Cant. 4. 15. A Well of living waters Rev. 7. 17. And shall lead them to living fountains of water Not that they properly have a principle of life or a living Soul in them for they are not in the order of Animates but Metaphorically in that they have something resembling life because they run and overflow and purgâ— themselves and have a continual motion Aâ— also from the efficacy of them because they are salubrious and very serviceable for the preservation of the life of the Creature Thus is Christ in respect of his Graces compared to a fountain Jer. 2. 13. Ye have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and the Graces which he communicates from himself to such as come unto him have that Epithet given to them because they do revive or give and continue life to them who partake in them see for this Joh. 4. 10. He would have given thee living water and 7. 38. He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water and on this account the Psalmist ascâ—ibes that to him Psal 36 9. With thee is the fountain of life 2. They are called clear and pure waters And this follows from the former for being living they purge themselves and alwaâ—s keep clean A Ciâ—tern or pond or Well are apâ— to gather filth by standing and to grow corrupt and to be often disturbed but a Fountain is clean and pure Accordingly we have the Spirit of God in aâ—â—usion to this describing the fountain oâ— Grace which God hath provided for his Church Rev. 22 1 He shewed me a pure river of 〈◊〉 of liâ—e clear as crystal Such iâ— Christ and 〈◊〉 aâ—e all his benefits 〈◊〉 are holy and there is no defilement in them 3. A fountain is so called from the Diffusiveness of its waters The waters in a Well or a Pond are shut up and they move not but are confined to one place they are standing but a fountain is ever running over its banks and spreading it self far and near imparting of it self in its streams Hence we so often read of running waters in the Scriptures Such also is Christ in respect of his Grace We have an Allegorical description given of this in Ezek. 47. begin in those waters of the Sanctuary which ran from the south side of the Altar and encreased as they went along which point â—o that we are now considering of A founâ—ain may be conveyed in streams to many plaâ—es for the supply of such as want it and Christ conveys his Grace here and there and â—here is never a street in the City of God but â— abundantly refreshed with it 4. A fountain is so called from the Perennity of â— The waters in a Cistern or pool waste â—ith using and may be emptied in time if â—onstantly repaired to yea and the waters in â—hem will dry up by degrees but a fountain â—ever full and hath a fresh supply coming in â— fast as any is drawn out of it or conveyed â—â—om it if ten thousand should come to it â—â—ey may fill all their vessels and yet there is â—o want nor any missing but ten thousand â—ore may come after them and have equal â—pply Such is Christ in respect to his Grace hence all that are a thirst are invited to him Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters and we are bidden to enlarge our vessels and yet we shall be replenished Psal 81. 9. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it and God hath assured us Isa 45. 19 I said not to the Seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain 2. What is that saving good that is fountained in him A. We observed that a fountain is properly a receptacle of waters and therefore is Meâ—onymically put for the waters themselves that are in it and we may here keep to the allusion Water is one of those things that are necessary for the life of man and afford a manifold benefit unto it it quencheth the thirst it revives the spirits it comforts the man it cools and refresheth the body it is of use also for cleansing or purisying both the body and such things as are for its use and comfort and indeed such is the usefulness of this Element that the want of it makes the man miserable and if he be not supplied with it he will unavoidably perish It is therefore reckoned for a singular advantage and happiness to dwell near a fountain of water as Isa 33. 16. Hiâ— waters shall be sure and Chap. 32. 20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters Now that which is here alluded to in this comparison is whatsoever benefit derives from Christ to the Souls of men for the helping them to obtain Eternal Life These waters comprehend under them Grace and Glory and every good thing Psal 84. 11. peculiarly the Graces of his Spirit are here pointed to and therefore we have such an expression in Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness we have all received and grace for grace The benefit of which is excellent and manifold without it we must needs perish from and by it derives to us all that is necessary or desirable There is pardon of Sin peace with God Sonship Sanctification and Consolation the most comprehensive of which will be particularly considered of under a following Doctrine But it is certain that all these are laid up in Christ and flow from him to his People as waters do out of a fountain and are no where else to be had 3. How he came to be such a fountain A. This flows from his Mediator-ship and may be traced in these four particulars 1. Mans Apostasy had cut him off from God as the fountain of life to him All mans happiness is fountained in God and must derive from him by way of participation He was at first in his state of Integrity planted by this fountain had free access to it and could refresh himself at all times with it the streams of it ran down freely on him but when he sinned against God â—hat made a woful separation so God tells them Isa 59. 