But the difference lyes in this That the New Covenant consists of better Promises And this Betterness stands in the Free Absolute Independent engagement of God Himself to Invest His Covenanted Ones with all things conducing to the Blessedness held forth And that as well what is to be done on their part as on His Own upon their doing of it That is plainly To Give to them and Work in them Whatever in this Covenant He requires of them The law shews matter of Duty but gives not where-with to perform it The Covenant of Grace does both by writing the law in the heart And without this it would still have been but a Covenant of works be the Duties enjoined whatever you will It therefore runs not upon Conditional or Failable terms I will If ye will but Absolute and Sovereign I will and ye shall This Covenant does not only give life upon terms of Believing but Faith also and Holiness as the necessary means of attaining that life And this not upon your ingenuous complyance as some term it or better improvement of what you have in common with other Men such allegations the Lord disallows and often Cautions against but of Grace It 's a Covenant made-up of Promises and Promise by Scripture intendment is alwayes Free both freely made and freely perform'd without the desert or procurement of Men. Take Isaac for instance Abraham's body was now dead Gen. 18. 11. ver 14. and Sarah besides her natural barrenness it ceased to be with her after the manner of Women and yet Sarah shall have a Son But How The Promise had in it though Abraham and Sarah had not whatever might tend to Isaac's conception and birth Gal. 4. 23 28. and for this cause He was called The Son of the Promise as also Believers are Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 3. 29. They are also termed Heirs of Promise Heb. 6. 17. And on this account Christ is called The Promised Seed and the Holy Ghost The Spirit of Promise viz To shew the Independent freeness of those Divine Gifts The Promise of sending them Their actual Coming and Effectual operations are all free and free in all respects This Dew from the Lord waiteth not for Men. Mic. 5. 7. For further illustration the Jews are a pertinent Instance as ye read in Jer. 32. from v. 30. to the 36. They had done nothing but evil from their youth up and were a continual provocation And when scattered among the Nations they were no-whit bettered but caused even the Heathen to blaspheme And yet notwithstanding all this the Lord will Gather them and give them an heart to fear Him for ever v. 37. to v. 44. And this even whiles they were not moved neither could they blush chap. 8. 12. See also with what inexpressible freeness of Grace the Lord deals with them in Isa 43. v. 25. I even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions and will not remember thy sins But what 's the Introduction to this so great a Promise See it and wonder at it Thou hast not called upon Me O Jacob Miâ— v. 22. ver 23. ver 24. but thou hast been weary of Me O Israel Thou hast not brought Me the small Cattel of thy burnt Offerings Thou hast bought Me no sweet Cane with thy money but hast made Me to serve with thy sins and wearied Me with thine iniquities I even I whom thou hast dealt so ingratefully with Isa 64. 3. and disingenuously even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake And this was a Great thing they looked not for As indeed considering themselves and what their demeanour had been they had no Reason to look for it Hence 't is cleer That Grace respects not the worthiness of Men in what It does for them Nay it must respect their Vnworthiness rather as that by which Grace is more illustrated and the glory thereof more advanced according to Rom. 5. 20. Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound And Paul proclaims it as verified on himself 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutour and Injurious But I obtained Mercy and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant v. 14 and hereupon he falls to Adoring that Grace Now to the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen v. 17. The Richeâ— of Mercy is made-out by Saving the Chief of sinners and in quickening us when dead Ephes 2. 