Covenant of Grace We do now stand upon other terms with God through Christ in the New Covenant whereof we are partakers by faith in him But still the Precepts of the Moral Law abide on us as our Duty there never was any repeal of the Command nor indeed can they ever cease to be a Rule to man for the guiding of him in the right ordering of his Conversation inasmuch as they are every way suited to the nature of man considered as being made on purpose for the actual glorifying of God so that if we would actually glorify him as men we must do it in compliance with these precepts All that is contained in this rule is reduced to those two heads Mat. 22. 37 39. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self And this can never cease to be our duty so long as we are men nothing can discharge us from the obligation of loving God and our neighbour inasmuch as the Relation we bear to both cannot cease and the duty is inseparable from such a Relation It is also certain that all of these Duties are reinforced in the Gospel or under the dispensation of the Kingdom of Grace and may be all of them found on record in the preceptive part of the New-Testament required of Christians as they would walk worthy of the vocation with which they are called and are therefore called New Commands because they are there reinforced with arguments fetcht from the consideration of the Grace of God appearing to us we have this summarily commended to us in Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Under which three heads are comprized all those duties which are required in and by the Moral Law 8. That all the Commands of the New-Covenant which are purely Evangelical are inclusively Comprehended in this Rule It is to be observed that there are some Duties introduced by the New Covenant and are enjoyned on all such unto whom it is promulgated which were not Duties incumbent on man whiles he continued in a state of Integrity such as Faith in Jesus Christ Repentance unto life and the several things that are contained in these as they point to us the way for fallen man to recover Gods favour and obtain eternal Salvation and indeed these Duties were inconsistent with that state Man had not forfeited himself to the Law and so needed not a Redeemer he stood in his uprightness and was defiled with no sin and had no occasion for Repentance These Duties therefore were not immediately comprized in the law of nature nor was man in Innocency able by the improvement of his reason to gather that there were any such Duties hypotheâ—ically belonging to his Rule Nor is it to be supposed that when God at first indented with man in the Covenant of Works and warned him a-against disobedience by shewing him the threatning that he made any discovery to him of an hope that in case of his miscarriage he might be saved or that he foretold a way of his recovery in case he ruined himself by trespassing against the command and bringing of himself under the threatning doubtless he reserved this for the Opening of the Covenant of Grace and till he so made it known man could not possibly so much as guess at such a thing However there is thus much contained in the Moral Law and the light of nature clearly discovered to man at first viz. that the rightful authority and supremacy that God hath over all men claims a liberty for him at any time to enjoyn man in any thing and make it his duty by vertue of his command to do it if it be within the power which he at first endowed him withal and consequently that he ows Obedience to God in whatsoever he shall at any time declare to be his will hereupon Positive Commands oblige men by the light of nature as well as Natural duties supposing there be a Revelation of them made to them We find therefore that God at first exerted this authority over our first Parents when he put them into the Garden by an arbitrary exempting the Tree of Knowledge from their eating of it under pain of death nor did they dispute but acknowledge his Soveraignty over them in that regard though afterwards the adversary used it as a snare to draw them into Sin And how many such positive Precepts did God give to Israel of which he renders 〈◊〉 other reason but this I am the Lord Hence there fore when God once reveals to fallen men that it is his will that they should repent and believe in order to their being made partakers in Pardon and Salvation it becomes their bounden duty by vertue of that Command that they so do and not only will they miss of Salvation if they neglect to comply with these terms on which it is offered but they will thereby Sin against God and so aggravate their Guilt and in this respect the Gospel may well be called the Law of Christ Hence we are told Acts 17. 30. Now God commandeth all men every where to repent i. e. Now when the Gospel is promulgated and 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. 9 This being a perfect Rule requires every sort of personal perfection in us Our perfection must needs consist in our conformity to the Rule of it and if so we cannot be entirely perfect unless our conformity be as large as the duties which are required by it and that not only in all the parts of it by answering to every precept in it and having a respect to all the Commandments of God but also in the degrees of our compliance with it which must consist in such an Holiness as hath not the least mixture of the contrary in it that doth not only do the thing but doth it with that accuracy that there be nothing wanting in the matter of it with that diligence that we never fail either in omission or commission with that intenseness of love that hath no mixture of reluctancy or backwardness with that singleness of heart that hath no allay or mixture of any sinister aimes or ends and with that constancy that we hold on without wavering to the end which though none of the Children of God ever did or shall in this life attain unto yet it is the perfection which we are called to aspire after and not to rest in any thing short of it but to be in an earnest pursuit of it as long as we abide here and till we reach it in the Kingdom of Glory And that this is required of us will appear if we consider 1. That every thing short of this Perfection is
