of Creation and stipulation the one is natural and necessary and the other voluntary Thus God binds the Creature to himself by all imaginable engagements to prevent future Apostasie By the one we are bound to God and by the other God is bound to us God as a Creator has absolute Soveraignty but yet that man might not think much to yield obedience God is pleas'd to engage himself to a recompence The Covenant God made is double according to the twofold state of Man 1 In his state of Integrity And this was faedus amicitiae a Covenant of friendship between persons never at variance 2 In his state of Corruption When man by sin had broken the first and brought himself under the Curse thereof then God brought in the Covenant of reconciliation and that was faedus misericordiae that is a Covenant of mercy And these Covenants were made with two representative heads the first and the second Adam for in them the Lord looks upon all mankind and it is a mans being in either of these that brings him under either Covenant for God will deal with men both in a way of Sin and Righteousness by way of imputation and the ground of all imputation is union In the first Adam all sin and all die because by their union they stand under his Covenant so in the second Adam we are made the Righteousness of God in him We are in him therefore we are righteous in him we live in the Lord and die in the Lord and hence it is that to all those who are in the first Adam the first Covenant stands in force to this day for Adam was a publick person a head that represented all Mankind The Commandment belong'd to the Nature the Tree of Life was not a personal Sacrament but given to the Nature and the curse of the Covenant doth not seize upon Adam's person but the nature of man in him Gal. 3.10 And the duty of the Covenant must be as large as the curse of the Covenant and so large must the Covenant it self be Now the curse comes upon all Mankind therefore to them the duty did belong and they are federates in this Covenant all that are the Sons of the first Adam are all under Adam's Covenant And this will appear from the conveyance of Adam's sin in the guilt of it Rom. 5.12 for upon whom the curse is inflicted unto them the sin is imputed death came in by sin But how is it that they die who never sin'd Though they never sin'd in their own persons yet in their head they sinned Men are in Adam two ways Legally and Naturally now seeing his sin is imputed to us because we stood under the same Covenant then so long as a man stands guilty of Adam's sin which he does till he be ingrafted into Christ so long he is under Adam's Covenant 2. Every man that is under the curse is under that Covenant that inflicts the curse but all Mankind by nature are under the curse therefore the curse is the curse of the first Covenant Joh. 3. ult and the Gospel does not make men miserable but leaves them so He that believes not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him that is only by accident as the mercy of it is contemn'd so indeed it heightens the sin and aggravates the condemnation but the curse is properly the curse of the first Covenant the Gospel in it self speaks nothing but blessing As a Physician that is sent to cure a man if through the malignity of the Disease and the frowardness of the Patient he cast away the Potion the Balm that would cure him he dies of the Disease not of the Physick Christ came voluntarily under a Covenant of Works Gal. 4.4 and submitted to all the obedience of it and he was made a curse for us that is in our stead to redeem us that were under the Law It cannot be meant of the Ceremonial Law for that the Galatians were never under and it cannot be meant of the Law as a rule for direction and as a bridle for restraint therefore it must be meant with respect to the Law in some way as a Covenant not as a Covenant of Grace therefore as a Covenant of Works 3. To be freed from the Law as a Covenant is a special fruit that the Saints have by Christ and by his Death Gal. 3.13 He delivers us from the curse of the Law now a man can never be freed from it as a curse that is not freed from it as a Covenant we are not under the Law condemning but under Grace pardoning justifying and accepting or else as Beza and others have it under the Law irritating as the dam makes the waters swell the higher but under Grace not only pardoning and justifying but healing and sanctifying And this follows upon the Law as a Covenant broken and if this be a special priviledge that men have by being in Christ then they that are out of Christ are under the Law as a Covenant still for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness The righteousness that the Law requires is to be found in Christ alone therefore Moses Law was to be laid up in the Ark Christ came not to abolish the Law but by his obedience to fulfil it and establish it 4. From the dealing of God with all men answerable to the Covenant under which they stand and his different dealing with them shews their different Covenants 1 He exacts perfect and personal obedience in their own persons There is indeed in the Gospel commutatio personae a commutation of the person but non Justitiae not of the righteousness but no unregenerate man can attain to this his Covenant admits no Mediator So that Christ's obedience goes not to perfect his Ephes 2.12 Without Christ c. 2 He rejects their best works for the least failing Isa 1.11 12. but under the Covenant of Grace if there be but a willing mind it 's accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 2 Chron. 30.18 19. 3 He hates the persons for the works sake Gen. 4.7 Gal. 3.10 but under the New Covenant he loves the service for the persons sake He had respect to Abel and his offering the weakness of the service did not cause the person to be rejected He never hates their persons when he is angry with their works but he deals with unregenerate men under another Covenant 4 All things are turn'd into a curse for this Covenant being broken speaks nothing but curse as we shall see when we come to speak to the Sanction or the appendix that which is added unto the Covenant to inforce obedience which is but accidental in case of disobedience and that is in the day thou eatest thereof dyâ—ng thou shalt die § 2. But before we speak to this particular let us note these things by the way 1. Why doth God add this threatning unto Adam surely it was that he might by it be
be like him for we shall see him as he is answerable to our vision of him such will be our conformity to him Mercies unto wicked men are suitable to their services they give to God unsanctified services and God does give them unsanctified rewards and their services are seemingly services but really sins so are the mercies that God gives them seeming blessings but really curses they are indeed blessings in the thing but as they draw out their corruptions so they are curses unto the men So Iratus dat amanti quod malè amat as Austin saies God gives it in wrath as he did to them Quails c. and though they were fed to the full yet he sends â—anness into their souls he gave them their hearts desire in wrath 5 By this Covenant you do ingage your selves that whatever God bestows in mercy you will return again in duty that you may injoy nothing apart from God but as the Lord saith of his people in Covenant they are his portion so you also say of God he is your God and as all that is in him is made over unto you so you will be his people and all that is in you shall be made over unto him and should be laid out or laid down for him and you shall resign to him whatever he shall call for and this is for a man to hate Father and Mother and his own life and acknowledge as David did of thine own have we given thee God gave it unto them and they do return it willingly unto God again that which is a Samuel asked of God shall be also lent unto the Lord and the soul never desires or expects good from any mercy from which God hath no glory for a man is a servant to God and it is all the Master 's that the servant hath of gains as the Law saith Cant. 8.11 Servi sunt res Domini quicquid acquirunt acquirunt domino c. Solomon had a Vineyard and he let it out to keepers and he expected the fruits thereof even a thousand pieces of Silver and of the Husbandmen to whom the Vineyard was committed the Lord expected fruits c. a soul is never so well pleased as when it brings forth fruit for God and lays out his strength to the uttermost that he may bring in a revenue of glory to the Lord his God 6 When all the duties of the Covenant are performed by us in the fittest time and in the highest and the best manner 1 In the fittest time as the Lord takes the fittest time to show us mercy so should we also take the fittest time to perform our duty to him and it 's a great matter to know the season there is an accepted time there is a day of salvation 2 And also we must perform it in the highest manner as David said It is for the Lord and therefore the house must be magnificent this have I done out of my poverty though he offered the wealth of a kingdom And the Lord says to Israel Wouldest thou offer this to thy prince I am a great king God expects we should perform all our duties with that reverence and exactness as we do when we offer any gift or present to a Ruler over us 2. We are to improve the Covenant in reference unto God for the obtaining all the mercies of the Covenant because therein the Lord hath in faithfulness ingaged himself Debita reddit nulli debens c. God pays debts and yet is debtor to none but to his own faithfulness So do they Isa 63.18 19. The Lord was departed and had sold them into the hand of strangers and they possessed their Land they pray Return for thy servants sake the tribes of thy inheritance the people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while we are thine thou never barest rule over them and thy name was never called upon them they were never a people whom thou tookest into Covenant as thou hast done unto us And so Isa 63.9 Be not wroth very sore nor remember our iniquity for ever behold I beseech thee we are all thy people Jer. 14.8 9. O thou the hope of Israel the saviour thereof in the time of trouble why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land why shouldest thou be as a man astonished as a mighty man that cannot save if thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name Thy name is called upon us we are thy people in Covenant The Lords portion the lot of his inheritance for God is always mindful of his Covenant and in pursuance thereof he doth whatever he doth in the world if he give Christ it is with respect to the Covenant he hath raised up an horn of salvation Luk. 1.72 that is a strong and powerful Saviour for he has laid help upon one that is mighty And all is that he might perform his Covenant unto our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Christ and all the mercies by him which are given to us are a fruit of the Covenant that was made with Christ before the world was Lev. 26.41 42. if their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they accept the punishment of their iniquity then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob and with Isaac and with Abraham and I will remember the land Now How should a man improve his Covenant in reference unto God 1. Consider rightly the latitude of Covenant mercies and the greatness of them for it is in this Covenant that all your salvation lies that your hearts may be carried out answerable to the vastness of the loving-kindness of God and that no mercy of the Covenant may be left unconsidered and untasted of but that you may have a taste that the Lord is gracious in every one of them and that a man may see that it is the weakness of his heart and the lowness of his spirit that he doth not press towards them all for the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.9 He labours whether present or absent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are ambitious c. habet sapientia sui generis superbiam and therefore a godly man is not willing to leave out any thing either of the graces or the priviledges of the Covenant for they are Covenant mercies that are the precious mercies of your lives the flower of all the mercies of a mans life it is therefore said to be a Covenant stablished upon better promises the first Covenant did promise life for ever in Heaven as it did threaten death for ever in Hell but yet there are better promises as he said Est aliud in Christo formosius salvatore There is something in Christ more beautiful than a Saviour so there is something in the Covenant that is better than Heaven 1 The Lord hath made over himself to us in this Covenant He is not ashamed to be called our God to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee
them to have the Remainders of sin in them in this life and they shall never be freed from it till their dissolution We shall easily see that he as the Lord of all has ordered this by his Sovereignty and Supremacy for the good of his people and that it was for their sakes 1 That hereby he may exalt the Grace of Justification unto the Saints for God to pardon sins past it were rich mercy infinite mercy but for the Lord to leave sin remaining in a man and while he is conflicting with it and fears he shall be overcome with it every moment sees himself still to remain a sinner and yet the grace of Justification still to hold out that as there is in me a Fountain of sin so God is the Father of mercies and he doth not only pardon at first but when I sin and endeavour to make a breach upon my Justification again he shews mercy still and doth multiply to pardon Isa 55.7 this exalts the Righteousness of Christ imputed in justification for tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla erit medicinae causa Dam. Therefore a man doth daily wash his feet and sees the Sun of Righteousness to rise upon him daily that he may be justifi'd not only from the Acts of sin but also from the remainders and Reliques of sin that are in him Joh. 13.10 And this also doth exalt the grace of God the Father justifying When the Apostle had had more than ordinary experience of the remainders of corruption in him and was much afflicted looking upon himself as a miserable man by reason thereof and judging himself worthy to be destroy'd for it and might by reason thereof have expected the sentence of death every moment now he looks upon the grace of the Gospel as justifying and he finds a new sweetness in it there is now no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Not only the sins committed before Conversion but the sins remaining after do justly make the soul liable to condemnation but such is the grace that justifies us that there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus 2 That there may be a continual Conflict kept up in us our life is a Warfare and therefore Job 14.14 it is said all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the days militiae meae of my warfare this is not against enemies without against spiritual wickednesses in high places only but against enemies within in a special manner the Flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and by this means the war is maintain'd The Lord will have the time of this life to be tempus militiae a time of warfare and the other life laetitiae of triumph as Bernard speaks this laboris of labour that mercedis of reward and there is no conflict in the world like unto this to have two contraries in the same place each of them striving to destroy one another and yet neither of them compleatly and totally prevailing for they are contrary Gal. 5.17 and there is a greater opposition against sin than there is against the Devils themselves or any enemies without there are the sorest battels fought between flesh and spirit in the same soul and with greater displeasure and indignation against them than Saints against the Devil himself for this is the greatest evil to them because it is in them and because the Lord will have a conflict that so the graces of his People may be both exercised and also tryed and improved the power of Grace and the truth of it would never have been so gloriously seen if there had not been such a principle of corruption drawing it forth daily 3 That he may keep his people humble there is no one thing that the Lord takes more care of than that the Saints should not be lifted up it is the end of Affliction to hide pride from their hearts and of temptations and desertions in the flesh that they might not be lifted up in themselves and exalted above measure Now it 's true it 's matter enough to humble one if duely considered to call to mind what he has been as it did Paul I was a persecutor and a blasphemer and injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 As some of the Heathens having risen to be Kings from small beginnings would keep something still to put them in mind of their Original as one being a Potters son would be served only in Earthen Vessels all his life-time The remembrance of what is past might humble a man to say Such were some of you such were ye but it is much more effectual to humble a man to consider that very iniquity is not fully purged unto this day but there are still some remainders of it upon me there is still a law in my members that rebells against the law of my mind that when I would do good evil is present with me and this makes me to look upon my self as a wretched and a miserable man and makes me to loath and abhor my self the same sore is running upon me still I am sensible I have the leprosie and therefore I can take no pleasure in my self the Devil comes and hath something in me there is a Principle that is prone to close with any temptation there is a sea of corruption that doth but wait for a wind nay if the Devil should never disquiet it yet it is a Fountain that will cast mire out of it self c. 4 That the Saints may be exercised in Prayer and Repentance daily Now it is that which the Lord requires of them every day Pray without ceasing and a man is Nulli rei nisi poenitentiae natus c. Now that there may be something that we may ask of him daily to give us that is a further degree of Grace a greater measure of purging and that we may apply the Righteousness of Christ for to mortifie sin in us as well as to satisfie God for sin and that there may be always something that we may confess and bewail before God and repent of and mourn for this sin is still left in us And look what benefits the people of God do receive from these constant and daily exercises all these do flow from the Sovereignty of God towards them in leaving of the remainders of sin in them and by this means we come to have a part in that great honour which belongs to Christ and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking away of sin It 's true Christ only doth it by way of satisfaction and he is the only original of our sanctification but yet we do it as having our spirits also acted by the Spirit of Christ and so our wills and desires joyning and concurring with him in that work therefore we are said to mortifie the deeds of the body and to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts to purge
of the heart proceed evil thoughts adulteries fornications murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit lasciviousness an evil eye blasphemy pride foolishness all these evil things come from within and defile the man c. for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 Now how comes it to pass that now one sin riseth in the heart and sometimes another sin when there is an equal propension unto all sin it riseth out of the heart but there is a Soveraignty of God that doth order these motions and desires in the heart permitting such motions and stirrings of heart now which he had not before Jam. 1.15 Lust conceiveth and brings forth sin there is original sin the root of corruption which is called Lust Jam. 1.15 and that is the mother of all sin and it is said to conceive when it is formed into motions reasonings consultations and desires and consents but yet there is many a lust conceived that never is brought forth into act and the permitting the rising as well as of the being of lust depends upon the Dominion and the Soveraignty of God As there came into the heart of Esau such a resolution when my father is dead I will slay my brother Jacob so there came a motion into the heart of Judas to betray Christ and thereupon he consulted how to do it with the greatest advantage and how to take the fittest opportunity to bring it to pass so a thought came into Davids heart to number the people Satan stirred it up but God in judgment giving him over that it should be at this time when God was angry with Israel and Ezech. 38.10 It shall come to pass at the same time that things shall come into thy mind and thou shalt think an evil thought a thought that he did not think before the time of his destruction was near then such motions shall arise as it did in Ahab Is not Ramoth in Gilead ours c which was the occasion of his destruction There is a providence even in the rising of lusts in the hearts of his own people that this lust at this special time and another lust at another time should rise in them it is the same Soveraignty of God that doth draw forth gracious desires in the Saints and doth permit corrupt desires in them also God is not the Author but the orderer of them and yet even in this also the Soveraignty of God is exercised for the good of the Saints and that many ways 1 In this that all lusts break not forth in the soul continually for lust that is the mother of all sin original sin stands equally prepared unto all sin at all times and therefore that all lusts be not stirring in the heart together is from a glorious act of the soveraign restraint of God Hos 4.2 By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they break out c. erumpunt it is taken from waters that have been hid or from fire shut up in an oven or a furnace Hos 7.6 sometimes it breaks forth into thoughts in the soul and sometimes into acts in the life Now there is a double restraint that the Soveraignty of God has over mens acts and over their lusts and it 's a great mercy to have acts of sin restrained as it was in Abimelech Gen. 20.6 his lust was let out but God restrained the act and it is a greater mercy to have the lust restrained than the act as the Lord said They shall not desire thy land Now the Lord doth restrain the Devils acts but for his lusts he doth let them range and so he doth very far also restrain the acts of wicked men when he sets no bounds unto their lusts next to being freed from the being of sin it 's a mercy to be delivered from the rising of sin and in that there is a special manifestation of the Soveraignty of God for if the rising of one sin be so troublesom unto a godly man that he strives and prays and wrestles with it and it is unto him as the thorn in his flesh he cannot be quiet in himself by reason of it how miserable and continually unquiet would the heart of a godly man be if he should have many such strangers and way-faring men come to him as it was said of the lust that came into Davids heart how should a godly man be able even to stand under the burden of them therefore even this restraint of the rising of some lusts is a special mercy that Josephs lust should not rise and conceive in him at such a time and when he had such an opportunity And it is the greater because I conceive the Spirit of God by a peculiar work and not a common doth restrain the lusts of the Saints It 's true that there is restraining grace both unto the godly and the wicked but not both from the same principle but the Spirit having once taken possession of a godly man for his own house and Temple he doth never work common works in that man more as a Spirit assisting barely but as a Spirit inhabiting 2 There is a great deal of mercy in the Lords ordering of the rising of lust when lust doth not rise when the object is present there is the object and the opportunity but the lust is past away as Ruth lay at Boaz his feet all night yet no lust ariseth towards her and David had an opportunity of killing Saul but yet when Saul was in his hand and he was stirred up to it by his servants also yet God restrained his lust it did not rise in him which we may see by the contrary in other men as soon as the object is offered the lust is up in the young man Prov. 7. he met a harlot and he went after her straight-ways and there is a man that no sooner sees his neighbours wife but he doth lust after her his lust riseth as soon as the object is presented and so it was with Achan I saw and I coveted and I took and so it is with many a man let the least shew or provocation be given and his spirit is on fire immediately but it was not so with Abraham though he was the better man and had a better right than Lot yet in the contention the lust of pride and passion did not arise in him Let there be no strife between me and thee for we are brethren A man of understanding is of a cool spirit he doth not take fire immediately that lust should rise at one time and not at another it can be attributed unto nothing but the Soveraignty of God ordering and over-ruling and restraining it c. 3 The Lord doth let some lusts at this time arise that it may shew a man that such a sin is in his nature which formerly he haply never considered never particularly repented of and never saw the fruit of it breaking forth in his life Now to lead a man
there is a virtual league with death and with Hell Job 5.23 they shall be at league with Sin and Hell as a good man is in league with peace and rest A formal league with Sin and Hell they are not capable of but a virtual covenant and a league taking off acts of hostility Whatever a man is in Covenant with he fears no danger from and men walk as if Death and Hell were at an agreement with them and they fear no evil but are setled upon their lees and they make lyes their refuge and under vanity they hide themselves There is says Bernard a twofold evil Conscience a peaceable evil Conscience and a troubled evil Conscience And the first state is more dangerous when a man is like unto the dead Sea as some are like the raging Sea which latter is better than the former upon such a soul let wrath be discovered and judgement threatned it is but speaking terrour to a deaf man nay to a dead man nay let plagues be executed and not only so but let the hand of the Lord be lifted up eminently in the threatning and they will not see nay let it fall down in the judgement and they will not see Bray a fool in a mortar and his folly will not depart But he is as a man lying down in the middle of the Sea and as one sleeping on the top of a Mast he sees no danger there is nothing that he can lay to heart but he says Psal 49. I shall have peace as Deut. 29.19 While he lives he blesseth his soul Now comes the Law as a Hammer unto such a soul and that sets before a man its absolute Soveraignty over the man it is the Royal Law shews a man that God is an enemy to him and writes bitter things against him and it is this Law by which he will surely judge him at the last day Zach. 1.6 and though he may fly from it a while yet it will overtake him though the decree may bear a great while a judgement in the womb of it yet it will at last bring forth and for ought thou knowest it may be Hell before the morning there is but a thread of patience between thee and everlasting burnings That shews a man the vanity of all his former hopes and plucks off all that cobweb lawn and varnish that the Devil has cast upon his actions and state and there is a storm that overflows his hiding place the Lord lets him see in Spiritual judgements as he does in Temporal judgments when men promise themselves great things that the bed is too short the covering too narrow for him to rest upon Then offer him the pleasures of sin and he cannot taste them they are to him the greatest detestation Oh how bitter is it to remember that which was formerly sweet to commit and what a terrible companion is that sin in the guilt of it that was in the act of it most delightsome The bitterness of sin is so great that all the comforts of the creatures cannot sweeten it as Judas he cast down the thirty pieces of silver quickly he had no pleasure in his money So a soul crys out My iniquity is gone over my head and as a sore burden too heavy for me to bear § 3. 2. The Law of God condemns the sinner says the Apostle Sin revived and I died Rom. 9.7 Hos 6.5 2 Cor. 3. The ministration of death and condemnation c. There is a hewing and a slaying by the words of the Lord he doth smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he does slay the wicked Jer. 6.11 And therefore the word of the Lord is called the fury of the Lord what fury or vengeance soever is poured out upon a land or soul it is all by this word that is the instrument and these are the effects thereof The Law saith Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law and Conscience makes the assumption truly this curse is my portion The soul of man is not more prone to sin than it is to self-justification every man desiring to establish his own righteousness And the great work that we have in the Ministry is this to beat them from their own confidences men will not pass the same sentence upon themselves that the Law does If men would but look upon themselves in this glass and stand unto the sentence of this judgment they would not be so severely judged by the Lord but there are ways of self-deceiving from that abundant self-love and self-flattery that is in the heart of man that they desire to be deceived and there is no man in the world that can be so great a flatterer of another as every man is of himself 〈◊〉 does smooth over himself and makes all please as a flatterer doth Psal 36.2 Jer. 23.31 therefore the false â—rophets are said to smooth their tongues that there may be nothing that may distaste 〈◊〉 be unpleasant and so men will not own their own condemnation they will not â—â—e shame But when the Law comes and the Spirit of God therein gives in evidence aâ—â—inst the man brings forth the hand writing and chargeth a man with his pride and unâ—â—â—anness and hardness of heart and says this thou hast done then the soul says I have â—â—ed in betraying the innocent blood I have done exceeding foolishly Men and brethren what â—â—â—l we do to be saved Now every word of the Law comes home to him with life and with â—â—er and all the curses of the book he reads as his portion and says This is the inheriâ—â—e that Adam has left me and this have I also purchased for my self Tertull. There are a generatiâ—â— of godly men in the world that read over the Promises of the Gospel and they do claim 〈◊〉 as their portion and their inheritance for ever but they are nothing to me they are 〈◊〉 childrens bread and I am a dog a devil Truly the Devils are better creatures and were 〈◊〉 to do the Lord more service and yet they perish under the curse of the Law and they â—â—ble at the sentence of it and there is as much hope of a Devil Jam. 2.19 in the state that I am in 〈◊〉 as there is of me I know God is merciful but not beyond the rules of the Word whilst the Word speaks wrath all the men in the world cannot speak peace to me Every â—â—tion is a curse to me and there are no Providences that I can look upon in mercy my â—â—â—ngs are cursed and my ordinances are blasted they shall add to my sins and hasten my â—â—eance It 's wonderful that seeing the time of patience has its period the Lord has â—â—â—â—hed it forth to so great a length that I have had thirty or forty years cut off of eterâ—â—â— as a respite of those eternal torments These are the workings of men
by living in any sin destroy your own prayers And take not only the example of the Angels but the example of our Lord Christ the rule and pattern of holiness for you to walk by he is your Prince your Leader c. all manner of terms that note out exemplariness and require imitation and he was faithful in the Covenant made with God he doth for the active part of his obedience fulfill all righteousness and for the passive part he paid the utmost farthing though the Lord did hide his face and his enemies did rage and triumph over him it was the hour of the power of darkness and if the flesh did desire its own preservation yet the will of nature did give way unto the will of duty and He did drink up the Brook in the way Psal 110. ult that Torrent of Curses and wrath that lay between us and glory and therefore did lift up his head and he is now in Heaven as Gods servant and so shall be till the last day that he shall give up the Kingdom unto God the Father he is performing the remaining acts of his Office there and by his Spirit on Earth and by his presence and intercession in glory and all is that he might be a faithful High-Priest and able to save to the uttermost those that come unto him But we have yet a higher pattern and that is God the Father himself he is alwayes mindful of his Covenant Psal 111.5 Psal 9.34 Mic. 7.20 Ezech. 16.61 My Covenant I will not break for he is a faithful God and he will perform his truth to Jacob and his mercy unto Abraham as he has sworn in the days of old And the faithfulness of God is infinitely seen in this that the unfaithfulness of man cannot make the faithfulness of God of none effect Says the Lord I will give thee thy Sisters thy elder and thy younger Sister unto thee as Daughters but not by thy Covenant it is a promise that though they had by doing more wickedly justified the Gentile nations and he instances in Sodom and Samaria and therefore worse judgements should come upon them yet the time would come that the Lord would remember his Covenant that he had made with their Fathers and he would make them the Mother-Church and all the Gentile Churches and Nations should flow unto her and it shall come to pass that ten men out of all the Nations under Heaven should lay hold on the skirt of a Jew Zac. 8.23 but all this shall not be by thy Covenant sic non desciverant ut Deus esset liber Cal. and therefore it was not in reference to their keeping Covenant with God but in remembrance of Gods Covenant with them and therefore he refers them unto his faithfulness and not to theirs and therefore when they should see it they should be ashamed and put their mouths in the dust to think that the Lord should continue faithful unto those that had been so unfaithful every way to him as they had been 4. The people of God in this life do miss of many of the Promises of the second Covenant that they are not accomplished unto them because they do not walk exactly according to the rules of this Covenant therefore Psal 25.10 But the wayes of the Lord are mercy and truth unto them that keep his Covenant The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting unto them that fear him Psal 103.18 to such as keep his Covenant and think upon his Commandments to do them but else though they shall not fail of eternal mercy Christ is the surety that the Covenant shall not be broken yet there be many promises of the Covenant that in this life they shall never have accomplished to them 1 Sam. 2.29 saies the Lord I said thy House and the House of thy Fathers should stand before me for ever but now that be far from me saies the Lord for they that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed The promises of God are of two sorts 1 Some are absolute which God hath undertaken to perform of his own free grace not only citra meritum but also citra conditionem not only without merit but without all supposed or prerequired conditions in us As I will be your God I will give you my Son I will pour out my Spirit I will pardon your sins c. I will take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh these are absolute promises 2 There are conditional promises which shew what God will do upon such duties performed by the creature which are such as without Gods special grace he is never able to perform and these are made for the encouragement of men in a way of obedience but they do not alwaies promise the purpose of God to give the condition of the reward for as it is in Judgements there are some conditional threatnings which upon a change in the creature never come to pass Jer. 18.7 At what time saies God I speak against a nation to pluck up and destroy if that nation turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them and if I speak of a Nation or a Kingdom to build and plant it if it do evil in my sight I will repent of the good I would do unto them so it is in the conditional promises Novit Deus mutare decretum si tu non noveris em ndare delictum God knows how to change his declared promise if thou know not how to change thy sin which I conceive to be the meaning of all those places where God is said to break Covenant with his people Numb 14.34 You shall bear your iniquity even forty years and you shall know my breach of promise that is by woful experience you shall find what a misery it is to have such glorious promises made unto you but by reason of your unfaithfulness on your part they being conditional shall never be performed and so the Psalmist has it Psal 89.39 Thou hast made void the Covenant of thy servant all his posterity were cut off from this mercy and promise in this life because they disobeyed the word of the Lord and walked not in his Covenant c. and so Zach. 11.10 I will break my Covenant with them it is spoken of a national Covenant and casting off the Nations from being a Church or people unto himself wherein even the Saints must needs be deprived of many temporal promises of the Covenant because they did not walk stedfastly with God therein And if a man shall consider the example of the sufferings of many of the Saints as of Eli David Sampson and Solomon though they were beloved of God and in Covenant with him yet by their unfaithfulness in the Covenant how many temporal promises of the Covenant did they miss Faith is the condion of the Covenant Foederis pacti
promise now mercies that are the fruit and birth of the promises are the sweetest for they are children of the promise that are children of the Covenant Zeph. 2.2 and the promise of God doth as well travel with mercy as the threatnings of God travel with judgement seek the Lord before the decree bring forth it is not to be understood de decreto Dei occulto sed promulgato of the secret decree but of the sentence declared in Gods word as Calv. observes and so do the promises bring forth also now a man that is an heir of promise should walk in the expectation of it that his heart may be fit to receive it continually Jer. 11.4 5. and that God may perform unto him all that he hath spoken obey my voice do all that I command you that I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your Fathers The true reason why we many times fail of the mercy is because we are not prepared for it and our heart is not in a frame for Covenant-mercies and therefore doth the Lord defer them and wait to be gracious Esay 30. for mercy is like unto cordials given unto foul stomachs which do but increase the peccant humour sometimes Deus non exaudit propitius God doth not hear in mercy and sometimes exaudit iratus he hears in wrath c. it will not be given in mercy but in judgement if unto a heart unprepared for then duty becomes duty to us when our hearts are prepared to receive the command and a man can say O Lord my heart is ready and then mercy doth become mercy when the heart is prepared to receive it before the mercy come and the mercy of the Covenant doth consist in both giving the mercy and preparing the heart to receive it fitting the vessel and then filling it Now a frame of heart fit to receive mercies consists in these particulars 1. A believing heart relying upon the grace of the Covenant notwithstanding all seeming impossibilities and so Abraham though his body was dry and Sarahs womb dead yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not dispute and reason the case pro and con and looked not at the probability of the thing but at the grace of the Covenant Psal 118. and the love and power of God therein so David many bulls are come about me they compass me in on every side but they are extinct as the fire among thorns for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them c. and I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord. As Luther when all the world was up in arms against him as it were odium impetum totius orbis sustinuit yet he saith vincet mea audacia in Christo ultimum illorum jam pallentem furorem brevi efficiam ut anathema sit esse papistam My confidence in Christ shall overcome their fury they be men that are fit to enter into Canaan and to receive the promise of the Covenant that can say of the sons of Anak and the Cities walled up to Heaven we can overcome them they be bread for us their defence is departed from them their Rock is not as our Rock c. 2. When a soul is kept watchful and in a continual expectation of the promise I watch for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning he did expect God should come Psal and therefore though he did tarry yet he would watch for him and he doth set himself upon his watch tower Luke 12.35 and this is for a man to stand having his loyns girt and his lamp burning as one that expects the return of his Lord from the marriage and he opens to him immediately Surely it is such a soul that God will pour out the mercies of the Covenant upon he will make him sit down to meat and gird himself and serve him c. Whereas we go without mercies many times because mercy is offered and we are not ready to receive it the Lord knocks and goes away again the soul doth not open a man cannot say my heart is prepared Cant. 5. looking for and hastning to the coming of the day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.13 3. When a mans heart though in expectation of the mercy yet is weaned from it and resigns it unto the will of God whether he will bestow it or no whether in this life he shall have the mercy he desires or whether he will pay him all in the life to come if he have the mercy now he does not look upon it as his portion but only as solatium a solace a viatick for his way as if he be deprived of them fit exercitium justi injusti supplicium Prosper de vit contempl He has the exercise of the just and punishment of the unjust And so David was in expectation of the Kingdom for it was one of the sure mercies of David yet it is said Psal 131.1 2. His heart was as a weaned child to prepare him for that mercy God had weaned him from it before ever he should injoy it and it is a noble frame of heart to be always in a readiness to resign a mercy before a man has the possession of it and to be contented to let God take as well as give what his soul waits upon him for 4 When a man desires a mercy no further than it may make him holy for the Covenant of God is a holy Covenant Luk. 1.72 and the mercies of the Covenant are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 13.34 which is the word that the Septuagint doth use Esay 55.3 and Luke renders it according to the translation and not according to the Hebrew that which in the Hebrew is mercies they render holy things and indeed mercies they cannot be unless they tend to promoting holiness in the soul and when a man with Agur fears mercies lest they should draw away his heart Prov. 30. give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient he feared the snare that is in prosperity the hook that is in the bait with which many a man is taken and thereby drawn away from the things of God and few are as Jehosophat who had Silver and Gold in abundance and his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chro. 17.6 his heart was incouraged the more in a way of holiness and when a man desires mercies quae nos ornare possunt pariter munire which may as well fortifie as adorn us Prosper The soul of a child of God desires he may have mercies that may be his defence as well as his ornament there are mercies that do adorn men but they do also insnare them and betray them to the enemy nay such a soul desires Heaven not so much for the perfection of his happiness as for the perfection of his holiness which nothing can perfect but the beatifical vision when he shall appear we shall
