salvations unto his King and sheweth mercy Psal 18. 51. unto his annointed to David and to his seed for ever 7. That the Priests should be cloathed with salvation and the Psal 132. 16. Saints with joyfullnesse that is the ministration of the Priests should be profitable and saving to the people which should be an ornament to them as a garment of honour and the people should sing cheerefully The salvation of the person only is not here meant but the conservation of the ministery as if it should be said I will cause that the ministery of the Priests be safe that it shall not be troubled with ungodly men nor defiled with the filth of errour and that it shall be effectuall in the minds of the godly and many by the blessing of this ministery may obtaine eternall happinesse It may also be applied to the private salvation of the Priests because they should be defended and protected from above and adorned with blessings of all kind Great and pretious are the promises which God hath given to Israel in this Covenant as that God by visible testimonies of his presence would be pleased to dwell amongst them and not forsake them that he would heare their prayers when they prayed before him towards his holy Temple that the Church and politie of Israel should continue that it should be effectuall and the people blessed with rest peace 2 Sam. 25. 5. Rom. 11. 29. Lam. 5. 19. Gal. 3. 20. 2 Sam. 25. 5. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 5. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 23. 5. Isa 21. 5. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 178. 19 Psal 132. 17. Judg. 20. 22. Gen. 14. 8. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 1. 7 8 12. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 9. 2. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sym. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Th. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh 2. 8. Psa 50. 21. 1 King 2. 3 4. 1 King 3. 6. 1 King 8. 57 58. 1 Chro. 28. 7. I will establish his Kingdome for ever if he endeavour to doe my Commandements 2 Sam. 23. 5. Psal 78. 71. Psal 101. 1 2. Hodie non imperavi quia nemini bene seci joy and blessings of all sorts spirituall and temporall This Covenant that God made with David is everlasting that is unchangeable because the gifts and calling of God is without repentance His word shall be established for ever in Heaven and though the course of the promise be interrupted for a time it shall bud and spring and bring forth fruit It is also a well ordered Covenant in all things fitly marshalled disposed or set forth as an army in comely order orderly addressed prepared setled furnished directed firme and sure that is the good things promised were all prepared and in readinesse and should be performed in comely order and fit season But the ordering of this most desired and saving Covenant was in the power and pleasure of God both in respect of his house the Kingdome and the whole Church of Christ who had faithfully promised and would effectually make good in his own time whatsoever he had spoken And it is a sure Covenant faithfully to be kept and observed a Covenant that God doth remember taketh heed unto and will make good for his mercy sake For the Lord is faithfull and will not deny himselfe though we be inconstant unfaithfull and apt to start aside The condition of this Covenant is that they should walke in the wayes of the Lord and keepe his watch take heed to the charge of the Lord their God and keepe his statutes and his Commandements and his judgements and his testimonies to walke before the Lord in truth with all their soules The Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers that he forsake us not nor leave us That he may bow our hearts unto him that we may walke in all his wayes and keepe his Commandements and his Statutes and his Lawes which he commanded our Fathers Particularly He that ruleth over men that is the Israelites must be just ruling in the feare of God And thus it is observed of David That he fâ—d Jacob and Israel according to the integrity of his heart and guided or led them by the discretion of his hands that is with most prudent and discreete administration managed he them This was that which David promised I will sing of mercy and judgement to thee O Lord will I sing I will doe wisely in the perfect way oh when wilt thou come unto me The Priests they must justly and holily administer their office Let the Priests be cloathed Psal 132. 9. with righteousnesse The Prophet speakes not so much of the righteousnesse of their persons but of their office the first is a great ornament of the ministery the other more necessary in respect of the body of the Church sc that they fullfill their ministery teaching sound and incorrupt doctrine exhorting admonishing comforting sacrificing and performing all other offices and services which the Lord commanded The whole body of the people they should walke in holinesse sing of the praises of God and give up themselves unto God as an holy people zealous of good works As for the execution of this Covenant First David did fight the warres of God and the Lord was with him and did prosper 2 Sam. 7. 2. 1 Chro. 17. 2. 1 Chro. 23. 25. 2 Sam. 5. 9 10 12. 1 Chro. 1â— 1 3. and 16. 1 2 3 c. Ps 132. 1 2 3. Aâ—xia animi sollicitudine him untill his enemies were subdued and the people had rest and peace from them that were round about them 2. He prepared a place for the Arke of the Lord at Jerusalem and set it there David prepared a place for the Arke of the Lord and pitched for it a tent And he gathered all Israel together to bring up the Arke of the Lord unto his place which he had ordained for it Remember David and all his afflictions how he swore unto God and vowed a vow unto the mighty God of Jacob. 3. He set the courses of the Priests in their offices and the Levites 2 Chron 8. 14. and 29. 25. 1 Chron. 23. 28 29 30. 1 Chron. 24 1 2 c. in their watches for to praise and minister before the Priests every day and the Porters by their courses at every gate The office of the Levites was under the hand of the sonne of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord in the courts and chambers and in the purifying of holy things and in the worke of the service of the house of God c. So David and the Captaines of the Army 1 Chro. 25. 1 2. separated for the ministery the sonnes of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun who should sing prophecies with Harpes with Viols and with Cymbals He appointed
his power kept them by faith unto Salvation Though the house of David lost the Kingdome and government in Israel yet God preserved his posterity untill Christ came in whom the throne of David was established for ever for this was absolutely promised But the temporall glory of Davids house and the peace of Israel was changed because they changed the ordinances neglected the charge and brake the Commandements of God If his sonnes forsake my Law and walke not in my Psal 89. 31 32 judgements If they prophane my statutes and keep not my Commandements Then will I visit his transgressions with the rod and his sin with scourges If ye turne away and forsake my statutes and my Commandements 2 Chron. 7. 19 20 21 22. which I have set before you and shall goe and serve other gods and worship them Then will I pluck them up out of my Land which I have given them and this House which I have sanctified for my Name will I cast out of my sight and will make it to be a Proverbe and a common talke among all people And this House which is most high shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it so that he shall say Why hath the Lord done thus to this Land and to this House And they shall answer Because they forsooke the Lord God of their Fathers which brought them out of the Land of Egypt and have taken Sep. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hould on other gods and have worshipped them and served them therefore hath he brought all this evill upon them Davids heart was not perfect with the Lord in the matter of Vriah and for that cause the sword of God never departed from his house When Solomâ—n waxed old and gave his heart to pleasure his outlandish wives inticed him to Idolatry and the Lord rent ten tribes from the house of David In after times the house of David fell away more and more the Priests neglected the charge of God and the people grew prophane obstinate impenitent and then the Lord abhorred his people was wroth with his heritage and gave his glory unto the enemies hand Jerusalem was laid wast and desolate the Temple burnt with fire the Princes led captive and made tributary the aged were despised the young men made slaves and bond men maidens dâ—floured and children dashed against the walles They were slaine with the sword burnt up with famine languished through oppression misery and sorrow had in contempt and derision daily but there was none to pittie or comfort them Neverthelesse the promise of God was firme and sure to all the seed in respect of the things absolutely promised for the infidelity of man cannot make the faith of God of none effect Hence we learne two things are to be considered in the Covenant 1. The persons in Covenant according to the externall administration or according to the effectuall purpose and internall administration 2. The good things promised not only temporall but spirituall For they are either such as are absolutely necessary to salvation or such as concerne the welfare of a Christian his peace joy chearfull and constant walking with God without offence and such like To the first sort the promises of the Covenant are made sincerely but conditionally If they doe well they shall be accepted if they consent and obey they shall inherit the good things of the Land To the other being effectually called all other promises are made absolutely or at least shall absolutely be made good because God will give them to doe what he requireth Effectuall calling is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy It is wrought freely effectually certainly but when where and as the Lord will not conditionally nor according to promise to this or that person God promiseth he will preserve his Church and uphold the seed of David but to this or that person God hath not promised that he shall be brought home or gathered to the flock The Covenant made presupposeth man called and taking hold of the Covenant it doth not promise that he shall be effectually wrought upon and powerfully drawne to lay hould upon the promise Faith is the gift of God which he giveth as he pleaseth but to the believer he assureth all other necessary good things with continuance in faith according to his free Covenant Of good things spirituall there be two sorts as was said some absolutely necessary as faith repentance pardon of sinne perseverance eternall life and these are all most certainly promised and assuredly conferred And though Justification and eternall life be conditionall promised unto and so bestowed upon the unfained beleever yet may they be called absolute because God giveth to the man in Covenant every thing necessary to Salvation Other things are good in themselves and profitable as joy and chearfulnesse of heart deliverance from scandalous and reproachfull evils wounding conscience and grieving the Spirit And these are not promised nor evermore bestowed upon the faithfull David may be an instance hereof He was not preserved from sinne-wasting conscience and staining the soul but was recovered from the danger thereof To repent of the sinne and to be pardoned of free grace was necessary to Salvation God therefore vouchsafed this sure mercy unto him To be kept from falling was not of that necessity God therefore suffered him to fall to cure pride of heart make him know himself and magnifie the riches of his grace in his recovery This is evident from this that in the Covenant as the Lord promised mercy which he performed so he threatned judgement and destruction against them that did disobey if they persisted obstinate and would not returne And therefore both in shewing mercy and inflicting punishment the Lord dealt according to promise Sometimes when the house of David sinned the Lord spared them but then he gave them hearts to humble themselves and so the judgement was prevented Thus saith the Lord Ye have forsaken me therefore have I also left you in the 2 Chron. 12. 5 6 7 8. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hands of Shishak Then the Princes of Israel and the King humbled themselves and said The Lord is just And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah saying They have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them but I will send them deliverance shortly and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak Neverthelesse they shall be his servants so shall they know my service and the service of the vers 12. Kings of the earth And because he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him that he would not destroy him altogether And also in Judah the things prospered Sometimes the Lord poured his wrath upon Judah and Jerusalem according as he threatned but he let them goe on in the stubbornnesse of their hearts
shall flourish The word of the Lord doth alwaies good to them that walke uprightly Micha 2. 7. God doth pronounce all good to them that live according to his Commandments instructions will sinke into such hearts the promises cheare and revive them by the doctrines they are made wise they increase in wisdome they grow Psal 73. 1. from one measure of grace and comfort to another God is good to Israel even to them that be of an upright heart and the word of God doth speake mercie peace quickning and doe good to the upright in heart The integrity of the upright shall guide and Prov. 11. 3. preserve them that is shall procure good direction from the Lord both for his service and for their own happinesse and make them tractable to follow it Contrary to this is the condition of the crooked and unstable who are not led by the word but over-ruled by their lusts and therefore misled by them to their undoing For thus standeth the opposition the integrity of the upright shall guide them in the way and so preserve them but the frowardnesse of the wicked will keepe them from the way and so destroy Isa 40. 4. 1 Sam. 12. 13. Psal 143. 10. â— them The path of the upright is even strait plaine lightsome good the next and shortest cut to heaven that can be I will teach you saith Samuel the good and the right way And the Saints pray Let thy good Spirit bring me into the Land of uprightnesse that is an even and plaine Land where my feet should not stumble Teach me thy way O Lord and leade me in a plain path Psal 27. 11. a way of uprightnesse that my foot tread not aside that I doe nothing unjustly to the dishonour of thy name or offence of mine adversaries God is both the Sun and Shield of the upright their buckler of defence and comfort in this life their crowne and glory in the life to come God saveth the upright in heart He is Psal 7. 10. Prov. 2. 7. Psal 25. 21. Psal 125. 4. Psal 97. 11. a Buckler to them that walke uprightly They may pray with confidence Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me for I hope in thy word Doe good O Lord to them that be good to them that be upright in heart Light is sowne for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Comfort is reserved and laid up in store for them though hidden for the present as seed in the ground which will spring and ripen This life is the seed time of an upright man the harvest of his comfort shall be in heaven neverthelesse some portion of that heavenly treasure the Lord doth impart unto him on earth Therefore the upright are called upon Psal 36. â—0 again and againe to rejoyce in the Lord at all times in all conditions to rejoyce heartily before him Shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart praise is comely for the upright All the upright Psal 32. 11. Psal 33. 1. Psal 64. 10. Psal 112. 4. in heart shall glory Vnto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse scil God gracious mercifull and righteous is his light joy and salvation or it ariseth from God mercifull gracious and righteous as some interpret it The secret of the Lord is with the Prov. 3. 31. upright that is his secret and hidden wisdome of attaining true happinesse They are of the Lords privy Councell his intimate and familiar friends whom he will instruct in the way that they Psal 15. 2. Psâ—l 140. 13. Isa 33. 14 15 16. should choose They shall abide in the Mountaine of his holinesse and dwell in his presence for evermore The upright shall dwell with the everlasting burning and not be consumed The Lord will astonish them with feares that give themselves to all manner of sinne and wickednesse but as for them that love and follow uprightnesse he communicateth himselfe graciously and familiarly unto them He stiles himselfe a consuming fire least his Majestie and power should be contemned but whosoever draw nigh unto him with a true and unfained desire to please him in all things they shall feele by the effects that his presence is most sweet and aimiable Psal 112. 2. Neither doth the blessing of God reach to the upright only but to their posterity The generation of the upright shall be blessed But as for the crooked and perverse it is not so with them for their sins are uncovered The froward is an abhomination to the Lord their hope shall perish they shall be cut off from the earth they shall be taken in their own naughtinesse and their end shall be accursed The effects of uprightnesse are many but specially these 1. An heavenly disposition of heart whereby we are affected to love all good and hate all evill truly according to the nature and degree thereof and to have respect universally not equally to every Commandment The high way of the upright is to depart Prov. 16. 17. from evill that is to depart from evill is the case-way of the upright in which they walke rightly fitly securely or in great safety The uprightnesse of David is thus described that he did according 1 King 9. 4. to all that the Lord commanded him and kept his Statutes and his Judgements that he did that which was right in the 1 King 15. 5. eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the daies of his life Thus the uprightnesse of Zacharie Luk. 1. 6. and Elizabeth They walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse An honest heart mainly desires to please God in matters of justice and judgement the great and weighty matters of the Law for God desires mercy and not Hos 6. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 22. sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings and in the duties of his particular calling because every tree must beare his owne fruit and every man attend to his proper charge and in such duties as in respect of time and place be of greater importance because he must not be wanting to the opportunity but he takes care withall to be faithfull in every circumstance pin hoofe and naile These things ought ye to have done The upright Mat. 23. 23 2. â— mans assurance and resolution is this Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy commandments I have refrained Psal 119. 6. vers 101. my feet from every evill way that I may keepe thy word For they doe nothing with an upright heart that give themselves liberty to transgresse any one commandment If a man shall keepe Jam. 2. 10. the whole Law soil in outward and externall actions and yet offend in one point willingly and of indulgence so as by the Covenant of grace he shall be held a transgreslour he is guilty-of all Of frailty and weaknesse a man may and
the most holy doth break every commandment and is guilty of none so as it shall be imputed unto him But he that habitually willingly on set purpose shall dispence with himselfe in the transgression of any one commandment or any branch thereof he is a trespasser he shall be accounted guilty 2. To be upright is to stand as it were in Gods presence as one of the words doth signifie Isa 57. 2. as was shewed before I 2 Cor. 12. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 17. 4. 2. 7. 12. Psal 18. 22 23. Psal 119. 16â— have set the Lord alwaies before me Psal 16. 8. So David protesteth his uprightnesse for all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his Statutes from me I was also upright before him and I kept my selfe from mine iniquity And I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my waies are before thee Thus Job proveth himself to be no hypocrite as his friends Job 13. 15 16. imagined Though he slay me yet will I trust in him but I will prove mine owne waieâ— before him He also shall be my salvation for an hypocrite shall not come before him And seeing he walketh as under the eye and in the sight of the Almighty therefore in some measure he is alike in all places and companies because he remembreth well that God is present in every place and doth behold and discerne all his actions yea his secret imaginations 3. The third effect of uprightnesse is hatred of all sinne of our bosome delightfull profitable sins of secret sins of the sins of our inclination custome education whatsoever but more in our selves then in others and love of good specially the best and chiefest good in others as in our selves Homebred sin is most hatefull because most hurtfull to the soule pernicious to our State dishonourable to God And it is a good token of a plaine and down-right heart when a man is willing to see ready to acknowledge and can with eagernesse of affection set against his owne sinne rather then against the sins of other men For the love of sin is abandoned the heart is framed to self-deniall which it hath not by nature but by grace and sinne will have no pleasure to lodge in that heart where it is thus pursued But true goodnesse is lovely in all men because it proceeds from God conformeth a man after the image of God and inableth to the obedience of his commandment and whose heart is right with God he cannot but rejoyce to see his name glorified by whomsoever 4. Delight in the most high at all times in all conditions prosperity and adversity evill report and good report making God the stay of our soules when oppressing trouble lieth heavie upon us and walking before him in humility meekenesse and feare when all things prosper according to our hearts desire and readily performing our vowes which we made in the day of our calamity Job 27. 10. Job 3. 23. and 2. 3 10. This is a notable effect of uprightnesse Thus Job confirmeth his uprightnesse in adversity he called upon God and waited upon his aide in prosperity he remembred his change eschewed evill stood in awe of God shewed mercy to the poore fatherlesse and widdow comforted them that were in distresse in both estates God was his delight and his portion It is a double and crooked heart that starts aside and varieth in obedience according to outward conditions that goeth forward or backward on this side and on that as occasion requireth that praisetâ— mercy in his need but commendeth sparing and nearenesse when he washeth his pathes in butter The upright is resolved of his way and doth breake through all lets and barrs whatsoever may be cast before Prov. 21. 29. him in his journey A wicked man hardeneth his face but as for the upright he directeth his way As the ungodly man is obstinate in evill so is the upright constant in piety and will not be removed from it I have enclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alway even unto the end Hold thou me up and I Ps 119. 112 117 shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually 5. Respect of Gods approbation more then the applause of men resting well contented that we are allowed of him though disesteemed in the world is a good signe of an even and polished heart A good heart regardeth not much what men thinke or 1 Cor. 4. 3. 1 Thess 2. 4. say so God be well pleased I passe little to be judged of mans judgement yea I judge not my selfe As we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speake not as pleasing men but God who tryeth our hearts Let the world fawne or frowne speake faire or revile be quiet or persecute all is one a faithfull man will goe forward in his good course neither starting aside nor turning backe For the heart that is well directed seeketh heaven and not earth the favour of God not the faire countenance of men rest in the world to come not peace in this vale of misery and thus minding his â—ome prepared in heaven he goeth on his race not regarding how little his service is esteemed by earthly men 6. An honest heart is no lesse carefull to returne praise for graces and good things received then to beg supply of what is wanting Isa 33. 1. This is the study of the upright and it becomes them well in which they diligently apply themselves to set forth the goodnesse power mercy and rich grace of God vouchsafed unto them 7. To the upright man the hardest things are easie because they are industrious and chearefull in the workes they take in hand according to the Lords appointment The way of the slothfull is an hedge of thornes but the way of the upright Pro. 15. 19. is made plain 8. The down-right Christian is carefull to shunne all appearances occasions and provocations unto sin willing to suffer admonition and rebuke and constant in the use of all means that he Job 31. 1. Psal 141 4 5. might grow in grace The means whereby truth and uprightnesse may be attained and strengthened are 1. Constant and conscionable dependance upon the preaching of the word effectuall receiving and sound feeding upon it Desire 1 Pet. 2. 1. the sincere milke of the word saith the Apostle He cals the word sincere milke a milke without deceit It is in it selfe truth having the God of truth for the Authour Christ Jesus the truth for Joh. 14. 6. the witnesse the Spirit of truth for the composer of it and it worketh truth in the hearts of them that heare and receive it kindly It is mighty to the purging out of that leaven of fraud which is within us and to the transforming of us into the image of God if it be kindly planted and soundly rooted in the heart and conscience Sanctifie them with thy
