least degree of saving faith will serve for justification sanctification adoption salvation but not for consolation Every blast of temptation overthrew the Disciples while they were weak beleevers they questioned the truth of all Christ therefore rebukes them for it and saith Why are your hearts troubled Paul when he could say I know whom I have beleeved though after he was told he should be whipt he said none of these things troubled him Thirdly He gets acquaintance with some things in the covenant of grace which may take off those objections that usually trouble beleevers which are four and these doe hinder Gods people from living by faith 1. They finde corruption in their hearts this should no way hinder their comfort if they hate it and strive against it 2. Temptations trouble them whereas Gods own people are liable to temptations of all sorts 3. Afflictions God breeds them up which are in covenant with him under divers and great afflictions 4. Desertions They finde not the working of Gods Spirit nor the assurance of his favour God many times leaves his best children to great and sad desertions Fourthly Thou must get sound acquaintance with the Promises of the Gospel else thou wilt be to seek in time of trouble Some generall Promises concern all estates we can be in all things shall work for good to them that fear God and no good thing shall be wanting to such 2. There are excellent promises in the Scripture for any condition imaginable Fiftly As the exigents or occasions require whether to bear afflictions or go through temptations act thy faith upon that Promise which sutes thy present need A good man having all taken from him and his wife desiring to know how he and his family would live he said he would now put his bond in suit Think on Gods power truth love and Christs interest in the Promises to incourage thy soul Sixtly As a Promise from God must be measured by faith so only by faith not by carnall sense or reason doe as Abrahaem did he never told his wife Sarah when he was to go cut his childes throat and offer him a sacrifice to God Seventhly Faith must be helped with a use of all other means which God hath appointed to attain the blessing 2 Sam. 7. later end Psal. 5. 3. Psal. 119. Deal well with thy servant according to thy word Faith made Noah to build him an Ark work belongs to us successe to God Eightly Resolve to wait the Lords leasure in all thy beleeving limit him not to the time or manner of delivering thee resolve God shall do it in his own time if thou hast an able good paymaster thou wilt be willing he should pay thee how and when he will He that beleeves will not make haste Ninthly Get thy will so far subdued to Gods will that his will may be thine as near as it is possible for poor sinners to attain it learn to say Gods will is the best will Rom. 12. 3. 4. Tenthly Study the life of holines let David be an example to thee he had great communion with God and knew how to improve a Promise Some think one ought to beleeve whatever corruptions he gives way to they say men are duty-mongers merit-mongers Others of Gods people are too much dejected with the remainders of their own corruption CHAP. VIII 2. Of dying in Faith QValis vita finis ita He that will die in faith must first of all live by faith and there is but one example in all the whole Bible of a man dying in faith that lived without faith viz. that thief upon the crosse To die by faith is when a man in the time of death doth with all his heart rely himself wholly on Gods speciall love and favour and mercy in Christ and as it is revealed in the word Religion is seen in its glory when one not only lives but dies in Christ Phil. 1. 21. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain And ver. 20. So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death If I live by preaching if I dy by suffering Dr Preston said a little before his death I have longâ— conversed with Christ in the world and though I change my place I shall not change my company Revel. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works doe follow them In the Lord that is say some for the Lord as Ephes. 4. 1. Which suffer death for Christ rather in the faith of Christ being incorporated into him {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from henceforth as Rom. 8. 1. and 16 17. That constantly hold out in these times of persecution say some presently saith Dr Rainolds from the very time of their death they rest from their labours of their particular calling under afflictions from God and persecutions from men under sin temptations desertions And their works That is metonymically the rewards of their works as 2 Cor. 5. 