57.17 18. of a man in a wicked way and the Lord corrects him but he goes on freely in the way of his heart now what should the Lord do Felix cui Deus dignatur irasci c. Happy man with whom the Lord is angry but if this avail not casts he him off as he did the Devils and the Angels that sinned nay the Attributes are now ingaged and though the man be unfaithful to God yet the Lord has engaged himself to be his God and therefore he says I have seen his ways and I will heal him I am his God and he is mine for all this c. 2. Under the Second Covenant there is a fuller and a more glorious discovery of all the Attributes than there was under the First Covenant As the Saints have a greater interest in the Attributes of God than the Angels have so they are more fully revealed unto the Saints than they were to the Angels and therefore they are said to go to School to the Church to learn Ephes 3.10 for by the Church they are taught the manifold wisdom of God The Lord Christ as Mediator is a Glorious Stage upon which all the Attributes do strangely act their parts Exod. 23. and therefore the Lord saith of Christ My Name is in him and he is therefore called Colos 1.15 the Image of the invisible God because all the Glory of God doth shine forth in him 1. Here are some Attributes that could never have been discovered under the first Covenant and those are 1 the mercy of God as it respects misery for had the first Covenant continued there had been no misery and therefore no place for mercy 2 the love of God to mankind when he did catch at man fallen and did let the Angels go as it is Heb. 2.6 3 the patience and the long-suffering of God for there had been no place for these if the Lord had not been provoked by sin against the sinner for it is it that hardens them in their impenitency and magnifies this patience of God that he can bear so long with such sinners 2 All the Attributes under the second Covenant are discovered in a far higher way than they could have been under the first Covenant 1 There was higher wisdom discovered than in the Creation indeed there was great wisdom in making a World and in giving a Law but there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifold wisdom in this Eph. 3.10 that the Angels that had studied the wisdom of God in the first Edition ever since their Creation now do desire to look into this Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or they stooped and with great diligence and observation looked into it but now there is such a discovery of wisdome as was never known to the world before which is a second Edition and has put the Angels to School again and therefore Aquinas says There is a threefold knowledge of the Angels 1. matutina morning that which they had of God in their Creation 2. respectiva respective that which they did attain further of God rebus ipsis from their own experience and observation 3. the knowledge that they have of God in Christ and that he calls meridiana meridian knowledge 2 There is a greater power under the second Covenant than was under the first Covenant for that was but to command a creature to stand up out of nothing and it was done by a word but now for the Godhead to joyn it self into a personal union with the creature is much more the power of God over a creature is not so much as the power of God over himself for to forgive sin is an act of power Num. 14.17 to support a creature against himself and his own revenging hand under the guilt of sin shews the depth of wisdom and grace 3 There is greater Justice under the second Covenant for the first Covenant being broken Gods rejection of Adam was but rejecting of a creature and the Angels they were but Gods Servants and he might punish them for their sin but herein is higher Justice when God will not spare his Son and his strong crys and tears moved him not nay and God himself was to be his Executioner and yet his Justice is pleased with it It pleased the Father to bruise him Esa 53. conterere it signifies to grinde one to powder for that is to make one contrite c. he hath put him to grief and he was wounded for our transgressions and was bruised for our sins 4 There was a greater discovery of Gods truth under the second Covenant Under the first Covenant the Lord had spoken the word the day thou eatest thou shalt dye and the Lord was as good as his word and had cast off man and Angels by it but they were as clay in his hand he had no need of them but now if his Son will undertake it surely one would think God would either abrogate his Law or mitigate it but the Lord will do neither his truth shall stand rather than Heaven or Earth and therefore if the Son of God be made sin he shall be made a curse also 3. Under the second Covenant we have a firmer hold upon all the Attributes than we could ever have had under the first Covenant the Lord was the God of Adam and also of the Angels but yet so as he might by their Covenant become their enemy if they were not confirmed by his grace in the new Covenant therefore the Angels are beholding to Christ for their confirmation as well as men are for their reconciliation but the Lord becomes the God of his people so under the second Covenant that he is their God for ever and ever this God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 The wisdom of God is eternally thine and shall never be turned against thee as the manner of enemies is they turn your own ammunition against you many times His mercy is everlasting mercy and his power is everlasting power and his loving-kindness is everlasting § 3. What is the manner how the Lord makes over all his Attributes unto his people This Question is of moment that so we may know the tenure by which we hold so glorious an inheritance Now the manner of it is this 1. Man by the Fall having departed from God and thereby lost and forfeited his interest in him and become to him wholly a stranger and an enemy Col. 1.21 there was no way to restore a man to a title in God again unless sin which was the cause of enmity were taken away as that which did take God off from man as if ever a mans inheritance in the creatures were restored that must be taken away which did deprive man of them therefore the great business that God had to do and which was the great thing in his eye by Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.5 to take away sin to prepare him a body
the invisible God Joh. 5.22 All the glorious Attributes of God do shew forth themselves in Christ he it is that acts them all the love of God to the Saints is exercised by Christ and all the grace of God is dispensed by Christ and the wrath of God against his enemies is executed by Christ and therefore we read of the wrath of the Lamb for it 's he that shall give every one of them their portion Now if it be so that all the Attributes be in the hand of Christ to exercise and act then the Lord raigne therefore let the earth rejoyce Christ Jesus exerciseth all the Attributes of God for his people in another way than ever they could else have been acted by God immediately Now if we be in Christ and by a mystical union make up one body with him then as he doth exercise and act all the Attributes of God as the Soveraignty of God is given to him and he sits upon the Throne of God in the administration of all things so they shall be all laid out for us for the Church which is the body of Christ and the fulness of him that fills all in all 3. Though all the Attributes be made over unto us in this manner yet it 's after a certain order in the Attributes the Attribute that the soul doth first close with is the mercy and the free grace and love of God and by that a man comes to have an interest in all the rest and the Attribute that is ingaged for all is the faithfulness and truth of God 1 The attribute that the soul first closes with is his love and mercy and free grace which are the attributes that the Lord doth mainly exalt in this life and has most gloriously set forth and therefore 't is called riches of mercy and the glory of God the knowledge of the glory of God It 's this attribute in which the Lord doth mainly glory 2 Cor. 4.6 and therefore it 's called his glory and it 's said that mercy rejoyceth over judgment for in the time of this life under the offers of the Covenant of grace the attribute that God doth mainly exerercise in the Gospel is free grace that God is in Christ reconciling the world and has sent abroad the ministry of reconciliation and God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son This is the great Load-stone that doth draw in the heart unto God 1 Tim. 1.14 God who is rich in mercy out of his abundant love c. Now the soul being thus drawn in with a cord of love the Lord giving a command unto loving kindness to fetch in such a wandring soul unto himself hence the soul at first coming unto God grounded upon his mercy by closing with him in this is made partaker of all the attributes of God and has an interest in them all but so as the soul doth close with mercy first and with free grace As it is in the offices of Christ the soul doth close with them all and has an interest in them all but yet so as it doth take Christ as he is offered him by the Father and that is first as a Priest as a surety for sinners and as one set forth to be a propitiation for sin and the soul having in this manner closed with Christ as a Priest and having a title to the Priestly Office now he has taken whole Christ and submits to him as his Prophet and King also thus as the immediate object of faith that justifies is Christ dying and rising and as made sin and as made a curse for us c. and then the soul having closed with Christ it has an interest in whole Christ with all his Offices so it 's here also though all the attributes of God are gloriously displayed in the second Covenant yet the attribute that mainly the Lord delights to honour is mercy and free grace and the soul first closes with this and so comes to have a title and an interest in all that is in God in every attribute 2 As his love is the first attribute that the soul closes with and so comes to have an interest in them all so it 's his faithfulness that is ingaged for the exercise of them all and therefore all our forgiveness is put upon his faithfulness He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Isa 49.7 How do we know that the pardoning mercy of God shall be exercised towards us when we have sinned God is faithful who has promised 1 Joh. 1.2 and he hath wholly made over himself unto us in every attribute and the promise and the oath of God are both grounded in his faithfulness for the performance thereof so that the faithfulness of God doth not only assure us that all creatures shall work for us shall all work together for our good Rom. 8.29 but that all the attributes of God shall work for us in their season and in their order as it is said That the stars in their courses fought against Sisera so there is an order for the working of all the attributes and every one of them in their courses work for the Saints the faithfulness of God is ingaged for them so to do § 4. What are the ends for which God has in Covenant made over the Attributes unto his people They are many and we shall best discover them by the use that the people of God have of all the attributes in the Scripture 1. That they may be all discovered and made known unto the Saints there is in all men a blindness of heart and that specially in reference unto God from whom they are estranged through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 19. Now they having an interest in them all the Lord will proclaim his name and cause his mercy and goodness to pass before them though not in that visible manner as he did unto Moses Exod. 33.19 yet in a more spiritual way they do behold the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4.6 and therefore the great aim of God in all his works is the discovery of his attributes unto the Saints and all his great works are done to that very end and therefore he gives them a Law that he may manifest his Holiness To shew his power he has made a world to manifest his love he has given Christ to declare his grace he doth pardon sin and to shew his justice and wrath he has made Hell and laid the foundations of the bottomless pit and this is the first end why God has made over his attributes unto his people it is that they may know them and therefore the great thing the Saints look at in all Gods works and his goings forth is what attributes are discovered I would see thy power and thy glory in the Sanctuary Psal 63.2 Psal 10.6 8. He saved them for his name sake that he
he is not the God of thy mercy and his patience and long-suffering thou hast no claim to but all these Attributes shall joyn also with Justice in their pleas against thee what is there that can stand in the way to hinder the fulness of wrath from falling on such a soul 4. The perfection of this misery thou wilt never know till thou comest unto Hell as the fulness of this promise can never be known by the Saints till they come to Heaven here you may enjoy your inheritance in creatures and promises but thou that art a Saint shalt enter one day upon the inheritance of Attributes more fully than can be enjoyed here there where they all shall be set forth gloriously for thee in their full lustre to make thee happy in the Lord so also it shall be a mans utmost misery when he comes to Hell that all the Attributes of God shall be in his utmost extremity turned against him for ever and thou shalt know God to be perfectly an enemy unto thee and all that is in God as he is the God of his people all that is in him is for them so all that is in him is against thee And then every Attribute shall act to the full for ever Here in this life Justice doth not act its utmost and God does not stir up all his wrath there is by the Kingdom of Christ not only a benefit comes upon all the creatures for they all stand and continue in their being by it but there is a suspension upon the workings of all the Attributes of God towards wicked men that though they have an evil eye at them from day to day as 't is said God is angry with the wicked every day yet he does not immediately break forth against them but when the Kingdom shall be given up unto God the Father and God shall be all in all this restraint upon the Attributes in the actings of them shall cease and every Attribute shall have its perfect work against thee for ever and then he will shew his power upon the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Vse 2 2. Take comfort in the Attributes of God look upon these as the main of thy inheritance and shelter and shrowd thy self under them from day to day for this is your strong hold you are prisoners of hope and this is the desire of the Saints As Bernard de Amore Dei cap. 1. speaks in reference unto Christ he would not only touch him with Thomas and put his finger into his side c. sed totus intrem usque ad ipsum cor Jesu c. in sanctum sanctorum I would enter wholly even into the very heart of Jesus c. into the holy of holies So should the soul wholly hide it self in these Chambers this secret of his Pavilion 1. In the middle of all creature-comforts and inward consolations of thy Spirit let thy heart rise from them and say Surely this is not my portion there is indeed a great deal of sweetness in this but yet there is much more in that which is my portion a gracious heart should rise in this manner and please it self with thinking if there be sweetness on Earth much more in Heaven Si adeò splendeat terrestris Roma saith Fulgent So we should rise from our priviledges and comforts below and our inheritance in them to that in God and so as Christ comforts himself in this Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance 2. If at any time God takes away the creatures from thee retire unto him and say Lord my portion was not in them I can stand upon the ruines of the world and can say I have lost nothing for the time will come when God will put an end unto all creature-comforts and he will supply all immediately in himself and therefore so he give thee more of himself it 's no matter what thou dost lose of all things else Christ says Mat. 21.22 that man hath a treasure Now where there is so there are some Exchequer-days when the Treasure comes in a worldly man that has his treasure and portion in this life when God takes away the creatures his soul dyes within him that 's the best day to him that brings in most of that treasure but he that has his portion in the Lord can rejoyce in his income that way even when he is deprived of the creatures and it 's a disparagement unto God not to rejoyce in him alone as if there were not enough in him as Elkanah told his wife Am not I better to thee than ten sons Cannot all my comforts be supplied in thee 3. Do not unworthily fear the fear of man it is true that they do speak high and they will threaten much and the people of God are apt sinfully to fear because of the fury of the oppressor as if he were ready to destroy and so by and by are apt to say a confederacy with the wicked O! should you fear who have infinite wisdom and infinite power of your own either to disappoint or to resist it doth plainly argue that you are not acquainted with and do not make use of your interest in the Attributes of God in Covenant Should such a man as I fear and should my heart quail and fear in the evil times Let us never profane the name of the Lord our God in this manner Mark 8.17 18. says Christ Why reason you because you have no bread perceive you not have you your hearts yet hardned when I brake the five loaves c It 's the most unworthy thought that could lodge in you after so much experience of my power and provision for you to think you should want consider you have had so much experience of my power and infinite wisdom that has wrought for you when your own reason was at a non plus and infinite power when your hands did hang down and your knees feeble consider the setting forth of every Attribute of God and delight your souls in it Hos 13.3 He will scatter them as smoak out of a chimney A man should look upon them and laugh them to scorn from a high assurance Luther that vincet mea audacia in Christo this raiseth in the soul only true courage and a holy greatness of mind 4. Look upon the Attributes as having an interest in them and as in a strait you eye a promise and expect its accomplishment do the same with attributes also and thereby honour them by taking hold of them if thou sin eye mercy the Lord merciful and gracious pardoning iniquity transgression and sin if thou want wisdom look on him as the Father of lights and if power be strong in the Lord and the power of his might c. And sometimes thou mayst have no creatures no hills to look to then look towards God when thou knowest not what to do it may be there are no promises that thy soul can
and that is semen ejus quaerens panem non derelictum not forsaken though begging of their bread the Jews in this misery that they are yet grow rich where-ever they come the temporal promise is fulfilled to them 4 The term righteous may be restrained to such as are eminently righteous as to works of mercy So it follows vers 26. He is ever merciful c. So among the Hebrews mercy towards the poor is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness § 2. There is also a Providence circa mala about evils for his Kingdom rules over all and this malum evil is either culpae of sin or poenae of punishment concerning both which the Soveraignty of God doth gloriously work though it be in a far different way First the Soveraignty of God in his providential Kingdom is conversant about the evils of sin they do all come under the government of God and that it is so will appear from Gen. 45.5 6 7. Gen. 45.5 6 7. it was the observation that Joseph had about that unnatural act of his brethren he looked upon a double hand in it one was theirs which he from a principle of meekness and forgiveness was ready to pass by and over-look and another was a special hand of providence in this sin of theirs and that he speaks of three times as being much affected with the Soveraignty of God ordering of that sin of theirs both in respect of him and themselves Ye sold me but God sent me in that sin of theirs there was an over-ruling hand of Soveraignty and that he tells them three times together That it was God sent him and that it was not they that sent him Ye sent me out of malice and God sent me out of mercy you to destroy me God to preserve both you and me you sent me that I should be a slave to man God that I might be a father to Pharaoh and a Ruler of all the land of Egypt We see what a glory here is over this sinful action in respect of Joseph Pharaoh Egypt and the whole family of Jacob and this was not a casual thing something that came to pass by accident or by chance but it was by counsel a Soveraignty that did with wisdom lay this as a design and plot before-hand Gen. 50.20 so Gen. 50.20 You thought evil but God meant it unto good the word in both places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth signifie a plotted thought done by counsel Psal 10.2 Let them be taken in their devices that they have imagined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is spoken there of plotted designed evil and so it was here the good was done by counsel and it was a thing that comes not to pass without foresight but God meant and plotted it for good and therefore we read Exod. 28.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus ingeniosè inventum a work that is artificially done upon which many thoughts went before it was brought unto a ripeness and perfection and such was this work here also they plotted upon evil and the Lord plotted and designed this their evil unto good Esa 10.6 7. so Esa 10.6 7. the King of Babylon comes against Jerusalem and the Lord sends him not by any command for the work was displeasing unto him as done by them and for which he will visit them vers 12. but arcano imperio by a secret act of the Soveraignty of God so ordering things in providence that this should come to pass and therefore Ezech. 9.1 they are called the visiters of the city men appointed by the dominion of God unto that office but yet the man had a thought of nothing less than to do Gods work in it or to submit unto his dominion or execute his counsel which unto them was secret he meaneth not so he thinks not so there are two words used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tacite secum cogitare he hath not such a thought that did ever enter into his heart he never had so much as the least secret imagination of any such thing and the other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth signifie a devised designed and plotted thing it was a thing that he never consulted never designed in all that he doth to execute my displeasure against an hypocritical Nation but yet he shall do my work while he doth wholly intend his own and design that only and yet the work that shall be done upon Sion is the Lords work vers 12. and by these two Scriptures it will clearly appear that the Soveraignty of God is conversant about the sins of men things in themselves evil and forbidden of God and yet his Soveraignty reacheth unto them And this I shall branch into two heads 1 The Soveraignty of God over a mans own sins for the good of his people 2 Over other mens sins he doth so imploy his Soveraignty about the sins of men that they shall be ordered for the good of the Saints 1. The Soveraignty and Supremacy of God in reference unto the sins of his own people the Lord doth so rule and order all things thereby that their own sins shall in some kind work for their good that which in its own nature is only evil can by an almighty over-ruling hand turn into good which no man in the world is able to do they may make good use of things in themselves good but they are never able to bring good out of that which is per se malum of it self sinfull as sin is and this I shall demonstrate to you in four things 1 In respect of the being of sin 2 In respect of the rising of sin 3 In respect of the actings of sin 4 In respect of the raging of sin in an open violent scandalous way 1. It will appear in reference unto the being of sin in the Saints The Lord who has forbid all sin even in the Principles and being of it and has sent his Son to take away sin yet he has in his Soveraignty so ordered the condition of the Saints here that sin shall have a being in them and they shall never be perfectly freed from it so that it will be true of the best while they are here he that saith he has no sin deceiveth himself there will be reliquiae vetustatis as Austin calls it a Law in the members a body of death To be without sin here is given to us as praeceptum a precept in this life or else Original sin were no sin and the being of sin were against no Law of God the Law requires a holy Nature as well as holy Actions but in the life to come it shall be given to us as praemium a reward here as a Law and hereafter as a Reward And why has the Sovereignty of God so ordered it that those that shall be freed from sin perfectly in the Life to come and whom Christ shall present without spot or wrinkle or any such thing why will he suffer
our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 which we do by his Grace yet there is a concurrence of ours therein 5 That the Patience and forbearance of God even towards the Vessels of mercy may be so much the more exalted Num. 14.17 Moses says Let the Power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken the Lord long-suffering and of great mercy even his forbearance is an act of his power it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is an impotency in a man that he cannot forbear if he be injured it is utterly a fault amongst you but it is not so with God it is his Power that he can forbear 't is the patience of his power and therefore we are not consumed when we daily provoke him the imagination of a mans heart being continually evil he is God and not man Gen. 6.5 Gen. 8.21 Hos 11.9 therefore Gen. 6.5 and 8.21 they do seem to cross each other in the first place 't is said the Lord will destroy man because the imaginations of his heart were evil and in the other I will not again curse the ground for mans sake for the imaginations of his heart are evil from his youth it seems to be given as a reason of two contraries he will and he will not every imagination of the heart of man is evil therefore I will no more curse the Earth for his sake it seems strange reasoning it is by the Jesuites and Arminians looked upon as an extenuation of Original sin There is now that infirmity come upon him which was in Adam indeed a sin but now it is become a disease an infirmity a condition of Nature and therefore humanae infirmitatis miserebor I will pity humane infirmity so A Lapide and others who make the being of sin in us to be no sin but there is quite another sence of the words the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken either causativè or adversativè and so it is rendred sometimes quia because and sometimes quamvis although Glass Rhet. pag. 606. Our translators take the first for the imaginations of the heart or because the imaginations of the heart of man are only evil and so Brentius Pareus c. Si vellem semper genus humanum diluvio punire c. If I should always bring upon them a flood for their iniquity I should not leave a man upon the earth all man-kind would be destroy'd for the imaginations of his heart are evil from his youth and therefore now having smelt a savour of rest from a sacrifice I will not for this cause destroy them any more by a flood But many of the learned render it adversativè and so it is although so Exod. 13.17 The Lord led them not thorough the land of the Philistins although that was near it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 34.19 Let my Lord I pray thee goe amongst us for it is a stiffe-necked people that is although it be a stiffe-necked people and so it is an expression of the wonderfull patience of God that though men provoke him daily and all the imaginations of their hearts are evil continually yet hoc non obstante I will shew my patience towards them and will no more curfe the ground for mans sake c. and it is spoken of all men not only wicked men but godly men for whose sake the Lord doth spare the creatures for it is for the Saints sake that the world stands and that the earth is not destroyed and yet the imaginations of their hearts are evil from their youth and by this the patience of God towards the vessels of mercy as well as towards the vessels of wrath is very highly exalted 6 That the Lord may hereby shew how great a grace that donum perseverantiae gift of perseverance is and what an almighty power doth concur thereunto Adam had no sin and yet he fell from his first state how then shall we stand that have in us nothing else but sin something of the venom of the old Serpent that is ready to open unto him upon every suggestion and ready to take fire by every temptation a sin that doth easily beset us or compass up about Heb. 12.21 And the great aim of Satan without and sin within is to extinguish grace that this seed may dye in the man but it is maintained and there is an almighty power that does it therefore 1 Pet. 1.15 We are kept by the mighty power of God through saith unto salvation or else we should perish every day and this exalts the grace of the second Covenant unto the souls of the Saints because there is not only a grace of conversion but of perseverance also the Spirit of Christ having once taken possession of the soul takes possession for ever never to leave it again if Christ hath cast out the strong man he will never himself be cast out till Satan be stronger than he which is never possible 7 That the souls of the Saints may be kept here in a continual longing and a groaning condition for glory there is nothing so great an evil as sin and therefore nothing should make the soul weary of this life so much as sin because it cannot end but with our life and this is one blessed fruit of it Rom. 8.13 We groan for the Adoption but why do we groan 2 Cor. 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are many burdens that the people of God are under in this life but there is no burden like unto that of the body of death that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weight indeed Heb. 12.1 and they groan therefore to put off this tabernacle because without it there is no putting off this body of sin but by being freed from this prison we are so apt to be in love with this present life that we had need of something that might be bitterness to us and imbitter it to us so that we take not up our rest here but that the soul may look for and hasten to the coming of the day of God and may rejoyce to put off this Tabernacle be willing that the flesh should be destroyed that thereby there may be the destruction of the body of sin in us also And thus we see the Soveraignty of God working for the Saints in this great state of the being of sin in the Saints in this life bringing much good unto them as well as much glory unto himself thereby § 3. 2. As the being of sin comes under the Soveraignty of God so doth the rising of it in the heart which doth never break forth into act it is true that the heart of man is an evil treasury and it is an evil fountain but though it be always issuing yet it doth not vent it self the same way but sometimes in this kind and sometimes in that Seneca in omnibus omnia vitia sunt licèt non se exerunt c. Mar. 7.21 22 23. For out
mercy God hath shewed in me a pattern of Patience Oh that ever such a one should find mercy and favour with him that he should take me into his bosome 8 It puts a man upon the greater Mortification of sin he doth with the greater hatred abhorr all evil ye that fear the Lord hate evil Dolor dolore tollitur venenâ— venenis dispeâ—luntur Aug. now hatred will be contented with nothing but destruction the more the Enemy doth arise the more doth a mans hatred arise Gratia vexata seipsam prodit a man shall say What have I to doe any more with Idols to the Moles and to the Batts David hates that sin that had so defiled him and this sets him against the whole body of sin I was shapen in iniquity and now he looks for the Root Psal 51. and he doth hate sin in the Fountain of it And as it is in a sin in Practice so it is in an errour in Judgement he will not only be watchfull against it but he will also hate it the more There was not such an enemy against the Manichees in the world as Austin was because he had been himself deluded with it as when he was to dispute with Fortunatus Secum in eodem errore constitutum congredi putabat And so Luther that of Popery Brevi efficiam c. and so he doth answer himself Vincet mea audacia in Christo and Paul with more Zeal did preach that Faith which before he destroyed and thereby the Saints glorifi'd God for him Gal. 1. ult it makes a man zealous to honour God in that thing wherein he had so highly dishonour'd him 9 It makes a man tender towards others Gal. 6.1 he will put on a spirit of Meekness to others because he hath found the mercy of God to his own Soul and therefore he despairs of nothing that they may also through your mercy attain mercy Rom. 11.31 there being the same mercy shewed unto them that was shewed unto us and they are as capable of the same mercy as we were Christ shewed tenderness unto Peter and he appeared unto him one of the first after his Resurrection and he did comfort him even against his fall shewed him great favour and surely so will the soul be ready to comfort others also he that hath received mercy will put on bowels of mercy who is offended and I burn not no man is put off no man encouraged in his sin the pride of a mans heart is as well broken with Mercies as it is with Crosses and Afflictions and the Lord doth hide pride from the heart in them both that a man that doth put his mouth in the dust when God is pacify'd will be as low as the dust towards another in the same Offence with himself this I have had experience of and yet received unto mercy and it becomes me to put on the same bowels to others 10 Providence orders it for the consolation of the people of God and it is a mighty argument of faith as if when God gives his Son he will give all things so if God do bring good out of sin all shall work together for good Sin is the greatest evil greater than Hell the one God is the Author of but not of the other the one is against an uncreated good the glory of God the other is but against the good of the creature and yet even this shall be for good and so a man may say with Gregory of Adams sin foelix culpa but not talem meruit Redemptorem § 5. 2. Not only a mans own sins but other mens sins are turned unto the good of the Saints also the providence of God doth so order all things that they have a benefit by them and that both by wicked and godly mens sins and in the sins of wicked men it is true what Austin saith That God had never suffered sin to come into the world if it had been such an evil as he could have brought no good out of it Bonitas tua novit malis nostris bene uti Anselm Non solùm mala passiva quae nobis irrogantur in bonum cedunt sed etiam activa quae nos ipsi facimus Luther Collaudandus est benignissimus omnipotens Deus qui malis nostris non solùm non vincitur sed ex iis operatur nostrum bonum Gerson Omnipotens Deus cùm summè bonus sit nullo modo sineret aliquid mali esse in operibus suis nisi adeò esset omnipotens bonus ut benefaceret etiam de malo illorum nequitia est malè uti bonis operibus ejus sic illius sapientia est bene uti malis eorum operibus August And as all the sins of ungodly men shall turn to the glory of God so they shall all of them be for the good of his people they shall be gainers by all the wickedness that is done in the world as the Lord will work his glory out of all Though the Lord forbid sin and hate it and thereby appears not to be the Author of it so the Saints do hate sin and mourn for it that thereby it may appear that they are not partakers in it and yet for all this God doth work his glory and the good of the Saints out of all the wickedness and all the confusions that are in the world and next to the pardon of sin this is the great priviledge of the second Covenant that their own and other mens sins do work together for their good those things that they do mourn for and pray against c. And this I will manifest 1 in general and then 2 in some of the particulars thereof because it is maximum divinae providentiae argumentum Clem. Alex. 1. In general how doth God make the sins of wicked men to conduce unto the good of the Saints This will appear in these particulars 1 Hereby they may always read what they were as in the example of the Saints they may always read what they ought to be the one is set before them as a pattern as well as the other Tit. 3.3 We our selves were sometime disobedient foolish deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy and it is good for the Saints to be mindful thereof what they have been sic fuimus olim I was once saith Luther Monachus miserrimus look to the rock whence thou wert hewn Paul kept the condition of his unregeneracy always in his mind It is true God forgets our sins but we should not see the wickedness that is in the lives of other men and read thine own in it as Austin did in a child vidi puerulum c. and thence he doth conclude it was so with him quando minimus fui 2 By this they see what they are delivered from might not I have been such a one 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but now you are washed you are sanctified you are justified and by this the grace
of God is exalted in their hearts so much the more which might have suffered them for ever to have walked in the errour of the wicked and to have gone in the same way with them Psal 69.27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity that is as the Saints go from one degree of grace to another they go from glory to glory from strength to strength so let these go from one sin to another God lets them do it till they have filled up their measure and then le ts go judgment after it upon them by giving them over unto it that so they may fill up their measure for there is a measure of sin as well as of grace Joel 3.13 Put in thy sickle and reap for the harvest is ripe the press is full there is a measure of iniquity and then they do come up in remembrance before God the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full A dismal judgment it is that a man should live for no other end but to fill up iniquity 3 Hereby the Saints are daily admonished what they are in their own nature if the Lord leave the best men to themselves and kept it not under the restraint of grace 2 Tim. 2.19 they seeing others Apostasie fear themselves and Christ speaking of him that was to betray him all the Disciples began to fear lest it should be themselves this sin is in my nature say they and therefore it is meer mercy that I am not so wicked as Cain and Judas I am as like to commit it as they if the Lord should leave me to my self that gratia subsequens the Rock that followed them preserves his people from the sin that is in their natures and they reflect upon that when they see others fall into sin considering themselves lest they also be tempted Gal. 6.1 4 Hereby they are minded of the ends that sin brings men to that they may fear them As the ends of godly men are to be observed whose faith follow knowing the end of their conversation so we are called upon in Scripture to consider the ends of the wicked Prov. 23.21 Drunkenness will cloath a man with rags who hath redness of eyes and wounds without cause Prov. 6.26 By the means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a morsel of bread and a dart striking through his liver and he gets a wound and dishonour that shall never be wiped off Prov. 21.16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coetu gigantum in the congregation of the Giants they being the first sort of sinners that ever went into Hell and so did give the first denomination unto the place of the damned 5 By this the Saints are put upon many duties towards them which will abound unto their account and 1 to pity their souls and to wait for them with patience Tit. 3.2 3. Shewing all meekness towards all men for we our selves were such Rom. 11.31 says the Apostle That through your mercy they also may obtain mercy 2 Despair not of them because the Lord shewed mercy to you therefore wait if at any time God will give them repentance 1 Tim. 1.16 He shewed in me a pattern to them that should hereafter believe in him c. we have in our selves an instance 3 We are to undervalue the persons of thes◠men how great soever Prov. 29.27 The wicked is an abomination to the just Psal 15.4 Dan. Dan. 4.17 4.17 they are the basest of men be they never so great 4 As the people of God fear the ends of the wicked so they hate their ways He walks not in the counsel of the ungodly Psal 1.1 he stands not in the way of sinners when sinners entice him he consents not Gen. 49.6 My soul come not thou into their secrets unto their assembly my honour be not thou united Psal 141.4 let me not eat of their dainties and also Psal 26.9 Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men there is a bundle of the living there is a being gathered unto ones fathers and people wicked men are so and godly men are so they both have their people let me not be gathered with them that are ungodly O Lord. 2. Now more particularly the Saints are by Providence gainers by the plots of wicked men and their counsels by their attempts against them and by their executions and in all these the secret providence of God over them is manifested First by their plots and counsels a great part of the evil of wicked men lies in their plots devices and machinations Psal 35.20 They devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land they never know what they are doing or meditating on their thoughts are a continual forge of evil the Devils anvil always at work against the people of God Jer. 18.18 Jer. 18.18 Let us devise devices against Jeremiah it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a cunning plot and a curious work c. and the Saints fear their plots commonly more than their power as they fear the Devil more as a Serpent than as a Lyon and yet by their plots they travail with mischief devise evil continually Prov. 6.14 and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fodit he hath a Mine within Prov. 6.14 and is always digging out mischief as a godly man hath a fountain that is always issuing good there is a good treasure and an evil treasure and the Holy Ghost speaks much of the plottings of wicked men against the Saints which never come unto any thing they weave a spiders web which never becomes a garment and by these plots the Saints are gainers 1 They see the Lord restraining their very plots that they do not always rise none of them shall desire thy land they shall not see their own advantages and they shall grope at noon day Job 5.14 it is spoken of their counsels he disappoints the counsels of the crafty and that is by snarling their thoughts confounding their plots that they do not see their own way they want no will to effect their mischievous devices but yet they cannot tell what way to take against the people of God therein the Lord is seen 2 He clogs them their hands cannot perform their enterprise they cannot bring their wicked devices to pass always when they should come to execution when the children are come unto the birth there is no strength to bring them forth for the Lord doth blow upon them and they wither as the grass upon the house top and they bear no fruit 3 They end in their own destruction Esa 59.5 They hatch cockatrice eggs and weave the spiders web c. a serpent a viper eats out the bowels of the mother they themselves are stung with them unto death they are taken in their own craft the wicked is insnared in the work of his own
