Rom. 16. 25 26. even the Mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest unto his Saints Col. 1. 26. Though others sit in darknesse and see no light yet unto you through Christ there ariseth light in darknesse and your eyes shall and do see the salvation of the Lord and the glory of the Lord the light shines in your hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. he makes known unto you the true life and the true way of life the mystery of salvation 2. He hath it in his commission to instruct and teach you the whole minde and will of To instruct and teach us the while mind and will of God God in every thing which concerns your salvation all things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Joh. 15. 15. As he discovers unto us infallibly the reality and the quality of our salvation so there is not any one truth nor any one path necessary unto that salvation but he opens it and reveales it whether it respect our faith or our obedience he is the annoâ—nting which teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye 1 Joh. 2. 27. 3. He is that Prophet who doth teach not only by his word but also by his Spirit others can speak only to the eares of men but he can speak to the hearts of He teacheth not only by his Word but by his Spirit men he can imprimere in mentem as well as mentem exprimere write his Law in the heart as well and as easily as he can deliver and make it known to our mindes when he teacheth you that you must believe he doth by his Spirit cause you to believe when be saith that you must be born again he doth by his Spirit make you new creatures there is not any one grace or duty or path of liâ—e which he sets before you who are in covenant with God but he works in you those very graces and puts forth a strength to perform all those duties and to walke in those paths 4. As a Prophet he is annointed to preeah good tydings Isa 61. 1. the Apostle calls it preaching of peace Ephes 2 17. and not only the Prophet Isaiah in that He is anointed oâ— preach good tidings place but also Christ himself in Luke 4. 18. tells you what those good tydings are what that Gospel is namely to hinde up and heale the broken-heared liberty and deliverance to the captives sight to the blinde to give beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse O what comfort is here for you who are the people of God and have Christ to be your Christ and your Prophet Here are glad tydings for you and your Christ is annointed to preach them unto you when your hearts are broken and bruised you have a Christ to binde them up and to heale them with his own precious blood I dyed for you saith Christ this is my blood which was shed for you for the remission of your sins to reconcile you to make peace for you saith Christ and when you finde your selves captives and as it were shut up on prison Christ your Prophet comes to you by his Spirit and breaks open the prison doores and sets you at liberty from your sins from Satan from your fears and tears and all the powers and chaines of darknesse and when your soule sits in darkness and sees no light when they feed on tears and are overwhelmed with sorrows and heaviness your Christ who is your Prophet can and will speak words of life unto you and words of joy unto you why are your hearts troubâ—ed said he to his Disciples woman why weepest thou said he to Mary daughter go in peace so to another son be of good comfort There is no Prophet like your Prophet who knows so much of the minde of God who reveals it so fully so faithfully so infallibly so powerfully so sweetly so savingly Christ is a Priest and your Priest Jesus Christ is a Priest and he is annointed to be your Priest Psal 110. 4. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck vide Heb. 6. 20. Heb 7. 17. Cap. 4. 14. we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God I shall not insist on this Argument to tell you how Christ was called and qualified for his priestly Office nor of the differences 'twixt him and all other Priests nor how that his Sacrifice was his humane nature and the Altar was his Divine Nature and himself according to both these natures was the Priest My intention is only in few words to touch at this Office of Christ as our Mediatour and then to expresse unto you the chief comforts from your interest in him as to this his Office of Priesthood There are two Acts wherein his Priestly Office consisteth Two acts of his Priestly Office Oblation 1. One was the oblation of himself once for all as a perfect Sacrifice for the expiation of sin and reconcilâ—ng us to God Heb. 9. 14. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself without spot to God verse 26. he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself verse 28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many Rom. 5. 10. when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Col. 1. 20. He made peace though the blood of his Crosse Heb. 2. 17. a merciful and faithful High Priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people 2. The other is His Intercession for us This man saith the Apostle because Intercession he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them and therefore as to this interceding part of his Priestly Office Christ is said to appear for us in the presence of God Heb. 9. 24. as the Atturney appears for his Client in Court to answer for him and likewise he is called our Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. to plead for us and to obtaine for us c. But some may now reply We know all this that Christ is a Priest and a Mediatour of Redemption and of Intercession that he offered up himself that he died shed his blood was sacrificed and that he ever lives to make Intercession Quest But where lies the comfort of this to them that are in Covenant with God and have Christ to be their High Priest Sol. What câ—mfort we have by this I will shew you what comfort you have by this and I pray you mark it There are four unspeakable comforts unto you who are Christs from this that he is