26. Do follow them accompany or go with them the words well weighed sound so When a godly man dies he dies in the â—ord by vertue of his union with Christ when there is a dissolution of the soul and body the mysticall union is not dissolved as the personall union of Christ was not dissolved when he died Before I lay down directions how to die well and shew the benefits that come to the godly by death I will shew 1. The necessity or certainty of death and the misery of it to the wicked 2. Resolve some questions about death Of the first Death is a common condition appointed for every man first or last to undergo Heb. 9. 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement The Greek word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} translated It is appointed signifieth it lieth as a mans lot Once imploies two things 1. A certainty it shall once be 2. A singularity it will be but once 1 Samuel 26. 8. 1 King 2. 2. I go the way of all the earth saith David Job 30. 23. The grave is called the house appointed for all the living Eccles. 12. 5. Solomon calls the grave {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Bajith Gnolam domum saeculi the house of age We translate it long home where he must abide for a long time 1 Cor. 15. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death that is death destroies all and after is destroied it self Psal. 89. 48. What man lives and shall not see death When we would affirm any thing to be infallibly true we say as sure as death A young man may die an old man must die It is an Hebrew proverb In Golgotha are to be seen sculs of all sizes that is death comes on the young as well as the old Omnes una manet
by the naturall inclination of his will this gives us just ground and warrant to pray against sudden and violent death 4. Question Whether may we mourn for the dead Answer Yes Because 1. Death is a fruit of sin In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dâ—e the death and a sign of Gods displeasure against it 2. It is a separation of friends and they should not part without some grief onely we must look that our mourning in such cases be 1. Serious not counterfeit 2. Moderate not excessive either for quantity or continuance which may shew want of hope and excesse of love both naught 3. Holy turning our sorrow from the death of our friends to the bewailing of our sins the only procurers of that and all other crosses In the last place I shall lay down directions how to die well and shew the benefits that come to the godly by death 1. What a Christian should do that would die comfortably 1. Discharge the place and office which God hath called him to with much diligence and sincerity 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Act. 20. 31. Why dost fear O my soul said Hilarion thou hast served God this seventy years and art thou afraid to die Live much in a little time doe all for eternity be abundant in serving thy generation Acts 13. 36. You live no longer in Gods account then you serve him 2. Doe nothing against conscience for the greatest advantage this troubled Iudas he betraied innocent bloud this made the wofull tragedy of Spira 3. Take heed of unjust dealing and violent oppressing of others Samuel before his death Tell me saith he whose ox or asse have I stolen or taken away * 4. Improve thy riches and honours for Gods glory Luk. 16. 9. 5. Spend the time of thy health well and lay up praiers for death before hand Teach us to number our daies that is to consider how few they are that we apply our hearts to wisdom 6. Get acquaintance with death take notice of all the approaches of it behold the mortality of others and consider thine own do not think to die all at once the Apostle saith I thank God I die daily So seriously meditate on death as to draw from thence some wholesome and profitable conclusions and resolutions for the well ordering of thy life and that in respect of four things chiefly sin the things of the world our own persons and the persons of others For sin this conclusion must follow therefore sin is a most hatefull thing to God and a most harmfull thing to man for it alone hath provoked God to inflict this heavy punishment of death yea of eternall death after this upon the sons of men unlesse repentance come betwixt Sinne is the parent and sting of death sin brought it into the world and makes it terrible therefore I must hate sinne lament sin resist and mortifie sin and must make it my chiefest and in a manner my only care to get my sins forgiven my iniquity subdued and then resolve especially to mortifie that sin which thy heart is most unwilling to reform 2. In respect of the world we must conclude and resolve that wealth honour pleasure friends are but very vanities trifles and toies poor petty short and vanishing goods therfore I must and by Gods grace will resolve to pull mine heart from off these things not rejoice in them trust in them boast of them seeing I brought nothing into the world and must carry nothing out use the present world as if we used it not 