do all the Issues of grace in this Covenant flow but from Gods tender bowels of mercy Was it not by meer grace that this Covenant of Grace fell from God Yea is not Christ himself as Mediator of this Covenant an admirable instance and effect of Gods free Election and Grace It 's true Christ as God falls not under an act of the divine Will because then he were not God but yet as Mediator he doth Was not his first Designation to office an act of soveraign grace Did he not also become Incarnate by an act of free Grace Is not the Hypostatic Union thence termed the Grace of Vnion Do we not also find mention of the Grace of Vnction whereby the Father qualified him for his Mediatory Office Is not the Oyl of Gladness wherewith he was anointed above his fellows an Oyl of Grace also or an infinite effusion of the Spirit of Grace on his humane Nâ—â—â—re Were not likewise all the Merits of Christ the effect of free Grace Whence hâ—â—â—â—â— his assistances for the doing and suffering his Fathers will but from his Father as Isâ— 42.4 And when Christ had obeyed and suffered to the full was not God the Fathers Acceptance of all an act of free Grace It 's true Christ paid a valuable price for all the mercies he purchased for sinners but yet whence comes it that all this should be made over to us what made way for the commutation of persons that the Righteousness of Christ should become ours and our sins by Imputation become his was not this all from free Grace Has not Augustin in his incomparable Tractate Of the Predestination of Saints excellently well demonstrated this that Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant fell under the free Election of God Now if the Election of the Head and Prince of the Covenant who is God Man was an act of free Grace then will it not necessarily follow that all the Federates Conditions and Effects of this Covenant can flow from no other fountain than the sovereign Grace of God 2 Another Difference between the first and second Covenant may be taken from the generic Idea of both what was the first Covenant but a Covenant of Friendship between the Creator and the Creature where neither part was at variance but what is this second Covenant but a Covenant of Reconciliation between a sin-revenging God and rebellious sinners 3 Do not also these two Covenants greatly differ in their Terms and Conditions What is there to be found in the first Covenant but conditional Promises to Grace but are there not in this second Covenant absolute Promises of Grace Was not the Righteousness of the first Covenant to be in our selves without the least imputation from any other but is not the Righteousness of this second Covenant to be found in Christ only and so made ours by Imputation Did not the first Covenant require perfect Obedience as a Condition antecedent to the acceptation of the person But doth not this second Covenant accept an imperfect evangelic Sincerity as a consequent of the persons being accepted In the Covenant made with Adam was not the Acceptation of his person grounded on the Acceptation of his works but in this second Covenant is not the person first accepted and then the works for the persons sake Is not this fully exemplified in the different acceptation of Cain and Abel Gen. 4.4 c. the former standing on the first Covenant and the latter on the second 4 To pass by other Differences as to the object foundation and duration are not these two Covenants greatly different as to their effects The first Covenant discovers what we are to do but the second enables us to do it the first is a glass to discover our sin and misery but the second is a glass that discovers the remedy as also applyes the same Of what use is the first but to declare men guilty and cursed but doth not the second pronounce pardon and blessing Was not the first given and continued to discover sin but is not the second given to cover it Doth not the first wound and terrifie but doth not the second heal exhilarate and chear Is not the first the Ministration of death and a killing letter but is not the second the Ministration of the Spirit and that which makes alive 2 Cor. 3.6 7 Why was the first given but to check restrain and humble the old man but is it not the principal Intendment of the second to conserve and quicken the New man Doth not the first accuse and condemn but doth not the second excuse and absolve In the first Man is bound to God but in the second God is bound to man the first generates bondage but the second Liberty And is there not a spirit of bondage suitable to that state in all such as are under the first Covenant but O! what a spirit of Liberty belongs to all such as are under the second Covenant and what different effects attend these different spirits Doth not the first Covenant make a legal spirit upon any great discovery of God to flie from him as an enemy but how doth the second Covenant cause an evangelic spirit under all the great discoveries of God to flie unto him Yea doth not the legal servile spirit who longs to be under the first Covenant secretly wish there were no law to rebuke him no hand of Justice to punish him but doth not the Evangelic spirit who hath by means of the second Covenant the Law writ in his heart delight therein as a Rule though he hates to be under it as a Covenant How sour and disgustful are all divine services to a legal spirit but how sweet and pleasant are they to an evangelic spirit Legal spirits give God much service for Quantity but how little for Quality and Spirituality But the Evangelic spirit gives peradventure not so much for Quantity but yet much more for Quality and Perfection Lastly the legal spirit makes all his good Offices matter of vain-glory and fuel for his pride but the Evangelic spirit sees cause to be humbled and self-abased for his best services Such are the different spirits effects and fruits that grow out of those two opposite roots the Old and the New Covenant which greatly demonstrate the boundless differences between the two Covenants 2. 2. The excellence of the second covenant Hence we may take just measures both comparative and absolute of the incomparable excellences of the second Covenant The first Covenant informs us what we are by Nature but the second what we are or may be by Grace The Law was given that men might more studiously seek after Grace Lex data est ut Gratia quaereretur Gratia data est ut Lex impleretur August but Grace is given that men might be enabled to fulfill the Law And what is the supreme ingredient of the Covenant of Grace but the free Grace of God Is not this Covenant then the Believers Great
Charter by which he has a Law-right to all the Priviledges and Blessings of the Gospel Doth not this Covenant give us assurance not only of Gods gracious and merciful Nature but also of his good will towards sinners It 's true Gods Nature gives us full assurance that what he has promised shall be performed but what gives us assurance of the Promise but the Covenant of Grace Yea what are all the Promises but so many lines of the Covenant concentring in Christ the Prince and Mediator thereof Do not all the Promises spring from that mother-root the Covenant of Grace in Christ Yea what is the New-creature but a conformity to this New Covenant Is there any condition that a Believer can fall into but he may find some Promise in this Covenant to relieve him therein Yea is there any excellence in God or his creature which is not made over for your use in and by this Covenant Are not all Gods good things yours and all your afflictive things Gods by this Covenant May you not then lay the stress of all your cares and burdens on this Covenant Are you Bondslaves of the Law will not this Covenant make you Freeholders if you come unto it and embrace it Is there any thing commanded in the Law which this Covenant doth not enable to perform The Law may fret and grind your spirits to powder but what can melt them but this Covenant The Law weighs Obedience by the Ballance and if there be the least grain wanting doth it not reject all But doth not this Covenant examine all by the Touch-stone and accept what is sincere albeit imperfect Art thou very unlike to God and is this thy great burden consider then has not this Covenant a transformative spirit to make thee like him What is the scope of this Covenant but to make God thine and thee Gods And dost thou not hereby acquire an interest in all the blessings of God Doth not this give thee the best assurance thou canst desire for any desired or enjoyed Mercy Doth the first Covenant stop thy mouth before God and doth not this second Covenant stop the mouth of the first Are not the riches of free Grace laid up in Christ and are not the riches of Christ laid up in the Covenant of Grace Doth not the believing Soul by cleaving to this Covenant grow out of it to the stature of a perfect man Whence come all the hopes comforts and happiness of the Saints but from this Covenant as 2 Sam. 23.5 O! what glorious Relations between God and Man arise from this Covenant what an interest doth man acquire in God as well as God in man by this Covenant yea are not the smallest mercies by this Covenant made exceeding great and sweet O the infinite boundless Dimensions the invisible Miracles and wonders of free Grace lodged in the Covenant of Grace Are there any banks or bottoms to this Ocean of free Grace Can the sins of the vilest men sink them beyond the depths thereof could they by faith swim thereon What wonders are here for Faith's Contemplation Admiration and Adoration Are not these ways and methods of free Grace comprehended in the Covenant of Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imperscrutable such as all the wit and sagacity of Men and Angels cannot prie into Rom. 11.33 as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impervestigable such as leave no Vestigia or foot steps for carnal Reason to trace out as Rom. 11.33 Ought we not then with Paul that great Miracle of Grace to stand on the banks of this Ocean of free Grace expressed in this New Covenant and crie out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the Depths of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! So great and excellent are the Benefits of this Covenant 3. Let us a little inquire into the Mediator and Prince of this Covenant 3. The Covenant of Grace made primarily with Christ which also will give us a further Demonstration of its excellence The Apostle instructs us Gal. 3.16 that Christ is the Seed to whom the Promises or Covenant was primarily made by seed some understand Christ Personal others Christ Mystical but we may with our Author Gal. 3.16 very safely take in both senses understanding it primarily and principally of Christ Personal who is the prime Federate and thence of Christ Mystic Abraham and his believing seed considered as members of Christ with whom the Covenant was primarily made Now this Covenant as made with Christ terminates on him under a two-fold respect 1 In relation to his own Mediatory Office 2 In relation to his Body the Church as he is Head thereof 1 As it regards Christs Mediatory Office and his more compleat discharge thereof so God the Father by donation and stipulation constituted him Mediator and Surety of this Covenant gave him a promise of Assistence Deliverance Acceptance Justification Exaltation and success in the management of his Mediatory Kingdom This part of the Covenant belongs solely to Christ wherein his members have no share albeit much benefit thereby 2 There is another part of this Covenant made with Christ primarily which regards him as Head of his body mystic For look as the first Adam as a public person and representative head received both a Covenant and Image to communicate to his posterity who were both legally and naturally in him so also this our second Adam received both a Covenant and Image for his seed to be imparted to them Are not all the promises made primarily to him and in him to his members And if there be any promise to be fulfilled must not thy soul look up to Christ and his worthiness alone for its fulfilling Is not the righteousness of the Covenant laid up in him and by virtue of union with him made ours Is there any dram of the holy oil of Grace imparted to us but what was first poured out on the sacred head of this our High Priest Do not also all the priviledges of the Covenant primarily belong to him and to us only as in him Hast thou any duty to perform and must thou not look up to Christ for strength to perform it Doth it not belong to him only to â—ive supplies Or hast thou any service to be accepted and can it be accepted any other way than as perfumed with the Incense of his Merits Are not all the sons of the first Adam by sin cut off from all communion with God the Fountain of all good Can they then receive any good thing from him but by the hand of this Mediator Doth God give the least good to any sinner immediately Have sinners any thing to do with God in a way of mercy immediately in themselves If we speak a good word of prayer to God or he speak a good word of comfort to us must it not be in and by the Angel of his presence Are not all debts paid in him all duties performed by him all blessings conveyed
That they may stand in aw of the threats of God under the second covenant Pag. 164 The difference between the covenant made with Christ and with us lies in these things 1 It was made with Christ primarily as a publick person for the Elect but it is made with every one of us in the second place as we are members of Christ 2 It is made with Christ immediately and for his own sake but with us mediately in him 3 The promise made unto Christ was from everlasting but the covenant is made with us when we believe 4 All the promises of the second covenant belong unto Christ as his purchase and unto us of promise 5 Christ as to his covenant hath no surety but we have a surety of ours ibid. It is the duty of every one to enter into this covenant with the Lord. 1 If they come not under this covenant they have no interest in God 2 It is only in this covenant that all the persons have undertaken peculiar offices for the good of men 3 Otherwise God regards them not nor any thing they do 4 This is a matrimonial covenant and it is a covenant of friendship 5 God and the soul know not how to live asunder 6 This covenant is the last that God ever intends to make with mankind Pag. 165 That we enter into covenant with God it is required 1 That we hear the words of the covenant and know aright the terms of it 2 That we deny our selves 3 Bear his yoke 4 Not shrink at the cross but take it up Pag. 168 God requires of all those that enter into covenant with him that they should make conscience to keep it Pag. 171 Saints have many promises of the second covenant not accomplished to them in this life because they walk not exactly according to the rules of this covenant Pag. 172 A man once in covenant is ever in covenant 1 Because the love of God that made the covenant is everlasting 2 Because it is made with the persons of men 3 Because union with Christ puts them into this covenant and that is indissoluble 4 Because the righteousness of this covenant is everlasting 5 Because Christ is the surety of it 6 Because the everlasting principle of grace in the soul doth always lay hold of and cleave unto the covenant Pag. 173 Saints are yet to be exhorted not to break the covenant 1 Because of the falseness of their hearts 2 Because of the slothfulness and heedlesness of their spirits in whatever is good though bound by many bonds 3 Because thereby they may be quickned to seek to God for grace to keep it 4 Fear those sins which come nearest covenant-breaking Pag. 174 That Saints may keep covenant they must 1 Get a true heart 2 A stablished and fixed heart 3 Exercise faith upon the grace of God in this covenant Pag. 175 Saints being entred into covenant ought to improve their interest in it in all their ways 1 In reference to themselves 2 In reference to God Pag. 177 A fourfold relation is the necessary result of this covenant hereby Christ becomes 1 our Father 2 our Husband 3 our Friend 4 our Lord. ibid. Saints hearts should be always in such a frame as to receive the mercies of the covenant which consist 1 In a believing heart relying upon the grace of the covenant notwithstanding seeming impossibilities 2 In a continual expectation of the promise And yet 3 A resigning it unto the will of God whether he will bestow it in this life or no. 4 In desiring mercy no further than it may make them holy Pag. 179 Saints in this covenant ingage themselves that whatever God bestows in mercy they will return again in duty Pag. 180 Saints having given up their names to God in this covenant they ought often to renew it 1 Because of the unbelief of their spirits 2 To manifest the sincerity of their hearts 3 Because of the falseness of their hearts 4 Because thereby they lay the greater engagement upon them 5 Because of the forgetfulness of their hearts 6 Because of their ignorance and blindness Pag. 184 He that renews covenant must 1 Be deeply sensible of breach of covenant 2 Resolve to break all other covenants 3 Consider the terms of the covenant anew 4 Do it with a free and full consent 5 Be willing to bind himself in the highest way to obedience thereto 6 Do it with earnest desire to God for grace to keep it Pag. 186 The times and seasons of renewing are 1 After an eminent falling into great sin 2 In time of publick humiliation 3 Of publick reformation 4 After special deliverance or mercy as a testimony of thankfulness 5 When the heart is bent to back-slide 6 At the Lords Supper Pag. 188 The benefits of this renewing covenant are 1 It is a testimony of the truth of repentance 2 It 's the foundation of consolation 3 It 's a means to establish the heart 4 It brings mercies 5 It improves graces 6 It fortifies against temptations 7 It strengthens union with Christ 8 It is a door to communion with God 9 It keeps from or recovers out of back-sliding 10 It is the spring of duty and action Pag. 190 CHAP. IV. The Covenant of Grace is referring to the Seed of the Faithful Gen. 17.7 The Covenant that God made with Abraham is the same that all the Faithful stand in unto the worlds end Pag. 193 Though in the manner of its administration there is a great deal of difference yet as to the substance of the covenant the Confederates are the same and taken in upon the same grounds ibid. That the children of believing Parents are taken into the same covenant with them is a point of great concernment and ought earnestly to be contended for because 1 It exceedingly advances the grace of God unto parents and makes much for their consolation 2 It is one of the great arguments the Scripture useth to draw men in to believe 3 It is the only difference God hath put in his word between the children of believers and strangers 4 It is the only ground believers can have for the salvation of their children that die in their infancy Pag. 193 Ever since the Fall God hath taken children into the same covenant with their parents Pag. 195 When parents are cast out of covenant the children are also Pag. 196 Children of believing parents are members of the visible Church ibid. Thence there is a holiness comes upon those children ibid. God hath made glorious promises to the posterity of the Saints Pag. 197 That children are so taken in is Gospel and to be believed as any other part of the covenant ibid. God will take children into the same covenant with their parents 1 To shew the extent of the grace of the second covenant 2 Because a great number of the Elect are the children of Saints 3 To shew his peculiar love to their seed 4 This is the surest
7 212 2 14 356 2. 21 22 425 6. 7 176 8. 14 59 10. 12 175 11. 14 237 13. 8 97 14. 4 348 14. 5 6 7 347 Joel 2. 7 379 2. 23 355 2. 25 417 Micah 5. 2 135 5. 7 422 7. 20 125 Habakkuk 2. 4 329 3. 2 330 3. 9 420 Zephany 2. 4 322 Zachary 1. 17 188 2. 5 369 3. 1 2 408 4. 2 3 353 422 4. 7 424 5. 6 8 39 6. 8 136 11. 10 163 13. 7 323 Malachy 2. 3 182 2. 13 15 16 11 3. 3 316 Matthew 3. 16 128 6. 22 23 350 7. 14 15 192 8. 11 234 241 10. 29 30 417 11. 29 169 13. 24 25 415 13. 29 ibid. 13. 52 399 16. 19 202 222 22. 1 321 22. 14 234 22. 32 358 26. 74 188 28. 18 383 Mark 10. 13 201 11. 13 279 14. 71 539 Luke 13. 32 431 446 15. 21 378 16. 13 192 16. 22 234 17. 20 21 388 18. 16 201 19. 9 198 21. 9 212 21. 18 417 22. 31 188 192 22. 32 439 John 1. 1 410 1. 2 134 5. 22 382 5. 23 418 5. 26 330 6. 27 136 6. 44 314 15. 1 324 17. 2 385 20. 17 375 Acts. 2. 38 194 13. 10 438 Romans 3. 1 206 5. 3 396 5. 13 93 6. 14 37 38 45 7. 7 91 7. 9 93 329 7. 24 62 8. 28 395 9. 2 3 196 9. 4 217 234 9. 31 25 10. 3 ibid. 11. 16 196 234 238 11. 17 210 325 11. 24 62 14. 17 388 15. 8 9 162 1 Corinthians 4. 8 358 5. 12 13 205 6. 17 192 7. 14 196 213 214 220 224 11. 3 321 12. 4 5 6 218 13. 12 290 15. 24 398 15. 28 323 15. 56 39 2 Corinthians 2. 14 333 6. 10. 373 Galatians 3. 16 124 126 3. 17 18 19 86 108 4. 21 22 121 5. 18 50 Ephesians 1. 4 5 134 4. 14 15 400 5. 15 378 5. 31 192 Philippians 1. 8 399 1. 19 366 2. 20 399 3. 9 26 240 4. 7 373 Colossians 1. 13 61 381 2. 8 257 2. 14 83 2. 19 327 1 Timothy 1. 9 52 2 Timothy 2. 26 406 Hebrews 2. 1 2 185 2. 5 235 2. 7 8 387 6. 7 213 8. 6 158 10. 22 362 10. 38 329 10. 39 371 12. 22 340 James 1. 15 435 1. 22 334 1. 24 53 54 90 3. 15 445 1 Peter 1. 7 375 2. 9 377 3. 21 190 2 Peter 1. 4 246 1. 5 332 1. 20 425 1 John 5. 6 7 338 5. 11 328 5. 19 406 Revelations 2. 1 389 2. 17 424 3. 21 330 4. 5 391 7. 3 4 210 12. 11 186 13. 8 164 13. 17 217 14. 1 323 16. 1 413 19. 14 322 20. 1 255 21. 3 218 21. 6 255 21. 12 16 373 22. 15 233 ERRATA PAg. 33. lin 11. after made known read have no cause to complain because they are left under that Covenant they desire to be p. 41. l. 23. ior mercy r. death p. 49. l. 10. dele the last sin p. 52. l. 41. r. 1 Tim. 1. ◠p. 54. l. 47 48. dele the property of an unregenerate man is to justifie God p. 55. l. 23. dele the first and p. 56. l. 25. for there r. that Item l. 41. r. lime that which doth quench other fires sometimes kindles this p. 59. marg r. Use 4. p. 61. l. 59. r. 1 Cor. 15.56 p. 61 c. Title r. scriptural p. 62. l. 57. r. is passed p. 65. l. 29. r. Dominion only p. 78. l. 10. from the bottom r. for publick politick Ib. l. 9. from the bottom dele the second hereditary p. 97. l. 8 9. dele Hos 13.8 I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps c. Item v. 10. dele c. p. 100. l. 5. r. Diabolus p. 101. l. 36. for unchangeable r. unblamable p. 118. l. 55. r. nolentibus p. 149. l. 22. for Son r. Sun Item l. 40. for work r. make p. 165. l. 4. r. enter into Covenant p. 168. l. 10. r. last way to salv p. 170. l. 34. for utterly r. entirely p. 174. l. 13. r. as he paid the debt p. 176. l. 34. for ways r. days p. 177. l. 31. r. I am not at Item l. 56. for curse r. Covenant p. 184. l. 24. r. that curse is the c. p. 242. l. 5. dele three p. 247. l. 58. r. Smalcaldian war p. 302. l. 53. for right r. light p. 303. l. 57. dele § 2. p. 317. Sect. 3. Title r. to Christ p. 329. l. 57. r. than any creature p. 331. l. 14. r. live himself p. 332. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 338. l. 57. r. is in the recumbency p. 339. l. 60. for 5. r. § 4. p. 340. l. 20. dele § 4. p. 346. l. 51. r. as she said p. 349. l. 25. r. they and their fathers p. 350. l. 20. r. incommutabili ad commutabile p. 365. l. 39. r. specious Idol p. 385. l. 29. dele 1. Item l. 58. r. is put p. 388. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 389. l. 23. r. Divine Law p. 412. l. 5. r. Papista p. 417. l. 19. for three r. four p. 418. l. 54. r. the people of God see God A DISCOURSE OF THE Two Covenants c. BOOK I. Of the Covenant of Works CHAP. I. The Curse of the first Covenant Gen. II. 17. For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die c. SECT I. The Explication of the Text. § 1. IN the Covenant God made with Adam there was a Life promised of which the Tree of Life was a Seal and there was a Death threatned which was seal'd by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the threatning Thou shalt die the Promise is implied This do and thou shalt live and therefore the one is called the Sacrament of Life and the other the Sacrament of Death And this was a Covenant not made with Adam as a particular person but as a Representative from whom all Mankind were to descend by Natural Generation and therefore God did make a Covenant with Man in his Head But the Covenant God made with the Angels was Personal because they were created all at once and they were not to have their Being by descent one after another Hence it is that in Adam all sin and in Adam all die Rom. 5.12 1 Cor. 15.12 Act. 17.26 because God did intend to make of one blood all Nations Now the Covenant being made with Adam in the behalf of his Posterity and he breaking it brings himself and all his Posterity under the guilt of Sin and under the power of Death which is the curse of the Covenant So that the Covenant of Works did not cease by the fall Ephes 2.1 but it stands still in force unto all those that are as yet in the first Adam 1. This will clearly appear if we consider that God dealt with man in a Covenant-way in his Creation Man stands bound to God by a double bond
as of life and all the works of illumination humiliation seeming conversion and reformation do make them but the stronger enemies to God when they fall from them all they do but prepare a habitation for seven worse spirits for the dog to return to his vomit again as we read such a story of one Eustathius who was first an Arian and then afterwards was converted and subscribed the Articles of the Council of Nice and was a man imployed by the Church and endured a great Persecution with Basil and divers other godly men and yet afterward he turned again into the former Doctrine of Arianisme and never returned And so we read of Alexander in Act. 19.33 and afterwards of his Apostacy and these works do qualifie men for the sin against the Holy Ghost and make them more conformable to the Devil than otherwise they would be 7. There is a giving a man up to Spiritual judgments which are of all plagues the greatest Exod. 9.14 As spiritual sins are the greatest sins so are spiritual judgments the greatest plagues and there is no plague like that of the heart 1 King 8.38 and we have so much the more cause to observe them because God did formerly under the Old Testament punish with outward and temporal punishments but those that live under the Gospel are specially punished with Spiritual judgments as the mercies of the Gospel are more spiritual so are the punishments also and they are 1 a hard heart which implys three things 1 Insensibleness of sin and judgment 2 Taking no impression either from the Word or Spirit and the touches of both 3 Inflexible as an Adamant that you cannot bow nor break it and that heart that is a flint to God is wax to Satan no command nor judgment of God will break it for it 's possest with an iron sinew bray a fool in a mortar yet his folly will not depart 2 There is a spirit of slumber that a man is sensible of nothing no danger can wake him for sleep is the binding up of all the spiritual senses Their eyes are closed and they cannot see their ears are uncircumcised and they cannot hearken let them be smitten and they cannot feel it and nothing does awaken them neither the loudest cry of the Word nor the judgments of God a deep sleep is upon them and they fear no evil 3 A seared Conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 the word signifies to sear with a hot iron and to make insensible to have no feeling or else to cut off by searing so that men walk as if they had no Consciences left 4 An injudicious mind God gives them over to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.28 an injudicious mind is taken with envy error with every vanity and is able to judge aright of nothing 5 Vile affections the basest and most dishonourable lusts even sins that are below a man as brute beasts therein to corrupt themselves and that makes them hateful and abominable to all the world 6 A final impenitency a heart that cannot repent Heb. 6.4 and it 's impossible for them to be renewed again by repentance § 4. Having spoken of Temporal death and Spiritual death we should now come to consider Eternal death which as it is said of the Glory of the Saints Neither eye has seen nor ear has heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive c. it is as true of this Eternal death no ear has heard what it is it is called perdition and destruction the second death And as Heaven is set out by some resemblances of the glory of the things in this life so is Hell in respect of the miseries of this life but all these are but shadows of the one and of the other Psal 90.11 Who knows the power of thy wrath as is thy fear so is thy wrath that is the wrath of God in the dreadful effects of it is such that it passes knowledg and it passes fear The heart of man is able to conceive vast fears as it has vast desires but whatever we can fear there is something in the wrath of God answerable to all But having spoke of this more largely elsewhere I shall but touch upon it at present In this death there is something essential which befalls all that suffer these torments and is inseparable from it as they do fall upon such a subject the essential part of this death the Scripture makes to be of two parts there is punishment of Loss and punishment of Sense There is a loss and a separation of a man from all good things whatsoever there is no man but has some good thing in possession and he has something of which hope gives him a reversion but in this death he shall be separated from them both and this is the privative part This poena damni punishment of loss is double as Durandus has observed pag. 210. either in amissione boni habiti vel nondum habiti in the amission of some good possessed or hoped for Now by this death men shall be shut out from both First they shall be shut out of the presence vision and fruition of God for ever there shall pass upon him an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Divines did anciently call it an eternal excommunication or a non-communion as their spiritual death did consist in an estrangement from God in holiness so their eternal death shall consist in an eternal separation from God in happiness They shall be punished with eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.9 and this was the great torment that Christ does complain of Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet it was only substractio visionis a substraction of vision And this is the great affliction of his people here on earth if the Lord hide his face David says Hide not thy face from me lest I be like to them that go down into the pit and yet this is but a hiding of his face as an Eclipse of the Sun for a day he will but hide his face for a little moment but he will have mercy on thee with everlasting loving kindness how much more when God shall cast a man off in wrath for ever and never have an eye upon him more and therefore the Fathers do generally say that the greatest torment of Hell is this of Loss Absentia Dei quoad visionem omnia alia tormenta superat Augustine and Chrysostom in Mat. 7. Mille Gehennae paenas and there is nothing so dreadful as to be separated from God and to be hated by him CHAP. II. How and why men naturally desire to be under the Law Galat. 4. 21 Tell me you that desire to be under the Law do you not hear the Law SECT I. How men naturally desire to be under the Law § 1. THis Text tells us how men are naturally affected with the Covenant under which they stand They still desire to be under it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
But here it may be men will wonder that time should be spent amongst us in beating men out of this being under the first Covenant and getting life upon impossible terms to undertake perfectly to keep the Law and to seek justification by works seeing we are neither Jews nor Papists We know we cannot fulfill the Law but that there is iniquity in our holy things and we are so far from resting in our duties that we acknowledge our righteousness is as filthy rags that if God should look upon them as they are he must needs abhor them and us for them and therefore surely there are none amongst us that do so all this labour might be spared for we are so far from desiring it that we disclaim it and abhor it But I answer to this Answer that a man ought to read in other mens practices his own inclination this was a desire in Adam 1 Cor. 15.49 and in his Posterity who do all bear the image of the earthly for as face answers to face in the water so sin is alike in all men and that man perfectly likes an example of sinning in others that does not reflect upon himself and see that there are seeds of it in him that doth not read his own nature in another mans life 2. If there be the seeds of it in thy own heart then though it never should break forth into act yet there is just cause that God should loath thee for it as we do Toads though they hurt us not And indeed the main part of our enmity against God and Gods against us lies in the contrariety of our nature to him Col. 1.21 we are naturally enemies to God in our minds and this is the top of all a godly mans humiliation this is but a part of all that evil treasure that is within Psal 51.7 and there is more in the Ware-house than in the Shop And that Christian is never kindly humbled for any sin if his humiliation ends in the sin it self and ascend not to the fountain that is within him that raging sea that always is casting out mire c. We know that in the Saints there is no lust perfectly mortified in this life Rom. 6.6 for sin dies a crucified death and therefore though in a Saint it be still upon the Cross and dying daily yet it shall never be perfectly destroyed till this corruptible shall put on incorruption The Saints have the seeds of this sin of trusting in themselves in them also and this lust will not lye idle in them the flesh will lust against the spirit Gal. 5.17 and it shews how prone the nature of man is to it and the actings of it because it has shewed it self so in all ages And therefore one being asked why Pelagianism did spring up in all ages answered Because there were Pelagianae fibrae in the hearts of all men So if this be asked you Why this lust of carnal confidence always breaks forth into sinful acts c. you may also answer There are fibrae of it in the heart of all men Therefore if God have kept this lust from acting in thee so much as it has done in others O be thankful for so great a mercy but be careful that thou say not that it is not in thee because God has restrained the lust from acting for then it may be just with God to give a man over to the power of it and he shall see by experience that it 's a mercy to have it restrained seeing he cannot be wholly freed from it in this life It 's a great evil when God preserves men from sin for them to think there is no such danger in it Take heed lest God let out such a lust upon thee that will make thee a mourner all thy days and remember how presumptuous Peter was against his denial of Christ yet how soon he was guilty of it And how apt are Christians for not prizing a preservation from gross sins to walk fearlesly and then God often leaves them to the power of lust and shews them the mercy of his former restraint Indeed all lusts in the heart of man do not act alike some lusts do work directly and press men to sin as that of Whoredom and Drunkenness a man has distinct thoughts about them but there are some that do work indirectly and in a secret way to guide men in their practise and yet never come into distinct thoughts but work as principles that lye low and a man acts in the power of them and yet observe them not as in a Watch every one may observe the wheels that move but every one does not observe the spring from whence their motion proceeds as a Scholar that speaks and writes Latin he does not think of the rules of Grammar every sentence he speaks and yet those rules have an influence into every word and his whole discourse is framed after those rules so there are some sins as Atheism c. a man it may be never says in actual thoughts that there is no God and yet this principle sways with a man and is at the bottom of every sin And so it is with this sin it may not come into actual thoughts that there is Eternal life to be had by our works and we will exclude the righteousness of Christ and yet it may have a very great influence upon the man in his whole course as being a fundamental and mother-sin 1 So far as any man does desire to establish his own righteousness so far he desires to be under a Covenant of Works for justification and life but this is the disposition of every man by nature therefore every man by nature desires to be under the first Covenant still this was the great fruit of it amongst the Jews Rom. 10.3 and the words are very significant Going about to establish their own righteousness i. e. seeking or studying for it as students use to do It signifies to labour for a thing with a mans utmost endeavour even with all his might as Mat. 6.32 After these things do the Gentiles seek and it answers to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.31 Rom. 9.31 They followed after the law of righteousness but they attained it not The law of righteousness is the righteousness of the Law that is justification by it for the righteousness of the Law to be fulfilled in them by their own personal obedience not by faith but by works this they followed after with all their might And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imbecillitatem propriae justitiae denotat denotes the imbecillity of their own righteousness that it could not stand alone but they must set it up and support it and make it stand by their own opinion and presumptions Now you see this all along how men expect acceptation with God for their services Isa 58.1 Wherefore have we fasted and thou regardest not Men do think to be heard for