inwardly offer Christ to the heart and secretlâ—â—alls there Come unto Christ you are poor and you are thirsty and you are brâ—â—â—h and bruised in heart And such sinners as these doth Christ call to come unto him and live for ever He was anointed for you and is sent to you 3. The Spirit backs these offers and calls with expresse promises for though the He backes these offers with Promises sinner be exceeding glad to finde out Christ the Saviour yet he is exceeding doubtful whether he may close with Christ thus offering himself unto him therefore herein likewise doth the Spirit appear towards the working of faith viz. he doth clear up the promises of the Gospel so that the poor sinner may be convinced and satisfied that Jesus Christ is contented and willing to be his and that he may come and be kindly and graciously accepted of Christ Those passages Him that comes to me I will in no wise reject Joh. 6. 27. And let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Rev. 22 17. And a bruised reed will he not break Matth. 12. 20. Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11 28. All these and other promises and encouragements are set home by the Spirit upon the heart of the poor sinner so that he deemes that he hears Jesus Christ himself speaking alluring comforts unto his soul 4. The Spirit rests not here but proceeds further For notwithstanding all this The Spirit carries on the work further yet the poor sinner findes himself without all strength and saith he I am not able to believe though I see this Christ and his goodness and his love and his kindness and his graciousnesse yet I cannot believe yet I cannot come to him c. Now upon this there are two things more wrought by the Spirit in the heart of the poor sinner 1. One is Earnâ—st desires for faith O Lord give me faith He works earnest desires for faith perswade my heart bring in my heart draw it to Christ for Christ his sake 2. The other is The very gift or work of faith The Spirit by his mighty power gives an ability unto the heart of the sinner to come to him to receive him and thuâ— uniting faâ—th is wrâ—ught namely by the Spirit of Christ accompanying and blessing the Gospel as you have heard unto the soule of a sinner Therefore look well to your selves in this If your faith be not a faith which the Spirit of God works by the Gospel it is a false faith it is a faith of delusion and not of union it is a presumption of your own making a meere imagination of your own No faith will bring you to Christ but that faith which comes from the Spirit of Christ He works saiâ—h it self 2. That Faith which unites to Christ hath alwayes some particular operations upon the soule in relation to that union with Christ For the faith which is The peculiar operations of faith about this union wrought by the Spirit of Christ is no base quality nor is it any dead quality but it is Noble High and Active Now there are three things which this faith doth work in every one that hath it 1. An exceeding appreciation or esteem of Christ 2. A fervent desire to enjoy Christ 3. A separation of the heart It works from every thing that would hinder it from union with Christ 1. If your faith be this saith of union then it hath raised your hearts to exceeding An exceeding esteem of Christ high estimation of Christ other people have no high nor great thoughts of Christ What is thy beloved more than another beloved said they to the Church Cant. 5. 9. There is no beauty in him that we should desire him said they Isa 57. 2. Not this man but Barabbas said the Jews Joh. 18. 40. The Farme and the Oxen are preferred before him Luke 14. 18 19. But unto you who believe he is precious saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 7. Pretious faith makes us to look on Christ as pretious How did the Church look on Christ in that Cant. 5 why As the chiefest of ten thousand verse 10. As altogether lovely verse 16. How did those Believers look on Christ in Joh. 1. 14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth How did Paul look on Christ Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Beloved Never was there unbeliever â—â—o had high thoughts of Christ and never was there sound believer but he hâ—â— precious thoughts of Christ the Apostle tells us as much 1 Cor. 1. 23. We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness verse 24. But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God O sirs The excellencies of Christ are hidden excellencies from the men of the world and no eye can see them but the eye of faith there must be a light shining in the heart to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. When faith is wrought then a light is wrought to see the beauties of Christ the beauty of his Person the beauty of his Offices the beauty of his Love of his Death of his Righteousness of his Holiness of his Peace c. the vaile is removed and we do with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. c. So that none like Christ he is the Pearle of great price and nothing like Christ no love like his no enjoyment like the enjoyment of him c. 2. If your faith be this Faith of union Then it hath raised in your hearts Exceeding desires to enjoy Christ exceeding desires to enjoy Christ I must have this Christ I cannot live without this Christ O Lord give me Christ I have nothing if I have not Christ There is nothing in heaven or earth that I desire in comparison of Christ I desire to be found in him saith Paul He is the desire of all Nations Hag. 2 7. You never had such desires towards Christ untill faith was wrought in you such high desires such longings such hungrings such thirstings nor such busie and stirring desires saw you him whom my soule loveth and I sought him whom my soule loveth and I will seek him whom my soule loveth Nor such unsatisfied desires Nothing satisfies you or puts an end to your desires but Christ desired by you 3. If your faith be this faith of union Then it did work in your hearts a A separation from all things which hinder union separation from all things which otherwise would have hindred yâ—u from union with Christ You know that whatsoever keeps things at
repentance nor will it make a new composition with you after your sinnings but as it will clear and acquit you upon perfect and stedfast righteousness so it will unalterably condemn you for any unrighteousnesse 5. Vse By no means sleight nor neglect Christ any longer but hearken Sleight not Christ any longer to his voice consider and embrace his offers he is the door at which you must first enter if you would be interested in the Covenant and by him you must be delivered from the Covenant of works Grace and truth mercy and peace love and life are by Jesus Christ CHAP. IV. The proper nature of the Covenant THe proper nature of the Covenant of grace in the absolute consideration thereof this I shall lay down in this description of it The Covenant of grace is a new compact or agreement which The Covenant described God made with sinful man out of his own meer mercy and grace wherein he promiseth that he will be our God and that we shall be his people and undertakes to give everlasting life and all that conduceth thereunto unto all who believe in Christ There are divers things considerable in this description which I desire And opened to open 1. This Covenant is a new compact and agreement betwixt God and man There was another agreement before this a Covenant of another nature and upon other It is a new Covenant with man termes and considerations and for another end But man stood not to that agreement he did voluntarily transgresse it and thereby deprived himself of all the benefits promised in that Covenant and fell under that death and curse which God had threatened for the breach and transgression of it Now the new Covenant is as it were a plank after that ship-wrack It is another Indenture for life it is not the same agreement renewed nor the former Lease or Bond renewed but a new one of another kind and nature made with man in another condition and capacity and upon another condition God presently made a new Covenant or agreement with fallen man different from the former made with created righteous man If he had not done so If it had not been so All man-kind had been lost 1. All man-kind had been eternally lost Sinful man could never have been recovered never have been restored to life but by a Covenant of grace nothing but grace can recover the lost sinner Rom. 3. 