close in with Jesus Christ and would willingly take him upon his own terms only they being muddy in their minds and have not yet attained the understanding of the terms and conditions of the two Covenanss they are kept off from closing with Christ and all is because they see they can do nothing As for example come to some souls and ask them how they do they will tell you presently that they are so bad that it is not to be expressed If you bid them believe in Jesus Christ they will answer that they cannot believe if you ask them why they cannot believe they will answer because their hearts are so hard so dead so dull so backward to good duties and if their hearts were but better if they were more earnest if they could pray better and keep their hearts more from running after sin then they could believe but should they believe with such vile hearts and presume to believe in Christ and be so filthy Now all this is because the Spirit of the Law still ruleth in such a soul and blinds them so that they cannot see the terms of the Gospel To clear this take the substance of the drift of this poor soul which is this If I was better than I think I could believe but being so bad as I am that is the reason that I cannot this is just to do something that I may believe to work that I may have Christ to do the Law that I may have the Gospel or thus to be righteoua that I may come to Christ. O man thou must go quite back again thou must believe because thou canst not pray because thou canst not do thou must believe because there is nothing in thee naturally that is good or desireth after good or else thou wilt never come to Christ as a sinner and if so then Christ will not receive thee and if so then thou mayest see that to keep off from Christ because thou canst not do is to keep from Christ by the Law and to stand of from him because thou canst not buy him Thus having spoken something by the way for the direction of those souls that would come to Christ I shall return to the former discourse wherein ariseth this objection Object But you did but even now put souls upon fulfilling the first condition of the Gospel even to believe in Christ and so be saved but now you say it is alone by Grace without condition and therefore by these words there is first a contradiction to your former sayings and also that men may be saved without the condition of faith which to me seems a very strange thing I desire therefore that you would clear out what you have said as to my satisfaction Answ. Though there be a condition commanded in the Gospel yet he that commands the condition doth not leave his children to their own natural abilities that in their own strength they should fulfill them as the Law doth but the same God that doth command that the condition be fulfilled even he doth help his children by his holy Spirit to fulfill the same condition For it is God that worketh in you mark in you believers both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Thou hast wrought all our works in us and for us Isa. 26. 12. So that the condition be fulfilled it is not done in the ability of the creature But Secondly Faith as it is a gift of God or an act of ours take it which way you will If we speak properly of salvation it is not the first nor the second cause of our salvation but the third and that but instrumentally neither that is it only layeth hold of and applieth to us that which saveth us which is the love of God through the merits of Christ which are the two main causes of our salvation without which all other things are nothing whether it be faith hope love or whatever can be done by us And to this the great Apostle of the Gentiles speaks fully for saith he God who is rich in mercy loved us even when we were dead in our sins Eph. 2. 4. that is when we were without faith and that was the cause why we believe for he thereby hath quickned us together through the meritorious cause which is Christ and so hath saved us by Grace that is of his own voluntary love and good will the effects of which was this he gave us faith to believe in Christ read soberly that second of the Ephesians at the 4 5 6 7 8 verses Faith as the gift of God is not the Saviour as our act doth merit nothing Faith was not the cause that God gave Christ at the first neither is it the cause why God converts men to Christ but faith is a gift bestowed upon us by the gracious God the nature of which is to lay hold on Christ that God afore did give for a Ransom to redeem sinners this faith hath its nourishment and supplies from the same God that at the first did give it and is the only instrument through the Spirit that doth keep the soul in a comfortable frame both to do and suffer for Christ helps the soul to receive comfort from Christ when it can get none from it self beareth up the soul in its progress heaven-wards but that it is the first cause of salvation that I deny or that it is the second I deny but is only the instrument or hand that receiveth the benefits that God hath prepared for thee before thou hadst any faith so that we do nothing for salvation as we are men But if we speak properly it was Gods Grace that moved him to give Christ a Ransom for sinners and the same God with the same Grace that doth give to the soul saith to believe and so by believing