2. Your sins have separated between you and your God and since then that is a proper 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 men in their natural state Psal 73 27. They that are far from thee God is no longer his portion of a friend he is become his enemy all those Glorious Attributes which when for him would have filled him with satisfaction are now armed against him and become a terror to him being ready to destroy him and if this be not retrieved he cannot escape perdition 2. Gods free Grace constituted Christ in the Office of a Mediator that he might procure life and happiness again for man Sin had brought man under the Guilt of Death binding him over to suffer-eternal vengeance Gods Justice was now engaged to execute an holy revenge upon him for the affront which he had offered to his Law This Justice must be satisfied man can no more approach
â— counsel and make choise of his way anâ— therefore it is only by his so doing that he caâ— reach the great end of his being in his miâ—sing of this he becomes Vain for what else â— vanity but the missing or falling short of one end That the man may attain this end it â— requisite that he have a power in him to Servâ— to it and what else is that power but Holiness Created Holiness in man is nothing else buâ— that rectitude in his whole nature and all thâ— powers of it whereby he is enabled enclineâ— to live be to the Glory of God in all things And from the exerting of this principle dâ— proceed all his holy actions Man in his lapseâ— estateis without this principle having lost it by his unhappy fall it must therefore be again restored to him in Sanctification else he cannot Serve God Now mans Well being is consequent upon the former God only is an adequate object for him or a sufficient portion for him to make him blessed he must theâ— enjoy him if ever it be well with him for iâ— this fruition his actual felicity must consist for could he obtain and have the full freedom oâ— using all that is in heaven and earth separatâ— from God he were still miserable the Psalmisâ— could say Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is nothing on earth that I desire with thee and the only way for our enjoying of God is by glorifying in him It is sin that hath made the woful separation which hath procured our infelicity Isa 59. 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God And what is sin but a coming short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. God therefore hath fully declared that he will bestow this favour upon none but those that honour him 1 Sam. 2. 3â— Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 5. That for this Active personal glorifying of God man must have a Rule It is not enough that he have an inward principle of Sanctification put into him whereby he is disposed unto this Service and empowred for the discharging of it though without it he must needs fall short of his great end but he must also have a directory to shew him his way in which this work is to be done As there must be an heart in us enclining of us to Glorify God else we cannot move one step towards it so there must be a way according to which we are to encline our selves hereunto It is certain that there are those things whereby God is dishonoured in the lives of the Children of men as well as those whereby they do honour him and how should the man be able either to avoid the one or rightly to prosecute the other except he have something to guide his steps and order his Conversation by for this therefore there must be a Rule laid before him hence God tells them Mic. 6 8. He hath shewn thee Oh man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to dâ— justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God the promise therefore is made to such as live conformably to this Rule Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and it is the alone prerogative of God not only to require Service of his Creature which it ows to him as he is its supream Lord and Owner but also to prescribe to it how and wherein he will be Served by it He who is our Lord and King is our Law giver too Isa 33. 22. And he must some way or other reveal this to them that are concerned in it how else should they know how to order their conversation aright so as to see his Salvation It is by this Rule that they are to square all their actions they must therefore look upon it and apply it to every step David saith Psal 119. 105. Thy word is a light to my feet and a lamp to my path but this it cannot be except they be acquainted with it so that they must receive it from him in order to their practising of it 1 Thes 4. 1. We exhort you by the Lord Jesus Christ that as ye have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more 6. The Moral Law was at first given to man to be this Rule As there is a Common Government which God exerciseth over the Creation so there is a Special Government by which he leads Intelligent Rational Agents to the end they are appointed to Now this Law was the Rule of Gods special Government with respect to mankind This Law is by some made the same with and by others divers from the law of nature but if we reckon the law of nature to be that which was engraven on the heart of man at the first it may be well reckoned for the same This was every way suited to the nature of man it was fitted for the guiding of such a creature to its last end in all the things in which he was concerned The sanctified understanding in man during his state of integrity not only could read the inscriptions of it on his heart but saw and approved the reasonableness and equity of it yea the convictions of a natural Conscience in fallen man do prove that he cannot withstand the righteousness of it Rom. 2. 