19. Every mouth must be stopped and all the world become guilty before God Ver. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne 2. The Lord had lost all the glory of his mercy if he had left us to the sentence God had lost all the glory of his mercy of the first Covenant Indeed there his justice and wrath and severity had been exceedingly magnified but his mercy had not risen and appeared at all unto us had not God made this new Covenant with us being become sinners and so fit objects of his mercy Now the intent of God was to exalt his mercy and that man should know the greatnesse and exceeding riches of it and therefore God was pleased to make a new treaty this Covenant of grace 3. There had been no news of a Christ nor thought of him else As Christ There had been no news of a Christ is never effectually given unto any but unto the lost so he was never made known untill the fall of man And remember it That as Christ was not so he could not be revealed in a Covenant of works whil'st life was held by that tenure Christ is not to be found there where life is claimed by a righteousnesse of our own he is only to be found in a Covenant of grace which gives life unto sinners upon the righteousnesse of another Rom. 3. 21. But now the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifested Ver. 22. Even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe These are the principal reasons why God made a new Agreement another Covenant a Covenant of grace with sinful man namely because he would not lose all man-kind nor leave them despairing and Because he would exalt his own mercy and likewise give his Son Jesus Christ and lay upon his shoulders the Redemption and salvation of his people 2. This Covenant is such an agreement with sinful man as springeth and riseth â—is Covenant springeth from the mercy and grace of God from the mercy and the grace of God Hence you have these expressions According to his mercy he saved us Tit. 3. 6. By grace ye are saved Eph. 2. 5. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Christ ver 7. This Covenant may be considered Mercy and grace appears in this Covenant several wayes and in all of them you may see the meer mercy and grace of God 1. In respect of the constitution of it Nothing out of God and nothing in God but his meer mercy and his own grace laid out and appointed this In the constitution of it Covenant of grace with sinners Grace was the foundation of it 2. In respect of admission It is the meer mercy and grace of God which In admission to it opens the door and takes in the sinner into this Covenant with himself I will love them freely I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy 3. In respect of dispensation All the communications from it and all the In the dispensation of it impartings of the treasures of it are the flowings of mercy and the overflowings of the grace of God But I am now only to speak of the mercy and grace of God as the foundation Mercy is the foundation of it For the causa impulsiva these alone are the moving cause why God made this new Covenant For 1. There could be no cause or reason in us we were become sinners we were There could be no cause or reason in us become miserable Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live Ver. 8. Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee Behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine saith the Lord. This was our condition a sinful polluted loathsome condition when God set his love upon us and entred into a Covenant with us 2. There was sufficient and pregnant cause on our part why the Lord should There was cause in us to the contrary never have looked after us or accepted of us any more Jer. 3. 7. They say
our Father and we are thy people A second is the merciful nature of God ready to shew mercy and to multiply pardon A third is the death of Christ he shed his blood to make our peace and to slay all enmity A fourth is the very Covenant it self wherein God hath promised that he will not cast away and that he will heale and forgive the back-slidings of his people and though he will chastise them yet he will not forsake them 8. The Covenant of grace gives a better estate then the Covenant of works It gives a better estate we have a better estate by this then we had or could have by that 'T is true That Adam in innocency enjoyed a larger measure of knowledge and righteousness and had also free communion with God without fear and had dominion over the creatures But yet he had not knowledge of God in Christ nor any communion with God through Christ nor had he any manifestations of the glories of the Gospel by the Spirit of Christ and besides all this whatsoever enjoyments Adam had which might make up a happy estate unto him yet all that enjoyment was mutable and contingent But now in and by the Covenant of Grace our enjoyments are higher and they are also surer 1. They are higher for now we enjoy God not only as a Creator but as a Father Our enjoyments are higher we enjoy him a merciful and gracious and abundant in goodnesse and truth and we enjoy Jesus Christ in a way of union with his person being bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5. 30. and in a way of communion in his death and life and victories and purchases and we enjoy the very Spirit of Christ as to all his graces and comforts and assurances 2. They are surer he enjoyed God so as yet he lost his God he enjoyed righteousness Surer so as yet he lost his righteousness and dominion so as he lost that dominion and had it not been for Christ who was immediately promised after the fall he had never found his God again nor a righteousnesse again nor any right of dominion again but in the Covenant of grace all is sure and stable and permanent God is our God for ever and we continue his people for ever Christ is our Head and we are his Members for ever we enjoy the Spirit and he abides in us for ever The Covenant of grace is a better Covenant then that of works It is better in the way and cause of Remuneration as to the way and cause of Remuneration In a Covenant of works you must earn your wages before you must be paid your wages your own doing is the price of your receiving and your reward is as your work is nothing