that are partakers of the outward benâ—fits of it when he comes to Convert any Sinners among them to Christ and make theâ— to accept of him as a Saviour he lays theâ— under the terrors of the Law Moral by shewing them what is therein required of theâ— and what they are to expect at the hands â— a Righteous God if those demands be nâ— fully answered and by this he convinceâ— them of their misery and self impotency â— deliver themselves from it thereby making way for their hearkning after and giving the greatest welcome to a Redeemer On this account is the Law called our School-master â—nto Christ Gal. 3. 24. Because by it we are acquainted with our need of him and excited to seek after him There is then no doubt to be made but that the same perfection is required of them notwithstanding their being in the visible Kingdom of Christ Whereas true Converts or such as have believed in Christ are delivered from this Severity i. e. they are no longer under the Law as a Covenant pronouncing of them dead men if they fail of their Obedience in the least â—unctilio and the reason is because they are â—rought under the Covenant of Grace by which they are freed from the former according to Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominiâ— over you for ye are not under the Law but â—nder Grace 2. The question is not with respect to our Justiâ—ation before God The Justification of fallen â—an hath not the least regard to any persoâ—al Obedience of theirs as having an influâ—nce Causall into it and consequently it can â—ave no respect to any kind of perfection of â— Gospel Justification cometh altogether by â—e Imputation of the Righteousness of another â— us viz. that of Christ which was for that â—nd provided by God for us and is called his Righteousness Phil. 3 9. The Righteousness that is of God by faith and so it is not ours Personal or Inherent but by acceptation for us It is calâ—ed the Justification of a Sinner or of the Ungodly Rom. 4. 5. And therefore must needs have a respect to that Law in relation whereto the man is a Sinner which is the Moral Law under obligation whereto all men do stand as they derive from the first Adam to whom it was given for himself and his posterity and hence it must have a Righteousness to answer it every way as perfect as that Law required which no fallen man is able in himself to pay nor can any offer it for him but Christ only They wholly mistake the very nature of Gospel Justification who allow any Righteousness short of that to have any concernment in it and since by the fall man is become Guilâ—y and so subjected to the Curse of the Law if he had a personal Righteousness as broad as that which the Law required of mâ—n in integrity yet that would not satisfie for the removal of his Guilt without which he cannot be Justified So that whether it be perfect or imperfect it signifies nothing here 3. Nor is the question about what Obedience of ours will find acceptance with God through Christ It is certaâ—n that no Obedience of ours will be at all accepted of us out of him and it is also beyond doubt that the imperfection which attends the sincere Services of Gods Children will not procure that these Services of theirs should be rejected by him for if so it were impossible thaâ—â—ny of us in this imperfect state that abides us should ever please God in any thing that we do which must needs be an invincible discouragement to us in doing any duties that are required of us but then it is through Christ that they find acceptance with him In this respect it is that the sincerity which Godâ— Children do express in their Obedience is so often called perfection in the Scriptures Joh is said to be a perfect man and upright Joh 1. 1. by Reason that being â—ffered to God with Christs incense it finds favour with him and he smelleâ—h a sweet savour in it notwithstanding that according to the Law it would have been utterly rejected by reason of the concomitant defects So that the true Believer who serves God in integrity is not to be discouraged because he finds his best to come so far behind of that perfection which the Law prescribes to men but is to look to the gracious encouragement which is giâ—en to them who love God in sincerity 4. But it is with regard to the obligation to New Obedience that lies upon Justâ—fied Believers It presupposeth them to be in a state of Justification and looks upon them as under the Government of Christ and owing â— Service to him There are indeed those who deny that any such obligation lieth upon the Children of God and that the Law Moral no longer binds them under duty of conformity unto it but that upon their believing in Christ they are freed from any such engagement this is purely Antinomian and bespeaks all the precept given to the Children of God under the Gospel to be wholly in vain or only to concern such as are as yet unregenerate for the awakening them to betake themselves to Christ and seek an interest in him by faith and not at all to belong to those that are already partakers in the grace of God but why then have the Children of God that title of Obedient put upon them and are called upon to express it by this conformity 1 Pet. 1. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts c. Supposing then such an Obedience as this to be our duty which prerequires a principle to be put into us impowring us to a compliance with it in order to our actual performance of it our enquiry is about the extensiveness of it or how far it is our duty to endeavour after perfection in it and for the clearing of this Case we may take the following Conclusions into Consideration 1. That the design of the New Covenant in which the Grace of it is to appear is to bring fallen man back to a state of blessedness It was because mankind were become wofully miserable by the Apostasy of Adam in which they all fell and there was no room left for any remedy to be afforded to them by the Covenant of Works inasmuch as the Law could no longer give life Gal. 3. 21. And God had a pity for some of that unhappy race would save them that he opened a New Covenant in which he makes the displays of his rich Grace to them Now as it was the glory of his Grace that God had a regard to ultimately in this Contrivance so the way in which he would exalt this Attribute and make it illustrious and for ever admirable was in their Salvation So that the Salvation of lost Sinners is inseparably connected with and nextly subordinated to this last end of God because in and by it he will accomplish it In
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
wherein he will gain the greater glory to himself according to 2 Cor. 4 7. We have this treasure is earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us It was for this end that Jesus Christ gave such gifts to men when he ascended as Eph. 4. 10 c. For the perfecting of the Saints c. And the Apostle gives us to understand that ordinarily there is no other way for us to come to faith in Christ and obtain Salvation by him Rom. 10. 14 15. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher 6. That these cannot distinguish between those that are given to Christ and others They are not acquainted with the secret counsels of God concerning men in particular they find men equally lying in the rubbish of the Apostasy and have not been admitted to look into the Lambs Book of Life and there to read whose names stand upon record so as to apply themselves to them and to no other Those whom God hath purposed to shew his special Grace upon are alike with others in their natural estate being children of wrath as they Eph. 2. 3. There is no difference between them in their frame and disposition Rom. 3. 9. They are all under sin In their natural state they are held under the power and dominion of their lusts and are as ill conditioned as the most and possibly have run themselves into as great exorbitancies Tit. 3. 3. We our selves were sometimes disobedient serving divers lusts c. Nay they may have â— themselves so prodigiously against God aâ— Christ that these may doubt of them aâ— object against them so did Ananias with râ— spect to Paul when God bad him to visit him Acts 9. 13. Lord I have heard by many of tâ— man how much evil he hath done to thy Saints â— Jerusalem c. Before God cometh with hâ— power to accompany their ministry to effecâ— his Servants may meet with more discouragâ— ment from such whom God will bring hoâ— to himself by their Ministry at last than froâ— any others 7. Hence they are to open and offer this Grâ— to all that hear them It is true those offâ— are to be made upon Gospel terms they aâ— to preach it as a Covenant and not only â— tell Sinners that there is mercy to be had wiâ— God but to shew them in what way aloâ— they may come by it However they arâ— thus to exhibit this fountain and bid all without exception to come to it they must endeâ— our to make all that hear them sensible oâ— their need of it and then to give them all encouragement to come to it they are to repeat their invitation to the thirsty to come tâ— the waters Isa 55. 1. they are to tell the weaâ—ry and heavy laden that if they do come Christ will give them rest Mat. 11. 28. They are to invite the most wicked to set the hopes oâ— mercy before them and assure them that iâ— â—ey comply with the proposals of the Gospel they shall be welcome and need not to â—espair they are to tell the wicked that if â—e will forsake his way and return to the Lord â—e will abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. To let them â—now that Christ came to save chief sinners â— Tim. 1. 15. Nor are there any sins or Sinâ—ers exempted but such as have committed â—e unpardonable sin which is hard to know â—nd ought not easily to be charged upon any 8. And there shall a glory redâ—und to God from â—â— those to whom this fountain is thus opened It â—s not to be expected that all that are invited â—ill come we read Mat. 22. 5 6. They made â—ght of it and went their mays one to his farm â—nother to his Merchandize and the remnant â—ok his Servants and entreated them spitefully â—nd slew them There are some that will hearâ—ly accept of the Call and come to Christ with all their hearts and there are others who will bid him depart and return â—corn â—nd contempt to all the invitations which he â—ives them However God will be no loser â—y these either the one or the other Despiâ—ers indeed will lose the benefit which they might have been made happy by had they complied with the Treaty but God will make his word to obtain its end Isa 55. 11. Mâ— word which goeth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that which I please c. Paul longed for the Conversion of all his Hearers but he found it fall out otherwise in many of them not withstanding he comforted himself in this that â— labour should not be lost but God would glorified in the issue whatever the efficaâ— were 2 Cor. 2. 