invitation is life and salvation This is manifest in that the Lord doth earnestly againe and againe call upon impenitent and obstinate sinners to repent and believe protesting that he desires not their death but rather that they should repent and live when yet in his just and dreadfull judgement he hardeneth their hearts for their perversenesse and rebellion that they cannot repent But in respect of the good pleasure of God not to give them grace to repent and believe which of his rich mercy he gives to others who have abused what they received no lesse perhaps more then they the end is to manifest his justice in them for the contempt of his grace For what God doth command intreat perswade and promise that he doth will as he doth command in â—reat perswade and promise it But as God doth justly denie that grace to one which of his free love he vouchsafeth unto another so he willeth to manifest his justice in the one sort and the riches of his grace in the other Lastly Some object that they that are invited must either have Christ he not dying for them or misse of Christ though they repented whereof the former would argue mutability that Christ should die for men and not die for them and the latter would be a breach of promise A conceit not much unlike drove Socinus to denie the prescience of God because whencesoever this prescience commeth it is altogether certaine and from that is necessarily gathered an antecedent necessity of all things which are done Socin Praelect cap. 8. And in the same forme and manner a man may reason from the prescience of God if God approve the repentance and faith of them whom he doth certainly foreknow to have no portion or benefit by the death of Christ then either if they repent they shall have no benefit which is contrary to his promise or if they have benefit then is God deceived neither of which can be admitted without blasphemie And the answer to both these cavils is one that certaine it is Christ died for them that believe and whosoever believeth in him truly and unfainedly shall have benefit by his death but we need not we cannot say Christ died for them for whom he died not or that God is changeable For it is as sure and true that they will not repent and believe for whom Christ died not The connexion is good if the reprobate doe repent and believe unfainedly they shall be partakers of the benefits of Christs death but the simple Propositions are both false the reprobates doe repent and they are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death Carnall reasonings have brought forth strange monsters in Divinity and in this particular not a few It is good for us to acknowledge the wisdome justice goodnesse mercy and truth of God in all his wayes though we cannot wade into the depth of his counsels If men give themselves leave to reason thus against the protestations of the Lord why doth he intreat and perswade them to returne why doth he complaine that they will not come unto him if he give them not grace to come if they will if he doe not enable them Might they not plead as well against the fore-knowledge of God in the same manner if God certainly fore-know that men will not returne upon such invitation why doth he intreat againe and againe sending his Prophets early and calling upon them when by the refusall of such mercy they aggravate their sin and encrease their judgement Sure amongst men such a course would be accounted idle unlesse it was done for a further end One answer will suffice to both Objections but when shall we make an end if we give way to our ignorant and blind imaginations Now let us come to the second opinion which is that Christ died and by his death satisfied the justice of God for all that have believed doe believe or shall believe that they and they only are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death The death and redemption of Christ they deny not to be sufficient for the salvation See Malder antisynod p. 23 24 Tapper in schol Lovan Art 6. Fr. Sonn l. 3. demonst Relig. Christ cap. 19. Heb. 13. 20. Zach. 9. 11. Mat. 26. 26. and 20. 28. Mar. 14. 24. Isa 53. 12. Luk. 22. 20 Heb. 9. 28. of all men nor that it is effectuall in many particulars to some that believe not sincerely but that if the will of God or the event be considered in respect of saving benefits it was peculiar to the faithfull For Christ the Mediatour of the Covenant of grace died for them only that be comprehended in the Covenant of grace His bloud is the bloud of the everlasting Covenant of the Covenant that God of his grace hath stricken with his Church and was shed for them that have been are and shall be called into that Covenant This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sinnes For many both Jews and Gentiles of which the Church was to be gathered Luke hath it which is shed for you and so it was shed for them and for many of the same spirituall estate and condition with them for many under the same Covenant The word many is used for all sometime Rom. 5. 15 16 19. but here it is used rather to distinguish them that be in Covenant from them that be cast off and them to whom remission of sins purchased by the bloud of Christ Heb. 2. 10 13. is sealed in the Sacrament from them to whom it is applyed The remission of sinne here spoken of is not put for remissiblenesse but actuall remission granted and received for remission in act and application whereof all are not partakers If all be taken for the common sort and poore of the people which yet may be questioned and cannot be proved by any passage of Scripture or shew of reason and our Saviour used that phrase to testifie his aboundant love and humility in that he shed his bloud for the poore and inferiour ranks of men in this world it makes nothing against the former interpretation For not many mighty not many noble but the poore and base of this world are called and admitted into 1 Cor. 1. 21. Covenant But the faithfull only be effectually in Covenant they that be in Covenant according to the outward administration doe professe the faith and in some degree are conformable in respect of conversation they that be truely and effectually in Covenant doe soundly and unfainedly beleeve When the Scripture speakes of them that be out of Covenant it saith they are not knowne of God neither doe they know God that is they are not regarded of God neither Isai 55. 5. Exod. 4. 10. Exod. 5. 1. Jer. 10. 20. Isai 63. 8. Hos 1. 10. Tit. 2 14. Col 1. 21. Gal. 4. 26. Rom. 4. 16. doe they regard him when of them that live in Covenant it stileth
A TREATISE OF THE Covenant of GRACE WHEREIN The graduall breakings out of Gospel grace from Adam to Christ are clearly discovered the differences betwixt the old and new Testament aâ—â— laid open divers errours of Arminians and others are confuted the nature of Uprightnesse and the way of Christ in bringing the soul into Communion with himself Together with many other Points both doctrinally anâ— practically profitable are solidly handled By that faithfull servant of Jesus Christ and Ministeâ— of the Gospel JOHN BALL Published by SIMEON ASH I the Lord have called thee in righteousnesse and will hold thine hand and wâ— keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Geâ—tiles Isai 42. 6. But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenâ— Ierusalem and to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant and to the bloud sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Heb. 12 22 â—4 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew the◠〈◊〉 Covenant Psal 25. 14. LONDON Printed by G. Miller for Edwaâ—d Brewster on Ludgate hill neaâ— Fleet-bridge at the Signe of the Bible 16â—â— To the Christian Reader Good READER WE doe not conceive it necessary to give credit unto the ensuing Treatise by our Testimony seeing the learned and holy works of the Reverend Authour doe abundantly praise him in the gate His Catechisme with the exposition thereof his Treatise of the life of Faith together with other Books more lately published tending to reconcile the differences of these times doe sufficiently witnesse to the world both his great abilities and Pietie And if God had been pleased to lengthen his life we believe he might have been very serviceable in seeking to reconcile our present sad differences about Church-Government because as we understand he had thorowly studied all those Controversies But seeing the Lord hath deprived us of his help in that kinde we are right glad that the Church shall have the benefit of any labours which he hath left for publike use and in speciall of this subject the Covenant of Grace so needfull and profitable And that acquaintance which we had with this faithfull servant of Iesus Christ doth incline us with all willingnesse to give our approbation of this piece although our manifold imployments have not suffered us to peruse it so exactly as otherwise we should have done We shall desire that by thy faithfull improvement hereof thy knowledge of the foederall transactions betwixt God and his people through Iesus Christ may be much augmented unto his honour and thine everlasting happinesse in him in whom we are Thy faithfull Friends EDWARD REYNOLDS DANIEL CAWDREY EDMOND CALAMY THOMAS HILL ANTHONY BURGESS To the Reader Good READER THe worthy Authour of this Treatise who was my very dear and much honoured friend bequeathed unto me as a legacie of his love this with the rest of his Manuscripts This piece he prepared for the Presse purposing the enlargement of it if the Lord had continued his life and health and I am confident it would have come abroad better polished if he having compleated it had then survayed the whole fabrick when set together Although at the first I was unsatisfied in mine own thoughts whether I should adventure the printing of it because imperfect yet upon the importunity of Friends being incouraged by the judgement of some Reverend Divines who had perused it I have now made it publike without any addition diminution or alteration The subject of the book is excellent profitable and necessary even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to Col. 1. 26. the Saints That blessed Apostle who experimentally understood the utmost worth of humane learning did yet contemne it in comparison of that knowledge which is taught in this Treatise I determined not saith he to know 1 Cor. 2. 2. any thing among you among you knowing Corinthians save Jesus Christ. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse Phil. 3. 8. for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Oh how incomparably sweet and satisfying is it unto a self-studying Christian soul to be acquainted with the faithfull engagements of the Almighty Majestie unto the poor penitent siâ—ner through that Son of his loves in a Covenant of free rich everlasting grace This Covenant being transacted betwixt Christ and God here here lyes the first and most firm foundation of a Christians comfort I will give thee for a Câ—venant of the people and will Isai 49. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 10. establish the earth c. All the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen to the glory of God Therefore the Servants of the most High notwithstanding their own changeablenesse and unworthinesse may hold up their hearts and hopes to enjoy all Gospell-Prerogatives through him because God hath said I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isai 55. 1 3. The right understanding and the fruitfull improvement hereof will be seasonably supporting and solacing to Gods people in these dolefull distracted times We have through Gods mercy a glorious work the work of Church-Reformation under hand now though difficulties delayes and oppositions doe cast discouragements upon our hearts yet from hence we have heartning The mountains shall depart and the hils be removed but Isai 54. 10. 11. 12. my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay the foundations with Saphires c. And when bloudy oppressours prevail and prosper we may thus plead with our God Have respect unto the Covenant for the dark places Psaâ— 74. 10. of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty For the tenour of the Covenant which God makes with Christ and his spirituall seed runs thus If they break my statutes and Psal 89. 31 32. keep not my commandments Then will I visite their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips c. And As for Zech. 9. 1â— thee also by the bloud of the Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water How pretious beyond all expressions are the treasures of Gods love in the Covenant of Promise These mines are digged up and discovered in this discourse many obscure Scriptures full of rich Gospell-Grace are here interpreted from the originall languages and by a judicious comparing of one place with another The book I believe will commend it self unto the considerate Reader and because so
fall by whom not only the Elect but the whole frame of nature received benefit In the Creation God raised up a great Family wherein he made Adam the head and all his posterity inhabitors the frame of Heaven and Earth his domicile the creatures his servants this Family upon the fall was broken up the present Master turned out of his imployments the children beggered the servants returning to God their Soveraigne and the whole frame of the creature under attainder God thus defeated if I may so speake sets up a second Family called the Family of Heaven and Earth wherein Jesus Christ the womans seed Gen. 3. 19. is the Head Matth. 28. 18. Ephes 1. 22. Col. 1. 19 20. stiled the second Adam Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth and that with more soveraignty and amplitude of injoyment then ever the first Adam had the whole creature being put under his feet The children of this Family are the faithfull who be the adopted Brethren Rom. 8. 15. sometimes called the seed The servants be the wicked and those of two sorts either such as attend in the Church neerer about Christs person or further off as in farme-houses for baser offices The creatures by a second ordinance from their former Master free are stated upon Christ though they beare some brands of evill from the sinne of their former Master the domicile though not so beautifull returnes to Christ So the Covenant of Grace entring upon the breaking up of the former Family investeth Christ with all as purchaser of the lost creature from revenging justice and as Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth who freely conferreth the heavenly inheritance upon the adopted sonnes and brethren and vouchsafeth earthly blessings and some spirituall common gifts to the wicked which may be called servants both those that more neerly attend his person and those that be further off But of this more hereafter CHAP. III. Of the Covenant of Grace in generall THe Covenant of Grace is that free and gracious Covenant which God of his meere mercy in Jesus Christ made with man a miserable and wretched sinner promising unto him pardon of sinne and eternall happinesse if he will return from his iniquity embrace mercy reached forth by faith unfained and walke before God in sincere faithfull and willing obedience as becomes such a creature lifted up unto such injoyment and partaker of such pretious promises This Covenant is opposite to the former in kind so that at one and the same time man cannot be under the Covenant of workes and the Covenant of grace For he cannot hope to be justified by his perfect and exact obedience that acknowledging himselfe to be a miserable and lost sinner doth expect pardon of the free mercy of God in Iesus Christ embraced by faith The condition of the Law as it was given to Adam excludes the necessity of mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne and the necessity of making a new Covenant argues the former could not give life Heb. 8. 7. He that is under grace cannot at the same time be under the law and he that waites for Salvation of meere and rich grace to be vouchsafed cannot expect it as the deserved wages of his good worke from justice and not of mercy What then may some say is the Law abolished or is it lawfull for Christians to live as they list because they be not under the Law Not so but the Law hath a double respect one as the unchangeable rule of life and manners according to which persons in Covenant ought to walke before and with the Lord and in this sense it belongs to the Covenant of grace The other as it is propounded in forme of a Covenant as if he must necessarily perish who doth neglect or breake it in the least jot or tittle and in this sense the Covenant of grace and workes are opposite The matter of Evangelicall precepts and of the Morall Law is the same but the forme of promulgation is not the same the rule is one but the Covenants differ Materialy the Law that is the matter and argument of the Law as a rule stands in force but if formally it did continue as a Covenant there could be no place for repentance nor for the promise of forgivenesse or mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne or the quickning of them that be dead in trespasses The Covenant of workes is of justice the Covenant of grace is of grace and mercy which cannot agree and take place in one and the same subject for he that tryâ—th justice perceiveth not the force of mercy è contra This might be common to both Covenants that God doth freely give reward because he was not bound unto it by any Law and that is done of grace which we are not tied unto by Law but in the Covenant of Grace he gives the reward of meere and rich grace and that to the creature which hath deserved Hell This Covenant entered immediately upon the fall and so may be called a Covenant of Reconciliation not of friendship At the very instant when God holy and true was pronouncing judgements upon the severall delinquents in the fall setting downe his sentence against the Tempter both in his instrument the Serpent and the maine Author Sathan he brings in the party who should execute the same in which execution is unfolded the Covenant of grace for the Salvation of the creature that the Serpent had destroyed that God might be knowne in wrath to remember mercy At the very fall and before judgement was pronounced upon the delinquents that were tempted the Covenant of mercy was proclaimed that by vertue of this Covenant God might prevent further waste of his creature which Sathan might haue wrought upon his new advantage in following his good successe and that the tempted might have some comfort before their judgement least they might have been swallowed up of wrath The Authour of this Covenant is God considered as a mercifull and loving Father in Iesus Christ as a Creator he strooke Covenant with Adam in his integrity as a Saviour he looked upon the poore creature plunged into sinne and misery by reason of sin The cause that moved the Lord to make this Covenant was not any worth dignity or merit in man for man never had ought which he had not received and now by his disobedience had deserved to be cast off for ever neither was the present misery into which he had cast himselfe the cause that moved the Lord to receive man into favour for the Angels more excellent by creation as miserable by their fall he hath reserved in chaines of darknesse The sole moving cause why God made this Covenant Bonitatis Dei donumest quod liberare nos voluit quod verò aliter quam tali modo liberare nos noluit pâ—ccatorum nostrorum est meritum was the love favour and mercy of the Lord. Deut. 7. 7 8. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers
an Oath to walke in Gods Law which was given by Moses the Servant of God and to observe and doe all the Commandements of the Lord our God and his Iudgements and his Statutes Neh. 10. 29. And thus runneth the exhortation of Joshua to the two tribes and halfe when he sent them home Take diligent heed to doe the Commandements of the Law which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you to love the Lord your God and to walke in all his wayes and to keepe his Commandements and to cleave unto him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soule Iosh 22. 5. Which must not so be understood as if he that did of frailty and infirmity offend in any one jot or tittle should be held a Covenant breaker for then no man should be innocent but the promise must be interpreted according as the Law or rule of obedience is given which calleth for perfection but accepteth sincerity In the Covenant of mercy we bind our selves to believe and rest upon God with the whole heart so as doubting or distrust of weaknesse and infirmity must be acknowledged a sinne but every such frailty doth not argue the person to be a transgressour of the Covenant And the same holds true of obedience But of this more largely in the particular manner how God hath been pleased to administer this Covenant Man then doth promise to serve the Lord and to cleave unto him alone which is both a debt of duty and speciall prerogative and he doth restipulate or humbly intreat that God would be mindfull of his holy Covenant or testimony that he would be his God his Portion his Protectour and rich reward These things be so linked together in the Covenant as that we must conceive the Promise of God in order of nature to goe before the Promise and obedience of man and to be the ground of faith whereby mercy promised is received The offer of mercy is made to man an unbeleever that he might come home and the promise must be conceived before we can beleeve else we should beleeve we know not what and faith should hang in the aire without any foundation but mercy offered is embraced by faith and vouchsafed to him that beleeveth Also the duty which God calleth for and man promiseth is mans duty but given of God By grace man is enabled and effectually drawne to doe what God commandeth The Covenant could not be of grace nor the good things covenanted if man by his own strength did or could performe what God requireth This Covenant was first published and made knowne by lively voice afterwards it was committed to writing the tables thereof being the holy Scripture It was made both by word and Psal 85. 4 35. Deut. 29. 12 14. Isai 54. 9. Heb. 6. 17 18. Gen. 22. 16. Luke 1. 72. Oath to demonstrate the certainty and constancy thereof and sealed by the Sacraments which on Gods part doe confirme the Promise made by him and on mans part are bils obligatory or hand-writings whereby they testifie and bind themselves to the performance of their duty For manner of administration this Covenant is divers as it pleased God in sundry manners to dispense it but for substance it is one the last unchangeable and everlasting One For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever The last for it Heb. 13. 8. succeeded the Covenant of works but none shall succeed it In it God hath revealed his whole pleasure touching the Salvation of man and hath manifested his principall properties the riches of his grace wherein he delighteth to be magnified He that is not saved by the Covenant of Grace must and shall perish everlastingly Unchangeable and everlasting for therein God hath revealed himselfe in respect of the things he willeth concerning mans Salvation to be one and the same for ever There is none other relation and respect that might give occasion to another Covenant It was the pleasure of God to shew mercy to man miserable but he will not extend compassion to him that obstinately and wilfully shall contemne the riches of his grace The Covenant made with Adam in the state of Innocency is altered for our great good and comfort but this Covenant is like the Covenant of the day Isai 24. 5. Psal 111 9. and of the night it stands fast for ever and ever Though men be unfaithfull God continueth faithfull he waiteth for the conversion 1 Sam. 7. 3. Deut. 4. 31. Jer. 3. 1 2. Rom. â— 6. and 11. 1 â—9 of them that goe astray and if they returne he will receive them into favour The Lord will not utterly cast off that people whom he hath once chosen and received unto mercy And in respect of the life to come the Covenant is eternall for after this life the people effectually in Covenant shall live with the Lord Hos 13. 14. Matth. 22. 32. for ever Externally this Covenant is made with every member of the Church even with the Parents and their children so many as heare and embrace the Promises of Salvation and give and dedicate their children unto God according unto his direction for the Sacraments what are they but seales of the Covenant But savingly effectually and in speciall manner it is made only with them who are partakers of the benefits promised And as the Covenant is made outwardly or effectually so some are the people of God externally others internally and in truth For they are thâ— people of God with whom God hath contracted a Covenant and who in like manner have sworne to the words of the Covenant God stipulating and the people receiving the condition which is done two wayes for either the Covenant is made extrinsecally God by some sensible token gathering the people and the people embracing the condition in the same manner and so an externall consociation of God and the people is made or the Covenant is enâ—red after an invisible manner by the intervention of the Spirit and that with so great efficacy that the condition of the Covenant is received after an invisible manner and so an internall consociation of God and the people is made up Here it may suffice briefly to mention these things because in the sundry manners of dispensation they will come to be discussed more at large From that which hath been said two things may be gathered 1. How the Covenant made with Adam called by some Divines the Covenant of Nature agreeth and differeth from the Covenant of Grace They agree in a generall consideration of 1. The Author which is God only wise most holy our supreme and absolute Soveraigne 2. The matter of the Covenant which is a Commandement and Promise of reward 3. The persons contracting or covenanting which are God and man 4. The Subject not differenced by speciall respects for the Law was given and Gospell revealed to man 5. The forme of administration because to both Covenants is annexed
a restipulation 6. The end viz. the blessednesse of man and the glory of God manifested in his wisdome bounty and goodnesse 7. As Adam in the state of Innocency was made able to fulfill the Covenant made with him so is the Covenant of Grace written in the hearts of them that be heires of the Promise in Christ They differ 1. In the speciall consideration of the Authour cause and foundation of the Covenants God gave his Law to Adam as bountifull and gratious to his creature intire and perfect but in strict justice requiring obedience promising a reward and denouncing punishment But the Covenant of Grace he made as a loving Father in Jesus Christ of his meere Grace promising to receive them into favour that sincerely and unfainedly turne unto him The Creation of man and integrity of humane nature is the Foundation of the former Covenant but the Redemption of man by Christ is the Foundation of the Covenant of Grace 2. In the forme of Sanction In the Covenant of Nature there is no Mediatour but the Covenant of Grace is made in Christ in whom God hath made us accepted The Covenant of Nature was not promised before it was promulgated but the Covenant of Grace was first promised and long after promulgated and established or ratified in the bloud of his Sonne 3. In the speciall matter of the Covenants and that both in respect of the Promise and stipulation For the Covenant of Nature promised life but not righteousnesse but in the Covenant of Grace God promiseth to tread Satan under the feet and to write his Law in the hearts of them that be heires of Salvation That Covenant promiseth life to them that perfectly obey but not remission or forgivenesse of any even the least iniquity But this promiseth forgivenesse of sinnes and life eternall to the penitent sinner believing in Christ and embracing the free promise of mercy In that life eternall is promised as the reward of justice in this life and glory as the reward of free and rich grace and mercy To him that worketh the wages is of debt but to him that beleeves the reward is of Grace In that God as a Creatour doth exact his right of man pure but in this as a loving Father he doth offer himselfe to the sinner smitten with the conscience of his sinne In that life eternall and most blessed is promised but only animal to be enjoyed in Paradise or continuance in that good estate wherein he was set at first of the rich bounty of God but in the other translation out of ignominy and death into eternall happinesse and glory in Heaven In the Covenant of Nature perfect obedience is exacted so that if there be but the least failing in any jot or title and that but once a man can never be justified thereby nor can the breach be made up by any repentance But in the Covenant of Grace obedience is required repentance admitted and sincerity accepted If a man sinne and goe astray if he returne unfainedly he shall be received into favour In the Covenant of Nature obedience and workes were commanded as the cause of life and justification in the Covenant of Grace Faith is required as the instrumentall cause of Remission and Salvation obedience as the qualification of the party justified and the way leading to everlasting blessednesse The object of obedience in the Covenant of Nature was God in the Covenant of Grace God in Christ 4. They differ in the speciall consideration of the Subject The first Covenant was given to man pure perfect intire and sound able to do what God required But the Covenant following was made with man a sinner miserable and by nature the child of wrath And so that was a Covenant of friendship this of firme Reconciliation 5. In the speciall and peculiar respect of the end For the former Covenant was made for the praise of Gods wisdome goodnesse bounty and justice But the Covenant of Grace was made to declare and set forth the riches of Gods grace and mercy In it the wisdome goodnesse power and justice of God is more illustrious then in the former and the mercy long-suffering and rich grace of God is greatly magnified which did not appeare or shine forth at all in the former 6. And in their Effects and Properties For not the Covenant of Nature but of Grace doth exclude boasting By the Covenant of Nature Adam was not advanced above the condition of an honourable Servant In the Covenant of Grace man by nature the child of wrath is made the child of God by grace and adoption The Covenant of nature was neither the last nor everlasting but being first made way for a better and being broken was antiquated or disanulled to our singular comfort but the Covenant of Grace shall continue firme and immoveable for evermore The second thing to be gathered is That the Fathers before Christ ever since the fall of Adam and Christians in the times of the Gospell did live under the same Covenant for substance but not for manner of administration which is most cleare by evident Heb. 13. 8. Rev. 13. 8. Act. 4. 12. and 15. 11. Gal. 3. 29. Rom. 3. 30. Eph. 2. 12. Gen. 15. 1 and 17. 1 7. Lev. 26. 12. Exod. 3. 6. Matth. 22. 32. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 11. 6 7 8. Rom. 4. 12. Heb. 11. â— 19 23. testimonies of holy Scripture and by the very forme of the Covenant which was one before and after the comming of Christ The same God that calleth us called them to the hope of eternall life they were endued with the same spirit and lived by the same faith Their Sacraments for substance in signification agree with ours and they expected an Inheritance everlasting and undefiled Religion for substance was ever one and unchangeable and such as were truly religious walked in the same way and waited for the same heavenly Inheritance and everlasting crowne of glory The Church before Christ may be considered as an heire or as an Infant according to the substance of the Covenant or according to the manner of administration In the first respect the Church is under the Covenant or Promise and her people are called a free and willing people an heire of heavenly and spirituall blessings In the latter respect she is under the Covenant in respect of the different administration and her people are called a servile people in comparison an heire under Tutors and Governors not differing from a servant CHAP. IIII. Of the Covenant of Promise THe Covenant of Grace is either promised or promulgated Gen. 3. 15. Gen. 12. 1. and 15. 1. and established Promised to the Fathers first to Adam and afterwards to the Patriarchs and lastly to the people of Israel and that before their comming into the Land of Canaan and after Gal. 4. 4 1 Pet. 1. 20. Act. 3. 25. Gal. 3. 16. 1â— Eph. 2. 12. their returne from the Babylonish captivity Promulgated after the
fulnesse of time came And hence the Covenant of Grace is distributed into the Covenant of Promise or the New Covenant so called by way of excellency For the Foundation and Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace is our Lord Jesus Christ but either to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead or as already Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. incarnate crucified and truly raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven For there was never sin forgiven but in him alone who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore although before the Incarnation Christ was only God he was our Mediatour yet not simply as God but as the divine person who should take our flesh and in it should finish all the Mysterie of our Redemption and therefore he is called the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world and the Fathers by his grace were saved even as we In the acts of Mediation three things may be considered Reconciliation by which we are accepted of God Patronage by which we have accesse unto the Father Doctrine whereby God hath made himselfe knowne unto men by a Mediatour This third act might be done before he assumed our flesh and indeed was done but the two first did require his comming in the flesh although the fruit of them was communicated to the Fathers under the Old Testament by force of the divine Promise and certainty of the thing to come with God If it be objected that the cause is before the effect and therefore the incarnation and death of Christ must goe before the communication of the fruit and benefit thereof unto the Fathers The answer is That in naturall causes the Proposition holds true but in morall causes the effect may be before the cause and so the fruit and vertue of Christs death was communicated to the Fathers before his Incarnation But although the Sonne of God before he was manifested in the flesh was our Mediatour with God to whom future things are present because he should be and therfore for his sake sinnes were remitted men did teach and learne by his Spirit the Church was governed by him yet the manner and reason of that Mediation was proposed more obscurely the force and efficacy of it was lesse and did redound to fewâ—r The Covenant of Promise then was that Covenant which God made with Adam the Fathers and all Israel in Jesus Christ to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead And it may be described the Covenant wherby God of his meere grace and mercy in Jesus Christ to be exhibited in the fulnesse of time did promise forgivenesse of sinnes spirituall adoption and eternall life unto man in himselfe considered a most wretched and miserable sinner if he should embrace and accept this mercy promised and walke before God in sincere obedience God the Father of his meere and free grace and mercy looking upon man in Jesus Deut. 9. 5. Gal. 3. 18. Luk. 1. 54 55. Christ in whom he is reconciled is the Author and cause of this Covenant He hath hâ—lpen his servant Israel in remembance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Thus saith the Lord God of Israel your Fathers dwelt on Josh 24 â— the other side of the floud in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nahor and they served other gods And I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac The condition required in this contract is the obedience of faith Remission of sinnes gratious adoption in Christ and the Inheritance of eternall life is promised to beleevers and eternall condemnation peremptorily threatned against unbeleevers Christ whom God hath exhibited in the Gospell as he was promised to the Fathers in the Scriptures of the Prophets is the object of this Covenant The end thereof is the praise of the glorious grace and mercy of God in Christ to come In this Covenant there is a mutuall compact betwixt God and man God in mercy promising and man in duty binding himself unto the Lord. It was made with man a sinner and reacheth to the faithfull and their seed as God hath promised to accept the children of beleeving parents upon due and religious tender of them made unto his Highnesse according as he hath prescribed but saving effectually it was made with them only who beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly be the heires of salvation and walke in the steps of our Father Abraham This Covenant doth beget children to liberty doth administer the righteousnesse of faith and the inheritance by faith hope peace of conscience life in Christ and spirituall joy is the effect thereof Internally the Spirit doth seale up the truth of this Covenant in 2 Cor. 4 13. Rom. â— 4 5. Gal. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 3. 14. Gen 22. 16. Luk. 1. 73. the hearts of the faithfull For when the adoption and the inheritance pertained to the Fathers under the Covenant of promise the spirit of adoption and earnest of the inheritance pertained unto them likewise Externally it was delivered and confirmed by word and oath and sealed by the Sacraments For substance also this Covenant was everlasting and unchangeable The New Testament did not abolish the former but the former was fulfilled by the latter And in all these things it doth Psal 105. 10. agree with the new Covenant which here only are but briefly named because the confirmation of them must be sought in the Chapters following And if the Covenant of Promise and the New Covenant doe thus agree in substance then it must necessarily follow That there Eph. 2. 18 19 20. and 4. 4 5. is but one Church of the Elect the same Communion of Saints one Faith one Salvation and one way of obtaining the same viz. by Faith in Christ Secondly that the Word of God was no lesse incorruptible seed Rom. 11. 17. to the Fathers and the Israelites then to us That the Fathers did eat the true flesh of Christ by faith as well as we in the times of 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. the Gospell That they and we are partakers of the same Spirit and that the Sacraments of the Jewes did signifie and seale to them the same promises of eternall life which our Sacraments doe to us The Sacraments of the Old Testament were not types of our Sacraments as sometimes they are called by Divines but they typified the same things that ours doe For as the Covenants under which they and we lived were one for substance so are the Sacraments one in their common nature and signification Thirdly that the faithfull before Christ were saved by the free mercy of God in Christ did know God and Christ had the Heb. 11. 9. Psal 105. 15. Isai 51. 6. spirituall promise of life eternall and were
man neither will he take the wicked by the hand He may seeme to neglect but he doth not forget them that follow after righteousnesse he is thought to favour but he doth abhorre the workers of iniquity The eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him Psal 18. 25. Howsoever they may be weake in themselves in him they shall be victorious his power shall be perfected in their weakenesse For Psal 37. 18. as it is in the Psalme With the perfect man thou wilt shew thy selfe perfect thou wilt not faile him in his need This is the nature of God that he frameth himselfe to the dispositions of men good to the good hard to the stubborne intire to the perfect that waite upon him The Lord knoweth the dayes of the perfect and their inheritance shall be for ever that is he seeth to what evils they lie open what help they need and ordereth all events to their Prov. 28. 16. 10 9 29. speciall good He that walketh in his integrity is safe no danger can overtake or meete a man in that way because he is under the shadow and protection of divine providence Righteousnesse preserves him that is intire in the way but wickednesse overthroweth the sinner Prov. 13. 6. 11. 5 6. Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me Psal 25. 21. Integrity is a guard that doth continually keep watch and ward and doth not only leade men to a good way and tell them what is their duty and fit to be performed but maketh the way passible for them and them prosperous in it An intire heart is a channell or Barke in which the graces of the Spirit are contained and faith doth swimme above all stormes and tempests but a mind void of all integrity is full of slisters and chincks that if the most holy liquour of piety be offered it is powred in and out together and at once This is the nature of integrity that by it the soule is intire in it selfe and hath a spirituall continuity which may be shadowed forth by the similitude of things corporall and therefore so long as integrity is preserved the heart is apt to containe and keep safe the graces of the Spirit if it be cracked grace would be lost should not God make up the breaches of it A soule destitute of grace is starke dead an heart without integrity not well compacted is next to death or destruction as a ship full of holes or a body unloosed or dissolved An heart well compact and knit fast together in the Lord as is the intire is Prov. 10. 29. valiant and couragious in all dangers trials temptations It is not put out of countenance with slanderous tongues nor shaken with feare of troubles Though mine adversary should write a booke against me would I not take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne unto me saith Job The hypocrite in peace and security may seeme strong and valarous but let God by some affliction drag him out as it were by the eares from his lurking hole and convent him before his tribunall and thou shalt not see any thing more abject and heartlesse Then is that of the Prophet verified The sinners in Sion are afraid a feare is come among the hypocrites Isa 33. 14 15. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting burning But the entire heart even in this case holds out confident and couragious And no marvell for every man that walketh in his integrity hath the priviledge of a treble guard the guard of Gods protection of the good Angels and of a good conscience for his defence against all adversary power Mark the perfect man and behold the upright Ps 37. 37. Ps 37. 40. Ps 91. 11. for the end of that man is peace for the Lord shall helpe and deliver him he shall deliver him from the wicked and save him because he trusteth in him The Lord will defend the perfect and he hath given his Angels charge over them to beare them in their hands and keepe them in their waies In which respect they may say with the Prophet how many soever rise up against us they be more and stronger that be with us then they that rise up against us Moreover they are blessed of God with a good conscience which is as a strong Castle against which no batteries of the enemy can prevaile he is a most valiant Champion who will not be daunted with any proud on-set of the Adversary which he knoweth to be weake and of no strength As there is nothing more base or sooner abashed then a corrupt conscience destitute of integrity So nothing more bold and hardy then a good and perfect conscience David in the midst of all his reproaches had the face to professe the name of God before Kings and Princes without ever being blanked Ps 119. 23. at their presence And shall a man so guarded regard the enmity of any fear the threatnings of any though never so mighty be dismayed at any hard condition that he is fallen into for the present No he will not be afraid for any evill tidings for his heart is fixed and trusteth in the Lord. Integrity addeth to the glory of our good actions even such as are but of the lower sort There is not the meanest duty whatsoever which integrity will not set a faire glosse upon that in some respects it shall be matchable even to workes farre greater in their owne nature A poore labouring man that lives by his hands having performed holy obedience to God therin with an entire heart may have as much comfort on his death-bed as the best Minister or Magistrate whose service in it selfe is farre more honourable yea if his integrity be greater his comfort also shall be greater For God regards not so much the matter as the forme of obedience nor so much the thing done as the affection wherewith we doe it Wise men regard more the mind of the giver then the value of the gift When we first give our hearts wholly and entirely to God then is our service how small soever very acceptable unto his Majesty It is not the greatnesse or multitude of those good workes which we have done but the good disposition of an honest and entire heart in the doing of them that doth bring comfort as the internall qualification of that faith which makes a sound plea for mercy before the throne of grace An halting heart dasheth the acceptance of the most glorious worke an entire heart addeth weight to the basest service The widdowes mite was little in worth had not her good heart raised it's price In value it came farre short of the superfluities that the rich men cast into the treasury but her heart was better and so her gift greater then theirs When Hezekiah had received the sentence