is there expected as a bounty and gift but all runs there as debt and wages Adam could never pray under this Covenant Lord receive me graciously do me good freely for thy mercies sake But it is not thus in the Covenant of grace where he that deserves nothing may yet receive all and the unworthy sinner doth yet attain to the most excellent mercies upon the sole account of the riches of Gods grace in Christ In the Covenant of grace God doth not reward us according to our ill deeds nor doth he reward us for our good deeds But he freely pardons the ill works of his people and doth them all good not for their goodness but for his own goodnesse-sake In the Covenant of works you come to God saying Lord This I have done therefore blesse me In the Covenant of grace you come to God saying Lord This I need and this thou hast promised O give it me not for my sake but for thy truths sake and for thy Christs sake freely love me freely accept of me freely own and bless me I can shew no deserts of mine but I can shew unto thee thine own promises I can find enough in my self why thou shouldest abhor and curse me and yet I finde enough in thy self and Covenant why thou mayest embrace and help me 10. The Covenant of grace is a better Covenant than that of works in respect of a double efficacy 1. Of helping recovery 2. Of saving vertue It is better in respect of a double efficacy Of helping recovery 1. The Covenant of works never did afford help to recover any one sinner As that Commander spake of the Watchman whom he found asleep and therefore ran him through with his sword I found him dead and left him dead That we may say of the Covenant of works It findes us dead in sins and in trespasses and it leaves us dead in our sins and trespasses there is no balm for our wounds in that Covenant But the Covenant of Grace this doth help and restore sinners it is the ministry of Life and Grace and Peace But God saith the Apostle in Ephes 2. 4 5. who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ And 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us verse 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 2. The Covenant of works did never save any righteous person What saving Of saving vertue power might be found from it upon a supposition of Adams standing I dispute not but this I say There never was any one person saved actually by the Covenant of works But yet the Covenant of Grace doth save all Believers Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 15. We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Ephes 2. 8. By grace ye are saved through faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules Thus you see that the Covenant of grace is the best Covenant in comparison of the Covenant of works Use 1 Is the Covenant of Grace the best Covenant The best Covenant that ever God made with man and for man How great then is their sin who refuse this Covenant Then how gâ—eat is their sin who refuse this Covenant and to come into this Covenant The greater that any mercy is our sin is therefore the greater to refuse that mercy O beloved whence is it that many of your hearts are still hardned whence is it that you love darkness rather then light why do you not hearken to this Covenant whence is it that for lying vanities you forsake your own mercies 1. Are you not sinners 2. Do
man fancieth that his sins are pardoned Of the pardon of our sins and yet his sinful heart remains he deceiveth himself for when God pardons sins he changeth the sinner Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity and will pardon all their iniquities Mal. 4. 2. The Son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 6. Of the hope of glory Christ is the hope of glory as a meritorious Of hope of glory cause Colos 1. 27. And renewing grace is the hope of glory as a testifying means 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope Ver. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible c. 1 Joh. 3. 2. We know that when he appeareth we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Ver. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Secondly Newness of heart is an unquestionable effect of our union with Christ It is an effect of our union with Christ Is it no comfort to you that you belong to Christ that Christ is yours that you are in him of a truth hear what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome righteousness sanctification c. 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man he in Christ he is a new creature Beloved this is most certain that unction flows from union you are not first sanctified and renewed and then brought into Christ but you are first brought into Christ and so are you sanctified and renewed by the Spirit of Christ partaking of him you do partake of life none have their hearts renewed by grace but such as are in Christ and all that are in Christ have their hearts renewed by grace Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Thirdly Newness of heart is the noblest and highest elevation of our hearts It is the highest elevation of our hearts As the degenerate and corrupt nature is of all other the worst and basest for there is nothing more vile than that which is most sinful so the renewed nature which is directly opposite unto it is of all other the most excellent and raising it is therefore called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. The image of God Col. 3. 10. The image of his glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. There are three things which may convince any Christian that renewing grace or newness of heart is our highest elevation and perfection 1. One because it is the nearest resemblance of that nature which is in God himself when you are renewed by grace then you are like unto God himself 1 Pet. 1. 16 Be ye holy for I am holy 2. Another because it is the choisest work or effect of the Spirit of God who though he produceth many other works yet this is the chiefest of them herein is his Arm revealed and in this doth his glory most appear and shine 3. A third is because it is our nearest conformity to Christ our Head in whom the image of God doth most appear The image of God doth consist in knowledge holiness and righteousness as you may see if you compare Col. 3. with Ephes 4. and this image was perfect in Christ who was the image of his Father and unto this are we conformed in our proportion when we are renewed by grace for we are then changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3 18. And upon this one account are they said to be one Spirit with him who are joyned with him 1 Cor. 6. 