through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And in Heaven also he eminently intercedes for us Seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them and that his Atonement might be efficacious to us He now appears in the Presence of God for us therefore it is said That We are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh bitter things than the Blood of Abel Come to Jesus c. that is to a clearer knowledge of his Work and Office Sirs all Christ's Satisfaction and Priesthood would be ineffectual for our good if he did not continue in the exercise of it in Heaven by his Intercession for it is by virtue of his Intercession that all his Merits are applied to us for if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son or God was reconciled to us for it is that which the Holy Ghost intends much more being reconcil'd we shall be saved by his Life the design of this Office therefore was to make our Peace or our Reconciliation to God by a Price paid and to apply that Atonement that it might be effectual and continued unto us for ever Christ doth not reconcile God to us as a King but as a Priest and it is not done by what he works in us but by what he hath done for us II. As Christ is a Priest so also he is a King He is I say invested with Kingly Authority as he is Mediator Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion His Kingdom as one observes is not Regnum naturale which he hath as God co-essential with the Father but Regnum Oeconomicum which he hath by Donation and Vnction from his Father it is given to him as Mediator Moreover his Power as King is very great He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate 1. King over Sin which as a Tyrant hath long Reigned 2. King over Devils and all the Powers of Darkness 3. King over Death that King of Terrors the Keys of Hell and Death are given to him 4. King of Saints he being the Universal Head of the Church and King of Nations 5. Nay he hath Kingly Power and Headship over the Holy Angels He is the Head of Principalities and Powers yea his Power is over all Creatures God hath put all things under his Feet His Kingship and Authority is therefore Universall All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth And hence There is nothing which he as Mediator God-man cannot do Now the Work of Christ as King 1. Is to subdue all our Enemies for us which indeed he hath effectually already done Sin the World Devils and Death being all brought under his Feet 2. To give us Laws Statutes and Ordinances for as he is Mediator he is our Law-giver but he doth not give us Laws that by our Obedience to them our Peace should be made and we be Justified In this Sense Christ is no Law-giver no to make our Peace that appertains partly to his Priestly Office as I have shewed you before and partly to his Suretiship for so he paid both our Debt of perfect Obedience and our Penal Debt also and merited all Grace and Glory for us for tho Christ is a Priest yet he is more than a Priest viz a Surety also but he gives us Laws as we are his Free-born Subjects whom he Redeemed by his Blood that we might know how to Honour and Live under him that died for us and rose again 3. His Work as King is to govern his Church and every Member thereof moreover his Laws in the New Testament do contain all those Rules for the Constitution of a Gospel-Church and also all the Rules of the Government and Discipline thereof 4. Christ's Work and Office as King is to subdue all the Elect unto himself I mean to work Grace in them and to change their Hearts and vanquish the Power of Sin and Satan for this is and must be done by that Almighty Power which he exerts by his Spirit in their Souls and so takes possession of them as King and Supream Ruler whom as a Priest he purchased by his Blood and all this as he is Mediator of this Covenant of Peace That Christ may dwell in our Hearts by Faith or sway the Scepter there 5. Moreover Christ as King will exercise his Kingly Office in taking to him his great Authority and Regal Power and Reign over all the Earth For his Right is Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession Thou shalt break them in pieces like a Potters Vessel The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever And of the increase of his Government there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Justice and with Judgment from henceforth and for ever All the Kingdoms under the whole Heavens shall be given unto him And he shall possess the Gates of his Enemies This will be made good more fully and visibly upon the going off of the Fourth-Monarchy and upon the passing away of the second Woe or Mahomitan Power and downfal of the Beast and Mystery Babylon which is now at the very Door when Christ will save his Church from all her Enemies III. Christ as Mediator is a Prophet A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me He as Prophet is the Minister of the New Covenant or the chief and great Ambassador of Peace the chief Shepherd of the Sheep and Bishop of our Souls His Work as a Prophet 1. Is to reveal the Will Purpose Counsel and Design of God unto his Chosen and this he did in the Days of his Flesh in his own and in his Apostles Ministration revealing That My-Mystery that was hid from Ages and Generations He was indeed a Teacher that came from God as Nichodemus saith My Doctrine saith he is not mine but the Father 's that sent me For I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me gave me Commandment what I should say and what I should speak denoting that he received his Mission his Doctrine and his Authority to Preach from the Father as he is Mediator As a Prophet he gives the knowledge of Salvation to his People for without his Divine Revelation Mankind could not arrive to the knowledge of it for the Light that is in Man naturally reveals nothing of the Mystery of Redemption of the Covenant of Peace and Mediation of Jesus Christ. 2. Nor can any savingly know this but as Christ reveals it by his Spirit as the great Prophet
Blood was shed for shall have the Vertue thereof applied to them whatsoever is not efficient is not sufficient to attain the End thereof See a late Treatise Object If this be so why is the Proclamation so Vniversal 1 Answ. Because no sort of Sins nor Sinners by Name are excepted or exempted Who can say he was not included in this Covenant of Peace to whom the Gospel comes 2. Because Ministers know not but that every one to whom they Preach may be comprehended in this Covenant or in the Election of Grace 3. Because if any sort of Sinners were excepted unless God should discover them by Name who were included Multitudes might utterly despair 4. The Proclamation doth not run to all otherwise than thus viz. He that Believeth he that comes to Christ c. or that believes the Record God hath given of his Son or that receives the Atonement or believes the Testimony of the Gospel See Mark 16.16 Joh. 3.36 This brings me to the next thing Fourthly What are the Terms upon which Peace is offered and proclaimed The Terms on which Peace is proclaimed run thus viz. 1. That whosoever it is that believeth shall be saved True if Faith was not the Gift of God but the Condition agreed on as required of the Creature by his own power to act and exercise it would not only be hard but impossible because Faith must be wrought in our Hearts by the same Power that raised Christ from the Dead but he that calls dead Lazarus to rise from the Dead is able to quicken and by his commanding Voice to raise the Soul dead in Sins and Trespasses The Gospel in the Hand of the Spirit is a mighty Instrument of Christ's Power in the begetting or working of Faith in poor Sinners 2. The Proclamation runs to him that thirsteth Oh every one that thirsteth come to the Waters c. Jesus stood up and cryed If any Man thirst let him come to me and drink This thirsting may refer to thirsting after Happiness desiring to be saved yet others think it is a Thirst begotten in the Soul by the Spirit from the sight and sense of the Excellencies that Siners see in Christ and the Necessity of him they desire and thirst after him Faith draws Vertue from Christ but the Branch cannot draw Sap from the Root until it is grafted into the Stock Faith is the Fruit of the Spirit therefore the Seed must be first sown in our Hearts And this originally proceeds from our foederal Union with Christ in the Covenant of Peace And Secondly by our Mystical Union with him by the Spirit for it is hereby Faith is wrought Can any thing but evil Fruit grow out of a wild and evil Stock and Root all Works before Grace are Dead Works and profit us not 3. The Terms are to look to Christ Look to me and be saved all ye Ends of the Earth This is all one with Believing the Israelites that were stung with Fiery Serpents were to look to the Brazen Serpent so Christ is lifted up that whosoever looketh to him or that believeth on him should not perish but have Everlasting Life 4. 'T is made to all them that come to Christ Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden c. All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out 5. It runs to every one that hears but it is to such that hear Christ's Voice Hear and your Souls shall live The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God It is also to every one that will and whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely Whosoever God hath inclined their Will or made willing to accept of Peace by Jesus Christ If any Soul believes in Christ thirsteth for Christ looketh to Christ or cometh to Christ and yet Christ rejecteth him then charge him with Injustice But where lives that Man tho he was never so Vile and Ungodly that did thus but he found Mercy O see how Free and Universal the Proclamation is Object 'T is not so Free but Vnbelief puts in a Bar. Answ. A Sinful State is no Bar to the Power of God for what tho some believe not shall their Vnbelief make the Faith of God of none Effect God forbid Object But Men must be humbled first before they come and they must renounce their Idols c. Answ. Grace only humbles They shall look to me whom they pierced and shall mourn But God first pours upon them the Spirit of Grace before they can thus look or mourn See Zech. 12.10 all previous Qualifications before Grace are abominable to God because the State of the Soul is such and all such things that proceed not from Faith God abhorreth 't is but a working for Life and not from Life Is the Improvement of Common Grace the Foederal-Condition of geting Special No surely APPLICATION 1 Infer From hence we may infer That in the Covenant of Peace the Promises of God are Absolute and that this Absoluteness implies that all the Conditions that are required on the Creature 's part Grace is promised to them to perform them on God's part Who works in us to will and to do of his own good Pleasure 2. This Proclamation is not so Universal but that it wholly dependeth upon God's Sovereign Pleasure who shall reap the Benefit of it 'T is sent to one Nation and not to another God is not obliged to send it to all Kingdoms and Nations nor to all in that Nation whither he is pleased to send it but if Christ died for all I mean in the stead of all to satisfie Divine Justice for every individual Person then he would be Unjust in not sending the Gospel to them all But he must Call all and be sure he would give all the lesser Gifts as well as the greater viz. the Gospel and Faith c. to all as well as his Son to die for them all and not let them perish in their Sins and Unbelief for whom Christ died for without Faith all Adult Persons must perish And how shall they believe on him whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher 3. This Proclamation offers Free Pardon of all Sins both past present and to come to all that believe in Jesus Christ And therefore a final Deliverance from the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God Rom. 8.1 4. Free Justification by Christ alone is therein offered also 5. With a Supply of all Grace to the End to all them that are in Jesus Christ Phil. 4.19 6. It proclaims God to be our Father and we his Sons and Daughters upon receiving Jesus Christ. 7. Moreover where any Elect Sinners are or dwell thither the Proclamation shall and must go to bring them all into the Bonds of the Covenant 8. And also whosoever receive this
II. A seasonable Covenant in respect of the Revelation or Manifestation of it even just as Adam had sinned and when Divine Justice was ready to lift up his direful Ax of Divine Vengeance How seasonable is it for a poor condemned Criminal to hear of a Pardon just when he is brought to the place of Execution and the Halter is put about his Neck or the Ax lifted up to Cut off his Head III. It is a seasonable Covenant in respect to the application of the blessings thereof to a poor Sinner 1. 'T is by the Spirit applyed when the sinner sees he is Condemned being under the sense of Sin Wrath and Condemnation beholding himself just dropping into Hell then this Covenant is opened and the blessing of free Justification and Pardon is applied 2. When the Soul and Conscience of a sinner is wounded and his wounds bleed then is the Balm of the Covenant applied to heal him 3. When the Sinner sees he is pursued by the Avenger of Blood and sees no way to escape then his Eyes are opened and he is directed to fly to the City of refuge the way being made plain and easie and the Holy Spirit directs the Soul to Christ and crys Refuge Refuge 4. When the Sinner sees he is so sick that he can't live even then the Physician provided in the Covenant comes immediately and pours in his Oyl and Wine When I passed by and saw thee polluted in thy Blood I said unto thee live Ye I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine Eighthly It is a Sure Covenant Ordered in all things and sure Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David I. It is a sure Covenant because it is made with such a Surety as Jesus Christ is it is not made primarily with us but with Christ for us and with us in him the sure mercies of David That is our Lord Jesus Christ he is the true Antitipical David Sure because they are Mercies granted to us thro' Christ's suretiship and when a Sinner is brought into the bands of the Covenant God is said to make this Covenant with him i. e. he actually entering then thro' Christ into Covenant with God but our standing then in it is upon the account of Christ's Covenant with the Father for us II. It is a Sure Covenant because it stands upon the absolute purpose and unchangeable Decree and Councel of God My Mercy will I keep with him and my Covenant shall stand fast with him My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Hence the absolute Decrees of God are compared to mountains of Brass Zach. 6.1 Denoting how unmovable stedy and unchangable his Councels are nay Tho' the Mountains should depart and the Hills be removed yet saith the Lord my loving kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed c. All Covenant-Mercys are according to God's Eternal purpose which be purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord The Covenant stands not only as the act of God's Eternal Wisdom but as his Eternal Decree and Purpose before all Worlds III. The Covenant of Peace is sure because it is confirmed by the witness of the Holy Ghost 1. The Spirit of God was a witness to the Covenant when it was made 2. Moreover it was confirmed in the promulgation of it by the Holy Ghost by wonderfull Miracles for what served all those Miracles more clearly for than to confirm the Authority of the Mediator and the verity and stability of the Gospel Covenant IV. Furthermore The Covenant was as you heard confirmed by the Blood of Jesus Christ therefore it is a sure Covenant V. The Covenant is sure because it is confirmed by the Promise and Oath of God Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lye to David his Seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before me This is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the Earth so have I sworn that I will not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee compared with Heb. 6.13 16 17 18. VI. It is a Sure Covenant to all Gods Elect because the Execution of it is put into Christ's own hands he is the Executioner of his own Will and Testament for tho Christ was dead yet he is alive I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore Christ sees his last Will and Testament fully executed by his Spirit Ninethly It is a Covenant of Peace this is the Name that is given to it in my Text which also shews it is of an excellent and precious nature I. 