15. We are unto God a sweet â—vour of Christ in them that are saved and them that perish 9. But yet if it had not been for this seed Christ this fountain had not been thus openâ— Christ was exhibited for the discovery Gods Grace and though they that despise shall-smart for their so doing yet the priâ— design of sending the Gospel and revealiâ— Christ in it unto any is mans Salvation â— him and but for this there had been â— Christ and so no offer of him Mans relaâ— on to the Covenant of Works exposed him suficiently to Revenging Justice the New Coâ—nant was for the display of Grace If Goâ— sends his Gospel to any it is because he haâ— some there to be made partakers of his savinâ— mercy this was the reason why Paul muâ— tarry at Corinth Acts 18 9 10. Be not afraiâ— c. for I have much people in this City anâ— we may suppose the reason why the Spirit for had him to preach the Word in Asia and woulâ— not suffer him to go into Bythinia Chap. 16. 6 7. was because there were none there to â—â— Converted by his Preaching 10. Hence these and only these shall partake â— â—e saving good of it Others partake in the â—utward benefit of it but through their sin â— turns to their greater Condemnation but â—hese are made to enjoy the efficacy of this â—ountain and all the vertue of it derives to â—hem for their everlasting good and in this â—egard it is opened only for them i. e. for â—heir real good in the event It is indeed the â—thers fault that they are not savingly beneâ—ted by it but the peculiar grace and favour â—f God appears to these not only in affordâ—ng the fountain to be opened to them but â—lso in bringing of them to it and making â—hem drink of it and live for ever and it is â—ertain that there must be besides the outâ—ard offer of it to men by the Word and the Ministry of it the powerful operation of the â—pirit of God to perswade and enable sinful â—en thus to forsake their broken cisterns at which they dwelt contentedly and betake â—hemselves to the fountain of living waters Christ saith
they are made to all promiscuously to whom thâ— means of Grace are sent and the great truthâ— which concern Christ and Salvation by him are urged upon them but where the Spiriâ— of God doth inwardly reveal Christ in thâ— Souls of any and makes them sharers in hiâ— Salvation he always brings them to such â— frame such therefore are the only blesseâ— ones Mat 5. 4 Blessed are they that mourn fâ—â— they shall be comforted 2. That we must distinguish between Passiâ— â—nd Active Conversion This distinction is generally received among the Orthodox and â—y all them who acknowledge that there are the Habits of Saving Grace infused into us in order to our being able to exert Grace in our lives and the Apostle plainly shews the difference Gal. 5. 25. If we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit Passive Conversion then is that Change which is made in us in Regenera 〈◊〉 by the infusion of all saving Graces into 〈◊〉 of which it is said 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any â—â—n be in Christ Jesus he is a new Creaturâ— Active Conversion consists in the exerting and â—â—ercising of these Graces The former is â—â—one by the Spirit alone in the latter he â—â— operates with us And we may take from â—â—nce this brief accouâ—t of the present affair 1. That Gods Elect do many times long despise the offers of Christ that are made to them â—â— the Gospel God will have his own to know that their Conversion as well as their Salvation is of Grace and that they have a nature in them as full of obstinacy and enmity as others he therefore leaves them for a season to resist his Spirit and to shew the desperate malignity that is in them and they neglect the things of their peace â—witâ—stand the offers of a Saviour and quench the motions of the Spirit in them that accompany the Calls of the Gospel This Ephraim confesseth of himself Jer. 31. 18. Thou hast chastized me and I was chastized as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Yea sometimes violently to oppose and persecute his Church Such an one was Paul when a Pharisee Phil. 3. 6. Touching zeal persecuting the Church 2. That there are some common legal works wrought in the Elect antecedent to their Regeneration or Passive Conversion The Spirit of God is wont to begin with men by Convictions and Terrors by setting the Law home on their Consciences which make them afraid and those are wrought not only in Gods Children but in others also and the Elect themselves do too frequently stifle these motions out grow these awakenings and retâ—â—â— again to their former security the time of their new birth is not yet come and God hereby lets them see what enemies they are to their own Salvation and that if he had not come with Almighty Efficacy to them they had refused him to their destruction as well as others How many such common works have some out grown and become worse after them and yet they have had their months in which God hath taken them because he had an Immutable love for them See for this Isa 57. 17 18. I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and will heal him 3. That all saving qualifications are wrought in them at once in Passive Conversion When the Spirit of God comes to produce this great Change in the Sinner he infuseth into him all his Sanctifying Graces there is a new man created in him Eph. 4. 24. There is a perfection of parts though not of degrees Sanctification is throughout 1 Thes 5. 23. There is therefore no order in the production of these saving qualities in the Soul but they come in all at once In Conversion whole Christ is put â—â— it is therefore called a new birth Joh. 3. 3. And it is the babe of Grace which is born and it hath all its members entire 4. That God draws the man to exert these Graces in Active Conversion after the manner of a Rational Agent In the exerting of Grace the man is not only active but voluntary too he acts as a cause by Counsel As therefore there is the Co operation of God in this as well as his operation in the former according to Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure So he works upon the Rational Faculties or Powers that are put into man and having sanctified them he draws them forth to put the new nature into act upon sight deliberation and with perswasion He is not drawn to it by meer instinct but he knows what he doth and why he doth it he hath a foundation on which he acts every Grace he knows whom he believes in and why he so doth 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day and so of the rest God is therefore said to draw â—s with the cords of a man Hos 11. 