But what amazing love what matchless love is this for a man to engage his person and life for his friend when as skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and yet according to the Covenant of Redemption Jesus Christ has done all this and much more for us as is evident if you will but cast your eye back upon the Articles of the Covenant or consult the Scriptures in the Margin If a friend to free a Jâ—â— 2. 4. Joâ— 1â— 11 15 17 18 28 Râ—m 5. 6 〈◊〉 Eph. 1. 5 6 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 13 14 15 Heb. 2. 13 1â— 15. captive or one condemned to death should put himself into the state and condition of him whom he freeth that would be an evidence of love beyond all comparison But now if the dignity of Christ's person and our unworthiness if the greatness of the debt and kind of payment and if the benefit which we reap thereby be duly weighed we shall find these evidences of love to come as much behind the love of Christ as the light of a candle cometh short of the light of the Sun Christ's Suretiship according to the Covenant of Redemption is and ought to be a prop of props to our faith It is as sure a ground of confidence that all is well and shall be for ever well between God and us as any the Scriptures does afford by vertue hereof we have a right to appeal to God's Justice for this Surety hath made ful satisfaction and to exact a debt which is fully satisfied is a point of injustice Christ knew very well what the Redemption of fallen man would cost him he knew that his life and blood must go for it he knew that he must lay by his Robes of Majesty and be cloathed with flesh he knew that he must encounter Sâ—lus Amoâ— nesâ—it difficultates men and Devils he knew that he must tread the Wine-press of his Father's wrath bear the Curse and make himself an offering for our sins for our sakes for our salvation yet for all this he is very ready and willing to bind himself by Covenant that he will redeem us whatever it cost him Oh what tongue can express what heart Eph. 3. 18 19. Look where thou wilt thou art surrounded with flames of his love and it were strange if thou shouldest not be set on fire if not sure thou must needs be a Diabolical Salamander sayâ— Cuâ—anus can conceive what soul can comprehend the heights depths bredths and lengths of this love Oh blessed Jesus what manner of love is this that thou shouldest wash away my scarlet sins in thine own blood that thou shouldest die that I may live that thou shouldest be cursed that I might be blessed that thou shouldest undergo the pains of hell that I might enjoy the joys of heaven that the face of God should be clouded from thee that his everlasting favour might rest upon me that thou shouldest be an everlasting Skreen betwixt the wrath of God and my immortal soul that thou shouldest do for me beyond all expression and suffer for me beyond all conception and gloriously provide for me beyond all expectation and all this according to the Covenant of Redemption what shall I say what can I say to all this but fall down before thy grace and spend my days in wondering at that matchless bottomless love that can never be fathomed by Angels or men Oh Lord Jesus saith one plusquam Bâ—rnard mea plusquam meas plusquam me I love thee more than all my goods and I love thee more than all my friends yea I love thee more than my very self 'T is good to write after this copy But The Eleventh and last Plea that a Believer may form up as to the ten Scriptures that are in the Margin that Eccles 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. â—â—at 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 2. Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Hâ—b 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 5. refer to the great day of account or to a man's particular account may be drawn up from the consideration of the Book of Life out of which all the Saints shall be judged in the great day of our Lord Rev. 20. 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Vers 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God And the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Vers 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them And they were judged every man according to their works Vers 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire In the 11. verse John describes the Judge with his preparation in the 12. verse he describes the persons that should be judged and then he describes the process and sentence and lastly he describes the execution of the sentence viz. the casting of the reprobates into the Lake of fire and the placing and fixing of the Elect in the heavenly Jerusalem vers 13 14 15. In the five last verses cited you have a clear and full description of the last General Judgment as is evident by the native Context and Series of this Chapter For having Rev. 2â— 1 2 3. Jude vers 6. spoken of the Devil's last Judgment which by Jude is called The judgment of the great day It is consentaneous therefore to understand this of such a Judgment whereby he is judged And indeed the expressions are so full and the matter and circumstances so satisfying and convincing that they leave no place for fears doubts or disputes This Scripture that is under our present consideration runs parallel with that Dan. 12. 1 2 3. and several other places of Scripture where the day of Judgment is spoken of and let him that can shew me at what other Judgment all the dead are raised and judged and all Reprobates sent to hell and all the Elect brought to heaven and death and hell cast into the Lake all which are plainly expressed here He shall be an Apollo to me that can make these things that are hero spoken of to agree with any other Judgment than the last Judgment Let me give a little light into this Scripture before I improve it to that purpose for which I have cited it And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it a lively description of the last Judgment A Great Throne Great because it is set up for the General Judgment of all for the universal judgment of the whole world Before
