rationally wrapt up in the Covenant of grace Indeed gross scandalous sins nay infirmities when they are given way to and not resisted may keep the soul from the fruition for a time of Gods Covenant but never from the eternal jus and right unto it for as the habit of Faith or Grace gives a man a constant right to the promise and Covenant which seed ever remains which habit ever lasts Jer. 3. 9. so the act of Faith or Grace gives a man fruition of the Covenant and the benefit of the promise and hence by the acting and venting of some sins wherein there is included the neglect of the exercise of grace He that is really in covenant with God may be deprived of the fruition of it yet seeing the seed of God and the habit of grace ever remains he cannot by any sin break his covenant for the covenant of grace is absolute wherein the Lord doth not only promise the good but to begin perfect fulfil the condition absolutly without respect of sin ex parte creaturae Indeed if Gods covenant of Grace did as that of works depend upon man to fulfil the condition having sufficient grace to fulfil it then gross sin might well break the Covenant but seeing God hath undertaken to fulfil the Covenant absolutely not withstanding all the evils and sins of the soul no sin can possibly break that knot and covenant which so firm and resolute love hath once knit And therefore if this be a good argument Infirmities cannot break covenant What cause have I to be humbled for them so as to say It is thy mercy Lord that I am not consumed for them as you write you may upon the same ground say so If the Lord should desert you or you for Take the Lord and so fall into the foulest sin which I suppose corrupt conscience dares not be so bold as to think or allow of 2. Secondly I say the least sins or infirmities do break the first covenant of works and hence you do not only deserve but are under the sentence of death and curse of God immediatly after the least hairs-breadth swarving from the Law by the smallest sin and most involuntary accidental infirmity According to the Tenor of the Law the soul that sinneth shall die and cursed is he that continueth not in all things of the Law Gal. 3. 10. The least sin being ex parte objecti in respect of God against whom it is committed as horrible and as great as the greatest For it being an infinite wrong being the dishonour of an infinite Majesty there can be no greater wrong than an infinite one unless you can imagin a thing greater than that which is insinite and therefore in this respect there is as much venom and mischief done against God in the least as in the greatest sin And therefore it and whosoever commit it deserve death for it as if they had committed the foulest sin in the world and therefore after the least and smallest infirmities you may from hence see what cause you have freely to be humbled and to confess for them how worthy you are to be destroyed yea even to look upon your self as lying under the sentence of the Law and death immediately after the commission of them and so to mourn bitterly for them Object But you will say a Christian that is under the Covenant of Grace is not within the Covenant of Works that Bond is cancelled the last will must stand and therefore he being out of that Covenant no sins of his can be said to break the Covenant for no man can be said to break that Law under which he is not and which he is not bound to keep Answ I answer every Believer has a double being or standing and so there may be put upon him a double respect 1. First he may be considered as united to and having a spiritual being on Christ and so it is true he is under Grace and the Covenant of Grace and not under the Law nor the Covenant of works and hence not being under the Law nor bound to keep it as a covenant of life tho' it be a rule of life no sin can condemn him there being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. But as Christ is above condemnation and law and death and curse so is he And this truly understood is the foundation of a Christians joy and peace and glory every day yet so as tho' sin doth not condemn him yet he has good reason to say it is mercy and meer mercy Lord that I am not consumed that I am condemned For sin is the same nay grace and Gods love aggravates sin for to sin against the law deserves death without recovery but to sin when grace has received me and loved me when the blood of Christ has been shed abundantly to deliver me from sin Oh this makes the most secret silent sin a crying one So that if you do consider this well you may see what little cause there is to have your heart rising against the deepest humilation for the least sin tho' you be in Christ and under grace For as Daniel when he was put into the Lions den had not the cause to wonder that he was not torn in pieces by them and why because it was not from any defect on their parts to tear him in pieces but from the omnipotent power and mercy and grace of his God that muzzell'd their mouths so tho' no Lion can â—ear tho' no sins can hurt or condemn a Christian as he is considered in Christ yet has not he cause