4. 5. In this Conversion the Soul betakes it self to Christ by faith as to a Fountain opened for Sin and for Uncleanness The great Grace celebrated in the Gospel is Faith by which we close with Christ for life wherein we comply with the main Article of the new-New-Covenant and therefore Salvation is ascertained to it Joh. 3. 16. Whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life This Grace is not before the others in being though it leads in the exercise and doth indeed influence all the other being that which fetcheth in help from Christ for the acting of them Now Christ is the immediate Object on whom Faith fiâ—eth it believes in him for all the good that it wants and seeth to be stored in him and that which draws it so to rely on him is the discovery it hath made of his sufficiency and readiness to answer its great necessity which is to be delivered from the guilt and defilement of sin and thaâ— because it apprehends all this to be fountained in him that it may be communicated by him to all those that stand in need of it and this it doth upon the invitation given in the Gospel to all that are oppressed with the burden of sin to come to him for succour against it 6. This Faith is always accompanied with true Repentance In active Conversion these two Graces are in conjunction I shall not here meddle with the disputes which of these two Graces is the first if we speak of their production they are together and so there is no priority of any Grace they being created in the same instant if we speak of thâ—ir production they are together and so there is no priority of any Grace they being created in the same instant if we speak of the order of nature in their activity Faith must have the precedency because it influenceth all the other for though
him he answers the Call of the Spirit in the Word and embraceth the promise annexed to it and Echo's back to it with acceptance and gratitude as Psal 27. 8. When then saidst seek ye my face â—ine heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Jer 3 22 Return ye baâ—ksâ—iding Children and I will heal your backslidngs â—â—hold we come unto thee fâ—r thou art the Lord our God And tâ—us is the Everlasting Covenant past between God and him now is he Unitâ—d with the Fountain or Grace and all thâ— saving vertue oâ— it is derived to him and this is the usual method of Divine Grace iâ— bringing a Sinner to participate in the saving Benefits which were purchased by the Lord Jesus Christ for him USE I. For Information in two or threâ— particulars 1. We have here a Rule to judge of the Efficacy of the Gospel in the dispensation of it Theâ— is a great deal of reasoâ— why the People â— God should observe not only who enjo◠〈◊〉 Gospel in which Christ is opened to men â—â—d where it is that Christ is most clearly and â—stinctly declared in his whole work but alâ— what fruit or efficacy there is of it how â—r the vertue of this fountain for the ends of â—â— being opened is made evident by the effects â—f it upon men and though the work of Apâ—â—cation wherein Christ is made to us Righâ—â—ousness and Sanctification for the pardoning â—â—d cleansing of our sin be a secret work and â— man can certainly know it of another exâ—pt by extraordinary Revelation and though â—â— things which are the concomitants of this â—â—d evidence to it viz. A spirit of mourning â—â—d supplication are not so obvious but that â—â— may be mistaken about them inasmuch â— there may be secret Prayer and bewailing â— sin that is sincere and accepted with God â—hich makes no noise and there may be a â—ew of much of this but whether it be sincere â—â—d proceeds from such a spirit given to us â—â— be judged of only Charitably yet there â— usually so much to be discerned on â—is account by such as observe the times as â—ay make the hearts of such as fear God Glad â— Sad and many times there are too awful â—idences of the general prevailing of the conâ—ary spirit by the notorious appearance of â—ch things as are inconsistent with this If â—e speak on a publick account when God inâ—â—ds to pour out much grace upon a People he will give a spirit of mourning and prayer and therefore when there is but a little of thiâ— and much of the contrary to be observeâ— when it is as Isa 22. 12 13. In that day diâ— the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and to mourâ—ing and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth and behold joy and gladness sâ—aying of oxen anâ— killing of sheep eating flesh and drinking wiâ—e â— let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dyâ— When instead of reforming the sins that aâ— among men there is nothing mended but theâ— rather grow worse it saith that if there wâ—â— a spirit of mourning it would not be so Aâ—â— when Prayer is neglected particularly in Families and there are so many houses withouâ— it as is complained it is to be supposed tâ—â— secret Prayer is neglected too and mucâ— more that the spirit of Supplication is greatlâ— wanting Nay though there be many Fasâ— kept for the bemoaning of the prevailing sâ—â— making of humble confessions of them uâ—â— God and asking of his pardon and healing â— yet if this be all and there is nothing amendeâ— nor is the work of the present day in this râ—gard pursued it will bespeak that the day â—oâ— the plentiful accomplishment of this promiâ— that we have under our present consideratioâ— doth not as yet commence And let serioâ— Christians judge by such