their much speaking and stand upon their justification I fast twice in the week and pay tythe of all that I possess says the Pharisee The Apostle Rom. 9.31 says They followed after the righteousness of the Law by their own performance of the works of the Law And to this end because they could not rise up to the spirituality of the Law they did therefore bring down the Law by their interpretation unto their own obedience and all was to make their own righteousness available for justification Therefore Paul saith Concerning the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3. The young man says All these have I kept from my youth Therefore the Papists teach That men may perfectly fulfill the Law Bellar. de Justific l. 2. c. 2 3. and do also some works of Supererogation over and above the Law that the formal cause of Justification is inherent righteousness though Christs righteousness is the meritorious cause Christ having merited that our righteousness may justifie c. And though not works by nature yet by Grace even Faith it self as a work is that which God accepts being performed by us instead of all the righteousness required in the Moral Law These and many more are the ways by which men seek to establish their own righteousness in matter of Justification 2 As for Salvation also All men would be working and doing something for Heaven Good Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life What shall we do to work the works of God Joh. 6. They were all upon a way of doing they did expect a reward for all They had a high esteem of their own services and therefore they did boast themselves and glory in them it 's the law of saith only excludes boasting Rom. 3.27 The Creature being sinful is lifted up by works proud of a little God knows And therefore Jehu says Come see my zeal for the Lord of hosts and there is nothing in the world that the pride of man will appear more in than in righteousness for pride is an overweening apprehension of a mans own excellency and the higher the excellency the greater the pride Rom. 7.9 I was alive says Paul without the Law alive in performances and alive in presumptions he thought he had done much for God and therefore his zeal did rise to a madness in persecuting of the Church It 's a hard matter for a man to be a painful Preacher a zealous professor a faithful Statesman or a man that has laid out himself for the publick any way but his heart will swell with privy pride therein yea even though he do profess to despise and to disesteem the praise of men § 3. But now more particularly so far as any man does not submit unto the righteousness and the grace of the second Covenant so far he manifests his desire to be still under the first Covenant but all men by nature refuse to submit to the righteousness and the offers of the second Covenant and therefore they desire to continue under the first The Scripture speaks of mens actions and dispositions many times interpretatively not as they are in the intention of the sinner but as they are in truth and in the interpretation of God Prov. 8. ult Men are said to love death all those that hate wisdom and despise Christ and live without him love death Now men will all say that they do hate death but yet in Gods interpretation they hating the only way and means to life they do all of them love death So we read in Ezech. 8.5 They did these abominations that I might go far from my sanctuary It was not their intention in so doing actually and formaliter but interpretative it was because they had set up an image of jealousie in the Sanctuary which would provoke God to remove and yet if they had been asked they would all have said they would by no means have the glory of the Lord to remove So men do not actually desire to be under the first Covenant but yet so long as they reject the offers and the grace of the second so long in Gods interpretation they do desire to be under the Law still and their rejection of the better Covenant offered argues they like and love that under which they are and reject the righteousness of God which is the same which is called the righteousness of Christ and the righteousness of faith as the Apostle says Phil. 3.9 Not having my own righteousness which is of the law but the righteousness which is of God by faith And it 's called the righteousness of God partly because it is found out by God and by God only imputed and therefore is only an act of free grace whereby God will make a sinner righteous before him Rom. 1.17 and partly because Christ offered himself by the eternal spirit without spot to God which is his own Divine nature and so unto all the actions and the sufferings of his Humanity the Godhead gave an efficacy and an excellency even from his person they being all the actions and sufferings of him that was both God and Man And unto this righteousness men through the pride and unbelief of their spirits and contrariety to the Gospel will not submit They have not subjected themselves unto the righteousness of God 1. All a man's sins do stand out and will not submit to the righteousness of God for whoever imbraces the offer of the second Covenant and the grace thereof must take Christ for Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. as well as for Justification for he is made both and he came with water and blood to answer those ways of legal purification and so he must come into every soul but above all sins a mans darling his right hand and his right eye must be parted with and therefore Christ says Joh. 5.44 How can you believe that seek honour one of another The power of any lust in the soul will keep it from believing and accepting of the grace and mercy that 's offered in the second Covenant And so through the power and dominion of sin men cannot submit to the righteousness of God And how miserably is many a man held in captivity this way we all see they are by the snares of darkness led captive by Satan at his will 2. All the gifts and abilities that are in a man are against it for faith is the highest self-denial 2 Cor. 8.2 and gifts do puff up and therefore not many wise are called The wisdom of this world is enmity against God and all their parts and learning their wisdom whether it be natural or acquired doth make them but the stronger enemies and set them the farther off from Christ Hab. 2.4 now this stands in the most direct opposition to faith for that soul that is lifted up his heart is not upright in him In troublesome times to have a mans heart born up by a fleshly prop
Rom. 4. is directly opposed to the work of faith and therefore we find Abraham denied his reason and shut his eyes against it when he came to believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he did not judge of it this way and that way he did not dispute it but rested in his word alone And therefore the Apostle asks 1 Cor. 1.20 where is the wise man the scribe and the disputer of this world The more wisdom men have and the greater improvement of reason the greater disputants men are the farther off usually from faith and the greater enemies thereunto 3. All a mans own righteousness either what a man has done before his conversion as Paul or what he can do after his conversion may be so abused and relied upon as to derogate from the righteousness of God for when men are convinced of their sins and see that there is something wanting to their Salvation then they think they will do something more as the young man in the Gospel What shall I do to inherit eternal life he had a confidence in what he had done and fearing lest that might fall short there was something more that he was willing for to do When men are once convinced of their sins they cannot look upon any thing that they have done that will satisfie and their good deeds will not weigh down their bad but then they say Mic. 6.6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God will he be pleased with thousands of Rams c. As if their after-obedience should make amends for their former sins And so under Popery at this day many do fast and macerate their bodies watch and pray and chastise themselves by scourging and going Pilgrimage give away all their Goods to the poor and betake themselves unto a voluntary Poverty shut themselves up in a Monastery and Hermitage and seclude themselves from all the comforts of this life yea even Princes and Emperours lay down their Kingdoms and cast away their Crowns and betake themselves unto a private life and all upon this ground that these shall be opera satisfactoria satisfactory works Luth. in Gal. 5. and so expiatory for their former sins And hence it is that men convinced of their sins labour as for life to satisfie God and to quiet their Consciences And when men have wrought hard all their days with such expectations as these they are hardly brought off to come to Christ as stript naked of all and to acknowledge that all their righteousness is an abomination And these are the mountains that are to be cast down the high imaginations and presumptuous thoughts of themselves before they can come to Christ and the casting down of these is a preparing the way for the Lord. 4. When mens Consciences are awakened and sin revived by an almighty work of the Law and the second Covenant offered to them then they say the news is too good to be true there is no mercy for them whatever God intends to others surely he can never think thoughts of peace to them he will never take such toads and serpents as they are into his bosom to have communion with him and they say there is no hope While men are in peace and sin lies sleeping at the door so long a mans self-love and self-flattery makes it easie to presume and he says It 's a small matter to believe for God is merciful and Christ died for sinners And if there be but a few men that shall be saved yet he doubts not but he shall be one of that number But when once God discovers his sin and awakens his Conscience then the man says Though the greatest part of mankind should be saved and if there were but one man in the world that should be condemned surely he should be the man If a man had come to Judas after his Conscience was awakened on the sight of his sin before he hanged himself and told him be not discouraged though thou hast committed a great sin Christ is the Saviour of the world and it is but believing in him and this sin shall be pardoned and thy soul saved He would have answered you as Spira did when they did exhort him to believe That they were as good bid him to fulfill the whole Law and bid him lay hold upon a star in the firmament For a man to see sin to be an infinite evil and God to be a provoked God ready to take vengeance and Hell open and himself ready to drop into everlasting destruction and yet now for him to cast himself into the arms of everlasting mercy and relie for his eternal happiness on the favour of an almighty and a sin-revenging God and say If I perish I perish I will rest upon him and trust to his mercy whether he save me or damn me For a man by an exclusive act to shut out all other hopes and ways and confine his thoughts to free Grace alone and to leave himself at the mercy of God Psal 10.14 and at his foot-stool to be willing to be at his dispose it 's that which the unbelief and despair of a mans heart upon the apprehension of the guilt of sin will never be brought unto without an act of Almighty power Ephes 1.19 Therefore we read in Luk. 3.5 to make way for Christ there be vallies to be filled as well as mountains to be levelled and laid low Before men are humbled they are mountains too high to submit to this righteousness and being humbled they become vallies and are too low to rise up and to imbrace the Grace that is offered by the Prince of the second Covenant Now so far as a man does not submit to the righteousness of God so far he desires to stand under the first Covenant still § 4. In a man under the Covenant of Works there are two things 1 An answerable spirit 2 Suitable fruits And if a man desire both these then we may conclude he desires to be under this Covenant 1. They that under the Covenant of Works have an answerable spirit a spirit that does always accompany this Covenant Rom. 8.15 We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear c. Now this was the natural fruit of this Covenant Gal. 4.24 for it has only gendered to bondage since the fall unto Adam in innocency it was a Covenant not of bondage but of freedom but being broken all that come under it are children of the bond-woman and the spirit that does accompany it is a spirit of bondage For there is a twofold spirit that is answerable unto the twofold Covenant and with the change of a mans Covenant there follows a change of a mans spirit and never till then now this spirit is a spirit of fear to witness guilt a fear of Gods presence and a fear of Gods judgments Amos 1.10 Heb. 2.15 Isa 33.5 Fearfulness has surprized the hypocrite and as Cain says
its order and made Man after his own Image but when Man had lost himself and blotted out that Image he brought himself under the curse now there is great wisdom in repairing for if man shall be saved then God must be satisfied now to take away sin and let the sinner live to send the sin to Hell and the sinner to Heaven to find out such a surety of infinite merit answerable unto sins demerit and to work many miracles at once by a personal union of the second person with a created nature that the Incomprehensibe should be comprehended Eternity brought within the bounds of time he that bears up all things should himself be born and the ancient of days become a child and that ever the tongue of man should say such a word as God manifested in the flesh it is such an act of wisdom as was never manifested before 2 Justice He had shewed justice in the first Covenant by threatning a curse upon the breach of it and he had executed justice upon the Angels that fell by casting them to Hell immediately without hope of mercy but when the Son shall take sin upon him but by imputation as his servant and by his own appointment now he will not spare a Son though he put up strong crys but being made sin he must be made a curse and that he that in all our afflictions is afflicted that God should delight to bruise him it is such a manifestation of justice as was never heard of under the first Covenant 3 Power In making a World he had declared power but this was but power over the Creature but now here is power over himself to answer the pleas and the just demands of his own Attributes Let the power of my Lord be great pardon them c. Numb 14.17 4 Love To give our first Parents a being and so glorious a Covenant and all the Creatures for their use to have dominion over them all was great love from God but here is a higher act of love to give sinners a Son so God loved the world that he did not spare his only begotten Son 5 Soveraignty To have authority and absolute power over the Creatures that God had manifested in the Creation c. but here is an authority over the Son of God who thought it no robbery to be equal with God Isa 42 1. yet he becomes the fathers servant and was commanded by him in all things In the second Covenant Justification is the highest act of Soveraignty to count things that are not as if they were to account Christ a sinner and make him sin and to count the sinner righteous by the righteousness of another c. And hence we may safely conclude that under the second Covenant we honour God more by a way of believing than ever we could have done under the first Covenant by a way of doing because the glory that we give him therein is a reflection of a higher manifestative glory than ever was shewed forth under the first Covenant And yet there is a principle of enmity in man against all these Divine Attributes of God which makes men desire to be under the Law § 3. There is also in man a principle of pride Man will not submit to the righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 which is the highest exaltation of the Creature There is so much pride in the heart of man that it will not stoop to it looks upon it as a submission below him We read how full men are of self-justification Luk. 10.29 16.15 they have a spiders house Job 8.15 and upon that they lean made up of outward duties and common graces So they in Matthew plead at the last day Lord we have prophesied in thy name c. but whosoever builds his hopes of Heaven upon any thing in himself any thing besides Christ builds upon the sand And this they do because it is their own and the best thing they have the highest excellency in the man It is not so hard to deny a mans self in riches and honours and learning and any inward abilities that commend a man but to men no man thinks that for his learning he shall be the more accepted of God but we think righteousness commends us unto God and therefore men have a higher esteem thereof and greater hope grounded upon it than upon any excellency that is in them besides And therefore surely for a man to come to Christ and deny himself in that and give up all to him and to be willing to suffer the loss of all things that be may win Christ Phil. 3.8 To sell all to buy the pearl and to do it with joy as Nazianzen did set no higher a price upon his Athenian Learning than this That he had something of worth to part with for Christ and esteemed it nothing in comparison of Christ herein is the highest act of self-denial and that 's the reason that of all men civil men and those that have but a form of godliness are with the greatest difficulty converted and Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before them because they have something of worth to lay down which their hearts are hardly brought unto And to see how corrupt nature through the policy of the Devil holds up the pride of it in this particular that if it were possible it might make the blood of Christ of none effect and therefore they will not trust perfectly in the Grace revealed by Jesus Christ whence we see the several opinions of their own righteousness in this particular and how they have minced it but yet still so as they hold something of self and the great exception that men have to keep them off from Christ is the same that the Roman Senate had when Tyberius did propound Christ to be head of the Capitol amongst their Gods and that with an offer of his own suffrage they all were against it upon this ground because he will be God alone See it in all those Popish Tenents which as Mr. Perkins has well observed is a Religion directly founded upon corrupt nature And 1 they say that some sins are not mortal nor deserve damnation in the strictness of Divine Justice 2 That the inclination of the heart to sin and all motions to sin without consent are no sins 3 If they do sin they can of themselves satisfie God Original sin is done away in Baptism lesser sins by prayers and so many Pater-nosters Greater sins by Alms and Pilgrimages Indulgences c. 4 That men can do something to prepare themselves to conversion because they are not wholly dead but have a free-will in nature to that which is good 5 Being prepared they do merit grace at Gods hand 6 Before conversion they do that which pleases God 7 Our inherent righteousness is the matter of Justificacation c. SECT III. The APPLICATION Vse 1 § 1. BUt if all men cleave to the first Covenant and be
man to seek out curious ways of sinning against it to avoid the power of the law as we see in Gaming c. sin takes occasion by the Commandment that it may sin more artificially and such men are hardly convinced 2 The Law discovers sin and men will not see it and so sin takes occasion by the Commandment and vents it self by refusing knowledge And they stop their ears that they may not be charmed by the voice of the charmer Joh. 3.20 c. 3 Sin takes occasion from hence in that men hate the light of the law and they wish that there were no such law in the world He that does evil hates the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be made manifest and reproved As the law discovers that to be evil in which the soul placeth its greatest good so this discovery draws out a hatred in the soul a-against that law which does as a glass discover the spots which the sinner would have hidden 2. The law does restrain sin and puts a stop to it and shuts up the sinner as we may read Gal. 3.23 Whence sin breaks forth more violently men being prone to sin and cannot live without it for the comfort of their life comes in by it The Law may restrain and keep in lust for a while Mat. 12.43 but it breaks forth as fire when you suppress it outwardly it burns the hotter within and spreads the more by a restraint 1 It spreads the more in the man by the restraint of the Law a man that hath forborn a sin long there comes seven worse spirits at the last and makes him more the child of the Devil than he was before the former restraint that was upon him makes his inward man the more exceeding sinful As it was with Judas a Devil though a Disciple The restraint of sin by the Commandment causes it to defile his inward man the more 2 The more sin is enraged as Psal 2. They say let us break their bonds and cast their cords from us Chains put not a fierceness into a beast but yet it does outwardly draw forth that fury that was in its nature As a potion in some diseases given for the cure irritates the peccant humour and kills the man the sooner not that it puts a new sickness in but only the humours being stirred are the more enraged 3 So in this case it does not only enrage sin and so make it more fierce but it improves it by this enraging as the presence of an injury doth heighten a mans anger as we see Goliah did David s his brags drew forth David's courage and it rose to the greater height and so any difficulty would Alexander's so that it was an exploit fit for Alexander if none else would undertake it and so a damm in the water it does cause it to swell and foam the more and the coldness of the circumstant air in the winter does not put more heat into the fire and yet by an Antiperistasis it excites it so that it is felt the more And therefore men living under the clearest discoveries of the Law their sins do rise to the greatest height men by the light of nature cannot sin against the Holy Ghost the great and the unpardonable transgression but this sin is by Gospel-light and this draws forth to direct enmity a mans spirit against the light so that he sins wilfully after that he hath received the knowledge of the truth and with despight for it is this being under the irritating power of the Law that is the great occasion of the sin against the Holy Ghost 3. There is a condemning power of the Law it passes a sentence upon a man and upon his estate and let 's into his soul by the spirit of bondage fear of death and dreadful apprehensions of wrath fearful expectations of judgment and of violent fire to devour him And from this also sin takes occasion 1 By reason of terrours that a man should destroy himself and become the instrument of his own mercy and be his own executioner as Judas and Achitophel and many others have done And 2 hence sin takes occasion to drive them to despair and draws it forth fastning their eyes upon the vengeance of God and never shewing them the remedy and the pardon and then with Cain men say mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven 3 Hence follows a giving up themselves unto all excess of riot there is no hope and therefore I will enjoy the good things that are present and not have a Hell here and hereafter too And therefore they refrain not from any evil way but resolve to take their fill of sin while they are here for they are sure they can be but damned as many a wicked wretch when he is condemned to die he cares not what he does then for he knows he can be but hanged Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die 4 The rage of their spirits does rise from hence even to blasphemy and revenge against God He saith O that I were above God! for I know that he will not have mercy upon me And so the Damned in Hell do blaspheme God by way of revenge because they are shut up under wrath and know that there is no mercy for them And this is the ground also of the great rage and revenge against God that is acted by the Devil ever since the fall Thus men seeing themselves condemned by the Law and being in a continual expectation of this wrath the revenge and rage of their spirits against God is by this means drawn forth and in all these respects sin does take occasion by the Commandment and becomes the more exceeding sinful SECT II. Whence it is that the Law exasperates and encreases Sin § 1. LET us now come having proved the Point to look into the grounds of it How it should come to pass that that which discovers sin and forbids it should exasperate and increase it and that that which is a means to lead the people of God into ways of holiness and to sanctifie them converting the soul making wise the simple should occasion sin and death to others We must lay this as a ground That the cause is not in the Law the Apostles care is to remove any blemish that may be cast on the Law of God as if God had given a Law to this end to add unto the sin of man whereas indeed before the Law sin was in the world and it was out of measure sinful but it did not appear so without the Law There is a twofold cause that the Apostle does here point us unto 1 There is causa per se a formal cause which does of it self and of its own nature properly produce the effect from some inward and intrinsecal power and efficiency and so the Law is not the cause of sin in a man neither is there any thing in the Law that should
shall be effectual to a mans pollution Vse 1 § 5. See here the malignity and the vile nature of sin and what a deadly disease it is when that which God did give of purpose to destroy it will increase it We say that is a very deadly disease that you can apply no physick but it does stir up the disease and it 's increased by it and all that you can take feeds the disease so here sin must needs be a deadly thing that the law should increase it which in its own nature should abate it There are two truths that should be always in a mans eye God to be the chiefest Good and Sin to be the greatest Evil. There is no one thing that does set forth the evil of sin more than this that the Commandment of God which doth forbid it curse it condemn it should improve it It 's no wonder then if mercies make men more wicked and if crosses add to mens sins for the very Law of God and his threatnings and restraints thereof will do it if any thing make sin appear to a man to be out of measure sinful and a disease incurable in it self this will 2. See hereby the vanity of that Doctrine that says Moral perswasion is sufficient unto conversion God enlightning of a mans mind and shewing him what is his duty and what is required of him and perswading of his will it is according to these able to imbrace it and so turn unto God and duty and herein is the drawing of God the Father when as we see that when God does set a mans duty before him in the Law with all the threatnings of it and all the promises of it this is so far from converting the man that it improves his sin sin and makes it the more to rage against God and become out of measure sinful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore there is an inward work of God an Almighty Power put forth in changing the heart and converting of the will Moral perswasions may make a man more wicked but they will never convert him or make him the more holy without this inward work put forth by God in changing the heart 3. See here what is the proper rise and ground of that unpardonable sin the sin against the Holy Ghost It is by a curse of the first Covenant coming upon to the word of God that it is an occasional means lust opposing it to make sin rise the higher and first it brings forth in a man sins against knowledge and afterwards sins with malice and despight If the Law had never been revealed again but man had been left as many of the Heathens are who have but that small glimmering of light which some do call the remainders of the Law within them which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 2. They shew the works of the law written in their hearts this sin had never been heard of in the world it is a sin proper unto the Church of God and cannot be committed out of the Church where men are enlightned in the truth and sin takes occasion from the Law to break forth into despight against it 4. See what a vain thing it is for a man to glory in any Church-priviledge The Jews did stand much upon it and doubtless it was a great mercy that unto them did belong the giving of the Law and the Promises and unto them were committed the Oracles of God and therefore they rested in and made their boast of the Law c. Rom. 2.18 19. And what fruit had most of them by the Law it did aggravate their sins in the guilt of them and drew forth their sins in the power of them unto the greater height and in many of them even to the sin against the Holy Ghost And so it does many men that live under the Gospel at this day they have no other fruit by their ordinances and of the word of God amongst them but to make them more exceedingly wicked 5. See what a misery it is to be in a state of unregeneracy he that is so is wicked by nature and every thing wâ—â— make him worse See also what a mercy restraining grace is to a man that is unregenerate when we read of Judas and how Christs reproof did heighten his malice and of the Pharisees how by Christs Sermon their rage was drawn forth and they gnashed their teeth upon him c. What a mercy is it should every soul say that all the Sermons that ever I have heard of Christ c. should not have wrought the same effects in me long ago Luther saith that reading that place Rom. 1.17 The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith and understanding it only de justitia activa scilicet punientè of Gods punishing justice Non amabam imo odiebam justum punientem Deum tacitaque si non blasphemia certe ingenti murmuratione c. odi istud vocabulum poenitentiae I did not love but hate the just and punishing God and by a silent great murmur if not blasphemy I did hate that word Repentance Now that it has not been so to every one of us and we sinned against the Holy Ghost and in the highest acts of direct enmity that there had been no hope of mercy seeing that we cannot say that we have done it ignorantly Oh what a mercy is restraining Grace 6. Lastly how should it engage the people of God to thankfulness that God has freed them from this great misery that now the Law should subdue their lusts and not enrage them and if it does at any time yet it 's not to bring forth fruit unto death not to have a full dominion over them how should it make them fear when they read or hear the Law lest it should add to the disease Oh! how ought people to pray and Ministers pray that they may not be a curse and that the word which they hear and preach may not ripen their sins and draw out and improve their corruptions but their graces and make them holy CHAP. IV. The Rigor and Coactive power of the Law Gal. 5.18 But if you be led by the Spirit you are not under the Law SECT I. Wherein the Coactive power of the Law consists § 1. THere is a double sense of these words given by Interpreters and both may very well be put together The Apostle having said before That in a godly man there are two contrary principles flesh and spirit and they lust and act one against another so that they cannot do the things they would but when they would do good evil is present with them he adds here a consolation to bear up their hearts in this which is the greatest conflict upon earth between flesh and spirit in the same heart and that which made them to look upon themselves as miserable men all their days Rom. 7.24 but if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law that is though there
is never pleasant but always burdensome and the man desires to be set at liberty for he can never look upon the law as the perfect law of liberty until his nature answers the law and it is written in his heart 1. If we look upon the restraint that the law does lay upon a man that is unregenerate his condition is most miserable because 1 he does abstain from sin but it is forced and therefore burdensome because still his lust is active and carries the man after it with inward burning and the man is tormented the more it is adding drunkenness to thirst Deut. 29.19 The satisfaction of lust is compared unto drunkenness and the lust is compared unto thirst and as the drunkenness does increase the thirst and the more a man drinks the more thirsty he shall be and therefore none calls for drink more than those that have had too much already so it is here the more a man does to satisfie his lust the more he does increase it We know what a painful thing thirst is unless it be satisfied He that believes shall never thirst but shall have a well of water springing up in him Joh. 7.38 39. There is a double restraint 1 upon mens acts Abimelech's lust was stirred up but the Lord with-held the act Gen. 20 and so it was with the Pharisees they had often as bloody desires long before and sought to take Christ and put him to death but they could not there was a restraint put in for want of opportunity or fear of the people c. 2 There is a restraint upon mens lusts for though the heart of man be full of lust yet there is a Providence of God in permitting them to come forth some at one time and some at another so that the seeds of those sins that were in men before do now shew forth themselves as we see in Judas and Herod and Gehazi and in many men who carry it fair a while till there be an opportunity to draw them forth they have Neronis quinquennium for five years Nero carried it fair and yet afterwards he proved desperately wicked Now this restraint upon mens acts though unto the Elect of God it is a mercy and any thing that may hinder them in a way of sinning Hos 2.6 7 I will hedge their way with thorns and I will make a wall against them God can keep men from sin whether they will or no and if lesser afflictions will not do it God will raise greater But yet for all this the lusts of natural men will go after their former lovers though they cannot overtake them And this is a great misery unto such men first look upon the Saints also and they have desires after good but they find opposition so that they cannot do the thing that they would but there is still a law in their members rebelling against the law of their mind and this makes them to look upon themselves as miserable men because they have desires unsatisfied and they do still groan after a satisfaction and this makes them weary of their lives and they are willing to die that they may enjoy their desire to the uttermost and yet even in a regenerate man these desires are but of half the man and therefore in an unregenerate man when he is carried to sin with his whole man such a ones desires are more vehement Hos 7.4 Their hearts are hot as an oven they go out after it with greediness and they look upon it as the greatest misery to be restrained from it and their hearts rise against any opposition so much the more as you know Amnon and Ahab they were sick because they were restrained from that which they would have The soul of a wicked man is like a wild Bull in a net furiously bent upon sin they will perish rather than be hindred in a way of sinning This the Devil looks on as his great misery that though God lay not restraint upon his lust yet he restrains his acts so that he cannot hurt mankind as he would do though he smite Job with sores and imbitter his life to him yet he shall not be able to take away his life and the lusts of the Devil are as violent and as impetuous as ever he desires to winnow Peter and there is bounds set him that he cannot do what he would and his great torment is his restraint and the chains of darkness with which he is held and he could not enter into Judas that was his own till by the Sop the Lord gave him leave and he could not enter into the herd of Swine without license this is looked upon as a great misery by that violent and proud spirit Look what restraint either the power of God or the providence of God lays upon the lusts of the Devil the same does the Law of God lay upon the lusts of unregenerate men and this they look upon as their misery that they cannot enjoy their full desires there is an inward boiling of spirit and their hearts are hot as an oven they desire but they cannot attain and so their desire is their torment and they can have no rest 2. Even in those pleasures of sin that a man does enjoy this restraint of the law will imbitter them to a man exceedingly that a man does not enjoy them with that sweetness and delight that otherwise he should do because the sentence of the law and the judgments of God follow him with threats so that still they do add water to his wine and mix it with greater discontent than he should otherwise have for a man comes to it with a guilty galled and self-condemning conscience and so he can take no pleasure or but half the pleasure that else he should take and therefore the endeavour of the man is to put out the eye of Conscience and to make it grow sensless and to cast off this yoke and restraint of the law daily more and more and the more a man casts it off the more pleasure he does take in sinning As a godly man that has tasted of the sweetness of Communion with God he cannot take that pleasure in sin that other men do because still at the remembrance of his former communion the sweetness of it does arise in his heart and therefore he says it was better with me than it is now so also an unregenerate man that has tasted the bitterness of sin in the Law and the terrours thereof and has had the restraint of it laid upon his Conscience he cannot taste the like pleasure that other men do in sinning only the one is from a principle of conviction only and the other of conversion This is the misery of an unregenerate man under the restraints of the Law of God either his lusts do rage within and he cannot act them and therefore he wishes that there were no law or else if he do commit them it is but with half the man
in him and this is therefore called the Covenant of Promise Ephes 2.12 2 As it was more fully revealed after Christs coming in the flesh Heb. 8.6 7. so the Covenant as to the Fathers being in the Promise is called the first Covenant and as performed and Christ exhibited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8.10 In quo nihil merito potuit requiri post dies veteris testamenti exactos Par. the second Yet the first Covenant comes short of the second in two things First because imperfect and only in Types and Typical representations 2. Because the people kept it not neither were made perfect by it but God found fault with them for their disobedience c. 3 As it shall be more gloriously revealed at the calling of the Jews when the Lord shall make this Covenant with them that is take them into this Covenant again and call them my people who were called Loammi and this is their grafting in again Rom. 11. as the Gentiles were grafted in upon their rejection and therefore Israel under this Covenant is fitly called by some Israel surrogatus c. And of this Covenant with Israel who are the natural branches to whom primarily all the Promises do belong does the Lord speak Ezek. 34.25 The dry bones shall live and they shall dwell in their own land wherein their fathers dwelt they and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever and I will make a Covenant of peace with her and it shall be an everlasting Covenant and I will place them and multiply them and set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore my tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people c. 3 All the mercies and deliverances that God has given his people have been by Covenant ever since the fall Luk. 1.72 he sent Christ into the world a horn of salvation he raised up that is glorious and victorious salvation in the house of his servant David to perform his mercy promised to our forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant he pardons their sins and subdues their iniquities and carries them into the depths of the sea but it is to perform his truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham which he swore unto our forefathers from the days of old And he writes the law in their hearts and sanctifies them to himself Jer. 31.33 A new Covenant will I make with you I will take away the heart of stone and I will write my law in your hearts c. Gen. 6.18 And so for all temporal mercies God delivered Noah from the flood that destroyed the world of the ungodly but it was by a Covenant I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy sons c. God brought Israel out of Egypt Exod. 6.4 5. but it was by their Covenant I have established my Covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan Zach. 9.11 the land of their pilgrimage And afterwards delivered them out of Babylon the pit in which there was no water But it is by the blood of the Covenant He did nourish the people of Israel in the Wilderness and fed them there but it was because he was always mindful of his Covenant There were many that did not fear him that were wicked but he fed the wicked for the sake of the righteous their meat was given unto them that fear him Psal 111.5 So that the Dispensations of God in all ages have been by vertue of and answerable to a Covenant § 4. A man for the state of his person cannot stand under both Covenants because the one is contrary unto and makes void the other so the Apostle reasons Gal. 2. ult If righteousness be by the law Christ is dead in vain Though in some respects the Law may and doth stand as a rule and as a hand-maid to the Gospel as Hagar to Sarah and so in subordination yet as a Covenant and in co-ordination it cannot stand so for the one doth actually destroy the other and make it void for if the second Covenant take place the first Covenant is made void and if the first Covenant stand there is no place for the second And this will more fully appear if we consider the direct contrariety in the Terms of these Covenants Tit. 3.5 1. The Righteousness of the first Covenant is in our selves the works of righteousness that we have done and he that doth them shall live in them but the righteousness of the second Covenant is the righteousness of another Christ is the end of the law for righteousness Rom. 10.4 Finis perficiens sed non interficiens Aug. all the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in him It is in the Ark that the law is laid up and the righteousness of the Law is in him alone and in no other else to be found made ours by Imputation only thereby we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Now a man cannot be righteous by his own righteousness and by the righteousness of another 1 Joh. 5.11 12. A man cannot have life in himself and in another and therefore the one destroys the other 2. In the Covenant of Works acceptation is first of the works and afterwards of the person for the works sake and so does the displeasure of God begin first with the work and then redundat in personam it redounds upon the person and therefore God speaks unto Cain Gen. 4.4 If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted there is not acceptation of the person if there be any imperfection in the work Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continues not in the law c. because of a failing in the work there is a curse upon the person Haec doctrinae nostra summa quam docemus profitemur personam priùs Deo acceptam opus fieri acceptum ex persona But in the Covenant of Grace the person is first accepted and the works for the persons sake God had a respect unto Abel and to his Offering and this indeed is even the sum of the Gospel that the work is accepted for the persons sake but if the acceptation of the person be grounded upon the works it is contrary to the Gospel that says The acceptation is first of the person then of the works 3. The Covenant of Works is a Covenant without a Priest there is none to present a mans person but he must stand before God in his own person for the first Covenant was made with man immediately there is none to bear his sin and there is none to offer his sacrifice for it was a Covenant made with man in the state of integrity wherein he needed none of these Adam had no more need of a Priest in this estate than the Angels have but now all unregenerate men that are under