to close in with him whom God out of his love and pity did send into the world to save sinners so that all the works of the creature are shut out as to justification and life and men are saved freely by Grace I shall speak no more here but in my discourse upon the second Covenant I shall answer a hell-bred Objection or two to forewarn sinners how they turn the Grace of God into wantonness And thus you see I have briefly spoken to you something touching the Law First What it is and when given Secondly How sad those mens conditions are that are under it Thirdly Who they are that be under it Fourthly How far they may go and what they may do and receive and yet be under it which hath been done by way of answers to several questions for the better satisfaction of those that may stand in doubt of the truth of what hath been delivered Now in the next place I should come to some application of the truth of that which hath been spoken but I shall in the first place speak something to the second Doctrine and then afterwards I shall speak
This is now a wrong faith as is evident in that it is placed upon a wrong object for mark this faith is not placed assuredly on Gods grace alone through the blood and merits of Christ being discovered effectually to the soul but upon God through those things that God hath given iâ— as of gifts either to preach or pray or great works or the like which will assuredly come to nought as sure as God is in Heaven if no better faith and ground of faith be found out for thy soul savingly to rest upon As to the second cause of the Objection which runs to this effect God loves men upon the account of their believing I answer that God loves men before they believe he loves them he calls them and gives them faith to believe But God who is rich in grace with his great love wherewith he loved us when when we believed or before even when we were dead in our sins and so far off from believers hath quickned us together with Christ by grace you are saved Eph. 2. 4 5. Now also I suppose that thou wilt say in thy heart I would you would shew us then what is saving faith which thing it may be I may touch upon a while hence in the next thing that I am to speak unto O they that have that are safe indeed The Second Thing THe second Thing that I am to speak unto is this Who they are that are actually brought into this free and unchangable grace and also how they are brought in Answ. Indeed now we are come to the pinch of the whole discourse and if God do but help me to run rightly thorow this as I do verily believe he will I may do thee Reader good and bring glory to my God The Question containeth these two branches First who are brought in Secondly how they are brought in the first is quickly answered Christ Jesus came into the world â—o save sinners Jewish sinners Gentile sinners Old sinners Young sinners great sinners the chiefest of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 14 15. Rom. 5. 7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Mat. 21. 31. Publicans and Harlots that is Whores and Cheaters Exactors shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven For I came not saith Christ to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mark 2. 17. A sinner in the Scripture is described in general to be a transgressor of the Law 1 John 3. 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is the transgression of the Law But particularly they are described in a more particular way as first such as in whom dwelleth the devil Ephes. 2. 2 3. Secondly such as will do the service of him John 8. 44. Thirdly such as are enemies to God Col. 1. 21. Fourthly such as are 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. 2 Chron. 33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 c. Acts 9. 1 2 3. 1 Tim. 1. 14 15 16. Acts 19. 19. Acts 2. 36 37. Drunkards Whoremasters Liars Perjured Persons Covetous Revilers Extortioners Fornicators Swearers possessed with Devils Thieves Idolaters Witches Sorcerers Conjurers Murderers and the like these be sinners and such sinners that God hath prepared Heaven Happiness Pardon of Sin and an inheritance of God with Christ with Saints with Angels if they do come in and accept of Grace as I might prove at large For Gods grace is so great that if they do come to him by Christ presently all is forgiven them therefore never object that thy sins are too great to be pardoned but come taste and see how good the Lord is to any whosoever comes unto him The second thing is How are these brought into this everlasting Covenant of Grace 2. Answ. When God doth indeed and in truth bring in a sinner into this most blessed Covenant for so it is he usually goeth this way First He slays or kills the party to all things besides himself and his Son Jesus Christ and the comforts of the Spirit For the clearing of this I shall shew you first with what God kills secondly how God kills and thirdly to what God kills those whom he makes alive in Jesus Christ. For the first When God brings sinners into the Covenant of Grace he doth first kill them with the Covenant of Works which is the Moral Law or Ten Commandments This is Pauls Doctrine and also Pauls experience It is his Doctrine where he saith The ministration of death engraven in stones the ministration of condemnation which is the Law in that place called the Letter kills 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 8 9. The Letter saith he killeth or the Law or the ministration of death which is another place is called a sound of words Heb. 12. 