Rules and say whâ—ther they do not see great occasion for Lamâ—â—tation on this account The same observatioâ— is also applicable to particular persons 2. We may hence learn what little reason the â—ost have to boast of Christ as a Fountain of Salvation to them It must needs be a sad sight â—o see with what security and confidence the generality do nourish themselves as if they â—othing doubted of a title to Christ and life â—y him and take it amiss to have the reality â—f it so much as questioned who yet cannot â—ear the test of the truth in hand but must â—â—eds fall before it and stand condemned by it â—â— it be as it is a great truth that where God â—pplies Christ to men in the benefits which he â—â—th purchased for Sinners he pours out upon â—em a spirit of mourning and supplication â—ertainly then all such as are without such a â—irit must needs be strangers to such an Apâ—lication and without doubt where such a â—irit is put into men there will be the exerting â—f it in their lives and practices When thereâ—ore there is nothing of this but the quite â—ontrary notoriously appearing such mens â—ith must needs be presumption and their â—oasting is of a false gift Think of this then â—l you who are so far from mourning for â—our sins that you can live in them quietly â—ontentedly nay you Rejoyce in iniquity and â—ke the greatest Satisfaction in gratifying of â—our carnal lusts who are never well but when â—ou are Devising mischief on your beds and putâ—ng it in practice as soon as opportunity affords you that can make a mock of sin that can Drink your stollen waters and eat your bread in secret and wipe your mouths and say we have done no wickedness You that can boast of your lewd pranks and shew your sin as Sodom and hide it not you that joyâ— hand in hand with your lewd companions and encourage one another in your wicked courses surely you never had the healing vertue of this fountain applied to you and to hope to have your sins pardoned and yet not cleansed is a vain hope Think of this also all you Prayerless ones who instead of calling upon Gods name abuse it and take it in vain by your profane taking it into your mouths who can live days and mouths and years without so much as a formal addressing of God whose houses will one day rise up against you and testify that you never Prayed in them either by your selves or with your families who never carried your iniquities to God as a burden too heavy for you to bear and with strong cryes besought him to take them away by a free pardon and powerful purging Let all such know that how presumptuously soever you may now cry Lord Lord there is a time coming if mercy prevent not when he will say I never knew you depart from me all ye workers of iniquity And be not deceived for God is not mocked 3. This shews us who they are that are like to enjoy the clearest discoveries and most plentiful applications of Christ to them certainly they are such unto
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
Priests and for all the People of the Congregation Intimating that all had defilement cleaving to them by reason of imperfections in those who were concerned in them And for this reason we are to seek acceptance through Christ for our best duties and the very prayers of the Saints must come through his hands and be offered with his incense Rev. 8. 3. There was given him much incense that he should offer it with Prayers of all Saints c. And why so but to perfume them and take away the unsavouriness that cleaves to them which would not be needed if there were no sin adhering to them 5. The best of Gods People do profess themselves to be short of perfection and engaged in the pursuit of farther degrees of Holiness If a man hath reached so far as is expected of him by the tenour of the Covenant of Grace under which God hath taken him there is no need or occasion for him to aspire after any more inasmuch as that is the Covenant which he is to stand to and by the terms whereof he is to judge of his duty Certainly the holy men of old knew what they did when they professed their own great defects bewailed them It was the same Covenant that Old-Testament Saints were under and yet we find them acknowledging sinful defects in the best Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin And Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Nor have believers in Christ in Gospel days been otherwise perswaded or thought that their New-Covenant state took from their imperfect actions the nature and denomination of sinful 1 Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us and this apprehension hath put them upon it earnestly to prosecute more perfection not being content with the degrees obtained of this we have a full instance in Paul Phil. 3. 13 14. I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things than are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press toward the mark Paul when he wrote this Epistle was a Prisoner aâ— Rome and so it was not long before his death he was not only a sincere Christian but one that had made a very great progress in Godliness and arrived to an high pitch in Grace and yet he assures us that he was a great way short of that perfection which he was in pursuit of and counted it his duty to use utmost endeavours after the obtaining it and it was not a Legal perfection which he sought for that he utterly disclaims but it was Evangelical or that which according to the Rule of the Gospel he was to pursue 6. The Children of God when they do their best do still bitterly bewail themselves that they can do no better It must needs be granted that such imperfection in us as is a just ground for the sorrow and mourning of the people of God and which they do and ought to cry out of as their burden and bitterness is a short coming in them which ought not to be else