shewed many ways â—â—w we will speak a little to the sin of it and that in these Particulars 1 Hereby thou endeavourest to make void the Covenant of Grace and all those gloriâ—us thoughts that God had towards sinners from everlasting as the highest way to glorifie himself He did therefore purpose it in himself and from himself Prov. 8.30 Psal 40.5 that he will gloriefie himself this way by a second Covenant and God delighted in it and spent infinite thoughts about it it 's the pleasure of the Lord and all this thou dost make void to thy self by continuing under thy former Covenant and if thou accept not the Grace offered in the second Now the Apostle speaks of it as a fearful evil to make void the Law but how great is their â—vil that do their utmost to make the Gospel void 2 Thou hereby at once frustrates the whole end of Christs coming into the world for â—he came into the world as a second Adam with a Covenant and an Image and no man can partake of his Image unless he have an interest in his Covenant for all the Promises of renewing the Image of God in man are not the promises of the first but of the second Covenant Mal. 3.1 Heb. 12.24 Heb. 7.22 and it 's he that is in Christ that is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5.14 For he is given as a Covenant to the Nations The Lord shall come speedily into his Temple even the messenger of the Conant in whom ye delight So that the great end of Christs coming into the world is that he might bring in a second Covenant by which God and man may be reconciled sins pardoned and the sinner saved and whosoever is not translated into this Covenant Christ is come and dead in vain as to him 3 Thou dost hereby reject and despise the greatest grace that ever was shewed to the sons of men for God to enter into a Covenant with man in his Creation was an act of meer Grace God might have required obedience and have promised no recompence for all was by right of creation due from man to God but God did not owe any thing to man again and yet this was but faedus amicitiae a Covenant of Friendship but when man had sinned and become faedifragus a Covenant-breaker now for God to try man again by a second Covenant that it should be a Covenant with man as a sinner is a far greater act of favour to be engaged to him Isa 26.18 19. and that upon higher terms and better promises it 's the admiration of all the Angels in Heaven that God should so far honour a sinful creature as to take him into Covenant with himself Jer. 13.11 Zac. 11.10 4 This is much heightned by this that the Angels that fell were as capable of mercy as we and Christ and his Righteousness as proportionable a good for the Salvation of the Angels as he is for man though they did sin ex destinata malitia maliciously and without temptation Bernard and so perire necesse est poenitere potentes yet had the Lord set his thoughts of mercy upon them and sent his Son with a Covenant to them The same Omnipotency that overcomes the heart of a man could have also overcome the heart of a Devil but he did catch at Mankind when he let the Angels go and never made them the offer of a second Covenant and this mans sin is beyond that of the Devils in that he refuseth to come under this Covenant of Grace 5 Hereby thou takest the name of God in vain and receivest no benefit by all his Ordinances and Promises and motions of the Spirit that thou enjoyest 1 All his Ordinances for to what end is the Ministry of the Gospel set up and appointed by God but only in the first place to bring men into Covenant with God God is in Christ reconciling the world and how is that done why by making a covenant of peace as this second covenant is called Ezek. 37.26 And by perswading men and treating with them to bring them under the bonds of this covenant 2 Cor 5.18 19. for as the Apostle says He has made us the ministers of reconciliation and all the offers that we make unto you of Christ it is but to perswade you to accept of him as God has given him as a covenant to the Nations and until you do accept of Christ in his covenant and consent to that you can have no other benefit by him that will be effectual to the saving of your soul And as for all other benefits of the Ministry without this they will never answer the great end for which the Lord appointed it It were but a low end in a Minister to propound no higher thing to himself than this that he might inform the judgments of men and draw them to some outward conformity or civilize men and to do some duties to satisfie their consciences but our end should be that which God did send us for and to count that we have laboured in vain Act. 26.18 if we miss thereof and that is to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God to translate men out of the kingdom of darkness into the glorious kingdom of his dear Son the greatest mercies of your lives be offers of Christ and his benefits which are all grounded upon the covenant of Grace 2 All the Promises do belong unto the second covenant and he has given us exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature There are promises of pardon and of grace and holiness and happiness promises of the life that now is and that which is to come There are conditional Promises and there are absolute Promises I will be thy God I will give thee my Son and my Spirit I will take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh But the bottom of all these is the Covenant and thereunto all the Promises of the Gospel are referred and therefore he that has no interest in the Covenant he in applying a promise takes the name of God in vain for if you be Christs you are Abrahams seed Gal. 3. ult and heirs also of the promise If you are Christs and are in him your Covenant is changed you then come under Abrahams Covenant for it is in respect of this Covenant only Rom. 4.16 Gal. 4.28 that he is said to be the father of us all and if your Covenant be changed you are heirs of the Promise We as Isaac are children of the promise c. And till a mans Covenant be changed there is not a promise in the Book of God that belongs unto him and whensoever he does apply them unto himself he doth wrest the Scripture and he takes the name of God in vain c. 3 As for the Sacraments whosoever has not his Covenant changed they can
do him no good for they are all of them added unto the Covenant of Grace as signes and seals thereof In the ordinance of Baptism there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.21 an answer 1 Pet. 3.21 which I take to be an allusion to the ancient manner of John Baptist Luk. 3.10 the people asked him and what shall we do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby implying a willingness to engage themselves unto those practices of repentance and those duties of reformation unto which John did baptize them whence arose that ancient form in the Church in baptizing persons by propounding unto them Questions concerning Faith Repentance renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil and their solemn engagement and stipulation thereunto which if it were in truth and from a good conscience the person was truly baptized in the sight of God or else he was only baptized with water and no more So what was circumcision but a sign and a seal of the Covenant which if it did reach unto the heart it was circumcision Gen. 17.13 else their circumcision became uncircumcision for the men were not in Covenant with God therefore Jer. 9.25 I will punish all them that are circumcised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 9.25 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Omnes circumcises in praeputio so it is in the Original and so Montanus and others do render it all that are circumcised in uncircumcision Now it is by the Learned observed that the Nations there named did thus circumcise but being a people out of covenant with God it was no circumcision unto them and though they were circumcised yet they were in uncircumcision still and so the Jews they were circumcised and in an outward Covenant but yet their hearts did not consent and therefore though they were circumcised in flesh yet they were not circumcised in heart So for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it is the New Testament in the Blood of Christ Mat. 26. Zach. 9.12 and this blood is the blood of the Covenant and therefore if thou be a man out of the Covenant thou hast no right to it it can do thee no good but hurt all thy days As Cyprian de Lapsis hath a story of one that when the people of God were receiving the Sacrament came secretly in amongst them to receive it also Ausus est latenter accipere he durst take it secretly and having taken the bread in his hand Cinerem se ferre apertis manibus invenit opening his hand he found it turned into ashes and so Gratia salutaris in cinerem imo in venenum fugiente sanctitate mutatur the salutarie grace is turned into ashes yea poyson c. And therefore if such a man receive the Sacrament he takes the name of God in vain for in Gods account he did never receive it because it is a seal of the Covenant of Grace and he remains still under the covenant of works 4 All the motions of the Spirit of God as the giving of the Spirit doth belong to the second Covenant This is the Covenant says the Lord that I will make with them Isa 5.9 ult my spirit that is upon them c. And it is the Gospel that is the ministration of the Spirit for it is Christ the Prince of the Covenant that doth send the Spirit and what is the end of the Spirits coming it is only to advance the Covenant of Grace He shall take of mine says Christ and shew it unto you that he may bring you into Union with Christ and so into Covenant with God by him and therefore it is the Spirit of the second Covenant and the healing motions and strivings and impressions of the Spirit of God with man are all to this end to bring them within the bounds of the Covenant and though they may receive many gifts and common graces and common works yet the Spirit is grieved resisted and quenched if this great work be not wrought that the spirit may become a spirit of adoption and all those glorious works of the Spirit as a witness as a seal and as an earnest they do all come under the second Covenant and belong to the spirit as the spirit of the Gospel 5 If thou be not translated into the Covenant of Grace thou art left in a remediless condition for thy first Covenant being broken does bring thee under a curse and there is but one remedy against the sting of the Serpent and that 's the brazen Serpent there 's no avoiding the curse of the Covenant but by being translated out of it and this translation thou wilt not accept of therefore thou art in a helpless condition for thy disease is mortal of it self and thou wilt not accept of a remedy and so thou art left to the punishment of the first Covenants curse Joh. 3.33 He that believes not the wrath of God abides upon him not comes upon him only but abides upon him There is ira transiens and ira permanens transient wrath and permanent wrath All sin brings a man under wrath but there is no sin leaves a man under wrath but unbelief because a man will not accept of peace and reconciliation that is made to him And let me tell thee O soul whoever thou art in such a condition thy misery will be so much the greater that thou hast had a second Covenant offered and yet despisest it and in this Sodom and Gomorrah will come in against thee and will condemn thee for if they had had the offers that thou hast had they would have accepted of them yet thou hast rejected them nay the Devils themselves will be brought in against thee for thy condemnation and in this as thy sin is greater so will thy judgment be for they never had an offer of any terms of peace made to them they found themselves shut up under wrath without hope but thou hast had offers and hopes all thy days and this will be matter for that never-dying worm to feed upon at the last and great day when the soul shall reflect seriously upon its by-past life I neglected hopes and possibility and it 's now unrecoverable though there was a time that the offers of mercy were made to me and treaties of Grace made with me by the common works of the Spirit of God which I rejected mercy was upon her knees to me and I had as great possibility and probability to have found mercy as any other there are some that lived under the same Ordinances and offers of Grace with me and many of them had never the opportunities that I have had and yet I see them sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and I am left out And this will be the great misery of many I may say of most of the children of the Kingdom they that live in the Church at the last and great day § 3. We may hence see the
to convey the same nature and having transgressed his will being wicked it is a guilty cursed and forsaken nature that is conveyed unto all mankind from him they all sinning in him else corruption of nature might be their punishment but their sin it could never be 2. All Adams posterity comes under the Curse even they that never sinned themselves â—ctually and knowingly as Adam did after the similitude of Adams transgression even Children of a span-long Now the Curse is a Curse of the Covenant Death is a part of Juâ—tice and that must suppose sin upon the person upon whom it is inflicted and no man can â—ome under the curse of the Covenant who is not himself under the Covenant Now â—ad Adam stood Life should have been conveyed unto them and holiness but he falling â—in and death takes hold of them and the Scripture doth speak not only of death entring â—pon all but sin upon all and guilt Rom. 5.12 17 By one man sin entred into the world â—nd death by sin poena mediante reatu Thus if God will deal with a man in a Covenant-way it was necessary if they grow out â—f one common root that a Covenant be made with the first man for all his posterity and 〈◊〉 by Union they become guilty of this sin and come under the curse of the Covenant Now the Lord will have the grace and righteousness of the second Covenant conveyed the â—ame way by a second Adam a publick person Isa 9.6 that should stand in the stead of all his poâ—terity and become an everlasting Father and he will have Adam in all this to become â—he type of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 That as by one man sin entered into the world â—nd death by sin so by one man righteousness and life might enter by one Christ Jesus Reas 2 § 2. Herein our happiness lyes under the second Covenant that it is not made with us imâ—ediately but made with him who is the common head the second Adam and with us in â—â—e second place as we are one with him and no otherwise 1 Herein consists the chief â—â—nour and glory of this Covenant beyond the first because it is made with a more gloriâ—â— head and therefore though the first Covenant had much glory in it yet the second â—â—h far exceed in glory for the first man was but of the earth earthly and the second 〈◊〉 was the Lord from Heaven heavenly 2. And hence it is that the Covenant is sure and everlasting and an unchangeable Covenant because made with an unchangeable head and grounded upon an everlasting righteousness and therefore Rom. 4 it is of Faith that it might be sure 2 Sam. 23. because that makes us one with him with whom the Covenant is established and in whom all the promiâ—es of it are yea and Amen So that it being made with him and he being the surety of it â—nd we one with him it can never fail 3. Hence it is also an Ordered Covenant Heb. 9.12 Lu. 9.24 and therein David takes a great deal of comâ—ort that the mercies of it were the sure mercies of David How Because his Covenant was ordered in all things and sure That as the first Adam in the Covenant of works entred â—nto a Covenant in an order not only for himself but for all his posterity also but so as he himself was primus faederatus and all mankind in him So is Jesus Christ also and the Covenant made first with him and then with all his posterity in him so that it is in the mercies of the Covenant as it is said of the resurrection of the dead all shall rise but every man in his own order first Christ then they that are Christs at his coming c. So it is here all the people of God are in Covenant with him and they are all his Covenant people for all that are in Christ are Abrahams seed but yet every man in his own order first Christ and then they that are in Christ by reason of their Union and no small part of our happiness and comfort comes in this way from the order of the Covenant as will appear afterward if ever we come to handle this property of the Covenant of Grace Reas 3 § 3. Supposing man to be a sinner God cannot enter into Covenant with him immediately any more unless we do suppose that the Lord should forfeit the truth of his threatning and so deny himself for he said Gen. 2.17 The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye Now while this stands in force against a man God cannot deal with him in any way but to destroy him therefore if he will bring in a second Covenant that must be a Covenant of mercy and reconciliation and in that there must be satisfaction to God as well as sanctification of man the sin must be sent to Hell as well as the sinner to Heaven Now this satisfaction man of himself can never give it cost more to redeem his Soul than if he had offered thousands of Rams and ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl or his first-born for his transgression and the fruit of his Body for the sin of his Soul as Mich. 6.6 7. But we cannot be redeemed by corruptible things and therefore if God will have satisfaction answerable unto the wrong the creature has done him it cannot be had from any creature wherefore he finds out one that is able to bear it one that is mighty the man of his right-hand that he should be made sin and become a curse And how doth the satisfaction that Christ gives to the Lord become ours It can be no other way but by Union and this union must be 1 Natural he must take upon him our nature for our debt was a debt of body and soul to be offered as a sacrifice unto the wrath of God And therefore it is said Heb. 2.1 He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are both of one He must take our nature and in that nature suffer as being one with us for without shedding of blood there is no remission 2 Voluntary and by consent he becoming our surety and so under our Covenant putting his name into our bond Gal. 4.4 and voluntary on our part accepting of him as our surety and consenting to his Covenant and the terms of the agreement and the consent of the Judge to whom the debt was due and against whom the offence was committed Sin must be condemned by the ordination of the Judge and the Surety must accept and submit to what was required of him in order to a satisfaction and the consent and approbation of the delinquent also and by this is the Union made up and all that Christ hath done becomes ours And thus as man is a sinner God cannot enter into Covenant with him immediately but it must be a Covenant in the hand of a Mediator which can be no otherwise but as we are one with him and consent
in whom all happiness â—es whose very Presence makes Heaven should be made a curse that he who only hath Immortality should give himself unto death that the Incomprehensible should be comprehenâ—ed and Eternity have a beginning and the Ancient of days become a child who can â—ut admire that such things as these should be united and all to make a righteous and a holy God and a sinful creature to become one again So for the Distinctions to see God in Christ dividing between the guilt and stain of sin the guilt Christ will take upon himself by Imputation but he will not take the stain of sin to distinguish between the sin and the sinner that the sin shall be damned and the sinner saved God will take sin off the sinner that there should be a change of the person but not of the righteousness that the guilt of all sin should be taken away perfectly at once but the stain of it blotted out by degrees A mans Covenant is at once renewed and his image but in part so for God to distinguish between the Law as a rule and the Law as a Covenant and the Lord will utterly abolish it in the one respect but not in the other In all this is seen the Majesty and Wisdom of God therefore as our Divines use to say If there had been a Council called of Men and Angels after the Fall how a way might be found out to answer the different demands of the Attributes of God Mercy inclining to spare the Creature as miserable and Justice requiring vengeance upon the Creature as sinful how Mercy and Justice may be satisfied and God and Man be reconciled how God satisfied and the sinner saved how the sin may go to Hell and the sinner to Heaven how the Curse of the Law may be executed and yet the Grace of the Gospel exercised towards man all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could not have found out a way so I may say in this particular the Creature must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own rule a rule it must have to walk by which must be the manifestation of Gods will or else what it does can never be accepted Tert. for Deo serviendum est non ex arbitrio sed ex imperio And this is the Eternal rule that God will have his Creatures to walk by as answering his holy nature and can be no other and therefore if we walk not after Gods rule Gods curse must follow us Now take away and abolish the Law as a Covenant and so the curse will be thereby removed and now for God to do this and yet to continue the Law as a rule to take that away that was against a man and yet to continue that which was for him it was that which all the wisdom of the Creatures could never have found out a way to accomplish that the Law as a Covenant might be abolished and yet as a rule continued for ever CHAP. VIII To all that are in Christ the first Covenant is made subservient to the second Gal. 3.17 18 19 And this I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanull that it should make the promise of none effect for if the inheritance be by the Law it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgression till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator SECT I. The subservience of the first Covenant to the second in general § 1. HAving largely opened to you the Doctrine of the first Covenant we are come at last to conclude it in these three heads 1 A mans Translation out of this Covenant with the nature and necessity thereof 2 The abolition of this Covenant unto all that are in Christ that it is a writing cancelled 3 The subordination thereof unto the Gospel and Covenant of Grace Of the two first we have formerly treated and come now to speak of the last and so to conclude the Doctrine of the first Covenant There are in this Chapter two principal parts 1 Here is a Doctrine confirmed 2 Here are some Objections against it answered and cleared 1. Here is a Doctrine confirmed in which Satan had bewitched the Galatians and they had fallen off from it and that is Justification by the righteousness of Christ alone without the works of the Law and this the Apostle proves by several arguments 1 That which conveys the gifts and graces of the Spirit by that a man is justified in the sight of God but that is not by the works of the Law but by the Doctrine of the Gospel v. 2. 2 All men that are Abrahams seed must be justified the same way that Abraham was but Abraham was justified by faith for he believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.21 22. Therefore they that are justified by faith only are the children of Abraham 3 Justification and blessedness are upon the same persons and that either to them that are of faith or of the works of the Law but it is not by the works of the Law but by faith that they are blessed with faithful Abraham 4 They that are under the curse cannot receive Justification and Life from the Law but they that are under the Law are under the curse 5 God has said that the just shall live by faith but the Law is not of faith that is it does not require faith and propound that way of salvation and life but it requires obedience for it saith He that does them shall live in them 6 If a man do make a Covenant he does disinable himself by his subsequent acts to break it for by his own act he is bound how much more then is the wise God engaged to keep his Covenant who is not as man that he should repent therefore his acts are firm and unchangeable like himself So that the Covenant with Abraham being made 430 years before an after-act in giving the Law cannot make it void 2. Now the Objections follow It will be said that the way of Justification and Salvation by the Law and by the promise are directly contrary or contradictory one to the other the Law is not of saith if the inheritance be by the Law it is no more of promise so that Justification and Salvation cannot be by them both they cannot stand together and therefore it should seem that God did repent of his promise to Abraham and disanulled it or else why would he for four hundred and thirty years after reveal the Law as a quite contrary way to Heaven one by doing and the other by believing It should seem therefore that the Law doth make the promise of God of none effect or at least that God would have both stand together For if a
King should at first make a Proclamation unto Rebels that they should live if they would accept of pardon and then afterward should publish a new one that they that would live should keep the Law either a man would conclude that the King had called in his former Proclamation and made it null or else would have them both stand together and so it is here God did at first promise righteousness and life to be had by believing and afterwards he did publish a Law requiring duty Surely either the Lord did repent of the former and so that Covenant is become of no effect or else it seems he would have both joined together and man should be justified and saved partly by doing and partly by believing Now to this objection the Apostle answers Answ 1 Gods intention in giving the Law was not thereby to make the promise â—oid and of none effect for God did purpose to justifie the Heathen by faith and the inâ—eritance is still by promise the Covenant made with Abraham was a Covenant established by an Oath that nothing should arise de novo to make an alteration in it 2 Gods intention was not to join the Law and the Promise together in the matter of Justification and life because they be quite cross and contrary one to another therefore by the righteousness of the Law no man can be justified in the sight of God they do directly deâ—â—oy each other if the inheritance be by the Law it is no more of promise and therefore 〈◊〉 man can be justified by both 3 Yet God having revealed the Law after the Promise and seeing he will have them â—oth to be perpetual and lasting they must stand together and a way must be found out â—ow they may and not cross one another nor destroy or disanul each other for the Law 〈◊〉 not against the promise of God God forbid we should think so then if they cannot and together in a way of ingrediency they may very well in a way of subserviency if not 〈◊〉 co-ordination they may in subordination both tending to honour the Mercy and Grace of â—od in his Son the one primarily and the other secondarily as an appendix or an additiâ— thereunto And so much the Text does clearly manifest 1 In that it 's said the Law was added was an appurtenance to something else and was not set up as that way alone by which men â—â—e to attain righteousness and life now added by way of conjunction it cannot be they câ—â—not mix together and be concauses of the same thing and in the same kind therefore it must be by way of subordination the one as the principal the other as the accessary or additional 2 It is said that the Law was given in the hand of a Mediator that is by the ministry of a Mediator 1 Moses was the Typical or the Notional Mediator for he stood between God and the people in receiving of the Law Deut. 5.5 and Christ was the real and universal Mediator And hence it will appear that it was not set up alone as a Covenant of Works as 〈◊〉 was at first for that was faedus amicitiae a Covenant of friendship when God and man â—ere not at variance when man stood before God in his own righteousness and there was 〈◊〉 difference nor variance between God and him for a Mediator is not a Mediator of one tâ—erefore God giving it in the hand of a Mediator doth clearly manifest that he did not set it up as a Covenant alone 2 The real Mediator was Christ though Moses Typical and Christ did not by his Ministry bring in this Covenant of the Law to make void the Covenant of Grace which was the better Covenant of which he was appointed Mediator the Covenant that was made with him as the seed and with all the Saints in him Ver. 16. Seeing therefore these two must stand together and the former cannot be disanulled by the latâ—er hence then it must needs be inferred that Gods intention was in publishing the Law to â—o it in subordination unto the Gospel and the second Covenant and that so it is to stand â—nd to be made use of by the Saints Hence the Doctrine that lies before us is this 〈◊〉 Doct. That for all those that are in Christ God has made the first Covenant subordiâ—ate unto the second The whole use of the Law unto the Saints and of all the parts of it is â—hat it may be a servant to the Gospel and as to be freed from the Law standing alone as a Covenant is the greatest part of a mans Christian liberty so to have the Law of God pressed â—pon the new Covenant and standing in subordination to the Gospel as a servant is a great â—art of a Christians dignity and a right understanding and apprehension of both these opens 〈◊〉 very great door unto all Gospel-mysteries § 2. Now that I may be understood we are to consider that the Law is taken in Scripture two ways as it was given by God upon Mount Sinai for a double end 1 It is taken largely Jer. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 for the whole Doctrine delivered by God upon Mount Sinai with the Precepts and the Promises thereof and so Grace is the Law written in the heart it is the Epistle of Christ ministred by us 2 It is taken strictly setting down an exact rule of righteousness and promising life upon condition of personal and perfect obedience And so the Apostle says Rom. 10.5 6. That the law is not of faith the righteousness of the law speaketh in this manner he that doth them shall live in them Now if we take the Moral Law as given upon Mount Sinai in the first sense so it is a Covenant of Grace but if we take it in the latter sense so it is a Covenant of Works for the Lords intention in giving the Law was double unto the carnal Jews to set forth to them the old Covenant which they had broken and yet unto the believing Jews it did darkly shadow and set forth unto them the Covenant of Grace made with Christ and therefore it was not only delivered as a rule of righteousness but in the form and terms of a Covenant this do and thou shalt live 1 In the first sense the Law given upon Mount Sinai was a Covenant of Grace for this Law does teach them 1 That the Lord was their God now since man sinned God is the God of none but in Christ 2 This Law did set forth God to them as shewing mercy pardoning iniquity not visiting iniquity a God forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and there is no pardon but under a second Covenant 3 All the Sacrifices they were Types of Christ and they were commanded in the second Commandment and they did all belong unto the Covenant of Grace and did shew that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins and God did ratifie this Covenant by blood which he
their labours and their works to follow them when a man has been under a hard master to be set at liberty is thâ— sweeter when a man out of a Prison comes to a Throne this I say makes him honouâ— that Spirit and keep close to him and cherish the motions of it ever after and be carefuâ— not to be led into the same darkness again The Spirit of Christ is a delicate Spirit and wheâ— it is grieved it withdraws from a soul and suspends the comfort and quicknings that it used to enjoy therefore the soul sets a high price upon the spirit of Adoption SECT III. The Subservience of the Law to the Gospel as it restrains Sin § 1. HAving spoken of the Law in the first sense I now come to consider it in the second In the one it discovers judges and condemns sin and in the other 〈◊〉 checks and restrains sin Here are three things to be considered and cleared 1 That 〈◊〉 Law is as a bridle to check sin and to restrain it 2 In what respects it is said so to 〈◊〉 3 How in this also the Law is in the hand of a Mediator used as a servant or handmaid â— the Gospel 1. That the Law is as a bridle to check sin I desire you to observe three things 1. That sin hath in it a fierceness and unruliness and therefore men in it are compared unto the most raging and unruly creatures in the world Isa 57.20 It is compared to the Sea which is the most unruly and tumultuous and unquiet creature if there were never any wind without yet it is always unquiet from an inward principle in it self which you may explain by Jude v. 13. Jude v. 13. Jer. 2.23 Savage creatures and raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame And they are compared unto the wildest and most unruly of all the Creatures a Dromâ—dary Jer. 2.23 which some say is a She-camel others say it is Cameleo pardalis a creaturâ— of a mixed Generation and they are resembled unto this creature for its swiftness it is onâ— of the swiftest of all Creatures and the Female more swift than the Male as Franzius 〈◊〉 his Historia sacra animalium has well observed And a Horse is an unruly creature his mouth must be holden with bit and bridle a Horse prepared for the battel and being chafed to it of which the Lord says Job 29.19 That he hath cloathed his neck with thunder he mocks at fear and does not turn back from the sword he swallows the ground with fierceness c. And such is the fierceness of a sinner in his way Hos 8.9 Hos 8.9 A wild ass alone by himself in Scripture sinners are compared to the Ass for a double property 1 for his fierceness 2 for his folly as Job 11.12 Vain man would be wise though born like a wild Asses colt and for his fierceness a wild Ass in the wilderness Jer. 2.28 In a wilderness an Ass is alone by her self under no government no restraint no rider to rule or bridle her It 's better to meet a Bear robbed of her whelps than a fool in his folly as 2 Sam. 17.8 2 Sam. 17.8 The fierceness of this Creature is noted to be the greatest in Scripture Hos 13.8 I will meet them 〈◊〉 a bear bereaved of her whelps c. And by which the fierceness of Gods Judgements is â—et out I will meet them as a bear rob'd of her whelps c. and will rend the caul of his heart â—ow the same rage will a sinner be in when he is met and stopped in an evil way in any way â—f sin whatsoever There is an unruliness in sin beyond all this that neither the Bear nor â—y other fierce Creature can vent All the creatures have been tamed but man his tongue â—an no man tame Jam. 3. Now you may say why who sets bounds unto this Sea and who â—hall command and rule this swift Dromedary this chafed Horse this wild Ass and this beâ—aved Bear c. surely no natural power Thence 2. The Spirit of God doth aim in his dealings with man to keep under and restrain their â—sts Here you are to distinguish between what he doth per se and in his own proper nature â—d that which he doth per accidens and occasionally The aim of the Spirit of God in all his â—orks is properly and in its own nature to keep down the lusts of men but yet occasionâ—â—ly his dealing with man doth draw them forth the more as by sending an affliction the â—ord doth it to take away his sin but yet it does raise up his sin and so does the Law sin taking occasion by the Commandment and so the Ordinances of the Gospel also And this will appear Hos 2.6 I will hedge up their way with thorns and I will make a wall that she shall 〈◊〉 find her pasture He compares them to wild beasts that will not be kept within â—unds therefore the Lord made up a hedge of thorns against them that is a hedge of afâ—â—iction and if one affliction will not do it if they still break through the hedge he will â—ollow them with a wall and all this is to the end that she may not find her path that she may not go on and prosper in a way of sinning she shall meet with difficulties in sinful ways â—nd they shall also want success and labour in vain in them for though they do follow â—fter them they shall not overtake them disappointment in the way of sinning is the Lords â—im in all afflictions Job 33.16 17. it is To keep man from his purpose and to hide pride â—â—om his heart And Paul had a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him that he might not be â—â—ted up through the abundance of revelation The aim of the Spirit of God is to restrain â—e lusts of men and this very restraining Grace is a great mercy There is a twofold reâ—â—raining Grace 1 Upon the actions of men Pharaoh he had a desire to the sin his lust â—s stirred up but says God Gen. 20. I with held thee 2 Upon the lusts of men says God Exod. 34.24 There shall no man desire thy land To have a mans lust restrained is a great mercy and it is only during the time of this life for afterwards God will let out mens lusts to the uttermost as he does the Devils and their sin shall have rationem poenae Oh unhappy men when God leaves them to themselves and resists not their fury wo be to them whose sin God connives at Luth. the nature of punishment as Aquinas observes after this life the demerit of sin ceaseth Quia pertinet ad damnationis poenam because it belongs to the punishment of damnation as obedience in Heaven belongs to the reward of blessedness Thus all restraining Grace shall cease as all natural affection shall and the Spirit of God shall only work wrath as a spirit of bondage in
ad omnis generis flagitia sicut ergo hominibus obsessis vincula catenae injiciuntur ne quem laedant sic toti mundo qui est obsessus a diabolo adest Deus legibus cohibens manus pedes ne praeceps ruat in omnis generis flagitia 2 The Lord has set bounds unto the sins of the World as well as unto the sins of particular persons and Nations which when they have by degrees filled up judgment shall come upon them to their destruction As there was a fulness of sin when the Flood came upon the world and it repented the Lord that he had made man upon the earth so there is a fulness of sin when the World shall be burnt and when all the wicked have filled up their measure then shall the fire of Gods wrath be kindled upon the World unto which it is reserved Only then when the World was drowned because there was a holy seed remaining upon the earth the Lord did spare the earth for Noahs sake because there was a blessing but when all the Elect of God shall be translated from this earth to Glory then there shall be an utter destruction and the earth shall be burnt up at least refined by fire Now if there should not be a restraint laid upon the lusts of men every one that is now a Serpent would become a Dragon and they that now sin as men would act like Devils and the measure of mens lusts would be quickly fulfilled and the end of the World would be suddenly hastned Now because God has appointed a time that the World shall stand for Gospel ends and to shew forth the Grace of the Gospel that mercy may rejoice and triumph over judgment therefore he does restrain the lusts of men that the fulness of the sin of the World may be filled up by degrees 2. It does exceedingly exalt the Gospel and the Grace thereof that it does make such a use of the Law as is unto man fallen above the nature of the Law and contrary to the use that sin does make of the Law 1 It is above the power of the Law unto man a sinner for the Law is become weak through the flesh Rom. 8.4 as we see they that know the Law yet pour out themselves to all excess of riot and give themselves over unto all manner of abominations He that says thou shalt not commit adultery doth himself commit adultery c. All this shews that the Law of it self is weak it can forbid sin indeed but it cannot restrain it as it can require duty but it cannot enable a man thereunto but as Bernard has observed It commands without grace and it punishes without mercy Restraining Grace in respect of sin and assisting Grace in respect of duty comes not from the Law but from the Spirit that is given in the Gospel working with it 2 It is contrary to the use that sin makes of the Law for sin takes occasion by the Commandment and the Law is so far from being a means of restraining lust that by the Commandment corruptions are improved and increased Rom. 7.8 11. the flood rises the higher by the damm that is made against it and there is this devillishness in sin that it does take occasion by the Commandment to deceive a man that is it does work in a man a greater apprehension of the sweetness of it and a greater desire to it and longing after it because it is in the Commandment forbidden and from the very prohibition does arise the strength of the temptation a man should never have had his heart so much carried out after it if the Lord had not forbidden it and then a man says Stollen waters are sweet and the bread of deceit is pleasant Now when Satan and sin shall take occasion by the Commandment to improve corruption and to draw it forth that the Spirit of Christ in the Gospel should make a quite contrary use of it to restrain it and bind it up it does much exalt the power of the Gospel and the spirit of the Gospel which works with this Law 3. Restraining Grace which the Spirit of God does work in a man by the Law is of great use and does mightily exalt the Grace of the Gospel in preserving from open violences and immoralities 1 In reference unto the Saints that they are not destroyed for they are sheep in the midst of wolves their souls are amongst lions and therefore it is a wonder that they are not destroyed it is God that lays a restraint upon their enemies lust sometimes and they desire it not and sometimes upon their acts and they cannot effect it Abimelechs lust was restrained in reference to Abraham I kept thee that thou shouldst not touch her And as to Laban God laid a charge upon his spirit and so it was with Herod in reference unto John the Baptist and it is by this restraint laid upon the hearts of wicked men that the lives and liberties of the people of God are preserved and this is every day as great a miracle in some respect as to set bounds to the Sea that it do not overflow and as to stop the Lions mouths or to hinder and restrain actum secundum the second act of the Fire in the Babylonish Furnace that it did not burn so much as the garments of the three Children and that your peace and prosperity and that the progress of the Gospel is not interrupted that the Devil does not cast some of you into prison and seek your blood as in time past it is not that he is not as truly the Destroyer still as in times past but the Lord restrains the lusts of men that he cannot act them and draw them forth as he has done formerly 2 In reference unto wicked and ungodly men that live in their sins and perish in them Though it is true while the corrupt will prevails and a mans enmity to God remains so long is a man a sinner before God in every thing because he is in his habitual frame of heart an enemy unto all righteousness Austins Epist 144. But it is a great common mercy that wicked men have by the Gospel that their lusts are not let out to the uttermost and the greatest judgment that men can be given over to is to be given up to their own hearts lusts delivered over unto the power of sin and to be acted by Satan to the highest and the utmost as Judas the Devil entred into him it was but a higher degree of acting of him in a way of wickedness The restraint that is acted upon them lessens the guilt and does not spread so much in the defilement the act of sin does intend the habit Nor is it so dangerous and infectious unto others for sinners in their actions are corrupters and by their example taint many with evil ways and words the more their restraints are the less will their judgement and condemnation be and