word into the affections that it may sweeten their disposition and governe their motion 3. In all endeavours we must include prayer to God in the name of Christ as a chiefe associate for God ordinarily lets in sanctifying grace at the same gate at which honest hearted prayers goe out 4. The fourth meanes is for a man alwayes to possesse his heart with the apprehension of Gods presence and so to keepe it in his feare continually to walke with God as being in his eye and seeing him that is invisible This remembrance of Gods all-seeing presence will make men study to approve themselves before God in all their courses and to sticke unto him with their whole hearts Could the eye of a jealous husband prie into every privy corner of his wives heart she would be afraid to hide any strange lover in her secret affection If but a man nay if but a child could looke into our hearts we durst not deale doubly and deceitfully What God seeth us and shall we dare to dally with him Shall I give him part of my heart and reserve another part for the world for pleasure for sin How should not God find this out for he searcheth the heart and reynes and understandeth the secret cogitations of every soul 5. Another meanes is diligently to review all works of obedience and our affections in the doing of them and to observe what discomfort and trouble follows the maimed and defective performance of good duties And withall when we take our selves tardy in an holy inâ—â—gnation to take revenge of our selves judging and condemning our selves before God The very thinking of the after reckonings we must come unto when we have done our work will make us take heed how we doe it The remembrance of the losse and punishment they shall sustaine whose works are not perfect before the Lord will stirre up respect to every Commandment For who is there that useth for all his actions at the dayes end to call himselfe to a severe examination as the hard Master doth his servants that must not needs in the very midst of his actions reason thus within himselfe anone all this which now I doe must very narrowly be looked over and if the reason why I doe it my affections in doing the worke it selfe be maimed halt or suffer defect in the parts thereof I shall smart for it O the wrings and secret pinches which mine owne guilty heart will give me yea the sentence which by Covenant I am tyed to passe upon my self in case my heart be partiall to the Lord and my work deformed If my worke be not perfect shall I not loose all my labour and be rejected with it Lastly It is good to meditate seriously on the joyes of heaven and the rich recompence of reward reserved for them that cleave unto the Lord with their whole hearts If the happinesse of Saints hereafter doe rightly affect and be soundly beleeved a man will be contented to part with all that he hath to purchase that treasure Whatsoever he hath laid next his heart he will abandon it with detestation rather then deprive himself of that eternall inheritance which God hath prepared To stirre up himselfe to strive after perfection more and more a Christian must first shame himself for his halting and make it odious ah the division of my heart the maimednesse of my service is so apparant that I cannot conceale it from my conscience I have lodged sinne vanity pleasure the world in the closet of my heart which should have been kept entire for the Lord. My purposes for good have been weake my resolutions variable oft-times by occurrences and occasions I have been drawn aside In holy performances I have served mine onw corrupt affections and doing what is right not done it with a perfect heart Mine affection to good hath been partiall base deformed In the greatest matters I have been remisse precise in lesser zealous in one carelesse in another ready to run according to inclination not looking to the direction of the truth I have sometimes been forward to heare not so carefull to meditate and make the word mine own eager and fiery against some particular notorious offences but not vigilant to bridle rash anger boysterous passions and indiscreet and idle speeches My love to the children of God hath neither been pure nor universall I have been apt to admire some dis-esteem others according as they carry themselves towards me and fit me in my humour If he be a cursed deceiver that having a male in his flock doth offer that which is halt and lame to the Lord how justly might I be confounded who have wickedly departed from my God and set my affections upon things of no value Will an husband accept of divided love in his wife will a Prince regard or take in good part that which is lame blind or sick for a present from his Subject O Lord I have dealt exceeding foolishly in tendering such spotted service unto thy Highnesse Secondly He must resolve to keepe himselfe more entirely to Psal 119. 69. 1 King 8. 48. the commandments of God for the time to come I have wickedly departed from my God but now I will returne and keepe his Commandments with my whole heart What can I tender unto They are blessed who have attained some perfection in the exercise of holines Every apprentice deemes him happie who hath the perfect skill of that trade wherein he is exercised 1 King 8. â—9 It is a great shame to leape from pale to sprig and with the moone to change our beliefs Thou art ashamed to be accounted an inconstant man his Majesty lesse then my selfe How can I for shame intreat his favour unlesse I cleave unto him with a perfect heart Can I desire God to be wholly mine unlesse I be wholly his Can I be so impudent as to intreat God to love me with a prime and conjugall love and give me leave to love sinne which he abhorreth to love other things above or equall with his Highnesse Can I looke to be married unto Christ in mercy truth and compassion if my heart doe not affect him above all and other things in and through him alone The Lord is a great King his service must be without spot or blemish His eye searcheth the heart and perfectly understandeth all secret motions a farre off and will give to every one as he knoweth his heart and according to his wayes Men of place looke to have their pleasure done in all things by such as attend upon them and shall I presume to call my selfe the servant of the living God when I doe his pleasure in part only and by halves My obedience cannot be perfect in degree so long as I live here but through the grace of God it shall be universall and that I might attaine absolute perfection in heaven I will strive after it in this life O Lord I have covenanted to sticke unto thy testimonies and by
soft breath of God in this passage noting this that God had sufficiently thundred wrath in the former delivery and now seekes to cover it that the people might heare and obey 4. Moses must provide an Arke to cover the Tables which was not only for the safe keeping of the Tables but to cover the wrath and curse that the people should not see it which was the first vaile 5. We doe not reade that ever the Lord would have either the people or Priest to reade these words out of stone but as they were mollifyed by Moses his transcription in his bookes especially wherein Prince and people were to reade the duties of the Covenant and the promises No more tables there they are but deale not with them there is wrath at the first opening which was the reason why God smote the men of Bethshemesh with such a slaughter because they durst looke into and reade upon these tables of the Arke of the Lord 1 Sam. 6. 19. 6. We reade that God Exod. 34. 5. when Moses was standing before the Lord with his prepared tables the Lord descended and proclaimed The Lord The Lord and said The Lord God mercifull and gratious long suffering and aboundant in mercy and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne Thus the Lord would take away the edge of the curse though he would write it for ends unmentioned Then the Lord upon the Mount rehearsed the Covenant of grace with Israel and causeth Moses the Mediatour to write it Exod. 34. 27. And now he had in his hand both the Covenant of works and of grace the one hid in the Arke the other open in his hand the same Commandements but the one with wrath the other lenified by God 7. When Moses came downe this appearance of God had changed the skin of his face that he was glad to put a vaile upon him for otherwise the people could not nay durst not behold him but ranne from him as at first from God when he delivered the Law upon Mount 〈◊〉 which God would have for the very same end Moses his shining face signifying the curse and wrath of God in the Law as a meere draught of the Covenant of workes which the people could not behould his vaile signifying the covering of this curse from the eyes of Israel 8. Consider that till the Law as a meeâ—e draught of natures Law was marked and thus vailed at Moses his proposition of the remedy unto these carnall Israelites in the blood of the sacrifices writ in the Ceremoniall Law it could not quiet them nor pacifie their consciences 9. Observe this one thing further that Moses in the five bookes doth so shun this rigid proposition of the Law that the Apostle when he came to deale with the false Apostles about this acceptation of the Law as standing full against the Covenant of Grace and Justification by faith could find but two testimonies in all Moses which necessarily convinced this manner of propounding the Law the one Deut. 21. 23. the other Deut. 27. 26. But because this end of the vailing of Moses his face as tending to signifie the curse of the Morall Law and the vailing of it from the eyes of carnall Israel is called into question by some of prized judgement and that from the passage of 2 Cor. 3. they spend one proposition in clearing that place to prove that it was the vailing of the Morall Law in the Curse For first say they it could not be the vailing of the blood of Christ in the Ceremonials for the Ceremonies was a sufficient vaile to hide that and to have put an other vaile had been against Gods love who would have the people spirituall to looke into it for Salvation one vaile was sufficient to hide so precious a treasure But to the Text it is plaine in the beginning of the Chapter 2 Cor. 3. 3. that the Apostle meanes the writing of the Law in their hearts namely the Commandements of the Morall Law by removing the Curse that the heart may close in with it Secondly Vers 6. The ministery of the Spirit is opposed not to the Cloud of Ceremonies but to the letter of the Law Morall for this killeth so did not the Ceremony but quickning his measure Thirdly Vers 7. The Ministery of the Gospell is opposed to that which was graven in stone which was the Morall Law only Fourthly Vers 13. Moses his vaile was put on when Moses was read and not the Ceremoniall Law alone as intending the vailing of the Curse of the Morall Law Fifthly That which beares shew is Vers 14. where the Text faith that the vaile was taken away in Christ It is true that the Ceremonies were removed in the comming of the substance but is it not as true and here meant that the curse oâ— the Law was removed by the comming of Christ and so the vaile made needlesse Gal. 3. 13. But Vers 15. the vaile yet remaines when Moses is read which cannot be the Ceremony vailing the blood of Christ for that is removed in act for the Jewes sacrifice not for want of an Altar but it is most true of the vaile of the Morall Law to cover wrath For as it was a mercy to vaile it to that people till Christ came so it is now a judgement Christ being come to shade it For it might be if seene an accidentall cause to drive them to Jesus the Sonne of Mary for a Saviour But the knot lyeth in the 18. verse But we all c. where it is thought and strongly spoken that the vaile signifieth the Ceremoniall Law It is true there is a flat opposition of Christian and Jew the one with open face beholding Christ the other not daring to see the glory of the Lord in giving the Law But all will be evident if it be shewed what is here meant by the Image of Christ which we behold with open face which is not the blood of Christ vailed in the blood of the Sacrifices but the Law of God writ in his heart promised Jer. 31. 34. as the head which is the new command of the Morall Law set up for us as a glasse which behoulding by faith we are changed into the same Image by the Spirit and now it will appeare that the whole Chapter speakes of the Morall Law Another inforcement of this distinction is from the Apostle Gal. 3. where he disputes against the Morall Law taken as a rigid draught of natures Law unto the 23. verse for otherwise the Law had been no enemy unto him as a branch of the Covenant of Grace but at the 23. verse he disputes the good ends of it as propounded with Gods moderation By the Law which we call the Morall Law Moses and Paul meane the meere draught of the Law of nature as it hath necessarily affixed eternall life to the punctuall performance or eternall curse to the disobeyers in the least title For the Law is complexum quiddam containing in it command
and blessing and cursing Take command without blessing or cursing and it is no more Law with Moses take simplâ— denuâ—ciation of blessing and curse from command and then it is threatning and promise but no Law This abstract of the Law here considered from the rest of Moses his Oâ—conomy is pure Law flashing wrath upon the fallen creature and therefore called a fiery Law or fire of Law Deut. 33. 3. And for speciall cause expressed in generall by the Apostle Gal. 3. The Law that is thus abstracted was added because of transgression For first in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses men had forgotten what was sinne and had obliterated the very Law of nature Therefore God sets out the lively Image of it by Moses in this draught and abstract to which end all the commands saving two are propounded in the negative that so men by the Church might know the nature of sinne againe Rom. 3. 19. Secondly God propounds the Law with curse eternall to work death and to shew Gods eternall displeasure against sin Rom. 4. 15. which was usefull not only to the world and wicked in generall but specially to the stiff-necked and refractory Nation to be as a rod to scourge all their rebellions and backslidings The Law thus laced with blessings and cursings eternall abstracted from the rest of his frame makes Moses now to begin to breath blessings and no lesse then Gospel This comming from a pacified God as Exod. 33. 6 7 8. may be looked on by the fallen creature with comfort and from this consideration it is that we affirme this Covenant made with the body of Israel to be a Covenant of Grace for it is one and therefore never by Moses called Covenants Again It cannot be denied that so farre as it concerned the spirituall Iâ—raelite whom God especially eyed and for their sakes infolded the carnall in the compact it was a Covenant Thus farre for confirmation of that distinction But these distinctions seeme not to remove the doubt Not the first because it cannot be conceived how the old Covenant should as a condition of the Covenant exact perfect obedience deserving life as necessary to Salvation and yet promise pardon to the repentant believer for these two are contrary the one to the other Not the second because the Covenant that God made with the Jewes is but one and how should we conceive the Law in one and the same Covenant to be propounded as a rigid draught of prime nature and with moderation also as the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace likewise when the Covenant is but one and the conditions the same Besides where the Apostles doe oppose the Law and Gospel or the old and new Testament not only the Morall Law as it was given upon Mount Sinai but the whole Jewiâ—h Pedagogie or Law of Moses is understood as it is manifest in sundry passages Other things to be observed in that explication I will not insiâ—t upon at this present because they will come to be touched hereafter as we passe along The Law was never given or made positive without the Gospel neither is the Gospel now without the Law although the old Testament be usually called the Law and the new the Gospel because the Law is predominant in the one and the Gospel in the other Exod. 19. 4 5. Some Divines hold the old Testament even the Law as it was given upon Mount Sinai to be the Covenant of Grace for substance though propounded in a manner fitting to the state of that people time and condition of the Church It was so delivered as it might serve to discover sin drive the Jews to deny themselves and â—lie to the mercy of God revealed in Jesus but it was given to be a rule of life to a people in Covenant directing them how to walk before God in holinesse and righteousnesse that they might inherit the promises of grace and mercy This I take to be the truth and it may be confirmed by many and strong reasons out of the word of God As first by the contract of that spirituall marriage a little before the promulgation of the Law described in these words Yee have seene what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto myselfe Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keepe my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And yee shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel whereunto the Prophet Jer. 11. 2 3 4. Jeremiah hath reference saying Heare ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say thou unto them thus saith the Lord Deut. 4. 13. 1 King 8. 21. 2 King 23. 2. Booke of the Covenant Ex. God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt from the iron fornace saying obey my voice and doe them according to all which 24. 7. Deut. 4. 23. 5. 2. 9. 9. Jer. 3. 16. Hos 8. 1. Jer. 7. 23. 2 Chro. 6. 11. Ex. 34. 27 28. Eph. 2. 1 2. Rom. 5. 10 I command you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God And this without doubt is to be understood of the Decalogue as it was given upon Mount Sinai seeing Moses himselfe doth in expresse words testifie it God himselfe saith he declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to performe even ten words and he wrote them upon two tables of stone In these passages observe that the Law is called a Covenant as it is often els-where the Covenant of the Lord. What Covenant but of grace and mercy even that wherein God promiseth to be their God and take them to be his people if they obey his commandments For since the fall of Adam the Covenant which the Lord hath entered into with his people was ever free and gracious For when all men are sinners by nature dead in trespasses and enemies to God how can a Covenant betwixt God and man be stricken without forgivenesse of former transgressions If in the state of innocency perfect obedience should have been rewarded with life from justice now that man is fallen by transgression Chald. Paraph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Exod. 19. 5. Onkelos Reges sacerdotes multitudo regum sacerdâ—tum Regiae potestatis est praevalere apud DeuÌ„ res illas ab illo auâ—erre quaruÌ„ nulla pridem facultas suit D SimoÌ„ log c. 10. Basil 1527. R Salâ—m R. Abrah R. David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox Segulah