2. Diligently prepare for the life to come every man must be for ever in heaven or hell there is no middle place as * pargatory so soon as his soul and body are separated Labour therefore to get good assurance of bettering your estate and injoying eternall life by bewailing the sinfulnesse of your nature and lives and seeking unto and resting upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone and his mediation and obedience and the sprinklâ—ng of his bloud for pardon of sin and help against damnation and lastly labour and study to reform your hearts and lives more and more 3. Concerning our own persons we must thus conclude that we are but mean and contemptible creatures that must die and turn to dust and be made food for worms why should I then be proud or think my self better then others because of my strength beauty wit learning parentage titles offices attendances of all which death will strip me and teach me to know they were but borrowed things 4. For other men we ought to to conclude thus they also must die as well as my self my husband wife my dear and faithfull friend who knows how soon therefore it is a great weaknesse to trust on such to place my happinesse in them Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils therefore use al persons as well as all things as if thou didst not use them Lastly Let the Saints of God take great comfort in the contemplation of the good that death will bring them it concludes all their sorrows and evils and is a beginning of all joies pleasures comfort glory and happinesse Death is to such a resting from their labours Rev. 14. 14. A happy change Phil. 3. 21. Job 14. 14. cals death a change it is not an annihilation or extinction but a mutation and that by way of eminency My change It is the last change we shall meet with till the resurrection 2. A lasting nay an everlasting change it puts us into an eternall condition of happinesse or misery 3. An universall change 1. in respect of persons all must meet with it 2. In regard of the whole man body and soul makes the body a stinking carkasse and puts the soul into heaven or hell 4. A different change according to the quality of the person changed terrible to a sinner comfortable to the godly Death is their bodies seed-time 1 Cor. 15. the crowning day to the soul 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. the funerall of all their sins and sorrows Rom. 6. 7. I shall in the last place mention some of the chief benefits that come to the godly by death By it he is freed 1. From sin not only the destroying power but the being of it is then taken away 2. From those miseries which follow sin Isa. 57. 1 2 3. 3. From the temptations of the devil Rev. 12. 8. 4. From the troubles of the world and vexations of the flesh Rev. 14. 13. Eccles. 4. 1 2. 2. There is nothing in his death but what conduceth to make him happy 1. A godly man dies in Gods love and mercy 2. He never dies til he be prepared till his graces be perfected and work finished Job 5. 26. 3. He shall in some measure be assured of a better life 2 Cor. 5. 1. 4. When he dies he shall leave a sweet favour behinde him Prov. 10. 7. The memory of the just is
Covenant of grace 3. A mixt Covenant consisting of nature and grace Others make these three Covenants 1. Foedus natura the Covenant of nature made with Adam 2. Foedus gratiae the Covenant of grace made to us in Christ 3. Foedus subserviens a preparing Covenant to make way for the advancement of the Covenant of grace in Christ Others say there were never any but two Covenants made with man one Legall the other Evangelicall of works or grace the first in innocency the other after the fall Foedus operum when it was first made with man was foedus amicitiae God and man were then friends foedus gratiae is foedus reconciliationis inter iâ—imicos 1. The Covenant of works wherein God Covenanteth with man to give him eternall life upon condition of perfect obedience in his own person 2. The Covenant of grace which God maketh with man promising eternall life upon condition of beleeving We reade not in Scripture the Covenant of works and of grace totideâ— syllabis the nearest we come to it is Rom. 3. 27. the law of works opposed to the law of faith which holds out as much as the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace The Covenant of works was 1. That Covenant wherein God was the authour and the ground of it was Gods free grace it was reciprocall betwixt him and Adam We call not the second Covenant a Covenant of grace because there was no grace in the first Covenant but in opposition to the condition of the first Covenant which was works and because greater grace is manifested in it then the first 2. It was the same Covenant under which the best of the creatures the Angels now stand and injoy their happinesse and Adam should have been happy by observing this Covenant if he had stood Christ was made under this Covenant 3. The promises of this Covenant were very glorious 1. For naturall life in the body there was perfection without defect beauty without deformity labour without wearinesse 2. For spirituall life Adam should not have had terrours in his conscience sorrow fear shame 3. For death he should have been translated without dissolution The Faederati were God and Adam together with all his posterity God made a Covenant with Adam as a publick person which represented all mankinde The reasons of it may be these 1. From the imputation of Adams sin to all mankinde Rom. 5. 