'T is a Covenant of Peace with God God is hereby reconciled to us and we to him and that for ever II. Hereby we come also to have peace in our own Souls or peace of Conscience nor indeed can we ever have true peace any other ways For can your repentance give you peace of Conscience Can Tears of Blood apease Divine Wrath or satisfy Divine Justice Can Reformation of life give you Peace or your inherent Sanctification or pious and religious duties Do you fetch your peace from thence If you do your peace will be turned into trouble and anguish of Spirit or can your lively and spiritual Frame give you true and lasting peace I affirm 't is a false peace that is simply grounded on a lively and Spiritual Frame or disposition of Heart for there can be no true peace of Conscience but by Jesus Christ thro' the Blood of the everlasting Covenant He is our peace c. He will speak peace to his People Not as the World giveth give I unto you Dare a Man plead his Faith or good Duties to Justifie him and so from thence fetch his peace and comfort alas What unrighteousness cleaves to our righteousness what doubtings attend our Faith and what wandrings of heart attend us in our best Duties nay may we not find some Hypocrisie in us also tho in the main we are sincere our peace is only had in Christ. III. 'T is only by the peace made by Christ as is revealed in this Covenant that a poor wounded disparing and distressed Soul comes to have peace I once cited a passage out of Dr. Owen being pious Anselem's directions to a poor tempted Soul on a Death-Bed let me repeat it here once again Minister Dost thou believe thou canst not be saved but by the Death of Christ. ' Sick-man Yes I do so believe Minister Then let it be said unto thee go and whilest thy Soul abideth in thee and put all thy confidence in Christ's death alone place thy trust in no other thing commit thy self wholly to
Trust and Dependance And what is that but filthy Rags We have nothing to part with but cursed Filth and Pollution 2. Sirs whatsoever you have which is good it is his own Of thine own have we given thee saith David 'T is true we must give him the Glory of our External and Internal Riches Gifts Grace Righteousness but this is but to give him what is his own If thou art Righteous what givest thou him Or what receiveth he at thine Hand 3. He gave us Grace from whence our Tears of Sorrow proceeded Christ Reaps nothing but what he first Sowed it was his Grace his Spirit that broke our Hearts it was his Spirit that created Faith Love Hope Humility c. in us we only Trade with Christ's Money Secondly Christ makes sure Returns certain Returns 1. They that Sow in Tears shall Reap in Joy Again he saith Your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. 2. Christ is our great Insurer he keeps an Insuring Office in Heaven and hath ingaged his Faithfulness and Holiness to make us sure and certain Returns you shall not go forth Weeping but he assures you that you shall return Rejoycing and bring your Sheaves with you Thirdly Jesus Christ makes quick Returns 1. Nay we sometimes meet with Returns when 't is in our Hearts to Trade with him before we venture out in Trading Before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear Object But sometimes we do not presently receive what we ask of God in Christ's Name 1 Ans. God answers us sometimes tho not in that manner or in that thing we request of him yet he gives us that which he sees is better for us 2. He gives us always quickly or right early that is when he sees the Fruit is ripe and good for us or in the proper Season Vnripe Fruit is not good 't is hurtful you know 3. When we are fit to receive the Mercy desired and know how to improve it to his Glory and our Profit then we shall have it and would you have it sooner 4. He may forbear sometimes to give us what we ask because we ask amiss or to try our Faith Love Patience c. but God must be Judge and not we of what is best for us and of the time when given to us also APPLICATION 1. Bless Christ for the Covenant of Peace upon the account it opens such a happy Trade or procures for us such free access to God 2. We infer that Sinners are wofully blind that so few will study this Trade they will not Trade to Heaven nor deal in Spiritual Things 1. Satan has blinded their Minds And 2. The World is got into their Hearts they are for present Things for sensual Things sensual Pleasures Profits Honours 3. They know not the way how to Trade Christ is the Way but they know him not they will Trade in forbidden Goods even with their own Money c. They think by their Tears by their Repentance by their own Faith Righteousness and Obedience to procure all things they want even both Justification and Eternal Life 3. Train up your Children in this Trade labour to instruct them into the Knowledge of Jesus Christ bring them up in the Way that they should go 4. This also reproves such that grow weary of this Holy Calling or that decay or waste their Stock and grow poorer and poorer every Day 1. The Price of Heavenly Commodities are fallen in their Esteem Prayer Reading Meditation Christian Converse Church Communion Peace with God and Peace of Conscience too is but of little worth now with them 2. Their Faith is low their Love to Christ his Truth and People is decay'd their heat of Zeal is gone 3. They are but little at Home do not watch their own Hearts or are more abroad to find faults in others and spying the Moat that is in their Brother's Eye Quest. Can 't Men Break that follow this Trade Answ. False Traders false Professors may nay will Break and come to nothing 1. They Set up without a Stock I mean without true Saving Grace 2. They Trade with their own Money or have Confidence in the Flesh and trust in their own Strength which had almost undone Peter 3. They are far in Debt and see not the way of coming out they do not see that all their Debts are paid by Jesus Christ. 4. They Trade not alone in Christ's Name nor are they strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus 5. They look one way and Row another look Heavenward but their Hearts are Earthly 6. They prize Earthly Riches above Heavenly Things so that 't is no wonder if these Break but no true Christian I have proved can ever Break or be Undone 5. Be exhorted to Trade for Heaven and to buy of Christ Buy of me Gold tried in the Fire c. Buy the Truth and Sell it not Do not only Cheapen his Wares but resolve to buy Do you not love Gold O! Buy presently you hear how without Money What are all Things here free And yet do you not like the Terms Alas Proud Man would fain pay for all he has this Plague reigns amongst those of this Generation Directions to Trade to Heaven 1. Trade with God by Christ make use of this Blessed Correspondent come to God by him or you will get nothing obtain nothing Hitherto you have ask'd nothing in my Name and therefore received no more 2. Know and be assured that by the Peace Christ has made you may freely Trade and come to God but be sure see that 't is in Faith you come to him or you will never speed plead the absolute Promises 3. Observe the Motions of the Spirit Mariners set out with the Wind and Tide so must you The Wind blows where it listeth God's Spirit will not always strive with Men. 4. Mind the Exchange-time Merchants will not fail here O! see you do not neglect God's Publick Worship no lose not one Opportunity if it be possible one Neglect in this case had almost ruined Thomas When Ministers Preach you ought to hear nay you must hear 5. Be sure you keep up Closet Prayer much of this Spiritual Trade lies in this Duty also you must labour to pray in Faith and also fervently cold Prayers will never prevail with God 6. Keep up your Acquaintance with Jesus Christ you that are Believers see to this and you that are Sinners see that you get Union with him Acquaint thy self with him and be at Peace thereby good shall come to thee without Union there can be no Communion with Christ Brethren here is great Complaint of Badness of Trade may be 't is a Judgment because this Trade is slighted or so much neglected O! remember this is your general Calling and it must have the perferance whatever business is neglected this must not How did God blast the Jews in
Trading because his House lay waste They minded not this Trade Also know the more you venture the greater Returns you will have the more you do or suffer for Christ the greater your Reward of Grace will be They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Stars for evermore There are no doubt degrees of Glory in Heaven Quest. Who are Rich Traders Rich Christians Answ. All Believers are rich yet some are richer than others richer in Faith Love and Holiness than others 1. They that can Trust most are rich Dealers the Poor you know can't Trust they live upon their Labour so some too much fetch their Comforts from their liveliness in Duties and lively Frames or from their own Labour but this is not to live by Faith but such are rich that can Trust or Believe tho they with Thomas see and feel not 2. Such that are rich live high they keep a Noble Table I mean eat the fat and drink the sweet of the Ordinances and of the Promises and also they dwell above they dwell on high or enjoy Blessed Communion with the Father and the Son 3. They that are Spiritually poor poor in their own Eyes are rich I know thy Poverty but thou art Rich. 4. Such that are more Heavenly than others are the richest Saints 5. Such that are most rich in good Works 6. Such that can best bear Burdens when Taxes or Burdens are laid on poor Men they can't bear them but the Rich can 7. Commonly the Rich are envied so Satan and wicked Men envy such Christians that are most rich Thieves seldom beset a poor Man's House the more thou art tempted O Soul the greater sign it is that thou art rich 8. Rich Men feed others they feed the Poor so such that are rich in Grace and Experiences feed other Christians The Lips of the Righteous feed many 9. The Rich are better cloathed and adorned than others so rich Believers are more Holy more Humble Meek and Lowly than others are But I cannot enlarge on these Things but must leave what I have said to the Blessing of God SERMON XIV Opening the Nature of the Peace made by vertue of this Covenant ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee I AM this Day to conclude with this great Subject The last Thing I told you that I should do was to open the Nature of that Peace which is made by vertue of this Covenant The Method I shall take in speaking unto this shall be First To give you a short Summary Account of what we have said as to what is requisite to this Peace with God c. Secondly Shew you the Nature of this Peace Thirdly Apply the whole we have said on this Subject First I have shewed you that Jesus Christ alone is the great Peace-maker between God and Man I. You have heard that we can have no Peace with God until he is Reconciled and this Christ has done God in Christ is Reconciled his Justice is satisfied and his Wrath by Christ's Obedience and Sacrifice is appeased II. Sinners must also we have shewed you be Reconciled to God We pray you in Christ's stead be ye Reconciled to God Tho Sinners Peace may be made with God by Jesus Christ yet that Peace may not be accepted of by them or they may not be reconciled to him true we have proved that Jesus Christ undertook to do both these for all God's Elect as hath again and again been hinted 1. You have heard that Christ died on the Cross so making Peace by satisfying Divine Justice 2. He also as our Blessed High-Priest sprinkles that Blood upon our Consciences I mean applies the vertue of it to our Souls By the first Act he removes all Obstacles out of God's way and by the second he removes all Obstacles out of the Sinner's way so that the Reconciliation becomes Mutual Now that which is requisite on the Sinner's part in order to Peace and Reconciliation to God 1. Is that his Eyes be opened to see his wretched State and Condition by Nature i. e. that he is a Sinner an Enemy to God a Rebel yea a Cursed and Condemned Creature in the first Adam Yet 2. That God in Christ is well pleased or as I have shewn is reconciled by his Wrath-appeasing Sacrifice as the Way Means or Meritorious Cause thereof and that that Enmity which is naturally in the Sinner's Heart must be removed also 3. He must believe or come to Christ resting alone upon him for Justification Pardon Peace and Eternal Life being convinced there is no other way to obtain these Blessings but by him only 4. And the Grace of God being thus poured forth upon the Soul by the Spirit Faith is wrought in him to look to Jesus Christ and so seeing and admiring the rich Bounty Pardon and Unwordable Clemency of his offended and provoked Soveraign this works Repentance or Godly Sorrow for Sin in every such Person by which means he mourns and is more or less in great bitterness of Spirit in beholding how hateful Sin is to God and also what Sorrows his Sins brought upon his Blessed Saviour Hence it is called A mourning for him Zech. 12.10 For saith the Soul now I see that my Sins Crucified my dear Lord and let out his Hearts Blood and thus was my Peace made 5. Upon this the Believing and Sin-loathing Sinner resolves to lay down his Arms and never any more to fight against God Shall I saith he thus receive a Free Pardon of all my by-past Treasons Sins and Rebellion against my most Gracious Sovereign refuse to lay down my Arms Shall I continue in Sin because Grace has abounded God forbid Brethren if Grace be infused into the Sinner's Heart it will Teach him to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts And not only to deny it to leave it but also to loath it it changes the Mind yet Repentance is not the Condition of Peace with God but an effect of it or of Christ's Merit a Broken Heart being one Promise in the Covenant 6. A Sinner hath not cannot have actual interest in the Blessings of this Covenant or have Peace in his own Soul without Union with Christ which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit and Faith of the Operation of God first of all whereby it is that the Soul is transplanted out of the first Adam that dead stock into the second Adam that quickning Spirit Moreover know that the Real and Relative Change is at one and the same time and certainly all that deny that there is a Change of State as well as a Change of Heart err exceedingly 1. Because the Word of God positively declares That by Nature the Elect are Children of Wrath as well as others therefore more than under Wrath in their own Conscience for in their own Consciences they may not apprehend they are the