people of Israel repenting of their transgressions and sinnes committed against God did oftentimes Josh 24. 22 23 24 25. Judg. 10. 16. 1 Sam 7. 3 4 5. 2 Chro. 15. 12. 2 Kin. 11. 17. 2 Chro. 23 16. 2 Ki. 23. 3. Neh. 10. 30 31. 2 Chro. 34. 31. renew their Covenant binding themselves to the Lord to be his people and to walke in Gods Law which was given by Moses and to observe and doe all the Commandements of God the the Lord and his Judgements and his Statutes with all their heart and with all their soule But Jehoshaphat Josiah Nehemiah and other godly Governours who were well acquainted with their infirmities and knew themselves utterly unable to fulfill the Law would never promise punctuall and exact obedience in hope thereby to deserve eternall life or to receive it from God as the reward of their perfect service nor flatter themselves as though they could stand before the Tribunall of Gods Justice in their own Righteousnesse when upon proofe sufficient they saw that no flesh could be justified in his sight Without question they understood that God of his free grace had promised to be their God and of his undeserved and rich mercy would accept of their willing and sincere obedience though weake and imperfect in degree which is in effect that the Covenant which God made with them and they renewed was a Covenant of grace and peace the same for substance that is made with the faithfull in Christ in time of the Gospell Sixthly the Covenant that God made with Abraham was the Gen. 17. 1. Covenant of grace as it is acknowledged but the Covenant made with Abraham is for substance the same with the Covenant made with Israel upon Mount Sinai the promise is the same and the things required the same For in that God promised that he would be God all-sufficient to Abraham to blesse him with all necessary blessings for this life and the life to come In Gal. 3. 8. this he promiseth freely and of his owne meere grace and favour to be their God and make them a Kingdome of Priests and an Exod. 19. 6 7. holy nation unto himselfe In that he requireth of Abraham that he walke with or before him in integrity In this he covenanteth that they should obey his voice and keep his commandements Deu. 26. 17 18. Jer. 7. 23. Deut. 10. 12. Jer. 11 3 4. 1 Ki. 8. 25. 2 Chron. 6. 16. 2 Chr. 17. 3 6. 2 Chr. 6. 14 16. Jer. 2. 2. And what is it to walk with God or before God but to walk in his Law Seventhly when God gave his Law unto Israel upon Mount Sinai he troth-plighted that people unto himselfe and himselfe unto them and that of his meere love not of any merit in them Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wildernesse in a Land that was not sowen Israel was holinesse unto the Lord and Ezek. 16. 8. the first fruits of his increase When I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sware unto thee and entered into Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becammest mine But if the Law were a perfect draught of the Law of nature Rainold Apol. Thes pag. 211. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Act. 15. 9. Rom. 10. 4. Gal. 3. 24. Christum vocat finem i. scopum legis quia lex sues sacrificiis ritibus c. Christum intendebat Zanch de Redem cap. 11. Thes 5. li. 1. The Decalogue written with Gods own hand upon two tables was an Epitome of all Ordinances appertaining to the Covenant exacting punctuall obedience in the least jot and title as necessary to Salvation and flashing out wrath against the least transgression without any intimation of repentance or hope of pardon the Lord did not at that time troth-plight himselfe unto them Eighthly the Law requireth faith as well as love and obedience and doth build these upon it as a foundation For the end of the Commandement is love love out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained That love which the Law requireth either towards God or towards man must flow from a pure heart and faith it is that purifieth the heart Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse sake and the Law is a Schoole-master to bring us unto Christ But bring us unto Christ it could not if it did not point him out unto us or presuppose him as promised He is not the end of the Law if the Law did not direct to him and require faith in him He is the end of the Law as the Law leadeth and driveth us out of our selves and from all confidence in any works of the Law that by faith in Christ we might obtain righteousnesse It is not the property of a Schoole-master to beat and strike and not to direct or teach That the ceremonies of the Law did prefigure Christ direct unto him and require faith in him is a thing Exo. 34 27 28. confessed and acknowledged of all men Now the ceremonies are appendices of the Law especially of the first and second Commandements Exod. 24. 8. Heb. 9. 19 20 23. Pighâ—disp Ratisp l. 2. as they were given to the Israelites And if they require faith in the Redeemer to come how should we thinke it to be a thing passed over in silence altogether in the Law The deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt was a type of our spirituall deliverance from the bondage of sinne and Satan by the power of Christ as appeares by the Ceremonie and Sacrament of that corporall deliverance the Passeover which was a Joh. 19. 36. 1 Cor. 5. 7. figure of Christ our Saviour Therefore in the first Precept the Mystery of our Redemption by Christ is taught and contained That particular mercy mentioned in that Precept taught the Israelites to expect spirituall Salvation in the Messiah promised In Psal 1. 1 2. Psal 119. 1 2. Scripture they are pronounced blessed who keep the Commandements and observe the Statutes and Judgements of the Lord but withall their blessednesse is said to consist in this that God Psal 32. 1 2. imputeth not sinne unto them that their sinnes be forgiven and transgressions covered The true worshippers of God then are happy not for their works but because God is pleased to accept them in Christ and to pardon their offences This is the true sense of those promises made to or spoken of them that walk in the perfect way and doe none iniquity And if life and Salvation be promised to them that observe and keep the Statutes Judgements and Ordinances of the Lord not for the dignity of the work but through the meere grace and mercy of God pardoning transgressions and sinnes then is faith in the
pointeth unto him killeth corruption and converteth the soule In the Epistle to Gal. 3. 10 17. Act. 7. 53. The law was giveÌ„ ad ordinationes angeloruÌ„ Syr Ar per mandatum as Rom. 13. 2. as a son is said to doe ad nutum patris as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Num. 16. 34 or secundum juxta oâ—dinationes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Gen. 1. 21 paralell to this are Gal. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 2. The reason truth of these sayings seem to be that the Angel which appeared to Moses in the bush v. â—5 and was with him in the wildernes v. 39. did out of the midst of the Angels which did on every side coÌ„passe him about give the Law upon Mount Sinai whereof the Sanctuary was a figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same that decretum vigils the Galathians the Apostle opposeth the Covenant of Grace to the Law in many things as that the Law accurseth every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them that it was foure hundred and thirty yeares after the Covenant which was confirmed before of God in Christ c. But it is to be remembred that in those passages the Apostle disputeth against the Jewes who trusted in the workes of the Law and thought by the blood of Bulls and Goats to be purged from their sinnes or of them that joyned the Law with Christ in the matter of Justification as if Justification had been in part at least by the workes of the Law which the Apostle every where condemnes as contrary to the intent and purpose of the Lord in giving the Law The contrariety then of the Law or Old Testament even of the Law as it beareth the figurative sprinkling of the bloud of Christ and so pointeth us to him unto the new Testament or Covenant of grace is not in themselves but in the ignorance pride and hardnesse of heart of them who understood not or did pervert the right end of the Law as if it was given for Justification The Law as it opposed to Christ doth accurse every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them because he that trusteth in the Law is convinced by the Law to be a transgressour but the Law as given to them that be in Covenant doth reprove every transgression and convince every man of sinne who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them but doth not accurse the offendour in every jot or title because in Christ sin is pardoned and forgiven To the Jew who rested in the works of the Law and refused Christ the Law which was given foure hundred and thirty yeares after did make void the promise or Covenant confirmed before of God in Christ But according to the true meaning of the Law and to them that used it aright it did not make void the promise but establish it What the Apostle citeth of the Law out of Deuteronomy and noteth of the giving of the Law after the promise is for substance preached by the Prophet Jeremy at the Lords appointment when he speaketh of this Covenant of grace without all question Heare ye the words of this Covenant and speake unto the men of Judah Jer. 11. 2 3 4 5 6. and say unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the Land of Egypt from the iron fornace saying obey my voice and doe them according to all which I command you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God That I may performe the oath which I have sworne unto your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with milke and honey as it is this day Then answered I and said so be it O Lord. Then the Lord said unto me proclaime all these words in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem saying Heare ye the words of this Covenant and doe them This Covenant then which God made with Israel was for substance one with that he had made before with the Patriarks that is it was a Covenant of grace and mercy though the Law to them that rested in the works thereof and perverted the right use and end of the Law was a killing letter and ministration of death CHAP. VIII A particular explication of the Covenant that God made with Israel and what Moses brought to the further expressure of the Covenant of Grace THis doubt being thus discussed we may proceed with more facility to lay open the particulars of this Covenant God of his free-grace and mercy made this Covenant with Israel upon Mount Sinai fifty daies after the Israelites were delivered out of Exod. 19. 28. Egypt as fifty daies after the deliverance of his people from the bondage of sin and Satan the same Lord proclaims his Gospel or new Covenant upon Mount Sion in Jerusalem the Metropolis or Isa 2. 2. Micha 4. 2. Gal. 4. 24. Heb. 12. 18. royall seat of Abraham or Davids seed God I say of his infinite love and undeserved mercy did make this Covenant for if he remember mercy when he performeth his Covenant then it was of meere grace that he entred into Covenant Also it is of mercy Ps 103. 17 18. Nehem. 9. 32. Hos 2. 19. that God doth troth-plight him unto any people for the promise runneth I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies But when the Lord made this Covenant he betrothed himself unto Israel And when he made this Covenant he did more fully proclaime his great name and make his mercy better knowne then formerly he had done for Exod. 14. 6 7. ought we find For he passed by before Moses and proclaimed The Lord the Lord God strong mercifull and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and the fourth generation Which glorious description of Almighty God is often Numb 14. 18. Psal 86. 15. Psal 103. 8. 145. 8. Nehem. 9. 17. Jon. 4. 2. Exod. 6. 3. mentioned by Moses and the Prophets as the ground and foundation of their faith hope and comfort And whereas he had appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of God Allmighty Now he was knowne to the Israelites by his Name Jehovah which Name denoteth both Gods being in himselfe and his giving of being unto that is the performance of his word and promise in which latter respect he here saith he was not knowne to the Fathers by this Name or as the Greek and
shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of them and thou shalt know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me unto thee The Prophets describe the Psal 11. 1. Messiah to be the Sonne of David and Davids Lord The Lord said unto my Lord The Chaldee hath it The Lord said unto his Psal 110. 1. Word namely the Messiah or Christ who is the eternall Word of God by whom he made and doth conserve all things And in other places the Paraphrasts put the Word of God for God or Lord and that sometimes when the second person in Trinity is not necessarily to be understood and Isai 1. 14. my soul Targ. my word Jer. 1. 8. I am with thee Targ. my word Isai 45. 17. By the Lord. Targ. By the word of the Lord. Gen. 3. 8. The voice of the Lord. Targ The voice of the word of the Lord or the word the Lord Gen. 22 15 1â— I have sworne by my selfe Targ By my word Psal 103. 13. The Lord. Targ. The word of the Lord. Psal 16. 1. In thee Chald. In thy word Psal 103. 18. The Lord hath Targ. The word of the Lord. Gen. 31. 24. God came to Laâ—an Targ. The word came So Gen. 20. 3. Gen. 28. 15. I will be with thee Targ. my word shall be thy help Hos 1. 7. I will save them by the Lord their God Chald. I will redeeme them by the word of God their Lord. sometimes the word or promise they so render as Psal 119. 76. According to thy word unto thy servant where the Chaldee hath Memar And so Psal 130. 5. And in thy Word or promise I trust But if the second person be not ever meant by the word of God as the Paraphrast useth it yet certainly in many places it must be so understood and that this word was to be incarnate was most certainly fore-told Psalm 102. 11 26. Heb. 1. 10. For the very literall meaning of the Psalmist will enforce thus much that this place was to be meant of God not simply or absolutely but of God incarnate For the eternall duration of the God-head is not measurable by daies or yeares but the incarnation of the Sonne of God or his duration in the flesh may be accounted by number of yeares for the time past yet are his yeares as man to continue without end without any decay or diminution of that nature which he assumed And Psal 68. 19. Psal 103. 13 14 15 16 17. Tit. 3. 3 4 5 6 7. if out of any one place of the Psalmes where he doth intreat of the deliverance of the Church it doe appeare that the Messiah is true and very God by the same reason wheresoever he speaks of the deliverance of the Church God and the Messiah shall be the same But it is most certaine in sundry passages he that is God is also the Messiah And for that reason what is spoken of the mercy of God in the Psalme following may be understood not of the mercy of God absolutely or considered in the God-head only but the mercy of God to be incarnate to be made King and Judge of the earth which may be cleared by the very letter and circumstance of the text For the expected comfort whereupon this Psalmist pitcheth is this The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens vers 18. and his Kingdome ruleth over all And this is that Kingdom and that throne which Daniel fore-told that God long after his time would erect Da. 2. 44. To be born of God what is it but to Joh. 1. 12 13. be born of immortall seed what is that immortal seed wherof St Peter saith we are born again but the flesh and bloud of the Son of Isai 40. 6 7 â— man who is also the Son of God whose flesh is meat indeed whose bloud is drinke indeed which nouâ—isheth us not to a bodily but to 1 Pet. 1. 23 14. a spirituall and immortall life which presupposeth an immortall seed We are begotten and borne againe by the preaching of the Word as by the instrument or meanes and by the the eternall word that is by Christ himselfe as by the proper and efficient cause of our new-birth Thus much St Peters words in that place will enforce us to grant according to the letter For having before declared that the word of God by which we are borne againe doth live and endure for ever he thus concludes and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 1 Pet. 1. 25. Moses also and the Prophets did fore-tell that the Messiah or mercifull one or gracious Saint as he is called Psal 16. 10. should Psal 8. 6. Hâ—b â— 7. Psal 16. 10 Deut. 18. 15 16 17 18 19. Psal 110. 1 2 3. be made for a little time lower then Angels and after crowned with glory and honour and set over the works of the Lords hands that he should suffer death and rise againe be laid in the grave but not see corruption That he should be the great Doctour of the Church a Priest after the order of Melchisedech the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whom God would set upon his holy hill of Sion His death and resurrection Kingdome and Priesthood was prefigured by the Sacrifices and Serpent the Priest hood of Aaron and Kingdom of Israel But of these things more fully in the new Covenant This Covenant was made in Christ the promised Messiah in and through whom the faithfull obtained the blessings promised but according to the administration of this Covenant Moses was the Mediatour and herewith in this expression is embellished above the former The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand Lâ—v. 26 46. Deut. 5. 5. 27. 28. of a Mediatour Gal. 3. 19. that is by the labour and ministery of Moses which though some doâ—â—t of is yet confirmed from this that Christ reserves himselfe to be a Mediatour of a better Testament Heb. 8. 6. There is but one Mediatour true and spirituall scil Christ but Moses was a Mediatour only typicall The Mediation whereby men are truly and effectually united unto Christ cannot fall upon any person who is not endued with infinite power and vertue who is not God as well as man but the Mediation of Moses was of this use to shew what was the true manner of worshipping God but did not inspire force and power to follow it nor reconcile men to God but propound those things whence it might easily appeare that there is need of another reconciliation Moses an Israelite and part of that people with whom God made the Covenant was comprehended under the one part confederate but as he undertook the function of Mediatour imposed upon him of God he was not now simply an Israelite but a Mediatour interceding betwixt God and the people Israel that he might be a more illustrious type of Christ Moses was
rationem hominis i humanam quoad hanc excellentiam Engl. according to the manner of high degree or great dignity Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour of this Covenant is the Lord Hab. 1. 12. Deut. 34. 4. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 18. 30 37. Isa 26. 4. 1 Sam. 2. 2. Psal 18. 32. 28. 1. 2 Sam. 2â— 2 32. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Sam. 23. 3. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 22. 47. Isa 30. 29. The rocke of Israel Psal 8â— 26. The rock of Salvation Sept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God the God of Israel the God that hath bound himselfe in Covenant unto Israel who doth watch over them walk in the midst amongst them is their shield and buckler and strong Tower of defence The rocke of Israel the everlasting rocke that is the mighty stable and immutable foundation and defence of the faithfull who flie unto him and trust in him So God is called the Rock of their Salvation Deut. 32. 15. Psalm 95. 1. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rocke of their strength Psal 62. 7 8. Psal 31. 3. Isa 17. 10. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 71. 3. Psal 31. 3. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rock of my heart Psal 72. 26. Sept. the God of my heart and besides him there is none other Isa 44. 8. a rock of refuge or affiance Psal 94. 22. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 18. 3. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rock and Redeemer are put together Psalm 19. 15. Rocke and Salvation Psal 62. 7. This Covenant was made in Christ and Christ is more clearly manifested in this breaking forth of the Covenant then in any of the former As first that he was God and man in one person the Son of David who should come of his loynes and yet Davids Psal 110. 1. Mat. 22. 42 45. Act. 2. 34. Lord. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies my foot-stoole Then in respect of his humiliation and glorification his sufferings and exaltation Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave nor suffer thine holy one to Psal 16. 10. Act. 2. 26 27. 13. 36 37. Psa 8. 6. 22. 1 Heb. 2. 7 9. Psal 110. 1. see corruption Thou hast made him for a little inferiour to the Angels sc as concerning his sufferings Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Also in respect of his offices that he should be both King and Priest a King to rule and governe his elect to bridle and subdue his enemies I will declare the decree Psal 2. 5 6 7. Heb. 1. 5. Act. 13. 32 33. Psal 110. 2. the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son I will set my King upon my holy hill of Syon Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies A Priest after the order of Melchisedech confirmed by oath annointed with the oyle of gladnesse The Lord hath sworn and will Psal 110. 4. Heb. 5. 8. 7. 1â— Ps 45. 7. not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech God even thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows that is above all Christians who are thy fellows consorts and partners in the annointing To offer up himselfe once for all a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto the Father for the sins of his people Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou Psal 40. 7 8. Exod. 21. 6. wouldst not have but mine eare hast thou boared or digged open that is thou hast made me obedient to thy voice or mine eare hast thou boared as thy servant for ever The Septuagint to make the sence plainer say but a body hast thou fitted to me or prepared me meaning that his body was ordained and fitted to be a Sacrifice for the sins of the world when other legall Sacrifices Heb. 10. 5 10. were refused as unprofitable Loe I come or am come scil into the world to give my self a Sacrifice for sin In the volume Heb. 10 10. Joh. 6. 38. Psal 2. 8. or role of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will by the which will we are sanctified even by the offering of the body of Jesus once In respect of his kingdome power glory dignity dominion and rule or government Aske of me and I will Psal 72. 8 11. givethee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost Psal 89. 30 37 38. parts of the earth for thy possession He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Land All Kings shall worship him all Nations shall doe him service His seed shall be for ever and his throne as the Sun before me As the Moon it shall be established for ever And as a faithfull witnesse Isa 53. 10. Heb. 2. 13. Ps 22. 23. in heaven His seed will I establish for ever that is Christians borne of God which are called Christs seed and children as Christ is called the everlasting Father Thou hast ascended up on high Isa 9. 6. Psa 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8 9. thou hast led captivity captive thou hast taken gifts for men that is thou hast given and distributed gifts among men which are the Ministers of the Gospell given for the good of the Church Ps 89. 34 35 36. 2 Sam. 7. 28. Thou hast told this goodnesse unto thy servant Psal 89. 24. My truth also and my mercie shall be with him Ps 132. 11. The Lord sware unto David in truth Ps 22. 1. This Covenant the Lord made of his rich mercy and grace which he confirmed by Oath My mercy I will not make frustrate from with him nor deale falsly against my faithfullnesse I will not profane my Covenant nor alter that which is gone out of my lips Once have I sworne by my holinesse if I lie unto David Once have I sworne as God spake once Psal 62. 11. that is unchangeably for an oath cannot be revoked there is no danger of inconstancy David himselfe was a type and did beare the person of Christ and many things spoken of David were more properly fulfilled in Christ the person typified then in David as My God my God why hast thou forsakâ—n me They parted my Mat. 27. 46. Psal 22. 18 19. Joh. 19. 2â— 24. Ps 41. 9. Joh. 13. 18. Ps 69. 21. Job 29. 28 2â— garments among them and for my coat they cast lots They pierced my hands and my feet He that eat bread at my table hath lift up the heel against me The things promised in this Covenant particularly above those that were mentioned in the former breakings forth thereof are 1. That God would be with him whethersoever he went and 2 Sam. 7. 9. Psal 89. 22 23. make his way prosperous and cut off all his enemies