all those complaints and self judgings about it must needs be superfluous and unreasonable Not that the sense of this should drive them to despair of Gods gracious acceptance of them sinâ—â— he hath provided for that in Christ notwithstanding all this but yet it exciteâ— Godly Sorrow in them and helps to keep them humble and mournful all their days and directs them where to fix their hope viz. upon Gods free mercy in and through Christ We find therefore how Paul amplifieth in his bemoaning of himself on this account in Rom. 7. And though it hinders not but helps his thanksgiving verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yet â—he complains of it as a thing that was grievous to him verse 15. That which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. And verse 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members And upon the review of all this he cries out as one that was in very sore distress verse 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death And this was not a representation of his natural state when under the legal convictions of sin and remorses of Conscience by reason of it but under the conflict between Grace and Corruption in him as the whole tenour of his expressions doth evince Nor was it on the account of bold Transgressions and more enormous and scandalous prevaâ—ications â—or he could make that challenge 1 Thes 2. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe But it was the mixture which he experienced of sinful corruption with his grace which discovered him not as yet arrived at full perfection 7. The best of men do deprecate the rigour of God in his animadverting upon them which they would have no occasion to do if they did not know themselves to be short of that perfection which they ought to seek after and that the want of it belongs to the remaining sin in them They do indeed hope in his Grace and accordingly look to receive free Salvation from it and they believe that this failing of theirs shall not hinder their partaking in it because God hath laid in for their pardon and acceptance in another but there is a way in which they come to have a title to this Salvation and on account whereof they may claim it according to or consistent with the Justice of the first Covenant under which they once were and they dare not to put themselves on the tryal of their own holiness for this and the reason is because they know it to be so short and defective that if God should take advantage from what his holy eye sees to be wanting therein he would have occasion and provocation offered him to make severe animadversions upon them on this account David so pleads Psal 130. 3 4. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who should stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared And makes that deprecation in Psal 143. 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be Justifyed And though they can plead their interest in his favour from the evidence of their integrity and comfort themselves in it it being an effect of his distinguishing Grace in them and having the promise secured to it yet they dare not plead any personal Righteousness of their own for the procuring of any favour for them but renounce it Dan. 9. 18. We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousnesses but for thy
great mercies And for this reason the sense of these defects attending them makes them oftentimes to tremble at the thoughts of Gods displeasure Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments 8. It is their duty dayly to Pray for Forgiveness Prayer is One part of Natural Worship and it is not appointed for a Complement but as a necessary duty for the upholding of Communion between God and men it being the way in which we are to seek and obtain the good we need and give him the due acknowledgments of it In the petitionary part of it then we are to ask him only for such things as we want And the apprehension of our want and his ability to succcour us is the motive of our so seeking to him Now there is such a Petition which Christ hath directed his Disciples and such as can call God their Father to present dayly to him Math. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts i. e. Our Sins And there is ever implied in such a petition a confession of our debts else we cannot in earnest ask the forgiveness of them We then daily want forgiveness not only a further confirmation of the pardon we received in our Justification but new forgiveness and there is none so holy in this life as to be discharged from the obligation of making this petition in prayer And yet there are many of Gods Children that are kept from precipitating themselves into atrocious sins nor do any truly gracious ones make a dayly trade of it This therefore plainly intimates that the very remaining imperfection which makes them in their whole lives to fall behind in regard of that absolute perfection which consists in a compleat conformiâ—y to the Rule hath that in it which needs forgiveness to be applied to it by the free Grace of God It therefore hath sinfulness in it otherwise it could noâ— stand in need of a pardon and whatsoâ—ever in us stands in need of that tells â—â— that we ought to labour indefatigably tâ— get it taken away as a thing which is evil and bitter 9. One great design that God aims at in his Ordinances and Providences which he dispenseth to his people is to purge away these imperfections to lead them on towards Perfection The Gospel Ordinances which Christ hath appointed to be dispensed to his people were not only designed for the bringing about the Conversion of Sinners though that also is purposed in them we are therefore said to be begotten by the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. And Paul was sent to open mens eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26. 