as the Glory of Christ and of the Holy Spirit therefore let him primarily have the Honour of our Peace and Salvation O how did Love and Bowels move towards us in the Heart of God the Father from everlasting III. Exhort Also be exhorted to prize and highly esteem of the Lord Jesus Christ from what you have heard concerning the Covenant because Christ is the Sum of the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant to the People 1. Christ is originally and fundamentally the Covenant saith a Worthy Writer he is the Original Root out of which this Covenant sprang and he is the Foundation upon which it is grounded Behold I say in Zion for a Foundation a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure Foundation c. God fixt his Eye on Christ and entered into Covenant with him he is the Foundation Stone of this Covenant had there not been a Mediator found there had been no Covenant of Peace ever made nor any Redemption for poor Sinners 2. When it was first revealed it was expressed by his Person viz. The Seed of the Woman nothing else is mentioned there yet this contains the first Revelation of this Covenant to Fallen Man And what was the Covenant of Grace as revealed to Abraham but Jesus Christ In thy Seed shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be Blessed Thus Christ is represented as the Sum of the Covenant 3. Christ is the Covenant primarily as the same Author notes and by Propriety As Fire is hot for it self and all things hot for it and by participation With Christ the Covenant was made as the chief Party with Believers it was made in Subordination to him with him it was made at first Hand with us at second Hand Now Brethren this certainly is true therefore all Promises were made first to Christ and first fulfilled to him and all Acts of God's Love terminate first upon him and come to us through him Who has made us accepted in the Beloved Had not God's Love been fixt first on him as Mediator it had never run out to us all Covenant-Blessings are in him Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Christ as our Head is the Repository or Seat of all Divine Blessings Christ is the Jewel the Riches or the Sum of all things in the Covenant as Life Righteousness Pardon Peace c. And he that receives this Jewel receives all things with him From hence he is compared to a Cluster of Camphire 4. Jesus Christ saith the same Author is the Covenant eminently because he is the chief Blessing of the Covenant there is not such another Promise in all the Bundle of Promises contained in the Covenant If thou knowest the Gift of God c. Christ is the Gift of God yet certainly our Author forgot that God the Father and the Holy Ghost are given as well as Christ in the Covenant but when Christ is given God the Father and the Holy Spirit is given He that has the Son has the Father also All other things in the Covenant are saith he but as the Garnish of this Jewel 5. Christ is the Covenant virtually he is the just value of all the Bargain he is of as much worth as all that is promised If you would know the worth of the Covenant consider the worth of Jesus Christ. Moreover my Brethren they that have Christ have all that is promised in the Covenant 6. Jesus Christ purchased all that good which is in the Covenant when we say God is our God we must say he is our God in Christ or by Christ or through his Redemption and Procurement 7. Christ is the Covenant comprehensively or summarily he is the very Compound or Abridgment of the Covenant he is the whole Covenant by way of Stipulation on our part c. 8. Jesus Christ is the only way of Conveyance of all Covenant Blessings through whom we receive all we need or that is Communicaed unto us Moreover the Tender of the Covenant and Interest in it is contained in the free Tender of Christ and Interest in him Get Christ be but in Christ and thou art in the Covenant Sirs when God gives Christ to a Sinner the whole Covenant is performed to that Person and he that receives not Jesus Christ shall never have one saving Benefit or Blessing thereof And thus may Christ be called the Covenant But IV. From hence also we may infer the wonderful worth that there is in the Blood of Christ It is not only precious Blood in respect had unto his Person whose Blood it is viz. the Eternal Son of God but also in respect of that Atonement it hath made and that Wrath it has appeased and that Peace it has procured and in regard of those Infinite Blessings and Priviiedges it hath merited for us and that precious Soul it Sanctifies O prize this Blood What will become of them that contemn and slight this Blood and the Vertue and Efficacy that is in it Or account it as the Blood of another Man or as an unholy and unprofitable thing it had been better for such if they had never been Born V. We may moreover from hence see the absolute necessity there is of the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit in order to the Application of the Blood of the Covenant and all Covenant Blessings unto us The Holy Ghost deserves my Brethren equal Glory with the Father and the Son The Holy Spirit must plant Grace in our Hearts or be a Vital Principle in the Soul it is he which infuses sacred Habits from whence all Vital Acts proceed by the Spirit we come to have the root of the matter in us from whence all Spiritual Fruit flows 't is the Spirit that draws us to Christ that unites our Souls to him without it the Death of Christ profits no Man it is he which sprinkles his Blood on our Consciences O let our Mediations swim in the unlimited Ocean of Love and Divine Goodness and magnifie all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity VI. We may furthermore learn from hence to see what absolute necessity there is of the Revelation of this Mystery through the Word or Holy Gospel what signifies all Natural Religion doth naturally light in Man discover any thing of our Redemption and Reconciliation by Jesus Christ And from hence let us be moved to abhor those New and Cursed Notions which at this Day so much prevail which tend to raze the very Foundation of the true Christian Religion for such that contemn all revealed Religion contemn the Christian Religion From hence also VII We may perceive the Necessity of True and Saving Faith and likewise the Excellency thereof no Man is possessed of this Peace that has not the Faith of God's Elect He that believeth not is Condemned already and shall be Damned unless
is able not only to bring us to God or into the Bonds of his Covenant but also to keep us in a State of Peace so that we shall not break Covenant with God any more for ever so as to lose his Love and Favour And as Jesus Christ hath power to do this so he also in this Covenant of Peace ingaged to do it He is able I say and will do it Brethren shall he shed his Blood to make our Peace and shall he not secure that Peace to us or not preserve us in a State of Peace I shall before I have done shew you that he is not only Mediator but Surety also of the Covenant of Peace and he is bound or obliged to perform all these things for all that are given unto him by the Father and he will lose not one of them we are the Preserved in Jesus Christ as well as Called VIII A Mediator is not only to bring one Party to Terms of Peace but to reconcile both Parties if possible Jesus Christ is not only to reconcile God to Man but also Man to God A Mediator is not a Mediator of one but God is one God is the offended and injured Party and Jesus Christ reconciled God by that Satisfaction he made to his Holy Law and Justice but he hath another Work to do which is to reconcile the Elect unto God Some Men intimate that altho God on his part in Christ is reconciled yet Man is to reconcile himself to God or make his own Peace as well as he can and that he is to enter into a Covenant himself with God and labour to perform these things upon the pain of Damnation but this Gospel I understand not I know no Covenant of Peace but that which Christ made with the Father and it is his Work as Mediator to bring poor Sinners to accept of the Terms of Peace agreed on in order to their personal and actual Interest in the Blessings of the said Covenant Christ must change the Sinners Heart by the infusing of his Spirit and so unite the Soul to himself by which means he brings the Sinner into the Bonds of the Covenant The outward means is indeed the Preaching of the Gospel but the inward and effectual means is the efficacious Operations of the Holy Spirit and he that saith it is in the Power of Man's Will to make his Peace or to lay hold of the Covenant takes the Work of Christ's Mediation out of his Hand and the Crown from off his Head IX A Mediatour many times meets with great trouble and Difficulties in undertaking to make Peace and what trouble hath Jesus Christ met with And what Sorrow hath he undergone from Devils from Men nay and from Divine Justice and incensed Wrath when he put himself in our Law place What Reproaches and Temptations did attend him What Tears did he shed What Anguish did he feel And what a Bloody Agony did he pass under And what a Painful und Shameful Death did he Die And also what Opposition and Resistance Scorn and Contempt doth he daily still meet with from Sinners Oh! how averse are Men to accept of Peace and Reconciliation with God by Christ Some contemn his Blood rendring it as an empty and carnal thing and think to obtain Peace by another Christ a Christ within even by the Law or Light in their Hearts Others by a new Law or by their Faith and Sincere Obedience Moreover some value the League they have made with Sin Hell and Death and will not nullifie that but esteem that Covenant before and above this Covenant of Peace made between the Father and Son and confirmed by Christ's Blood But I can proceed no further at this time SERMON III. Further opening the Work of Christ as Mediator Together with the Exercise of his Offices as King Priest Prophet Surety Testator c. ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee THE Doctrine I have raised from these Words is this viz. Doct. That there is a Covenant of Peace made or agreed upon and stands firm in behalf of all God's Elect. I am my Brethren upon the Work and Office of Christ as Mediator of this Covenant of Peace I have gone through an Induction of Nine Particulars and shall now proceed X. A Mediator ought to be indowed with much Patience and Long-suffering for Peace sake either from the one or the other Party Now my Brethren Jesus Christ the Mediator of Peace in this Covenant hath shewed wonderful Patience he indured the Anger and Wrath of God the Father smote him and hid his Face from him he spared not his own Son And he was also despised and rejected of Men yet bore it all patiently He was oppressed and afflicted and yet opened not his Mouth who when he was reviled he reviled not again but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously XI A Mediator must be undaunted and very courageous and not tired nor wearied out Jesus Christ my Brethren is full of Courage He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he hath set Judgment in the Earth Tho his Work was heavy and amazing which he was to do yet he fainted not God the Father having promised to uphold him I will uphold thee indeed it was impossible that he should want courage who was the Mighty God the Lord that fainteth not neither is weary he hath the fulness of the Godhead dwelling Bodily in him I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save He never fainted under his Burden so as to cast it off but faithfully finished the Work his Father gave him to do It is finished and he bowed his Head and gave up the Ghost XII A Mediator must be of a mollifying Temper indeavouring to bring both Parties to terms of Peace the one not to stand up to the uttermost rigour of Justice further than is absolute requisite nor the other to remain stubborn and obstinate Now Jesus Christ the Mediator of this Covenant of Peace in this infinitely excelled all that ever undertook such an Office 1. How Mollifying was his Temper towards God True he well knew God could not in point of Justice considering his Infinite Holiness Rectitude of his Nature and the Sanction of his Law abate any thing no not one Farthing of the whole Debt but must have full Satisfaction yet Christ brought the Majesty of God to accept of his Mediation and Suretiship for us and O how did God condescend to him herein who might have vigorously exacted a full Satisfaction from the Sinner himself and not to have admitted of a Substitute for him But the Blessed Mediator prevails with God to accept of Payment from his Hands instead of a Personal Satisfaction made by the Sinner God yields to Jesus Christ and accepts of Payment or Satisfaction from his Hands not in our Persons but in the Person
suffered as our Head and Representative in our stead or room the Just for the Vnjust or the Surety for the Principal or for the Sinner and this according to the Terms agreed upon in the Covenant of Peace and not simply for our good any otherwise God being in his own Nature Just as well as Gracious could not without Wrong or Injury to his Justice Holiness and the Sanction of his Law Acquit Justifie and Pardon any Sinner without a full Satisfaction to both Law and Justice and this must either be done by us or by our Surety for us 2. We affirm that the Law of Perfect Obedience results from the Holiness Purity and Rectitude of God's Nature and therefore it stands as a perpetual Law and can never be abolished as a Rule of Life tho it be taken away as it required perfect Obedience of us or as a Law of Works to be fulfilled and satisfied for in our own Persons in point of Justification Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid Yea we establish the Law because by Christ we attain a perfect Righteousness being interested in his most compleat and perfect Obedience to the Moral Law and by his Spirit to live in more exact Conformity thereunto My Brethren Is it not our Duty still and as much as ever it was To love the Lord our God with all our Hearts with all our Souls and with all our Strength and our Neighbour as our selves not only sincerely but perfectly nay to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect Tho we are not able to do this yet the Moral Law still remains and requires us thus to do true we shall not be Damned for want of this perfect Obedienc because Christ hath in our Nature and stead kept the Law perfectly for us and so he is the end of the Law in respect of Righteousness to all that believe Christ did not come to engage or undertake as a Mediator that we should perfectly in our own Persons keep the Moral Law and so be Justified in God's Sight nor did he come to undertake that we should sincerely keep any other Law to that end much less leave us to the exercise of our Natural or Spiritual Abilities to keep such a Law as the Condition of our Justification and Acceptation with God but he came to procure for us such a Righteousness by his own Obedience and Suffering that the Holiness Justice and Law of God doth require of us if we are Justified with God for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sent furth his Son c. T is a hard case my Brethren that these degenerate Presbyterians or any pretending to be Gospel-Preachers should deny Christ to be a Common Head and Surety for the Elect for he that dies in the stead and room of others is by the consent of the Law-giver substituted in their Law place and so takes upon him the Capacity of a Surety Representative or common Person undertaking to do and suffer what others should but these Men deny this Relation or Capacity of Christ as a Surety in this Sense and therefore deny he obeyed and died in our stead And from hence it follows also that Christ did not do that for us which our own Perfect