from before his face that he might make him a great Name like to the name of the great men upon earth And thus the Lord delivered him from the hand of Saul and all his enemies who did oppose him that he should not raigne O ye sons of men how long will ye turn Psal 4. 3 4. my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leesing Selah Know ye that the Lord hath wonderfully separated to himself the man that is godly the Lord will heare when I call upon him 2. That he would appoint a place for his people Israel and plant 2 Sam. 7. 10. â— Kin. 5. 3. 1 Chron. 20. 9. it that they might dwell in a place of their owne and move no more nor be disquieted any more by wicked people as in former times And so God gave Israel rest from all their enemies round about and setled them in peace and quietnesse by the hand of David 3. That when the daies of David were fulfilled and he shall 2 Sam. 7. 12 1â— sleepe with his Fathers he would set up his seed after him which should proceed out of his body and he should build an house or Temple for the Name of the Lord God of Israel I purpose saith 1 King 5 5. â— Chron. 20 10 which is called an house of rest Psal 132. 8. 1 Chro 28. 2. 2 Chro. 6. 41. and the Lords seat or habitation Ps 132. 13 Ps 68 17. 1 Kin. 8. 18 19 20. Solomon to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God as the Lord spake unto David my Father saying Thy Son whom I will set upon thy throne for thee he shall build an house unto my Name And at the dedication of the Temple he maketh mention of this promise The Lord said unto David my Father whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name thou didst well that thou wast so minded Neverthelesse thou shalt not build the house but thy son that shall come out of thy loyns he shall build the house unto the Lord. And the Lord hath made good the word which he spake I have built thee an house to dwell in an habitation for thee to abide in for ever â— Kin. 8. 13. 4. He promiseth to be a Father to Davids seed and take him 2 Sa. 7. 14. Psa 132. 12. Ps 89. 26 27. for his Son He shall call upon me thou art my Father my God the rock of my salvation And I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth that is the Prince and chiefe Col. 1. 15 18. Heb. 1. 2. Iust in institut l. 2. tit â—9 de baered qualit differ ult of the Kings the most glorious and famous of all Kings As Christ is called the first begotten of every creature not that he was created before all other creatures but because he is the Lord Prince and head of every creature and hath dominion over all creatures and so the heire of all things as heire is sometimes put for Lord or owner and pro haerede gerere is pro Domino gerere Haeredes enim veteres pro Dominis appellabant 5. That his house should be established and his Kingdome for ever 2 Sam. â— 16. 1 Chron. 22. 16 Ps 89. 29. Psa 89. 36 37. 1 Kin. 11. 38. And if thou hearken unto all that I command c. I will build theâ— a fâ—rme house c. before the Lord even his throne should be established for ever His seed will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the daies of Heaven His seed shall endure for ever and his throne shall be as the Sun before me He shall be established for evermore as the Moon as a faithfull witnesse in the heaven that is his Kingdome shall be perpetuall and glorious For although the Moone waxeth and waineth and seemeth sometimes to be gone yet it is continually renewed and so stable which is a fit resemblance of the Church which hath not alwaies one face or appearance in the world though it be perpetuall And though for the sins of the people and Davids house the state of his Kingdome and house Ps 89. 30 31 32 33. decayed yet God reserved still a root till he had accomplished this promise in Christ 6. That his house should be as the Morning light when the Sun 2 Sam. 23. 4. Ps 132. 15 16. Her victuals I will blesse her poore I will satisfie with bread Psal 18. 28. The Lord hath lightned my candle that is given me comfort joy prosperity after troubles 2 Sam. 23. 5. ariseth the morning I say without clouds and as the grasse of the earth with cleare shining after raine that is it shall shine with all light of glory and prosperity and flourish or be green perpetually as the herbes and grasse which is refreshed with seasonable rain and heate These gracious and free promises God made to David and to his house and to the whole Kingdome of Israel not for their righteousnesse but of his manifold and great mercy And as he promised them without consideration of their desert so of his rich grace and love undeserved he made them good For Davids house was not such as it ought to be before God they kept not promise Covenant but the Lord was mercifull and gracious he did not forget his truth nor suffer his mercies to faile If his children Ps 89. 30 31 32 forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements if they breake 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. 1 King 11. 11 12 32 33 34 36. Psal 132. 11 12. my statutes and keepe not my Commandements Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stroakes But my loving kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth True it is the Lord did correct the posterity of David for their sinne with moderate correction and for their profit that they might be partakers of holinesse But even when it did not bud or come on according to that which seemed to be promised the Lord was most faithfull in his promises for it was their sinne that kept them downe And for this saith the Lord 1 King 11. 39. to Solomon I will afflict the house of David but not for ever for the whole spirituall kingdome was restored in the Messiah I will make the horne of David to bud I have ordained a lampe Psal 132. 17 18. 1 King 15. 4. for mine annointed that is I will make the Kingdome and power to encrease For Davids sake did the Lord his God give him a light in Jerusalem and set up his son after him and established Jerusalem Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his 2 King 8. 19. servants sake as he had promised him to give him a light and to his children for ever Great deliverance giveth he unto his King he is the magnifier of
people and languages are taken to be federates Eighthly The Law was weake unable to give life to purge Gal 3. 21. 4. 9. Heb. 8. 7. 9. 13. the conscience to pacifie the wrath of God and therefore to be abrogated when Christ was come whereunto it pointed and the new ordinances were set up and established but the Gospel containeth the unsearchable riches of God is the power of God Eph. 3. 8. Rom. 1. 16. Mat. 26. 28. â— Heb. 9. 14 15. 12. 24. to Salvation to continue for ever and the blood of the new Testament doth expiate sin purge the conscience and speak better things then the bloud of Abel Ninthly The federates under the old Covenant are compared unto an heire under age needing a Guardian Tutour or Schoolemaster little differing from a servant subject to the bondage of Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4. Gal. 4. 23 24 25. the Ceremoniall Law and servitude of spirit because the curse of the Law was more severely pressed and the bloud of Christ whereby freedome was purchased more covertly and sparingly revealed but the federates under the new are growne up unto a ripe age in Jesus Christ freed from the bondage of Ceremoniall ordinances endued with holy liberty partakers of the spirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba Father But of the priviledges of the federates under the new Covenant and the excellency of that Covenant in the Chapters following CHAP. XI Of Truth and Vprightnesse IT hath often been said that God accepteth true unfained and upright obedience and when the servants of God intreat mercy we find they alleadge the truth uprightnesse and integrity of their hearts to shew they were rightly qualified to make a faithfull plea for mercy therefore I conceive it will not be out of place here to shew what Truth and Uprightnesse is and then proceed to the doctrine of the new Covenant Truth the Septuagint renders righteousnesse for uprightnesse Gen. 24. 49. Isa 38. 19. 39 8. Josh 24. 14. Isa 45. â—9 Pro. 28 6. Pro. 8. 20. and integrity they put truth and for the paths of judgement they have it the paths of truth And in this sence to doe truth Joh. 3. 21. is not to doe perversly to doe right justice integrity as to deale perversly or unjustly Isa 26. 10. they translate not to doe truth In like manner lies or false-hood deceit and fraud they translate injustice as a false-witnesse is in them Job 27. 4. Deu. 19. 18. Levit. 5. 22. Psal 44. 17. Jer. 5. 31. Amos 8. 5. Hos 12. 7. Luk. 16. 9 11. Mal. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 22. a witnesse of injustice or an unjust witnesse they sweare falsely is they sweare unjustly the Prophets prophecy false things unjust things they render it a false ballance is a deceitfull ballance or unjust ballance or ballance of injustice And injustice is opposed to truth and iniquity or unrighteousnesse put for falshood or deceit the Mammon of iniquity that is deceitfull riches is set against the true treasure which will not deceive Iniquity was not found in his mouth saith the Prophet that is guile or deceit The deceitfull the Septuagint translates the unrighteous and guilefull man Psal 43. 1. So that these foure Truth Uprightnesse Righteousnesse and Integrity doe signifie the same thing for substance 1 King 3. 6. and most certaine it is they be so conjoyned that where one is the other cannot be wanting But though the thing be one for substance that is signified by all these and they be sometimes used indifferently yet they note formall and distinct conceits and so may be considered Truth implieth or presupposeth these things 1. Knowledge of Gods will Truth of judgement goeth before Mat. 16. 12. truth of heart for corrupt doctrine is as sowre leaven that leaveneth the whole masse maketh the whole to savour of it 2. Soundnesse or solidity in grace opposite to those superficiall and shallow-planted graces that may be found in temporary Christians enduring but for a time This is truth in the reines or Psal 51. 6. inward parts which seasoneth the heart throughout and makes it true whereas the heart of the temporary is false and unsound because his graces are superficially or sleightly rooted 3. Sincerity or godly simplicity without fraud craft or guile where the in-side and out-side are one the heart and mouth equall and well consenting Truth is an ingenuous life without deceit and dissimulation Ephes 4. 15. Holinesse of truth is true or sincere holinesse Ephes 4. 24. To keepe the truth Isa 26. 2. is to imbrace true piety and true vertue without hypocrisie without lying or perfidiousnesse To serve God in truth Josh 24. 14. 1 Sam. 12. 24. is to serve God unfainedly from the heart according to his 1 King 2. 4. will To walke in the truth Joh. 3. 3 4. is to walke sincerely or in godly simplicity For truth is ingenuous void of simulation And in this sence some understand that of the Apostle Love rejoyceth in the truth that is love sincerely or in truth rejoyceth 1 Cor. 13. 6. with them that rejoyce Truth is opposed to lying and falshood and to empty shadows and rites and thus it may be applied to Eph. 4. 25. Joh. 4. 23 24. this purpose as noting a plaine simplicity contrary to lying and emptie shews To stay upon God in truth Isa 10. 20. is unfainedly and not in word to stay upon him To preach Christ in truth Phil. 1. 18. is sincerely to preach him A true heart is single Act. 2. 46. resolved not in some things but in all to walk with God or as the Lord hath appointed Thus a true Christian hath but one mind one intention one delight one face one tongue he is all but one man all the powers of the soule goe but one way 4. Purity or cleare shining innocency in all things free from the mixture of leaven in manners or doctrine The Apostle Peter writeth to the dispersed Jewes to stirre up their pure minds 2 Pet. 3. 1. what is that but minds furnished and seasoned with an holy perspicuity of truth Paul prayeth for the Philippians that they Phil. 1. 9. 10. might abound in all knowledge and in all judgement that they might be able to discerne things that differ that they might be sincere And the same Apostle testifieth to the Corinthians he was afraid of them lest their mind should be corrupted from the â— Cor. 11. 3. simplicity that is in Christ The word used by the Apostle in all three places signifieth properly something tried by the light of the Sunne And it is a Metaphor as some suppose taken from the custome of the Eagle whose manner is if we may beleeve those that write the naturall story to bring her young out of the nest before they be full fledge and to hold them forth against the full sight of the Sun the sight whereof those of them that can with open
John the Baptist put over his hearers to Christ Joh. 1. 26 27. Luke 3. 16. Mark 1. 7 8. Matth. 3. 11 12. Christ invites men to the Kingdome of Heaven that is the Evangelicall Government of the Church as future at hand but not yet present Matth. 4. 17. Mark 1. 15. Nay after he was risen from the dead although he professe openly and plainly to his Disciples that all power was given unto him in Heaven and earth and he command them to preach the Gospell to every creature Matth. 28. 18 19. yet he gives them a charge to tarry at Jerusalem to waite for the accomplishment of the promise concerning the solemne sending of the holy Ghost and to be endued with power from above Luk 24. 49. as if they were designed before but then to be inaugurated and by extraordinary gifts many hearing and beholding openly to be approved The dayes immediately following the death and resurrection of Christ were the dayes of the Churches widowhood wherein she sate for a while destiture and comfortlesse and barren having neither power to beare nor to bring forth children But within ten dayes after Christ the Lord the Bridegroome of the Church had ascended from earth to Heaven in glory the holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles in visible shape in token that Christs Church was now betrothed unto him and had received strength to conceive and bring forth and breasts replenished with plenty of Milk to nourish and feed her children This was as the Solemnization of the Marriage and then did the barren begin to rejoyce that she should be the mother of many children From this time properly the New Testament tooke its beginning The nature of this Testament stands principally in three things 1. In the kinde of Doctrine plaine full and meerly Evangelicall 2. In freedome from the curse of the Law and freedome from Legall Rites 3. In the amplitude and enlargement of the new Church throughout all Nations of the world It may be described the free Covenant which God of his rich grace in Jesus Christ incarnate crucified dead buried raised up to life and ascended into Heaven hath made and plainly revealed unto the world of Jew and Gentile promising to be their God and Father by right of Redemption and Christ to be their Saviour to pardon their sinne heale their nature adopt them to be his Sonnes protect them from all evill that may hurt furnish them with all needfull good things spirituall and temporall and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come if they repent of their iniquities beleeve in Christ and through or by Christ in him and walk before him in sincere constant and conscionable obedience which he doth inwardly sease by the witnesse of the holy Spirit who is the earnest of their inheritance in the hearts of the faithfull and ratifie and confirme by outward seales universall plain easie and perpetuall The Author of this Covenant is God in Jesus Christ for none can make these promises but God none can make them good but his Highnesse Therefore the Lord doth evermore challenge this unto himself that he is the maker of the Covenant And as it is Jer. 31. 1 31 32 33. called our Covenant in respect of the conditions required Zech. 9. 11. So it is called the Lords Covenant because he hath made and will establish it If ye can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night c. Then may also my Covenant be broken Jer. 33. 20 21. with David my servant Christ also as Mediatour is both the foundation and Author of this Covenant as he is appointed of the Father Lord and King advanced at the right hand of God to give repentance and remission of sinnes unto Israel and as Testatour Heb. 9. 16. he hath confirmed the Covenant by his death But of this in the next Chapters God is both the Author of this Covenant and one partie confederate Fathers we know seldome frame Indentures thereby to bind themselves what they will doe for their children if they will be obedient but by right of Fatherhood they challenge of them their best service Lords and great personages seldome indent with their free servants what preferment they shall expect after some terme of service and attendance but if they look for reward they must stand at their courtesie But our Lord and Master to whom we owe our selves by right of Creation who might take advantage against us for former disobedience is content to undertake and indent with us and by Indenture to bind himself to bestow great things and incomprehensible upon us if we will accept his kindnesse and bind our selves unto him in willing and sincere obedience If you demand a reason of this dealing none can be given but the meere grace and rich mercy and love of God Thus saith the Ezek. 36. 22. Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Names sake I will cause you to passe under the rod and I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant c. And ye shall know Ezek. 20. 37. that I am the Lord when I shall bring you into the Land of Israel c. And there ye shall remember your wayes and all your doings wherein 42. 43. you have been defiled and ye shall lothe your selves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my Names sake not according to your wicked wayes nor according to your corrupt doings Man can doe nothing of himself to procure his spirituall good In spirituall things it fareth with him much what as with a child new borne into the world which being naked can neither provide cloathes nor being provided and laid by him can put them on for man destitute of all spirituall goodnesse can neither move to helpe himself untill it be freely bestowed nor manage and wield it well when it is of grace vouchsafed without direction and assistance from God And there is as little worth or dignity in man to move God to promise him help as there is ability in man to procure help There is nothing in man to move God to shew mercy but only misery which might be an occasion but can be no cause either why mercy is promised or salvation granted If man had not fallen from grace and state of Innocency God had never sent his Sonne to redeeme him nor shewed mercy reaching to the pardon and covering of his iniquity If he had not lost himself Christ had never come to find and restore him if he had not wounded himself he had not been healed and repaired of grace Man then is a subject on whom God bestowes grace and in whom he works it and his mâ—sery an occasion that the Lord took of manifesting his mercy in succouring and lifting him up out of that distresse but the free
it teacheth that without faith it is impossible to please God And if man stand in need of a Saviour he is lost in himselfe so the prescribing of the remedy doth discover the malady Without hope of pardon there is no true turning unto God but the Gospell propoundeth mercy to them that humble their soules and conâ—esse their sinnes If men may be perswaded and drawn to come unto Christ allured and inticed by faire and sweet promises then the Gospell is the sole instrument of Hos 2. 14. Epâ— 2. 17. conversion but conversion is a faire or slattering perswasion if I may so call it Terrours drive no man unto God of themselves but rather from him unlesse he be pleased to work by them and gentle perswasions may prevaile if God vouchsafe to put in with them God doth freely give his Word to whom he please as long as he please and in what manner it seemeth best unto him in his infinite wisdome He gave his Law unto Jacob his Statutes and Judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with every Nation The Psal 147. Act. 17. 30. times of ignorance God regarded not Greater things were done in Capernaum Chorazin and Bethsaida then were done in Mat. 11. 23 24. Tyre and Sidon Sodome or Gomorrah Paul was forbidden to preach the word in Asia and the Disciples to enter into the Act. 16. 6. Mat. 10. 5. wayes of Samaria Greater meanes God doth vouchsafe to them that are worse and more meanes to them that be more obdurate Ezek. 2. 7. and 3. 7 8 11. Act. 13. 46. in their sinnes like to them that are unlike and lesser to them that be not so deeply plunged into profanenesse For God doth exhort them that they might be inexcusable that they might know a Prophet had been amongst them that it might be for Ezek. 2. 5. Matt. 24. 14. Isai 6. 9 10. Mat. 13. 14 15 16. Rom. 9. 23. Luke 2. 34. a testimony against them that they might be hardened and that the glory of God might be manifested in the vessels of wrath Thus Christ is set up for a signe that shall be spoken against and for a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. The Word is a morall instrument of conversion which God is pleased to use without which he doth not ordinarily work but it hath no power of it self to work and therefore conversion is the immediate work of the holy Ghost notwithstanding the meanes which God useth in the turning of a sinner Naturall instruments being moved have some power to worke of themselves or by their own faculty morall not so The Word is a fit instrument though of it selfe it have no power to produce the effect For though conversion be not a bare morall perswasion yet it is effected by perswasion or at least not without perswasion In the change God dealeth with man as a reasonable creature or instrument which is to be renewed by grace and allured by promises sweet pleasant profitable firme and sure Now the Word is very fit to convey those admirable and most forcible perswasions from the eare unto the soule The Word is more generally published in the times of the Gospell and Kingdome of the Messiah then it had been in former ages God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 19. and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation the Gospell which hath been preached unto every creature under Heaven Col. 1. 23. that is to all Nations Jewes and Gentiles and to all sorts and sexes noble base learned or unlearned bond or free And thus Col. 1. 6. Mat. 28. 19 20. Rom. 10. 21. it did come unto them they not minding it or having it once in their thoughts And hereof this is an argument that it commeth not where it is sought but where it is gainsaid The Spirit was more abundantly poured forth upon the Church after the Resurrection of Christ The Pastours of the Primitive Churches were faithfull and diligent the primitive Christians did 1 Thes 1. 8. not hide their candle under a bushell but did shine as lights to others and labour their conversion and the Gospell like the Sunne for clearnesse did spread forth the beames of light more abundantly The Gospell is more glorious then the Law or truth of God manifested in the old Testament that was as a Candle that could not spread it light farre this as the Sunne disperseth his 2 Cor. 3. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. beames farre and nigh It is the ministration of life a quickning spirit the ministration of righteousnesse which shall endure for ever and in this respect it doth exceed in glory it is a Gospell full of glory If the types of Evangelicall things were glorious how much more glorious must the Gospell it self needs Gal. 1. 27. Jam. 2. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 8 9. 1 Thes 2. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 12. be The Gospell is called a glorious Mystery a royall Law a ministration of glory nay glory it self a glory which draweth the study and amazement of the most glorious creatures unto it The publisher of the Gospell is Jesus Christ the only begotten Sonne of God who being in the bosome of the Father the truth Joh. 1. 18. it selfe and most familiarly acquainted with all his Counsells hath revealed and brought it to light The matter it selfe is great Salvation such as eye hath not seen Heb. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 2. 9. care hath not heard nor ever entered into the heart of man to conceive Newes from heaven touching righteousnesse and life eternall through faith in Jesus Christ Gods wisdome power goodnesse mercy grace longsuffering c. are gloriously set forth in the Gospell The maine subject is Christ the brightnesse of his Fathers glory Heb. 1. 1 2 3. Col. 1. 19. the Image of the invisible God This word propounded by the ministery of man is not only preparatory as if an other word which may be called consummatory must be suggested by the Spirit unto the minde For the holy Ghost doth not inlighten the soule by his internall action into any other acknowledgement of Christ then that which is contained in the Word externally proposed or affect the heart with other senses then which are proposed out of the same Word Faith is Rom. 10. 14 15 16. 17. by hearing that is by preaching and preaching by the Word of God that is by commission or edict from God But this preaching did perfectly containe all things consummatory for the sanctification Joh. 17 17 20. Joh. 14. 16. Joh. 15. 15. 17. 8. Joh. 1. 18. 3. â—2 Joh. 16. 13. of the Church even all things which Christ taught to his disciples which he had heard of the Father and were delivered unto him who was in the bosome of the Father all truth whereby not the Apostles only but the whole Church even to the end of the world shall be sanctified The wisedome of