this deliverance of the Creature that our Apostle speaks of shall not be by a reduction into nothing but by an alteration into a better estate But I must hasten to a close Vers 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God The Judge before whom all do appear is our dear Lord Jesus who hath the keys of hell and death in Rev. 1. 18. Act. 17. 30 31. his hands and who is designed and appointed by God the Father to be the Judge of quick and dead he hath Authority and a Commission under his Father's hand to sit and act as Judge Here you see that John calleth the Judge absolutely God but Christ is the Judge therefore Christ is God absolutely and he will appear to be God in our nature in that great day The Parties judged who stand before the Throne are 1. Generally the dead all who had died from Adam to the last day he calls them the dead after the common Law of Nature but then raised from death to life by the Eph 2. 5. Colos 2. 13. power of God he speaks not of men dead in sins and trespasses but of such as died corporally and now were raised up to judgment But shall not the living then be judged Oh yes For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rom. 149 10. of Christ That he may be Judge of the quick and the dead and be Lord both of the dead and the living Under this phrase the dead are comprehended all those that then shall be found alive By the dead we are to understand the living also by an Argument from the lesser If the dead shall appear before the Judgment-seat how much more the living But the dead alone are named either because the number of the dead from Adam to the last day shall be far greater than those that shall be found alive on earth in that day or because those that remain alive shall be accounted as dead because they shall be 1 Cor. 15. 52. changed in the twinkling of an eye Secondly he describes them from their age and condition for the words may be understood of both Great and small which takes in all sorts of men Tyrants Emperours Kings Princes Dukes Lords c. as well as Subjects Vassals Slaves Beggars rich and poor strong and weak bond and free old and young all and every one without exception are to be judged for the Judgment shall be universal no man shall be so great as to escape the same nor none so small as to be excluded but every one shall have justice done him without respect of persons as that great Apostle Paul tells us We must all appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad I am no admirer of the School-men's notion who suppose that all shall be raised about the age of Lum lib dist 44 33. which was Christ's Age but do judge that that perfection which consisteth in the conforming them to Christ's glorious body is of another kind than to respect either age stature or the like Stand before God that is brought to Judgment the Joh. 3. 18. guilty standing ready to be condemned and the Saints standing ready in Christ's presence to be absolved and pronounced blessed And the books were opened Christ the Judge being set on his Throne and having all the world before him the books are opened 1. In the general the books are said to be open 2. Here is a special book for the Elect The book of life was opened 3. Here you have sentence passed and pronounced according to what was written in these books and according to their works And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Here the Judicial Process is noted by imitation of Humane Courts in which the whole Process is wont to be drawn up and laid before the Judge from whence the Judge determineth for or against the person according to the Acts and Proofs that lie open before him The Equity Justice and Righteousness of Christ the Judge that sits on his white Throne is set forth by a Metaphor taken from Humane Courts where the Judge pronounceth sentence according to the written Law and the Acts and Proofs agreeing thereunto All things are Heb. 4. 13. Rev. 1. 14. naked and bare before him whose eyes are as a flame of fire But to shew that the Judgment shall be as accurate and particular in the trial and just and righteous in the close as if all were registred and put on Record nothing shall escape or be mistaken in its circumstances but all things shall be so cleared and issued beyond all doubts and disputes as if an exact Registre of them had been kept and published in all which there is a plain allusion unto the words of Daniel speaking thus of this Judgment The Dan. 7. 