Obedience did do whilst Man stood and would have done had he not sinned i. e. Justified him or have given him a Title to Life 3. Moreover if Christ was not put in our Law place as our Representative and Surety Why was he made of a Woman and made under the Law Was it not that the Law might reach him 1. As to its commanding Power as our Surety to pay the Debt of Perfect Obedience thereunto 2. And as a Sinner in a Law Sense to die or be made Sin for us that is by Imputation for had not he been under the Law the Law could not have reached him in either sense i. e. either to do or suffer and had not he took our Law place upon him we could not have been the better for what could his taking our Nature on him have profited us had he not been substituted in our room But as we were obliged by the Law Justice and Holiness of God to keep the Law perfectly so he was made under the Law to keep it for us and as we were sinful Men and liable to the Just Sentence of the Law for our Violation of it so he was made under the Law and as our Representative and Surety to die and to satisfie Divine Justice for our Transgressions that were against it He was made under the Law i. e. under the Preceptory part of it to fulfil and establish that he satisfied for that part of the Law He was under the Law as being liable to the Punishment or Penalty of the Law that he might answer and fulfil that and for ever deliver us from the Punishment thereof and all this as our Surety standing in our Law place Reproof This may tend severely to reprehend those new and erroneous Notions that so prevail amongst us concerning Christ's Work and Office as Mediator we say and prove that by Christ's Active and Perfect Obedience to the Law we are justified and delivered from Wrath and Condemnation or that by Christ's Righteousness imputed Believers are perfectly Justified and freed from the Curse of the Law and are certainly entituled to Eternal Life 1. But our new Work-mongers assert That our Justification or Right to Life dependeth wholly upon our Obedience to the Gospel as a Law as the Condition to which it is promised Therefore as one observes it puts us into a Condition of Life imperfect and subject to change as Obedience it self is and that we are not perfectly Justified till our Obedience is perfected Thus Mr. Clark of High-Wickham and others Take Mr. Clark's Words viz. Our Justification at present while we are in this World is but Partial Imperfect and Incompleat Ans. Now say I this confounds Justification with Sanctification and as I have told him then it also follows that Believers are partly justified and partly condemned i. e. we are not acquitted from the guilt of all Sin whilst in this World and so Christ's Dove is not Vndefiled Lord what an Age do we live in 2. We say that we are made Partakers of Christ's Righteousness and the Benefits of it by our Union with him through the Spirit by which means Faith is wrought in us by which we apprehend him and we say that Faith is an Instrument whereby we receive him Faith only Justifying us objectively i. e. It is not Faith but Jesus Christ that Faith takes hold of that doth Justifie us in the Sight of God But they say That Faith in its whole Latitude is our believing and obeying the Gospel that is Faith and all the Fruits thereof or Faith and Obedience or if you please Faith and Gospel-Works For Mr. Clark says That
we say he will perform it He shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory 1. He will according to his Promise and Covenant strengthen our Faith and encrease it 2. Subdue our Iniquities He will subdue our Iniquities thou wilt cast all their Sins into the Depths of the Sea thou wilt perform thy Truth to Jacob. 3. To support and succour us under all Temptations thus he hath promised and he is Faithful therefore will do it 1. Cor. 10.13 No Temptation hath befallen you but such that is common to Men and God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able c. 4. To comfort us in all our Sorrows I will not leave you Comfortless c. 5. To help us under all our Afflictions Reproaches Losses and Persecutions all these are Covenant Blessings and therefore promised to us 6. To enable us to perform acceptably all Holy Duties for without him we can do nothing 7. To make us Fruitful and so to abide unto the end I have chosen you and ordained you that you go and bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain the Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree Those that are planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts oâ— our God they shall still bring forth Fruit in Old Age they shall be fat and flourishing And all this God hath promised to us by vertue of Christ's undertaking as our Surety for us For the Grace by which all this is done was promised first to Christ he is filled full of Grace as our Head of Influence And he hath engaged to God for us to act and influence us with that Grace which he so received which he doth perform in what measure and manner he pleaseth through or by virtue of that Union we have with him and by the constant communication of fresh Supplies from himself Therefore it is added To shew that the Lord is Vpright and that there is no Vnrighteousness in him Brethren pray consider this well that all Grace and Spiritual Blessing whatsoever which we receive is all promised to us by God the Father and made good to us through Christ's Mediation and Undertakings as our Surety For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the Glory of God the Father I say that that Mutual Covenant betwixt God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ makes all Covenant Blessings and Promises sure to us all Promises are from the Father through Christ by the Holy Spirit Christ received the Spirit without measure upon his Covenanting with the Father and he engaged to send the Spirit to be the Almighty Agent to do all things for us for as he purchased the Spirit for us so he hath asked it of the Father and still as our Surety and Advocate he intercedes with the Father for us that we may receive a Gracious Measure thereof I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter The Father upon Christ's Suretiship promised to him that his Spirit shall never depart from him nor his Seed As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put into thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed from henceforth and for ever 8. Christ hath engaged to confirm us to the end this he undertook as our Surety it was God's Promise to him He shall see his Seed This was promised to him upon what he was to do and suffer and Christ I say hath engaged as our Surety to confirm us Who shall confirm you to the end God is Faithful by whom ye were called unto the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus Christ by vertue of this Covenant was to have many Companions or fellow Heirs of Glory and God's calling us is the first Foundation Act in God of performance of this Covenant with Christ and to us in him The Father is as much bound and obliged to keep us as Christ is because of that Price he hath received for us by Christ which he accepted of in this Covenant of Peace 9. Christ was obliged as our Surety not to lose one of them which the Father gave him And this is the Father's Will that sent me That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last Day This is as if our Lord should have said The Father's Will and Covenant made with me is That I should not lose one of his Elect. The Father as one observes promised three things to the Son in this Covenant upon what he was to do and suffer 1. His Assistance 2. That he should have a Seed which he should see 3. He promised Eternal Glory to him and to all them in him I. His Assistance The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. Behold my Servant that I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him Well and what hath Christ engaged to do He shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles A bruised Reed shall he not break and the smoaking Flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth Judgment unto Truth I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness and will uphold thine Hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the People for a Light of the Gentiles That is for the Surety of my Covenant To open Blind eyes c. He shall feed in the Strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God Christ was to plead these Promises He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my Salvation II. God promised him a Seed 1. A Numerous Seed As the Dew of the Morning in abundance upon the Flowers and Plants fear not for I am with thee I will bring thy Seed from the East and gather thee from the West I will say to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back Bring my Sons from afar and my Daughters from the Ends of the Earth 2. A Perpetual Seed or a Seed that shall endure for ever His Seed will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the Days of Heaven My Covenant will I not break c. III. The Father promised him great Glory and an Eternal Kingdom Ask of me I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession behold my Servant he shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and made very high I will divide him a Portion with the Great and he shall divide the Spoil
for us by the Death of Christ for as you heard Christ did more than pay our Debts V. Christ's Death was the Pacifying or Atoneing Sacrifice his Precious Blood quenched the Fire of God's Wrath and so it is the only way by which we come to be delivered from Hell Our Jonah was cast over-board to make a Calm and caused the Storm of Divine Vengeance to cease VI. And more directly to our present Purpose I say again the Death of Christ was to ratifie and confirm the Covenent VII Moreover the Death of Christ was not only to confirm the Covenant of Peace it self but to confirm all Covenant Grants Covenant Blessings and Covenant Promises also for had not the Testator died none could sue for any Legacy therein bequeathed to them Furthermore also the Holy Ghost is appointed to be the Executioner of this Covenant or of the Last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God Purge your Consciences from Dead Works to serve the true living God It is the same Spirit of Jesus that offered up his Body that applies his Blood and makes it efficacious to us and also puts us into the Possession of the Inheritance purchased for us And for this Cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death that they which are called might receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance That is through his Intercession and the Agency of the Holy Spirit the Effects of his Sacrifice might become effectual to all the Elect viz. to their Justification Vocation Sanctification and Glorification If the Will of Man had been left or substituted to be the Executioner of Christ's Last Will and Testament not one Soul might have been saved or if otherwise yet all the Glory would not have then redown'd to Jesus Christ but one great part thereof to the Creature But thus it is not left 'T is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth No no it is wholly committed to the Blessed Agency of the Holy Ghost who doth and must bow and bend the Will of Man unto God But more of this hereafter My Brethren It is very remarkable what Knowledge some of the Ancient Jews had of the Messiah Rabbi Hadars as I find him quoted by a Worthy Divine speaks thus viz. God treating with the Messiah said Righteous Messiah Those who are hid in thee are such whose Sins in time shall bring thee to Grief thy Ears shall hear Reproaches thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy Mouth thou shalt be wearied with Sorrows The Messiah answered Lord of the World I joyfully take them upon me and Charge my self with their Torment but upon this Condition that thou shalt quicken the Dead God saith this Rabbi granted him this and from that time the Messiah charged himself with all kinds of Torments VSE I. From hence we may infer what horrid Evil there is in Unbelief or the Shamefulness of Unbelief and O what Ignorance there is in Men of this Covenant Agreement God is pacified and reconciled but Sinners will not believe it and from hence retain frightful Thoughts of God 2. We infer That our Salvation stands upon a sure and certain Foundation and that the Elect shall be saved 1. They are the Seed of Christ and are given to him tho never so unworthy in themselves 2 In regard of the firmness of the Covenant of Peace you hear how and by what it is confirmed 3. In regard Jesus Christ hath done his Suffering Work his Bleeding Work his Dying Work confirming his Covenant and he is bound to do all the rest in us and for us and the Spirit is the Executior Christ tho he died is alive and dies no more and therefore can and will see his own Will fully executed 4. Because God hath link'd in this Covenant his own Glory and our Good together II. Contemplate on the Love of your dying Friend Shall the King Immortal become a dying Testator O search into this Will to find your Names and see what vast Legacies are bequeathed therein to you Moreover you see that your Right to Grace and Glory is a Testimentory Right the Covenant betwixt God and Christ is turned into a Testament between him and you My Peace I leave with you He hath paid dear for it III. Sinners will you by Unbelief make void if it were possible this Covenant or not sue out by Christ's Blood your Pardon but think to get it some other ways Sirs all 〈◊〉 saving Grace is comprehended in this Covenant IV. What are all Earthly Legacies to those Christ hath left in his Last Will and Testament V. Terror Let all such tremble that turn Christ's Last Will and Testament into a Law of Works or into a Conditional Covenant or that give the Glory to their Faith to their Obedience or to the Creature and let all such fear likewise that venture to alter any thing contained in Christ's Last Will and Testament Lastly Do not forget your dying Friend O keep up his Remembrance in those Holy Signs of his Death and Suffering which he hath left in his word This do in remembrance of me I shall now proceed to the next thing proposed under this General Head Fourthly After a Covenant of Peace is ratified and confirmed it is proclaimed and so it is here also this is the next thing God assisting I shall speak to And now as Peace among Men is commonly published by a Proclamation so hath God graciously ordered this Peace to be published by a Proclamation Also And in speaking to this I shall 1. Shew you what is the Proclamation of this Peace 2. Who they are that God hath authorized to Proclaim it 3. Open the Nature of the Proclamation 4. Open the Terms upon which it is proclaimed The Proclamation of this Peace is the Gospel of Jesus Christ Hence the Gospel is called The Word of Reconciliation and the Gospel of Peace I. Because the Gospel only shews us how Reconciliation is made between an offended God and offending Creatures and no otherways is this revealed or made known to Men. II. Because God my Brethren is hereby declared to be reconciled or pacified towards Sinners even in Jesus Christ To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them Some would have this extend to all the World universally but then all would be saved for if all were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son they shall much more be saved by his Life for so Paul argues in respect of all them that God by the Death of his Son was reconciled to For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life If God gave us the great Gift he will much more give the lesser Gift i. e.