to confess and wonder and say Lord it is thy meer grace and mercy that it is not so which is the act of humilation your letter saith you can hardly come unto and why not because Gods grace puts any less evil in sin but because it is meerly grace that keeps it from spitting that venom which otherwise it would Secondly A Christian may be considered in respect of his natural being in hiâ—â—elf and thus he is ever under the Law and as oft as he sinneth under the sentence of death and as the Apostle speaks by naâ—ure even we justified quickned are the children of wrath as well as others And thus after the least involuntary accidental sin you may easily see what cause you have to lie down deeply humbled mourning under the sentence of death and Gods eternal curse as a condemned man going to execution to feel that fire that shall never go out looking upon your self as you are in your self a forlorn cast-away every moment and this truly understood is the foundation of a Christians sorrow shame and confusion of face self-loathing self-forgetting self-forsaking and condemning every day and believe it Sir it is no small Piece of a Christians skill and work to put a difference between himself and himself himself as he is in Christ and so to joy and triumph and himself as he is growing on
hony comb with the end of my nod and if this presence of Christ's Spirit I feel now be so sweet what is himself then 3. Thirdly Labour for increase of love familiarity with Jesus Christ by taking notice of him by coming often to him by musing daily on his love as on a fresh thing by banishing slavish false fears of his forgetfulness of you and want of everlasting love towards you and then you know love will carry you speedily to him amor meus pondus meum nay grant that you have been a stranger to Christ yet restore the love of Christ to life again in your Soul and when you come to his ordinances where he dwells your Soul will make its first enquiry for him neither will it be satisfied till it has seen him as we do them we love towards whom we have been greatest strangers Quest 5. Your fifth trouble is you know not how to apply absolute promises to your self as in Heb. 8. because they are made indefinitely without condition Conditional promises you say you can if you can find the qualification that gives you right to the good of the promise within you Answ This useful fruitful question how to apply absolute promises to ones particular deserves a larger time and answer than now in the midst of perplexities I am able yet willing to give For when the Lord saith absolutely without condition that he will take away the stony heart and he will put his fear into his peoples hearts c. and these kind of promises are made to some not to all to those only whom the Lord will and in general to his people Hereupon the Souls of many Christians especially such as question Gods love towards them are most in suspence and therefore when they complain of the vileness of their hearts strength of the lusts let any man tell them that the Lord has undertaken in the Second covenant to heal their backslidings and to subdue their iniquities they will hereupon reply it is true he has promised indeed to do thus for some absolutely tho' they have no good in them but I that feel so vile a heart so rebellious a nature will he do this for me or no and thus the Soul floats above water yet fears it shall sink at last notwithstanding all that God has said I will answer therefore briefly these two things in general 1. I shall shew you to what end and for what use and purpose Go has made absolute promises not only to them that be for the present bâ—â— people but to them that in respect their estates and condition are not 2. I shall shew you how every Christian is to make use of them and how and when he ought to apply them For the first of these 1. First I conceive that as in respect of God himself there are many ends which I shall not mention as being needless so in respect of man there are principally these two ends for which the Lord has made absolute promises 1. To raise up the Soul of a helpless sinful cursed lost sinner in his own eyes to some hope at least of mercy and help from the Lord. For thus usually every mans Soul is wrought to whom the Lord doth intend grace and mercy he first turns his eyes inward and makes him to see he is stark naught and that he has not one dram of grace in him who thought himself rich and wanting nothing before and consequently that he is under the curse and wrath of God for the present and that if the Lord should but stop his breath and cover his face and take him away which he may easily do and this to be feared he will that he is undon forever Hereupon the Soul is awakened falls to his kitchin physick as I spake before prays and hears and amends and strives to grow better and to stop up every hole to amend it self of every sin but finding it self to grow worse and worse and perceiving thereby that he doth but stir not cleanse the puddle and that it is not amending of nature that he must attain to but he must believe and make a long arm to Heaven and