1 4. And it is very observable That the Apostles when ever they mention the Grace of God in Saving Quickening c. do not give the least intimation of Mens Worthiness Preparedness Compliance or any such thing but Dead in Sins and Quickening come one in the neck of the other as light does upon darkness which in no sort induces the light or prepares the dark Earth or Ayr for it as is abundantly evident in all their Epistles And how oft and in good earnest does the Lord declare against all the pretensions of Men as to their activeness in this Matter in Isaiah Jeremy Ezekiel Hosea c. And as a barr to those pretensions The Holy People He calls A People sought-out and that He is found of them that sought Him not with many others This I shall end with a very observable Instance within my own Memory and I bring it not in for proof but Illustration I knew a Man who when he came under convictions endeavoured with all his might to stifle them His Convictions grew stronger and he hardned himself against them He saw their tendency but so opposite to it that he resolv'd in express terms He would not be a Puritan what-ever came of it To the Church he must go His Master would have it so But this was his wont To loll oâ—r the seat with his fingers in both his ears Here General or Conditional Grace was surely non-plus'd But a Chosen Vessel must not so be lost Now steps-in Electing Grace and by a casual slip of his Elbows drew-out the stoppers and sent-in a Word from the Pulpit which like fire from Heaven melted his heart and cast it in a New Mould Surely in this the Lord did not wait for the Man's complyance or improvements His work was not Originated thence nor dependent thereon II. II. If all that pertains to Salvation were not given freely Salvation it self should not be of Grace For to him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace Rom. 4. 4. but of Debt But Salvation is of Grace Ephes 2. 5. By Grace ye are saved And agen v. 8. By Grace ye are saved through Faith Where also lest the adding of Faith should occasion in their esteem a lessening of this Grace or seem to detract from the Freeness of it he cautiously subjoyns That this Faith is the work of that Grace Not of your selves It is the Gift of God For if Grace be perfectly free in Choosing it must be answerably
sing praise unto Thee 3. This likeness to Christ is not attainable by any without first being in Him as their Head For which cause the Elect were Chosen in Him Eph. 1. 4. It is out of Christ's fulness that all Grace is received and in order to that Reception there must be Vnion The branch cannot bear fruit of it self Joh. 15. nor indeed be a branch unless it grow out of the Vine For which cause and end the designed Members of His Body were seperated from their wild Olive root and put into Christ by Election And hereby they are made partakers of the fatness of that Heavenly Root i. e. of the Spirit of Christ which is called the Anointing in 1 Joh. 2. 27. In this respect the First and Second Adams are set-forth as paralels touching headship to their respective Bodies As from Adam their natural Head all Mankind have derived their natural being So from Christ their Spiritual Head do all the Elect Seed receive their Spiritual being and Nature On which account he is stiled The everlasting Father and They His Children Isa 9. 6. Heb. 2. 13. They were all in Christ from Eternity in as just but spiritual a Reality as Mankind in Adam or Levi in Abraham's loyns when Melchisedee met him Eve's production as to the manner of it was paternal of this She was made of Adam's substance but she came not out of his loyns but out of his Side So is the New Creature extracted out of Christ's They are bone of His bones and flesh of his flesh Gen. 2. 21-23 spiritually understood And none can thus proceed from Him but such as were in Him Decretively by Election Men are blessed with these spiritual blessings as being in Christ and not otherwise Eph. 1. 4. Tit. 3. 5 6. Inferences I. Infer 1. We gather hence the honourable and safe estate of the Church which hath the Son of God to be Head and Saviour of it II. Infer 2. Let no Man pretend to this honourable Relation without something to shew for it by which he may avouch his Membership to Christ The currentest mark and â—vidence whereof will be your conformity not to Men or Self but to Christ Jesus your Head It is that must denominate you Christians indeed At latter day Christ will know None but who have made their Robes white in the blood of the Lamb. All Hang-by's and Ivy-claspers will then be shook off and no One retain'd but such as have His substance in them Many shall come and plead their works What they have been and what they have done and their old hypocrisie will be so Immovable and Impudent that they l even expostulate the matter with Him Mat. 7. 