they shall have this fruit by it which will be a great one hereafter Seeing that all men are sinners in Adam alike and sin in one man is as much improved as in another that all men are not alike sinful in this life and alike miserable in the life to come for there be degrees of wrath and that all men do not sin against the Holy Ghost and are not by Satan hurried on to the great Transgression it is no thanks to the man but merely to restraining Grace So in Mar. 10.21 the young man that came to Christ Mark 10.21 Christ is said to love him he was proud and stood upon his own righteousness and he was covetous and did part with Christ to reserve to himself an Estate and went away from him as being offended at his Doctrine and never returned again and yet it is said that Christ loved him what was there lovely in such a man Here Interpreters distinguish 1 of the act 2 of the object 1 Of the Act they say there is a double love of Christ so Cartwright Quia illi grata est humani generis conservatio ideoque politicas virtutes amare dicitur Tenues paulatim per se evanescentes imaginis suae reliquias Beza a Humane and Divine a Divine love that is to Salvation so he loves only the Saints but there was a humane love and so he loved his friends and kindred according to the flesh who yet did not believe in him And some say there is a double love of God and of Christ as God there is a peculiar and a fatherly love and this he bears only to his own people but there is also a common love whereby he loves whatever is of his own in any of the Creatures So Beza and Calvin But I should rather call them the common works of the Spirit of Christ dispensed unto unregenerate men under the Gospel 2 They distinguish of the Object he â—oved the remainder of his own Image or rather the works of his own Spirit in him though they were common that he was preserved unchangeable in tanta morum corruptela where there was such a general and universal overspreading of wickedness and this was Donum Dei gratuitum naturale illam pravitatem non quidem immutantis sed in quibus illi placet paulatim reprimentis Bernard i. e. Not mortifying but restraining sin So that all this was grounded upon the restraining Grace the Lord did vouchsafe unto him in his younger years for to be preserved is a good thing a great gift it is a great mercy not to be tainted with the common corruption and not to wallow in the common mire of the times nor to be given over thereunto 3 In reference unto godly men before and after their conversion 1 Before a mans conversion so it was with Paul Phil. 3. who was concerning the righteousness of the Law blameless and one that did not sin against his Conscience even then when he persecuted the Church Act. 23.1 because there is the greater guilt and horror upon a mans Conscience having so highly dishonoured God the greater bitterness to a man having insnared and corrupted others by his example and the greater matter of temptation Satan representing unto a man anew the sweetness that a man has tasted in former sins and his former experience of it does exceedingly strengthen the temptation and make a mans heart to hanker the more earnestly after them 2 After conversion restraining Grace is a mercy Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins Psal 19.13 Also the word does signifie to restrain or keep a man back or with-hold him as with a bridle the same word is used in Gen. 20. I with-held thee from touching her And so David Set a watch before the door of my lips So that though lust will be in a mans heart and though it will sometimes arise and all the power of Grace cannot keep it under yet to have it restrained that it shall not break forth and a man not to be hurried upon sinful actions is a great mercy After conversion for the lust of Adultery to be up in David and he desired her and yet if he had been kept from the act it had been a great mercy and so in numbering the people his lust was up and to have been kept from the act would have been a great mercy as we see it in the case of Nabal his lust was up but how does David bless God that it did not break forth into acts but that the lust was restrained before-hand and so do all the Saints of God bless the Lord that sometimes by his Law and sometimes by afflictions and by the admonitions of friends or by the reproach of enemies any lust is kept within its bounds from breaking forth or that there is a restraint of it in any measure that a man doth not pour out himself upon it with greediness that a man is not wicked in the highest degree and that carnal fear doth not prevail upon him as it did upon Peter and carnal love as it did upon Sampson or Solomon and passion as it did upon Asa c. 4. By the Gospel lust is subdued and mortified and that is one great end of the Gospel That we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.13 14. And having these promises should purifie our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 And he that has this hope does purifie himself even as God is pure But the Spirit of God doth make use of the Law even to this end also and the restraints thereof There is a double way for the mortifying of sin 1 By infusing a new principle of Grace 2 By restraining the old principle of sin 1 There must be a new principle of Grace infused which will work out the contrary and hinder the actings of it the spirits lusting against the flesh We are not under the Law but under Grace therefore sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.12 Not under the Law strengthning and irritating sin but under Grace subduing it the Spirit of God-working in a man a new and another nature Joh. 3.6 which is contrary unto sin and is like unto that spirit of holiness that works it That which is born of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3.6 and it cannot sin because it is born of God 2 There is a power of the same Spirit of God restraining and keeping under the lusts of men Psal 19.13 and thereby destroying them With-hold from me presumptuous sins in me they are and I find in my self a proneness to them but keep them under With-hold me from the actings of them lest they grow upon me and get the dominion over me As by the exercise of sin it does increase so by the restraining of it it does die and is brought to nothing It is as fire if it be covered and have no vent it will go out and as Trees the more
the Saints that in the Covenant God has undertaken both parts and therefore the Covenant doth commonly run I will be their God so shall they be my people He doth undertake for us as well as for himself he doth undertake that he will be a good husband and you shall be a good wife and in this lyes the great blessing of the second Covenant and the Grace thereof It is true that the passive part is ours and there are some acts that do belong to us properly we believe and we repent but it is he that works in us to believe and repent of his good pleasure Nos agimus sed acti nos volumus sed ipse facit ut velimus We act but as acted by him we will but he makes us to will Aust 6. We are kept in the Covenant by him alone he brings us within the bond of the Covenant and he doth also keep us there Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their hearts and they shall not depart from me And Hos 2.7 I will hedge up their way and will make a wall that they shall not find their paths They shall follow after their lovers but they shall not overtake them God will in mercy cross them in ways of sinning and make all ways of sin burdensome to them and all is that they may return to their former husband though they have committed adultery against him yet he saith unto them Return you back-sliding children and I will receive you you have gone a whoring from me yet return to me and I will receive you And Hos 3.3 The Lord will buy them unto him again with fifteen pieces of silver their base condition into which they were cast should be the ground of their returning unto God again their former husband it is the purchase that the Lord would give for them difficulties and disquiets and disappointments in ways of sin doth the Lord give men to keep them in his Covenant Christ tells them They should deceive if possible the very Elect Mac. 24. Rev. 13.8 they were deceived as many as were not writ in the Lambs book a special hand of God is towards them in their preservation and there is a power of God put forth for them that keeps their hearts as with a garrison he that brought them into the Covenant hath undertaken to keep them there 7. Every renewal of the Covenant is from the Lord Gen. 2.15 the Lord did make this Covenant with Abraham and fourteen years after renews it It is not Abraham that renews it with God so much as God with Abraham and so the Lord says Jer. 31.31 I will make a new Covenant it is but a renewal of the same Covenant and a further and more glorious manifestation of the mind of God therein he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25. Of this renewing the Covenant we shall speak afterward this is only to manifest that he who hath the great and the universal hand in this Covenant is the Lord we may say as the Scripture doth of Joseph whatever was done in Egypt he was the doer of it so whatever is done in this Covenant the Lord is the doer of it it is the act of God the Father SECT II. Free-Grace the Fountain of this Covenant WE come now to the fourth Head the ground and foundation of whatever the Lord hath done in this Covenant and that is Free-grace his own good will and his own unexpected love the Lord had no argument or motive out of himself and therefore he says I will give my Covenant between me and thee he hath no other aim in this whole work but the praise of the glory of his Grace Luk. 2. It is glory to God and good will to men Ephes 1.7 And thereby is God glorified under the second Covenant and this the Lord calls upon his people to observe Look to the Rock from whence you were hewed look to Abraham and to Sarah Isa 41.2 and when he was in Vr of the Caldeans and did with Terah his father worship other gods beyond the River the Lord did call him alone and bless him and alone singled out this one person and raised him up and did exalt him and set him on high and called him to his foot and led him on his way and the Lord passed on before him And so David made the Covenant to be only the fruit of free-grace 2 Sam. 7.21 What can David thy servant say more It doth exceed my apprehension or expression only thou hast done it according unto thy own heart out of thy own free love that thou mightest make thy servant to know even those great things And this will appear 1. If we consider the person that is first in this Covenant and that is the Lord who hath here expressed himself to be El-shaddai he is al-sufficient one that hath all in himself and within his own compass he is a Sun that is he shines with his own natural light and not as the Moon and Stars with a mutuatitious and a borrowed light for as he is debter to none so he stands in need of none he needs not borrow any excellency or glory from another and therefore for this God to enter into Covenant must needs be of Grace and by Grace you are saved 2. If we look upon man as fallen under another Covenant broken and perished under the curse of it and under that Covenant desiring to continue Gal. 4.21 They did desire to be under the Law Rom. 10.3 they looked upon it as a desirable condition they did seek to establish their own righteousness and were enemies to the Gospel and unto all others for the Gospel sake the way of the Gospel the heart of man is against and that now the Lord should unto such reveal this second Covenant that hate his Grace and shut their eyes and stop their ears and do their utmost to receive the grace of God in vain that though they be under another Covenant enemies unto this yet should rather chuse to be under their broken Covenant than accept of this 3. That this Covenant should be given unto some and not unto others that when the Angels that fell were under the same curse of the former Covenant with us yet that the Lord should not catch after the seed of Angels Heb. 2.16 but of Abraham and let them perish under their Covenant never give unto them an offer of another Covenant That when mankind were all of them strangers to the Covenant of Grace alike in their natural states and enemies that the Lord should be pleased to single out some to shew them his Covenant and for nothing but because he hath a favour to them Ephes 2.14 to chuse some out of a wretched family and a wicked stock and the Grace of this Covenant he will make known unto them and they shall know the power of this distinguishing love and when he shall pass by many of
And this is the Covenant that I will make with them I will be their God Jer. 31.33 and they shall be my people And what it is for to have Jehovah for your God The happiness of it you have heard that as you are wholly his so he also is become wholly yours all that is within you is for God and all that is in God is for you and for your good And he is your God as he is Christs God for there the Covenant-right doth first begin he is my father and your father my God and your God c. 2 He doth in this Covenant take you to be unto himself a peculiar people whom he hath separated unto himself above all people to be unto him for a name and for a praise throughout the earth as Exod. 19.5 You shall be unto me a peculiar treasure above all the people of the earth and he doth say they are his portion the Lords portion is his people and Israel is the lot of his inheritance though all the earth be his yet he hath set his heart upon them and they are dear and precious ones 3 By this Covenant the earth stands that all the creatures may serve the Saints those that are in Covenant with the Lord it is the curse of the first Covenant that shall set on fire the whole frame of the world at the last and great day all the creatures serve the Saints as they do serve God for Christ hath bought the services of all the creatures and he hath in his house vessels of dishonour as well as for honour and even the Devils and wicked men bow to him and they shall worship one day at the Saints feet and shall know that God loves them and God makes use of these vessels of dishonour to fan and purifie his people 2 King 21.13 I will wipe them as a man doth a dish and I will shave them with a rasor that is hired even the King of Assyria And some vessels of honour God uses for the good of his Saints and so do the Angels as well as all other creatures serve their graces or their necessities they are ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation 4 By this Covenant all their sins are pardoned and God remembers them no more the foundation of pardon is not only laid in the satisfaction of Christ the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price that he hath laid down but also in the free grace of God in making of the Covenant and in the gracious acceptation of the payment of the surety for you see that God is in Christ reconciling the world there is Covenant grace that runs along with all the fruits of the death of Christ so that even Meritum Christi habet in se gratiam invisceratam The merit of Christ hath grace imbowelled it 5 It is a Covenant of Communion for it is conjugal and in it is the nearest Union and Communion that can be between creatures it 's a Covenant of friendship and the proper effect of friendship is fellowship 2 Cor 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will dwell in them and walk amongst them which is a high degree of condescension There are two ways of Gods communicating himself the one is infinite and to us inconceivable so God doth in the mystery of his eternal generation communicate himself unto his son and as the Godhead doth communicate it self unto the man Christ Jesus in a personal union so there is a communication of himself unto the Saints and the highest communication that is is in a Covenant way there is but little that God doth impart of himself unto all the creatures in comparison of what God doth unto his Saints there is more of his wisdom holiness goodness and all his attributes that is to be seen in these than in all the world besides 't is the Saints alone that can shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them 1 Pet. 2.9 6 By this Covenant he doth dispense Grace and Glory 1 For Grace To make room for that in the Soul He will take away the heart of stone and he will put his law into their hearts Jer. 31.33 And that grace shall teach them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts c. And 2 for Glory hereafter that also is dispensed by this Covenant for the inheritance is not by the Law not by the first but by the second Covenant they only that are heirs of promise are the persons that are ordained to Glory and they only are the sons of the Resurrection their services only are accepted of God and all the glory that he hath in this inferior world comes in by them and it is whatever they do even the meanest services not only their religious works but their civil and natural works which they do out of necessity of nature yet having a tincture of the blood of this Covenant upon them they are in order to an eternal reward and whereas to all other men may be said to what purpose is the multitude of your services Summo dedecore vos afficiam I accept them not Mal. 2.3 I will spread dung upon your faces that is the dung of your fasts and of your solemn services they shall make you but the more hateful and abominable and vile and become a dunghill before God that 's all the fruit you shall have of your religious duties But now men that are in Covenant they can say We will be abundant in the work of the Lord for we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. last 2 Chron. 13.5 2. Have an eye unto the stability of the Covenant it is a Covenant of Salt Sal est duraturae amicitiae symbolum Salt is a symbol of lasting friendship and signifies here that the Lord will never turn away from them to do them good Jer. 32.10 it is a Covenant that we can never break because the righteousness thereof can never be spent And the stability of the Covenant lies not only in the love and mercy of God that made it but 1 in the faithfulness of God who is ingaged and cannot go back for he is not as man that he should repent Dan. 9 4. and therefore in the Scripture he is every where stiled the faithful God that keeps Covenant and mercy for ever and the Apostle says God is not unfaithful to forget your work and labour of love God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins for God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able It is said Mic. 7. last He will perform his mercy to Abraham and his truth to Jacob and he is ingaged by a double Oath That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye we may have strong consolation 1 By an oath to Christ for he is made a Priest by an oath Psal 110 3. 2 By an oath unto us and therefore it is
easier for the Mountains to remove out of their place and to stay the Sun in its course to change the Ordinances of Heaven than for the Covenant of peace to be broken with his people 2 Unto the surety of the Covenant for though we fail yet he does not fail he did undertake under the first Covenant to pay all the debt we owe and it is his righteousness alone by which we stand righteous before God and in the second Covenant he hath undertaken to present us without spot and to make all our services acceptable and well pleasing in his sight and the argument is a good one that Moses uses in behalf of the people of Israel pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt even until now for the sins of men cannot make void the faithfulness of God 3. Rejoyce in the Covenant and make it the matter of your delight even Covenant-mercies for 2 Sam. 23.5 This is all my salvation and all my delight that the Lord hath made an everlasting Covenant with me in all things ordered and sure the sweetness doth not lie so much in the mercy as in the tenure by which we hold it it is in the Covenant and this is the only true ground of all a Christians joy it is his whole salvation and therefore should be all his delight Exod. 24.7 8 9. the people of Israel did enter into Covenant with God Moses read the book of the Covenant to them and they consented and said all that the Lord hath said we will do and then the glory of the Lord appeared and they â—aw the God of Israel not as we shall see him in Heaven face to face but some visible manifestation of his presence amongst them there was and he laid not his hands upon them that is he did not destroy them but they saw God and did eat and drink that is they rejoyced in the Covenant that they had made with God and they saw that God did manifest unto them the signes of acceptance in this Covenant and therefore they kept a holy feast and did rejoyce exceedingly before the Lord and when they entred into Covenant â—n the time of Asa 2 Chron. 15.15 all the people rejoyced at the oath for they had sworn with all their heart and they sought God with their whole desire and he was found of them it is that which the Lord expects that men should glory in him and make their â—oast of him that he is pleased to be confederate with them 4. Plead your interest in Covenant mercies for it is in the Covenant that the power of all your prayers does lie God is not indebted unto any men in the world but the children of the Covenant or not so much unto them as to his own promise Austin Conf. dignaris eis quibus â—mnia debita dimittis etiam promissionibus tuis debitor fieri and therefore the Lord saith â—ut me in remembrance plead thou Esay 43.26 Psal 74.20 c. you that are the Lords remembrancers keep not siâ—ence have respect unto the Covenant for all the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty there is all manner of cruelty executed and yet men hide it under â—ir and specious pretences and these latibula impiorum lurking places of wicked men are â—alled the dark places of the earth c. Now in such a time as this when there was nothing â—ut cruelty executed the enemies did roar in their Congregations and did triumph in their wickedness and the more spoil any of them could make upon the Temple the more famous he was it was when Jerusalem was taken now what have the poor people of God to look upon nothing but put God in remembrance of his Covenant have respect unto thy Covenant and so should all the Saints do in their prayers go to God and plead the uprightness of thy heart in the middle of all thy failings Lord though thou hast smitten us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death yet have we not gone back from thee and so doth Hezekiah when he comes to die remember Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and it is this that is the condition that thou hast made of the Covenant of Grace not a perfect way but a heart perfect with God and therefore men in Covenant are said to plead with God for themselves and for the Churches because they only have an interest in him and they can by grace claim mercies from God but other men cannot and so doth Christ manifest his desires to the Father according to the Covenant Zech. 1. And the Lord answered the Angel with good and comfortable words and so a poor soul shall find the Lord will do with him also in all his supplications to God and pleadings with God He will answer him according to his hearts desire 5. Expect that God shall deal with thee according unto this Covenant and so thou maist judge of all his wayes towards thee for God does always dispense himself unto a person according to the Covenant under which he stands and this is that which deceives most men in the Church because they hear of the Covenant of Grace and do live under the outward priviledges thereof though for the state of their persons they be under the Covenant of works yet they expect that Gods dealing should be to them according to the tenour of the second Covenant and therefore if they do sin and afterwards ask pardon they conclude that God will give pardon and grace and that what services they do find acceptance with him and shall have from him a reward It is true with them that are in the Covenant of grace it is so but this is the great deceit when a man doth transire de genere in genus and from the priviledges of the one Covenant apply them unto a person that is under the other Covenant If thou sin thou maist expect pardon and if thou do duty thou that art under the second Covenant maist expect acceptance and if thou be afflicted thou must look upon it as an act of the Fathers love whom I love I rebuke and chasten and if thou dost sin look that God should visit thy offences with a rod for God in faithfulness doth afflict his own children and if the frowardness of thy heart be not overcome by it he will put forth an almighty power of loving kindness to draw thy heart to him with the cords of thy love Esay 57. I have seen thy wayes and I will heal thee Some promises of the Covenant are absolute the immediate fruits of free grace and the soul may expect these without preparation or condition but some promises are only upon condition now in the Covenant thou hast no ground to expect them without the condition be performed Vse 4 § 4. Having given up
be as voluntary as it was in the making of it to make fair promises while men are under the rod as many do in sickness they promise to lead new lives but yet return to their old ways with the Dog and start aside from these purposes in their prosperity like a broken bow as when the Goths invaded Rome the Christians having some mercy granted them all the Pagans would then become Christians and after proved persecutors of them 5. A man must be willing to bind himself in the highest way unto obedience thereunto When the people did make a Covenant they did stand up to the Covenant and said Amen Amen and they swore to it and that in a publick way with a loud voice Duet 25. v. last Nehem. 9 v. last Neh. 10.29 with shoutings and Trumpets and they did write it down in a Book and it 's a further ingagement to have a mans own hand against him that is a great witness and lays him under more guilt than any witness can fasten upon him and he sets not only his hand but his seal to and binds himself with a curse and by fearful imprecations of vengeance upon himself if he did not perform it as they did Nehem. 10.29 desiâ—e God to avenge upon themselves their falshood in breaking of the Covenant and are content the threatning should take place upon them if they break it as well as the promise if they keep it and thereby they shew that they desire the Covenant should abide firm Jer. 50 5. as they say Jer. 50.5 Let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant never to be forgot 6. It must be with an earnest desire to God for grace to keep it and an acknowledgment of our own weakness and inability to perform anyone of the duties of the Covenant for Covenants that are made upon any self-dependance do not long continue as Peters did not when he said Though all men forsake thee yet will not I and though I dye with thee yet will I not deny thee Our promises of duty must be supported by Gods promises of grace or else we shall soon fail in them for God must perform the promises of grace before we can perform our promise of service for without him we can do nothing upon him is all our fruit found Hos 14.8 and therefore in all our Covenants we should have an eye unto the promise that gives grace as well as requires service and say with David I will run the way of thy Commnadments when thou shalt inlarge my heart Isa 38.14 and with Hezekiah Lord I am weak undertake for me The word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies to become a surety and so should we consider the new Covenant is in the hand of a surety and to him we should look for strength for the grace of the Covenant is laid up in him so that there is in our Covenant with God a double bond laid upon us not only an obligation unto the duty injoyned but to have recourse unto God for grace to perform it 4. What are the times and seasons that the people of God have specially observed in renewing of their Covenant with the Lord that so a man may be able to say now God calls me unto this duty For there is a season for every duty and a godly man is to bring forth his fruit in the season Psal 1.3 I find in Scripture that the seasons of renewing their Covenant were commonly these 1. When a man hath eminently fallen into any great sin or hath relapsed into former sins that were repented of and that we have humbled our souls for and if being washed we have again defiled our selves and turned again to folly then is a season in which the Lord calls you to renew your Covenant Peter committed a very great sin it being that sin also which he was warned of and took up great purposes and resolutions against M tt 26 74. it was not a bare denial but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he denies with an Oath nay with cursings and damnings of himself as the word imports imprecating of the wrath of God and eternal separation from his presence if he knew the man Now how must Peter come from this fall It 's called a conversion Luk. 22.31 When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Recovery out of sin committed is called a conversion There is a two-fold conversion 1 from a general state of sin 2 from a particular way of sin for the first of these Peter had past he was converted before and Christ had given testimony to his faith that it was true and that it should not fail but yet there is a conversion from this particular fall a renewing of his repentance and as it were turning unto God again a-new and that is seen in these two things 1 In renewed humiliation and godly sorrow 2 In a renewed Covenant and a solemn ingagement of reformation for the time to come and this is required in the renewing of a mans repentance after any great and eminent fall The same course doth Paul take Rom. 7.16 after his conflict he doth then renew his Covenant and saith I do break the Law yet my heart doth still cleave to the rule thereof and acknowledge the goodness of it and this consent of speaking the same thing that the Law doth is properly and formally the renewing of a mans Covenant and ingagement and so doth the Church after her great fall and backsliding Cant. 6.3 I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine he feedeth among the lillies which I conceive to be the words of one rejoycing and triumphing in the assurance of his interest in God but also they are the words of one covenanting and renewing the reconciliation of himself unto the Lord as when the Lord hath departed from us through our provocation when he doth return to his people he is said to elect them anew Zach. 1.17 The Lord shall yet comfort Sion and shall yet chuse Jerusalem his returning is as it were a second election So when we return to God after a special fall it is as it were a new conversion and this is a special testimony of the truth of a mans sorrow that it is according to God 2. In time of publick humiliation when men would divert and turn away judgement either from a nation or a person then is the time for them to renew their Covenant and this was the ground of the Covenant the Hezekiah made 2 Chron. 29.8 Our fathers have transgressed and done that which was evil in the sight of the Lord wherefore the wrath of the Lord came upon Judah and Jerusalem to destroy them and he hath delivered them to trouble to astonishment and to hissing as you see with your eyes our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this now it is in my heart to make
another unto the end of the world thy seed after thee in their generations and therefore Abraham is call'd the rock out of which they were hewed Isa 51.1 and the hole or the pit out of which they were digged and he is call'd Rom. 11. the root upon which they did grow and out of which they did spring not onely in their natural estate but also in their covenant state the covenant did as it were begin in him And the next person with whom the covenant of grace was eminently renewed was David 2 Sam. 7.14.19 Psal 89.28 29 30. the Lord did not only speak of David's person but of his house for a great while to come and when the Lord took a whole Nation into Covenant as he did the Nation of the Jews it was not made only with them that were present and then alive or men grown up but with their seed also so that their children were taken into the same covenant with their parents though they were not able to understand the nature of the covenant nor to restipulate and not only they that were present but Deut. 20.15 with him that is not here with us this day Deut. 29.11 13 14 15. who are they that are hereby meant their Posterity unto whom this covenant did alike belong there was a foundation laid for them to come into this covenant as soon as they should be born into the world Ipsos Deus anteverterat gratiâ suâ multis antequam nati essent seculis Calvin Meaning thereby their Posterity in all succeeding generations and therefore Eezek 16.18 I entred into covenant with thee and thou becamest mine and then vers 20. Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast born unto me and hast sacrificed them to be devoured c. this is only spoken in reference to the covenant so they were children born unto God and so the Lord was their God Neither was this dispensation of the covenant of grace to the Jews only but also unto the Gentiles for Rom. 11. they were grafted in to be the seed of Abraham by vertue of the covenant of Abraham for he was the father of us all now as the natural branches were broken off so were the others grafted in but the Jews were broken off themselves and their Posterity disinherited for many generations therefore the Gentiles are grafted in they and their posterity and thence Act. 2.39 The promise is to you and your children and unto them that are afar off Ephes 2.17 i. e. the Gentiles also and their children the promise belongs to them whomsoever the Lord shall call it 's for themselves and for their seed after them Zacheus a Publican being converted Luk. 19.9 Christ tells him salvation is come to his house where by salvation coming to his house cannot be meant unto himself or his person but that his whole Family is taken into covenant with God thereby and the reason of it is given because that he himself is a son of Abraham that is he is brought under Abraham's Covenant the tenure of which Covenant is not only to a mans self but also unto his family and his seed Act. 16.31 c. and so Paul to the Jaylour Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thine house the meaning is not that all of them should be saved eternally as if one man could be saved by another mans faith but salvation is commonly put for the ordinary means of salvation Acts 28.28 Now this Covenant-way is the only ordinary means of salvation Heb. 2.3 and when the Jews shall be taken in in the latter days of the world though it 's said that the Lord will make a new Covenant with them in those days yet it s but the old Covenant renewed they shall be taken into the Covenant of their fathers for so Rom. 11.24 the natural branches that were cut off shall be grafted in again to their own Olive-tree as they were cast off Parents and children disinherited so shall their grafting in again be so that 't is a part of the Gospel and a gâ—orious doctrine of the covenant of grace that children are taken into the same Covenant with their Parents and there is never a Covenant made with the Parents in the Scripture but the children are expressely mention'd as coming under it and therefore our faith is to receive it and rely upon it 2. The People of God have believed it and exercised their faith upon it and that both Parents for their Children and the Children for themselves 1 Parents for their Children it was this that Adam did rejoyce in immediately after the revelation of the second Covenant in behalf of himself and his Posterity when he Gen. 3.20 called his wifes name Evah Gen. 3.20 because she was the mother of all living and this is conceived by Interpreters to have a threefold respect 1 As an Expression of his own Faith in the Promise to shew that the woman that should have brought Death into the world and was first in the transgression and should have been the mother of none but dead children now he saith That she should be the mother of all the living the Covenant of grace and life beginning in her for life and immortality never saw light till the Gospel 2 An expression of thankfulness for so great a mercy that he might keep the mercy in memory and that was the ancient manner to give names sometimes to places Jacob call'd the place Bethel the house of God as the Altar Jehovah Nissi c. and sometimes the Monument of his mercy preserved in a child Samuel one asked of God and here Adam continues the memory of his mercy in the name of his wife it 's spoken by way of gratitude Merc. ut vel ipso nomine beneficium tantum agnosceret Merc. The Name is a Memorial of the Mercy 3 An expression of consolation the woman being first in the transgression was much affected with the displeasure of God from which they fled and of the misery that she had brought upon her self and all her Posterity if the Lord should prolong her days that they should labour in the sweat of their brows till they were turn'd to the earth c. Adam now comforts her and tells her Be of good cheer there is a seed yet that shall come from thee that shall overcome death and him that had the power of death that is the Devil and therefore he doth not call himself the Father of all living but her the Mother of all living and thus Adam did comfort himself with the Promise made unto his Posterity in the Covenant as soon as it was revealed And so did Evah exercise faith this way first in Cain as some conceive Gen. 4.1 Gen. 4.1 she said I have gotten a man from the Lord the Septuagint render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar answerable per Dominum by the Lord Trem. adds Ã
a Righteousness in himself and in another also But yet this is true also that a man who for the state of his person is under the Covenant of Works may yet have a title unto many temporal promises and outward priviledges of the covenant of grace and receive many benefits thereby for the benefits of the Covenant of Grace are of three sorts 1 Vniversal which all the creatures have thereby even the whole creation it is by this covenant that the Government of the World is changed and put into the hand of the Mediator and so by this Covenant the World is establisht Isa 49.8 the creatures are preserved in their being which else for the sin of man by the curse of the first covenant should have been destroyed and by this means the patience of God is exercised towards wicked men and he doth spare them and even the Devils themselves by reason of the Dominion of Christ and the Covenant of Grace and the employments the Lord hath to use them in as Vessels of dishonour in this great house the Church therefore they have not the fulness of their Torment but there is a time of greater torment by them expected and at which they tremble by this means the Sun does rise and the Rain does fall upon the just and unjust 2 Tâ—â—re are some spiritual and eternal priviledges as Grace and Glory which belong onely to the Saints who are the onely proper heirs of the Covenant and for whose sake the Lord brought Light and Immortality to light through the Gospel 3 There are some evangelical priviledges or external Church-priviledges onely which belong unto some people whom God has by the calling of the Gospel separated unto himself where he will set up his Ordinances and make known his Name and many a man may have these who for the state of his person is under the Covenant of Works Quest 3 § 3. But if we should grant that children are with their parents taken into covenant yet you confess it 's but to the external priviledges of the Covenant and that many of them are never made partakers of the spiritual blessings thereof and therefore what do they gain by it seeing he is not a Jew that is one outwardly nor that circumcision that 's outward in the flesh but he is a Jew that is so inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of man but of God What did Ishmael gain by being circumcised or Esau for if thou be a breaker of the law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision Rom. 2.25 and therefore it will but bring a further Judgment upon them Jer. 9.25 Jer. 9.25 I will punish all that are circumcised with the uncircumcised and it 's observed by the Learned that the Nations there mentioned with Judah did use Circumcision but yet being out of Covenant with God their circumcision is made uncircumcision and so it was with the Jews also that did break the Covenant and behave themselves unfaithfully therein therefore as the Gentiles converted are called Jewes Psal 87.4 5. and said to be born in Sion and to be the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 so the Jews though circumcised yet living impenitently are called Gentiles Cananites Amorites Ezek. 16.3 Hos 12.7 Amos 9.7 Ethiopians Sodomites Isa 1.10 c. therefore those outward priviledges may do them much hurt and may heighten their Judgment for there are none cast out with so great indignation as the children of the Kingdom and there are no mens Judgments that come up to that height as theirs and this is all the fruit that the greatest part of them have and for those that shall be saved they can have no spiritual and saving benefit in an ordinary and rational way till they be converted and do themselves consent unto the Covenant and therefore it 's a small matter that will be granted if this should be granted that Children are for the outward priviledges taken into Covenant with their Parents for whoever doth plead it that doth not himself consent to the Covenant doth but bring forth as it were Vriahs letters against himself Answ Unto all this that has been objected I shall answer under two heads 1 That it 's a Priviledge both unto parents and children that they should be taken into their parents covenant 2 I 'le shew you the particulars wherein this great priviledge doth consist and in what respect the children are gainers by it that never have any spiritual and saving benefit by the Covenant 1. That it is a special priviledge for parents and children that they are taken into their Parents Covenant will appear by these Arguments and Demonstrations 1. It will aggravate their sin if they abuse it therefore it 's a mercy and a priviledge in it self for what is not a mercy and a priviledge in it self that cannot add to a mans sin and Judgement Now as it is in Riches and Honours and all the Blessings in this Life they will be unto a man Judgements if they are abused therefore they are blessings in themselves blessings in the thing though a snare to the man so this very argument that 's brought to prove that they are no blessings and give no benefit doth clearly prove that the thing it self is a priviledge and a blessing 2. For a Child to be disinherited and cast out of his Fathers Covenant is a very great Judgement and the forest of all outward afflictions that can befall a man as we see it in Cain Gen. 4.14 Thou hast cast me out from the face of the Earth and from thy face I shall be hid it 's the Sentence of Excommunication that the Lord passeth upon Cain and so upon Ishmael Cast out the bond-woman and her son It 's sad for children to be cast out of their Parents inheritance but it 's a far greater Judgment to be cast out of their Parents Covenant and they to be deprived of that Birth-right which doth belong unto them by the second Covenant as being born of confederate Parents now if it be a great judgment to be cast out surely it 's a great Priviledge to be taken into their Parents Covenant 3. It 's promised as a special Blessing for the visible Church of God to continue in any mans Posterity and therefore we are to look upon it so Gen. 4.25 it was so in Seth God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew Gen. 9.27 and so it was promised to Shem that the Church of God should be in his Posterity continued and that in due time the Lord should enlarge Japhet to dwell also in the tents of Sem that is either of the Gentiles that should become a surrogated Israel when the Posterity of Sem were cast off and should be ingrafted in their room or else of the fulness of the Gentiles that should in the last dayes come in unto the Jews and so make up but one