10. Judgment was set and the books were opened We find six several books mentioned in the Scripture First The Book of Nature that is mentioned by David Psal 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 'T is a Metaphor from curious work men that do all by the The world saith Clemens Alexandrious is Deâ— Scriptura the first Bible that God made for the instruction of Man Book or by a Model set before them that nothing may be deficient or done amiss Had God left out an eye in his common place Book saith one thou hadst wanted it The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work The Psalmist looks upon that great Volume of heaven and earth and there reads in Capital letters the Prints and Characters of God's glory This Book saith one was imprinted at the New Jerusalem by the finger of Jehovah and is not to be sold but to be seen at the sign of Glory of every one that lifts up his eyes to heaven In this Book of nature which is made up of three great leaves Heaven Earth and Sea God hath made himself visible yea legible even his eternal power and Godhead So that all men are left without Rom. 1. 20. excuse Out of this Book the poor blind Gentiles might have learned many choice lessons as First that they had a maker Secondly That this Maker being before the things made is eternal without beginning or ending Thirdly That he must needs be Almighty which made all things out of nothing and sustained such a Mass of creatures Fourthly The order variety and distinction of creatures declare his marvellous Wisdom Fifthly In this Book they might run and read the great goodness and the admirable kindness of God to the sons of men in making
James 1. 27. Phil. 3. 3. Joh. 4. 23 24. than purity of ordinances in opposition to all mixtures and corruptions whatsoever O sirs the great God stands upon nothing more in all the world than upon purity in his worship There is nothing that does Mat. 21. 12 13. Joh. 2. 15 16 17. so provoke and exasperate God against a people as mixtures in his worship and service and no wonder for mixtures in his worship are expresly-cross to his commands and pollutions in worship do sadly reflect upon the name of God the honour of God the truth of God and therefore his heart rises against them defilements in worship do sorely reflect upon the wisdom of Christ the faithfulness of Christ as if he were not faithful enough nor wise enough nor prudent nor Heb. 3. 4 5 6. understanding enough to order direct and guide his people in the matters of his worship but must be beholding to the wisdom prudence and care of man of vain man of sinful man of vile and unworthy man to compleat perfect and make up something that was wanting in his worship and service c. Now if a man suffers for owning pure worship and ordinances for standing for pure worship and ordinances and for being found in the practice of pure worship and ordinances his cause is good and he suffers as a Christian But Secondly When a man suffers for refusing or for not doing that which Christ condemns in his word then his cause is good and he suffers as a Christian for well doing Now in matters of Divine Worship God condemns all mixtures all inventions and devices of men The very spirit life and soul of the Second Commandment lies in these words Thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image God abhors that men should mix their Water with his Wine Levit. 10. 1 2. Ezek. 5. 11 12. cap. 23. 38 39. Jer 7. 29 30. Ezek. 8. 17 18. Rev. 2. 22 23. Deut. 4. 2. cap. 12 32. c. their Dross with his Gold their Chaff with his Wheat c. When men will venture to be so hardy and bold with God as to defile his Worship with their mixtures then God is fully resolved to be a swift and terrible witness against them as you may clearly see by comparing those notable places of Scripture together in the Margin there is no sin that does so greatly incense and provoke God to Jealousie and Wrath against a People as mixtures in his Worship God can bear with defilements any where rather than in Worship and Service God did bear much and bear long with the Jews bâ— when they had defiled and corrupted his worship then God gave them a Bill of Divorce and scattered them as Dung among the Nations Now when a man suffers for refusing to worship God with a mixt worship or with an invented or devised worship which Christ in his word doth every where condemn then his cause is good and he suffers as a Christian But Thirdly they that stoutly and resolutely assert that the blessed Luk. 10. 25 26. Scriptures are a sufficient rule to order guide and direct them in all matters of worship they have a good cause and they that suffer upon this account suffer as Christians for well doing Such vain men greatly detract from the sufficiency of the Scripture who mingle their own or other men's inventions with Ezek 43 8. Divine Institutions and who set their Posts by God's Posts and their Thresholds by God's Thresholds The Precepts and Traditions It is very remarkable that of old they were to be cut off that made any thing like the Institutions and Appointments of God Exod. 30. 