He is Faithful and cannot deny i. e. He can as soon cease to be God as cease to be True and Faithful Hence all Covenant-Blessings come to be so firm and sure In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Besides he hath given good Security even his own Oath he hath Sworn to his Covenant by his Holiness c. 4. An Ambassador is welcome if he comes to offer Peace on easie Terms Now The Terms upon which God offers Peace you have heard are very easie true on his part our Peace was made on hard Terms it was by the Blood of his own Son Had he said you shall have Peace upon a Sacrifice of a Thousand Rams or Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl that might seem hard or if you would Offer your First-born in Sacrifice or run your Knife into his Throat and let out his Hearts Blood you would think those hard Terms but it is not your First-born but his First-born whose Blood must be let out to make your Peace you are but to look to him trust in Christ Hear and your Souls shall live What tho Faith will launch the Plague Sore and let out all the Filth and Corruptions of your Polluted Hearts will a Man think that is a Cure on too hard Terms Sirs the Spirit will cause you to vomit up that Poyson that you have taken down But is that too hard to save the Life of your Immortal Souls Is it hard to tell a Man he must give up the Traytor he has harboured in his House If he would have the King's Pardon or possess that Peace purchased by the Blood of his own Dear Son VI. That Love and Respect People shew to an Ambassador a Prince looks upon as shewed to himself because the Ambassador represents his Person and that Contempt which is shewed to his Ambassador he takes as cast on himself So Jesus Christ takes the Honour Love and Respect which is shewed to his Faithful Ministers as if it was shewed to him and the same Dishonour done to them as if it was done to himself He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me VII An Ambassador is to do his uttermost in order to accomplish his Ambassy and to bring the King's Enemies to accept of Peace So are Christ's Ministers they are to pray to intreat to beseech Sinners to be reconciled to God We pray you in Christ's stead c. Paul besought them with Tears Faithful Ministers are willing to spend their Lives to win Souls to Christ yea to die upon the spot to save one poor Sinner Knowing the Terror of the Lord we perswade Men. Our Great Master thought not his Blood too dear to make our Peace and shall Ministers think their Strength their Lives their Blood too much that so they might see the Travel of Christ's Soul I mean Sinners reconciled unto God or Christ's Blood by Faith sprinkled on their Hearts Many like the Minister's Dignity but few like their Work and Duty My Brethren it is a great Trust that is committed to them 1. The Charge of the Souls of Men that are more worth than all the World is committed to them 2. The wonderful Worth of Gospel Verities Truth is a rich Treasure We have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels this is committed to them 3. 'T is the Ambassy of that Peace which was made by the Blood of the Son of God that is committed to them 4. The Charge of the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood is committed to them VIII An Ambassador is to keep close or exactly to his Instructions or to the Words of his Commission not to add to it alter it or diminish from it on pain of incurring his Prince's highest Displeasure so must Christ's Ambassadors keep close to their Commission Add thou not to his Word least he reprove thee and thou art found a Lyar they must deliver their whole Message There is a Curse pronounced to him that adds or diminisheth 1. They must in all things exalt Jesus Christ or seek the Honour alone of their Blessed Sovereign The whole of their Work is to magnifie Christ exalt Christ To Preach Christ the Lord and themselves but Servants for Jesus sake Not magnifie the Creature nor set the Crown on the Head of the Will of Man but throw the Creature down at Christ's Feet and to Teach all Men to account all Things done by them or in them in comparison of Christ but Dung or Dogs Meat for thus did Paul 2. They are to preach nothing to be Christ's Ordinance but what he hath instituted or positively appointed in the New Testament or Word of God they must look into their Commission Matt. 28.18 19 20. IX An Ambassador if his Soveraign sees he cannot succed in his Work or that Rebels will not have Peace nor lay down their Arms whilst the White Flag of Mercy is put out he orders him to proclaim War and puts forth the Bloody Flag and nothing but War Slaughter and utter Ruine follows So when Christ sees that his Ministers cannot prevail with Rebellious Sinners but that they remain Obstinate and Obdurant rejecting Peace upon the Terms of this Covenant or will not believe to be saved but seek their Peace some other way or continue in their Sins and Unbelief he orders them to shake off the Dust of their Feet as a Witness against them and so to proclaim War and such will fall into the Hands of Divine Wrath and Vengeance and Christ will at the last Day say Bring out those mine Enemies who would not that I should Reign over them and slay them before my Face And hence Wrath came on the Jews to the uttermost And saith Paul Lo we leave you and turn to the Gentiles X. When an Ambassador is called Home it is a sign the Patience of his Prince is worn out and that he will wait on his Enemies no longer What may'st thou then think O London Tremble tremble for how many Faithful Ambassadors in thee hath God called Home very lately Thy Day of Grace thou mayest fear draws to an end XI An Ambassador must give an account of his Ambassage to his Prince So Christ likewise will call all his Ministers to give an account to him how they have succeeded in their Work they must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ and happy will such be who have been Faithful in all things unto him and have won many Souls to the Lord Jesus Christ and have their Accounts to give with Joy My Brethren there are one or two Disparities concerning the Work of other Ambassadors and the Ambassadors of Christ. 1. Other Ambassadors are impowered to make Peace betwixt States and Kingdoms or betwixt one Prince and another that are at variance they are not imployed only to proclaim Peace but to make Peace but this Christ's Ambassadors are not impowered to
My Brethren observe that the Salvation 〈◊〉 by Christ was antecedent to our Faith and both were to be performed for us by our Surety that is he was as much obliged to give us Faith or by his Spirit to apply his Blood as to pour it forth upon the Cross for us tho he has ordained the Preaching of the Gospel as an Instrument in and by the Spirit to work it in our Souls Secondly This Proclamation it is an Universal Proclamation 1. Peace and glad Tidings is to be preached or proclaimed to all the World Go ye therefore into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature What is this Gospel why Peace by Jesus Christ or that God is reconciled his Justice satisfied and his Wrath appeased by the Sacrifice and Obedience of his Son that being the meritorious or procuring Cause thereof and Christ requires them commandeth them to believe this Believe what Why that God in Christ through his Death was reconciled to us when we were Ungodly not that God will be reconciled and appeased if we Repent Believe are Regenerated and Baptized c. That which remains to be done which he will also begin and perform for all the Elect is the Sinners believing what Jesus Christ hath done 't is to receive the Atonement or to stretch out the Hand of Faith to receive the Pardon procured by Christ's Blood not that any Sinner can believe until the Spirit as a Vital Agent infuses Grace into him the Seed must be sown before the Fruit can appear Christ gives the Sinner Grace that he may be reconciled unto God as God in him is reconciled See Paul's Word And all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation vers 18. to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation vers 19. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as tho God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God God by the Blood of his Son was reconciled to us that being the Meritorious Price or Atoning Sacrifice and by the Spirit his Blood is actually applied and made effectual or efficacious unto us to our Reconciliation to God We pray you be ye reconciled c. that is we pray you to receive the Atonement Christ hath made or believe the Record God hath given of his Son i. e. believe there is Life in him that God is satisfied in him and reconciled in him if this my Brethren be not the Nature of the Gospel or of this Blessed Proclamation I profess I know not what it is II. And as Peace is Universally to be proclaimed to all Nations or in all Parts of the World whither God by his Providence is pleased to send the Gospel So also in respect to all sorts of Sins and Sinners i. e. Pardon is proclaimed of all kind of Sins and free Forgiveness and Peace in Christ is offered to all manner of Sinners Rebels and Traitors to God whatsoever they are not one Sin excepted save only the Sin against the Holy Ghost in some Proclamations or Acts of Indemnity many Crimes are excepted as Murther High-Treason Fellony and the like but it is not so here for whosoever they are tho never such horrid Blasphemers haters of God Traytors to him and Rebels against him if they come in and accept of Peace and lay hold of the King's Grace humbly believing in Jesus Christ or throwing themselves at his Feet all their Treasons Murthers Fellonies Blasphemy Adultery Drunkenness Swearing Idolatry Heresie Sodomy Incest Buggery Covetousness Lying Thieving Back-biting Cheating Backsliding or whatever else they have done all shall be forgiven forgotten and passed by for ever as I told you before yea tho they have done all the evil things as they could Will he reserve his Anger for ever will he keep it to the end behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest Tho this People had committed Adultery Idolatry and had rejected the True God and worshipped Idols and dealt most treacherously with the God of Heaven and Earth yet see what the Lord says Go and proclaim these Words towards the North and say Return thou Backsliding Israel saith the Lord That is Believe plead your Pardon in and by the Blood of my Son and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep Anger for ever God out of Christ is a consuming Fire but in him a reconciled God only acknowledge thine Iniquity What Proclamation can be more free or universal than this is Object If Christ is to be offered to all or Peace proclaimed unto all is there then not Vniversal Redemption purchased by him 1 Answ. Redemption is a Word that denotes Persons were in Slavery or Bondage for whom a Price is paid and they therefore are set at Liberty Suppose Ten Men were Slaves in Algier and a Thousand Pound was paid down to Redeem them all and yet but four were actually Redeemed is it true to say all the Ten were Redeemed So here Is it true to say That the Redemption by Christ is Universal when the greatest part of the World were never Redeemed but remain under the Power of Sin and Satan That Redemption which is by Jesus Christ is from Sin from the Guilt Power and Punishment thereof And are all Men in the World thus Redeemed 'T is not a Redemption only from the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God but also fom all Iniquity Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works And are all thus Redeemed 2. If Christ laid down his Life to Redeem every Man and Woman in the World hath he his whole Purchase A Man would think himself cheated or strangely deceived that laid down a Thousand Pounds to Redeem Ten Men when he finds there are not above Three or Four indeed actually Redeemed this renders Christ's Blood spilt in vain for the greatest part for whom it was shed or whom he intended to Redeem thereby and so he is deceived or disappointed 3. There can be no Universal Redemption unless Christ were a Universal Redeemer but Christ is not a Universal Redeemer Millions of Souls are left under the Power of Sin and dominion of Satan 4. Will a Man lay down Ten Thousand Pounds to purchase such or such an Estate and will he refuse to part with Ten Pounds to take up that Estate to make it sure to himself Brethren the Gift of Christ for us i. e. his laying down his Life is far the greater Gift and will he do this and not give the Gospel to many Nations nor Faith to believe and receive him and yet died for them all See how