17. Fourthly Newness of heart enables you for all heavenly communion and serviceableness It enables for heavenly communion to Divine glory Now you may aproach and come near and stand in the presence of your God and he will take delight in you and impart himself unto you when you call he will answer you and say Here I am and when you hear his Word he will meet you and teach and guide and rejoyce your heart When God renews our hearts he doth then set us apart for himself owns us as his jewels looks on us as his Hephziba and Beulah as his beloved as such in whom he delights as his friends as his favourites you may open all your wants and desires and conditions unto him and he will open all his goodness and kindness and mercies unto you Your hearts are now become his temples in which he will dwell and walk and appear with glorious manifestations of his love and grace and help Besides this newness of heart makes you serviceable unto his glory you can glorifie him in your hearts by believing on him in your lives by heavenly upright humble obedient faithful walking Fifthly God will own and accept of it and the fruit of it though but little and God owns and accept of it though little and weak weak As the least degree of newness doth denominate the condition so the weakest expressions of it are accepted He will not despise the day of small things Zach. 4. 10. The bruised reed he will not break nor will he quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. But he will spare his people as a man spareth his son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Sixthly Nay he will stand by it and uphold it and strengthen it and perfect it When you are under spiritual conflicts with your corruptions and temptations He will stand by it he will be present with you he will put forth his strong hand upon your weak hand he will make his power to appear in your weakness he will strengthen what he hath wrought and finish what he hath begun Seventhly Certain blessings and special cares are for all whose hearts are renewed by grace No people on earth have such a title to earth nor such a Special blessings are for 〈◊〉 sure revenue nor such tender care for them as renewed and regenerate persons The Lord is near unto them he is round about them he is in the midst of them he will do them good he will surely bless them no good thing shall be wanting to them he will never leave them nor forsake them he will be a present help unto them in the time of trouble he will know their souls in adversity and will contend against all who do contend against them Eighthly Renewing grace will at the last bring you to the enjoyment of eternal It will bring us to eternal happiness happinesse Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Rom. 6 22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Why It is the first fruits of the Spirit the earnest of the Spirit the seal of the Spirit holiness is happiness begun grace is glory begun already c. SECT VI. Vse 5. DOth God
keeps off from all the occasions thereof And from these two Consectaries do flow viz. Great peace in conscience For it is sin committed which disturbes and disquiets the Conscience and breaks up the peace of it but the more that any person is kept from sin the better doth he walk with peace and joy of Spirit Great peace have they that keep thy Law Psal 119. 165. Great confidence in access to God 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God And ver 22. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me ver 19. But verily God hath heard me be hath attended to the voice of my Prayer Job 11. 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand toward him ver 14. If iniquity be in thine heart put it farre away ver 15. then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot So Zophar 3. It would be a Table-book for God to write his will upon what the Apostle It would be a Table-book for God to write his will upon spake of the Corinthians that would be affirmed of us 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart The heart of flesh is the Table on which the Spirit of God writes the will of God his will is there engraven it makes impression it admits and receives the will of God there it is to be seen and read Thy Law is within my heart said David Psal 40. 8. How kindly would the Word of God take with us how powerfully and effectually would it work upon us how easily would it prevail and rule and order us how wonderfully would it prosper amongst us run and be glorified why all our soules would be convinced and converted and allured and brought into Christ and walk in Christ and be obedient to the faith and become the servants of righteousness if we had soft and tender hearts we would no longer walk contrary to God or to his Word we would no longer hate instruction and despise counsel and resist the Spirit but would presently fall down at the feet of God and desire to be taught the wayes of God and be willing and ready and glad to walk in his paths 4. It would be a means of upright walking There are three sorts of people in the world It would be a meanes of upright walking Some that walk not at all with God as all profane Atheists who walk without God and contrary unto God by reason of the blindness and hardnesse of their hearts Some that walk unevenly with God only in some things and in some places and at some times as hypocritical and temporary believers by reason of the unsoundness and deceitfulness of their hearts Some that walk cordially and uprightly before the Lord turning neither to the right hand nor to the left keeping close to the rule in the whole course of their life Isa 66. 7. The way of the just is uprightness they are undefiled in the way do no iniquity but seek the Lord with the whole heart walk in the Law of the Lord and in his wayes Psal 119. 1 2 3. Now softness or tenderness of heart is a special means of this upright walking For 1. It raiseth in the heart an universal regard to all the Commandements of God Psal 119. 6. And ver 10. would not wander from the Commandements and to walk in all well-pleasing before him 2. It fills the heart with a hatred and fear of all sin that it may not offend the Lord in any thing nor at any time nor in any place Still seeing him who is invisible Job 31. 