19. because they have no life 〈◊〉 them but rather death and damnation through our inability to fulfill them Rom. 8. 3. doth kill 2 Cor. 6. Secondly It is his experience where he saith I was alive once that is to my own things Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10. without the Law that is before God did strike him dead by it but when the commandment came that is to do and exercise its right Office on me which was to kill me then sin revived and I died and I was killed and the commandment or the Law which was ordained to be unto life I found to be unto death For sin taketh occasion by the commandment deceived me and thereby slew me Rom. 7. 9 10 11. And indeed to speak my own experience together with the experience of all the Saints they can seal with me to this more or less Quest. But how doth God kill with this Law or Covenant Answ. First by opening to the soul the spirituality of it The Law is spiritual saith he but I am carnal sold under sin Rom. 7. 14. Now the spirituality of the Law is discovered this way First by shewing to the soul that every sinful thought is a sin against it I sinner when the Law doth come home indeed upon thy soul in the spirituality of it it will discover such things to thee to be sins that now thou lookest over and regardesâ—â—â— that is a remarkable saying of Paul when he saith Sin revived and I died sin revived saith he as if he had said those things that before I did not value nor regard but looked upon them to be trifles to be dead and forgotten but when the Law was fastened on my soul it did so raise them from the dead call them to mind so muster them before my face and put such strength into them that I was over-mastered by them by the guilt of them Sin revived by the commandment or my sins had mighty strength life and abundance of force upon me because of that insomuch that it killed me Mat. 5. 28. Secondly It sheweth that every such sin deserveth eternal damnation Friends I doubt there be but few of you that have seen the spirituality of the Law of Works but this is one thing in which it discovereth
righteousness of faith that is by believing in Jesus Christ cannot please God Now the righteousness of the Law as a Covenant of works is not the righteousness of faith Therefore the righteousness of the Law as acted by us being under that Covenant cannot please God The first is proved in Heb. 1â— 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him mark it is impossible The second thus The Law is not of faith Gal. 3. 12. Rom. 10. 5 6. compared with Gal. 3. 11. But that no man is justified in the sight of the Lord by the Law it is evident for the just shall live by faith and the Law is not of faith But for the better understanding of those that are weak of apprehension I shall prove it thus First That soul that hath eternal life he must have it by right of purchase or redemption Heb. 9. 22. Eph. 1. 7. Secondly this purchase or redemption must be through the Blood of Christ. You have redemption through his Blood Without shedding of blood there is no remission Now the Law is not in a capacity to die and so to redeem sinners by the purchase of Blood which satisfaction justice calls for read the same Scriptures Heb. 9. 22. justice calls for satisfaction because thou hast transgressed and sinned against it and that must have satisfaction therefore all that ever thou canst do cannot bring in redemption though thou follow the Law up to the nail-head as I may say because all this is not shedding of blood for believe it and know it for certain that though thou hadst sinned but one sin before thou didst turn to the Law that one sin will murther thy soul if it be not washed away by blood even by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ that was shed when he did hang upon the Cross on Mount Calvary Object But you will say methinks that giving up you selves to live a righteous life should make God like better on us and so let us be saved by Christ because we are so willing to obey his Law Answ. The motive that moveth God to have mercy upon sinners is not because they are willing to follow the Law but because he is willing to save them Not for thy righteousness or for thy uprightness of heart doest thou possess the Land Deut. 9. 4 5 6. Now understand this if thy will to do righteousness was the first moving cause why God had mercy on thee through Christ then it must not be freely by grace I say freely but the Lord loves thee and saves thee upon free terms having nothing before-hand to make him accept of thy soul but only the Blood of Christ therefore to allow of such a principle it is to allow that grace is to be obtained by the works of the Law which is so gross darkness as lies in the darkest dungeon in Popery and is also directly opposite to Scripture For we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ not through the good that is in our selves or done by us Rom. 3. 24 〈◊〉 No But by faith without mark that without the deeds of the Law verse 28. Again not of vvorks lest any man should boast Eph. 2. 