V. Also in that this Covenant sets forth the Glory Beauty and Personal Excellencies of Jesus Christ. 1. In respect of his Person as God-Man 2. In respect of his Offices of which I have already spoken VI. It is a Glorious Covenant in respect of those Things which we are hereby delivered from and are also invested with and raised up to possess Is not that a Glorious Covenant by the Blessings of which Sinners are delivered from Sin which is the greatest Evil and that brings them out of a State of Death Wrath the Curse and Condemnation And that which also gives them through the Application thereof an Interest in God the chiefest Good or which restores God to them to be their God forever Consider what Glorious Gifts and Priviledges are given and granted in this Covenant Is not that a Glorious Covenant in which God is given Christ is given to the Soul But this I shall open more largely under the next Head But O! what Glorious Priviledges are contained herein as granted to all true Believers Moreover What Glorious Grace is by this Covenant procured for all the Elect And what a Crown and Kingdom do they hereby obtain a true Title unto Sixthly The Covenant of Peace is a full Covenant there is nothing wanting in it either respecting the Glory of God or our Good and Eternal Happiness I. It is a full Covenant in respect of Satisfaction Merit and Righteousness my Brethren neither Divine Justice nor the Law of God can require any more than what Christ hath by his Active and Passive Obedience paid God saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Christ is called the Sun of Righteousness denoting that fullness of Righteousness which is in him as Mediator What is fuller of light than the Sun And who is fuller of Righteousness than Jesus Christ And as the Sun communicates its Light to all the Earth even so Christ communicates his Righteousness to all the Elect i. e. His Righteousness is imputed to all that Believe not the Effects of his Righteousness but his Active and Passive Obedience is the Material cause of our Justification and the Imputation of it is the formal cause thereof and from him by the Spirit an Inherent Righteousness is also infused into the whole Body to whom he is a Head of Influence to their Sanctification II. This Covenant is a full Covenant because in it or in Christ who is the Sum of the Covenant there is a fullness of Sufficiency and in the application of it by the Spirit There is a fullness of Efficacy to all the Elect He is the Head of the Body the Church the Fullness of him that filleth all in all Christ makes the Covenant Effectual or Efficatious to all his Members filling all who believe with all grace by the Spirit leaving not one believing Soul empty of what is truly good Doth the Soul want light Christ will give it He is the Light of the Gentiles The Light of the World Doth he want Liberty Christ releases the Captives Doth he need Rest Christ gives the weary and heavy-laden rest In a word Christ in the Covenant is Food to the Hungry Cloaths to the Naked Strength to the Weak Health to the Sick Courage to the Faint-hearted Succor to the Tempted Beauty to the Deformed Riches to the Poor Peace to the Troubled Life to the Dead Christ is all in this Covenant III. It is a Full Covenant because it answers not only all the wants of the Soul but of the Body also He will give meat to them that fear him he is ever mindfull of his Covenant Meat to the Soul and Meat to the Body Also Trust in the Lord and do good and so shalt thou dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed All things both for the Body and Soul which God sees is good for us we shall have he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly But yet we must not be the Judges of what is good but leave it to God We may think that is good for us which he may see to be hurtful IV. It is a Full Covenant because in it there is the Mediators Fulness Communicated to all such that are united to him as the effects thereof 't is not a Creature-Fulness that is in Christ no but the Fulness of God For it pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell in him dwelleth the Fulness of the God-head Bodily The Fulness of the God-head dwells as truly in the Son as in the Father and of his Fulness do all Believers partake Of his Fulness all we receive and Grace for Grace 1. Therefore in this Covenant we do not only receive Light but the Fulness of Light 2. Not only Life but the Fulness of Life because Christ is our Life whom we receive in this Covenant 3. Not only Strength but the Fulness of Strength The Lord is the Strength of my heart and my Portion for ever 4. Not only Pardon of Sin but a Fulness of Pardon or the Fullest Pardon compleat Pardon 5. Not only Righteousness but the Fulness of Righteousness perfect and compleat Righteousness and you are compleat in him 6 Not only Peace but the Fulness of Peace Peace that passeth all understanding 7. Not only Beauty but the Fulness of Beauty For it was perfect thro' my Comliness which I put upon thee saith the Lord God 8. Not only knowledge but the Fulness of knowledge And ye also are Full of all goodness filled with all knowledge c. The parts may be weak yet where Christ dwells or hath taken possession of the heart there the Soul hath a Fulness of Spiritual knowledg Our Vessels may be full tho' but small And 9. Not only Joy but the Fulness of Joy These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Again he saith Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full 't is called unspeakable joy and full of Glory 10. Lastly And not only Glory but the Fulness of Glory for the Fulness of the Glory of Heaven is contained in this Covenant or the perfect and full enjoyment of God even the Beatificial Vision Seventhly It is a seasonable Covenant I. In respect of God's early contrivance and making of it for us with Christ it was provided my Brethren before Man sinned or ready against the very time of need Poor Adam when he had sinned knew nothing of it But God provided the Plaister before we received the Wound he provided us a Physitian before we were Sick or a Saviour in this Covenant before we had sinned had not this Covenant been made before with Christ for us we had been lost no doubt for ever that very moment Man fell every thing being Beautiful in its time or proper season 'T is
This God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our Guide even unto Death This Grant will never be revoked by the Giver nor can it be forfeited by the Receiver you have heard how sure and firm the Covenant is by which we hold the Inheritance he is our Father our Friend our Portion our Strength our Help our Riches our Honour and our God for ever Secondly Jesus Christ is given to all Believers in this Covenant this is a glorious Gift or Grant O! how great and how comprehensive is this Gift God is not our God till Christ is ours O! consider every Saint may say with Thomas My Lord and my God Christ is not only a Saviour but a Believer may say my Saviour he is not only a Redeemer but my Redeemer not only the Life of the World but my Life When Christ who is our Life shall appear c. Christ is not only Light but our Light and not only a Peace-maker but our Peace He is our Peace that hath made both one He is not only a Bridegroom but our Bridegroom my Beloved is mine not only a Physician but our Physician and not only a Shepherd but our Shepherd The Lord is my Shepherd yea and our King our Priest our Prophet he is our Righteousness our Strength our Food our Cloaths our Foundation who of God is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption In a word Christ in this Covenant is all in all Where there is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all Thirdly The next great Gift that is given in this Covenant is the Holy Ghost Isa. 59.21 the Holy Spirit is given to unite us to Christ to quicken us to illuminate our Minds and to renovate our Soul to be our Guide our Comforter and to dwell in us for ever and to seal all Covenant Blessings to us Fourthly All Grace is given in this Covenant Faith Repentance a pure Heart Love Hope Humility Patience Charity Temperance Meekness c. But to every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ and not only Grace but all Spiritual Gifts also yea Sanctified Gifts thus many great Gifts are given Fifthly Consider what other Grand Blessings and Priviledges are also given and granted by vertue of this Covenant viz. 1. Adoption to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God 2. Righteousness and Justification from all things 3. Sanctification 4. Pardon of all Sins and that for ever and not only forgiven for ever but they also are forgotten for ever 5. Peace 6. Communion with the Father and the Son 7. Godly Zeal 8. Spiritual Strength and Courage 9. All Ordinances are given yea Fat and Green Pastures Bread and Water of Life 10. The Ministers of Christ are given Whether Paul or Apostles or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's They have a Right and Title to all things that are good 11. All the Promises of God are given in the Covenant Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises Promises that suit every State and Condition that we are or may be in great as to their Quantity and precious as to their Quality All the Promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen unto the Glory of God the Father Moreover all Gospel Ordinances are given 12. Yea a Right to Eternal Life also is given and granted to all in this Covenant even a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away a Kingdom a Crown and a Throne is given To him will I grant to sit with me in my Throne 13. Final Perseverance is given by this Covenant Lastly A Free Trade to Heaven is granted or free access to the Father But to this I shall more largely and distinctly speak at another time O stand and Wonder O what Gifts Grants Blessings and Priviledges are procured in the Covenant of Peace Happy are they that are taken into it But I shall go no farther at this time SERMON XII Shewing that as God in the Covenant of Peace is our God so we also are his People opening what this denotes i. e. our being God's People 2. How this appears to be a Covenant Priviledge And 3. Also what a Wonderful Blessing it is ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee THE last Day I shewed you what wonderful Gifts Grants Blessings and Priviledges are contained in the Covenant of Peace particularly that God gives himself and his Son Jesus Christ to all that are brought into it he has promised to be our God c. But to proceed There is yet one great Blessing which is included in the former viz. That as God gives himself to be our God so he hath promised we shall be his People this Grant and Priviledge is in the Covenant And I will be their God and they shall be my People compared with Heb. 8.10 And I will be a God to them and they shall be a People unto me First Let me by way of premise Note here four or five Things 1. That this is a most gracious high and sublime Priviledge viz. God to be our God is the first and this is comprehended in it also as the second and next in order to be esteemed by us i. e. we shall be his People 2. That this is granted only as an Act of God's Free Grace and Sovereign Goodness through Jesus Christ Brethren it is not upon Condition of our doing this or that that we procure this Blessing 't is not as the Promise run to the People of Israel under the first Covenant But 't is an absolute Promise if there is any such in all the Word of God I will be your God and you shall be my People Men nor Devils Ungodly Relations our own evil Hearts nor our great Unworthiness shall ever hinder us from being God's People 3. That God's giving himself to us is the Spring the Cause and Reason why we become his People we have not God Christ and the Holy Spirit because we are Believers or Penitent Persons but he first gives himself his Spirit c. God first gives himself in working of Faith saith Reverend Cotton before Faith can be there Therefore Faith is called The Fruit of the Spirit Man is passive in Regeneration or in God's infusing the first Principle Root or Habit of Faith and of all Grace in him 4. This implies that we were once not actually God's People notwithstanding the Design and Purpose of Grace that was in his Heart concerning us I will call them my People which were not my People and her Beloved that was not Beloved
that is that were not actually his People nor own'd and acknowledged so to be we lost this Relation to God by the Fall when God ceased to be our God by way of Special interest we ceased to be his People 5. They shall be my People this denotes the certainty of their Special Vocation and of our being his People for ever He shall see his Seed all that the Father hath given to me shall come unto me that is they shall believe in me c. Now in speaking unto this Promise Grant and Priviledge 1. I shall first shew you in what Respect or Consideration we may be said to be God's People 2. Shew you what kind of People God's Covenant People are I mean such that are actually owned to be his People 3. Shew you what a great Blessing this is 4. Apply both these great Priviledges together I shall wave several Acceptations by which a People may be called God's People that I may directly come to the Business in Hand 1. We may be said to be God's People and he our God decretively or by virtue of God's Eternal Election God chose Christ as our Head and all the Elect in him See our Lord's Words Other Sheep have I that are not of this Fold them I must bring He calls them his Sheep and yet then they were ungodly and unbelieving ones So he said to Paul I have much People in this City they were his People decretively tho not actually his at that time 2. The Elect were God's People Foederally or by virtue of that Holy Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son as I hinted before and now that this Relation also arises from those Covenant Transactions is most evident for Jesus Christ struck Hands with the Father in behalf of all God's Elect to procure this Priviledge But a little further to open this pray consider that there is a Foederal Union and Relation as when the Father of a Young Man and the Father or Guardian of a Young Damsel shall mutually agree and Covenant that they two shall be Man and Wife even thus God the Father and God the Son Agreed and Covenanted in behalf of all the Elect Christ was as I may say their Guardian yea and also he Covenanted to Espouse and Marry them to himself for ever and God the Father gave the Elect to Christ in this Covenant Moreover herein he had the advantage of others for may be such a Young Man as before mentioned might not Love the Person his Father Covenanted with her Guardian to be his Wife or he might not be able to obtain her Affections but Christ's Love was set upon his intended Spouse from everlasting and also he knew how to gain our Love and unite our Hearts to himself and that by sheding his Love abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 The Love of Christ hath in it a Physical Operation And thus my Brethren by Covenant and the free donation of the Father we become God's People or in a remote sense were thus brought into this Blessed Relation to him Thine they were that is by Election and thou gavest them me Again he saith I pray not for the World but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine 4. The Elect are God's People