14 15. Man was to obey this Law in all things and to be happy in that Obedience Rom. 10. 5. The man that doth these things shall live by thèm see Jam. 1. 25. The threatning indeed was annexed to the Sacrament of that Covenant Gen. 2 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dy but every Article in it or precept of it being ratified by that Seal it so sealed up and confirmed the whole of it unto man and had a reference to every duty that was contained therein This was the same Law which had a new edition of it at Mount Sinai where God published it and registred it on Tables of Stone summed it up in ten Precepts which comprized in them the summe and substance of mans duty and wherein he was bound to Serve and Glorifie God in his whole course reaching both his heart and his life the matter manner end of all he did 7. Though the Sanctions of that Law as a Covenant be removed in respect to believers yet as a Rule it abides for ever Under the Covenant of Grace neither is the promise of bestowing a reward of life upon mens performing of perfect personal Obedience nor the threatning of punishing the least defect in that Obedience with death any longer of force in regard of the Children of God and the reason is because the Law of Works hath ceased to be a Covenant to them upon their accepting the terms of and being admitted into the
the day of Salvation Take heed of delays they will prove your â—ndoing if you be not careful read Luke 13. 25. When once the Master of the house is risen â—p and hath shut the door c. 2. Come as you are for the fountain is free â—ay not how shall I purchase these waters of â—fe You are invited to them without money â—â— price Isa 55. 1. If you have but a thirsty â—oul after his Righteousness you are suitably â—ualified and have that gracious encouragement given you Mat. 5. 6. Blessed are they â—at hunger and thirst after righteousness for they â—all be filled 3. Come to have all your wants supplied here Bring them all with you and cast them â—pon him resolve that here is enough and â—ou shall be satisfied be not doubting but beâ—eve and rely on his word who hath said Psal 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will â—ll it DOCTRINE III. They are the Seed of Christ and the Church of God for whose sakes this fountain is opened THE Subjects of this priviledge are thâ— House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem These are Typical Expressions and there is a spiritual meaning that is to be sought in them though the literal meaning is not to be excluded and here is a double Type tho the thing aimed at in it is one and the same How far this shall be literally accomplished in both the parts of it when the Nation oâ— the Jews shall be Converted to the Christian Religion I shall not enquire now but confine my present discourse to the Mystical and Spiritual meaning of it David was a Type of Christ and in how many things Christ was represented by him would be too great a digression now to enquire but it is certain that by a frequent Scripture Metonymie Christ the Antitype is called by the name of David the Type Jer 30. 9. They shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up to them Ezek. 34. 23. I will set up one Shepherd over them and he shall lead them even my Servant David and elsewhere And there are many things spoken in the Psalms concerning David that can be properly applied to none but Christ By the House of David we may literally understand his natural Posterity or those that descended from him by Natural Generation so the word House is frequently used under which is shadowed Christ's Spiritual Seed or those who were given him by his Father and were to descend from him by a Spiritual Regeneration such a Seed is promised him Psal 22. 30. A Seed shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord for a Generation And under the Type of David the Seed of Christ is eminently set forth in Psal 89. And it comprehends in it all the Elect of God whom he tells us that his Father had given to him and they were in due time to be born of him by a new birth Jerusalem was a City which God chose out of all the Tribes of Israel to put his Name there there he settled his Ordinances and therefore is said to have a peculiar respect for it Psal 87. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. And hence it is usually applied to the Church of God sometimes to the Militant Gal. 4 26. Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all sometimes to the Triumphant Heb. 12. 22. Ye are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem And in the former of these respects it is here to be understood and then by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem we are to conceive is meant those who are by the Grace of God brought over to him and priviledged with the immunities of the Câ— of God and this Tâ—piâ—al application of Jâ—rusalem is peculiarly celebrated in Psal 122 So that these are the same subjects with thâ— former represented under a divers Type Only we are to observe that Gods Elect are comprehended because though they are not a present actually the Seed of Christ and Meâ—bers of the Militant Church yet they are designed to be so and given to Christ for thâ— end and by their being in due time maâ—â— so it is evidenced that they were appointed to this priviledge from Eternity Now theâ— are they for whom this fountain is opened And in order to our distinct taking this up we may observe 1. It is certain that this fountain is not in aâ—â— sense opened to all the world There is a two fold opening of it which might have beeâ— observed viz. there is that which is outward by the promulgation of the Gospel and thaâ— which is inward made by the Illumination oâ— the Spirit In this latter sense none but thâ— Children of God have this discovery madâ— unto them Rom. 11. 