32 33 37 38. And if some were so served would not the world be in more love peace and quietness than now it is of men with their Inventions and Additions to the worship of God are stiled Posts and Thresholds because the Authors of them do lean and stand so much upon them and set them in the way to hinder others from the enjoyment of Temple-privileges unless they will own and comply with them in their way and mode of worship but upon all such posts and thresholds that are of men's setting up in the worship of God you may run and read folly weakness rottenness and madness 't is only God's Posts God's Thresholds God's Institutions God's Appointments that have Wisdom and Holiness Beauty and Glory written upon them For men to set up their Posts by God's Posts and to give their Posts equal Honour and Authority with God's Posts this is a defiling of the Worship of God and a prophaning of the name of God which he will certainly avenge for he will admit no rival or Proprietary in the things of his Worship O sirs the blessed Adero plenitudinâ—â— Sâ—ripâ—uâ—arum Tertul. La 〈…〉 〈◊〉 fulness of the Scriptures Scriptures are sufficient to direct us fully in every thing that belongs to the Worship and Service of God so as that we need not depend upon the wisdom prudence care and authority of any men under heaven to direct us in matters of Worship 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works The Scriptures are sufficient to inform the ignorant to confute the erronious to reform the vitious and to guide and direct support and comfort those that are gracious Here a Lamb may wade and an Elephant may swim here is milk for babes and meat for strong men here is comfort for the afflicted and succour for the tempted and ease for the troubled and light for the clouded and enlargement for the straitned c. Oh how full of light how full of life how full of love how full of sweetness how full of goodness how full of righteousness and holiness c. is every Chapter and every Verse in every Chapter yea and every Line in every Verse The Rabbins say that a mountain of matter hangs upon every word of Scripture yea upon every tittle of Scripture When the people of God have been in any outward or inward distresses or troubles God never sends them to the shâ—p of men's Traditions and No Histories are compâ—rable to the Histories oâ— the Scripture 1. For Antiquity 2. Rarity 3. Variety 4. Brevity 5. Perspicuity 6. Harmony 7. Verity all which should greatly encourage Christians to a serious perusal of them inventions but he still sends them to the blessed Scriptures Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no morning in them cap. 34. 1â— Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read â—â— one of thâ—se shall 〈◊〉 none shall want her maâ—e for my mouth it hath commanded and my spirit it hath
but two famous Covenants that we must abide by in one of them all men and women in the world must of necessity be found either in the Covenant of grace or in the Covenant of works The Covenant of works is a witness of God's holiness and perfection the Covenant of grace is a witness of God's goodness and commisâ—ration the Covenant of works is a standing evidence of man's guiltiness the Covenant of grace is the standing evidence of God's righteousness the Covenant of works is the lasting monument of man's impotency and changeableness the Covenant of grace is the everlasting monument of God's omnipotency and immutability Now no man can be under both these Covenants at once if he be under a Covenant of works he is not under a Covenant of grace and if he be under a Covenant of grace he cannot be under a Covenant of works Such as are under a Covenant of works they have the breach of that Covenant to count for they being the Sâ—rpentine brood of a transgressing stock but such as are under a Covenant of grace shall never be tryed by the Law of works because Christ their surety hath fulfilled it for them Acts 13. 38 39. Rom. 8. 2 3 4. Gal. 4. 4 5 6. But let me open my self more fully thus That all unbelievers all Christless graceless persons are under a Covenant of works which they are never able safely to live under should they live and die under a Covenant of works they were surely lost and destroyed for ever for the Covenant of works condemns and curses the sinner Cursed is every one that continueth not in all Gal. 3. 10. things which are written in the book of the law to do them neither hath the sinner any way to escape that curse of the Law nor the wrath of God reveiled against all unrighteousness and ungodlyness but in the Covenant of grace Rom. 1. 18. this Covenant of works the Apostle calls The law of Rom. 3. 27. Gen. 2. 16 17. works This is the Covenant which God made with man in the state of innocency before the fall In this Covenant God promised to Adam for himself and his posterity life and happiness upon the condition of perfect personal and perpetual obedience and it is summed up by the Apostle Do this and live God having created man upright Gal. 3. 12. Eâ—clâ—â— 7. 29. Gen. 1. 26. 27. after his own image and so having furnished him with all abilities sufficient for obedience thereupon he made a Covenant with him for life upon the condition of obedience I say he made such a Covenant with Adam as a publick person as the head of the Covenant and as he promised life to him and his posterity in case of obedience so he threatned death and a curse unto him and his posterity in case of disobedience In the day thou eatest Gen. 2. 1â— Gal. 3. 