22. Have not we Prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and done many wonderful works c. Of whom our Lord will profess ver 23. That He knows them not No nor Never knew them He knows His own by their likeness to Him He knows and cannot but know the Members of His Body My sheep I know but who are ye will He then say to all that are but professing Members of Him Which will be indeed a Doleful conclusion of their groundless though specious Confidence Look to it therefore in time III. Infer 3. Let those who are really of this Body bear themselves worthily both towards their Head and Fellow-Members And let That be your badge of distinction from Christians meerly Nominal 1. Own the Supremacy of your Head by giving Him the Preheminence in all things Call no Man on Earth Master i. e. In point of Faith Give unto Caesar all that belongs to him yet so as still to have respect unto Christ as the Supreme Law giver 2. Submit to His Government Steer your course by His Councels and follow His Conduct Go after Him wherever He shall lead you Let all your sensâ—s have their Seat in your Head Let every thing be understood by you according to His sense and interpretation of it 3. Expose your self for Him Stand between Him and Wrongs Preserve His honour and Interest with the utmost hazard of your self Let life and death be as things indifferent to you so as Christ may be Magnified in you Phil. 1. 20. 4. Look to this your Head for supply of all Grace From His fulness it is to be had and No where else Therefore Hold to your Head lest Notions beguile you of your Reward Col. 2. v. 18 19. Be sure withall that you keep to your Place and Duty lest you miss of the Nourishment that belongs to you A Member out of its place is for the time as a Member cut off Joh. 154 5. 5. Adorn your Head by a constant Reaching at perfect Conformity to Him Shew forth His virtues Be holy as He was Let all your fruits be such as are meet for such a Root God the Father is the Head of Christ and ye know that He bore the express Image of His Person in all that He did He could do Nothing but what He saw the Father do So do you by your Head Christ Make Him your Example And in order thereto live upon Him as your immediate Root and give Him the honour of His own productions Then Carry it towards your Brethren as Members of the same Body 1. Usurp not upon them as if more than a fellow-member with them Judge not the Strong Nor despise the Weak Who made thee a Judge There 's none but hath need of forbearance from others and the less you see your need the more need you have of it 2. Intrude not into Anothers place and office Each Member hath its own to which it is fiâ—ted This it best becomes and here it will be most useful Elsewhere it would be both useless and a deformity as a finger or other Member if transposed and out of its own joynt 3. Shew your Co-membership by your love and tender regard towards others Heb. 5. 2. Have compassion on the Ignorant and those out of the way as your Head towards you If One be weak or Wounded let him that is Strong and Whole support and bind it up If one foot stumble let the other step in for its help Gal. 6. 1. Consider thy self lest thou also be tempted Members of the same Natural body need no Arguments to perswade to this duty they do it by Instinct And the want of Compassionateness in us towards others though it shall not dry up yet may much restrain at least in our apprehension the Springs of Christ's pity towards our Selves 4. Let the good of the whole have the preference before a particular part And let That of a lower use deny it self for the safety and assistance of That which is more Noble This in a degree is to lay down our life for the Brethren He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men and a good evidence it is of your Membership
by what Title The Answer is They all do belong to Elect Persons and That in right of their Election To put Effects in the place of Causes and Causes of Effects is a great absurdity in Natural things and yet how prone are we to it in Matters of Divine Concernment which chiefly comes from the pride of our Spirits who fain would be Some-body in procuring our own happiness and do therefore ascribe it to any Cause rather than That which is proper to it This is a Great Evil and the more perilous and catching because espoused by Some of no-common-profession and That with great pretences of Reason for it To Refute which your most rational course will be To search and consult the Scriptures whose testimony and right Reason do always sort-together And if by this Ascent you follow Salvation and all the Conducements thereto up to their Head you shall find them all to be intirely and absolutely of God and contained in the same Decree And consequently That Faith and Holiness are the Effect and certain Consequent of Election The genuine Import of Scripture-Salvation is broad and comprehensive extending to all manner of Requisites which any way conduce to the perfect accomplishment of the thing it self Outward Salvation what ever belongs to the Outward Man's preservation As Water Bread Walls Bulwarks c. Isa 26. 