7. The Election hath oâ—tained it the rest were blinded Hence thâ—â— awful word of Christ Mat. 13. 11. It is givâ—â— to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom â—â— Heaven but to them it is not given But wâ—â— are now considering it in respect to the former sense though as it aims especially at thâ— latter And here it must be granted that Christ is not opened unto any but such to whom there is some signification made by which they may be informed concerning him so as to discover him to be a fountain of life and this must be either by Immediate Revelation or by the dispensation of the Gospel unto them The former is not ordinary and therefore whatsoever God will do on prerogative yet he hath given us no other ground to expect it but in the latter Rom. 10. 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard But it is notorious that a great part of the World are altogether ignorant of this fountain and there is none sent to shew it to them and so must remain strangers to it For men to think that the light of nature can discover or that the Sun Moon and Stars can preach a Christ to fallen man is a vain and groundless opinion the Apostle is positive in this 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2. That this fountain is opened in the outward discoveries and offers of it to those that are not of the Seed of Christ or of his mystical Body Christ hath a visible as well as a spiritual seed i. e. such as are only so in outward appearance there is a Jew that is so outwardly and one who is so inwardly Now it is the visible Church of Christ which is the subject of the outward Dispensations of the Gospel and exhibitions of Christ therein Christ is preached as well to Reprobates as to Elect the Gospel is afforded and the Grace of it offered as well to those in whom it is a Savour of death as to those to whom it becomes a Savour of life 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. The Apostle tells us in Rom. 9. 6. All are not Israel that
fit for Grace and Mercy to work upon and erect to themselves trophies of honour and glory in doing for him by raising him out of that â—orlorn condition and bestowing upon him the contrary blessedness Not as if this miserable estate which man haâ—â— by his own folly brought himself into laid any obligation upon God to work for him iâ— this way for it indeed exposed him to his juâ—â— indignation but only that it laid open an Object that needed it and upon which if hâ— saw meet he might exert those Attributes of his to the highest and thereby bring to himself a Tribute of everlasting praise When therefore Paul had mentioned how notable a subject he had been of this he could not buâ— shut up the discourse of it with that Doxology 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King Eternalâ— Immortal Invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 6. There were divers steps to this all of which were ordered by the holy counsel of God Every thing that bears the consideration of a Medium to this great end must needs be acknowledged unto Gods fore appointment for all things fall out according to the counsel of his will and though he is not in any respect to be accounted the author of sin yet he is the Supream Orderer of it and that according to his permissive will Now there were such steps as these all of which made way for the introduction of this Grace and Mercy of his 1. The Creating of man Upright That God did so Create him we are told Eccles 7. 29. God made man uprightâ— Adam was Created in a state of integrity which consisted in the rectitude of his nature by vertue of the Concreated principle of Holiness and Righteousness which was put into it and was called Gods own Image after which man was made Geâ— 1. 26. c. And if he had not been thus made he could not have been capable of the following transactions that were betwixt God and him for to require that of a Creature which it was never in a capacity of complying withal had been unworthy of Gods infinite wisdom and altogether inconsistent with that Justice which God laid the foundation for in the nature and state that he Created man in 2. The Covenant of Works and the Sanctions of it That there was such a Covenant plighted with man the Word of God gives us sufficient intimations of and as it was requisite that man should be a cause by Counsel of his own actions or else he could not have been treated with in the way of a Coveâ—â—â— which supposeth a mutual â—â—ipulation betweeâ— the persons Covenanting so the works â—â—quired of him in that Covenant could 〈◊〉 have been performed by him according to the tenour of it without the moral rectitude of 〈◊〉 nature which we have taken notice of Noâ— in this Covenant there are considerable 〈◊〉 Sanctions of it but for which man could noâ— have been happy or miserable according to 〈◊〉 and his carriage of himself towards it Goâ— therefore besides a Rule which he gave 〈◊〉 man diâ—â—cting him how he might serve hiâ— aright annexed a promise of life in case 〈◊〉 Obedience full and perfect and threatneâ— him with death iâ—â—e should transgress the precept which is intimated in that Gen. â— 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shaâ—â— surely dy and thus man under the first Covenant stood a probaâ—ioner for life or death according as he should behave himself 3. The permission of him to fall That maâ— did eventually fall from his Rule and Happiness is a thing very notorious That this 〈◊〉 was a foil on which God â—rew the lines and laid the colours oâ— his Grace and Mercy is no less observable in the Word of God hencâ— that Rom 5. 