences by propounding a Jesus and in him Mercy and Truth met together Righteousness and Peace kissed each other Psal 85.10 That reconciliation was in the Counsel of God from all Eternity but for the execution of this Counsel it was now in the fulness of time even at this time when Christ was born Now in deed and in truth in execution and performance was the reconciliation of all differences and of this time was the Psalmists Prophecy more especially meant Mercy and Truth shall meet together Righteousness and Peace shall kiss each other Psal 85.10 12 and Truth shall bud out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven In
be one with him in a spiritual holy and a mystical union if God be not in our persons as truely though not as fully as in our nature we have no particular comfort from this design of his personal hypostatical and wonderful union 6. Christ was born so must we be new-born to this I have spoken when I laid it down as an evidence that unto us a Child is born and unto us a son is given only one word more we must be new born as once born by nature so new born by Grace there must be some resemblances in us of Christ born amongst us As 1. Christ born had a Father in Heaven and a Mother on Earth so in our new Birth we must look on God as our Father in Heaven and on the Church as our Mother on Earth it was usually said out of the Church no salvation and to this the Apostle alludes Jerusalem which is above is free Gal. 4.26 which is the Mother of us all indeed out of the Church there is no means of Salvation no Word to teach no Sacraments to confirm nothing at all to hold forth Christ to a soul and without Christ how should there be the Salvation of souls â—o that we must look on the Church as our Mother and on God as our Father not that we deny some to be as spiritual Fathers unto others Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 that he was their Father though yea have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel but alâ—s such Fathers are but ministerial Fathers and therefore Paul seems to correct himself 1 Cor. 3.7 who is â—aul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom yea believed even as the Lord gave to every man it is God only is our Father principally originally supreamly God only puts Grace and vertue into the womb of the Soul it is not possible that any creature should be a Creator of the new Creature O then let us look up to Heaven and say O Lord nâ—w make me nâ—w Create me O be thou my Father 2. When Christ was born all Jerusalem was troubled so when this new birth is we must look for it that much commotion and much division of heart will be the Deviâ— could not be cast out of the professed person but he would excâ—edingly fear and â—orment and vex the possâ—ssed person the truth is we cannot expect that Christ should expel Satan from those holds and dominions he hath over us but he will be sure to put us to great fear and terror in heart Besides not only the evil Spirit but Gods Spirit is for a while a Spirit of Bondage to make every thing as a mighty burden unto us there are many prâ—tenders to the grace of God in Christ but they cannot abide to hear of any pains or pangs in this new Birth O this is legal but I pray thee tell me dost thou ever know any woman bring forth in her sleep or in a dream without feeling any pain and how then should the heart of man be thus new changed and moulded without several pangs look as it is in the natural birth there are many pangs and troubles in in sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children so it is and must be in our spiritual birth there is usually I will not say alwayes to such or such a degree many pangs and troubles there 's many a throb and many an heart-ach ere Christ can be formed in us 3. When Christ was born there was a discovery of many of the Glorious attributes of God then Mercy and Truth met together and righteousness and peace kissed each other then especially was a discovery of the Goodness and Power and Wisdom and Holiness of God So when this New Birth is we must look upon it as a glorious discovery of those lovely Attributes As 1. Of his Mercy Goodness Love how often is this called his Grace and the riches of his Grace Christians you that know what the New Birth means do you not say The Goodness of God appears in this surely it was Gods Goodness to make a World but this is the riches of his Goodness to create a New Heart in you when Man by his sin was fallen he might have been thrown away as refuse fit fuel only for everlasting flames it might have been with mankind as it was with Devils in their deluge God did not provide an Ark to save so many as eight persons not one Angel that fell was the Object of Gods Grace And that God should pass by all those Angels and many thousands of the Sons Men and yet that he should look upon you in your Blood and bid you Live O the goodness of God! 2. As of the Goodness so in this New Birth there 's a discovery of Gods power and hence it is called a New Creature The very same Power that framed the World Gal. 6.15 is the framer of this New Creature the work of Conversion is set forth by the Work of Creation God only creates Man and God only converts Man in the Creation God said Let there be Light and there was Light in our conversion God saith Let there be Light and presently the same God shines in our hearts Nay this Power of conversion in some sense far passeth the Creation To whom is the Arm of the Loâ—d revealed Isa 53.1 the Lord puts to his Arm his Power his Strength indeed in Conversion of Souls when he made the World he met with nothing to resist him he only spake the word and it was doâ—e but in the conversion of a sinner God meets with the whole frame of all creatures opposing and resisting him the Devil and the World without and sin and corruption within here then must needs be a Power against all Power 3. As of the Goodness and Power of God so in this New Birth there 's a discovery of the Wisdom of God I might instance in many particulars As 1. In that the regenerate are most-what of the meanest and contemptiblest persons not many wise 1 Cor. 1.27 not many noble c. 2. In that many times God takes the worst Weeds and makes them the sweetest Flowers thus Paul Zacheus the Publicans and Harlots 3. In that the regenerate are of the fewest and least number many are called but few are chosen 4. In that God chooseth such a time to be his time of love wherein he usually discovers many concurrences of strange love meeting together read Ezek. 16.4 5 6 8 9. in all these particulars is his Wisdom wonderful 4. As of the Goodness Power and Wisdom of God so in this New Birth there 's a discovery of the holiness of God If a clod of Earth or a piece of Muck should be made a glorious Star in Heaven it is not more wonderful than for a sinner to be made like an Angel doing the Will of God it argues the