to the Jews and their children but also to the Gentiles for that is meant by afar off Eph. 2.17 all that shall be converted and take hold of the Covenant for themselves their posterity shall be taken into their Covenant-right also and that 's the inducement and the argument used Act. 2.39 The great plague of sin lies in this that a man does not only undo himself but his posterity as it was in Adam and the great comfort in grace is that a man shall do good to his posterity as it was promised to Christ Psal 89.29 filiabitur nomen ejus his name shall be continued amongst his posterity in the Church Now for God to give a man a name in his posterity to owne them it 's a great mercy to speak of a mans house a great while for to come and it 's exceedingly heightned by this Adams sin was imputed to his posterity as well as his grace now the priviledges of the Fathers Covenant shall be entailed but the sins of the parents are personal and shall never be imputed unto the children It 's true that the sin of Adam is imputed but the sin of the immediate parents is not imputed unto the children and though God doth visit the iniquity of the parents upon the children yet it is as true that the children do not bear the iniquities of the fathers so that the fathers priviledges are the childrens but the fathers sins are his own for every man now sins as a private person for himself not as a publick person as a representative head as Adam did for himself and his posterity 3 The Lord would engage their children to himself above all the Families and Posterities of the Earth Ezech. 16. and therefore he calls them the children born unto him thou hast taken my sons and my daughters that thou hast born to me and they shall have the Priviledge that none upon Earth have that thereby they may be engaged to God and if they be wicked they may be the more left without excuse as Nazianzen says in Orat. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are persons given up and dedicated to God in their infancy and from the womb there is written upon them holiness to the Lord and if outward and temporal mercies be such great Obligations upon the Soul what are spiritual and Church-mercies and therefore the condemnation of the children of the Kingdom shall be greater than of the children of this world because their mercies and priviledges and opportunities are greater the Lord would bind them unto himself by higher cords of love than he does the rest of the world he does make the Sun to shine and the rain to fall upon other men filling their hearts with food and gladness There are temporal mercies that God dispenses to all men but they are not like unto the mercies of spiritual and Church-priviledges that 's beyond what other men injoy the Lord would bind them that are his Covenant-people unto himself by this cord beyond the rest of the world 4 To shew forth the goodness and overflowing mercy of Christ under the second Covenant unto unregenerate men who for the state of their persons are under the Covenant of Works and are enemies unto the Covenant of Grace and yet they shall injoy many priviledges and benefits thereby and this the Lord does bestow upon them either as preparatives and as means to fit them for services or as priviledges and rewards of services for all the creatures are now given into the hands of Christ and all men in the Church belong to him they all come under him either as servants or as sons they that are sons partake in the graces of the Covenant but the servants also partake in the priviledges of it for they abide in the house though not for ever and while they are in the house they have bread enough and to spare they partake of the root and fatness of the good Olive-tree they have Church-ordinances that fit them for service and they receive Church priviledges as temporal rewards of service 5 For the Elects sake there are some upon whom the grace of the Covenant is bestowed and unto whom the Priviledges of the Covenant do chiefly belong and they are the Elect of God but because they are bound up in the same bundle with the rest of mankind and men cannot distinguish for it is electing Love that puts the difference therefore as Ordinances are continued unto all for the Elects sake so Priviledges are bestowed upon all but the primary intention of them is for the Saints the Elect of God that they might partake in them for whom they were specially purchased and intended As the preaching of the Gospel was primarily intended for the Elect of God that they might partake in it and for the gathering in of Souls unto him but because the Elect of God are amongst the wicked of the world therefore if men be to dispense Ordinances they must do it in common and wait upon God in the use of them and the grace of God will fall upon the Elect unto Conversion and so it does accidentally come upon ungodly men but primarily and intentionally it is given only for the Elects sake as appears by this that when the Lord has finished and gather'd in the number of the Elect he will continue Ordinances and Church-priviledges unto unregenerate men no longer therefore as Ordinances being dispensed by men must be in common for the Elects sake so must priviledges dispensed by men be also as the World stands for the Saints and yet ungodly men enjoy much of the comforts of the world that a man would think it were all for their sakes so Church-priviledges are vouchsafed to ungodly men as a great part of the Church that a man would think all were for their sakes and yet it is with a special respect and primary intention to the Saints that both the one and the other are continued in the world wicked men shall share with the Saints in the external priviledges rather than the Saints of God be wholly deprived of them And upon these grounds I conceive it mainly is that the Covenant is entailed from father to son for the outward priviledges but not for the inward graces thereof § 9. How far Arguments drawn from Circumcision Quest 9 being an Ordinance of the Old Testament can by way of Rule determin any of the Essentials of Baptism which is an Ordinance of the New Testament that is how far this argument has force in it to say The Children of the Jews being infants came under their fathers Covenant and therefore were by Gods command initiated and sealed by Circumcision which was the Seal of the Covenant therefore under the New Testament the children of Christians while infants are taken into Covenant with their Parents and so ought to be initiated and sealed by Baptism which is the Seal of the Covenant under the new Administration as Circumcision was under the old
Sion and her Adherents are those that shall make war with the Saints and they shall be joyned unto this Church whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life the Lord has thus cast out these Antichristian Churches and given them a bill of divorce for ever 2 That Church from which the Lord calls to his people for a separation that the Lord does not owne as a true Church but the Lord calls upon his people for a separation from the Church of Rome Come out of her my people And here I conceive with * Oper. Camer p. 520. Camero A dislike and an abhorrency of their idolatry and superstitions is not sufficient for that should be even in a true Church from which yet a man may not depart so as to hold no communion with them though Churches be very corrupt and 't is a mans duty to separate from the corruptions of them to touch no unclean thing with them as Christ did in the Church of the Jews yet he did hold Church-communion with them all in the Ordinances of God and did not separate from them because they remained a true Church to God and the Lord had not yet called them Loammi and put them away from him therefore the Lords calling out a people to separate from the Church of Rome doth plainly give unto them a bill of divorce and the Lord does thereby manifest that he does owne them for a Church unto himself no longer for if they were a true Church though ye were to separate from the corruptions of it yet not from communion with it 3 Where there is no salvation to be had that is not a Church unto God for extra Ecclesiam nulla salus but in the Church of Rome by the rules of their own Religion there can be no salvation because they make a man to forsake the Lord Jesus Christ the only foundation in point of Justification which whosoever misseth must build upon the sand and not upon the Rock as our own Mr. Perkins c. has long since manifested and where no salvation is to be had surely there is no Church in Gods account They therefore that embrace the Doctrine of Popery and do fully close with it they and their seed are cast out they are no more a Church to God neither to be looked upon as in Covenant with him and to have any right to the seals of the Covenant 2. There are another sort that are not actually cast out through the negligence of the Church being able to bear them that be evil and it 's true while such are owned as members the priviledges of members cannot be denied to them who ought to be as a Heathen man and a Publican and though men do neglect their duty therein yet there is a kind of spiritual Excommunication goes out from God all the while Vse 2 § 2. It serves for Exhortation and that unto three sorts 1. Unto parents it does necessarily inforce upon them to take hold of the Covenant not only for themselves but for their posterity also for 1 he that will embrace the Covenant of God let him accept of the whole Covenant not only that he will be thy God but the God of thy seed also There is no part of the Gospel that should be neglected or any of the grace of the second Covenant that should be received in vain 2 Else thy faith will be defective therein the Apostle speaks 1 Thess 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 3.10 of a defect of faith and that lies in two things 1 When it does not take in the object of faith in its extent but there is something held forth to be believed that faith is not exercised about 2 When it does not act in the highest degree there is a defect in reference to the object and in reference unto the act also 3 The people of God have exercised faith upon the Covenant for their children and Christ Jesus himself for his children Psal 102.28 Heb. 1.10 11 12. for he shall see his seed and in them he shall prolong his days upon earth and therefore we read of his children There was a Covenant made with Christ personal and a Covenant made with Christ mystical with him as Mediator in regard of what he was to perform and with him as head for us and Christ takes hold of the Covenant in both these respects and all promises made unto a posterity Christ has an eye to the accomplishing of them in the behalf of his posterity as well as himself as being part of the promise and covenant that the Lord made unto him for himself and his seed and so should all the Faithful do look upon all the promises that are made unto the seed of the Faithful in the Scripture and put them in suit before the Lord for thy seed also as being part of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you we might by this means leave and entail very great blessings upon our posterity and live to see the Covenant accomplished unto them unto the great consolation of our souls Psal 128.3 4. Thy children shall be like olive-plants round about thy table Behold thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord the Church is called the Olive-tree as we have seen Rom. 11.16 17. and they as Church-members are as Olive-plants those that are of use and excellency profiting Church and Common-wealth Esa 59.21 This is my covenant says the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee and my words that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed or seeds seed henceforth and for ever Whilst we straiten the Covenant and our Covenant-interest unto our selves we are enemies to our own consolation the great flourishing of the soul lies in the inlargement of the faculties and they are vast objects that do cause large faculties it 's of admirable use unto a mans own spirit to look unto the Covenant in the extent of it to you and to your seed 2. It is matter of exhortation unto children that they would walk worthy of this mercy this inheritance that God has entailed upon them and not despise the grace of God in their parents Covenant but actually take hold of the Covenant also in their own persons 1 Consider grace hath prevented you and you are taken in by God into a familiar Covenant with himself meerly out of preventing mercy whereas thou mightest have been born among the uncircumcised it 's no small priviledge to be born of those that are themselves in Covenant with God 2 It will be a great aggravation to thy sin and judgment when thou shalt with Esau despise thy birth-right the contempt of a spiritual priviledge is a great sin and dishonour to God and it will surely add to thy judgment Mat. 8.11 The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness Mat. 8.11 and how will that
doth perform any promise he is then said to keep his covenant and to remember his covenant to perform his mercy promised unto our Forefathers when he did fulfil his promises he remembred for them his covenant so that as when they do transgress his command that being part of his covenant they are said to break covenant with God so when the Lord does not perform his promise he is said to break the covenant Psal 89.39 Zac. 11.10 and to make it void 4 The end of the covenant is but to inherit the promises all the Saints are said to be the Sons of Abraham because they are taken into the same covenant with him with whom God did eminently make the covenant and for this cause the children of the same covenant are called the Sons of Abraham and Heaven being the same inheritance that Abraham had as the end of his covenant and the same that all the Saints enter into it 's therefore called in respect of them Abrahams bosome they sit down with Abraham in the kingdom of God that is having the same reward of their covenant that Abraham had and that 's nothing but the promised inheritance they do inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 so that all the glory that the people of God have in Heaven it 's nothing else but the accomplishment of promises it 's both a purchased and a promised possession it is true that one ingredient of the covenant is Law but that belongs unto the covenant as it contains the rules of our services and the covenant on our part and not to the covenant on Gods part for to make a Covenant is simply an act of Grace whereas to give a Law is simply an act of Soveraignty and absolute Dominion Here my purpose is not to handle the Doctrine of the promises in the extent or full latitude thereof but only speak of it as it refers mainly unto the point in hand First we will consider what a promise is It is the declaration of the eternal purpose of God concerning good things to come which he doth ingage his faithfulness freely through Christ to bestow upon his people Eph. 3.9 1. I say it 's a declaration of Gods eternal purpose the purposes of God are secret and hid in his own breast only these are Mysteries hid in God that is while it remains only in his own purpose and is not discovered unto the creature and this purpose of his as it is the ground so it 's the rule of all the good that he intends to do unto his Saints he doth call them according to his own purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1.9 It 's true we read of a promise made before the world began Titus 1.2 but it was in respect of the covenant that passed between the Father and the Son and could not be formally made unto the Saints but is secret in his own thoughts and purposes and these thoughts of God to us-ward as they are innumerable so they were exceeding delightful to the Lord Jesus Christ Psal 40.5 How wonderful are thy works and thy thoughts to us-ward c. but the breaking forth of this purpose of God is seen in his promises There is a double consideration of the will of God 1 voluntas propositi his will of purpose 2 praecepti of precept there is the will of God that he would have us do and the manifestation thereof is his precept and there is the will of God which he himself will do and that is expressed in Prophecies that he will accomplish and Promises that he will fulfil And there is a great deal of difference between this his revealed will and his secret will for the whole will of his precepts is revealed and therefore the Apostle says he has declared the whole counsel of God Act. 20.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is enough to make the man of God perfect perfectly instructed to every good work and much of the will of his purpose what he will accomplish is revealed also though much of it be secret in the breast of God yet all the Prophecies he will accomplish and all the promises he will assuredly fulfil as he has declared his whole will concerning mans duty what he should do so he has also declared his whole will concerning all the good he doth purpose to do for men and this declaration of the will and the mind of God is called the promise of God 2. Promises are of good things to come threatnings and promises are both conversant about things to come but threatnings are about evil things to come Heb. 11.7 Zac. 1.6 Zeph. 2.1 2. Noah being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet c. And promises are of good things to come Josh 23.14 You know in all your hearts that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you c. As when the Lord doth perform any word of his it 's said he doth cause it to arise he has confirmed his word Dan. 9.12 excitavit or surgere fecit Calvin he has caused his word to arise so when it is not performed it is truly said to fall David says Thou hast spoken of my house a great while to come All the great promises that God made to David are of things to come and therefore David says 2 Sam. 7.19 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life As it was the happiness of the people of Israel that they had in the Wilderness a Rock that followed them not only for a present supply but for a future provision 1 Cor. 10. so are the promises also unto the Saints in mercy received they have the glory of the Lord going before them and his promises to follow them they have the glory to be their rereward they are compassed about with mercy on every side they have goodness that goes before them in performance and mercy that follows them in promises as the rereward that as a wicked man â—gh there be evils tnreatned fall upon him here yet they are but the first-fruits 〈◊〉 â—cium Divini judicii the prejudgment of Divine Judgment but the main of the evil thinâ—â—e threatning is to come so though godly men have much good that they receive aâ—â—sent yet the main of it in the promise is yet to come 3. Unto the performance of these though they be made freely yet the Lord does ingage his faithfulness by virtue of the Covenant If we look upon the promises in fieri in making so we must look upon his free grace only but if we look on them in facto esse as made so we must have an eye unto his faithfulness his love and mercy is the only reason of making promises but his faithfulness and truth is the ground of keeping and performing promises as it 's spoken of his promise made to David and his house for thy words sake according to thy own
because we chuse him and the soul of man is in nothing more free than in his choice specially in the choice of his God and therefore 't is said Hos 9.10 They joyned themselves unto Baal-Peor and separated themselves unto that shame So in conversion a man doth change his God the great work of grace is upon the will The Lord shall perswade Japhet vocatione alta secreta by a deep and secret vocation and all that power is put forth by making them a willing people Psal 110.3 2. He that has Jehovah for his God must have no other God Psal 81.9 There shall be no strange God in thee thou shalt have none other gods but me And therefore Dagon falls before the Ark. And it was the great objection of the Senate against worshipping of Christ as a God in their Capitol when offered by Tiberias because he would be God alone it 's the great objection that Nature has against exalting of God in the heart when God is exalted all lusts must give place Satan then falls from Heaven as Lightning Luk. 10. Hos 14.8 and all the Idols of the soul give place to God What have I to do any more with Idols There are Parelii in Nature by way of reflection two Suns but there cannot be so in the Soul in reference to Gods and if there be so and any thing allowed in the soul for God but the true God that mans interest in God is but a fancy 3. If the Lord be thy God thou wilt exercise all these acts of soul towards him that becomes a God for that is to have Jehovah for thy God for Mic. 4.5 All nations do walk in the name of their gods and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever There is a twofold worship of God 1 Cultus naturalis natural Worship which is inward and there is something in nature that dictates it without a word of institution 2 Institutus instituted Worship an outward worship that depends upon an additional manifestation of his will and these outward acts of worship may be interrupted but the inward acts can never be but you may be abundant in them namely to fear him as a God to trust him as a God and to love him and believe in him as a God and these acts let thy soul be most in offer all thou hast to him and expect all good from him he it is that is called the hope of Israel because all their hopes are in him as all our springs are in him look for your happiness from no other depend upon none but him take up this noble resolution before all the world and say it shall never be said that the King of Sodom made Abraham rich by the things of this life I will have all from my God and then they are all blessings indeed because God comes home to the soul with every mercy and the more immediately any mercy comes from God the sweeter it is and this should make a man walk worthy of God and of such an interest in him It was said of Felix by Tacitus Jus regium servili ingenio exercuit He exercised the kingly power with a servile mind a greatness of mind a Princely spirit answerable to the greatness of your interest is becoming you it is the honour and glory of the Saints to be always shewing themselves worthy of their high calling before the world SECT II. God in the Covenant has made over all his Attributes § 1. LET us now come unto the first thing to be considered in God and that is his Divine Essence there is a twofold discovery a double manifestation of God that the Scripture speaks of the face and the back parts of God Gods face is his Essence Exod. 33.20 21. 1 Joh. 1.2 1 Cor. 13.12 for that is to see him as he is we shall see him face to face which is the vision that the Saints and Angels have of God in Heaven for their Angels behold the face of your Father in Heaven Mat. 18.10 And this is that in which the happiness of rational creatures doth consist it is this which destroys sin and perfects grace and makes the creature impeccable our conformity unto God in holiness and happiness is grounded upon our vision of him 1 Joh. 3.2 We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and it 's true that this is also promised by God unto his people in this promise to be their God in fruition as will afterwards appear for this promise is never fully accomplished till we come to Heaven Job 11.7 and yet even then we shall not find out the Almighty to perfection for an infinite Being can never be comprehended by a finite understanding It 's the happiness of God to know himself to perfection We shall know him sufficiently for our perfection but we shall never be able to know him according unto his perfection but the knowledge of God in his Essence doth not agree unto a mans present state the imperfection whereof is set forth by a threefold similitude 1 Cor. 13.12 1 of a glass 2 of a riddle 3 it is answerable to the knowledge of a child of the things of a man Therefore the knowledge that we have of God in this life is not of his essence or his face but of his back parts non sicut est sed sicut vult non as he is but as he wills Bern. And the back parts of God are those Attributes that he is pleased to express of himself in the Scripture by which he is made known either viâ negationis in a way of negation as he is infinite immortal incomprehensible invisible unchangeable or else viâ causalitatis in a way of causality as he is holy and merciful and just and wise c. These being excellencies in the creature are attributed unto God as being wrought by him and therefore must needs be in him in a more glorious and transcendent manner than they can be in any creature This is a knowledge of God suitable unto this life and it is an interest in God that is attainable in this life God has made over himself to his people in all his Attributes Doctrine Observe hence That the Lord in the Covenant of grace has made over unto his people all the Attributes of his Divine Nature Here for the opening of it we must shew 1 That it is so that Gods Attributes are made over 2 That this is peculiar to the second Covenant and is the Saints priviledge or portion 3 The manner of making them over how they are in God and how a man may conclude that they belong to us 4 To what end they are made over unto the Saints 5 What a glorious revenue such have who have an interest in the Attributes of God and how infinitely more it is than a mans interest in all the promises of God and
come to possess it it is none other but what in the promise we had a right to it is the fiducial vision that we have of God in this life that as it prepares the soul so also gives us an interest in the beatifical vision which is only proper to the life to come 2. Divines say That the Saints have a threefold title unto Heaven and Glory in this life 1 in pretio as there is a purchase made for Heaven is as well a purchased possession as any thing that we do injoy in this life There are two things in the satisfaction of Christ there is debitum legale a legal debt so he paid the old debt and there is superlegale meritum a superlegal merit and so he made a new purchase answerable unto the two benefits by Christ which the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 1.7 14. we have by him redemption and an inheritance c. 2 The Saints have another title and that is jus promissionis in the promise for it is a promise intailed upon them as it was made unto Christ before the world began Eternal life is made first unto him and it is that which he himself doth glory in thou shalt shew me the path of life Psal 16. in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And by virtue of the same Covenant and promise the Saints do claim eternal life that Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant did though it belong unto him primarily and unto them only in his right and at second hand 3 They have a title in primitiis in the first-fruits as they have received the first-fruits of the Spirit So Israel had unto Canaan God did give them a promise many hundred years before but yet they were strangers unto their own inheritance that the Lord had promised them and many of them dyed in faith not having received the promise as Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs did but when the Lord had once brought them into the borders of the land and they had tasted the grapes of Eskol this gave them a further title because they had tasted of the good land that the Lord had promised them And so it is with the Saints who have received the first-fruits of the Spirit and in them tasted that the Lord is gracious for the first-fruits are a further pledge of the crop it is called an Earnest which is a further security than barely a promise therefore all the happiness of the Saints that they shall have in Heaven is a fruit of the promise and they do enjoy glory by virtue of the same Covenant that they obtain grace which is therefore called an everlasting Covenant not only because it shall never be broken as a Covenant of salt which stands for ever but because the fruit of it is to everlasting in a mans eternal inheritance § 2. The portion of the Saints lies in the very Essence of God which will appear to us by these demonstrations Psal 16. ult 1. By clear Scripture Psal 16. ult In thy presence is fulness of joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in faciebus in thy face is fulness of joy according to Gods own language thou shalt see my back parts but my face thou shalt not see and live therefore it is in the face of God that the fulness of the joy and the happiness of the Saints doth consist for in that the happiness of Christ as Mediator who is our head doth consist and when we come to Heaven we have not a happiness apart from Christ as if he had one happiness and we another for we do enter into our masters joy and 1 Joh. 3.3 it is see him as he is that is not as he does now discover himself pro captu humano according to our capacity in a glass and in a riddle rather as he is not than as he is but we shall see him with open face according to his Essence that is as he is 2. The ultimate object of faith is that in which the happiness of the Saints doth consist and that which is the highest thing in the promise in that doth the glory and the perfection of the creature lye Now there are many intermediate objects of faith but the ultimate is glory 1 Pet. 1.21 So 1 Pet. 1.21 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God And the last thing in the promise is eternal life and that being once attained all the promises are at an end therefore it is in the Essence of God that eternal happiness lyes 3. Without this nothing can make the Saints happy 1 Nothing in this life can they have in this life four things 1 They have glorious promises but those are but of an inheritance to come and we believe that which we see not and therefore hope for it for faith and sight are opposed there is a fiâ—â—â—al presentiality unto faith in the promise but it is not beatifical and therefore an inheritance of promises will never make a man happy because it keeps the soul in a continual longing and in an hungring and thirsting condition and therefore is unsatisfied 2 Of graces but they are also imperfect because they do not make a mans soul perfect Heb. 12.24 till a man be actually united unto God the Fountain of all happiness and perfection he can never be happy it 's true Gratia electis infunditur ut actiones peragant ordinatas ad vitam aeternam Grace is infused into the Elect that they may perform actions ordinate to life eternal as Aquinas But these graces have respect unto an eternal reward they do but make us meet for a further mercy Col. 1.12 to make us meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light 3 In creatures a mans happiness does not consist in them because they are finite and the soul is ordained to be happy in an infinite good and therefore when a man shall be made happy by going to Heaven to enjoy God he doth take his leave of the creatures they were his inheritance in his way and were to him a viatick but afterwards God shall be all in all and a man goes to God with joy 1 Cor. 15. and is glad to see the Moon under his feet so the Saints of God in this life continue still longing for their future happiness 4 There is an inheritance of Attributes Rev. 12.1 and so the Saints have an interest in God here and a vision of him for they may behold him in his back parts and live as the Lord discovered unto Moses Now no man can be perfectly happy in this life and therefore the discovery of God in his Attributes being the way of Gods revealing himself in this life there is a higher way of manifestation in which the happiness of the Saints doth consist and that is a
is more of God discovered in the meanest Saint than there is in the Sun Moon and Stars and in the most glorious creature Dan. 12. 't is said They shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father the glory of the Sun is not to be compared unto them c. To see beauty is a great delight to the eye but much more for souls to see their own beauty to see the image of God in the Saints here is glorious and to see it in a mans self is more comfortable much more taking shall it be and more comfortable to see it hereafter when it shall be perfected 5. They shall see all things that concern themselves in God Adam had a Law written in his heart that was the guide of his way and the Saints have also in their hearts a rule as well as in the book but the Saints in Heaven have no other book but God Beati in Deo vident omnes actiones circumstantias ad se pertinentes The blessed see in God all actions and circumstances that belong unto them This is the book in which they shall read lectures in his face for ever the Dectatis speculum the glass of the Deity as their happiness shall be wholly in God for God shall be all in all so their direction shall come from him immediately and so shall their consolation and their acceptation they shall see that God is pleased with them for ever whatsoever they put their hands to and they shall be no more in doubt of the rule and go with their way hid no more as many of the Saints here walk uncomfortably because sometimes their duty is hidden from them the rule in some particular cases is dark to them and they droop many times because they know not what to do though their eyes be lifted up yet be of good chear poor soul it shall be otherwise when thou comest to enjoy this vision of God in glory 6. It shall be a vision that shall be everlasting we shall behold his face for ever here in this life in our greatest discoveries of God there is an interruption a veil that is drawn between us and our God and though now we are sometimes in the light by and by we walk in darkness again but in Heaven the discovery shall be perpetual we shall see his face so that he will never hide his face from us more we shall never lose the sight of God unto eternity God will never withdraw himself from us for he doth embrace you with everlasting mercy and sin shall never interpose or cause an Eclipse This is the extent of this glorious Vision which shall never be accomplished till thou come to glory here we are to have it in our eye continually and to exercise faith about it O walk in the hope of it for here is the happiness of the Saints and if the Attributes of God that are discovered to them and made over to them be not sufficient to make them happy yet surely there is enough in the very Essence of God himself know he is thy God in Covenant quantus quantus est and if there be enough in him to make himself happy surely there is enough to make thee happy also and therefore blessed is the soul whose God is Jehovah SECT II. Questions touching the Beatifick Vision resolved § 1. FOR the further opening of this point it being of highest concernment as that wherein the perfection of our blessedness lyes there are several Questions to be resolved 1 Why the happiness of the creature must consist in vision 2 Whether this vision can attain to the Essence of God to see God as he is in himself or no 3 Whether it be only an intellectual vision or corporal with the bodily eyes also 4 What is the happiness that doth follow upon this vision that we may see how this vision doth conduce to the blessedness of the creature Quest 1 It 's true that the happiness of the creature lyes in God who is the chief good but why should it consist in the Vision of God Answ 1. Our eternal happiness doth consist in vision because this is the way by which God doth dispense all things unto us it being the only way that is agreeable to the rational nature for as the Lord doth expect that all that comes from us should be reasonable service modo naturae rationali proportionato proportionate to our nature so all that he doth communicate unto us he doth it in a rational way this is the way of nature and this is the way of grace and therefore the Lord will make it to be the way of conveying all things to us in glory 1 This is the way of Nature the will of man is appetitus rationalis a rational appetite and therefore it can receive nothing unless there be a Dictamen of the understanding that goes before and answerable to the Dictamen such is the choice and election of the will and hence come such various impressions upon the will sometimes there is a good inclination and a good purpose or resolution the man is almost perswaded and by and by the will is off again because the understanding represents things otherwise not holding on in its former light and when there is in the understanding an ultimum dictamen a last dictamen then doth the will firmly and constantly close and therefore sin came in that way Satan knew that there was no corrupting of the will but by the understanding for an immediate access to the will there was not therefore the woman was deceived and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lyes in the understanding properly This is the way of nature there must be a light in the understanding and that brings resolution and election and all things into the will and acts it 2 This is the way of Grace also the Lord when he will change the will doth it first by a spiritual illumination of the understanding and from thence there doth by the power of grace come an effectual determination of the will to embrace that ultimum dictamen last dictate of the enlightned understanding and that makes a free and chearful choice of that supernatural good which is to the understanding by a spiritual and heavenly light discovered and clearly apprehended thereby there is a teaching that goes with the drawing of the Father Joh. 6.44 And so it is for all growth and increase of grace also for grace is improved in the same manner as it is at first created men grow in grace as they grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3.18 as the Lord will enlarge the affections so he doth first raise the apprehensions of the man 3 Glory being in some respects but the perfection of the same grace for Divines commonly say that grace and glory differ but in degrees therefore the way that the Lord took in the one he doth take the same in the other also as he sanctifies the man modo