10. Not only the Covenant of Grace but the Covenant of works also is an et 〈…〉 Coâ—â—nant and therefore the curse of the Covenant remains upon meâ— unto Eternity There is an eternal obligation upon the creature he being bound to God by an eternal Law and the transgression of that â—aw carries with it an eternal guilt which eternal guilt brings sinners under an eternal curse thereof thou shalt surely die or dying thou shalt die God in this Covenant of works did deal with Adam and his posterity in a way of supremacy and righteousness and therefore there is mention made only of the threatnings In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death And it is further observable that in this Covenant that God made with Adam and his posterity he did promise unto them eternal life and happiness in heaven and not eternal life in this world only as some would have it for Hell was threatned in these words In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death and therefore heaven and happiness salvation and glory was promised on the contrary we must necessarily conclude that the promise was as ample large and full as the threatning was yet this must be remembred that when God did at first enter into Covenant with us and did promise us heaven and salvation it was upon condition of our personal perfect and perpetual obedience and therefore called a Covenant of works Do this and live was not only a Command but a Covenant with a promise of eternal happiness upon perfect and perpetual obedience All that are under a Covenant of works are under the curse of the Covevenant and they are all bound over unto eternal wrath But the Lord Christ has put an end to this Covenant and abolished it unto all that are in him being himself made under it and satisfying the precept and the curse of it and so he did cancel it As a hand-writing against us nailing Col. 2. 14. it unto his cross So that all they that are in Christ are freed from the Law as a Covenant but unto all other men it remains a Covenant still and they remain under the curse of it for ever and the wrath of God abides upon John 3. 36. them Though the Covenant of works as it is a Covenant for life ceaseth unto believers yet it stands in force against all unbelievers Now oh how sad is it for a man to be under a Covenant of works For First The Covenant of works in the nature of it requires perfect personal and perpetual obedience under pain of the curse and death according to that of the Apostle As many as are of the works of the Law are under the Gal. 3. 10. curse presupposing man's fall and consequently his inablility to keep it For it is written cursed is every one that Deut. 27. 26. continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them The Covenant of works therefore affords no mercy to the transgressors of it but inflicts death and curse for the least delinquency For whosoever James 2. 10. shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all The whole Law is but one copulative He that breaketh one commandment habitually breaketh all A dispensatory conscience keeps not any commandment when the disposition of the heart is qualified to break every command then a man breaks every command in the account of God every one sin contains vertually all sin in it He that dares contemn the Law-giver in any one command he dares contemn the Law-giver in every command He that allows himself in any one known sin in any course way or trade of sin he sâ—â—s himselâ— under that curse which is threatned against the transgressors of the Law They that are under this Covenant of works must of necessity perish The case stands thus Adam did break this Covenant and so brought the curse of it both upon himself and all his seed to the end of the world in his sin all men sinned Now if
we consider all men as Rom. 5. 12. involved in the first transgression of the Covenant they must all needs perish without a Saviour this is the miserable condition that all mortals are in that are under a Covenant of works But Secondly Such as are under a Covenant of works their best and choicest duties are rejected and abhorred for the least miscarriages or blemishes that do attend them or cleave to them Observe the dreadful language of that Covenant of works Cursed is he that continueth not in all Gal. 3. 10. things that are written in the law of God to do them Hence it is that the best duties of all unregenerate persons are loathed and abhorred by God as you may clearly see by Isa 1. 11 12 13 14 15. Jer. 6. 20. Isa 66. 3. Amâ—s 5. â—1 Mic. 6. 6. Mal. 1. 10. comparing the Scriptures in the margent together the most glorious duties and the most splendid performances of those that are under a Covenant of works are loathsome to God for the least mistake that doth accompany them The Covenant of works deals with men according to the exactest terms of strict justice it doth not make nor allow any favourable or gracious interpretation as the Covenant of grace doth the very least failour exposes the soul to wrath to great wrath to everlasting wrath This Covenant is not a Covenant of mercy but of pure justice But Thirdly This Covenant admits of no Mediator There was no days-man betwixt God and man none to stand Hence this Covenant is called by some Paâ—tum ami◠〈◊〉 a Covenant of friendship between them neither was there any need of a Mediator for God and man were at no distance at no variance man was then righteous perfectly righteous now the proper work of a Mediator is to make peace and reconciliation between God and us At the first in the state of innocency there was peace and friendship between God and man there was no enmity in God's heart towards man nor no enmity in man's heart towards God But upon the fall a breach and separation was made between God and man so that man flies from God and hides from Gen. 3. 