1. Salvation will appoint Walls and Bulwarks i. e. The promise of Salvation implies and carries in it all things pertaining to Safety So Spiritual Salvation what ever pertains to Blessedness and Glory as Redemption Faith Holiness and Holding-out to the End Any of which being absent would invalidate all the rest As one Round of a Ladder pluck'd-out hinders your ascent to the Top. If One gives me a piece of Land that is round-inclosed the Law gives me a Way to it though no express mention thereof in my Deed so as to take the profits Otherwise litle would his Gift signifie to Me Salvation is That the Elect are endowed with Faith and Holiness the necessary Way to their actual possession And therefore These they must be ordained unto and are as well as to Salvation it self For being Predestinate to the Adoption of Sons Rom. 8. 28. Eph. 1 5. 1 Joh. 3. 2. and to be conformed to the Image of Christ which is not perfectly accomplished till His appearing in Glory they must be Predestinate also to all those intermediate Dispensations and Graces which are requisite thereto For Right to the End gives Right to the Means They are therefore said to be Chosen to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2 13. and belief of the Truth In order of Intention God wills the End first and then the Means In order of Execution the Means first as directive to That End Ro. 8. 30. Eph. â— 4 8 10 The End is the cause of the Means and Election the Cause of them both The Promise of Canaan to Abraham's Seed did virtually contain what ever must come between the making of the Promise and the final performance of it As 1 To multiply his Seed into a Nation 2 To keep Esau Laban and Others from hurting them 3 To provide for them in time of famine 4 To preserve and increase them in Egypt notwithstanding the Egyptians craft and cruelty to suppress them 5 To bring them forth with an high hand in contempt of Pharaoh's Resolvedness against it and his Potency to withstand it 6 To divide the Sea before them and provide them a Table in the Wilderness 7 To cause their Enemies hearts to faint and become as Water 8 To send the Hornet before them and to fight for them c. For Otherwise the Lord 's giving them Canaan had been but as the Pope's giving England to the Spaniard that is If he could get it And lastly To pardon their manifold great and high provocations by which they exposed themselves to wrath and extirpation daily So is it in the Case of Election It draws with it even All that is tendent to the Saints actual Investiture with Glory The Apostle therefore linketh Eternity past with Eternity to come He makes Election and Glorification the two extream points of the Compass Calling and Justification which are parts intermediate he founds upon the First in order to the Last and gives you their Set-course in Rom. 8. 38. Whom He did Foreknow Then also He did Predestinate To what to be conformed to the Image of His Son And whom He did Predestinate them also He Called And what did He Call them to He Called them to Holiness to Glory and Virtue 2 Pet. 1. 3. And whom He Called them also He Justified and Glorified These All do belong to One and the same persons and that by virtue of the Decree and no one of them did ever go alone The like Succession of Causes and Effects ye have in the 16th of Ezekiel Ezek. 16. 6-12 The Lord finds them in their blood that is in their natural condition He enters into Covenant with them and makes them His Own there 's Election Then He Washes them and that throughly there 's their Justification And then Adorns them there 's their Sanctification which always is Consummated in Glory In the 17th of the Acts Acts 17. 1-5 ye have Paul preaching at Thessalonica The same Doctrine was propounded to all indefinitely and it must be so for the Minister knows not the Elect from other Men But the Holy Ghost who searcheth the deep things of God and hath the Management of this Work committed to him Joh. 10. 3. Isa 27. 12. He knew the Elect by Name and accordingly took them Gather'd them One by One each One in his proper time and open'd their Ear to discipline Making them That they were Chosen unto And the same Apostle in his Epistle to the Thessalonians where he Celebrates the effects of this Sermon brings in their Election as the Cause of their Conversion Knowing Brethren beloved 1 Thes 1. 4 5. your Election of God For our Gospel came not to you in Word only as it did to others but in power So in the Acts Acts 13. 48. ch 2 47. As many as were Ordained to Eternal life believed And the Lord added to the Church daily whom diâ— He add such as should be Saved Effectual Calling is a sure Demonstration of Election and the first Effect by which it can be known That precious Faith through which we are Saved is obtained through the Righteousness of God 2 Pet. 1. 7. and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 7. 1 It is given through the Righteousness of God the Father and so it either respects His Ordaining us to Eternal life In which Act He did implicitely engage Himself to give us Faith which may therefore be called The Faith of God's Elect T it 1. 1. Or else it respects His promise made to Christ Isa 53. 10. Tit. 1. 2. with 2 Tim. 1. 9. That setting