4. Doth not he see my wayes and count all my steps Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings 3. It lifts up the glory of God that is the great end and aim and scope and motive to a tender heart he doth all to the glory of God and so that Christ may be magnified 5. It would be a means of promoting the knowledge of Christ and the power of godliness and of casting down whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine and unto the wayes of godliness for it would fill the hearts of men with spiritual compassion to souls with zeal and it would draw out their graces and gifts and powers in a right way for God and for the good and salvation of others If Magistrates had but as much tenderness of heart in relation to the interest of God as to their own interest they would be more quick and active for God than for themselves they would justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked they would countance the faithful in the Land and contemn the profane they would honour and exalt the truth of God and disgrace and repress the errors and blasphemies against God and his truths they would encourage every godly person and they would appear against all open ungodliness and unrighteousness of men If Ministers had more tenderness of heart they would in their places also give all diligence to make Christ known and the truths of Christ and contend for them and oppose men of corrupt minds and that which is Antichrist indeed and they would exceedingly perswade and encourage even to the knowledge of the truth and to the love of the truth and to walk in all manner of holiness and godliness and they would reprove threaten warn and declare the wrath of God against all sorts of wickednesse in all sorts of men If Parents and Masters of Families had this tender heart they would not suffer ignorance and looseness in their dwellings but on the contrary would study and take pains to instruct and teach their children and servants and would reprove and correct c. How would they pray and strive on the behalf of knowledge and faith and holiness and fear of God and of walking with God! Verily the whole Land would in a short time be made an habitation of holiness a Land flowing with knowledge and fear of the Lord had we more of this tendernesse of heart which would undoubtedly make us more zealous and industrious for the glory of God 6. It would be a special help unto stedfastness and perseverance to hold out and continue It is a special help unto stedfastness to the end Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me As long as fear holds stedfastness doth hold and as long as tenderness of heart continues the fear will continue Again where the heart is soft and tender it makes us to be much in Prayer and diligent and serious in our communion with God
if I may so speak the very Genius and natural disposition of the holy Spirit to be casting out pulling down cleansing and purging of all our impurities and fleshly lusts which are so contrary to his nature and so offensive unto his presence Hence it is that he maintains a constant and perpetual war with sin in the hearts of the people of God till at the last he gives unto them a compleat and perfect victory Now from what I have delivered in this concerning the Spirit of judgement and of burning two things will flow 1. A conviction unto some that they have not yet received the Spirit of God because 1. They have not received the spirit of judgement to disallow and condemn their sinful lusts and wayes but are so far from it that on the contrary they do approve them and defend them and support them and cannot endure to hear the reproof and condemnation of them from the Word or Ministry or any other but presently they rage and swell and grow discontented and malicious and revengeful 2. They have not received the spirit of burning to abhor their sins and to crucifie them forasmuch as they do still love their sins and will serve them and will not forsake them Job 20. 13. But their great delight is in their sinful wayes and they hold fast their iniquities and hate to be reformed surely these persons have never received the Spirit of God 2. A comfort unto others that they have received the Spirit of God Because 1. They do judge themselves and really do disallow and condemn all sin in themselves Rom. 7. 15. That which I do I allow not 2. They are daily mortifying their sinful lusts by striving after a fuller fellowship in the death of Christ by relying on sin-subduing and mortifying promises and by constant hatred and opposition of their lusts which war against the law in their mind so that they will not serve sin any more and though as the Apostle spake in 2 Cor. 10 3. they walk in the flesh yet they do not warre after the flesh Secondly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom so you read in Isa 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Ephes 1. 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Whosoever hath the Spirit of God that man hath wisdom given unto him by the Spirit not carnal wisdom but heavenly wisdom true wisdome indeed which wisdom appears in four things First as to the subject If thou be wise saith Solomon thou shalt be wise for thy self Prov. 9. 12. And herein is a mans wisdom for himself when he principally minds and looks after and spends his choysest cares and layes out his chiefest pains to make sure work for the saving of his immortal soul That man is wise indeed and he only is wise who so attends his soul that he is never at rest untill he finds his soul to be ready in a safe and sound condition And thus doth every one who hath the Spirit of God given unto him he is by the Spirit made wise unto salvation What shall I do to be saved Act. 16. 30 He workâ— out his own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. And gives all diligence to make his calling and election sure 2 Per. 1. 12. 2ly As to the Object in making choice of the best and most necessary object for the soul and in refuâ—ing that which is pernicious and impertinent And this wisdom all have who have the Spirit of God For 1 They pitch upon the most excellent and most necessary object to enjoy that viz. God to be their God and reconciled Father and Christ to be their Lord and Redeemer and Saviour One thing is necessary and Mary hath chosen that good part c. 2. They abhor sin which is the pernicious object I hate every false way said David Psal 119. 104. And Solomon saith Prov. 14. 16. A wise man feareth and departeth from evil 3. They are above the world which is the impertinent object for the soul We look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Thirdly As to means and wayes tending to the fruition of eternal blessedness These they find out and in these they walk untill they come and appear before God Repentance Faith Holiness Righteousness Love new Obedience Uprightness these are the vety paths and wayes to heaven and all these do they chuse and walk in who have the Spirit of God given unto them Psal 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth Ver. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandements for therein do I delight Isa 26. 7. The way of the just is uprightnesse Fourthly As to time or season Eccles 8. 5. A wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgement And this part of wisdom also is found in all that have the Spirit of God There is a day of visitation a day of knowledge of the things which do concern our peace Luke 19. 42 44. A day of salvation an accepted time 2 Cor. 6. 2. A time when Christ offers himself and love and mercy and happiness and strives with the hearts of men to know and accept of him And this time they who have the Spirit of God discern and do lay hold on and do gladly embrace they do not slight nor delay nor harden their hearts But while it is called to day they hearken Like the wise Merchant who as soon as he found the pearl of great price sold all and bought it Matth. 