20 21. The Law entred that siâ— might abound but where sin abounded Graâ—â— did much more abound that as sin hath 〈◊〉 unto death even so might grace reign through righ teousness 〈◊〉 eternal life through Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Lord. And that God had a respect unto 〈◊〉 in appointing Christ to be a Redeemer and Saviour is not to be doubted inasmuch 〈◊〉 this was the very thing from which he was â—o redeem and save us this therefore is said to commend that Grace Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were 〈◊〉 sinners Christ died for us God therefore must needs have a foresight of this Apostasy because the assignation of Christ to his Mediaâ—â—al Offices had a respect to it and that man had not â—allen but by Divine Permission is certain for God could have kept him from it without offering force to his free will as he did the glorious Angels that keep their Station as he doth the perfected Saints in Glory and as he doth true Believâ—rs in this life from final Apostasy and this Permission must needs flow from his will beâ—ause he is the Supream Governour of all Creatures and all their actions according to is holy pleasure Hence though God doth â—ot approve of but hateth sin yet he saw it â—ood for an higher end that there should â—e sin by his Permission 4 The miserable â—state to which he is reduced the fall by vertue of the Curse of the Law 〈◊〉 man had retained his uprightnâ—ss he had ever been miserable and so had not stood 〈◊〉 need of Mercy but all miseries are contained in that Curse which man is under by 〈◊〉 son of sin and uncleanness and they are 〈◊〉 other than what he must righteously suffer â— there be no way of delivery from them â— as much as he hath procured them to himself his sin Jer. 2. 17. Now this misery was a â—â—per result of the threatning conditionally 〈◊〉 â—aced in the first Covenant which the 〈◊〉 brought himself under by transgressing of â— Law which was so guarded 7. Hence if man had not by his sin and 〈◊〉 cleanness involved himself in that misery tâ—â— had been no occasion for this fountains being prâ—red and opened There was no Mediator in â— first Covenant neither needed there aâ— God and man were in aâ—ity and this frieâ—ship had been confirmed between them upâ— mans entire conformity to the will of Gâ—â— and been sealed up to him upon his eaâ—â— of the tree of life which was a Sacraâ—ent â— it But now when the Covenant was viâ—â—â—ed man was exposed the Curse was faâ— upon him he was a man of death there â— an opportunity for Gods shewing himself â—â—iful and gracious and for the display oâ—â— to send forth his Son to be a Saviour â— for that end to cause all fulness â—â— dwell in â— that might derive from him to the unâ—â— creature as from a Fountain And this â—â— to give us some light into the stupenâ— mystery of the Providence of God in â—â—ing of poor man to fall upon the Law and â—â—eak himself in pieces but for which the glorious things of Christ had never been heard of in
writâ—en be ye Holy for I am Holy Here is not an â—quality intended but a similitude together with such a measure as the Creature is capable â—f attaining unto for the greatest perfections â—f the most excellent Creatures are imperfeâ—â—ions compared with God Nor are all the Divine Perfections here intended there are â—hose that are by Divines called Incommunicable â—hich we are to admire but not to aspire afâ—er and there are those which are said to be Communicable Namely such whereof there may be an Image oâ—â—dark representation iâ— us and these aâ—â—here aimed at These perfections consist in that Holiness and Righteousness whiâ—â— are required in the Moral Law uâ—â— to which we are enabled by the Sanctificatioâ— of the Spirit the Graces whereof in us arâ— called the Image of God by which we imitate him in his Holiness and Righteousness That the Duty here required is Evangelical therein appears because Christ enjoynâ—th â—â— on his Disciples and such as can call God then Father by vertue of the Adoption which wâ— are told cometh in upon believing Gal. 3. 26 For we are the Children of God through faith iâ— Jesus Christ The only matter of difficulty before us is to know what is the perfection intended by Christ in this precept and which he requiretâ— and expecteth that all those who approvâ— themselves to be his Disciples should be alwayâ— aspiring after And that which makes it thâ— more difficult is because the word is variously used in the Scriptures and differently applieâ— by Expositors to this Text. The word signifyeth that which hath attained its end and because when a thing hath so done it haâ—â— reached its perfection according to its capacity it is Metonymically used for it and so one thaâ— is adult or grown up to his full Stature is said to be a perfect man Eph. 4. 