his Word and Spirit as he knoweth it becommeth both his justice Rom. 9. 24 25 26. 10. 17 18 19 20. Rom. 11. 25 29 30 32 33. and mercy in Christ alwayes reserving to himselfe full and free power to call whom he please according to the good pleasure of his will But this distribution of vocation into externall and internall is not a distribution of the kinde into its specialls but shewes rather what doth concurre to that worke of vocation 1 Cor. 3 5 6. Rom. 1. 5. whereunto obedience is willing and freely yeelded This vocation is instituted and administred according to the eternall decree and purpose of God for knowne unto God are all Act. 15. 18. his workes from eternity and God doth nothing in time which he decreed not to doe from all eternity Whosoever therefore is Ephes 3. 5 6 9 11. Jam. 1. 18. 2 Tim. 1. 9. called in time he was predestinated from eternity that he should be called and in what state place time manner meanes soever a man is called he was predestinated to be called in that state at that time by those meanes and neither sooner nor later nor otherwise for the execution cannot vary from the decree but the note of changeablenesse must be ascribed unto God The company of them that are called effectually is the Church which is visible and invisible as this vocation is inward and outward Rom. 10. 10. visible which doth professe with the mouth and invisible which doth believe with the heart as man is distinguished 1 Cor. 4. 16. into inward and outward And as vocation inward and outward are not two callings but one and the same so the Church visible and invisible are not two Churches but the same Church differently considered Christ hath not two Kingdomes but There is but one Lord one Temple one Ministery Hieron ad Nepotian de vit Cler. Bilson Perpet govern cap. 11. one Kingdome one body one Church whereof every one that is savingly called is a living member The work of grace and heavenly calling is that which giveth being to the Church and make it a different society from all other companies of men whatsoever By effectuall calling and the answer of the soule unto God calling men are admitted into the Kingdome of Christ or Church of God every one that is thus called is of the Church and every one of the Church is thus called He that is not thus called is not of the Church and he that is not of the Church is not thus called He cannot be out of the Church who is in Covenant with God nor can he be a member of the Church who is not in Covenant The sheepe of Christ by predestination and eternall purpose are gathered into this fold some sooner others later some after one Joh. 10. 16. Mat. 20 3. 5. Act. 11. 18. Gal. 3. 28. Rev. 5. 9. Psal 68. 18. manner some after another of all nations kinreds and ongues Jewes and Gentiles bond and free male and female neere and farre off such as haue lyen longer and â—â—â—ke deeper into sinne and such as have beene preserved from the pollutions of the world The end of this vocation as it is the worke of God calling is that they who are given unto Christ of the Father should freely and willingly answer to God and Christ calling and so become the confederates of God by Christ the Mediatour of the New Testament and being faithfull and confederate they should love feare honour worship and obey God in Jesus Christ In respect Pro. 1. 24. Heb. 3. 7 8. Rev. 3. 20. Eph. 2. 11 12 13. Jer. 32. 38 39. Luk. 1. 74 75. Deut. 6. 4 5. Phil. 2. 12. Ephes 1. 6. Act. 13. 47 48. of the outward invitation it is their office and duty to answer to the call In respect of the inward and powerfull worke of the holy Ghost they are certainly inabled and drawne to come unto Christ and give up themselves unto him Another end remote is the Salvation of the elect and the glory of God in which respect calling to grace is a meanes ordained of God and according to the ordinance of God necessary to the communication of Salvation and the answer of the called is a condition requisite and necessary for the obtaining of that end according to the ordinance and appointment of God The glory of God most wife good mercifull just and powerfull doth so Rev. 4 8 9 10. 5. 8. 9 10. brightly shine forth in the communication both of grace and glory that it doth worthily draw the mindes of men and Angels into admiration and loose their tongues into the praise and magnifying of God Eâ— si respectâ— singulorum qui peâ—eâ—nt optabile esset ut homo non peccasset respectu tamen universalis boni câ—jus potius habenda fuit ratio non debuit Deus potentiam suam exâ—rere ad impediendum ne peccaretur Opposite unto this vocation is 1. That God doth suffer some to walke after the vanity of their owne hearts and blindnesse of their mindes and doth not invite them to come unto him or exhort them to repent Thus God regarded not the Gentiles in the dayes of their ignorance but gave them up to the lusts of their owne hearts And at this day many nations are shut up in ignorance and have not heard so much as the sound of the Gospell for many generations It is true the Lord calleth them in a sort by his long-suffering and patience and by the workes of providence in that he filleth their hearts with food and gladnesse but by the promise of mercy he is not pleased to speake unto them 2. Some that be outwardly called they contemne the counsell Luke 7. 30. Act. â—3 46. Act. 7. 51. Psal 81 12 13. Isai 63. 10. and 6. 9 10. Joh. 12. 37 38 39 40. Ezek. 20. 25. Per statuta mâ—la intelligi possunt leges Ethnicorum vel lex Dei quae ipsis in perniciemcessit of God put away from them the Word of grace resist the Spirit of God speaking unto them in the mouth of his Prophet whence followeth blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart efficaciousness of errour that men should beleeve lies a reprobate sense and delivering into the power of Satan Jer. 4. 20. Thou hast seduced this people scil by false prophets promising them peace which God promised not and giving them up to the efficacy of errour as a punishment of former transgression 3. God doth call some by the Gospell and bestow upon them divers spirituall good things though not such as accompany Salvation And thus some doe heare and receive and rejoyce in the Word and bring forth some fruit but not to ripenesse or perfection CHAP. V. How Christians answer to the call of Christ and so come to have Fellowship with him IN the matter of Salvation it pleased God to deale with man by way of stipulation and promise and so
likewise in his calling to the participation of the Covenant For though this Vocation be every way free gracious and absolute as the Spirit worketh where he listeth yet in the Gospel which is the instrument of Vocation it pleaseth God to propound both the condition which he requireth and the promise which he hath made The promise as an argument to move us the rather to give our selves unto Christ and to doe what is required The prescription of what he requireth as that condition without which we cannot obtaine and by which most certainly we shall obtaine what good is promised Effectuall Vocation on Gods part is the powerfull invitation and assured drawing of the weary and thirsty soule unto Christ that in him it might finde refreshing and comfort The answer on our part is a free and willing comming unto Mat. 11. 28 29. Joh. 6. 44. and 6. 35 37. Christ that in him we might be satisfied the embracing of Jesus Christ and lodging him in our bosome And therefore that which first of all receiveth that Vocation is faith whereby we believe that if a man performe the condition he shall possesse the promise if he come unto Christ he shall be satisfied but if he performe not the thing required he shall not enjoy the promise he shall not be satisfied if he drinke not the water of life And not only so but he shall continue poore naked blinde miserable captive a prisoner an alien from the Covenant and without God in the world nay he shall be punished with contrary evils according to the nature of the Covenant divine where there is no promise without a commination contrary to it This faith is grounded upon the free and gracious Covenant whereby God is pleased to binde himselfe first unto us before he binde us unto himselfe that his promise might be apprehended as the ground of our faith upon which we should firmely beleeve And upon the Isai 55. 1 2. Joh. 7. 37. Rev. 22. 17. free and gracious invitation of Christ generally made to all and every poore thirsty languishing faintie soule parched with the sense of wrath and withered for lack of the sap or fruit of grace to come unto him for ease and sweet refreshing to the contentation and satisfying of their soules to come and drink of the waters of life freely Where let it be observed that Thirst and Drinesse in phrase of Scripture doth note the want of good things as Isai 29. 8. Psal 42. 1. Isai 32. 2. and 55. 1. Psal 143. 6. on the contrary absolute good whereby the desire of soule and body may be satisfied is usually compared to waters To thirst is from a totall defect of the Spirit of Grace or a defect of the whole Spirit of Grace tormenting the soule to desire it And so not to thirst for ever and the graces of the Spirit to remaine Joh. 4. 14. and 7. 38. in us for ever or that water to be in us a fountain of water springing up to life eternall is one and the same In Heathen authors to thirst is exceedingly to desire but for the most part that desire comes from some tormenting want Artemidorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Cyrus willing to declare his ardent desire of doing good to others saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Sitio aliis gratificari In which signification it is used by the Latines also Cic. pro Planc Deinde sitientem me virtutis tuae deserüisti Apud Horat. Sitis argenti Apud Juvenal Sitis famae Apud Claudian Sitis praedâ— And the opposition that is betwixt thirst and water will evidence the same For water if we respect the use which it affordeth to the earth and to bodies doth make fruitfull barren fields purifie things polluted qâ—ench or water them that are drie and sweetly refresh them that boyle with heat And therefore if water metaphorically signifie comfort and refreshing wherewith the soul is recreated and rejoyced Thirst which is opposite to water doth denote a soul dried up with grief spent with the heat of Gods indignation and tormented with the vexing or molesting want of grace and consolation To be weary and heavie laden is to be faint or tired under some burden labour Deut. 25. 18. â— Sam. 17. 2. and 23. 10. Psal 6. 7. See there journey disease or work But tirednesse and fainting wearinesse and trouble are no parts of health or â—ase no more then the sight feeling or knowledge of the disease is any part of the cure wearinesse and fainting is neither part degree nor preparative to refreshing if in it self considered And here the doubt touching the precedency of faith and repentance may easily be determined For if faith be taken largely or generally for a beliefe of the promise if we repent and receive it then faith is before repentance for there can be no turning without hope of pardon nor comming home by hearty sorrow without some expectation of mercy Thus the Exhortations run Turn unto the Lord for he is mercifull and gracious Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand But if faith be taken more strictly for that faith or beliefe whereby we receive embrace or rest upon the promise of God in Christ Jesus for pardon and forgivenesse then repentance goeth before pardon for no remission is promised to Mark â— 4. Luke 24. 47. be enjoyed but upon condition of repentance and if the penitent only be immediately capable of pardon then pardon is received by a penitentiall faith If repentance be necessary to Justification of necessity it must goe before justifying faith because faith and justification are immediately coupled together It is impossible to come unto Christ without repentance but to come unto Christ is to embrace or receive him soundly and effectually to the refreshing of the soul Comming unto Christ is a lively motion of the soul wherein arising from sin it draweth nigh or approacheth unto Christ that in him it might be satisfied The motion is one but the points are two For in drawing nigh unto Christ the soul ariseth from sin which may be called repentance Of the signification of the word I will move no question at this time but take repentance for a comming unto Christ by true godly sorrow from whom we had formerly departed by sin and wickednesse to the extreme hazard of our souls The Author of repentance is God in Jesus Christ Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. Jer. 31. 18. is the gift of God but the act of man It is man that repenteth and not God but it is God that giveth repentance inableth and moveth man to repent Regeneration is the act of God repentance the act of man In subject they both agree for he that is Ezek. 36. 25. regenerate doth also repent and so on the contrary but in their formall consideration and peculiar nature they are distinct Christ also as Mediatour is the principall cause of repentance for him hath God exalted to give repentance
God then made knowne to men And if we take the Land of Canaan properly and literally it was not the everlasting Inheritance of Israell absolute but relative not for ever but for a long time prescribed of God even untill the time of Reformation But if we looke to the thing signified it is an everlasting inheritance to the spirituall seed These promises were freely made of grace and of meere grace the blessings promised were conferred upon the seed Fot Abraham Josh 24. 2. himselfe was an Idolater when it pleased God to call him out of Vr of the Chaldees and to make these rich promises unto him And as Abrahams calling was of grace so are all the promises made unto him when he was first called The wages is due unto him Rom. 4. 4. that worketh upon desert but the inheritance was given to Abraham by promise Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. And if faith be reckoned to Abraham for righteousnesse he hath not to glory before God We reade indeed the Lord said unto Rom. 4. 2. Abraham for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held Gen. 22. 16 17 thy Sonne thine only Sonne That in blessing I will blesse thee c. But the same promise God had formerly made to Abraham and faith in these promises was the cause of his obedience therfore his obedience was not the cause why God gave the promise An occasion or antecedent it might be of the renewing of the promise at this time but it was no cause of the promise it selfe nor of the accomplishment For that whitout which and before which the promise was could not be a cause of the promise or the good promised Besides the basis and foundation of this promise is Christ whose incarnation could not be merited by Abrahams obedience The particle because is a note of order and consequence shewing to whom the promise did pertaine not of the cause why it was made or the good promised should be performed If it be said the good promised to Abraham is called a reward Gen. 15. 1 2. The answer is the word reward sometimes doth import nothing but an absolute and free gift of God though no action went before to which recompence was due as Gen. 30. 18. Leah saith God hath given me my reward because I have given my handmaid to my husband Psal 127. 4. Children are the Inheritance of the Genbrard in Psal 126. Lord and the fruite of the wombe is his reward There is a reward of a debt such as is due to the workeman for his labour upon desert and a reward of grace such as God giveth to them who labour in well-doing according to promise A reward is given to the worker of free grace but not for his worke as the procuring or deserving cause There is a relation of order and consequence betwixt the worke and the reward that the one goeth before and the other followeth but not a proportion of equiparancie price Aliâ— est compeâ—satio quâ— prâ—â—no redditur aliud Alia qua propter unum redditur aliud Psal 18. 20. or degrees that the one should match or purchase the other A recompence is given to obedience as comfort and solace to them that suffer for well-doing but it is not given for their obedience as wages to the labourer or lands and possessions for the price paid in hand Reward is sometimes called retribution but in Scripture not only the reward of good or evill but simply good or evill done is thereby signified though nothing went before to deserve or procure it Thou hast shewed this day how thou hast dealt Gen. 50. 15. 1 Sam. 24. 18. well with me If I have rewarded evill unto him that was at peace with me The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me He hath Psal 7. â—â— Psal 1â— 6. Psal 103. 10. 116. 7. Psal 114. 17. 142. 7. Isa 3. 9. 2 Sam. 16. 36. Psal 103. 2. Judg. 9. 16. Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod vulgò redditur retribuere non semper significat parpari referre seu idem reponâ—re nimirum beneficium pro beneficio injuriam pro injuria sed etiam priorem conâ—erre in aliquem vel bonum hoc est benefacere c. Kinch ad vers 4 c. 3. Joâ—l Mius in Psal 13. 6. not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities Deale bountifully with thy servant And if a benefit freely vouchsafed be called a retribution the retribution promised and of grace conferred upon the workers of righteousnesse doth not inferre dignity or worth in the work rewarded For when God doth performe his promise of meere grace he is said to retribute not that he oweth any thing to any man or that he can receive any that hath the reason of a benefit but because he doth good unto them according as of his rich grace he was pleased to promise And if God be said to render or repay a reward thence it will not follow that good works can merit ought at the hands of God for the word is of farre larger signification and imports no more sometimes but to restore to one that which was his own before as Matth. 22. 21. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars Luk. 9. 42. It is said of the child that our Saviour healed he restored him to his father Luk. 4. 20. He gave againe the booke to the Minister Sometimes it is to give without respect to merit or desert as Matth. 27. 58. Pilate commanded the body to be given unto him Acts 4. 33. With great power the Apostles gave testimony of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ Numb 3. 3. 36. 2. 2 Chron. 6. 23. where the Hebrew hath nothing but give the Septuagint translate it render or repay Moreover it signifieth to repay according to vow or promise as is to be seen in many places of Scripture Deut. 23. 21. Psal 22. 26. Psal 50. 14. 116. 12 17. Hos 14. 2. Joh. 2. 10. Nah. 1. 15. That a company of miscreant wretches should be beloved saved and a Sonne shine reason cannot reach it religion doth not desire it nature doth not require it justiâ—e doth not exact it only love hath done it In brief there is a retribution of justice strictly taken which is according to desert Jud. 1. 7. Jer. 32. 18. Exod. 22. 5 6. and there is a retribution of grace and bounty which is of favour according to promise as Ruth 2. 12. Prov. 13. 21. and 25. 22. not to adde that he that first doth good or evill is said to retribute Psal 137. 8. Psal 35. 12. So that if God be said to render or retribute according to our righteousnesse it is not in respect of the worthinesse of our deeds as if they deserved it but of his free promise and rich mercy whereby he hath bound himself to accept of our sincere obedience