Mat. 26.65 as making himself equal with God yea see how the high Priest rends his clothes saying he hath spoken blasphemy Surely all this he endured that very blasphemers may find mercy if they will but come in and believe in Jesus I might instance in other sins art thou a Traytor a glutton a drunkard a wine-bibber a thief a seducer a companion of sinners why see now how Jesus Christ was for thy sake thus called reputed accounted whatever the sin is there 's something in Christ that answers that very sinfulness thou art a sinner and he is made sin to satisfie the wrath of God even for thy sin thou art such and such a sinner and he is accounted such and such a sinner for thy sake that thou mightest find in him something suitable to thy condition and so the rather be encouraged to believe that in him and through him all thy sins shall be done away Away away unbelief distrust despair you see now the brazen serpent lifted up you see what a blessed object is before you O believe O look up unto Jesus O believe in him thus carrying on the work of thy salvation in his death SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us during his sufferings and death What! did he suffer and dye Rom. 5.8 Greater love than this hath no man that a man should give his life for his friends but God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Why here 's an argument of love indeed how should we but love him who hath thus loved us in prosecution of this I have no more to do but first to shew Christ's love to us and then to exercise our love to him again 1. For his love to us had not God said it and the Scriptures recorded it who would have believed our reports yet Christ hath done it and it is worth our while to weigh it and consider it in an holy meditation Indeed with what less than ravishment of Spirit can I behold the Lord Jesus who from everlasting was cloathed with Glory and Majesty now wrapped in rags cradled in a manger exposed to hunger thirst weariness danger contempt poverty revilings scourgings persecution but to let them pass into what extasies may I be cast to see the Judg of all the world accused judged condemned to see the Lord of life dying upon the tree of shame and curse to see the eternal Son of God strugling with his Fathers wrath to see him who had said I and my Father are one sweating drops of blood in his agony and crying out on his cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh whither hath his love to mankind carried him had he only sent his creatures to serve us had he only sent his Prophets to advise us in the way to Heaven had he only sent his Angels from his chamber of presence to attend upon us and to minister to us it had been a great deal of mercy or if it must be so had Christ come down from Heaven hnmself but only to visit us or had he come only and wept over us saying Oh that you had known even you in this your day the things belonging to your peace Oh that you had more considered of my goodness Oh that you had never sinned this would have been such a mercy as that all the world would have wondered at it but that Christ himself should come and lay down his blood and life and all for his people and yet I am not at the lowest that he should not only part with life but part with the sense and sweetness of God's love which is a thousand times better than life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life that he should be content to be accursed that we might be blessed that he should be content to be forsaken that we might not be forsaken that he should be content to be condemned that we might be acquitted O what raptures of Spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of this so infinite mercy be thou swallowed up O my soul in this depth of Divine love and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world when thou hast such a Saviour to take them up Come look on thy Jesus who dyed temporally that thou mightest live eternally who out of his singular tenderness would not suffer thee to burn in hell for ten twenty thirty forty an hundred years and then recover thee by which notwithstanding he might better and deeper have imprinted in thee the blessed memory of a dear Redeemer no no this was the Article betwixt him and his Father That thou shouldst never come there see but observe but Christ's love in that mutual agreement betwixt God and Christ Oh I am pressed saith God with the sins of the world as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves come my Son either thou must suffer or I must damn the world Accordingly I may imagine the Attributes of God to speak to God Mercy cryes I am abused and Patience cryes I am despised and goodness cryes I am wronged and Holyness cryes I am contradicted and all these come to the Father for Justice crying to him that all the world were opposers of his Grace and Spirit and if any be saved Christ must be punished In this case we must imagine Christ stepped in nay rather than so saith Christ I will bear all and undertake the satisfying of all And now look upon him he hangs on the cross all naked all torn all bloody betwixt Heaven and Earth as if he were cast out of Heaven and also rejected by Earth he hath a Crown indeed but such a one as few men will touch none will take from him and if any rash man will have it he must tear hair skin and all or it will not come his hair is all clodded with blood his face all clouded with black and blew he is all over so pittifully rent outwards inwards body and soul I will think the rest alas when I have spoken all I can I shall speak under it had I the tongues of men and Angels I could not express it Oh love more deep than hell Oh love more high than heaven the brightest Seraphims that burn in love are but as sparkles to that mighty flame of love in the heart of Jesus 2. If this be Christ's love to us what is that love we owe to Christ Oh now for an heart that might be some wayes answerable to these mercies Oh for a soul sick of love yea sick unto death how should I be otherwise or any less affected this only sickness is our health this death our life and not to be thus sick is to be dead in sins and trespasses why surely I have heard enough for which to love Christ for ever The depths of God's grace are