apprehend the Lord Jesus which so few know or ever shall enjoy and hereby quench the wrath of God I say finding he cannot do thus no nor no means of themselves can help him to this hereupon he is for saken of all his self-wisdom and of all his vain hopes and now sits down like a desolate widow comfortless and sorrowful and thinks there is no way but death and hell the wrath of a displeased God to be expected And if any come and tell this Soul of Gods mercy and pity to sinners I saith he its true he is even infinitely merciful unto them who are rent from their sins and that can believe but that I cannot do am sure shall never be able for to do therefore what cause have I but to lie down in my sorrow to expect my fatal stroke every moment Reply again upon this Soul tell him that tho' he cannot believe or loosen his heart from sin yet that the Lord has promised to do it that he will subdue all his iniquity and he will pardon all his sin and that he will cause men to walk in his ways c. True saith the Soul again he will do thus for his own people and for them he has chosen but I never had dram of grace in my heart and there is no evidence that the Lord is mine own or that I am his Here again the Soul lies down until the Lord discovers to the Soul that he will do these things for some that have no grace or never had grace for these promises were made to such Hereupon the Soul thinks thus these promises are made for some that are filthy for why should God pour clean water upon them for some that be hard-hearted for why should he promise to take away the stony heart from them c. and if unto some such and I being such a one why may not the Lord possibly intend and include me seeing he has not by his promise excluded nor shut me out Indeed I dare not say he will but yet how do I or men or Angels know but yet I may be one Hereupon Hope is raised to life again seeing God has undertaken the work for the vilest it is possible he may do it for me now when I am vile and can do nothing for my self And thus you may see the first end and use of absolute promises to be as it were twiggs to uphold the sinking Spirits of hopeless helpless distressed Souls 2. The Second end and Use of them is this To create and draw out faith in Jesus Christ in the promises For as the Law begets terror so the promises beget Faith Now no conditional promise firstly begets Faith because he that is under any condition of the Gospel in that man there
Q. How many persons learn you from hence to be in God A. Three First The first is the Father the first Person in order begetting the Son Psal 2. 7. Secondly The Son the second Person begotten of the Father Joh. 3. 6. Heb. 1. 3. Thirdly The Spirit the third Person proceeding from them both Joh. 15. 26. Q. Are these three Persons three distinct Gods A. No For they are that one pure Essence and therefore but one God Joh. 1. 1. Rom. 9. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 10. Q. If every Person be God how can they be distinct Persons and not distinct Gods A. Yes Because one and the same thing may have many Relative properties and respects of being which in the God-head make distinct Persons As one and the same man may be Father in one respect a Master in another respect and a Scholar in another respect Q. If these three Persons be but one God what follows from hence A. That all the three Personr are Co equal Co eternal subsisting in one not separating from each other therefore delighting in each other glorifying each other Prov. 8. 30. Thus much concerning God Now concerning the works of God Q. Thus much concerning Gods sufficiency VVhat is his efficiency A. Whereby he worketh all things and all in all things Rom. 11. 36. Isa 45. 7. Q. VVhat of Gsd shines forth and are you to behold in this Efficiency A. Two things First Gods Omnipotency in respect of his Essence Secondly the co-operation and distinct manner of working of the three Persons Rom. 1. 20. John 5. 17. Q. VVhat is Gods Omnipotency A. It is his almighty power whereby he is able to bring to pass all that he doth will or what ever he can will or decree 2 Chron. 20. 6. Phil. 3. 21. Mat 3. 9. Psal 115. 7. Q. VVhat is Gods Decree A. It is his Eternal and determinate purpose concerning the effecting of all things by his mighty power according to his counsel Eph. 1. 11. Q. VVhat attributes or glory of God appear in his Decree A. First His constancy whereby his Decree remains unchangeable Num. 23. 19. Secondly His Truth whereby he delivereth nothing but what he hath decreed Jer. 10. 10. Thirdly His Faithfulness whereby he effecteth what-ever he decreeth according thereunto Isa 46. 10. Q. VVhat is God's Counsel A. His deliberation as it were for the best effecting of every thing according to his Wisdom Acts 4. 24. Psa 104. 24. Q. VVhat is Gods VVisdom A. It is the Idaea or perfect platform of all things in the mind of God which either can be known or shall be done according to the good pleasure of his will Hebr. 11. 3. Prov. 8. 12 13. Q. VVhat is the good pleasure of Gods will A. It is the most free Act of his Will whereby he willeth himself directly as the greatest good and all other things for himself according to his good pleasure Mat. 11. 