13. And theâ— whose Grace is arrived to its fulness in Glory are called Just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. Divines distinguish perfection into Legal and Evangelical which is a true distinction if taken in a sound sense but is warâ—â— to be understood They tell us also that there is a perfection of parts which is called Integrality and so an infant is a perfect man because he hath all the parts which belong to that Speciâ—â— and of Degrees when these parts are compleated and come to the just measure which nature aspired unto They speak also of a Relative or Comparative perfection when though a thing be in it self defective yet when it is compared with another of its own kind it doth very much exceed or go beyond it and that which is Absolute which is when it is improved to its utmost capacity they observe that perfection is sometimes used for Sincerity in opposition to Hypocrisy when a man not only professeth Godliness but is the man he pretends to be such an one is sound or perfect whereas the other is unsound and so imperfect Now all these distinctions have their foundation in the word of God nor without distinguishing can we be able to reconcile those Texts which assert the present perfection of the people of God even in this life with those that do deny any here to be perfect which would else be contradictions whereas we are assured that the spirit of God doth not contradict himself in his word Now though it be â—â—sily granted on all hands that Christ â—quires Sincerity or an Upright Heart of â—s yea and Integrity too or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be expressed to all his Commands and he will accept of such sincerity and integrity at the hands of his people in these duties which they perform in faith seeking for their acceptance in Christ in which respect I suppose Evangelical Obedienâ—â— doth mainly differ from that which is Legaâ— and God is pleased with it when he rejects the other yet how far absolute perfection is comprized in the precept here given by Christ is a matter of doubt and debate among many There are and those not a few who with greatest confidence do assert that God doth not expect or require of his people under the Gospel Covenant that perfection in their Obedience to him which he did under the Covenant of Works but hath abated of the strictness of the Command and if we do our best there is no more required of us Which assertion though I believe that many who use it do mean well and intend nothing else in it than is acknowledged by all the Orthodox yet it is a very unsafe assertion in the letter of it and is one foundation on which the Papists do build their Doctrines of mens merits and works of supererogation yea and many Protestants do also introduce that absurd and dangerous notion of making our Obedience to be of the matter of our Justification because being upon a New Covenant account we do fulfil the Obedience that is in it required of us and so by that Covenant it bespeaks our Justification Loose Professors also are hurt by this opinion they think they are sincere and because of this indulgence are too negligent in their duty and fail in that true Repentance which they ought every day to be in the renewed exercises of It may then be of present use to discuss this Case viz. Quest Whether that Personal Perfection which God requires of his people under the Covenant of Grace be the same for kind and degree with that which was required in the Covenant of Works or any thing short of it A. For the more distinct opening and reâ—olving this important Case let these things â—e observed 1. That the question is not concerning Unconâ—erted Ones who are under the outward Dispensaâ—ion of the Gospel but those that are under Grace â— e. those that are truly Converted to God â—ouching the former of these it is to be well â—bserved that notwithstanding the offer they â—ave made to them and standing which they â—ave under the Covenant and Promises exhiâ—ited by the Gospel to men in which life and Salvation is hypothetically promised unto them and invitations are urged upon them to entertain it on the terms proposed yet before such time as they have actually embraced the offered Grace they are truly under the Law as a Covenant of Works and because they are so it demands of them personal perfection both habitual and actual and that on paiâ— of death for we are told in Gal. 3. 10. Aâ— many as are of the works of the Law are undâ—â— the Curse for it is written Cursed is every 〈◊〉 that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Hence as of old God gave the Moral Law a new Sanction on Mount Sinai with thundrings and lightnings and great terrors as we are informed Exod. 19 20 So to make way foâ— the veiled Gospel which was afterwards giveâ— to Moses and by him to Israel in those Ordâ—nances or Ceremonial Institutions which werâ— delivered to him so under the Gospel tâ— those
which Salvation they are delivered from that misery under which they were fallen by reason of sin unto all that felicity which they had so lost hence we are told that it is by Grace that we are saved Eph 2 8. on which account it is called the Grace of God which brings Salvation Tit. 2 11. When therefore the undone Sinner is brought to the enjoyment of perfect felicicity then hath the Grace of God accomplished its design 2. That in order to the bringing about of this purpose of God there are two things requisite to be done for the man viz The Justification of his person and the Sanctification of his nature The ground of this is because there is a double misery befallen the man by the Apostasy viz. Guilt which hath rendred him obnoxious to the wrath of God yea brought him under a sentence of Condemnation binding him over to suffer the whole Curse that is contained in the threatning of Death unto the execution whereof the Justice of God stands engaged in the Covenant of works And Pollution by which his nature is depraved and fallen under the Dominion of Sin which reigns as a King in him and so he is rendred utterly impotenâ— to the doing of that which is good and iâ— which his formal happiness did consist and alâ— his powers are violently bent to that which is evil and so long as these two abide upon him he cannot be happy but must needs be miserable As long as the man lies under the Curses of