9. No no saith he Not according to our vvorks or righteousness but according to his ovvn purpose mark according to his ovvn purpose and grace which was a free gift given us in Christ Jesus not lately but before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Object But you will say then why did God give the Law if we cannot have salvation by following of it Answ. I told you before that the Law was given for these following reasons First That thou mightest be convinced by it of thy sins and that thy sins might indeed appear very sinful unto thee which is done by the Law these ways First By shewing of thee what a holy God he is that did give the Law and secondly By shewing thee thy vileness and wickedness in that thou contrary to this holy God hast transgressed against and broken this his holy Law therefore saith Paul The Law was added that the offence might abound Rom. 5. 20. that is by shewing the creature the holiness of God and also it s own vileness Secondly That thou mayest know that God will not damn thee for nothing in the Judgment day Thirdly Because he would have no quarrelling at his just condemning of them at that day Fourthly Because he will make thee to know that he is a holy God and pure Quest. But seeing you have spoken thus far I wish you would do so much as to shew in some particulars both what men have done and how far they have gone and what they have received being yet under this Covenant which you call the ministration of condemnation Ansvv. This is something a difficult question and had need be not only warily but also home and soundly answered The question consists of three particulars First What men have done Secondly How far men have gone Thirdly What they have received and yet to beunder the Law or Covenant of Works and so in a state of condemnation As for the first I have spoken something in general to that already but for thy better understanding I shall speak yet more particularly First a man hath and may be convinced and troubled for his sins and yet be under this Covenant and that in a very heavy and dreadful manner in so much that he may find the weight of them to be intollerable and too heavy for him to bear as it was with Cain Gen. 4. 13. My punishment saith he is greater than I can bear Secondly A man living thus under a sense of his sins may repent and be sorry for them and yet be under this Covenant and yet be in a damned state Mat. 27. 3. And when he Judas saw what was done he repeated Thirdly Men may not only be convinced and also repent for their sins but they may also desire the prayers of the Children of God for them too and yet be under this Covenant and Curse Exod. 10. 16 17. And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said I have sinned intreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me these plagues Fourthly A man may also humble himself for his offences and disobedience against his God and yet be under this Covenant see 1 Kings 21. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Fifthly A man may make restitution unto men for the offence he hath done unto them and yet be under this Covenant Sixthly A man may do much work for God in his generation and yet be under this first Covenant as Jehu who did do that which God bid him 2 King 9 25 26. and yet God threatneth even Jehu because though he did do the thing that the Lord commanded him yet he did it not from a right principle for had he the Lord would not have said Yet a little while and I will aâ—enge the blood of Jezreel
Christ alone but with believers also I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and Judah c. 1. Answ. First It cannot be meant that the New Covenant was made with Christ and the House of Israel and Judah as the undertaker thereof for so it was made with Christ alone which is clear in that it was made long before the House of Israel and Judah had a being as I shewed before 2. Answ. But Secondly These words here are spoken first to shew rather the end of the Ceremonies then the beginning or rise or the New Covenant Mind a little The Apostle is labouring to beat the Jews to whom he wrote this Epistle off of the Ceremonies of the Law of the Priests Altar Offerings Temple c. and to bring them to the right understanding of the thing and things that they held forth which was to come and to put an end to those If you do but understand the Epistle to the Hebrews it is a discourse that sheweth that the Son of God being come there is an end put to the Ceremonies for they were to continue so long and no longer It saith the Apostle stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation that is until Christ did come But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come c puts an end to the things and ordinances of the Levitical Priest-hood read the 7 8 9 10. Chapters and you will find this true So then when he saith The days come in which I will make a New Covenant it is rather to be meant a changing of the administration a taking away the type the shadow the Ceremonies from the House of Israel and Judah and revealing by the Birth of Christ and the Death of Christ and the offering of the Body of him whom the shaddows and types did point out to be indeed he whom God the Father had given for a Ransom by Covenant for the souls of the Saints and