25. Prov. 16. 4. Q. VVhat learn you from hence A. That Gods good pleasure is the first and best cause of all things Psal 115. 3. Psal 33. 8 9 10 11. Q. VVhat are the Co-operations of the three persons in Gods Efficiency A. Whereby they work the same thing together unseperably Joh. 5. 17 19. 16. 13 14. Q. If they work the same thing together How is it that some works are attributed to God the Father as Creation some to the Son as Redemption some to the Holy Spirit as application A. This is not because the same work is not common to all the three Persons but because that work is principally attributed in Scripture to that person whose distinct manner of working appears chiefly in the work Q. VVhat is God the Fathers distinct manner of working A. His working is from himself by the Son to the Holy Ghost Ps 33. 6. Joh. 1. 3 hence the beginning so the Creation of all things is attributed to him Q VVhat is God the Sons manner of working A. His working is from the Father by the Holy Ghost Ioh. 14. 16. and hence the dispensation of things and so Redemption is attributed unto him Q. VVhat is the Holy Ghosts manner of working A. His working is from the Father and the Son Ioh. 14. 26. and hence the consummation of all things and so application is attributed unto him Q. VVherein doth Gods efficiency or working appear A. In two things First In his creation of the world Secondly in his providence over the world Esa 37. 16. Q. VVhat is his Creation A. It is Gods efficiency whereby he made the whole world of nothing originaâ—ly exceeding good Psal 33. 9. Gen. 1. 31. Q. Did the Lord make the worlding an instant A. No but by parts in the space of six dayes described at large by Moses Gen 1. Q. When did the Lord make the third heaven with the Angels their Inhabitants A. In the first day in the first beginning of it Gen. 1. 1. Iob 38. 6 7. Q. What is the creation of the third heaven A. Whereby he made it to be the heaven of heavens a most glorious place replenished with all pleasure which belongs to eternal happiness wherein his Majesty is seen face to face therefore called the habitation of God 2 Chr. 2. 5 6. Psal 16. 11. Psal 63. 15. Q. What is the creation of the Angels A. Whereby he created an innumerable number of them in holiness to be ministring spirits with most acuteness of understanding liberty of will great strength and speedy in motion to celebrate his praises and execute his commands specially to the heirs of salvation Heb. 11. 22. Ioh. 8. 44. Heb. 1. 14. 2 Sam. 14. 20. Iude 6. 2 Pet. 2. 11. Esa 6. 2. Psal 130. 20. Q. When did God create man A. The sixth day Gen. 1. 27. Q. How did God create man A. He made him a reasonable creature consisting of body and an immortal Soul in the Image of God Gen. 2. 7. Gen. 1. 28. Q. What is the Image of God wherein he was made A. That hability of man to resemble God and wherein he was like unto God in wisdom holiness righteousness both in his nature and in his government of himself and all Creatures Col. 3. 10. Ephes 2. 24. Gen. 1. 26. Q. What became of man being thus made A. He was placed in the Garden of Eden as in his Princely Court to live unto God together with the woman which God gave him Gen. 2. 15. Q. Thus much of Gods creation What is his Providence A. Whereby he provideth for his creatures being made even to the least circumstance Psal 145. 16. Pro. 16. 33. Q. How is Gods Providence distinguished A. It is either first Ordinary and mediate whereby he provids for his creatures by ordinary and usual means Hos 2. 22. Secondly Extraordinary and immediate whereby he provides for his creatures by miracles or immediatly by himself Psal 36. 4. Dan. 3. 17. Q. Wherein is his Providence seen A. First in
Conversation whereby he upholdeth things in their being and power of working Act. 17. 28. Psal 104. 29 30. Nehem. 9. 6. Secondly in Gubernation whereby he guides directs brings all creatures to their ends Psal 29. 10. Psal 33. 11. Q. Doth God govern all creatures alike A. No but some he governs by a common providence and others by a special providence to wit Angels and Men to an eternal estate of happiness in pleasing him or of misery in displeasing him Deut. 30. 15 16. Q. What of Gods Providence appears in his special government of man A. Two things 1. Mans Apostacy or fall 2. His Recovery or rising again Q. Concerning mans fall what are you to observe therein A. Two things 1. His transgression in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2. 17. 2. The propagation of this unto all Adam's posterity Q. Was this so great a sin to eat of the forbidden fruit A. Yes exceeding great this Tree being a Sacrament of the Covenant also he had a special charge not to eat of it and in it the whole man did strike against the whole law even when God had so highly advanced him Q. what are the causes of this transgression A. The blameless cause was the law of God Rom. 5. 13. And hence as the Law did it so God did it holy justly and blamelesly Rom. 7. 10 11 12. Q. What are the blameable causes A. Two principally 1. The devil abusing the serpent to deceive the woman Gen. 3. 