the Law a Prisoner of Revenging Justice doomed to suffer all the wrath that is contained in the threatnings that are out against Sinners in which the quintessence of alâ— evil is contained and is held fettered in Cordâ— of Iniquity so as that he can do nothing of that business which he was made for but is by the force of his carnal lusts hurried and precipitated into repeated provocations of God he must needs be a miserable Creature Nor can he be recovered to a state of blessedness but by the removal of both these evils from him and if either of them remain upon him he is incapable of being a blessed man in that condition The former of these is done by Justification and the latter by Sanctification In the one his Condemnation is removed his Guilt is taken away he is acquitted from the Law and delivered from all danger of suffering the direful penalties of it yea and is adjudged to life to partake in the good that is laid up in the promise in the latter his nature is restored and renewed again and he is rendred able to Serve God in newness of life he who before was unprofitable is now made profitable and can glorify God which was his last end And for this reason both these benefits of the new Covenant are so much celebrated in the Gospel both of these are included in that reason of the Name which was put upon Christ at his birth Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins And in Gods taking away all iniquity from them Hos 14. 2. 3. That the end of this Sanctification is to make him a fit subject to enjoy true blessedness It is true without Justification of the mans person and in it a pardon of his Sins applied to him he cannot be happy for how is it possible that he should be so as long as the wrath of God abides on him and he is every moment liable to the fearful stroke of Divine Vengeance which is ready to fall on him and cut him off Whereas if once this state of his be changed and he is a Justified and Pardoned man he is forthwith blessed according to Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Yet this alone is not sufficient for his actual enjoyment of the felicity promised in the New-Covenant for true blessedness can only consist in the closure of the faculty with its Object and resting satisfyed in it for without satisfaction the man is not happy and that it may thus do it is necessary that there be a suitableness between the faculty and the object how else should it either close with or take real content in it Now the blessedness which God hath laid in to entertain his people withall is suited only to Holiness in the subject of it so that without it it is impossible that the man should ever participate in it or be delighted with it Heb. 12. 14. Without Holiness no man shall see God So that the sinful pollution which is upon the very nature of fallen man by reason of the sin that dwells in him renders him in the present condition and so long as he abides under the prevailing efficacy of it altogether unmeet for blessedness yea indeed incapable of it He cannot have Communion with God in which his felicity must consist for God alone is an happifying object nor if he could can he take any content to himself in it because God is Holy and such is the fellowship which he holds with the Creature than which nothing can be more contrary to the corruption wherewith his nature is defiled We read of A meetness for the Inheritance of the Saints Col. 1. 12. â—hich meetness implies a suitable disposition â—â—s thereto in which it is absolutely requisite â—t there be in us such gracious qualifications â— render us conformable to the Inheritance it â—f these we have not in us by nature as we â—rive it from the unclean fountain from which â—â— are originated for Who can bring a cleanâ—â—g out of an unclean It must then be done â— Sanctification in and by which we are assiâ—ilated to our Inheritance because hereby â—â— are made holy and so are fitted for the â—joyment of the holy place and of all those â—ly things which are there prepared to make â— happy in it 4. That the man can only be truly blessed in the â—rifying of God and enjoying of him The â—essedness of the Reasonable Creature requires â—e concurrence of two things to make it comâ—eat viz. Well doing and Wâ—ll being nor can â—ther of these be alone A man is then happy â—â—en he fully reacheth the end that he was â—ade for now man was made for God not â—ly Ultimately but Immediately too and to â—se this end must needs be his misery Now Gods Glory being his own last end in all his â—orks of Efficiency hence it follows that the â—ast end oâ— all these works of â—his must be to â—erve to that glory how else should he obtain â—is end by it in the event And every one of â—is Creatures is to Serve to this end agreeably to that nature which God put into it when hâ— made it in which he bestowed on it a capâ—city of so serving his design by it Accordingly man was made capable of doingly this aâ—ively inasmuch as he was endowed with suâ— powers as enabled him to act as a cause