13. 45 46. Now if this wisdom of the spirit be as indeed it is the evidence that we have the Spirit O how few then have the Spirit of God given unto them Who takes care in the first place for his soule and makes sure the salvation of it Who sets his heart upon a God upon a Christ upon Reconciliation upon pardoning mercy and not rather upon his sins and on the world Who knows the day of grace the day of his visitation the day of his salvation the accepted time Who chuse the path of holiness the way of uprightness c. 3. Thirdly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power and he is such a Spirit in and unto all unto whom he is given Rom. 15. 18. The Gentiles were made obedient Ver. 19 By the power of the Spirit of God 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath given unto us not the spirit of fear but of power Isa 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord is there called the Spirit of might Ephes 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord aâ—d in the power of his might The Spirit of God is a most strong
his praises 1 Pet. 2. 9 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father c. Matth. 5. 16. You are bought with a price to glorifie God in c. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 3. His gracious disposition towards his servants and people which appears in four particulars First In his concurrence he passeth by many a failing in the performance of our duties Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Mal. 3. 17. I will spate them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Secondly In his acceptance he will accept of a willing mind 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath and not cording to that a man hath not The servant that gained two talents and the poor widow that cast in two farthings were accepted Thirdly In his assistance as he commands us to walk in his statutes so he puts his Spirit within us to cause us to walk in them underneath are the everlasting arms said Moses Deut. 33. 27. And I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me said Paul Phil. 4. 13. Fourthly In the recompence Psal 19. 11. In keeping of thy Commandements there is great reward Isa 1. 19. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land Rom. 2. 10. Glory honour and peace unto every man that worketh good Secondly In respect of the Statutes themselves they are holy and righteous and good The best way and the safest way to walk in are those which are pleasant to us well-pleasing to God The walking in the statutes of God is the best way that any man can walk in which appears thus First It is the way which the only wise and good God hath consecrated It is not a way of mans invention it is not a way of Satans delusion it is the way of God which he himself commands commends approves and likes Secondly It is the best way to walk in for our selves The benefit which comes by walking in Gods wayes 1. For a mans comfort and peace Great peace have they which keep thy Law Psal 119. 165. To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. 23. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and sincerity we have â—ad our conversation 2 Cor. 1. 12. The people of God do find his paths paths of pleasure and never meet with sorrow but when they are wandring from them Prov. 19. 16. He that keepeth the Commandements keepeth his own soul but he that despiseth his wayes shall dye 2. For a mans safety you are sure of Gods protection whiles you are in his service and in his wayes Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty walk before me and â—e thou perfect q d. keep thou my wayes and I will keep thy safety 3. For a mans honour The service of God is our greatest liberty and our Itâ— our honor greatest dignity Deut. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do these statutes for this is your wisdom and understanding in the fight of the Nations which shall hear of these statutes and say Surely this Nation is a wise and understanding people 3ly In respect of the people of God themselves which have so many obligations In respect of Gods people upon them from their God 1. His Truth 2ly His Mercy 3ly Giving Christ for to them 4ly Giving his Spirit to them 5ly Shedding his love in their hearts 6ly Daily and hourly blessings 7ly The many sweet experiences found by them in the wayes of obedience 8ly The bitterness met with when starting aside and wandring c. Fourthly Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the way of the Lord Holy obedience blessed are they that keep his testimonies Psal 119. 1 2. Holy obedience or walking in Gods statutes is a testimony of our effectual calling to Christ of our salvation with him Rom. 6. 4. We are buried with him by baptism into death that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father so we should walk in newness of Life Ephes 4. 21. If so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus Ver. 22. Put off the old man c. Ver. 24. And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Chap. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes dark but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of that light SECT I. 1. Use ARe the people of God charged and bound to walk in the statues of God and to keep his judgements and to do them O how few people then Few are Gods people hath God where is the man that doth obey his voice who doth indeed take any heed to walk with God in his statutes who orders his steps according to his Word Some there are that instead of giving an ear unto all the Scriptures and to all the Ordinances and to all the Statutes and Commandments of God they are beyond the Scriptures and beyond Ordinances and beyond the Law or Statutes of God and they cry out against men as Legalists who press obedience and as Antichristian and favouring of works I do indeed believe that there are many Antichrists amongst us and fear the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great Antichrist is too much amongst us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle describing the great Antichrist 2 Thes 2 3. saith that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Exlex sine lege one who doth trample down the Law of God c. Many others there are who though they be not Antinomians in opinion yet are so in their practice like those in Psal 2. 3. Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us Particular Libertines who will have no Lord over them and will walk after the lusts of their own hearts and despise the statutes of God Hose 8. 12. I have written unto them concerning Ephraim the great things of my Law but they were counted a strange thing Beloved take but a short view of Gods statutes and of mens walking and we shall confess that few there are that walk in his statutes The statutes of God respect 1. Himself 2ly Our Neighbour Who they be that walk not after Gods Commanments 1. Himself in the glory of his Nature of his Worship of his Name and of his Day O but how few walk in these statutes 1. The ignorant that know not God 2. The Atheists that acknowledge not God 3. Unbelievers that trust not God 4. The profane that love not God nor fear him 5. The superstitious and idolatrous worshippers 6. The cursed swearers and forswearers 7. The rabble of Sabbath-breakers who make the day of God the day of their idlest recreation or profaness