by virtue of Christ's Purchase he bought them with his own Blood Ye are not your own for you are bought with a price c. and it was that they might be a peculiar People unto God Hence the Apostle saith Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works or a famous or principal People as the Greek Word renders it Without this Price had been laid down we had never been brought into this Relation unto God 5. They are God's People by Renovation or Regeneration Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth 6. By Conquest also Believers are brought into this Relation God hath subdued them unto himself he has by his Victorious Grace overcome them and this way they are made his Liege People and he becomes their God and Soveraign as having rescued them out of the Hands of Sin and Satan those cruel Tyrants whose Slaves Subjects and Servants they were before Christ has set them free or made them a free People indeed to and for himself 7. The Elect are actually the Lord's People by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit or by virtue of their Mystical Vnion with Christ by the Spirit which is the Bond of this Union on Christ's part and by this means we come to chose Jesus Christ as the only Object of our Affection and Blessed Bridegroom of our Souls and also hereby we take God to be our God and thus we are actually and personally brought into this Relation to him in which sense and in respect of these and the two last things mentioned we were not his People before for notwithstanding the Covenant Agreement of Parents or a Marriage by Proxy betwixt great Persons yet they must after that actually and personally be Married together before they can injoy each other or properly be said to be Man and Wife And so my Brethren it is here for notwithstanding the Decree and Purpose of God and his eternal Compact and Donation and also notwithstanding the Purchase of Christ yet till by the Spirit we are united to Christ and do believe in him close in and imbrace him and enter into an actual Covenant with God in and by Jesus Christ we cannot be said to be properly God's People for before this we were the Children of Wrath and the Slaves of Sin and Satan But so much to the first thing proposed Secondly I shall endeavour to shew you what a kind of People these are that are thus brought into Covenant with God I. They that are God's peculiar People have renounced all other Lords from having any claim to them or interest in them 1. They have broke that Covenant which they had made with Sin that Union is dissolved their Love to Sin is gone for ever I do not say the Being of Sin in them is gone no Sin will be in their Hearts and in their Conversations too but it is not in their Affections they approve not of it they regard it not The Evil which I hate that do I saith Paul I have vain Thoughts saith David to love Sin is worse than to commit it and to hate Sin is better than to leave it a Good Man may commit Sin and yet loath it and a wicked Man may leave Sin and yet love it Ye that love the Lord hate Evil Ye do so or else you are none of God's People i. e. it is your Character and also your Duty 2. They have renounced the Love of this World they are dead nay Crucified to the World they that are God's peculiar People
Necessities but also to the making of us very Rich and Great 3. I mean by it God's Gracious Acceptance of our Persons Duties and all our Holy and Spiritual Performances or Services which is no small Favour and Blessing but one of the greatest we can partake of for this must always be premised that God will never accept of any Man's Duties till he first accepteth of his Person for thus he first accepts of Abel that is of his Person The Lord had a Respect unto Abel and to his Offering he offered his Offering in Faith he was a Believer and God accepted of his Person in Christ and so he doth of the Persons of all True Believers Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved in whom we are united and made Members of his Body and it is in him that God looks upon us Secondly I shall endeavour to prove that this Trade or Blessing of free Access unto God is the Effects of the Peace made by Jesus Christ. 1. The Navigable River by which we Trade to Heaven by virtue of this Peace is opened viz. the Holy Spirit is poured forth This is that River that makes glad the City of God c. and this it doth not only in that it supplies God's People or his Holy City with Water to drink which is indeed Water of Life but also in that it is by it we Trade to Heaven all our Spiritual Trade and Traffick is in and through this River Our Trade my Brethren is a Trade of Merchandise For the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold Now this River proceeds from the Throne of God and the Lamb and that this River is opened by the Sacrifice of Christ or by that Peace he hath made See Acts 2.31 This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all Witnesses Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Vers. 32. Moreover Jesus Christ promised the Spirit to his Disciples upon his Ascention and this Promise he graciously made good Therefore saith the Apostle being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace c. Again he saith And came and Preached Peace to you that were a far off c. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father that is through the Mediator and Peace-maker who hath reconciled us to God We are now admitted or introduced into the presence of the Father and this with boldness In whom we have Boldness and Access with Confidence by the Faith of him And this not only in Prayer but also in all Holy Fellowship Commerce and Heavenly Communion Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus It was the Blood of Christ that opened this Trade or procured this Access to Heaven for us By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh. Hence our Blessed Lord saith I am the Way no Man cometh to the Father but by me Except this River had been opened we could never have Traded to Heaven and that this is done by Jesus Christ or by the Peace which he hath made I have thus fully proved Thirdly I shall shew you that this is the best Trade or there is no Trade like unto it in all the World 1. Because the Word of God declares it so to be The Merchandise hereof is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold Now what Merchandise of this World do Men account to excel that of Silver and fine Gold But Spiritual Merchandise the great God declares is better than these or whatsoever else you can think or speak of Now this I shall further indeavour to make appear in this Method following 1. In respect of the Subject these Merchandises enrich 2. In respect of the Nature of the Things Traded in or for 3. In respect of that Blessed Correspondent who manages all our Affairs in Heaven and that makes us Returns of all we venture 4. In respect of the Terms upon which we Trade 5. I shall apply the whole I shall speak briefly to each of these First The Subject that these Merchandises inrich is the Soul the Precious and Immortal Soul of Man which all other Trades and Merchandise cannot in the least degree relieve the Wants of much less inrich but these Heavenly Merchandises doth this 1. It is hereby the Soul of a Believer or a Spiritual Merchant comes to have God again God to be his God yea a God in Covenant with him and to be his Portion for ever as you have heard 'T is through Jesus Christ or by the Peace he hath made that this Blessing is obtained God is hereby our Father and Christ is our Saviour and the Spirit is our Sanctifier whosoever will venture out by Faith and Trade in these Seas or on this Voyage shall obtain a sure Interest in Christ and in God through Jesus Christ for ever 2. Because this Trade answers all the Necessities of the Soul or all its Wants My God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Graciously nay Gloriously or according to his own Fulness or rich Mercy or Riches in Glory Nay 3. Not only supply the Needs of our Souls but these Merchandises tend to inrich the Soul with Grace yea with all Grace This Trade or this Merchandise puts a Crown better than that of Gold on its Head and Chains about its Neck They shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head and Chains about thy Neck This my Brethren makes the Soul amiable and honourable in the sight of God and all good Men A meek and quiet Spirit is in the sight of God of great price No other Ornaments are of any worth in the esteem of God but are hateful to him when the Creature is lifted up with Pride thereby What are the Curled Locks and Chains of Gold and Glisâ—â—â—ing Robes in the sight of God Poor Lazarus was far more lovely before his Eyes 4. Because these Merchandises inrich the Soul with Choice and Blessed Experiences Hence David saith The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than Thousands of Gold and Silver And again he saith speaking of his Experiences Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart more than in the time when their Corn and Wine encreased One Day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand And from hence it is that he cries out Whom have I in Heaven but thee Neithâ—r is there any on Earth I desire besides thee Again saith he O taste and see how good the Lord is He is
't is great gain every ways profitable at all times in all States and profitable to the Soul and Body too 7. The Things that Believers Trade in are the best Things of Heaven the best Things of God he has no better Things to bestow as you have heard all good is comprehended in these Riches and hence these Things are only given to his own People to his Beloved ones as a Pledge of his Eternal and Special Favour in Christ. What exceeds himself His Son his Spirit his Love his Grace his Peace Peace with God Peace of Conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost and Eternal Happiness in Heaven 8. They are Eternal Things The Things that are seen are Temporal but the Things that are not seen they are Eternal These are Everlasting Wares you shall carry them out of the World with you These things have I spoken that my Joy might remain in you and that your Joy might be full O! what a Trade by this Peace is opened to Believers Thirdly This is the best Trade in respect of our Blessed Correspondent whom we Trade with or who manages all our Affairs at the Court of Heaven namely Jesus Christ. I. Consider that the Father hath put the Management of all our Affairs into Christ's Hands as our great Trustee Moreover every true Believer has committed himself and all his Concerns to Jesus Christ The Poor committeth himself unto thee II. Consider his Power he is the King of Heaven and Earth All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth he is the Mighty God this made Paul say For I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that Day I have committed my self to him my Soul to him my Life and all I have and hope to receive to him and I doubt not of his Power and Ability to keep it III. Consider of his Faithfulness other Correspondents oftentimes deceive and prove unfaithful Stewards but Jesus Christ is Faithful he never failed any one poor Soul that truly trusted in him God is Faithful and Christ is called A Faithful High Priest c. IV. Consider of that great Price he gave for all those Things which we Trade with him for Moreover and that he bought them for us and has opened a Blessed and sure way of Conveyance of them and besides he hath obliged himself by Covenant to give them down to us as we need them V. Consider of that Relation Believers stand in to him and of his Infinite Love and Affections to them he Trades or Intercedes for his Friends for such he ransomed with his own Blood for his Spouse whom he hath betroathed to himself for ever VI. Consider what Returns he makes some venture much and that which is great in worth but hardly sometimes have returns of the full intrinsical value again but thus doth not Jesus Christ deal with us First Christ makes great and vast Returns 1. To appoint them that mourn in Sion to give them Beauty for Ashes Beauty especially Spiritual Beauty is a precious Thing but what are Ashes worth What are our Duties Our Fastings and Prayer and Humiliations Why of no more worth then a little Ashes Yet here is Beauty returned for Ashes yea Beauty on the Soul Glorious Beauty 2. And the Oyl of Joy for Mourning we mourn and weep for our Sins well and pray what are a few Tears good for Are these of any worth in themselves No certainly Yet Christ makes returns of the Oyl of Joy for this Mourning or in lieu of these Tears even the Holy Spirit which fills the Soul with Joy and Comfort 3. And the Garment of praise for the Spirit of Heaviness Christ approves of Sadness of Heart that rises from that Sense we have of that Unworthiness that is in us and of that Dishonour which is done to him But how little Worth is there in this Heaviness as in it self But he returns the Garment of praise i. e. he cloaths the Soul in Beautiful Garments all these Expressions shew that whatsoever we receive is in a way of Free Grace and that there is no Worth in our Duties and also that Christ in a way of Grace will make Blessed Returns My Brethren Rewards of meer Grace are far greater than those of Debt as I have often told you But further 4. He that gives or ventures a Cup of cold Water to a Disciple in the Name of a Disciple shall not lose his Reward This is a small thing indeed yet here is a great Return for this when given to a right Object and to a right End and if he that gives or ventures a Cup of cold Water has such Returns what shall he have that ventures his All yea his very Life 5. And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father and Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my Name sake shall receive an hundred fold now at this time and in the World to come Eternal Life An hundred fold is a wonderful Return as when a Man that ventures one Pound to Sea to India or to any other place and receives a Hundred Pounds in lieu of it 't is a mighty Return but this is more in Quantity and better in Quality and that in this Life an Hundred fold here and a Crown of Glory in the Life to come Who would not Trade with such a Correspondent or not enter into such a Calling Will you not this Day become Spiritual Merchants What do you say II. He will fill our Treasures and that with Riches and Honours yea with durable Riches and Righteousness That I may cause them that love me to inherit Substance and I will fill their Treasures III. He hath promised to return Glory in Heaven for Sufferings on Earth For I reckon the Sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us Let us weigh one against the other and see what a vast difference there is For our light Afflictions that are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory But did I say these Returns are for what we venture No no not for but in venturing in keeping Christ's Precepts there is an exceeding great Reward For all Returns are in a way of Free Grace 't is a Free Trade 1. Without Money and without Price without Money or Monies worth We Trade for nothing receive nothing for what we had or give for it as you have heard 'T is true Buying denotes our parting with something that is our own that we may have that we want But what is ours which we must part with Is it of any worth We must 1. Part with all our Sins Evil Courses Evil Habits and old Companions 2. With our old Hopes of Heaven 3. Our own Righteousness in respect of