the holy One and ye know all things But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and hence it is that this holy spirit is called the Spirit of wisdom Eph. 1.17 and revelation in the knowledge of God 2. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of adoption it brings our souls into that blessed estate that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.16 3. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of prayer I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered It is not said that the spirit teacheth us words and fluent phrases but it teacheth us to pray in the heart and spirit with sighs and groans 4. The spirit of Christ is a spirit of sanctification the Apostle having told the Corinthians that they had been notorious sinners 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 1.4 saith further that they were washed and sanctified by the spirit of God Hence the holy spirit is called The spirit of holiness because he makes us holy who were in our selves corrupt and sinful If we have thiâ— spirit it inclines our hearts to the things above it mortifies our lusts it brings us nearer unto God the spirit therefore that is impure and encourageth men in sin and cries up carnal Liberty is certainly none of the spirit of Christ and by this one sign many carnal pretenders of our times may be justly convicted 5. The Spirit of Christ is a spirit of love God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God 1 John 4.16 Gal. 5.22 and God in him as the spirit is love so it begets love in the hearts of his people The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance All these graces are the fruits of the spirit but the first grace in the link is love by his spirit we are taught to love God not only for his benefits but in respect of his nature for his goodness mercy justice holiness and all other his saving attributes by his spirit we are taught to love any thing that hath but the stamp and image of God upon it but as touching brotherly love 1 Thes 4.2 ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another the most of the Heretical spirits of these times do hereby shew that they have not the Spirit their very religion lyeth in rayling at ministers and reproaching those that are not in their way this is far from the Spirit of love that is in God's Children certainly where there is malice hatred strife bitter-envyings raylings revilings for such kind of persons to lay claim to the Spirit of unity it is a piece of impudent vanity and a false suggestion from their own corrupt erring spirit or from the spirit of error himself who is an hater reviler and the accuser of the brethren 6. The Spirit of Christ is a leading Spirit Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God But what is this leading of the Spirit I Answer 1. It is a drawing of the soul Christ-ward Cant. 1.4 Draw me saith the Spouse and we will run after thee There must be a drawing of the soul in every duty to Jesus Christ I say to Jesus Christ for a man may be furnished with eminent gifts and with suitable assistance in the laying out of those gifts from the Spirit and yet he may be without the leadings of the spirit gifts exercised cannot suppress corruptions in a man 's own heart and hence they that used their gifts are called workers of iniquity Mat. 7.23 Jer. 30.21 gifts do not carry out the heart towards Christ but graces do I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. 2. It is a giving liberty to the soul to walk in the wayes of Christ 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty I mean not a liberty to sin but to duty nor yet every liberty to duty for a man may exercise himself in the external part of all duties and yet be without the leadings of the spirit but I mean such a liberty as when a soul accounts it an high favour from the Lord if he will but use him in any services for himself when it finds more delectation in these than in any other wayes Psal 119.34 173 174. Rom. 7.22 Rom. 8.2 I have chosen the way of truth saith David and therein is my delight And I delight in the law of God after the inner man saith Paul for the law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death 3. It is a corroberating or strengthening of the soul against all those impediments that would hinder it in the wayes of Christ Isa 63.11 12 13 14. Israel is said to be led by the spirit of the Lord and how did he lead them but by dividing the waters before them and by keeping them that they should not stumble many times God's holy ones are beset with temptations they find their hearts full of deadness hardness unbelief and all manner of distempers now if at such a time the mountains have been made planes if at such a time corruptions have been born down and their hearts have been let out towards Christ certainly these are the leadings of the spirit Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God the particular for argues mortification to appertain unto the leadings of the spirit There is in the Saints a constant opposition between the works of the flesh and the works of the spirit Gal. 5.17 18. now when the works of the flesh are kept underneath and prevailed against then a soul enjoyeth the leadings of the spirit I know such oppositions are not in any but Saints carnal men would wonder that any should complain for want of strength unto duties why they can easily come up to them and be in the exercise of them but alas this arises either from Satans not molesting them in the performance of duty because they look not