also to manifest the truth of that Covenant which was made between the Father and the Son before the world began for though the New Covenant was made before the world began and also every one in all ages was saved by the vertue of that Covenant yet that Covenant was never so clearly made manifest as at the coming death and resurrection of Christ and therefore saith the Scripture He hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to the works of righteousness which we have done but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began there is the Covenant but it was made MANIFEST by the APPEARING of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to LIGHT through the Gospel Therefore I say these words are rather to discover that the time was come to change the dispensation to take away the type and bring in the substance and so manifesting that more clearly which before lay hid in dark sayings and figures And this is usual with God to speak in this manner Again if at any time you do find in the Scripture that the Covenant of Works is spoken of as the first Covenant that was manifested and so before the second Covenant yet you must understand that it was so only as to manifestation that is it was first given to man yet not made before that which was made Christ And indeed it was requisite that it should be given or made known first that thereby there might be a way made for the second by its discovering of sin and the sad state that man was in after the fall by reason of that And again that the other might be made the more welcome to the sons of men And in this did Christ in time most gloriously answer Adam who was the figure of Christ Rom. 5. as well as of other things for as the first Covenant was made with the first Adam so was the second Covenant made with the second for these are and were the two great publick persons or representators of the whole world as to the first and second Covenants and therefore you find God speaking on this wise in Scripture concerning the New Covenant My Covenant shall stand fast with HIM Psal. 89. 28 34 35. My mercy will I keep for HIM for evermore saith God my Covenant shall stand fast with HIM this HIM is Christ if you compare this with Luke 1. 3â— My Covenant will I not break namely that which was made with HIM nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lie unto DAVID to whom this was spoken figuratively in the person of Christ for that was Gods usual way to speak of the glorious things of the Gospel in the time of the Law as I said before Secondly The conditions also were concluded on and agreed to be fulfilled by him as it is clear if you understand his saying in the 12. of John at the 27. verse where he foretelleth his death and saith Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I into the world unto this hour as if he had said My business is now not to shrink from my sufferings that are a coming upon me for these are the things that are a great part of the conditions contracted in the Covenant which stands between my Father and I therefore I shall not pray that this might be absolutely removed from me For for this cause came I into the vvorld even this was the very terms of the Covenant By this you may say we are under Grace Now in a Covenant there is these three things to be considered First What it is that is covenanted for Secondly The conditions upon which the persons who are concerned in it do agree Thirdly If the conditions on both sides be not according to the agreement fulfilled then the Covenant standeth not but is made void And this New Covenant in these particulars is very exactly fulfilled and made out in Christ First The thing or things covenanted for was the salvation of man but made good in Christ. The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost The Son of Man did not come to destroy mens lives but to save them I give my life a ransom for many And this is the will or Covenant of him that sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the day John 6. 39. Secondly As touchsng the conditions agreed on they run thus First On the Mediators side that he should come into the vvorld and then on the Fathers side that he should give him a body This was one of the glorious
them and so I think should we Answ. This comparison is wrongly applied if you bring it to shew us how we must do when we come to Christ. He that can make himself clean hath no need of Christ for the whole the clean and righteous have no need of Christ but those that are foul and sick Physicians you know if they love to be honoured they will not bid the Patients first make themselves whole and then come to them no but bid them come with their sores all running on them as the woman with her bloody issue Mark 5. And as Mary Magdalen with her Belly full of Devils and the Leppers all scabbed and that is the right coming to Jesus Christ. Reply Well I hope that Christ will save me for his promises and mercy is very large and as long as he hath promised to give us life I fear my state the less Answ. It is very true Christs promises are very large blessed be the Lord for ever and also so is his mercy but notwithstanding all that there is many go in at the broad gate and therefore I say your business is seriously to enquire whether you are under