Children of Wrath before they believe Faith also must be somewhat more than an Evidence the Soul having that in its actual possession which it had not before 2. Because they that believe God says Are passed from Death to Life that is from a State of Death and Condemnation into a State of Life and Justification See Joh. 5.24 1 Joh. 3.14 3. Because the Holy Spirit in Convictions represents the state of an Elect Sinner to himself to be before Grace wretched and miserable who is a true and faithful Witness and cannot lie Brethren as the first Adam and all in him were Condemned by the pronunciation of the Sentence of the Holy God in Paradise so the second Adam or all his or all in him are for ever Justified And as whilst we remain in the first Adam his first Sin is imputed to us so not till we are in Christ is his Righteousness to our actual and personal Justification imputed to us tho I grant Foederally and Representatively in Christ it was imputed before to all the Elect yet 't is through the reception of Grace or the infusion of the Spirit whereby Faith is wrought that the Soul receives the Atonement and comes actually possessed with the Blessing of Peace The God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing There is no Peace to the Wicked saith my God And this because they have not an actual Interest in Christ Where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty and therefore Peace and in none else 7. And thus the Sinner is brought to God and comes to be taken into the Covenant of Grace the which the Spirit doth renew and confirm in his Baptism Rom. 6.1 2 3 4 5. and which is further renewed and confirmed to him in the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper which is a Sign or Pledge of the New Covenant in or by Christ's Blood Hence called The New Covenant in his Blood 8. Moreover let it be noted That a Man may be in a State of Grace and Peace and yet not know it all that have Faith or do believe do not know they have Faith or believe but have Doubts about it 1 Joh. 5.13 all injoy not what they have in possession therefore true Faith as to the Essence thereof cannot be a simple Evidence to the Soul of what it hath nor a full Perswasion that Christ is mine and I am his for if so then he that has not this Evidence or Assurance is no true Believer or if he lose it he loses the very Essence of Faith and so ceases to be a Believer Moreover it would then follow that there are no weak Believers or Babes in Christ for every Babe must be a Strong Man were it thus For is not he a strong Christian that has a clear Evidence of his Justification and a full assurance of Eternal Life 9. There is no steady and full Injoyment of this Spiritual Peace without keeping up and maintaining a War against Sin also this War is maintained by every Faculty the whole Soul being united in carrying it on and also against every Sin Moreover it is a War in which the Soul by the Spirit prevails Sin shall not have Dominion over you c. 'T is a resolute War or carried on with uttermost Revenge against Sin and likewise always even to the end of our Days and if called to it to resist unto Blood striving against Sin All my Brethren that have Peace with God or are Reconciled to him are at War with Sin Satan and the World resolving never to be Reconciled to these Enemies or be at Peace with one Sin whilst they live 10. Our Peace as to the degree of it as in our selves is and will be according to that degree or measure of our Faith we have a weak and doubting Believer hath but little Peace in his own Conscience he being too subject to ground his Peace on his good and lively Frame or to judge of his Justification by the degrees of his Sanctification or inherent Holiness tho the State of the weakest Christian is as safe as the strongest yet he has not that Peace and Comfort others have But no more as to this Secondly I shall open the Nature of this Peace 1. It is Peace with God the Mighty God God is hereby become our Friend all Enmity or Wrath in God against the Soul is gone for ever and all Enmity that was in the Soul against God is removed or taken away also there being a Mutual Peace and Reconciliation I do not say God can no more be offended with the Soul but if he be yet he will not be provoked to Wrath or to let out his against such a Person any more for ever 2. All the actings of God towards his People are in Love tho the poor Believer perhaps cannot see it thus but fears the contrary My Brethren God receives us into his intire Affections and le ts out his Love and Bowels towards us and acts always towards us as a tender Father to his Children 3 We hereby enter actually into a League with God God takes the Soul into an everlasting Covenant of Peace and the Soul also takes God to be his God in the same Everlasting Covenant as you have heard which Covenant all the Powers of Hell and Darkness can never break or violate the Peace and Union with Christ in this Covenant is indissolvable The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed saith the Lord Tho we may sin yet God will blot them all out Sin nor Satan nor the World nor Life nor Death neither any thing else can separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more All the Attributes of God are for us and no Accusation of Satan can provoke God against us so as to become our Enemy True Sin or Satan may spoil the sensible Peace and Comfort of our Souls but they cannot spoil our Peace with God or break our Union 4. It is Soul-Peace Spiritual Peace O! how great how sweet and precious is that Peace Earthly Peace National Peace Congregational Peace and Family Peace is good and to be prized But what is any kind of Peace to true Spiritual Soul Peace As no Trouble no Sorrow is like Soul-Trouble so no Peace is to be compared to Soul-Peace Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them 5. Such have Peace also with the Holy Angels the Angels of God are at Peace with them that God is at Peace with they are hereby become our Friends and take our part and fight for us and against the Devil our grand Enemy they War against the Evil Angels who hate and envy us And they Minister unto them that shall be Heirs of Salvation nay the Angels of God encamp round about them that fear him They also War against
1.27 1 Tim. 3.16 The Covenant of Peace a full Covenant Mat. 3.17 Mat. 4.2 Eph. 1.23 Mat. 11.28 Psal. 111.5 Psal. 37.3 Pal. 84.11 Col. 1.19 Chap. 2.9 Joh. 1.16 Psa. 73.26 Col. 2.10 Phil. 4.7 Ezek. 16.14 Rom. 15.14 Joh. 15.11 Joh. 16.24 1. Pet. 1.6 Heb. 6.19 Ezek. 16.6 ver 8. 2 Sam. 23.5 Isa. 55.3 Psal. 89.28 ver 54. Isa. 54.10 Eph. 3.11 Psal. 89.35 36. Isa. 54.9 Rev. 1.18 Heb. 13.20 Psal. 85.8 Joh. 14.27 * Dr. Owen on Justifica p. 13 14. Isa. 56.4 5. Feb. 10.169 The Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace not Two distinct Covenants but one and the same Covenant 2 Cor. 5.18.19 Dr. C. p. 126 127. Rom. 10.4 Doctor Chauncy 1 Pet. 1.18 Tit. 2.14 Zech. 9.11 See the Everlasting Covenant a sweet Cordial p. 12 13 14 15. Larger Cathechism Ark of the Covenant p. 3. Pag. 5 Pag. 21. P. 26. Charnock on Reconcil p. 273. Art of the Cov. p. 423 Charnock's Reconcil p. 273. Art of the Cov. p. 457 Mr. Sam. Petto on the Covenant p. 18.23 2 Sam. 23.5 Ps. 89.29 30 31. Hos. 14.4 Jer. 31.31 32 33. Jer. 32.40 Ps. 84.11 Hos. 2.19 20. Isa. 45.17 Isa. 51.68 Shewing what great Gifts Grants and Blessings are contained in the Covenant of Peace How we come to have God to be our God Ezek. 36.27 What it doth import to have God to be our God Joh. 15.6 What it is for God to give himself to us Ps. 73.25 Gen. 15.1 Divine Goodness given in this Covenant Matt. 29.17 What a good God is opened Ps. 31.19 Psal. 35.5 Exod. 33.19 God originally good God infinitely good God Immutably good Mal. 3.6 Heb. 13.8 God universally good God an unmixt good God a Soul inriching good Isa. 55.1 2 Ps. 36.8 9. God a delicious good God Superlatively good God a communicable good God an Eternal good Ps. 52.1 Ps. 73.26 Isa. 12.2 Ps. 59.10 Ps. 73.24 Ps. 25.9 Pro. 8.18 Eph. 1.7 18. Col. 1.27 Ps. 119.90 143.1 Lam. 3.23 1 Pet. 5.7 Isa. 61.10 1 Joh. 1.9 Mal. 3.6 1 Kings 22.4 5. 2 Kings 3.7 Ps. 85.10 Ps. 48.14 Christ is given Col. 3.4 Eph. 2.14 Ps. 23.1 1 Cor. 1.30 Col. 3.11 The Holy Spirit is given All Grace is given in the Covenant Eph. 4.8 Ministers given in the Covenant 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All the Prromises given 2 Pet. 1.4 2 Cor. 1.20 Eternal Life is given Rev. 3.21 Free access to God granted in the Covenant Believers are God's People by Virtue of the Covenant of Peace Jer. 31.33 Five things premised Cotton on the Cov. p. 55. Gal. 5.22 Rom. 9.25 Hos. 2.33 How we may be said to be the People of God Joh. 10.16 Act. 28.10 Joh. 17.6 Vers. 9. 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Tit. 2.14 Cant. 6.5 Rev. 17.14 Joh. 8.34 Rom. 6.16 Joh. 8.36 Eph. 2.3 What a kind of People the People of God are Rom. 7 15. Psal. 119.113 Gal. 6.14 1 Joh. 2.15 Phil. 3.8.9 Rom. 7.4 Prov. 23.26 Ezek. 33.31 2 Pet. 1.4 Judg. 8.18 Prov 12.26 Psal. 9.10 Psal. 25.2 Job 13.15 Isa. 40.10 Ps. 73.25 Psal. 34.8 Cant. 5.10 Phil. 3.3 1 Chron. 29.11 13. 16. Psal. 30.5 Hab. 3.17 Isa. 66.2 Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 1.16 Ps. 110.3 Mich. 4.5 Joh. 15.14 Ps. 119.6 Isa. 63.8 Ps. 111.1 Ps. 112.2 Ps. 119 1. Acts 2 41.47 Joh. 15.19 2 Cor. 6.17 Rev. 18.4 Joh. 12.2 Joh. 4.24 2 Cor. 8.5 1 Cor. 11.2 Joh. 20.31 Joh. 5.39 2 Tim. 3.16 1 Tim. 3.2.8 Eph. 4.3 cap. 5.1 2. 1 Joh. 5.1 Joh. 8.42 Joh. 13.35 Joh. 3.14 What a great Blessing it is to be God's People 1 Job 3.1 Rom. 8.17 Heb. 1.14 Rom. 8.28 Jer. 31.3 Rom. 8.39 Psal. 52.1 Psal. 52.1 Isa. 54.9.10 Jer. 32.40 Heb. 6.18 19. Rom. 8.30 31. Joh. 10.28 Rom. 8.34 Joh. 17.20 21 22. Joh. 14.17.23 Charnock Phil. 3.7 8 9. A Free Trade is opened by the Covenant of Peace What is meant by the interruption of our Trading with God Rev 22.1 What is meant by our Trade and Traffick to Heaven Gen. 4.4 Heb. 11.4 Eph. 1.6 This Trade the effects of our Peace Psal. 46.4 The Saints Trade is in and by the River i. e. the Holy Spirit so called Pro. 3.14 Rev. 22.1 Rom. 5.12 Eph. 2.18 Eph. 3.12 Heb. 10.19 20. Joh. 14 6. What a Rich and Glorious Trade this Spiritual Trade is The Spiritual Trade inriches the Soul Phil. 4.19 Prov. 1.19 This Trade inriches the Soul with choice Experiences Ps. 119.72 Psal. 4.7 Ps. 84.10 Ps. 73.25 Psal. 34.8 Pro. 31.29 Prov. 8.11 Eccles. 1.1 Heb. 11.25 26. Phi. 3.7 8. This Trade inriches the Soul with Gods Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Phi. 3.21 With Satisfying and Soul-fatening Riches The Nature of Spiritual Things opended Ps. 49.8 9. 1 Pet. 1.23 Eph. 3.8 Pro. 8.18 Isa. 55.2 Psa. 36.8 Ps. 92.14 1 Tim. 6.17 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Cor. 4.18 Joh. 15.11 Who Believers Trade with or is their Correspondent Ps. 10.14 Matth. 28.18 1 Tim 1.12 Heb. 3.1 2 What Returns Christ makes Believers Christ makes great Returns Isa. 61.3 Matth. 10.42 Mark 10 29 30. Matth. 19.29 Prov. 8.18 19. Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 What buying denotes Job 35 7. Christ makes sure Returns Ps. 126.5 Gal. 6.6 Ps. 126.6 Christ makes quick Returns Isa. 65.24 Jam. 4.2 There are some false Traders these will be undone or Break and come to nothing but others can't Break Rev. 3.18 Pro. 23.23 Directions to Trade to Heaven Joh. 3.8 Job 22.21 Hag. 1.4.6 Dan. 12.3 Rev. 2.9 April 3. 1698. A Summary Account of what has been said as being requisite to Peace with God c. 2 Cor. 5.20 What is requisite to the Creatures being Reconciled to God Repentance how and when 't is wrought in the Soul Rom. 6.1 Tit. 2.12 Eph. 2.3 Rom. 15.13 2 Cor. 3.17 A Person may Believe and not know it Faith is more than a bare Evidence Joh. 6.14 Rom. 6.14 Heb. 12.4 Peace is according to the degree of Faith The Excellent Nature of Peace with God opened by virtue of the Covenant Rom. 8. ult Heb. 10.17 Psal. 119.165 Heb. 1.14 Ps. 34.7 Numb 24.5 Phil. 4.7 1 Pet. 1.8 Isa. 26.3 Rom. 14.17 Amos. 3.3 Eph. 1.3 Cant. 1.1 Joh. 14.27 Mark 9.50 The Happy and Vniversal Peace of Christ Kingdom Isa. 9.7 Isa. 2.4 2 Cor. 5.18 Christ the Sum of the Covenant Isa. 42.6 Ark of the Cov. p. 454 Isa. 28.16 Gen. 3.15 Gen. 12.3 Eph. 1.6 Eph. 1.3 Cant. 1.14 Joh. 4.14 Joh. 3.18 Mark 16.16 1 Pet. 2.8 How to know whether we are in Covenant with God or not Ps. 50.20 1 Joh. 2.9 1 Joh. 3.14 Rom. 10.15 A Needful Caution * Tho you have heard that I own a Foederal Vnion from Eternity See my Medium betwixt two Extreams Heb. 1.3 Isa. 40.1 2 Prov. 4.18 Psa. 37.37 Isa. 57.2 2 Pet. 3.14 Joh. 14.27 Ch. 16.22