18. But God also aimed at the Edification of Saints by them They are therefore Christ's Ascension Gifts which he hath bestowed on his Church to help them forward to a sinless perfection till when they are not to cease Eph. 4. 10 c. There are also the many Afflictive Providences which God seeth meet to exercise his own Children withal in this world and among other purposes which he intends to bring about hereby we are told that this is one great thing that he aims at by them Isa 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin On this account the afflictions that the Children of God are visited withal are compared to a farnace and to a reâ—iners fire in which remaining dross is separated from the good metal to make it yet more pure This good effect Job encouraged himself that he should obtain by his afflictions Job 23 10. When he hath tried me I shall comâ— forth as gold And surely that which God useth such courses with us to take away from us must needs be a thing that we should endeavour the removal of Job was a perfect man as to integrity Chap. 1. 1. And yet he needed this trial 10 They must be fully perfected in order to their perfect Glorification Though the body of death attends them through the present life and giveth them no little molestation in it yet it shall be wholly put off with it and they shall no more be pestered with it for ever There shall be perfection of holiness enjoyed by us when we come to perfect glory nor indeed can our glory be perfect without it we are told how Christ will present his Church to himself at last Eph. 5. 27. A glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing None are admitted into the assembly above but Just men made perfect Heb. 12. 22 When we come there we shall sin no more nor have any dregs of pollution abiding in us but be entirely conformed to the Image of God now that which is the perfection which God will bring us to at last is that which we all ought to be aspiring after and restless in purâ—â—it of till we come to obtain it And truly Inchoate Holiness makeâ— us capable only of partaking in Inchoate Blessedness our vessels are not prepared to be filled with glory nor can we have that near Communion with God in Christ which is requisite to give us compleat and uninâ—â—rmixed satisfaction till we are compleatly holy in the highest degree which our natures are able to receive If then God hath appointed us to Salvation and there can be none without this it must needs be our duty not to take up with any thing short of this and consequently it must be that which is promised to us in the Covenant of Grace and we ought to pursue it and endeavour to go from â—â—rength to strength in it till we arrive at the fulness of it which is not to be expected till we get to the Eternal Kingdom USE Be we then Exhorted not to place our hope in God for the sake of any Righteousness of our own when we must confess our best so short of what it ought to be which needs a pardon and therefore cannot command his favour but let the sense of our duty and our defect pâ—t us upon relying on Christ alone and his Righteousness as the mâ—ritorious and material cause of our acquittance from the condemnation of the Law and being made the Owners of a title to eternâ— life Let us look hither for a sure foundatâ—on to build our hope upon to receive the reward of Eternal Glory and not to any thing of our own Let our dependence be here for the acceptance of our poor imperfect duties acknowledging that but for this they could not but be rejected Let us in sense of our own imperfection be ever bewailing of it and go to Christ to have it sprinkled with his blood Let us press hard all our lives after more Holiness prosecuting it with utmost reachings and let every new acquest by Divine help make us the more earnest after further degrees of it and more vigorous in the use of all means to reach them Nor let us tire and give in so long as we are any whit behind those who are now totally freed from sin and in whom Grace is arrived at its full stature in Glory THE END A Brief Account of principal matters contained in the foregoing Treatise DOCTRINE I. THat Jesus Christ is a Fountain of Saving Good page 7. How he came to be such a Fountain p. 13. DOCTRINE II. Jesus Christ is an Opened Fountain in the days of the Gospel p. 22. How this fountain comes to be Opened p. 28. In what peculiar respect it is said to be Opened in the days of the Gospel p. 32. DOCTRINE III. They are the Seed of Christ and the Church of God for whose sake this fountain is Opened p. 44 How the Opening of this Fountain had a peculiar respect to these p. 46. DOCTRINE IV. The great design of Opening this Fountain to Gods people is for sin and uncleanness p. 64. How mans sin and uncleanness gave occasion for this p. 65 Of what use this fouutain is for the taking it away p. 77 Trials of our interest in this fountain p. 95 DOCTRINE V. There will be a more peculiar Opening of Christ as a Fountain of life when the Jews are called p. 106 That there is such a Calling of the Jews yet to come ibid. The glorious state of those times p. 114 DOCTRINE VI. When God hath brought his Chosen to bewail their sins especially the affronts which they have offered to Christ and to pray for his mercy he will then make a gracious discovery of this Fountain to them p. 127 How God produceth a Spirit of mourning and supplication in men in order to his Opening of this Fountain to them p. 130 How to judge of the efficacy of the Gospel p. 140 Rules of Trial to know whether this Fountain hath been savingly Opened to us p. 146 In the Sermon annexed to the former Treatise This great question is discussed viz. 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 ERRATA PAge 82. line 17. for parties r. parts p. 137. l. 25. dele and. p. 150. l 24. f. God by r. Godly p. 198. l. 17 add for