as Rev. 20.12 1. The Book must be opened And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life It is spoken after the manner of men in whose publick Judgments are produced all the writings of the process informations depositions of witnesses to shew that all actions Aug. l. 20. de civitate Dei cap. 14. even the most secret ones shall then be rehearsed and made manifest Augustine thinks these Books to be the Books of the Old and New Testament wherein all things either to be done or omitted are prescribed by God and then shall these Books be opened Rom. 2.16 Orig. Com. ad Rom. 14. because according to them shall sentence be given In that day God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Origen and all most all with him think these Books to be the Books of our consciences which now are shut up and concealed from men but then shall be made manifest to all the world whatever these Books are we find here one Book opened which is proper to the Saints called the Book of Life This Book contains in it the names of all that are elected from first to last Thou John and thou Joseph and thou Judeth and thou Mary and thou Elizabeth c. you are all Book'd down there is the particularity and there is the certainty Your names are written in Heaven rejoyce in it Oh what is the joy of Saints when once they see this book opened and their names inrolled engraven there in letters of glory This very Book clears it to me that God from all eternity made choice of a particular and determinate number of Persons to save them and that none other can be saved but those who were so elected and whosoever are so elected Rev. 13.8 17.8 they shall not fall away All that worship the Beast their names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb from the foundation of the world On the other side Rev. 3.5 He that overcometh the same shall be written in the Book of life and I will not blot out his name but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels This is the day when that book of life shall be opened and Christ shall read the names of every elect person before God and Angels not that Christ needs a book or indeed reads a name but that his Election stands so firm that he knows every predestinated Saint as well as we know their names whom for our memories we commit unto our books and then he will so honour his Saints that he will publish their names to all the world 2. All the actions demeanours graces duties and it may be sins of Saints shall be produced and laid open the holy Ghost tells us that the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books It appears hence that not onely names but things were written and these things were produced and accordingly they were judged 1. As to evil things unfruitful works of darkness It is a question and I dare not be too positive in it viz. Whether the sins of God's People shall be manifest at the day of Judgment Some are for the negative because God in his promises speaks so expresly Isa 43.25 44.22.38.17 John 5.24 Of forgiving iniquities of remembring them no more of blotting them out of throwing them into the bottom of the Sea of casting them behind his back in which respect say they the Godly are said not to come into Judgement I suppose this last Text is ill urged for by Judgment is not meant discussion but condemnation and in our best Translations so it is rendred others are for the affirmative upon these grounds 1. Because many of the Godly and wicked men's sins are mingled together and there cannot be a Judgment of discussion preceding that of condemnation unless Godly men's sins are also produced 2. Because it is spoken generally in respect of all sorts that the Books were opened By which Books most understand the consciences of men and by the opening of those Books they understand the manifesting clearing and discovering of consciences at that general day 3. Because the Scriptures are express for the affirmative not but that those Texts are truths that sins are forgiven blotted out thrown away to be remembred no more i.e. as to condemnation but as for exploration or discussion the Lord speaks universally that of every idle word that men speak Mat. 12.36 they shall give an account thereof at the day of Judgment If the ballance weigh down on this side for my part I am not peremptory but shall easily submit to the spirits of the Prophets yet this manifestation shall not be for the shame grief trouble ignominy or confusion of the godly but only for the setting up of God's justice and that the goodness and free grace of God in Christ may be made more illustrious how will Christ then be exalted when all the world shall see his righteousness and goodness his truth and mercy now again meeting together and kissing each other it was so at his first coming and it will be so at his second coming then shall his justice and mercy his righteousness and goodness be manifested to all in that by his own merits notwithstanding their sins he will bring all his Saints to his heavenly glory 2. As for good things whether good works duties or graces there is no question but all these will be that day produced and laid open 1. We see Christ enumerating the good works of them on his right hand for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked Mat. 25.35 26. and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me in prison and ye came unto me It is true in this catalogue we find nothing of faith but all of works but certainly faith is included as the life of the Tree is included in the fruit not only nor principally are works here mentioned for the goodness of the work considered in it self but as these works did express our faith and love to Jesus Christ in that by saith we could see Christ in a poor beggar or prisoner and could love Jesus Christ in these poor better than all our worldly goods or liberties I do not wonder that Paul adviseth his Corinthians See that ye abound in this grace of contribution to the Saints 2 Cor. 8.7 Phil. 1.9 1 Thes 1.12 and that he prayeth his Philipians And this I pray that your love may abound yet more And that he prayeth for his Thessalonians now the Lord make you to increase and to abound in love one towards another and towards all men and that he praiseth God in their behalf We are bound to thank God always for you brethren as it is