they should not have done well to have observed it Thirdly If the Moral Precepts were ceased as to the people of God then God would have expressed in the delivery of them a purpose after some time to have revoked them and to have exempted his people from further obedience unto them or else Jesus Christ would himself have abrogated them as now unuseful but neither of these do we find Object Yes Christ saith in Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were untill John Sol. The Law here spoken of is not to be understood de Lege Morali of the direct and commanding Law of the Moral Law prescribing obedience sed de lege Prophetante per figur as as Rivet well observes Fourthly What shall we say to that of Paul Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man And Ver. 25. So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God And Chap. 8. 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit What shall we say to that of David Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled who walk in the Law of the Lord Object But the Apostle saith we are not under the Law in Rom. 6 14. c. Sol. First One may be said to be under the Law in several respects How we are said to be under the law 1. For justification by the Law 2. For condemnation by the Law 3. For perfect and personal obedience to the Law 4. For a slavish and servile constraint In these respects the people of God are not under the Law nevertheless for direction and instruction to frame their lives unto the precepts of the Law thus they are under the Law But secondly the place to me expounds it self best of all The Apostle there saith We are not under the Law but under grace and this he gives as a reason why sin should not have dominion over them We are not under the Law i. e. in such a state where there is only a command given against but no power but we are under grace which is such a condition or estate where besides a command against sin we have also a power given with that command which pulls down the dominion of sin And verily all that can be concluded here is the comfortabâ—e estate of believers and regenerate persons not in this that they are utterly freed from the commanding Law of God but in that they are now under such a gracious Covenant vvhere there is not only a Law to command but grace also given to obey 2. Quest The next Question is what manner of obediential observation of God commands that is which concerns the people of God in Covenant Sol. It is an Evangelical manner of obedience or observation which hath four What obedience is required of Gods people It comes from Gospel-Principles ingredients in it First It must come from Gospel Principles even from the life and strength of Christ no man can walk without a Principle of life within him It is a living work which poceeds from a living Principle All the obediential workâ— of the people of God are performed in the vertue of their union and communion with Christ without me you can do nothing Christ doth not only give the Law unto the people of God but also he gives the Spirit unto them Heb. 8. 10. I will write my Law in their minds He doth by his Spirit write them in their hearts and makes them complying and willing to obey Secondly It must come from Gospel motives even from the mercy and love of God the people of God do obey him rather as a Father then as a Judge looking From Gospel-motives more at his goodness than at his severity They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Hosea 3. 5. And Psal 130. 5. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constrains them And Ver. 15. He died for all that they who live should not hence forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them The great love which God hath shewed unto his people in Christ inflames and swells their heart and moves cares and endeavours to walk before him in all well pleasing Thirdly It must come from Gospel-affections especially from love and delight From Gospel-affections O how love I thy Law Psal 119. If a man love me he will keep my cemmandâ—ments Joh. 14. 23. The love of God which the people of God enjoy carries out their soules in all holy obedience unto the will of God and so likewise they serve him with delight I delight to do thy will O God Psal 40. 8. And thy Law is within my heart Psal 101. 1. Serve the Lord with gladness The Commandements of God are not grievous unto his people they say not What a weariness it is to serve the Lord no but as David I rejoyce in thy testimonies and I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart It was Christs meat and drink to do the will of his Father O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes c. There is a servile serving of God which ariseth from a slavish Spirit unwilling backward constrained by threats and blows and there is an ingenuous free chearful delightful serving of God As the people of God are volunteers Psal 110. 3. of a princely spirit as the word signifies their duties though as to the rule are under a command yet as to their hearts and manner of performance they are a free-will-offering they find so much sweetness and happiness in communion with God and with a holy fervency of spirit they are not indifferent cold slothful but fervent in Spirit boyling hot serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. their hearts are conjoyned and united in the duties of obedience intent and intensive Fourthly It looks at a Gospel-end at the glory of God and Christ Phil. It looks at a Gospel-end 1. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death Ver. 21. For to me to live is Christ Rom. 14. 7. None of us liveth unto himself for ver 8. Whether we live we live unto the Lord. Natural men do act from themselves and for themselves but the people of God do act from Christ and for Christ 3. Quest Why the people of Gods Covenant are in a more special manner charged to walk in his statutes keep his judgements and do them Sol. I will not insist on this but briefly thus the people of God should walk in his statutes keep his judgements and do them Why Gods people should walk in his statutes First In respect of God and here are three Reasons 1. His Will Psal 119. 4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy preceps diligently 1 Thes 4. 3. It is the will of God even your sanctification 2. His Glory They are called to shew forth