8 9 10. God and trembles at the voice of God Fallen man is now turned Rebel and is become a desperate enemy to God yea his heart is full of enmity against God The Rom. 8. 7. wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God not an enemy as the Vulgar Latine readeth it but enmity in the abstract The word signifies the act of a carnal mind comprehending thoughts desire discourse c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the words noting an excess of enmity As when we see a proud man we say there goes pride so here is enmity nothing can be said more for an enemy may be reconciled but enmity can never a vicious man may become vertuous but vice cannot There are natural Antipathies between some creatures as between the Lyon and the Cock the Elephant and the Boar the Camel and the Horse the Eagle and the Dragon c. But what are all these Antipathies to that antipathy and enmity that is in the hearts of all carnal men against God Now whilst men stand under a Covenant of works there is none to interpose by way of mediation but fallen man lies open to the wrath of God and to all the curses that are written in his book When breaches are made between God and man under the Covenant of grace there is a Mediator to interpose and to make up all such breaches but under the Covenant of works there is no Mediator to interpose between God and fallen man These three things I have hinted a little at on purpose to work my reader if under a Covenant of works to be restless till he be got from under that Covenant into the Covenant of grace where alone lies man's safety felicity happiness and comfort Now this consideration leads me by the hand to tell you Secondly That there is a Covenant of grace that all believers all sincere Christians all real Saints are under for under these two Covenants all mankind fall The Apostle calls this Covenant of grace The law of faith Rom. â— â—â— Now First this Covenant of grace is sometimes stiled an everlasting Covenant Isa 55. 3. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David You need not question my security in respect of the great things that I have propounded and promised in my word for the encouragement of your faith and hope for I will give you my bond for all I have spoken which 2 Sam. 23. 5. shall be as surely made good to you as the mercies that I have performed to my servant David The word everlasting hath two acceptations it doth denote 1. Sometimes a long duration in which respect the old Covenant cloathed with figures and ceremonies is called everlasting because it was to endure and did endure a Psal 105. 9 10. Heb. 13. 2 c. long time 2. Sometimes it denotes a perpetual duration a duration which shall last for ever In this respect the Covenant of grace is everlasting it shall never cease never be broken nor never be altered Now the Covenant of grace is an everlasting Covenant in a twofold respect First â—x parte faedeâ—antis in respect of God who will never break Covenant with his people but is their God â—it 1. 2. Psal 90. 2. and will be their God for ever and ever Psal 48. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our God even unto death I and after death too for this is not to be taken exclusively oh no! for he will never never Five times in scripture iâ— this preâ—ious o◠〈◊〉 renewed Joh. 1. 5. Deut. 31. 8. 1 King â— 57. Gen. 28. 15. That we may be 〈◊〉 a preâ—â—ing of it tiâ—l we haâ—e 〈◊〉 all the 〈◊〉 out of â—â— Isa 66. 11. leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13. 5. There are five Negatives in the Greek to assure God's people that he will never forsake them According to the Greek it may be rendred thus I will not not leave thee neither will I not not forsake thee Leave us God may to our thinking leave us but forsake us he will not So Psal 89. 34. My Covenant will I not break Heb. I will not prophane my Covenant nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Heb. The issue of my lips I will not alter Though God's people should prophane his Statutes vers 31. yet God will not prophane his Covenant though his people often break with him yet he will never break with them though they may be inconstant yet God will be constant to his Covenant Isa 54. â—0 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on
all the creatures for their good for their service and benefit Sixthly and lastly In this Book they might run and read what a most excellent what a most admirable what a most transcendent workman God was What are the Heavens the Earth the Sea but a sheet of Royal Paper written all over with the Wisdom and Power of God Now in the great day of account this Book shall be produced to witness against the Heathen World because they did not live up to the light that was held forth to them in this Book but crucified that light and knowledge by false ways of worship and by their wicked manners whereof the Apostle gives you a Bead-roll or Catalogue from vers 21. to the end of that 1. of the Romans But Secondly there is the Book of Providence wherein â— all particulars are registred even such as Atheists may count trivial and inconsiderable Mat. 10. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred And where is their number summed up even in the Book of Providence The three Worthies were taken out of the fiery furnace Dan. 3. 