he lays up that as a choice receipt all his life time and when he sees other men cast the materials of it away as a thing of no value he saith O! there is an excellency in it did men know it they would set a high price upon it I was in such an extremity and it relieved me so it is with all the Attributes of God they are exalted in the soul suitable to the use and experience that a man hath had of them as he that doth undervalue duties doth it because he hath not found the spiritual good that is in them so he that doth undervalue the Attributes of God doth it from want of experience which makes spiritual things great in our eyes and therefore Paul having an interest in the mercy of God we see how it was exalted in him 1 Tim. 1.14 the grace of God was exceeding abundant God who was rich in mercy out of his abundant love and pardoning mercy c. Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like to our God that pardons iniquity transgression and sin And the Saints that have perfection of holiness from him they give him the glory of his holiness from day to day saying Holy holy holy for the highest glory that we can give unto God here is that we honour those Attributes in our hearts which he doth honour in his dispensation towards us whether it be wisdom or holiness or faithfulness or patience c. as he doth honour the word that he doth accomplish so we are to honour the Attributes that he doth put forth Jah is the same name with Jehovah and is a name of Being denoting that God is he that hath his Being of himself and gives being unto all things else he that is the Fountain of Being whence a soul having had experience of him to be such a one lets his glory in that respect arise and be exalted in his soul if you would have any Attribute work for you then exalt that Attribute by trusting in it and when it hath wrought for you then exalt it also by glorifying of it and as you have exalted God by his name Jah so by his name Elshaddi a God alsufficient also for there is no name of God but it will be exalted in the soul suitable to the interest that we have in it and the taste that the soul hath of it For there is a double putting forth of every Attribute of God savingly upon his Elect not only a putting of it forth in his works and administrations towards them but there is also a putting of it forth by exalting it in a man and therein the main sweetness of the discovering of it doth lye He therefore that hath not had the price of this Attribute raised in his soul nor tasted the sweetness of it nor rejoyced in it nor adored and admired it and God as such a one under the apprehension of such an attribute truly that man hath no interest in it If a Saint cannot say that attribute is mine and this attribute I have an interest in yet he can admire the attribute and give God the glory of it as an excellency in himself and he doth not only praise God for his goodness towards him but as it is in himself for the glorious excellencies that are in the Divine nature as we may see it in Hannah 1 Sam. 2.1 2. My heart rejoyceth in the Lord and my horn is exalted in the Lord my mouth is enlarged over my enemies I will rejoyce in thy salvation there is none holy as the Lord c. And as it is exceeding sweet unto the people of God and a Paradise to walk from one Tree to another in the Paradise of God and to say such a truth the Lord fulfilled unto me in such a case and in such an extremity and such a promise at such a time so much more for a man to be able to look over all the attributes of God and to say such a time the Lord did glorifie such an attribute towards me and such a time such a one and to see all the attributes of God as well as all the works of God to work together for a mans good every one in their proper places as the stars in their courses fought against Sisera and the threatnings of God fight against wicked men so to have the word of God the works of God and the attributes of God work for a man is their happiness and their joy 4. He that hath an interest in the alsufficiency of God will be raised up in his soul to an holy self-sufficiency as there is no grace that is in Christ but it will have a resemblance in us so there is no attribute of God but it hath its resemblance therefore 1 Pet. 2.9 we are said to shew forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertues of him that hath called us and in this doth properly our conformity unto God in this world lye there is something in us that doth hold a resemblance with the attributes of God that are manifested and put forth for us And in this is the greatest exercise of the attributes of God for our good when the patience of God works patience in us and we be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful and holy as he is holy when the wisdom of God works wisdom in us and there is a resemblance of the power of God in us that we are able to do all things through Christ that strengthens us when the greatness of God works in us a holy greatness of mind and when the alsufficiency of God works in us a gracious self-sufficiency for there is a self-sufficiency that is a duty as there is a self-sufficiency that is a sin 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness is great gain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9.8 Every where and in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and it is that which the Apostle had learned Phil. 4.11 so Prov. 14.14 A good man is satisfied from himself There is self as divided from God which is a sin but self as united unto God is a great duty Self-sufficiency in opposition to the creatures is a duty for a man can be happy without them but self-sufficiency in opposition to God is a sin for if a man be one with God then a mans self-sufficiency is Gods alsufficiency for having God and that sufficiency that is in him he hath all though amongst the creatures he hath no portion no inheritance when a man hath the Moon under his feet and he can say when he sees all the world destroyed Se nihil habere bonum tantâ mole perdendum c. and can look upon the general conflagration of the world as Lot did upon Sodom in the burning without a relenting thought because his portion is not in them this man hath a self-sufficiency grounded upon his interest in the alsufficiency of God for as the Apostle saith of the Fathers Heb. 11.13 That chusing to be pilgrims they did declare
in his Temple he rules in a more special manner and he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Therefore in the souls and in the hearts of Saints Christ hath a rule Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace c. It is spoken here both of the kingdom of grace and of glory both which are commonly in Scripture called the Kingdom of God and the meaning is that the kingdom of grace doth not consist in these neither do these lead to the kingdom of glory or prepare the soul for it regnum gratiae in his non consistit per haec regnum gloriae non acquiritur but it is in righteousness and peace and joy and these are acts wrought upon the soul and the inward man and therefore the Kingdom of Christ the spiritual Kingdom is over the souls of the Saints and it 's a Throne erected in their hearts 2. Wherein doth this spiritual Kingdom consist which he doth exercise over the Saints It 's a Throne that Christ sets up in the Conscience which doth order and command the whole man and that in the name and by the authority of God There is a twofold Throne of Christ in the spiritual Kingdom 1 There is a Throne that he erects in his Ordinances Rev. 4.4 when all his people are gathered together about him all the Saints sit down at his feet Deut. 33.3 that they may receive a Law from his mouth as their King 2 There is also another Throne of Christ in the spiritual Kingdom and that is in the Conscience which is properly the Throne of God and therefore the great work of Christs rule is in the conscience of the Saints Acts 23.1 I have lived in all good conscience and my care is to keep a good conscience void of offence Acts 29.16 Heb. 13.18 We have a good conscience desiring in all things to live honestly It 's true that the Lord doth rule in the whole soul and there is no faculty that is not brought into subjection the understanding and the will there is not a thought or a reasoning any thing that is the issue of the soul 2 Cor. 10.5 2 Cor. 10.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leading captive every thought and we know captives were not only subdued by conquest but they were led in Triumph and they were afterwards made use of for service and so it is in the Kingdom of Christ in the inward man but yet the Throne is the Conscience it is true that the power of a King reaches throughout the whole Kingdom and they are all governed by him but yet the place of his residence and the Royal Seat is in some eminent place of the Nation and though Jesus Christ rules in the whole soul and dwells in the heart by faith yet the Throne is mainly in the conscience and therefore the assenting act of faith the accusing act of faith and the commanding act of faith is mainly in the conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 it is the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Christ c. Now conscience what is it Est judicium intellectûs practici prout subjicitur judicio Dei It is the judgment of the practic intellect as subjected to the judgment of God It is this that hath the great command of the man that whatever he doth he is to do for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 and whatever he doth scruple or doubt of it should be for conscience sake 1 Cor. 10.25 for it speaks in the person of God unto the man and therefore even to go against an erring conscience is a sin because the authority of Christ is rejected in whole name conscience speaks it 's true that conscience is not the highest rule it is but regula regulata a rule ruled by the Divine love yet it is the highest rule in the man and it hath the power of subordination which Kings would fain take to themselves who pretend that they are subject to none but God and to give an account unto none else Magnus est Caesar sed solo Deo minor Tertul. This is true of conscience all the rest of the faculties are to give up their account unto the conscience it can call them all to an account but is subject unto no other thing in the man it is to give an account unto none but God and the Lord working upon men modo connaturali in a connatural way conscience being the leading power that God hath placed in man the Lord comes mainly into that and by it he doth rule and guide all the rest of the faculties and keep them in subjection and this will appear in two things 1 It 's conscience that doth receive the discharge for the man Heb. 9.9 therefore a man is said to be made perfect according unto the conscience so that when a mans conscience is acquitted from guilt and purged from pollution it 's then said to be made perfect and the man is perfected thereby and for this cause conscience hath an account to give of the man in reference unto all that office and authority in the man that Christ hath set him over Rom. 2.15 Their consciences accusing them it hath the power over the man in all persons it was in the Creation set over man by God but being renewed it is now set over the man by Christ and when he comes to give an account for we must all give an account of our selves to God Rom. 14.12 what is it in the man that shall give an account for him it is conscience that must make up our account at the last and great day and in the Saints then will the Lord pass a sentence in conscience and he will acquit it from its viatory office that hath a charge of the whole man It 's a great honour and a great trust and it is a great burden to take the charge of the man and make an account for all ordinances all mercies all motions of the Spirit of God all opportunities of service that the man has had in this life 2 Because the main guilt of the man is charged upon the conscience as that by which all sin came in it 's neglecting its duty and holding a league and a confederacy with sin Tit. 1.15 Their consciences are defiled and it is by this that sin comes in and for this cause the wrath that is poured upon the man will come in by his conscience it will be as it were the funnel by which God will pour wrath into the whole soul because thereby Satan poured sin into the whole soul and for that cause the torment for ever lies mainly in the conscience and it shall be the faculty that shall torment the whole man it 's the worm that never dyes it is only the acts of conscience the soul turning in upon it self and its former ways and past hopes for ever now that which was the great Officer here that shall give
of persons they may as Eli did misreprove a Hannah in the Church of God and as David believe a Zibi against the son of his friend for commonly the best deserving Christians are clouded by the glaring light of the lamps of Hypocrites who make it their business to raise false reports against such as outshine them in true grace and holiness but at last God will discover them and cast them out of the Churches prayers and affection they shall not always abide with them 1 Joh. 2.18 that they may be made manifest not to be of them and they that are approved shall be made manifest and so shall they that are corrupted also they shall be found lyars and they shall be cast out the Lord will cut them off that they may deceive the expectations of the Saints no more the Lord doth delight to do it and we should wait his leisure in it who will certainly shew himself a God that judges in the earth 3 That thereby the Saints may be awakened and admonished when Hymeneus fell then 2 Tim. 2.7 is that exhortation most seasonable Let him that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity and let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall when a man observes horrendas tempestates flenda naufragia horrid tempests it is a hint to the Saints look to your standing see that you be built upon a Rock that storms and tempests may not overthrow you 5. In their judgments for they are terrible judgments that the Lord doth execute upon unregenerate men in the Church there are no mercies like those out of Sion and there are no judgments like them no men are so eminently under the curse as they are Out of the Throne came thundering and lightning and voices Rev. 4.5 for the Churches sake and by their prayers And this is 1 that the Saints may be thankful how great a mercy is it that I had not fallen away as well as he Joh. 14.22 2 That they may take heed of the same sins lest they be overtaken by the same plagues Remember Lots wife the natural branches are broken off thou standest by faith be not high-minded but fear they entred not through unbelief let us fear lest we also come short c. Heb. 4.1 § 3. There belongs also unto the spiritual Kingdom reductivè all the works and the dispensations of God amongst the creatures for though only men that live in the Church be the proper subjects of the spiritual Kingdom and in respect of the spiritual part of it only the Saints yet as the Mediator undertook the government of all other things for the Churches sake so in the government of all things he has a special respect unto their good Eph. 1. ult Joh. 17.2 so that all the creatures and the government of them all comes under the spiritual Kingdom two ways 1 As they tend to perfect the graces of the Saints 2 As they belong unto the priviledges of the Saints so reductivè they belong to the spiritual Kingdom 1. Christ in the spiritual Kingdom doth so order and dispose of all the creatures that they do all tend to perfect and increase the graces of the Saints Rom. 8.28 Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God the Apostle speaks it in reference unto affliction but yet because there was a general doctrine in it he would not restrain it and therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all creatures and all events 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 1 they shall not work so of themselves but by a blessed and gracious concurrence of God with them all as it is said That Ministers are workers togethers with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.1 Alas it is not any thing we can do or by any power that is in us but only there is a concurrence of the principal with the instrumental cause for instrumentum agit dispositivè in virtute principalis agentis 2 Some refer it unto the creatures themselves that they do not do this apart as if any one action or any one dispensation meerly did it but they do it as it were in a conspiracy or concatenation they all joyn together in the work that if we take any one particular we may seem to go backward and it may tend to the disadvantage of the spiritual Kingdom but we must take them all together as we are not to judge of the works of God ante quintum actum so neither are we to judge of the fruits of his works but by laying of them all together and see how they work in a due order and subordination one to another c. and unto what is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ad aeternam piorum salutem for sine summo bono nil bonum As there is nothing good without the chiefest good so there is nothing good that doth not lead a man unto the chief good and therefore when it 's said That all things work together for good the meaning is they shall all make for the increase of their grace here and their glory hereafter all of them shall work for the eternal good of their souls whereas unto all wicked men all the creatures and all the dispensations of God in the ordering of the creatures cedunt in perniciem tend to their perdition they are unto the one in praemium for a reward unto the other in supplicium for punishment as Prosper has it Or as Cyprian saith of the Sacrament it was Petro in remedium Judae in venenum a remedy to Peter but poyson to Judas so it is here all the creatures that the wicked do enjoy they are indeed seemingly blessings but really curses outwardly bread but in verity a stone a fish in shew but in truth a scorpion for they do all of them tend to the ripening of their sins and the hastning of their ruine but to the Saints 1 Cor. 3.21 22. All things are yours he was speaking of glorying in men they should not boast of their Teachers though it is true indeed that the Primitive Church had their Crown of twelve Stars yet they were all the servants of the Churches debent tam corpori quà m capiti servire they ought to serve the body as well as the head and therefore some will have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Apostle doth speak here as in the fore-quoted places as I conceive where though speaking of one particular yet there being a general truth in it he doth propound it generally for it is not to be restrained to persons as the after-enumeration shews for he speaks of life and death things present and things to come now how doth he mean that all is ours that is aedificationi saluti destinata as ordained for our edification and salvation there is a special design of grace in ordering and disposing of them all so as
they shall be truly our servants that is they shall tend unto the advancement of our spiritual and eternal good Rom. 8.38 what he had before spoken positively that they shall all do us good here he speaks negatively that they shall never be able to do us hurt I am perswaded that neither life nor death via extrema secunda adversa the highest pitch of prosperity and the lowest ebb of adversity or affliction shall not be able to hurt us nor Angels good or bad nor principalities and powers that is all the powers of Empires and Monarchs of the world nor things present nor things to come not any intermediate events that now do or hereafter may befal us nor heights nor depths nor any creature i. e. if there be any creature that comes not under the former enumeration whether it be in heaven above or in the deeps beneath it shall never be able to hurt us in respect of our eternal state because it shall never be able to separate us from the love of God which has so sure a ground for it is love born to us in Christ in whom he has elected us c. therefore you see there comes no disadvantage but a continual advantage unto the spiritual Kingdom by all the creatures and by the dispensations of Christ in the ordering and the government of them all Let us see this by an enumeration of some particulars 1. If the Lord give unto his people prosperity it shall be to the advantage of the inward man and in their outward prosperity their souls shall prosper 2 Chron. 17.6 Jehosaphat had silver and gold and riches in abundance and his heart was lifted up and encouraged in the ways of Gods commandments and thereby the people of God make them friends of the unrighteous Mammon and they lay up a good foundation that they may lay hold of eternal life Eccles 7.11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance it is good in it self without an inheritance but there is a special advantage by wisdom with an inheritance and so it 's better to the man or it is good to a mans self but it is not so good unto another and so Prov. 14.24 The crown of the wise is their riches but there are to other men riches reserved for the hurt of the owner and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Prov. 1.32 wisdom is the better with an inheritance but folly is the worse with an inheritance for the folly of fools is foolishness he speaks it of rich fools there are no men discover their folly more and whose foolishness is more eminent and notorious than these mens as riches draw forth the graces of the one so do they also the sins of the other 2. If the Lord give unto his people afflictions it shall be to the advantage of their inward man Rom. 5.3 Tribulation works patience surely patience is a fruit of the Spirit as all other graces are and cannot be wrought in any man by affliction unless it be given him by the Spirit A man must have patience 1 if ever he will bear affliction fruitfully but 2 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth signifie to work a thing out and bringing of it to perfection Phil. 2.12 It is this therefore that when patience is wrought in the soul by the Spirit it is improved and exceedingly drawn out by affliction it doth improve the graces of the Saints and upon this ground it is said Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Jam. 1.2 Esa 27.8 9. in measure God shoots forth the affliction and the mercy of God is greatly seen in the moderation of the affliction By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is the fruit to take away the sin of his people when he makes all the stones of their Altars to be as chalk stones and therefore Esa 24.15 Glorifie the Lord in the fires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.10 he doth chastise them that they may be made partakers of his holiness 3. Temptations for the Lord Jesus doth order all the temptations of Satan and directs them unto spiritual ends for even the very enemies of the spiritual Kingdom he doth over-rule so as he makes them servants to it even the vessels of dishonour have their use in the great house as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2.21 Satan is an enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that enemy in two things to the Saints 1 In his accusations unto God he is therefore called the Accuser of the Brethren and so he did move God against Job to destroy him without a cause Job 2.3 there was cause enough in Job if the Lord had been extreme to mark what he had done amiss but there was not that cause that Satan did alledge and it is a mercy to the people of God that though there be cause enough yet he doth hide the true cause from their malicious accusers that that which they fasten upon them is no cause to set God or man against them but the more the Lord doth appear for his servants to justifie them had not Satan accused Job so impetuously God had never so eminently appeared for his justification This should quiet and comfort the Saints in all the hard measure and reproaches that they meet withal in the world that yet the Lord will arise for their justification and their enemies confusion that though a child of God may lye under the blast of the wicked for a season yet God will vindicate him at last so that false friends as well as true enemies shall be made to say Surely there is no inchantment against any of the seed of Jacob Jude 15. c. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him and his children c. 2 Satan is an enemy by his temptations unto the Saints and so the strength of God is made perfect in their weakness that is manifestly declared so to be 2 Cor. 12. for thereby their strength is tryed there is nothing tries grace so much as temptation unto sin because nothing is more opposite unto grace and gratia vexata seipsam prodit grace vexed discovers it self thereby also their corruption is purged for the Lord doth commonly temper that poyson into a medicine and Satan that seeks to kill shall be instrumental to cure he that doth intend to stab the man shall but give vent to his imposthume and therefore Luther says of temptation when the Papists did object unto Luther that he himself granted Purgatory I do indeed saith he but it is but that Purgatory of temptation and he adds Hoc Purgatorium non est fictum and hereby the enemy is conquered for we are more than conquerors Rom. 8. It was said that the Carthaginians did prevail against
prayers for as by their prayers they do not only attain mercy for themselves so they do not only by their faith attain mercy for themselves it is said of the men that came to Christ Jesus That when he saw their faith he said to the sick of the palsie Son thy sins are forgiven thee c. Mark 2.5 There is a question put by Interpreters whether any man be saved by another mans faith or what benefit a man may have by the faith of another to which they commonly give this answer That the faith of others may be very useful unto men though they be sinful in reference unto temporal mercies and deliverance as the Saints are said by faith to subdue kingdoms attain promises stop the mouths of lyons out of weakness were made strong Heb. 11.33 waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the aliens c. in which works there were many others had the benefit of them besides themselves and yet all is attributed to their faith And therefore if by the faith of one many even ungodly men may fare the better how much more may all the Saints who are one body and live not only for their own good but also for the good one of another by their faith attain very many temporal blessings one from another and by the faith one of another Yea they go further though it 's true that no man can be saved but by his own faith and it was by this mans faith also laying hold upon pardon that his sins were forgiven him yet ubi est mutuus fidei consensus ab aliis juvari aliorum salutem Calv. The Lord even in granting spiritual blessings to his people hath as well respect unto the faith of others as unto the prayers of others as when we pray and others pray for us the mercy is granted as a return unto both prayers so when we believe and others also do believe the mercy is given with respect to the faith of both parties and this is the blessed condition of Saints that they do not only attain temporal mercies one for another and are the better in temporal things but even in spiritual and eternal things they do attain mercy as by their prayers so by the faith one of another as they may pray one for another so they may also believe one for another and the mercies be granted to them so there be a concurrence also of the faith of the person that receives the mercy It was a great mercy that the people of Israel should enter into â—anaan by the faith of Abraham and Jacob and Joseph they only believing and embracing those promises which they never lived to see fulfilled and accomplished But if it be so great a mercy to enter into the earthly Canaan and yet some entred not because of their unbelief for a mans own proper unbelief may deprive him of those temporal blessings which a man might else attain how much more a mercy is it to enter into the spiritual Canaan that of the Gospel even the promised Land the spiritual Priviledges of the Gospel and those that are eternal and that with the assistance of another mans faith It is ordinary with us to desire the prayers one of another and by the same reason that we have an interest in the prayers of the faithful we have an interest in the faith of the faithful also and we may as well desire them to improve and exercise their faith for us as their prayers and so did Monica for her son and parents should do it for their children as well as for their own souls and so for our friends also Austin speaking of the former experiences that his mother had in the answer and return of her prayers saies of her Semper orans tanquam chirographa tua ingerebat tibi c. And truly the returns of the faith of the faithful would be as great though they be not so commonly known as the return of their prayers and yet their prayers will avail nothing if they be not the prayers of faith § 4. Thus we have spoken something of the providential Kingdom in over-ruling all things for the good of the Saints in reference unto Good men now follows that we speak something also in reference unto Evil men for there is a Government and Soveraignty that the Lord doth also exercise towards them and all for the good of his own people Now the Lord Jesus hath a rule and dominion not only over his own house but also over the world and he doth rule them with a rod of iron Psal 2.9 and it is in this only that the people of God when they look upon wicked men in the world can comfort themselves that the Lord reigns and the power and the government of themselves is not in their own hand even the vessels of dishonour in his great house whether we understand it of the Church or of the world are for the masters use and at the masters command even wicked men as well as Devils are not at their own dispose there is a government that he doth exercise over them for he hath undertaken the government of all things for the good of his people and for their sake and if he do administer all for their good he must rule their enemies in all things as well as the Saints that the people of God may say That neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor any creature shall be able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8.38 he orders all the motions of enemies as well as the motions of his people as the Captain of the Lords Host and he orders all things so as it shall be for the destruction of the enemy at the last for all things are put under his feet the last enemy that is destroyed is death therefore all is put under his government and he doth rule them so as that in their own actings they do find their own destruction his government over them is that they might be destroyed and in their own way find their destruction but yet so as they shall be wholly ruled and ordered for the good of his people and that will appear in these particulars 1. That they have a being and standing in the world is for the good of the Saints caeteri mortales qui ex isto numero non sunt ad utilitatem nascuntur istorum August They had never been born if God had not had some use to make of them for the good of the Saints non enim quenquam istorum Deus temerè aut fortuito creat God creates none of them in vain as if he knew not what use to make of them it is for the Saints sake that they have their standing in the world for it is for them that the world stands it is but that the number of the Elect may be gathered and perfected and when that is done the stage of this world shall be taken down
coming from Italy meeting with him and they instructing him in the way of the Lord more perfectly this was happy for him to meet with such company hoc providentiae meritò tribuendum est insomuch that the people of God bless God unto Eternity one for another as the Martyr acknowledged it as a wonderful glorious providence unto him that he was cast into prison for there he became acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford so Austin doth acknowledge much of the goodness of God to him in the society of Nebridius But there is an excellent story of Junius in this kind he being in Leyden for his studies sake there arose a great stir and tumult in the City insomuch that many of the inhabitants fled away for safety and he amongst the rest fled to save his life and being in the country thereabouts he came to a country-mans house to beg some victuals the country-man received him and very courteously entertained him and he began to talk with him about matters of Religion which the country-man performed with so much zeal and affection ego malus Christianus siquidem Christianus c. una eadem hora gratiam suam in utroque explicavit Deus à me scientiam rusticus ego ab eo zelum c. And he saith it did abide upon him mente fixâ that he was not able to put the impression out of his mind and the Lord made it useful to him all his life after c. 5. In their preservation in service and their dismissions from service 1 There is a preservation in service that they shall be continued to do the work for which the Lord has appointed them and they shall not be cut off till they have finished their work so it was with the Lord Jesus Christ Luke 13.32 Go tell that Fox It 's true Luk. 13.32 that he was a subtle enemy and one that did want no skill to bring those bloody designs he had to pass but yet there was a time set for Christs work to day and to morrow and the third day and during that time all his enemies were not able by power or policy to reach him and then afterwards I shall be perfected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I shall have perfected the work of my ministry and the perfection of a mans work is the perfection of the man he is never perfected till then and so it is with the two Witnesses they shall not be killed till they have fulfilled their Prophecy there is no putting any man out of imployment till the Lord discharge him a man that has any work to do for God no man can stop him in it before it is finished 2 When their work is done they shall have a very gracious dismission and they shall lie down with honour the best of the Saints have but their time of service and they shall receive their discharge but they shall come to their grave in a full age as a shock of corn in the season thereof Job 5.26 Some men have a longer and some have a shorter time of service but all have but their time As sinning is a warfare and wicked men in that do receive their discharge and it is in providence ordered so that they dye when it is in judgment to them when they least expect it and are least prepared for it so godly men dye when their graces are perfected and their work is finished and never till then and therefore when they sought Luthers life so much yet he could write this upon the wall of his Study I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord c. And there are some men upon this account can laugh at dangers in a way of service and deride threatnings as the crackling of thorns under a pot because they say My time is not in your hands neither the time of my life nor of my service and he that imploys me will uphold me and will maintain me till the time of my dismission shall come and then I shall go off the stage of this world in mercy and lye down in peace and rest upon my bed after the time of my labour is ended 6. There is a special Providence in blessing and providing for their posterity God has a special providence over those that come out of the loyns of his own for indeed he has so ordered all his Decrees as that the greatest part of the Elect comes out of the loyns of the Saints Prov. 20.7 His children are blessed after him there is grace in a special manner that is promised unto them but 't is a blessedness that doth descend upon them by virtue of their parents Covenant Esa 59.21 My words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever and Esa 44.3 I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring c. as Austin was filius lacrymarum the son of his mothers prayers and tears and the Lord did give an answer by giving the soul of her son unto her that he was graciously converted unto the Lord and proved an eminent instrument for service in the Church of the Lord. The Saints can with Jacob pronounce upon them a blessing when they dye and that out of faith in the promise and the Lord willsurely make it good unto them but we are begotten not of blood Joh. 1.13 And therefore though many times ungodly men may and do come out of the loyns of the Saints and the spiritual part of the Covenant is not made good unto many of the posterity of his own people yet the outward part of the Covenant surely is though the Covenant for matter of grace be unto Isaac yet there is another part of it that is made good to Ismael Twelve Princes shall he beget he hath the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth God doth in outward things strangely supply them and provide for them when the children of the wicked are vagabonds and beg their bread Psal 37.25 Yet I never saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37.25 Not that a godly man may not be brought to beggery or to live upon the charity of another Jesus Christ himself was so he was poor and so poor that the women Luke 8.3 his followers did minister unto him of their substance to supply his necessity in this life but there is a fourfold interpretation of that place of Scripture 1 Begging of bread is taken for extremity of poverty the seed of the righteous are never so poor but the Lord doth find out a way of support and supply for them he has said That the just shall inherit the earth 2 It is not meant that it was never so that they were never poor but in Davids experience he had never found it so 3 There is another interpretation of Muis
not how comes it to pass that it doth not excutere It is not so much from a Principle of Grace within for that is in its own nature defective but by vertue of the Covenant and the Prayer of Christ without and it is this Prayer that doth uphold all the Grace that is in us or else it would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficere c. This Intercession doth not only present their Duties but it preserves their Graces also the one would be rejected and the other extinguished were it not for this The Saints have a double Advocate as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Spirit of Prayer as an Advocate within us which as a witness doth many times fail us and we by our own sins lose the benefit and the comfort of it but then we are to have recourse unto the Advocate without us as the Soul is sometimes to make use of the witness of Blood when he cannot see the witness of Water 3 It brings a man unto the great duty of Confession to become publick examples of Repentance which hath been a great honour unto the Saints who have risen out of their falls and we cannot say that the records of their falls have been so dishonourable unto them as their publick Repentance and abasement before God has been honourable with this the Lord honour'd David and his Repentance stands upon Record Psal 51. and with this also he honour'd Solomon which is Recorded in the Book of Ecclesiastes which is therefore entituled Coheleth which Cocceius observes to note receptionem suam ad ecclesiam per poenitentiam his reception into the Church by Repentance and is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man gathered unto the Congregation of the Lord and so did Paul Act. 22.4 I persecuted this way and I was mad against them and so doth Luther he left it upon record tantus eram sanctus ut paratissimus fueram unumquemque occidere c. and this Tertull. de poeniten chap. 9. observes to be in use in his time .......... Presbyteris advolvi charis Dei adgeniculari as the example of Eccetalicus c. Thus as they were eminent examples in sinning so they were desirous to be of Repentance 4 Hereby they are no more confident of their own strength and so exalt not themselves above their Brethren so Christ ask'd Peter Now lovest thou me more than these Joh. 21.15 he was before for making comparisons with all other men though all men should forsake thee yet not I but now here is no Comparison and if there be any strength in that Christ ask'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a less degree of Love it was good advice to him But he said well Hîc quaerendae non sunt subtilitates the words are commonly in the Gospel promiscuously used and it is a signal instance of Gods power to bring good out of evil when a man by reflecting upon some great sin that he hath committed can say that his carnal confidence in himself and his own strength is healed thereby 5 This makes a Saint to walk in fear ever after and blessed is the man that fears always a fearless spirit doth bring sin 1 A godly man fears sin as the only Evil fears an Oath and he doth say with Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this only is matter of fear but specially when he has had experience of the breaking forth of it eminently a man fears a disease that he hath felt and so David will not trust his tongue without a bridle and his Eyes without a Prayer turn away my Eyes from beholding vanity and thereby the bank is made up against that sin all their dayes and it may be a sin that a man feared least shall get the greatest hand upon him if temptation get the wind and the hill of him 2 He fears lest the Lord may therefore leave a note of dishonour upon him Revel 7.6 7. when the Tribes were sealed Dan was left out Rev. 7.6 7. and so is Ephraim tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antesignani Mic. 1.13 this Tribe was the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Sion they of Dan did it for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee it was a scandalous sin the Lord may leave a note of sin upon a man and his posterity afterwards for it and he may not be honoured as the rest of his Brethren but may have a brand stick upon him for committing folly in Israel c. 6 That a man may be fitted for service by it Luk. 22.32 Christ says when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren a mans own comfort doth fit a man to comfort others 2 Pet. 2.2 and so do a mans own falls also 2 Cor. 1.4 who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble 1 By the Experience of the power of sin he may be the better able to admonish others 2 Pet. 2.2 they denyed the Lord that bought them and he can best speak of the danger of such a way himself that hath found it and had experience of it in himself Austin having been himself a Manichee when he disputed with Felix the great Manichee he could shew him the vanity of it by experience and so frustrata vanitate errore illius sectae ad nostram fidem conversus est c. Possidon in vita August 2 He will be able to comfort others against the guilt of that sin having himself sound favour he can shew others the way unto it and so could Peter having found mercy himself and David for this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee and so Luther did publish unto all the way of Mercy that God had vouchsafed him that all men might see that mercy is to be had for them Peter velocissimè veniam consecutus c. Bern. 7 That it may be unto a man matter of Humiliation all his days sins before Conversion be grievous as they were to Paul I was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and such were some of you but now you are washed A man should not so look upon what he is but he should also look back what he was Behold thou art made whole remember that thou wast a sick man and the keeping it in view will be usefull unto a man all his dayes to make him exalt mercy and to cause him to abhor himself So Austin after he had made his Confession he saith Spes mihi valida est in illo qui sedet ad dextram tuam interpellat pro nobis alioquin desperarem magni enim multi sunt languores animae meae magni multi sed major est medicina tua amplior And so a man doth exalt Grace and by this means abase himself all his days Oh I was a Blasphemer I was an Adulterer a Persecutor and yet I have obtained