1. 2. Man himself in abusing his own free-will in receiving the temptation which he might have resisted Eph. 7 29. Q. What is the Devil A. That great number of apostate rebellious Angels which through pride and blasphemy against God and malice against man becamely ars and murtherers of man by bringing him into that sin Luk. 11. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 1 loh. 3. 12. loh. 8. 44. Q. What are the effects and fruits of this transgression A. They are two 1. Guilt wherby they are tied to undergo due punishment for the fault Rom. 3. 19. 2. Punishment which is the just anger of God upon them for the filth of sin Rom. 1. 18. Q. What are the particular punishments inflicted on the causes of this sin A. Besides the fearful punishment of the devils mentioned Iude 6. and that of the Serpent the Woman Gen. 3. 14 16 the punishment of man was first Sin Original Actual Secondly death Gen. 5. 5. Q. What is sin A. The transgression of Gods law Io. 3. 4. Q. What is Original and Actual sin A. First Original sin is the contrariety of the whole nature of man to the law of God whereby it being averse from all good is enclined to all evil Eccles 8. 11. Gen. 6. 5. Rom. 6. 20. Secondly Actual sin is the continual jarring of the actions of man from the law of God by reason of original sin and so man hath no free will to any spiritual good Esa 65. 2 3. Jam. 1. 14 15. Esa 1. 11. Q. What death is that God inflicts on man for sin A. A double death 1. The first death of the body together with the beginnings of it in this world as grief shame losles sicknesses Deut. 28. 21 22. 35. 2. The Second death of the Soul which is the eternal separation and ejection of the Soul after death and Soul and body after judgment from God into everlasting torments in hell Q. Is there no beginning of this death as there is of the other in this life A. Yes as first Security and hardness of heart which cannot feel sin its greatest evil 2. Terrors of conscience Heb. 2. 15. 3. Bondage of Satan Eph. 2. 2. 4. The curse of God in all blessings whereby they are fitted for destruction Rom. 9. 22. Q. What of Gods attributs shine forth here 1. His holiness whereby he being pure from all sin cannot away with the least sin in the best of his creatures Heb. 1. 13. 2. His Justice whereby he being most just in himself cannot but punish man for sin as well as reward him for well doing 2. Thes 1. 6. 3. His Patience whereby he useth pity Patience and Bounty to his creatures offending Rom. 2. 3. Q. Is this sin and the punishment of it derived to all mens posterity A. Yes Ioh. 3. 3. Eph. 2. 3. Q. How is it propagated A. By the imputation of Adams sin unto us and so the punishment must needs follow upon it Rom. 5. 13. Q. Why should Adams sin be imputed to all his posterity A. Because we were in him as the members in the head as children in his loyns as debtors in their surety as branches in their roots it being just that as if he standing al had stood by imputation of his righteousness so he falling al should fall by the imputation of his sin Q. Thus have you seen mans apostacy from God what is his recovery A. It is the return of man to the favour of God again meerly out of favour and the exceeding riches of his free grace Eph. 2. 12 13. Rom. 5. 8. Q. How are we brought into favour and what are the parts of this recovery A. Two wayes First by Redemption 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 2dly by Application hereof Tit. 3. 6. Q. What is Redemption A. The satisfaction made or the price payed to the justice of God for the life and deliverance of man out of the captivity of sin Satan and death by a Redeemer according to the Covenant made between him and the Father 1 Cor. 6. 20. Luk. 1. 74. Esa 55. 10 11. Q. Who is this Redeemer A. Jesus Christ God and Man Mat. 1. 23. Ioh. 1. 14. Col. 2. 19. Q. VVhy is he God Man A. Tha t so he might be a fit Mediator to transact all businessess between God and man in the execution of his three Offices whereunto he was anointed of the Father 1 Tim. 2. 5. Esa 42. 12. Q. What are those three Offices of Christ A. 1. His Prophetical Office whereby he doth reveal the will of the Father Act. 3. 22. Col. 2. 3. 2. His Priestly Office whereby he makes full atonement with the Father for us Col. 1. 20. 3. His Kingly Office whereby he governs his people whom he had taught and reconciled subduing their enemies and procuring their eternal peace Psal 2. 6. Esa 9. 6. Q. How hath Christ Iesus made satisfaction A. By his humiliation whereby he was made subject throughout his whole life and death to the strict Justice of God to perform what ever the same might require for the redemption of man Gal. 4. 4 5. Q. What did Gods Justice require of man A. 1. Death for the breach of the Law and that Christ tasted in his bitter sufferings both of body and Soul by being made sin and so abolishing sin and this is called his Passive Obedience Heb. 2. 9. Eph. 1. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Gal. 3. 13. 2. Perfect Obedience in fulfilling the Law perfectly both in his Nature and Actions