the first or second Covenant for unless you are under the second you will never be regarded of the Lord for as much as you are a sinner Heb. 89. And the rather because if God should be so good to you as to give you a share in the second you shall have all your sins pardoned and for certain have eternal life though you have been a great sinner But do not expect that thou shalt have any part or share in the large promises and mercy of God for the benefit and comfort of thy poor soul whilst thou art under the Old Covenant because so long thou art out of Christ through whom God conveyeth his mercy grace and love to sinners For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen Indeed his mercy grace and love is very great but it 's treasured up in him given forth in him through him But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us that he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace But which way In his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus But out of Christ thou shalt find God a just God a sin revenging God a God that will by no means spare the guilty and be sure that every one that is found out of Jesus Christ will be found guilty in the Judgment day upon whom the wrath of God shall smoke to their eternal ruine Now therefore consider of it and take the counsel of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 13. 5. Which is to examine thy self whether thou art in the faith and to prove thy own self whether thou hast received the Spirit of Christ inâ—â— thy soul whether thou hast been converted whether thou hast been born again and made a new creature whether thou hast had thy sins washed away in the blood of Christ whether thou hast been brought from under the Old Covenant into the New and do not make a slight examination for thou hast a precious soul either to be saved or damned And that thou mayest not be deceived consider that it is one thing to be convinced and another to be converted one thing to be wounded and another to be killed and so to be made alive by the faith of Jesus Christ. When men are killed they are killed to all things they lived to before both sin and righteousness as all their old faith and supposed grace that they thought they had Indeed the Old Covenant will shew thee that thou art a sinner and that a great one too but the Old Covenant the Law will not shew thee without the help of the spirit that thou art without all grace by nature no but in the midst of thy troubles thou wilt keep thy self from coming to Christ by perswading thy soul that thou art come already and hast some grace already O therefore be earnest in begging the spirit that thy soul may be enlightned and the wickedness of thy heart discovered that thou mayest see the miserable state that thou art in by reason of sin and unbelief which is the great condemning sin and so in a sight and sense of thy sad condition if God should deal with thee in severity according to thy deservings do thou cry to God for faith in a Crucified Christ that thou mayest have all thy sins washed away in his blood and such a right work of grace wrought in thy soul that may stand in the Judgment-day Again secondly In the next place you know I told you that a man might go a great way in a profession and have many excellent gifts so as to do many wondrous works and yet be but under the Law from hence you may learn not to judge your selves to be the children of God 1 Cor. 1. because you may have some gifts of knowledge or understanding more than others no for thou mayest be the knowingest man in all the Countrey as to head-knowledge and yet be but under the Law and so consequently under the â—urse notwithstanding that Now seeing it is so that men may have all this and yet perish then what will become of those that do no good at all and have no understanding neither of their own sadness nor of Christs mercy O sad Read with understanding Isa. 27. 11. Therefore he that made them will have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour See also 2 Thes. 1. 8 9. Now there is one thing which for want of most people do miscarry in a very sad manner and that is because they are not able to distinguish between the nature of the Law and the Gospel O people people your being blinded here as to the knowledge of this is one great cause of the ruining of many As Paul saith While Moses is read or while the Law is discovered the vail is over their hearts 2 Cor. 3. 15. that is the vail of ignorance is still upon their hearts so that they cannot discern either the nature of the Law or the nature of the Gospel they being so dark and blind in their minds as you may see if you compare it with Chap. 4. 3 4. And truly I am confident that were you but well examined I doubt many of you would be found so ignorant that you would not be able to give a word of right answer concerning either the Law or the Gospel Nay my Friends set the case one should ask you what time you spend what pains you take to the end you may understand the nature and difference of these two Covenants would you not say if you should speak the truth that you did not so much as regard whether there was two or more would you not say I did not think of Covenants or study the nature of them I thought that if I had lived honestly and did as well as