12. In whom or for as much as all have sinned they sinned not all in themselves therefore in Adam see vers. 14. In him all died 1 Cor. 15. 47. 2. Those on whom the curse of the Covenant comes they are under the bond and precept of the Covenant all mankinde is directly under the curse of the Covenant Rom. 8. 20. 21. Gal. 3. 13. Adam did consent to it and understood the terms of the Covenant for God dealt with him in a rationall way and expected from him a reasonable service Either he knew the tenour of the Covenant or else he broke it out of ignorance but the first sin could not be a sin of ignorance he knew whatsoever was necessary to know in a way of duty God dealt with Adam not only in a way of sovereignty but in a way of Covenant God did this for divers reasons 1. For the speciall manifestation of his free grace 2. That it might be the greater obligation to Adam to obey God made a promise and he gave his consent 3. To sweeten his authority to man Deut. 6. 24. 4. To encourage man to obedience Heb. 12. 2. 5. That this might be a ground to Adam to exercise His faith in beleeving whatsoever God had revealed or should reveal 2. His love 1 John 4. 19. 3. His hope 6. To leave man inexcusable if he sin that a clear way might be made for Gods justification and mans conviction Objection God is a free Agent how can it stand with his honour and absolute liberty to be bound to the creature Answer In a strict sense 1. God cannot be said to be bound but promittendo sâ— fecit debitorem saith Austins and he is rather bound to himself and his own faithfulnesse then the creature Objection How can it stand with Gods justice to involve Adams posterity in a Covenant which themselves never consented to Answer It is not an injustice among men for parents to conclude their children their acts binde them and their heirs 2. God hath reserved to himself a liberty to visit the sins not only of the first but immediate parents on their children Gen. 9. 22. 1 Thes. 2. 26. The Sodomites children were punisht with their parents 3. Adam was our parent there was the will of the nature which was enough to inwrap them in originall sin the sin of the nature 4. This Covenant was made with Adam and his posterity out of free grace therefore all his posterity was bound by way of thankfulnesse to consent 5. They ought to rejoice in Adams exaltation being so advanced and to agree to the Covenant made with him 6. God made the best choice for them in the first Adam as he did in the second in so doing seeing he made him so perfect The first Covenant consists of three parts Gal. 3. 10 11 12. 1. The precept that continueth not in all things 2. The promise live the man that doth them shall live 3. The curse in case of transgression cursed in every one The precept requires perfect and personall obedience The condition of the Covenant on mans part was 1. Perfect obedience 1. The commandment then did and still doth as it refers to the first Covenant call for perfect obedience Lev. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. Ezek 20. 25. 2. Because there is a curse denounced against the least transgression Gal 3. 10. One sinne and that but in thought broke the Angels Covenant Rom. 5. 17. 3. Gods holinesse is such that he requires from the creature perfect obedience Job 4. 18. Heb. 1. 13. 4. There are two things in the law 1. The principall part of it the precept 2. The accidentall the curse man is bound to the precept jure creatoris to the curse jure judicis 5. He gave us a perfect ability to obey in our creation Ephes. 4. 22 23. Eccles. 7. ult. 6. He requires perfect obedience in Christ Rom. 8. 4. 2. Personall obedience 1. There is a perfect obedience to the law required of every particular man Gal. 3. 10. 2. The curse is denounced against the person the soul that sins shall die 3. This was required of Christ our surety Gal. 4. 4. 4. It was required for the acceptation of our persons and salvation of our souls 5. The righteousnesse of the first Covenant might easily be lost by transgression Dan 9. 23. CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of grace AFter man by his fall had broken the first Covenant God our of his free grace did enter into a better and second Covenant 1. All the persons in