to God but by a Mediator for without one God is a consuming fire God graciously resolves to bring some of that unhappy race back again to himself and be a fountain of life unto them and herein to manifest his rich Grace for this end he appointed his own Son to become man and in our nature to bring about an Atonement by reconciling God and man one to another and procuring a Redemption for us for this he put Christ into his Office and indented with him in the Days of Eternity 〈◊〉 counsel of peace is therefore said to be between them both Zech. 6. 13. 3. Christ by his satisfactory Obedience purchased and laid in all that was needful for the Salvation of man Had not God put him into Ofâ—ice and Commissioned him for this all his Obedience had been insignificant for not only or meerly the value but the Acceptance of it for us made it a purchase and yet had â—t not been valuable it would not have done because Justice and Mercy could not otherwise have agreed in our Salvation as they must Psal 85 10. Mercy and Truth are met together Justice and Peace have kissed each other But Christ bought us at a valuable price 1 Cor. 16. 12. Ye are bought with a Price and because his â—eath was more eminently concerned in this â—ence it is peculiarly Attributed to his Blood â— Pet 1. 18 19. Ye are Redeemed c. with the â—ecious blood of Christ and as he bought â—s â—ut of the hand of Revenging Justice so he â—ought all that Inheritance foâ— us in which â—ur whole happiness is contained which is â—alled the purchased Possession Eph. 1 14. 4. Hence all this good is deposited in him and â—e dispensation of it is committed unto him As â—e was at the cost to procure it so his Father â—ath betrusted him with the application of it â—e is made the Store house or Treasure of it is laid up in him Col. 2. 3. In whom are hid â— the treasures of wisdom and knowledge We â—â—st go to this Heavenly Joseph if we would â—â—ain it God put not only a Priestly but a Prophetical and Kingly Office on him and now he leaves all to his management and he gives eternal life according to his pleasure John 5. 21 22. The Son quickneth whom he will the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son 17. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him USE I. For Information in two or three particulars 1. Learn we hence the happiness of all those that have gotten an interest in Christ All the Titlâ—â— that are put upon him in the Word of God are to commend to us some excellent benefiâ— that flows from him to those that participatâ— in him Now as Christ's Office is to convey saving mercies to us so herein he appears glorious in that they are all stored in him as in a fountain and that he therefore is a fountain of them How rich then are all they who are owners of this fountain that dwell with him Such are all true believers these can never want all that they can need is in him and there is enough and to spare this may turn the valley of Baca into a well Psal 84 6. Christ himself hath told us what is the priviledge of those that believe in him Joh. 7 38 Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water and hence theâ—e is such blessedness pronounced on believers Jer. 17. 8. Hâ— shall be as a tree planted by the waters and spreadâ—th out her root by the river c. Rejoyce theâ— in this your lot and envy not the world their broken â—isterns though they seem to be neveâ— so full 2. Here is good news to those thirsty Souls that have sought for living waters and found none elsewhere When God awakens the Consciences of Sinners and shews them something of the misery which they labour of they are inquisitive where they may get a remedy and they seek it at home and abroad they go from hill to mountain in quest of it they have gone to every pit hoping to draw waters to refresh their Souls out of it but they have come away empty and ashamed and may possibly be ready to sit down and despair of ever finding any that will quench their thirst and refresh their Souls but be of good cheer here is a true report made of a fountain of such waters as you need there is none in the world nor is there any in your own power but there is enough in Christ he is an infinite and inexhaustible fountain of it and if there was no more to be said yet here is encouragement to hope if there were none at all your case were then desperate but if it be any where and there be enough of it too think then I will not abandon hope for who knows but that he may shew me the favour to give me to drink of these waters of life 3. This may answer their doubt who are afraiâ— to come to Christ by reason of the greatness of their sin misery When deep convictions of these do make them instead of making the greater haste to Christ to discourage themselves there by from daring at all to come to him their sins are too great to be forgiven them their hearts are so hard that there is no softnign of them their debts are run up to ten thousand Talents they have gone beyond the ordinary sort of Sinners and sure there is no help in Christ for such as they are Look now he is a foâ—ntain yea he is an immense and an incomprehensible fountain whatsoever you want or can desire is to be supplied out of it to the utmost extent of your cravings yea indeed he came for that very end that where sin hath abounded Grace might much more abound Rom. 5. 20. And is therefore furnished accordingly Hence USE II. Let it be to exhort and direct miserable Sinners and such are all the Children of men in their natural estate till they are gotten into Christ and interested in his Redemption Be you then pointed hereby to come to Christ for all your supplies make him your object and address your selves to him Many arguments might here be used to press this advice but I shall only offer two or three which are fetched from the Doctrine in hand 1. You must have a supply or you will perish There is no living in the condition you are at present in if you sit still you dy unavoidably your samishing Souls must have something to live upon and that can be nothing else but these living waters or you will faint and dy The whole Word of God will assure you of your woful infelicity which as long as you abide in your natural state you labour of and are perishing in if therefore there be no supply to be had you will sink under this distress and