27 with their hairs in full number not one of them singed Paul encouraging the Passengers to eat who were in fear and danger of death tells them that there should not an Act. 27. 34. hair fall from the head of any of them And when Saul 1 Sam. 14. 45. would have put Jonathan to death the people told him That there should not a hair of his head fall to the ground Christ doth not say that the hairs of your eye lids are numbred but the hairs of your head where there is the greatest plenty and the least use Though hair is but an excrement and the most contemptible part of man yet every hair of an Elect person is observed and registred down in God's Books and not one of them shall be lost Nor the Holy Ghost doth not say the hairs of your heads shall be numbred but the hairs of your head are all numbred God has already booked them all down and all to shew us that special that singular care that God takes of the smallest and least concernments of his chosen ones This Book of Providence God will produce in the great day to confute and condemn the Atheists of the World who have denied a Divine Providence and whose hearts have swelled against his Government of the world according to the counsels of his own heart But Thirdly There is the Book of men's afflictions this some account an entire Book of it self Psal 56. 8. Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy bottle are The Septuagint for my wandrings or flitâ—ings have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Lâ—fe to teach us saith one that our life is but a flitting they not in thy book God told all those weary steps that David took in passing over those two great Forrests when he fled from Saul or thou cypherest up my flittings as the words may be read whilst David was hunted up and down like a Partridge and hushed out of every bush and had no certain dwelling place but driven from post to pillar from one Countrey to another God was all this while a noting down and a numbering of his flittings and a bottleing up his tears and a booking down his sighs Put thou my tears into thy bottle Heb. my tear that is every tear of mine let not one of them be lost but kept safe with thee as so much sweet water God is said in Scripture to have a Bag and a Bottle a Bag for our sins and a Bottle for our tears and Oh that we would all labour to fill his bottle with our tears as we have filled his bag with our sins and certainly if the white tears of his servants be bottled up the red tears of their blood shall not be cast away if God keep the tears of the Saints in store much more will he remember their blood to avenge it and though Tyrants burn the bones of the Saints yet they cannot blot out their tears and blood out of God's Register Are they not in thy book are they not in thy Register or Book of Accounts where they cannot be blotted out by any time or Tyrants i. e. yes certainly they are thou dost assuredly book them down and wilt never forget one of them according to the usual Interrogatory that was used among the Hebrews when they affirmed a thing past all doubt Let the great Nimrods and oppressors of the Saints look to themselves for God books down all the afflictions sufferings and persecutions of his servants and in the great day he will bring in this Book this Register to witness against them Ah sinners sinners look to your selves in the great day of account the Lord will reckon with you for every rod that he hath spent upon you he will reckon with you not only for all your mercies but also for all your crosses not only for all your sweets but also for all your bitters not only for all your cordials but also for all your corrasives In this Book of Afflictions there is not only Item for this mercy and that but Item also for this affliction and that this sickness and that this cross and that this loss and that And will not the opening of this Book of the Saints afflictions and sufferings and of sinners afflictions and sufferings be as the hand-writing upon Dan. 5. 5 6. the wall to all the wicked of the earth in the great day of account surely yes for as they cannot answer for one mercy of ten thousand that they have enjoyed so they cannot answer for one affliction of ten thousand that they have been exercised with But Fourthly There is the Book of Conscience Conscience saith Philo is the little Consistory of the soul Conscience Râ—m 2. 14 15. is Mille Testes A thousand Witnesses for or against a man Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom Conscience hath a good memory saith one The chief Gen. 41. 9. Butler forgot the promise that he had made to Joseph but Conscience told him of it Fama propter homines conscientia propter Deum saith Augustine A good name will carry it amongst men but it is a good conscience only that can acquit us before God In this great day the Book of every man's Conscience shall be opened for their conviction The Conscience is a Domestick and true Tribunal saith Nazianzenâ—â— wherein they shall read their guilt in legible Characters for that is a Book of Record wherein men's actions are entred and although now it be shut up close and sinners will by no means be brought to look into it â—and though many things that are written in this Book seem to be so greatly obliterated and blotted that they can hardly be read Yet in that great day of Accounts God will refresh and recover the lustre of those Ancient Writings and sinners in that day shall find that