and graciously to reward it As God was pleased freely to make these promises to Abraham so also to confirme the same unto him by Oath By my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of Promise the immutability of his counsell confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Abraham was strong in faith yet was it not superfluous or altogether needlesse that God of his superaboundant love and mercy should adde his Oath to the former promise for the further setling and assurance of his servant Here that common saying may be of use Aboundant cautelousnesse doth not hurt nay it is of great profit and behoofe But this is to be further noted that God had respect to the posterity of Abraham For Isaack was present then to whom the promises were confirmed in his father which when both the one and the other ought to inculcate to their posterity it was a matter of no light moment that they might holily affirme that God hath confirmed them both by word and Oath In this passage Abraham believed God and it was imputed to Gen. 18. 6. Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 6. Jam. 2. 23. him for righteousnesse both the spirituall good things promised on Gods part in the Covenant and the condition required on mans part are implied For the Apostle hence concludes that Abraham was freely justified by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and in this is included all eternall and spirituall blessings which doe accompany each other For whom God doth justifie them he glorifieth In the first expression the thing required on our parts was obscurely implied and we had much to doe to find it out but in this passage it lieth bare Abraham believed c. This condition in Abraham the Apostle fully followeth against the Justiciaries of his and our times opposing it to the condition of works in attaining the blessings of Abraham strongly proving that this faith made Abraham the friend of God and a justified person having nothing to glory in this kind before God from any worke But seeing this text is so oft alleadged and pressed by the Apostles and so much controverted among men it is not amisse to handle the words more at large In the Originall word for word they run thus He beleeved the Lord or in the Lord and he imputed that to him righteousnesse The Sptuagint render it and the Apostles alleadge it thus Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse The word believed imports he thought the words of God to be sure certaine stable and constant and signifieth such a beliefe as is opposed to fainting as it is said of Jacob when he heard the report of his sons that Joseph was alive his heart fainted because he believed not but when he believed his heart revived Gen. 45. 25 26. And David saith of himselfe I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved Psal 27. 13. So that it is a lively motion of the heart or soule assenting unto and trusting in the word of God as firme and stedfast Now whether you reade the word following in or upon God as Arias and Pagnine or God as the Apostles alleadge it it is all one for here to believe God as all circumstances doe shew is to put trust and confidence in God or with lively adherence to sticke or cleave Joh. 5. 24. unto the word of God And he imputed sc God or he in whom Abraham believed as the construction it selfe and words following manifestly convince or it was imputed as a Isa 22. 8. Mich. 1. 7. Ezek. 23. 47. Gen. 50. 20. 1 Sâ—m 18. 15. Jer. 18. 7 8. 49. 30. 2â— 11. Exod. 26 1. 39 32. Psal 40. 17. active verbes amongst the Hebrewes are expounded passively The word translated imputed is of large signification and imports to thinke reckon Rom. 6. 11. Psal 44. 22. Rom. 8. 36. devise purpose conclude Rom. 3. 28. resolve plot esteeme fore-see reason Mark 11. 31. consult of a matter how it may be brought to passe looke unto and take care of But more properly to the matter in hand it is to account unto a man or repute unto a man or reckon unto a man any thing to be his or to be good paiment and satisfaction for him in his accounts And that we may the better conceive the meaning of it in this text let us consider some other passages in which it is used Bloud shall be imputed unto that man he hath Gen 38. 15. 1 Sam. 1. 13. Lev. 17. 4. 25. 5â— Numb 18. 27. 2 Sam. 19. 19 20. shed bloud This your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you as though it were the corne of the threshing floore Let not my Lord impute iniquity to me Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Phineas stood up and executed judgement and so the plague stayed and that was counted to him for righteousnesse If the uncircumcised keepe the ordinance of the Law Psal 32. â— Psal 106. 31. Rom. 2. 26. Rom. 4. 11. 5. 18. Rom. 9. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 19. â— Cor. 12. 6. 2 Tim. 4. 16. shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision That righteousnesse might be imputed to them also Sinne is not imputed when there is no Law The children of the promise are counted for the seed Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes unto them I refraine lest any man should account of me above that he seeth in me At my first answering no man assisted but all forsooke me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge Even as David also describeth the Rom. 4. â— blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put Philem. v. 18. Rom. 4. 4. that on mine account Now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by favour but by debt Here it hinders nothing that righteousnesse imputed should simply note out a righteousnesse of grace and acceptation whenas the word imputed joyned with others noting desert and debt may signifie the cleane contrary For example when it is said that God gives gifts unto the sonnes of Psal 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8. men all understand a free bestowing of good things amongst them but when he saith he giveth them the spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. eyes that they should not see eares that they should not heare then albeit the word giving in it selfe promiseth some grace yet being matched with such words it hath a contrary signification to that which naturally it signifieth when mention is simply of violent men and of raveners or
the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep in the Land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee Thou shalt be blessed above all people and there shall not be male or female barren amongst you or among your cattell And the Lord will take away from thee all sicknesse and will put none of the evill diseases of Egypt which thou knowest upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good Land a Land Deut. 8. 7 8 9. 11. 14 15. of brookes of water of fountaines and depths that spring out of the vallies and hils a Land of wheat and barley and Vines and Fig-trees and Pomegranates a Land of Oile Olive and Honey A Land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarcenesse thou shalt not lacke any thing in it a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hils thou maist digge brasse The Lord hath vouched thee this day to be his peculiar Deut. 26. 18 19. people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandements And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou maiest be Deut. 28. 1 2 c. an holy people unto the Lord thy God as he hath spoken Secondly The Lord promised to chuse a place to cause his name to dwell there and set his Tabernacle amongst them and walke with them But when you goe over Jordane and dwell in the Land Lev. 26 4 5 6 7 8 9 11. Deut. 12. 10 11 12. 16. 6. which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that ye dwell in safety Then shall there be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you And I Lev. 26. 10 12. will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my soule shall not abhorre you And I will walke among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people For the Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation Psal 132. 13. 14. This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Thirdly Free forgivenesse of sinnes is likewise promised in this Covenant This is implyed in that he promiseth to be their God for if he be theirs he will be favourable to their iniquities and remember their sinnes no more And so much is expressed when upon repentance and turning unto him he hath proclaimed himselfe ready to receive them into favour If from thence Deut. 4. 29 30. thou shalt seeke the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seeke him with all thine heart and with all thy soule And it shall come to Deut. 30. 1 2 3. passe when all these things shall come upon thee the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee And shalt returne unto the Lord thy God and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day thou and thy children That then the Lord thy God will turne thy Captivity and have compassion upon thee and will returne and gather thee from all nations When thy people Israel be smitten downe before the enemy because they have sinned 1 King 8. 33 34. Man as capable of Justification is â— sinner as be actually receiveth Justification a Believer against thee and shall turne againe unto thee and confesse thy Name and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house Then heare thou in heaven and forgive the sinne of thy people Israel and bring them againe unto the Land Moreover the Lord made himselfe knowne to be the God that pardoneth iniquity transgression and sinne when he gave this Covenant unto his people But of this before Fourthly Eternall life is promised in the Covenant for God is not the God of the dead but of the living and therefore the faithfull Jewes which have God for their God doe live still not Math. 22. 32. Math. 19. 17. Luk. 10. 25 28. in earth but in heaven The life which is promised to them that keepe the Law is eternall but in this Covenant life is promised to them that keepe the Commandements Not only long Psal 34. 12 13. life and good dayes in the Land of Canaan but eternall life is assured by the promise to them that keepe Covenant as eternall death and destruction is comprehended under the curse denounced against them that breake the Covenant Expresse mention of Gal. 3. 13. the King some of Heaven perhaps is not found in the Old Testament but eternall life is comprehended under the termes of life and blessing as eternall death under the tearmes of death and the Curse Eternall life in heaven eternall death in hell the Law noteth though it doe not expressely name them Which things unlesse they had been commonly knowne in the dayes of our Saviour the penitent Thiefe about to die had not thought of a Kingdome nor the Lord promised Paradice to him when he asked a place in the Kingdome of the Mâ—ssiah But all these promises were made of freâ— grace and of free love accomplished Speake not thou in thine heart after that the Lord Deut. 9. 4 5. thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying For my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this Land but for the wickednesse of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee Not for the righteousnesse or for the uprightnesse of thine heart doest thou goe to possesse their Land but for the wickednesse of these Nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee and that he may performe the word which the Lord sware unto thy Fathers Abraham Vers 6. Isâ—â—k and Jacob. Vnderstand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good Land to possesse it for thy righteousnes for thou art a stiffe-necked people True it is the promises runne upon this condition If ye obey my voice and doe my Commandments But conditions are of two sorts antecedent or consequent Antecedent when the condition is the cause of the thing promised or given as in all civill contracts of Justice where one thing is given for another Consequent when the condition is annexed to the promise as a qualification in the Subject or an adjunct that must attend the thing promised And in this latter sence obedience to the Commandments was a condition of the promise not a cause why the thing promised was vouchsafed but a qualification in the subject capable or a consequence of such great mercy freely conferred Of them that slip aside and transgresse the Covenant God calleth for and commandeth repentance that is it is his will and command that they
be thinke themselves of their evill doings confesse their iniquities and turne unto the Lord. The frequent and earnest exhortations of the Prophets made to backsliding and rebellious Israel that she should acknowledge her wickednesse and returne unto the Lord is a full Commentary of that which Jer. 3. 7 22. 4. 1 2. Ezek 18. 27 28 Ezek. 18 31 32. 33. 11 13. God required of them in this Covenant in case they should turne away from the holy Commandment The Lord protesteth by his Prophet Ezekiel that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth but rather that he should repent and live and the same for substance he made knowne to Israel in the Covenant which he stroke with them sc that if they transgresse and goe astray he doth admit will accept and approve nay command their unfained repentance and comming home unto the Lord that they might live This question Why will ye die ye house of Israel is put forth to the people in Covenant and not indifferently to all and every man living It is manifestly spoken of the house of Israel whom God had spared notwithstanding their manifold and great provocations to whom he not only gave space of repentance but used meanes to bring them to repentance by sending Prophets unto them to admonish them of their sins to denounce the judgements of God against them for their impenitency and earnestly to exhort them to cast away their transgressions that they might live God then doth approve and command the returne of his people that have gone astray he waiteth for their amendment useth meanes to bring them to the knowledge of themselves is not wanting to them in any thing that in justice or promise he ought to doe for them but yet it is not his will effectually to bring every man to repentance whom he doth command to repent The Commandment of God shews what is our duty but not what God will worke in every man the commandment lieth upon them that be obstinate and rebellious but they have not grace to will their conversion or amendment Neverthelesse we must not thinke either that God doth dissemble or that he is the authour of mans impenitency for mans corruption pravity and wilfulnesse is the cause of his going on in evill and his impotency is not a meere infirmity which he doth bewaile but a stubbornesse which he doth foster and cherish by all means The condition of this Covenant in the sence afore-said is faith in the promised Messiah which is implied in the promise I will be thy God and commanded in the precept built upon it Thou shalt have me to be thy God For God is not the God of Israel but in and through the Mediatour neither can Israel take God to be their God but by faith in the Messiah In the Prophets we meet with no exhortations more common then these Trust in the Lord commit thy selfe unto the Lord rowle thy burden upon him leane upon the Lord but what the Prophets exhort-unto that is commanded in this expressure of the Covenant and trust in the Lord man a sinner cannot unlesse it be in and through a Mediatour Israel is commanded to seek the Lord and walk before him in all well-pleasing But without Heb 11. 6 7. Quod addit Apostolus nondum venisse fidem Gal. 3. 23. quamdâ—â— Dei po pulus sub legis custodia detinebatur id aliò spectat scil fides Apostolo eo loco est evaâ—ge lica fontis misericordiae Dei Rom. 3. 29. in Christi filij Mediatoris sanguine declaratio quam fidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat quippe revelationis Christi gradum excellentissimum eadem prorsus ratione qua Johan ajâ—â—at spiritum John 7. 39. Jer. 31. 33 34. 32. 33 34. quae comparatè tantum dicuntur non autem absolutè quasi haec nullo gradu jam tum contingerent faith it is impossible to please God For he that commeth to God must believe that God is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seeke him We cannot seeke God nor pray unto him without faith for to seek God is to trust in him But all men will confesse the Israelites were by Covenant bound to seeke God and pray unto him As Gideon Barak Sampson Jepthah David and Samuel through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained promises c. So the faithfull and true Israelite by faith walked with God and became heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith As God is one who shall justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith without question in the Covenant of Grace he taught the Circumcision to seek justification by faith and not by the works of the Law Neverthelesse herein God called for and his Israel was bound to yeeld obedience to all his Commandements Strict exact perfect obedience the Lord doth require so that the least failing must be acknowledged to be a sin uniforme and sincere obedience is so required that without it there can be no Salvation Perfect obedience is commanded that if a man will trust in his works to be justified thereby he must either bring that which is every way compleat or be cast in judgement Sincere obedience though imperfect is approved that the imperfection of their best works being covered and their transgressions graciously pardoned they might be accepted by faith in Christ who is the end of the Law as righteous unto eternall life This distinction was formerly propounded but now is more largely to be confirmed The Law requires perfect and exact obedience for secret faults even thoughts arising from corrupt nature before they attained Rom. 7. 7. full consent are therein condemned and he that trusteth in his works if he continue not in every thing that is written in the Gal. 3. 10. book of the Law to doe them he is accursed But to them that be in Covenant the Law was given with such moderation that sincere obedience was accepted of them though attended with Psal 19. 12 13. many imperfections as is cleare by that of the Psalmist who can understand his errours cleanse thou me from secret faults keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression The godly Governours and people of Israel were well acquainted with the meaning of the Law and what obedience should be accepted at their hands And when 2 Kin. 23. 3. 2 Chro. 15. 12 13 14. Neh. 10. 29 30 31. they promised and bound themselves by Oath to walk in all the Statutes Judgements and Ordinances of the Lord or of the Law of Moses they did neither pervert the sense of the Law nor promise punctually to fulfill the Law in every jot and title Therefore they understood the tenour of the Law as it was given unto them to admit of upright unfained and true obedience the imperfection
grace and love of God is the sole cause of what the Lord hath promised in this new Covenant and doth give according to promise And though the old and new Covenant be of the same nature and from the same fountaine yet the new Covenant is preferred above the old as farre as Sunne-light before Torch light in this that God who makes the Covenant hath more fully manifested the riches of his grace and superaboundant love in Jesus Christ the brightnesse of his glory and engraven forme of his person to the federates of the new Testament In the old Covenant the Lord had made it knowne that he was mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse But in the new Covenant he doth most familiarly reveale himself to be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus and in him the Father of the faithfull which most sweet and pleasant name doth breathe out unspeakable love and tendernesse Again though the ancient federates had some knowledge of Gods Attributes as an introduction to the Covenant of Grace yet they never knew that transcendency of Gods love which is brought to light in the new mentioned in these and such like passages of Scripture Behold what manner of love the Father hath 1 Joh. â— 1. bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sonnes of God God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever Joh. 3. 16. beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He spared Rom. 8. 3â— not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth For there is one God 1 Tim. â— 4 5. and one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Jesus They that seek to stretch this speech of the Apostle to the furthest doe yet confesse it is spoken of the times of the Gospell and that appeareth evidently by the reason of the Apostle confirming that saying that God will that all men be saved from this that God is the God of all men by Covenant and Christ the Mediatour of all men in Covenant and by the Gospell the Word of truth the saving truth of God was brought unto all in Covenant Besides in the old Testament the Doctrine of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God head was more obscurely taught but in the new Testament we are clearely and most comfortably assured that the Father Son and holy Ghost do sweetly conspire to perfect the Salvation of the Faithfull and confirme unto them the promises of the Covenant There be three that beare record in 1 Joh. 5. 7. Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Matth. â—8 19. Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost If in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand why should a Christian question or doubt of the promises of mercy made in the Covenant assured unto him by the Father Sonne and holy Ghost God the Father promiseth that in his only begotten Sonne he will be a mercifull Father to all Believers that he will give him to them for a Redeemer accept his satisfaction for them give them his Spirit and bestow upon them righteousnesse and salvation The Sonne doth promise that he will be Redeemer of the faithfull by doctrine merit and efficacy that he will deliver them from the power of Satan bring them into perpetuall favour with God wash them from all the filthinesse of their sins and be unto them as he is made of the Father Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The holy Ghost doth promise that being redeemed by the bloud of Christ by the presence of his grace he will cleanse them from all inherent sinne and repaire the Image of God in them leade them into all truth and holinesse inable them to cry Abba Father seale them for the Lords and abide with them by his grace and comfort as an earnest of the inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession This Covenant was stricken with all Nations or the world in opposition to the Jewish Nation for now the promise made Gal. 3. 8. to Abraham was fulfilled In thee shall all Nations of the earth be blessed now the prophecies touching the calling of the Gentiles Isai 44. 6 and bringing them to the Sheep-fold of Christ were accomplished now the Apostles were sent forth to preach the Gospell to Matth. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 13. Rom. 1. 16. Col. 1. 6 23. Act 10. 45. every creature and God gave such a blessing unto the Word that by their preaching a great part of the habitable world was converted unto the faith Now upon the Gentiles was powred out also the gift of the holy Ghost Christ having broken down the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile and abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Eph. 2. 14 15. law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace The Covenant of promise was first made with Adam and his posterity not with him as the common parent of all mankind and so with every man that should come of his loines howsoever in all generations but with Adam as a beleever and his posterity untill by wilfull departure from the faith they should discovenant themselves and those that did proceed from them In like manner it was made with the Patriarchs with Noah and his posterity then with Abraham and his family afterwards with one selected Nation but under the Gospell all Nations are brought into the bond of the Covenant All nations I say but not every one in every nation nor every nation in all periods of that time For many nations have lived we know for a long time in infidelity without the Gospell without God in the world aliens from the Common-wealth of Isâ—ael and strangers from the Covenant of Grace And we find the Apostles to make a manifest 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. difference betwixt the people of God and unbelievers so that all in their dayes were not admitted into Covenant though the Gospell was preached unto them For they that be in Covenant are in phrase of Scripture the people of God that is such with whom God hath contracted Covenant and who in like manner have sworne unto the words of the Covenant God stipulating and they accepting the condition God as an absolute Soveraigne hath right and authority over all men but in a certaine and peculiar reason they are called his people who receive his Commandement and acknowledge him to be their Lord and Saviour And these be of two sorts for God doth make his Covenant with some externally calling them by his Word and sealing them by his Sacraments and they by profession of faith